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ARCHIVES FOR OCTOBER 13, 2009

President Jagdeo disappointed over PNCR dismissal of LCDS
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo has expressed “disappointment” over the opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) statement that Guyana’s ambitious Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) consultation “is a sham.”

President Bharrat Jagdeo at the media conference yesterday.

The Head of State said so at a press conference hosted at Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

He was referring to a Kaieteur News headline ‘LCDS consultations a sham by administration’, over a story which said the PNCR views with skepticism the intentions of the Bharrat Jagdeo regime to engage in consultations on avoided deforestation and their now well touted LCDS.

“I saw in the papers, this morning, that the Opposition has said that the LCDS consultation is a sham and what I find very unappealing about it is that they could disparage the efforts of so many people,” Mr. Jagdeo remarked.

He continued: “Everyone with a modicum of sense or who would have observed what has taken place over the last three months would see that no country, that I know of in this world, has consulted as much on any issue as we did in Guyana.”

President Jagdeo declared that, definitely, no country, including both developed and developing countries, has subjected their environmental plans to the type of scrutiny that Guyana has allowed in this case.

“If you examine the website that is managed by the secretariat, you will see that we have faithfully represented every comment that we have received, positive and negative,” he told reporters.

President Jagdeo said it has even uploaded articles from the newspapers that have been critical of the strategy, “just to give a balanced view of the consultations.”

“So, when the Opposition says this, people know they can’t be serious, first of all and, secondly, I think it is in the true fashion of what our Opposition has become, many ways irrelevant and on the fringe of things,” he offered.

“They can’t support anything that is mainstream, anything that is positive. They can only see negatives. They can never run a country with this outlook,” said President Jagdeo, criticising the Opposition party.

Declaring that the Opposition is “disrespectful of people”, he asked: “Can you imagine the 157 Toshaos, elected leaders of the Amerindian communities who sat here for several days, including two full days, with me starting from morning going late into the night, talking about the future of our country and the LCDS – that they are disparaging the efforts of all of these people?”

President Jagdeo reiterated, “It is just a lack of respect for all Guyanese but, more particularly, for Amerindians.

“If you can dismiss all of these efforts made by all the elected leaders of the Amerindian communities, who spent two full days discussing this, then, clearly, you are either out of touch with reality or you just don’t care about people’s opinions. But it’s the PNC and I guess I shouldn’t come to expect any better.

“It’s just that I am disappointed because I was hoping that we could have a positive engagement since the LCDS is good for the country and for our people and will be good for many decades to come for this country,” he maintained, adding: “So I am very, very disappointed about that.”

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) is moving to forge a successor to the current Kyoto Protocol that is to be endorsed in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December and President Jagdeo has been leading the Guyana lobby for forest preservation to be a central plank of that new pact.

Guyana’s strategy is based on avoiding deforestation and preserving its standing forests, in exchange for payment from the international community, for those services, in the cause of climate change.

President asks consumers to bear with GPL
President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday said the regular spate of blackouts is unacceptable, but he hopes that with the commissioning of the new power plant at Kingston in the next few weeks, the problem will be addressed.

Speaking with the media at the Guyana International Conference Centre, at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, the President said he is very concerned and remains critical with the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) on the matter.

However, he acknowledged the work of the company’s employees who have been striving to bring the inconvenience under control.

“I know that they are working very hard and they told me that some of the blackouts are coming because they have to shut down the power to build the transmission line from Kingston to Sophia along the railway embankment,” Mr. Jagdeo pointed out.

He stressed that GPL has informed him that “things will remain a little tight” until work is completed on the transmission lines.

The President noted too that some sections of the line have to be upgraded to facilitate smooth transmission of power, but expressed another disappointment, this time with Wartsila, the Finnish company working on the project.

“I spoke with them and I am very concerned that the deadline has shifted, from May to now. Wartsila has shifted this deadline, I am told, to November.

“I said to them that’s unacceptable, that there must be some penalties for this, because this power was supposed to be in Guyana since May last. Nevertheless we hope that in a matter of weeks this new power plant will be commissioned,” he told reporters.

The Kingston facility will provide some 30 per cent of peak capacity in the Demerara grid, enough to solve the blackout situation.

“We have made the investment, some $US30M from last year to this year; you will see the improvement. I anticipate that for this Christmas we will have an adequate amount of power in the system and we will end this spate of blackouts.

“So I ask people to bear with us for a short while,” he urged.

Mr. Jagdeo said, too, that he has spoken to GPL, urging the company to ensure power is switched off properly to avoid damage to people’s equipment.

He said the power company has been told to stick as close as possible with the blackout schedule published in the newspapers, so that the public can understand and make their plans.

‘Island Princess’ spotted off Grenada
By Wendella Davidson
The cargo vessel ‘The Island Princess’ which was reported missing on September 29, last, when the gutted bodies of three men believed to be members of the boat’s crew floated up in the Essequibo, was spotted yesterday by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) off the coast of Grenada, according to release from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The release further stated, “The Government of Guyana has authorised the State Powers controlling the appropriate Maritime Task Force to enter Guyana’s territorial waters in control of the apprehended vessel and to have the said vessel moored at Port Georgetown under the supervision and control of the competent Guyanese Law Enforcement Authorities”

Local investigators had sought the assistance of Interpol and friendly law enforcement agencies through the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) after the gutted and decomposed bodies said to be those of Ryan Chin, Mahendra Singh and Titus Nascimento floated up in the Essequibo.

The bodies of Thomas and Singh were found in the vicinity of Wakenaam and Hamburg Island on September 29 and 30.

The third body was found on the Essequibo foreshore.

Subsequent searches for the vessel and another crew member Rickford Bannister came up empty handed.

The owner of the vessel, Errol Prince, a miner, has, according to reports, said the boat was contracted out at the time it went missing.

The disappearance of The Island Princess starkly reminds of the disappearance of two ocean-going cargo vessels and entire crew belonging to the Guyanese Rambarran shipping clan.

The vessels, Gran Rio ‘R’, a 228-ft cargo vessel with a nine-man crew owned by Mr. Dennis Rambarran, and Fiona ‘R’, with six-man crew, including Mr. Chandrama ‘Randolph’ Rambarran, a brother, disappeared in April 2000 and September 2002, without a trace.

At the time of the April 11, 2000, disappearance, the Gran Rio ‘R’, which was registered in St Vincent and the Grenadines, was en route to the Coco Reef Resort at Crown Point, Tobago, to deliver a consignment of 1,500 tonnes of silica sand.

The Coco Reef Resort and beach had been destroyed by ‘Hurricane Lenny’ and the sand was to have been used to develop a man-made beach.

Ironically, the Fiona ‘R’ was also transporting silica sand, but to the Caribbean island of St Vincent and the Grenadines, when it vanished on September 23, 2002.

Heads of Guyana’s Missions Conference convened
The Conference of Heads of Mission, which brings together all the heads of Guyana’s overseas embassies, high commissions and consulates, was yesterday convened at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal.

President Bharrat Jagdeo with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett (left of President), Prime Minister Samuel Hinds (right of President), former Foreign Affairs Minister Clement Rohee (extreme right, front row) and Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Elisabeth Harper (second from right, front row) poses for a group photo with the Heads of Guyana’s overseas missions.

The Conference is being held under the theme, “Repositioning the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to effectively promote the national interest”.

Speaking with the press after the opening session of the meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and International Relations, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, explained that the intention of the three-day Conference is to review Guyana’s strategies, and the positions it takes, ensuring all the missions are familiar with them, so as to be more prepared to advance the country’s foreign policy.

She also indicated that strengthening current foreign relationships will be examined, along with developing new ones.

“We will certainly be looking at new alliances that we need to make and strengthening the traditional ones that we’ve had. Traditionally, we’ve been dealing with the ABC countries of (United States of) America, (Great) Britain and Canada, but we’re also looking at our relations with other countries like Brazil, and also what we want to do in the Middle East, Asia and so on,” the Foreign Affairs Minister said.

Further, she indicated that administrative issues would also be reviewed to ensure that the missions’ work is improved.

This is the first Heads of Mission Conference in nine years, with the last such session being in 2000.

This conference will now be held at more regular intervals to meet the needs of Guyana’s more prominent role in the international community.

