Bless this house
-- Amerindian Ministry gets a home
By Chamanlall Naipaul
THE Amerindian Ministry formally moved into a spanking new home yesterday afternoon with an age-old blessing ceremony and an assurance from President Bharrat Jagdeo that his government is working assiduously to address the historical neglect of the indigenous communities.

At the ceremony, also attended by former President Janet Jagan, Mr Jagdeo said his government was guided by and committed to the principle that in order to achieve national progress, no group, regardless of ethnicity or religion, must be left behind.

He said there has been phenomenal growth across the hinterland communities under the current administration and cited several examples.

These included the increased number of health huts and health workers, better and more schools, greater access to secondary education within the communities and intensified teacher training through distance education.

However, many of those students are excelling and are among the top achievers, Mr Jagdeo said.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Ms Carolyn Rodrigues, used the occasion to highlight achievements of her ministry.

She cited the Amerindian Act as an important piece of legislation which will be presented to Parliament for its approval during this year.

She noted that in drafting the legislation, more than 95% of the Amerindian communities were consulted over a period of two years.

Contrary to what some are claiming, the Act will give increased power to the Village Councils to protect their communities and secure ownership of their lands, she argued.

She explained that the Act is intended to give the Village Councils the power to approve traditional mining in their communities with some guidance from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

As it now stands this power rests solely with the GGMC.
With respect to medium and large scale mining, Ms Rodrigues said the Act is proposing veto powers to be vested in the Village Councils to reject mining activities in their communities, and central government only has overriding powers in cases considered to be of national interest.

In addition, the 7% royalty which the government received from mining activities will now go directly into the communities, as provided in the Act, the minister reported.

She said the Act is proposing that the requirement for obtaining land titles is showing use and occupation for 25 years. This, she said, is one of the most advanced pieces of indigenous legislation in the world.

President Jagdeo said that despite the improvements there is still a long way to go, and the government is committed to fulfilling the legacy of the late President Cheddi Jagan of breaking down the barriers between the indigenous people and those on the coast to ensure that they enjoy equal opportunities with all other sections of Guyanese.

He noted that Guyana has come a long way since the advent of the government, adding that in about 10 years the per capita income has grown from US$300 to US$800.

This has prompted the World Bank to reclassify Guyana from a low income to a lower middle income country.

But he lamented the obstructionist methods by some groups which claim to represent Amerindians, in preventing and frustrating efforts of the government to obtain US$5M in funding since 1995 for the Protected Areas System which will create job opportunities and training for Amerindians.

Mr Jagdeo added that every time the matter is about to be resolved, these groups go to the World Bank and lodge complaints, preventing the release of the money.

He also accused some international financial institutions of double standards, contending that they "do not say a word when indigenous peoples are being slaughtered across the world."

Rodrigues urged Amerindians to work in partnership with her ministry in efforts to improve their lives, as the role of the ministry is to facilitate this.

The minister announced that moves are on stream to expand the hinterland scholarship programme and a dormitory will be built to house hinterland students attending institutions in Georgetown.

President Jagdeo recalled that the ministry was housed in the Office of the President compound during its infancy because Dr Jagan saw the need of providing support.

He noted that the opening of the new building is not important but "what will take place in the building" because the objective should be to provide better services to Amerindians.

This, he said, depends on the conscientiousness of the staff, noting that his government will be judged by the services they provide.

"You are the face of the government which the indigenous brothers and sisters would see every day," he exhorted.

Rodrigues praised her predecessor, Vibert DeSouza, Guyana's first Minister of Amerindian Affairs, for his stewardship of the ministry during his term.

Giving a background to the ministry getting its building, she noted that getting into the Office of the President complex involved thorough security checks and more space was required for the growing staff as its functions and operations expanded over the years.

Consequently, representation was made to the President for a separate building outside the compound of the office of the President and he agreed, she reported.

However, the minister stressed that the building is meaningless if the mandate of the ministry is not pursued vigorously.

Kidnap ringleader suspect held
POLICE yesterday announced the arrest of the key suspect in the kidnapping of a five-year-old schoolboy the abductors threatened to kill if his parents did not pay a $2M ransom.

The man was arrested around 19:35 hrs Wednesday, police said, capping a successful operation by the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit which rescued the boy some seven hours after he was reported kidnapped.

Singh, who also uses the aliases 'Rohan Persaud', 'Michael Singh', 'Shines', 'Mikey', 'Photo Man', and 'Pone Head', two other men and a woman, are in police custody assisting with the investigations into the kidnapping of Jonathan Ganesh.

Ganesh was snatched from the Campbell Trust Nursery School which he attends at Grove, East Bank Demerara around 12:30 h on Tuesday. The school is located two corners away from the boy's home.

He was found alive and well by police in a shack on the Railway Embankment around 23:15 h and handed over to his relieved parents about 01:30 h.

Almost four hours after he failed to return home from school, someone phoned the family demanding a $2M ransom for the boy’s safe return, and the terrified family called in the police.

The police anti-kidnapping squad was deployed and following leads and monitoring further phone calls at the family home, detectives some seven hours after, swooped on a house on the old railway embankment near Lamaha Street, Georgetown and found Jonathan alive and well.

A member of the kidnapping gang was still phoning the boy’s home even after he was rescued and his father said the last call came about 15 minutes before cops delivered Jonathan safe and sound about 01:30 h Wednesday.

It was a joyful reunion for the family after some 13 harrowing hours but his mother, eight months pregnant, had to see a doctor following the ordeal of her son being kidnapped and his life threatened.

Jonathan, the second of three children, was snatched by at least two persons while on his way from school.

He said he was with a friend when 'Ann' approached him and took him to the public road.

His father Gangaram Ganesh said they do not know the `Ann’ he was referring to.

"I was taking Brandon (his friend) home and Ann carry meh to the public road and told me to catch de bus with de uncle", the child said.

Questioned further, Jonathan said the next thing he remembered was being taken back to his family by policemen Wednesday morning.

The father said a man who telephoned demanding the $2M ransom, threatened that “if they did not get the money, they would slit (Jonathan’s) throat and dump his body".

He said the caller demanded that the money be dropped in front of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church on Regent Street, opposite the Bourda Market in Georgetown.

`Festival of India’ opens today
THE 10-day `Festival of India’ exhibition of Indian products is scheduled to kick off this afternoon at the National Exhibition Centre in Sophia, Georgetown.

Fifteen local companies associated with Indian products will also have booths, organisers said.

The exhibition has been put on by the Indo Global Chambers of Commerce of India and the local Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry.

On a site visit Wednesday afternoon, former State Minister in the Indian Government, Mr Ajay Singh, now President of Indo Global Chambers of Commerce, said he was pleased with arrangements for the show.

He was accompanied on the site check by Secretary of the organisation, Mr Sandeep Seth.

Singh said 25 other Indian companies originally due to be in the exhibition, cancelled their participation because of the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami last December.

He said the objective of the exhibition is to promote Indian businesses, companies and culture.

“Guyana is far from India and the airfare is costly so this is an opportunity for our people to meet. India manufactures almost everything and we have the best doctors and technicians, so Guyanese will benefit”, he said.

Singh noted that people here may be buying items they do not know are made in India and the exhibition is an opportunity “to see and buy the products.”

He said Guyana can learn from Indian expertise and move to establish its own industries to boost the economy.
From here, the `Festival of India’ exhibition moves to Suriname.

Wife, sons detained in fisherman murder probe
POLICE have detained the 38-year-old reputed wife of a man who was hacked to death at Number 12 village, West Coast Berbice.

The victim, Ken Arthur Williams, a fisherman, died at Fort Wellington Hospital, also at West Coast Berbice and the woman’s three sons were also taken into custody.

Williams suffered three gaping wounds on his left leg and thigh Thursday afternoon while he and the others in detention were involved in a heated argument.

Reports said Williams had struck one of his spouse’s sons during the incident but the woman told Police her husband had chopped himself.

The cops revisited the crime scene yesterday and carried out a futile search for the death weapon.

Through Lions…
Canadian team does 24 cataract operations at Suddie Hospital
A CANADIAN eye care team performed 24 successful cataract removal operations at Suddie Public Hospital Hospital on Essequibo Coast over the past seven days.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Essequibo Coast Lions Club, Mr. Kennard Sahadeo said the group who performed the surgeries was coordinated by Kempville Lions Club of Ontario, Canada.

