MONSIGNOR SENTENCED, P. 24
Sherman
Hemsley
Passes
Away
At 74
Page 39
VOL 22 NO. 058
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
U.S. 50 CENTS / NAf. 1.-- / EC$ 1.25
~ Not for residential development ~
PHILIPSBURG--Emilio
Wilson Estate Foundation
(EWEF) said on Tuesday that
it welcomed the news of government’s reported intention
to purchase 370,000 square
metres of Emilio Wilson Estate, including historical structures/areas, provided it is government’s intention to zone
and establish the entire estate
as St. Maarten’s first landbased protected area.
EWEF reminded government
that the entire Emilio Wilson
Estate was on the Monument
list and that commitments had
been made to the people of St.
Maarten to protect the entire
estate. EWEF also reminded
government that the current
owners of Emilio Wilson Estate had obtained the estate
years after government already had taken decisions and
made public announcements
indicating its intent to protect
the entire estate.
The foundation pointed out
Continued on page 7
WILLEMSTAD--The future of
the Schotte cabinet in Curaçao
is once again uncertain, now that
parliamentarian Eugene Cleopa
(MAN) has informed his party’s
board that he can no longer support the MFK/PS/MAN government. Without his backing the coalition, which has 11 seats in the
21-seat legislature, would lose its
minimal one-seat majority.
The news comes amid separate
reports that Minister of Finance
George “Jorge” Jamaloodin
(MFK) informed other cabinet
members in writing recently of
his intention to step down effective January 31, 2013. However,
he never officially submitted his
resignation and the letter in question had not been handled by the
Council of Ministers.
MAN president Efi van der
Meent confirmed Cleopa’s letter to the board and said it would
be discussed in a special party
congress Thursday night. Party
leader Minister Charles Cooper
is abroad, but is expected to be
back just in time for the meeting.
Asked on TeleCuraçao whether
this meant Cleopa would resign
as party member, Van der Meent
said Cleopa would stay with
MAN and probably in Parliament. He did not want to explain
how that could work as member
of the MAN fraction, but not in
support of the coalition, stating
that the congress would have to
take a decision and he would not
speculate.
Van der Meent succeeded Cleopa as party president only recently. The latter had already indicated at the time that he was making his position as such available
because he had not been totally
happy about certain decisions
within MAN regarding the actions of the current government.
There has been more and more
criticism among the rank and file
of the blue party founded by Don
Martina about its participation.
Rumours that Jamaloodin might
throw in the towel have been
circulating since Parliament approved a “motion of disapproval”
that allowed him to stay in office
and the MFK/PS/MAN coalition
later turned down a motion of
no-confidence by the main opposition party PAR that would have
forced him to quit.
There also were rumours that
the resignations of MFK fraction
leader Dean Rozier and Health
Minister Jacinta Scoop-Constantia (MFK) supposedly were imminent as well. MFK president
Amerigo Thode laughingly dismissed these rumours regarding
party members, saying he was not
aware of any such thing.
IN BRIEF
Philipsburg
PJIAE TO HOST
BON VOYAGE
PJIAE will host a bon voyage event on
Sunday, July 29, when study financing recipients are scheduled to leave
to further their studies in Holland.
Page 4.
VOTING
PROCESS
A member of the Dutch Second
Chamber has taken the initiative
to modernise the electoral process
through electronic voting for Dutch
voters overseas. Page 7.
DOLPHIN
DISCOVERY
Dolphin Discovery has restarted its
programme in Anguilla. It is operating at its newly-built facility at Blowing Point. Page 17.
Deputy Prime Minister William Marlin lays a wreath at the base of the
Claude Wathey statue on Tuesday, accompanied by Ministers Silveria
Jacobs and Cornelius De Weever, when Claude Wathey Political Awareness Foundation held its 14th annual recognition and wreath-laying ceremony commemorating the birth of Claude Wathey, the late Democratic Party co-founder and leader. See story on page 3.
PHILIPSBURG--Elston
Fos
(51), the escaped manslaughter
convict who was caught and arrested on Friday, July 22, will be
extradited to The Netherlands on
Sunday, July 29, Chief Prosecutor
Hans Mos told The Daily Herald
Tuesday
Fos was arrested in front of the
police station on Friday after he
was recognised by Police Inspector Bloeiman of Interpol’s representation on the island. Fos has
been on the run after fleeing The
Netherlands while on temporary
leave from prison after being con-
victed of a crime he committed in
Rotterdam, The Netherlands on
March 28, 1996.
Fos stabbed his daughter’s
aunt’s boyfriend to death after
Continued on page 8
Editorial
2
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Long arm
Member of the
Inter American Press Association
Published by
The Caribbean Herald NV
Bush Road 22
St. Maarten N.A.
P.O.Box 828
Bankers:
RBTT Bank St. Maarten
USD acc. 212938
NAf acc. 40407527
President
R.F.Snow
Managing Director
Mary Jane Hellmund
Publisher/ Managing Director
Paul De Windt
Editorial
Courtney Gibson
(Editor in Chief)
Gordon H. Snow
(Managing Editor)
Rajesh Chintaman
(Night Editor)
Judy Fitzpatrick
Alita Singh
John van Kerkhof
Michael Granger
Rochelle Jacob
Thomas A. Burnett Jr. (Sports)
John Halley (photos)
Editorial Assistant
Marie Brown
Correction
Saresa Gray
Sharon van Arneman
Lesley Vieira
Clive Hodge
Margaret Brooks
Dorothee Illis
Phyllis Meit
Marga Hart
Correspondents
Suzanne Koelega (Neth.)
Brenda Carty (Anguilla)
Althea Merkman (Statia)
Teodor Stan (Saba)
Bob Morgan(Saba-photo)
Robert Luckock (St. Martin)
Lay-Out
Richard James
Rodolphe O. Boirard
Stephen Morris
Operations Manager/
Managing Director
Steven De Windt
Office Manager
Mijke Stenz
Rosalie Davis (assis.)
Accounting
Ada van Luling
Mercedes De Windt
Advertising
Moira Marcelle
Stephanie Culbert
Harmen Rijsdijk
Cecilia Vazquez
Saskia Van Leeuwen
Latoya Philips (assis.)
Graphics
Mark Martelly
Evadney Henriques
Chanaz Calor
Cleon Frederick
Mark Persaud
Special Editions
Lisa Burnett
Claudienne Peterson
Lucinda Frye
Reception
Ethlyn Joubert
CALLING
THE DAILY HERALD
ST. MAARTEN
Telephone
5425253/5425597/
5420931/5437236
FAX 5425913
E-Mail:
dherald@sintmaarten.net
advertising@thedailyherald.com
editorial@thedailyherald.com
classifieds@thedailyherald.com
ANGUILLA/264-497-3138
SABA
4162381/4162881(sales)
4161191(edit)
teodor_stan@yahoo.com
STATIA
3182401/3182936/fax
3182136
NEVIS
469-0607/fax 0606
ST KITTS
466-8609
WEATHER
Today: Partly cloudy and hazy, with an isolated passing shower.
Winds: East, 12-20mph.
Sea conditions: Moderate, with the highest waves over the Eastern and
Northern local waters.
Seas: 3-6 feet, with the highest waves over the Eastern and Northern
local waters.
Small craft exercise caution over the open Atlantic waters.
Forecast high: 31°C 88°F
Forecast low: 27°C 81°F
SYNOPSIS: A high-pressure ridge coming from the Atlantic will maintain a moderate to fresh air flow over the region and Saharan dust will
continue to cover the region through much of the week.
TROPICAL SYSTEMS: The remaining names reserved for tropical
storms and hurricanes during the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season (now
through November 30) are Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Hélène, Isaac,
Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sandy,
Tony, Valerie and William.
SPECIAL FEATURES: None.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK: None.
Outlook until Thursday evening: Partly cloudy, with subsided winds,
improved sea conditions and a brief shower possible.
Sunrise: 5:48am
Sunset: 6:49pm
Questions remain about the recent arrest in St. Maarten of a
wanted Curaçao man who fled from justice in The Netherlands
more than 13 years ago (see related article). The exact circumstances surrounding his temporary leave after less than half his
six-year sentence for a homicide in Rotterdam are as yet not
known.
The fact of the matter is that the Dutch authorities obviously
were not done with him and issued an international arrest warrant. He will be sent back this Sunday, while local residents are
left to wonder how it was possible for the convict to travel to the
island in the first place, go unnoticed for so long and even get a
job in government.
Prosecutor Mos gave some indication when he stated that the
man probably had not departed through Schiphol Airport unless
he had left on the very same day he was released. With the open
borders in Europe it in any case would not have been that hard
to go to, for example, Paris and take the plane there.
All this still doesn’t explain that he was hired by government,
apparently without much of background check. That is not to say
nobody with a criminal record can be hired in the civil service,
but it’s a totally different matter when the sentence has not been
completed.
That he allegedly stabbed another man to death at the time for
raping his 13-year-old daughter makes his case more understandable, while he reportedly was a good local citizen as well
and even served on the board of the homeowners association at
the Belvedere public housing project. Nevertheless, that doesn’t
change the reality that he was a fugitive and ultimately paid the
price.
What this story shows is the apparent lack of an effective information exchange within the Kingdom when it comes to law
enforcement. If Inspector Bloeiman had not recognised him by
coincidence, perhaps this man might never have been caught.
The fact that he was, however, should send a clear message to all
current and would-be offenders that when it comes to the long
arm of the law one can run, but probably not hide forever.
Agenda St. Maarten / St. Martin
No cruise ship in port today.
ST. MAARTEN
POLICE STATION
Philipsburg tel. 542-2222
Simpson Bay tel. 545-5500
HOT LINE 108
EMERGENCY 911
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Tel. 542-6001 or 919
HOSPITAL
Medical Center, Cay Hill
24-hour Emergency Service
tel. 543-1111 or 910
AMBULANCE
Philipsburg tel. 542-2111 or 912
MEDICAL EMERGENCIES
For medical emergencies after clinic hours,
from 6:00 pm - 8:00 am and during weekends
and holidays, all patients of hereunder mentioned family doctors can go to the emergency
room of the St. Maarten Medical Center, tel.:
543-1111 (ext. 1): Dr. A. Arrindell, Dr. F. Bouman, Dr. F. Bus, Dr. H. Deketh, Dr. A. Herles,
Dr. G. van Osch, Dr. G. Spencer, Dr. P. Arrindell, Dr. G. Bryson, Dr. J. Datema, Dr. G.
Foeken, Dr. L. Knol, Dr. A. Raghosing and Dr.
U. Tjaden.
SXM Animal Welfare Foundation Ambulance Team 520-8887
CRIME STOPPERS ANYMOUS TIP LINE:
543-TIPS(8477)
TELEPHONE INFO
Tel-em: 542-2211
Weather Info: 123
ST. MAARTEN TOURIST OFFICE
W.G. Buncamper road, Vineyard
Building, tel. 542-2337, fax. 542-2734
ST MAARTEN ZOO
Madame Estate: tel. 543-2030
Open daily 10 am - 6 pm.
October-March 9 am - 5 pm.
Admission: Adults: $10, kids $5.
COLE BAY COMMUNITY COUNCIL: meeting 1st. Thursday of month at Sun Flower
Kinder Garten School, Union Rd. Cole Bay
at 7:30pm
SERVICE CLUBS
ROTARY meeting at Great Bay Beach Hotel,
every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. Rotary Mid
Isle meets every Tuesday 7-9pm, Le Charolais
Restaurant, Royal Islander Club, Maho Plaza.
Rotary Sunrise meets every Tuesday at 6:45
am. at Air Lekkerbek. Rotary club St. Martin
Nord meet at the Grand Case Beach Club
Sunday at 8 p.m.
LIONS meeting at the Upper Princess Quarter
Community Centre Lions Den in Sucker Garden every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month
at 7 p.m.
ST.MAARTEN LEO CLUB meeting at the
Lions Den every 1st, 3rd Saturday every
month at 11:00 am
KIWANIS meets at Wifol Building on Thursday
each month at 7.30pm. Kiwanis Key Club of
the St. Maarten Academy meeting at the St.
Maarten Academy every Friday at 1.30 p.m.
KIWANIS SOUALIGA 1st & 3rd Monday
7:00pm Holland House
JCI St. Maarten (JAYCEES) meeting at
the Philipsburg Jubilee Library every last
Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. Business attire required.
PHILIPSBURG TOASTMASTERS CLUB bimonthly sessions every first and third Thursday of every month at the Library conference
room at 8:00 p.m.
ST MARTIN MUSEUM
Frontstreet 7, Philipsburg, tel 542-4917
Opening hours from March 1st:
Monday - Friday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday & Sundays: closed.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
Mon-Sat, 6-7pm, Red Cross Building, Airport
Road. Saturday and Sunday at Mullet Bay
beach next to restaurant 8.30-9:30am. Tel.
587-3400 / 544-3203
AIDS COORDINATOR Suzette Moses
tel 5422078 Health Department, e-mail:
hivpmtsxm@yahoo.com.
NATURE FOUNDATION ST. MAARTEN
Tel. 544-4267, Fax. 544-4268.Email: info@
naturefoundationsxm.org
ANIMALS R. FRIENDS
! "! Email: arf_sxm@yahoo.com, www.arfsxm.org
PHILIPSBURG JUBILEE LIBRARY
Ch.E.W.Vogestr. 12, Tel. 542-2970.
Open: Mo: closed, Tu/We: 9-12.30 / 2-8,
Th: 2-8, Fr: 9-12.30 / 2-5, Sa: 10-1.
WOMEN’S DESK, Frontstreet 141 (opposite
Tel-Cell). Monday - Friday 9am-5pm. Tel: 5427940, Fax: 542-7941.
E-mail: womensdesk@sintmaarten.net
SAFE HAVEN, providing shelter and support
to victims of family violence. POB 636; Hotline: 9333; Office 9277; Fax: 9368
CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT, E.C. Richardson
street 11-b; Tel. 542-1000/542-1008; Fax:
542-1001
FRENCH HONORARY CONSUL, POBox
803, Philipsburg. Tel: (00590) 879989. Fax:
(00590) 879625. E-mail: Stanislas.GRAIRE@
wanadoo.fr
COAST GUARD NA&A, (24 HRS): 113
LEGAL AID CENTER, Law Clinic, open every
Saturday 9:00am - 12.00 noon. Free advise
on personal legal issues. Administration Building, tel. 5422337
THE RED CROSS, ST. MAARTEN, Airport
Road, #34 Simpson Bay, Tel. 545-2333/2304,
Fax. 545-5263. Cell. 586-5330 (24/7) Email:
info@redcross-sxm.org
SALVATION ARMY Union Rd 59 Cole Bay
POBox5184 Tel/fax:5445424 cell:5477353
Sun 9:00am, Tue 7:00pm, Wed 6:30pm, Thu
7:00pm, Sat 4:00pm
ST.MAARTEN CHAPTER OF BUSINESS
AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN holds their
general monthly meetings every third Monday
at the Delta Hotel at 7:00 pm.
DIABETES
FOUNDATION
OF
ST.
MAARTEN, Free blood-glucose testing every
Thursday from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. at the Philipsburg Pharmacy Voges street, Philipsburg (opposite library). Tel.: 542-3001
USO St. Maarten/St. Martin (USA military),
contact Janet Lambert 5577616 or 00590 590
294406.
SKALCLUB ST. MAARTEN/ST. MARTIN
meets 1st Tuesday of the month. For location
call: 5424432 (Jennifer).
ST. MARTIN
POLICE MUNICIPALE
tel. (00590) 590 87.61.55
GENDARMERIE
tel. (00590) 590 52.30.00/02
FIRE DEPARTMENT
tel. (00590) 590 52.30.40
AMBULANCE
Tel. (00590) 590 52-00-52
Cell. (00590) 690 57-13-28
Fax. (00590) 590 29-08-11
HOSPITAL tel. (00590) 590 52 25 25
DISPENSAIRE Marigot
8 a.m. - 3p.m. tel. (00590) 590 87.50.93
DISPENSAIRE Orléans
8 a.m. - 3 p.m. tel. (00590) 590 87.37.21
C.R.O.S.S. (Center, Research, Organization,
Rescue, Security) is on stand by 24 hours at
0596 709292.
SERVICE CLUBS
ROTARY Club Sunset restaurant, Grand
Case Beach Club every Thursday at
7:45p.m.
LIONS First and third Tuesday at Nadaillac,
Marigot at 7.30 p.m.
KIWANIS: See St. Maarten.
MUSEUM ST. MARTIN
located Fichot Street nr 7 (behind the Catholic
Church) Open from 9am to 1pm, and from 3pm
to 5pm tel. (00590)590 56.78.92.
Islands
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
PHILIPSBURG--During the month of June
2012, the Central Bank
of St. Maarten and Curaçao continued to increase the percentage of
the reserve requirement,
its main monetary policy
instrument. In June, the
bank increased the reserve requirement by
0.25 percentage point to
11.5 per cent.
According to the bank,
this increase resulted in
a rise of the item “Required Reserves” by
NAf. 16.7 million. Although the temporary
credit freeze affects
private credit extension
and, hence, domestic expenditures and imports,
this measure does not influence the excess liquidity in the money market.
Therefore, the bank
continued the gradual
increase of the reserve
requirement to curb
the excess liquidity in
the money market. Additionally, the other
monetary policy instrument, the auctioning of
Certificates of Deposit
(CDs), was not actively
deployed. During the
bi-weekly auctions, the
bank aimed only at the
refinancing of maturing
CDs. The amount of outstanding CDs, therefore,
remained unchanged.
The bank also disclosed that base money
dropped by NAf. 66.7
million, largely as a result of a net decline in
the current account balances of the commercial
banks at the Central
Bank (NAf. 68.2 million). The fall in the current account balances
was due to, among other
things, the net purchase
of foreign exchange at
the Bank. The latter
also largely explains the
decline in the item “Official Reserves” by NAf.
81.7 million on the assets side of the balance
sheet.
In addition, the increase
of the reserve requirement contributed to the
decrease in the current
account balances of the
commercial banks. The
item “Deposits of Other
Residents” on the liabilities side of the balance sheet declined by
NAf. 13.8 million in the
month of June.
The net position of the
government with the
bank declined by NAf.
15.8 million, the result
of mainly a decrease in
the deposits of the government of Curaçao
(NAf.11.8 million). Finally, the item “Gold”
rose by NAf. 30.5 million as a result of the
higher market value at
the balance sheet date
compared to the end of
May 2012. The increase
in the item “Capital and
reserves” on the liabilities side of the balance
sheet was related to the
increase of the market
value of gold.
PHILIPSBURG--The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) will be
hosting an open house on
Friday, August 3, IND announced last night.
In inviting the public to
attend, IND said, “Persons interested in learning
more about what services
the IND provides can visit
the open house at its office
at A.Th. Illidge Road 8A
(next to NAPA) between
8:00am and noon [on Au-
gust 3]. Staff will be available to answer questions
and brochures will be on
display and available to
take away as well.”
It said the open house was
being organised in keeping
with IND’s continuing efforts to be able to offer additional and improved services required by country
St. Maarten where it relates
to the new guidelines on
admittance and expulsion,
and border and territorial
control.
It said it had worked hard
on one particular objective
during the last quarter of
2011: clearing the backlog
in admittance requests.
Noting that the legal period for processing permits
was four months, IND reported that it had reached
its goal for 2012 during the
first quarter by reducing
the processing time to two
months.
3
Harbour Group of Companies officials also placed a wreath at Wathey’s statue at the
harbour.
P H I L I P S B U R G - -T h e
Claude Wathey Political Awareness Foundation held its 14th annual
recognition and wreathlaying ceremony on Tuesday, commemorating the
birth of Claude Wathey,
the late Democratic Party
co-founder and leader.
Wathey would have been 86
years old. He passed away
in January 1998.
Gathered at his statue in
front of the Government
Administration
Building
were representatives of the
foundation, the Wathey
family, the United People’s
(UP) party, the Democratic
Party and University of
St. Martin, an institution
Wathey also established.
Deputy Prime Minister
William Marlin, filling in
for Prime Minister Sarah
Wescot-Williams who is
in Washington DC, laid
a wreath at the base of
Wathey’s statue. He was
accompanied by Ministers
Silveria Jacobs and Cornelius DeWeever.
Valerie Giterson-Pantophlet and Member of Par-
liament Roy Marlin laid
a wreath on behalf of the
foundation, Glen Yeung
and Annelies van den Assem on behalf of USM, Josianne Fleming-Artsen and
MP Gracita Arrindell on
behalf of the UP, Norman
and Sue Wathey on behalf
of the Wathey family and
Andy Wescot and Michael
Ferrier on behalf of the DP.
A separate wreath-laying
ceremony was also held at
Wathey’s statue at the har-
bour on Tuesday. Present
for that ceremony representing the Harbour Group
of Companies were Operations Manager Hector
Peters, Supervisory Board
members Humphrey Mezas
and Renald Williams, and
Cruise and Yachting OPS
Ichel Moeslikan.
UP leader Theo Heyliger
is currently off-island.
4
P H I L I P S B U R G - -T h e
Nature Foundation carried out water quality tests
from July 22 to 24, 2012,
at seven sites surrounding
St. Maarten. These tests,
which are conducted bi-annually, are carried out in order to determine the levels
of pollutants and other factors affecting wetlands and
beaches on St. Maarten.
Tests were carried out in
order to determine Nitrates
(which shows that the water
is polluted), Phosphates
(which shows the presence
of Sewage), Nitrogen, Dissolved Oxygen, and the
acidity of the water. Tests
were carried out on seven
sites; Cole Bay Lagoon,
Simpson Bay Lagoon, Mullet Pond, Kim Sha Beach,
Great Bay Beach, Belair
Pond, Fresh Pond, and the
Great Salt Pond. The sites
Islands
of Great Bay Beach and
Kim Sha Beach were particularly chosen to test the
swimming quality of the
beaches.
It was determined that
the sites Cole Bay Lagoon,
Kim-Sha Beach, Mullet
Pond, and Great Bay had
medium levels of both
phosphates and nitrates in
samples tested. Elevated
levels of nitrates and phosphates show that there is a
presence of various types
of pollutants and sewage
which can cause toxic algal blooms and mortality
events (large scale dying
of fish, turtle and crabs) in
wetlands and coastal areas.
The highest level was recorded in the Great Salt
Pond and indicates the
presence of numerous pollutants and sewage in the
tested water. This may
PHILIPSBURG--The Thrift Shop is hosting its first “Uniforms for a Cause” drive this month, a press release from
the shop said.
For the month of July the Shop is asking all parents and
guardians to donate to The Thrift Shop school uniforms
that will not be used in the 2012-2013 school year because
they are too small or because the child no longer will be
attending a specific school. The shop also is requesting
that the uniforms be in good condition: not missing buttons or zippers, or showing evidence of re-stitching.
These uniforms will be sold to many of the less fortunate
families on the island for US $7 apiece. The funds will
go towards purchasing materials for the repairs of these
uniforms. The shop also is asking for secondary schoollevel textbooks and various school supplies, which will be
donated, not sold.
Parents and guardians who will require assistance are
asked to contact The Thrift Shop to register. Registration
includes the child(ren)’s contact information, size, age(s),
school(s) and gender(s).
Persons interested are asked to contact The Thrift Shop
at 522-7102. No monetary donations will be accepted, the
press release concluded.
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
cause fish die-offs and algal blooms. Taking this into
consideration levels will
continuously be monitored
by the Nature Foundation.
It was further established
that the sites Cole Bay
Lagoon, Kim-Sha Beach,
Mullet Pond, and Great
Bay had low levels of Nitrogen in samples tested. Elevated levels of Nitrogen,
caused by pollutants, can
cause massive fish die-offs
in wetlands and coastal areas. The highest level was
recorded in the Great Salt
Pond at .6 ppm, which is
a relatively high number
and indicates the presence
of elevated nitrogen levels
which can pose a threat
to aquatic organisms and
which may cause fish dieoffs between now and the
end of the year. The Nature Foundation will continuously monitor Nitrogen
Levels at this site in order
to give an approximation
when fish die-offs may be
expected.
Almost all levels of oxygen
recorded were at sufficient
levels to maintain healthy
life. The lowest level was
recorded in the Great Salt
Pond. This site should be
closely monitored for a further drop in oxygen levels
which may result in fish kills
and breeding of airborne
insects (i.e. Midges).
Despite the fact that many
sites showed Low to Medium readings, the Nature
Foundation will follow up
on a monthly basis during the summer months
to carefully monitor for
changes in the respective
levels. Similarly the levels
recorded in the Great Salt
Pond show that there exists
the possibility of fish dieoffs and increased midge
activity between now and
the end of 2012.
Students gathered at the Government Building on Tuesday for a last briefing.
PHILIPSBURG--Princess
Juliana International Airport operating company
PJIAE will attempt to
brighten a sad atmosphere
on Sunday, July 29, when
study financing recipients
are scheduled to leave the
island to further their studies in Holland.
PJIAE has teamed up
with Domino’s Pizza and
United Telecommunication
Services (UTS) to host a
“Bon Voyage” event in the
airport terminal on Sun-
day. Free parking will be
made available, all involved
companies will distribute
promotional educational
items, cake will be served
and music will be provided.
The event is meant to
recognize that while tears
will flow at the sight of students leaving, it also should
be celebrated that St.
Maarten’s best and brightest are leaving to further
their education and return
home to contribute to the
further development of
their island.
The students who will be
leaving the island to further their studies gathered
at the Government Administration Building on
Tuesday for one last official
briefing. They will leave on
Sunday, July 29, at 12:30pm
on KLM which will stop in
Curaçao first, then go on to
Holland.
Plans are being finalised
for Minister of Education
Silveria Jacobs to travel
with the students.
PARIS--Air France says
two “minor” pilots’ unions
have called for a strike
from July 25 to 29. Disruptions to flights should remain limited, according to
the airline.
Air France had said it
would communicate its
planned flight schedule for
Wednesday, July 25, by the
evening of Monday, July
23, as well as procedures
for rebooking and refunds.
In case of flight cancellation or delay, Air France
said it would notify passengers directly by phone, SMS
or email.
To be notified, passengers
should check that they have
provided the airline with
valid mobile phone numbers or e-mail addresses.
These details can be updated directly on Air France’s
Website via the “view/modify your reservation” section. Air France said it regretted that this industrial
action would occur during
the busy summer holiday
period.
The pilots’ strike is the
second such action in less
than a week. A strike action by the Air France Regional airline, which operates short- and mediumhaul flights in France and
Europe, took place July
20-23. Customers travelling on flights operated
by Regional were told to
check the flight schedule
on Air France’s Website in
the “Flight times” section.
The schedule of operating
flights was made available
24 hours before flight departure.
Again, Air France said it
would inform its customers personally via SMS or
e-mail in case of disruption
affecting their flights, as
long as they had provided
the necessary contact details. The Regional airline
strike action did not affect
long-haul,
medium-haul
and short-haul flights operated by Air France, the airline said.
Islands
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
W I L L E M S T A D - -T h e
unions STK and STKO representing the workers at
Curaçao utilities provider
Aqualectra are demanding the departure of the
entire Supervisory Board,
following Monday’s meeting of Prime Minister Gerrit Schotte (MFK), director
Darick Jonis and several
board members with some
400 employees.
During the meeting Schotte
had apologised for saying negative things about
the supposedly inefficient
government-owned
company and its personnel at the
height of the public debate
on his energy policy.
The meeting did not take
away all the concerns of the
unions. “The board ruined
the company in one-and-ahalf years. I have been working here 34 years and it was
never in such a bad state as
now,” said STKO president
Cedric Hudson.
Together with the union of
staff employees SEU, STK
and STKO will now determine whether “to keep up
the pressure.” Schotte was
told to mind his statements
about the company, which
the unions say have consequences for their members.
