High-level security meeting today at Coldingen
--- top officials visit
A HIGH-LEVEL security meeting has been scheduled today for Coldingen, the East Coast Demerara village 12 miles (19 1/2 kilometers) east of Georgetown that lost a 9-year-old girl to bandits early Saturday morning.

The meeting this afternoon is expected to address security and other issues affecting residents at Coldingen and other East Coast communities that criminals have been targeting especially since February 2002.

Those expected to participate in the meeting are acting President Samuel Hinds, Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon, acting Minister of Home Affairs Gail Texiera and 'C' Division Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner Krishna Lakeraj.

The meeting is due to take place a day after Minister Teixeira, Dr. Luncheon, Commander Lakeraj, PPP General Secretary Donald Ramotar, Commander Lakeraj and PPP/C Region Four Councillor/Director of Sport, Neil Kumar toured the area.

The high-profile team going to Coldingen today plans to meet with community policing groups in the area to discuss an immediate security response to the crime wave there.

Christine was shot in the head when the heavily-armed bandits, dressed in black, opened fire on the Sookra family's house in a bloody attempt to invade the premises. She died before reaching hospital.

Her 14-year-old brother, Ryan, was hospitalized for gunshot wounds in his left hand.

The attack on the Coldingen family was one of at least five reported in the area in a fresh reign of terror on the East Coast, the sub-region in Demerara/Mahaica (Region 4) that has experienced the brunt of the violent crimes to have rocked Guyana after five criminals, calling themselves "freedom fighters," broke out of the Camp Street jail on Mash Day (February 23) 2002, killing a young prison officer and critically wounding his female colleague in the process. All but one of the five survives and has so far eluded capture.

During their hour-long criminal rampage in the area, the bandits, who numbered about six, possessed high-powered automatic weapons. They reportedly stole $17,000 and some jewellery from one of the homes they entered.

After yesterday's visit, Dr. Luncheon said the community is adamant that security is the number one priority. He said Coldingen appears to be the choice for criminals coming out of Buxton, almost on a weekly basis.

Dr. Luncheon said he was informed that there is an active community-policing group in the area, but the group lacks training and resources. The Secretary to the Cabinet said very often, these groups are confronted by bandits with powerful weapons, and as a result, confidence is lost.

Dr. Luncheon said it is unfortunate the community is losing its populations, since for security reasons; some people are packing and leaving.

Minister Teixeira said quick interim measures are essential to restoring a feeling of security among residents and noted that reports about a slothful response by the police at the time of the incident are being looked into.

GUYANESE gets music degree scholarship
TALENTED Guyanese musician and soloist Paul Winfield Cort has accepted an invitation to pursue a partial scholarship to earn a degree in music at Concordia College Moorhead, Minnesota.

The 26-year-old Paul began formal training in music in 1993 and has been featured as a vocal soloist while a member of the Woodside Choir in works such as Handel's Messiah and Steiner's Crucifixion.

One of the crowning moments of his career was an invitation by the Tobagonian group, Music Amateurs, in 1998 to join it in a concert tour and vocal workshop in Tobago following its win of the Trinidad Music Festival. Paul emerged winner in the duet category with Soprano Gem Rohlehr in the Guyana Music Festival.

As a music teacher and choir conductor, Paul was able to mentor his students from Bishops’ High School and Queen’s College, assisting them in achieving first place at the 1997 Guyana Music Festival.

He also pioneered classes for the preparation of students for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Examination in the Theory of Music, and achieved the outstanding results of 92% distinction passes out of a class of 39 students.

He had accepted a scholarship to study in Concordia College Moorhead in 2001 and was placed on the Dean's list and awarded the Genevieve Stalberg Memorial for his achievements.

In November 2002 he placed second in the Minnesota National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Auditions, which involved 500 students from across the state. He was also appointed section leader of the Basses in the Concordia, which is one of the nation's finest cappella ensembles. The Guyanese youth is the first international student to hold this esteemed office.

He was a soloist at the funeral of the former President and Leader of the Opposition Desmond Hoyte and was an invited soloist on three consecutive occasions at the memorial service of the late President L.F.S. Burnham.

Paul is scheduled to perform on September 05, 2004 at the National Cultural Centre, accompanied by Joycelynne Loncke.

Woman with brain tumour pleads for financial assistance
--needs urgent surgery
IT is a race against time for Mrs Janet Williams, who was diagnosed in June this year with a massive tumour of the brain. But lack of sufficient funds to undergo the medical procedure is hindering her chance for a positive recovery.

As a result of her predicament, Mrs Williams is appealing to member s of the public for financial assistance. The 36-year-old woman of 53 Patentia, West Bank of Demerara, should have had the operation over a month ago, since doctors are fearful that she may become too weak to survive the required eight-hour surgical procedure.

Last Thursday, the woman's husband, Mr James Williams, informed the Guyana Chronicle that the specialist in Trinidad and Tobago had promised to do the surgery even though they had not acquired all the cash needed. At that point, the procedure would have cost some $4M.

Mr Williams said that after a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan, the specialist said that he would be unable to perform the surgery since it would require eight hours of surgery and cost much more.

The specialist is expected in Guyana this week, when the total cost of the medical procedure would be revealed.

Mr. Williams explained that if the surgery is not properly done, it could result in loss of sight, speech and hearing, or even death. He added that the doctor had warned him that if the surgery is not done shortly, Mrs Williams would lose the use of her legs.

He added that all of the tumour cannot be surgically removed, and that the portion close to the brain would have to be removed through radiation therapy.

The concerned husband noted that his wife is having problems with her sight already. She has been falling frequently and complains that her feet are not supporting her weight. She is also very sleepy and is required to ingest about 30 tablets a day.

Struggling to maintain his composure, Williams added that their only child, a boy, died moments after his birth four years. Now, he said sadly, his wife is in a fight against time to stay alive.

He expressed his appreciation of the efforts and assistance of the Ministry of Health, Channel 69 and the Kids First Fund, but noted that time is running out and there is still need for more funds.

Through the Kids First Fund an account was set up at the Bank of Nova Scotia in the name of Janet Williams. The account number is 1000 5771.

Persons wishing to make contributions can do so directly by calling telephone number 267-2583. (Shirwin Campbell)

Dozens of exhibits, thousands of people at 'Guyana Nite'
THOUSANDS of people converged on Everest Cricket Ground Saturday evening for a Guyana Nite 2004 treat that many people said they "totally enjoyed."

Foreign visitors and overseas-based Guyanese vacationers numbered among the crowd of viewers that packed the ground.

This year's Guyana Nite, an annual exposition showcasing mostly agri-based commodities, saw companies displaying new products.

Hosted by the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock, the main objectives of the event were to bring to the notice of both Guyanese and visitors the wide range of indigenous products that are available in the country, and how by spending on these items, Guyanese can assist in boosting the economy as well as creating more local jobs.

With the theme of the exposition being, "Buy Local to Build the Economy", some exhibitors used the event to launch new products while others generously offered samples of their goods to lure visitors into taking more interest in what they have to offer.

Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), one of two giant beverage companies in Guyana, presented Caribbean Twist, a light alcohol beverage in two flavours, one of which is Pina Colada produced by its Topco Beverage Plant at Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

This product is not yet officially launched, but it was up for sampling on Saturday evening. There were also other light beverages, some of which were specially blended to target schoolchildren.

Tripple Star Enterprise, a company that produces snacks and juices among other products, also participated in Guyana Nite. Ms Bibi Ayube, a supervisor of the company, expressed the view that their participation at Guyana Nite will help more people to know what Tripple Star has to offer on the local market.

