August 31, 2013

Oil will loom large on Maduro-Ramotar meeting’s agenda

saturday, august 31, 2013 | guyanatimesgy.com

APNU wants bigger govt subvention for UG

APartnership for National Unity (APNU) Chairman David Granger has urged the government to increase the much-needed subvention for the University of Guyana (UG) to avoid a hike in tuition fees.

Granger said it is a fact that the fees paid by students of UG are not sufficient to sustain the university. As such, UG had proposed a hike in fees, but not all students and members of the public are in agreement with this.

Some students have complained that the expense would be beyond them and getting a diploma or degree is very important to secure a good paying job.

To this end, the APNU, during its weekly press briefing, suggested that government supply the increased subvention to address the financial issues that currently hamper the institution.

During his address to the media, Granger urged that government move in this direction. “The fees, indeed, are not enough to pay the tuition fees and to provide materials that will be used all year round… government can avoid a hike in the fees by means of subvention,” he said.

The opposition leader said while it was necessary for government to progress with other developmental projects, education must come first. “Yes, they are doing other projects in the country, developmental projects but education is im-

portant… subvention will be able to, in a drastic way, bring up to date the back dated courses… some of these courses need to be carefully re-examined,” he added. This, he said, will remedy some of the major financial deficiencies of the university. According to him, this change will not only see better education being provided but skyrocketing grades and passes coming out of Guyana’s national university.

Equal access

In March, UG Pro Chancellor Dr Prem Misir had said that the most important principle for consideration in increasing the tuition fees of the university is whether it would still allow all persons to have equal access to higher education.

He had highlighted that ordinary people might have challenges with this and may be unable to pay higher rates

for education at UG.

Dr Misir recalled that the founder of UG, the late President Dr Cheddi Jagan had always believed that a lot of ordinary people may not be able to afford high fees, while some citizens can.

He reminded that Dr Jagan’s vision was to make it possible for all students, regardless of where they come from, to have equal access to admission at the university. The media reported him as saying that the university has to be careful when dealing with this issue of raising tuition fees to a point beyond the capability of people with ordinary incomes, depriving them of an education.

He stressed that while the university can make recommendations to increase tuition, it cannot unilaterally so do, because the final decision lies with the government.

The pro chancellor emphasised that increased tuition fees would also be a concern for the government, because governments are set up to be concerned with the poor and the vulnerable.

When Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon had pronounced on the matter, he said that if the tuition fees were adjusted upwards, it could prove to be a major challenge for some prospective students, particularly in the absence of scholarships and other payment agreements. To date, students have not come to any agreement to pay increased tuition fees to the university.

Guyana can tap into facility for REDD+ monitoring

Guyana can tap into a $25,370,061 (US$125,000) Guiana Shield Facility (GSF) initiative to help align community Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (cMRV) to national MRV for REDD+ readiness.

The aim is to ensure that the cMRV activities may be integrated into the national framework for REDD+ readiness. The announcement was made in a call for proposal by the GSF. Suriname is also eligible to tap into facility, according to the proposal which gives the implementation period as September 1, 2013 to August 31, 2014.

In Suriname, the proposals’ focus should be “horizontal knowledge transfer on REDD+ to indigenous and tribal communities”, which is aimed at developing toolkits to train and inform indigenous and tribal communities about the REDD+ concept using horizontal knowledge transfer methodologies.

According to a GSF release, the call for proposals is in keeping with its overall objective to promote and support the conservation and sustainable development of the Guiana Shield eco-region. Further, GSF acknowledges the contributions of civil society organisations towards this objective and hereby open the call to include private sector and community-based organisations, universities and research institutions within Guyana and Suriname.

Organisations that wish to submit a proposal to the GSF must have evidence that they are registered as not-for-profit organisations with a Guiana Shield country, should be in existence for at least three years, demonstrated commitment to conservation and sustainable development, should not be affiliated to any political party, have managed similar or related projects, and have demonstrated commitment and capacity to mainstream gender and other cross-cutting issues in their substantive and institutional initiatives.

Moreover, the accepted proposals are to be implemented directly by the applicants and the scope of work to be funded must cover national and regional environmental priorities, sustainable financing, exchange of information, and capacity building.

Cross-cutting awareness project

The first step in the application process is the submission of a concept note, which will be evaluated against the backdrop of its support for the objectives of the GSF project and must include a monitoring and reporting component, established organisational management structure, have an office in the geographical area where the work is to be carried out, installed technical capacity, realistic budget that matched the propos-

al, language capacity, proven gender mainstreaming and a recommendation from the respective country national multi-stakeholder sector countries (NMSSC). Interested organisations can obtain the proposal guidelines and concept note template at www.guianashield.org or email gsf@undp. org Completed concept notes should be submitted to the resident representative, UNDP Guyana, 42 Brickdam and UN Place, Georgetown. The deadline for the submission is September 30 at 17:00h.

The Guiana Shield Facility is a multi-donor funding facility set up and operated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Guyana country office (2010-2014) with financial support from The European Union and the Government of Netherlands. The aim of the GSF is to support the conservation and sustainable development of the ecosystems of the bio-diverse 2.5 million km² Guiana Shield eco-region² through supporting activities needed to ensure the ecological integrity of the eco-region. UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

Weather: Thundery showers are expected to prevail during the day with heavy rain showers in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius.

Wind: South south-easterly between 0.55 and 0.83 metre per second.

High Tide: 12:54h reaching a maximum height of 2.08 metres.

Low Tide: 06:17h and 18:48h reaching minimum heights of 1.09 metres and 1.14 metres respectively.

Oil will loom large on MaduroRamotar meeting’s agenda

By Svetlana MarShall

Guyana on Friday touted the PetroCaribe agreement with Venezuela as one shining example of the two countries’ deep ties as Georgetown plays host to the socialist state’s new president, Nicolas Maduro on his first visit here today.

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh made the comments when he convened a high-profile meeting with a Venezuelan delegation, ahead of the Venezuelan leader’s visit.

Dr Singh and Public Works Minister Robeson Benn led the Guyana delegation while the Venezuelan delegation was led by Refining and Petrochemicals Minister and PetroCaribe Vice President Asdrubal Chavez. Guyana’s Ambassador to Venezuela Geoff Da Silva and Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana Reina Margarita Arratia Diaz were also present.

Very special relationship

In his opening remarks, the finance minister said Guyana and Venezuela have enjoyed “a very special relationship” on the economic front and continue to share values and common positions at international forums.

Dr Singh pointed out. “We can think of many examples of practical manifestations of richness, of strength, of our relationship, perhaps most prominently is the PetroCaribe initiative...an initiative conceived by Hugo Chávez [the late Venezuelan president] and an initiative which has proved to be tremendously transformational to the entire Caribbean region. Guyana is an appreciative beneficiary of the PetroCaribe initiative.”

There have been recent reports that Venezuela is contemplating a 100 per cent increase on interest payable on oil it exports to Latin American and Caribbean countries under the PetroCaribe agreement.

Platt.Com/McGraw Hill

Financial, a highly trusted Internet source in energy information, reported that according to a source within the state-owned Venezuelan oil company PDVSA, the government will increase the interest rate starting in October.

Platt said its source, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, informed that the increase was the result of higher administrative and maintenance costs of the loans. Over the past two years, PetroCaribe countries’ debt for oil purchases has risen past US$5.7 billion, with Cuba and Nicaragua accounting for much of the total.

Foundation

As President Donald Ramotar and his Guyanese delegation meet with President Maduro and his delegation, Dr Singh anticipates that the high-level meeting will be the foundation of a strengthened relationship between the two countries. “We look forward with great excitement and anticipation, to the visit of President Maduro; we anticipate that this visit will lay the foundation for further strengthening of relations between Guyana and Venezuela,” the finance minister said Today, five thematic areas will be up for discussion as the presidents meet.

The Venezuelan minister of refining and petrochemicals also expressed

great optimism ahead of today’s meet, stating that the two presidents can work together for a common cause that would enhance the lives of both Venezuelans and Guyanese.

“This is true cooperation, because this is cooperation without prerequisite, this is one that doesn’t ask of another country decisions that can go against sovereignty, it’s an open and frank communication and this is how our supreme commander dream of it,” said an optimistic Chavez.

He urged the technical teams to work earnestly on Friday to formalise proposals that can be placed on the table when the two presidents meet. “I think this is very fundamental... a task placed before both governments and I know what is left, is for us to concretise the agenda of discussion.”

President Maduro is scheduled to arrive at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) to a redcarpet welcome at 10:00h. Subsequently, he will appear with his delegation at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) before engaging in meetings with President Ramotar, government ministers and key state officials.

Guyana, along with 17 other Caribbean and Latin American nations, under the PetroCaribe agreement, pay a certain per cent of monies for oil in advance and the remainder is paid during a specified period

under a special financing agreement.

In June 2005, late President Chávez launched PetroCaribe, as a regional integration initiative. Guyana signed onto the agreement along with Antigua and Barbados, the Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, the Dominica Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Suriname, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Guyana and Venezuela have built on progress in trade relations after signing off on rice exportation agreements that resulted in 30,000 metric tonnes of white rice at the cost of US$800 per tonne being exported to Venezuela in 2011. Additionally 50,000 metric tonnes of paddy at the cost of US$480 per tonne were exported. (svetlanam@guyanatimesgy.com)

Editor: Nigel Williams

Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Developing trade

We continue to explore the Aid for Trade (AfT) initiative which was recently launched by the Caribbean Community (Caricom). AfT had been proposed unilaterally by the G7 in 2005 at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Hong Kong Ministerial meeting.

Ostensibly in reaction to the growing gap in exploiting the opportunities in trade opened up by globalisation, the AfT regime is intended to assist developing countries with building their trade capabilities in line with their own development plans. The catch phrase was that “market access must be converted into market presence”.

This capacity building is critical, since with the freezing of the Doha round of the WTO, the developed world has focused in creating trading regimes in which the less developed countries are not in a position to benefit from their trade commitments. A good example was the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that Caricom entered into in 2008 with the European Union (EU). The Caricom nations were, by and large, in no position to exploit the “trade opportunities”, unlike the case with the EU nations.

As part of the EPA, the EU had made a commitment to proceed with the AfT and to work with both government and the private sector, especially the latter to boost their trade capacity. However, only Britain and one other EU nation followed through with their commitment – and this to five of the smallest states.

The WTO has more specifically emphasised that AfT must be deployed to assist developing countries to enter the Global Value Chain (GVC) in which production is spread among any number of countries and value is added at each stage of the transfer. Much of today’s global trade is in intermediate goods which are imported, value added, and then exported.

The problem is that most value is captured in the design and conceptual stage of the value chain, as well as in the final sales and marketing end of the GVC. However, this is not where most developing countries are located. They are generally located in the lower value manufacturing section of the GVC, and even then, this is true for some, not all developing countries.

The benefit a country gets from participating in the GVC will depend on where a country is lined up in terms of its technological capacities, the depth of their manufacturing capacities, how developed their services sectors are, the size of their enterprises, their managerial expertise, and their ability to meet the standards of the international markets, to name only a few criteria.

Due to these and other limitations, developing countries could open up, and they could become more integrated, but the quality of their integration may not be of real benefit. Mere liberalisation will not upgrade countries’ technological or services supply side capacities. Nor will trade facilitation agreements – expediting the entry of imports through a range of customs procedures.

So the focus of AfT to increase trade via GVCs has to be deepening the production capacities of developing countries so that they can garner a bigger share of the value-added pie. From a decision Caricom made in 2009, the AfT strategy was crafted towards “upgrading key economic infrastructure, enhancing export competitiveness, diversifying economies, retooling the private sector, strengthening regional integration, and creating financial and other instruments to encourage and support innovation and research and development”.

We suggest that the impetus must be more directed to engender the movement of our manufacturing capacities beyond being assembly lines and creating a more vibrant agricultural sector, including agro-processing and increased production capacities in a range of services sectors. The latter is crucial because with the entry and exit of intermediate goods between countries, the service component of the GVC has grown exponentially. It now surpasses trade in manufactured goods.

Failure to engage in structural transformation especially of services and deepening of production capacities could mean that our countries will continue supplying raw materials or at best, sites for low value-added manufacturing tasks.

As September, Amerindian Heritage Month, approaches, the Culture Ministry on Friday hosted a special programme in commemoration of the month, during which initiatives to preserve the customs of indigenous people were highlighted. In this Carl Croker photo, a group of youths from St Cuthbert’s Mission perform a traditional dance at the event

Is disciplinary action for the leadership at UG’s Turkeyen campus warranted?

Dear Editor, Thank you for your fair and balanced report especially on this issue. Shortly after the resignation of Professor Daizal Samad, the quest for the autonomy of the Berbice campus of the University of Guyana (UG) drastically changed its trajectory.

Historically, in similar situations, drastic action is often the only catalyst available to effect change. We thank the professor for his brave action (that is, resignation) that forced considerations about autonomy that were lingering around well before 2005.