The worker representatives
explained to the prime minister as well as to director
of energy market regulator
Bureau Telecommunication,
Post and Utilities (BTPU)
Joao de Canha, that the intention to produce 40 per
cent of the island’s electricity from sustainable sources
in 2015 is impossible. They
referred to earlier studies
showing that the power network can only handle 22 per
cent.
Schotte assured those present that they would be closely involved in the follow-up
process to come to a well balanced so-called “productionmix.” The workers pointed
out that the latter had not
been the case so far and demanded that Aqualectra’s
own experts be allowed to
contribute.
Much was also said about
the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with
the Spanish firm “Assyce”
to build a huge solar energy
park on the island in phases.
If no so-called “power purchase” agreement to finance
the project by buying electricity at a set price is signed
within 30 days the deal is off,
explained board member
Werner Wiels. The unions
felt there should in any case
be a public bidding process
for such a large project.
The biggest concern, however, involves the planned
closure of the fuel oil turbines plant at Mundo Nobo
still this year, once enough
electricity is produced from
sun, wind and natural gas.
The workers fear they will
lose their jobs as a result.
Schotte clarified that the dismantling can start in December, not that the plant will be
closed already then.
The emergency summary
proceeding instituted by the
Supervisory Board against
the unions was still handled
in court, even though the
strike had been called off by
then. The summons could
therefore be viewed as a
stab in the back, according
to STK-president Edmond
“Chika” Fransisca.
Nevertheless, the unions
appeared in court, where
Nelson Navarro was the
legal
representative
of
Aqualectra. Before the
judge he stated that the company doesn’t contravene the
good corporate governance
regulation and that the al-
leged non-payment of social
premiums and taxes was no
reason to go on strike.
The unions argued that
the financial situation of
Aqualectra is getting worse
by the day and they wanted
to inform their members
during working hours. The
strike was also meant to get
the parties around the table.
The judge will give a decision
on the case in two weeks.
SEU for its part is sticking to its viewpoint that the
proposed production-mix is
unacceptable. The plan to
generate 50 per cent from
petroleum, 25 per cent from
natural gas and 25 per cent
from alternative energy
sources per July 1, 2016, is
irresponsible, according to
the union.
According to former PARparliamentarian Edgar “Gachi” Leito, there are several
shadowy matters regarding the agreement with the
Spanish Assyce Fotovoltaica
S.L. for a solar panel park.
5
Prime Minister Schotte (inset) apologised for some earlier statements during his meeting
with the utility company’s employees.
He wonders how the company that is facing financial
problems came into the picture, while nobody on Curaçao knows it. “Is it true that
Schotte will receive a commission of NAf. 15 million
that eventually is to be paid
by the people?”
He also questioned the role
of president of the Petroleum Workers Federation
Curaçao (PWFC) Angelo
Meyer. According to Leito,
Meyer is used by Isa oil refinery operator “Petróleos
de Venezuela” PdVSA to
put pressure on government
and the people.
If necessary, Meyer will
use fuel as means of coercion, said Leito, who thinks
the union leader spread the
rumour last Friday that the
supply of local gas stations
was running out, causing a
run on fuel.
6
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Islands
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
THE HAGUE--Member of
the Second Chamber Joost
Taverne of the conservative
VVD party has taken the
initiative to modernise the
electoral process through
electronic voting.
Taverne is drafting a law
to make this possible in
the future. For now he
is actively campaigning
among Dutch citizens living abroad, including in
the United States, Belgium
and the Dutch Caribbean
to convince this group of
voters that it is important
to make their voice heard
in the September 12 Parliamentary elections
“They don’t have to vote
for me or the VVD, as long
as they vote,” said Taverne,
number 44 on the VVD
slate, in an interview with
The Daily Herald on Tuesday. “Voting is a democratic right that people must
make use of,” said Taverne,
who studied constitutional
law.
As a former diplomat
working at the Dutch embassy in Washington DC,
Taverne knows from experience how complicated and
inefficient it is to vote in the
Dutch elections when living
abroad.
That is why when he was
elected into the Second
Chamber in June 2010, he
started his efforts to convince the Dutch Govern-
ment of the need to modernise the voting process
and to introduce electronic
voting, if possible via the
internet.
Electronic voting would especially benefit Dutch citizens living abroad. According to estimations there are
500,000 to 700,000 eligible
Dutch voters living outside
The Netherlands. Of this
amount, only a fraction
actually votes. During the
last elections in 2010, some
45,000 persons registered
which ultimately resulted in
35,000 eligible votes.
This has to change, in
Taverne’s opinion. Voting for Dutch citizens living abroad must become
Emilio Wilson Estate Foundation
Continued from page 1.
that the owners had obtained the Estate in full
knowledge of the fact
that it was slated for protection and not for residential or commercial
development.
“EWEF’s position on
Emilio Wilson Estate
is simple. The entire
Emilio Wilson Estate
should be established as
a National Park for the
protection of the area’s
natural and cultural-historical value, but also for
the long-term welfare of
St. Maarten’s residents,”
the foundation said.
“Spending time in
green open spaces such
as Emilio Wilson Estate
has been shown to improve people’s health,
happiness and overall
wellbeing. From an economic perspective St.
Maarten’s natural and
cultural heritage, and
Emilio Wilson Estate
itself, forms the foundation of the island’s
tourism-driven economy. The durability of
St. Maarten’s tourism
product greatly depends
on the level of nature
conservation and environmental care, and
requires a balance between tourism and the
natural environment.”
EWEF said its goal was
to turn Emilio Wilson
Estate into “Emilio Wilson Estate Ecological
and Historical Centre
and Protected Area,”
much like Curaçao’s
Christoffel Park, Aruba’s Parke Arikok and
Puerto Rico’s many protected areas.
“Government made
commitments to the
people of St. Maarten
from September 2005
through July 2008 by implementing a number of
basic measures towards
the protection of Emilio
Wilson Estate, including
placing the entire area
on the monument list.
“The ball is therefore
very much in Government’s court and it is the
task of Parliament and
the Council of Ministers
to pursue all possible legal and financial means
necessary to realise
their commitment to the
people of St. Maarten.
In short, it is up to our
elected officials to zone,
purchase and protect
the entire Emilio Wilson
Estate for the benefit of
current and future generations of St. Maarteners,” the foundation
said.
EWEF said too many of
St. Maarten’s hillsides,
ponds and other coastal
areas had been sacrificed for tourism-related
development. “We are
jeopardising our own
wellbeing and the viability of our tourismdriven economy through
the systematic destruction of the very foundation on which it is built:
St. Maarten’s natural
and cultural heritage.
The time has come to
safeguard the natural
heritage we have left,” it
concluded.
easier. Taverne wants to
actively contribute to this
by drafting a law initiative
to make electronic voting
via the internet possible.
“I hope that these will be
the last elections under the
current, in my opinion outdated system.”
An experiment in the
past with electronic voting
has already shown that it
is a successful recipe, said
Taverne. Voting via the
internet also makes voting possible and easier for
many more Dutch citizens
abroad.
That also counts for the
Dutch Caribbean. “The
islands should be involved
because after all they are
part of the Kingdom,”
he said. He said that if
all Dutch eligible voters
abroad made use of their
right, they would have true
representation in Parliament.
As for concerns that voting via the internet is more
susceptible to fraud, Taverne said that it was a matter of properly securing the
system. Besides, voting by
mandate in case a person
cannot personally make it
to the voting bureau is also
not watertight, observers
have already pointed out
several times.
The law initiative that
Taverne is drafting will go
ahead even if he does not
make it into the Second
Chamber. In that case another VVD Member of
Parliament can submit the
law initiative. But Taverne
is hopeful that he will manage to secure the 16,000
preferential votes that he
7
Member of the Second Chamber Joost Taverne of the VVD
party.
needs to win a seat.
Asked about his rather low
place on the VVD slate,
Taverne said “of course”
he would have liked to be
on a higher spot. “But I was
raised to accept the spot
that you are given and I am
making the most of it. I find
it a nice challenge to try
and secure 16,000 preferential votes. As a politician I
deem it a professional honour to get as many votes as
possible,” he said.
That includes trying to get
the maximum number of
votes in the Dutch Caribbean. He said the islands
have a special place in his
heart, also because he did
his final thesis of his studies
on the relations within the
Kingdom.
Islands
8
WILLEMSTAD--Curaçao
pressure group “Frente
Sivíl” (Civil Front) made a
dramatic appeal to the entire community to support
the unions that represent
the workers of local utilities
provider Aqualectra.
In this case, the unions
are not only defending the
rights of their members but
the interest of the entire
community, said Yudeska
Susana of Frente Sivíl.
She argued that the government-owned company
has financial problems due
to the mismanagement
of Prime Minister Gerrit
Schotte (MFK) and Supervisory Board members
Werner Wiels and Oswald
van der Dijs. The only purpose of the prime minister regarding the windmill
parks and the intended solar panel farm is to do business himself in the energy
sector.
According to Susana,
the entire community will
experience the disadvantageous consequences if
Aqualectra goes to ruin due
to Schotte’s policy. “That’s
why we must support the
unions in this battle.”
“Everyone is to make a
stand for Aqualectra, because if the opinion of the
employees is not respected
Schotte will accomplish his
final objective and eventually there’ll be problems
with the water- and electricity supply,” said Susana.
According to her, the
workers need support to
get from under the oppression by government. “The
unions took the initiative;
let’s support them to prevent the entire community
from being oppressed and
abused.”
Susana predicted that
with no change of policy
the debts of Aqualectra
will continue to run up and
eventually fuel distributor Curoil, the Build, Own
& Operate (BOO) power
plant at the Isla oil refinery
and the refinery leased to
“Petróleos de Venezuela”
PdvSA itself will be faced
with problems too.
“Curaçao will be left with
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
an enormous debt to Venezuela and be stuck with
President Hugo Chávez,
while the company that
Schotte wants to contract
to produce electricity will
make considerable profits
because in the end consumers are forced to pay the
high rates.”
She also foresees that
Schotte’s plans on a new
production-mix for electricity will lead to continuous
power failures.
“While the Van der Dijs’
family lives in the Dominican Republic and Miami,
the people on Curaçao will
be left without electricity.
The family will continue
to receive the profits from
gasoline stations and from
selling ice so it can continue
the luxury life.”
Waiting any longer is not
an option, according to
Susana, because the future
generations of Curaçao will
face the problems caused
by the contracts Schotte
wants to conclude.
Escaped prisoner
Continued from page 1.
confronting him for raping
Fos’ 13-year-old daughter.
Fos was found guilty and
was sentenced to six years
in prison. He was granted
temporary leave on January 17, 1999, and never
returned. Specific details
of the reason for his being
granted temporary leave
are still unclear.
Concerning statutes of
limitations, as the crime
was committed 16 years
ago, Mos explained that
this was a matter of execution of a verdict, not a prosecution. “He was sentenced
and did not return [after
being granted temporary
leave],” Mos explained.
Statutes of limitations
limit the time for the prosecution of a crime to two
years after the offence is
committed. Fos already has
been tried and convicted.
In general principles of law,
statutes of limitations can
be argued in St. Maarten if
the Justice system has been
reluctant in trying to find
a felon, but this is clearly
not so in Fos’ case, he explained.
How Fos managed to escape and evade capture
since 1999 is also unclear.
When asked, Mos said it
was likely that Fos had
not left The Netherlands
through Schiphol Airport.
In a case like this, his name
would have been on a list
and once he showed any
form of identification, like
a passport, officials would
have been notified immediately and he would have
been arrested at Schiphol,
Mos explained. This would
have been the case unless
Fos left on the day he was
granted temporary leave.
“I’m not stating facts, but
this is my reconstruction,”
Mos told this newspaper.
One of the groups visiting Winair’s operation at Princess Juliana International Airport on
Tuesday poses for a photo on the apron in front of a plane.
MARIGOT--Some 90 children aged 6 to 13 years old
from the Hope and Music
Development Foundation’s
annual summer camp were
treated to a tour of Winair’s
operation at Princess Juliana International Airport
(PJIA) on Tuesday morning.
Operations Director Edwin Hodge, captains, and
other staff from the airline
took time out to explain
the functions of the various
departments and the role
each department plays in
the management of a small
airline.
The children, divided into
small groups and supervised
by adults, were shown the
parts department, maintenance areas, operations
room, crew room, and were
able to go on board one of
the planes. For many to be
able to sit in the seats as passengers or sit in the cockpit
was a first time experience.
Needless to say there were
many photos taken of children in the cockpit.
The captains interacted
with the children testing
their knowledge of planes
with sometimes humorous
answers. Many were surprised to learn that the two
main tires of the plane have
to be changed every three
weeks while the tire of the
nose wheel lasts from four
to five weeks before it has to
be changed.
By all accounts the children all enjoyed the tour,
the highlight of which was
to be able to see Winair’s
19-seater planes up close.
“We had a lot of fun, and
we got to learn new things.
It was interesting,” said
Raissa (10) from Hervé Williams School 1. Asked if she
would like to be a captain or
a stewardess one day, she
replied; “I don’t know yet.”
Added Tamela Hunt (13):
“It was a wonderful tour, especially when we went onto
the plane. That was cool.
But I don’t think I could be
a pilot or a stewardess. It’s
too scary.”
Winair was formed in 1961
and flies to Saba, St. Barths,
St. Eustatius, and Nevis. It
currently has a fleet of three
19-seater short take-off or
landing (STOL) planes. The
company boasts an excellent
safety record and employs
75 staff, 25 of whom are pilots. On average 23 flights
are flown per day with 450
to 500 landings per month
completed by each aircraft.
President of the Hope and
Music Development Foundation, Paul Whit, described
the Winair excursion as an
educational tour for the
children. The foundation
organises a number of excursions during the summer
camp that concludes on July
30. On July 26 the children
will be treated to a tour of
Simpson Bay Lagoon on
“Explorer.”
“I want to express my sincere thanks to Winair for
giving us this time from
their busy schedule, and in
advance to “Explorer,” for
contributing to the development of our children,” said
Whit.
Heidy Buntin, Talisha Whit, Melissa Castillo, and Laurie Beras sit in the cockpit of a Winair plane as Captain Tones de Weever looks on.
Islands
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Saying goodbye at the airport.
WILLEMSTAD--A group
of 23 students flew to The
Netherlands on Monday
with a single ticket of Royal
Dutch airline KLM. The
students sent by Curaçao’s
study financing foundation
SSC was the first crop of
297 youngsters to continue
their studies in “the cold
country.”
The rest of the new students were to travel with
a special charter flight on
Tuesday or Wednesday.
Minister of Education Carlos Monk (PS) spoke encouraging words to the students at Hato Airport.
The emotions weren’t running high when the Amigoe
newspaper photographer
took pictures Monday
morning of the prospective professionals. Most of
the students will go to Rotterdam, followed by 50 to
Amsterdam and 24 to The
Hague.
Most of the students leaving for The Netherlands
choose to study HBO-law,
(business) economics and
medicine. Those left behind on the island hope
these young citizens will return to Curaçao after completing their studies.
In any case, SSC plans to
monitor the progress of the
studies better.
THE HAGUE--A disappointing number of Dutch
voters abroad has registered for the September 12
general election, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
Up until now 37,172 of an
estimated 500,000 potential
voters have registered.
Voters abroad have another week to register, said
Foreign Affairs spokesman
Vincent van Steen. Dutch
voters abroad can register
by filling out a form and
sending it by regular mail
or email to the municipality
of The Hague or the Dutch
embassy. In both cases the
documents need to be received by the Central Voting Committee no later
than August 1.
In 2010, almost 47,000
“foreign” voters registered
for the general election.
This number was already
considered low, while the
current total is even 10,000
lower.
“That is indeed a disappointment and something
we are worried about,”
said Van Steen. “We do not
have an explanation, even
more so because we published extra advertisements
in newspapers, on relevant
Websites for expats and on
Website
www.verkiezingen2012.
nl, to reach voters abroad.
They still have a week and
we are hoping for more registrations.”
The municipality of The
Hague will be sending an
email-reminder to those
voters who have not registered as yet. In accommo-
dating voters abroad government will also establish
letter polling stations in
embassies in 22 countries.
WILLEMSTAD --Provisional data from the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB)
shows a 9 per cent increase
for stay-over tourists on the
island in May 2012. The total number of these visitors
that month was 30,527 compared to 28,047 in 2011.
This period also showed
an 18 per cent increase in
the total number of nights
stayed with 259,699 compared to 219,335 in the previous year.
A growth of 30 per cent
was realised from the European region and 21 per cent
from the South American
market. The traffic from
North America decreased
by 3 per cent and from the
Caribbean area by 1 per
cent.
In May CTB studied the
visitors’ profile on the basis
of information from tourists
on their immigration cards.
A total of 6,408 persons
were analysed during this
study.
The results showed that
68 per cent had come to the
island for enjoyment. Of
this group, 46 per cent had
visited Curaçao for the first
time, 10 had been on the island before and 19 even two
to five times.
Asked what the chance was
of advising friends and family to visit Curaçao, 55 per
cent answered “very likely.”
A 26 per cent decrease
in cruise visitors was registered in May. During this
period 6,825 passengers of
two cruise ships visited the
island.
CTB explained that May
is considered a low season
month. Eleven cruise ships
with 9,263 passengers had
visited the island in the
same period last year.
The number of stay-over
tourists from North America showed a decrease of
11 per cent or 5,238 in total. A decrease of 11 per
cent, (4,987 visitors) was
observed from the United
States (US). “This is due to
a decrease in the airlift from
this market,” said CTB. The
Canadian market showed
a decrease of 3 per cent or
251 visitors.
Traffic from South America registered an 18 per cent
growth, namely by 7,950
visitors. Curaçao welcomed
5,644 tourists from Venezuela, an increase of 36 per
cent.
A previous study from
CTB revealed that the Venezuelan visitor spent an average of
US $112 (NAf. 203.84) per
day: 39.3 per cent on shopping and 25.2 per cent on
food and beverages.
Brazil registered a 10 per
cent decrease and Colombia one of 8 per cent. CTB
reported that these drops
hadn’t had much impact on
the total number of arrivals
from this region. “A positive
effect was the introduction
of charter flights by ‘Golden
Vacations’ from Ecuador
bringing 115 tourists to the
island; an increase of 105
per cent.
An increase of 13 per cent
from the European mar-
9
ket was registered in May,
namely 13,163 vacationers compared to 11,623
in the previous year. “An
increase of 6 per cent or
10,835 Dutch tourists was
registered despite the current economic situation in
Europe.”
As an upcoming market
within Europe, Germany
showed an increase of 185
per cent. “This is entirely
based on direct flights from
Air Berlin and the promotional efforts of the company in Germany,” added
CTB.
The latter means that 1,211
German vacationers visited
Curaçao in May compared
to 425 in the same month
last year. Data from the immigration cards shows that
42 per cent of the German
visitors chose to stay in a
large hotel, 11 per cent in
bungalows and 7 per cent in
apartments. Their spending
pattern consisted of 38 per
cent accommodation and
28.9 per cent on food and
beverages.
Caribbean traffic to Curaçao showed an increase
of 4 per cent in May with
3,141 tourists visiting the island. A 33 per cent increase
(1,712 visitors) was registered from Aruba.
“This increase was due to
Ascension Day falling on
May 17, while it was celebrated last year on June
2. This trend mainly occurs
when an official holiday
makes for a long weekend,”
said CTB.
10
Islands
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The “Krioyo Blue Curaçao” in Piscadera Bay.
WILLEMSTAD--At the fishermen’s port of Piscadera, local radio boss Darwin Gregg
announced a new ferry service from Curaçao to Coro,
Venezuela, with the following route: Aruba-Punto FijoBonaire-Curaçao.
The vessel “Krioyo Blue
Curaçao” with a total passenger capacity of 300 and
a storage space of 400 cubic
metres will sail this route as
of September. Gregg, who is
also director of the new company that will run the ferry
service, said there is much
interest for the route.
“Many tour operators and
-companies made contact
after the announcement.
There were also many positive responses from Bonaire.
We will therefore celebrate
the Day of Bonaire, September 6, on that island.
“It will be attractive for
them to shop on Curaçao be-
cause of huge price rises on
their island. Thanks to the
huge storage possibilities, we
can even ship refrigerators
for example.
“Then of course we have the
tourists from Venezuela who
enjoy shopping on Curaçao.”
Prior to sailing this route,
the “Krioyo Blue Curaçao”
will offer party trips to Fuik
and Klein Curaçao until
September. Gregg explained
that he wants the people to
get used to the boat. These
short trips cost NAf. 35 per
person.
Despite the capacity of 300
passengers, Gregg departs
from approximately 200 per
trip. “We think 200 passengers on board are just fine.
This also applies for the new
route. We’ll need a crew of
ten for 200 passengers.”
The new route will take four
days in all. “We’ve recruited
four captains who will ro-
tate,” Gregg said about the
initiative.
The official inauguration
of the ferry takes place on
Thursday, July 26, from
eight in the evening with a
performance by local band
“Ekspresando Ritmo i Ambiente” (ERA). The party on
board will end at one in the
morning and interested persons can enjoy this all-inclusive celebration for NAf. 95.
At 7:00pm on Friday, the
ferry will moor in the St.
Anna Bay near Iguana Café
to promote the new service.
A “Romantic Night” will
be organised with a performance of the “Memories
Band” for NAf. 55 per person, all-in.
The first trip to Fuik will
take place on Sunday and
costs NAf. 35. Tickets are
available at the office on Gosieweg 133 and at the World
Trade Centre (WTC).
ARUBA--Detainees at the
Correctional Institute Aruba
KIA instituted summary proceedings against government
again. According to lawyer
John Zara, nothing happened despite a verdict early
last year to prevent rainwater
from entering the cells.
However, the attorney who
represented 150 prisoners
last year and now has a group
of ten is not the one who in
first instance filed the new
injunction. Rossi Marchena
submitted the request with
the court more than two
weeks ago on behalf of 15
inmates.
Zara joined them last Friday and expects more prisoners will report as well. “I
assume I will be representing the same 150 prisoners,
although of course they have
the choice to join March-
ena’s group.”
A date hasn’t been set yet
for the handling of the summary proceedings. Zara
wants government to execute
the verdict of last year.
“They should have done so
within six months after the
verdict. Fifteen months have
passed and nothing has been
done yet, according to my clients. They had seen a building contractor on the premises, but rainwater is still
coming into the building.”
Moreover, the lawyer wants
the court to decide once
again on the number of
prisoners per cell, which according to him should be less
than three. The prisoners
should be sent home if their
demands cannot be met, argued Zara.
For that matter, government is not bound by the
maximum of two prisoners
per cell as the court ruled in
the case of the prisoners represented by Zara last year,
because the judgment was
reversed on appeal.
In that same appeal case the
court also ruled that government must protect the cells at
KIA against rainwater within
six months. The point of departure was that the state is
obligated to take care of the
prisoners. “In any case, that
obligation includes that prisoners are held in dry cells,”
according to the verdict of
April last year.
The Amigoe newspaper’s attempts to contact Marchena
were in vain. It is unknown if
the group he represents has
the same demands as that of
Zara.
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
tal some 2,000 participants.
About one million spectators come to the annual
carnival parade in Rotterdam.
Brown got assistance from
two professionals in the
carnival business: Arubaborn living carnival legend
Marcia Stamper and her
daughter “Soca Girl Saïra”
Koolman. Stamper, who
has led many troupes on
Cu10A
the island of her birth, is a
Members of the Small Island Unity troupe together with member of FECC and has
their queen Aishira Cicilia during the queen contest for the participated several times
Summer Carnival in Rotterdam last Saturday. (Photo by in St. Maarten’s carnival
LongJoy Photography)
in the 80s with her Esso
R O T T E R D A M - -T h e road. Why go through all troupe. Koolman actively
Small Island Unity troupe the trouble? “Every time participates in carnival.
of about 40 revellers is I was at the Summer Cargearing up to participate nival, I asked myself, why
in the Rotterdam Summer aren’t we here? I decided
Carnival this Saturday. For not to complain but to do
the first time the Windward something about it,” said
Islands will be represented Brown.
in one of Europe’s largest
Initially Brown wanted
carnival events.
to call his troupe Soualiga
It might not be a sizeable Unity, but to be able to introupe, or one with extrava- clude more islands, includgant pieces, but at least the ing St. Eustatius and Saba,
islands will no longer be he opted for the name
absent from what is consid- Small Islands Unity. A carered the largest Caribbean nival troupe would provide
carnival parade outside the the perfect opportunity to
Caribbean region. And, foster closer ties between
that is quite an accomplish- the Windward Islands. “We
ment, especially when con- don’t unite enough,” he
sidering that SIU members said.
had to manage with little Costumes for the 40 memsponsoring and as a result ber troupe are ready this
had to dig into their own week. It is a simple, yet stylpockets.
ish costume with blue and
Another novelty for the yellow/gold as the domiWindward Islands is that nant colours and a head
for the first time one of piece with a flag of one of
its carnival troupes has the Dutch Caribbean isbecome a member of the lands, depicting the group’s
Federation of European theme: Caribbean Mass.
Carnival Cities (FECC), an
Participants from Berlin
organisation that promotes and the United Kingdom
carnival in Europe. SIU co- will give the troupe an inordinator Kyle Brown was ternational flavour. Cominaugurated as a member ing over from Berlin will be
late June.
a Caribbean folklore group,
The membership of the Jab Jab crew, who will
FECC, with representatives be wearing all body paint
from 54 countries, opens up costumes. Jab Jab will be
a vast European network a new phenomenon in the
to SIU. The membership Summer Carnival. “It will
brings benefits to SIU but be a cultural shock,” said
it also means promotion for Brown.
the Windward Islands in a
SIU will also host a Grenew, unexplored area, the nada/St. Vincent crew from
European carnivals. Sever- the UK. Musical guidance
al Caribbean countries are for the troupe will be proalready a member of FECC vided by several internalike Trinidad and Tobago, tional DJ’s united under
Cuba, St. Lucia, Barbados, the name DJ Asylum Famthe Dominican Republic, ily, along with several perGuadeloupe, Aruba, Bo- formers. Next year Brown
naire and Curaçao.
hopes to introduce stilt
Getting a troupe on the walkers from St. Maarten
road is no small task, St. to further spice up the hype
Maartener Brown found of the islands’ participaout after he decided about tion in the Summer Cara year ago that he wanted nival. SIU is number 18 in
to get a troupe from the Saturday’s parade that will
Windward Islands on the feature 38 groups of in to-
Islands
11
12
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Shop Smart...
Save Big
Islands
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
AGENDA
ST. EUSTATIUS
Police Station 182333
Emergency 111
Hot Line 108
Fire Department 120
Hospital 182211/182371
Landsradio 182210
Post Office 182207
St. Eustatius Historical
Foundation Museum 182288
Winair Office 182362
Lions Club meets every 1st and
3rd Wednesday at the “Den”
next to the Airport
Drug Prevention Foundation
meets every Tuesday 5:30pm at
the Golden Era Hotel.
Coastguard NA&A 113
St. Eustatius National parks:
Gallows Bay: 318 2884
SABA
Police Station
The Bottom, tel. 4163237
Emergency 111/112
Hospital
The Bottom, tel. 4163288/4163289
Fire Department Airport
Flat Point tel. 4162210
SATEL
The Bottom, tel. 4163211
WINAIR, Airport
Flat Point, tel. 4162255/2713
Taxi Service Airport
Flat Point, tel. 160
Administration Building
The Bottom, tel.
4163311/4163312/4163313
Tourist Office
Windwardside, tel. 4162231
Harbour Office
Fort Bay, tel. 4163294
Saba Marine Park
Fort Bay, tel. 4163295
Nature & Hike Guide
James Johnson
The Bottom, tel. 4163307
Service Club
Saba Lions Club general
meeting every 1st and 3rd
Tuesday 8:00 p.m. at Eugenius
A. Johnson Center.
Coastguard NA&A 113
Red Cross
General meeting every last
Monday, 6 p.m, Eugenius A.
