State pushes for
Closer Police-Army fight against crime
By Mark Ramotar
THE government is hoping to have the current joint Police-Army operations evolve into a more coherent, better coordinated and better resourced entity to address national crime and security considerations, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds announced yesterday.

This approach, he said, is “warranted, appropriate and timely” but the need might arise to “convince some” that this is indeed so and that the “Joint Services concept” is critical and important to addressing the national security considerations of Guyana.
“What this administration hopes to achieve…is to further the concept and growing reality of the Joint Services and its continuous evolution into a more coherent, more coordinated, better organised, better resourced entity for addressing the national security considerations of the state,” the Prime Minister announced.

Alluding to the crime scourge that has been plaguing Guyana and eating away at the very fabric of the Guyanese society in recent few years, Prime Minister Hinds said this has increased the recognition that traditional civilian and law enforcement methods, approaches and facilities are being severely challenged.

This, the acting President said, underscores the critical need and importance of the Joint Services concept.

Addressing the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) commissioning parade of the Standard Officers’ Course Number 38 on the Drill Square of the Army’s Camp Ayanganna headquarters yesterday afternoon, the Prime Minister noted that this observation is not uniquely Guyanese since criminal activities are becoming matters of national security all across the world.

“This administration has resorted to the Joint Services concept to address (certain) circumstances that will threaten the nation and the lives of Guyanese,” Mr Hinds told the large gathering.

In order to improve and enhance the efficacy of the Joint Services, he noted that there are obviously challenges that will have to be recognised, met and overcome if Guyana is to continue on the road of perfecting the Joint Services concept and making it increasingly relevant to address issues of safety and security.

Mr Hinds also recalled that the first instances of joint activities involving the GDF and the Police Force “may have been approached in an ad hoc arrangement” but said the sustained prevalence of certain categories of criminal activities has clearly established the need to gradually institutionalise “this Joint Services arrangement and direct our efforts to enhancing the abilities and the capacities of the Joint Services”.

“We will continue to work at the level of the individual entities and with other stakeholders on improving the concept and the practice of a joint service and refining its organisation, its structure and its coordination, its functioning, its maintenance and its role in addressing national security issues.”

“We will also work with external agencies, our bilateral partners and with our CARICOM (Caribbean Community) sister (countries) that have all had experiences in resorting to similar such arrangements to deal with the evolving and newly emerging threats to personal safety and national security in the community and their nation,” he added.

He said, too, that the aim of the administration at this time is for the Joint Services to be built on “a foundation as solid as the one that contributed to the separate tradition of the Army, the Police, the Prisons and the Fire (services)” – which are the component entities in the Disciplined Forces in Guyana.

“This is our ambition; (and) it is our expectation that with such a concept and with such a focus, the component entities of the Disciplined Forces will remain relevant (and) our end point is to see the concept of the Joint Services evolve with an institutional arrangement that carries with it sustained effectiveness and ultimately the force of law founded on a solid bedrock of achievement and tradition.”

Mr Hinds noted that there are glaring examples where the Joint Services approaches in Guyana have yielded positive results so far.

“The Joint Services concept is something we (the government) can see ourselves pursuing,” the Prime Minister added.

The importance of this concept was further emphasised by Army Chief of Staff, Brigadier Edward Collins, who urged the newly commissioned officers to “live up to the tradition of serving as a vehicle for furthering and deepening the Joint Services concept”.

Collins also urged the other Heads of the Joint Services to contribute towards keeping the “Joint Services spirit alive”.

The Army and Police were involved in the massive anti-crime `Operation Stiletto’ in the criminal safe haven in Buxton, East Coast Demerara last month.

Some 400 soldiers and police were deployed in and around the village for several days in a sweep for criminals and arms and ammunition.

Commonwealth must send clear signal to rich countries
-- civil society urges
From Michelle Nurse in Malta
REPRESENTATIVES of civil society and other organisations dedicated to pushing the development agenda have called on the Commonwealth to send a clear signal to rich countries to eliminate export subsidies in agriculture, one of four demands they say will ease developing countries out of poverty.

As the head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth and other leaders began arriving in this small, quaint Mediterranean state of Malta for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), United Nations Millennium Campaign Director, Salil Shetty urged Commonwealth leaders to grasp the opportunity to break the trade deadlock ahead of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial meeting in Hong Kong next month.

The current trade rules are heavily stacked against small states, Shetty noted, echoing remarks Tuesday by Commonwealth Secretary General, Mr Don McKinnon and Chair of Global Call to Action Against Poverty, South African Mr Kumi Naidoo.

Putting statistics in context, Naidoo said outrage needs to be created and directed to demolishing the inequalities. He pointed out that a cow in the European Union is subsidised by two euros a day when some people in developing countries have less that two euros to spend on basic commodities.

“This is an obscene level of investment. African farmers, for example, cannot compete with such a subsidy,” he charged.

“Poverty is violence; hunger is a weapon of mass destruction,” Naidoo told journalists at a workshop Tuesday, adding that civil society will stand, shoulder to shoulder with governments, in lobbying for debt cancellations and removing restrictions to fair trading practices.

Naidoo charged that there is some measure of subliminal and at times overt racism in how the wealthy countries respond to the poor.

Shetty, at the same workshop, had earlier called for the creation of global peer pressure to be brought to bear on the developed world to make the necessary concessions for poor countries to survive.

“A deal that is clearly in the interest of the world’s poor must be made in the next couple of months to allow the conclusion of the (Doha) Round by the end of 2006. With 53 heads of state here from different parts of the world, the Malta meeting should send a clear message that the Doha Round must get back on track to realise the Millennium Development Goals,” Shetty told a press conference at the Intercontinental Hotel in Valletta, Malta, yesterday afternoon.

He also wants the rich countries, especially the European Union, to eliminate trade-distorting domestic subsidies by 2010 at the latest; cut tariffs substantially and increase agricultural market access to developing countries; and allow developing countries the flexibility to protect the interests of poor people in their countries.

Most of the world’s poor, numbering some 900 million, live in rural areas and depend on agriculture and agriculture-related activities. Shetty also pointed to inequalities in the manner in which the developed world distributes its own subsidies, and argued that just eight per cent of the farmers in the United States benefit from 80 per cent of this kind of financial support.

By contrast, some US$272B in sub-Saharan Africa is lost in unfair subsidies and trade restrictions, money which could have been used to write off its debt. Farmers in the European Union – of which Commonwealth states, the United Kingdom, Malta and Cyprus are also members - export sugar at a price that is 75 per cent below the cost of production. The United States is also dumping milk into the Jamaican market, prompting a significant reduction in milk production in the Caribbean state.

The CHOGM is being held tomorrow through Sunday under them theme `Networking the Commonwealth for Development’. Trade is primed to take pride of place in discussions the heads will hold in retreat following the ceremonial opening tomorrow morning at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta.

Malta, which at key junctions flies the flags of the 53 Commonwealth member states, is teeming with journalists, delegates and other officials who have descended on the island for the summit.

Gunmen spread terror in Ituni
- grocery, lumber truck robbed
By Tusankine English
RESIDENTS of Ituni in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice) woke up Tuesday morning to the shocking news of a daring gunpoint robbery of a popular businessman and the hold-up of a lumber truck.

Proprietor of the beer garden and pool hall in the remote settlement, George Lim, 57, said four masked men, two carrying guns, attacked his business place at about 00:45 h.

In a raid that lasted about 15 minutes, they terrified the family and customers before escaping with money, jewellery and other valuable items, he said.

Lim said his daughter was tending to customers in the pool hall when he heard chairs being knocked over. He said he thought it was customers getting ready to leave and went to check.

But as he pulled a blind, he felt something cold at his neck.

It was a gun and the men quickly cut the telephone cable and hustled him into the upper flat of the house, demanding he show them where “the money” was.

Lim said his wife, who was sleeping, was aroused by the commotion and came out of their bedroom only to be greeted with a gun to her head.

They were both tied and gagged and put to lie face down on the floor after they refused to disclose the location of the money, the proprietor said.

The gunmen, failing to get any information out of the businessman and his wife, woke up their granddaughter and demanded, at gunpoint, that she show them where it was kept. The little girl led them to a drawer which Lim said had petty cash.

The bandits were dissatisfied and continued to ransack several clothes closets, he recalled.

They escaped on foot with an undisclosed sum of money, jewellery, a dish receiver, a DVD player and a music set, 22 cartoons of Bristol cigarettes, a pair of boots, a cordless handset phone and beverages, including several bottles of Guinness, he said.

The men fired several shots in the air as they fled on foot and later attacked workers on a lumber truck travelling into Ituni.

The driver was reportedly robbed of about $140,000 and his wedding band, and cellular phones and footwear were taken away from the others.

Reports said the men also ordered the truck driver to transport them out of Ituni. They had abandoned a car (licence plate PJJ 4905) they had used to get to Ituni at 21 Miles Ituni road.

A customer, who was in the shop at the time, said the men wore dark coloured masks and demanded money from those inside.

Residents were astonished at the attack, noting it was the first such robbery in recent times and are calling for adequate police presence in Ituni, which is 36 miles from Linden.

Lim on Tuesday was installing new locks on his door and many other residents said they would have to desist leaving their doors open as they would normally do.

Trinidad sending bird feathers back to China
TRINIDAD EXPRESS - In a continued move to protect citizens from the deadly bird flu virus, a container of feathers intended for decoration of Carnival costumes will be returned to China, Minister of Health John Rahael has said.

"That container is going to be shipped out of Trinidad and Tobago," he said Tuesday at the opening of the Port of Spain General Hospital's eye clinic.

The shipment of feathers imported by the Jimmy Aboud store in Port of Spain was not reported to have been infected with the bird flu virus.

Bird flu also referred to as Avian Influenza, is a contagious and fatal viral disease.

It affects the respiratory, digestive and nervous systems of birds, and can occur in most, if not all, species of birds, both domestic and wild. The disease has killed more than 60 people in Asia and in almost every case the virus appears to have been transmitted to humans through contact with birds.

"We have to be extremely cautious, extremely careful, extremely vigilant in respect to any product that is related to poultry that is coming from those countries," explained Rahael.

Trinidad and Tobago has banned the transshipment of pet birds and all nonessential non-food poultry products since the outbreak has reached places like Europe.

Rahael, who was also acting as Minister of Agriculture, said the ministry will be publishing a list of bird-related products that will not be allowed into the country including a list of countries from which shipments will be refused.

"We would like to advise all the importers of any products related to the poultry industry of all countries in Asia and certainly other countries in the world to ensure that they do not import anything until this matter has been dealt with," he said.

The United States is one of the countries from which products like feathers will not be allowed said Rahael who stressed that feathers from the U.S. can originate from places like China.

"We were quite satisfied there was no danger but the authorities themselves need to be satisfied and we accept their ruling," said Gregory Aboud, manager of Jimmy Aboud.

He advised other businesses in the future to contact the authorities before attempting to import goods.

The cost of the shipment to be returned to China will be absorbed by Jimmy Aboud.

"We don't want to create the impression that a feather is worth more than a life," said Aboud.

Medication to treat the bird flu virus ordered by the Ministry of Health has arrived in Trinidad and Tobago confirmed Rahael.

"We hope to God we will never have to use it," said the minister.

Churches join AIDS battle
By Wendella Davidson
REGIONAL church organisations which met here for two days to, among other issues, identify challenges relating to HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination and define a role in which they can make their contributions, have deemed the meeting a success.

To this end, a collective decision was taken that a working committee will be formed soonest and a plan of action developed, officials said at an end-of-conference media briefing yesterday at the conference venue, Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel.

The conference dubbed Champions for Change II and held under the theme “Reduce HIV/AIDS Stigma and Discrimination”, was convened by the CARICOM-coordinated Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) in collaboration with the British Department for International Development (DFID).