Head of State Bharrat Jagdeo delivered the feature remarks at the opening session, and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and the other members of the Cabinet were on hand to interact with the leaders of Guyana’s Foreign Service. (GINA)

The McCoy Affair
President Jagdeo waiting on Police report
President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday said Police Commissioner Henry Greene has informed him that Mark Benschop has refused to give a statement to the Police in their investigation on the tape conversation allegedly involving Kwame McCoy and a young boy.

The President had requested that the Commissioner carry out a full investigation into the matter while he was out of the country.

Briefing the media at the Guyana International Conference Centre at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, Mr. Jagdeo disclosed that the Police have completed their investigations and according to Greene, only McCoy has given a statement to the law enforcement officials.

Commissioner Greene told the President that Benschop, who seems to be a strong advocate on the issue, refused to speak with the Police and the Police did not locate the young boy allegedly involved in the conversation.

“The report was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions and I think that the DPP has offered some advice that they must find the boy,” President Jagdeo said.

Mr. Jagdeo stressed that he thought the allegations were sufficiently serious to warrant a full Police investigation, and the officers have made their conclusions on the matter. He is expected to receive the report in the next few days.

“I followed a process. I would not have done this if I didn’t think that the allegations were serious, because I know that long before the Commission on the Rights of the Child was put together, people were campaigning against McCoy sitting there.

Responding to a question on given the seriousness of the allegation, if McCoy should have been sent on leave until the completion of the investigations, the President said McCoy went voluntarily on leave for two weeks and is still on leave.

Persaud challenges NARI on climate change options
-- says it must do more on research and development
AGRICULTURE Minister Robert Persaud yesterday challenged the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) to focus more on research and development to help the agriculture sector better cope with opportunities from climate change.

In a frank address as the institute opened its annual two-day research conference, the minister noted that NARI spends 70 per cent of its budget on employment and only 30 per cent on research and development (R&D).

“What are we here for? Are we an employment agency or are we a research and development agency for the agriculture sector?”

He said that this is an institutional issue that has to be confronted very early.

The focus of the annual meeting is ‘Agricultural Development in a changing climate – Towards Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions’, and Mr. Persaud suggested that it should zero in more on the opportunities rather than on climate change problems.

“That has to be the thinking”, he declared, adding that Guyana’s vision is to convert the gathering storm of climate change into a “powerful cloud of opportunities”.

He stressed to participants meeting at the Guyana School of Agriculture at Mon Repos on the East Coast Demerara that more focus has to be on R&D to confront the threats and take up the opportunities.

There is a need, he said, for strong and vibrant R&D to get the context and develop the vigour to create an intelligent agriculture sector.

Persaud said the institute is weak in terms of research specialists and commended the few for their continuing work within the institute.

But NARI has to develop its capacity to take on additional responsibilities, he declared, announcing that within a few months, a livestock development authority and another to deal with crops and plant health are to be set up within the Agriculture Ministry.

He said a strategic decision has been taken to fit the crops and plant health activities within NARI and this means it has to develop much more capacity with the accompanying resources.

He said it has to get the right calibre and complement of skills it needs.

The minister said he is optimistic that the NARI Board of Directors, the management team and others involved with the institute are up to the task of implementing these strategic activities and get the “best fit” and “right size” for R&D in agriculture.

He said the institute will be a critical agent in the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) which underpins the government’s thrust for a low carbon economy.

He noted too that it is also very crucial for the current diversification drive which has this year seen the commencement of a US$28M project and it has to step up its R&D efforts.

“For the first time…we have a dedicated project to move agriculture diversification forward in our country”, he said.

Persaud acknowledged that NARI will be constrained by inadequate resources, noting that as a developing country, Guyana will not be able to invest huge sums in research and the emphasis has to be on capture, refine and transfer of technology.

In this regard, he stated that Guyana has to deepen links with agencies and institutions in other countries, including Brazil, China, India, the United States and South Africa.

“That has to be one of the approaches in overcoming that fundamental inadequacy that our research and development (face) in terms of resources”, the minister said.

Referring to the limitation of resources, Persaud said, “We have to be creative; we have to develop innovative ways of overcoming those (limitations) and there are tremendous possibilities in overcoming those”, he said, adding that the institute does not have to reinvent the wheel in getting the job done.

He said participants must acknowledge that there is much more to be done and to re-engineer their focus because the realities are changing.

The agriculture of Guyana of the last 300 years is outdated, he said, and it is producing for the world market.

Those in the sector have to focus on research to ensure food security in terms of satisfying local needs and supporting Guyana as a leading food exporter, he urged.

$60M in contracts inked for construction market tarmacs
SEVERAL rural markets will soon have improved physical conditions under which they operate as contracts for the construction of tarmacs at these locations were inked yesterday at the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development

From left, Local Government Minister Mr. Kellawan Lall, Permanent Secretary Mr. Seewchand, and the three contractors.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Kellawan Lall signed three contracts for the construction of tarmacs at Enmore on the East Coast Demerara and at Best/Pouderoyen and De Willem on the West Demerara.

The signing ceremony was done at his Ministry, Fort Street, Kingston, in the presence of Permanent Secretary Mr. Seewchand and the contractors.

The construction of the Enmore Market Tarmac was awarded to K.B and B Contractors, De Hoop Mahaica, East Coast Demerara at a cost of $29,130,688.

The size of the tarmac is 77 metres x 62 metres and the contract’s duration is three months.

The scope of work on this tarmac entails the placing of white sand, cement stabilised sand clay and asphaltic concrete with perimeter drains.

The construction of the De Willem Market Tarmac was awarded to Eagle Transportation and General Construction Limited.

It was granted at a cost of $7,984,735 and the duration period is two months.

The third contract, the construction of the Best/Pouderoyen Market Tarmac was given to Annirud Ramcharitar at a cost of $29,983,250.

The contract’s duration is three months and the scope of work entails the placing of white sand, asphaltic concrete and installation of a culvert and perimeter drains.

Underscoring the need for the tarmacs, Lall said the various markets are “overflowing” hence the need was seen to establish comfortable venues for buying and selling.

He pointed out that people are not just being moved off the streets but that facilities are being provided for them to do their business.

Lall said he visited the Charity market along with Minister of Transport and Hydraulics. Mr. Robeson Benn and found that it is in a deplorable state.

He said contracts for this and other markets tarmacs will also be awarded shortly.

The Minister said the tarmacs are useful also because the open space will facilitate community activities.

He said they will be organised in such a way to fall under the market rules and will also help to provide people with quality foods.

The minister urged contractors to make use of the favourable weather available presently so that they can complete the works in the allotted time.

Overseas-based Guyanese dies at Pegasus Hotel
By Michel Outridge
An overseas-based Guyanese residing in Puerto Rico was found dead in his room at the Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown yesterday.

Dead:Gorocknauth Ramdehol

Dead is Gorocknauth Ramdehol, 58.

A close friend, Seecharan (only name given) told reporters at the hotel that he last spoke to Ramdehol on the telephone on Sunday evening , and he seemed to be doing well.

The man said he received a telephone call yesterday morning saying that his friend had died and he rushed to the scene, but not before the body was taken away after a visit by investigators and Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh.

Seecharan added that Ramdehol, a Guyanese, had migrated to the United States as a boy, but later relocated to Puerto Rico, where he was residing with his family.

Ramdehol was a frequent visitor to his homeland and arrived in Guyana on October 2, 2009. He had heart problems and was admitted to Dr Balwant Singh Hospital for treatment recently.

At the scene yesterday morning, Dr Nehaul Singh told reporters that the man died of natural causes.

Moving towards a customer-driven service
The recent launch of “Camp Resolution” by the Ministry of Housing and Water is a laudable one as it is an attempt to address problems and irritants in the water sector through face to face action between officials of the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) and those who are affected.

In a way it could be described as a parallel move to the “One Stop” programme launched to help resolve problems affecting people in the housing sector.

The advantage with the approach proffered by these programmes is that to a large extent the “red tape” and procrastination are reduced and their problems are addressed on the spot.

Of course, one of the plagues of our society is the problem of “red tape” and bureaucracy and many services both in the private and public sectors are not customer or people-driven as they ought to be. The end result is poor standards of service and frustrated customers, and in this regard it was heartening to hear the Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali stressing this point at the launch of “Camp Resolution” in Essequibo last weekend.

Mr. Ali, reminded consumers that the basic principle behind “Camp Resolution” is changing the image of GWI and creating the fundamental basis on which it was set up.

