Indian envoy assures:
Cricket stadium $ cleared
INDIAN High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr Avinash Gupta yesterday dispelled press reports that there is any doubt about building a cricket stadium here with the assistance of the Indian Government.

He said a report in the Hindustan Times of India picked up by a daily newspaper here was “mere media speculation”.

“As far as this mission (the Indian High Commission in Guyana) is concerned the credit line for the construction of the cricket stadium has been cleared from all the administrative levels and is now awaiting approval of the Minister of Finance,” Mr Gupta told the Chronicle.

He added that India, like Guyana, enjoys press freedom and therefore the media are free to speculate on issues as they wish.

The local newspaper Monday said a row had erupted between the Indian Finance and Foreign ministries over the planned US$26M World Cup stadium for Guyana and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh might be asked to intervene.

India has offered a US$6M grant and a $20M soft loan for the stadium being built at Providence, East Bank Demerara.

The stadium is expected to be ready for matches billed here for the World Cup 2007 tourney.

A recent report in the same local newspaper had prompted Resident Representative of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) here, Mr George Bindley-Taylor to categorically reject the impression created that the IMF would halt the construction of the stadium.

“We are not stopping the construction,” he assured, adding, “We are not responsible for journalistic excesses in the press.”

He explained that the Guyana Government had agreed to a feasibility study recommended by the IMF to ensure that the administration implements measures to maintain the feasibility and sustainability of the operation of the stadium, based on the outcome of the study.

He further pointed out that the short-term feasibility study would be carried out in parallel to the construction of the stadium.

Finance Minister, Mr Saisnarine Kowlessar, said the newspaper report was “sensational” and “wicked”, overplaying what the IMF required.

He said the IMF and the government had agreed that to ensure the financial viability of the stadium, the total cost associated with the project should not exceed US$25M. (CHAMANLALL NAIPAUL)

Love-struck guard hangs himself
By Jaime Hall
POLICE are investigating the death of a security guard who was found hanging from a verandah yesterday morning.

Relatives said Lakendra Singh, 34, of 25 Bel Air Village, Georgetown, apparently killed himself after problems with his girlfriend.

He was found hanging from a Robb and Cummings streets building in Georgetown where he was employed as a security guard and where he was temporarily staying.

Singh, a former gold miner, is believed to have committed suicide shortly after 08:00 hrs.

A man who worked outside the building washing vehicles reportedly saw when Singh was going to hang himself.

He alerted persons in charge of the building to what was going on.

However, before the caretaker of the property could reach the back of the building to stop Singh, the love-struck security guard was already hanging from a rope tied to a verandah outside the room he occupied on the third flat of the four-storey building.

The rope was tied to an iron rail of the verandah. A wooden ladder he used to climb to where he hung himself stood nearby.

Singh was clad in a red jersey and a pair of blue denim jeans.

A worker at the building said Singh, who was employed there for just more than two months, had been complaining about problems with his girlfriend and had told his colleagues he would kill himself. However, they did not his threats seriously.

The co-worker said Singh told him on Monday evening that he was going to drink alcohol, then he came back with “a half (bottle rum), a Coca Cola and fried fish in a bag and went upstairs”.

According to the worker, Singh met him at the bottom flat of the building before 08:00 hrs yesterday on his way to buy cigarettes.

After he got the cigarettes he went back to his room. He reportedly hanged himself shortly after.

His sister Lolita Singh, who hurried to the scene after she got news about her brother’s death, said Singh did tell her “sometime before” that he would kill himself.

She said her brother lived with her at Bel Air but moved out after he met his girlfriend.

She said Singh knew the woman for about five months but the friendship did not go too well, so they eventually parted.

He was deeply troubled by the break-up and had told her he would end his life.

She did not believe he would do it, she said.

Deadly robbery attack survivor released from hospital
AFTER spending eight days in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Hemrajie Appanna, who was critically wounded in the robbery attack on her family, which left her husband dead, was discharged yesterday afternoon.

When the Chronicle visited her at Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, relatives said she was resting comfortably after taking her medication.

She is recovering from wounds to her head and body.

Relatives said she is under the impression that her husband, Davechand Appanna, succumbed to wounds in the GPHC on Sunday.

The bus owner, who was stabbed 14 times in his back, sides and face by bandits, bled to death in the family shop.

His widow has been crying uncontrollably since she received the news of her husband's death, relatives said.

"She kept saying `we give them everything we gat and they still kill he’", one relative related.

She is not hearing out of the right ear because of the wounds, the relatives added.

Contrary to what was reported earlier, Hemrajie was not hit with a glass table causing it to be broken, but the table was split by a cutlass after a chop fired in her direction missed its target, they said.

According to the relatives, the bandits entered the house at Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara, after screwing out the light bulb on the verandah before taking out the panes and bars from the right front window.

The two men broke into the home at about 01:45 hrs and stabbed Davechand Appanna, 45, to death in the family shop.

Three other bandits were outside keeping guard while the attack was under way, police said.

The bandits fled with $100,000 in cash.

The couple's daughter Aruna, 14, hid under a bed during the 10-minute ordeal.

Relatives yesterday said the girl was recovering well.

She and her mother are staying with relatives at Enterprise.

Residents at Non Pariel have been moving out of the village since the robbery attack.

Appanna will be buried at Enterprise today. (SHAWNEL CUDJOE)

Schools reopen Monday
-- ministry advises
THE Education Ministry yesterday rejected speculation that there is uncertainty about reopening of schools for the new academic year.

Chief Education Officer, Mr Ed Caesar, in a press release said, “It has been brought to the attention of the ministry that there is some uncertainty with respect to the opening of schools for the new academic year. This ought not to be.”

“Please be advised that all schools will be reopened on Monday, August 30, 2004, for the Christmas Term”, he said.

PM urges deeper interest in mining
-- says sector key to transforming Guyana
MINING is a primary economic activity, a fundamental way of making a living, and Guyanese should develop a deeper interest in the industry, according to Prime Minister Sam Hinds.

Mr Hinds, also Minister responsible for Mining, made the call in a feature address Monday at the opening of a three-day exhibition organised by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

The exhibition, which commemorates `Mining Week 2004’, is on at the Umana Yana in Kingston, Georgetown.

Prime Minister Hinds said many important materials used daily are either grown or mined, and the mining sector has contributed greatly towards the country's development, making up 25% of the total value of goods and services produced locally.

Miners have been the "pioneers initiating new communities in further lands wherever minerals are discovered" universally, he said, and identified Linden, Kwakwani and Aroaima, Mahdia, Kurupung, Port Kaituma and Matthew’s Ridge as local communities founded on or boosted by mining.

However, Mr Hinds said there was room for growth in the GDP by five to ten times more than it is growing, and miners should make greater changes to help achieve the country's development objectives.

He said since the very nature of mining is quite disturbing to the earth, miners are obliged to minimise negative inputs and restore the area by diversifying their activities and extending their acquired skills.

"Mineral resources must be recovered where they are found...Miners and mining communities must look to diversify their activities from their mining base, extending skills which they may have developed in the course of mining and arrest first generation capital accumulation into second generation, branching into transportation, construction, agriculture, timber, wood processing, non-timber products, eco-tourism...There have been several successful examples in the past and there is need for many more in the future," the Prime Minister pointed out.