Among those sharing the head table at the media briefing were Reverend Mc Donald Sembereka of Malawi; Mr Loris Heywood of the Georgetown Ministers Fellowship and Guyana Evangelical Churches; Mr Gerard Granada, General Secretary of the Caribbean Council of Churches (CCC); Dr Linda Banks, CCC Anguilla; Minister of Health in St Lucia and Chairman of the Champions for Change Planning Committee, Mr Damian Greaves; CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General for Human and Social Development, Dr Edward Greene; Mr Sheik Mohamed Ali, representative of the Muslim Organisation, Trinidad and Tobago; Father Harcourt Blackett, Barbados Inter-Religious Organisation; Ms Merle Ali of the Pentecostal Assembly of the West Indies and Reverend Canon Gideon Byamugisha of Uganda.

Canon Byamugisha is the first practicing priest to break the “silence” by declaring his HIV status more than a decade ago.

According to Mr Greaves, the conference in addition resolved to

** continue to lift our voices against stigma and discrimination in order to break down barriers between people and with institutions

** commit ourselves at the leadership and other levels to stay informed about the HIV/AIDS pandemic and to inform our membership in order to strengthen our response

** commit ourselves to cooperate with and actively support governmental, non-governmental and other agencies in collaboration with People Living with HIV/AIDS in efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS and to provide care, support and treatment to people infected with, and affected by HIV/AIDS

** affirm that we will constantly reflect on the moral, spiritual and ethical issues raised by the pandemic; clarify and interpret these issues in their local context; and offer guidance to those confronted by difficult choices at the personal and programmatic levels

** engage the emerging theological and educational developments at a time when HIV/AIDS is an imminent threat to all

** engage our respective faith-based organisations in at least one programme of action which will contribute to victory over this pandemic

** nominate the Caribbean Council of Churches, in collaboration with CARICOM/PANCAP, to establish a working committee to carry forward the elements of the Plan of Action arising from the Champion for Change Regional Conference.

Declaring that the conference has made an indelible mark, he said they can make an even greater contribution.

Dr Greene explained that while a date has not been fixed for the committee to be formed, it nevertheless is to submit a report in six months followed by a progress report to be presented to the Pan-Caribbean Partnership Annual General Meeting, to be convened in October 2006.

According to him, the working sessions of the conference saw five groups brainstorming specific aspects of taking action towards reducing stigma and discrimination and to this end three components were addressed.

These involved the global aspect of the problem and factors that must be put in place; the national aspect which includes community and individual factors and behaviour change and the need for building partnerships across faith-based denominations.

The need for training within the organisations and to agree on strategies for care, treatment and counselling, along with establishing services and infrastructure to mobilise the community to change values and attitudes, were also identified.

The conference was a follow-up to one held in St Kitts and Nevis last year.

Factory owner worried after second failed grenade attack
OWNER of Kishan’s Aluminum Window Factory, at Lot 27-28 Courbane Park, East Coast Demerara, Mr Sarwanwant Kishan is very worried that someone wants to destroy his plant because of the stiff competition it offers.

The 36-year-old businessman said so yesterday following a second failed grenade attack on the premises.

The mini-fragmentation bomb did not explode Monday night but, if it did, his employees might also have been killed, Kishan told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday.

He said he was not present when the discovery was made but staff members told him that, when they arrived for work, they found the grenade in the building where windows are manufactured.

Kishan said the pin was missing and the explosive appeared to be old and corrosion could have been the reason it did not detonate before Police took it away.

He said neighbours reported seeing four men, who disembarked a motor car, lurking in front of the place on Monday night.

Kishan said it was the second time a grenade was set to go off there after a first attempt two weeks ago.

Kishan said the persons responsible for the Monday night incident fired several gunshots, probably to scare his four vicious Doberman dogs.

He said he will be implementing new security measures and armed guards would be on duty in an effort to prevent a recurrence at his three-year-old enterprise.

Kishan said the Monday night occurrence was “very strange” because he does not have problems with anyone and operates “a crystal clear business.”

Police who defused it said Kishan’s employees spotted the grenade amongst some louvre window frames they were packing on Tuesday morning.

Four arrested in drug raid
THREE women and a man were arrested and a quantity of cannabis (marijuana) seized during a Police raid Monday.

The exercise, involving ranks from the Narcotics Branch of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at Eve Leary, in Georgetown, took place between 09:00 h and 18:00 h and spawned West Coast Demerara, as well.

Investigations are continuing and charges will be laid shortly, Police said.

Bank guard buried
CURTIS James was yesterday laid to rest at the Met-en-Meerzorg cemetery, West Coast Demerara after a funeral service at the Jesus Deliverance Mission International on Thomas Street, Kitty, Georgetown.

James, 31, a security guard of R. K’s Guyana Security Service, was on duty at the Bank of Baroda on Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown on Friday when he was shot after two businessmen asked him to escort them into the bank to deposit some G$1.8M.

According to reports, James was inside the bank when the two requested his assistance and as he attempted to help, he was shot in the lower abdomen by one of two men who were allegedly trailing their vehicle.

James died while undergoing emergency surgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

He had been living with his wife Phyllis James of two years at Lot 15 Dowding, Street, Kitty and the couple would have celebrated their third wedding anniversary next week.

Parliamentary Committee inspects four-lane road
MEMBERS of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Economic Services yesterday inspected progress on the East Bank Demerara four-lane highway.

The Government Information Agency (GINA) said People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) committee member, Mr James McAllister, reported that he was satisfied with the information pertaining to the work and clarification provided by Mr Walter Willis, Technical Advisor to the Minister of Transport and Hydraulics.

It said the inspection tour began at the Ruimveldt Police Station and was extended to the new highway on the West Bank Demerara up to the Vreed-en-Hoop junction.

Willis said the visit to the road was at the invitation of the Ministry of Public Works and Communications so that the committee can raise queries on the project, as it is nearing completion.

“We are here as part of the Economic Services Committee to have an understanding of how the project is going and to interact with the technical people, for them to give us details of the project,” McAllister said.

He said the information provided will be compared with what will obtain as work continues. This, he indicated will be presented in a report to Parliament, GINA said.

McAllister pointed out that yesterday’s visit was the first in a series of information gathering exercises on the various massive projects being undertaken in the country.

Willis said the ministry is also endeavouring to conform to standards.

“We are trying to convince them that we the technical people always try to fulfil our mandate in building to plan and specifications and in accordance with the standard conditions.”

Other members of the inspection team were Project Manager of the Canadian Consultant Firm, SNC Lavalin, Gorran Kenk and Project Manager of Seereram Brothers, Edward Kalloo.

Commenting on the progress of the East Bank road project, Willis said about eight per cent remains to be completed.

He noted that the contractor had promised that the project would be substantially completed by the end of November, which is just one week away.

There is still a layer of 2,500 tonnes of asphalt to be laid, but Willis is confident that it would be finished by that time.

“The deadline can keep shifting as the environmental, financial conditions and other constraints change,” he told GINA.

Construction of the four-lane highway began in November 2003 under a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The contractor was originally given a deadline of May 9, 2005 but due to setbacks, including the January floods, the contractor sought an extension to November 30.

The ministry held discussions with the contractor and July 9 was set as the new deadline.

Having fallen short of this commitment, Seereram Brothers Limited subsequently met President Bharrat Jagdeo and assured him that it will substantially complete the work by November 30.

The works are being executed in two phases: from Ruimveldt to the Demerara Harbour Bridge and Schoonord, (western end of the Demerara Harbour Bridge) to the Vreed-en-Hoop intersection. Phase Two of the project is nearing completion.

Traffic lights at Vreed-en-Hoop and the completion of road signs are yet to be done.

In August, four lanes of the road became operational, from the Demerara Harbour Bridge to Ruimveldt.

Inclement weather, late delivery of essential materials, equipment breakdown, rise in fuel prices and cement along with contractor’s management, were some of the factors associated with the delay in works, GINA said.

Works commenced on the four-lane road in November 2003 following the acquisition of a US$16M loan, US$10.6M of which is being utilised to complete the East Bank highway.

Advisory for foreigners married to Guyanese here
THE Home Affairs Ministry has advised that a foreigner married to a Guyanese must have a valid passport, a multi-entry visa and extension of stay, and a work permit if employed if he/she wishes to remain and work here.

The Government Information Agency (GINA) yesterday said the advisory in a release from the ministry states, “The laws of Guyana do not confer automatic legal status or citizenship based on marriages between Guyanese and non-Guyanese.”

It further noted that all foreigners married to Guyanese are eligible to apply for naturalisation, but in the interim they have to comply with the Immigration laws to ensure their status is legal, that is, a valid extension of stay, multiple entry visa and permit.

“Persons in violation can be brought before the courts and face deportation,” the release says.

All foreigners in Guyana who are married to Guyanese and whose documents are not in order are asked to visit the ministry at Lot 6, Brickdam, Stabroek, Georgetown to regularise their status as soon as possible.

Select schools get better water supply
THIRTY-six selected schools across the country are benefiting from improved water and sanitation under the Water Environmental Service Project (WESP).

Chief Buildings Inspector in the Ministry of Education, Mr Seewak Narine, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that among the schools benefiting are Christ Church Secondary, Malgre Tout, St. Gabriel’s, St. Stephen’s, Plaisance, Paradise, Craig and Buxton Primary.

He said two schools Jacklow and Friendship, in Pomeroon, Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) are also benefiting from the project.

The programme is being done through a grant from the United States Government with help from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Ministry of Education.

Narine told GINA the response by schools has been favourable.

“They are very happy for it,” he said.

Over the years, the Ministry of Education has been investing substantially in infrastructure and maintenance, including improved sanitation.

Narine said that at this time he is not sure if the ministry will expand this programme in the future to other schools as the grant was only for this year.

Guyana says smaller economies want `fair free trade’
GUYANA has again called for special and differential treatment for the smaller and weaker economies of the Caribbean if a “fair free trade” regime is to be established.

This position was stressed by Guyana’s Ambassador to Venezuela, Dr Odeen Ishmael, when he addressed the Latin American Economic System (SELA) annual meeting in Caracas on Tuesday.

Ishmael, who was earlier re-elected as vice-chairman of the Latin American Council of SELA for a second year, told a special forum to mark the 30th anniversary of the organisation that it will be difficult for these smaller economies to enter a free trade union if they do not receive special and differential treatment.

He further told the forum, attended by the Venezuelan Foreign Minister Dr Ali Rodriguez, that these countries will also face a disadvantage if their agricultural products encounter competition within that same union from another country providing subsidies to its farmers.

The Guyanese ambassador said the challenges and problems facing Latin America and Caribbean countries make it imperative for them to promote coordination, consultation and even taking joint positions in their mutual economic interests. He suggested that SELA can act as an organising force to assist member states to move in that direction.

Ishmael added that there is now a growing trend for the region to be more “southward” looking.

“While our countries still want more trade and investment from the North”, he stated, “we do not seem to be attracting much of it as we would like. Therefore, we have to push for more South-South cooperation, for more trade with each other, developing infrastructure to link up with each other, and invest in each other’s economies.”

The annual three-day SELA meeting began on November 21.

On watch
POLICE have been deployed around the city with the beginning of the traditional busy Christmas shopping season. Cops in vehicles are on patrol and others, like these in photo, are on watch at strategic points.

Missing sugar worker in Suriname
-- relatives
GUYANA Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) factory worker, Ashraf Alli Majeed, who mysteriously disappeared after walking off his job on November 6 last, is believed to be in Suriname, relatives said yesterday.

They said he fled there and is working and living on a fishing boat.

His wife, Sharmila Majeed, 36, of Lot 285 Block 12, Nonpariel, East Coast Demerara, told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that their children are asking for him because they finally realised he is not coming home from work.

She is, however, worried about their welfare since her missing husband was the sole breadwinner of the family.

Majeed, who is unemployed, is tasked with providing for their five children.

As a result the Local Board of Guardians of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security has indicated its willingness to assist her.

Chairman of the Board, Mr Tularam Jairam told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that once Majeed provides a letter from schools her children are attending as proof, she automatically will receive public assistance of $2,000 a month per child from the ministry.

Jairam explained that the ministry set up the board specially to assist parents financially to send their children to school.

The Majeed siblings range in age between six months and 17 years.