“It is an organisation that is people driven, people centered and people oriented,” Minister Ali explained, noting that water is a service type of operation and affects persons at the “most critical level of society”.

So Camp Resolution is re-branding the whole image of GWI, ensuring we create that linkage between the customer and the organisation; ensuring that issues of transparency, concerns and complaints are resolved.” he stated.

According to experts on the subject a truly customer-driven service platform allows a company to place a dollar value on customer satisfaction, thus enabling management to tie financial results to customer satisfaction and employee performance. The keys to building a strong customer-driven service platform include collecting and managing the right customer and employee satisfaction data, including call monitoring data and customer and employee survey results, daily internal metrics and then using a variety of advanced analytics and predictive modeling techniques to bring everything together to track and predict the success of business and marketing efforts.

However, one important aspect of ensuring that companies provide a customer driven service is by recruiting the right personnel and providing adequate training so that they clearly understand their role and duties and they deliver the quality of service required of them.

Unfortunately, in this country many employees simply do not understand or just do not care that an essential part of their job in dealing with customers is that they must deal with customers in a courteous and efficient manner. They seem to no longer be guided by the old age principle that the customer is always right and they are not doing a favour to the customer but rather it is their duty and are paid to carry it out.

Too often we see customers being handled in a rude and hostile manner as if he/she is begging a favour.

We as a nation must understand that development is not only about socio-economic development, increased exports and higher salaries etc. but very importantly as well the quality of services that is provided to the populace. Economic development must go hand in hand with the provision of a high quality of customer service.

And so it is most encouraging that the minister has given the commitment that measures under “Camp Resolution” is aimed at changing the image of the GWI which has not have an impressive track record for being a customer-driven entity.

The Observer
Randy has discovered hypocrites in paradise
The debate over the past few weeks between Dr Randy Persaud and some other newspaper letter writers and bloggers is indeed interesting. What is obvious is that some who have taken the time to try to counter Randy’s position have been overcome by their political sentiments and have degenerated into vile personal attacks on the Doctor. The debate, despite the nastiness by some, is the strongest indicator that Guyana is a democratic State. Those who tirelessly try daily to perpetuate the opposite are not dissimilar to the proverbial ostrich with its head in the sand.

It is no secret that Randy’s position reflects the progress Guyana has made over the last seventeen years under the PPP administration. Similarly, his opponents’ position is that of a few who, like the Opposition, would always want others to believe that no progress was made. The position of any Opposition would rarely change in any government despite numerous beneficial changes implemented by the sitting administration. Guyana is no different. It is understood that the Opposition will oppose. Democracy promotes this given right to so oppose.

Some who profess to not being an official part of the Opposition, as in the case of Randy’s opponents, cannot, by their contemptible writings and known association, mask their allegiance to factions within the opposing parties. This, as evident by the personal attacks on the Doctor, is in synchrony with the dictate of their political benefactor in the Opposition. Over the years, some under the guise of being columnists have been championing the Opposition’s cause.

Only last week a columnist from the Kaieteur News, whose tirades border on sedition, was seen in a picket line with known anti-government activists. This is not only a further demonstration of the vibrant democracy here, but emphasises what is already known; this particular columnist has become the spokesperson for the Opposition. It is therefore wishful thinking for such a person and his cohorts, who have resorted to assassinate Randy’s character, to postulate differently from what is being propagated by his political masters in the Opposition.

These writers who have degenerated into gross indecency in public debate have deliberately absolved themselves from the issue and have become immersed in character assassination. Randy did not theorise when he stated that Guyana has indeed been transformed over the last seventeen years. He stated facts. Much has been written about the multitude of developments within all sectors over this period. Any person residing here for the last seventeen years and who would have experienced what obtained under the last administration, can attest to the leaps and bounds Guyana has made since.

Those who left prior to the dawn of this new era and have returned over the last few years, are in awe at the rapid and sustained development this once bankrupt country has undergone. Many of the things that are now considered as routine were unheard of within the previous administration and would have been a luxury had it been available. Something as simple as an e-mail, which the mud-slingers use to send their poisonous writings to blogs and newspapers, would have sounded preposterous under Burnham and Hoyte, despite computer technology permeating elsewhere.

The advances alone in communication and information technology exemplify the transformation Guyana has seen. Cell phones and easy overseas communications further advance this point. Vehicle imports and personal acquisition of same are other areas in which this country’s development can be gauged. Hundreds of miles of roads which were built or refurbished, have become inadequate in facilitating the vast and growing number of vehicles. An average of a thousand are being registered every month! Traffic has become a nightmare. Mind you, seventeen years is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a long period.

Further, the development seen is within a contracted period given that this administration had to battle with a bankrupt nation during its first few years in Office. Countries which achieved democratic status long before Guyana are yet to experience the astounding development seen here. These are facts. What is ironic and even laughable is that all of those who publicly castigate this administration and who have now focused their venom on Randy have experienced vast increases in their personal wealth and now live far more comfortably than the period prior to 1992!

Take the newspaper columnist referred to above. He has a posh house in an expensive residential area. He drives an expensive sport utility vehicle which type was not imported before 1992. Yet, everyday he spews hatred and inaccuracies in the public domain and has the temerity to accuse this administration of not achieving anything. He shamelessly claims that Guyana hasn’t moved forward. His life has improved. It couldn’t under the last administration. The conditions then weren’t conducive to personal advancement. Today, thousands have improved their standard of living and have acquired wealth due to the prudent management of the government and its commitment to the people of Guyana. Just look at the tremendous advancement in the housing sector.

This same columnist harps daily about an elected dictatorship; yet his seditious tirades are published unimpeded. He could not have contemplated this during the brutal regime of the last administration. His cohorts are no different. They have all acquired wealth and live luxurious lives. The former treason accused drives around in a few vehicles which attract astronomical costs. He lives in extreme comfort; yet he accuses this administration in the same way as the columnist. A trade unionist who is part of this group lives in a palatial residence and, just like the other two, accuses government of not fostering development.

These three and all of the known letter writers and bloggers live and enjoy comfortable and luxurious lives. How is it that with their own advancement and that of their families and friends, they shamelessly accuse Randy of presenting a fallacy with regards to Guyana’s development?

Is it that, just like the mandate of the Opposition, they have to oppose? Or is it the brazen display of hypocritical demeanour? The fact that they have resorted to assassinate Randy’s good name is evidence that they cannot sustain a decent and professional debate on Guyana’s profound development seen within the last seventeen years.

The evidence of such development is overwhelming. Given their own dramatic advancement and their unethical and despicable attacks on Randy, one could only conclude that their position taken is not dissimilar to that of hypocrites. Guyana has always been touted as a paradise in terms of its hospitable people, landscape, and climate, and as a model for the developing world. What Randy is doing through his writings and its subsequent responses is to unearth a number of hypocrites in a paradise.
Don’t be distracted Randy; you have exposed them all.

AFC spinners hard at work
PLEASE permit me to respond to a number of letter writers and others who have criticised my letter – “Contrary to what the newspapers report, Guyana is on the move” (Stabroek News, Oct. 6). That letter elicited number of responses. Some were interesting, and some posed good questions. Regrettably, most were caught up in the usual uninformed nonsense that dominates the letter sections of Guyanese newspapers. I will carry out this conversation with those who are truly keen on having an open discussion. The others can carry on.

I want to specifically respond to one, Emile Mervin, who writes more than he reads. If he does not already know, that is not a good thing. Emile wants to know where I have been “…since Dr. Jagan died and Guyanese at home and abroad have been engaging each other and government officials in the letters (sic) columns of the local dailies?” (Staborek News, Oct 12). Hello? I have written over one hundred articles and letters in the Guyanese press, most of which were debated. One of the peeping toms from Kaieteur News in fact called me the leading intellectual of the PPP as far back as 2006. It goes without saying that I do not deserve that honour. Last April I published an article in Caribbean News Net that got in excess of 38,000 ‘reads’.

I am also responding to this man because he made a number of statements in his letter that are indicative of the worst excesses of uniformed commentators. Emile says that I have some personal motives. What are they sir? Name them and provide the evidence when you do. Emile reminds me of Anan Boodram who claimed I must have only read about Dr. Jagan, and that I did not ‘struggle.’ Mr. Boodram does not know that Dr. Jagan was the first person I interviewed for my doctoral dissertation. That was December of 1990. The same Aanan Boodram, who is actually quite a smart guy, accused me of being a spin doctor! Aanan is a medium fast operator for the AFC! He specializes in no-balls.