We are troubled, however, by the apparent attempt by some to diminish the deplorable actions of the leadership at UG’s Turkeyen campus, as reported by some newspapers.

Now that the quest for the autonomy of Berbice campus has moved from “no autonomy” to “how much autonomy”, the media, particularly some newspapers, must be commended on their mature and responsible reporting.

Articles were objectively written, and debated fairly and judiciously – to such a degree that these behavioural patterns should be emulated, replicated and even idealised by others.

While the degree of autonomy for the Berbice campus is being worked out, there still remain some far

reaching issues. They include whether or not any disciplinary action for some in the Turkeyen leadership is warranted and the fate of Professor Samad.

Leaders, especially those in education, are held to a higher standard of accountability by our society. Everything a leader says, does and expresses is observed and collectively serves as a template for the behaviour of future leaders.

With the exclusion of parents, leaders in education are among the most influential role models. It came with absolute shock, therefore, after it was reported that the committee will only investigate autonomy, but not the personal attacks on Samad, nor the motives for removing Samad’s autonomy at the Berbice campus.

It is well known that the certainty of punishment has immense deterrent effects – and the public strongly views disciplinary action of Turkeyen staff directly involved as imperative. Not only will it serve as a powerful deterrent to repeated behaviour, but it will also help to remove such reprehensible behaviour from our future leaders.

Professor Samad’s resignation shocked Guyana leading to a spontaneous public outcry. Numerous media reports and letters pleaded for him to rescind his resignation. This is

not only because of reports that the Berbice campus is the best run institution in Guyana, but also because it is well known that Professor Samad turned down near majestic offers from global establishments and governments so that he can to return home to humbly serve

This scholar has been a professor across five continents, reached the highest administrative rank at universities globally, including the equivalent of minister of education, once reporting to the Sultan of Oman himself.

The fear of such an enormous loss triggered students, parents and civic groups to hold meetings, pleading for Professor Samad to rescind his resignation. Fortunately, he acquiesced and indeed the Chronicle reported that he had indicated that he was likely to remain at the campus if autonomy was certain.

After the meeting between the president and the opposition, they claimed that Professor Samad’s resignation was made of his own free will, but did not explain why the authority of the Berbice campus was stripped from him prior to his resignation, nor why he was subject to abuse, obscene phone calls, and threatening letters, or how such a crafty ploy can be termed free will, – rather than a gun to one’s head.

Is this the message we

want to send to overseas scholars and professionals eager to help Guyana? It is clear, however, that we have moved away from the two extreme positions: no autonomy stance by Turkeyen at one end and full autonomy of Berbice by Professor Samad at the other end – and into the centre for the optimal level of autonomy. What is still ambiguous, however, is the fate of the professor, now that he has expressed his intention to stay.

Pro-Chancellor Dr Prem Misir recently wrote that UG’s current management dispensation for reforms needs a revolutionary transformation and the time for change is now.

We thank the professor for this brave, heroic act that forced the positive decisions on autonomy, and hopefully toward a revolutionary transformation. We only hope that the people of Berbice and the professor will not suffer any consequences of this necessary action (that is, resignation).

This situation is now at a juncture where, with levelheaded negotiation among all the above named stakeholders, it is possible that everyone can come out as winners – thereby moving this country forward with integrity and pride.

Sincerely yours, Paul Mohan

Statement from the Public Works Ministry

Dear Editor,

The responsibility of any reputable media house is to report the facts and provide fair and balanced stories. Unfortunately, Stabroek News failed miserably in this regard in an article that was published in the August 29 edition headlined, “Timehri North residents protest restricted attendance at the relocation meeting.”

While there are some glaring inaccuracies, the most serious blunder

questions the level of professionalism and groundwork carried out by some of today’s reporters.

The meeting that was held on August 28 catered for those squatters who are living in the key zone needed for the first phase of the airport expansion, and Public Works Minister Robeson Benn informed them of their relocation options, including Yarrowkabra.

Officials from the Housing Ministry were

present to guide those who never applied for a house lot on the procedure and pledged to fast track those [applications] already in the system.

At that meeting, which squatters in attendance can attest to, and for which both videotape and audio tape recording exists, at no time did Minister Benn announce a $1.5 million compensation package or a $10,000 transportation fee for their relocation.

The hear-say syn-

drome which seems to be practised by some media houses needs to be addressed urgently – after all they are required to be the gatekeepers of the truth.

Filtering unchecked information to the public not only puts the media houses in a bad light, but it also highlights the deterioration in quality reporting.

Regards, Public Works Ministry

The cattle rustling problem in Berbice

Dear Editor,

A recent media report made me think that the county of Berbice is getting like the Wild West. As a cattle farmer myself, I am concerned that we are now facing this problem of rustling.

I encourage my fellow farmers to act very swiftly. If we can positively identify the criminals, then we will insist on the intervention of the police. A matter like this, if not nipped in the

bud, can lead to all kinds of vengeful actions.

Rearing cattle is not easy and we must be protected. It’s one thing to know the thieves, but quite another to have a lackadaisical attitude from the relevant authorities. It is time for us to speak out for ourselves.

I think of our fisher folk, who used to be tormented by pirates. Now their situation seems better, but a lot of them suffered. In fact,

quite a few lost their lives. The cattle situation here in Berbice must not be allowed to descend into a similar scenario.

If the police cannot take steps in this matter, some farmers may be forced to take matters into their own hands. The government needs to give us better security.

We therefore call on the agriculture minister to intervene. Maybe he is totally unaware of what is prevail-

ing. After all, with the food security factor being talked about so much globally, Guyana needs the input of beef and milk. If the rustlers can be rustled up, then they must be taken to the court. The farmers can also try to catch a few of them and hand them over to the police.

Respectfully yours, Blairmont cattle farmer Name withheld by request

At least one foreign language should be compulsory

Dear Editor,

In the midst of a few controversies, the University of Guyana (UG) received some good publicity. The good news is that a donation of some 42 Spanish-titled books was made available by the Mexican Embassy to UG, and now officials are exploring the option of making foreign language a compulsory course for students.

Not a bad idea, but how about doing so at the school level – the earlier the better. This is because learning a second language has huge benefits.

It has been shown that a second language enhances children’s cognitive development. Children who learn a foreign language, beginning in early childhood, demonstrate certain cognitive advantages over children who do not.

Research conducted in Canada, with young children, shows that those who are bilingual develop the concept of “object permanence” at an earlier age. Bilingual students learn sooner that an object remains the same, even though the object has a different name in another language.

Additionally, foreign language learning is much more

a cognitive problem solving activity than a linguistic activity. Studies have shown repeatedly that foreign language learning increases critical thinking skills, creativity, and flexibility of mind in young children.

Students who are learning a foreign language outscore their non-foreign language learning peers in the verbal and, surprisingly to some, the math sections of standardised tests.

This relationship between foreign language study and increased mathematical skill development, particularly in the area of problem solving, points once again to the fact that second language learning is more of a cognitive than linguistic activity.

So my vote is that we push this foreign language thing and we make it compulsory. For sure, Spanish is a good move, as we have many Spanish-speaking neighbours.

On another note where language is concerned, I was listening to a news brief and the education minister reiterated a global fact: proficiency in language is deteriorating.

For example, in Nigeria, the language problem is

there and officials have even opined where the fault lies. After some serious assessment, it was pointed out that students’ poor showing in many English examinations was because of the use of Pidgin English and poor spelling abilities.

The educators there then appealed to parents and teachers in particular to encourage students to cultivate the habit of speaking good English and taking English dictation and

spellings at home and school right from the basic level.

In Guyana, we have this same kind of problem of improper language exposure. Here, firstly and more abundantly, the Guyanese Creolese is what surrounds everyone. So with say Spanish coming on board, there will be more standard language indigence and this will help.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Greene

Change the wedding house culture

Dear Editor,

The call has been made many times for wedding houses to be relegated in terms of the level of noise and hours to indulge. It is so terribly stupid to have music at a wedding the way it is now.

People often have to shout to be heard. Then hardly anyone will dance until the liquor strikes. So what is the point of the loud and disturbing music?

People need to realise that loud and abrasive noise, which is what goes down for music at wedding houses, is very negative on the brain. It does not promote tranquillity and sometimes rushes people into a state of panic. The movie “Jaws” brings out the association of

confusion and noise making. The lion’s roar sends animals scurrying. Make the connection then. Noise can lead to panic which can then send people into all kinds of aggressive activities.

On the societal side, noise affects the aged, babies and students. Many people also have night jobs, so even if a wedding house plays the loud music in the day, it will have a negative impact on these night workers, who have to rest in the day.

It is time for the wedding house culture to change. Those hosts who want noise should rent halls and go do their thing.

Yours sincerely, Jenelle Hyacinth

Speeding continues to take lives

Dear Editor, Speeding on the roadways continues to be a major problem. My way of changing things is to get really tough. I will enforce maximum penalty on all guilty drivers and then employ a banning system for a good spell.

This must be accompanied by counselling, as drivers must understand the repercussions of their erratic driving. They create too

much grief. To all of this, I will also have them substantially compensate the victim’s immediate family. There should also be counselling for the family of victims who perish in these speeding accidents. I am one such person and I shudder at every report I read on road accidents. I have no one and nowhere to turn to.

Yours truly, Romona Heeralall

Page Foundation

BY RACHEL SARAH

With our busy lives full of errands, work, appointments, and social events, it can sometimes feel like we need to make grand gestures to let our children know they’re loved and special.

But what makes your children feel special might surprise you. You don’t need to spend US$10,000 on a birthday party or a deluxe trip to Disneyland. You don’t need to buy a Barbie Mustang or a tree house or let them have ice cream every night.

In fact, m aking your child feel special is very simple, according to Leigh Leverrier, a family life coach in the Washington, DC, area, who says, “Children feel special when they are respected, noticed, listened to, and heard.”

This can be as straightforward as hearing “what your child says and mirroring back what you hear to acknowledge his or her thoughts,” Leverrier adds.

Doris Jeanette, a licensed psychologist in Philadelphia, says: “It’s not the activities, but the energy behind the activities that makes a child feel loved.”

In other words, making your child feel special is as simple as paying attention. Cuddling, play wrestling, and bragging about your child works, too.

Here are some simple, inexpensive (or free!), and ultimately very meaningful ways to

make your child feel special.

Create little morning moments

“The morning sets the tone,” says Bob Lancer, author of Parenting With Love, Without Anger or Stress. “If there’s strife, rushing, or power struggles in the morning, you have a child who feels less important than other elements of the parent’s agenda.”

Instead of giving in to morning impatience, Vanessa Pizzinato of Ontario, Canada, takes a few minutes with her five-year-old every morning to gently walk her fingers over his legs and feet to wake him up. If that doesn’t work, then she takes his feet, puts one up to her ear and the other in front of her mouth, and talks to his tummy and head “to find out when they think he will wake up.”

Cara Mirabella, who runs TheHouseholdHelper, spends a little quality time each morning with her two-year-old by having coffee together. (His “coffee” is milk.) “We watch Sesame Street, the two of us cuddling on the couch, enjoying our coffee,” she says.

After taking five minutes for yourself “to enjoy the quiet of the morning before the stampede begins,” says Patty Wipfler, founder of Hand in Hand Parenting, spend 10 minutes with your child before anybody has to rush anywhere.

“First thing in the morning can be a wonderfully effective

time to connect with children, especially when they’re going to school and won’t get to see you all day,” she says.

Snuggle and cuddle

Karen Maezen Miller, author of Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood says that physical touch is essential to making your child feel connected and special.

“Take every opportunity to impart security and steadfast love with the pure joy of your physical touch: a hug, a tickle, a single finger to hold onto. Get close,” she says.

“Set the alarm 15 minutes early,” suggests Wipfler. “Turn the snooze alarm into the snuggle alarm.” For Kelly Stettner, of Vermont, special time with her daughter means cuddling up on the couch for a movie, during which “I gently stroke the sides of her neck. She’s nine now, and it’s just a little ritual we have that makes her feel completely connected and so special.”

As a single parent with no ex in the picture, this writer understands what it means to go-go-go. I know how challenging it can be to slow down, between packing school lunches and washing the dinner dishes. Here’s the truth: My child still sleeps with me sometimes. But this is the only time during the day when I stop running. This is when I put my arms around my daughter. This is our snuggle

time. It’s so worth it.

Make up special stories

Children love being the center of our attention. If your child has the chance for just a moment to be the hero in her own story, it will likely become her favourite bedtime story.

Shara Lawrence-Weiss, mother of two in Arizona and founder of Personal Child Stories, creates stories about her children – with photos to boot. “When others ask my children about their books, they beam from ear to ear. My son says, ‘My mom made this for me!’ “ Bonnie Russell, a California mother of two children in their 20s, says that she wrote down “the cute things they did or said when they were little, figuring I’d need to remember why I loved them when they became teenagers.

“It turned out that whenever they asked me to read to them, it wasn’t anything from a commercial author on a bestseller list. They always wanted me to read them ‘their’ books. It made them feel special.”