The missing Majeed who worked at La Bonne Intention (LBI) Estate as a Pump Massecuite Attendant failed to return home after he walked of the job after he complained of feeling unwell.

The police said yesterday that they are yet to ascertain his whereabouts.

Majeed is one of five Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) employees who have been reported missing this year.

New GDF officers graduate
By Mark Ramotar
AMID the traditional pomp and ceremony of an Army officers commissioning parade, 26 Ensigns marched on to the drill square tarmac at Camp Ayanganna around 17:00 h yesterday; an hour later they marched off triumphantly as proud 2nd Lieutenants of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

And the large gathering of family, friends, well-wishers, colleagues and senior and junior members of the Joint Services of Guyana there for the occasion, rose from their seats to applaud and show their appreciation.

The newly-commissioned officers were decorated with badges of rank by Acting President, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds who also took the Presidential Salute.

Twenty-four-year-old Rayon Ozay King, who described the course as “mentally and physically challenging” and one which prepared him “to confront the challenges which lie ahead”, walked away with most of the awards and prizes, including the coveted Best Student and Sword of Honour awards.

King also copped the award for Military Knowledge and is slated to receive the prizes for two other awards at another function – the Brazilian Armed Forces and the Venezuelan Armed Forces prizes.

Also getting awards yesterday were Devon Erskine (Runner-Up to Best Student); Ranald Jacobs (Best Drill) and Bernard Cunjie (Best Shot).

In his charge to the newly commissioned officers, Army Chief of Staff Brigadier Edward Collins stated: “At this stage of your life, you should have developed an appreciation for the philosophical teachings, the first class education and the modelling of acceptable behaviour – that of decency, integrity and respect. These three hallowed words together with our belief in duty, honour and country reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be and what you will be.”

“They are your rallying points. They give you a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigour of the emotions, a freshness of the deep spring in life, a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity and an appetite for adventure over love of ease. In this way, they will teach you to be an officer and a good citizen,” Collins added.

The GDF commenced training its Officer Cadets in 1969. After 12 years, the Officer Cadet Division of the Training Corps evolved into the first Officer Cadet School in the English-speaking Caribbean.

It became known as the Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School (CUPOCS), in honour of Colonel Pilgrim, the first local commander of the force.

Since it was established on September 22, 1981, a total of 37 Standard Officers’ Courses have been conducted at the school and more than 400 officers from the Disciplined Services have been commissioned.

The Standard Officers’ Course (SOC) was developed over the years to provide training not only for new Army officers but also for new officers of other services.

Maintenance work on bridge causes traffic delay
DELAYED maintenance work on the Demerara Harbour Bridge yesterday triggered a traffic build-up, officials said.

General Manager of the bridge, Mr Nasrudeen Azeez, said the maintenance crew was replacing a large pontoon under the retractor span, which was retracted to allow for five ocean-going vessels, when two of the four pumps being used to flood the pontoon prior to its removal, ceased working.

The scheduled 10:30 h retraction which was expected to last two hours was as a result extended to three, he told the Government Information Agency (GINA).

Traffic started flowing across the bridge again around 13:30 h, Azeez said.

He said that in an effort to minimise delays, the crew used the period of the retraction for pontoon replacement.

Azeez said changing a large pontoon is time consuming and a technical process.

“It was a little difficult and such a procedure would take a lot of our time but we were using the time to reduce inconvenience to commuters”, he explained.

For this year, three pontoons were identified for replacement and two have been replaced, he said.

Azeez said he has asked the Fire Service to lend its pumps for the other pontoon to be changed.

Guyana’s only floating bridge is about 27 years old and has constantly been undergoing repairs since the major European Union project ended about six years ago.

Minor repairs are continuously required on the bridge decking due to the damage caused by speeding vehicles, GINA said.

Ministry refutes newspaper report
THE Education Ministry has refuted a report in the Stabroek News of November 22 that parents of the St Agnes Primary School on Church Street, Georgetown, were asked to seek alternative accommodation for their children.

A letter issued by the ministry stated that the Head Teacher is aware that repairs are to be carried out on the building with the understanding that these would commence during the school's Christmas vacation.

"Work on the school building is scheduled to commence at the end of the current school term, December 9th 2005, and not at the end of this week," the letter further stated.

Chief Buildings Officer within the Ministry of Education, Mr Seewak Narine, said that when he visited the school he was asked to wait until November 17 to facilitate the school's graduation ceremony.

However, when he returned the following day, November 18, he was given another excuse that end of term examinations are now being held.

He said, "If they have their end of term examination, we will have to wait until the end of the term to commence work on the building."

The renovation work is scheduled for completion by the end of the first school term of 2006.

The students of St Agnes will be accommodated in another building which is currently being assessed.

"The ministry has procedures in place for activities of this nature to be carried out in a systematic manner," the letter said. (GOVERNMENT INFORMATION AGENCY)

Police seeking help to identify corpse
POLICE are seeking help from the public to identify the partly decomposed body found floating in the Demerara River in the vicinity of La Retraite, West Bank Demerara, on Monday.

The discovery, of the mixed race male corpse, was made about 11:00 h and it was clad in blue long pants, white t-shirt, black socks and brown boots.

The remains are at West Demerara Regional Hospital awaiting a post mortem examination.

Anyone with information that could lead to the identity of the corpse or how death might have occurred is being asked to telephone numbers 225-6411, 226-6978, 225-8196, 268-2343, 268-2223, 268-2298, 268-2328, 268-2329 or report to any Police station.

Waste worry
THIS Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) truck, from its Septic Tank Cleaning Service & Sewerage Fault Report department, ended up in a drain at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, yesterday, after the driver failed to negotiate a turn.

The vehicle remained in this photographed position for sometime before it was hauled away.

Meanwhile, residents in the vicinity expressed concern because they speculated that the vehicle could have leaked and spilled waste from in its tank. (Delano Williams photo)

CIOG hands over houses to needy families
THE Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) is continuing its programme to help the needy, especially those with large families, regardless of race or religion.

Its President Al Hajj Fazeel Ferouz on Tuesday formally handed over five houses to families on the West Demerara.

The organisation said it each year assists about 15 persons with homes and since 2004 it has built 24 for 24 poor families.

The latest five have gone to Bibi Shirool Hamid, a single parent mother of two from Canal #2 Belle West; Sherry from Cornelia Ida Housing Scheme, a poor family; Ravina Shakur, a single parent mother of two from Cornelia Ida Housing Scheme; Zorina Farouk of Zeelugt who has nine children and whose husband is suffering from Glaucoma, and Mohammad Edurughoo Esouffy of Tuschen Housing Scheme, who is 64 and lives by himself.

Region Five farmers gear for next rice crop
RICE farmers in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) have prepared some 50,000 acres out of a targeted 68,000 acres of land for sowing for the Spring Crop 2006 which is to be harvested in March-April.

Lands at Von Better, West Bank Berbice, cultivated by Kayman Sankar Investments Limited (KSIL) up to about three years ago and then handed over for cattle farming, are back under cultivation and will boost production figures this crop, industry officials said.

KSIL has reportedly prepared 1,500 acres of formerly abandoned land for the crop while two private farmers have prepared 500 acres each in the same area to date.

The Mahaica-Mahaicony Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA), the main source of irrigation for the crop, commenced releases of water from its conservancy on November 15.

Some farmers have already commenced sowing.

The officials added though that the high price of diesel and fertiliser as well as late payments by some millers continues to be the main bugbears for quite a few farmers.

“The farmers already on the ground are those who are more or less rid of these problems but it is quite possible that these problems may adversely affect the final cultivation figures,” one said.

The latest recommended sowing for the Spring Crop 2006 in the region is in mid-December.

Production in Region Five during the last crop was less than 60% of the normal because of the badly damaged state of some rice fields during the planting period in May and June, the clogged state of irrigation canals in West Berbice, and late flood relief to some farmers who had lost their 2005 spring crop to flooding earlier this year.

Several farmers who did not cultivate the Autumn 2005 crop are among those who have already begun land preparation for Spring Crop 2006 giving rise to optimism that cultivation would rebound and climb back up to normal levels by next month.

Commonwealth leaders to press Blair on trade deal
By Madeline Chambers
LONDON, (Reuters) - Leaders of Commonwealth countries will urge Britain's Tony Blair this week to persuade the European Union to cut farm subsidies and pave the way for a world trade deal next month.

The biennial meeting of the 53-member group of mainly former British colonies starts tomorrow in Malta, less than three weeks before global powers gather in Hong Kong to try to reduce barriers on world trade.

Hopes for a December agreement that would boost the global economy and lift millions out of poverty are fading, although trade negotiators say a deal may be clinched before the talks' final deadline at the end of 2006.

"Trade is at the top of our minds," said a diplomat from an African former British colony. "Developing countries in the Commonwealth are very worried about Hong Kong and Blair can expect a hard time over it."

Blair has made tackling African poverty a priority of his presidency of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialised nations and the 25-member European Union.

Rich countries have agreed to cut debt and boost aid but developing countries say more action is required on trade, both to make markets in rich countries more accessible and to remove subsidies which distort prices.

"We welcome the decisions of the G8 but more needs to be done," said a spokesman for South Africa's Foreign Ministry.

INDIFFERENCE TO POVERTY
Commonwealth countries want the EU to respond to a U.S. proposal to slash agricultural subsidies, which campaigners say skew trade, and drop demands for developing countries to open up their non-farm goods and services.

"Blair can do a substantial amount since he is president of the EU. The Commonwealth can ask him to use that to ensure the EU does more," said Tim Rice, adviser on trade at Action Aid.

However, some EU members appear intransigent. France, a major beneficiary of EU farming programmes, seems unlikely to give ground in time for a breakthrough in Hong Kong.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon told Reuters last week leaders would warn rich countries that failure to give poorer countries greater access to global markets would signal indifference to poverty and could undermine democracy.

Some African, Pacific and Caribbean countries are angry about EU plans to cut sugar import subsidies by nearly 40 per cent.

Countries such as Guyana and Mauritius say the price cut will hit their sugar-dependent economies and they plan to lobby Blair to use his influence on the issue. (President Bharrat Jagdeo and other Caribbean Community leaders heading to the Commonwealth summit met Blair on the issue in London on Tuesday.)

While leaders will pile pressure on rich countries, they will strike no deals: the club represents about 1.8 billion people, 30 per cent of the world's population, but has no power.

McKinnon wants to stress the importance of respecting human rights and has urged all members to sign global protocols on civil, political, social and economic rights.

This could embarrass several countries including Singapore which may come under pressure not to execute an Australian for drug smuggling, as it plans to do in December.

China rulers face 'major test' with bird flu
By Ben Blanchard
BEIJING, (Reuters) - China's leadership faces its "first real test" in dealing with avian flu but the financial impact of the disease should not be too severe, an economic strategist said yesterday.

Since mid-October, China has reported 20 outbreaks of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu. Millions of birds have been culled, the military called in to impose quarantine zones and a mass vaccination campaign for poultry has been launched.

Compensation has also been paid to farmers for culled birds, underscoring the government's desire to minimise the impact on the rural poor and encourage cooperation.

Narrowing China's rural-urban divide is one of President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao's key policy objectives, and getting the support of poor farmers is vital, said Andy Rothman, China macro strategist for brokers CLSA.

"We can best describe this as the first real test of Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao's policy of putting China's poor people first," Rothman told the foreign correspondents club in Beijing.

Making sure local officials do not coerce farmers into complying with prevention measures would be crucial to the success of curbing the disease, said Rothman, which has already led to the culling of more than 20 million birds in China this year.

"These are the same local officials we've seen problems with in a lot of other areas, whether it's family planning or agricultural taxes," he said.

"Are they going to be able to convince local officials to do this the right way, not to steal some of the money and to not use force and inappropriate coercion?"

Persistent poverty exacerbated by problems ranging from forced abortion to high taxes in China's countryside has sparked social unrest in some spots, the greatest fear of China's Communist rulers who are obsessed with maintaining stability.

OTHER CRISES
The government should be careful, though, that it does not shift all resources to fighting bird flu and ignore other, far more pressing health crises in China such as AIDS and malaria, Rothman said.