Touching on the fact that an area cannot be mined forever, he referred to Omai Gold Mines Ltd., which is expected to close during next year.

Mr Hinds explained that information he received has shown that while Omai is running an exploration programme, it has exhausted known economic reserves, and will most likely end operations here soon.

He said the closure will result in a fall in the country's gold production.

"Mining is about ending; existing stockpiles would feed the mill for about 11 months, and closure operations would extend for about another year.

“As in all such cases we were all hoping that new economic reserves would have been found to keep the Omai operations going, but now we must accept the inevitable," he said, adding, "In just over a year there would be a fall in our gold production and declaration of about 300,000 ounces per year."

"Ten years ago conventional wisdom suggested that there could be another five Omais in Guyana. Now one looks for five or ten medium sized gold operations of about 50,000 ounces per year...We hope there will be such developments at Peter’s Mine, Marudi, Tassawina, Turoparo and Makapa."

Mr Hinds further explained that mining can never go on without the presence of profitable economic resources.

"Mining in an area extends for a period lasting only as long as the economic resources can be mined profitably, as long as new, rich reserves can be found, as long as advances in equipment and techniques for mining and mineral processing can be made, and as long as improvement in employees' productivity and work quality can offset the pressures of losses in physical advantage and increase costs, and so keep expenses below revenues...Thus long and no longer can mining in an area be sustained!" he stated.

However, Mr Hinds said, there is great development potential in other mineral resources found here.

"There has been a great increase in mining...There is much excitement in the bauxite, alumina, aluminum circles, as the belief takes hold that significant investment in new developments can be justified now...Diamond production has been rising steadily...With respect to petroleum, most of you would have seen recent projections by CGX, very enthusiastic and hopeful that economic quantities of petroleum would be found on-shore in the Berbice/Corentyne area. CGX utilises a novel buramay method to narrow areas for seismic surveys and now has about six primary on-shore targets where it hopes to start drilling in two or three months."

The Prime Minister pointed to the low turn-out at the gathering and urged miners to encourage and develop partnerships and work towards making the industry more interesting in order to attract more participation and earn acceptance in society.

"Although every human activity without exception has environmental and social impacts, consequences and outcomes, the impacts, consequences and outcomes inherent in mining by its very nature, its disturbance of the earth in hitherto untracked areas, its pioneering contact with hinterland and indigenous sources, all bring special focus on mining - miners should be aware of the need to earn and maintain social acceptance. Miners must work at developing collaborations, alliances, partnerships with others.”

Mr Hinds also asked miners to maintain healthy lifestyles while they are away from their families. "The biggest challenge is to change our frame of thinking, change our lifestyles. We in mining need to stop and turn back STDs, HIV/AIDS, malaria and the use of narcotic drugs. Miners still live lives of significant deprivation and hardships...to provide a living for our families..."

Returning home with sexually transmitted diseases, malaria or as a drug user, "is to return home as a big burden, rather than with the benefits of hard earned money," he told the miners.

Sixteen mining companies, including Omai, are showcasing Guyana's mineral resources, products and services offered by companies associated with the field, and are offering tours to various institutions and individuals who express an interest, during this week and next week.

The exhibition ends today. (SHAUNA JEMMOTT)

PNCR leaders on pre-congress walkabout
LEADER of the main opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Mr Robert Corbin, led a walkabout around Stabroek yesterday, the first of three days of fan outs around Georgetown in the run-up to the party’s 14th Biennial Congress.

The congress opens Friday.

A statement from the PNCR yesterday said the objectives of the walkabout are “to place the leader and other party leaders in public view, to invite the people to participate in the congress rally (and) to distribute pamphlets.”

Yesterday’s walkabout started around the burnt-out Auto Supplies building and included the McKenzie (Linden) and East Bank car parks, Stabroek Market and Stabroek Market Square.

Similar exercises today will see the walkabout team in the Demico area, America Street, Commerce Street, Berbice car park, East Coast car park and Upper Regent Street.

The team will visit Bounty’s Supermarket tomorrow and The Arcade, Toolsie Persaud vending area, Fogarty’s, Guyana Post Office Corporation and the Guyana Stores area on Friday.

Miss Guyana Universe in city clean up project
MISS Guyana Universe, Odessa Phillips, is linking with CariAir today to clean up a growing garbage dump in the city, the firm has announced.

In a press release, CariAir Chairman Peter Ramsaroop said they are targeting the empty lots at the corner of Main and Robb streets.

“I am sure many people in Georgetown drive by the empty lots at Robb and Main streets. Every day, the pile of garbage grows”, Mr Ramsaroop said.

He said the site is becoming “an unofficial garbage dump right in the heart of our city.”

The exercise starts at 10:00 hrs and the organisers are urging others to support them.

“Our hope is that the City Council ensures that whoever owns this piece of property is held liable for its maintenance and that anyone caught dumping in this area will be fined”, Ramsaroop said.

Miss Phillips, whose main platform is waste management, will help with this project, he said.

Her slogan of `Don’t Litter, Let Guyana Glitter’ is a clarion call to build a clean, attractive Guyana for growth, jobs, and investment, Ramsaroop added.

CariAir Inc. will be launching a new regional airline linking the Caribbean and the Americas.

The company says it has also started several pilot agribusiness projects to invest in the production and finished goods sectors of the Guyanese economy.

Consumer price index up slightly in July
THE cost of consumer items rose less than half a percentage point last month, as rising global oil prices and other demand-supply variables continued to take their toll on the Guyanese economy.

The Bureau of Statistics reports that the overall price level of consumer goods monitored in the Urban Consumer Price Index increased by 0.2 per cent in July over June.

In effect, the goods price index rose by 4.4 per cent in July over the same period last year, the bureau said.

But the inflation rate remained relatively stable, measuring 3.8 per cent between December 2003 and July 2004.

“The increase in prices of 0.2 per cent in the month of July was influenced primarily by an overall 0.2 per cent increase in prices in the food group,” the bureau noted in a statement.

Cereals, pulses, meat, fish, eggs, milk, oils and fats, condiments and spices, vegetables, and alcohol beverages cost between 0.2 per cent and 1.3 per cent more in July, compared to a 1.3 per cent drop in the cost of fruits and a 0.5 per cent decline in non-alcoholic beverage prices in the same period.

But some non-food items also cost more last month. Furniture prices recorded a 0.7 per cent increase, cleaning materials cost 1.7 per cent more, medical and personal care went up by 1.8 per cent, and doctor’s fees cost patients an additional 6.5 per cent, the bureau said.

“The miscellaneous group increased by 0.1 per cent, while there was an overall decrease of 0.1 per cent in educational, recreational and cultural services,” it added

The Urban Consumer Price Index monitors consumer and non-consumer prices primarily in Georgetown and is sometimes referred to as “the Georgetown index”, the bureau explained.

One hundred treated in Baramita medical outreach
MORE than 100 residents of Baramita in Region One (Barima/Waini) have benefited from a medical outreach exercise conducted there by a team headed by Regional Health Services Director, Dr Bheri Ramsarran.