Johnson Center.
ANGUILLA
EMERGENCY
Police 911
Fire 911
Ambulance 911
Police Station 497 2333
Hospital 497 2551
Dental clinic 497 2343
Radio Anguilla 497 2218
Tourism Department 497 2759
Crimestoppers 0800 7777777
AIRLINES
American Eagle 497 3501
Winair 497 2748
Liat 497 5000
Tyden Air 497 2719
Air Anguilla 497 2643
Trans Anguilla 497 8690
COURIER SERVICE
DHL 497 3400
Federal Express 497 2719
UPS 497 2239
SERVICE CLUBS
Rotary Club of Anguilla
Roy’s Restaurant 6:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. Every Thursday.
Soroptimist International
Day Care Centre
4.30 p.m. 2nd Tuesday
in each month Tel: 497 3509
Lions Club
The Valley Primary School
1st and 3rd Tuesday at 5.30 p.m.
Tel: 264 235 1280
National Council of Women
Arts and Craft Centre
4.30 p.m. 1st Monday in month.
Interact Club of Anguilla
Meets every Friday at 3.15 p.m.
at theAlbena Lake Hodge
Comprehensive School
Alcoholic Anonymous meetings
every Sunday at 8:30 am and
Monday at 5:00 pm on Shoal
Bay picnic area.
Subscribe to
PHONE 5425253
SABA--Three marine biology post graduate students
from The Netherlands are
starting up their projects on
fisheries and biodiversity
on Saba Bank, in collaboration with Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF)
and Institute for Marine
Resources and Ecosystem
Studies (IMARES).
Groningen University
student Wouter van Looijengoed will try to estimate
the fish biodiversity on
the Bank with a technique
called “Baited Remote Underwater Video” (BRUV).
With this technique a metal
frame holding two cameras
will be placed on the seafloor in different places at
Saba Bank. After one hour
of filming the cameras will
be taken back to the office
for analysis.
Using special developed
software, researchers will
be able to determine relative species abundance and
SABA--Saba Party Productions
and
TelCell
proudly present Party
Night
2K12,
tonight,
Wednesday, featuring Onyan and Burning Flames
from Antigua, Rebels
Band from St. Eustatius
and DJ Party Dude Jason
from St. Maarten.
On behalf of Saba Party
Productions
promoter
Kevin Hassell said he is
very grateful to TelCell for
being the main sponsor of
what is widely considered
the main event of this
year’s Carnival.
13A:
One of the projects involves an estimate of fish biodiversity on Saba Bank.
the length of fishes. In this
way they will be able to
learn more about the animals living on Saba Bank
without disturbing them.
Another advantage of this
relatively new method is
“A lot of work has gone
into organising a show of
this magnitude and with a
loyal sponsor like TelCell
it makes it a lot easier. We
hope that everyone on Saba
is ready for good music and
lots of dancing on Wednesday night. Both bands will
bring a high level of energy
to the stage with music
which will surely excite the
entire crowd.”
Rebels Band, well-known
in Saba, has been elected
Band of the Year in Statia
several times in a row, and
is becoming one of the top
that it can be used at depths
beyond the reach of divers.
Information gathered from
this project is to contribute
to the baseline knowledge
of the fish community on
Saba Bank and is expected
bands of the region. They
have performed several
times in Europe and in the
United States.
Onyan and Burning
Flames, one of the more famous bands in the Caribbean, was established in 1985.
They will bring a wealth of
experience to the stage that
will surely entice the crowd
with their old time favourites and new songs.
Tickets are on sale at My
Store, Pop’s Place, Corner
Imports and Big Rock Market. Catering the event will
be chefs from Saba Groove.
14b
Children who participated in the vacation plan of the Santa Rosa community centre on
Curaçao closed it off with a “Jungle” musical. They donned costumes and performed
several skits, while the musical group “Grupo Ritmiko Sablika” entertained the crowd of
mostly parents, who also got to see photos of the various activities held.
to provide a benchmark for
future management of the
Bank’s fish community
Michelle Boonstra of University of Amsterdam will
have a close look on the
redfish (red snapper) fishery. She will be interviewing fishermen, measuring
fish, counting species and
sometimes joining the fishermen on trips to the Bank.
The research is to provide
more insight in the current
status of the redfish population and their biology.
The project of Imke van
Gerwen (Groningen University) will be focused on
the Caribbean Spiny lobster (Panulirus argus). Her
daily work will be similar to
Boonstra’s, so there is a big
chance to find both working
at Fort Bay.
13
Van Gerwen will start up two
pilot-studies, among which the
recruitment of the spiny lobsters. To this end collectors are
built to catch small larvae and
juveniles. Over time, the data
collected from this study will
be used to make a recruitment
index.
The second project will be
the ”tagging” study, for which
a couple hundred lobsters will
be caught and tagged with an
individual number, after which
they will be released again.
When the tagged lobsters
are re-caught, information on
growth, migration and abundance will be obtained over a
longer period.
The data of these last two
projects will be compared
with previous research, to
see whether things like catch
rates and sizes of fish and lobster have changed over time.
Besides contributing to the
knowledge on redfish, lobsters and their fishery, these
projects are to develop suitable methods for a long-term
monitoring programme in
the near future.
In an article published on
page 13 of Monday’s issue
of this newspaper on a donation from Aruba Bringamosa Association to a
participant in Miss Mama
Modelo Show in St. Eustatius, Dihiara Arnaud was
erroneously referred to as
Old Gin House staff-member. She is however, the
hotel’s manager. The Daily
Herald regrets the error.
14
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Islands
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
WILLEMSTAD--The advice from Curaçao’s Bureau
Telecommunication,
Post
and Utilities (BTPU) on the
future production-mix of
utilities provider Aqualectra
is “amateurish and irresponsible,” the latter’s director
Darick Jonis wrote in a letter dated July 19 to the supervisor of the energy sector
and Prime Minister Gerrit
Schotte (MFK).
The management of the
government-owned
company Aqualectra questioned
the independent role of
BTPU. According to Jonis,
the conclusions in the advice
weren’t substantiated regarding figures.
Moreover, BTPU never
consulted with Aqualectra
on the production-mix for
water- and electricity that
is to consist of petroleum
(50 per cent), natural gas
(25 percent) and alternative energy sources (25
percent) by July 1, 2016,
at the latest. According to
Jonis, the role of BTPU
as independent regulator
is dubious when the utility
company as party is left entirely out of the discussions
and advice.
“After all, a regulator is to
consider the national interest, the interest of the consumer and the interest of the
company in an unbiased way.
Within this framework, the
regulator should also hear
both sides,” the director said.
Furthermore, Aqualectra
would have been faced with
a difficult financial situation
if adjustments of the rates
were not made on time.
Insofar Aqualectra is informed a technical analysis
of the scenarios presented by
BTPU fitting in with the current transport and distribution network of Curaçao was
never done.
Nor were the economic
consequences of implementing such a production-mix
published. The available
studies show that this mix
will not directly lead to a decrease of costs.
Previous studies reveal that
the electricity system of Curaçao will be very unstable
with a high degree of alternative energy. The guarantee of delivery will decrease
with a higher instability of
the net, which could also
damage the infrastructure
of Aqualectra and cause
problems with the equipment of its clients.
With the help of a study by
“Digsilent” the exact ratio
between solar and wind energy is being determined but
internal simulations from
Aqualectra indicate that the
limits will be approximately
45 megawatt of wind- and 35
megawatt of solar energy.
With this, 27 per cent of the
annual energy demand could
be generated in a sustainable
way. Jonis therefore thinks
the plan to build a solar panel park of 100 megawatt is irresponsible from a technical
point of view.
The total surface area for
100 megawatt of solar panels
is equivalent to 80 hectares.
According to Jonis, it is thus
unlikely that the park will be
built near the main structure
of Aqualectra.
Connection to the net requires considerable adjustments which in turn require
substantial investments. The
director argues to spread the
investments in solar energy
and other possible forms of
sustainable energy over a period longer than three years,
because the end of the development is not in sight.
15
16
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
In addition to the dolphins
there will be an opportunity for snorkelling in an enclosed area where there are
already stingrays and lots of
other fish.
Dolphin Discovery has an
emergency plan in case of a
hurricane, high seas, and a
fuel leak in the area or a boat
crashing into the facility. In
any of these cases the dolphins would be removed and
taken to a swimming pool
where arrangements have
been made to house them
temporarily.
Alejadro on the beach near the Dolphin Discovery.
Dolphin Discovery has othANGUILLA--Dolphin Dis- ball with them. There are er facilities in Mexico, Torcovery has started its pro- three choices of programmes tola and Cayman Islands.
gramme at its newly-built - an encounter, a swim adfacility at Blowing Point.
venture and a royal swim.
Corporate Coordinator, AleThe dolphins are being
jadro Raygoza Loera told to cared for by three trainers
The Daily Herald there are and a veterinarian who is
currently four dolphins, two on hand 24/7. Each morning
of which were born in An- the dolphins’ eyes, skin, tail,
guilla – one in 2003 and the blow hole, tongue and teeth
other in 2005 - at the previ- are examined and any probous facility at Meads Bay lems reported and treated if
which was also run by Dol- necessary. The dolphins are
phin Discovery. The other each fed some 20 pounds of
two dolphins are from Tor- fish a day, according to their
tola.
size and age. The fish which
The new facility has some is imported frozen from Can6,000 square metres of space ada includes calamari, herfor the dolphins making it ring and capelin.
the largest of its type in the
Alejadro explained that the
Eastern Caribbean. In addi- nearby ferries coming in to
tion there are three smaller Blowing Point port are not
areas where visitors can a problem as in the wild the
interact with the dolphins, dolphins will often follow
watch them play, kiss them, small and large ships so they
be pulled by them and play are not afraid of them.
Miss Anguilla contestants with General Manager Mark
Romney.
ANGUILLA--LIME General Manager Mark Romney said that the company
is pleased to support the
annual Leeward Islands
Calypso Monarch competition and the Soca Monarch show. He presented
cheques for EC$ 40,000 and
EC$ 30,000 and said that in
addition, during both shows
there will be special prizes
and giveaways.
Chairman of the Leeward Islands Calypso Monarch Competition, Joseph
Vanterpool, thanked LIME
for its sponsorship saying
that plans for the show are
well ahead and urging the
public to attend. The guest
artiste is Superblue from
Trinidad and Tobago who
Keithley Lake described as
one of the fathers of soca.
In addition LIME presented BlackBerry smart
phones to each of the four
contestants for the Miss
Anguilla Pageant. Romney
congratulated all of them
and wished them the best
noting that he hoped the
cell phones will enrich their
experience in the important
step they are taking.
Islands
The smaller units at Dolphin Discovery where the dolphins interact with the visitors.
17
18
BONAIRE--The
Island
Council of Bonaire recently
approved the draft wastewater ordinance. This new
regulation contains rules
that are necessary to implement the Sewerage Project
Kralendijk.
A lot of work was done during the past months to build
the sewage water purification
installation at the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries LVV and
the laying of drains and sewers. The Island Ordinance is
necessary because it contains
the rules on connection to
the sewage system of households and businesses along
Islands
the coastal strip.
Another reason is the Law
Housing, Spatial Development and the Environment
since July 1 that the Public
Entity is to have a wastewater regulation. Consequently,
Bonaire complies with the
agreements with the European Union, which finances the
project for the greater part.
The connections to the
sewer will be realised after
the summer holidays. The
administrative negotiations
with The Netherlands on
this compulsory connection
aren’t completed yet, so the
households and businesses
involved needn’t take any ac-
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
tion now. Government will
send them a letter beforehand informing them on the
state of affairs.
The wastewater regulation regulates the collection,
transportation and purification of wastewater. This goes
beyond the households and
businesses on the coastal
strip that must be connected
to the sewer.
Government is also compelled to collect the wastewater with tank trucks in
the appropriate areas. This
mainly involves the built-up
area and lots within 500 metres on both sides of the road
to Rincon and Lagun.
The regulation also contains the obligation for everyone dumping wastewater
to make sure no damage is
done to the environment. In
principle, this means not polluting the soil, ground water
or surface water. Neither
may substances or products
be dumped in the wastewater
that could impede the operation of the purification plant.
The sewerage project is an
action from the Environment
Policy Plan Bonaire to protect the public’s health and
the coral reefs. It’s also good
for tourism and the economy
of the island.
The responsible Commissioner James Kroon is
pleased the Island Council
adopted his wastewater regulation.
Dr. Henry Browne QC
John Ferdinand QC
ST. KITTS--Two Nevisians
and a Kittitian with a total
of 115 years of practising
law have been elevated to
the rank of Queen’s Counsel.
Nevisian Chief Justice
of the Eastern Caribbean
Supreme Court Hugh
Rawlins recommended to
Governor-General Cuthbert Sebastian the appointment of Kittitian John
Emile Ferdinand and Nevisians Dr. Henry Leonard
O’Grenville
Stogumber
Browne and Theodore Luther Hobson, as Her Majesty’s Counsel.
Rawlins informed Sebastian that the recommendations were made after
a process guided by a protocol dated November 26,
2010.
“This Protocol was the
result of discussions and
a final synopsis which involved legal practitioners
from the public and private
bars from all of the member states of the Court. It
was subsequently approved
by the Conference of the
Theodore Hobson QC
Heads of Government of
all the Member States,”
Rawlins told Sebastian.
The Governor-General
has since signed the appropriate Letters Patent
appointing each of them
“Her Majesty’s Counsel for
Our States and Colonies
to which the jurisdiction of
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court extends.”
Islands/Dutch Kingdom
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
One of the apartment buildings in the Utrecht district of Kanaleneiland where asbestos was
found. (ANP photo)
UTRECHT--The 174 families forced out of their
homes in Utrecht because
of the asbestos scare are
to receive 150 euros in
compensation by Housing
Corporation Mitros, the organisation said Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Mitros
told the residents of 117
other homes in the Utrecht
district of Kanaleneiland to
urgently leave their homes
while asbestos dust was
cleared from the neighbourhood.
Some 57 households were
moved to hotels over the
weekend after a dangerous
type of asbestos was found
in two flats during renovation works.
High concentrations of
asbestos were found in the
area after extra tests were
carried out on Monday.
While samples taken at two
locations showed negligible
levels of asbestos, tests run
in a third showed high levels of the dangerous fibres,
Deputy Mayor Gilbert
Isabella told a news conference.
The spray-on asbestos was
discovered during renovation works on the properties, owned by housing corporation Mitros.
Spray-on asbestos, used as
insulation and fire-proofing, was banned in The
Netherlands in 1977 and is
considered one of the most
dangerous forms of asbestos. The affected property
was built between 1960 and
1965.
Meanwhile, Utrecht city
council has pledged to
improve
communication
with people living in the
area who have complained
about being given mixed
messages from organisations involved in the evacuation and in assessing the
health risk.
AMSTERDAM--Ratings
agency Moody’s has downgraded the economic outlook for The Netherlands,
Germany and Luxembourg
from stable to negative, due
to euro zone developments.
Moody’s said it has revised
its position on The Netherlands because of rising
uncertainty about the outcome of the euro zone’s
debt crisis, the rising liabilities the Dutch government
will assume as a result of
efforts to tackle the crisis, and the country’s own
“domestic vulnerabilities.”
These include the weak
growth outlook, high levels
of household debts and falling real estate prices.
In particular real disposable incomes are expected
to drop by nearly four per
cent in total in 2012 and
2013, the rating agency
said.
Negative developments in
the euro zone are amplifying these negative trends,
which are in turn contributing to a lack of confidence
and an overall contraction in domestic demand,
Moody’s said.
“This dynamic creates additional fiscal headwinds
and means that the Dutch
government’s debt burden
will begin to fall later and
from a higher level,” the
report, issued on Monday,
stated.
While The Netherlands
Triple-A credit rating remains unchanged, this does
mean a downgrade could
be on the cards, NOS Television reported.
THE
HAGUE--Biotechnology
Company
UniQure in Amsterdam,
formerly known as stock
exchange-listed AMT, is
to be the world’s first to
receive formal approval
for putting a gene-therapy on the market.
The recommendation,
made by European Medicines Agency (EMA),
will likely be adopted
by the European Commission. “Within three
months after this recommendation, we expect
definitive approval from
Brussels,”
UniQure’s
Chief Executive Officer
Jorn Aldag said.
UniQure uses viruses
to obtain a synthetically-
created gene. The company has also developed
a technology to produce
genetic material on a
commercial scale, which
has also been approved.
“Both the medicine, the
technology, the production technology and the
financing are Dutch,”
said Sander van Deventer. He founded UniQure
in 1998 and is now on
the supervisory board.
He is also professor at
Leiden University Medical Centre and partner
of venture capital investor Forbion Capital Partners, which is among the
shareholders, along with
Gilde Healthcare.
UniQure now possesses
19
the world’s first validated, stable and up-scalable production platform
for gene therapies that
can be applied to many
disease caused by a defective gene.
The company has a
production pipeline in
development for gene
therapies for the treatment of diseases including haemophilia B and
Parkinson’s disease.
UniQure is still in talks
with the US Food and
Drug
Administration
on the market launch
in North-America, Van
Deventer said. “But we
have no idea when this
will lead to a decision.”
20
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Regional
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad-Former national security
minister Martin Joseph wrestled with a gun-toting bandit
at his gated Flagstaff, Long
Circular, home on Sunday
night but was overpowered
and hogtied.
The bandit robbed Joseph
and other occupants in the
house before driving away
with his stepson’s car.
The incident happened
around 11.30 p.m. at one
community located opposite
the Trinidad and Tobago’s
Regiment Camp Ogden and
is considered one of the safest gated communities in the
country.
Several senior Army officials live in the community,
which has one entry and exit,
manned by 24-hour security
guards.
Martin Joseph
Joseph, who served as national security minister from
2003 to 2007, then from 2007
to 2010, said in a statement
to the media that he was at
home when the bandit struck.
Joseph said: “Around
11:30pm on Sunday, July 22,
I was at my home at Flagstaff,
Long Circular, when my
stepson entered the house.
I noticed that a masked man
KINGSTON, Jamaica--The head of the Lottery Scam
Task Force, Superintendent Leon Clunis, has been
marked for death by criminals involved in the illegal
activity, the Jamaica Observer has learnt.
According to a highly placed Government source,
law enforcers have received information that a “credible threat” exists against the superintendent, and the
only reason that an attempt has not yet been made on
his life is that his identity is not known to a number of
people.
“The information we have is that lottery scammers in
Montego Bay are trying to get a fix on his identity and
to study his movements,” said the source, who spoke
on condition of anonymity.
“That kind of behaviour usually precedes attacks on
people’s lives,” the source added.
An attempt to get a comment from Clunis Monday
evening was not successful as his cellphone went to
voicemail and he did not return the call, as requested.
The Lottery Scam Task Force has been making serious dents in the illegal activity, which has been blamed
for a number of murders in St James since 2007 when
the scam started. The unit was established with the
help of American law enforcers as the illegal operation
has also robbed US citizens of millions of dollars.
In May this year, Senior Superintendent Fitz Bailey,
head of the Organised Crime Investigation Division,
told the Observer that between 2007 and 2009 the police confiscated US$283,000 in cash from criminals
connected to the scam. Bailey also revealed that since
February this year $3 million in cash has been seized
by the police, who have also confiscated 40 high-end
luxury vehicles and detained 102 persons, most of them
below the age of 30.
“We have arrested 16 and 17-year-olds. Imagine a
20-year-old who owns all these expensive assets and
can’t account for them. There was one who got someone from Italy to design his house,” Bailey said in that
May interview.
An Observer source in Montego Bay also revealed that
at one stage the police arrested a 15-year-old boy who
owned at least three houses and three motor cars from
proceeds of the lotto scam, yet he was unable to read
or write.
But the scam has triggered conflict among those involved, resulting in a string of murders in St James.
Among them was one man who Senior Superintendent
Bailey said got J$800 million from the scam and was
killed by his relative over the money. (Jamaica Observer)
armed with a gun had followed him into the house.
“Upon entering the house,
the man announced a robbery and proceeded to hogtie my stepson. There was a
short confrontation between
the gunman and I as I tried
to wrestle the gun away from
his hands. I too was hog-tied
as the bandit proceeded to
rob me and others in the
house.”
Joseph added: “The robber
then made his way upstairs
to the bedrooms of the house
and it was during that time I
was able to untie myself, escape and call for help. The
police were contacted and
they arrived shortly after on
the scene.”
Contacted last night, Joseph
said he had nothing more
to say outside of his official
statement, which was emailed to media houses.
The police were called and
they arrived on the scene but,
according to Joseph, “by the
time they got to my home the
bandit had made off with my
stepson’s car which was later
recovered by the police in St
James”.
In his statement, Joseph
said what happened to him
showed the need for the entire country to work at all levels in the fight against crime.
“The war against the criminals will not be easily won
but is one requiring hard
work, dedicated action from
law enforcement and parents taking responsibility in
the way they raise their children,” he said.
“I wish to thank the police
officers for their quick response and I hope that the
perpetrator will be brought
to justice as soon as possible,” he said.
Joseph’s statements were
echoed Monday by current
National Security Minister
Jack Warner, who delivered
the feature address at the
Trinidad and Tobago Regiment’s Golden Anniversary
Parade held at Teteron Barracks, Chaguaramas.
“You have to help me bring
back some sanity in this country because the criminals in
21
this country are no respecter
of persons or places. As late
as last night (11:30pm Sunday) they went in the home
of Martin Joseph, the former
minister of national security,
ransacked his home, tied him
up and robbed him.
“No respecter of persons,
whether you are as young
as 14 years old going to high
school or whether you are
old as 89, male or female,
they are coming after you
and they are coming after
you because in some way we
have given up space. This
country has room for two
types of people - police and
thief. Let us take back the
space from thieves.” (Trinidad Express)
22
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad--The
opposition
continues to train its
guns on National Security Minister Jack Warner
calling for yet another
probe into “gifts” he received and distributed
while he held the position of FIFA vice-president.
Speaking at the Opposition Leader’s bimonthly press briefing,
Charles Street, Port-ofSpain, Opposition Senator Fitzgerald Hinds,
announced the party was
now seeking an investigation relating to an
audit done by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
into the FIFA Asia operations.
International media reports last week stated
that PwC, an international auditing firm,
hired by FIFA to look at
the affairs of the Asian
football league which
was headed by Qatari
Mohamed Bin Hammam, found during the
audit, that Bin Hammam had given Warner
US$250,000.
“In fact the letters are
to be dispatched in a
few moments; asking
the Integrity Commission, one, to investigate
and determine whether,
since PwC found as a fact
that a gift of US$250,000
was made to Mr Warner,
whether that gift, is a gift
within the meaning of
the Integrity in Public
Regional
Senator Fitzgerald Hinds
Life Act. And whether
it was declared by Mr
Warner, since 2008, he
having become a person
in public life in 2007,”
Hinds said.
Hinds said letters will
also be forwarded to the
Commissioner of Police
Dwayne Gibbs and the
Director of Public Prosecution Roger Gaspard
and the Integrity Commission to take another
look at Warner’s involvement in the high profile
FIFA scandal that took
place at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, last
year in light of the findings of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Warner, then president of both CONCACAF and the Caribbean
Football Union, hosted
a meeting in May 2011,
during the election campaign of Bin Hammam
who was contesting the
position of FIFA president.
During that meeting
at the Hyatt Regency
hotel, in Port of Spain,
representatives of several Caribbean football
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
bodies reported receiving US$40,000 each (totalling US$1m) in brown
envelopes.
Hinds said in relation
to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)
findings last week, Bin
Hammam did not personally distribute to
25 persons, US$40,000
each at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain. “It has
become very clear, as it
now stands the police
are duty bound to revisit
this issue with Mr Jack
Warner, and to ask Mr
Warner where did this
US$1 million, which was
distributed in US$40,000
packages, to 25 persons
come from.”
Hinds said Warner is
now duty bound to answer these questions.
Warner has since resigned all of his positions relating to football
activities and maintains
his innocence.
He said a separate letter will be written to the
Integrity Commission,
requesting that it investigates and determine,
now that Warner has
made it clear that he and
his family have a legal
interest in the Centre of
Excellence, in Macoya,
whether he has declared
his interest in that building.
“And more than that,
whether any income
that building would have
derived since his ownership of by way of rents or
leases et cetera, whether
these have been consistently declared to the
Integrity Commission in
accordance with the law
that governs its operations,” Hinds said.
Hinds also called on
Prime Minister Kamla
Persad-Bissessar to say
what her thoughts were
now in light of the PwC
findings.
“Today in the face of all
that we have discussed
the PM is coldly silent.
She and her hapless
Attorney-General who
seems to have enthusiasm to investigate everything concerning everybody else but a Minister
of Government. And we
call on the PM to tell the
people of Trinidad and
Tobago, what is her current take on these very
recent developments,”
he said. (Trinidad Express)
Physical Education teacher at Alexandra School, Sophia Ifill, reads a photocopy of the
exam paper she said was leaked. (Daily Nation photo by Lennox Devonish)
BRIDGETOWN,
Barbados--A senior Physical
Education (PE) teacher at
The Alexandra School said
part-time PE teacher Roger Broomes leaked examination papers to students
on two occasions.
And Sophia Ifill told the
Commission of Inquiry
investigating the St Peter
school that on one of the
occasions when she com-
plained to principal Jeff
Broomes, he told her it was
none of her business and
that was what happened
in schools in the United
States.
Ifill, the only witness to
give evidence Monday, said
this was one of several incidents that led to conflict
between herself and the
principal and eventually
resulted in her withdrawing
her voluntary after-school
services.
Outlining the first occasion when the papers were
given to the students, she
told the inquiry that the
four PE teachers, including
Roger Broomes, decided
not to set end of term exams for second and third
formers because it was felt
they had not done enough
work. (Daily Nation)
PA RA M A R I B O - - S u r i name’s state oil company
Staatsolie is considering
selling stock through a partial privatization similar to
those carried out by state
energy firms in Colombia
and Brazil, a company official has said.
Shares will also be sold
in
telecommunications
firm Telesur and Suriname
Airways, which are stateowned, and bank Hakrinbank, which is partly-owned
by the government.
The government is preparing to conduct a study
on a possible share offer
in Staatsolie, which could
help finance exploration of
onshore and offshore areas
that have drawn the interest
of oil companies including
Chevron.
Suriname will likely approach any stock sale with
caution given that a plan to
privatize Staatsolie in 1999
was met with widespread
protests that ultimately
forced the president to
leave office.
“Staatsolie wants to explore the possibility of issuing shares,” said the company’s general manager Marc
Waaldijk in a statement.
“The state can sell a minority of its shares and use the
proceeds for high-priority
national objectives.”
A committee made up of
state and company officials
will conduct a study and
submit its recommendations
to the government. Waaldijk
said the goal would be to
create an ownership structure similar to that of Brazil’s Petrobras or Colombia’s Ecopetrol, which sold
shares to private investors
but left the government in
control of key decisions.
Staatsolie, which produces
16,000 barrels per day, has
already carried out a local
bond issue for $55 million
and secured a $245 million
loan from a consortium of
foreign lenders. In 2010, it
reported revenue of $566
million and a before-tax
profit of $291 million.
Global energy companies
have shown a growing interest in the energy potential of
South America’s north-eastern shoulder. A 2011 discovery off the coast of French
Guiana was described as
a “game changer” for the
region’s oil prospects. Oil
companies including Repsol
and Exxon have been invited to explore off the coast
of Guyana, which lies to the
west of Suriname.
Chevron in June announced a deal with oil
and gas company Kosmos
Energy that gave it a 50 per
cent working interest in two
blocks off Suriname’s coast.
KINGSTON, Jamaica--Police statistics indicate that murders
have gone up by three per cent for the first seven months of
this year when compared to the corresponding period last
year.
Six hundred and fourteen murders were committed between January 1 and July 31 this year, 16 more than the 598
reported murders of the corresponding period in 2011. A
total 905 persons were murdered over the corresponding period in 2010.
