President Jagdeo in Berbice
NDC’s who do nothing must go
By Ruel Johnson
During a visit to Berbice yesterday, President Bharrat Jagdeo announced the impending dissolution of two Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in the county.

Responding to the road repair concerns of residents of Manchester Village on the Corentyne, the President said that very often NDCs do nothing with the $3M yearly funding from government, returning most or all of the money at the end of every fiscal year. He said that the government would be dissolving two NDCs in the region since they were not listening to the concerns of the people.

Another gripe that villagers had with the NDC under which their village falls is the taking over of a President’s Youth Choice Initiative project from the control of a local youth group. They said that use of the facilities was restricted and when allowed, it was often under rental. The President advised residents to form a committee from the village and he would have the NDC hand over the control of the project to it.

Some residents complained about the lack of electricity in the area and were told that the area was due for service under the $2 billion Unserved Areas Eletrification Programme (UAEP) which is due to be completed next March.

Tain
When the President visited Clifton Settlement, a community adjoining Tain, he was greeted with the sounds of tassa drumming and chants of “We want Bharrat.” Residents of Tain had protested two weeks ago about the rising crime situation in the area, alleging that members of the Guyana Police Force were involved in robberies and other criminal activities.

Surprisingly, yesterday the issue that was on the top of the agenda for residents was the regular supply of water to the village. Residents complained that some time ago they were assured of an increase in the water pressure by GWI and many of them had invested in overhead storage tanks. They said that currently water does not come to stand pipes a mere three feet off of the ground. And when it does, it is often rust-coloured.

Crime was the second major area of concern for villagers, with residents complaining that robberies committed by firearm wielding bandits were on the increase. One man produced a spent shell of a bullet that was fired during a robbery on a neighbourhood farm just a few days ago.

According to one overseas-based native of Tain, who spoke to the Guyana Chronicle, the crime situation in the area was being noticed by persons overseas. He said that he personally knew of approximately 20 United States residents had cancelled planned vacations home this Christmas after hearing about the rampant crime.

The President responded that there was a widespread shortage of policemen around the country. He said that often there are only two or three officers manning police stations in many areas, and that this number is inadequate to deal with complaints.

He said that the administration, in consultation with the Commissioner of Police, had devised a programme to create a new category of law enforcement officers, neighbourhood-based policemen. He stated that since a major hurdle to the recruitment drive is policemen serving away from where they live, there will be a new system for officers to be based in the villages where they live. He added that another major hurdle to recruitment, the maximum recruitment age, was moved up from 25 years, as applies for regular police officers, to 45 for the neighbourhood-based policemen. He said that two of these policemen were the number required to serve any particular village.

He said that despite this, of the 200 such policemen required to serve in Berbice, only 22 had responded to take part in the programme, which has room for 600 recruits over all. The President appealed to members of the community to join up, since crime was a concern that affects them directly.

He pointed out that there needed to be greater vigilance within the community, citing an incident where three bandits had recently been caught. He noted that while the protesters had stated that the robberies were being committed by outside elements, the captured criminals were in fact from the very community.

Bangladesh
During a visit to the Bangladesh Housing Scheme – a squatting area that is soon to be regularised, according to regional officials – residents complained of inadequate drainage, poor roads and no electricity. The President, after taking a walk around the area, told them to select two streets of their choice within the area and he would have them upgraded.

Concerning the drainage situation, Mr. Jagdeo told regional officials to hire a backhoe sometime next week to clean the weed-clogged drains in the area. As he did in Manchester, the President informed the residents of Bangladesh about the UAEP, and promised that their community is one of those slated to be served under the project. The President reiterated his promise to dissolve the two NDCs, one of which is the Port Mourant-John’s NDC, under which jurisdiction the community falls.

To wrap up his visit, the President made an appearance at a Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry-sponsored fun day at the Number 63 Beach.

Massive blast hits UK fuel depot
By Stephen Hird and Michael Holden
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD (Reuters) - Explosions tore through a fuel depot north of London yesterday, spewing out a huge tower of smoke and flame in what officials said could be the biggest incident of its kind in peacetime Europe.

Police said only one person was seriously injured and believed it was almost certainly an accident.

"There is nothing that indicates anything other than an accident," Hertfordshire Chief Constable Frank Whiteley told a news conference after Britons, still on edge from July bomb attacks in London, awoke to fresh images of destruction.

Eyewitnesses described a series of massive explosions at the Buncefield oil depot just after 0600 GMT, shooting flames and billowing smoke hundreds of feet into the air, smashing the windows of nearby homes and causing widespread damage.

A Reuters witness said the blast was heard 40 km (25 miles) away in northwest London.

The county's Chief Fire Officer, Roy Wilsher, said it was the largest fire he had ever seen and would burn for at least another 24 hours.

"We have been informed by experts that this is possibly the largest incident of this kind in peacetime Europe," he said.

Hours later, the sky was still blackened by a wall of smoke which had drifted miles across southern England and was big enough to be visible on space satellite images.

Some homes in the area were evacuated.

Police said there were 43 casualties but only one person appeared to have suffered serious injuries. "At the moment it looks as if we got off a lot more lightly than you would expect with an explosion of this size," Whiteley said.

Officials said the explosions were unlikely to cause fuel shortages and urged motorists to avoid 'panic buying' of petrol. But witnesses reported queues of drivers at petrol stations, waiting to fill up their cars.

The Buncefield depot supplies petrol and fuel oils to a large part of southeast England, including Luton and Heathrow airports. Oil is brought to the depot, near the town of Hemel Hempstead, by underground pipeline from tankers unloading on the east coast.

A government spokesman said that when full, the depot holds five percent of Britain's oil supply, but they could not say how much it was holding before the blast.

He said oil industry chiefs were meeting to work out how to guarantee supplies from other distribution terminals.

HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy consultations wrap up
The Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security has wrapped up consultations paving the way for the formulation and implementation of an HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy.

The consultations, at Le Meridien Pegasus, attracted participants from among employers and employees, trade unions and the government, who discussed and made recommendations on a draft National Tripartite HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy which was compiled, based on a series of consultations which began since 2003.

Minister of Labour, Human Services and Social Security Dr. Dale Bisnauth submitted that there is a definite correlation between the spread of HIV/AIDS and underdevelopment and poverty; and finds it strange that rich countries provide funding only for the manifestations of the pandemic and not for its root causes.

He contended that people in poverty-stricken societies are not equipped with adequate education to protect themselves against acquiring the dreaded disease, and so while he is not objecting to dealing with its manifestations, he feels the solution lies in the eradication of poverty.

Dr. Bisnauth expressed optimism that when the final HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy would have been arrived at, it will enable the marketing and implementation of social programmes which would effect behaviourial changes.

He also agreed with an earlier contention by General Secretary of the GTUC and President of the Caribbean Congress of Labour, Mr. Lincoln Lewis, that despite heavily funded programmes in the fight against the pandemic, the desired results have not been realised.

Charge D’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy Michael Thomas described the HIV/AIDS pandemic as the worst health crisis in human history, with over 30 million global AIDS related deaths to date.

He noted that in Guyana, an estimated 18,000 people are HIV positive, and the cost to Guyana’s economy is well known.

The disease attacks workers in their most productive years, with mounting direct and indirect costs.