The residents were examined and treated at an out-patient clinic conducted by Dr Ramsarran, Coastlands Health Services Coordinator Harrychan Ramuset, and Coordinator of Indigenous People Patricia Singh.

The residents received dental care services, malaria smear testing and testing for tuberculosis (TB), and were treated for ailments such as worm infestation, respiratory infection, anemia and osteo arthritis, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said yesterday.

Dentex of Matthew’s Ridge, Sharon Philips, saw 34 patients and did 32 extractions and Malaria Officer Mitchell Pierre, also of Matthew’s Ridge, did 80 smears.

The smears found seven persons to be malaria positive and their treatment has commenced, GINA said.

The agency said Nurse Neibert Tucker of the Chest Clinic of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation carried out the TB surveillance and Dr Desrey Fox, Director of the Amerindian Research Unit, evaluated the social status of the community.

The Health and Local Government ministries financed the medical outreach, which resulted from the initiative of Local Government and Regional Development Minister Harripersaud Nokta, GINA said.

Happy Acres woman wins Gold Rush car
A YOUNG woman from Happy Acres, East Coast Demerara, left Courts (Guyana) Inc. happier yesterday after receiving the Toyota Carina AE 192 car she won earlier this month in the store’s Gold Rush contest.

Ms. Sabrina Persaud received the keys to the vehicle from Courts Director of Operations Lester Alvis at a presentation ceremony yesterday. She had won the top prize from among six other customers who were part of Courts Gold Rush promotion for July.

At the promotion, held at Le Meridien Pegasus Poolside on Tuesday, August 10, the seven customers were asked to bid on a bar-b-queue gas grill and Ms. Persaud bid closest to the grill’s retail price of $39,999.

She also had the opportunity of spinning the big wheel worth over $20 million in cash and prizes. Her spin won her a Toyota Carina 212.

West Berbice youth body hosts ‘summer’ camp computer course
THE West Berbice Youth Association (WBYA) has reached out to children between ten and 12 years of age with a “summer” camp to teach an introduction to computers.

The programme is being held at the Headquarters of the Association, Hopetown Village, West Coast, Berbice. The WBYA edifice was built under the auspices of the President’s Youth Choice Initiative programme .

Chairperson of the WBYA Ms Marlena Brandt has disclosed that the beneficiaries of the special exercise are primary school students, who recently completed the Secondary School Entrance Examinations (SSEE) and are about to embark on their High School learning.

The programme is sponsored by the Hopetown New York Development Association.

The students are 20 in number, and resource persons are members of the Association. The software for the teaching project was acquired through the President’s Youth Choice Initiative (PYCI).

Ms Brandt disclosed that the camp was launched two weeks ago. And will conclude this week since the new school year commences on Monday, August 30, 2004.

The Chairperson said also that the pre-teens have displayed a high level of interest in Information Technology. Attendance has been 100 per cent to date. The youth body is fervently hoping that the exposure to computers and

Information technology will stand the youths in good stead as they embark on their secondary stage of their formal learning. (Clifford Stanley)

In spite of the gripers
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo aptly remarked during his recent visit to Linden and at the Sunday meeting with residents of Sophia at the Sophia Exhibition Centre, Georgetown, that even with the best intentions there are those who are negative in their thinking and attitude.

He described them as “gripers.”

Even the medical people will tell us that a positive approach is good for one’s health, and so too in life whenever there are challenges and adversities ahead the best approach to overcome them is to think and act positively.

In the context of Guyana, there are many adversities and challenges as the country tries to push ahead in a difficult local and international climate.

The gripers have been complaining and making excuses about why no one should invest in Guyana.

In some cases they have actually discouraged or taken action to discourage investors here - a typical case of one shooting oneself in the foot.

However, in spite of the gripers, there are many who are thinking and acting positively - some are in the limelight, while others are tapping away positively but quietly in various parts of the country. There are many who are investing in innovative ventures around the country.

One such venture is the New Line Aqua Farm Incorporated at Boeraserie on the West Coast Demerara which is managed by a young and enthusiastic entrepreneur who has already invested more than $150M in the scheme.

The massive fish farm is rearing tilapia and paku for the local and overseas markets.

The young proprietor, Mr Salim Juman Azeez, said the venture is something he always wanted to do, and “it is a like a dream come true.”

A unique feature of the farm which spans 790 acres of land at Boeraserie, is that it has its own nursery and hatchery for the development of fingerlings, and Mr Azeez said he is willing to share and spread the technology with persons in similar ventures.

Prior to this, he added, fingerlings had to be imported and this was costly.

The farm has 28 fish ponds and the long-term plan is to develop 360 ponds over the next 10 years, he projected.

A water recycling plant, a processing plant and facilities to convert solid waste into fish feed are also earmarked for the scheme.

The potential productive capacity of the farm when it peaks is 100,000 pounds of fish per pond per week, Mr Azeez, adding that this output would be able to satisfy the local and foreign markets.

He also anticipates that the venture would eventually create employment for about 500 people.

The entrepreneur should be applauded for pushing ahead in spite of the gripers around.

Essequibo manslaughter trial begins at Demerara Assizes
By George Barclay
JUSTICE of Appeal Ms Claudette Singh, presiding over the trial of Zaheed Bashier called 'Buck', who is charged with unlawfully killing Jagnarine Boodhoo called 'Buss-up', yesterday issued arrest warrants for three Prosecution witnesses, who have failed to attend Court.

The witnesses are: Khemrajie Parbu called 'Kim'; Khowsilla Baldeo called 'Vallie', and Seenanan Ramnarine called 'Squash', all of Philadelphia, East Bank Essequibo.

The offence is alleged to have been committed on January 23, 2001, at Philadelphia, Essequibo.

In his opening address to the jury, State Prosecutor Mr. Yohhahnseh Cave promised to lead evidence to show that during a quarrel and physical clash between the accused and Boodhoo (now deceased), Bashier who had objected to Boodhoo calling him 'Buck', pushed Boodhoo off his (Bashier's) landing, causing him to die in hospital the following day from head injuries.

Basier, who is un-represented by counsel, has pleaded not guilty.

One of the witnesses testifying yesterday was the wife of the accused Tarwattie Persaud called 'Lynette' of Philadelphia, East Bank Essequibo.

Ms Persaud testified that on the night in question, she and her husband (the accused) were at her sister's home spending vacation.

She said that at around 11 o' clock that night she was aroused by a voice calling for her husband.

She added, "My husband was asleep. When I opened the door, I observed the caller to be Jagnarine Boodhoo. When I told him that my husband was asleep, he (Boodhoo) began to curse. I told him to go home because he was drunk. Instead of heeding my advice, he came up to the platform of the one-flat house and continued cursing and calling my husband.

"My husband, who was awakened from his sleep, answered to the call and came out to the platform. My husband advised him to go home. Both men were speaking loudly. Boodhoo called my husband "Buck" and my husband objected to being called that name. Boodhoo then slapped my husband. I was returning to the building with my baby in my arms when my husband pushed Boodhoo, (and) closed the door. We returned to bed," witness declared.

Ms Persaud recounted that later that night, with the aid of "a light", she discovered Boodhoo's body lying on the ground under her landing.