The police also reported that 623 persons were shot and injured in the first seven months of this year, 14 per cent fewer
than the 725 shootings reported for the corresponding period in 2011. (Jamaica Observer)
Regional
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Women soldiers march in unison during the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment Golden Anniversary parade, at Teteron Barracks, Chaguaramas, Monday. The parade was addressed
by Security Minister Jack Warner who promised to provide the regiment with the resources
and the tools so that they can do their work better. (Trinidad Express photo by Curtis
Chase)
~ 300 to be hired as interns ~
KINGSTON,
Jamaica-Two thousand unemployed
teachers have registered
with the Ministry of Education in an effort to find employment, Education Minister Rev Ronald Thwaites
disclosed Monday.
About 300 of the teachers will be assigned to
early childhood and primary schools as interns and
be paid a gross salary of
J$40,000 per month in the
new school year.
Earlier this year, the ministry advertised for graduate
teachers who were having
problems finding work to
register with the ministry.
“We have some 2,000
teachers who are fully
trained at public expense
and at private sacrifice who
we can’t employ,” Thwaites
said at a press conference
at the Office of the Prime
Minister yesterday.
“We are trying to find
money within the existing resources to employ
as many of them as possible, maybe 300 in the first
instance not as tenured
teachers, but as apprentices
or interns, close to where
they live where they come
in and help out in a school,
start their teaching career,
earn a stipend, and when
there is an opening they
would be well placed to [fill
it],” Thwaites elaborated.
“It must be better than
sitting down at home or
having your ambition to
be good teacher slip away
from you,” he added.
He expressed the desire
for the teacher-interns to
be placed in areas of great-
est need in the education
system, such as special
education, early childhood
institutions, literacy and
numeracy.
Commenting on the ministry’s decision, presidentelect of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association Clayton
Hall commended the move,
but called for more teachers to be employed permanently as a solution to the
oversupply of those in the
profession.
Hall said this should be
done by reducing the student teacher ratio at the
primary and pre-primary
level, while increasing the
ratio at the tertiary level.
“At the primary and preprimary level the ratio is
one to 35, while at the secondary level it is one to 25,
and the tertiary level it is
one to 15. We would like
to see the ratios changed in
such a way that at the earlier levels where students are
in greater need of teacher
assistance we would have
the pupil-teacher ratio being lowered,” Hall said.
He said students at the tertiary level are more likely
to be independent learners
and as such would be better
able to cope in larger-sized
classes.
He also said schools in
other Caribbean countries
have much lower pupilteacher ratios than in Jamaica.
The JTA president-elect
said, as a temporary measure, taking on unemployed
teachers as interns would
help to reduce the pupilteacher ratio and also give
the young teachers valuable
work experience.
Hall noted that the option
of migration had been reduced significantly because
of the struggling economy
in the United States.
But despite the surplus of
trained teachers the JTA
president-elect
warned
against teachers’ colleges
and universities reducing
their intake of students at
this time.
“That would be a dangerous precedence to set,”
Hall said. “The fact is many
persons who have gone
through pedagogical training as teachers end up using
GEORGETOWN, Guyana--Opposition
Leader
David Granger says President Donald Ramotar’s
overtures to the protesting
Lindeners are welcomed
but not enough and the Alliance For Change (AFC)
has expressed a similar sentiment.
Addressing the nation
Monday night the president said he was prepared
to meet the relatives of the
three protesters killed in
clashes with the police last
Wednesday and offer assistance. Additionally, he
stated that he would establish a technical team to examine all options available
for the implementation of
electricity tariff increase in
Linden, Region 10 which
was the initial source of the
residents protest.
Speaking to Demerara
Waves Online News Tuesday morning Granger,
the opposition leader and
APNU chairman, said
Ramotar’s commitments
were “necessary but insufficient.”
“We have certain demands
on the table and it is a move
forward that the president
has started speaking directly to (Region 10 Chairman
(Sharma) Solomon which
is consistent with a July 10
call I made in a four-point
plan which was even before
the shooting,” Granger
stated.
He reiterated that while
government has expressed
a willingness to rethink
the tariff implementation
~ In wake of recent downgrading ~
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados--The Barbados has been jolted into acceleration mode in an effort to “restructure and
develop” the Barbados economy, following a recent humiliating downgrade by international credit rating agency
Standard & Poor’s (S&P).
Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Chris Sinckler met with the Joint Advisory Council of Government
Monday at Hilton Barbados – a meeting that was originally scheduled for later in the year – in an effort to push
ahead with plans regarding the Medium Term Fiscal
Strategy (MTFS).
The Advisory Council is made up of private sector, the
labour movement and civil society groups who advise the
Government on economic policies. It is chaired by Professor Frank Alleyne.
“It was brought forward in light of the recent economic
development to reaffirm our commitment to the process
of restructuring and developing this economy, to our fiscal consolidation programme as expressed in our Medium Term Fiscal Strategy and our overall development
strategy as expressed in our Medium Term Development
Strategy,” Sinckler told the Daily Nation, shortly after he
left the over four-hour long meeting. (Daily Nation)
President Donald Ramotar
structure the APNU is calling for a non-imposition of
the new rates until the economic circumstances of the
town are improved.
APNU’s four-point plan
had called on Ramotar to
meet regional officials and
stakeholders; to commit
resources to implement a
serious economic recovery
programme; to introduce
a menu of measures to address the environmental,
broadcasting, health and
other of problems plaguing
Region 10; and to cancel
any increase to the electricity tariff in Linden.
On the president’s offer to
meet with the victims’ families Granger responded
that he owed it to them.
“The president owes it to
the families not only to visit
but to give them compensation,” he stated.
Meanwhile the AFC’s
Moses Nagamootoo at a
subsequent news briefing
said they did not believe a
review of the increases was
required since it was “the
unilateral imposition of the
23
rate hike” that was the underlying factor for the unrest in the town.
‘If the president wishes
to canvas the return to
normalcy in Linden there
should be an unconditional
reversal of the rate hike, a
deferral and or a withdrawal.”
“This is not as the president and his government
are trying to inject into the
situation - an oppositionled unrest. We’re not the
cause of what happened. It
was the imposition of this
rate and therefore that is
and remains the dagger at
the heart of the Linden unrest,” Nagamootoo said.
Granger, a retired army
Brigadier, has said in his
visits to Linden to see the
wounded he observed the
extraction of “hot lead”
from their bodies, a claim
which contradicts the Guyana Police Force’s assertion that only tear gas and
rubber pellets were used
against the protesters.
Police and protesters
clashed after the lawmen
tried to clear the blocked
Wismar-Mackenzie Bridge
during which Allan Lewis,
Shemroy Bouyea and Ron
Somerset were killed and
several others injured. The
incident has led to what
was originally planned to
be a five-day protest now
being in its seventh with the
Lindeners demanding that
the ranks be charged with
murder as one of their conditions to end the protest.
(demwaves.com)
24
PHOENIX--Veteran
Arizona lawman Joe
Arpaio, self-described
as “America’s toughest sheriff,” denied on
Tuesday that his deputies targeted people
because of the color of
their skin in a controversial crackdown on illegal immigration.
Arpaio, sheriff of Arizona’s Maricopa County, was testifying in a
class-action lawsuit that
will test whether police
can target illegal immigrants without racially
profiling Hispanic citizens and legal residents.
“I am against anyone
racial profiling ... today,
as in my 50 years in law
enforcement,” Arpaio,
a veteran lawman who
recently turned 80, told
the court during crossexamination.
Arpaio was also asked
about a news release
he issued after a sweep
targeting illegal immigrants in 2008, in which
he noted criticism from
former Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon that
his agency went after
“brown-skinned people
with cracked windshields.”
“We do not arrest
people because of the
colour of their skin,”
said Arpaio, speaking
in a slightly hoarse voice
due to a recent case of
influenza.
The plaintiffs’ counsel,
Stanley Young, asked
Arpaio if he believed illegal immigrants entering Maricopa County
had certain appearances
and whether this included brown skin colour.
Arpaio replied: “No.”
The sheriff, who is
seeking re-election to
a sixth term in November, has been a lightning
rod for controversy over
his aggressive enforcement of immigration
laws in the border state
with Mexico, as well as
his investigation into
the validity of President
Barack Obama’s birth
certificate. The suit was
brought against Arpaio
and his office on behalf
of five Hispanic plaintiffs who say they were
stopped by deputies because they were Latino,
which Arpaio denies.
US/World
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Corn plants struggle to survive in drought-stricken farm fields in Ferdinand, Indiana, on Tuesday.
CHICAGO--Rainfall across
the northern U.S. Midwest
over the next 10 days will
provide some relief for the
drought-stricken corn and
soybean crops, but more rain
is needed to stem further
crop losses, agricultural meteorologists said on Tuesday.
Rains from central Minnesota eastward to the
northern regions of Illinois,
Indiana and Ohio since late
Monday through midday
Tuesday averaged 0.75 inch
to 1.25 inch, said Joel Widenor, an agricultural forecaster with Commodity Weather
Group. Heavier amounts of
up to 2.0 inches fell in central and southeastern Minnesota.
The midday U.S. weather
outlook turned a little drier
for this week, with 60 to 65
percent of the Midwest expected to get rain versus 80
percent in an earlier run,
Widenor said. The six to 10day model run was the same,
continuing to show “extensive” rains for the Midwest,
but the 11-15 day outlook
was drier for the central and
northeastern Midwest.
“We will still pull some
thunder showers out of the
Central Plains on
Thursday and bring them
through northern Missouri
out towards central Illinois,
Indiana and Ohio by late
Thursday into Friday,” said
Widenor, noting that more
rain is needed to eliminate
Midwest dryness.
U.S. crops are suffering
from the worst drought in
more than 50 years, which
is raising worries about the
world’s largest food exporter’s ability to meet the needs
of food processors, livestock
producers and ethanol makers. The lack of rain was also
drying up waterways and
slowing river shipments of
commodities to export ports
on the Gulf of Mexico.
The day’s rains and the outlook for more showers this
week eased some
concerns about crop output
and triggered a big sell-off in
Chicago Board of
Trade markets on Tuesday.
Both corn and soybeans fell
the maximum
daily trading limit after setting record highs last week.
“There’s a better chance
of rain from Minnesota into
Michigan and into the
eastern Ohio River Valley,”
Jason Nicholls, meteorologist for AccuWeather, said
of the outlook for the next
10 days.
But it will remain too dry in
an area extending from Iowa
to central
PHILADELPHIA--Monsignor William Lynn, the
highest-ranking
clergyman convicted in the U.S.
Roman Catholic Church
scandal, was sentenced on
Tuesday to up to six years
in prison for covering up
child sex abuse by priests in
Philadelphia.
Judge M. Teresa Sarmina
told Lynn, 61, the former
secretary of the clergy for
the Philadelphia Archdiocese, that he protected
“monsters in clerical garb
who molested children.”
Sentenced to three to six
years in prison, Lynn had
faced the possibility of a
slightly longer maximum
sentence of up to seven
years behind bars for his
conviction on a single count
of child endangerment.
Illinois and back into Missouri and Kansas. An early
morning storm with wind
gusts from 60 mph to 65 mph
rolled into Chicago early
Tuesday, leaving 0.50 to
0.60 inch of rain with locally
heavier amounts, Nicholls
said.
“Rockford, Illinois had
0.60 inch, and 0.50 inch at
O’Hare (airport), wind
gusts of 60 mph were reported at Midway (airport) and
O’Hare and 65 mph at
Rockford,” Nicholls said.
Temperatures will remain
in the 80s to 90s degrees
Fahrenheit (26 to 35
degrees Celsius) for the
next two days, followed by a
cooler trend, only to heat up
again next week into the 90s
to triple digits, he predicted.
Lynn
Lynn, who oversaw the
work of 800 priests, was
convicted of covering up
sex-abuse allegations, often by transferring predatory priests to unsuspecting
parishes. His case, which
was closely watched by the
Vatican, followed a series
RENO, Nevada--Republican presidential candidate
Mitt Romney accused President Barack Obama on
Tuesday of weakness in the
face of U.S. adversaries and
promised he would be firm
against Iran and China as
he prepares to head overseas to boost his foreign
policy credentials.
The former Massachusetts
governor visits Britain, Israel and Poland this week
to try to disprove Democratic accusations that he is
inexperienced abroad.
As U.S. presidential candidates often do, Romney
vowed to maintain America’s leading role in the
world. But his comments
were among the most direct yet in his criticism of
Obama’s handling of Washington’s allies and foes.
“This is very simple: If
you don’t want America to
be the strongest nation on
Earth, I am not your president,” Romney told a convention of the Veterans of
Foreign Wars. “You have
that president today.”
Speaking in an animated way, the Republican
blamed his Nov. 6 election
rival for a cooling of relations with Israel and for
“shabby treatment” of the
key U.S. ally in the Mideast.
Although U.S. voters remain focused on the economy, international issues
like the war in Afghanistan,
the conflict in Syria and the
growing influence of China
make for a critical back-
of child abuse scandals that
hit the church in the United
States and in Europe.
“He was the master of deception,” said lead prosecutor Patrick Blessington at
the sentencing in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court.
“We’re talking about children being raped.”
Lynn worked for the late
Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, the longtime archbishop of Philadelphia who
died in January. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is
the nation’s sixth largest
with 1.5 million members.
Problems with abusive
priests in the Philadelphia
diocese had been flagged
in a 2003 grand jury report
that found church leaders
failed to report abuse to the
authorities.
drop in the campaign for
the Nov. 6 election. Romney promised a hard line
against Iran to prevent it
from producing a nuclear
weapon and said, “There
must be a full suspension
of any enrichment, whatsoever, period.”
“It is a mistake--and sometimes a tragic one--to think
that firmness in American
foreign policy can bring
only tension and conflict,”
Romney said.
Obama’s campaign dismissed Romney’s coming
foreign trip, including a
visit to the Olympic Games
in London, as lacking in
substance,
underscoring
the Democrats’ effort to
depict him as a foreign
policy lightweight. Obama
campaign
spokeswoman
Jen Psaki said that according to Romney’s schedule
he is going overseas “to do
some fundraising and he
has some photo-ops.”
“These several days are
not going to help him jump
over that bar and convince
the American people he
wants to have a serious
conversation about foreign
policy,” she said.
Romney pledged to take
a tough line against China
and Russia, and blamed the
White House for national
security leaks to the media
about the raid that killed al
Qaeda leader Osama bin
Laden and cyber-warfare
against Iran. “What kind
of White House would reveal classified material for
political gain?” Romney
said. “I’ll tell you right now:
Mine won’t.”
Attorney General Eric
Holder appointed two chief
federal prosecutors last
month to spearhead an investigation into suspected
leaks of classified information amid allegations the
White House made the disclosures to boost Obama’s
re-election chances.
“This conduct is contemptible,” Romney said.
“It betrays our national
interest. It compromises
our men and women in the
field. And it demands a full
and prompt investigation,
with explanation and consequence,” Romney said.
The two candidates are
running close in opinion
polls but surveys often
give Obama relatively high
marks for his handling of
foreign policy, helped by
the killing last year of bin
Laden. Romney is searching for a way to hit Obama
on national security.
International
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
MOSCOW--Jailed former
oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky won a rare legal
victory on Tuesday when
one of Russia’s most senior
judges ordered a court to
review his appeal against
his conviction on multibillion-dollar theft and money
laundering charges.
Lawyers for Khodorkovsky were cautious about
the ruling and said it was
still unclear whether it was
a technicality or a real advance that could lead to a
reversal of his conviction.
Khodorkovsky, once
Russia’s richest man, fell
out with Vladimir Putin’s
Kremlin and is serving a
13-year prison term near
the Arctic Circle. He was
jailed in 2003 and is due
for release in 2016 after
two politically charged trials brought convictions on
financial crimes charges
linked to his now-defunct
oil company, Yukos.
He and his former business partner Platon Lebedev appealed against their
December 2010 convictions
in the second trial, but the
Moscow City Court rejected that appeal last year
and a Supreme Court judge
upheld that decision. The
chairman of Russia’s Supreme Court On Tuesday
overruled that rejection
and sent the appeal back
to the Moscow court, said
Supreme Court spokesman
Pavel Odintsov.
Khodorkovsky’s lawyers
said they needed to know
more details about Supreme Court chairman
Vyacheslav Lebedev’s decision.
“Up until now all courts
and judges in this case
have issued only shameful
and illegal decisions made
by others,” his legal team
said on the website khodorkovsky.ru, suggesting court
decisions have been handed down from the Kremlin.
“We have no illusions. We
will see what comes.”
Putin has repeatedly criticised Khodorkovsky, suggesting he was behind murders and that the sentence
is lenient. Many rights
activists believe it is highly
unlikely he will be freed before 2016.
One of Khodorkovsky’s
lawyers, Yuri Shmidt, said
the judge’s decision could
have applied to only part
of the Moscow court’s ruling or could involve technicalities that would not
affect the conviction itself.
“This decision alone tells
us nothing,” said the lawyer
who led Khodorkovsky’s
defence in the second trial,
Vadim Klyuvgant, according to the Interfax news
agency.
Odintsov declined to comment on details or potential
consequences.
Supporters say Khodorkovsky, 49, was prosecuted
in a Kremlin-orchestrated
campaign to punish him for
challenging Putin, then in
his first stint as president.
They say it was also aimed
to warn tycoons against involvement in politics and
increase state control over
lucrative oil revenues.
ROME--Pope Benedict’s
former butler, who was arrested two months ago in
an investigation of leaks
of documents alleging corruption in the Vatican, has
written to the pontiff asking
for forgiveness, his lawyer
said on Tuesday.
Paolo Gabriele was arrested on May 23 and
placed under house arrest
on Saturday after 60 days
detention in a small “safe
room” in the Vatican’s
police station. “Paolo has
written a letter to the pope
asking him for forgiveness,
particularly for the pain he
caused him,” lawyer Carlo
Fusco told Reuters.
Gabriele, 46, who worked
in the papal household,
was arrested after police
found a wealth of sensitive
Vatican documents in the
apartment where he lived
with his wife and children
inside the Vatican.
Fusco said he expected a
Vatican magistrate to formally close an investigation and order Gabriele to
stand trial on charges of aggravated theft. It carries a
sentence of up to six years
in jail under the law of the
world’s smallest city-state.
If convicted, Gabriele is
widely expected to ask the
pope for a pardon and if he
does so, the pope will likely
grant it, Vatican sources
say. If no pardon is granted,
Andy Coulson (R), the former spokesman for Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron makes a
statement to the press outside his home in Dulwich, south east London on Tuesday.
LONDON--Prime Minister
David Cameron’s former
spin doctor and a friend
who was a top executive in
Rupert Murdoch’s media
empire face phone hacking charges, prosecutors
said on Tuesday, a twist
that may expose Cameron
to more awkward questions
about his judgment.
In a decision that opens
the door to a politicallycharged court case, prosecutors said they had
brought charges against
Andy Coulson, Cameron’s
former
communications
director, and would charge
Rebekah Brooks, who oversaw Murdoch’s News International and who remains
a close friend of the prime
minister, at a later date.
“There is sufficient evidence for there to be a real-
he will serve his term in an
Italian jail, according to bilateral agreements between
the Vatican and Italy.
Fusco said he had not
seen the private letter Gabriele wrote to the pope
but that Gabriele told him
of its contents. The letter
was given to a commission
of cardinals investigating
a scandal that has become
known as “VatiLeaks”.
The lawyer said the letter
asks for “the kind of forgiveness one would seek
from a friend, a spiritual,
personal forgiveness.” Gabriele would likely seek a
judicial pardon after the
trial, Fusco said.
istic prospect of conviction
in relation to one or more
offences,” said Alison Levitt, Principal Legal Adviser
to the Director of Public
Prosecutions. “I have concluded that a prosecution is
required in the public interest.”
The alleged offences were
committed between 2000
and 2006 when both Coulson and Brooks served as
editor of the News of the
World, the salacious Sunday tabloid which Murdoch
was forced to close a year
ago amid public disgust
at the phone hacking revelations. If found guilty,
the maximum penalty is
two years in prison and/or
a fine.
Among the alleged victims were two former home
secretaries (interior ministers), former England soccer manager Sven-Goran
Eriksson, Hollywood stars
Angelina Jolie and Brad
Pitt, former Beatle Paul
McCartney and a minor
member of the royal family.
Analysts and opposition
lawmakers said Cameron’s
political reputation would
be in the dock too at a time
when his coalition government is struggling to kickstart an economic recovery
and retain public trust. “My
view is that what happens
to Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks reflects on
David Cameron’s judgment
in both the appointment of
Coulson and in being seen
to be so close to a certain
newspaper empire,” Paul
Farrelly, an opposition Labour lawmaker, told Reuters.
But though the trial was
likely to inflict political
damage on Cameron it was
unlikely to be fatal to his
premiership whose chances
of survival depended more
on the health of the British
economy, Farrelly added.
Six other people, including some of the most senior
former staff at the News of
the World, Britain’s biggest-selling Sunday tabloid
until it was closed, were
charged alongside Coulson
on Tuesday. Brooks was
not charged as she is due
to report to London police
in August, part of her bail
conditions.
Prosecutors said they were
also hoping to reveal the
names of more than 600
people who they believe
were hacking victims. The
eight defendants will appear at a magistrates court
for a preliminary hearing
on August 16.
25
BUCHAREST--Romania’s
opposition asked its supporters on Tuesday not to vote
in Sunday’s referendum on
impeaching President Traian
Basescu, in an effort to keep
turnout below 50 percent and
invalidate the result.
The European Union has
criticised the government,
forcing it to back down over a
series of measures that would
tighten its grip on power and
make it easier to remove Basescu, who is unpopular for
his links to austerity and perceived cronyism.
The Constitutional Court
dealt Basescu a blow on
Tuesday, however, by ruling
a government plan to extend
voting time by four hours to
boost turnout was legal. Polling stations will now open 7
a.m.-11 p.m.
Parliament, dominated by
Prime Minister Victor Ponta’s
leftist Social Liberal Union
(USL), has suspended the
rightist Basescu on charges
of overstepping his powers
and Sunday’s referendum
will decide whether he will be
removed permanently. Lawmakers have complied with a
separate Constitutional Court
ruling that a majority of votes
would be enough to impeach
Basescu, but that at least half
Romania’s 18.3 million voters
must cast their ballots for the
referendum to be valid.
“Our sympathisers cannot
validate such a sequence of
illegalities and abuses,” said
Vasile Blaga, leader of the
opposition Democrat-Liberal
Party (PDL), which has close
links to Basescu.
26
International
CAIRO--President
Mohamed Mursi appointed Irrigation Minister Hisham Kandil as Egypt’s prime ministerdesignate on Tuesday but
critics questioned whether
the little-known technocrat
had the political or economic
experience for the job.
Investors had been hoping
for someone able to tackle
Egypt’s urgent economic
problems and the main stock
market fell 1 percent on the
appointment, which was announced three weeks after
Mursi was sworn in.
The time it had taken Mursi
to name his new prime minister underlined how Egypt
is struggling to turn the new
political freedom brought
by the overthrow of Hosni
Mubarak into an effective
government. Mursi, a Mus-
lim Brotherhood politician
and the country’s first civilian president, is seeking to
stamp his authority on a state
where the military that assumed power from Mubarak
last year still looms large.
Highlighting the continued influence of the generals, Kandil said Mursi was
in contact with them on the
choice of the new defence
minister, a post currently
held by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who held the
post under Mubarak.
Critics of Mursi’s Islamist
movement questioned his
choice of a prime minister
who they said lacked the
clout to bridge deep political
divisions. But his appointment will allow Mursi to exert greater control over a day
to day government that is still
MOSCOW--A fisherman
found four plastic barrels
holding 248 human foetuses in a forest in Russia’s
Ural Mountains, media and
police said on Tuesday.
Police launched an investigation after officials said
the remains, discovered on
Sunday, appeared to have
come from three hospitals
in Yekaterinburg, the capital of Sverdlovsk region.
“It seems the company
responsible for disposal of
the bio-medical waste did
not carry out its duties,” the
deputy head of the regional
government, Vladimir Vla-
sov, said on state television.
Photographs from the
site showed foetuses with
tags scrawled with numbers
and inscriptions that Russian media said were family
names.
“A friend called at night
and said he went fishing
and wanted to get some
wood for his fire. He ran
into some water canisters
and wanted to take them
home, but when he came
closer he saw little baby
bodies,” local resident Sergei Tveritinov told state
television.
being overseen by a cabinet
appointed last year by the
military leadership, which
handed authority to Mursi
on June 30.
“It’s clear that Kandil wasn’t
Mursi’s first choice,” said
Shadi Hamid, a political analyst at the Brookings Doha
Center. “The prime minister
job at this juncture is not an
attractive one for high-profile figures. It is a very risky
one to accept.” Kandil will
need to move fast to address
acute economic problems
including a looming balance
of payments crisis and unaffordable state borrowing
costs. A spokesman for Mursi, Egypt’s first freely elected
president, described Kandil
as an “independent patriot” who had not belonged
to a party either before or
after the uprising against
Mubarak, according to the
state news agency MENA.
Kandil’s beard and tightly
cropped moustache has
generated speculation of Islamist affiliations, something
he has denied, saying he
wears a beard out of religious
piety. He did not feature in
the long list of potential candidates for prime minister
circulated by Egyptian media
since Mursi took office. That
speculation had focused on a
group of economists including past and present central
bank officials, meaning Kandil’s appointment was greeted with some incredulity.
“This is quite a surprise
as most of the names put
around had been from the financial sector. The market is
definitely reacting negatively,” said Mohamed Radwan
at Pharos Securities.
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Governor of Sicily Raffele Lombardo (L) speaks to reporters at the end of his meeting with
Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti at the Chigi Palace in Rome on Tuesday.
ROME--Italian
Prime
Minister Mario Monti imposed a compulsory plan to
restore financial stability to
the cash-strapped Sicily region and overhaul its bloated public administration, a
government statement said
on Tuesday.
The statement, issued
after a meeting between
Monti and regional governor Raffaele Lombardo,
said the leaders had agreed
“a plan for financial recovery and reorganisation of
the region’s public administration, with a binding
timeframe and objectives.”
The statement stopped
short of saying that Sicily would be placed under
special administration but
made it clear that the programme would be monitored from Rome and that
it would insist on cuts to
the region’s notoriously
swollen payroll. “The programme is to be finalised in
the coming weeks and will
be formally signed by the
regional and national governments,” the statement
said.
Sicily, which accounts for
about 5.5 percent of Italy’s
gross domestic product,
has been at the centre of
growing concerns over the
financial stability of Italy’s
regional and city governments after Monti said last
week there were serious
concerns about the possibility that it could default.
The autonomous island
region has some 5.3 billion
euros in debt, a long history of waste and mismanagement and an outsized
public sector payroll that
critics say has been used by
successive governments to
buy votes.
Officials have since played
down fears of an immediate
crisis with Interior Minister
Annamario Cancellieri saying on Monday that there
was no risk either of default or of a special government administrator being
appointed. Worries about
Sicily come as Italy itself
moves to the forefront of
concerns in the euro zone
crisis, with the cost of servicing huge debts jumping
on contagion fears for the
bloc’s third biggest economy linked to the worsening
plight of Spain.
Following the meeting,
Lombardo repeated his
own insistence that Sicily
had sound and sustainable
finances and dismissed talk
of default as “rubbish” but
confirmed he would resign
by the end of the month as
previously agreed.
VACANCY
International
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
ACCRA--Ghana’s President
John Atta Mills, who won
international praise for presiding over a stable model
democracy in Africa, died
suddenly on Tuesday and his
vice-president was quickly
sworn in to replace him at
the helm of the oil, gold and
cocoa producer.
Mills had celebrated his
68th birthday on Saturday
and his unexpected death
his condition worsened.