She believes that once members of the public became aware of what is offered support for local products will rise significantly. Ms Ayube disclosed that at present, her company has to compete with imported goods in the areas of seasonings and some lunchbox snacks for young children.

The National Milling Company (NAMILCO), popularly known as the Flour Mill, used Saturday's event to introduce its newest product - the pholourie mix, which is almost certain to prove a hit with cooks and persons, who prepare local snacks. Pholourie is a savoury Indian dish popularly eaten as finger food with a hot, spicy sour (relish).

NAMILCO introduced its products on the Canadian market during a recent trade fair there. Company officials said there was a positive feedback from people who sampled the products.

NAMILCO is hoping to develop an export market once people learn more about what it has to offer.

Banks DIH, the other beverage giant, also participated in Saturday's exposition. Prominent among its exhibits were its recently launched mini bottles of malt.

Booths displayed a range of agricultural produce and products. Among institutions that give technical support to farmers, were Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI).

Amazon Caribbean Limited, a company that processes heart of palm for export mainly to Europe and North America, has indicated its intention to introduce more of its product on the local market. (Jaime Hall)

Rakhi - The thread of love
--- what you need to know about
RAKHI or "raksha bandhan" is being celebrated today in Guyana and all over the world by Hindus.

The chaste bond of love between a brother and a sister is one of the deepest and noblest of human emotions. 'Raksha Bandhan' or 'Rakhi' is a special occasion to celebrate this emotional bonding by tying a holy thread around the wrist. This thread, which pulsates with sisterly love and sublime sentiments, is rightly called the 'Rakhi'. It means 'a bond of protection', and Raksha Bandhan signifies that the strong must protect the weak from all that's evil.

The ritual is observed on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravan, on which sisters tie the sacred Rakhi string on their brothers' right wrists, and pray for their long life. Rakhis are ideally made of silk with gold and silver threads, beautifully crafted embroidered sequins, and studded with semi precious stones.

The Social Binding - This ritual not only strengthens the bond of love between brothers and sisters, but also transcends the confines of the family. When a Rakhi is tied on the wrists of close friends and neighbours, it underscores the need for a harmonious social life, where every individual co-exist peacefully as brothers and sisters. All members of the community commit to protect each other and the society in such congregational Rakhi Utsavs, popularized by the Nobel laureate Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore.

The Friendly Knot - It won't be wrong to say the fashionable friendship band in vogue today is an extension of the Rakhi custom. When a girl feels a friend of the opposite sex has developed a kind of love too strong for her to reciprocate, she sends the guy a Rakhi and turns the relationship into a sisterly one. This is one way of saying, "let's just be friends", without hurting the other person's soft feelings for her.

Rakhi in History - The strong bond represented by Rakhi has resulted in innumerable political ties among kingdoms and princely states. The pages of Indian history testify that the Rajput and Maratha queens have sent Rakhis even to Mughal kings who, despite their differences, have assuaged their Rakhi-sisters by offering help and protection at critical moments and honoured the fraternal bond. Even matrimonial alliances have been established between kingdoms through the exchange of Rakhis.

History has it that the great Hindu King Porus refrained from striking Alexander, the Great because the latter's wife had approached this mighty adversary and tied a Rakhi on his hand, prior to the battle, urging him not to hurt her husband.

Why Rakhi? - Rituals like Rakhi, there is no doubt, help ease out various societal strains, induce fellow-feeling, open up channels of expression, give us an opportunity to rework on our role as human beings and, most importantly, bring joy in our mundane lives.

"May all be happy, may all be free from ills, may all behold only the good, may none be in distress."

This has always been the idea of an ideal Hindu society.

Kids First Fund to hold clinics
KIDS First Fund, in collaboration with the Sai Baba Centre, will be holding clinics in Georgetown, Port Mourant, Anna Regina and Zeelugt.

According to the First Lady Uma Jagdeo, patients are invited to attend general clinics for cardiac, dental, gynecology, eye and bone cases at the Sai Baba Centre, 102 Laluni Street on Wednesday, September 1, 2004.

On Thursday, September 2 the Sai Baba Centre will accommodate the cardiac clinic and there will also be a general clinic at Port Mourant Hospital, Berbice, on that day.

General clinics will also be held at Anna Regina Mandir, Essequibo, and Zeelugt Primary School on the East Bank Essequibo on September 04, 2004.

Guyana wins five-nation Qaseeda competition
THE Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) excelled at the recent International Qaseeda Competition held in Paramaribo, Suriname, beating off challenges from Suriname, Holland, Trinidad and Tobago and the U.S.

The support delegation numbering over 140 men, women and children copped two of the coveted titles along with a second and two third-place prizes.

Faisul Bacchus (Mon Repos) and Shameer (Fyrish) secured the first and third spots for Guyana in the Senior Male Category, while Suriname secured the second spot.

In the Junior Male Category, Ejaz Hatim and Afraaz Mohamed both from Enmore put their country in the first and second spots, forcing tough competitors Suriname to accept the third position.

In the Female Category, the visiting team claimed third spot through Bibi Zameena Oosman of Canefield. The sisters from Suriname took first and second.

According to Qaseeda Committee Chairman, Mohamed Jamal Imran, the coveted Senior Male title carried an additional trophy which will be challenged by each of the five participating countries for three consecutive years, at the end of which the final winner will retain the trophy.

President of the CIOG, Al Hajj Fazeel M. Ferouz promises a truly big event for the fourth International Qaseeda Competition, which will be held in Guyana.

The virtue of looking back
THE TERM ‘looking back’ conjures up as much satisfaction as it does of resentment.

We learn at school that history is important for becoming more aware of who we are, where we came from, why we are in the situation we’re in, and how it may be possible for us to transform our present circumstances by trying to shape our destiny.

But as we emerge into the arena of adulthood, gear into romantic drive and begin to explore a number of career options, we tend to place the virtue of looking back into controversial mode.

No more is this truer than in politics. Depending on which side of the political spectrum one subscribes to, one will either be applauded or else be criticized for looking back, for going back in time, for “delving” into one’s or an organization’s past. Yet reverting to history remains as important to competing politicians as it does to a citizenry who has to make the choice of its life come election time.

“History may be called, more generally still, the Message, verbal or written, which all Mankind delivers to every man,” famous Scottish author Thomas Carlyle (1795—1881) wrote well over a century ago.

Fortunately for the electorate, the principles of representative government and representative opposition shift the burden of making decisions on every public policy issue away from voters and onto the shoulders of those whom they elect.

It is on the issue of power sharing, shared governance, or inclusiveness that history triggers highly emotive responses.

The PNC/R, to which mention of its 28 years in government by current government functionaries has become anathema, proudly reminds Guyanese that it was under PNC rule that Guyana established diplomatic relations with The People’s Republic of China, Guyana became a leading member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and, among other things, set the nation’s then-ailing economy on fast-paced recuperation.

Some officials, for their part, aren’t as comfortable with criticisms of the failure of government to accomplish certain goals as they are with the highlighting of successfully-implemented programmes that have yielded immeasurable benefits for the nation.

But it is in the area of power sharing/shared governance/inclusiveness that government and opposition appear to disagree most fiercely at the present time.

PNC/R leader Robert Corbin gave Guyanese and non-Guyanese alike food for thought when he advocated his party’s break with the past, the end of attacks on people perceived to be members/supporters of the ruling PPP/C, and political changes that would replace winner-take-all rule with a more central role for the opposition in government.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was obviously disillusioned with Guyana’s current political culture, concluding that he wasn’t very optimistic that President Jagdeo would budge on the question of government and opposition running the country, even if it’s an arrangement as fragile as that which obtains in Israel.