He was picked up and rushed to hospital where he died the following day.

Another witness, Sergeant Gladwyn Hercules, testified that he was on duty at the Parika Police Station when he received a report that Jagnarine Boodhoo, the deceased in this matter, had been picked up in a yard at Philadelphia Village, East Bank Essequibo, with injuries to the head. By then, Boodhoo was a patient at the Medical Arts Centre in Georgetown.

Hercules, who participated in the investigations, said that he told the accused and his wife that it was alleged that they had pushed Boodhoo from the platform. He later invited them to the Police Station for investigations.

Witness said that after learning that Boodhoo had subsequently died, he attended a post mortem examination at which the body was identified by relatives.

The witness said that in a statement to the Police, the accused had said that Boodhoo had called him 'Buck'. He reported that the accused had said, "Man ah get vex and ah slap him. I then went back to bed."

The hearing continues today.

Amputee, 48, opts for jail time in lieu of community service
A forty-eight-year-old amputee was fined $10,000 and ordered to complete three months of community service after he pleaded guilty to being in possession of narcotics.

Magistrate Chandra Sohan imposed the penalties on Randolph Harlequin of Number Five Village, West Coast Berbice, at Fort Wellington Court on Thursday.

Harlequin, who has an artificial leg, however opted to serve the alternative penalty of 20 days in prison instead.

He said that he was unemployed and used the narcotics as a means of coping with his personal and financial problems.

Harlequin added that he preferred to go to prison since he did not have the means to pay the fine.

Police said that Harlequin was found in possession of one gramme of marijuana during an enforcement exercise on the public road at Fort Wellington on July 28 last. (Clifford Stanley)

Three plead ‘not guilty’ to larceny charges
THREE Georgetown men, who were each charged with larceny, yesterday pleaded not guilty when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates Court.

Timothy Yaw of Lot 66 James Street, Albouystown, the first defendant, was charged with stealing a welding set gauge worth $88,200 from BK International on Saturday last.

Police said Yaw was employed to work as a painter on one of the company's vessels at the Kingston wharf. However, when a Security Guard searched his bag, the article was discovered.

Meanwhile, the second defendant, Ron Abrams also called 'Rubber' of Lot 16 North Road, was arrested after Police conducted a search at his home and found two extractor fans valued $80,000. The fans were reported missing by the owner of Globe Cinema on Sunday, August 22.

Principal Magistrate Cecil Sullivan, before whom the men appeared, granted them $10,000 pre-trial liberty each. Yaw will go to trial on October 6 and Abrams on October 8.

Shawn Forde, a labourer of Lot 84 Breda Street, Werk-en-Rust, was released on $15,000 bail after he denied stealing a cellular telephone.

Particulars of the charge said that yesterday morning the Virtual Complainant (VC) Fizal Alli, saw the defendant jumping his gate with his $20,000 cellular phone.

Alli raised an alarm. Forde escaped, but he was subsequently apprehended. He will be back in Court on October 4 for the commencement of his trial.

Goodfaith robbery suspects remanded
COVE and John Magistrate Brassington Reynolds yesterday remanded to prison two men, who were apprehended by residents of Goodfaith, Mahaicony on Sunday morning, while they were allegedly attempting to commit a felony.

According to reports reaching the Chronicle yesterday, Parmanand Latchman, of 60 Parker Street, Providence, East Bank Demerara, and Leon Anthony Baldeo of Herstelling, also of East Bank Demerara, were ordered remanded until their next Court appearance at Mahaicony on August 30, 2004.

A Police report on Monday disclosed that three men, two of whom were armed with cutlasses, attempted to rob a businessman of Goodfaith, Mahaicony early Sunday morning.

However, the would-be robbers were foiled in their attempt after a member of the household discharged two rounds, which alerted neighbours, who then came to the aid of the family.

Residents chased the men and apprehended two of them, who were later handed over to the Police, the report stated.

Court hears of killing at birth-night party at Port Kaituma
A mixed jury at the Demerara Assizes yesterday heard about a Port Kaituma birth-night party that ended in the death of Ignatius Thomas on March 3, 1996.

Victor Giles, who is indicted for manslaughter, is conducting his own defence at the trial, which is presided over by Justice of Appeal Mr. Ian Chang.

The Prosecution is saying that fighting broke out at the birth-night party, when Thomas was "locked off" and killed by Giles.

But the relatives of the deceased are contending that it was a case where advantage was being taken of the deceased.

Eight witnesses are expected to testify at the hearing, which continues today. (George Barclay)

Exam papers tampering can be stopped
THE problem of tampering with exam papers can be easily eliminated once and for all.

Moreover, this can be done in a manner that saves the CXC money.

This saving would also allow the council to charge far less money for sitting examinations and may make it possible for more poor students to be afforded subsidies.

Here's the proposed solution:

1. Examinations can be sent to exam halls via the internet. This can be done on the day of examinations or on the eve. Exams can be displayed on projector screens in exam halls. No ink, no paper, no tampering.

2. Security issues - The issue of tampering must still be considered. The council can deal with this by building a massive database of possible exam questions that are randomly selected close to the examinations. Access to this database must only be given to high level council officials.

3. Miscellaneous issues - there are many opportunities for cost saving with this method. One example is that it is possible for the council to arrange rental of equipment and human resources from IT companies in the various countries. I am confident that the council is competent enough to make this approach work.

I trust that the council will consider this suggestion.
MARLON CHUNG

The fall of the Public Service
MR PATRICK Yarde, in recent letters to the press, mentions the halcyon days of the civil service when there was pride in being a civil servant and the service was a career one.

Mr Yarde does not mention the reasons for the fall of the Public Service but merely bemoans it.

The reasons for the fall must be known if there is going to be a revival. And these are the reasons for the fall:

(1) The Public Service had strict criteria of admission, educationally, culturally and in terms of family background. Those criteria were overturned with a vengeance when the late Mr LFS Burnham came into power. The educational levels were completely ignored and persons with one CXC or one GCE 'O' Level or the lower grades from Critchlow Labour College were taken in. Some did not even have that. And the social backgrounds often came from the lower echelons.

(2) Not only were the educational and social criteria of employment in the Public Service abandoned, but the government service was used as a vehicle for political patronage where thousands of useless unqualified persons were employed. The salaries had to remain low as the money to pay them remained basically the same. It was like paying $100 to one person, but later paying the same $100 to four.

(3) The higher ranks of the Public Service who were brought up in the British tradition were insulted by the lower educated Ministers and they always had the threat of Mr Burnham on their necks. Most of them could not stand it and they emigrated. There are very few public servants from the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's left in Guyana.

(4) The Public Service in the 1940's and even 1960's largely consisted of coloured people (mixed) who were cultured and better educated than the Africans and Indians. And it was they who ran the Public Service in its great days. But these people were fast eliminated by Burnham and his cohorts and replaced by their supporters of inferior education, social background and integrity. This was often done in the name of socialism.

(5) The financial regulations were consciously disregarded and broken by Burnham and his fellows and his attitude spread throughout the Public Service. Monies were misspent and theft and corruption grew - something unknown before, when the service had men and women of education, integrity and middle or upper class backgrounds. This misspending of public funds was emphasised by ignoring the Auditor General and because of the theory of the "Paramount of the Party" where the PNC party had more power and importance than the government and the state structures. The PNC could liberally help itself from the state treasury, for example the so-called Ministry of National Development or the Knowledge Sharing Institutes (KSIs).