Emile’s most outrageous off-cutter is that I was brought back here to help advance a third term for President Jagdeo. The President has repeatedly said that he is not interested in a third term no matter how many Guyanese may want that to happen. What more do you want? Further, have you ever seen me fronting a third term for President Jagdeo? Provide the evidence.

Despite Emile Mervin’s obvious flights of fantasy I must agree with him (and others) about the electricity situation. I am peeved at it and I do not have to hide and say so. I am saying here in the Guyana Chronicle. My October 6 letter also stated that relief is in sight for the Georgetown area. GPL has since said that the new generators will be up and running by early November.

Incidentally Mr. Editor, I noticed that not one of those who responded mentioned anything about the health care numbers and information I provided. Guess why? They know that Guyana has made great strides in that sector. Come to think of it, someone from Toronto did offer some spin on the health development. He stated that you have to wait for hours at Georgetown Hospital. I invite him to use a timer the next time he goes to the hospital at Jane and Finch. Don’t forget to let me know how long you waited. Make sure you also inform Mike Persaud, Balwant Persaud, Malcom Harripaul, and Emile Mervin.
Dr. RANDY PERSAUD
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Can people have improved living standards without development?
FREDDIE Kissoon is always quick to criticise government for everything under the sun, but there is one issue that struck me as quite hypocritical considering the way things actually are.

I have read Freddie’s columns and something strikes me as funny because on one hand the man states that there has been no improvement in the entire country; that Guyana has not developed in all these years, yet his personal situation suggests otherwise.

How can a man of Freddie’s standing in terms of profession and otherwise, be able to live in such a posh house in an expensive neighbourhood, a place where the ordinary man cannot afford a piece of land to build a modest house, much less a huge three-storey building? If Guyana has not developed then how would Freddie be able to purchase an expensive modern vehicle, a type of which has only been imported under this administration?

How could he publicly profess that there has been no development when his living standards show clearly that there have been the necessary conditions in this country for this to be possible? His claims are proven once again to be baseless, without proof and he lacks any credibility as he openly and clearly contradicts himself.

In terms of his wealth, his standing has over the years improved ten fold.

Today he has a daily column where he openly criticises the government, making claims which any right minded Guyanese would see are completely fake and has to do more with his bitterness than anything else.

There are many persons who openly criticise government and who have been doing quite well including Mr. C.N Sharma who has a lucrative business, drives modern vehicles and is affluent in the business community; Mark Benschop is another such example who drives one of the most expensive models of vehicles, the likes of which even the middle class man cannot afford; there is also Lincoln Lewis who has what can only be called a ‘palace’ on the East Coast.

No wonder therefore when you see these men together, as they are not just together as a result of their commonalities in their achievement of wealth.
YVONNE MARSHALL
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Democracy in Guyana really sustains the Kissoon public discourse
I refer to Freddie Kissoon’s column in the Kaieteur News of October 12, 2009.

His distortions continue to run amok. He uses his usual mischievous illusions to label people who happen to share the government’s thinking and practices.

He invariably presents people not sharing his thinking as wrong, even if those people’s presentations have empirical validity and reliability; and not based on some chimera, as his writings usually portray.

And he roguishly characterises me as part of some Indian outfit. He takes privileges and honour at manipulating allusions on people’s ethnicity; this kind of writing surely requires some dosage of an editor’s discretion. He needs to be careful in his columns, especially pertaining to speciously locating people within ethnic groups; as groups are not just about ethnicity. And he should not associate me with any of his silly illusions, as an attempt to sustain his distortions.

The Editors should peruse his writings for flaws and innuendoes, and correct them, before they gravitate to the printed pages. And I hope he acknowledges the enormous freedom of expression that he enjoys; and which freedom enables him to preach his incongruous sermons on a daily basis. With a dictatorship, there would be no Kissoon column. And democracy in Guyana really sustains his public discourse.
PREM MISIR
……………………
Why not a Xmas expo in 2010?
I wasn't scheduled to attend the event because of some major and pressing commitments, but at the very last second, I managed and happened to be on site merely to establish a business link with someone from another region and unfortunately it never materialised. It was also not more than 20 minutes that I spent.

However, from my observation, my gut told me that the budget allocated for the event had to be very minimal and the obvious missing link was the creative minds.

Of course, it began with the grand entrance.
I will not go further and pen other failures, but will take the route and shell out some simple ideas for 2010 event and of which there is enough time for planning.

Consult with the weather people and see whether the last week in November to the first week in December 2010 would be an ideal time, and if it is, consider a shift for the event.

Give it a shot and have a Xmas Expo in 2010.

Review the costs for booths and I am certain that we can witness a larger participation from the business community.

Allocate villages for our immediate neighbours on site and namely, Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname. This is the time you will need to begin invitation talks with the respective embassy offices.

Invest more with the marketing aspect of the event and assign an innovative PR officer.

I will go no further as others may need to come on board with their ideas.
T. PEMBERTON
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Pre-paid meters are best for Guyanese
I write to lend my support to the idea that pre-paid meters as now being supplied by the Guyana Power and Light is best for Guyanese.

I have carefully studied the facts, and tried to even consider the negatives. I could not find any negatives that negate the idea that pre-paid meters are best for the Guyanese nation.

Many Guyanese share my sentiments of skullduggery on the part of GPL when it comes to ‘Estimated Bills.’ Personally I am very suspicious of GPL for estimated billings and particularly retroacted charges. On one occasion my meter was read according to the bill, but a neighbouring meter showed estimated and a retroacted charge for millions of dollars, even though we took the name of the meter reader and the time and date of the reading.

Matters such as this would end with the prepaid meters. Further, one will want to reduce consumption when one sees credit diminishing. One could turn off a fan if two or three spins. Turn off a light if more than one is on, and so on.

I encourage all Guyanese to go for pre-paid meters, as I am doing to all my properties and others that I manage for my relatives who are overseas.
ROSHAN KHAN
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Discovery of “Ardi” has raised more questions than answers
JUST when the dust settled and one thought it could not get more bizarre than the “Ida” fossil fiasco, we are now introduced to the latest and greatest science discovery --“Ardi”, pieces of bones sandwiched between two layers of lava formations in the mountains of Ethiopia that supposedly existed over 4 million years ago. “Ardi” supposedly walked upright, but is neither human nor a chimpanzee.

Based on this discovery, scientists are now saying that there is no such thing as a missing link between apes and humans taught by Darwinism, but Chimpanzees and humans evolved separately from a common ancestor based on the “Ardi” discovery. Their excuse for teaching the ‘missing link theory” was that they did not know about “Ardi”. Of course, we knew all along there was no such thing as a “missing link” and it goes to show that Darwinism is really a theory being taught as science. For over 150 years of Darwinism, evolutionists still have not answered the definitive question of when and where humans began to walk upright.

However, “Ardi’ is another example of the house cards crumbling among evolutionists and has raised more questions than answers. First of all, there is nothing in the bones that date the “Ardi” fossil. So they have to rely on the built up of gas in the lava sediments that “Ardi” was buried in. The problem with testing lava sediments is due to the excessive built-up of gas in lava sediments, it appears to make lava flows millions of years old.

The “Ardi” fossil was pieces of bones gathered over a wide area and painstakingly put together in a lab. The question was raised why the bones were in pieces and the answer given was the body was eaten by hyenas. Of course, they are assuming hyenas were around then. But the issue with that is the natural habitat for hyenas is wide open country, even semi-desert. But because of the amount of monkey bones and seeds found in the area where “Ardi” was discovered and the gaping space between its big toe and the rest of its toes used for climbing trees, it was later determined that the semi-desert area was once a dense forest area before it was covered with lava flows. So much for hyenas.

The “Ardi” skeleton is missing many parts. So it was left to the imagination of the sketch artist and the other scientists to fill in the details including its skin, and it will take many years to determine its authenticity. This, of course, justifies their work and ensures grants and funding. Chimpanzees are now a dying breed and I guess the “Ardi” theory will now take its place.
PASTOR DANIEL SINGH
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Pot must not call skillet black
I don’t hold a brief for the administration. But the average citizen is fed-up hearing ‘discrimination’, ‘oppression’, unsubstantiated cries of marginalisation, etc. We must be honest enough to answer whether the perception of these charges is not greater than the reality.