President Jagdeo says that just wouldn’t work. His belief is that if, in spite of the constitutional reforms that have reduced the powers of the executive branch and given the opposition greater governmental oversights, the PNC/R isn’t satisfied with its constitutional role as opposition, executive power sharing at Cabinet level would be “a recipe for disaster.”

“The same gridlock that we have in implementing these constitutional changes, if taken into Cabinet, could spell disaster for this country – because nothing will happen,” he said on television last week.

We may or may not pay much attention to the Vishnu Bisram poll, but Guyanese definitely want government and opposition to resume their dialogue. They want to see Guyana develop and to enjoy the fruits of their blood, sweat and tears. And they want to see the country’s political leaders consider the interest of the people as paramount.

GIVING URGENCY TO REGION'S CRIME FIGHT
Barbados 'law and order'report offers some options
By Rickey Singh
RATHER than continue to squabble over timing and conditionalities for "full engagement" with the interim Haitian regime, Caribbean Community leaders should quickly decide on a revised agenda for their coming special summit in Port-of-Spain to give new emphasis to combating the terrifying crime situations plaguing many member states, including Jamaica.

The Community leaders have some nine weeks before the proposed November special summit to be in readiness with new ideas and attitudes for a comprehensive collective review of policies and strategies to combat serious crimes and minimise the threats to security.

It is their burden to erase the public impression that they have not been sufficiently focused at their recent inter-sessional and summit meetings for concerted regional responses to the challenges posed by the criminals.

In comparison, that is, to the time and energy spent on political issues, like the Haitian situation, and getting themselves in readiness for the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).

Generally, media briefings on CARICOM's crime and security agenda have lacked specificities, laden with platitudes, and rarely provide new information on initiatives being pursued, without having to give away sensitive intelligence information.

Perhaps the Community leaders could make use of their forthcoming special summit in Port-of-Spain to show the difference. If, that is, they could first agree to add crime and security to CSME-readiness as the two top priorities for their work agenda over two days.

The security of our CARICOM societies is increasingly coming under serious threats from criminals with alarm bells ringing across the political divide amid mounting fears and panic as cities, urban and rural communities fall victim to escalating armed robberies, killings, kidnappings, vicious bodily harm and sheer terrorism.

In Trinidad and Tobago, where a population remains challenged to avoid being numb to nerve-wracking kidnappings for ransom, and killings linked to narco-trafficking, gang warfare and other crimes, the President of the Republic, Maxwell Richards, considers the country to be "at war" facing an "internal enemy".

Across in Jamaica, confronted with endemic illegal drugs and gun-running crimes and a shocking murder toll that exceeded 1,000 in 2003, Prime Minister P.J. Patterson found it necessary last weekend to defend the performance of his National Security Minister, Peter Phillips, while warning that spiralling crime "poses a major danger" to renewal of economic growth.

In Guyana, there are now renewed fears of the resumption of communal terror on East Coast villages following some vicious cases of killings, including a policeman, and armed robberies that have provoked new demands for joint anti-crime operations by the police and army.

A Bajan surprise
But the country that may provide the surprise for those too focused on worse-crime scenarios in countries like Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, would be Barbados - the major tourism destination of the Eastern Caribbean that works methodically to protect its image from being tarnished by the plague of criminality.

For every Caribbean state that depends to any significant extent on tourism, the crime epidemic is dangerous news. Barbados, Jamaica, The Bahamas, St. Lucia and Antigua for sure know this only too well.

When, therefore, British and Canadian websites recently posted advisories alerting their nationals to reported incidents of rape and armed robberies of tourists in Barbados, the country's Tourism Minister, Noel Lynch, moved swiftly to quell any notion that the country was anything but "a very safe place".

The Minister's anxiety is understandable. But the Barbadian people and their Caribbean cousins living there would know that it is certainly no longer the "tranquil paradise" of tourist magazine and brochures.

In its just-released report `The National Commission on Law and Order’ in Barbados notes, in a candid, enlightening overview of law enforcement:

"Over the last 25 years, Barbados has been experiencing an unusually high number of serious and violent crimes, with murder, armed robberies and reckless violence among the youth becoming quite alarming...

"This has been accompanied by excessive involvement in the drug culture, both in supporting transshipment operations and in the increasing use of illicit drugs across all sections of the society.

"Perhaps the most troublesome feature", the report states, "is the frequency of drive-by shootings and the uncontrolled violence among drug dealers. This environment has resulted in a considerable fear of crime in residential communities and the business sector...."

National Commissions
The work of the Commission has coincided with similar bodies, though with variations in terms of reference, created by CARICOM governments in response to a 2002 decision by the Community's Heads of Government to establish national commissions on crime or the broader concept of law and order.

If, therefore, we are to be guided by their own statements and public outcries on the terrifying crime scenarios in a number of Community states - including this one - then including crime and security for an action-oriented discussion at the coming November summit could prove useful.

Updated assessments from their respective National Security Minister and the Regional Task Force on Crime and Security, plus recommendations for concerted action from the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police could provide the basis for a special working session without affecting allotted time for CSME-readiness.

After all, the success of the CSME itself would very much depend on the capacity of our governments to have the upper hand on criminals and those bent on undermining law and order in our Community states working towards the realisation of a common economic space.

Our leaders must be seen to be acting in unison and with haste in the war against crime rather than engaging in their separate lamentations as the criminal underworld poses increasing threats to stability, peace and progress in one CARICOM state after another.

The just-tabled report in the Barbados Parliament from the National Commission on Law and Order offers some very important recommendations that could also be taken on board in any regional review on new initiatives on crime and security.

In their report, the 14-member Commission, comprising experienced and respected members of a wide cross-section of the society, has also examined sensitive contemporary social issues that have engaged public debates at various levels.

These include whether or not to decriminalise the use of illicit drugs like marijuana; legalise prostitution and amend the law on sexual offences to make legal anal sex (homosexual practice) between consulting adults in private.

Their answer is `no’ to legalising marijuana even for personal use. They favour the legalising and licensing of brothels to facilitate the world's oldest profession; and divided themselves over the introduction of condoms in prisons for health reasons, while collectively rejecting, changing the law to decriminalise anal sex practices, even by consenting adults.

Guyana Combats Human Trafficking
By Odeen Ishmael
ON JUNE 15 2004, US State Department released its annual Trafficking in Persons Report, accusing Guyana and nine other nations of not doing enough to stop the trafficking of thousands of people forced into servitude or the sex trade every year. The US State Department says that 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked globally each year. This practice is described as "a modern form of slavery".

The Tier Classification
In assessing the problem of human trafficking, the State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons evaluates, in its view, the effort foreign governments apply toward curbing trafficking, not simply the raw numbers or scope of the problem in a country.

The annual report ranks countries into a three-tier system. A `Tier 3’ country is the worst and is subject to economic sanctions from the United States. In the Americas, just two countries — Canada and Colombia — received the `Tier 1’ classification. The majority fall in the middle, but four countries — Cuba, Ecuador, Guyana and Venezuela — received the lowest rating.

Other countries with the `Tier 3’ rating are Bangladesh, Burma, Equatorial Guinea, North Korea, Sierra Leone, and Sudan. All countries with this rating may face US sanctions for not fully complying with the minimum standards (according to US law) and not making significant efforts to do so.

The US could also oppose assistance, except for humanitarian, trade-related, and certain development-related assistance, from international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and multilateral development banks such as the World Bank.

Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorisation Act of 2003, the US may withhold non-humanitarian, non-trade-related assistance and this could result in withholding of funding for participation in educational and cultural exchange programs.