(6) But the final coup de grace to the upper ranks of the Pubic Service came when Mr Burnham and his party introduced the "Developer's Course" where the senior and middle ranks of the Pubic Service were forced to be billeted on poor peasants, sleep and eat in their poor lodgings, often in unsanitary conditions, clean cow dung and dirty drains and have their dignity completely destroyed. Sometimes, when sleeping on the floors, rats would be running over them or small children defecating or urinating on them. Most of the senior public servants left after that.

(7) And then there was the Hope Estate slave labour where you laboured the whole day for a pint of cooking oil or a cake of soap or a pound of salt. After that, the public servant had little of his dignity or self respect left.

(8) And during all this time, Mr Yarde and his Public Service Union turned their backs on the workers and supported and kow-towed to Burnham who did not grant any wage increases for 30 years. The PSU made not a sound when the public servants were humiliated, abused and starved.

(9) Under these conditions, the Public Service has ceased to be a career service and young people, as they do now, join the service to "catch their hands" and then move away; no intentions to serve a lifetime.

(10) The Public Service Union or Civil Service Association, as it was formerly known, had highly educated and able men as officers. There were persons like the late Dr Balwant Singh or the legendary accountant W.G. Stoll. These men were respected by the community at large and by all politicians as well as public servants. They negotiated with good sense since they negotiated with facts and figures and not big-mouth shouting or political threats which led nowhere. You cannot compare the quality of representation in the Civil Service Association with what you have in the PSU today.

(11) The old union was highly trusted and respected by the workers. It had regular elections and its finances were clean and transparent. This positively compares with the negativities which reign in the union today. The members often do not respect the union officers who are sometimes accused of misdeeds and no one hung on to office more than he should in the old days.

(12) And lastly, the Public Service was like the English Civil Service - it was neutral and served the government of the day. No public servant played politics or was aligned to any political party for if he were, he would have been dismissed. Further, the union, the Civil Service Association, had nothing to do with politics. Today, it is different and some members of the leadership of the Public Service Union are openly involved in highly partisan politics. You could not be a successful trade union leader if you consistently alienate, threaten and insult your employer. Since the majority of public servants do not wish to be politically aligned or that their union be aligned to any political party, they are more and more moving away from Mr Yarde's union.

What is the answer? The answer is simple. Ensure that qualified young people from UG or 'A' Level students from the better schools are recruited. Computerise and rationalise the numbers of staff so that salaries could be higher. Keep training staff. Have high salaries for the professional echelons. Have strict financial controls so that the thefts and embezzlement which are so common among public servants be ended. Erring public servants should be seriously disciplined, especially those who are discourteous and uncooperative to the public.

And finally, restore the Public Service to a neutral organisation and if any employee is involved in politics he or she must resign as used to be the law of Guyana. Likewise, the Public Service Union cannot be involved in any partisan politics for this weakens the unions in that they do not serve all their members and they usually pick rows and conflicts with the employers. The Pubic Service Union must also be transparently clean financially.

Mr Yarde's letter has no analysis and carries no constructive or creative suggestions or recommendation.
HENRY G. NILES

No place for them
I READ with gladness in my heart a letter by Imam Baksh published in the Stabroek News on August 19.

His letter was in praise of our religious and cultural diversity and expressed sentiments which every true Guyanese should heed.

In response I wish to say, "Allah be praised for creating people like you and sending them to teach us to observe the Christ’s only commandment - `Love one another’".

As a totally committed born again Christian, who also is a Hindu and Muslim, I wish to suggest that Imam Baksh and others of similar persuasion contact the world parliament of religions, headquartered in Chicago, where your contributions can make a real difference in the fight for religious unity worldwide as well as an end to the use of religious differences as a tool for hate mongers.

Also, as the granddaughter of both an Indian Vshatriya and an African Brahmin, I wish to respectfully suggest to jumped-up `chamars’ that they take their divisive preaching and hate mongering elsewhere.

There is no place for them in the new Guyana that we are building.

Because of people like them, I have been afraid to wear a sari in public and celebrate my Indian heritage. I also can't afford to buy one of the kind of quality that I would wear so that too has been a problem.

I proudly wore an Egyptian outfit to the Emancipation Day celebrations though and no one objected.

It was a hand me down from a beloved aunt who was an English Hindu and since my Gambian outfit was not finished in time, I had to make do.

May Jehovah God bless you, Imam Baksh, and all others like you who celebrate our unity and interdependence.

Together we will rebuild this scarred and battered land. One People, One Nation, One Destiny.
ELIZABETH ALLEYNE

Going places
I AM heartened by the number of programmes held over the August holidays for children and young people.

I am sure we are going places.

I was favoured with an opportunity to read advertisements from one of our neighbouring countries for programmes designed for children over the period when they are on school break.

Then I later saw a number in our local newspapers and on television, and the private sector was leading the way.

These help to adequately prepare our children for adult life and for the new technological era.

I am sure that in the next five or so years, strong two-month programmes will be designed for the young ones while they are on school vacation.

I am excited about the future in this respect.
SATESH DEODAT

Why the reluctance?
THE Amerindians are ready and willing to negotiate for their progress.

That is, they are willing to participate in parliament and have meaningful discussion with the President for their advancement.

So, why are Mr Corbin and the PNCR not ready and willing to negotiate for the advancement of Afro-Guyanese (whom the PNCR claims to represent)?

Is it that Mr Corbin and the PNCR are requesting special privileges that they have not earned?

Should the President negotiate with Mr Raphael Trotman for Afro-Guyanese progress or should he just continue to do what he think is right for all Guyanese?

Why is Mr Corbin not willing to engage in meaningful dialogue and participate in parliament?

Is it because he fears the outcome of such dialogue with the President (that is, he fears the PPP/C will look good to his supporters and his supporters will vote for the PPP/C instead of the PNCR)?

The President should work with the Amerindians to further their cause instead of wasting his valuable time with Mr Corbin and the PNCR.

There are real important issues that the President can deal with instead of wasting his precious time with Mr Corbin and the PNCR.
SEAN ADAMS

Silent – as usual
MANY people are asking where are the Guyana Human Rights Association and Amnesty International.

Brutal crimes are being inflicted on innocent and peaceful citizens.

Citizens and a policeman were recently killed and both these organisations are very silent as usual.

But just let the police kill one violent criminal, or rapist - then you can expect a series of condemnations by the Guyana Human Rights Association and Amnesty International.

It seems that criminals have more human rights than peaceful and law-abiding citizens.
NALINI PERSAUD

Citizens must fight back
HOUSEHOLDERS and public-spirited citizens must not hesitate, if they are in a position to defend themselves and family, friends, or other citizens from criminals, and to wreak such punishment as would dissuade other criminals.

Citizens must combine with each other in community policing groups and in collaboration with the official police to defend themselves and communities.

They should not hesitate to use the requisite and appropriate violence to suit the level of violence that would be inflicted on them, if the criminals had their way.