He added that the U.S. government recognises that Guyana is benefiting from a locally led response in the world of work, and the “tireless dedication of the Ministry of Labour, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industries (CAGI), as well as the Ministry of Health, UNAIDS, U.S. Government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).”

He also recalled that the U.S. has dedicated US$15 billion to fighting HIVAIDS, and Guyana is among 15 countries benefiting from this fund.

Thomas said through the U.S. Department of Labour and the International Labour Organisation, the U.S. Government supports the three-year world of work programme in Guyana.

However, he asserted, it is locally led efforts that will ultimately be the most sustainable and the most effective in the fight against the pandemic.

Consultant to the project and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Guyana Dr. Prem Misir commended the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security for taking a “bold and timely step”, noting that Guyana has taken a lead in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

He underscored the need for the proper monitoring and evaluation of programmes to determine their effectiveness, for it is apparent that while much money is spent on various programmes, the desired results are not being achieved.

He added that perhaps a lack of skills is hindering the proper monitoring and evaluation process.

Dr. Misir also noted the macro-economic impact the disease is having on economies. Citing World Bank figures, he observed that it is estimated that countries with a prevalence rate of 10% would have a one-third decrease in national income.

UNAIDS Country Coordinator, Dr. Michel DeGroulard emphasised the need to remove the stigma and discrimination attached to persons with HIV/AIDS, adding that the workplace should not only be an effective means of communication, but should also be a place where persons should be free to access care and treatment, and not be subjected to any form of hindrance.

General Secretary of the GTUC and President of the Caribbean Congress of Labour, Mr. Lincoln Lewis argued that despite huge funding for programmes aimed at curbing the spread of AIDS, the desired results are not being realised.

The GTUC, he said, is committed to the fight against HIV/AIDS, as it sees it as a threat to the very survival of the trade union movement, killing people of working age and adversely impacting on profits, productivity and businesses, creating new challenges for both employers and employees.

He posited that if adults are increasingly dying out, then it would result in more child labour, to which the trade union is totally opposed.

As such, he said the GTUC is the forefront of educating and raising awareness about HIV/AIDS as that is the only way to get people to change their sexual behaviour.

National Development Strategy motion for Thursday’s sitting
UNANIMOUS support is expected for a motion slated to be moved in the National Assembly this week by the main Opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) to adopt the National Development Strategy and measures and policies as the overarching strategy for pursuing the economic and social transformation of Guyana.

General Secretary of the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Mr. Donald Ramotar said he is confident the National Development Strategy document will receive the unanimous support of the Assembly.

“The NDS is really a Government document that was done with a lot of consultations…and I don’t see any difficulty or any problems in the NDS passing through the parliament,” Ramotar commented.

“The document itself was a document produced by the Government and therefore, at the level of Parliament, surely I suspect that the document will have unanimous support because at present all the forces in Parliament and many outside of the parliament were involved in the preparation of the National Development Strategy document,” Ramotar said.

PNCR Member of Parliament Mr. James McAllister is to move the motion at Thursday’s sitting of the National Assembly to adopt the NDS.

McAllister gave notice to the National Assembly two weeks ago about the PNCR’s intention to move a motion to adopt the NDS. Following the circulation of the ‘Notice Paper’ in the National Assembly, the motion has been included on the Order Paper for this week’s sitting.

The motion is also proposing that the National Assembly urge the Government to commence consultations immediately with the private sector, wider civil society and other stakeholders, to establish a representative cross sectional group, supported by a suitably resourced secretariat with access to research expertise, to update the NDS at the earliest practicable date.

The motion also proposes the authorisation of the Economic Services Sector Committee to monitor the work of the cross sectional group and receive monthly interim progress reports on the updated National Development Strategy, and make specific recommendations to the National Assembly for its implementation.

The National Development Strategy sets out priorities for Guyana's economic and social development policies for the next decade, and is based on a careful technical analysis of the problems and prospects in all sectors of the economy, in major areas of social concern and at the level of the macro-economy.

Specific policies were also formulated in all areas aimed at fulfilling the fundamental national objectives and the supporting objectives in each sector.
(Mark Ramotar)

Youths learn about entrepreneurship
A YOUNG entrepreneurship training programme aimed at promoting entrepreneurship as a first choice career for sustainable employment concluded Friday at the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-INVEST).

The two-week training, which also sought to raise awareness of employment issues facing young people today, was organised by the Volunteer Youth Corps, (VYC) in collaboration with Adult Education Association (AEA).

The programme, themed ‘entrepreneurship is the key for sustainable livelihood’, targeted CXC level students from both public and private schools in the city, including St. Rose’s High, the International Business College and St. John’s College.

Chief Executive Officer of GO-INVEST, Mr. Geoffrey Da Silva, told the students that most things that are successful started with very small steps and it is never too early to take the initiative and develop one’s own small business.

He told them that Guyana is full of opportunities and it is up to them, the prospective investors, to make use of these.

Da Silva promised the youths that his agency will work along with them if they are interested in establishing their own businesses in the future, or even now

He stated that he will propose to the EMPRETEC team the establishment of a programme especially for young people.

The students were taught requirements for the registration of businesses in Guyana, the characteristics of entrepreneurs and how they operate, preparation of business plans and the importance of proper record keeping.

Coordinator of the VYC project, Mr. Darren Torrington, said young people need meaningful employment opportunities for stable and sustainable development to be possible.

He said since the public and private sectors cannot adequately provide employment for all young people, it is time that entrepreneurship programmes be made part of the school curriculum so as to provide youths with the relevant skills and knowledge to start up their own businesses.

He spoke of his organisation’s willingness to be part of any committee to facilitate any such programmes in schools.

Armed robbery, marijuana plants destroyed
The Police have arrested two persons following a robbery on Friday night in Berbice.

The Police said about 18:45 h, at John’s Foreshore, Clifton Settlement, Corentyne, poultry farmer Teekoonauth Dookie, 63, his wife Jaswantie, and son Tulsie were attacked and robbed by three men, one of whom had a handgun. The others had pieces of wood.

The victims were alerted by the sound of dogs barking and when they went in the yard to investigate, they were confronted by the bandits.

The Police reported that the men took Dookie into the house and demanded cash and jewellery from the family.  

The family handed over $60,000 in cash, and jewellery valued at $90,000. The robbers escaped’ and soon after, the Police arrested two suspects.

Meanwhile, the Police on Friday conducted a raid in the Ituni backlands, where they came upon a field of marijuana plants.

The one-acre field contained about 3,500 marijuana plants and two tents.

The plants were uprooted and burnt along with the tents.

No arrest was made, the Police said.

Order of the Rising Sun for Hansel Barrow
CONSUL-General of Japan in Guyana, Mr. William Hansel Barrow, M.S. has been awarded the Order of the Rising Sun (O.R.S.) by the Government of Japan.

The award is in recognition of Mr. Barrow’s 25 years of service to the government of Japan, and his work in sustaining strong and friendly relations between Japan and Guyana.

The Consul-General, who has been Japan’s accredited representative here since January 1, 1980, was honoured at a ceremony at the Georgetown Club, Camp Street, attended by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Japan’s Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Yasuo Matsui, among other dignitaries.

The Order is the highest awarded to a civilian by the Government of Japan for services of an exceptionally high standard in promoting and fostering goodwill and building bridges of friendship between Japan and other countries.