Of course, there exists discrimination, oppression and marginalisation in every society on earth. I am sure those who are making these charges discriminate on a daily basis. But, why should one be ‘oppressed’ in Guyana if one is willing and able to do an honest day’s work? There cannot be many cases of oppression in that circumstance. There are tonnes of jobs out there. People simply do not want to work.

I have been at odds with Afro-centric groups and individuals who use the black masses in Guyana conveniently, rather than putting their expertise and resources to develop our kindred folks. Let us help ourselves to have self worth. As old people say: Pot must not call skillet black!
GODFREY SKEETE
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Why Alexander Village is targeted during Diwali observances?
OVER the past ten years the people of Alexander Village had no choice as people from other communities would invade their Diwali celebration in keeping with family traditions and disrupt the celebration.

They would consume alcohol and light squibs, destroying the properties of some residents and the Mandir. Some of these hooligans come from Nabaclis, Paradise and Dem Amstel smoking marijuana while others would sell alcoholic beverages in front of the Mandir. This is a regular act by the intruders over the past ten years.

The residents noted that they are dissatisfied with the response they received each time from the Guyana Police Force, who only turn up at the scene after the destruction was finished. The residents of Alexander Village should write letters outlining their concerns and distress, as the situation become unbearable, to the Commissioner of Police, President Jagdeo and the Minister of Home Affairs.

A great portion of the Mandir’s history has been erased by these destructive acts. The residents of Alexander Village wonder why this particular Mandir is a part of their orchestrated campaign of destruction and terror.

I hereby appeal to our Hindu brothers and sisters and thousands of peace loving Guyanese to harbour no thoughts of retaliation.

Leave it to our gallant security services who by and large are still offering service and protection.
MOHAMED KHAN
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Curbing fires is imperative
THE Chronicle editorial is right that curbing fires is imperative. The need for fire awareness and more Fire Service equipment is true. My concern is that more officials and citizens continue to fail in their respective responsibilities to ensure better management and care of their assets. If true, the idea that some hoses had holes is unacceptable. Why the GPL and Fire Service do not establish routine checks of wiring inside and outside of business and housing areas? Where is the coordination between the Water, GPL and Fire Service? Wiring jobs should require approval from these entities. There is a serious lack of monitoring, planning and coordination among too many ministries and agencies in Guyana. These entities sabotage other efforts to bring progress to Guyana. It is time to put the blame more on these people rather than on a President or whole government.
N. AUGUSTUS

GFF National League…
Alpha strike gold in Bartica
… register huge 6-0 win over Liquid Gold
GEORGETOWN Football Association’s Cellink Plus Premier League champions Alpha `The Hammer’ United registered a huge 6-0 win over Bartica’s Liquid Gold, when the Guyana Football Federation (GFF)/FIFA `Win in CONCACAF with CONCACAF’ National League continued on Sunday at the Bartica Community Centre ground.

Also in winners’ row on Sunday were Georgetown’s Sunburst Camptown who recorded a 3-1 win against East Demerara’s Victoria Kings in the feature game of a double-header card at the Enmore Community Centre ground that saw Guyana Defence Force (GDF) edge East Coast’s Buxton United 1-0 at the same venue in the opening match and Upper Demerara’s Milerock beat Berbice’s Rosignol United 1-0 at the Blairmont Community Centre ground.

The other match of the day ended in a 1-1 draw between Upper Demerara’s Bakewell Topp XX and West Demerara’s Seawall United. This match was played at the Uitvlugt Community Centre ground.

In the Alpha United versus Liquid Gold match, Dwayne Jacobs and Anthony Harding were mainly responsible for the wide margin of victory as they registered a treble and a double respectively, while Andrew Murray supported with a lone goal.

Jacobs found his target in the 58th, 81st and 89th minutes respectively, while Harding found the back of Liquid Gold’s net in the 38th and 71st minutes.

However, this was after Murray had opened the team’s account in the 30th minute.

Playing at the Enmore ground, Telson McKinnon, Kester Alleyne and Delon Johnson scored for Sunburst Camptown in the 3rd, 30th and 91st minutes respectively while Kwesi DeSouza responded for Victoria Kings in the 49th minute.

In the opening fixture at the same venue, Marlon Benjamin booted home the winning goal in the 37th minute.

At the Blairmont ground, Jermaine McBean netted a double for Milerock in the 13th and 32nd minutes while Gladwin Johnson responded for Rosignol United in the 63rd minute.

At the Uitvlugt Community Centre ground, Adami Hoyte sent Seawall United into the lead with a 27th minute goal, but Michael Wills secured a draw for his team in the 56th minute.

The win for Alpha United earned them three points which ensured they continue to head the points standing with 14 points from six matches, four of which they won while drawing the other two.

To date the Georgetown Premier League champions have scored 18 goals and conceded five.

Despite their 1-2 loss to Milerock, Rosignol United continue to occupy the second spot in the points table with nine points from three victories and three losses. They have so far scored nine goals and conceded a similar amount.

Sunburst Camptown with their 3-1 win over Victoria Kings occupy the third spot in the points table with eight points from six matches.

To date, Camptown have scored nine goals and conceded eight.

Four of the ten teams (Liquid Gold, Topp XX, GDF and Milerock) in the competition have seven points from five matches, but two of them (Topp XX and GDF) have a plus-one goal difference, while the other two are in the negative.

Topp XX have won two of their matches while drawing one and losing the other two with eight goals for and seven against.

GDF, on the other hand, have won two matches, drawn one and lost two with five goals for and four against.

Liquid Gold, like Milerock, have won two matches, drawn one and lost two, but Milerock scored five goals and conceded eight as against the Bartica team who scored three times and conceded eight times.

Seawall United won one of the five matches they have played to date, but they also drew three and lost the other and are on six points with six goals for and five against.

Buxton United are next in the points standing with five points from five matches. They won one, drew two and lost two with five goals for and seven against.

Victoria Kings sit at the bottom of the points table with four points from six matches.

They won one, drew one and lost the other four. They scored four goals and conceded 11. (Michael DaSilva)

Toussaint here for five-stage `Ride for Life’ event
By Michael DaSilva
FORMER national cyclist Randolph `Randy’ Toussaint has returned to Guyana ahead of the Ministry of Health/Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports/National AIDS Programme-sponsored 3rd Annual `Ride for Life’ Five-Stage Cycle Road Race.

Randy Toussaint represented Guyana at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

The race, which is scheduled to wheel off on November 4 from Corriverton, Berbice and conclude on November 8 in Georgetown, promises to be a thriller, especially since a number of Caribbean cyclists as well as a few from North America are expected to be in Guyana for the event.

However, Toussaint who returned home from New York last week said he is leaving no stone unturned as far as his preparation for the 226-mile event goes.

In an exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport, the former national cyclist said he came home early in order to get acclimatised and complete his preparation.

“I came home early because I want to get acclimatised and do some internal training. It’s getting cold now in New York and the cycle season is over so I decided I would come home early and do some training on the hills on the Linden/Soesdyke highway,” the 54-year-old said.

Asked if he came home because the weather is changing in New York, Toussaint promptly stated that he returned to Guyana especially for the five-stage race.

According to the veteran, he heard about the race from his fellow cyclists here in Guyana as well as in New York and thought that it would be a good thing to be a part of.

Toussaint said while he is not fully prepared, he is confident that come November 4, he would be ready to take on his younger compatriots.

About his chances of winning the $200 000 first prize, the former Guyana Olympian said he would not comment on that since he knows that there are lots of talented, strong riders that he would be coming up against.

He informed that his US-based compatriot Aubrey Gordon and a few other riders from the US are expected for the event.

Toussaint represented Guyana at the 1984 Los Angles Olympics where he, along with Gordon and Joylon Joseph, made up a road race team.

The still active cyclist who hails from Georgetown is currently training in Linden while conducting clinics for young cyclists from the community.

Asked why he chose to conduct clinics in Linden when he is originally from Georgetown, Toussaint explained that he has roots in Linden as well and because he wants to train on the Linden Highway leading up to the race, he decided to spend his time in the bauxite community.

Toussaint started his cycle career in 1972 and first represented Guyana at the World Championships that were held in Venezuela in 1977, but subsequently migrated to Suriname where he competed and even went across to French Guiana and placed among the top six in a number of races including the Tour de Cayenne.