In line with Ghana’s constitution, Vice-President John
Dramani Mahama, who is
53, took the oath of office as
head of state before a sombre parliament hours after
the announcement of Mills’
death. Mahama will serve as
caretaker president until the
elections at the end of the
year.
Analysts hailed this as a sign
John Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
gestures at the Pure Fire Miracle Church in Achimota, Accra,
in this January 4, 2009 file photograph.
came months before he was
due to stand for re-election
in December as head of the
world’s No. 2 cocoa grower,
which is also a major African
gold producer.
“It is with a heavy heart ...
that we announce the sudden
and untimely death of the
president of the Republic of
Ghana,” the president’s office said. It added that Mills
had died a few hours after
being taken ill, but gave no
further details.
A presidential aide, who
asked not to be named,
said the president had complained of pains on Monday
evening and had died early
on Tuesday afternoon when
that the country’s political
institutions were solid and
working smoothly. “With
Ghana’s reputation for stability, having seen two peaceful transitions in government
following elections in 2000
and 2008, the strength of
Ghana’s institutions are likely to see the country in good
stead,” said Razia Khan,
head of Africa research at
Standard Chartered.
“As such, market volatility
related to near-term uncertainty is likely to be limited,”
she added.
Amid swirling rumours
about his ill health, Mills
had returned from medical
checks in the United States a
few weeks ago. Some reports
by local newspapers speculated he had throat cancer,
other reports mentioned a
sinus-related affliction.
Ghana’s election commission said December’s presidential and parliamentary
elections would go ahead as
planned. Some analysts questioned whether Mills’ death
might open up a presidential
candidacy battle inside the
ruling National Democratic
Congress party before the
elections. The party will hold
an emergency congress to
elect a new presidential candidate to contest the vote.
“Elections will have to be
held soon and one does not
know what the new president
will decide, in particular in
terms of resource nationalism. Elections are always a
factor of instability in Africa,” said Martin Bauwens,
managing director of Johannesburg-based mine consultancy MJB Consulting.
Producers in Africa’s second largest gold producer
have raised concerns about
government moves to raise
the corporate mining tax to
35 percent from 25 percent
and to introduce a 10 percent
windfall tax as well.
Ghana’s state and private
radio and TV channels suspended regular programming and played patriotic
songs between messages of
condolence, urging Ghanaians to unite in a time of
grief. U.S. President Barack
Obama, who had received
Mills in the Oval Office in
March and praised him and
his country as “a good-news
story” in Africa, also sent his
condolences.
“He helped promote economic growth in Ghana in
the midst of challenging
global circumstances and
strengthened Ghana’s strong
tradition of democracy ... He
was also a strong advocate
for human rights and for the
fair treatment of all Ghanaians,” Obama said in a statement from the White House.
27
Families flee renewed fighting between Congolese army and M23 rebels near the eastern
Congolese city of Goma on Tuesday.
GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo--Congolese rebels and government
forces traded heavy weapons fire around two eastern
villages on Friday, forcing
thousands of civilians to
flee towards the provincial
capital days ahead of a regional summit due to tackle
the rebellion.
The clashes took place
around Kibumba and Rugari and U.N. helicopter
gunships were seen headed towards the frontline,
but Reuters reporters said
there was no sign of an imminent move on Goma, the
capital of North Kivu province, some 25 km (15 miles)
to the south.
A rebellion launched in
April has already forced
some 260,000 people to flee
their homes. U.N. experts
have said neighbouring
Rwanda is backing the rebels, prompting the United
States, a key ally of Kigali’s,
to cut some military aid.
Rwanda denies it is supporting the rebels.
“We were in our house and
we heard gunfire and then
saw the soldiers running.
When we saw the soldiers
running, we also fled as we
were scared,” Isidore Kambale, a resident of Rugari,
told Reuters as he took to
the the main road south.
A Reuters reporter on the
road between Goma and
Kibumba said he heard
heavy weapons fire in the
early afternoon and saw
thousands of people, mostly women laden with bags
on their heads, headed towards the provincial capital. Three U.N. gunships
flew earlier in the direction
of the fighting but it was not
clear if they took part in the
clashes.
U.N. peacekeepers have
previously fired on rebel
positions in support of
government troops. They
have also reinforced positions around Goma in a
bid to make sure the rebels,
known as the M23, cannot
threaten the town.
Colonel Vianney Kazarama, a spokesman for the
M23, blamed the army for
the firing: “From our side,
we’re calm. Nothing to re-
port.” Congo’s army was
not immediately available
for comment.
The new rebellion has led
to an escalation in tensions
between Congo and Rwanda after three years of generally improved relations
following years of conflict
between the neighbours.
Leaders from Africa’s
Great Lakes region plan
to send a “neutral force”
to Congo to end cycles of
violence though no details
have yet emerged on where
the troops will come from
or when they will be deployed.
Uganda, another neighbour of Congo’s, said on
Tuesday it would host a
summit in early August to
discuss the crisis. “We’ll be
discussing a range of ideas
aimed at finding a solution to the crisis including
a temporary ceasefire and
a stationing a permanent
international stabilisation
force along DRC’s border with Rwanda,” said
Asuman Kiyingi, Uganda’s
acting foreign minister.
28
International
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
GUWAHATI, India--Police shot dead four rioters in India’s northeastern
state of Assam on Tuesday
as security forces struggled
to contain ethnic fighting
that has killed at least 30
people and left riverside
hamlets ablaze, forcing tens
of thousands from their
homes.
Rioting between Bodo
tribespeople and Muslim
settlers has raged for days
in a region near Bangladesh. Some victims died of
machete wounds, said aid
workers who has seen the
bodies.
Police opened fire on rioters burning property
in the Bodo-dominated
Kokrajhar district, killing
the four, police inspector
general S.N. Singh told
Reuters. Police found four
more bodies in a neighbouring district.
“More and more villages
are being burnt by attackers this evening. Violence
started again in the evening after a brief lull,” said
a district civil servant, who
asked not to be named.
Earlier on Tuesday, hundreds of men armed with
spears, clubs and rocks attacked an express train
passing through Kokrajhar,
injuring several passengers.
In another incident, several people suffered bullet
wounds and others were
injured in a stampede when
police fired to disperse a
gang of 400, a senior police
official said.
Soldiers and federal paramilitary troops patrolled
Kokrajhar town and outlying areas on armoured
vehicles mounted with machine guns. Some police
complained they were illequipped to deal with the
riots, despite government
assurances more security
reinforcements were travelling to the region.
Rival mobs have spread
to rural areas in three districts, targeting hamlets
along river banks and in the
jungle. About 500 villages
have been destroyed by arson, said police.
Ringed by China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan, India’s northeast is
connected to the rest of
the country by a narrow
land strip called the chicken’s neck. Home to more
than 200 ethnic and tribal
groups it has been racked
by separatist revolts since
India’s independence from
Britain in 1947.
In recent years, Hindu and
Christian tribes have vented strong anti-immigrant
and anti-Muslim sentiment
against Bangladeshi settlers. The Bodo tribe has
clashed with Bengalis in
deadly riots several times
since the 1950s. Thirty
years ago, about 2,000 people, mainly Muslims, died
in riots in Assam.
The latest violence was
sparked on Friday night
when unidentified men
killed four youths in Kokrajhar district, police and
district officials said. In retaliation, armed Bodos attacked Muslims, suspecting
them of being behind the
killings.
Hagrama Mohilary, the
leader of the tribal council governing the region,
warned that former separatist rebels had joined the
violence to protect Bodo
villages. He called for the
rebels, who are officially
observing a ceasefire, to lay
down their arms.
International
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
TURKEY
Syria is believed to have one of
Aleppo
Al Safir
Idlib
Syria is not signatory to Chemical
Weapons Convention
Programme active since 1980s
with assistance of Soviet Union
Suspected stocks of mustard gas,
Sarin and VX nerve agents since 1990s
Chemical agents designed
to be fitted to array of delivery
systems, from Scud-D
ballistic missiles to
standard artillery shells
"
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FACILITIES
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Shared Interest
The diplomat believes Syria’s statement, by foreign
ministry spokesman Jihad
Makdissi, was put out at
Russia’s insistence.
Despite the diplomatic
“debacle” over Syria at
the UN Security Council,
where Moscow has vetoed
tougher action against Damascus, “there is a clear
shared interest between
Russia and the United
States to control the chemical weapons,” he said. “The
Israelis are pretty serious
about trying to stop it happening, and the Americans
too.”
Diplomats said the United
States, Israel and Western
powers were in close contact on how to deal with the
nightmarish eventuality of
Assad losing control and
his chemical weapons falling into the hands of militant groups--al-Qaeda style
Sunni Jihadi insurgents or
Assad’s pro-Iranian Shi’ite
Lebanese fighters from He-
Syria’s chemical weapons
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
E
gas against Syrian rebels.
But “the Russians got hold
of him and told him ‘don’t
even think about it’.”
Moscow went further on
Monday, publicly warning
Assad not to use chemical weapons, which it said
was barred by Syria’s 1968
ratification of an international protocol against using poison gas in war. “The
Russian side proceeds from
the assumption that Syrian
authorities will continue to
strictly adhere to the undertaken international obligations,” it said.
L
B E I R U T- - I n c r e a s i n g l y
under pressure by rebels
intent on unseating him,
Bashar al-Assad has considered using chemical
weapons against his enemies but Washington and
Moscow have formed an
unlikely alliance to force
him to abandon such plans.
Analysts and diplomats
across the region and beyond do not doubt that
the Assad government, recoiling from a devastating
attack on its security establishment last week and
struggling to contain rebel
offensives across Syria, is
capable of using agents such
as Sarin gas if its survival is
at stake. Yet some believe
that the government’s unprecedented
admission
that it possesses a chemical stockpile--although in
safe storage and only to be
deployed against “external
aggressors”--is an attempt
to allay international alarm
that might prompt outside
intervention to secure the
weapons.
“They have a keen instinct for regime survival
and this is an issue which
didn’t play well for them,
which would really bring
serious consequences, not
the type of stuff we have
been seeing so far from the
international community,”
said Salman al-Shaikh of
the Brookings Doha centre. “I think they wanted
to move quickly to take us
away from that, to reassure
in many ways. This regime
is capable of anything, but
in this case it felt there may
well be consequences, that
they are perhaps crossing
some red lines.”
There has been a barrage
of warnings about Syria’s chemical arsenal this
month, especially strident
from the United States and
Israel, but accompanied
by firm but private advice
from Russia, Assad’s main
international ally, to put
an end to speculation he
might use it. One Western
diplomat in the region said:
“There was talk of them using it two weeks ago, but
the Russians intervened
quickly to stop him.”
“If you think how desperate these people are and
what they have done in the
past, you have to assume
they would be prepared to
use it. All of us think he
(Assad) is capable of using
it and will do it if he was
pushed to the wall,” the
diplomat said, referring to
credible reports that Assad
was preparing to use Sarin
ISRAEL
Scud-D
Length:
11m
Warhead: 500kg
Range
700km
Deraa
Centre
Scientifiques.
Began developing
production
50km
capabilities
30 miles
in 1971
JORDAN
Source: NTI, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies
zbollah. Israel has publicly
discussed military action
to prevent Syrian chemical
weapons or missiles from
reaching Hezbollah.
Some Western intelligence
sources suggested that Hezbollah and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, both close
allies of Syria, have sent
some special units to back
Assad in his fight against
Sunni insurgents and might
get hold of the chemical
weapons in the case of a
total collapse of government authority. Hezbollah,
backed by Syria and Iran,
has tried to distance itself
publicly from the Syrian
quagmire but it believes
a defeat for Syria would
mean the group might be
targeted next.
Asked whether Hezbollah
would try to obtain Syria’s
chemical weapons, one diplomat said: “If you think of
this as a fight to the death,
either with Sunnis or Israelis or both, you’d have an
interest in trying to get your
hands on chemical weapons. “It’s one more deterrent against Israel and a big
stick to wave,” he said.
President Barack Obama
said on Monday that Assad
would be held accountable
if he made the “tragic mis-
A woman receives a gas mask kit at a distribution point in a shopping mall in Mevasseret
Zion, near Jerusalem on Tuesday. The Syrian government is still in full control of its chemical weapons stockpiles, Israeli defence officials said on Tuesday, in an apparent bid to calm
fears that a non-conventional conflict could be looming. But concern that the stockpiles could
fall into the hands of Hezbollah, the Lebanese Islamist group, stoked demand in Israel for
state-funded gas masks, which have been distributed over the past few years as part of the
country’s wider preparations for a possible showdown over arch-foe Iran’s disputed nuclear
programme.
29
Russia has blunted Western efforts to condemn
Assad and push him from
power after voicing anger
over NATO air strikes that
helped Libyan rebels oust
Gaddafi last year. Since
Putin announced in September that he intended
to return to the presidency
this year, Russia has vetoed three resolutions designed to step up pressure
on Assad, angering Western and Arab states that
say Moscow is protecting a
brutal regime.
That contention will only
be compounded by Syria’s acknowledgement on
Monday that it has chemical and biological weapons
and warning that it could
use them if foreign countries intervened. Alexander
Golts, an independent military analyst, said:
“Russia’s position is not
dictated by the nature or
the actions of the Syrian
regime. Russia’s position
is very much dictated by an
ideological approach--by
19th century Realpolitik, if
you will: the overthrow of
our ally, our son of a bitch,
is a victory for our opponent. Putin still thinks in
terms of a zero-sum game.”
take” of using his chemical weapons. Washington
said it was keeping a close
eye on Syria’s chemical
stockpiles and was “actively consulting with Syria’s
neighbours and friends to
underscore their common
concern about the security
of these weapons, and the Nerve Agent
Syrian government’s obli- Damascus has not signed a
1992 convention that bans
gation to secure them.”
chemical weapons, but officials had in the past denied
Realpolitik?
For the Kremlin, revela- it had any. It has officially
tions about the chemical stated that while it supports
arsenal will add to its fears a Middle East-wide ban on
about how chaos in Syria weapons of mass destruccould pose risks to Russia, tion (WMD), it cannot unibut will not prompt a shift laterally renounce chemical
in Moscow’s stance on a cri- arms as long as Israel consis that is poisoning its re- tinues to pose a threat to its
lations with Arabs and the security.
Syria began to acquire
West. For President Vladimir Putin, making the point the ability to develop and
that foreign interference is produce chemical weapunacceptable trumps other ons agents in 1973, includconcerns when it comes to ing mustard gas and sarin,
and possibly also VX nerve
Syria.
But Dmitry Trenin, direc- agent. The Global Security
tor of the Carnegie Mos- website, which collects pubcow Center, suggested Rus- lished intelligence reports
sia was working with the and other data, says there
United States and other are four suspected chemicountries to try to safe- cal weapons sites in Syria:
guard chemical weapons north of Damascus, near
or at least is discussing it, Homs, in Hama, and near
although the Kremlin prob- the Mediterranean port of
ably believes the concerns Latakia.
Analysts have also identiare overblown. “I think
Russia is working with ev- fied the town of Cerin, on
eryone, with America first the coast, as a possible proof all ... Putin met the Turk- ducer of biological weapish prime minister, he was ons. Several other sites
in Israel, and is in constant are monitored by foreign
contact with the Ameri- intelligence agencies and
cans. Of course, nobody are listed only as suspect.
wants chemical weapons to Weapons Syria produces
be used, let alone to get into include the nerve agents
Continued on page 31
the hands of terrorists.”
30
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Regular: one insertion $5 /full week (6x) $25.
Highlighted (border around ad): one insertion $7 /full week (6x) $35.
Commercial rate (grey block): $65 for one full week.
Pricing Classifieds with photo: personal: $40 per week
(max. 30 words with one picture)
Commercial: $85 per week (max. 30 words with one picture)
Reduced price for quick sale, Rice
Hill Gardens, Oyster Pond Road.
Lot is 1906 m2, priced @$175,000.
Call:542-3471, 553-1184 or 5423633.
1997 528i BMW, 20” rims, A/C, in
good condition, $7,000 negotiable.
Call:522-6972.
1998 Ford F150 cab and 1/2, theft
recovery, $2,500 spent on new
tires, battery, A/C compressor etc,
in last year, Runs, drives great.
Body damage by thieves, $1000
firm. Contact:522-9659.
90,
soft top, diesel, 2000, in
excellent condition, $19,000.
Call:526-7222.
30, 2003,
diesel Yanmar 315HP, 470 H.
Boat in excellent condition,
price
$79,000.
Phone:(0590)690-38-99-00
Waverunners for sale, 2008
Yamaha FX Crusier SHO, 100
hours, great condition. Call Tim
001-610-216-1946 or Jim 001-610390-2939.
Sale at DHL
Cole Bay #57 Welfare Road
Brand:Nissan, years:2004/
2005. Price $9,500 each.
Contact:588-2913 or 5877698
4x4,
for sale. Three doors, year
2011, automatic, silver color,
12.000km, in perfect condition. Vlaun warranty valid
until 2013. Price $16,000.
Call:550-8308.
2002 Renault Kangoo wheelchair
car/van with lift. Great for the physically challenged, can be used for a
panel van with lift also. Lady driven.
Low mileage, excellent condition.
1999 Ford Ranger, 4x4, $4,700.
Call:543-6295.
Kiac scull boat $400. 2008 Seadoo
2005 Hyundai Accent, $3,500. with double trailer. 215 Turbo 30
2005 Kia Picanto, $3,000. 2006 hours $7,000. 125 Scooter $400.
Hyundai Santa Fe, $7,500. Serious 12x8 box trailer with tires $2,300.
buyers only! All cars are sold as Call:550-2665.
is. Call:580-7165/559-2091 or BB
Baby item for sale. Toddler crib, car
236EEFD1
seat, infant car seat with base, high
2008 Ford Edge, black, tan leather chair, running stroller, drawer chest/
interior, in good condition. Price changing table, etc.Tel:520-2668.
$12,900 o.b.o. Contact:524-8686 or
Competition slalom water skies,
586-8555.
Kidder & O’Brien, $100 each or
best offer. Tel:520-2668.
20.000km, like new! Only
serviced by BMW dealership,
well kept interior, $10,000 or
best offer. Call:520-8415 or
553-6324.
Brand new Dirt Bike, Scooter 2
wheel & 4 wheel. Price $1,000 or
best offer. Call:550-7914.
4x4,
2002 model. In great condition, fully loaded, price
$12,000 negotiable. See
truck on website
www.
sintmartin.com/truck.htm or
call:(721)587-9816.
Ray 225
Weekender (2003), 24 feet,
cuddy cabin, toilet, engine,
5.0L MPI, Mercruisers, V8,
(260HP). Boat in excellent
condition. Price $25,500.
Phone:(00590)-690-37-4959.
warehouse, houses, apartments
1-5
bedrooms.
Commercial/Residential.
Business with N.V. licenses
(Corporation).
Call:Euro
Caribbean
Linkup
N.V.
(E.C.L.) Leopold J. Gumbs
O w n e r / D i r e c t o r
Tel:1(721)522-6513/5501952/543-0536.
Email:
eclnv@car ibser ve.net,
www.eclsxm.com
Generator 150 KWA, low hours,
$12,000 o.b.o. Diesel tank 1000
gallons $3,500. Water tank 1500
gallons $3,000. Call:522-8463.
Land for sale at Almond Grove
Estate, Cole Bay, 1188m2, nice
view with 24 hours security. Asking
price US$245,000. Tel:00590-69022-00-09.
Generator, marine 30KW, John
Deere engine, heat changed
cooled, $5,500. Northern lights marine generator 6.5KW, low hours.
Heat exchange or keel cooled
$4,000. Yanmar marine engine
4JH-DTE, 85HP. Tel:526-8171.
Pelican Key, big 2000 square meters with huge sea view, building
permit, 2 accesses, could be sold
850 square meters, 1150 square
meters. Call:581-6418.
Wall unit massive natural wood,
stove 6 burners, proform ab glider,
curtains and lots more, all like new.
Call:523-2470 or 553-4613.
Pelican Key:Luxury 2 bedroom/2
bath condo, bright top floor unit with
skylights, unobstructed ocean view,
direct access to the beach, private
outdoor parking, fully furnished,
$595,000, negotiable. Call:5863346. Email:eleganzia4sale@yahoo.com
.
Oceanfront
apartment building, 2 one
bedroom and 2 studio’s,
beautifully furnished, storage
room, swimming pool. Good
rental income, 1 min from
the beach. Call:522-5196/
522-9710.
Almond Grove, very nice and big
1 bedroom, 1 bath semi furnished,
big terrace, lagoon and sea view,
24/7 security, private entrance and
parking, (no pets), $1,350/monthly.
Call:581-6418.
Dawn Beach Estate:2 bedroom/2
bath semi furnished house, hot
water, A/C, stove/fridge, washer,
hurricane shutters, window security
bars, big backyard, nice view, 24
hours security, gardener included,
$2,000 p/m. Tel:586-6639.
(1) 2 bedroom apartment for rent,
Queen Palm’s Drive #2, Orange
Grove, Cole Bay(opposite Prime).
$650 per month, 1 month rent, 1
month deposit. Tel:526-1292.
Available starting August 1st,
2 bedroom apartments, fully fur(2)1 bedroom $900, semi fur- nished, air conditioned, internet
nished, $1,000, fully furnished and satellite services, gated, gen$1,100. We pack u in/move u out erator, Betty’s Estate. Price $1,900/
and move u in for Free! Call:588- month. Facebook Ashni’s condo’s.
8891.
Call:522-4129.
at Sea Breeze
Hotel, $750 monthly, room
service included. Call:5426055
or
542-6056.
seabreezehotel@aol.com.
1 bedroom apartment for rent in
Madame Estate. Semi furnished, A/
C, large porch, garage parking, $750
monthly. Please call:522-5918.
2 bedroom, 1 bath air conditioned,
Middle Region. 2 bedroom, 1 bath
air conditioned, furnished and unfurnished, Cay Hill. Contact:5231589 or email rentalspacesxm@
hotmail.com
2/2 condo, covered
terrace,
enclosed
landscaped garden. Gated, private parking, hurricane windows/French doors. Crown
moldings, granite counters/
bar. Maple kitchen cabinets,
Italian tiles, MBR double
closets/vanities. Prequalified
buyers $240,000. Call:5264306
yard, large kitchen, washer/dryer,
office, $3,000 month, pool, yard
maintenance included, Available
August 15. Email:cupecoyvilla@
gmail.com or call:520-1042.
fully furnished 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom gated residence in
Cupecoy, starting at $900
per month. Contact us at
cupecoyhousing@gmail.com
1 bedroom apartment with ocean
Aqua Marina:1-2 bedroom unit for view, fully furnish furnished, $950
$500,000. New building with 4 units, water and internet included. Close
1 bedroom unit for sale@$165,000. to Philipsburg, available immediThe entire building is also for sale. ately. Call:586-2626.
Call for more information:5804852.
1 bedroom for rent, starting at
$600 in Beacon Hill, Saunders &
Cay Hill. Call:586-7874.
For sale! Great Deal Cupecoy
Marina Cote d ‘Azur, 2 bedrooms, 1
For sale:Toshiba TV, about 22 to bath condo, on the lagoon, walking
25 inch with remote, good for a kid distance to AUC and CIA, furnished
US$248.000. Tel:587-2205.
room, $40. Tel:587-3801.
For sale (1) Hyundai Tucson, year Hard bottom 12.ft AB dinghy with
2006, automatic, A/C, blue color, in 18HP Tohatsu engine plus trailer,
great condition, one owner. Tel:526- $1,800. Call:580-7485.
3047.
Kolher generator 110KW. John
For sale:1999 white Toyota 4Run- Deer engine with transfer switch 9
ner Jeep. Price $2,000 negotiable. years old, excellent working condition, moving up to 300KW. Tel:542Contact:526-2988 or 526-2025.
3588/550-3312.
Jeep Liberty Limited Edition
2003, $6,500 or make an offer. Table with 4 chairs, TV rack, TV
Chevy Pickup, $1,500. Tel:581- and king size bed, negotiable prices. Call:554-3150 or 580-8817.
8993/526-8062.
Villa Pelican for sale, 2 bedrooms + 1 studio, private pool and
garage. Panoramic view! Price
USD$740,000. Call:(721)553-6700
or 0690-59-17-51.
Almond Grove, Cole Bay, brand
new 2 bedroom/2.5 bath, common
pool, 2 private parking spaces,
24/7 security, unfurnished, small
garden with fence, $2,200 monthly.
Call:581-6418.
2 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment with kitchen, living room, hot
& cold water in Arch Road, Sucker
Garden. $700 per month, utilities
not included. Tel:526-6127.
2 bedroom/1 bath duplex apartment in Pointe Blanche. Beautiful
ocean view with a kitchen, separate living/dining room, balcony,
private parking and pool, $1,300
per month & security deposit. Call
Pallavi:542-2176.
Beacon Hill, available per August
1st nice one bedroom apartment,
veranda, fully furnished, parking
on premises, use laundry room,
excluding utilities, $795 per month.
Email:apartmentbeaconhill@
gmail.com, call:523-0821 after
1pm.
Beacon Hill:2 bedroom, 1 bath
apartment, furnished, $1,300 per
month. Available now! Cole Bay:2
bedroom, 1 bath, unfurnished,
$1,300 per month. Call:522-5139
for an appointment.
1
bedroom apartment for rent
on Front Street.
Asking
$1,500/monthly.
Call:5208415 or 553-6324.
Belair:New 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment, ocean view,
furnished or unfurnished, 2 car
parking spaces, A/C, safe area,
$900, water, washer/dryer, cable &
internet included. Call:553-1001 or
580-5659
rent:2 bedroom apartment, lagoon
front, semi furnished, airconditioning, private parking,
security. Semi furnished
$1,050, furnished $1,150.
For
information
please
call:544-2611 during office
hours.
Cole Bay on the lagoon, nice and
big 2 bedroom/2 bath, terrace,
2 bedrooms furnished apart- safe parking with automatic gate,
ments. 1 bedroom furnished apart- security by magnetic card, semi
ments. Studios semi furnished, furnished, $1,300 and furnished
located in Simpson Bay/Cole Bay. $1,450 monthly. Call:581-6418.
Please call:520-6098.
Cole Bay, big house 3 bedroom, 2
3 bedroom house at Sandy bath in quiet and safe area, garden,
Ground for US$1,100 per month terraces, semi furnished, $2,500
water included. Call:542-2421, ask monthly. Call:581-6418.
for Eugene.
3 bedrooms, 2 bathroom house A/
C’s in bedrooms, washroom, spacious yard in Union Farm Estate.
Call:581-4681.
3 bedrooms/2 baths house, newly
installed kitchen, air conditioned,
hurricane shutters, security bars,
garden, parking and gated. Spacious, overlooking Raul Illidge
Sports Complex, fantastic view,
$1,800 per month. Call:553-6779.
A brand new house by itself in
Sucker Garden area, $1,200 p/m
negotiable. 3 bedroom spacious,
1 bath with jacuzzi, iron bars over
windows & doors, caribserve line.
Call:581-5222/553-5876.
Cole Bay, Mariana Estate, unfurnished 2 bedroom apartment with
A/C and cable TV, $750 per month,
1 month deposit. Please call:5534937 or 587-7713.
Cole Bay, nice 1 bedroom, 1 bath
furnished with double terrace,
parking, quiet and safe area, $900
monthly. Call:581-6418.
Almond
Grove. Spacious villa 3 bedroom airco, 2 bath, large
enclosed
terrace,
large
enclosed
flat
garden.
Security, privates parking.
Recently renovated, dogs
welcome. Available immediately, US$2,250/monthly.
Te l : 5 2 0 - 3 1 3 0 / 5 2 0 - 3 0 5 4 ,
cmh@caribserve.net
Almond Grove, big house with
panoramic sea and lagoon views! 3
bedroom/3 bath, private pool, 24/7 Cupecoy:Private house, fursecurity, furnished, $5,000 monthly. nished, 2 large bedrooms, 2 en suite
bathrooms, swimming pool, fenced
Call:581-6418.