Japan has assisted Guyana in many economic ventures, including assistance in the construction of the new CARICOM headquarters at Liliendaal and the New Amsterdam Hospital, Berbice.

Police complete domestic violence workshop
POLICE officers who are guilty of being perpetrators of domestic violence must first change their attitudes and behaviour, if they are to effectively deal with the issue.

This is the view of Ms. Janice Jackson, facilitator at a just concluded one-week Guyana Police Force (GPF) Train the Trainers Course on domestic violence.

According to Jackson, it is critical that when Police officers respond to domestic violence situations, persons cannot point fingers at them or their colleagues and identify them as perpetrators of similar violence.

She added that another stumbling block in effectively dealing with domestic violence is the behaviour of the society in which we live.

“Until we can create an environment that is more supportive and tolerant, some of our efforts will be frustrated,” she added.

Jackson expressed the hope that causes of domestic violence will be addressed; and since alcohol consumption has been identified as one of the major causes of domestic violence, this needs to be tackled.

She said that the course is timely, since it is taking place at a time when violence of all forms permeates the society, and the members of the Police Force need to ensure that they could properly respond to the various situations

The training session comprised classroom and in-the-field training.

Participants in the course looked at what is domestic violence and the causes of domestic violence.

Ms. Jackson said she is happy with Commissioner of Police Winston Felix’s commitment to broad-based training for members of the Force.

Seventeen participants from the GPF, the Fire Service and the Prison Service completed the programme.

Assistant Superintendent Derrick Josiah said that the Force recognised the need to respond appropriately to domestic violence, and has received funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and assistance from Help and Shelter and Red Thread to run the course.

According to Josiah, the training session was the first of three to be held.

Coordinator of the Gender Equity Programme, Ms. Vanda Radzik, in brief remarks, said that a study conducted this year revealed that less than one per cent of domestic violence cases presented before the court led to convictions.

However, she said, members of the Force should be congratulated since a recent report for 2003 showed that there were more than 1000 persons reporting incidents of domestic violence over the previous year.

According to Radzik, it is her hope that, in the near future, special units will be set up to deal with domestic violence and an exchange programme between Guyana and other countries can be initiated.

Working towards a more sustainable aviation sector
THE International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is aware of the impact of aviation on the environment and is doing their utmost to alleviate the adverse effects.

This is according to acting Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Ms. Paula Mc Adam.

Mc Adam was addressing a gathering at the GCCA in Prashad Nagar as Guyana joined with 188 countries to observe International Civil Aviation Day under the theme “The Greening of Flight – maximising compatibility between safe and orderly development of civil aviation and the quality of the environment.”

According to Mc Adam, the theme serves to emphasise the global effort being made towards achieving a more sustainable aviation sector, and gives recognition to a range of standards, policies and guidance materials, aimed at setting high standards for the regulation of aircraft noise and engine emissions.

She added that more than 40 years ago ICAO acknowledged the need for a more sustainable aviation sector and started working towards more efficient, cleaner and quieter aircraft operations.

ICAO has a vision of achieving a safe, secure and sustainable development of civil aviation through cooperation of member states, and six strategic objectives for a five year period (2005-2010) has been identified. Among them are environmental protection and safety and security, Mc Adam said.

With this in mind, ICAO has been developing, adopting and promoting new or amended measures to limit the number of people affected by significant aircraft noise, limit the impact of aircraft engine emissions on local quality of life, and limit the impact of aviation green house gas emissions on the global climate.

She added that they are striving for a balance between the benefits to the world community through civil aviation, and the harm caused to the environment through its progressive advancement.

According to Mc Adam, since it is a fact that civil aviation will continue to grow, “ICAO has taken a conscious decision to take steps to limit environmental harm caused by aviation activities”, she added.

With regard to aircraft noise, ICAO’s greatest concern is the disturbance caused in the vicinity of airports which continues to arouse public concern and hamper economic airport infrastructure development.

As a result, more stringent aircraft noise standards have been developed.

Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Harrynarine Nawbatt said that civil aviation in the country has a long road to travel. He said that recent discussions with top officials from the industry revealed that many plans are on stream to boost the aviation image.

According to Nawbatt, an improved aviation sector has contributed to the reduced number of accidents the country has seen over the past year.

In a message from Chairman of Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Mr. Brian James, which was read by Theresa Ramkissoon, he said that the day serves as a reminder of the importance of Civil Aviation in the social and economic development of countries.

He said that Guyana fully endorses ICAO’s strategic objectives and the GCAA has been working quietly to fulfil its mandate as the regulatory authority.

Currently, GCCA is working with local operators to licence, monitor and maintain a high level of competency in the operations. They also exercise jurisdiction over the granting of route rights for international destinations, the message said.

Four long-serving employees of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) with a collective over 100 years of service, were honoured as part of Guyana’s observance of International Civil Aviation Day.

They are Manager of Air Traffic Services, Ms. Chaitrani Heeralall with 21 years; Director of Air Transport Management, Mr. Zulficar Mohamed, with 24 years; Director of Air Navigation Service, Mr. Dennis Daniel, with 32 years; and acting Director General, Ms. Paula Mc Adam, also with 32 years.

They were all presented with plaques as an appreciation for their contribution to the industry.

Steve's Jewellery celebrates its 10th anniversary
Steve's Jewellery, which boasts of exemplifying the meaning of creativity and craftsmanship in producing exquisitely designed jewellery, is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

The store is owned by Stephen Narine, who used his apprenticeship under his uncle to establish what is today one of the better trusted names in jewellery houses in the capital city of Georgetown.

Stepping into the Church Street business, one senses the secure environment, and is therefore relaxed when selecting pieces from the array of elegantly designed gold, diamond and silver jewellery.

Narine, who oversees his skilled craftsmen, says most of the designs are done by his wife.

The materials used include sterling silver and gold in 12, 14, 18 and 22 carats. Diamonds and other gem stones are handset.

He says business is good and his foreign clientele accounts for some 60% of sales.

The business now offers personal effect items. Customers can choose from a wide selection of sensuous fragrances, a choice of name brand watches like Seiko and Citizen for both men and women, and a collection of designer sunglasses, including Rayban.

Steve’s Jewellery has been certified by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards since 1999.

In observance of its 10th anniversary, Steve’s Jewellery is giving away over two million dollars in prizes, with a three carat diamond necklace as the first prize. The second prize is one three-quarter carat diamond bracelet, while the third and fourth prizes are a pair of diamond earrings and a three-quarter carat diamond ring.

Rice producers concerned about drainage preparedness
The Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA) has expressed serious concerns about the preparedness of the drainage systems to cope with the current rainy season.

General Secretary of the RPA, Dharamkumar Seeraj, told the Chronicle that based on recent events, it would seem that the money spent on works on the drainage systems, executed by both the Task Force and the National Drainage and Irrigation Board (NDIB), is not reflective of what has been done to prepare the drainage systems for the rains.

He expressed dismay that despite assurances from the relevant authorities that the “drainage systems were ready to go” when the rains came, it turned out that there was no adequate preparedness as evidenced by the floods in several areas.

Some 445 hectares of rice on the Corentyne, from Don Robin to Seawell, are currently under water, and 323 hectares of these are ready for reaping, Seeraj said.