Definition
The United Nations has only quite recently explained what is meant by “trafficking in persons”. The international organisation gives the legal definition as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of persons by means of either threat or use of force, or other forms of coercion; of abduction; of fraud; of deception; of the abuse of power; or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation.

This recently formulated definition will force countries to amend their existing laws against human trafficking to take into consideration the new variables as set out by the United Nations.

With respect to Guyana, the US State Department Report says: “Guyana is a country of origin, transit, and destination for young women and children trafficked primarily for sexual exploitation. Much of the trafficking takes place in the interior of the country, where observers indicate that likely over 100 persons are engaged in forced prostitution in isolated settlements. Victims are also found in prostitution centres in Georgetown and New Amsterdam. Guyanese victims originate mainly from Amerindian communities; some come from coastal urban centres. Most foreign victims are trafficked from northern Brazil; some may also come from Venezuela. Guyana is also a transit country for victims trafficked into Suriname. More complete information, pointing to a significant number of trafficking victims, has made it possible to include Guyana in the report for the first time.”

In an address on July 9 to the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Mr. Philip Linderman of the State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, singled out Guyana by saying "very few, if any efforts" were made last year by the Guyanese government to fight trafficking. A UN Wire report of 12 July stated that Linderman, in examining the problem in other countries in the hemisphere, mentioned that the problem is very serious in Ecuador where the International Labour Organisation believes 5,000 minors work as prostitutes.

Objections by Ecuador and Venezuela
Ecuador feels that human trafficking is a totally new problem and to combat it, more financial assistance from the US and other developed countries is necessary. Ecuador has pointed out that much of its resources are being used to pay its external debt and to strengthen security.

Venezuela, too, has hit out hard against its categorization. Arevalo Mendez, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela said that the trafficking of humans is an international problem that is more prevalent in developed countries. “It is ironic that the US is pretending to accuse others, when it is one of the countries that have achieved the least in that matter,” he said in Caracas on 16 June. “An important part of that trafficking enters through Miami, practically converting the South of Florida into a distribution hub. Once there, the victims are sent to exquisite markets of high demand such as Atlanta, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles,” he added.

Actually, the State Department “Trafficking in Persons Report” of 2003, admitted that the US is mainly a transit and destination country for trafficking in persons. That Report estimated that 18,000 to 20,000 people, primarily women and children, are trafficked to the US annually. At the same time, it spoke of the US government’s strong commitment to combating trafficking in persons at home and abroad. As part of this commitment, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2002 gives protection to trafficking victims and provides certain benefits and services to victims of severe forms of trafficking.

But not only the countries placed in the `Tier 3’ have objected to being placed in that position. New Zealand, given a `Tier 1’ rating, objected to being placed in the Report which, according to its Foreign Minister, created a misleading impression that children were being trafficked for prostitution in that country.

OAS Efforts
In the American hemisphere, the issue of human trafficking entered the OAS agenda when the issue was raised since 1999 at meetings of the Inter-American Commission of Women during the presidency of Mrs. Indranie Chandarpal, who was at that time Guyana’s Minister responsible for Human Services and Social Security. The problem was discussed at length during the meeting of hemispheric Justice Ministers last year in Ottawa, Canada. Also last year, the General Assembly in Santiago, Chile, agreed for a new post of special coordinator for trafficking to be set up at OAS headquarters in Washington. By establishing this office, the OAS is emphasizing that trafficking is a priority issue in the hemisphere.

Actually, the priority nature of this problem was raised by Guyana last year at the annual meeting of the Inter American Commission of Women (CIM). Guyana urged the hemispheric women’s organisation and the OAS to stop focussing on human trafficking only in Latin America, and pointed out that some attention must be given to the Caribbean which has "its own special brand of the problem."

Since then, the CIM, in conjunction with the International Organisation for Migration, has planned a series of seven seminars for Guyana, Bahamas, Barbados, Netherlands Antilles, St Lucia and Suriname to formulate a strategy to combat the problem.

Fast Track Plans in Guyana
How was the latest Report on human trafficking received in Guyana? The initial reaction was one of shock. Guyana’s Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Mrs. Bibi Shadick, addressing a seminar on trafficking in persons just one day after the release of the Report, stated that by ranking Guyana in `Tier 3’ the US government was very unfair in its assessment of Guyana's efforts to combat human trafficking especially after considering “all the work we have been doing.” At the same time, the Guyana government promised to fast-track plans to avoid a cut in funding from US and international lending agencies.

Guyana, like the other countries in `Tier 3’ were given 60 days – with a deadline of 13 August – to put their houses in order, failing which US sanctions would be implemented. It is expected that the US government will by mid-September re-assess the corrective actions by these countries and decide if sanctions will be applied.

Guyana has certainly done much in that 60-day period to take corrective measures. The police raided a number of mining camps in the interior and some liquor restaurants on the coastland to remove mainly Amerindian women and girls recruited as prostitutes, or to provide cheap and forced labour. Persons involved in these human trafficking offences have been charged and are being prosecuted under the existing law.

Minister Shadick has personally plunged herself into a countrywide campaign to investigate the issue and to educate various communities in the remote interior of the country of the problems associated with human trafficking. This is very commendable since it is very unusual for a cabinet minister in the Latin America and Caribbean region, or anywhere else, to be involved so directly in trying to stamp out a social scourge.

Even though this problem is not totally new, it has now taken on an international dimension as a result of the concerns raised in the State Department’s Report. As the Guyana government steps up its work in many geographical areas against human trafficking, it will have to apply a variety of measures, and government and civic organisations throughout the entire country will have to work together to find a remedy for the problem.

At the end of July officials from the United States State Department visited Guyana to assess the campaign against trafficking in persons and were encouraged by their findings. They met with Minister Shadick and President Bharrat Jagdeo, and accompanied the minister on a visit to the Barima-Waini region where trafficking in persons is regarded as prevalent.

After the visit, the minister said there was no evidence to keep Guyana in the `Tier 3’ listing by the US, and that the visiting officials expressed a desire to work with the Guyana government to get the country removed from that status.

New Legislation for Parliament
In the meantime, the government has decided to accede to the United Nations Protocol to prevent trafficking in persons, especially women and children. Guyana has already acceded to the International Convention against Trans-national Organised Crime.

The government moved a step further on 5 August when it tabled in Parliament a 36-page `Combating Trafficking in Persons’ Bill which stipulates tough penalties for those convicted of trafficking in persons.

Among the penalties proposed for convicted persons are sentences to any term of years of imprisonment or life imprisonment, forfeiture of property, and payment of full restitution to the trafficked person or persons.

The proposed legislation, to be debated in Parliament in October, includes penalties in cases where the victim of trafficking is exposed to life-threatening disease such as HIV/AIDS.

The Bill also proposes that within one year of its enactment, the Ministry of Home Affairs, along with the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security and civil representatives of society, must provide appropriate services to victims of trafficking and their dependent children. These include appropriate housing, psychological counselling, employment and educational and training opportunities.

To do all of these, new resources have to be found. The USAID has already committed US$100,000 to assist Guyana in its education outreach programme. But much more will be needed. It will be recalled that when President Bush addressed the United Nations in 2003, he announced a $50 million initiative to combat trafficking in persons. The countries receiving this funding include Brazil, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Mexico, Moldova, Sierra Leone and Tanzania. It will be good if Guyana can gain access to this assistance.
(Dr. Odeen Ishmael is Guyana’s Ambassador to Venezuela.)

Shameful act
IT IS always respectful to pay tribute to persons who have made genuine and outstanding contributions to national life.

At the opening of the 14th biennial congress of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) on Friday afternoon, the leadership failed to pay tribute to the late Dr Tyrone Ferguson.