Dawn Beach Estate:2 bedrooms/2
baths apartment, semi furnished,
A/C, hot & cold water, yard fenced,
24 hours security $1,200, 1 month’s
deposit & 1 month’ rent. Call:5543182/554-3181.
For rent Belair, 1 apartment 295
sq/m on the first floor, 2 bedrooms,
2.5 baths, equipped kitchen, one
room jacuzzi, private entrance, private pool, furnished, US$3,400.
Tel:587-2205.
For rent Belair, 1 apartment on
ground floor, 3 bedrooms, 2.5
baths, pool, garden, completely
equipped kitchen, unfurnished,
US$3,200. Tel:587-2205.
For rent immediately:Two(2)
bedrooms furnished apartments at
Touch-Me-Not Road 4, Saunders
for $1,200 and a three(3) bedrooms
dwelling with great yard space at
Back Street 113, Philispburg. Contact:520-8989 or 553-0618.
For rent, Cupecoy, one bedroom
apartment, common pool, parking, gated community, furnished,
US$1,000. Tel:587-2205.
For rent, Pelican Key, 4 bedroom
single house with private pool, generator, not furnished. US$3,300
monthly, long term. Tel:587-2205.
For rent, Pelican Key, designer
apartment, large one bedroom, one
bath, terrace, patio, private, access
to common pool, newly furnished
US$1,500. Tel:587-2205.
For rent:1 bedroom apartment,
Cay Bay, close to Daily Extra Supermarket. $600 per month excluding utilities, 1 month deposit, and
pets allowed. Information call:5206510.
For rent:Front Street #118, two
bedroom semi furnished apartment
and 2 bedroom fully furnished with
utilities included. Please call:5873064 or 553-3211.
For rent:Pelican, 3 bedroom,
single house, private pool, fenced
garden, brand new kitchen, $2,700
per month. Call:587-2205.
French Lowlands Villa:Long term
rental, prefer company/executive.
Large, 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath, American appliances and kitchen, gated,
large pool with sea view, garden.
$4,000/monthly. Available August
1st. Call:526-7222.
Front Street, fully furnished 2
bedroom/1 bath apartment with
living/dining room and kitchen in
the heart of town. $850 p/m plus
security deposit, available now. Call
Pallavi at 542-2176.
Going to Curacao?? Need a
place to stay?? Fully furnished 3
bedrooms, 2 bathrooms house,
walking distance to city center.
Rented per day at a very good
price. Call:553-5843/520-5256.
Little Bay for rent. Seafront 3 bedroom, 2 bath apartment, partially
furnished, small garden, patio and
1 gated parking place. US$1,600.
Please call:587-2205.
International
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
office space for rent in
Amsterdam
Shopping
Center great location for any
small business, spacious
parking and minutes from
Philipsburg
for
$650.
Contact:542-5103
or
email
krebbers-sxm@
caribserve.net
Porto Cupecoy:Beautiful 120m2,
1 bedroom, terrace, garden, parking, common pool, tennis, fitness
center, shops, restaurants, 24
hours security, US$1,800 p/m.
Tel:587-2205.
Tel:542-1424.
Short term rentals in Cole Bay,
daily $40, weekly $250, monthly Container leaving to go to Jamai$700. Studio apartments, fully ca July 18th-July 26th. For informaequipped kitchen, gas, water, elec- tion call Mitsy:580-4171/550-4494.
,
Middle Region, new construction. tricity, towels, sheets, night time sepattern making to make
Beautiful 1 bedroom apartment, curity, all included. Call:580-1472.
skirts,
dresses,
pants,
USD$600, 2 months deposit. ConSimpson Bay Beach, 1 bedroom shorts, blouses, jackets &
tact tel:520-2823.
condo, pool, security, parking, suits. Be creative decorate,
Mount Vista:Executive 1 bed- ocean view, fully furnished, washer, embellish your home, make
room penthouse suite, huge dining dryer, air conditioned, $1,600 per curtains, bathroom sets,
room, media room, 4 posters coco- month, long term rental. Tel:554- bedroom sets, cushions, valances. Call:556-6689/553nut bed, 15m terrace with best view 9936.
8245.
in SXM, pool, landscaped garden,
Simpson
Bay
Yacht
Club,
1
bed$1,950, deposit. Call:523-0709.
room, 2 bathrooms. Beautiful waNow available Virgin Gorda Drive terfront view, pool, tennis court, se#4, three bedroom/two bathroom curity, washer, dryer, fully furnished.
jacuzzi apartment with beautiful Available 3 weeks in September.
views of northern/eastern of the $550 per week. Phone:554-7984. Full breed pitbulls on sale, nice
island. $950 with electricity and free
colors with first shot given. 8 weeks
Simpson Bay, 1 bedroom apart- old, ready to go $400. Call:581internet service. Call:527-2436.
ment, $1,000 furnished. Pointe
rent. DHL/ Blanche, studios, $650 furnished. 9424 or 0690-88-70-48.
Western Union Building at Luxury condos, Blue Mall, 1 bedthe back of Blue Point #57 room, $3,500. 2 bedroom $4,000,
Welfare Road, Cole Bay. furnished. Condos are also for sale.
Contact:588-2913 or 587- Call:580-4852.
7698.
One bedroom apartment in South Reward:1 bedroom semi
Dawn Beach, gated community. furnished $650. 2 bedroom $850,
Beautiful view and patio, internet utilities included. Located Pear
included. Building has generator, Road #31. Call:554-6433/523$900/month. Please contact Sevan 4664.
Sale! If you want
at 520-3811 or 587-3450.
me to come home with you
Cupecoy:Studio for rent fully please call my owner @580Pelican House:2 bedrooms/2 furnished, airco, generator, $850 9510. Only a few left!
bathrooms, furnished, spacious include internet. Call:550-0480.
Puppies for sale, Rottweiler (famagnificent ocean view, large
ther), Pitbull (mother), 11 weeks
deck, private pool, fence yard, garold(born April 30th, 2012). Deden, pets allowed, $3,200 plus utiliwromed and first shot given, $400
ties. Pool service/gardener included, available now. Call:526-2268. Looking for a 3 bedroom house or per puppy. First come, first serve.
Call:523-6174.
welcomesxm@gmail.com
apartment in the Simpson Bay or
: Pelican area, starting September. Two 3 months old white Blue
Excellent fully furnished 1 No brokers please. Call:527-2742.
nose Bully pups for sale. 1 male,
bedroom unit with beautiful
1 female, 2 vaccines given, feItalian kitchen, nice common Yanmar diesel engine model
male pure white, male white with
garden, assigned parking, 3JH3 preferred complete and runblue patch. Serious inquiries only.
generator connection and ning. Sail drive also required. Send
Call:580-7485.
security, $2,100 monthly. details to email yachtsgriffin@
Please
call:542-5103 gmail.com
or
krebbers-sxm
@caribserve.net
Pelican Key, for rent:Very nice
home, 2 bedroom, 2 baths loft.
Large covered terrace with beautiful ocean view, very quiet and secure area. Price $2,200. Tel:069072-13-09 or 544-2251.
Pelican Key, great penthouse on
the beach, fully furnished 3 bedroom, 3 bath, big terrace, private
pool, parking and sea view, $3,650
monthly. Call:581-6418.
Pelican Key:Entrance to Pelican, fantastic view, 5 bedroom
furnished, common pool, $2,500
p/m. Pelican:3 bedroom furnished,
common pool, $2,500. Call:5874464/580-9744.
Pelican:One bedroom, furnished,
gated, yard, cable included. Like
new inside! Pool access, private driveway, $1,000/monthly, 2
months security deposit. Call:5226865 daytime.
Philipsburg:On ground floor of
secure building on the Boardwalk
close to shops/nightlife. Large two
bedroom, two bathroom apartment
full furnished and air conditioned,
$1,200 excluding utilities, sorry no
pets. Call:581-2324.
Vista:Fully furnished 2 bedroom house, breath taking
ocean view, quiet neighborhood, 24 hours security,
assigned parking with common pool for $2,250.
Call:542-5103
or
email
krebbers-sxm@caribserve.net
is looking for enthusiastic
and driven Real Estate
Agents for Saba, Statia and
St.Maarten. Great opportunity! Commission Based
Only! Call Pooja at:5591696.
Car is
looking for a dynamic and
energetic person to be
employed as Trainee Office
Assistant. Should be familiar
with computers(MS Office
and
internet).
Contact
Brenda:545-2062/545-2391.
experienced
cook, should be flexible and
a kitchen helper. Call after
5pm, 550-2219.
Looking for my best friend on
the island in 1981. His name is
Ricardo(dark skin, educated) age
around 50 now. His mother owned
fabric shop on Back Street. Contact
annicem@yahoo.com
LONDON--As competition
for clean water grows, some
of the world’s biggest companies have joined forces to
create unprecedented maps
of the precious resource
that flows beneath our feet.
The Aqueduct Alliance,
which allows users to create maps by combining
hydrological data with geographically specific details,
gives companies and investors unprecedented detail of water availability in
some of the world’s largest
river basins. The promoters say the data should help
companies use water more
responsibly while helping
them to manage their exposure to risk.
But critics fear the data
could be used to cash in on
an increasingly scarce natural resource--two thirds
of people are expected to
face water shortages by
2025. The maps, which are
powered by previously proprietary Coca-Cola data
collected over years of research in locations wherever the world’s biggest soft
drinks firm had manufacturing sites, are now publicly available for free on
the Internet (http://insights.
wri.org/aqueduct/atlas).
They allow users to create
detailed
high-resolution
maps by aggregating and
weighing indicators that
drive water risk, much of
it physical data but also local regulatory structures
and media coverage of the
issue. Promoters and experts say communities will
also be able to exploit the
maps and contribute data
and local knowledge so that
practical solutions can be
devised about how to use
water sustainably at a local
level.
“This goes beyond just
looking at how much water
is being used to produce
something,” said Betsy
Otto, director of the alliance, launched last year by
U.S.-based thinktank the
World Resources Institute
(WRI) in cooperation with
GE, Goldman Sachs, Dow,
Bloomberg and Talisman
Energy.
“Our tool allows a look
at the local context, to see
how scarce water is in the
region, what is the quality, how much competition
there is for water resources,” she told AlertNet.
River Basins
From just one map at the
start, the alliance has ambitious plans to map more
than 20 river basins that
provide water for irrigation
and industry use as well as
food production. So far it
has created detailed maps
of China’s Yellow River
and the Orange-Senqu basin, which runs through Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia
and South Africa.
By the end of this year it
aims to have added the Colorado River in the United
States, which has suffered
years of drought, and the
Yangtze River in China,
where at least 1.3 million
people were displaced by
the Three Gorges dam.
Maps will also go live by
year-end of the Mekong
River basin in southeast
SYRIAN CHEMICAL WEAPONS
VX, sarin and tabun, the
website said.
Exact volumes of weapons in the Syrian stockpile
are not known. However,
the CIA has estimated
that Syria possesses several
hundred litres of chemical weapons and produces
hundreds of tonnes of
agents annually.
David Friedman, WMD
expert at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National
Security Studies, said “for
weaponisation, the material is poured into warheads,
which can be anything from
ballistic missiles to standard artillery shells to airdropped munitions. The
weapons can be as small
as mortar bombs. Some
of Syria’s chemical weapons are already in launchready, warhead form.”
Abdelbasset Seida, head
of the Syrian National
Council opposition group,
said: “A regime that massacres children and rapes
women could use these
types of weapons.”
There are many scenarios
under which Assad could
fall but the worst-case scenario envisages a chaotic
and messy downfall with
militants and rebels seizing
chemical arsenals. While
observers say the use of
chemical weapons by the
31
Asia, which is threatened
by ambitious dam-building
projects, and the Murray
Darling, a river at the centre of Australia’s controversial water rights purchasing
market. The risk of water
shortages can be projected
as far ahead as 2095 by
measuring 14 indicators
grouped into physical, quality and regulatory/reputational categories. Working
with a Taiwan-based computer screen manufacturer,
for example, Otto said Aqueduct was able to predict
water scarcity by 2025 in
some of the key locations
used by the firm.
For millions of people
water scarcity can have
a devastating impact on
livelihoods, which is why
sustainable water use has
become an important driver of development policy.
Some are concerned that
tools such as Aqueduct’s
maps will simply enable
companies and investors to
make more money without
taking local people’s needs
into account.
“The risk is that the concerns of local people are
left behind in the rush to
secure access to water and
reduce risk for companies,”
said Lori Pottinger, Africa
campaigner at International Rivers, an organisation
that works to protect rivers.
But experts say with more
input from local communities, the risk atlas could
contribute to sustainability
by giving companies a different perspective on how
their water use affects people living in a river basin.
Continued from page 29.
Assad government cannot
be excluded, they believe it
is not imminent.
“We cannot rule it out but
we are probably some ways
away from that scenario,” a
diplomat said.
But another diplomat said
Assad’s acknowledgment
that he has nonconventional weapons was an “act
of desperation by a regime
on its last breath, behaving
like a wounded animal who
would use anything to fight
back.”
32
Business
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
A screen grab shows the access to Netflix online, as displayed on a television screen, in
Encinitas, California in this file photo taken July 25, 2011. TV and movie rental service Netflix
Inc reported a profit for the second quarter as revenue gained and the company’s customer
base expanded.
BAGHDAD--Iraq hit out
at Chevron Corp over its
just-signed oil contract with
Kurdistan, barring it from
any oil agreements with the
central government in a
move meant to deter other
companies from dealing directly with the semi-autonomous northern region.
Baghdad has long held
that contracts signed by the
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) are illegal, and
last year Exxon Mobil Corp
aroused its anger by striking
a deal with the region while
also running a project at a supergiant oilfield in the south.
Baghdad retaliated by banning Exxon from an exploration tender in May.
Chevron followed its larger rival into Kurdistan last
week, and Baghdad’s action
on Tuesday will be closely
watched by other oil majors,
such as France’s Total, which
is widely expected to be the
next to make a Kurdish oil
play.
“In line with Oil Ministry
policy based on the constitution, the Oil Ministry announces the disqualification
of Chevron company and
bars it from signing any deals
with the federal Oil Ministry
and its companies,” the Oil
Ministry said in a statement.
Last week, Chevron said
it would purchase 80 percent of two blocks in Iraq’s
Kurdistan, an area where oil
rights are a subject of fierce
dispute. Responding to the
ministry’s rejection, Chevron
highlighted its near-decade-
long relationship with Iraq’s
government, having started a
technical assistance program
in 2003.
“Our goal is to help Iraq
achieve its objectives for the
oil and gas industry by participating in opportunities
that meet our investment
criteria,” Chevron said in a
statement.
Yet whatever the impact
on goodwill, Chevron has no
material stake in the south to
lose at the moment. The second-largest U.S. oil company
was qualified to take part in
Iraq’s four oil and gas licensing rounds, but chose not to.
The company found the
commercial terms of Iraq’s
service contract unworkable, but--like other investors--found the productionsharing contracts on offer in
Kurdistan more attractive,
industry sources said. Chevron has said it will continue
to monitor opportunities in
both the north and south of
Iraq. Iraqi oil officials said
the company had shown interest in developing the giant
southern Nasiriyah oilfield,
which was not offered in any
of the tenders.
“The reputation and credibility of Chevron and other
companies are being tested
today, and we are fully confident the result of its test is
a total failure and it should
feel ashamed of its action,”
the Oil Ministry statement
said.
NEW YORK/BOSTON-Worries about a slowing
global economy crimped
corporate spending in the
second quarter, leaving the
chief executives of top U.S.
companies including United Parcel Service Inc and
DuPont Co more guarded
on their growth prospects
for the rest of the year.
UPS, along with chip maker Texas Instruments Inc
and printer maker Lexmark
International Inc, said it
would not increase profit as
quickly as expected through
the rest of the year, as the
corporate customers that
generate most of its volume
hold the line on spending.
“Economies around the
world are showing signs
of weakening and our customers are increasingly
nervous,” said Scott Davis, chief executive of the
world’s largest packagedelivery company. “In the
U.S., uncertainty stemming
from this year’s elections
and the looming fiscal cliff,
constrains the ability of
businesses to make important decisions such as hiring new employees, making
capital investments, and
restocking inventories. This
will further restrict economic growth.”
UPS said it now expects
profit to rise about 3 to 8
percent this year, about half
its prior forecast growth
rate.
AT&T Inc cited a similar
murky corporate spending
outlook, saying it no longer
expects its business services
business to return to expanding revenue this year.
Of 26 U.S. companies that
have revised third-quarter
profit forecasts since midJune, 19 have cut them,
with the average forecast
being pulled down 2.5 percent, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Forecasts for the overall
Standard & Poor’s 500 index have come down dramatically. Back in October
2011, estimates for the
current quarter called for
14.7 percent growth. That
is down to just 0.7 percent,
according to Thomson-
Reuters data. Fourth-quarter estimates are down less
severely, to 11.8 percent
growth, from 16.7 percent
in October.
Even companies that beat
Wall Street’s expectations
in the second quarter--including DuPont, Illinois
Tool Works Inc and Paccar
Inc--sounded a note of caution on the next six months.
“We need to all be cautious as we look at these
markets in the second half
of the year,” said DuPont
CEO Ellen Kullman. “The
expectations in Europe are
very low and they’re kind of
bumping along the bottom
in a recessionary mode.”
The chemical and seed
maker told investors its
full-year profit could come
in at the low end of its guidance range, which would
represent growth of about
7 percent in earnings per
share.
UPS shares closed down
4.6 percent at $74.34, DuPont was down 2 percent at
$47.74, AT&T closed down
2.1 percent at $34.63 and
ITW stock was down 2.4
percent at $52.29.
Peg Perego USA Inc.’s Pliko-P3 stroller is pictured in this undated handout photo revceived by Reuters on Tuesday.
WA S H I N G T O N - - P e g
Perego USA is voluntarily
recalling about 223,000
baby strollers made between January 2004 and
September 2007 because
of the threat of entrapment
and strangulation, the company and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Tuesday.
A 6-month-old boy from
Tarzana, California, died
of strangulation in 2004
after his head was trapped
between the seat and the
tray of one of the strollers,
the company and the CPSC
said in a statement. A
7-month-old girl from New
York nearly strangled in
a similar incident in 2006,
they said.
Peg Perego USA, a Fort
Wayne, Indiana, unit of Italian company Peg Perego,
is recalling two different
older versions of its Venezia and Pliko-P3 strollers,
according to the statement.
“Entrapment and strangulation can occur, especially
to infants younger than 12
months of age, when a child
is not harnessed,” the statement said.
The strollers were manufactured before a January
2008 voluntary industry
standard that requires larger openings that prevent
entrapment and strangulation hazards. Only strollers
that have a child tray with
one cup holder are part of
the recall, the statement
said. The strollers were
manufactured in Italy.
Opinion
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
By Eugene Robinson
WASHINGTON -- Will we
even pretend to do anything
to prevent the next mass
shooting by a crazed loner?
I doubt it. We’ll just add
Aurora to the growing list –
Columbine, Virginia Tech,
Tucson – and wait for the
inevitable.
When that next atrocity
comes, we’ll tell each other
we’re shocked and stunned,
knowing full well we should
be neither. We’ll probe the
assailant’s life in search of a
motive, knowing full well we
won’t find one that makes
any sense. We’ll comfort the
survivors and the victims’
families and assure them
their suffering will not be in
vain.
Meanwhile, somewhere
out there, another disturbed
young man will be purchasing an assault rifle and making unspeakable plans.
I can only conclude that
we, as a society, have decided this state of affairs is acceptable, that the occasional
murderous rampage is the
price we pay for … for what?
For freedom? For the Second Amendment? For campaign contributions from the
National Rifle Association?
Forgive me if I sound cyni-
cal. I’m afraid I am. Five
years ago, I arrived on the
Virginia Tech campus in
Blacksburg, Virginia, just
hours after student Seung
Hui Cho’s murderous rampage left 33 dead, including
himself. I will never forget
what it felt like – the stunned
disbelief, the white-hot anger, the unbearable sadness
of so many young lives being
extinguished for no reason,
no higher purpose. No purpose at all.
I was there as a journalist,
so I interviewed witnesses
and survivors, took notes,
wrote columns. But I was
hardly an objective observer
because I’m a father who has
sent two sons off to college.
And to the movies.
At Sunday night’s prayer
vigil in Aurora, speakers
took pains not to mention
the name of the assailant
who murdered 12 people at
the premiere of the new Batman film, “The Dark Knight
Rises.” President Obama,
too, deliberately failed to
mention the killer’s name in
his remarks. It was appropriate to keep the focus on
the victims rather than the
monster.
But James Eagan Holmes
does have a name – and an
all-too-familiar story. An
intense young man becomes
unmoored, obsessed, unhinged, somehow divorced
from reality. Those who
notice the change have no
authority to do anything. He
assembles a high-powered
arsenal obviously meant not
for sport but for killing.
Almost before the last
shell casing clatters to the
ground, the fruitless debate
begins: Do we focus on the
man or the gun?
Clearly, there are two issues involved in these mass
killings. The more difficult
one has to do with mental
health.
We know that young adulthood is a volatile time for
young men in general. We
know that symptoms of a
number of serious mental
disorders, such as paranoid
schizophrenia, typically appear between the teens and
the mid-30s. We know that
the mobility that characterizes modern life can foster
a sense of rootlessness, perhaps a sense of alienation.
We also know that parents
and other loved ones are
often powerless to intervene – if, indeed, they even
become aware of a potential
problem. There is no simple
way to identify the handful
of individuals who are qui-
etly spinning out of control,
unseen behind closed doors.
We should make society
more caring; we should be
more connected with one
another. But this does not
constitute a legislative agenda.
The simple issue is access
to weapons and explosives.
Among the three guns that
Holmes brought into the
movie theater was a Smith
& Wesson M&P assault rifle
with an oversized 100-round
magazine. This weapon
jammed, according to police,
leaving Holmes with a shotgun and a pistol. Had the assault rifle worked properly,
the toll surely would have
been much higher.
An unstable person can
walk into a gun shop and
buy a weapon designed for
deadly combat. No meaningful questions asked. Have
a nice day, Mr. Joker.
This is crazy. Minimal gun
control – such as prohibiting
assault weapons – wouldn’t
eliminate these massacres,
but it would prevent some
and mitigate others. Lives
would be saved. Congress
should pass an assault weapons ban this morning and
the president should sign it
tonight.
Right. Dream on. Instead,
we’ll argue endlessly about
33
whether we should focus
on the man or the gun, and
the effect will be to focus
on neither. The next James
Holmes is out there, so is his
instrument of murder, and
we will do nothing to keep
them apart.
34
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Opinion
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
By Andres Oppenheimer
What’s most interesting
about the 100-country International Mathematical
Olympiad (IMO) that took
place last week in Mar del
Plata, Argentina, was not
that Asian students won the
top prizes – they often do –
but the fact that the event
went virtually unnoticed in
our part of the world.
While the July 4-16 math
tournament got widespread
media coverage in Singapore, South Korea, China
and other Asian countries,
it drew little attention in
U.S. and Latin American
media. Our TV networks
are already sending teams
of reporters to cover javelin
throws, archery and synchronized swimming competitions at the upcoming
London Olympics, but few
– if any – sent a correspondent to the Mar del Plata
math tournament. For the
record, the 53rd annual
IMO tournament of high
school students was won
by the six-member team of
South Korea, which won six
gold medals, followed by
the teams of China (2nd),
the United States (3rd),
Russia (4th), Canada (5th),
Thailand (6th) and Singapore (7th).
Among the Latin American countries, the best team
was that of Peru, which
ranked 16th, followed
by Brazil (19th), Mexico
(31st), Colombia (46th),
Costa Rica (46th), Argentina (54th), Chile (59th),
Venezuela (91st) and Cuba
(95th). Individually, the top
prize was won by Lim Jeck,
17, of Singapore, who won
a gold medal with a per-
fect score and became an
instant media star in his
home country.
Argentina, this year’s IMO
host country, is a case study
of how little attention is
paid to education in many
Latin American countries.
Most Argentine newspapers published only a
few paragraphs about the
math competition, if any,
and most of it was buried
in their society or culture
pages. Neither President
Cristina Fernández de
Kirchner, nor the country’s
education minister, nor any
other top-level government
official attended the event’s
inauguration.
At a time when many international studies show
that well-trained teachers
are the single most important tool to improve countries’ education standards,
garbage collectors and
truck drivers in Argentina
make much more money
than teachers.
As I learned during a visit
to Argentina a few weeks
ago, truck drivers in that
country make 2.8 times the
minimum wage, garbage
collectors 2.6 times the
minimum wage, and teachers 1.3 times the minimum
wage. A teacher working
double shifts makes 2.59
times the minimum wage,
still less than a truck driver
or garbage collector.
Largely because of Argentina’s failure to evaluate its
teachers and offer merit
pay to the best qualified
ones, education standards
have plummeted in recent
years. The country, once
among Latin America’s
best educated ones, today
ranks near the bottom in
Dear editor,
Please allow me to respond to the article in The Daily Herald of July 17, 2012 with heading; “Majority former students
from islands default in repaying debt.”
First of all, I wish to commend the Dutch caretaker State
Secretary for proposing to arrange alternative means to facilitate former students in repaying their debt in The Netherlands. The Dutch caretaker State Secretary Halbe Zijlstra is
considering the option of allowing former students to make
payments at a local bank account instead of direct payments
to an account in The Netherlands.
This arrangement will eliminate students having to deal periodically with a conversion rate which constantly fluctuates.
Furthermore, I wish to suggest to the Dutch caretaker State
Secretary to also consider the possibility of having all debts
of former students converted from euros to dollars (for BES
islands) before this arrangement is put in place; as dollars is
presently the local currency of the BES islands.
With aforementioned arrangement(s) in place, I anticipate
that this will contribute to improving the repayment of study
debt by former students on the BES islands.
Name withheld, upon authors request.
the international standardized PISA test of 15-yearold students, significantly
behind Chile, Uruguay,
Mexico, Colombia and other countries in the region.
In Mexico, while teachers
make more than garbage
collectors and truck drivers,
a government crusade to
improve education standards suffered a major blow
earlier this month when
only 30 percent of teachers
attended a national teacher
evaluation test. Earlier government plans to start a
merit pay system for good
teachers are now in limbo.
In case you are wondering
whether there’s any relation between math and science education and coun-
tries’ economic growth,
there is. This year’s IMO
winner South Korea, which
was much poorer than virtually all Latin American
countries only 50 years ago,
last year registered 13,500
international patents for
new inventions, whereas
all Latin American countries together registered
only 500, according to the
U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office. In recent days, following President Barack
Obama’s
announcement
that he plans to create an
elite teachers corps that will
pay professors of math and
science an extra $20,000 a
year, many Latin American educators stressed that
without economic incen-
tives and greater academic
requirements, it will be
hard to attract good teachers for Latin American
schools.
My opinion: In the growing East vs. West battle for
the best academic standards, we in the media share
a large part of the responsibility for not putting education at the top of the public
agenda.
There is nothing wrong
with massive press cover-
35
age of the London Olympics. But when we focus our
entire attention on sports
competitions and virtually
ignore math tournaments,
we create only one kind
of role model and fail to
glorify those who are the
most likely to make the scientific discoveries that can
improve our living standards or conquer diseases.
It’s time to glorify Olympic
math champions, just as we
glorify Olympic swimmers.
36
Comics
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
By Nancy Black
Today’s Birthday (July 25) -- What would you most
like to happen this year? Where would you most like to
visit? Plan it out. Your communication skills are especially useful at home and at work, and you’re in demand.
