It seemed too good to be true—a reality show to market Guyana’s tourism at far less than usual.Now, Government has distanced itself from an overseas-based producer who it says collected monies from local businesses but failed to deliver on a 50-episode show aimed at improving Guyana’s tourism profile.According to the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) on Wednesday, it does not have a business relation with TAGG TV and its producer, Chris Bassoo.Dropped: Chris Bassoo“Mr. Bassoo arrived in Guyana last year and proposed that TAGG TV produce a 50-episode show which would present Guyana as a tourism destination worldwide, and which would have showcased various businesses for a sponsorship fee.”The Ministry and GTA said that over the last few weeks, it has been receiving numerous complaints from local businesses that would have paid their fees and have yet to see a production from TAGG TV.“While the Ministry initially endorsed this initiative, based on the premise that it formed part of an aggressive tourism plan seeking to put Guyana ahead of the Caribbean, utilizing the reach of Facebook, it has become evident that Mr. Bassoo has failed to deliver on his obligations to those who have paid their fees and to the Guyana Government who offered logistical support.”The Tourism Ministry insisted that it does not have any relationship with Bassoo, 41, or TAGG TV and “further, we have made no financial commitment to TAGG TV or its Producer. We wish to encourage businesses that have made payments and have not yet seen a production from TAGG TV to make urgent contact with the Guyana Tourism Authority.”Bassoo, according to local news reports, was going to use the videos of local dining, shopping and holidaying in Guyana and post these on the popular website, Facebook. His concept was that it would be shared and the more shares or tags, the more successful would be the venture in marketing Guyana.Bassoo even went so far as to have a 20-member crew,Cheap Hockey Jerseys, including Miss Canada 2012, Jaclyn Miles, accompanying him to visit Guyana, and meeting with Tourism Minister, Irfaan Ali. Many of them including, Miles, are reportedly unpaid.Each of the participating local businesses were reportedly promised a copy of the video with packages include a “Platinum” one for US$3,000 and a “Gold” for US$1500.The package promised that Miss Canada would visit the participating entity, which will be profiled on TAGG TV Reality Show along with a press release naming businesses as sponsors; and rolling credit at the end of each of the 36 episodes.Bassoo and his production team actually managed to finish a few episodes including featuring the Princess Hotel swimming pool, the 1763 monument commemorating the Berbice slave uprising, a longtime jewelry store in historic Stabroek Market and some of Georgetown’s night life.It may have all fallen apart last Friday when an article headlined “Tripped up in the Tropics” targeting Bassoo and his scheme, hit the London Free Press last FridayAccording to the article, investigating the TAGG TV project, not only were the videos not produced,NFL Jerseys China, but employees, including Miss India remain unpaid. Bassoo also reportedly owed thousands to banks in London.The Free Press said it tried repeatedly to reach Bassoo through Facebook, Twitter, e-mail and phone. Late Thursday,Cheap Authentic NFL Jersey, he replied. “While there are some accounts outstanding, partial payments and some full payments have been made.“And communication has been made, to the best of my ability, to keep my clients and ex staff/consultants (sic) informed regarding developments in this regard,” the e-mail said.The report said that Bassoo was in financial trouble and with Miss Canada as his hook, he had success when he came to Guyana.After meeting with government officials, there was acrimony in the crew after time dragged by and no work or money was coming. Bassoo allegedly made several promises.According the Free Press report,China Jerseys Cheap, crew members were allegedly given documents to sign — a confidentiality agreement Bassoo had drafted — and an IOU. Miss Canada said she got about half her money and two others on the crew — a production assistant and a host — were paid in full after confronting Bassoo.One Guyanese crew member, Rupesh Singh, is quoted in the article as saying that he and wife, who operate an independent TV production firm, weren’t paid. Watkins said most of the Guyanese members went without promised wages.And the work began to take on a different tone — the videos were more of a vanity project than about Guyana. Most showcased Bassoo’s workout regimen in the gym. On New Year’s Eve, a video was shot of Bassoo out at 13 different Georgetown

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Michael Kingston yesterday testified that he was with a party of policemen and army officials on October 5, 2006 at a house in Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara, where he found Cyon Collier called ‘Picture Boy’ along with one AK 47 assault rifle and pistol handgun.Collier who is charged with the September 30, 2006 murder of 34-year-old businessman, Chandrapaul Persaud called ‘Kero Man’ of Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara (ECD), is presently on trial before Justice Winston Patterson.Kingston in his testimony yesterday before the jury stated that on September 30,Cheap Jerseys Store, 2006, he received information that the victim’s stolen car had been abandoned at Paradise, East Coast Demerara. The witness related that he went to a Rice Compound at Paradise, Factory Road, ECD, where he found the car.Kingston said he drove the car back to the