He said the visitors, a coordinator, two ophthalmologists, a nurse, two chaperons and five youths, who arrived in the country on March 12, did implants for patients who were on a list compiled since a November 2004 clinic.

Sahadeo said selection of the beneficiaries was done after screening to ascertain who on the listing, aged between 43 and 83 years, were in extreme danger of losing sight.

Pomeroon operators introduce loud music on speedboats
SPEEDBOAT operators plying the Pomeroon River through Moruca in North West District have introduced ‘boom boom’ music boxes on their vessels.

But reports said, while adult passengers have not taken kindly to the introduction, secondary school students are flocking to travel on such crafts.

Some passengers claim they suffer emotionally while having to endure the loud music on their journeys and want Police to remove the noise makers from the boats if the decibels cannot be controlled.

Minister Baksh warns of Charity house lots repossession
MINISTER of Housing and Water, Mr. Shaik Baksh has warned people who have been allocated house lots in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam ) that the Government will repossess them if they are not beneficially occupied.

He issued the warning during a visit to Charity New Extension Housing Scheme last Friday.

Baksh said Government has spent some $200M to build roads, excavate drains and lay pipelines in the area but the beneficiaries are making no effort to occupy their allocations.

The Minister gave instructions to the Regional Housing Officer, Mr. Nankishore Lall, to start preparing for the repossession exercise at the Charity location.

Strengthening democratic culture crucial
-- Commonwealth Secretary-General
COMMONWEALTH Secretary-General Don McKinnon has said it is important to develop and strengthen the democratic culture around the Commonwealth which supports the growth of democratic institutions and processes.

Speaking at the Commonwealth Local Government Conference in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK, on Wednesday, the Secretary-General said: "Many countries have systems of local government or local administration. But the point is to have local democracy and to keep on deepening that democracy."

Mr McKinnon stated: "Local democracy will only be able to play its full part in responding to the needs of the community and the individuals who make it up, if local democracy has proper powers and adequate funding and if it is genuinely local -- it must be as close to the people as possible.”

“But there is a third and vital ingredient: local democracy must be genuinely democratic. And where it is already democratic it must keep on being made more and more democratic”, he said.

McKinnon added that there “is no balance when local government is simply the local deliverer of policies and services which are shaped, controlled by and wholly funded from the national level.”

“There is balance when there is a fair allocation of resources, a significant degree of local autonomy in the use of those resources, and a fair allocation of powers and responsibilities."

He said the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) have been collaborating to promote democracy and good governance.

This partnership characterises the important relationship between the different spheres of government.

The Secretary-General noted the joint efforts in organising regional workshops such as those held last year in the Caribbean and the Pacific, and the provision of technical experts to strengthen local democracy in several member countries.

He said leading CLGF figures are now routinely included in Commonwealth Observer Groups and the secretariat frequently combines forces with the CLGF to send teams to observe local elections such as in Sierra Leone last year and in Pakistan and Lesotho this year.

McKinnon commended the CLGF on its plans to promote a set of principles on democracy and good governance, which is being discussed at the Aberdeen meeting.

He said that, armed with these principles, the CLGF would be enabled to set out "on a renewed and determined advocacy of the democratic principle, the robust championing of democratic values and the building of a genuinely democratic culture in each of our countries." (COMMONWEALTH NEWS AND INFORMATION SERVICE)

Bush defends packaged news stories from government
By Caren Bohan
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said on Wednesday the U.S. government's practice of sending packaged news stories to local television stations was legal and he had no plans to stop it.

His defence of the packages, which are designed to look like television news segments, came after they were deemed a form of covert propaganda by the Government Accountability Office watchdog agency.

Some television stations have been airing such pieces without a disclaimer saying they were produced by the government. The GAO, an arm of Congress, said that ran counter to appropriation laws and was a misuse of federal funds.

Bush cited a Justice Department opinion the segments were legal.

"There is a Justice Department opinion that says these -- these pieces -- are within the law, so long as they're based upon facts, not advocacy," the president told a news conference.

David Walker, the comptroller general who heads the GAO, said he disagreed with Bush's stance and was "disappointed by the administration's actions."

"This is not just a legal issue, it's also an ethical matter," Walker said. "The taxpayers have a right to know when the government is trying to influence them with their own money."

Bush said government agencies, such as the Agriculture and Defence Departments, had been producing such videos for a long time and that it was appropriate so long as they were "based upon a factual report."

He said it was up to the local news stations to disclose that the segments were produced by the government.

It was not the first time the Bush administration has been criticised for blurring the line between media and government.

Earlier this year, the Education Department acknowledged it paid conservative commentator Armstrong Williams $240,000 to promote the No Child Left Behind Act.

The Federal Communications Commission is investigating the Williams incident.

Among the packages the GAO looked at was one produced by the Health and Human Services Department to promote the Medicare prescription drug law. The story included a paid actor who narrated the piece in a similar style to the way a television reporter would.

"The entire story package was developed with appropriated funds but appears to be an independent news story," the GAO said.

In a letter, Sen. Daniel Inouye, Democrat of Hawaii, asked the FCC to investigate the government-produced videos.

He called the airing of such videos without any attribution an "alarming practice."

"Not only does this lack of disclosure represent a serious breach of journalistic ethics, but it also seems to violate FCC rules requiring attribution of 'any political broadcast matter' or 'the discussion of a controversial issue of public importance,"' Inouye said.

Major Rasta gathering billed for Guyana
RASTAFARIANS from around the Caribbean are to gather in a major caucus here in August, coordinators have announced.

This 10th gathering of Rastafarians in the region is scheduled for August 1-8 at President's College, East Coast Demerara, under the theme `Building the nation through spiritual growth and economic development’.

Local officials said the conference was put back from December 12-19 last, because hurricanes had affected many CRO member countries and GRCF founder Ras Isdras had died suddenly.

GRCF President Ras Simeon said the last gathering of members of the CRO was in November 1- 8, 2003 in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

"The aims and objectives of the CRO are to achieve greater coordination and unity amongst the Rastafari community in the Caribbean, to build a strong unshakeable organisation for the development of future generations of Rastafari, to raise the overall standard of living of our people", he explained.

He also said that the conference will be officially launched on April 6 at the Umana Yana in Georgetown and executive members of the CRO will be in attendance.

The CRO, founded in 1997, is headed by Chairman Ras Franki Mwalimu Kwame Tafari of St. John's, Antigua.

Co-Chairman is Ras Touzah Jah Bash of St. Martin, General Secretary is Ras Kiyode Erasto Straker of Antigua and Treasurer is Ras Shaka Tafari, also of Antigua.

More than 300 foreign participants are expected to be encamped with their Guyanese counterparts at President's College during the gathering.

Flood-hit health centres getting back on stream
By Timica Forrester
HEALTH Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy and head of the local Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) base, Dr Bernadette Theodore-Gandhi, yesterday checked on repairs to several health centres hit by the January floods.

He said contractors began working on the buildings since they were chosen after a speedy tendering process last week.
Officials said 16 health centres are under renovation.

Those inspected yesterday were in Campbellville in Georgetown, and at Plaisance, Beterverwagting, Lusignan, Enterprise, Enmore and Industry on the East Coast Demerara.

Water marks from the floods are still visible on the walls of the Campbellville health centre where work has started.

Ramsammy said the building will be retiled and the wooden floor in the Dentist Room which was damaged by floodwaters is to be replaced.

In the meantime, services at the centre have been moved to the Camptown Football Club building, also in Campbellville.

The Plaisance health centre, however, is still functioning in its original building which is also under repair.

The minister was greeted by patients and staff at the centre when he visited yesterday.

While much work has been done, Clinic Attendant Audrey Galloway said the parapets and grounds of the centre are still being restored.

The health centre at Beterverwagting is also up and running and a number of patients were being attended to when the team visited.

That building too is in the final stages of repair.

Medex Seepersaud Ramdeo said repairs at the Lusignan health centre are almost complete since the building has already been repainted and retiled.

The building housing the Enterprise health centre has also been retiled and is being repainted.

In addition, the centre has been furnished with two new beds and though a pump had to be replaced, Ramsammy said there was minimal damage to the building.