Chris Shaw of North Carolina gets very creative with her sons. Recently, on a rainy day, they made a movie. “Not a home movie – a real movie – with a script, props, and costumes. We let my seven-year-old write the script, help make costumes, and create props.”

(Babycentre.com)

(Continued from thursday)

If your work schedule doesn’t allow you to attend conferences or if the preschool doesn’t schedule them, you should feel comfortable making arrangements to speak with the teacher at other times. Meeting or talking regularly with the teacher will help you understand your child’s progress and demonstrate your interest and cooperation.

Discussing problems

When problems such as biting arise, the best tip is for parents and the teacher to sit down and discuss the issue together. If your child has serious behavioural problems, talk to your doctor, who can work with your child and may refer you to a psychologist. If your preschooler complains about the teacher, try to find out the specifics. Often, preschoolers might complain if they’re put in time-out or not given a popular classroom job, such as line leader. It’s helpful if you support the teacher and talk to your child about following rules or taking turns.

In deciding whether to bring up a problem with the teacher, it’s important not to overestimate a preschooler’s point of view. If, for example, your toddler complains that “no one plays with me” or “I’m bored” in school, give it some time if it doesn’t seem serious.

Preschoolers’ likes and dislikes frequently change, and they’re just starting to learn how to interact with other children their age. Also, a whole range of factors – including whether they’re sick, hungry, or tired –can influence day-to-day reactions to school. However, if your child continues to complain, acts different from usual, or is unusually unhappy, contact the teacher at once.

If you have concerns about the teacher’s style or performance, talk to him or her first. If your concerns aren’t resolved to your satisfaction, your next stop should be the teacher’s supervisor. Try to work out any problems rather than changing preschool teachers midyear, unless absolutely necessary. Children who are switched to a new school might interpret that to mean that whenever there’s a problem, it can be solved with a new teacher or a new school. It’s better to show children how to work through problems rather than avoid them.

Building a relationship

It’s important to form a good relationship with your child’s preschool teacher –for both you and your child. Approach the teacher with an open mind and clear, direct questions, so that you can be a part of your child’s preschool experience and take pride in your little one’s achievements. Remember to also share praise – both yours and your child’s – with the teacher, as well as his or her supervisor (“My child really enjoys story time,” for example). This approach not only makes the teacher feel appreciated, but also creates a positive framework that makes it easier for teachers to receive any negative feedback in a constructive way.

Think of yourself and your child’s teacher as a team whose shared goal is to help make your child’s preschool experience a happy and productive one. (Kids Health)

Lawmen get U.S. training in port security

Officers of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Friday graduated from a five-day course on border security hosted under the U.S.-led Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI).

Through ongoing security cooperation under the CBSI programme, the United States and Guyana partnered to stage the International Passenger Interdiction Training (IPIT) course which was held at the Police Training Centre on Camp and Young streets.

The port security training course saw the participation of nine police officers, three CANU officers and a representative of the GRA.

The trainings were conducted by two officials of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, who shared their best practices on processing passengers at ports of entry and practical exercises at airports.

The course included training on fraudulent documents, passenger targeting and analysis, interviewing techniques, smuggling and luggage examinations. Officials from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA),

and Caribbean Airlines (CAL) also facilitated practical training at CJIA as part of the IPIT course.

Speaking at the closing ceremony on Friday, U.S. embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Bryan Hunt, thanked the government of Guyana for hosting the training while applauding the participants for their commitment and dedication during the course.

Hunt said that courses such as these are designed to steer the participants into working to develop their security tactics.

He noted that since the implementation of this partnership four years ago, there has been considerable progress in areas such as nar-

cotics trafficking to maintaining public security.

“I thank you for the work you do every day to assist in protecting our borders from criminal activities. I am confident that this training will enhance your ability to do your individual jobs and enhance regional cooperation,” Hunt told the participants.

He noted that the U.S. remains committed to continuously work on security cooperation to help Guyana improve border and airport security.

Meanwhile, Deputy Police Commissioner and Crime Chief Seelall Persaud said the GPF values the relationship between Guyana and the U.S.

He noted that Guyana

UGSS forges ahead despite Mahipaul’s suspension – secretary

University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS) Secretary Adel Lilly said the body continues to function effectively despite the suspension of its president, Ganesh Mahipaul.

The UGSS is currently being managed by its Junior Vice President Marisha Bowen.

During a telephone interview with Lilly, he noted that the executive committee now consists of 18 members since the resignation of UGSS Senior Vice President Mahendra Doraisami and Public Relations Officer Amir Dillawar.

He noted that the body continues to focus and listen to the concerns of students. Lilly said the society has noted the need for a num-

ber of infrastructural works to be undertaken, however, such tasks are not within its control since funds are needed. He stated that infrastructure on campus is insufficient as students fetch

furniture from one classroom to another. The existing furniture is in deplorable condition, while classrooms are as hot as “ovens”. As such, Lilly noted that they are hoping to get corporate Guyana and private stakeholders on board so as to correct the burning issues.

He added that the UGSS is also of the view that government can do more in terms of its financial support to the tertiary institution. In the meantime, he said the body will continue to place emphasis on issues it can addressed such as advocacy for students’ welfare.

The UGSS body was the centre of attention in April/May this year when Mahipaul was sent on leave, owing to financial misrepresentations.

D’Urban Street fire Children died of smoke inhalation – autopsy

has benefited enormously from CBSI, adding that the government of Guyana will continue to emulate the progress on these trainings and how they impact the security sector.

Seelall urged the participants, who were all awarded with certificates, to share their newly acquired knowledge with their colleagues.

“When you go back to your individual units, cascade that training, let the others know what you had learnt and guide them through practices implementing the techniques that you have learnt,” charged the crime chief.

The CBSI is a CaribbeanU.S. partnership that fulfills the commitment to deepen regional security cooperation launched by President Barack Obama at the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago in April 2009.

Through the CBSI, the United States, Caricom member nations, and The Dominican Republic are working together to reduce illicit trafficking, increase public safety and security, and promote social justice.

The autopsies performed on the remains of Adam Marshall, 11, and Shania Marshall, eight, whose charred bodies were retrieved from a gutted building on D’Urban Street on Sunday morning revealed their cause of death as smoke inhalation.

The post-mortems were conducted by Dr Vivekanand Brijmohan on Friday at the Georgetown Hospital mortuary.

The two children were reportedly trapped in an inferno, which started at about 04:15h at their Lot 71 D’Urban Street, Lodge home. The two charred bodies were discovered by fire officials some time after 06:00h, one was in a kneeling position and the other bracing the walls of the bedroom.

Fire officials later confirmed that the fire was started by a burning candle in the room in which the children were sleeping. The children were reportedly left at home by their mother who was seen jumping out of a car when the blaze erupted.

The dead children’s mother, Odessa Thomas, 37; their eldest brother, Hordeen Marshall; and the landlord, whose name was given as Benjamin are at the Georgetown Public Hospital nursing injuries.

Thomas reportedly suf-

fered burns to her upper body and is said to be in a conscious state, while Marshall received burns to his face and hands and Benjamin sustained a broken leg and lacerations after he jumped from the upper flat of the house to save his life.

Meanwhile, in light of recent reports in the media which accused the mother of the two dead children of carelessness and neglect, Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) Director Ann Greene on Monday suggested that she be charged with neglect once they are in receipt of sufficient evidence that proves the two children were at home alone.

The official confirmed that they have received several reports that the mother was illtreating her six children, noting that officers were working with the mother and children. She highlighted that the CCPA had taken at least four children from the woman and placed them in alternative homes, but after a while they were reunited with their mother.

“We have done everything according to standard procedures… we have been counselling the mother and children and as a matter of fact, she was supposed to be at the CCPA today (Monday) for a review,” Greene added.

Businessman remanded for conspiracy to commit felony

Abusinessman appeared before Magistrate Faith McGusty on Thursday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charge of conspiracy to commit a felony.

It is alleged that between September 1, 2010 and September 30, 2010, Melvin Spencer, 41, of Lot 108 West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, conspired with others to commit a felony and attempt-

ed to obtain money with a forged instrument. He was not required to plead to the charge read against him.

According to the facts, Spencer conspired with others to obtain $75 million from the Bank for Guyana with 20 forged cheques purportedly issued by the Guyana Bank of Trade and Industry.

He was represented by Attorney Paul FungA-Fat who told the court that his client is a busi-

Labourer gets bail for

Daren Sinclair, a labourer accused of unlawful wounding, was released on bail after he was brought before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday.

Sinclair, 29, of 298 Meadow Brook Squatting Area, Greater Georgetown, allegedly wounded Rashaun Williams on August 26 at Meadow Brook Gardens.

According to Prosecutor Seon Blackman, the accused and the virtual complainant are known to each other. On the day in question, around 23:40h, the VC and the defendant’s sister had a misunderstanding, which resulted in the defendant picking up a cutlass and dealing the VC several chops about

his body. Williams then went to receive medical attention, and a report was made at the Alberttown Police Station.

Attorney Dexter Todd represented the defendant and told the court that his client, a father of two, was standing in front of his home, while the VC, who is in a relationship with his sister, was inside. He said that Sinclair heard some sounds coming from the house, but did not know that Williams was giving his sister a “sound thrashing”. The defendant then went inside the house where his sister complained to him that Williams had hit her. Sinclair went outside to confront the VC, who picked up a bicycle to throw at him, so he picked up a piece of wood to pro-

nessman with a wife and two children. The lawyer said his client was conned by a partner of his that took him down to the bank to affix his signature to a cheque, which was later given to someone else.

In his application for reasonable bail, Attorney Fung-A-Fat stated that Spencer has no prior convictions or any pending matters.

Prosecutor Seon Blackman objected to bail

on the grounds that the police had issued a wanted bulletin for the defendant and he did not turn himself in, as well as the value of the cheques and the punishment attached to such an offence. He also stated that the defendant was arrested in Soesdyke after a tip-off.

Magistrate McGusty refused bail and he was remanded to prison. The matter is set to return to court on September 6.

unlawful wounding

tect himself, the attorney continued. The piece of wood accidentally hit the VC who sustained injuries. An application for reasonable bail was also made.

Prosecutor Seon Blackman objected to bail on the grounds of the nature of the offence, the punishment attached to such an offence, and if

granted his pretrial liberty, he will interfere with the VC.

Magistrate McGusty granted Sinclair bail in the sum of $50,000 on conditions that he lodge his travel documents and has no contact with the VC. He was also placed on a bond pending the outcome of the matter.

Chauffeur on dangerous driving charge

Aman was brought before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday to answer to the charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

It is alleged that on

February 4 in Georgetown, Ian Soochie drove minibus BPP 1578 on Sheriff Street in a manner dangerous to the public causing the death of Heerilall Shivcharan. He pleaded guilty to the charge read against him.

Soochie was represented by Attorney Patrice Henry, who told the court that his client is a 28-yearold chauffeur with one child and a fixed address of Lot 32 Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara. The attorney said the accident occurred on Sheriff Street, claiming that Shivcharan rode into his client’s vehicle. It was not until two months later that he was informed Shivcharan had died.

In his application for bail, Attorney Henry said Soochie is not a flight risk, and has no pending or prior matters before the court.

There were no objections to bail put forward by the prosecution and Magistrate McGusty granted it in the sum of $250,000.

Attorney Henry asked for a reduction to $75,000, since his client cannot afford the stated amount. Magistrate McGusty lowered the bail amount to $200,000. The matter is set to return to court on September 16.

Eyew tness

UForeign vibes...

...from Syria

.S. President Barack Obama is considered a scholarly fellow...given to introspection. We’re sure he’s familiar with poet Ralph Emerson’s advice that “foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen.” We hope he takes it to heart as he makes up his mind as to whether America’s going to invade Syria (or not). And we’re not going to parse any differences between “invading” and bombing the country from the sea.

Last year, he drew a line in the sand – a “red line” – and promised to get directly involved if the Bashar al-Assad regime uses chemical weapons. Well it really isn’t the U.S.’s God-given right to draw such lines, is it? It might be in consonance with the “might is right” doctrine, but then he shouldn’t couch the threat in the moral tones he did. Two wrongs can’t make a right.

But also, he should’ve known that the moment he uttered the “red line” threat, he was giving the rebels the power to determine whether or not the U.S. will get involved directly. All they had to do was to use poison gas on civilians, blame it on Assad’s forces and viola!! Obama is boxed into a corner – as he is now. He doesn’t invade and he’s seen as a wimp who can’t enforce his threat. He invades – and that becomes the legacy of his presidency.

Pretty ironic for a fella who received the Nobel Prize for Peace – specifically for initiatives in the Middle East. But what’s even more ironic is that the “rebels” he’ll be supporting are heavily infiltrated and controlled by Al Qaeda operatives – sworn to remove U.S. presence in the region. Their interest in getting rid of the Assad regime is to excise a non-Sunni government that’s a conduit of Shia Iran’s support for the Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Got all of that? What it means is there are circles within circles. And the inner circle is that these rebels will ensure Syria will be a worst quagmire than Iraq/Afghanistan. After more than a trillion dollars and thousands of American lives (we won’t mention the hundreds of thousands of “native” lives), there is still no stability there.