A minute’s silence or a brief tribute was absent from the written programme and more so was never included, even as an after thought, while the proceedings were in progress.

Although PNCR Leader, Robert Corbin acknowledged their “fallen heroes” namely Mrs Viola Burnham, Ptolemy Alexander Reid and Desmond Hoyte; among others, not one iota was mentioned of Dr Ferguson.

Dr Ferguson, who the party recently found useful to present an in-depth lecture at City Hall on the contribution of Mr Hoyte to Guyana’s development, should have been accorded the honour of a tribute.

Dr Ferguson worked with distinction as Head of the Presidential Secretariat for many years, while the PNC was in office.

A fine son of the soil, he made Guyana and the Caribbean proud by unselfishly putting at their disposal his intellect and wealth of experience.

Dr Ferguson was a respected author and expert on International Relations of no ordinary stature, who possessed the capacity to impart intellectual perspectives so that the ordinary citizenry could easily understand.

This shameful act of the PNCR’s failure to pay tribute to Dr Ferguson at the opening of the 14th biennial congress was tantamount to gross disrespect to this gentleman, his surviving family, relatives and colleagues.

Small wonder how Dr Ferguson’s colleague, international economist and former Finance Minister, Carl Greenidge must have felt about this notable omission.

Is this yet another blatant collapse of the standards that the PNC has always claimed to have cherished as it relates to their outstanding heroes?

But the PNCR may have been a victim of the national collapse of standards and procedures of this country, even as it seeks to “rescue” the nation from destruction.

Then again, Dr Ferguson has not been the only victim of such crass disrespect in recent days for it was at the opening of the 7th biennial congress of the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU) on August 21, 2004 that the death of one of Guyana’s outstanding trade unionists and educators, Thomas Anson Sancho, was overlooked.

The CCWU departed from the traditional one minute silence in recognition of persons, who have passed away. Although CCWU General Secretary, Grantley Culbard’s report vaguely mentioned Mr Sancho, the union should have still paid tribute to this son of the soil.

Ironically, the opening of the CCWU’s biennial congress was being held at the Critchlow Labour College (CLC), an institution that Mr Sancho served untiringly for several years. The CLC, itself, must share some of the blame because the college flag was not even flown at half-staff and the piece of black cloth on the fence was on the verge of falling off.

Mr George De Peana, General Secretary of the Caribbean Congress of Labour (CCL) and veteran CCWU member, must have been sorely embarrassed at these grave omissions.

The CCWU, which is in existence for 56 years, and the PNC, which is in existence for 47 years, failed to carry out the basic tributes to two outstanding leaders in their fields.

If the PNCR is to become the government and the CCWU is to play a leading role in the Trades Union Congress (TUC) or Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), the basic principles and codes of practice must be upheld.
LLOYD A. KING

The ultimate coalition
THE Guyana Chronicle of August 28 carries a letter by Lloyd King in which he outlines four options which as he says now face the PNC.

One of them, the idea of a 'rainbow coalition' seems to have great merit.

I wish however to offer another possible solution which would not only ensure electoral victory but would erase the ethnic problem so-called at one stroke.

Why not form a coalition with the PPP?

There is strong historical justification for this option and it literally guarantees victory.

Who gon' challenge yuh?

I have examined a number of statutes in my time but I do not recall a local one which specifically prohibits the merger of political parties, even dominant ones.

Of course some may roar at this and the Justice For All party so-called may attempt to get you on anti-trust grounds but there is much reason to suppose that any attempt by them to utilise the Common Law against this coalition would be first embroiled by a debate on the definition of common.

This subject should engage their attention long enough for the Ultimate Coalition to slip into the driver's seat.
Here's to a New Day!
God bless Guyana!
ELIZABETH ANN ALLEYNE

Pool hall fiasco
IT IS about time that the authorities in this place step up and ensure that people adhere to the rules.

I refer to the fiasco at Buddy’s Pool Hall on Sheriff Street, Georgetown.

If Buddy’s is in violation, the City Council should deal with them accordingly.

My concern rests on the grounds of safety.

I need to know that the safety specifications are followed because I would not want to be in a club with 500 people and there is an unfortunate mishap which can claim lives.

I am impressed with infrastructural improvements as those piloted by Buddy’s, but please let us do it the right way.

No night club owners should feel that because some people in ‘high places’ go to their places and romp it up, they can do what they want.
SATESH DEODAT

Greece bids Games farewell with exuberant closing ceremony
By Andrew Gray
ATHENS, Greece (Reuters) - Greece staged an exuberant closing ceremony yesterday to bring the curtain down on the Athens Games, which took the Olympics back to their roots and provided drama right down to the last gold medal.

A spectator ran onto the course of men's marathon, the final event of the Games, run along the route of the first modern Olympics, and bundled Brazilian Vanderlei de Lima into the crowd as he led the race with about 15 minutes to go.

De Lima was able to rejoin the race after about five seconds but he looked shaken and was passed soon afterwards by Stefano Baldini of Italy, who had already been gaining on him. Baldini won the race ahead of American Meb Keflezighi.

The intruder was Cornelius Horan, an Irish former priest who interrupted the British Formula One Grand Prix last year. He was dressed in a kilt and beret and police said he was drunk.

De Lima said the incident may have cost him the gold medal and Brazilian officials said they would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for a review of the results.

But de Lima still appeared delighted when International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge presented him with his bronze medal at the closing ceremony, waving and smiling to cheers from the 72 000 people in the Olympic stadium.

Rogge declared the Greeks had been the true winners of the Olympics by staging a well-organised Games.

Critics had predicted venues would not be ready on time and expressed doubts about security at the first Games since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

"These have been unforgettable dream Games," Rogge said to cheers from the crowd.

"These Games were held in peace and brotherhood. These were the Games where it became increasingly difficult to cheat and where clean athletes were better protected."

Rogge was referring to the fight against doping, with more than 20 athletes banned from the Games for failing drugs tests or breaking anti-doping rules.

STRIPPED OF MEDAL
Men's hammer winner Adrian Annus of Hungary yesterday became the third champion at Athens to be stripped of his medal after failing to take a second drugs test demanded by the IOC.

Annus won his event a week ago, providing a negative dope test, and has since returned to Hungary. But the IOC called for another test after suspicions were raised he may have used a contraption to dupe testers.

Compatriot Robert Fazekas was stripped of his discus gold medal for refusing to provide a complete urine sample after last Monday's final and Russian shot putter Irina Korzhanenko also lost her gold after testing positive for a banned steroid.

The United States ended the Olympics top of the medals table with 35 gold. But China was a sensational second, only three gold behind, as its efforts to ensure an excellent host nation performance in Beijing in 2008 start to bear fruit.

On the 16th and final day of competition, Cuba claimed three boxing titles, with past master Mario Kindelan stopping the amazing run of British teenager Amir Khan by outpointing him in the lightweight final.

Blows were also traded at the wrestling venue, but not just between fighters.

A brawl involving spectators, officials, police and competitors erupted after a close bout between a Russian world champion and a wrestler from Belarus.

CONTROVERSY CONTINUES
One of the fiercest controversies of the Games raged on as South Korea appealed to sport's supreme legal body to try to secure the Olympic men's gymnastics all-round gold medal for its athlete Yang Tae-young instead of American Paul Hamm.

World gymnastics chiefs have said Hamm was awarded the gold due to a scoring error and Yang is the true champion but they have no mechanism to overturn the original results.

In contrast to a grand opening drawing on Greek mythology, the Games closing ceremony was all about having a good time.

The stadium was turned into a giant wheat field, illuminated by a full moon.