Dr Pradeep Balram and his team of medical workers are also back at work at the Enmore Polyclinic. The building has been retiled and other repairs are under way.

The Health Minister said the building housing the Industry health centre, which is also being repaired, will soon be extended.

There are plans in place for an ophthalmology programme to be conducted at the centre, he announced.

Ramsammy said that as a result of the repairs and improvements being made, the health facilities would be "even better off than they were before."

"Out of a bad thing we hope to take advantage and make sure that we are a little better off than before."

The minister also said that he hopes to change a trend that has evolved in health centres where the services offered are mainly antenatal.

He said he wants the centres to return to providing general medical assistance to patients in the community.

Tourism Authority gets British help for flood damage
GUYANA Tourism Authority (GTA) has received a donation of G$445,000 from the British High Commission to replace equipment damaged by the January floods.

British High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Stephen Hiscock handed over the cheque to GTA Chairman, Mr. Brian James on Wednesday, at the High Commission in Main Street, Georgetown.

Hiscock said his diplomatic mission was in a position to render the assistance because its financial year ended recently and the money was available.

Speaking about the recent travel advisories issued also by the American Embassy and the Canadian High Commission, in wake of the floods, the diplomat said it was the duty of his office to ensure the safety of British citizens, too.

The advice had warned people to defer non-essential travel to Guyana and “exercise due caution in border regions with Suriname due to long standing disputes.”
James said GTA was thankful for the gift.

GTU objects to schools promotion criteria, as well
GUYANA Teachers’ Union (GTU) has registered its strong objection to the new criteria for promotions to senior positions in primary and secondary schools and practical instruction centres.

A press release said the GTU had told Chief Education Officer Ed Caesar, at a Thursday, March 10 meeting he convened, that it strongly objected to the implementation after hearing about the dates change for the closing and reopening of schools.

The release said GTU representatives enquired why they were not consulted and Caesar responded that they would have received the documentation by the next day.

GTU said it did receive a circular on March 15 but was not invited to discuss the issue of reopening and closure of schools and a letter dated March 7, from Education Ministry Permanent Secretary Pulandar Kandhi was sent to the Secretary, Teaching Service Commission, on the topic ‘Teaching Service Commission Vacancy Notice’.

The union said, prior to the Stabroek News headline ‘Shortened Easter Holidays for flood hit schools’, many primary and secondary schools had already, by initiative, been working an extra half hour daily and some had foregone their term tests and were doing more teaching, with the thought that schoolchildren would use the holiday period for resting and revision.

Some teachers were going to use the same time to mark their school based sssessments (SBAs), the statement said.

IICA donates $1M towards St. Stanislaus Farm recovery
INTER-AMERICAN Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) has made a $1M donation to St. Stanislaus College Farm Committee, towards the recovery programme following the recent flood that also affected the establishment.

After the cheque was handed over by IICA Representative in Guyana
Mr. Cromwell Crawford, the farm consultant, Mr. Kelvin Craig said the

money will be used to resuscitate the Antelope grass pasture, refurbish the milking parlour and repair the dairy processing unit and training centre.

Crawford said IICA has been associated with the enterprise for more
than 20 years, utilising resources to transfer technologies from different parts of the world for the training of hundreds of students, farmers and technicians at the Sophia, Greater Georgetown location.

He was, therefore, pleased to support the post-flooding rehabilitation,
including with 50 mineral blocks.Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Chris Fernandes acknowledged the significant contributions IICA made to the development of the farm since 1983

when a model dairy unit was set up there and he again thanked the benefactor agency for the additional assistance.

He disclosed that the farm lost hundreds of poultry livestock and feed in the floods and said the damage done to the dairy production unit was a
tremendous setback to the operations.

Fernandes also announced that they have received a gift of Cdn$5,000
from Vice-President of the Association, Mr. Maurice Watson, on behalf of the Canadian Chapter of the Alumni Association.

The Kidnapping Bill and what the public should know (Part One)
ON JUNE 5, 2003 the Kidnapping Bill was passed in Parliament.

This was the result of the escalation in crime, with a high incidence of kidnapping.

The government recognised the need for deterrence against this form of criminal activity.

The Kidnapping Bill No. 15 of 2002 is part of a total package to deal with this phenomenon. 

Minster of Home Affairs Ronald Gajraj, at the Second Reading, told the Assembly the legislation became necessary since wealthy persons and even those who are not so wealthy had been taken and held for ransom, sometimes involving millions of dollars.

The Kidnapping Law provides punishment for the offences of abduction, wrongful restraint and confinement for ransom, and other related offences, and may be cited as the Kidnapping Act 2003.

There are three 'key' words very crucial to the Act. These are abduction, wrongful restraint and wrongful confinement.

Abduction may be interpreted as the act by someone who by force or fear, compels, or by deceitful means, induces a person to go from one place to another.   

Wrongful restraint is the act of someone unlawfully obstructing any person, so as to prevent that person from proceeding in any direction in which that person has a right to proceed, and wrongfully restraining that person. 

Whoever wrongfully restrains any person in such a manner as to prevent that person from proceeding beyond certain circumscribing limits is wrongfully confining that person.

It is very important to note that the penalties for these offences are severe. 

Someone charged with the offence of wrongful confinement faces a fine of up to $250,000. Likewise, someone charged with the offence of wrongful restraint can be fined up to $100,000.

And in the case of abduction, a fine of $750,000 and imprisonment of five years will be imposed on any person found guilty of the offence. (GOVERNMENT INFORMATION AGENCY)

Final member of Integrity Commission sworn in
PRESIDENT of the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) Fazeel Feroze on Wednesday took the oath of office as a member of the Integrity Commission in the presence of Magistrate Cecil Sullivan at the Office of the President.

Mr Feroze was not sworn in at that time as he was out of the country.

The Chairman is Anglican Bishop Randolph George, while members are Feroze, Director on the National Commission for Family Pandit Ranbindranauth Persaud, and Secretary of the Guyana Council of Churches Nigel Hazel.

The last Commission expired in 2003. The Integrity Commission has a life span of three years.

The Integrity Commission was created in 1997 and headed since by Bishop George and comprised members of civil society.

It stipulates that the President, ministers of government and senior public service officers must submit declarations on their assets.

Section Four of the Act contains a Code of Conduct, which states: "Any person in public life who is in breach of any provision of the Code of Conduct shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine of $25,000 and to punishment for a period of not less than six months and not more than one year.”

In the past, the Integrity Commission had publicised a notice regarding some public officers' failure to comply with the Commission's Act.

The notice listed 11 Members of Parliament and 31 regional officials who have not complied with the statute.

The government established the Integrity Commission as part of its ongoing efforts to combat corruption and wrongdoings by public officers. (GOVERNMENT INFORMATION AGENCY)

Despite further US$15M investment…
GT&T will not charge more for new services
GUYANA Telephone & Telegraph Company Limited (GT&T) has invested some US$195M here since its inception and will inject a further US$15M this year, to expand and improve services to more communities, outgoing Chief Executive Officer nd General Manager Sonita Jagan said Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference in the Brickdam, Georgetown headquarters, she said targets for up to last year were achieved and the expectation is the same for 2005.

Ms. Jagan said places at which phones were installed include Numbers 76 and 52 villages and Sheet Anchor, Corentyne, as well as Adelphi, Canje, also in Berbice; Wisroc, Upper Demerara River and Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Guyhoc Gardens and Shirley Field-Ridley Square in the city, too.

She announced that new exchanges will be established at Bloomfield, Shieldstown and Liverpool in Berbice; Belmont, Catherine, Cane Grove, Planters’ Hall and Massiah and line extension works done at Bachelor’s Adventure, Melanie Damishana and Golden Grove/Haslington, also on East Coast Demerara and New Hope, South Friendship and Grove, East Bank Demerara.

More plans are on stream for phone lines at Diamond and Good Hope housing schemes, East Bank Demerara, while Essequibo, which is experiencing difficulties with data speed, is scheduled to be linked.

Remote areas to receive service are Bara Cara, Suparupa, Long Creek, Silver Hill, St. Francis, Wineperu, Maria’s Pleasure, Zeelandia, Hackney, Abary and Dadanawa.

Jagan said GT&T introduced ‘roaming services’ following agreements with Cable and Wireless and talks are ongoing with companies in Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname.