Judges and magistrates must put convicted criminals away for a long enough time to protect society from these predators.

The repeat violent criminal or rapist should be removed from society as long as possible – there should be no bail or reduction of sentence.

If any convicted criminal or rapist finds himself back in society and inflicts further harm, then the public should know who was responsible, and how this was allowed to happen, that is, on what grounds.

Sentencing must help to reduce crime.
COMPTON PHILLIPS

Right move
I THINK that the authorities were quite right to have stalls removed from the Diamond housing scheme and other areas.

We cannot continue to have this kind of disorderliness continue, with these stalls being set up all over the place.

They block and obscure traffic, create littering and other unhygienic conditions, and some are covers for drug trafficking and other illegal and immoral activities, including those who choke and rob citizens.

If it is necessary for commercial activities of a legal nature to take place in a community, then a proper market or centre should be set up and properly managed.

But we cannot have people setting up stalls wherever and whenever they wish.
SHELLY PERSAUD

Positive step
AS A resident of Sophia, I think it was a positive step by President Bharrat Jagdeo to visit on Sunday last.

He is a practical man who does not make a flurry of promises and eventually nothing happens.

Although $1.5B was outlined for the development of the community, we were told that we have to work together.

I agree - nothing comes on a ‘silver platter’.

Cooperation is the key, and trust me, it will happen because we need to move forward as a community.

I am pleased with this latest development and I know other residents of Sophia share my sentiments.
STEVEN BERNARD

CXC must act quickly
I READ in one of the Monday dailies that there were two schools in another Caribbean country that had ungraded CXC results.

I find this rather strange because the media in Guyana made it appear that it was only Guyana that was affected by this.

It means therefore that what Minister of Education, Dr. Henry Jeffrey, was saying, that there was a possibility that the papers might have originated from another territory, has some bearing.

CXC needs to look carefully at this issue and act quickly so that our students accessing jobs and furthering their studies are not severely affected.
ANDREW WILSON

Williams-Darling captures historic 400-metre gold
By Lance Whittaker
ATHENS, Greece, (CMC) - Bahamian Tonique Williams-Darling produced a courageous run to capture the women’s 400-metre gold medal, the English-speaking Caribbean's first triumph at the 2004 Athens Olympics last night.

Accelerating well down the backstretch, the 28-year-old Williams-Darling sped to the front approaching the midway point in the race and repelled a determined challenge from the Mexican world champion Ana Guevara to land a famous gold medal for her country in a time of 49.41 seconds.

“When I came off the last 100 metres, I felt Ana (Guevara) step for step with me and I know that she would push and I just stayed within myself and focused on the things that I was working on,” Williams-Darling said.

And Williams-Darling chose to be very nationalistic in the post-race news conference, emphasising her country’s glory over her own.

“Right now, I don’t think it’s so much about me, but it is about a country that is very small, but has really great athletes,” Williams-Darling said.

“It’s a road that has been paved a long time ago with our very first medal, with Frank Rutherford (third in Barcelona 1992 triple jump) and so many other great athletes, the Golden Girls (4 x 100 metres relay title in Sydney) with their gold medal,” she added.

Guevara ran a season’s best 49.56 for second spot, and the Russian Natalya Antyukh ran on well to get third in 49.89.

The other Caribbean runner in the field, Christine Amertil also of The Bahamas was seventh in 50.37.

The win was the first-ever individual gold for the Bahamas in Olympic history and third gold overall, adding to the women’s sprint gold in Sydney four years ago, and sailing gold at the 1964 games in Tokyo for Durward Knowles and Cecil Cooke.

In another bright Caribbean story, Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell reaffirmed her status as gold medal favourite in the half-lap sprint with a world-leading and personal best time in the women’s 200-metre semifinal.

Running in the second semifinal, Campbell exploded from the blocks and the result was a foregone conclusion before they entered the straight.

She clocked a personal best 22.13 to better her own previous best time by 0.05 seconds, chased by her teammate Aleen Bailey, who also registered a personal record 22.33 in an event in which three of the four Caribbean semifinalists booked spots into tonight’s final.

Belgium’s Kim Gevaert was third in a national record 22.48, and Bahamian Debbie Ferguson logged a season’s best 22.49 for fourth.

The lone casualty for the region in the event was Cydonie Mothersill of the Cayman Islands, who got a bad start and placed fifth in 22.76.

In the first semifinal, the 18-year-old American Allyson Felix posted a solid and comfortable win in 22.36 seconds.

Jamaican Bev McDonald missed a final spot when she placed fifth in 23.02, and Slovenia’s Jamaica-born, 44-year-old veteran Merlene Ottey pulled up injured on the turn and failed to finish.

In other events yesterday, Lacena Golding-Clarke, Jamaica’s Commonwealth Games champion, was fifth in the women’s 100-metre hurdles final in 12.73.

American Joanna Hayes won in a very fast 12.37, an Olympic record, after world champion Perdita Felicien fell at the first hurdle.

In the men’s 400 hurdles, Danny McFarlane of Jamaica ran a career-best 48.00 to win his semifinal and enter the final as the second quickest.

“I just tried to go out there and execute and I did 98 per cent of that just now,” McFarlane said.

Only world champion Felix Sanchez (47.93) went faster.

Jamaicans Kemel Thompson (48.25) and Dean Griffiths (49.51) were eliminated.

Advancing from the second round of the men’s 200 metres, were Jamaicans Asafa Powell (20.23) and Chris Williams, in a season’s best 20.34.

“All I’m trying to do is to advance to the next round each time and I executed all my phases right today,” Williams stated.

Bahamian Dominic Demeritte (20.61) and Antiguan Brendan Christian (20.63) were ousted.

In the morning session, Jamaica’s young sprint sensation Usain Bolt, who has been competitively inactive for four months because of injury, looked far below top form and exited the men’s 200 metres with a fifth place finish in his heat.

The decathlon ended with a gold medal triumph for the Czech Republic’s Roman Sebrle, with an Olympic record 8 893 points.

Jamaicans Claston Bernard and Maurice Smith placed ninth and 14th respectively.

Commonwealth Games champion Bernard registered a national record 8 225 points while placing ninth, and Smith tallied 8 023 for 14th.

In long jump qualifying, Jamaican James Beckford qualified as the fourth best at 8.20 metres, but his Caribbean colleagues Kareem Streete-Thompson (7.85 metres) of the Cayman Islands, and Bahamian Osbourne Moxey (7.81m) were ousted.

In cycling, Barbadian Barry Forde placed sixth in the men’s sprint at the Olympic Veldodrome during the ride-off for minor placings in the event.

Beaten in his quarterfinal match sprint on Monday, Forde was up against Britain’s Ross Edgar in the ride-off for positions fifth and sixth position and lost. Edgar won in 11.214 seconds.

Australian Ryan Bayley, who won his quarterfinal clash with Forde, went on to capture the gold medal, defeating the Netherlands’ Theo Bos in 10.661seconds.

German Rene Wolff got bronze.

BCB not renewing Harper’s contract
HAMILTON, Bermuda, (CMC) - Former Guyana all-rounder Mark Harper, Bermuda’s national cricket coach, has been released after three years and will leave at the end of the domestic cricket season, officials confirmed yesterday.