Prior to that, Toussaint represented Guyana at the Texaco Games in Trinidad and won three medals, comprising gold, silver and bronze.

He won the gold medal in the 5 000-metre event and set a games record which, according to him, still stands.

In 1983 Toussaint migrated to the USA where he is currently based and competing among the veterans.

The first stage of the `Ride for Life’ race will get under way from Corriverton and end in New Amsterdam, Berbice, while stage two begins at the Rosignol Stelling and conclude on Carifesta Avenue the same day.

Stage three gets under way the following day from outside the Wales Police Station, West Bank Demerara and concludes at Parika, East Bank Essequibo.

Stage four is scheduled for the very next day from Supenaam, Essequibo, proceeding to Charity and concluding at Suddie, Essequibo Coast, while the final stage will wheel off from Kara Kara, Linden Highway and end on Homestretch Avenue.

Champions League…
T&T crush Somerset to make dream start
BANGALORE, India (CMC) – Caribbean champions Trinidad and Tobago made a dream start to the Champions League Twenty20 yesterday when they used a clinical all-round performance to crush Somerset by 44 runs.

Electing to bat first, T&T gathered a sturdy 150 for nine off their 20 overs and then bowled out the English county for 106 in the Group A fixture at Chinnaswamy Stadium.

“We went out there, we assessed conditions and we played how we wanted to play cricket,” winning captain Daren Ganga said.

The result vaulted T&T to the top of the group on net run-rate over Somerset, who had upset Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Deccan Chargers on Saturday.

Set 151 to win, Somerset were under pressure throughout after dipping to 28 for three after six overs.

The effervescent international all-rounder Dwayne Bravo claimed back-to-back wickets, dislodging Marcus Trescothick (3) and Craig Kieswetter (4) and spinner Sherwin Ganga sent back captain Justin Langer (15).

“It was a great team effort from everyone. Credit must be given to each and every player,” Bravo said.

South African Zander de Bruyn stroked an unbeaten 43 but he and Langer were the only batsmen avoiding the ignominy of single digit scores against a rampant T&T bowling attack.

“We are very disappointed, they (T&T) played brilliantly. In all aspects of the game they beat us tonight,” Langer said.

Bravo led the way with four for 23 off four overs in a clinical T&T bowling performance.

“We are now really looking forward to the second game,” Bravo added.

Man-of-the-match Sherwin Ganga picked up two for 16 off three overs with his off-spin and left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed bagged two for 18 off four overs.

Earlier, T&T got a rousing start from their free-scoring opening batsman Lendl Simmons and William Perkins.

They rapidly posted 43 for the first wicket in just under five overs before Simmons fell for 22 and Perkins for 20, with three fours and a six, triggering a sudden slide as pacers Charl Willoughby and Ben Phillips and leg-spinner Max Waller made inroads.

Darren Bravo (9) smashed his first ball over long-off for six but gave a return catch to Willoughby two balls later at 59 for three.

His older brother Dwayne Bravo fell soon after without scoring at 60 for four in the seventh over and although captain Daren Ganga (23) and Denesh Ramdin (39) rallied with a 30-run fifth-wicket stand, Somerset did well in the late overs to contain the Caribbean side.

Ramdin’s top score came at run-a-ball rate and included two boundaries.

Sherwin Ganga had a few lusty hits near the end to score 18 not out off eight balls with two fours and two sixes.

The South African Willoughby bagged three for 35 off four overs, and his new-ball partner Alfonso Thomas claimed a pair of late wickets to finish with two for 26, while Waller (2-27) and Phillips (1-43) picked up the other wickets.

T&T, joint top of the Group A table – on two points -- with Somerset, will tackle Deccan Chargers tomorrow.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO innings
L. Simmons c Thomas b Phillips 22
W. Perkins b Willoughby 20
Darren Bravo c&b Willoughby 9
D. Ganga b Waller 23
Dwayne Bravo c Suppiah b Waller 0
D. Ramdin b Thomas 39
K. Pollard c Suppiah b Willoughby 12
R. Rampaul b Thomas 2
S. Ganga not out 18
D. Mohammed run-out (Thomas) 0
S. Badree not out 1
Extras: (w-4) 4
Total: (9 wickets, 20 overs) 150
Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-49, 3-59, 4-60, 5-90, 6-121, 7-128, 8-149, 9-149.
Bowling: Willoughby 4-0-35-3 (w-2), Thomas 4-0-26-2, Phillips 4-0-43-1, Waller 4-0-27-2, Suppiah 4-0-19-0 (w-1).

SOMERSET innings
M. Trescothick c wkp. Ramdin b Dwayne Bravo 3
J. Langer c Perkins b S. Ganga 15
C. Kieswetter c Darren Bravo b Dwayne Bravo 4
Z. de Bruyn not out 43
A. Suppiah b Mohammed 6
P. Trego c Darren Bravo b Mohammed 6
B. Phillips c Simmons b S. Ganga 5
A. Thomas run-out 9
M. Waller b Dwayne Bravo 1
C. Willoughby b Dwayne Bravo 0
Extras: (lb-7, w-7) 14
Total: (all out, 20 overs) 106
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-26, 3-28, 4-52, 5-69, 6-69, 7-74, 8-96, 9-106.
Bowling: Rampaul 3-0-14-0 (w-3), Dwayne Bravo 4-0-23-4 (w-1), Badree 4-0-20-0 (w-2), S. Ganga 3-0-16-2, Mohammed 4-0-18-2 (w-1), Pollard 2-0-8-0.
Points: T&T 2, Somerset 0.

Kallis heroics take Bangalore into second round
BANGALORE, India (CMC) – All-rounder Jacques Kallis almost single-handedly undermined Otago as Royal Challengers Bangalore pulled off a convincing 80-run win to clinch their spot in the next round of the Twenty20 Champions League yesterday.

The South African smashed an unbeaten 73 to fire Royal Challengers up to 188 for two from their 20 overs before returning to shock Otago with a three-wicket burst at the top of the order to send the Kiwi side tumbling to 108 all out with 13 balls left in the innings.

Entering the match desperately needing a victory after losing their first game to Cape Cobras, the two points ensured Royal Challengers progressed as the second team from Group C.

Batting first after winning the toss, Royal Challengers were given a rousing start by Kallis and Robin Uthappa who posted 75 off 59 balls for the first wicket, the first of three successive half-century partnerships.

Kallis hammered four fours and two sixes off 59 balls while Uthappa cracked 42 from 31 balls with five fours and two sixes.

When Uthappa looped a ball to cover in the 10th over, Kallis then shared 59 for the second wicket off 38 balls with Virat Kohli whose 32 required just 19 balls and included five fours.

Kohli’s demise to a catch at long-off brought no respite for Otago who came under assault from a savage 54-run stand from just 23 balls between Kallis and Ross Taylor.

The right-handed Taylor bludgeoned two fours and three sixes as he carved out a hasty 32 from just 11 balls, as Royal Challengers finished with momentum.

Faced with a tall order, Otago were stunned by Kallis who removed openers Brenton McCullum (5) and Aaron Redman (11) in the space of three balls in the fourth over, to leave them tottering at 19 for two.

In his next over, Kallis plucked out Hamish Rutherford (14) as Otago stumbled again and there was to be no recovery as medium pacer Vinay Kumar (2-20) and leg-spinner Anil Kumble (2-20) claimed two wickets apiece, as the run chase unraveled.
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE innings
J. Kallis not out 73
R. Uthappa c Cumming b Redmond 42
V. Kohli c N McCullum b Wagner 32
R. Taylor not out 32
Extras: (lb-1, w-8) 9
Total: (2 wkts, 20 overs) 188
Fall of wickets: 1-75, 2-134.
Bowling: Wagner 4-0-27-1 (w-3), Mascarenhas 4-0-37-0 (w-2), Butler 3.3-0-42-0 (w-2), McSkimming 3.3-0-38-0 (w-1), N McCullum 2-0-20-0, Redmond 3-0 23-1.