He said the RPA is calling on those responsible for the drainage systems to expeditiously implement remedial measures to ensure that the drainage systems work with optimum efficiency. He said farmers suffered huge losses during the January flood, and many of whom are still reeling from its effects.

Meanwhile, Seeraj said harvesting of the last rice crop has been almost completed with just about 700 hectares to be reaped in West Berbice and Corentyne.

During the last crop, some 50,800 hectares of rice were planted, representing a shortfall of just under 16,000 hectares of the targeted 67,300 hectares.

The shortfall in cultivation was due to the adverse effects of the January floods on some of the lands, as well as the financial inability of some farmers to plant, Seeraj said.

The national average for yield was 4.2 tonnes of paddy per hectare, which showed an increase over the previous crop, Seeraj noted, adding that it could have been higher but the damage to lands as a result of the January floods and a fungal problem in the Mahaica/Mahaicony area resulted in yields as low as 3.6 tonnes per hectare. He added that in Essequibo and Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica), yields were 5 and 4.4 tonnes per hectare respectively, and total production for the crop was 209,000 tonnes of paddy, equivalent to 136,000 tonnes of rice.

Seeraj observed, too, that prices for paddy were favourable, ranging from $1,400 to $1,700 per bag.

Cultivation for the new crop has already begun, and it is anticipated that some 68,500 hectares of land would be sown, with a production target of 302,000 tonnes of paddy or 196,000 tonnes of rice, Seeraj said.

The RPA General Secretary pointed out that one of the major difficulties facing farmers for the ongoing crop is the steep rise in the price of fertiliser, which fetches between $4,300 to $5,200 per bag, compared to $3,600 to $4,000 during the last crop.

It is hoped that with the European Union’s rice assistance programme coming on stream, a more reliable and cheaper supply of fertiliser would be forthcoming for the next crop.

The cultivation process is expected to be accelerated in the coming weeks with the onset of the rains, Seeraj observed, expressing optimism that the production target would be met, “all things being equal.” (Chamanlall Naipaul)

Details of Thompson’s death sketchy
OFFICIALS at the Le Meridien Pegasus, Georgetown, yesterday remained tight-lipped on the suspected murder of American citizen, Hubert Daniel Thompson whose body was found in his hotel room at the hotel Saturday night.

When this newspaper contacted the hotel yesterday, we were told the General Manager would not be available for the entire day, the manager on duty was not taking calls, and no one else was available to speak on the matter.

Details about Thompson’s death are sketchy, but evidence supports the theory that he was murdered. According to reports, shortly before his death, noises were heard coming from his room. He had checked into the hotel on December 1.

According to Police, Thompson, 55, was a Senior Technical Advisor attached to an international aid agency. Thompson’s body was found about 20:00 h “and bore marks of violence to the back of the head”, a Police release said.

The United States Embassy also issued a release, stating that his death has been ruled a homicide. He was employed by John Snow Incorporated of 44 Farmsworth Street, Boston, USA.

Thompson from Staunton, Virginia, was a contractor to USAID/Guyana HIV/AIDS Reduction Programme (GHARP).

The Embassy has extended its sympathy to the family and friends of Thompson.

The body is at the Lyken Funeral Parlour awaiting a post mortem.

Police reach out
THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) yesterday held its Christmas outreach programme for over 200 children of various communities around Georgetown.

The children from areas such as Tiger Bay visit the Police Sports Club, Eve Leary, every Sunday and are taught to cook, sew and play musical instruments.

Yesterday the children were given Christmas greetings by Commissioner of Police Mr. Winston Felix.

There were songs, poems and dances from the children and musical renditions from the Guyana Police Force band.

Also attending the ceremony were Deputy Commissioner of ‘Law Enforcement’ Mr. Henry Greene, and Deputy Commissioner of Administration Mr. Sydney Bumbury.

Quick thinking foils car theft
QUICK thinking may have saved the life of another taxi driver who was hired in Georgetown by two men to go to Ogle, East Coast Demerara on Saturday night.

According to a Police release, around 21:00 h, the men hired the driver from Georgetown, but while on the journey they began to question him extensively, causing him to become suspicious. The man drove the vehicle into the Kitty Police Station compound and a search of the vehicle revealed a .32 pistol with six matching rounds.

The two men are in custody and are expected to be charged shortly.

In another incident, taxi driver, Wendell Charles became the latest victim of a motor car robbery, when two men armed with handguns drove off with his white Toyota Carina on Saturday night.

According to a release from the Police Public Relations Department, around 23:10 h, Charles, 39, was hired by two men from outside of Demico, to go to East Ruimveldt.

While on the East Ruimveldt Back Road, the men held the taxi driver at gunpoint, tied him up and bundled him in the back seat. They then drove to the Lamaha Springs area where they threw him out and escaped with the car.

In a third incident, 78-year-old Satnarine, of Garnett Street, Newtown, Kitty, was attacked by two men armed with handguns and robbed of his motor car on Saturday night.

According to reports, Satnarine, along with another man and a woman were in the vehicle parked in the Bel Air Park area when the two men approached and held them at gunpoint.

The men made off with Satnarine’s grey Toyota Carina and a quantity of jewellery.

Government examines claims of mining irregularities on Amerindian lands
Amerindian Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues has refuted claims made by Toshao of Paruima Village, John Andries, that mining is polluting the community’s waterways and affecting their livelihood.

Andries made these claims during a Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources special sitting in Parliament on December 2.

Andries told the Committee, headed by People’s National Congress Reform Member of Parliament Abdul Kadir, that Government has failed to effectively manage the situation in the Upper Mazaruni District.

Following the claims, a high level team of Government officials, headed by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, and including Amerindian Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues, and Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission Robeson Benn, visited Region Seven on December 4.

Over three days, the team heard the concerns of the villagers and examined ways through which Government can render assistance.

According to Minister Rodrigues, contrary to what Toshao Andries claimed, there are no mining activities taking place on Paruima’s land.

“Following the claims, I immediately got my officer with Mr. Andries and I said let’s have this thing cleared up. Let’s go to the Lands and Surveys Commission and the GGMC and sort this thing out.”

“Immediately the GGMC, even though they have the right to grant permits on Amerindian land, (the New Act will change this) decided that they were going to cancel those two blocks,” she said.

The Minister pointed out that the Paruima community has refused to be demarcated; hence the boundaries are unclear.

“Mr. Andries is well aware of that, because he came back here and told me what happened,” she added. “I even suggested to him that, notwithstanding the exploratory activity is outside of the titled land, because there is going to be some contact at some point in time, a Memorandum of Understanding be developed.”

The PPP/C manifesto states that demarcation of Amerindian lands is a priority and this administration has made provisions for such exercise, in keeping with international standards, the Minister said.

One of the provisions of the new Amerindian Act, tabled in Parliament in August, states that Amerindian communities can benefit from mining activities taking place in their respective communities, and that they also have a major say in what takes place in this regard.
(The Government Information Agency)

That’s what Christmas is all about
Once again it’s that special time of year.

Commercial sections of the city are as busy as ever. Shoppers can be seen laden with gaily wrapped parcels moving from one store to the next, as businessmen strive to outdo each other with special offers and Santa parades and all that goes with Christmas.

In the midst of the bustle and the expensive preparations, we tend to forget that for quite a few of us, Christmas 2005 is not going to be as enjoyable as we would like.