A percussion band played up a storm by creating musical instruments with equipment taken from the Olympic sports.

A burst of fireworks heralded the appearance of the athletes in the futuristic stadium. Chinese musicians and dancers also performed to give a flavour of the next Games.

Rogge said: "I declare the Games of the 28th Olympiad closed and, in accordance with tradition, I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in Beijing.

Baldini’s marathon win overshadowed
… Brazilian runner attacked by protester
ITALY'S Stefano Baldini took gold in the men's marathon, but his victory was overshadowed after one of the runners was attacked by a protestor.

Brazilian Vanderlei de Lima had been leading the race before the protestor appeared four miles from the finish.

Soon afterwards, Baldini overtook de Lima to win with a new Olympic record in a time of two hours 10:54 secs.

Mebrahtom Keflezighi of the United States took silver, while de Lima finished with bronze.

Great Britain's Jon Brown suffered further Olympic misery when he repeated his fourth place in Sydney four years earlier after clocking a time of two hours 12:26 secs.

The protester, wearing a kilt and a green beret and a white placard with the words "The Grand Prix priest. Israel fulfilment of prophecy says the bible, the second coming is near" on it, was immediately arrested and taken to a police station.

Police later revealed it was Cornelius ‘Neil’ Horan, a former priest who disrupted last year's British Grand Prix. He was previously jailed for two months following his racetrack protest at Silverstone.

A police source said: "The man says he is Irish, he is also drunk. He had been to a taverna earlier. Police are going through his stuff."

After the incident, de Lima said: "I trained a lot for this and I'm very happy to win this bronze medal.

"If the spectator didn't jump in front of me in the middle of the race, who knows what would have happened? Maybe I would have won. It disturbed me a lot."

A slow pace was set in the early stages in the hot temperatures before Hendrick Ramaala decided to break clear at the 10-mile mark.

But it proved too early for the South African who dropped well behind as the field caught him and then de Lima went alone after 13 miles.

He stayed comfortably in front until the 22-mile mark when he was bundled into the barriers by the protestor.

Even before then he looked likely to be caught by the fast-chasing Baldini but the incident massively helped the Italian's gold chase.

Once in front, Baldini looked in little danger of being caught despite the best efforts of Keflezighi, who had to make do with second.

Remarkably, de Lima managed to hold onto his bronze medal position much to the delight of the crowd, who had watched the earlier incident on the big screen and greeted his entry to the Panathinaiko Stadium with a massive cheer.

After the race, the International Olympic Committee said it was saddened by the incident and awarded de Lima the Pierre de Coubertin Medal at the closing ceremony.

An IOC spokesman said: "We decided to do this in recognition of de Lima's exceptional demonstration of fair play and Olympic values during this evening's marathon."

The IAAF also confirmed that the overall marathon result would not be changed despite the incident. (BBC Sport)

Ferreira-James creates history
... first Guyanese referee to officiate in Olympic soccer final
By Frederick Halley in Toronto
AMIDST the internal wrangling that has once again gripped Guyana's football, there continues to be a shining light in the form of Dianne Ferreira-James, whose recent significant and historic achievement may have gone unnoticed by most Guyanese.

While the four Guyanese Olympians in Athens were chasing after elusive medals, Ferreira-James was quietly continuing to make a name for herself, becoming the first Guyanese to officiate in an Olympic soccer final when she carried the whistle in the entire second half of the much-touted women's final, featuring archrivals the United States and Brazil last Thursday in Greece.

Ferreira-James’ climb to the top has been quite phenomenal, having been elected a FIFA-certified referee in 1999, a first for women's referees in Guyana.

After an initial sojourn in Guyana and around the Caribbean, she was selected to officiate in the FIFA Under-19 World championships in Edmonton, Canada, in 2001 and came out with flying colours.

The stalwart referee had described her Canadian trip then as a real challenge, pointing out that the weather condition was new to her as it was approaching the dreaded winter season.

Dianne immediately left her mark by emerging winner in the Cooper's Test, allowing her to remain in Edmonton for the duration of the championships.

The Guyanese official was appointed for two matches in the first round - Nigeria against Japan and Japan versus Denmark. She also worked as the fourth official in the Japan/Canada encounter and the quarterfinals featuring hosts Canada and England.

Ferreira-James' performances in these matches spurred the officials to appoint her to officiate in the final between Canada and the United States, and according to reports, she did an excellent job.

In a FIFA bulletin, she described her appointment for the final as the happiest moment in her life, especially coming from a country that plays little or no women's games, only men's. "All my life I refereed men’s games at the highest level around the Caribbean. I'm a dedicated, committed and hard worker. My motto is Consistency, Fair Play and Game Flow. I was never exposed to such huge crowds before, but I remained focused..."

"During my stay I learnt a lot from the other officials, especially FIFA referee Canadian Sonia Denoncourt. I also received moral support and guidance from long-time friend, mentor and coach IAAF Instructor and Lecturer Dr Linda Blade. I was extremely impressed with the organisation of the tournament. All matches were on time, etc. Referees displayed a high level of knowledge of the game and ability to perform their duties with diligence," she disclosed.

The 33-year-old was eagerly looking forward to officiating in the 2003 Women's World Cup in China but was somehow bypassed by FIFA.

Undaunted, Ferreira-James had no intention of call it quits and was soon back in action in the CONCACAF Women's Under-19 championships in May this year. After the preliminary round of matches, she was again selceted for the final between the USA and eventual winners Canada.

Despite not winning a medal at the 2004 Athens Games, all Guyanese should be proud of the efforts of Dianne Ferreira-James who has kept the Golden Arrowhead fluttering in no uncertain terms in the greatest sporting event on earth.

According to an amateur rower-turned-referee, "I always dreamt of participating in the Games as an athlete, but it wasn't to be. Now, though, thanks to refereeing, I've finally made it. You can't imagine what it feels like to be here, in Greece, in the birthplace of the Olympics."

Ferreira-James, who participated in several sports disciplines before finally settling on a refereeing career, is no doubt expressing the same sentiments.

T&T in clean sweep of Goodwill Under-14 football series
By Isaiah Chappelle
REPRESENTING Trinidad & Tobago, San Juan Jabloteh whipped Guyana 4-1 for a clean sweep of the inaugural Goodwill International Under-14 football series at the GCC ground, Bourda, yesterday.

The Twin Island Republic team played unbeaten and took away the Frank De Abreu trophy and notched their names on the Frank De Abreu lien trophy, while Suriname who played the best football of the four teams, placed second, CARICOM third and Guyana in the cellar.

Suriname hammered the CARICOM team 7-0 with double goals from Giovanni Drenthe and Miguel Cronie.

The Surinamese power striker Ivanildo Chobin who got a hat-trick against Guyana, was voted the Most Valuable Player, while Trinidad & Tobago’s Micah Lewis ended with Most Goals (eight) and team-mate Kyle Perez, Best Goalkeeper.

Lewis blasted a helmet trick to score all the goals for Trinidad & Tobago against Guyana, the home side again being the victim of little or no defence.

The local team had one bright spot in the first half, about ten minutes into the game, when they attacked down the left wing, the ball was floated to goal, the goalkeeper fumbled, but no one was close by to finish.

Then Lewis hit home his first goal in the 13th minute. Trinidad & Tobago attacked down the centre, changed the ball from slightly left to right, and, Lewis on the run shot from five metres out to beat Guyana’s goalkeeper Colin Edwin, as a defender close by made no attempt to intercept.

Six minutes later, Lewis raced past the defence, Edwin advanced gallantly, but the striker pushed the ball past him and Trinidad & Tobago led 2-0 at halftime.