Meanwhile, other countries currently being tested for this service are Italy, Ecuador, France, India, Brazil and Mexico.

Jagan said GT&T has assured the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) that it will not increase charges for the roaming and customers will pay the same rate which carriers charge the local utility.

She said evidence of GT&T dedication is that it has 150,000 cellular phone subscribers in a population of about 700,000 Guyanese.

Last year alone, 103,000 land line phones were connected and ‘GSM’ and ‘C’ Point services were launched and GT&T is moving to better the former with cell sites soon to be operational at Sophia, Eccles, Cove and John, Mahdia, Lethem and Mahaicony.

Jagan disclosed that ‘TDMA’ phones will be phased out by 2010 and e-mail and camera facilities for GSM made available shortly.

Female assaulted in Berbice robbery
A FEMALE in a Berbice household was indecently assaulted yesterday morning, when three men armed with guns and a cutlass broke into the home and carted off $75,000 in cash and articles.

According to a release from the police public relations office, the bandits broke into the house of Mohanlall Ramcharran, an overseas-based Guyanese, around 02:30 h.
Investigations are continuing, police said.

U.S. Peace Corps director on Guyana visit
UNITED States Peace Corps Regional Director of the Inter America and Pacific Region, Ms Allene Zanger is in Guyana on a five day visit.

She called on President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday and is to meet Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy and Minister of Education Dr Henry Jeffrey.

The Peace Corps office here said she will be discussing with U.S. Ambassador Roland Bullen, USAID Mission Director Dr Mike Sarhan and several other officials, ways of strengthening Peace Corps commitment to development in Guyana.

Ms Zanger's Peace Corps experience began as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama from 1993 to 1995.
She arrived here from Suriname on Wednesday.

Aggressive campaign to woo tourists under way
THE Guyana Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce has embarked on an aggressive media and advertising campaign in a move to woo more visitors to Guyana.

It is too, in an effort to counter the effects of travel advisories issued during the floods which impacted negatively on tourism arrivals in January and February this year compared to 2004.

The damaging travel advisories were issued by the governments of Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom during the recent disaster caused by torrential rains and flood waters.

To this end, the upcoming Easter Regatta has been extensively promoted as a tourism event by the administration, Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, announced Wednesday at his weekly post-Cabinet media conference.

He said regatta celebrations this year would again benefit from the presence of two yachting flotillas, the largest to ever sail into Guyana waters at any one time.

The first flotilla comprising seven yachts – Mood Indigo, Mistral, Angel, Songster, Magic Dragon, Good Time Charlie and Tao - arrived here between Monday and Tuesday while the other is expected today.

Among the yachters who are from North America and Europe, are Joyce and David Davis, owners of the Mood Indigo, who were on a previous yachting expedition in Guyana.

The couple announced Tuesday that they will be making Guyana their home and have already begun to build a house.

In addition, more than 100 tourists aboard three cruise ships are expected in the country shortly.

According to data compiled by the Guyana Tourism Authority, tourism arrivals for January this year were 6,553 as compared to 7, 094 in 2004, a decrease of 7.6 per cent.

Arrivals in February were 6,814, against 8,307 the previous year, representing an 18 per cent decrease.

Clearing another impediment to human development
ONE important index of development is the general good health of a nation. This state of affairs does not come about overnight or within a few short months. Instead, the basic good health of a nation is the long-term result of sensible investment in its human capital, and one that begins before birth. Women, who are afforded access to sensible nutrition and intelligent antenatal care, generally bring forth healthy babies, who, in turn, benefit from sound nutrition and adequate healthcare.

The obverse of this situation occurs when a country, for any number of reasons, is unable to offer even the most basic programme of nutrition and healthcare to its citizens. The implications of these inadequacies and deprivations on the current and future generations can be distressing and destructive to the point of hopelessness and permanent social marginalisation. Hunger and malnourishment apart, people deprived of the basic elements in living standards are many times more prone to contract diseases that take cruel toll of their bodies and make their lives more wretched.

The link between a people’s general good health and development and their ability to attain developmental goals was made last Wednesday during the ceremony to launch the US$11M HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Project sponsored by the World Bank in collaboration with the Guyana Government. The project is part of the third phase of the World Bank US$155M Caribbean Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Adaptable Programme Lending (APL) approved in 2001. According to a report published in yesterday’s Chronicle, the objectives are to assist Caribbean countries in preventing the spread of the disease and to reduce its transmission among the high-risk groups, improve access to effective, affordable and equitable care for people living with the affliction, within the context of the Government’s health policy. Another objective is to strengthen institutional capacity to respond to the pandemic in a sustainable way.

Ms May Melusa, Senior Public Health Specialist of the World Bank told the gathering that the Bank has a clear mission and that its dream is a world free of poverty. But, Ms Melusa cautioned, until the HIV/AIDS epidemic is reversed, that vision would not materialise. The specialist pointed out that at this time, HIV/AIDS is a growing impediment to development and poverty alleviation in many countries. Outside Sub-Saharan Africa, she said, the Caribbean region has the highest HIV prevalence rate worldwide. She noted that recent estimates indicate that some 440,000 persons in the Caribbean are living with HIV/AIDS and that approximately 80,000 children have been orphaned as a result of the disease, Ms Melusa disclosed that those persons afflicted constitute the most productive age group, which is between 15 and 49 years. Listing the consequences of this situation, the specialist said that there would be more children without parents, classrooms without teachers, farms without workers and hospitals without doctors and nurses.

This is indeed a frightening litany of some of the realities of existence in a scourge-filled world. And while citizens of Guyana and the Caribbean may find it difficult to envisage such a scenario, tens of thousands of people in hundreds of communities in Africa are experiencing the daily pain and distress of burying their brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers, who have succumbed to the disease. Fortunately, with the implementation of the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Project, the people of Guyana and the Caribbean would never have to confront the reality of a region decimated by this modern scourge.

Mini-bus conductor remanded on schoolgirl sex charge
MINI-BUS conductor Keith Rodney, of Lot 49 Hadfield Street, Georgetown, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan yesterday, charged with having carnal knowledge of a 12-year-old girl.

The accused did not have to plea to the indictable charge which said he committed the offence last March 4 and was remanded to prison until March 23.

Police Inspector Kevin Adonis, prosecuting, said the victim went to Rodney’s home to take a letter and, after answering the door, he lifted her into his house where they had forced sexual intercourse.

The Prosecutor said the virtual complainant did not report the incident to anyone but a teacher learnt about it and informed the schoolgirl’s mother who questioned her daughter after observing certain developments.

Court told…
Tuesday fondled armed robbery victim Wednesday
A MAN indecently assaulted a 13-year-old girl after robbing her at gunpoint, a Court was told yesterday.

The allegations were made against Keith Tuesday, of Lot 297 Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan and pleaded not guilty to indecent assault and armed robbery allegedly committed last Wednesday.

Police said the defendant pointed a gun to the victim’s neck, took away her money and then fondled her.

The teenager raised an alarm and cops on mobile patrol chased and caught Tuesday, who was refused bail and remanded to prison until April 11.

Seawall search of car yields illegal gun, ammo
- Police
MARK Caesar, of Lot 83 St. Stephens Street, Charlestown, faced charges of illegal possession of a gun and ammunition yesterday, following a Police search of the motor car he was driving last Monday.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to both offences before Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan, who granted him $50,000 bail until April 15.

It is alleged that Caesar had a .32 pistol and eight matching bullets at Kitty seawall, also in Georgetown, when he was not the holder of licences in force at the time.

Police said Caesar, 26, was arrested when cops stopped the vehicle he was driving and found the firearm and live rounds between the driver’s and passenger’s seats.

Keeping prices down
PETROL dealers are asking that Guyana Oil Company
(GUYOIL) be privatised at the expense of the consumers who will be the ones to suffer.

GUYOIL performs a price setting function that prevents the other petrol dealers from increasing prices. It is not unfair competition but consumer protection.

As a consumer, I am grateful that there is some provision in place to keep prices down.

If GUYOIL can remain profitable with the prices that it sets, there is no reason why the other petrol dealers cannot achieve reasonable returns.

Further, even though GUYOIL is not a private company, it does not receive subvention from the government.

I believe that the other dealers will simply have to find ways to keep consumers and a good way to do this is keeping the prices down.
MARTIN BENN

Keep it clean
PHAGWAH/HOLI, the Hindu Spring festival, is here once again and there are a number of activities planned for its observance.