OTAGO innings
B. McCullum c Kumble b Kallis 5
A. Redmond c Uthappa b Kallis 11
H. Rutherford c Kumble b Kallis 14
N. Broom run-out 7
C. Cumming c Uthappa b Akhil 20
N. McCullum lbw b Kumble 8
D. Mascarenhas lbw b van der Merwe 3
I. Butler lbw b Kumble 1
D. de Boorder b Vinay Kumar 16
W. McSkimming not out 12
N. Wagner c Kallis b Vinay Kumar 1
Extras: (b-4, lb-4, w-2) 10
Total: (all out, 17.5 overs) 108
Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-19, 3-32, 4-49, 5-67, 6-70, 7-75, 8-90, 9-106.
Bowling: P. Kumar 2-0-13-0 (w-1), Kallis 4-1-18-3, R- Vinay Kumar 2.5-0-20-2, Kumble 3-0-20-2, van der Merwe 4-0-19-1, Akhil 2-0-10-1.
Points: Bangalore 2, Otago 0.

Teenager Brathwaite hits unbeaten 222 in BCA championship
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Promising teenager Kraigg Brathwaite smashed the first Division One double century on Saturday and helped Barbados Youth beat LIME in the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Championship.

Building on his over-week century, the 16-year-old reached his double hundred before tea on Saturday at the Lester Vaughan School ground.

Picked on the West Indies Under-19 squad for next year’s ICC Youth World Cup in New Zealand, Brathwaite compiled an unbeaten 222 in the Barbados Youth’s first innings score of 399 for nine declared.

Brathwaite, who has already scored a remarkable 40 centuries in his fledgling career, reached his double century in 417 minutes off 322 balls with 32 boundaries.

LIME crashed to 162 all out in reply and asked to follow, folded for 177 in their second innings on Sunday with West Indies U-19 spinner Jomel Warrican snaring a five-wicket match haul.

Tall West Indies spinner Sulieman Benn and Trinidad and Tobago national Justin Guillen also made headlines as 10th round matches ended on Sunday.

Benn returned a match-haul of seven for 82 for Spartan to beat YMPC by 32 runs at Queen’s Park.

Guillen scored two half-centuries – 65 and 68 not out – for Wanderers, who drew with Bristol at Old Coleridge ground where former West Indies medium pacer Ian Bradshaw grabbed a first innings five for 66.

UWI, with the nucleus of their players in the Combined Campuses and Colleges squad, tuned up for the WICB President’s Cup later this month in Guyana, with a 218-run victory over Maple at 3Ws Oval.

Nekoli Parris (149), Vincentian Romel Currency (50), and Floyd Reifer (50 not out) allowed them to declare their first innings at 316 for five before bowling out Maple for 188.

Pacer Khismar Catlin (5-73) did most of the damage for UWI, who posted 169 for six declared in their second innings.

Vincentian Miles Bascombe (39), Kyle Corbin (32) and Reifer (31 not out) were the leading second innings scorers for UWI.

Catlin then snared three for eight for a match-haul of eight for 81, and supported by Guyanese pacer Gilford Moore (3-21) and Jamaican spinner Gavin Wallace (2-46) to wreck Maple for 79 all out in their second innings after they were set 298 to win.

In other matches, former West Indies U-19 batsman Alcindo Holder scored 114 not out in Empire’s 10-wicket win over Pickwick, national left-hander Jonathan Carter stroked 89 not out to steer Banks to an eight-wicket win over BCL, and Kenroy Williams grabbed a second-innings five for 29 and Derick Bishop a match-haul of seven for 72 for St Catherine to beat Police by 157 runs.

Masakadza’s career-best 156 sets up huge Zimbabwe victory
HAMILTON Masakadza's career-best 156 set up Zimbabwe for a handsome 91-run victory in the first one-day international against Kenya.

His mammoth effort helped the home side to an imposing 313 for 4 and the visitors never threatened to get close as Kyle Jarvis impressed on his debut.

Masakadza easily surpassed his previous best of 102 and gave the innings a tremendous late kick alongside Brendan Taylor as the pair added 97 in eight overs. Masakadza cleared the boundary six times in his 151-ball effort along with 11 fours as Kenya's attack was made to look thin.

To have any chance in the run-chase, Kenya needed a solid base, but lost wickets too regularly to form the sort of platform Zimbabwe enjoyed after Masakadza and Mark Vermeulen opened with a stand of 121 in 25 overs. Jarvis, the son of former Zimbabwe bowler Malcolm Jarvis who played five Tests and 12 ODIs in the 1990s, removed both openers and later returned to claim a third scalp.

Steve Tikolo top-scored with 49 but it was always in a losing cause as Zimbabwe's three frontline spinners throttled the scoring. The 30 overs between Ray Price, Prosper Utseya and Graeme Cremer cost 107 runs and brought five wickets. Utseya collected three wickets against a middle order that had no choice but to attack, while leg-spinner Cremer impressed with his control.

Zimbabwe's performance was dominant from start to finish. After deciding to bat, they were quickly out of the blocks as the openers made good use of the fielding restrictions. It took until the 26th over for Kenya to make a breakthrough when Vermeulen was trapped lbw by Nehemiah Odhiambo.

For a while the visitors managed to hold back the scoring rate - Jimmy Kamande performing a decent holding role - but Masakadza continued to progress with few alarms. Kamande chipped in with the wicket of Charles Coventry, who hit an ODI record-equalling 194 in the previous series against Bangladesh, before Odhiambo claimed his second by removing Elton Chigumbura.

However, Masakadza was motoring by now and the scoring rate increased again during the closing overs. Taylor helped add impetus with 44 from 27 balls as he collected two sixes alongside the six struck by Masakadza, who was run-out in the penultimate over.

It was hard toil for the Kenyan bowlers, none more so than Lameck Onyango, who conceded 91 from his 10 overs, the most expensive figures by a Kenya bowler in one-day internationals. On this evidence, they will do well to avoid the whitewash they suffered during the home series earlier this year.

Utseya praised the opening partnership of 121 between Masakadza and Vermeulen and was delighted with drawing first blood in the five-match series. "It was important to have a good start because playing catch-up in the series is not good," Utseya said.

"Winning the first match eases pressure. Credit must go to Hami and Mark because it had been long since we had a good opening partnership."

However, he believed there was still room for improvement in the bowling department. "There are still four more ODIs to be played," Utseya said. "In cricket these days, every team attacks the bowlers in the first ten overs. It is however pleasing that they managed to take all wickets."

Kenyan captain Maurice Ouma, on the other hand, was disappointed with the team's effort on the field. "It's not the kind of start we would have wanted. But if you bowl like what we did today it will be hard for us to win matches in this series.

My bowlers were not hitting the right lengths and spots, and they were punished. I'm sure they have learnt their lesson and they are going to bounce back in today’s match. (Cricinfo)

KP selection is a gamble, warns Gatting
MIKE Gatting believes England have taken a gamble on including Kevin Pietersen in their squad to tour South Africa.

Last week Pietersen was named in the 16-man squad to tour the country of his birth despite not having played cricket for three months because of an Achilles injury.

Former England skipper Gatting said: "We only have one or two warm-up matches so it's going to be a big ask from him to get back to his best, even someone of his ability. He wasn't in the best of nick when he left."

He added: "He hasn't played for a few months and hasn't done a great deal. It's not easy to act level against one of the better sides in the world.

"He can't just pick it up where he left off after such a serious injury. You have to have a couple of games to get into it, get your rhythm back, get your hand-eye co-ordination right and it will take time.

"He may still have the injury lingering in the back of his mind so he has to get fully confident again. All that has to be out of his mind so he can get on with the batting."

The 29-year-old was a doubt for the tour after an infection set back his recovery from the injury, which first developed on England's tour of the West Indies in March and caused him to miss the last three Ashes Tests.

England arrive in South Africa on November 1 and play three one-day warm-ups before taking on the hosts in two Twenty20 games, five one-day internationals and four Tests.

Gatting believes the Ashes win shows England can cope without Pietersen, but has warned Strauss' men they must improve if they are to beat the number one Test side in the world.

"We managed to win the Ashes without Pietersen so I can't see why we can't do well in South Africa without him," the 52-year-old said.

"What England have to do is get rid of that inconsistency because at the moment when they are good they can be very good, but when they are bad they are very bad.” (Eurosport)

Ferguson's season ended by knee injury
CALLUM Ferguson, the Australian one-day batsman, will be out for up to a year after tests revealed he requires a reconstruction of the right knee he injured in the Champions Trophy final.

Ferguson will have an operation on his anterior cruciate ligament in the next week and the best-case scenario is a six-month layoff, which rules him out of the home summer.