In our midst, there are those who have lost loved ones at the hands of gunmen and careless drivers on the streets.

To have a loved one snatched from the home with hardly any notice is traumatic indeed. To have this happen at Christmas time is doubly painful.

Come Christmas Day, some children and wives and husbands will have to cope with that empty chair at the dinner table, with no gift from a dear relative under the Christmas tree, with the ever-present pain of a funeral in some muddy cemetery.

But the festive season goes on. The round of parties and the more formal balls, and staff get-togethers.

This is how it always is, of course. Perhaps this is how it should be.

But bearing in mind that Christmas is a time of giving and sharing, of a kind of looking out for each other, could we not just stop for a moment and see how we can help to ease the burden of those who are hurting because of some sudden, irreversible mishap.

It is customary for business entities to be seemingly generous at this time. They have parties for the less fortunate, and share toys with unfortunate little ones and host lunches for the aged. And they vie for these acts of benevolence to be published in the media.

And they feel good. For what they have done is indeed commendable.

But there is so much more to be said for the personal ministering to a bereaved family, for preparing Christmas dinner for a neighbour who recently lost the family’s bread-winner.

As we have a happy holiday, could we not look about and see if there is some grieving household to which we could minister.

As this column is being written, the plight of a handful of householders in Berbice whose homes were destroyed by a tornado is fresh in the writer’s mind, as is the press photograph of the seamstress murdered as she tried to save her son from armed robbers.

And press photographs of a grieving family at the funeral of their murdered father have also saddened many readers of the weekend newspapers.

There is a great deal of pain out there. Not the greater disasters we read about miles and miles away. But just around the corner from where we live. Maybe just next door.

Let’s make this Christmas a really caring one.

Let’s reach out to someone in need.

That’s what Christmas is all about, really.

THE FACT
Economic policies implemented under the PPP/C Administration
It has been stated by television commentator Anthony Vieira that President Bharrat Jagdeo has been taking undue credit for the implementation of a number of economic policies.

Among the policies Vieira said the Head of State took undue credit for are the Exchange Control Act, the Capital Issues Act, the New Banking Act, the New Companies Act and the New Securities Legislation.

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Manzoor Nadir, who listened to the commentary, has sought to refute the inaccuracies in Vieira’s statements.

Nadir noted that prior to assuming the Presidency, Mr. Jagdeo had served as Minister of Finance for several years, which makes it obvious that he was actively involved in the policy-making process.

“What he is doing is confusing the Government, PPP/C and what was personally done by the President……the Government which includes the President would have been involved in these changes during the PPP regime,” Minister Nadir says.

Nadir explained that it was the PPP/C Government that passed the four Acts between 1995 and 2003.

“I have in front of me four of the Acts which all bear dates commencing from 1995, while this Government was in power.”

He explained that Vieira evidently misconstrued what the President meant by the use of the term “we” to mean personal accomplishments.

“The PPP Government has done these things and that is what the President meant.”

Whether it was done under President Cheddi Jagan, President Janet Jagan or President Jagdeo, legislation was passed under the PPP/C Government to reform financial institutions and the financial sector to allow for more openness and transparency for an enabling environment for private sector investment.

“That is what Mr. Vieira is using under the title Presidential lies,” Nadir said.

Pumps are old
I REFER to an article in the Guyana Chronicle of December 6, 2005 which erroneously stated that the Kitty Pump Station drains Kitty, Subryanville, Campbellville and Thomas Lands.

It is impossible for two small pumps – 12-inch and 16-inch in diameter - to drain all these areas mentioned.

I designed and built the Kitty Pump Station in 1967 to drain the GDF compound specifically. The 12-inch pump was installed in 1967 and the 16 inch one year later.

There is a pipe across the Kitty Road which I installed at a high elevation to please the Parliamentary Secretary for Kitty at that time.

Drainage for Kitty, if any, is very small much less for the other areas mentioned in the article.

The Liliendaal Pump Station on the other hand, capable of discharging 300 cu secs, was designed to drain east of Sheriff Street up to UG and as far south to Roxanne Burnham Gardens.

Later, other areas were added by the City Council.

The pump station, including all ancillary works, was handed over to the Town Council in 1977. Drawings and a Maintenance Schedule were also handed over by the Hydraulics Division.

The electric pumps themselves at both locations have a 25 years design life expectancy which has already been exceeded.

I believe lack of adequate maintenance as well as fluctuating electrical power has all impacted on the performance of the pumps over the years.

I feel that the entire drainage system, including in Georgetown and the East Coast Demerara, needs to be revamped and re-engineered to suit the conditions as exist today.
MALCOLM ALLI

Who the cap fits…
I AM a decent law abiding citizen concerned about justice and the upholding of the truth.

I also know that who the cap fits should wear it.

I was perturbed to see the response to a letter penned by Carl Whitened.

In the response, the person threatened a law suit alleging that Mr Whitened was lying about his affiliation with Clico here in Guyana.

I found out he was appointed Liaison Officer for Guyana/Suriname by Caribbean Money Market Brokers Ltd. It is a full service brokerage house based in Trinidad.

Its shareholders are Jamaica Money Market Brokers Ltd., CL Financial Ltd., and Clico Investment Bank Ltd. Its Directors are Mr Noel Lyon (Chairman), Mr Ram Ramesh (Managing Director & CEO), Mr Lawrence Duprey, Mr L. Andre Montiel, Mr Keith Duncan, Mr Robert Mayers and Mr Lennox Archer.

Clico in Guyana is owned by CL Financial Ltd.
L.R.

Why are they no longer hanged?
THE 15-year jail sentence a man got for the unprovoked murder of a helpless 75-year-old woman was a slap on the shoulder and a miscarriage of justice.

After 10 years for "good behaviour" in prison, I guess this murderer will be back again raping, murdering and plundering.

I am 1000% certain he has committed these crimes before and he is not a first time offender.

DNA testing should be available free for victims of rape and without delay.

All women organisations in Guyana need to meet and reconstruct and propose new sentencing periods for crimes against women. Look at the number of underage victims.

What is the government doing?

Perverts are living and committing crimes freely in the community without any laws to track them or curtail with who they come in contact.

Without the presence of DNA technology, society is a laughing stock for these people and victims can be easily accessed and left without any justice being served in their favour.

The man recently sentenced should be hung.
EVELINA

We’ve got to start somewhere
WHEN would the cycle of violence end in Guyana?

We have seen the results of all the `Committees of Inaction on Crime’ that have been set up over the years and it is now time to adopt a more rational and radical approach to bring this crisis to an end.

As a first step, the government must immediately increase the pay of law enforcement officers to levels that would make law enforcement an attractive career for new recruits and to motivate the current force.

The funds for the increase would be acquired through the enforcement of the traffic laws, which would require special courts to be set up to prosecute traffic offences only.

The Police Traffic Department must ensure that there are traffic signs at all intersections, the speed limit clearly posted on all roads and drivers committing traffic infractions are ticketed and unlicensed drivers punished.

It is well known that traffic stops often lead to the arrest of wanted men.

The courts and the Police must enforce the penalty phase if the ticketed drivers are found guilty. Failure to pay fines should result in the suspension of driving privileges, and or the seizure of the guilty party’s vehicle.

The penalties for the return of a seized vehicle or resumption of driving privileges must be `stiff’ enough to enforce compliance of court orders.