About ten minutes into the half, Guyana eventually introduced Andrew Murray Jr, along with another player and immediately the game changed for the better in the striking line. The ball floated from the right to centre at the top of the box, and as the goalkeeper advanced, Sean Sanmogan went up, got a touch and the ball rolled past the goalkeeper in the 41st minute for Guyana’s only goal in the series.

Two minutes later, Lewis got past three defenders and patted the ball past the hapless goalkeeper.

Guyana messed another chance to come back in the game when they were awarded a penalty, in a similar situation in the first half when a penalty was not awarded. But Dexter Blake sent the ball straight to the goalkeeper who blocked it. Sanmogan rushed in but failed to finish.

In the next run down, Suriname too got a penalty and Lewis netted with authority, choosing the left side between the upright and the goalkeeper to effectively wrap up the game in the 47th minute.

Earlier, Suriname put in another impressive display but netted only one goal in the first half. Drenthe got a good cross from the right and finished with an instant volley to rock the net in the sixth minute.

But within a minute of the resumption, Jorgin Dijkland received a through pass in the run of play, and shot from three metres out to score in the 31st minute. Two minutes later, Romario Renfurm sent a power shot from the penalty spot, during a super build-up in the box, to rock the net.

Suriname got an indirect free kick in the 38th minute, when the goalkeeper lost grasp of the ball. A defender then pushed it to him and he held it. The Dutch-speaking boys lined up the ball and one player touched it, but the shooter failed to fire. The CARICOM boys took it but lost it almost immediately and Wilfred Holter shot three metres out to blast the net.

Striker Cronie then tucked in his first goal in the 42nd minute, during another build-up inside the box and shot from five metres out at the right to rock the net.

In the 47th minute, CARICOM lost possession during a goal kick and Drenthe shot from five metres out at right to complete his double, and Cronie completed his double in the 53rd minute to wrap up the game. From a right corner, a short pass followed then the ball was floated into the box and Cronie got a headshot in.

SAP volleyball course under way
Leeron Brumell
THE Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) in its role to develop the sport in Guyana has started a five-day course for secondary schoolteachers with the aim of reintroducing the game into the school’s curriculum for the CXC 2005 examinations.

At the opening of the Sports Aid Programme (SAP) yesterday morning at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall where the sessions will be held until September 3, president Lennie Shuffler said that the federation would embark on a nationwide programme for schools.

The programme is being conducted by Romanian level-two lecturer, and coach Dan Llie Girleanu of the FIVB who gave an overview of the course.

Yesterday the 15 participants were given a chance to view the Olympic final between Italy and Brazil, while Girleanu would go through the basics with them.

Girleanu said that they will be learning the basics of the game such as the skills and drills, and theoretical and practical sessions will be done.

Girleanu who is a Romanian 1980 Olympic medallist said the objectives of the programme is to lift the standard of performance in Guyana and more specifically to refresh the knowledge, abilities and skills through widening the participants’ experiences from beginning to intermediate level.

The coach of a private club in Houston, Texas, said there are some 280 countries affiliated to the FIVB and more than 100 million people playing the game all over the world.

Shuffler is of the view that in a few years time volleyball can be the most played sport in Guyana since the federation has been preparing for a while to launch what he termed ‘volleyball explosion 2004’.

He said that the organisers will be doing a nationwide school’s programme and in Demerara, Berbice and Essequibo some ten tournaments will be played, three in Berbice and Essequibo, while four will be played in Demerara during September to December and 10 schools will be involved.

Each school, he said, will produce two female and two male teams and the ‘all fours format’ will be introduced to make learning easier and more fun.

He said the GVF would donate a ball to each of the schools and earmark a ‘development area’ where the players can work and get information as it relates to the CXC syllabus.

Shuffler said by doing this they will be developing both the game and the Education department.

The president further added that the FIVB is looking at the introduction of volleyball into schools worldwide.

Director of Sports of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Neil Kumar congratulated the GVF on its initiative and welcomed Girleanu to Guyana.

Kumar said there was a period when volleyball was dead in the country and thanks to the hard work by present and past members of the federation the game has been resuscitated.

Kumar said that it is his hope that minor persons in sports will move up to the helm and aid in its development.

“If we are to go anywhere in sports we will have to have determination, dedication and discipline. But we can’t get those three D’s unless they come from schools because if you don’t teach the students and create that kind of attitude and interest when they are small, then they won’t come and take it up when they are older.”

He then challenged Shuffler to produce a talented set of Under-19 players to send to Suriname before the year concludes.

“I want us to get a young Under-19 team to go to Suriname. I’m well prepared to give you the bus (NSC transport) and support because we had good games back then.”

Participants are drawn from the Georgetown, Linden and the Moruka areas.

Pakistanis blame umpire Shepherd
PAKISTANI cricket officials blamed English umpire David Shepherd after the national team lost the tri-series final in the Netherlands to Australia.

Chief selector Wasim Bari called for the 63-year-old Shepherd to retire.

They say he was wrong to give Inzamam-ul-Haq caught behind and Yousuf Youhana caught bat-pad during the defeat.

Bari said: "Shepherd's umpiring decisions were like target killing and cost Pakistan the final. It's time for the inaccurate Shepherd to retire."

The former captain and wicketkeeper was quoted by the AFP agency as saying: "His decisions were not only doubtful but disgraceful.

"The Pakistan team management must mention with protest in their match reports."

Pakistan, chasing 193 for victory, were on course but after Yousuf Youhana went for 43 their innings fell away and they were bowled out for 175.

Veteran cricket columnist Omer Kureishi also lashed out at Shepherd's judgment.

He said: "Shepherd has crossed his retiring age and I have always advocated that all umpires standing at international level must go through medical tests.

"He (Shepherd) is an old man and his judgment in the final was very poor."

Shepherd's umpiring was called into question during Pakistan's tour of England in 2001.

An array of missed no-balls that resulted in wickets led the chairman of the Association of Umpires and Scorers to label the officiating a "disgrace”. (BBC Sport)

Cuban Kindelan stops Khan's run to gold
By Patrick Vignal
ATHENS, Greece (Reuters) - Cuban master Mario Kindelan stopped the amazing run of British teenager, Amir Khan, by outpointing him in the lightweight final of the Olympic boxing tournament yesterday.

Khan, 17, was trying to become the youngest boxer to win an Olympic boxing gold medal in over 50 years but Kindelan had other ideas.

Nearly twice Khan's age at 33, the defending champion relied on his greater experience to counter-punch methodically and win a 30-22 decision.

Khan, who fought bravely but seemed a bit nervous, leaves Athens with the silver medal and a bright future ahead.

The Briton, who had advanced to the final with stunning displays, was 4-3 ahead after the first round and then kept taking the battle to the seasoned Cuban but it was not enough.

There was plenty of hugging between the pair after a spectacular final and a pat on the back from the Cuban coach for Khan, as a reward to his unique talent.

"I'm only 17 and I've got so many years in amateur boxing ahead of me," said Khan, immediately setting his sights on the 2008 Games in Beijing.

HOLYFIELD TRIBUTE
"I want to stay amateur until I'm 22," he added. "I want to become stronger, more mature, and hopefully win gold at the next Olympics.

"Just getting to the final was brilliant. I've learned so much from these Olympics."

The son of a Pakistani scrap metal dealer, who was cheered on by a vocal British contingent featuring many family members, had a chat with former heavyweight world champion Evander Holyfield after the bout.

"He told me that it was a brilliant fight for a 17-year-old," Khan reported proudly.

Also trying to become the youngest boxer to win an Olympic boxing title since American Floyd Patterson in 1952 was Turkey's Atagun Yalcinkaya, who is six days younger than Khan.