The government of Guyana has done the right thing (not that our voice matters to the U.S.) to advise against a U.S. invasion of Syria. And this isn’t even a moral call – it’s pragmatic advice based on the U.S. strategic interest, which needs stability in the region to secure its oil supplies.

...from Venezuela

President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela is in town today – and we should break out the champagne. It’s a pity school’s out – or else we could’ve arranged for some flag waving children lining the highway to demonstrate our heartfelt support for him. Why should we do this??? Let us count the ways.

He’s first of all the designated successor to Hugo Chávez who proved beyond a scintilla of doubt that he was a true friend of Guyana. From the PetroCaribe agreement to supply us with oil at concessional terms and the corollary to repay with rice/paddy to taking on his own Venezuelan opposition to downplay the border claim – Maduro has continued Chávez’s Guyana-friendly policies.

What more could we ask? Well there are benefits that’ll flow even if we don’t ask. The pro-poor policies of the Maduro administration are in keeping with the Bolivarian socialist ethos initiated by Chávez. These policies are in sync with the left-leaning policies of the Latin American countries that have made Latin America buck the recession induced by the western economic downturn. We can only benefit from the linkages we’re forging with the region.

...from Canada

What are the Canadians trying to tell us with moving their visa application facilities back to Guyana? For one, Canada needs immigrants. For two, some of the “immigration consultants” for Canada will be going out of business. Hurrah!!!

Former telecoms workers to protest over nonpayment of pension

After years of failed negotiations between the Guyana Postal and Communication Workers Union (GP&CWU) and the government, more than 100 pensioners from the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GT&T) are still to receive their emoluments.

At a specially-convened meeting with the aggrieved workers at the union’s headquarters, East Street, Georgetown on Friday to address the issue, the pensioners drew up a strategy which will kick into gear if the government does not fulfil its obligation.

the non-response from the various government agencies, they are forced to take to the streets in the form of a peaceful protest to let their voices be heard.

Shepherd explained that the minimum pensionable emolument should have been $50,000 per month while the maximum should be somewhere around $100,000 for general managers, noting that in this case pensioners are receiving $18,000 which is “utter disrespect”.

He added that based on an agreement, the former employees upon retirement from GT&T were supposed to have received their pensions

explained that after the telephone company was privatised, there was an agreement for workers to continue working but this was not the case.

Upon the privatisation of the company, he explained, the workers were not given a choice to resign or retire, but were given the boot. Since 1990, they have had numerous meetings to discuss the issue but have all have been in vain.

He said that once workers’ services are continuous, it means that their pensionable emoluments would have been two-thirds of the salaries that they were earning

This announcement was made by GP&CWU President Harold Shepherd, who expressed his frustration about the drawn-out process, which should have been completed several years ago.

He stated that owing to

and gratuities from the present government through the Finance Ministry in keeping with the Pension Act and the Corporation Act.

Clifford Blackett, former personnel manager of the telephone company in 1990,

at that time.

He also disclosed that after GT&T was privatised, there was some $600 million that the company benefited from, and contended that, it should have been used to pay the workers.

Teen killed by lightning at Wales Sugar Estate

Ateenager died on Friday morning after he was struck by lightning while working at the Wales Sugar Estate, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

Seventeen-year-old Klein Roberts, commonly called “Pop Corn”, of Lot 35 Murphy Street, Good Intent, WBD died instantaneously after the lightning struck about 11:00h, according to reports.

Guyana Times understands that the lightning penetrated the safety helmet the former student of Good Intent Secondary was wearing at the time. His head was reportedly scorched and blood oozed from his eyes and ears. Roberts had been working with the estate for the past three weeks.

Klincia Roberts, sister of the dead teen, stated that they received the dreadful

news about 12:00h via a call to her step-father’s mobile phone. She said upon receiving the news, her mother and step-father left for the estate where they were told that efforts are being made to bring out her brother’s body.

She explained that they

were told her brother was with other persons when the lightning struck. His body was brought out of the backdam on a boat and was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

The young woman told this publication that she last saw her brother about 6:45h when he boarded the tractor, which would normally collect him in the mornings.

She explained that after her brother was fired from his job at a fishery, her stepfather, who is a manager at the Wales estate, secured a job for him. He was doing quite well and loved the job, since he said it was challenging.

Roberts related that since the incident, her mother has remained in a state of shock. He leaves to mourn his parents and nine siblings.

saturday, august 31, 2013 |

Rubis readies 150 students for school on Monday

Rubis Guyana Inc on Friday presented school supplies to the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) for the boys and girls of the Sophia Care and the Drop In centres, ahead of the commencement of the 2013-2014 academic year on September 2. Approximately, 150 children between the ages of 4 and 17 were the beneficiaries.

In presenting the supplies, which included haversacks, water bottles, book covers, pencils, and pens, Rubis Retail Accounts Executive Rhonda Johnson said the initiative is one that seeks to meet the needs of the children by advancing their education.

“We at Rubis recognise the benefits and value of a sound education, we understand its transformative effect and transformative ability and we know that it is one of the mechanisms to catapult a person from their current social economic strata to another,” she added.

CCPA Deputy Director

of Children Services Teresa Gaime expressed gratitude to Rubis for its kind gesture. She used the opportunity to advocate for further support from other agencies as a social obligation, noting that children in residential care who lack necessary parental support need assistance and attention. The CCPA cannot do it alone, Gaime posited.

To date, there are in excess of 800 abused and abandoned children cramped into 23 children’s homes predominantly in Regions Four and Six.

Alarming figure

This alarming figure can be reduced significantly if persons take up the mantle of becoming foster parents. The CCPA has started an early Foster Care Campaign, ahead of Foster Care Month in November. Since 2009, the agency has managed to place 150 children in foster homes, but the reality of 800 children in need of special care and attention still exists.

The process of becoming

a foster parent is simple: fostering a child is not the same as adopting the child and as such, does not require any legal procedures. Potential foster parents are mandated to complete applications provided by the CCPA. In addition, a series of home studies and visits will be conducted, coupled with criminal and medical checks before appointments can be made by the director.

The director has the authority to approve or disapprove the application, based on findings. If approval is granted, the applicant will be placed on a foster care register. As persons take on the responsibility of being foster parents, the agency attaches case workers who will monitor the situation to ensure that challenges are overcome and children receive the care they require.

To aid in the development of children in foster care, the government through the Human Services Ministry provide parents with $18,000 per month.

Ramotar upbeat about CaribbeanSouth American integration

President Donald Ramotar is optimistic about the future of integration of South America and the Caribbean, which he believes will yield significant benefits for both sides.

Speaking during an interview with Venezuelan stateowned Television Telasur in

Paramaribo, Suriname on Thursday evening where he is attending the heads of government summit of the Union of South Nations (UNASUR), the Guyanese head of state said the Caribbean/South American partnership is growing slowly, but surely.

“The tempo (of integration) has increased, particularly, since the presence of President (Hugo) Chávez, who had placed more attention to this issue. Over the years, I would say the integration of South America and with the Caribbean has increased quite a lot,” the president noted.

He described the late President Chávez as a strong integrationist, whom he praised for his efforts to bring the two regions together. “He

has left a very good base for us to build on, and that’s what I hope this meeting here will help to promote.”

Speaking to what may have been responsible for the pace of integration, President Ramotar pointed to the scale of economies, language barrier and the different cultures and history of Latin America and the Caribbean.

“You have to recognise that we are not at the same level of economic development, therefore the progress which we will make in the integration process, should not be expected to be tremendously faster than it is… We have to remember that even though we were on the same continent, that we have not had this regularity of contact, some of this had to do

with probably, separation of language and our history and traditions, but now I think, conditions have improved, with the development of transport and science and technology, it is bringing people closer into contact with each other and those barriers are gradually being broken down,” he noted.

The Guyanese leader believes Guyana and Suriname have critical roles to play to move forward the integration of the Caribbean and South America, because of their geographic location.

Ramotar also expressed gratitude to Venezuela for its support to Guyana, particularly under the PetroCaribe agreement and that country’s decision to purchase Guyana’s rice and paddy.

Local Muslims holding walk for peace in Middle East

Muslim organisations in Guyana led by the Guyana Islamic Trust, the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana, the Queenstown Jama Masjid, the Darul-Uloom , the Anna Catherina Islamic Complex and others will be holding a “Peace and Solidarity Walk and Rally” today to pray for peace and unity of the Muslim Ummah (global Muslim nation).

They will be calling for an end to the bloodshed, turmoil and massacre of innocent people, especially children in Syria, Egypt, Burma, Palestine and several other countries plagued by sectarian conflicts.

The peace walk will commence at 16:00h from in front the Parliament Building, proceeding east along Brickdam, in front of

the United Nations offices, turning north into Albert Street, then proceeding east along Church Street, culminating with a rally at the recently constructed Queenstown Jama Masjid.

The walk will be followed by a grand rally, which will be attended by hundreds of Muslims from different parts of the country. The gathering will be addressed by prominent leaders and scholars of the Muslim community and there will be special prayers for worldwide peace, unity and human dignity.

Additionally, the activity is expected to create awareness of the worsening crisis in the Muslim world, such as Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine and Burma.

The ongoing war and bloodshed in these coun-

tries have resulted in tens of thousands of persons being killed and hundreds of thousands more being injured.

The United Nations has estimated that there are at least one million children refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria. Recently, chemical weapons have been unleashed on innocent civilians, resulting in at least 1300 people being killed, most of whom were women and children.

Similarly, in Egypt, the military government has unleashed a wave of terror on persons opposed to it. This has resulted in the massacre of hundreds of pro-democracy protesters, who refuse to see their country return to oppressive dictatorship which has dominated their lives for many decades. In Burma, the

Rohingya Muslims continue to face systematic genocide in their ancestral homeland. They are now considered to be both stateless and homeless and were described by Amnesty International as the people facing the worst predicament in the world.

The Muslim community of Guyana strongly condemns these atrocities, blatant violations of human rights and crimes against humanity and calls on the international community led by the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, the Organisation of Islamic Countries, human right organisations, and all freedom loving people to take a strong stand against these atrocities and to use their power and influence to bring an end to these human tragedies.

MARAD distributes life jackets in Region Seven

Ateam from the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) headed by River Navigation Officer Michael Tennant, visited Region Seven on Tuesday, to distribute life jackets to schools in the Bartica community.

In an effort to promote safety on the waterways, 20 life jackets were distributed to the village of Riversview for the school children of the Holi Name nursery and secondary schools.

Toshao Melina Pollard said the jackets will help a lot in ensuring children are safe while traversing the waterways.

“We are very grateful for these jackets as it will go a long way in protecting our children as they go to school.”

According to a MARAD release, Pollard is also inviting members of the public to Riversview this year, as the

community prepares to celebrate Amerindian Heritage Month. She said Riversview will be the host village of an activity planned for October 6.

Later in the afternoon, the team visited Regional Education Officer Charles Holmes and presented 35 life jackets for him to distribute to the students of the Bartica Secondary School. Holmes, in receiving the life jackets, said it was a good gesture and he was indeed grateful for the contribution.

“We know that safety is always important and we are indeed happy for the life jackets at this time as schools are set to reopen for the new term.”

Distribution of the life jackets will continue throughout the country as MARAD’s aim is to prevent, and/or minimise accidents on the waterways.

De mayor run from de **ity

It got some people who don’t like to face up to any ting hard in life. Dem does can’t tek hard life. And dem does can’t handle de pressure when de pressure near fuh buss pipe. Dem like to run away. Dem does can’t face de music. Some does turn dem back, look de other way and then walk away. Some does come back, but plenty of dem don’t even tink bout comin back. Dem gone fuh good.

Plenty man does mek pickney wid woman and then get away and don’t pay dem child support. De law gon ketch up wid dem soon. One man de other day get argument wid he woman, burn down de house, and then he tek he bicycle and ride away just like that, like if he goin fuh a drink at de rum shop. Next day de same woman defend he and he gone back wid de woman. Look out fuh when he gon jump pun he bicycle again. Is de same kinda of pressure mek Sithe Global pull out and go away. Then just bout de same time R Kelly pull out and didn’t come. Well, he learn he lesson a long time now since he didn’t pull out in time wid de lil pickney and de video man ketch he. No Gel Hugly like to stay in too. He didn’t want to pull out. So he pull out too late and he get ketch wet handed. Even he mouth was dribblin still, like how Rum Jhaat does dribble, and it wasn’t pun Cat Hugly.

Well, de mayor-fuh-life Green Ham and he deputy Green Case runnin from de **ity fuh dem life. Guyana is de only country in de world that got two Green people runnin de capital. But nutten in de capital green and not a Green in sight!

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! And even Green Jah green shirt fadin!

Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts Complex to be completed in days

Construction and rehabilitation works on the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts Complex are scheduled to be completed within a few days, based on information provided by the contractor, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall has stated.

The rehabilitated facility is expected to house 12 courts, each having offices for the magistrates, along with washroom facilities. The building will also house the office of the clerk of the Georgetown Magisterial District and support staff, along with a facility to accommodate prisoners. The new building will be fully air-conditioned and will have two parking facilities on the northern side of the building, on Croal Street, as well as on the southern side on Brickdam.

This was an initiative under the Modernisation of the Justice Administration Project under which the physical and infrastructural institutional capacity of the justice sector was improved. Under this component of the project, new courts have been constructed in

Springlands, Whim, Canje, New Amsterdam, Sisters Village, Fort Wellington, Wales, Wismar, and Lethem, among other areas.

Also under the project, renovations have been done to almost every court building in the country, including the Court of Appeal and the High Court’s complexes of Berbice and Demerara. These improvements in the judicial sector are all components of a holistic plan to overhaul the entire justice sector.

“The administration holds firmly to the view that there is a causal connection between economic growth and a properly functioning and independent justice system. No country has ever progressed, economically, and no people have ever advanced, socially, in the absence of a system which guarantees the prevalence of the rule of law, which recognises the basic human rights of its citizens and which does not provide a system that allows the citizenry to settle their grievances, between themselves and the state, as well as among themselves, in an effective and efficient fashion,” Minister Nandlall stated.

Anti-money laundering bill

Williams urges action to stave off blacklisting

Guyana needs to get its house in order, if it is to escape blacklisting from international financial transactions, after missing the deadline to submit its updated Anti-money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism Act to the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF).

This is the view of Bank of Guyana Governor Lawrence Williams, who told the media on Thursday that “The only way out is to put your house in order”.

He said Guyana cannot prevent correspondent banks from treating it as a

high-risk country when conducting transactions, given the lack of enforcement of the anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism legislation.

Williams stressed that Guyana’s only alternative of averting the situation is to correct its downfalls so that it can be seen as a safe financial jurisdiction on the world stage. “We must have legislation that meet international best practices,” he stated.

If not, “international trade can be severely affected, with a difficulty to effect payments internationally…

because these would have to be executed through correspondent banks and once the correspondent banks realise that Guyana is treated as a high-risk country... they will undertake enhanced monitoring of all transactions emanating from financial institutions in Guyana,” Williams explained.

Close monitoring may include a detailed review of every transaction, delayed payments and rejection of transactions due to inadequate data.

However, aside from increased monitoring, he said “some corresponding banks

may even take the decision that it’s too risky to deal with banking institutions in Guyana and seek to sever the relationship”.

The central bank governor added that as the regulator of the banking sector, money transfer agencies and trust companies, the Bank of Guyana has taken all the pertinent administrative decisions required to be in compliance with international requirements.

As such, he believes the major hurdle now, is sorting out legislative framework. The CFATF had given Guyana up to August 22

after it failed to reach an earlier deadline of May 27, to submit its amended antimoney laundering act. But with no parliamentary consensus and the bill stuck at a select committee, government has said that the country is now exposed to international sanctions. To this end, the country now stands to face serious international sanctions from the CFATF.

The CFATF, upon receiving the update from Guyana, would have sought to remedy the deficiencies that were uncovered in Guyana’s antimoney laundering act.

U.S. agents arrest Bouterse’s son on drug, gun charges

Dino Bouterse, the son of Suriname President Desi Bouterse, was arrested in Panama on Thursday on charges of drug smuggling and violating firearms laws.

The arrest was reported on August 30 by U.S. authorities. The younger Bouterse is accused of drug smuggling and violating firearms laws since he got out of jail. He was sentenced to jail in 2005 for drug and weapons smuggling and served several years of the sentence.

Bouterse, 40, now faces a U.S. federal indictment in the Southern District of New York alleging he worked with a man identified as Edmund Quincy Muntslag to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. starting in or about December 2011. It also charges him with violating firearms laws by brandishing a light antitank weapon during the narcotics offense.

The indictment says Bouterse was involved in smuggling a suitcase filled with 10 kilogrammes (22

Latter-day Saints church donates $30M worth of items to charities

The Bernice Mansell Foundation through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint on Friday donated over $30 million worth of items to various non-government organisations across the country.

According to the foundation representative Zarina DeCosta, the items will be distributed to other non-

governmental organisations across the regions, mainly Berbice, in the areas of Enmore, Mahaica, West Canje, Corriverton and Rosignol.

She said the items include cotton blankets, quilts, school kits, hygiene kits, shoes, clothing for both males and females, bedding and household items.

“These items will be go-

ing towards the community projects and distribution to the less fortunate,” De Costa said.

The Bernice Mansell Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit, non-governmental organisation which was established in July 1999.

According to Executive Director Gloria Livan, the foundation is geared towards providing support for educational upliftment of the underprivileged and has been supportive in the areas of social development.

The items were donated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, headquartered in Utah, United States.

The church also has a branch in Guyana that is associated with the Bernice Mansell Foundation.

In the past, the organisation had partnered with the Education Ministry through its annual GUYAID Essay Competition which is held during Education Month. The essay competition is used as a vehicle to promote literacy among Guyanese children.

pounds) of cocaine aboard a commercial flight from Suriname to the Caribbean in late July.

Bouterse will appear in Manhattan federal court later today before Judge James Francis IV. He and Muntslag, also of Suriname, both face maximum sentences of life in prison. Dino was allegedly wiretapped while conducting business that led to his arrest.

A Panamanian government security source said that Bouterse was arrest-

ed by international police in Panama and was turned over to U.S. anti-drug authorities. The source, who requested anonymity for lack of authorisation to speak on the issue, declined to give more details.

Melvin Linscheer, Suriname’s head of national security, said the government would soon issue a statement. He declined further comment. Dino Bouterse is a potential successor to Desi, reported the Dutch Public Broadcasting outlet NOS.

saturday, august 31, 2013 | guyanatimesgy.com

Fifth cycle of continuous registration opens on Monday

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) will commence the fifth cycle of Continuous Registration on Monday.

This registration exercise will end on November 23, GECOM said in a statement, adding that anyone who will be 14 years or older by December 31, and is a Guyanese citizen by birth, descent, naturalisation, or is a citizen from a Commonwealth country living in Guyana for one year or more, is eligible for registration during this exercise.

During this registration exercise, persons who are eligible for registration are required to visit the registration office that is responsible for their areas of residence to apply for registration.

Documents

Such persons must be in possession of the following source documents as might be necessary to support their applications for registration: original birth certificate issued by the General Register Office or a valid Guyana passport; original marriage certificate (and original birth certificate) –in the case of a name change by way of marriage; original deed poll and original birth certificate – in the case of any change of name by deed poll; original naturalisation certificate issued by the Home Affairs Ministry and original birth certificate/valid passport – in the case of naturalisation. Evidence (photocopy/duplicate) of an

application having been made for naturalisation will not be accepted.

Baptismal certificates, expired passports, photocopies of relevant documents or letters from priests, elders, headmasters, village captains/toshaos and justices of the peace or existing ID cards will not be acceptable as source documents for registration, GECOM said.

All persons who will be eligible for registration, but are not in possession of the relevant supporting document(s) stated above are urged to take immediate steps to acquire the said documents in order to facilitate their respective registration during this continuous registration exercise.

Name changes

Persons who were already registered could, if necessary apply for a name change in the case of the change of name(s) by marriage or deed poll, since they were registered, or apply for correction(s), if there is incorrect information on their national ID cards.

Additionally, persons who are already registered could request that their photographs be retaken, if the quality of the photograph on their ID cards is unacceptable, or collect their new ID cards if they have not done so as yet.

GECOM has 28 permanent registration offices located in all of the 10 administrative regions.

“You are required to visit the registration office that is responsible for the regis-

tration of persons in your area of residence to apply for registration or uplift your National Identification Card if you were previously registered and you have not done so as yet. The registration offices are as follows:

“The office hours during which persons could apply for registration/collect ID cards are: Monday to Friday 09:00h to 13:00h and 14:30h to 18:00h Saturdays from 10:00h to 14:00h.”

Civic duty

The offices will be closed on Sundays and holidays. “It is the civic duty and legal responsibility of all Guyanese who will who meet the eligibility requirements to apply for registration during this Cycle of Continuous Registration. By so doing, they would be ensuring that they are included on the official lists of electors for future elections, if they meet the other eligibility criteria, apart from being issued with national ID cards,” GECOM asserted.

According to the commission, Section Six of the National Registration Act, Chapter, 19:08 makes it obligatory for persons who meet the registration criteria to apply for registration. Persons eligible for registration could be prosecuted, fined or even sent to prison for failing or refusing to apply for registration. In this regard, it must be noted that it is the responsibility of parents/guardians to ensure that the eligible children in their charge apply for registration.

Breeze Shopping Spree Promotion launched

On Thursday, Bryden and Fernandes Incorporated launched their “Breeze Shopping Spree 2013 Promotion”.

The launch was held in the vicinity of the Bounty Supermarket on Water Street and the spree will be held nationwide.

Persons can enter the

promotion by purchasing Breeze laundry detergent and submitting the packet along with their name and contact address. Persons will be eligible to win one of 12 shopping sprees, a scooter, a gas stove, a whirlpool washing machine, an iPhone or iPad.

The promotion ends in December, however, there

will be a draw every month, starting from October. After the launch, there were free distributions of Breeze soap powder and the onlookers were encouraged to participate. There will also be street shows during the course of the promotion which will give persons a chance to win prizes just by presenting a breeze packet.

Man found dead at Diamond

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of an unidentified man of Amerindian descent, whose body was found with injuries on the Little Diamond Public Road, East Bank Demerara

about 03:20h on Friday.

The victim is fair in complexion, about 5’ 5” in height, appears to be in his mid-20s and was clad in a brown long-sleeve jersey and a blue three quarter denim pants.

The body is at the Lyken’s

Funeral Parlour. Anyone who has information that may lead to the identification of the deceased is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 227-1152, 226-0869, 227-2272, 911 or the nearest police station.

Fishing crew rescued after boat sinks

Aboat with several crew members sank in the rough Atlantic Ocean as it was passing through the North West District of Guyana.

The incident reportedly happened on Tuesday.

According to reports reaching Guyana Times, the boat left Georgetown and was travelling in the Iron Punt area

when the mishap occurred.

According to information, the water in the area was rough and partially sank the boat. The passengers of the boat who were fishermen are said to be fine; however, they had to endure days of hardship until they were rescued.

This publication was told that the captain of the ves-

sel had managed to get the passengers near to the Shell Beach area before the boat went down. The fishermen then managed to swim to shore and were rescued by a passing speed boat. The crew had related that they had been out of drinking water and food for days and were praying for help.

115 NOC students graduate from YEST programme

BY INDRAWATTIE NATRAM

Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry

Permanent Secretary Alfred King has urged the New Opportunity Corps’ (NOC) second graduating class of the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme (YEST) to be of good service and contribute to Guyana’s development.

Addressing the graduating students, King said the NOC provides students with valuable opportunities to change their lives, and they should be proud of their achievements, but must put their skills into practise.

King said despite many difficulties, the NOC has managed to prevail as it continues to reform delinquent students to contribute positively to the country’s development.

He said the challenges of the institution have been examined and reviews were made in an effort to change the physical outlook of the NOC.

Shedding some light on the ministry’s investments in the institution, King said some $35 million was spent on improving the facilities as the ministry recognised that there is a lot of infrastructural works that need to be done.

Quality programming

He said too that more needs to be done on quality programming, and the ministry is looking to provide training and scholarships to staff and students.

Some students are currently pursuing the diploma in sociology programme, and a library was established to keep the students meaningfully occupied.

He charged the graduating students to aim high, and stay focused on achieving their goals.

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you, just believe in yourself and pursue your dreams, your dreams must be realised,” King said.

He also said the parents of the graduating students should be proud of their children as they now have a worthwhile skill.

The permanent secretary also commended the work of the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the ministry for starting the reintegration into society programme. He said the programme has helped children in the process of social rehabilitation, and the ministry is now focusing on drafting new laws as it relates to management of juvenile delinquents.

Second chance

Meanwhile, UNCIEF representative in Guyana, Marianne Flach reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to the NOC, noting the partnership has given the children a second chance to excel in life. Flach said the support has positively impacted the students and this bodes well for Guyana.

NOC official David Sookram said on January 30, the institution commenced course two of the YEST programme; an initiative that provides youths with life skills, technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills.

Sookram said the first course was launched at the NOC in 2011 and 63 students successfully completed training in the technical vocational education programme. The students were trained in carpentry, welding and fabrication, electrical installations, agriculture science, handicrafts, sports and culture, information technology, catering and tailoring.

Sookram said catering and agriculture science were two new courses introduced. He said the courses in the various subject ar-

eas commenced on January 30. Thirty females and 22 males entered the YEST programme where as 26 females and 37 males entered the introductory courses of the technical vocational education programme, amounting to a total of 115 graduating students.