H5N1 has killed 67 people in Asia since 2003, and both the World Bank and Asian Development Bank have warned of the huge economic costs of a human pandemic should the virus mutate into a form that can spread easily among people.

For now, the virus is hard for humans to catch. But one person, a poultry worker from Anhui province, is known to have died of bird flu in China. Another confirmed case, a nine-year-old boy, survived infection while his dead sister is a suspected case.

But Rothman said China, where poultry meat production accounts for just three per cent of gross domestic product and a fraction of total exports, should be spared the worst effects even if, as expected, avian flu continues to spread among birds.

Some 50 million Chinese households raise poultry, mainly in backyards, yet the average number of birds raised is just 19, he said, citing a Chinese government survey.

"I believe if people stop eating chicken, they're not going to stop eating meat. They're simply going to substitute, and most of the meat raised and consumed in China is not poultry, it's pork," Rothman said.

China reports second bird flu death
BEIJING, (Reuters) - China said yesterday that a 35-year-old woman farmer had died of bird flu, its second confirmed fatality from the virus.

The Xinhua news agency, quoting the Health Ministry, said the woman had developed fever and pneumonia-like symptoms on Nov. 11 after contact with sick and dead poultry in the eastern Anhui province. She died on Nov. 22.

Xinhua said tests by China's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention had proved positive for the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza.

A poultry worker from Anhui died of bird flu on Nov. 10.

The health ministry has reported the new confirmed case to the World Health Organisation (WHO). It has also informed the authorities in Hong Kong, Macau and other countries.

"There is no proof of human-to-human transmission of bird flu in the world so far," Chen Xianyi, head of the contingency office in the Ministry of Health, told Xinhua in an interview.

Anhui province on Tuesday ordered all domestic poultry to be raised in pens or cages in a bid to curb the spread of bird flu.

Corentyne cyclist takes road fatality toll to 158
THE road fatality toll for this year, so far, reached 158 from 143 accidents on Monday, when a pedal cyclist was killed.

Desmond Stephens, 68, of Lancaster, died after being hit by a motor van into which path he reportedly rode on Whim Public Road, another Corentyne village in Berbice.

Police said the mishap occurred about 11:30 h as the cyclist and the vehicle were proceeding in opposite directions.

Stephens was struck by the left side of GJJ 7778 which was being driven by the owner, of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara.

The victim was pronounced dead on arrival at Port Mourant Hospital, Corentyne, too.

The driver and his ill-fated vehicle were both in Police custody yesterday.

For the corresponding period last year, 140 people were fatally injured in 129 accidents, Police reported.

Champions for change
THE United Nations this week reported that almost five million people were infected by HIV globally in 2005, the highest jump since the first reported case in 1981.

This has taken the number living with the virus to a record 40.3 million, the UN said.

The 4.9 million new infections were fuelled by the epidemic's continuing rampage in sub-Saharan Africa and a spike in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, the UNAIDS body said in its annual report.

"Despite progress made in a small but growing number of countries, the AIDS epidemic continues to outstrip global efforts to contain it," the report said.

There’s no comfort to be drawn from the report and with the dreaded disease threatening to take a stronger hold in Guyana and the Caribbean, it is becoming even more important for all stakeholders to take a firm stand in combating the scourge.

In this regard, we commend the outreach that went a step further over the past two days at a meeting in Georgetown.

Church groups clearly have a crucial role in the fight to reduce stigma and discrimination linked with HIV/AIDS and the drive to bring them on board in the Caribbean was advanced when representatives from churches in the region met in a two-day meeting at Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel.

The Champions for Change II conference under the theme “Reduce HIV/AIDS Stigma and Discrimination” with emphasis on faith-based organisations, was organised by the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) in collaboration with the British Department for International Development (DFID) headquartered in London.

Organisers said it followed an inaugural forum in St Kitts/Nevis about a year ago.

As Minister of Health in St Lucia and Chairman of the Champions for Change Planning Committee, Mr Damian Greaves in his welcome remarks said, one cannot under-emphasise the critical importance of the “august” gathering which was representative of the Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Bahai faiths.

Church groups can be a formidable force in the frontline of the battle and we commend those behind the initiative for recognising the challenge and embarking on the Champions for Change programme.

Noting that at the initial conference a draft declaration was produced which sought to address the significance and importance of reducing stigma and discrimination throughout the region, Mr Greaves said such a fight warrants and needs passion, consistency and commitment.

HIV/AIDS is more than a challenge for governments and ministries of health in the region and as a legislative problem it is a developmental challenge that requires attitudinal and behavioural change, he argued.

Churches by their very nature, with deeper links in communities than governments and others, can help make a very real difference.

In Mr Greaves’ view, the fight against stigma and discrimination is a divine mandate that must stay at the centre for all who are infected and to this end he urged the continuance of conversation across territories which could lead to sustained and responsible behavioural change.

Those who met to advance the cause here this week did not need the release of the latest report from the UN to propel them and it is up to religious leaders here and across the region to heed their call for others to join the battle.

It is a battle that has to be joined by all worried about the further disaster inherent in trying to turn a blind eye.

Buddy’s trial…
O’Lall under cross-examination for fourth day
GUYANA Energy Agency (GEA) Chief Executive Officer Joseph O’Lall was grilled for the fourth day when the trial of Prakash Shivraj called ‘Buddy’ and 10 more men, charged following the illegal fuel bust at Buddy’s Farm, Coverden, resumed before Magistrate Priya Beharry at Providence Court, also on East Bank Demerara.

Under cross-examination by one of the Defence Counsel, Mr Vic Puran, the witness reiterated he was certain activities surrounding illegal fuel were in progress the night of the September 27 raid.

O’Lall said he gave instructions that night, to take samples of the fuel on a boat from which he saw men come off and swim.

He said the three who disembarked the vessel changed their clothes in the compound before going to Grove Police Station, on East Bank Demerara, too.

O’Lall said, in his mind, their clothing was unimportant and not seized.

The witness said William Holder, who was instructed to do the sampling from the craft, gave him a reason why it was not done that night.

Holder reported to him between September 28 and 29 before the ship was recovered, O’Lall said.

The CEO said he had given orders for it to be secured and got information about who removed it from an informant on telephone.

Readings related to the fuel confiscated at Coverden were tendered by the Defence, through O’Lall, after he authenticated them as supplied by Holder.

The witness said he was not paying attention to the gate while west of the building at Coverden and, therefore, cannot swear whether anyone did or did not enter or leave through it.

O’Lall said the entire place was not searched, so he cannot doubt that persons not arrested, including one on the boat, could have been there.

According to the witness retired Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Major (Hubert) Meusa and policeman Kyte were left to secure the integrity of the tanks, trucks and boat that were taken into custody.

O’Lall said he does not know what transpired after he departed Coverden that night and is unable to pronounce personally on when the integrity of the seized property or the contents was compromised as he, subsequently, ascertained.

It did not happen in his presence but he learnt of it from Meusa and Holder, in that order.

He said Meusa (the fired GEA Operations Manager) reported the matter to him on September 29 and Holder, between the night of September 29 and morning of September 30 when O’Lall himself visited the premises.

The witness acknowledged that the integrity of the seized property was important but he was not the person who instructed Kyte to remain at Coverden.

O’Lall said he does not know if Kyte was in the position to see what he saw and cannot tell what part of the compound was the latter during the exercise.

O’Lall said the first time he saw the cop was when Kyte emerged from a Police motor car at the south western corner of the building in the complex.

The witness said he was at that location when he saw men scattering. He later saw Kyte when the arrests were made.

In re-examination by Special GEA Prosecutor, Mr Anil Nandlall, O’Lall said he left Meusa and Kyte to protect the integrity of the exhibits and he has no reason to believe that the exhibits were compromised that night when illegal fuel was found in the fuel tanker and boat.

O’Lall said the only places from which a person can get the GEA marker are the several marking points, including at Ramsburg where there are four importers, Shell, Texaco, Esso and Guyoil and at the Guyana Power & Light (GPL) location.

O’Lall said, as the CEO of GEA, he is aware that there was penetration of the marking system and believes it took place at the GPL site where commercial purchases are made.

Shivraj is charged with storing a quantity of petroleum that did not contain the marker in the proportion required by GEA, at Lot 6 ‘A’ Coverden.

He is free on $1,090,000 bail and his co-defendants Wazir Mohamed, of Lot 28 North Road, Bourda and Errol Prince, of Lot 43 Garnett Street, Kitty, both in Georgetown; Deoram Singh and Cezann Vanelwin (no addresses given); Sanicharran Ramlogan, of Number 64 Village, Corentyne, Berbice; Ramsahai Basdeo, of Lot 101 Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara; Osbourne Richards of Supenaam, Essequibo Coast; Clement Huntley, of Lot 39 Wisroc and Fitzgerald London, of Lot 494 Canvas City, two Linden addresses, as well as Joseph Allen, of Diamond Housing Scheme, another part of East Bank Demerara, were allowed their freedom on individual $175,000 bonds.

They all previously pleaded not guilty to being in possession, at Coverden, of fuel that did not meet the GEA standard and having more than 2,000 litres without a storage licence issued by GEA.

Their trial continues on December 1.

Manslaughter charge for mining camp killing
POLICE have charged a man with the manslaughter of another, at a New Road, Aranapai mining camp, last November 17.

The accused, Gavaskar Chooraman, 28, of Lot ‘C’ Grove Truck Line, East Bank Demerara, faced the indictable charge before Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan yesterday.

Particulars of the offence said Chooraman unlawfully killed Colin Fredericks.

He was granted $200,000 bail and his case has been transferred to Bartica Court, also in Mazaruni, for November 29.

Teen remanded to prison on armed robbery charges
A TEENAGER charged on three counts of robbery under arms was refused bail and remanded to prison on Tuesday by Magistrate Geeta Chandan.

At New Amsterdam Court, Bhojenarine Ramkissoon alias ‘Duck’, 18, of Betsy Ground, was accused of committing the offence on a family at Speculation, also in East Canje, another part of Berbice.

The accused was not required to plea to the indictable charges, one of which said he was armed with a gun and in company with others on November 10, when he robbed Mala Devi Ricknauth of 11 gold rings, a gold chain and cash, taking her total loss to $68,500.

The other allegation against Ramkissoon said, the same day, at gunpoint, too, he relieved Chandranie Ricknauth Ramu of gold jewellery valued $55,000 and Sookaram Singh of more jewels worth $52,500.

The cases have been transferred to Reliance Court, in canje, as well, for November 30.

Judge rules…
Warrants for migrated, dead accused still valid
JUSTICE Yonette Cummings-Edwards ruled Tuesday that arrest warrants issued by Justice Winston Moore for accused persons at a previous criminal session of the Berbice Assizes remain in force.

Consequently, the edicts for arresting Deoraj Ramkellawan, Jameer Khan Rasool, Sherwin Aaron, Nigel Small, Mark Giddings, Badhrinauth Budhram and Simon Herdle, among others, are still valid, Justice Cummings-Edwards said.

The ruling Tuesday followed testimony by policemen that a majority of those indicted but not yet located have migrated.

Ramkellawan, whose whereabouts are unknown to his mother, is facing an indictment for causing actual bodily harm on October 5, 1996 after being committed to stand jury trial on November 11, 1998.

A neighbour of Rasool informed the Police that the manslaughter accused left this country five years ago, after being charged with the October 8, 1990 unlawful killing.

Aaron, charged with being in possession of a firearm and ammunition without licences and simple larcency, has been residing in Antigua for several years, according to his brother.

The fugitive was charged on November 5, 1998 and committed for High Court trial on August 3, 2000.

The whereabouts of Small, a former clerk at New Amsterdam Magistrates Court, are unknown, Rural Constable Barrow stated.

Small was slapped with two charges of falsification of accounts, three counts of embezzlement by public officer and three counts of larceny of judicial documents, all committed in August 2000.

Giddings, another manslaughter accused committed on October 26, 1993, went to England five years ago and Budhram, facing a rape indictment, skipped this country and is living in the United States.