Many are advertising Phagwah Melas, Holi Utsavs etc., and it is most refreshing to see so many involved in the observance of this Hindu Spring festival.

I would just like to remind everyone that Phagwah/Holi is a Hindu religious festival and as such all observances must be in conjunction with the sanctity of Sanatana Dharma.

No activity held for Phagwah/Holi should have alcoholic beverages, non-vegetarian foods, gambling, lewd and indecent dancing or behaviour.
Please do not desecrate and disrespect our religious days.
NANDA BISNATH

Staying alert
ALL aspects for the protection of our health are being observed in the aftermath of the worst disaster the country suffered in the densely populated coastal belt.

Every day in the newspapers and on the electronic media there are advisories on ongoing fogging exercises to rid communities of mosquitoes, which can spread diseases.

The government and health authorities have not relaxed and remain pro-active in protecting the health of citizens.

Many medical outreaches are still being conducted and will be conducted in the future by government and private groups.

Vaccination programmes are also being carried out aggressively in all regions of the country.
Guyana is recognised for the high percentage of children being vaccinated.
ANAND RAMPERSAUD

Good police work
CONGRATULATIONS to the officers and ranks of the Guyana Police Force in their successful rescue of five-year-old kidnap victim Jonathan Ganesh.

His family and most of the population were in anguish over his kidnapping, and prayed that he would have been rescued and returned safely, and so he was.

Three suspects have been held and the police were yesterday looking for another.

If they are found guilty by the court, the maximum penalties should be meted out to them to discourage kidnappings.

The majority of the people are pleased with this additional success of the police and the fast response by their anti-kidnapping squad.

The officers and ranks involved should receive suitable recognition and reward.
MARIA GOMES

Let social justice prevail
GUYANA is fully committed in the fight against HIV/AIDS at all levels in the society, and it is expected that in time, sooner rather than later, incremental successes will commence to be recorded.

Our government, Minister of Health Leslie Ramsammy and his ministry, NGOs – local and overseas, foreign governments have all joined forces and resources in a dedicated effort to reduce the incidence of this deadly infection.

It is wrong, I think, for some employers, to actually demand that their prospective employees take an HIV test, resulting in employment being denied to them.

All such issues must and are being looked at and vehemently debated, because in this, as in other areas, we must resolve to see that social justice and humanitarian considerations prevail.
MELINDA LOVELL

Carry the Buxton battle
IT IS clear that violent criminal activities will be greatly reduced in the country when the police are finally able to rid the village of Buxton of the criminal elements and infrastructure and let them know that it is no longer a safe haven.

Nobody will be happier than the law biding citizens of Buxton who want to get on with their lives and have a safer environment for themselves and children.

The police are continuing their determined efforts to carry out their mandate, and once they carry out their duties professionally and do not infringe the human rights of citizens, they should not be deterred by complaints from some villagers, unless these can be justified.
COMPTON WILLIAMS

Dangerous development
WITH the recent events in Buxton, where the police are once again being fired upon by criminals, I am beginning to feel that there is truth in two recent letters I have read in the press about a gang of armed criminals having been organised with some sort of a political motive.

This is a dangerous development and needs the most urgent attention by the police.

We all know what we have been through before in certain parts of the country and we don’t want a repeat of this.

We look forward to strong police actions to break up this gang for the safety of threatened communities.
ALEXANDER FERGUSON

Battered beyond recognition
I COMMEND the government on its move to implement a Value Added Tax (VAT) by January 2006.

It will take some doing, but it can be done.

The current system of direct and indirect taxes has been battered beyond recognition.

The wretched abuse by persons who are supposed to be paying taxes has left the system with gaping holes and coin pockets.

This to the extent that whatever pittance comes near falls through if it does not get stuck in one of the tiny pockets out of sheer good fortune.

The time has come for those bent on ripping off this country to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s.

The VAT will ensure that more businesses and individuals are caught in the shade of this umbrella tax.

I had the opportunity to look at the bill, which had its first reading in parliament on March 10, 2005.

The bill, rightly administered when it becomes law, will certainly ensure that everyone pay their fair share of taxes. Registration and the requirements for such are clear and simple.

Only registered persons can charge VAT on sales or claim credits for VAT paid on business purchases.

Fines and penalties are well placed, just for those who are known to abuse the current system.
KEVIN FORDE

On the ball
I COMMEND members of Community Development Councils (CDCs) who have been doing much work in various communities.

CDCs seem to be quite a good idea as these groups have been doing a lot more work than other groups formed for years in several villages.

Before and after the floods, some areas with the help of these groups have been making strides in organising projects in their villages and keeping their surroundings clean.

The CDC members work fast and need to be praised for their hard work as well as their zestful attitudes to assist their communities and get things done.
STEVEN BERNARD

Guyanese and good
I AM an ex-employee of Banks DIH Limited after working there for 24 years.

I started to work in the Refrigeration Department as a driver.

After a few years in that department, I was reassigned to the Special Events Department and within a few years I was promoted to Salesman and later, to Hotel and Club Manager.

The reason I am writing this letter is to let the Guyanese public know that Banks DIH is a good Guyanese company.

Its scope for upward mobility is second to none. I went into that company with no managerial experience, but the various training courses on which I was sent and in-house training received helped me develop into the person I am today.

Mr. Clifford Reis, the Chairman, started working with the company in the Head Office.

He worked his way up to become Manager of the Head Office after IBM came and the company bought the machines.

Mr. Reis then educated himself and learnt how to programme the machines. He then, was the only person who could do this and had the key to the machines.

During that time, Mr. Reis and I became friends. He was my superior and I respected him and his office.

Even now, Mr. Reis always welcomes me whenever I go to see him. He is a man I will always hold in high regard. He has been good to me in many ways, also to many others whose names I can call if it becomes necessary.

Messrs Mike Perreira, Azam Khan, Kissoon Dial, Ken De Abreu, George McDonald and many others too numerous to mention, all came through the ranks and became Directors of the company. Mr. Mike Perreira is my special friend.

Banks DIH has done so much for so many of its employees that I think it is in a class by itself. I owe my success in life to Banks DIH.

I am a shareholder of Banks DIH and my shares are not for sale, and if I ever consider selling my shares, I would sell them back to Banks DIH.

I have taken time off from my busy schedule to write this letter, mainly to let shareholders know the kind of quality company they have invested in, what it has done for so many people and what it continues to do, even during the flood crises that we had.

During the floods, Banks DIH was there all the time providing water, among other things to the affected populace.

Banks DIH is a Guyanese company. Let it remain Guyanese.

It would seem to me that there is an effort by some people to sell out Guyana to the highest bidder.
Let us hold on to and cherish what we have.
CITIZEN

CWC 2007 stadium construction to begin in another six weeks
By Chamanlall Naipaul
CONSTRUCTION of Guyana’s Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007 Stadium is to begin within another six weeks at Providence on the East Bank Demerara, following the conclusion of the contract with an Indian construction company yesterday at the Office of the President.

Saini also informed the media that his company is among the oldest in India, having been in existence for over 140 years.

President Bharrat Jagdeo said he is very pleased that the construction of the stadium will now go ahead with Guyana eventually becoming a proud host of World Cup Cricket 2007.

He said the stadium will be built in accordance with International Cricket Council (ICC) specifications.

During the handing-over of the bids in April last year president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Chetram Singh, had remarked: “I think that Guyana needs much more cricket and I think a stadium will achieve this.”

He also noted that the projection for the 2007 event is that 100 000 tourists will arrive and some US$500M will be spent which will benefit the entire Caribbean.

India’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Avinash Gupta in a comment to the Chronicle said the project represents a milestone and he is very happy about the progress achieved.

The President praised the generosity of the Indian government in providing the US$25M to fund the project, made up partially of a grant and a soft loan.

Asked how the cost of the project was reduced as it was initially estimated to be higher, the President explained that it was achieved through negotiations and redesigning.

Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Ltd. started as Littlewood Pallonji & Co. and was awarded its first construction contract way back in 1865.

Today, the skyline of almost every large Indian city is dotted with the highly regarded constructions of Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Ltd. From the Hotel Taj Intercontinental in Bombay to the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, from the TELCO industrial complex in Pune to the Palace complex of His Majesty - The Sultan of Oman, the company's name inspires awe and respect. Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Ltd has a rich history of over 135 years in the construction industry in India and internationally.