Sookram said the YEST programme was delivered by NOC instructors, utilising the recently reviewed curriculum. He said the institution also receives the support of the community and major stakeholders through voluntary work. A Student Council was also established at the correctional facility.

The NOC survives though solid partnership with a number of local and overseas-based organisations. These include EEREPAMI, UNICEF, Zara Holdings, the U.S. embassy through the SKYPE programme and the Agriculture Ministry.

UNICEF over the years has strongly supported the NOC by clothing the students, establishing the integration in society programme, creating childfriendly environments and presenting a new minibus.

EEREPAMI provided training for both students and teachers. Sookram said the reintegration programme offers support to discharged students in the form of job placement, continuing education and entrepreneurship. Assistant Youth Director Daveanand Ramdatt also urged the students to make the most out of the skills learned.

Economy grew by 3.9 per cent at midyear

Guyana has recorded 3.9 per cent growth, with the non-sugar Gross Domestic Product growing by six per cent, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh reported Friday night. As a result, he said the overall growth for the year is now projected at 4.8 per cent, while non-sugar growth is projected at 5.8 per cent.

Briefing the media in the studios of the National Communications Network, Singh said gold declarations increased by 26.8 per cent to 234,498 ounces and export earnings amounted to US$300.8 million, an increase of 12.2 per cent over the corresponding period in 2012.

Rice

Rice production expanded by 25.1 per cent to 263,228 tonnes and export earnings amounted to US$83.3 million. The minister noted that the construction sector expanded by 6.6 per cent, reflecting strong public sector activity, combined with private housing construction and private sector construction activities.

Additionally, Dr Singh said the financial and insurance service sector grew by 9.1 per cent. However, he noted that sugar production contracted by 32.5 per cent to 48,038 tonnes, while inflation was contained to 0.2 per cent in the first half of 2013.

He said private sector credit expanded by 4.8 per cent to $169.4 billion, with significant growth of 15.1 per cent in the manufacturing sector, 15 per cent in construction and engineering sector, 7.5 per cent in mining, and 7.4 per cent in real estate mortgages.

Regarding the various sector, Dr Singh said of the $28.7 billion budgeted for 2013 for the education sector, $11.1 billion had been spent at the end of June. Some $308.8 million was expended on infrastructure investments; the delivery of the national school feeding programme benefited more than 65,000 schoolchildren; over 155,000 school uniform vouchers were distributed to the coastal and Upper Mazaruni areas, while over 29,221 hinterland students will benefit from the distri-

bution of school uniforms and 30 additional computer labs have been completed to date, the minister reported.

In the health sector, $5.4 billion was expended during the first half of the year, $78.3 million of which had been expended on infrastructure. The minister said that 70 Cuba-trained doctors will be deployed throughout the system by the end of the third quarter, while another 208 will be deployed by the end of the year. He added that 20,988 bed nets were purchased and distributed in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine in an effort to address critical communicable diseases.

Housing

In the area of housing, $1.1 billion was expended in the first half of the year. Approximately $649.6 million was expended under the 2013 housing programme for the development of 2254 new house lots. Some 636 house lots were distributed and 1540 titles were processed. Sixty-seven core houses were completed, while another 59 are under construction. The finance minister reported that some 52 home improvement subsidies were distributed to eligible families in areas such as Lusignan, Block D Bath, Eliza and Mary and Ankerville, benefiting more than 234 persons. In the

Hinterland Housing Pilot, 34 subsidies were disbursed, while another 36 homes are slated for complete replacement, benefiting approximately 490 persons directly.

In the electricity sector, Dr Singh said in the first six months of 2013, a total of $1.7 billion was expended. Works were advanced on the installation of the new Wartsila engines at Vreeden-Hoop, the construction of five substations and upgrading of one substation, installation of transmission lines from Sophia to Onverwagt, and the frequency conversion programme.

In the area of information technology, Dr Singh said $479.9 million has been expended midyear towards the commencement of works on 25 Long-Term EvolutionAdvanced (LTE-A) sites in areas including Lusignan, Enmore, Cane Grove, Vigilance, Melanie, Wales, Helena, Aurora, Suddie, and New Amsterdam. He said 5500 laptops were distributed in Region Four during the first half of the year, bringing the total number of laptops distributed to 32,332. A total of 20,492 applicants in Regions Two, Three, Five, Six, Seven and 10 have been approved for laptops, and distribution is scheduled to commence in the third quarter and is expected to be completed in the final quarter.

Culture Ministry hosts special programme for Amerindian Heritage Month

The Culture Ministry on Friday hosted a special programme in commemoration of Amerindian Heritage Month during which initiatives to preserve the customs of indigenous people were highlighted.

Speaking at the event hosted in the compound of the ministry, Culture Minister Dr Frank Anthony said during the month of celebrations, Amerindians, and all Guyanese, should be proud of the achievements made in safeguarding their heritage and advancing their lives.

“I think we should use the occasion not just to celebrate but to have introspection on how we can learn from indigenous communities, since there is so much we can learn from the people,” the ministry said.

He disclosed that the ministry has embarked on a number of initiatives to preserve Amerindians traditions, referencing the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology which has been investigating indigenous people’s history. He noted that this has been successful so far, adding “just recently, we had an exhibition in the Rupununi… they found artefacts for Amerindian villages that date back to about 100 years ago.”

He said this type of work

will continue and by doing this, the ministry will contribute to the knowledge of humanity in general. He disclosed the ministry’s willingness to work with other persons to research the people’s history.

Amerindian dictionaries

The culture minister said his office has also been working to develop the various Amerindian languages, adding that it has been able to reprint seven Amerindian language dictionaries, which were done by the Amerindian Research Unit of the University of Guyana. “So we have two more to complete and we have been

talking with the relevant experts who will be helping us to complete these two dictionaries.”

Dr Anthony said the ministry’s intention is to print a series once the remaining two are completed, so people can benefit from it. He also highlighted that the ministry is working on compiling old stories from various communities which it hopes to document and publish. “We want to do another innovative thing: get the stories in their own language and then do a translation in English so when we publish the book, in a sense, it will be a bilingual arrangement.”

Anthony said his min-

istry is also working with communities to develop community museums as well, since the country is aiming to boost ecotourism.

“We feel if we can develop and help communities to develop their own little museums and they can explain to people more about their traditions, cultures and practices, this will help them in their ecotourism drive.”

At the event, the culture minister also handed over a set of books titled “Wapichanao Kuwaa – Stories of the Wapishana” to Maruranau Coordinator of Wapishana Literacy Association, Adrian Gomes. Upon receiving the books, Gomes expressed gratitude for the books, noting that it will go a far way in educating persons on the language. At the event a group of youths from St Cuthbert’s Mission performed two dances – the humming bird and processing cassava dances.

Amerindian Heritage Month is celebrated in commemoration of September 10, 1957, the day on which Stephen Campbell became Guyana’s first Amerindian Member of Parliament.

On September 10, 1995, Dr Cheddi Jagan, officially designated September as Amerindian Heritage Month, in memory of Campbell’s achievement.

auguSt 31, 2013 |

City Council should cease handling garbage – THAG president

Newly-elected Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) President Kit Nascimento believes that the Georgetown Mayor and City Council should cease handling garbage disposal as it does not have the capacity to do so.

In an interview with Guyana Times, Nascimento disclosed that the private sector has been rallying for City Council to stop tending to garbage and has advised that professional collectors be hired to do the job.

He said parts of the city that have the best garbage collection and are better kept are the parts where private collectors work.

“Professionals who know what to do and will do it once they are properly paid.” He described the garbage condition in Georgetown as “horrific”.

Meanwhile, Nascimento said too that the private sector is perturbed by the relationship between the Local Government Ministry and the City Council, noting that the two agencies sharing a good bond is essential in tackling the garbage situation.

“There’s a discontinuance and huge discord in the relationship and a lot of time, energy and money are being wasted in this regard while the core problem of waste disposal is not being effectively addressed.”

Over the years, the Local Government Ministry and City Council have shared a disjointed relationship, and in many instances, both organisations have blamed each other for the garbage problem in the city.

He was cognisant that the Local Government Ministry has been aggressively dealing with waste disposal countrywide, but making reference to

the garbage situation in Georgetown, he said “the problem I think is the disconnect between the ministry and the City Council, I think that once local government elections come into force and local government elections are held, that will make a difference.”

Nascimento said there is a great deal that has to be done in order to address the burning garbage situation in the city, noting that this issue needs to be properly “planned”, “budgeted”, “organised” and “financed”.

Moving on to the Haags Bosch landfill site, Nascimento said it needs to be expanded since it collects almost twice the amount of waste disposal it was designed to accommodate.

The Haags Bosch facility is designed to have four cells, each with a lifespan of 10 years. In April, the National Assembly reproved $732 million to subsidise the Haags Bosch landfill programme, which is critical to reducing the build-up of garbage in Georgetown.

The project is being financed through a US$18 million Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan granted in 2006, from its Fund for Special Operations. In 2010, the IDB directors approved an additional US$2 million supplementary funding for the Georgetown Solid Waste Management Programme, to cover the cost project overruns. It was built to replace the Mandela Avenue dumpsite.

A $9,729,822 contract was awarded to BK International in association with Puran Brothers Disposal Service in November 2009 for the construction of a landfill site. The landfill site opened in February 2011.

Govt to implement measures to restrict Styrofoam use

The government has approved a menu of measures to restrict the importation and use of Styrofoam products, a mandate that will be carried out by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr Roger Luncheon at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President on Thursday, said that Styrofoam has played an inordinately important role in the accumulation of solid waste in Guyana. Among the measures to be implemented are the imposition of taxes and duties to make the importation and use of Styrofoam unattrac-

tive, for the food industry in particular. On the other hand, importers and users of alternatives to Styrofoam will be offered certain incentives.

The Natural Resources Ministry will be elaborating on these measures, as well as developing other implementable ones in this regard.

Styrofoam, also known as polystyrene, is a non-biodegradable, synthetic material. Its single-use products are dominant in the food industry. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Styrofoam products are one of the largest creators of hazardous waste.

African dust dumped on the Caribbean worries scientists

Clouds of African dust have been sprinkling their contents across the Caribbean for as long as there has been sand in the Sahara Desert. The phenomenon is nevertheless attracting increasing attention from regional scientists who believe that the clouds have grown, even if there is no global consensus on the issue.

Recently, an unusually large cloud dusted the Eastern Caribbean, generating hazy skies and vivid sunsets before drifting over Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and moving on to be detected as far away as Wyoming in the United States.

Satellite images from NASA show these huge, smoky clouds wafting westward from Africa and blanketing hundreds of square miles.

Although the microscop-

ic dust particles sent aloft by African sandstorms have hitherto been accorded little more than moderate interest, experts are now saying that the particulate matter may be cause for health concerns and merit more study to understand their potential impact.

According to Braulio Jimenez-Velez, a specialist in molecular and envi-

Russian investment of US$50M for St Kitts-Nevis

St Kitts and Nevis

Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas has welcomed the start of two projects on St Kitts South East Peninsula, which involve foreign direct investment of over US$50 million.

The projects by Russian investors will see the construction of 50 twobedroom villas as part of the US$37 million Ocean Grove Development and the Windswept Residence Club of nine villas at a cost of US$13 million.

Ocean Grove Villas is a joint venture between the Christophe Harbour Development Company and the Canada-based Apex Capital Partners Corporation.

“We look forward to the start-up of construction of your villas which will be located so strategically next to the area of the Pavilion Beach Club.

This project is also significant because it is the first major investment to be put together in St Kitts by a Russian group,” said Douglas at the symbolic ground breaking ceremony.

Douglas note that St Kitts and Nevis is an international country and it is not by any accident that this investment comes at a time when his government is in the process of removing the requirement for an entry visa for Russian visitors.

“We see Russia as a new and desirable market for both investors and visitors for our country, and you can be assured that my government will continue to take the necessary steps to improve the flow of trade and investment between our two democratic countries,” said Douglas. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

ronmental toxicology at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, “It is a matter of great magnitude, interest and importance for health.”

So far this year, Sahara dust has prompted two health alerts in Puerto Rico for asthma sufferers and people with allergies. The Dominican Republic also issued a warning. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

The Bahamas launches great hammerhead shark tourism drive

The endangered and elusive great hammerheads – the second largest predatory shark in the ocean – will be returning to the sand banks off the tiny Bahamas out-island of Bimini, starting in January.

The historic Bimini Big Game Club Resort and Marina is partnering with Shark Diver to offer visitors great hammerheads dive encounters from January through April 2014.

Bimini is one of the best places in the world where divers can encounter the fabled Sphyrna mokarran, a species that can reach 20 feet in length and is easily recognised by its unusual and distinctive head, which is flattened and extended into a “hammer” shape. A favourite food is spotted eagle rays in the shallows near

LIAT meltdown claims more victims

The apparent meltdown of regional airline LIAT continues to claim victims and turn them into irate passengers, despite assurances this week from LIAT Chief Executive Officer Ian Brunton that the situation is improving, and that there would be less disruption, less flight delays and cancellations.