It’s all for love. Greet people with an open hand. Listen
carefully to your partner’s crazy suggestion. Pay attention to details, as they’ll be useful. Facilitate creativity in
others. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10
is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is a 9 -- Find strength
and comfort in old friends. Get practical since what you
provide is in great demand. Ideals can be achieved.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 9 -- The next few
days could be intensely passionate (for better or worse).
Stay in communication with friends and family. Artistic
expression and silly play are rewarding. Accept a nice
bonus.
Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Focus on
your work today and tomorrow. Contribute to a good
cause or repair an inherited problem. Innovation pays
well. Ponder deep questions over the next few weeks.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 7 -- You can find
creative ways to have fun without breaking the bank.
Create your own opening. Friends offer good advice.
Shoulder your responsibilities.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- The action is
behind the scenes. Work faster and make more money.
Use it to replenish your reserves. For best results, stay
close to home. Compliment your partner.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Tidy up your
desk and your finances. Your creativity pays extra dividends. It’s all working out. Increase your family’s comfort, and pay back a favor.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Friends help
you maintain discipline and increase your income. Find
beauty in the most unexpected places. Express your love
with words, which come easily. Spread them around.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- From boredom comes enlightenment. Brilliant ideas don’t always
come, so write them down when they do. Listen for gold
through the chaos. Beautiful music makes everything
more palatable.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is an 8 -- You
have a chance to demonstrate your newly acquired skills
and your genius. Slow down and contemplate now. You
can be the big spender later. Ask for what you’ve been
promised.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Clean a
closet and find the clue ... or a treasure. Get other people to help you achieve your goals, especially those with
the experience you lack. Learn from their mistakes.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is a 9 -- You’re in
a period of expansion, especially around career. Enjoy
the growing pains. Make a new important connection,
or get in touch with an old acquaintance. Keep your
eyes on the road.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Love the
one(s) you are with. You’re coming up with great ideas
for the short and long term. Reinvent what’s possible
and realign responsibilities. Follow your dream.
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Community
directly only to our office at Cannegieter Street 93, tel. 5422121, or you may contact one of our adult board members
and arrange to have your contributions picked up. The Pony
League thanks the general public for their support during all
the years of its existence.
37
purchase. Classes take place above the Caribbean Cinemas/
Paradise Plaza Casino in Cole Bay (enter via staircase opposite Abu Ghazi). For more info and registration call 721-5803894 or e-mail info@sxmbjj.com or visit www.sxmbjj.com .
Abuse Help
Safe Haven Foundation announces that their caretakers
will be stationed at the different community helpdesks to
inform the general public. Wednesday: Cole Bay Community helpdesk1:00-5:00pm; Thursday: Dutch Quarter community helpdesk1:00-5:00pm; Friday: St Peters Community
helpdesk1:00-5:00pm.
Or visit Website or Facebook: safehavensxm to learn more
about the foundation.
Soccer Camp
St. Maarten Soccer Educational Foundation will be hosting The 24/7 hotline is 9333 for emergency assistance.
a Soccer Camp from July 30 to August 5 for children 5 to 18.
Registration fee is US$40. To register call Tel: 5866242 as of Programme for Alcoholics
Al-Anon is a non-profit 12-step programme in partnership
July 16.
with Alcoholics Anonymous available for persons, family
and friends of persons who may have a problem with alcoSoccer Games
Soccer games at Raoul Illidge Sports Complex have resumed holism. The support group meets at Red Cross on Airport
Road every Monday and Friday 6:00-7:00pm. For informaon Saturdays and Sundays.
tion call 527-1343.
Practice Sessions
In connection with the upcoming 2012 Caribbean Zone Junior Golf
Mustang Division Tournament the St. Martin Pony League Junior Golf new season begins. Tuesdays, 3:30-4:45pm. For
reminds all pre-selected players 9-10 years that Practice will beginning and experienced golfers ages 8-16. There is no
be at the John Cooper/Jose Lake Sr. Ballpark every Mon- charge for children; Emilio Wilson Park. For information
day–Wednesday and Friday from 3:00 to 6:00pm. Only play- call Jim Rosen at 587-7682 or email jim-rosen@hotmail.com
ers who attend practice regularly stand a chance to form part
Tennis Lessons
of the final selection.
Tennis Club Ile de Saint Martin (TCISM) offers group lessons
with one qualified instructor for a maximum of five adults, acSummer Programme
The Positively Active Vacationing Youngsters is registering tive players or beginners, designed to improve your game. For
children ages 3-12 for its summer programme. For more in- more information contact the club at tcism@hotmail.com or
visit the Facebook page of Tennis Club de St. Martin.
formation call 554-4601 or 526-9852.
Yoga classes
Motiance Dance school summer programme July 16 to August 10 weekdays, So Hum Yoga classes at John Larmonie
Centre, Postures, Breathing techniques, Meditation, Way of
life, 5:00-6:00am and 7:00-8:00am. For information call 5545439 or 526-2646.
Dear Queenie,
I’ve been dating a very nice woman who is on the hefty side.
We’ve tried sleeping together but I just can’t make things work,
if you know what I mean. That’s never happened to me before.
Queenie, should I keep trying?—Not hot to trot
Dear Not hot,
Apparently your body is not interested in “very nice” if there
is too much of it, however much your head likes her.
Of course, the lady may be content with things the way they
are, but I doubt she would be happy if you eventually started
getting it on with someone slimmer, either in addition to or
instead of her.
Do the lady a favour and turn her loose. There are plenty of
men who go for the larger ladies and she might be keeping
company with one of them if she were not waiting for you to
get your act together.
Only notices of fund-raising events for non-profit or educational organisations will be placed in the Events/Notices
column. Notices/Events should be sent to
notices@thedailyherald.com in the format used on this
page. Do not send fliers or press releases to this address.
Summer Swimming
Triple C Swimming is offering the following programme during the Summer holidays. One-Week Crash Courses throughout month of July and second weeks in August. Swimming
Thursday, July 26
every day (Monday-Friday). For more information call Clyde
BASKETBALL
Coffi at 553-1005 or Sylvia Verdam at 587-2021
ELIMINATION
EVENTS
Opening Hours
St. Maarten National Heritage Foundation informs the general public that the museum opening hours are Monday-Friday, 10:00am to 4:00pm.
Swim Classes
Caribbean Swim and Sports Academy has started swimming
classes for children (age 3 and up), teenagers and adults. Beginners, intermediate, advanced or competitor level swimmers. Activities: Aqua-gym, Baby swimmers, Swim Team
Competition Groups, Masters Training, etc. Information,
Tests and Registration at Belair Health and Fitness Club every Saturday morning, 11:00am to 12:00pm. Contact Coach
Summer Camp
United Volleyball Club is now registering persons for a sum- Romain for more information 581-2625 or e-mail romain.
mer camp July 30 to August 4. NAf100/US$ 55 per person cssa@gmail.com .
for the entire week. Contact Keishan at 550-3435, Rhoda at:
Music School
520-1136 or E-mail: rrarindell@hotmail.com
Andante Music School is now registering students for music lessons at the school in Sucker Garden, Kings of the Sea
Book Donations
The new Asha Stevens Hillside Christian Learning Center Road #17. Registration is possible Mondays to Fridays,
for elementary and early childhood students in Cay Hill is 3:30-6:30pm. Classes begin in September. For more informacurrently collecting children’s books and art supplies. Feel tion contact B. van Veen (vanveen@sintmaarten.net or 5201030/542-0727).
free to call 526-2288 if you would like to make a donation.
Place: L.B. Scott Sports Auditorium
Time: 7:00pm, B-Class, Fort Willem Cross Over Boyz vs Summer Camp
Middle Region Saints; 8:30pm, A-Class, Warriors vs St. Pe- Kid Connect Children’s Activity Center in Cole Bay offers
Summer Camp for children ages 4-15. For more information:
ters Spartans
tel: 526-6152 or 522-8928, or www.kcsxm.com .
Sunday, July 29
BUS RIDE
FOR GIRLS
For girls ages 10-15 living in Middle Region and Defiance. It
is necessary to register in advance. Bring some snacks with
you. Lunch will be provided.
Meeting place: Sister Marie Laurence School in Middle Region
Meeting time: 9:00am
Ride starts: 9:30am (ends 4:30pm)
Price: Free
Registration forms available from Angelica Chittick, tel. 553-5533,
Wilma at 523-9314, Rosalind Chittick at 553-3188, or at any of the
supermarkets in Middle Region; a parent or guardian must sign.
After School
Joann’s After School is now registering children 4 to 16yrs
for the new school year 2012-2013. Homework Help, ExSt. Maarten Academy Fees
tra Dutch, Computer Classes, Swimming Classes, ReadAll parents/guardians of St. Maarten Academy students are ing workshop and other school work. For more info call
reminded that their parental contribution for 2012-2013 has 5240401/5234971.
to be paid via the bank before the start of the new school
year. Additional info can be found on the Website http:// Jiu Jitsu Classes
registration.stmaartenacademy.com . All existing and new Renzo Gracie St. Maarten is closed for summer holidays
students have received letters with a student code. Click and accepting enrollment for the Fall 2012 school semeson the student registration form link and use the student ter. Classes begin September 3. Monday: 8:30-9:15am Gicode to update your child(ren)’s information before the nastica Natural/Vinyasa Power Yoga (adults). Tuesday and
start of this school year 2012-2013. You can contact the Thursday: 4:00-4:45pm ages 4-6; 4:45-5:30pm ages 7-9;
school at 548-3780 or 548-3577 should you have questions. 5:30-6:30pm ages 10-15. Wednesday: 6-7:30pm Ginastica
NOTICES
Pony League Donations
St. Martin Pony Baseball/Softball League Foundation children will not be involved in soliciting funds for travelling this
year. All contributions or donations should be made or sent
Natural and Adults (16+) Jiu Jitsu. Uniforms available for
Foster Parents Needed
Foundation Judiciary Institutes Windward Islands
(FJIWI)/Stichting Justitiele
Inrichtingen Bovenwinden
(SJIB), is looking for foster
parents: permanent foster
parents, weekend/vacation
foster parents and emergency/crisis foster parents.
People
38
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Actor Christine Bale (C), poses with hospital staff at the Swedish Medical Center in Denver on
Tuesday in this handout photo supplied courtesy of Swedish Medical Center.
LOS ANGELES--Christian Bale, the actor behind
the Batman mask in “The
Dark Knight Rises”, visited
victims of last week’s movie
theater shooting as they recovered at an Aurora, Colorado, hospital on Tuesday,
a spokeswoman for the facility said.
Emily Crowley, spokeswoman for the Medical
Center of Aurora, confirmed that the movie star
was at the hospital Tuesday
afternoon but did not give
any details.
Bill Voloch, interim president of the medical center,
told The Denver Post newspaper that Bale spent about
2.5 hours at the hospital,
where he met with five
people still being treated
WTN-TV (local)
Channel 10 WTN-Cable
Wednesday, July 25
7:00am WTN-TV Informer
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for their injuries. Two others victims came from a different facility to meet Bale,
Voloch said.
A picture of Bale posing
in the hospital next to a
young man, identified by
the Denver Post as victim
Carey Rottman, was posted
on the newspaper’s website
and on Twitter. A spokeswoman for the actor was
not immediately available
to comment or provide further details.
Bale also met with doctors,
police, paramedics and
other first responders to
the massacre that resulted
when a gunman burst into
a movie theater in Aurora,
a suburb of Denver, and
opened fire on the audience at a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight
Rises”, killing 12 people
and injuring 58 more.
Bale also spent time with
Colorado Governor John
Hickenlooper, the Denver
Post reported.
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Channel 115 SXM Cable
Wednesday, July 25
8:00am
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LOS
ANGELES--Michael
Jackson’s
family members found themselves at the center of a
media firestorm on Tuesday over the late singer’s
will and guardianship of
his three children that
prompted
questions
about the children, his
mother and his multimillion-dollar estate.
The executors of Jackson’s estate attempted to
stanch reports they plan
to seek guardianship of
the “Thriller” singer’s
children over 82-year-old
family matriarch Katherine Jackson, but did
express concern for protecting the three children
from “undue influences,
bullying and greed.”
Katherine Jackson was
given guardianship of
Prince Michael, 15, Paris,
14 and Blanket, 10, following Jackson’s death
at age 50 from an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol in 2009.
In recent days, Katherine
Jackson was reported to
police as missing, but she
turned up in the Arizona
home of her daughter,
Rebbie, and police closed
their case on Monday.
“She’s been playing
cards every day. She is
having a good time. Her
health was ailing. And
her doctors order(ed)
that she get immediate
rest, isolate herself from
the outside world and
rest. She wasn’t doing too
well,” Michael’s brother
Randy Jackson told Rev.
Al Sharpton on cable TV
network MSNBC.
Randy Jackson also re-
TeleCuraçao
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Wednesday, July 25
Moru Bondia
Ban Halsa e Standarte
Mainta ku Sherry
Sitcom
Dun’e un Chens
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TeleNotisia (r)
newed claims that Jackson estate executors-John Branca and John
McClain--had concocted
a scheme to forge the pop
star’s signature on a will
that made the pair administrators of Michael
Jackson’s estate. The Los
Angeles-based executives
have for years rejected
such claims over the estate that, with rights to
numerous pop songs, is
valued in the hundreds of
millions of dollars.
Jackson’s interview followed a statement from
Branca and McClain on
Tuesday in which they
said: “We are acutely
concerned about the welfare of Mrs. Jackson, and
most particularly with
Michael’s minor children.
We are concerned that we
do what we can to protect
them from undue influences, bullying, greed,
and other unfortunate
circumstances.”
“While we do not have
standing to directly intervene, we have monitored
the situation and will continue to do so. We believe
measures are being put in
place that will help protect them from what they
are having to deal with,”
Branca and McClain said
in the joint statement.
Michael’s daughter Paris
tweeted on Tuesday that
she hadn’t spoken to her
grandmother in nine days.
Celebrity website TMZ.
com reported that Branca and McClain would
head to court to support
a move for temporary
guardianship of Jackson’s
children on behalf of Tito
Jackson Jr., 34, the son of
Tito Jackson and cousin
to Jackson’s children.
ABC television chat
program “Good Morning America” posted a
video taken from what
it claimed was a security
camera of a confrontation
among family members in
the driveway of the Jackson’s Los Angeles-area
home. In his interview
with Sharpton, Randy
Jackson said he and his
sister Janet Jackson went
there on Monday but
“were kind of denied access.”
“We did go to the home
to let Paris and Prince
know that they can visit with or talk to their
grandma at any time,”
Jackson said. “This is all
an effort to try to deflect
attention away from a letter that was written asking for the resignation of
John Branca and John
McClain.”
The letter, signed by
Jackson siblings Tito,
Randy, Jermaine, Janet
and Rebbie, claimed that
the Jackson estate executors had presented a
fraudulent will of the late
singer to the family and
their actions were affecting Katherine’s health.
BVN (Dutch/Flemish) TV
Channel 122 SXM Cable
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Wednesday, July 25
12:00pm
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9:50pm
De TV jaren van…
10:05pm
Studio Sportzomer: Teamsporten
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11:35pm
1000 Zonnen
People
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
LOS ANGELES--Former
“Friends” star Matthew
Perry, making another bid
for a television comeback,
says his characters have got
more likeable with every attempt to find success.
The 42-year-old actor,
who has largely failed to
follow up his fame as the
hapless Chandler Bing in
the comedy that ended in
2004, returns to television
in September as a sports
talks radio host who joins a
grief counseling group after
the death of his wife.
The new comedy “Go On”
follows the dark and shortlived series “Mr. Sunshine”
in which Perry starred as
well as co-creating in 2011,
and drama “Studio 60 on
the Sunset Strip” which was
canceled after one season
in 2006.
“In my efforts to have a
TV show and come back,
my characters have got
nicer. ‘Mr. Sunshine’ was
down and out, and now
this guy is a nicer and more
well-intended guy. You certainly want to play a guy
that people want to root
for and this guy has that,”
Perry told television critics
on Tuesday.
The wise-cracking actor
said that “Go On” executive producer Scott Silveri
“has created a TV show
for me better than the one
I created for myself. The
set-up is better. That guy
(in “Mr. Sunshine”) was in
a bad mood, and no one really knew why.”
Perry, who had well publicized problems with alcohol and prescription drug
addiction during the later
years of “Friends”, was
asked what was the best
role he had ever had.
“It would be stupid not
say this one!” he retorted.
“That is potentially true
about this part because I
get to do a bunch of things
at one time. I like to do drama and comedy. One of the
scenes in this show gave me
one of biggest acting challenges I have had dramatically.”
Perry has struggled to
make his mark even as his
former “Friends” co-stars
have largely found success
in movies (Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow), stage
(David Schwimmer), and
other TV shows (Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc).
Asked what made the
10-year-long comedy series
such a huge hit worldwide,
Perry replied: “Friends was
just great chemistry. It had
great writing and great directing and really great acting so a little bit of magic
happened there and you
never know when that is
going to happen.”
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez shows an image of independence hero Simon Bolivar during a ceremony to mark his birthday in Caracas on Tuesday.
CARACAS--Venezuela’s
Hugo Chavez unveiled a
3D image of South America’s 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar
on Tuesday, based on bones
the president ordered exhumed two years ago to test
his theory that Bolivar was
murdered.
In a ceremony to mark
the 229th anniversary of
Bolivar’s birth, senior government officials and military commanders clapped
as Chavez and a group of
school children unveiled
the new image, which was
based on scans of Bolivar’s
skull.
The socialist leader re-
veres Bolivar--he renamed
the country the “Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela”-and has wrapped his leftist
“revolution” in the imagery
and language of the region’s battle to break free
of colonial power Spain.
“He was a true giant of
the human cause, the human battle ... this is his
face,” Chavez said, sitting
below two giant prints of
a life-like depiction of a
distinguished-looking Bolivar boasting a gold-braided
uniform and prominent
sideburns. “Now we know
with precision and receive
with infinite intensity the
luminous presence of this
gaze, this living face.”
Chavez, in his fight against
the “Yankee imperialism”
of the United States, repeatedly invokes Bolivar,
who is second only to Jesus
as a figure of reverence in
parts of South America.
Chavez normally gives televised speeches in front of
large paintings of Bolivar, a
brilliant Venezuelan soldier
and military tactician who
freed much of South America from centuries of Spanish rule. Chavez ordered a
striking new mausoleum
built for Bolivar’s remains,
which will be finished soon.
39
Cast member Matthew Perry speaks, as co-star Laura Benanti laughs, at a panel for “Go On”
during the NBC television network portion of the Television Critics Association Summer press
tour in Beverly Hills, California on Tuesday.
CHICAGO--The man convicted of murdering Academy Award winner Jennifer
Hudson’s mother, brother
and young nephew was sentenced to life in prison on
Tuesday, with the judge in
the case deriding him as a
man with “the heart of an
arctic night.”
William Balfour had been
convicted in May of breaking
into the Hudson family home
and fatally shooting Hud-
El PASO, Texas--Sherman
Hemsley, the actor who
played George Jefferson on
television in “The Jeffersons”, a 1970s sitcom that
was one of the first to focus
on a black family, has died
at age 74 in El Paso, Texas,
his representative said.
“Sherman Hemsley has
been pronounced dead El
Paso Sheriff’s Department
has confirmed,” the actor’s
agent Todd Frank said in a
statement. The cause and
time of death was not immediately clear, and a sheriff’s representative could
not be reached for comment.
Hemsley’s character of
George Jefferson was the
affluent and sometimes
scheming owner of a dry
cleaning business who lived
in a New York luxury apartment with his wife, Louise.
They had a son named Lionel.
“The Jeffersons,” a spinoff
of creator Norman Lear’s
more politically-oriented
show “All In the Family”.
In that show, the Jeffersons were introduced as the
neighbours of Archie and
Edith Bunker.
son’s mother Darnell Donerson, 57, her brother Jason
Hudson, 29, and her 7-yearold nephew Julian King.
Cook County Judge Charles
Patrick Burns sentenced Balfour to three consecutive life
terms with no opportunity
for parole, plus 120 years for
aggravated kidnapping and
home invasion. Prior to announcing his sentence, Burns
told Balfour: “You have the
heart of an arctic night. Your
soul is as barren as dark
space.”
Hudson, wearing a tan
pantsuit with a black jacket
and high heels, wiped her
eyes frequently during the
sentencing hearing. Hudson,
who won an Academy Award
for her role in the movie
“Dreamgirls” and a Grammy
for her debut album, left the
court without making a statement.
The stars of the popular television series “The Jeffersons”
Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford (R) pose as they arrive
for the premiere screening of the new television special “50
Years of Television” in Los Angeles in this April 16, 1997 file
photo.
“The Jeffersons” ran from
1975 to 1985, and after that
show the Philadelphia-born
Hemsley went on to guest
star in everything from
“The Fresh Prince of BelAir” to a role in the series
“Family Guy”.
Sports
40
27 28 29 30 31
AUG
JUL
LONDON-- Britain’s 18-yearold Zoe Smith is six days away
from her Olympic debut, and
she can still remember how to
lift weights.
For her, that is already an
improvement on the run-up to
her performance at the New
Delhi 2010 Commonwealth
Games.
“Before Delhi I just kind of
fell apart, I forgot how to lift
weights one week and just
started crying on the platform,” Smith said in an interview on Tuesday.
“That’s silly, thinking about
it now.”
A bronze medal in Delhi
demonstrated her physical
potential. Smith says with the
help of sports psychologist
Dave Readle, her mind is now
also better prepared to take to
the weightlifting platform on
Monday.
“Speaking to me you wouldn’t
guess, but I have been plagued
with doubt about my own
abilities. But he (Readle) has
helped me get through that,”
Smith said.
“I started working with Dave
just over a year ago now and in
that time I’ve mentally come
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
a long way, as well as physically.”
Part of that preparation involves missing Friday’s Olympic opening ceremony to save
her body from the strains
of the athletes’ slow parade
though the stadium and to
avoid becoming overwhelmed
by the magnitude of the occasion.
The fiercely ambitious Smith
is realistic about the gulf between her and the Olympic
podium, targeting a performance that could place her
sixth in the field of 22 athletes.
“People have been hanging a
medal around my neck for the
Olympic Games (since) before I’d even qualified saying
‘Yeah, yeah, you’ll get a gold
medal’,” Smith said.
“But I know for a fact that’s
incorrect. The girl that’s
ranked top of the field is lifting
in total about 20 kilos more
than me, so it’s not something
I can just change overnight.”
Smith highlights Belarus’s
Natassia Novikava, whom
she describes as an “amazing
competitor”, as a contender to
take gold in the 58-kilogram
weight division.
1
2
3
4
5
6
If Smith can match her personal bests in the two styles
of lifts - the single movement
‘snatch’, and the two-stage
‘clean and jerk’ - she can lift a
combined 217.5kg. Novikava
qualified for the games with a
total of 240kg.
The rest of the field for London is also strong. Athletes
from North Korea, Thailand
and Taipei lead the qualifying
weights, and China will look
to build on a dominant performance in the womens’ event at
the 2008 Beijing Games.
That Smith won’t be up there
challenging for medals is
clearly a sore point, and while
she is always quick to check
her impatience, the ambition
to succeed in the sport after
the London Olympics is clear.
“At times I’ve just been really
frustrated with myself thinking
‘Why can’t I just be that good
now?’ But obviously it’s not as
easy as that,” she said.
“Weightlifters peak around
their early thirties and late
twenties. In 2024 I’ll be thirty
- god, I can’t imagine me being thirty - I really hope to be a
world beater by then.”
7
8
ExCel
9
10 11 12
men
women
Weights: Range
from 0.5kg to 25kg.
Weight increased
by at least 1kg
for each attempt
Behdad Salimi
(IRI)
Bar weight
20kg (men)
15kg (women)
Athletes
compete in two
lifts – snatch and
clean and jerk –
with three attempts
at each. Combined
weight of best lifts
determines final
placement
WORLD RECORDS
Snatch
Behdad Salimi (IRI)
214kg (2011)
Tatiana Kashirina (RUS)
147kg (2011)
WEIGHT
CATEGORIES
Clean and jerk
Hossein Rezazadeh (IRI)
263.5kg (2004)
Men: Eight – from
56kg to +105kg.
Women: Seven –
48kg to +75kg
Jang Mi-Ran (KOR)
187kg (2009)
SNATCH: Most difficult lift, weight pulled up in one motion
Wide grip on bar,
initial lift uses
legs and
hips
Pull – bar
reaches
pelvis,
body
extends
to propel
bar upwards
Squat under bar
Finish –
lifter
standing
in static
position
CLEAN AND JERK: Two separate moves,
allowing heaviest lifts
Narrower
grip
Pull
Squat, bar
resting on
upper chest
Thrust
Stand
Clean
Source: LOCOG
Original picture: Getty Images
Finish
Jerk
© GRAPHIC NEWS
President Alain Richardson and elected officials were on hand to welcome the Speedy Plus
team at Grand Case airport on Tuesday.
MARIGOT--Speedy Plus
athletes returned home
from France on Tuesday to
another heroes welcome after winning 2 Gold medals,
3 Silver, and 2 Bronze medals at the French Championships.
President Alain Richardson and other elected
officials were on hand to
congratulate the team at
Grand Case Airport on
their arrival.
Gold medals went to Chrystie Lange in the 100metre
Hurdles (cadettes) and to
the 4x100metre Junior Relay team comprising Tiffany Shepherd, Derisha
Jeffers, Flora Brouta, and
Chrystie Lange.
Two silver medals were
won by Derisha Jeffers in
the 100metres (cadettes)
and 200 metres (cadettes)
and one silver in the Espoire category Relay team
comprising Katerina Romain, Tiffany Shepherd,
Chrystie Lange, and Derisha Jeffers.
Bronze medals were won
by Katerina Romain in the
100metres Espoire and
200 metres Espoire. From
the Dutch side Mike Destain, participating for the
first time with Speedy Plus
in France, finished fourth
in the 100metres Espoire,
breaking his own record.
The events were held in
two different venues, Riem
on July 14-15 and in Lens
on July 20-22.
Coach Calvin Bryan noted
that Chrystie Lange’s performance in the 100 metre
Hurdles was the “best in
the world” for that category
when she broke her own record.
Aside from dominating
the relay events since 2009,
he said the Speedy Plus
TWITCH
start rule),” said Bob Podkaminer, secretary of USA
Track & Field’s rules committee and an international
technical official.
U.S. relays coach Jon
Drummond, who was involved in one of the most
publicised false starts of
all time in 2003, said it was
time something was done.
“Athletes are getting penalised and that is the starter’s fault,” the sprinterturned-coach said.
Drummond drew major
attention at the 2003 Paris
world championships when
he lay on the track for more
than 15 minutes in protest
after being disqualified for
a false start he said he did
not commit.
Many today believe Drummond was correct, that he
might have been pushing
on the blocks early but had
settled down before the gun
was fired.
“I think it is a fair solution,” Drummond said of
the clarification, though
he would prefer that the
false start rule reverted to
the previous one, when the
first infraction was charged
against the field and the
second eliminated the offending athlete.
Sprinter Tyson Gay said he
liked the clarification.
“I think it will save some
team now have accumulated better results than all
of Guadeloupe and Martinique combined.
Said President Richardson at the reception; “It
is very important that the
population is conscious of
what these athletes have
achieved and their great
results because sometimes
people just look at the team
effort. But these are also
great individual results by
each one of them.”
“I want to thank Calvin
Bryan and the team for the
work that has been accomplished over the years. His
athletes have been consistent and are among the best.
They are a good example to
the rest of the younger generation in terms of aiming
for excellence, whether it
is in sports, the arts, music
etc.”
Continued from page 44.
people,” the world’s second
fastest man told Reuters.
“Because if a person
flinches and they don’t call
it a false start, it can allow
another person to flinch
and they call it on that
person. They (the starting
crew) didn’t see the first
person.”
Katz has a solution for
that - employ video in the
starting process that would
be immediately available to
starters.
After all, he said, with
television beaming races
globally, “the whole world
gets to see who is moving
except the starters.”