He, too, failed, losing on points to Cuba's Yan Bhartelemy in the light-flyweight final earlier yesterday.

Guillermo Rigondeaux extended a fine overall performance from the mighty Cuban squad when he defended his bantamweight title by easily outpointing Thailand's Worapoj Petchkoom.

Cuba will leave Greece with five gold, topping their tally of four from each of the last two Games.

Schumacher claims seventh world championship title
By Gary Emmerson
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium, (Reuters) - Michael Schumacher claimed a seventh world championship despite finishing second behind Kimi Raikkonen at an incident-filled Belgian Grand Prix yesterday.

Finn Raikkonen scored his and McLaren's first win of the season to end the German's run of seven straight Grand Prix victories, but second place was enough to crown Schumacher champion for the fifth year in a row.

It was only Schumacher's second defeat in 14 races this season, but, with Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello placing third, he extended his lead to 40 points and landed the title on race wins with four rounds remaining.

"Considering where I had dropped back to and where I finished I think I should only be happy. We clinched the championship but we had a tough fight, Kimi drove a superb race," said Schumacher.

"I would have rather finished the championship with a victory but today we simply weren't strong enough in the right moment. We have won so many races this year, it was clear at some stage that somebody else would win."

Ferrari wrapped up their sixth consecutive drivers' title two weeks ago in Hungary.

Raikkonen, who took last year's title race down to the wire before losing out to Schumacher by a point, brightened a miserable season with only his second career win and McLaren's first since the Finn won in Malaysia in March 2003.

"We have had a difficult season but now we have finally got what we deserved. I couldn't have had a better result today and it is very good for the team and for me," he said.

Barrichello claimed the final place on the podium in a race featuring three safety car periods, having lost almost a lap after damaging his rear wing in a collision at the start.

There was carnage from the outset as Jaguar's Mark Webber, BAR's Takuma Sato, Minardi driver Gianmaria Bruni and Jordan's Giorgio Pantano crashed out, causing the safety car to be immediately deployed.

SCHUMACHER OVERTAKEN
On the restart, Raikkonen overtook fourth-placed Schumacher and Montoya then pulled off a passing move to drop the Ferrari driver to sixth.

Leader Jarno Trulli was the first to pit, but Renault team-mate Fernando Alonso had to retire on lap 12 when he spun into the gravel having already gone off the track earlier in the lap.

Schumacher, having stopped on lap 16, regained a place from Montoya and then passed Trulli for third with Raikkonen the new race leader after the pitstops and Jenson Button second for BAR.

Montoya tried to pull off another overtaking move only to nudge pole-sitter Trulli into a spin.

Button, third in the championship behind Schumacher and Barrichello, was sent spinning out of the race when his right rear tyre exploded at high speed.

As another safety car period ensued, Williams’ driver Antonio Pizzonia, third at the time, rolled to a halt at the side of the track because of gearbox problems.

Like Button and David Coulthard, Montoya then also suffered tyre failure as he dropped down the field from third place.

With five laps left Coulthard ran into the back of Jaguar's Christian Klien and the safety car came out for a third time before a final three-lap fight between Raikkonen and Schumacher.

Sauber's Felipe Massa and Giancarlo Fisichella ended fourth and fifth respectively, with Jaguar's Klien scoring his first Formula One points in sixth.

History shone through at Athens Games
By Alan Baldwin
ATHENS, Greece (Reuters) - Nobody, not even U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps with his amazing eight-medal haul, stamped their mark on the Athens Olympics as much as history itself.

From the sacred groves of Ancient Olympia to tired marathon runners following in the footsteps of Phidippides, past and present proved inseparable as the Games returned to their spiritual home.

But ghosts, more recent and less welcome, haunted the world's biggest sporting event, which was played out against a backdrop of unparalleled security and unprecedented action against drugs cheats.

Doping doubts permeated these Olympics like never before, with centre stage taken by Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou.

The couple missed drugs tests and then sought refuge in hospital after claiming to have been involved in a late-night motorcycle accident. They played out a drama with Olympic officials that overshadowed the first week of the Games.

They finally withdrew, gone but not forgotten by chanting crowds at the Olympic stadium. Sporting prowess regained its place in the spotlight and Athens confounded critics by delivering on its promise to put on a great show.

PHENOMENAL PHELPS
Phelps, a phenomenal presence in the pool, lived up to expectations with a record-equalling six gold and two bronze medals that helped the United States top the overall table with 32 gold medaals.

Even if he failed to match compatriot Mark Spitz's 1972 haul of seven titles, the American teenager laid down a benchmark that could stand for decades to come.

"I had a blast doing it, being back where the modern Olympics started. It was incredible," he said.

Sport spanned the centuries in Athens where winners were decorated with olive wreaths. But the gods were very different.

It took American Justin Gatlin just 9.85 seconds to blast from virtual unknown to immortality, winning the closest Olympic 100 metres final in history by one hundredth of a second.

Gatlin also took bronze behind winning compatriot Shawn Crawford in the 200 metres, a far cry from the first 200-yard race won by the naked cook Corobeus 1 611 years ago.

On a marvellous last night of action at the Olympic stadium, Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj added the 5 000 metres gold to his earlier 1500 title - a historic double last achieved by Finland's Paavo Nurmi in 1924.

The U.S. men's 4x100 relay team lost, by the thickness of an athlete’s vest, to Britain for that country's first gold in the event since 1912.

Briton Kelly Holmes won both the 800 and 1500 metres. Holmes was only the third woman in history to perform this remarkable double.

GREEK PRIDE
Greeks replaced gloom with euphoria, chanting 'Hellas, Hellas' when rank outsider Athanasia Tsoumeleka won the women's 20km walk and Fani Halkia, hailed as a 'winged goddess', took the 400 metres hurdles gold.

Halkia, a former high jumper who had quit athletics for a career in television two years ago, won by more than half a second -- the largest winning margin in the last five Olympics.

"All Greek athletes need is a lot of soul and hard work to come first," she said, shrugging off doubts about her astonishing form.

There were other surprises too, with 2008 hosts China winning their first athletics gold in a record haul of 32 gold and Japan tripling their titles from four years ago.

"This really is the Games where Asia has awakened and I believe that this is a very strong sign that Asia will be at full strength for the Beijing Games in four years," IOC president Jacques Rogge said.

China's Liu Xiang won the men's 110 metres hurdles gold in world record time while Xing Huina scored one of the biggest upsets by winning the women's 10 000 metres.

Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele stood out as the future of long-distance running by taking the men's 10 000 title.

American sprint queen Marion Jones flopped, leaving tearfully without a medal from her only two events after arriving under investigation by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

By the closing day 24 athletes had tested positive for banned substances -- twice as many as in 2000.

They included Russian Irina Korzhanenko who had won the women's shot put, the first athletics gold of the Olympics, at Ancient Olympia on what had been held up as a key symbolic moment for the Games.

Others were punished for refusing to provide samples or being unavailable for testing. Weightlifting, seeking a boost in the land of mythical strongmen Hercules and Atlas, had seven athletes suspended for failing tests.

GOLDEN OLDIES
While Phelps was the fresh face of youth, others such as 42-year-old German canoeist Birgit Fischer -- collecting an eighth gold 24 years after her first -- simply defied the passing years.

Romanian Elisabeta Lipa took a fifth rowing gold while British oarsman Matthew Pinsent won his fourth consecutive title and cried. The Cubans remained kings of the boxing ring with yet another heavyweight title.

But time caught up with others. Argentina won the men's basketball as the U.S. team were denied gold for the first time since NBA players signed up in 1992. Australia replaced France as the po