The government must also invest in technology to make drivers licence difficult to forge, and a vehicle’s information part of the owner’s `DNA’.

The funds that were allocated for the procurement of armoured vehicles should be used instead to upgrade Police radios, and for the acquisition of radar guns and new vehicles for Police patrols.

Communities have to be patrolled by more than one group of policemen in a vehicle if the intent is to deter criminal activity and respond to reports of a crime in progress with force.

One cannot blame the officers for responding slowly to reports of criminal activities when the odds are stacked against them and there is no backup to assist in a crisis situation.

Litter laws must also be enforced if we are to return to a `normal society’ and not be a society where punishable offences appear to be that of only murder, robbery and rape.

We’ve got to start somewhere to restore this country to its former glory.
JOE OWEN

Tone it down
I THANK you for your views on the safe sex demonstrations that had an audience of mostly very young children (Weekend Confidential, Guyana Chronicle, December 9, 2005).

I commend you for your article and your advice to tone it down.

I live in the U.S. and you would never find them subjecting children that young to something of that nature.

I understand that their point is that children are getting involved in sexual activity very early, but still that does not mean that we put it out there for them.
SAGER

Licks?
I REFER to the news report headlined “Licks for wayward students” (Guyana Chronicle Dec. 7, 2005).

In it District Education Officer, Secondary, Leslyn Charles was quoted as saying, “Students are aware that strokes cannot be administered, which makes them even more difficult to control.”

Assuming that the said officer was quoted correctly and in the right context, I wish to remind the officer that corporal punishment has not been abolished in schools, notwithstanding any Ministry of Education circular to the contrary.

Is it legal for the MOE to send such circulars to head teachers directing them not to use corporal punishment when the regulations governing school corporal punishment have not been repealed by an Act of Parliament? This gives teachers and parents the false impression that school corporal punishment has been abolished.

Any circular in contravention to the laws of Guyana is an illegal document.

Similarly, it is disingenuous for the Government Information Agency to report that Region Five residents, in making submissions on rewriting the Education Act, have unanimously agreed that corporal punishment should be mandatory in schools, when the truth and fact is that school corporal punishment has not been abolished in Guyana.

The regulations governing school corporal punishment in Guyana are as follows:

Laws of Guyana, Cap 39:01 Education, Education Code Regulations, 1973.

Regulation 93: Whenever corporal punishment is administered, a statement of the nature and extent of the punishment and reason therefor must be entered in the punishment book. All such entries must be made at the time the punishment is inflicted.

Regulation 94 [Reg. 37/1943]: (1) For serious or repeated offences corporal punishment may be administered by the head teacher or by an assistant teacher over twenty years of age and authorised by him.

(2) Whenever a head teacher authorises an assistant teacher to administer corporal punishment, it shall be administered in the presence of the head teacher and under his direction and on his responsibility.

(3) Corporal punishment for girls shall be administered by a female teacher or by the head teacher in the presence of a female teacher.

(4) Whenever corporal punishment is administered, an entry shall be made on the same day in the punishment book, with a statement of the nature and extent of the punishment and the reason for inflicting it.

If the MOE, parents and teachers truly desire to retain corporal punishment in school then it must be done in the manner prescribed by the present Education Act.

Any deviation whatsoever is an unlawful act and the deviant can be slapped with a charge of common assault.

Then CPCE and UG’s School of Education will have to train teachers how to administer corporal punishment in love, without anger and gently so as to leave no visible marks on children’s bodies.
M. XIU QUAN-BALGOBIND-HACKETT

Not a civil rights debate
I REFER to a letter by `SASOD’ in the Guyana Chronicle of December 8, 2005.

There was a time when SASOD, among others demanded that the Christian community relate to issues of “sexual orientation” in terms more “precise” than the already consistent themes offered by biblical, moral and theological objectivity.

Scores of submissions later and with the plethora of legal and medical evidence offered by the Christian community to prove the point of the death, deception, disease and degradation inherent in same-sex attraction disorders, SASOD now resorts to the ad-hominem argument.

Christians should not be similarly deficient in our response, and should repeat for SASOD the facts that are relevant to the discussion.

Canada has been establishing a name for itself as a haven for the anti-Christian, anti-evidence community (see “Only a few defended the teacher” at http://www.canadiangrassroots.ca/sections.php?
op=printpage&artid=3359), so it is debatable whether the submissions by the “Canadian Legal Network” have any validity at all.

HIV/AIDS is a deadly communicable, infectious disease, not a civil rights debate. The claim by that organisation, for example, that HIV is transmitted “because homosexual or bisexual identity is not acknowledged, permitted, and supported as a natural development of human personality” … is demonstrably false.

According to the Surgeon General of the USA, anal intercourse remains the most virulent form of transmission of the disease, along with the bisexual crossover, with males who have sex with males accounting for over half of all HIV infections in the United States, the mid-range estimate being approximately 450,000 cases out of a total of 750,000. (John M. Karon, Ph.D., et al., "Prevalence of HIV Infection in the United States, 1984 to 1992", Journal of the American Medical Association, July 10, 1996, Table 4).

The medical community has always known that the homosexual and bisexual population effects an astonishingly disproportionate degree of disease on the population, being responsible for more than 50% of the cases of syphilis and gonorrhoea in the USA just before 1990.

What are the facts for Guyana?

Astonishingly, this figures quoted by Karon remained stable into 2002, given the data summarised from the CDC annual HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report. For a more complete understanding of the current surveillance trends, you may download a PDF file of the HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report (http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/stats/hasrlink.htm.

WHAT OF NUMBERS FOR GUYANA? No less than Guyana’s Chief Medical Officer participated in a 1997 study which observed that prevalence data in Guyana is negligible at best, and that NO studies have reported the prevalence of HIV in Guyanese men (the study is at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol8no3/01-0261.htm and dated January 30 2004 at the CDC website). Does the recent “Behaviour Surveillance Report” correct these gaping holes? With "guesstimates" of 60% under-reporting, insisting that heterosexual sex fuels Guyana’s epidemic is irresponsible.

Other literature in the Journal Of The American Medical Association reveals the real issue that SASOD avoids:

The physiology of the rectum makes it clear that sodomy is unnatural. The inward expansion of the rectum during anal intercourse frequently tears the rectal lining, resulting in spasms, colitis, cramps, and a variety of other physical responses. Furthermore, sperm can readily penetrate the rectal wall (the vagina cannot be so readily penetrated) and do massive immunological damage, leaving the body vulnerable to a bewildering variety of opportunistic infections.” (David Ostrow et al, eds., “Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Homosexual Men”, New York, Plenum Medical Book Co., 1982 … in the article “Hemorrhoids, Anal Fissure and Condylomata Acuminata”; G. Manligit et al., “Chronic Immune Stimulation by Sperm Alloantigens,” in the Journal of the American Medical Association 251, 1984 … 237-241; See also J. Richards et al., “Rectal Insemination Modifies Immune Responses in Rabbits,” Science 224 … 1984 … 390-392; G. Shearer and A. Rabson, “Semen and Aids,” Nature 308 … 1984:230).

That stigma should be attached to such a practice or lifestyle should not only be understood, but encouraged. It is simply the common sense thing to do.