Sports
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
41
One in two athletes and all medal winners will give urine samples to be
tested for 240 prohibited substances. More than 5,000 urine and 1,000
blood samples will be analysed over the 16 days of the London Olympics
Urine samples provided in tamper-proof bottles
The British gymnast Beth Tweddle talks of her London 2012
hopes during an Olympics news conference.
LONDON-- She is the only
British gymnast to have
won world titles and she is
the most decorated gymnast to have emerged from
the British Isles with nine
international gold medals,
yet it seems London Olympics officials do not know
who Beth Tweddle is.
“They can’t even get my
name right,” a bemused
Tweddle exclaimed as she
grabbed the black-andwhite nameplate placed in
front of her for Monday’s
Olympic news conference
and rolled her eyes while
reading out “Tweedle”.
“Tweedle” is turning out
to be the bane of Tweddle’s
life as it seems no one can
get her name right.
When she invented what
she called was her ‘wow’
move on the asymmetric bars -- a manoeuvre in
which she grabs the bar
with her hands crossed
SRI LANKA
wides and two crisply hit
fours by Virender Sehwag.
Perera, who replaced
Udana after that eventful over, turned the game
around for Sri Lanka with
the wicket of Sehwag (15)
whom he brilliantly caught
and bowled in his first over.
Off his next over, Perera
had the in-form Virat Kohli
edging a catch to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara
for one. Both Sehwag and
Kohli had been instrumental in India scoring 314-6 at
the same venue three days
ago by putting together a
partnership of 173.
Mathews got in on the act,
also picking up a wicket in
his first over when Rohit
Sharma played on to his
stumps without scoring.
Suresh Raina (1) was out
similarly to Perera in his
-- the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG)
rewarded her by naming it
after her.
Except, it is called ‘the
Tweedle’.
For an athlete who has
been competing at the
highest level for over a decade and won three world
titles, Tweddle would have
thought her governing body
and her country would
have come to grips with her
name by now.
If she wins a gold on the
bars, chances are no one
will get her name wrong
again.
However, after having
surgery just 12 weeks before the Games to repair
damaged knee cartilage,
Tweddle is simply thankful to have made it to east
London.
“At the start of the year
there was a lot more pressure on me (to win a medContinued from page 44.
third over, making India
41-4.
It could easily have been
41-5 had Mathews not
put down a sitter offered
by Dhoni before he had
opened his account.
Mathews, however, compensated for that miss by
having the Indian captain
caught behind by Sangakkara for 11.
Ashwin (21) helped
Gambhir to take the score
past one hundred but ran
himself out needlessly attempting an impossible
third run.
Gambhir was last out attempting to guide Lasith
Malinga to third man and
being caught smartly by a
diving Sangakkara.
The third match in the series is in Colombo on Saturday.
al) but with having had the
injury, I’m just glad to be
here. Everyone is telling
me to enjoy it. I’ve got no
expectations,” the 27-yearold said.
For a woman who has
dealt with three shoulder
surgeries, seven feet operations and whose left ankle
is held together by pins, the
scars from the latest setback were not simply skin
deep.
She thought her dreams
of competing at an Olympics at home were all but
over and admitted she
“dissolved into tears” before her long-time coach
Amanda Reddin urged her
to think positively.
That belief, and a noisy
ice machine she keeps
strapped to her knee every
night, helped to speed up
Tweddle’s rehab and get
her ready to compete at the
North Greenwich Arena
from Sunday.
“I do still sleep with my
ice machine but luckily I’ve
got a single room so I’m
not keeping anyone else
awake,” the 27-year-old
said.
“My body is fully fit now.
Obviously, it was a bit
touch and go with the knee,
and I’ve proved to selectors
I’m fully fit. I’ve got a full
bars routine. Pretty much a
full floor routine.”
While Tweddle has abandoned hopes of chasing
individual glory on the
floor exercise to spare her
knees from all the pounding it would take from the
tumbling combinations, she
would like nothing better
than to sign off from her
third and final Olympics
with a medal on the asymmetric bars.
“I think it would just be
the finishing item,” said the
Briton, who was denied a
bronze in Beijing four years
ago after a slight adjustment on her dismount left
her a fraction of a point
outside the medals.
“The world titles would
still take pride of place, I
was the first British person
to do it, but obviously it
would be an amazing way
to finish my career.”
Sample A: Part of sample
screened for prohibited
substances. Remainder
of sample stored
Sample B: Stored for
later use to confirm
Sample A findings
Each anonymous sample
identified by unique
number and bar code
Analysis: Gas chromatographs
and mass spectrometers identify
each component in sample
Results: Each “spike” in graph
represents particular chemical
present in sample. Some indicate
chemicals produced naturally,
others reveal presence of
banned substances
Autologous blood
transfusion: blood is stored and
later injected to boost
red blood cell count
and ability to carry
oxygen to muscles
Growth Hormone: Stimulates
growth of muscle, cartilage
and bone. Test identifies
proteins that significantly
decrease or increase
in blood after exposure
to synthetic hormone
Nandrolone: Anabolic steroid
increases muscle bulk.
Test measures ratio of
carbon-12 and carbon-13 isotopes.
Synthetic steroid has low carbon-13 ratio
Nucleus of C-12 atom has six protons and
six neutrons, C-13 has one extra neutron
!"
"#$%
LONDON-- More than 100
athletes were caught doping and sanctioned in the
months leading up to the
London Olympics in a drive
to eliminate cheats before
they reach the Games, the
World Anti-Doping Agency
(WADA) said on Tuesday.
WADA chief John Fahey
said testers had been out
in force in an effort to discourage athletes from using
performance-enhancing substances in London.
“In the six months prior to
June 19, at least 107 athletes
were sanctioned,” Fahey told
an International Olympic
Committee meeting.
“I cannot confirm how many
of those would have qualified
but had that been their ambition I am pleased to say they
are not with us in London.”
The Games begin on Friday and run until Aug. 12 al-
Test detects changes
in blood cell ribonucleic
acid (RNA) when blood
is stored outside body
though the ‘in-competition’
testing period started with
the opening of the athletes
village and the official start
of the Olympic period on
July 16.
The IOC said on Tuesday
there had already been 300
drugs tests since that date
with none proving positive.
“These efforts in the leadup to the Games are bearing fruit,” said Fahey. “They
(doping offenders) should
know that avoiding detection
is the smallest (possibility) it
has ever been.”
There will be around 6,250
samples analysed at the
Games, more than any other
Olympics, while U.K AntiDoping have also been mandated to test in pre-competition training camps.
There were 20 proven
cases of doping at the Beijing Games four years ago,
including six horses, down
from 26 cases in Athens in
2004.
Sports
42
PITTSBURGH-- Steelers
have extended head coach
Mike Tomlin’s contract for
three years through the
2016 National Football
League (NFL) season, the
team said on Tuesday.
Financial terms of the deal
were not disclosed.
The 40-year-old Tomlin,
who became the youngest
coach to win a Super Bowl
when he led Pittsburgh to
an NFL championship over
the Arizona Cardinals in
2009, has reached the playoffs four times in his five
seasons with the Steelers.
“We are pleased to announce that Mike Tomlin
will remain with the Steelers for at least five more
years,” Steelers’ President
Art Rooney II said in a
statement.
“Mike is one of the top
head coaches in the National Football League and
we are thrilled he will continue to lead our team as
we pursue another Super
Bowl title.”
Since joining the Steelers
for the 2007 season, Tomlin
has reached the Super Bowl
twice and finished first in
the AFC North division
three times.
Under Tomlin, Pittsburgh
has also had the NFL’s topranked total defense three
times and sent 36 players to
the annual Pro Bowl game.
Last season the Steelers
finished second in the division but were stunned in
the opening round of the
playoffs when the Denver
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Broncos connected with an
80-yard touchdown strike
on the first play from scrimmage in overtime.
“I am excited that I will
continue to be the head
coach of the Pittsburgh
Steelers for years to come,”
said Tomlin.
“I am grateful to the Steelers organization for the opportunity I have been given
over the past five years to
work and live in this great
city, and I am excited to
continue to work to bring
another championship to
the Steelers and the city of
Pittsburgh.”
The Steelers open their
2012 regular season Sept. 9
at Denver.
Toronto Blue Jays base runner Brett Lawrie is tagged out at third base by Oakland Athletics
third baseman Brandon Inge (L) during the first inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Toronto July 24. A’s won 7-2.
TORONTO -- Yoenis Cespedes hit a three-run single
and the streaking Oakland
Athletics beat the Toronto
Blue Jays 7-2 Tuesday night
for their season-best sixth
win in a row.
Derek Norris hit a two-run
homer and Travis Blackley
won his third straight decision as the A’s improved to
15-2 in July. Oakland (5244) is eight games over .500
for the first time since July
12, 2008.
Brewers
Tigers
Cubs
Nationals
Braves
Rays
Reds
Red Sox
Twins
Dodgers
MLB results
6 Phillies
2 Indians
5 Pirates
5 Mets
4 Marlins
3 Orioles
4 Astros
2 Rangers
4 White Sox
2 Cards
7
3
1
2
3
1
2
1
11
8
Travis Snider and J.P. Aren- three hits for the Blue Jays,
cibia each hit solo hom- whose three-game winning
ers and Brett Lawrie had streak came to an end.
ROME-- Filippo Inzaghi
announced his retirement
from football on Tuesday,
and said he would be joining the AC Milan youth
coaching staff.
“”My time with Milan finished in the best possible
way, with a goal in the final
game, so it was all perfect,”
Inzaghi, 38, told Italian media.
“”Now I begin another
dream, which is to be a
coach and hopefully win
the Champions League.”
Inzaghi, who scored 156
Serie A goals in 370 games,
added: “”I couldn’t go to
play elsewhere, as I could
not just leave Milan. Today
I received a proposal from
England, but I can’t leave
Milan.
“”I signed a two-year contract and will coach the
youth team, then I hope
one day to lead the senior
squad too.”
two teams who are obliged
to fight for everything this
season in England and in
Europe.”
Torres left 2012 Europa
League champions Atletico
Madrid to join Liverpool
in 2007, before signing for
Chelsea in 2011, and said
the European Super Cup
against his boyhood club
at the end of next month
would possibly be the most
memorable match of his career.
“It’s going to be full of
conflicting emotions and
that’s why I am chomping
at the bit to play it,” he said.
“Meeting a team that you
carry in your heart has to
be different: a European
final with a title at stake,”
he added. “That’s not bad,
is it?”
LONDON-Chelsea
have signed Lens teenage midfielder Thorgan
Hazard who joins his
older brother Eden at
the European champions, the Premier
League club said on
Tuesday.
Thorgan, 19, is two
years younger than
Belgian international
Eden, who signed for
Chelsea from Lille last
month, and can play in
a similar range of attacking midfield positions.
He joined Lens aged
14 and moved up to the
senior squad last season, making 14 Ligue 1
appearances including
his debut as a substitute
in the first match of the
campaign.
Thorgan has played
for Belgium at several
age groups and was
part of the squad for
the 2011 European Under-19 Championship.
He will join Chelsea’s Under-21 squad
for pre-season training
with a loan move being
considered so he can
continue his development, the club added
on their website (www.
chelseafc.com).
The Hazards, whose
parents were footballers, were both at
Belgian team Tubize
and could join a long
list of brothers to play
for Chelsea including Ray and Graham
Wilkins, Ron and Allan
Harris, John and Peter
Sillett and Chris and
William Ferguson.
BASKETBALL
Continued from page 44.
Hamburger SV’s Dennis Aogo (L) challenges FC Barcelona’s
Deulofeu during their friendly soccer match in Hamburg, July
24, 2012. Barcelona won 2-1.
MADRID-- Chelsea striker Fernando Torres is targeting the English Premier
League title after a year of
ups and downs which culminated in triumphs for the
Spaniard in the Champions
League, FA Cup and at
Euro 2012.
“I would love to win a Premier League,” Torres, who
has just joined up with his
club team mates for a preseason training camp in
the United States, said on
his personal website (www.
fernando9torres.com) on
Tuesday.
“Hopefully it will happen
this year, but for sure we
will be challenging for it,”
added the 28-year-old, who
put a period of poor form
behind him to end the season on a spectacular high,
including winning the Euro
2012 Golden Boot award.
Chelsea’s first challenge
next term is the seasonopening Community Shield
on Aug. 12, which pits the
FA Cup winners against the
Premier League champions, Manchester City.
“In my opinion, the equality between the big English
teams is at a peak,” Torres
said.
“You just have to look
at the way City sealed the
title, at the last gasp, and
how the team that won the
Champions League (Chelsea) finished sixth,” he
added.
“That’s how the (Community Shield) will be, a battle
from start to finish between
the end of the quarter.
Anthony, who came off
the bench to score 10 points
to slow the Spanish surge,
continued his hot hand in
the second quarter as the
U.S. team turned up the
defensive pressure to force
turnovers and find the New
York Knicks forward for
open shots.
He sank a trio of threepointers and tallied 13
points in the period to
lift the reigning Olympic
champions to a 48-40 lead
at intermission.
The Americans expanded
the lead to 14 points after
three quarters before turning the game into a rout as
both sides became content
to hoist long jumpers and
run out the clock.
Anthony had a game-high
27 points, while James contributed 25 points.
Gasol, whose brother
Marc did not play due to
an injured left shoulder, led
Spain with 19 points with
Ibaka scoring 16 points.
The men’s Olympic basketball tournament begins
Sunday with the United
States playing France, and
Spain going against China.
Sports
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
BERNE-- Salzburg were
knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers by
Luxemburg’s Dudelange
on Tuesday, continuing an
astonishing run of failures
in the competition since
Red Bull took over the
Austrian club.
Last season’s double winners, who enjoy substantial
financial backing from the
energy drinks company,
beat visitors Dudelange 4-3
in their second qualifying
round, second leg tie but
were eliminated on away
goals after losing 1-0 last
week.
Red Bull took over the
club in 2005 with ambitious
plans of making Salzburg
Champions League regu-
lars, only to see their team
fail five times in a row in the
qualifiers.
The only time they have
taken part in the group
stage was as the old Austria
Salzburg in 1994/95.
Their latest failure is a
huge setback for coach
Roger Schmidt and sporting director Ralf Rangnick, the former Schalke 04
coach, who took over in the
close season.
Salzburg’s troubles in
Tuesday’s match began
when they lost possession
in midfield, allowing Thierry Steinmetz to break
clear and score in the 26th
minute.
Jakob Jantscher and Martin Hinteregger put Salz-
Champions League qualifying round 2 results
on Tuesday
KR (Iceland)
- HJK Helsinki (Finland)
1-2
First leg: HJK Helsinki - KR 7-0. HJK Helsinki win 9-1 on aggregate.
Zeljeznicar Sarajevo (Bosnia & Herzegovina) - Maribor (Slovenia)
1-2
First leg: Maribor - Zeljeznicar Sarajevo 4-1. Maribor win 6-2 on aggregate.
Partizan Belgrade (Serbia)
- Valletta FC (Malta)
3-1
First leg: Valletta FC - Partizan Belgrade 1-4. Partizan Belgrade win 7-2 on aggregate.
Debrecen (Hungary)
- Skenderbeu (Albania)
3-0
First leg: Skenderbeu - Debrecen 1-0. Debrecen win 3-1 on aggregate.
Basel (Switzerland)
- Flora Tallinn (Estonia)
3-0
First leg: Flora Tallinn - Basel 0-2. Basel win 5-0 on aggregate.
Ekranas Panevezys (Lithuania)
- Shamrock Rovers (Ireland) 2-1
First leg: Shamrock Rovers - Ekranas Panevezys 0-0. Ekranas Panevezys win 2-1 on
aggregate.
FC Zestafoni (Georgia)
- Neftchi Baku (Azerbaijan) 2-2
First leg: Neftchi Baku - FC Zestafoni 3-0. Neftchi Baku win 5-2 on aggregate.
Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova)
- Ulysses Yerevan (Armenia) 1-0
First leg: Ulysses Yerevan - Sheriff Tiraspol 0-1. Sheriff Tiraspol win 2-0 on aggregate.
Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona (Israel)
- Zilina (Slovakia)
2-0
First leg: Zilina - Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona 1-0. Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona win
2-1 on aggregate.
Salzburg (Austria)
- F91 Dudelange (Luxembourg) 4-3
First leg: F91 Dudelange - Salzburg 1-0. F91 Dudelange win on away goals after 4-4
on aggregate.
FK Ventspils (Latvia)
- Molde (Norway)
1-1
First leg: Molde - FK Ventspils 3-0. Molde win 4-1 on aggregate.
Shakhtyor IK (Kazakhstan)
- Slovan Liberec (Czech Republic) 1-1 (halftime:
1-0, 90 mins: 1-0) AET
First leg: Slovan Liberec - Shakhtyor IK 1-0. Slovan Liberec win 2-1 on aggregate.
Next Fixtures (GMT):
Wednesday, July 25
Helsingborg (Sweden)
v The New Saints (Wales)
(1715)
Vardar Skopje (Macedonia FYR) v BATE Borisov (Belarus)
(1800)
Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) v Ludogorets (Bulgaria)
(1845)
Linfield (Northern Ireland) v AEL Limassol (Cyprus)
(1845)
Slask Wroclaw (Poland)
v FK Buducnost Podgorica (Montenegro)
(1845)
burg 2-1 ahead at halftime,
only for Aurelien Joachim
to level with his sixth goal in
four matches in the qualifying tournament.
Steinmetz struck again to
make it 3-2 but Dudelange
then had to endure a nervewracking finale after forward Sofian Benzouien was
sent off in the 74th minute.
Salzburg’s Cristiano converted an 81st minute penalty and fellow substitute
Gonzalo Zarate scored
a minute later to put the
hosts ahead on the night
but the Austrians could
not find the fifth goal they
needed in the final eight
minutes.
There was another surprise as Shakhtar Donetsk,
who have taken part in the
group stage eight times,
were knocked out by Czech
champions Slovan Liberec,
who scored the decisive
goal in the last minute of
extra time.
Trailing 1-0 from the first
leg, Shakhtar levelled the
aggregate score with a
Zhambyl Kukeyev penalty
five minutes before halftime. Both sides had chances before substitute Jan
Blazek scored in the 120th
minute to make it 1-1 and
send Liberec through 2-1
on aggregate.
Norwegian side Molde,
coached by Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer, went through
4-1 on aggregate after a 1-1
draw at Latvian champions
Ventspils and in the third
qualifying round will face
Swiss champions FC Basel,
who last season eliminated
his former club Manchester
United.
Two goals from Cameroon
striker Jacques Zoua and
one from Chilean midfield-
43
FC Basel’s (FCB) Stjepan Vuleta (L) challenges FC Flora Tallinn’s Rauno Alliku during their
Champions League second round second leg qualification soccer match at St Jakob Park
stadium in Basel July 24. Basel won 3-0 and advance 5-0 on aggregate.
er Marcelo Diaz, Switzerland’s most expensive close
season signing, gave Basel a
3-0 win over Estonia’s Flora
Tallinn as they completed a
5-0 aggregate victory.
Debrecen, one of only two
Hungarian sides to have
played in the group stage,
beat Albanian champions
Skenderbeu 3-0 to qualify
3-1 on aggregate and Lithuanian champions Ekranas
ended the hopes of Ire-
WILLIAMS
doubles gold.
“It’s exciting to be back
so soon, usually we have to
wait 12 months to walk back
on to centre court,” Serena,
who will set up camp with
her sister and the rest of the
U.S. tennis team at a hotel
near Wimbledon, told the
news conference.
“For me, I’m going to be
really excited to have such
a quick turn-around and
get back on the grass where
I love to play.”
Since rejoining the Summer Games programme
in 1988 after a 64-year absence, tennis and the Olympics have not always been a
comfortable fit, with many
players putting a grand
slam victory ahead of a gold
medal.
Wimbledon and the Olympics, two ancient sporting
institutions, will come together, however, at the All
England Club.
“Growing up as tennis
players you always dream
of winning grand slams and
doing well at tournaments
like Wimbledon,” said Venus, who will defend the
doubles title with her sister.
“To have an opportunity
to win a gold medal and
be mentioned among all
the great athletes, that’s an
honour.”
Between them, Serena and
Venus have won 10 singles
Schalke 04’s Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (C) tries to score against AC Milan during their friendly titles on Wimbledon’s mansoccer match in Gelsenkirchen July 24. Urby Emanuelson scored the only goal of the game icured lawns along with five
doubles crowns, the most
as Milan beat Schalke 1-0.
land’s Shamrock Rovers
with a 2-1 win.
Two goals from Nemanja
Tomic helped Partizan
Belgrade to a 3-1 win over
Malta’s FC Valletta as they
went through 7-2.
Continued from page 44.
recent three weeks ago.
They have never lost as
a doubles partnership at
an Olympic Games, taking gold in 2000 and 2008,
while Venus also has a singles gold in her trophy case
from Sydney.
There is also the possibility of a Williams playing
mixed doubles and adding
to their medal haul. The
U.S. will not confirm their
mixed doubles teams until
next Tuesday.
After pulling out of her
World Team Tennis commitments to rest a sore
back last week, Serena had
more bad news for her op-
ponents, saying she was
back to full fitness.
“I think when we first
heard about mixed that we
wanted to play for all three
and knew we would really
have to be at the ultimate
fitness level to do so,” said
Venus. “But at the end of
the day it’s going to be what
our team captains want.
“Obviously we’re interested in seeing who could
have the best chance to win
because we really want to
bring medals home.
“It’s about the betterment
of the team and what would
be the best for the USA.”
CALIFORNIA-- American MotoGP rider Ben
Spies announced on Tuesday his departure from the
Yamaha works team at the
end of the season, leaving
a vacancy alongside championship-leading Spaniard
Jorge Lorenzo.
Spies sent a link from his
Twitter account (@benspies11) to a story on the
Superbike Planet website
which quoted him saying
via email that he had chosen to leave “for a litany of
reasons”.
“I will explain more when
I feel it is appropriate,” he
added. “I’m discussing my
situation with my sponsors
and they are behind me.”
Spies, preparing for this
weekend’s U.S. Grand Prix
at Laguna Seca in California, added in a separate
message that next year
would start a new chapter.
The Tennessee rider, a
former world superbike
champion, is in his second
season at the works Yamaha team but has been
outshone by Italian Andrea
Dovizioso and Britain’s Cal
Crutchlow at the non-factory Tech3 Yamaha team.
While Lorenzo leads the
standings with 185 points,
Spies is 10th on 66.
44
THE DAILY HERALD, Wednesday, July 25, 2012
U.S. Olympic basketball player Chris Paul challenges Spain’s Jose Manuel Calderon (L) during an exhibition game at Palau Sant Jordi, ahead of the 2012 London Olympic Games, in
Barcelona July 24. U.S. won 100-78.
BARCELONA-Spain
stood tall early but sharpshooting Carmelo Anthony
and LeBron James helped
the U.S. team overcome
a shaky start for a 100-78
win Tuesday in a potential
preview of the gold-medal
game at the London Olympics.
The U.S. team beat Spain
in the gold medal game at
the 2008 Beijing Games but
a rash of injuries to some
of their tallest players has
since raised concerns about
how they would fare against
a bigger Spanish squad.
Spain used their edge in
height to their advantage
in the first quarter of Tuesday’s game, opening up the
floor with their passing and
getting the ball down low to
Serge Ibaka and Pau Gasol,
who roamed the paint with
impunity.
The home favourites ran
off 10 consecutive points
for a 10-3 lead to the delight of the Palau Sant Jordi
crowd and pushed to a 22-
LONDON-- Venus and
Serena
Williams
have
opted for the comfort of a
Wimbledon hotel over the
athletes’ village and might
miss the opening ceremony
but the tennis siblings were
still able to soak up some of
the London Olympic experience on Tuesday.
Soon after arriving in the
English capital, the Williams sisters and their United States team mates got
a taste of Olympic traffic
gridlock, delaying their preGames news conference.
Everyone then had a good
chuckle at the expense of
doubles partners and brothers Bob and Mike Bryan,
who were denied entry into
the Olympic media centre
for not having validated
credentials.
Serena, still basking in the
glow of her fifth Wimbledon singles title, quickly
made it clear, however, that
she was not back in London
for a few laughs, but for
medals.
If the 14-time grand slam
winner can claim the women’s gold she would become
the only player to win all
four slams, plus singles and
Continued on page 43
13 advantage before Anthony and his team mates
clawed their way back, cutting the margin to 23-21 by
Continued on page 42
HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka-- Seamers Thisara Perera and Angelo Mathews
shared six wickets as Sri
Lanka came back strongly
to level the five-match series at one-all with a crushing nine-wicket win over
India in the second one-day
cricket international on
Tuesday.
India, who won the toss
and opted to bat, were shot
out for 138 off 33.3 overs
with only Gautam Gambhir
making a noteworthy contribution with a patient 65
off 96 balls, including four
fours.
Perera, with figures of
three for 19, was named
man of the match. Mathews
took three for 14.
Sri Lanka knocked off the
runs in 19.5 overs, scoring
139 for one with openers
Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan posting a
first-wicket stand of 119.
Dilshan was dismissed
for 50 scored off 49 balls
BIRMINGHAM,
England-- The danger of one
inadvertent twitch ruining
the greatest day of a sprinter’s life has been removed
after athletics’ governing
body softened the rules on
false starts ahead of the
London Olympics.
The little-publicised clarification by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)
permits athletes to move in
the starting blocks without
being disqualified so long
as their hands do not leave
the ground or their feet the
blocks.
Previously, such twitching
or flinching could have resulted in disqualification at
the discretion of the starter.
“The bottom line is, outside of an athlete removing
his hands off the track or
his feet leaving the blocks,
nothing else is a false start,”
David Katz, one of 17 members on the rule-making
IAAF technical committee,
told Reuters by telephone.
The need for improved
quality and consistency
by starters worldwide had
prompted the clarification,
said Paul Hardy, IAAF
competitions director.
Usain Bolt’s false start at
last year’s world championships in Daegu, while a
clear violation, only added
to the discussion.
“This allows a safety
valve,” said international
starter Tom McTaggart,
who has been sending off
athletes for more than 40
years.
“It takes a little pressure
off the starter in general,
the recall crew and the athletes. They (the athletes)
know ‘I got a second chance
here’.”
Spectators and starters
might need to adjust, McTaggart told Reuters.
“Fans may say: ‘that guy
moved, so it’s a false start’,”
the 1996 Olympics starter
said. “It will be a little bit of
a learning curve.”
IMPROPER CONDUCT
Starters might wind up
disqualifying athletes less
often, he noted.
“Things that they would
just whack somebody for a
false start before, they are
going to think about it,”
McTaggart said.
The preferred method
now is to call up athletes
and begin the process again
if movement is observed.
“They (the IAAF) are interested in preventive officiating because the penalty
is severe,” McTaggart said
of the IAAF rule that disqualifies an athlete for his
first false start.
With the clarification,
movement, if it constitutes
a major disturbance or delay, can be considered improper conduct instead of a
false start.
The penalty would be a
yellow card, or warning. A
second would result in disqualification.
“I believe this gives them
(IAAF) the wiggle room
they were looking for without saying we were wrong
(on the one-and-done false
Continued on page 40
Sri Lanka’s Upul Tharanga plays a shot during their second one-day international (ODI) cricket match against India, in Hambantota July 24, 2012. Sri Lanka won by nine wickets.
when he top-edged a sweep
off spinner Ravichandran
Ashwin for wicket-keeper
Mahendra Singh Dhoni to
hold on to a simple catch
with Sri Lanka needing 20
for victory.
Tharanga was unbeaten
on 59 scored off 60 balls
with eight fours and Dinesh
Chandimal was on six not
out.
India looked like running
away towards another huge
total, as they did in the first
one-dayer here which they
won on Saturday, when
debutant Isuru Udana conceded 17 runs in his opening over which included five
Continued on page 41