Ferguson, 24, hurt himself while fielding in the decider in South Africa and knew the injury was serious, but he had to wait until he got home for a full diagnosis. He learned of his fate on Saturday after seeing a specialist in Adelaide.

"It's not a shock, but that doesn't make it any less disappointing," Ferguson said in Adelaide. "As soon as it happened I felt a good, decent tear and heard it as well, so that wasn't a good sign, and the physio wasn't too confident either.

"I'm pretty sure it'll be nine to 12 months, nine months will leave me with a few months to get ready for the Shield season, and there'd be no point in rushing." Trefor James, Cricket Australia's doctor, said the recovery would take between six and 12 months. The timing is unfortunate for Ferguson, who had averaged 46.07 in 25 games since making his debut in February. He suffered a similar injury before the Under-19 World Cup in 2004.

"It's not something I was hoping to come home with, but I've had a pretty good 12 months," he said. "I've had lots of opportunities and I'm just glad it didn't happen 18 months ago. It'll be probably frustrating watching the Redbacks boys run around, but the timing's neither here nor there, there's plenty of cricket on around the world 12 months of the year."

While Ferguson's short-term international ambitions are over, he will also miss the opportunity to help South Australia's push for silverware. The Redbacks didn't expect Ferguson to spend much of the season with them due to his Australian duties and had already planned their batting order without him.

Their first chance of the summer comes in today’s Sheffield Shield game against Tasmania at the Adelaide Oval. Showers are forecast during a cool week and the conditions led the Redbacks to cut Cullen Bailey, the leg-spinner, from their squad. Aaron O'Brien takes on the slow-bowling duties on what is expected to be a green surface.

South Australia squad: Daniel Harris, James Smith, Michael Klinger, Tom Cooper, Mark Cosgrove, Aaron O'Brien, Graham Manou (capt., wkp.), Dan Christian, Mark Cleary, Jake Haberfield, Peter George, Chris Duval. (Cricinfo))

Ref chief says Ferguson apology `half-hearted’
SIR Alex Ferguson's apology for his attack on referee Alan Wiley has been criticised as "half-hearted".

The Manchester United manager was fuming with Wiley's handling of the 2-2 Barclays Premier League draw with Sunderland at Old Trafford and launched a stinging attack on the Staffordshire official immediately after the game.

Ferguson has said sorry for his outburst. However, Alan Leighton, national secretary of the union Prospect, was unimpressed by the Scot's apology.

Leighton told BBC Radio Five Live: "I think it's a half-hearted apology at best really, and it probably exacerbates the position, rather than resolves it."

He added: "He clearly hasn't retracted the statement about Alan being unfit so it's not an apology for the main offence caused - and then he widens it to question the fitness of other referees, so he seems to be opening another can of worms which I don't think is very helpful at all.

"Referees are very fit...they have sports scientists who test them regularly throughout the season. They don't just pass a fitness test at the start of the season.

"Their body fats and BMI are regularly monitored; there are get-togethers every two or three weeks where they are put through extensive training and testing."

Ferguson has been asked to submit his own thoughts to the FA by Friday and could be facing a hefty fine, or a touchline ban.

And Leighton continued: "I think the punishment should be a UEFA-type coaching ban, which is rather more than a touchline ban.

"Referees always accept decisions are going to be pored over - they have no problem with legitimate criticism.

"What's problematic is when the integrity and key components of refereeing are being questioned in a totally unwarranted and unfounded way - and we will defend our members when they are.” (Eurosport)

Winning putt falls to Woods as U.S. clinch Presidents Cup
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
SAN FRANCISCO, (Reuters) - Tiger Woods ended the week with a perfect record at the Presidents Cup, sinking the winning putt for the United States in Sunday's singles matches for the home team to remain unbeaten on American soil.

The world number one calmly rolled in a six-footer on the 13th green to beat South Korea's Yang Yong-eun 6&5 as the Americans triumphed for a sixth time in eight editions of the biennial team competition.

Leading the Internationals by 12- points to 9- going into the final day at a chilly and overcast Harding Park, the hosts needed only five points from the 12 on offer.

They built early momentum and ended up winning six matches and halving two to secure victory by 19- points to 14-1/2.

Stewart Cink, Hunter Mahan, Anthony Kim and Sean O'Hair put the first points on the board to leave the U.S. on the brink before Woods took centre stage.

The 14-time major champion ended his week with a flawless 5-0 record, matching the achievements of Mark O'Meara (1996) and Shigeki Maruyama (1998), but was unaware his success against Yang had secured the trophy for his team.

"All I knew was I was trying to get my point and I was five up trying to make it six," Woods told reporters after recording five birdies in 13 holes.

"I didn't look at any boards. I saw we were down six matches at one point so I just kept my head down and tried to extend my own lead.

"We played great as a team and the captain did some great pairings," Woods said of triumphant skipper Fred Couples.

"He put us together with some guys that we knew we could play really well with, and the guys made putts this week. All in all, I'm very proud of the guys."

British Open champion Cink crushed Australian Adam Scott 4&3 in the second match out before Mahan came from two down after four holes to scrape past Colombian Camilo Villegas 2&1.

THUMPING VICTORY
Moments later, Kim wrapped up a 5&3 win over Australian Robert Allenby before O'Hair, boosted by four birdies, thumped South African Ernie Els 6&4.

Justin Leonard, one down after 17 holes, battled back to square his match with Canada's Mike Weir, leaving the Americans a half-point from winning the trophy for a third successive time.

Woods, surprisingly overhauled by Yang at this year's U.S. PGA Championship, made no mistake with his opportunity on the 13th green to end his match against the Korean.

The first full point of the day for the Internationals was secured by Australian Geoff Ogilvy who beat world number three Steve Stricker 2&1.

"It's a consolation prize but I'm disappointed for the team," Ogilvy said after sealing his win with a birdie.

"Coming in today, we had too much to do and the U.S. team was obviously very motivated and got a lot of red on the board early."

The most scintillating singles performance came from diminutive South African Tim Clark who rattled up eight birdies to beat 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson 4&3.

Johnson fought bravely after the turn, reeling off five birdies in six holes from the 10th but was able to outscore his opponent only once.

"I'm five under and I don't even get to see the last three holes," a smiling Johnson said. "He just outplayed me early on, especially, and that's really all it took."

For the second consecutive Presidents Cup, the U.S. beat the Internationals by five points and they will be in confident mood for their Ryder Cup defence next year in Wales.

"They are one heck of a team," said former world number one Els. "We have to pretty much go back to the drawing board because they are a pretty well-oiled team, and it's hard to beat that kind of team with momentum."

GTTA Kenneth DeAbreu league off and running
THE Guyana Table Tennis Association’s (GTTA) Kenneth DeAbreu Table Tennis League got off to a successful start on Saturday with competition in the B, C, D and E divisions.

The lone match in the B division, which had eight registrants and will be conducted as a round robin-style playoff, was between the Smiley Faces (Natalie Cummings and Remy Taitt) and the Snipers (Joel Alleyne and Hewley Griffith). The Smiley Faces won 3 games to 1.

The C division’s lone encounter was between Gaza (Chelsea Edghill, Jamaal Duff and Sunil Logan) and N&D (Akecia Need and Denzel Duff) Gaza emerged as the victors beating N&D 3-0.

The E division will also be conducted as a round robin-style playoff and three matches were played in this category on the first day. Dragon Warriors (Elishaba Johnson and Allistair Parks) defeated Eagles (Raymond Seebarran, Gerard Budhan and Shannan Ganga) 3-0.

Turbo TT (Brandon Gomes and Sachin Panday) won their match with the Golden Girls (Olivia Weeks, Anna Joao and Jamaali Holder) 3-0, Top Spin (Carl Handy and Zane Rogers) won the final encounter in this category. They beat KRS (Kyle Edghill, Rajiv Muneshwar and Stefan Corlette) 3-1.

Division D, the category that involves Business Entities, Corporations and Government Agencies, saw two matches in which Nigel’s Supermarket (Christopher Franklin and Joseph Johnson) won frrom NP Electronics (Michael Vieira and Andre Lopes), the final score was 3-1.

In the other contest Western Union (Roger Jackman, Hewley Griffith and Lisa Lewis) beat the team from Bank of Guyana (Imran Khan, Carlyle Bowman and Leonardo Butcher) 3 games to none.
Play continues this Saturday at the Malteenoes Sports Club, Thomas Lands.