Per Rabbi David Eidensohn in 2002, at the Caricom HIV/AIDS Workshop for faith-based organisations on November 25th at the Caricom Secretariat, we can ask SASOD and the NAPS ad nauseam to tell us why HIV/AIDS is called “The Unnecessary Epidemic”… and why Dr. Patrick Dixon (“Aids and You”) speculates 200 million dead from AIDS over the next two decades.

ALL STDs, or Sexually Transmitted Diseases, are controlled by reporting and quarantine. Reporting means that someone who goes to a doctor for treatment of syphilis, or another STD, is reported, and must report all partners. If the person continues infecting, the health department can quarantine him.

This works. Why doesn't it work with HIV/AIDS? It has not been tried.

From the beginning of the HIV epidemic decades ago, the gay lobby pressured gay-lobby states to make HIV Confidentiality Laws, which prevent regular public health epidemiologists from using their conventional and effective tools to stop the epidemic.

In New York State, as in Guyana, neither HIV nor AIDS are on the list of infectious diseases. In fact, THEY ARE THE ONLY DISEASES NOT LISTED. Why?

What is the moral of this observation by Rabbi Eidensohn? With such a fragile and vulnerable population of under one million in Guyana, it is not logical, or responsible, to fight a deadly disease with the language of the civil rights movement. We must use standard epidemiological responses, or risk a total infection episode over time.

We must champion radical behaviour change and access to, and availability of, anti-retrovirals (ARVs), not “stigma” and “discrimination”.

Good national policy should therefore demand that the legitimate “opportunity” and “treatment” and “employment” needs of PLWHA be completely disaggregated from SASOD’s agenda aimed at piggybacking on the trauma of PLWHA (see the online law review: “Crafting Bi/Homosexual Youth” by Judith Reisman. 14 REGENT U. L. REV. 283,326 2002; http://www.regent.edu/acad/schlaw/academics/
lawreview/articles/14_2Reisman.PDF.

SASOD’s linkage of gay-militant goals to PLWHA issues reflects Reisman’s outline of the callous tactics being used in this effort.

Dr. Stanley Monteith advises that the expediency of the response in an epidemic should not take away from good medical common sense. The information herein presented should not be misconstrued as excluding those who are HIV infected from most forms of work. Before an HIV-infected person is allowed to work, however, Monteith advises that the following parameters should be met:

(1) The HIV-infected person's immune system should be largely intact with a CD4 count over 200.

(2) HIV-infected patients must not be carrying other diseases that could be spread to the public.

(3) The infected individual must act responsibly.

(4) Those who may come into contact with blood or body secretions must be informed of their danger, and be prepared to protect themselves.

As dealt with at Section 3:4 on pages 8-9 of the online article “An Initial Critique Of The National Assessment” at www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.com, acting responsibly will inevitably include that persons with “lifestyle-based” infections cannot use their status as PLWHA to usurp an epidemiological response, the existing criminal-justice system, and current employment law, especially under “sexual orientation” legislation.

MSMs, and SASOD, are simply special-interest groups seeking legitimacy at the expense of good public policy for PLWHA.
ROGER WILLIAMS

On Centennial anniversary ...
IAAF president congratulates Cuban athletics fraternity
HAVANA, Cuba (CMC) - International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President Lamine Diack has congratulated the Cuban athletics fraternity on their centennial anniversary of organised athletics.

Diack travelled to the northern Caribbean territory, last weekend, accompanied by Area Representative and IAAF Council Member Jamaican Neville McCook and IAAF Communications Director Nick Davies.

Speaking at the gala ceremony to mark the event Diack praised the Cuban government and their efforts to incorporate sport with education.

"We would like express our appreciation to Cuba and President Fidel Castro (a former 800m runner), who has converted this country into a role model of 'education through sport'.

"I have seen effective and real expressions of what Cuba does for human equality and solidarity. I feel privileged to have been able to unveil the plaque marking the centennial of Cuban athletics," said Diack.

December 3, 2005 is one hundred years after the December 3 1905 event, when the first official athletics competition was held on the island at the University of Havana, whose athletics team competed with the Vedado Tennis Club in that first official competition.

To mark the anniversary, Diack, along with IAAF council member and Cuban Athletics Federation president, Alberto Juantorena, unveiled a centennial plaque at the University Stadium, which was founded in 1927.

Diack eulogised all of Cuba's national athletes for their achievements.

"I want to pay tribute to all athletes, past, present and future, for their contribution to our sport. For the younger ones, I wish you all the success that Cuban sport deserves."

At the gala last Saturday to mark the event, past and present champions were honoured.

The Gala show, dubbed 'the Centennial of Cuban Athletics', was directed by Hugo Oslé and comprised a celebration of Cuban music and dance, and followed the history of Cuban athletics since Felix Carvajal's fourth place finish in the 1904 Olympic marathon.

The IAAF delegation was presented with a special Centennial medal to mark the occasion and in turn President Diack, along with Cuban Olympic Committee President José Ramón Fernández and Cuban Minister of Sports Cristián Jiménez presented Centennial medals to 10 Cuban athletics.

The athletes honoured were 1976 Olympic 400 and 800 metres champion Alberto Juantorena, 1964 Olympic 100-metre silver medallist Enrique Figuerola, Pedro Pérez Dueñas, and María Caridad Colón.

Also on the honour role were high jump World record holder at 2.45 metres and 1992 Olympic, 1997 World champion and three-time world Indoor champion Javier Sotomayor, with his other dominant teammate five-time (1993-2001) consecutive world indoor long jump winner along with four outdoor long-jump titles Iván Pedroso and 2000 Olympic sprint hurdles winner Anier García.

On the women's side 1995 &1997 800-metre World champion Ana Fidelia Quirot, 2001& 2003 World hammer champion Yipsi Moreno and reigning two-time World and Olympic javelin champion Osleidys Menendez who eclipsed her won world record at the 2005 Helsinki championships with a new mark 71.70 metres.

Cuba's athletics federation was founded in 1922, even before its National Olympic Committee was established, and has so far won 32 Olympic and 36 outdoor World Championship medals in athletics, including six (two gold and four silver) in Helsinki 2005.

To conclude its two-day visit to Cuba the IAAF delegation toured Old Havana, and the Giraldo Cordova Cardin High Performance Training Centre where the national team trains and competes.

Also in recognition of the Centenary, the first issue of the Atletismo Cubano magazine was published, and the website of the Cuban Federation is scheduled to be launched in the near future.

Power outage ends mixed-team volleyball competition
A POWER outage around 21:00 h on Saturday night brought a premature end to the Castrol Strikers inaugural mixed four-team volleyball competition, played at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Castrol Strikers ‘A’ team had already qualified for the final after defeating Goed Fortuin Warriors in two close games 26-24 and 25-23, while the B side who lost by a large margin in the first semi-final game against Achievers were preparing to do battle in the second match when the lights went out.

Castrol’s captain Ian Wills told Chronicle Sport that a decision was made soon after to keep the trophy for next year’s competition, but to share out the prize money.

The B team conceded their semi-final match, so the first and second place winnings of $20 000 and $10 000 respectively were split equally between the ‘A’ team and Achievers.

Since there was no third place winner, the two other teams, the Castrol Strikers ‘B’ and Goed Fortuin Warriors, shared the $5 000.

The basketball encounter between Ravens and Courts Pacesetters, billed as a side attraction for the night, was also called off.