The court was told, as well, that Herdle, charged on three counts alleging attempted rape, indecent assault and assault causing actual bodily harm died in the prison of a neighbouring country.

Mortar stick murder case:
Doctor denies insulin allegation
HOSPITAL records looked at by Dr Bankatesh Kuntumala during the mortar stick murder trial yesterday did not support a defence allegation that insulin administered to the deceased was responsible for his death.

The Indian national, now attached to the West Demerara Hospital, testified before Justice Rishi Persaud in a voir dire (a trial within a trial) at the Demerara Assizes.

The doctor was summoned after attorney Mr Peter Hugh, representing accused Hollie Glen, for the murder of James Joseph with a mortar stick on January 11, 2004, inferred from medical records that Joseph’s death was due to the administration of insulin by a nurse and not injuries allegedly inflicted by Glen.

Kuntumala was one of the doctors who treated Joseph at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

According to Dr Nehaul Singh, who performed the post mortem, death was due to septic shock.

But during the defence has contended that the 64-year-old patient had a low blood sugar count when the doctor who attended him prescribed insulin and bicarbonate.

However, after the keeper of the hospital records made the chart and other documents available to the court for perusal by the doctor, it was found that the record did not reflect the defence allegation.

Following the doctor’s testimony, the defence closed its case.

Hugh will begin his address to the jury this afternoon and will be followed by State Prosecutor, Miss Judy Latchman.

Justice Persaud is expected to sum up the evidence to the jury tomorrow.

Mechanic freed of rape charge
PRINCIPAL Magistrate Krishendat Persaud, on Monday, dismissed a rape charge against Gregory Haynes after the Prosecution failed.

That happened because Police did not, as expected, carry out investigations into an affidavit allegedly prepared and sworn to by the victim, in which she denied that Haynes committed the crime.

Meantime, the girl has migrated.

The accused mechanic, freed at New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court in Berbice, was alleged to have carnally known a minor on February 2, 2002, in the same town.

At Berbice Assizes…
Judge to sum up today in manslaughter case
JUSTICE Yonette Cummings-Edwards is expected to sum up the evidence today in the manslaughter case at the Berbice Assizes.

Hire car driver Pertab Singh called Gopie is indicted for unlawfully killing Dianand Surujballi at Ankerville, Port Mourant, Corentyne.

On the resumption yesterday, the accused, who is leading his own defence, called registered medical practitioner Dr Walter Singh as a witness.

Before State Prosecutor Faith McGusty closed her case on Tuesday, repeated unsuccessful attempts had been made to find another doctor who would explain the findings of the post mortem examination, as the author of the document, Dr Joseph Kalikapersaud is out of the jurisdiction.

Dr Singh, who testified, said the cause of Surujballi’s death was recorded as sepsis, decubitus ulcers and spinal injury.

He said sepsis is a blood borne infection that could have been caused by the decubitus ulcers called bed sores in layman’s terms.

The witness said poor management of the patient, who was in a prostrate position, would have contributed to the conditions which were the main cause of death.

However, the doctor, when asked whether the victim could have lived with the injury, said proper diagnostic evaluation aided by a scan was needed.

Singh said, while there are other causes of paralysis, compression of the nerves (trauma) and hypertension were other contributory factors.

Cross-examined by McGusty, the witness said, although the cause of death was the result of the patient’s immobility, the spinal cord injury, that could have resulted from a fall, contributed to his paralysis.

In answer to the judge, Singh said if an improved patient falls off a bed the individual would suffer a relapse.

He added that, should the patient show improvement, then the degree of injury might not have been very serious as previously suspected.

The accused, in his address to the jury, maintained his innocence and claimed that he acted in self-defence after the victim had pushed him.

He added that some of the Prosecution witnesses lied as they could not have seen what happened during the incident.

Stop the legal harps
THE Constitution of Guyana has named the Chancellor of the Judiciary as the head of the Judiciary.

The Government must now fulfil its constitutional responsibility and clearly define and detail the duties of this office and that of any other official which has not been clearly defined.

It is not surprising that this move and, indeed, every move by the Government is viewed with suspicion by the Opposition, the prevailing mood in Guyana being fraught with fear and suspicion.

It will take several generations to dispel the legacy of the Burnham regime.

However, let's get on with it. Let us not continue to play our legal harps to the tune of "separation of powers."

Absolute separation of powers does not exist even in Britain, the cradle of democracy and, indeed, it does not exist in countries which have inherited the British style of democracy.
JULIUS NATHOO
BARRISTER-AT-LAW

Meiotic assessment
IT IS incontrovertible that our judicial infrastructure has seen more halcyon days and the current constitutional imbroglio, though possible then, was hardly probable in view of the studied professional confabulation associated with the legal cognoscenti of that era.

Appointments to the highest judicial offices have been the preserve of an imperial prerogative and rarely, if ever, by deliberative concordat of political adversaries.

One only needs to reflect on the invitation to J.O.F Haynes, Q.C. and latterly, R.H. Luckhoo, S.C, both from the private bar, to join the Bench of our Court of Appeal in the 70s and the accelerated elevation to the Chancellery of the former, the supercession of his more senior judicial contemporaries of undoubted erudition notwithstanding.

As I recall, it was also this distinguished jurist who observed that the promotion of the then Chief Magistrate to the Judiciary on the basis of his seniority amounted to obverse judicial wisdom.

Perhaps, a legal historian will be better able to determine whether this meiotic assessment was merely intuitively prescient.

In a recent engagement a client consulted me after he was served with an ex parte interim injunction issued by C, a senior Puisne Judge.

He was flummoxed by this imposition since he had lawfully evicted a trespasser from his building pursuant to a valid writ of possession issued by another Puisne Judge, admittedly junior in rank but of undoubted co-ordinate authority, after a full hearing of the relevant action between the disputants.

A notice of appeal challenging the ex parte order was promptly filed and served but the appeal has not yet been heard.

In the interim, Judge C, with full knowledge of this interregnum, proceeded to make the ex parte interim injunction interlocutory i.e. to continue until hearing and determination of the action filed by the trespasser, the effect of which is to re-valuate the unlawful possession of the occupier.

This kind of layered authority is anathema to the concept of res judicata pro veritate accipitur i.e. an order is valid until set aside, and amounts to a defenestration of precedent, a foundation principle of our Common Law.

The vision of Chancellor J.O.F. Haynes, O.R. may yet have to be given wider currency in determining the upward mobility of incumbents if our judicial system is to resume its pride of place in the new Caribbean Community (CARICOM) dispensation.
CHARLES R. RAMSON, S.C

Ramleela point
I WISH to point out some inaccuracies in the article written by Mr Al Creighton, titled the `Trinidad Ramleela Festival is Still Vibrant’.  (See Stabroek News, November 23rd, 2005.) 

1. Mr. Creighton stated that “Although it was practised in Guyana as well, it did not survive beyond the 1930s or 1940s.”

On the contrary, the Ramleela which began in the late 1920s, continued as late as the 1980s.

In fact, as recent as 1991, a group of villagers including my brother and friends participated in a small Ramleela show at Diamond, East Bank Demerara. A few months ago, bhai ("brother") Kenrick who now officiates at the mandir in Grove Housing Scheme, showed me a script for a show he wants to stage.

He was instrumental in many of the Ramleelas held during the eighties at the Grove-Diamond Vishnu Mandir, located at Diamond, East Bank Demerara. Incidentally, this site is (well, the original mandir there) where the first-ever Ramleela play was staged.

The man responsible for this was Pandit Durga, the father of current pandit and PPP Government Minister, Mr Reepu Daman Persaud.

2. The writer referred to Ravana (or Rawan), king of Lanka, as a demon; “the demon Rawan (Ravan/Ravana), King of Lanka” and the "demon king.”

While Ravana was a king of demons, he was not a "demon king." A "demonic" king, maybe, but not "demon king." His original personality was that of a noble person, of a high caste.

I am not sure if Mr Creighton read the Ramayana. Had he done so, he would have recognised that this “demon” was not truly a demon in essence, but merely engaged in an abuse of power and his supernatural abilities.

A close reading of the text by a literary critic would have showed that amongst many qualities, Ravana was known for his immense knowledge of the sacred Hindu texts (Vedas, etc.), the “arts” of war and government, his penances, etc.

Despite slaying Ravana in the end, Lord Rama ensured that the appropriate homage was paid to the defeated king; he was given an honourable funeral based on Hindu customs, not demonic rites.

Of course, some aspects of Ravana are debatable as they have been for centuries. One of the problems of reading translations of the Ramayana and staging the Ramleela is that original traits of this tyrannic ruler are often ignored. Thus, people merely copy “interpretations” without regard for certain consistencies.

Over time, the bad side of a character is emphasised, at the expense of its entire history. The most famous example is that of the legendary Satan who is also called a “demon” etc., despite having some of the inherent qualities of himself when he was Lucifer, God’s right hand servant and the highest archangel who was second to none.

In Milton’s controversial “Paradise Lost,” this is an underlying theme of the classic, in which Satan is depicted as an intelligent warrior, a brave leader, and a shrew but likeable character.

Perhaps in future staging of the pageant and its documentation, we would include or mention this other side of the king of Lanka, and recognise that the Ramayana (or Ramleela) is as much about one person’s struggle with his destiny and personality, as it is about the usual “good over evil” motif.
RAKESH RAMPERTAB

Wrong, stale accusation
IT IS one of the pathologies of a society under siege that some of its members would see things only in black and white.

In the desperate attempt to reach for understanding amidst the suffering and madness, little tolerance surfaces in these quarters for a message pointing to a broader, deeper and harsher reality. The messenger is quickly and permanently painted with a big black brush.

The reaction is understandable. It simplifies everything: who is good, who is bad, what is right, and what is wrong. So it is with crime in Guyana.

We see in the Kaieteur News editorial of Tuesday, November 22, titled “Reverse the perception”, this desire to fabricate a simple reality coming out.

The editorial accuses the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) of being “too generous and compassionate to criminals.”

It is an accusation as wrong as it is stale. But in the desperation to find the black and white picture, sections of society still clutch to it.

This perception has so firmly fixed itself that should the party, say, wave a magic wand and rid the land of crime and criminals some would say it must have been up to no good.

Any frustrated anger one may feel of being so accused must quickly give way to reflection and the desire to communicate. The PNCR cannot ignore and has not ignored this perception.

It is the price the party pays for daring to be different, for appealing to the intelligence and decency of people who succumb to the belief that the only way to beat crime is to give an unlimited licence to the police (and various hired assassins) to kill all those in the province they consider bad.

Therefore, real and imaginary criminals, real and imaginary suspects, real and imaginary trouble-makers, all must face this swift, open-and-shut administration of justice.

That the PNCR, as a party and as individuals, can mourn with and give support to the families of victims and at the same time express concerns over the government’s crime fighting “strategy” is seen as schizophrenic.

The minds of many cannot accommodate this duality. The two emotions cannot co-exist. So the mind simplifies the situation.

The big black brush comes out; the PNCR is soft on (even linked to) crime. And so it goes.

The PNCR is soft on crime because it condemns police extra-judicial killings. It is soft because it pushes the government to implement the recommendations of the Disciplined Forces Commission.

It is soft because it has proposed a Buxton Revitalisation Plan and called for better police-community relations. It is too soft on crime because it campaigned against the death squads.

The PNCR is not being “sufficiently savvy” because it has dared to throw coloured paint on the black and white image that says let the police and nefarious others decide who are to be killed and kill them in the name of fighting crime. End of story.

It is never, of course, the end of the story. For crime and criminals keep coming back.

Today, we don’t even know their names or faces. As we struggle to dive deeper in our black and white comfort zones, we believe the solution resides in more executions and in the police and army “badding up” some more.

As the siege of the society continues, intolerance of different perspectives and reasoning concretises.

The Kaieteur News editorial informs us that this is bad politics on the part of the PNCR. It is safer politics, it seems, to mourn the victims while riding with the lynching posses.

The suggestion is tempting. But ignore for a while all the talk from the PNCR and others about respecting human rights, proper police conduct, allowing the courts to work, etc, etc, and look at the bottom line question: has the government and police “strategy” worked?