“Harper has reached the end of his fixed three-year contract with the Bermuda Cricket Board,” a news release from the Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) said.

“It is with great regret that we are not in a position to offer Mark a new contract. The BCB, however, would like to take this opportunity to thank him for all his efforts and enthusiasm over the last three years and wish him luck in his future endeavours.”

Harper, a former Guyana batsman and brother of Roger Harper, the former Guyana captain, West Indies all-rounder and West Indies coach, was not immediately available for comment.

The BCB gave no indication about a possible replacement for Harper with another overseas coach.

In his time in charge, Harper has guided the national team through the 2001 ICC (International Cricket Council) Trophy tournament in Canada, two Americas Championships in Argentina and at home, and the new ICC Intercontinental Cup.

Under his tenure, Bermuda’s Under-15 squad have won back-to-back Americas Championships and the senior national team qualified for the 2005 ICC Trophy in Ireland by finishing third behind Canada and the United States in the regional competition earlier this summer.

On his arrrival in the island in 2001, he published a detailed report entitled, ‘Bermuda Cricket: The Way Forward’, which called for sweeping changes to the structure of local cricket.

Throughout his time in Bermuda, however, Harper has been dogged by widespread criticism from players and commentators alike.

Among a litany of complaints, he has been accused of failing to motivate and command the respect of many national team players, lacking energy and dynamism in training sessions, and displaying poor communications skills.

In an interview earlier this month, Harper said he wanted to do more during his three-year stint in Bermuda, but argued that there were “very limited resources” at his disposal.

“You can only work with what you have,” he said. “Only a handful of schools play cricket and only a handful of them have ever responded to my request to come in and work with the kids.”

He said getting the national team to Ireland for next year’s ICC Trophy tournament, where Bermuda will bid to earn a place in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies was a very good achievement and he was proud of it.

Huggins off to good start but GPF take command
THE local law enforcers have taken a commanding lead after the first day of action in the annual Police Track and Field championships at the Eve Leary Sports Club ground, while Trinidadian Joycelyn Huggins looks set to successfully defend her triple field event gold record.

Going into today’s second day Guyana are on 105 points, followed by Trinidad and Tobago on 28, Barbados 27 and St Lucia 12 points.

Huggins who claimed gold medals in the 2003 games in the shot put, discus and javelin events got off to a great start yesterday when she successfully defended the shot and discus titles and looked set to take the javelin title in a matter of hours.

Huggins is a ‘regular’ to Guyana in the games and has dashed hopes for those hoping to upset her.

In other results, Guyana’s leaders Colin Mercurius started on a winning note taking the 5 000m crown, while good performances were also turned in for Andre Blackman and Corletta Benjamin.

Action continues today with the heats starting at 10:00 hrs today while tomorrow is a rest day.

Kemboi leads jubilant Kenyan 1-2-3 in steeplechase
By Bill Barclay
ATHENS, Greece (Reuters) - Ezekiel Kemboi led home a jubilant Kenyan 1-2-3 in the men's Olympic 3 000 metres steeplechase final yesterday.

The world championship silver medallist beckoned team-mates Brimin Kipruto and Paul Kipsiele Koech over the line after him as he took gold in a time of eight minutes 5.81 seconds.

The trio headed Musa Obaid Amer, himself a former Kenyan now representing Qatar, over the line to maintain the African country's almost total dominance of the event.

Kenya have now won the last six Olympic 3 000 steeplechase gold and 13 of the 18 medals on offer in that period.

The three latest medallists feted their success by embracing in a joyful jig at the end before embarking on a joint lap of honour.

"I'm proud of that. It's for me, Kenya, Africa and the world. I'm happy, happy, happy," Kemboi told reporters.

"I won silver at the Commonwealth Games (in 2002) and I won silver at the world championships in Paris last year, so now I am very happy with my gold medal.

"It is teamwork. We help each during the race and we accelerate in the last 400 metres.

"The race was very beautiful and it's great to have all the medals. I'm so tired and happy, I hope we've made everybody in Kenya very, very proud."

The victory was especially sweet for the Kenyans because of the ill feeling created by the defection to Qatar of several of their top runners.

Kemboi finished second at last year's world championships in Paris to Qatar's world champion Saif Saeed Shaheen, formerly Kenyan Stephen Cherono, who switched to represent the Gulf State, on a lucrative contract.

Shaheen, though, was absent from Athens after the disgruntled Kenyan Olympic Committee blocked his participation. Until Paris, Kenya had won the last six world championship gold medals.

BITTER AMER
By the end of the first circuit yesterday the three Kenyans had established themselves at the front led by the 19-year-old Kipruto. Amer, formerly Moses Kipchirchir, shadowed their every move.

Koech, the fastest man in the world this year, took it up and stretched out the field before the 22-year-old Kemboi moved decisively to the front with 200 metres to go.

Displaying virtual contempt for the rest of the field he turned to wave his team-mates on after each of the last remaining hurdles and Kipruto and Koech duly obliged, leaving Amer to settle for fourth place.

The Qatar runner cut a lonely figure as his former compatriots danced in triumph and, despite running a personal best of 8:07.18, he was bitter in defeat.

"Brimin Kipruto closed in on me on the last water jump and to avoid being disqualified I had to hold back. That's where I lost the bronze medal," he said.

GCC, Everest play to 0-0 stalemate
OLD rivals GCC and Everest battled to a nil-all stalemate on Monday when the female league opened at the GCC ground, Bourda, with one match.

It was an evenly contested affair. However, GCC were more aggressive and showed better endurance than Everest.

GCC came out gunning from the first whistle and enjoyed more ball control and possession than their counterparts, while squeezing through the Everest defence.

GCC opened with a few attacks on the goal but were thwarted by the Everest defence, since they played without a goalie, and GCC tried to make them pay dearly for it, but without success.

Following the halftime resumption, Everest were the closest to scoring as they guided the ball down the right wing of the field, and an air ball was sent through the air, hit the far post and ricocheted out of the box.

Everest celebrated, but the referee saw it differently cutting short the celebration.

A few other attempts by both teams to salvage a win proved futile.

Play continues next Monday with GCC playing Old Fort in the National Park from 16:45 hrs.

Meanwhile, the John Fernandes Insurance second division men’s tournament starts today at Everest, with the hosts entertaining GCC from 16:45 hrs.

Sebrle charges towards decathlon gold
By Mitch Phillips
ATHENS, Greece (Reuters) - Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic cemented his position as the world's greatest all-round athlete when he won the Olympic decathlon gold medal with an emphatic late surge yesterday.

The world-record holder and only man to break the 9 000 points barrier had trailed Kazakhstan's Dmitriy Karpov for much of the 10-discipline test but hit the front with a spectacular 70.52-metre javelin throw in the penultimate event.

That turned a 46-point deficit on Karpov into a 63-point lead over Bryan Clay of the United States and the experienced 29-year-old Sebrle then safely negotiated the 1500 metres to add gold to the silver he won in Sydney four years ago.

His winning total was 8 893 points. Clay, 24, took the silver with 8 820 to continue his remarkable progress over the last two years while the 23-year-old Karpov won the bronze with 8 725.