The construction group is headed by Mr Cyrus P. Mistry, Managing Director. He is assisted by the Director (Operations) in the overall day-to-day management of projects. SPCL’s turnover exceeded $100 million in the financial year 2002-03.

Region to know today of WICB’s decision
ST JOHN’S, Antigua CMC - The Caribbean region has been forced to wait one more day before they know if West Indies captain Brian Lara and six other Cable & Wireless-sponsored players will be eligible for selection to the West Indies team for the first Test against South Africa.

The WICB’s Corporate Communications Manager, Leonard Robertson told CMC Sports last evening that the Board would make an announcement on the players’ eligibility today when it also announces the squad for the first Test.

Robertson also indicated the Board would be trying to issue a press statement before mid-day today.

The door for the Cable & Wireless-sponsored players was left ajar yesterday when the WICB said that it would make a determination on the individual contracts that were being reviewed by their lawyers, and then decide on the eligibility of these players by midday yesterday.

Once this was done, the WICB said it would have instructed the selection panel to proceed with the business of choosing the team.

They subsequently rescheduled the announcement of the team for the first Test from yesterday to today.

Last week, the Board had made it clear that the seven players would remain outside of consideration for selection while the review of the Cable & Wireless contracts was in progress.

The controversial contracts are at the centre of the sponsorship row between Digicel and Cable & Wireless and were reviewed to determine if they conflicted with the Digicel team sponsorship.

Guyana Beverage Inc. to sponsor biggest cricket tournament
ONCE again the Guyana Beverage Incorporated (GBI), manufacturers of Busta soft drinks, is making a significant contribution towards local cricket with over one and a half million dollars in sponsorship.

President of the GCB, Chetram Singh, told the media that over 150 teams are expected to participate in the nationwide limited overs tournament for second division teams with Berbice entering ninety-odd teams alone and Essequibo forty.

The Busta National second division club competition is expected to commence next Saturday March 26 and will climax on Sunday November 20 at a venue to be decided on by the sponsor.

The winner of the Berbice zone has drawn a bye into the final while the Essequibo zone winner will host the Demerara zone winner in the semifinal on Sunday November 13.

According to Singh, it is the first time a nationwide tournament for second division teams is being sponsored by one company which clearly shows that Busta is committed to promoting cricket.

Singh added that Busta is already a household name in Guyana and that the GCB is very excited about the competition, taking into account that it is a big challenge for the various competitions’ committees.

General Manager of GBI, Robert Selman, in his brief remarks urged the organisers and the teams to make this inaugural tournament a success because his company would like this event to be an annual one.

Selman said his company is pleased to give back to the Guyanese people as they have supported Guyana Beverages which will continue to support Sports and Education in Guyana.


Jamaica, Leewards clash in Carib Beer Challenge final
ST. John's, Antigua - Jamaica, the Carib Cup Champions, and Leeward
Islands, the runners-up meet today at the start of the five-day Carib Beer Challenge final at the Alpart Sports Complex in Jamaica.

Jamaica earned the right as Carib Cup Champions to have home advantage for the Carib Beer Challenge and Leeward Islands can only capture the trophy if they win the game outright.

The winner will receive the Carib Beer Challenge Trophy and US $5,000
while the Man- of- the- Match will earn US $150.00 and a medallion. Mr Colin Murray, Sponsorship and Events Manager of Carib Breweries will present the trophy to the winners.

Eddie Nichols of Guyana and Terrence Birbal of Trinidad and Tobago will
officiate as umpires with Norman Malcolm of Jamaica as the television
umpire.

Collymore to tour region in preparation for CWC 2007
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) - With the Caribbean hosting the cricket World Cup in 2007, John Collymore, Security Director for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 Inc. is undertaking a regional tour to meet with personnel from a variety of security agencies.

Collymore, a former Assistant Commissioner of Police in Barbados, has been working with ICC CWC WI 2007 Inc. at its headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, since last November, where he has been formulating a comprehensive security plan for the event.

Collymore, also an attorney-at-law, will be holding meetings with security officials who have been drawn from a wide range of agencies expected to play critical roles in the provision of security for the competition.

He will not only present the requirements and expectations for the event to these agencies but he will also be hearing their concerns and plans.

During his current tour, Collymore will stop in Barbados for a meeting with the Regional Security System before moving on to Trinidad for talks with the Regional Task Force on Crime and Security.

While in Port-of-Spain, he will meet with senior leaders within the region’s security sector who will be focusing on CWC 2007.

Apart from the various meetings with senior security personnel, Collymore is expected to meet with the Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) and the Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council in St Lucia.

He will also be meeting the Guyana Local Security Committee to give guidance as to its composition and will visit the Bourda Cricket Ground to get a first-hand view of developments there.

Collymore, a former Commandant of the Regional Training Centre in Barbados, has received professional training in Canada, United Kingdom and the USA where he attended the FBI National Academy.

He played a leading role in the new security measures which were put in place for the Barbados leg of England’s cricket team last year and was also part of the team that developed the security proposal for the Barbados local organising committee’s successful bid to stage the ICC CWC WI 2007 Inc. final.

His last assignment with the Royal Barbados Police Force was with ‘Operations Support and Community Safety’ before he went into private law practice.

Roberts steers Royals to victory over Jets
By Joe Chapman
AMELIA'S Ward Jets blew a 12-point advantage with one quarter left in their championship game as former national Under-19 centre Dwayne Roberts posted 19 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots to lead the Victory Valley Royals to victory in the Flood Relief basketball final, winning 61-55 after trailing at half-time 24-32, at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court last Sunday night.

The front court duo of Roberts and past national forward Alwyn Wilson powered their team to victory despite being fouled out in the closing moments of the game.

Wilson, with 12 points and 13 rebounds and point guard Julius Carter hitting nine points and dealing off 10 assists saw the Royals recover to outscore their opponents after lemon time, 37-23.

Actually, the Jets produced a refreshing display through three quarters of play but failed in spite of leading by as many as 13 points as they could not pull the knockout punch against a seasoned foe, to capture the senior title.

A capacity crowd watched in awe as Jets went down to the hyped-up Royals in a game the Jets certainly could have won but the Royals must be given credit for holding their composure down the stretch to emerge victorious.

Former Under-19 player Kevin Joseph and centre Mark Amsterdam were the Jets’ best players on show with Joseph getting 12 points and seven assists and Amsterdam 13 points, two blocked shots and nine rebounds.

In the supporting game Linden champions Alleyne's Retrieve Raiders consoled themselves with an impressive win against Kashif and Shanghai Kings, who had scored victory against the Raiders in their semi-final clash but lost when it was discovered that the bugbear of the season, questionable transfers, cost them the win.

Raiders pounded their way to a 41-24 advantage which in the end served them well as the Kings rallied their way back into contention but their second-half 33-21 run was not enough to allow them the consolation win.

National forward Neil Marks was in top form scoring 22 points as Terrence Goddette got 20 and Louis James 14.

The Kings were led by Trevor Profitt's game-high 24 points and Marvin Hartman supported with eight.

Busta Champion of Champions semis ...
Keen contests expected tomorrow
By Vemen Walter
TWO keen contests are expected tomorrow in the semi-finals of the 2005 Busta Champion of Champions 50-overs first division knockout cricket competition in Berbice.

At the Area ‘H’ Ground in Rose Hall Town, the home team will tackle Port Mourant while the other match will see Bermine doing battle with Young Warriors at the Albion Community Centre Ground.

With several of the top cricketers from Berbice on show in both of the matches, top class action is anticipated as all four teams will be going all out for victory to advance into the final of the competition that has been organised by the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) and sponsored by the Guyana Beverage Company.

National champions Rose Hall Town Courts and Young Warriors are expected to emerge victorious in their respective matches.

However, as Bermine demonstrated in the opening round against the much-touted Albion, upsets can very well happen since neither Port Mourant nor Bermine are easy pushovers, especially in this the shorter version of the game.