St Stephen’s Primary capture Humphrey’s Bakery draughts title
ST STEPHEN’S Primary emerged the champions of the Inter-school Draughts Challenge tournament, capturing the Humphrey’s Bakery & Farm Products trophy.

The champions scored 176 points to beat hosts Ketley Primary who had 167 points, despite producing the top two players - Jevon Roberts with 45 points who eventually was the overall champion, and Rayhanson De Freitas who had 43.

Ruth Peters of Stephen’s was third with 38 points and fourth Tevin Nedd of Ketley with 37.

Prior to the tournament, students of the two schools were on a two-month training programme that would be continued in the new year. The event was held last week Saturday and the prizes were presented on Wednesday last.

Draughts is said to be the oldest game known to man, over 4 000 years and although it is one of the greatest mind games, it provides much fun.

Achievers win DDL Inter-county volleyball tournament
ACHIEVERS Volleyball Club of Goed Fortuin have been unstoppable in 2005 and yesterday they iced the cake of their success by defeating rivals and fellow village team, Warriors, in the final of the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) 5 Year Old rum second-division inter-county competition which was played at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The winners are now on record as the first team to win both the first and second-division titles in a calendar year.

In the final yesterday afternoon Goed Fortuin Warriors took an early lead due mainly to accurate spiking from captain Satrohan Ramnarine. The Warriors continued to play well and soon the score was 15-10 in their favour as they forced their opponents to play loose volleyball.

Good spiking by Michael Trapp and an equally good defence by Christopher Ramsundar, however, carried Achievers to their first lead that of 21-20. This aggression soon boiled over to a 25-23 win.

The second set was dominated by Achievers and they were cruising at 13-7 at the halfway mark and looked on target to pull off an easy victory at 19-8, but this was not to be and an all-round good performance by the Warriors carried the team within a point at 23-24, but Achievers triumphed winning the last point and the final, to be crowned champions.

A total of four teams took part in the competition which was a round robin with the best two finishers qualifying to the final.

Achievers defeated Port Mourant in the first encounter 2-1; they also won against Defenders 2-0. Goed Fortuin Warriors, on the other hand, also defeated Defenders 2-0, while they got past Port Mourant by the same margin.

The other match, which could be considered a third place clash, saw Defenders defeat Port Mourant 30-17.

First cricketer in 24 years…
Flintoff wins top BBC Sport award
ANDREW Flintoff has become the first cricketer for 24 years to win the BBC Sports Personality-of-the-Year award.

Flintoff played a key role in England's spectacular Ashes summer, as they beat Australia in a Test series for the first time since 1987.

He won the public vote ahead of sailor Ellen MacArthur, with Liverpool footballer Steven Gerrard in third.

Flintoff received the award from Ian Botham in Pakistan, where he is due to play a one-day match this morning.

He was the team's leading wicket-taker, with 24 victims, and one of just three batsman on either side to top 400 runs.

The all-rounder scored a vital 73 and took late wickets in a thrilling two-run win at Edgbaston to bring the Ashes series level at 1-1 after England had lost the opening match.

It prompted comparisons with Botham, who won the BBC prize in 1981 after playing a similarly inspirational part against Australia.

Flintoff scored a century at Trent Bridge, where England secured a three-wicket win to ensure they could not lose the series.

And he took five wickets at The Oval to help ensure the draw that sealed England's Ashes victory. (BBC Sport)

T&T beat Guyana in amateur box-off
CHAGUANAS, Trinidad, (CMC) - Impressive outings by Alexi Alexander and Aaron Prince propelled Trinidad and Tobago to a 6-3 win over Guyana in their two-day amateur boxing challenge series that ended Saturday night.

The middleweight Alexander outclassed Markember Pierre on Friday night and Prince easily won his light welterweight bout against Jermaine King on Saturday to highlight the home team's win in the nine-bout series.

Trinidad and Tobago won three of four bouts contested Friday night and also captured three wins on Saturday night when five bouts were staged.

On opening night at the Cosmic Boxing Gym, Alexander was joined on the win-list for T&T by featherweight Chris De Freitas and light heavyweight Denzil Salazar.

De Freitas beat Rae Sandiford on points, and Salazar got past Fitzroy Richardson.

Guyana got their only win Friday night from Dexter Gonzalez, who beat Joel Eligon in their lightweight bout.

Richardson reversed his result against Salazar in their light heavyweight rematch on Saturday night at the Chaguanas Indoor Complex and gave the Guyanese one of their two wins.

Flyweight Dexter Marquez got the other Guyana victory, upsetting reigning Caribbean champion Aaron Cumberbatch.

T&T assured themselves of the series win with light welterweights Prince and Aaron Hassette and welterweight Kirt Blackwell registering victories.

Hassette, a Caribbean silver medallist at home in Trinidad last year, defeated Hendrick Penswijk on points, and Blackwell, also a 2004 silver medallist, overcame Joel McRae.

Blatter says Liverpool desperate for world club title
TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) - Liverpool will be desperate to win the Club World Championship despite fears over player burn-out, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said yesterday.

Speaking before Egypt's Al Ahly took on Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad in the tournament curtain raiser, Blatter dismissed any suggestion that fatigue would blunt Liverpool's chances.

"I have had direct contact with Liverpool. They said they have won everything but never a world championship," Blatter told reporters.

"I am sure they will make a special effort. They will make the effort to win the tournament definitely."

FIFA have pinned their faith on the revamped Club World Championship after the embarrassing collapse of the tournament's forerunner.

However, the six-team competition is unlikely to heat up until European champions Liverpool and South American champions Sao Paulo of Brazil join the fray at the semi-final stage.

Five-time European champions Liverpool beat Middlesbrough 2-0 on Saturday in the English Premier League before flying to Japan to play either Sydney FC or Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa on Thursday.

FIXTURE PILE-UP
Blatter expressed confidence that Liverpool had the squad to cope with the demands of the 12 000-mile round trip despite their congested fixture list.

"They have a good rhythm in the Premier League and in the Champions League, where they finished top in their group above Chelsea," said Blatter.

"I'm sure they will arrive today completely ready to play on Thursday."

Liverpool were beaten 3-0 by Brazil's Flamengo in 1981 and 1-0 by Argentina's Independiente in 1984 in the World Club Cup -- the tournament's forerunner, involving the champions of Europe and of South America.

FIFA staged the first world club championship five years ago in Brazil but pulled the plug on the competition in 2001 after the collapse of marketing partner ISMM/ISL.

Blatter denied, however, that it would constitute a major embarrassment if Liverpool and Sao Paulo did not meet in the Club World Championship final in Yokohama on December 18.

"Football is unpredictable," he said.

"I am sure the gap between the big clubs of South America and Europe and the teams from the other four confederations is not so big.

"If there are surprises I will be the first to be happy.”

Tendulkar can go to score 50 Test centuries
- Woolmer
LAHORE, (Reuters) - Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar can go on to score 50 Test hundreds after he notched a world record 35th century in the second Test against Sri Lanka, Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer says.

"It is a wonderful achievement to get the highest number of Test hundreds and I think the way he is playing he can go on to achieve the magic 50 mark also. He is that good a player," Woolmer told Reuters yesterday

Tendulkar made history when he beat compatriot Sunil Gavaskar's world mark of 34 Test hundreds at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground in Delhi on Saturday.