Kittitian businessman Carlton Dupont told WINN FM on Thursday that he remained stranded in Antigua on his way back to Basseterre from Guyana.

In a telephone conversation from Antigua, he said it took him two days to get to Georgetown, and that the return leg of the journey was even more problematic.

“Tuesday evening I got here from Guyana eight o’clock in the evening, and even though I’m so close to St Kitts I am still here in Antigua in a nice hotel, getting good food – something has to be wrong with the operation of LIAT and who is running it,” the businessman said.

According to Dupont, he was among several Kittitians whose flight was delayed and awaiting word from the airline on when they would get home.

He said LIAT was incurring expenses in providing accommodation to stranded passengers, and predicted that “one of these mornings we could wake up and the whole operation of LIAT will be completely closed down”. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

Boat with Trinis runs into trouble

Aboat transporting several Trinidadians and Grenadians was adrift at sea for several hours between Tuesday night and Thursday, until it reached 13 miles north of the First Bocas and the captain was able to moor the vessel to the “Hibiscus” oil platform, awaiting rescue.

Therese Russell, a moth-

er of eight, one of the occupants of the boat, Little Desiré and who was supposed to arrive at the Caricom Jetty in Port of Spain on Wednesday morning, called her son, Kevin, on her cellphone and expressed fear for her safety after the captain announced that the boat was drifting due to mechanical problems.

Kevin, 25, of Morvant, said his mother has been travelling to and from Grenada for more than 14 years, bringing in provisions and fruits, and had not experienced a similar incident before. He said he heard fright in his mother’s voice. Frantically, Kevin telephoned Newsday asking the newspaper’s assistance

in getting the authorities to rescue his mother and the others on the vessel.

Newsday contacted Lieutenant Kirk JeanBaptiste of the Coast Guard, who said they had received a call at 19:30h on Wednesday, informing that a vessel making its way from Grenada to Trinidad was drifting. (Excerpt from

the island. The rays, according to divers, will often jump high into the air in an attempt to escape the great hammerhead sharks.

Despite its size, the great hammerhead shark rarely attack humans and is inquisitive with divers. As a result of being overfished for its large fins (shark fin soup), the species has been assessed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (Caribbean News Now)

Jamaica government urged to legalise marijuana to improve

economy

The Portia Simpson Miller-led administration is being urged to legalise and regulate marijuana as the nation’s economy could benefit from such a move.

This is according to U.S.based Drug Policy Alliance

Executive Director Ethan Nadelmann who believes that although a study has not been carried out surrounding the benefits of marijuana legalisation, anecdotal evidence suggests it could be the next big crop for the island.

“If you legally regulate marijuana, first you stop wasting tens of millions of dollars per year on enforcing a policy, secondly you reduce the opportunities for police corruption, you begin to raise tax revenue from the domestic sales of cannabis and you can begin to re-

cruit tourism on that basis.” He pointed out that the United States has no credibility in lecturing any country on changing its marijuana legislations because 20 states in the U.S. has legally regulated marijuana and are reaping the benefits from it.

Meanwhile, well known Jamaican scientist, Dr Henry Lowe believes the Portia Simpson Miller administration should take a serious look at developing the medical marijuana industry.

Lowe told an editor’s forum at the Jamaica Gleaner on Wednesday that the government is missing out on billions of dollars, which could be earned from the wide range of cosmeceutical, neutraceutical and pharmaceutical products being developed across the world.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

America blames Assad for attack

AU.S. intelligence report assessed with “high confidence” that Syria’s government planned and launched last week’s chemical weapons attack that killed more than 1400 people, Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday in releasing details intended to muster support at home and abroad for a military response.

Citing evidence including video footage of children and other victims lying dead with no visible wounds, Kerry said such “indiscriminate, inconceivable horror of chemical weapons” is what Syrian President Bashar alAssad “did to his own people”.

Kerry’s statement and the release of the declas-

sified intelligence report came as President Barack Obama’s administration faced rising resistance to a

military strike against the Syrian regime in response to its use of banned chemical weapons.

Anti-military protesters rally across Egypt

Thousands of Egyptians opposed to military rule have marched through districts of Cairo and other cities to demand the reinstatement of deposed President Mohamed Morsi, ignoring warnings that security forces would open fire if protests turned violent.

After a relative lull following the arrests of many Muslim Brotherhood leaders, the Friday rallies were the movement’s biggest show of defiance since clashes two weeks ago in which hundreds of protesters were killed.

While most protests passed peacefully, the Health Ministry said three people had been killed on Friday in fighting between protesters and local residents, including one in Port Said. Morsi’s supporters said that another person was also killed in Zagazig, in Sharqiya governorate.

The only reported clash between protesters and security forces was outside a mosque in Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo, according to state television.

The army-backed government has arrested most of the leaders of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood since he was toppled on July 3, suffocating protests and all but silencing the movement that ruled Egypt for a

year.

Just after Friday prayers, around 500 protesters set off from central Cairo’s Sahib Rumi mosque chanting, “Wake up, don’t be afraid, the army must leave!”, “The Interior Ministry are thugs!” and “Egypt is Islamic, not secular!”

By mid-afternoon, thousands were marching in several other Cairo districts and suburbs. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

U.S. spying “black budget” detailed

Abreakdown of U.S. intelligence’s multibillion dollar “black budget” has been revealed in files disclosed by leaker Edward Snowden to the Washington Post.

The CIA’s budget is the most expensive, US$14.7 billion (£9.5 billion) out of US$52.6 billion in total for 16 intelligence agencies, according to the files.

Two of those agencies are also actively hacking into foreign computer networks, reports the Washington Post.

The U.S. has not made public a breakdown of the total intelligence budget.

The newspaper published charts detailing the budget, but did not post all the documents, citing “sensitive details” after U.S. officials expressed concerns about risks to methods and sources.

According to the Washington Post, the CIA’s budget has grown more than 50 per cent since 2004.

The files also reportedly show the budget of the National Security Agency (NSA), America’s electronic spying organisation – it apparently requested US$10.8 billion for 2013, making it second only to the CIA.

Nearly US$5 billion of

the CIA’s budget is allocated to human intelligence operations, with almost US$67 million of that total reserved for funding the false identities of its overseas spies, according to the files.

The CIA and the NSA have also launched “offensive cyber operations” to hack into or sabotage enemy computer networks, according to the files. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Britain’s Parliament voted against joining a coalition sought by Obama to respond militarily, denying the president a key NATO ally that has steadfastly supported previous campaigns.

Other European allies support action against Syria but want the United Nations to lead the effort, something Kerry said would not happen because of opposition by permanent Security Council member Russia, a Syrian ally.

At home, questions about the veracity of the U.S. intelligence and whether Washington is headed for another war based on false information – like happened in Iraq – have emerged from both parties in Congress.

(Excerpt from CNN)

Girl, four, crushed by bulldozer in China

The death of a fouryear-old girl run over by a bulldozer in rural China has triggered outrage on Chinese social media, rekindling anger over the issue of forced evictions.

The victim, named in reports as Hong Xiaorou, was struck by the bulldozer in Zhangpu County in the southern Chinese province of Fujian at about 11:00h local time Wednesday, a spokesperson for the county’s publicity department told CNN. The girl subsequently died in hospital, and the driver was arrested.

The state-run China Daily reported that the girl’s grandmother, Chen Saijiao, of Linqian village, had attempted to stop a bulldozer

she spotted pushing mud on one of her fields. It reported that she could not be understood by the driver, who spoke a different dialect, and he accidentally backed over the girl who was playing behind his vehicle.

Pictures of the girl’s mourning family sparked an angry reaction on Chinese social media, where it was perceived as a result of a land grab by local officials.

“There are so many people killed or disabled because of land grabs in China, and (the officials) usually resolve these things with little compensation,” wrote somebody using the handle @yongbao_ai on the popular micro-blogging service Sina Weibo. (Excerpt from CNN)

Incendiary bomb dropped on Syrian school children

Days after an apparent chemical weapons attack on civilians, fresh scenes of horror emerged from Syria Friday. The BBC has broadcast a report showing shocking images of the aftermath of an incendiary bomb attack on a school playground in the north of Syria.

At least 10 people were killed in the attack, which took place at the end of the school day on Monday, August 26, according to the BBC.

Filmed by a team working in Syria as part of the broadcaster’s Panorama programme, the report showed disturbing footage of teenage pupils covered in napalm-like burns writhing in agony as they awaited

treatment at an overcrowded local hospital. Most of the victims who were not killed immediately in the bombing suffered more than 50 per cent burns, meaning their chances of survival are less than

half, the report said. The school’s headmaster told reporters: “This was the most horrific thing. We have seen images on TV, we have heard many stories, but we have never seen anything like this before.” (Excerpt from France24)

North Korea cancels invitation over captive

North Korea has rescinded an invitation for a U.S. envoy to visit North Korea and try to secure the release of a detained American.

Ambassador Robert King, President Barack Obama’s special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, was expected to fly to the Asian nation on Friday to try to win the freedom of Kenneth Bae, an American

citizen imprisoned there for carrying out “serious crimes” against Kim Jong Un’s regime.

North Korean authorities detained Bae, widely reported to be a Christian missionary, last year and sentenced him to 15 years of hard labour earlier this year. They said he had planned an operation to bring down the government through religious activities.

Bae’s family has said he was the owner of a tour company who was in North Korea for work.

His sister, Terri Chung, said earlier this month that Bae’s health has severely deteriorated during his imprisonment and that he has been transferred to a hospital. He has spent more time in North Korean custody than any other American. (Excerpt from CNN)

Cameron vows support for Gibraltar

Britain will always stand up for Gibraltar and the interests of its people, David Cameron has said. The prime minister said it was something that mattered to us “very deeply”, as he held a meeting to discuss the border dispute with Spain.

After talks at Downing Street, the British territory’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said Gibraltar knew it had “a friend in David Cameron”. Picardo also met

Foreign Secretary William Hague on Wednesday.

A Number 10 spokesman said Cameron’s meeting reaffirmed the “strong and historic bonds” between the UK and Gibraltar. “They discussed the unacceptable delays at the Spanish/Gibraltar border and agreed that these are damaging to the people and economies of Gibraltar and Spain,” he said, “They agreed that efforts should remain concentrated on finding a diplomatic solution.”

In recent weeks, Spanish authorities have increased checks at the Gibraltar border, leading to lengthy delays. It came after Gibraltar dropped 74 concrete blocks into the sea next to its territory.

Gibraltar claimed it would create an artificial reef and encourage sea life to flourish, but the Spanish said the blocks would disrupt waters used by its fishing boats.

Kissoon new chairman of Guardian Media Ltd

Grenfell Kissoon has been appointed chairman of the board of directors of GML. His appointment takes effect from September 1. Kissoon replaces Dennis Gurley who retires from the Board after 11 years of service. Kissoon was the former MD and Media Sector Head of GML (formerly TPCL) and retired from his executive position in 2009. Kissoon also served as a member of the ANSA McAL Board over the period 2001 to 2010.

Gurley had indicated his

intention to retire from the Board since March 2013, but said he would wait until a suitable candidate had been identified. He said he was happy that a good replacement had now been found and he could comfortably move on. He said: “Grenfell was an excellent choice for Chairman,” having regard to his extensive and notable managerial and industry experience. He expressed the view that the Company was fortunate to have the services of such a well-qualified and ex-

perienced professional.

Gurley said he thoroughly enjoyed his 11-year tenure on the board and was leaving the company in an excellent position. He expressed confidence in the ability of the new board and management “to build upon the solid foundation.”

Other members of the Board are: Diane Chatoor, Conrad Sabga, Gilbert Peterson, Clement Sankat, Peter Clarke and Gabriel Faria. Dr Hamid Ghany joins the board effective September 1. (Trinidad Guardian)

Weak spending, inflation data point to soft U.S. economy

U.S. consumer spending barely rose and inflation was tame in July, offering a cautionary note on the economy as the Federal Reserve weighs cutting back its massive bond-buying program.

Spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, could struggle to regain momentum as other data on Friday showed consumer sentiment fell this month. The reports

added to a number of signs that have suggested a loss of steam in the economy early in the third quarter after a fairly sturdy performance in the April-June period even in the face of higher taxes and lower government spending.

“There has been a lot of optimism about the economy accelerating in the second half of the year as the fiscal drag waned. The latest data suggests that’s not happening,” said Michelle Girard,

chief economist at RBS in Stamford, Connecticut. The Commerce Department said consumer spending ticked up 0.1 per cent, restrained by weak outlays on utilities and automobiles. Adjusted for inflation, spending was flat.

It is not likely to rebound anytime soon. A separate report showed the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index slipped to 82.1 in August from 85.1 in July. (Reuters)

Weak eurozone jobs picture overshadows bright spots

Business confidence and economic sentiment in the euro zone saw a sharp improvement in August against a backdrop of falling inflation. But unemployment remained at a record high across the 17-nation bloc, putting a dampener on expectations for the region’s economic recovery.