Rose Hall Town Courts have been boosted with the return of fast bowler Esaun Crandon and middle-order batsman Assad Fudadin from national duties in the Carib Beer Cricket Series and will also have the likes of former national left-hander Andre Percival, openers Renwick Batson and Michael Hicks, the dependable Kemraj Mahadeo, leg-spinner Abdel Fudadin, veteran all-rounder Neil Williams and left-arm spinner Ravi Narine all in their line-up.

Port Mourant, on the other hand, do not pose many big names in their team but with a set of very talented youngsters, they are very capable of springing a surprise against their opponents.

With the absence of veteran all-rounder Vejai Seonarine, who now resides in the United States of America and former national batsman Homchand Pooran, presently playing cricket in Trinidad and Tobago, a lot will depend on talented West Indies Youth all-rounder Zamal Khan, former Guyana Under-19 batsmen Roopnarine Ramgobin and Moshein Perkhan, together with the two 17-year-old all-rounders Rajiv Ivan and off-spinner Rajendra Bholo.

Over at Albion, Bermine will want to prove that their last weekend’s victory against Albion was by no means a fluke with another efficient display against Young Warriors.

Young Warriors, who made very light work of Skeldon Community Centre to advance to the semifinal of the competition which attracted the top eight teams in the Ancient county, have had the better of the two sides recently but a pumped-up young Bermine team could very well produce another shocker.

With lots of fire power in their bowling attack, led by the much-talked-about Guyana Under-19 fast bowler Jeremy Gordon and the equally impressive Kellon Henry, both with three wickets hauls in the last match, Bermine’s strength will be their bowling and they will be hoping to restrict a Young Warriors’ batting lineup that should include players in the calibre of national player Damodar Daesrath, 17-year-old left-hander Gajandand Singh, his brother Ishwar, Balram Samaroo and the ‘old warrior’ Hubern Evans.

Fast bowlers, Quesy Maltay and Kawal Mangal, off-spinner Munilall Shivdyal together with Daesrath (medium pace) and Evans (off-spin) will take care of their bowling department.

Anthony D’Andrade, Maxie De Younge, Jason Sripaul, Royston Tappin, Julian Moore and Dane Benny will have to come good with the bat for Bermine.

Play starts at 09:30 h. in both of the matches and the use of coloured clothing, white balls and black sightscreens will be evident.

Clement Brushe and Keith Sultan are the umpires in the match at the Area ‘H’ Ground while Rafik Latif and Raja Sukra will be the officials doing duties at Albion.

Second Test in Calcutta…
Younis and Youhana hit magnificent centuries
By N.Ananthanarayanan
CALCUTTA, India, (Reuters) - Pakistan vice-captain Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhana stroked magnificent hundreds to lift their team against India in the second Test yesterday.

Younis hit an unbeaten 108, his seventh hundred, while the experienced Youhana was 101 not out as Pakistan cruised to 273 for two on a slow Eden Gardens pitch, 134 runs behind India's first innings 407 all out.

Youhana reached his 13th hundred with a four against off-spinner Harbhajan Singh off the day's final delivery. The unbeaten third-wicket partnership of 203 was a record for Pakistan in India.

The 27-year-old Younis lifted Pakistan from 70 for two with powerful shots to all parts of the ground and ran superbly between the wickets with Youhana in energy-sapping humidity.

Younis has hit 14 fours in his 167-ball innings spanning four hours while Youhana's chanceless knock contained 13 fours.

Youhana needed nine runs to reach his hundred in the final over, but he swept Harbhajan for four and picked up a couple before hitting another four to reach three figures.

Both batsmen kept up an excellent scoring rate to force India captain Sourav Ganguly to spread his field, also showing their command against leg-spinner Anil Kumble and off-spinner Harbhajan.

CLASSY YOUNIS
Younis had made only one fifty in six innings during the recent 3-0 series rout in Australia and managed just nine and one in the drawn first Test in Mohali.

However, he vindicated captain Inzamam-ul Haq's decision to retain him at number three with an innings of real authority.

The well-built batsman drove strongly on the off side for his early fours before settling down to play delicate late cuts and drives to frustrate Kumble.

He could have been run-out for 68, playing Kumble to short-leg and blindly taking off, but wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik threw wildly with the batsman well short of safety.

Younis pulled and cut Kumble to move into the 90s before edging a pull against Irfan Pathan over slips for four to complete his hundred.

Youhana showed his class at the other end, lofting both spinners for straight fours before playing his trademark cover-drives against Pathan to keep pace with his partner.

Shahid Afridi had lashed a 21-ball 29 with all but one of his runs coming in boundaries and left-handed opener Taufeeq Umar made a shaky 18 after he was dropped on nought and one by slip fielders Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag.

India, overnight 344 for six, added 63 runs before being all out 30 minutes before lunch.

Harbhajan (27) and last man Kumble (21 not out) added 44 runs after Pakistan's bowlers made quick inroads into the tail.

Abdul Razzaq trapped Harbhajan leg-before to finish with best figures of three for 62 with both leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and Afridi picking up three wickets.

Dravid top-scored with 110, his 19th hundred, and opener Sehwag made an aggressive 81 on Wednesday after Ganguly chose to bat. Sachin Tendulkar added 52, becoming only the fifth batsman to pass 10 000 runs in Test cricket.

INDIA first innings: (o/n 344-6)
V.Sehwag c Inzamam b Afridi 81

G.Gambhir lbw b Kaneria 29

R.Dravid c Akmal b Kaneria 110

S.Tendulkar c Akmal b Afridi 52

S.Ganguly c Akmal b Razzaq 12

V.Laxman lbw b Razzaq 0

D.Karthik run-out 28

I.Pathan c Y.Khan b Kaneria 8

L.Balaji b Afridi 3

H.Singh lbw b Razzaq 27

A.Kumble not out 21

Extras: (b-2, lb-12, nb-16, w-6) 36

Total: (all out, 111.1 overs) 407

Fall of wickets: 1-80, 2-156, 3-278, 4-298, 5-298, 6-344, 7-345, 8-357, 9-363.

Bowling: Sami 22-3-76-0 (nb-8), Khalil 11-3-39-0 (nb-1, w-1), Kaneria 35-1-136-3 (nb-2), Razzaq 22.1-4-62-3 (nb-5), Afridi 21-0-80-3 (w-5).

Pakistan first innings

T.Umar c Harbhajan b Balaji 18

S.Afridi c Tendulkar b Pathan 29

Y.Khan not out 108

Y.Youhana not out 101

Extras: (b-1, lb-8, nb-7, w-1) 17

Total: (two wickets, 66 overs) 273

Bowling (to date) - Pathan 16-3-73-1 (w-1), Balaji 13-1-55-1 (nb-2), Kumble 20-2-72-0 (nb-4), Ganguly 2-0-12-0 (nb-1), Harbhajan Singh 15-1-52-0.

Three more rebels return to Zimbabwe fold
DURBAN, (Reuters) - Three more rebels returned to the fold yesterday when they signed contracts with Zimbabwe Cricket.

Batsmen Stuart Carlisle, Craig Wishart and Trevor Gripper agreed to six-month deals, effectively ending a stand-off that began in April when Heath Streak's tenure as captain ended.

Streak had raised white players' concerns about Zimbabwe's selection criteria and about the alleged behaviour of officials.

Fifteen white players, including Streak, refused to play for their country and were fired.

Fast bowler Streak and all-rounder Andy Blignaut signed new contracts during Zimbabwe's tour of South Africa this month and played in both Test matches.

"Craig, myself and Trevor signed six-month contracts this morning," Carlisle told Reuters from Harare yesterday.

"I want to go back and play some cricket, and leave it to other people to fight for things."

"We have been assured that things will change over the next few weeks and months. It's reached a point where we all need to get on with cricket."

The rebel crisis cost Zimbabwe the services of left-arm spinner Ray Price and batsman Grant Flower, who now play for Worcestershire and Essex respectively, and all-rounder Sean Ervine who has signed a contract with Western Australia.

Zimbabwe were forced to select an inexperienced team in the rebels' absence. Since the walkout they have lost 23 of 25 one-day internationals and five of six Test matches with the other drawn.

Sri Lanka spring opener surprise
UNCAPPED opener Shantha Kalavitigoda has been named in Sri Lanka's squad to tour New Zealand next month.

The 27-year-old was named in the 14-man party to play two Tests after scoring 83 for Sri Lanka A against England A.

Left-arm paceman Ruchira Perera has been recalled three years after his bowling action came under scrutiny.