After years of exercising the licence to exterminate all those on the various hit lists (both the general and personal ones) are we safer in our homes and communities? Has the criminal factory ceased to function? Has Buxton been recaptured from the bad men?

If the PNCR must pay a political price for pushing for a more effective crime fighting strategy, for saying, in the midst of the pain and terror, we must hold on to our moral core, then the problem may not be with the PNCR.

The PNCR must stand firm and look the Guyanese people straight in the eye and tell them that in government its top priority will be to beat crime.

It must say it will not do so through extra-judicial killings, or by treating the whole of Buxton as criminal, or by giving in to the lynch mentality, or by abusing the fundamental rights of citizens.

The PNCR must continue to declare it will not do these things because they are not only wrong, they have not worked! It must continue to tell the Guyanese people it will beat crime by building a professional police force, by implementing a Buxton revitalisation plan, by controlling the trade on narcotics and guns, by implementing the hundreds of recommendations contained in various reports on crime, and by putting money where its mouth is.

It must tell the Guyanese people that in its first year of office, it can reduce the fear factor in households and communities across the country.

Fighting crime is not a matter for being political savvy. It is a matter of finding and implementing strategies that get results that people feel.
SHERWOOD LOWE

A child’s view
WE WRITE and speak prodigiously about many serious local issues, but it is always from an adult perspective.

I thought that I would try living the world of Guyana through the eyes of a child.

I am 10 years of age, maybe even old at 12. The trouble is that I can hardly count.

Many times I have looked at scraps of old newspapers, but know not what to make of the pieces of stories; they must be saying something interesting, but I am not a good reader.

I would very much like to know more about those stories, to open that door…But right now, there is a gnawing pain in my belly that makes me forget everything else. I am hungry, and my bowl will not have enough when the time comes to eat today, if it comes at all.

It seems that this pain is always around, and it gets worse every day.

I look at my mother’s face - it is grey and sad; she looks dull. My father comes home tired and drooping; at times he looks beaten.

Each day he is angrier, but I do not know over what. I hear my parents arguing, but he is always gone the next morning.

During the night I heard shots; I have heard them so much, I can tell the difference from squibs. I want to hide under the bed, but there has never been any bed, only the hard floor.

In this little place called home, I have no place to go. I hear my mother praying to God, but who is He? What can He do?

A little more rice? A new pair of slippers? How about one moment of laughter for my family?

I have heard talk of Christmas, but I have never had any toys; why, I have never tasted ice cream. Now, that would be something, wouldn’t it?

I have heard about barrels from outside; we have never had any. Can somebody tell me what’s in them, and how we can get one?

Most of the time I am afraid. I remember hearing a song - maybe, it was my father singing - where a man cried of being tired of living, afraid of trying, and scared of dying.

I don’t ever want to be that way, but I don’t know how not to.

I hear constant talk of men named Jagdeo and Corbin, and lately some newer names. Are these people friends of the family? Will they help us?

So many more things fill my head, but I just don’t know how to say them.

All I know is that I am confused and afraid. I fall asleep with a pain in my stomach; I wake up tired.

Will life be the same when I reach 30? And how far away is that number?

Maybe I will not live so long. I wonder how many people live like us, or feel things like me. Right now, I just don’t know…

This may be the world of Guyana, as seen through the eyes of many of our children. I exhort my fellow adult Guyanese to hear and share the existence of these not imaginary children.

I hope this helps us all to realise that there are too many in our land who face a daily world filled with emptiness.

Before we challenge and fight each other endlessly, let us ask ourselves how we can make the world a better place for them, and us.
GHK LALL

District 4 establish ten-point lead over District 10
From Isaiah Chappelle in Albion
DISTRICT 4, East Coast Demerara, established a ten-point lead over defending champions District 10, Upper Demerara/Kwakwani, at the end of the first day of the Track & Field championships in the 45th Annual National Schools' Track & Field, Cycling & Swimming meet at the Albion Community Centre ground, yesterday.

After 32 finals, District 4 amassed the leading 137 points, followed by District 10 on 127, with District 7, Cuyuni/Mazaruni, in third position on 109.5 and District 6, Corentyne, fourth on 101.

In fifth position was District 3, West Demerara, on 90.5 points, District 14 (East Bank Demerara) sixth on 89, District 9 (Rupununi) seventh on 85, District 5 (West Coast Berbice) eighth on 84, District 2 (Essequibo Coast & Pomeroon) ninth on 76 and District 11 and 12 complete the top-ten position with 75.5 each.

The points for the other five participating districts are District 1 (Northwest) 39, District 13 (South Georgetown) 46, District 15 (New Amsterdam & Canje) 59.5 and District 16 (Essequibo Islands) 11.5 .

District 4 also led in the Cycling championship with 12 finals on 87 points, followed by District 6 on 79 for second, District 14 on 42 for third, and District 15 on 31 for fourth.

But the Cycling was surrounded by controversy with top National juvenile rider Geron Williams being left out of the meet, and one cyclist who was out of school for two years being allowed to compete.

With just 23 athletes in the championships, Rupununi wowed the crowd, particularly in the female track events. The spectators applauded for a convincing win by Losanna Lawrence in the 1500 m Girls’ Under-20 final, while Cleveland Thomas of District 13 was an easy winner in the Boys’ version, shaking off an early challenge by District 9's Clinton Antone who finished second.

But the race of the day was a ding-dong battle between Maria Rufino of District 9 and Lesia Lissone of District 7. The fight for the lead was sustained to the finish, ending with a photo finish for District 7.

The day began with a march past of the participating districts and officials, and District 3 were declared the winners of the march past, with District 14 second and District 9 third. The winners will receive the Regional Chairman's trophy.

President (ag) Samuel Hinds, the patron of the meet, declared the championships open after an address that was shorter than a prayer from one of the religious denominations which lasted for nearly 15 minutes.

The first event began at 11:27 h and Rupununi impressed when Robert Ignacio took the lead after the first lap, followed by Xavier Durant of District 6. With six laps to go Leroy Marshall of District 11 moved up to third and with five laps remaining, the three front runners lapped the tail-enders. But with two laps to go, Marshall dropped out and in the bell lap, Durant outsprinted Ignacio for the gold, finishing in 10 minutes 18.5 seconds.

On the distaff side, Alika Morgan who did not wear the District 12 colours, clocked 11.03 minutes to take the gold, followed by Doretta Wilson of District 9 on 11.14.2 minutes, while Millissa Albert of District 6 was third and Arneta Saul of District 4 fourth.

After ten finals, District 10 and District 4 led with 43 points each, with District 14 third on 36, District 5 fourth on 43, District 6 sixth on 31 and District 7 seventh on 28.5.

District 10 maintained the lead after 16 track finals on 72, District 7 moved to second with 67.5 and District 4 dropped to third with 60 and District 14 were fourth on 58.

After 22 finals, District 10 still led with 93, District 4 moved up back to second with 85, District 14 moved up to third on 84 and District 7 dropped to fourth on 77.5.

District 10 were still leading after 28 events on 113 points, with District 4 second on 103, but District 7 were climbing up back to third on 99.5 and District 9 were at an amazing fourth with 85.

All events scheduled for the day were not completed and today’s events will start promptly at 09:30 h.

2007 Cricket World Cup…
Tickets to go on sale from May 1, 2006
TICKETS for the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies will go on sale from May 1 next year, say organisers.

They will range from category 1 premium seats to category 4 - a party stand with artificially-created beaches.

The first run of tickets will close on 31 July, with any left over going back on sale from September 1.

Prices for pool matches will range from £8 to £58, the Super 8 stage from £14 to £58, the semi-finals from £27 to £75 and the final from £58 to £166.

A ballot will be used if applications outnumber tickets. Organisers are targeting a minimum of 75% of seats filled.

Matches will be played in Barbados, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Kitts, Antigua, Grenada, Trinidad, Guyana, and St Vincent.

ON SCHEDULE
Cricket World Cup chief executive Chris Dehring said the building of new stadiums and upgrading of related infrastructure were on schedule.

He told the BBC: "Cricket in the Caribbean is a sleeping giant, just waiting to be re-awoken."

The World Cup, involving 12 teams, will see 51 matches played in a 47-day period from March 13 to April 28, 2007.

Eight different Caribbean countries will stage matches and initial estimates put potential revenue for the West Indies Cricket Board at over £54m.

Dehring said everything possible would be done to make it a memorable experience for travelling supporters.

"We are putting in place various mechanisms to make it a little easier for fans to move around the region.

"For instance, we're working on a one-stop visa to allow fans to be processed once, instead of having to process every time they go through from country to country," he explained.

"There's a tremendous amount of goodwill by all the various governments. We've come together really well on this project, probably more so than at any other time in our history."

Dehring said that although Caribbean people had a reputation for being laid-back, he was "absolutely confident" everything would be ready on time.

"A tremendous amount of activity is taking place in the Caribbean.

"A lot of it may have been planned before but what Cricket World Cup 2007 has done is allow countries to focus on a timeline.

"It has been a really great catalyst for development in the region," he added.” (BBC Sport)

Klass appointed FIFA Instructor
GUYANA Football Federation (GFF) president Colin Klass is now a FIFA Administrative Instructor. The appointment which takes immediate effect recognises Klass’s ability to conduct training in areas of administration within the FIFA fraternity.

Klass was recently immersed in an intensive workshop and orientation session in Zurich which served to set the groundwork, prior to his appointment as FIFA instructor. His appointment, along with that of several others, strengthens FIFA’s ability to train more administrators within its ranks.

No stranger to the administrative levels within FIFA, Klass already sits as a member of the FIFA’s Futsal committee. He also serves as the first vice-president of the Caribbean Football Union.

Klass is now the third distinguished appointee from the Caribbean who holds the brief. His colleagues are CFU vice- president Captain Horace Burrell of Jamaica and CFU executive member and secretary of the Bahamas Football Association Mr Lionel Haven.

The Executive of the Guyana Football Association congratulates president Klass on his latest appointment.

WBCA president receives winning trophy from sponsor’s employee
THE West Berbice Cricket Association (WBCA) recently received trophy for the winning team in their two-day Under-17 cricket competition, sponsored by Trophy Stall of Bourda Market, and which is scheduled to bowl off shortly. Some 10 clubs in the West Berbice area are scheduled to participate.

In picture Brian Sealey, an employee of Trophy Stall, hands over the winning trophy to David Black, president of the West Berbice Cricket Association.

Gayle out of final Test after successful surgery
ADELAIDE, Australia, (CMC) - Senior West Indies opening batsman Chris Gayle has been ruled out of the final Test of the three-match series against Australia after successfully undergoing surgery yesterday morning in Melbourne to correct a congenital heart defect.

The 26-year-old Jamaican left-hander underwent the procedure earlier than expected.

After the ailment caused him to retire briefly during the West Indies' first innings of the second Test in Hobart last Thursday, Gayle stated that, based on the advice of doctors, he was hoping to have the surgery done at the end of the tour, which is just over a week away.

Yet as the rest of the squad, minus Marlon Samuels, headed to Adelaide on Tuesday afternoon for the final Test, beginning tomorrow (tonight Caribbean time), Gayle travelled to the Victorian capital to have the surgery done to repair a defect that has occasionally caused him to suffer bouts of dizziness and nausea while playing for the West Indies.

Samuels had departed the team hotel earlier on Tuesday for Sydney at the start of the long journey back to Jamaica to rest his injured knee for at least the next two weeks.

Professor Jonathan Kalman performed the surgery on Gayle at the Melbourne Private Hospital.

He was to stay overnight for observation and was expected to be discharged some time today. Given that he will be recuperating from the procedure, he will not be allowed to travel for another five days and will stay at a hotel in Melbourne before beginning the journey home.

A veteran of 54 Tests in which he has compiled 3 569 runs at an average of 38.79, Gayle is not the first West Indian to undergo surgery to a major organ during a tour.

On the 1988 tour of England, another opening batsman, Trinidadian Phil Simmons, needed emergency brain surgery to save his life after being struck by a bouncer from Gloucestershire and England fast bowler David Lawrence.