Cove and John Police Station.Murder accused Cyon Collier aka ‘Picture BoyThe court was told that it was on October 5, 2006,Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale, he received information that Collier along with wanted man Anthony ‘Kussum’ Charles were at a house in Bachelor’s Adventure, ECD.Kingston told the court that a party of about 10-12 policemen along with 15-20 ranks from the Guyana Defence Force went to the residence at Bachelor’s Adventure, around 05:00hrs.It was stated that when the lawmen entered the home, only Collier was there. Collier was cautioned and the allegation of the robbery and murder was put to him by Kingston.However Collier told the officers “boss man meh nah been there”. Kingston further disclosed that it was Collier who took them into a bedroom where they found an AK 47 assault rifle and magazine with 13 matching 7.62×39 rounds.The police also discovered a Astra .32 pistol with two matching rounds of ammunition. At this point Kingston said he questioned Collier if he was a licenced firearm holder for the pistol and he replied in the negative.Prosecutor Gildharie-Mursalin questioned the ASP as to why he didn’t ask the defendant if he was a firearm holder for the other weapon (AK-47) and it was explained by Kingston that only military and paramilitary officials would carry those weapons.“Private citizens are not permitted to have those weapons in their possession,” Kingston asserted.He was then asked by the prosecutor if he was able to ascertain if Collier was part of the army or paramilitary, and he said an investigation was conducted and determined that Collier was never part of any such entity.Collier was then arrested and taken to the Cove and John Police Station,China NBA Jerseys, according to the witness.Kingston was then asked by the prosecutor about the whereabouts of the other wanted man who was inside of the house with Collier.According to the witness, Anthony ‘Kussum’ Charles died in a shootout with the police. The witness was then asked if he was able to ascertain who owned the property where Collier was arrested at.“Yes…the home owner was a man from the interior who had locked up his home,” Kingston said.It was explained that the owner of the house came to the police station and gave a full statement, in which he said that he only became aware of the incident after he read about it in the newspapers – about bandits being arrested at his home.The owner of the house collected a few items that the police had seized when they arrested Collier.As Kingston continued his evidence in chief, the court heard how he took the gun and bullets to the ballistics section at Eve Leary.Kingston said that on December 14, 2007, he tendered the gun before the magistrate in the preliminary inquiry.Yesterday, the witness said he uplifted the same weapon and brought it to court.The gun was admitted and tendered into evidence. Further the jury was shown markings, in the form of initials, made by Kingston and Collier when the gun was initially found.Under cross examination, Kingston was questioned by defence counsel Lyndon Amsterdam about how he became aware that Collier was at the house in Bachelor’s Adventure. The witness said that he received a tip via telephone from an informant.The cross examination of Kingston is expected to continue on Monday.On Wednesday, last, Police Corporal Floyd Hosanna and Police Officer Shabinaught Singh were called to give evidence.Hosanna who is stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department’s Crime Unit, said that on the day in question he went to the scene to examine the body. He described the clothes that Chandrapaul Persaud was wearing at the time of the incident.? He instructed police corporal Cleveland Brown to take photos of the crime scene.Hosanna said that he was at the “crime scene” when he saw two spent shells on the veranda. The two spent shells were collected and sealed as evidence and handed over to balli

…160 blackouts in 2012The performance of the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) has been deteriorating in Berbice over the past few months.Countless blackouts have gripped the East and West Berbice system in recent times and the situation seems to be worsening.A telephone call to the Engineer attached to the Canefield Power Station was met with hostility as he was not prepared to offer any explanation for over 10 power outages in the region within a 24- hour period. He said “ya’ll disturbing me” and “ya’ll can print whatever ya’ll want to print”.Efforts to contact Regional Operations Manager, Ayube Bacchus yesterday, proved futile. Up to yesterday around 14:30hrs,Cheap Jerseys China, there were 23 blackouts in July, and 160 blackouts for the year as compared to 89 during the same period last year. That means that power outages have almost doubled as compared to the same period last year.There were 34 blackouts in May,Cheap Jerseys, 17 in June. If GPL continues the current trend, it could see 2012 having the most recorded blackouts for the company,Wholesale Authentic NHL Jerseys, ever.The increasingly hot and humid days have caused Berbicians to be reeling from the daily rolling blackouts and the heat. An interview with Bacchus in May had Berbicians all optimistic that things were okay with the power company and its generating capacity.Use of fuel, he had said, is one crucial area in which the company would be paying much attention to cushion the effects of the budget cuts. Fuel procurement,Cheap Soccer Jerseys, maintenance,Cheap Jerseys Paypal, sub- projects, “it may have an impact on it, but the bottom line is that we have to manage this thing and be more efficient and do things better”.