The first Test begins in Napier on April 4, with the second starting in Wellington a week later. Sri Lanka will then play a one-day series in India.

It will be the first time they have played limited overs internationals in India for six years and dates and venues for five matches are still being finalised.

It means Chaminda Vaas, Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Chandana will not be able to take up county contracts in England until early May.

Sri Lanka are currently ranked the second-best one-day side in the world after New Zealand slipped back to third following their recent 5-0 whitewash defeat by Australia.

Spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan, meanwhile, will definitely miss the trip to New Zealand and will probably not play in India either, as he continues his rehabilitation following shoulder surgery.

He has been advised not to resume net practice until next week.

Sri Lanka squad to tour New Zealand: M. Atapattu (captain), M. Jayawardene (vice-capt), S. Jayasuriya, K. Sangakkara (wkp.), T.M. Dilshan, T. Samaraweera, S. Kalavitigoda, U. Chandana, C. Vaas, R. Herath, F. Maharoof, N. Kulasekara, L. Malinga, R. Perera. (BBC Sport).

Best Mate’s absence leaves Gold Cup wide open
By Justin Palmer
LONDON, England (Reuters) - For the first time in four years three-time Gold Cup winner, Best Mate, will not be led to the winners' enclosure at the Cheltenham Festival today.

Illness has deprived Henrietta Knight's champion staying chaser of the chance to surpass the great Arkle, who landed his third Gold Cup in 1964.

Best Mate was found to be bleeding from his nose during a final preparation gallop and his absence has cost punters an estimated 500 000 pounds ($961 700) in lost stakes.

The showpiece race on the final day of the festival was dealt two further blows this week when Kingscliff, elevated to favourite, was withdrawn while Farmer Jack, supplemented late for the race, died after a suspected heart attack.

With a new name certain to be etched on the trophy, Irish challenger Beef Or Salmon will bid to make it third time lucky.

Trained in County Limerick by Michael Hourigan, Beef Or Salmon was an early faller in the 2003 race and finished fourth last year.

This season he has beaten Best Mate but a flat follow-up in the Irish Hennessy resulted in the horse receiving a course of antibiotics.

"I know I have a good horse. He has done a lot in his short career to date to prove that," said Hourigan, "But you need luck, and this year you need health. If we get both, this could just be his year."

In an open race, joint 7-2 favourite Strong Flow represents trainer Paul Nicholls, who won the race in 1999 with See More Business.

Nicholls has nursed his charge back to full health after he was sidelined for over a year with a serious knee fracture and another Gold Cup would help compensate for Azertyuiop's poor run in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday.

Champion trainer Martin Pipe, with 33 festival wins in his career, will look to improving Celestial Gold for his first Gold Cup triumph. Owner David Johnson has already enjoyed success this week and bookmakers make the seven-year-old a 4-1 chance.

A field of 16 will line up, including last year's second Sir Rembrandt, who will have to belie odds of 10-1 to go one better this year.

Is spin the way to tame Gilchrist?
By Oliver Brett
Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh and Daniel Vettori are the best at it.
But Danish Kaneria has done it three times and even New Zealand's Paul Wiseman and West Indian Omari Banks have managed the feat twice.

The task in question: dismissing Adam Gilchrist.
Probably the most destructive batsman in Test match cricket, Gilchrist has well over 4 000 runs at an average comfortably exceeding 50.

But examining the details of his 66 appearances in Tests, one can see spinners have had a fair amount of joy against the free-scoring 33-year-old.

On the 2001 tour of India, Gilchrist fell five times to spinners in five innings, where he followed a century in Mumbai with scores of 0, 0, 1 and 2.

But there then followed a far more fruitful period for Gilchrist against the slow men.

In his next 31 Test appearances, he lost his wicket just eight times to spin bowlers.

In that time, he scored a century at Edgbaston that set up an Ashes series triumph before pulverising South Africa in the 2001-02 winter, both home and away.

He scored more Ashes runs in the 4-1 home triumph in 2002-03 and added centuries against New Zealand, West Indies and Zimbabwe.

But then it all changed again, starting with the Adelaide Test against India in December 2003.

When Gilchrist, on 43, was bowled by Anil Kumble, Australia quickly collapsed to 196 all out in their second innings to lose the match.

The same bowler struck again against Gilchrist in each of the following two Tests for scores of 14 and 4.

In Sri Lanka Muttiah Muralitharan got him three times in as many Tests but Gilchrist responded with a superb 144 in Kandy which transformed a wretched situation into a brilliant victory.

On the 2004 tour of India, every single time Gilchrist was out, a spinner had the wicket.

Then Kaneria dismissed him twice in Australia's recent home series against Pakistan.

And Vettori also has two Gilchrist wickets to his name this season - in Adelaide in December and Christchurch last week.

The LG-sponsored player rankings place him at eighth in the world, but Australians probably regard him as more valuable than that.

Of his 14 often brutal centuries, a large proportion have come at crucial stages in matches - with Gilchrist wresting evenly-poised contests irrevocably the way of Australia.

John Bracewell, the New Zealand coach whose team must find a way through Gilchrist's defences in the second Test in Wellington today, is acutely aware of this fact.

He said: "He's got the ability to turn a game by being so positive and scoring his runs so quickly.

"Where other teams would use up time to get in a strong position he puts the foot down and gets them back in the game."

The Edgbaston innings, mentioned earlier, was the first Ashes Test of 2001.

England were bowled out for 294 on the first day, and Australia stood at 336-5 in reply when Gilchrist came in.

In the final session of the second day, he hit a flagging attack to every corner of Birmingham in a virtuoso innings of 152 of 143 balls.

Shell-shocked, England folded in the second innings to lose by an innings and 118 runs.

Ashley Giles was playing in that Test but injury has since prevented him appearing in all but one of the nine subsequent Ashes Tests.

A much-improved bowler now, will his confrontation with Gilchrist this coming summer prove one of the crucial sub-plots of the 2005 Ashes series? (BBC Sport)

Newcastle, AZ reach last eight in UEFA Cup
By Rex Gowar
LONDON, England (Reuters) - Newcastle United and AZ Alkmaar reached the UEFA Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday but the progress of three Spanish sides remains in the balance after Villarreal's 0-0 draw at Steaua Bucharest.

Alan Shearer scored twice, taking his tally in the competition to 10 in seven matches, as Newcastle crushed Olympiakos Piraeus 4-0 at home in the second leg of their second knockout round tie for a 7-1 aggregate victory.

AZ won 2-1 at home to Shakhtar Donetsk for a 5-2 aggregate win over the Ukrainian team with goals from Barry van Galen, who struck a brilliant curling shot past keeper Jan Lastuvka from 16 metres, and Martijn Meerdink.

England winger Kieron Dyer, with a brilliant back-heel for the opening goal, and midfielder Lee Bowyer also scored for Newcastle.

The Premier League side's manager Graeme Souness was concerned his team might allow Olympiakos back into the tie if they did not stamp their authority on the game from the start.

"When you win 3-1 in the first leg away from home there's a feeling of job done," Souness told ITV Sport.

"I wanted (Olympiakos) to know that we didn't think the tie was over with, and I asked (the players) for a big start and I got a big start.

"We got them on the back foot and I think we kept them there."

SPANISH TRIO
AZ remain unbeaten in European matches played at home and extended the run to 18 matches since their first appearance in 1978. They are also unbeaten at home in all competitions this season.

Newcastle and the Dutch side will be joined in today's quarter-final draw by the five winners of yesterday's second legs along with Villarreal and Steaua.

The first leg of that match was postponed because of a snow storm in Bucharest last week and they will play the second leg of their tie on Sunday.

Steaua's Italian coach Walter Zenga was frustrated at the outcome of Wednesday's game saying: "We deserved to win this match. We wasted a lot of chances. I can say now that Steaua will go to Spain to beat Villarreal."

Spain could have three teams in the last eight with Real Zaragoza level at 1-1 with visiting Austria Vienna and Sevilla also on equal terms after a 0-0 draw as they travel to Parma.

Portugal's Sporting are favourites to beat Middlesbrough after winning the first leg 3-2 in England, AJ Auxerre are 1-0 up on Lille going into the home leg of their all-French tie and CSKA Moscow host Partizan Belgrade with their tie level at 1-1.