Simmons, who never wore a helmet before the life-threatening injury, adopted the headgear as an essential part of his kit thereafter, going on to regain a place in the West Indies side and scoring his lone Test hundred against Australia in Melbourne on the 1992/93 tour.

The absence of both Gayle and Samuels means that Wavell Hinds and Dwayne Smith are their obvious replacements for the final Test at Adelaide Oval.

Hinds, who last played in the two-Test series earlier this year against Pakistan in the Caribbean, should now open the batting with Devon Smith but will be short of match practice as he has not played a single innings on the tour in a match situation after fracturing the little finger on his left hand while fielding on the opening day of the first tour match against the Queensland Bulls at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on October 27th.

Smith, whose excellent work as a substitute fielder in the first two Tests was highlighted by two catches and a run-out on the third day of the second Test last Saturday, is expected to fill Samuels' spot at number six in the batting order.

The last of his seven Tests was the first of the two-match series against Sri Lanka in Colombo last July.

The West Indies squad will now consist of 13 members since with only one Test match remaining, starting tomorrow, no replacement will be sought.

Full squad: S. Chanderpaul (captain), R. Sarwan (vice-captain) D.S. Smith, W. Hinds, B. Lara, D.R. Smith, D. Bravo, D. Ramdin, T. Best, D. Powell, F. Edwards, J. Lawson and C. Collymore.

Grand opening for new Muhammad Ali centre
BOXING legend Muhammad Ali has had a museum and cultural centre opened in his honour in Louisville, Kentucky.

Fans - including former US president Bill Clinton - from around the globe attended last Sunday's opening ceremony.

The Muhammad Ali Centre features souvenirs from his amazing career and an educational area aiming to promote personal growth and global peace.

"I wanted a place to inspire people to be the best they could be at whatever they choose," Ali said in a statement.

"Fans wanted to build a museum to acknowledge my achievements. I wanted more than a building to house my memorabilia.

"Throughout my life, I have pushed beyond the boundaries of what is expected.

"I'm an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given. I believed in myself and I believe in the goodness of others."

The two-and-a-half hour opening ceremony for the $75m (£44m) centre featured musical performances, puppetry and poetry readings.

Flags from the 141 nations whose children have contributed to the centre were displayed, and Mitchell Butler, an eight-year-old from New Zealand, hung a medal around Ali's neck.

"It was cool," said Butler.

"He gave me a hug. It was nice but I was nervous."

Clinton, a life-long boxing and Ali fan, paid warm tribute to the former heavyweight champion.

"The world is a better place because of you," said Clinton, who was temporarily unaware of Ali putting two fingers in a V-shape behind his head as he spoke, before the crowd's laughter gave it away.

"No-one was ever more beautiful or brash or bright or powerful or fast in the ring. It was breathtaking.

"You thrilled us as a fighter and you inspired us even more as a force for peace and reconciliation, understanding and respect.

"As your body slowed down, your heart speeded up."

Other stars to attend the opening included actors Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Jim Carey and Chris Tucker, broadcaster Sir David Frost, singers Hootie & The Blowfish, Kris Kristofferson and James Taylor and boxers Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis.

The 63-year-old Ali, who now suffers with Parkinson's Syndrome, is arguably the most well-known sportsman in the world.

His lightning reflexes and enormous power marked him out as a one-off in the heavyweight division, while his famous eloquence and wit kept the whole sporting world transfixed during his heyday.

Ali won the world heavyweight title three times - the only boxer to have done so - and his legendary fights with the likes of Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier and George Foreman have gone down in history.

But the fighter's fame transcended sport and his refusal to be enlisted into the US Army during the Vietnam War, a decision that cost him his title, made him a hero to millions around the globe.

"The centre is the culmination of a long dream for Muhammad," said Ali's wife, Lonnie.

"We feel a circle in our lives has been completed.

"He saw great things for the centre under Muhammad's direction - we hope this centre becomes that beacon for the world.

"This was not created as a museum but as a living, breathing centre to share his ideals, to teach and inspire. Muhammad simply inspires people. It's a gift he cherishes."

The centre opened to the public on Monday. (BBC Sport)

Lara hopes for change of fortunes in Adelaide
ADELAIDE, Australia, (CMC) - Recalling his personal triumphs and team successes at the venue on previous tours, Brian Lara is hopeful that he can emerge from his slump in form and that the West Indies can put up a real fight against Australia in the third and final Test at the Adelaide Oval.

"It would really be nice to come to Adelaide again and get some runs finally," he told ‘Adelaide Advertiser’ reporter Richard Earle on the team's arrival in the South Australian capital on Tuesday evening.

"I have been here for two months and unable to get any sort of runs. I am looking forward to it and optimistic that things can turn around for me. I think it's going to be a good Test match."

With only 102 runs from four innings so far in the series, and just another 46 from the five innings he played in the inaugural ‘Super Series’ in October, the West Indies star batsman has endured a miserable time on what could be the final tour of Australia for the 36-year-old Trinidadian.

Yet he brushed aside questions about any possible disappointment at the three dubious umpiring decisions that went against him in his four innings so far against the Australians, only saying "these things happen in cricket".

Despite an encouraging opening day of the series in Brisbane, the West Indies slumped to a 379-run defeat at the Gabba, while in the second Test at Hobart, they went under by nine wickets although they fought well over the latter half of the match with the youngest two members of the squad - Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin - getting rave reviews for a 182-run seventh-wicket partnership that extended the match into the final day.

While there seems little chance of the tourists upsetting an extremely confident and motivated Australian side, Lara has every reason to feel optimistic at a venue that is the most picturesque in the country and one of the most beautiful in the world.

Only last January, during the VB tri-nation limited-over series, the then captain smashed 156 out of a total of 339 for four against Pakistan. The West Indies went on to win the match by 58 runs, their only success in the six preliminary matches as they failed to reach the best-of-three finals.

On the last full tour of Australia in 2000/01, Lara ended a run of low scores with a domineering 182 in the third Test. The West Indies lost all five Tests of that series, but thanks in no small part to the senior batsman's contribution, they were able to make Australia fight all the way before the home side completed victory by five wickets on last day.

In the 1996/97 campaign, Australia clinched the series at Adelaide with a massive innings and 183-run victory, although the final innings of the match signalled Lara's return to form as he top-scored with 78 and followed that up with 132 in Perth as the West Indies romped to an innings victory inside three days in the last Test of the series.

Prior to the second innings in Adelaide, he had endured one of his worst runs of low scores, scratching together just 86 in seven innings and being dismissed five times by Glenn McGrath.

The Australian pacer had so dented Lara's confidence at the start of that series that he dropped from three to four in the batting order after the second Test in Sydney with Shivnarine Chanderpaul taking over the key position just after the openers.

Lara also recalled playing at Adelaide as captain of the West Indies at the inaugural Under-19 World Cup in 1988 where the young regional side lost to eventual champions Australia in the semi-finals of the tournament.

However his most treasured memory of Adelaide, and one West Indians at the ground or following on live television and radio coverage will never forget is the pulsating one-run victory in the 1992/93 series.

With Australia and especially their captain, Allan Border, within sight of victory to clinch the series and reclaim the Frank Worrell Trophy, Courtney Walsh had last man Craig McDermott caught behind by wicketkeeper Junior Murray to spark celebrations of joy, relief and disbelief among West Indians.

It was a moment of crushing despair for Border, who then suffered the indignity of being dismissed for a ‘pair’ a few days later as the West Indies romped to an innings victory in Perth to take the series 2-1.

That was Australia's last Test series defeat at home and also left Border without the satisfaction of ever playing in an Australian side that won a series against the West Indies.

He had retired from the game by the time the next series came around, in 1995, with Mark Taylor leading the Aussies to a famous 2-1 triumph in the Caribbean.

Going into what is being billed as his farewell Test in Australia, Lara is still 213 runs away from Border's all-time Test aggregate run record of 11 174.

His current form suggests he has little chance of getting close to that mark at the Adelaide Oval, although no one is yet ready to completely write off one of the greatest batsmen of all time.

Many Australians are willing him to produce something memorable, even if they all expect Ricky Ponting's men to complete a 3-0 sweep of the series.

Elbow injury keeps Pakistan's Razzaq out of third Test
FAISALABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has been ruled out of next week's third and final Test against England and remains doubtful for the one-day series due to a lingering elbow injury he picked up during training.

A Pakistan Cricket Board official said Razzaq had not been cleared to play in the Lahore Test starting on November 29 as he was still recovering from the injury that kept him out of the first two matches of the series.

"He has improved 40 percent but the medical board says he needs more time to be 100 percent fit," PCB director of cricket operations Saleem Altaf told Reuters.

"Even when he is cleared, obviously we would like him to play a couple of practice games and see him bowl a few overs before he can be considered for national selection," Altaf said.

The 25-year-old Razzaq has played 37 Tests and 196 one-day internationals for Pakistan and is a key member of the team with both bat and ball.

Altaf said it was too early to say if Razzaq would be fit in time for the five-match one-day series starting on December 10 in Lahore.

"Let us see. First he has to be cleared by the doctors," he added.

Pakistan go into the third Test without pace bowler Shabbir Ahmed after he was reported for a suspect action and all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who picked up a one-match ban for scuffing the pitch in the second Test.

Man.United lose sponsors Vodafone to Champions League
By Kirstin Ridley
LONDON, England (Reuters) - Mobile phone giant Vodafone cut short a four-year shirt sponsorship deal with Manchester United yesterday and switched its allegiance to European's premier club competition, the Champions League.

The world's largest mobile phone company by revenue and Britain's most famous soccer club said the current deal, worth about 9.0 million pounds ($15.5 million) per year, would end two years early at the end of the 2005/2006 season.

Vodafone said it would then start a three-year partnership with European soccer's ruling body, under which the company will offer video highlights and goal alerts from all Champions League matches to football fans who have its latest high-speed, third-generation (3G) mobile phones.

Ironically, United are in danger of missing out on the knock-out stages of the Champions League, a major money-earner for the club, for the first time in 10 years this season.

Yesterday’s news comes five days after United captain Roy Keane departed in mid-season after 12 years at the club.

United was taken over by American billionaire Malcolm Glazer this year and a spokesman for the Glazer family said it was "extremely comfortable" with Vodafone's decision to "change the priority of its marketing strategy".

The Champions League is watched by more than four billion television viewers per season around the world.

INVESTORS MEETING
United fans had urged Vodafone at its annual investors' meeting in July to end the sponsorship deal as a way of protesting about Glazer's 790 million pound takeover.

Vodafone and United said they were keen to continue their relationship, which began with a four-year, 30 million pound deal in 2000/01, and were exploring a new sponsorship deal.

Vodafone first put its name on the famous red shirts of the club in 2000/1 and are only the second company since 1982 to be the club's shirt sponsors.

United said in a separate statement that initial discussions with a number of "world class potential partners" had been encouraging and that the club was confident of securing a new deal for a principal sponsor in coming months.

"The Manchester United shirt is the most iconic in sport," said the club's commercial director Andy Anson. "The club feels that, in the current market, there is a genuine chance to attract significant additional investment."

Glazer's takeover infuriated United fans who said he would milk United's profits to pay back the vast amounts of debt he used to buy the northern club.

Calls for a boycott have largely been ignored although fans are concerned United could go a second season without a major trophy and pressure is growing on United manager Alex Ferguson, in charge since 1986.

EU looking into FIFA's World Cup ticket sales
BRUSSELS, (Reuters) - The European Commission is looking into complaints about the way soccer's governing body FIFA is selling tickets for next year's World Cup finals in Germany, a spokesman for the Commission said yesterday.

Lawmakers from the European Parliament have complained to the Commission that FIFA is demanding immediate payment for match tickets being sold online without guaranteeing that applicants will actually get tickets.

"This issue was brought to our attention by more than one member of the European Parliament," Commission competition spokesman Jonathan Todd told a daily media briefing.

"We don't yet have any conclusions. We are actively pursuing the matter."

World Cup organisers confirmed yesterday that people applying for the conditional ticket offer running from Nov. 2 to Nov. 30 were being asked to pay upfront for one ticket without any guarantees.