Briton Dean Macey, back in action after three injury-ravaged years, repeated his fourth-place finish from Sydney with 8 414 points.

Sebrle timed his charge to perfection after Karpov had started the day well, the lean Kazak extending his lead to 166 points with exceptional performances in the 110 metres hurdles and discus -- both the best in the field.

Sebrle kept in touch, however, his 14.05-second hurdles and 48.72-metre discus scoring well, and was able to cut the deficit to a mere 46 points in a marathon four-hour pole vault with 5.00 metres to the 4.60 of Karpov.

The gold medal was effectively settled, as expected, in the javelin, one of the Czech's strongest events.

He opened with an impressive 68.95, followed up with 67.05 and then launched the spear 70.52 metres for 897 points.

Karpov could manage only 55.54 for a meagre 671, by far his worst performance of the competition, allowing Clay to sweep past him with a personal best 69.71 (885 points).

It even gave the young American a shot at gold but he would have needed to beat the world record holder by nearly 10 seconds in the 1500 -- an unlikely scenario as Sebrle's best over the distance bettered Clay's by 17 seconds.

Instead the American chose to shadow the master clear of danger for the three-and-three-quarter laps.

Sebrle finished in four minutes 40.01 seconds, 17 seconds short of what he needed for 9 000 points, but he was clearly delighted as he accepted the congratulations of his weary rivals.

Clay, who had been the early pacesetter on Monday, had continued his solid work throughout the second day with an impressive 50.11 discus and a 4.90 pole vault, showing that his victory over world champion Tom Pappas in the U.S. trials was no fluke.

It was a disappointing day for Pappas, who was forced to drop out of the competition after aggravating a strain in his left foot during the pole vault, when he failed to register a height.

Defending Olympic champion Erki Nool was never a factor over the two days and his field-leading 5.40 pole vault was a rare bright spot for the Estonian, who eventually climbed to eighth overall.

Former world record holder Tomas Dvorak of the Czech Republic pulled out on Monday after aggravating an Achilles tendon injury during the opening event, the 100 metres.

Gold at last for Morocco’s champion athlete El Guerrouj
By John Mehaffey
ATHENS, Greece (Reuters) - Hicham El Guerrouj claimed the Olympic gold medal that eluded him in two previous Games, yesterday, to confirm he is unquestionably the greatest 1500 metres runner in history.

The 30-year-old Moroccan moved to the front at 800 metres in a bold bid to dictate the race. He was still ahead at the bell as the field began to accelerate and clung on in the straight to hold off Kenyan Bernard Lagat and win in three minutes 34.18 seconds.

Despite four world titles and world records over both the 1500 and its imperial equivalent the mile, a question mark has hung over the 30-year-old Moroccan's ability to perform on the biggest stage of all.

El Guerrouj fell just before the bell at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and was beaten in a frenzied sprint finish by Kenyan Noah Ngeny in Sydney four years later.

All doubts were assuaged yesterday as El Guerrouj crossed the line first. He then embarked on an ecstatic victory lap draped in the Moroccan flag, stopping at one point to dance an impromptu jig as the theme tune from ‘Zorba the Greek’ thundered through the Olympic stadium.

"I am really happy. I feel like a baby, a three-month old baby," El Guerrouj told reporters.

The evening's track events took place against a backdrop of another fascinating women's pole vault competition, won by Russian Yelena Isinbayeva who went on to set her seventh world record of the year when she cleared 4.91 metres.

Isinbayeva was one jump away from defeat on a windy evening which made vaulting a perilous occupation but decided to gamble on an attempt at 4.80 after failing at 4.70 and 4.75.

HANDSOME BONUS
Victory over compatriot Svetlana Feofanova confirmed, Isinbayeva then flew over the bar to collect yet another world record and a handsome bonus from the Russian federation.

Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic confirmed himself as the world's best all-round athlete with a convincing win in the decathlon.

Sebrle, the only man to break the 9 000-point barrier, took the lead from Kazakhstan's Dmitriy Karpov when he sent the javelin soaring 70.52 metres in the penultimate discipline of the two-day event.

A 46-point deficit on Karpov was transformed into a 63-point lead over American champion Bryan Clay and Sebrle safely completed the 1500 metres to add the Olympic gold to the silver he picked up in Sydney four years ago.

Tonique Williams-Darling won the first Olympic individual gold ever for Bahamas with a hard-fought but ultimately convincing 400 metres win over Mexico's world champion Ana Guevara in a time of 49.41 seconds.

It was the third time this season that Williams-Darling had beaten Guevara, unbeaten in 2002 and 2003 but hampered by an Achilles tendon injury over the northern summer.

American Joanna Hayes won the 100 hurdles in an Olympic record 12.37 seconds after world champion and pre-race favourite Perdita Felicien crashed into the first barrier.

Felicien veered into the adjoining lane and brought down Russian Irina Shevchenko with her. A Russian protest against the result was rejected.

To nobody's surprise Kenyans swept the medals in the 3 000 metres steeplechase with the winner, world silver medallist Ezekiel Kemboi, turning before the line to encourage team-mates Brimin Kipruto and Paul Kipsiele Koech.

The trio ran as a team from the start in the event Kenya has made its own with Kemboi clocking eight minutes 5.81 seconds. Kipruto took second place ahead of Koech.

Justin Gatlin, who is aiming to complete a 100-200 double for the United States, won his second-round heat in the half-lap sprint in 20.03 seconds.

"I'm confident if I get out and run a strong turn and take it all the way home I can win another gold," he said. "I put the 100 metres gold medal in my suitcase straight after the ceremony and haven't looked at it since.”

Record run gives Hayes hurdles gold
By Mitch Phillips
ATHENS, Greece (Reuters) - Joanna Hayes of the United States stamped her authority on a chaotic Olympic 100 metres hurdles competition when she blazed to the gold medal in a Games record 12.37 seconds yesterday.

The light-stepping 27-year-old American ignored a first-barrier pile-up alongside her to scorch over the line in a personal best time that also bettered the 1988 Olympic mark of Bulgaria's Yordanka Donkova by one hundredth of a second.

Olena Krasovska of Ukraine took silver from lane one in 12.45, also a personal best, with 33-year-old American Melissa Morrison repeating her bronze from Sydney in 12.56 -- a time that would have been good enough for gold four years ago.

World champion Perdita Felicien of Canada, the fastest woman in the world this year, crashed to the ground after hitting the first hurdle, bringing down Russian Irina Shevchenko with her.

Felicien had been the pre-race favourite but walked away in tears, flinging her shoes to the ground in anger and frustration.

"The first hurdle came up, I reached for it way too much," she said. "Before I knew it I was on the ground. I couldn't believe it, there was no coming back. This is going to take four years to sink in."

But even if she had not fallen the burly Canadian, with a lifetime best of 12.46 set this season, may have struggled to stay with Hayes.

The race had been one of the most open finals for years due to the absence of some of the pre-Games favourites.

Gail Devers of the United States, Spain's Glory Alozi and Jamaican duo Brigitte Foster and Delloreen Ennis-London all failed to make the final.

But with the sixth-fastest time in history delivered at exactly the right moment, nobody could deny Hayes was a worthy winner.