Under the conditional sales offer, fans are given the chance to put their names on the waiting list for any returned tickets from national associations, sponsors or partners.

NON-REFUNDABLE FEE
Those applying have to pay a non-refundable fee of 5 euros.

The draw will not be made until February 2006. Those people who are not allocated tickets under the offer will have the money paid for the ticket refunded.

Organisers said they could not immediately comment on the EU investigation.

Tickets during the first major sales window were oversubscribed by around 10 to one, leaving many fans disappointed.

However, fans who applied for tickets during this phase were only charged if they were successful in the draw.

In May, the Commission forced organisers to change a system for selling the tickets after complaints that it favoured credit card company Mastercard, one of the sponsors of the tournament.

Fans without a Mastercard or a German bank account were given the chance to pay by domestic bank transfer in their local currency, thus cutting down on fees.

The World Cup runs from June 9 to July 9 and features 32 teams playing a total of 64 matches in 12 venues across Germany, with the final in Berlin.

Ganguly keeps place for Sri Lanka Tests
CHENNAI, India, (Reuters) - Indian cricket selectors yesterday retained sacked captain Sourav Ganguly for the first Test in next month's home series against Sri Lanka.

Ganguly had been the subject of intense speculation after he was sacked as one-day captain last month following a prolonged batting slump and a major row with coach Greg Chappell.

Rahul Dravid, who took over, was also appointed Test captain on Tuesday after his fine start in the one-day role.

Chief selector Kiran More said yesterday that Ganguly, India's most successful Test captain, had been chosen as a batting all-rounder in the 15-player squad.

"He definitely has to prove himself in the coming series also," he told reporters.

Ganguly has taken only 25 wickets with his occasional seamers from 84 Tests. More said he was included only after a lengthy debate among the five selectors.

The 33-year-old batsman had not made a Test hundred since December 2003 until he scored a laboured 101 in the first match against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo in September, increasingly looking shaky against short-pitched deliveries.

Ganguly's international future had looked bleak after he was omitted from the one-day team which crushed Sri Lanka 6-1 at home this month, ending its string of poor results.

A five-match one-day series against South Africa is tied 1-1 with two games left.

NEW STUMPER
The selectors also drafted in uncapped wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni, rewarding the stocky player for his brilliant contribution with the bat in recent one-dayers.

Dhoni, 24, who replaced youngster Dinesh Karthik, hit 183 not out during the Sri Lanka series, the highest one-day score by a wicketkeeper. He scored 346 runs in four innings in that series.

"Dhoni has taken us to a different level of cricket altogether for one-dayers. He is a match-winner," More said.

They also picked uncapped 19-year-old paceman Rudra Pratap Singh after his promising start in one-dayers, leaving out senior fellow left-arm Zaheer Khan.

Although Khan spearheaded West Zone to victory in the premier domestic Duleep Trophy tournament recently, there had been media reports the team management was unhappy with his attitude.

Sachin Tendulkar was back in the Test squad after missing the 2-0 sweep in Zimbabwe in September because of elbow surgery.

The three-Test series starts in Chennai on December 2.

The selectors also named an unchanged squad for the last two one-dayers against South Africa, to be played in Kolkata tomorrow and Mumbai on Monday.

The Test squad:
India squad: Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Sourav Ganguly, Mohammad Kaif, Mahendra Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Anil Kumble, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Ajit Agarkar, Rudra Pratap Singh, Murali Kartik, Gautam Gambhir.

One-day squad:
Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Mohammad Kaif, Mahendra Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Jai Prakash Yadav, Harbhajan Singh, Ajit Agarkar, Rudra Pratap Singh, S.Sreesanth, Murali Kartik.

Pakistan lead by 199 runs…
Late Flintoff burst gives England outside chance of victory
FAISALABAD, Pakistan, (Reuters) - England snapped up three late wickets to leave Pakistan 183 for six at the close on the fourth day of the second Test yesterday, an overall lead of 199 runs.

Andrew Flintoff removed Mohammad Yousuf (20) and Shahid Afridi (duck) in successive balls before Steve Harmison dismissed Kamran Akmal for nine.

Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was 41 not out when play ended 16 overs early due to bad light.

Flintoff's spell of two wickets for 15 runs from seven overs after tea has given England an outside chance of an upset win.

Pakistan lead the three-match series after winning the first Test in Multan by 22 runs.

The all-rounder said he had to convince captain Michael Vaughan to let him continue bowling.

"I asked for one more (over) as the ball was reverse swinging a bit more and I was running in nicely," Flintoff said.

"It is hard work out there and I don't want to make any predictions,' he added when asked about England's chances of levelling the series.

Flintoff forced Yousuf to play on to his stumps. He then silenced the roaring capacity crowd with a fantastic ball that pitched in sharply to send Afridi's off-stump cart-wheeling.

"A wicket like his is good for you," Flintoff said. "He is the sort of a player who can take the game away from you very quickly. It was crucial to get him out quickly."

Afridi had provided much of the entertainment in Pakistan's first innings with a blistering knock of 92 from 85 balls and after his first-ball dismissal the majority of the crowd left the stadium.

Harmison then had Akmal caught behind in the final over of the day as Pakistan lost their last five wickets for 79 runs.

STOOD FIRM
Flintoff also caused the usually solid Inzamam considerable discomfort and had a confident leg-before shout against him turned down by umpire Simon Taufel.

Inzamam steadied the ship with another patient innings spanning 70 balls, nine runs short of his fourth half-century in the series following scores of 53, 72 and 109.

The Pakistan innings fell away after another solid opening start of 54 by Salman Butt (50) and Shoaib Malik (26). Butt was out one ball after having a run disallowed by umpire Darrell Hair who warned him a second time for running on to the pitch.

The opener played Shaun Udal into the off-side and set off for a single but Hair signalled a dead ball and asked him to go back.

Udal trapped Butt leg-before next ball, bowling round the wicket.

Malik was the first wicket to fall, playing a careless looking drive to cover where Ian Bell caught him off Flintoff. Younis Khan (27) was next, given lbw to Matthew Hoggard.

Pakistan dismissed England for 446 in the first hour of the morning session, 16 runs short of their total of 462.

Resuming on 391 for seven, England quickly lost Ashley Giles and Hoggard to Afridi, who finished with four wickets for 95 runs.

Udal (33 not out) and Harmison (16) added a valuable 47 runs for the last wicket.

PAKISTAN 1st innings 462 (Inzamam-ul-Haq 109, S. Afridi 92, M. Yousuf 78)

ENGLAND 1st innings (o/n 391-7)

M. Trescothick c Akmal b Sami 48

A. Strauss b Naved-ul-Hasan 12

M. Vaughan b Naved-ul-Hasan 2

I. Bell c Akmal b Afridi 115

K. Pietersen c Yousuf b Akhtar 100

A. Flintoff b Akhtar 1

G. Jones lbw b Afridi 55

A. Giles b Afridi 26

S. Udal not out 33

M. Hoggard b Afridi 2

S. Harmison run-out 16

Extras: (b-1, lb-12, nb-22, w-1) 36

Total: (all out, 132.3 overs) 446

Fall of wickets: 1-33, 2-39, 3-107, 4-261, 5-272, 6-327, 7-378, 8-395, 9-399.

Bowling: S. Akhtar 27-4-93-2 (nb-4, w-1), Naved-ul-Hasan 20-2-63-2 (nb-8), M. Sami 19-4-51-1, S. Afridi 30.3-3-95-4 (nb-7), D. Kaneria 32-3-102-0 (nb-3), S. Malik 4-0-29-0.

PAKISTAN 2nd innings

S. Malik c Bell b Flintoff 26

S. Butt lbw b Udal 50

Y. Khan lbw b Hoggard 27

M. Yousuf b Flintoff 20

Inzamam-ul-Haq not out 41

S. Afridi b Flintoff 0

K. Akmal c G. Jones b Harmison 9

Naved-ul-Hasan not out 0

Extras: (b-4, lb-4, nb-2) 10

Total: (for 6 wickets, 66 overs) 183

Fall of wickets: 1-54, 2-104, 3-108, 4-164, 5-164, 6-183.

Bowling: M. Hoggard 9-0-28-1, A. Flintoff 19-2-46-3 (nb-2), S. Harmison 14-2-41-1, A. Giles 13-2-35-0, S. Udal 11-2-25-1.

Waughs back sacked Clarke
STEVE Waugh feels Michael Clarke can keep his attacking mindset and succeed as a Test player while Mark Waugh still expects him to captain Australia. Clarke has received the support of both Waugh brothers, who had publicly suggested changes to his game over the past month, and Darren Lehmann since being dropped on Monday.

Steve Waugh said Clarke should benefit from being out of the limelight after a dramatic Test introduction and he told The Courier-Mail he needs only the "odd tweak" to fix his problems. "I went through the new-kid-on-the-block thing when I first started," Steve said. "It has been harder for Michael because he started off in such a fantastic way and people expect him to keep doing that without any hiccups. That is unrealistic. You are getting to know your game and yourself as a person in front of the rest of the world."

A drop from No. 4 to No. 6 would have better-suited Clarke according to Mark Waugh, who predicted his former New South Wales team-mate would take over the reins from Ricky Ponting. "I said he'd be a captain in years to come and I still think he will be ... he's got a great cricket brain," Waugh said. "It's certainly not the end of the world for Michael Clarke, he's just got to get back and enjoy himself."

Lehmann said Clarke's sacking would make him a better player, just as it did for the Waugh brothers. "It's not the worst thing that can happen," Lehmann said in The Daily Telegraph. "He'll come back a better player. All good players go through it. They've obviously made the call he needs to go away and make runs and he'll do that on his ear. He'll be back, no doubt about it.” (Cricinfo)

James, Hughes lift Cavaliers to eighth straight win
NEW YORK, NY (Reuters) - LeBron James poured in 36 points and Larry Hughes added 25 and seven rebounds to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to their eighth straight victory, a 115-93 demolition of the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas contributed 19 points to the Cleveland effort while Drew Gooden had 13 points and 15 rebounds as the Cavaliers remained unbeaten at home this season, improving to 6-0.

Ricky Davis paced the Celtics with 27 points while Paul Pierce had 24 along with 15 rebounds and Mark Blount recorded a season-best 21 points in the losing cause.

"We're on a roll," said James, after scoring 36 points for the second consecutive game.

"It would be incredible to go 41-0 at home and the way we're playing now it looks like it could happen."

Cleveland stamped their authority on the contest early, jumping out to a 27-18 lead after the opening quarter and 58-51 at the intermission.

The Celtics rallied in the third to pull to within two but then James took charge, scoring all the points in a 10-1 run to send the Cavaliers into the final quarter 84-73 ahead.

In Washington, Carmelo Anthony nailed 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Marcus Camby added 24 points and 14 boards to lead the Denver Nuggets past the Wizards 108-105.

Earl Boykins helped out with 20 points as the Nuggets stretched their winning run to four games.

Gilbert Arenas had a game-high 36 points and dished out 10 assists for the Wizards while Antawn Jamison had 26 points and 12 rebounds.

In Memphis, Darius Miles had 22 points and Zach Randolph and Juan Dixon each chipped in with 20 helping the Portland Trail Blazers to a 95-87 win over Grizzlies.

Shane Battier led Memphis with 21 points while Pau Gasol collected the double-double with 18 points and 16 rebounds.

In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki drained 31 points and Jason Terry added 29 as the Mavericks rolled to their sixth straight win, dumping the Houston Rockets 102-93.

Rookie Luther Head, starting in place of injured Tracy McGrady, had a career-high 28 points for the Rockets while Yao Ming chipped in with 20 and Derek Anderson added 19 in the loss.

In Phoenix, Shawn Marion hit for 28 points and pulled down 18 rebounds and Steve Nash had 23 points and nine assists guiding the Suns to a 90-82 win over the Toronto Raptors.

In Seattle, Mehmet Okur scored 24 points and snared nine rebounds as the Utah Jazz held on to claim a 93-87 win over the SuperSonics.