A survey by the European Commission (EC) showed that

confidence in the euro zone’s business climate rose for the fourth consecutive month in August, while the measure of economic sentiment improved to 95.2 in August from 92.5 in July, beating estimates in a Reuters poll. On a less positive note, however, the euro zone’s unemployment rate was unchanged in July from the previous month, at 12.1 per cent.

Economists said that while

the data pointed to a modest recovery, unemployment figures confirmed that this was not yet boosting the labour market. “The labour market is not yet staging a meaningful recovery,” Jennifer McKeown, A senior European economist at Capital Economics said, adding that “the EC measure of employment intentions suggests that job cuts will continue for the time being.” (MSNBC)

Asia

India’s GDP shows continuing slowdown

India’s economy continues to slowdown according to the latest government figures. For the April to June quarter, it grew at a rate of 4.4 per cent, compared with the same period in the previous year.

It was a weaker performance than most economists had been expecting and was a slowdown from the first three months of the year, when growth was 4.8 per cent. A contraction in mining and manufactur -

Middle East

ing activity was behind the slowdown.

Friday’s figures show the economy is now expanding at the slowest rate since 2009.

“We do not wish to sound alarmist, but concern on the economy can hardly be overstated,” said Chandrajit banerjee, director general, Confederation of Indian Industry, in reaction to the latest figures.

“The economy needs the undivided attention of policy makers,” she said. It adds

to the pressure on Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who earlier addressed parliament over the nation’s economic problems. In his statement to parliament, made before the figures were released, the prime minister said India was not facing a repeat of the crisis in 1991.

Back then, India’s foreign currency reserves became so depleted that it had to borrow from the International Monetary Fund to pay its import bills. (BBC News)

Gulf investors drive European property market in H1

Middle East and North American investors are the major drivers of increased activity in the European commercial real estate market, according to the latest data by CBRE. A report by the global real estate consulting firm said buyers from outside the region now account for more than a quarter of all transactions in H1 2013.

Investors from the Middle East increased investment activity, accounting for nine percent of the entire market and 21 per cent of cross-

border transactions in H1, CBRE said.

Capital from the Middle East is generally institutional in nature, with nearly half of the total coming from the region’s sovereign wealth funds, it added. The report said transactions from Middle Eastern buyers showed a strong bias towards London (nearly 50 per cent of the total) and offices, although there were several large retail properties among the purchases made.

“London remains the destination of choice for foreign

investors due to its solid growth potential and its status as a global financial hub, alongside its stable political environment and a transparent legal system, which are key for international and regional buyers alike,” said Nick Maclean, managing director, CBRE Middle East. Buyers from North America accounted for a steadily increasing share of the market (13 per cent of the entire market and 24 per cent of cross-border transactions in H1), the report added.

(Arabianbusiness)

Brazil GDP beats expectations for second quarter

Brazil’s economy grew by 3.3 per cent year-onyear in the second quarter, according to official new state figures. The Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica (IBGE) also said that the economy grew by 1.5 per cent in the quarter from the previous one.

That number was above economists’ predictions of 0.9 per cent. Finance Minister Guido Mantega earlier this month reduced 2013 growth targets to 2.5 per cent from an

already reduced 3.0 per cent, and for 2014 down to 4.0 per cent from 4.5 per cent.

The agricultural industry, which saw production surge 3.9 per cent, was responsible for most of the growth in Latin America’s biggest economy between April and June, following on from 9.7 per cent growth in the first quarter.

The sector’s performance was mainly due to soy production, which rose by 23.7 per cent compared with the second quarter of 2012. Meanwhile,

corn production grew by 12.2 per cent, beans rose 8.4 per cent and rice production increased 2.9 per cent. Manufacturing expanded at a rate of two per cent during the same period, but the service sector grew by just 0.8 per cent. The second-quarter figures were welcomed by Brazil’s currency markets, as the real gained 0.8 per cent to 2.3507 to the U.S. dollar. The real has lost 20 per cent of its value against the dollar since the start of the year. (BBC News)

Continuing education for the busy entrepreneur

continued from thursday

But times have changed…

Many of today’s online universities offer coursework that is fully accredited – essential for transferring credits to another college or working toward a degree. So when you’re exploring online degree programmes, make sure the university and the specific program of study is accredited.

In addition, check to see whether the university makes traditional student resources available to distance learners, such as student advising and career counselling, and how you can access them to make the most of your time and tuition. These resources make a huge difference when it comes time to put your degree to work, with alumni at major corporations often recruiting directly out of student career counselling offices for a wide range of positions. (Business Dictionary)

Caribbean cluster project to boost forestry sector

Guyana is seeking to use grant resources of US$500,000 from Compete Caribbean Cluster Project to improve the competitiveness of the forestry industry.

A consultant from the project is in Guyana, working with the key stakeholders to identify initiatives in which this money should be invested, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

The consultant, Lars Soderstrom, together with some key industry stakeholders Friday met with Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud at his office, to provide an update as it relates to Soderstrom’s discussions over the past weeks with the forestry communities and stakeholders, with regards to mechanisms that must be supported to make the industry competitive.

Following the meeting, the minister spoke with GINA. He stated that the sector applied for, and was successful in tapping US$500,000 in grants for priority initiatives to increase the competitiveness of the forestry sector in the short, medium and long term.

“What we have done is to listen to the consultant, some of his suggestions based on consultations he would have had, and we are very close to the point where we have identified some key interventions that we need to support, interventions that have been made or new initiatives,” he explained.

“We recognise that the forestry sector can do better – it can be much more competitive, but it had some perennial challenges, challenges in terms of access to capital, infrastructure, high cost of energy and that which restrict value-added, better skills, better marketing… in terms of addressing those, the study and the work being done on this proj -

ect would identify some of the issues that we have to tackle in terms of becoming a lot more competitive,” the minister said.

Capacity building

He said that a lot of emphasis will be placed on training, capacity building, better marketing, and widening the product range so as to increase value and competitiveness and outputs.

Focus will be on the long-term activities that the forestry sector can engage in to improve efficiency, recovery and ensure the sector makes not only a greater contribution to the national economy but has increased profitability for forest communities, and operators.

Soderstrom had discussions with the Amerindian community, forestry groups and the Forestry Products Association. Minister Persaud explained that he brought together for the meeting some of the persons with whom discussions were held so as to develop consensus on some of the views that were put to the consultant.

“We spoke very frankly and very openly on what we thought are some of the key issues and we seem to be heading in a direction whereby these interventions would lead to a much more competitive forestry sector,” he said.

Meanwhile, Soderstrom expressed pleasure in working with the industry. He said, “Guyana here, the industry has an opportunity to grow and be more profitable.”

“Hopefully, the Compete Caribbean programme can be the catalyst to bring in some investments and new ideas to the country so that we can improve competitiveness and create new jobs and investment.”

The objective of the Compete Caribbean Cluster Project is to enhance the competitiveness of the productive sector by supporting clusters and value chains to compete in regional and global markets.

As part of the project cluster, operations in the Caribbean are invited to apply for funding of up to US$500,000 for the development of a productive sector.

saturday, august 31, 2013

Natural resources minister meets with Guyana-Norway verification team

Guyana is currently preparing to receive its latest tranche of payment from Norway for maintaining its forest, as the performancebased audit to facilitate the payment is ongoing.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud was on Friday brought up to speed on this audit, following a briefing session, with representatives from the GuyanaNorway Independent Verification Mission for REDD+ Enabling Action and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).

In November 2009, Former President Bharrat Jagdeo and former Norwegian Environment and International Development Minister Erik Solheim signed a Memorandum of Understanding, in which

Norway committed to provide to Guyana up to US$250 million by 2015 for avoiding deforestation, once certain performance indicators are met.

The payments are made based on Guyana’s annual progress reports. The Office of Climate Change (OCC) and GFC are the two agencies responsible for preparing the reports.

During the session, Minister Persaud also provided an update on the progress of the Land Use Plan, the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, and the mechanism for reducing degradation. This will be the fourth tranche of payment that Guyana will receive from Norway. The Government Information Agency (GINA) said it has already received payments totalling US$115 million.

Two critically injured as powerful storm rakes Chicago area

Two people were critically injured Friday when a strong line of storms raked the Chicago area, bringing down trees and power lines, knocking out power to thousands, and delaying the travel of thousands of commuters heading into a busy holiday weekend. In one incident, a woman sitting on a couch was injured when the roof collapsed on her. The building she was in, on the 1100 block of North Ashland Avenue, was under construction at the time, officials

said. She was taken to John H Stroger Junior. Hospital of Cook County and listed in critical condition as of 07:30h. On the northwest side of the city, a man was taken to Lutheran General Hospital and listed in critical condition after he was struck by a falling tree on the 7200 block of West Howard Street, officials said. Temperatures in the Chicago area on Friday were in the upper 90s, and with high humidity the heat index was more than 100 degrees. (MSNBC)

Fired Paraguayan bus drivers crucify themselves in protest

They’re lying on top of wooden crosses arranged flat on the ground. Passers-by who approach them to get a closer look cringe when they see their hands. The protesters have driven nails into the flesh of their palms between their middle and index fingers, nails that then go straight into planks of wood. The protesters are eight bus drivers who were fired from their jobs two months ago.

They protested in midJuly outside the offices of the Vanguardia bus company, their former employer. But after concluding they weren’t getting anywhere by doing that, they “crucified” themselves more than two weeks ago across the street from Vanguardia’s headquarters in the Paraguayan city of Luque, located 12 kilometres (about seven and a half miles) northeast of Asunción, the Paraguayan capital.

Damián Espinola, communications director with the Luque municipal government, has been part of a group of local authorities who have tried to mediate

between the company and the crucified bus drivers.

“It’s hard to believe, but it’s true,” Espinola said.

“All eight bus drivers have been crucified for 17 days. They’re also on hunger strike and some of them are in critical condition. They only drink water. They don’t consume any solid food. Their hands are perforated.”

Juan Villalba is one of the crucified bus drivers. Villalba is the secretary of the Paraguayan Federation of Transportation Workers. He told Paraguayan media that his group is willing to take the protest “to the very end,” regardless of the consequences. His wife, María Concepción Candia, also nailed herself to a wooden cross Wednesday to show support.

But the company says it has done everything in its power to try to find a solution to the labour conflict.

Aufredi Paredes, general manager of Vanguardia, told CNN that the company has even offered to rehire five of the bus drivers.

“We have done a little

bit of everything to find a solution, including calling on the human rights commissions from the (Paraguayan) Senate and the Lower House. We have also met with the workers several times, but their leadership has been inflexible. We have followed labour regulations and will continue to abide by the law,” Paredes said.

The protest by the eight is part of a larger labour action by some drivers for Vanguardia, a bus com -

pany with 150 employees that has been offering service in Luque and the capital for 45 years. There are currently a total of 50 bus drivers on strike, but the service has continued uninterrupted, Paredes said.

“The striking workers and some leftists who have gotten involved have attacked us and our vehicles, breaking windshields, tossing fireworks at us as well. We have also received death threats during meetings and after -

ward,” Paredes said.

The workers have also caught the attention of national authorities. Cynthia González, vice minister of Labour and Social Security, visited them on August 23 in an effort to open a dialogue between the company and the bus drivers to find a solution.

“Both parties have to give up something in order to advance in the negotiations. In the meantime, we will continue to work by acting as mediators so

that we can help the parties reach an agreement,” González said. The workers went on strike July 23, according to the ministry.

There have been several meetings between representatives of the bus drivers, the company and mediators to no avail. Miguel Angel Gill, a councilman and medical doctor, is closely monitoring the health of the protesters. Every morning, local people gather around the crucified bus drivers to get an update on their condition.

A picture taken this week by Bernardo Agustti, a photographer for the Paraguayan daily Diario ABC Colour, shows all the workers covered with a banner bearing the colours of the Paraguayan flag. All the workers are wearing medical masks. The crosses are lined up so that all of them face in the same direction. In between two of them, lies a wooden coffin raised at a 45-degree angle; a coffin, they say, that will become their final resting place if the company doesn’t meet their demands. (CNN)

SUDOKU

Your abilities will be impressive today. Prepare to field tempting offers, but before accepting, share your concerns with the people in your life who will be influenced by your decision.

By Bernice Bede Osol

(June 21July 22) (Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Focus on your emotional and physical state. It’s important to change anything in your life that is restricting success. A healthy choice will lead to a happy improvement.

Enjoy what’s offered. Spending time with someone special will bring you closer to an important decision. Don’t fear change – it has the potential to bring happiness.

Make changes to your home and life that will help you achieve your goals. What you find out about someone will help you in the process.

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

(July 23Aug. 22) (Feb. 20-March 20)

Look over contracts before moving forward with a personal or professional deal. You need to find out the pros and cons before you can make a wise decision. Don’t hesitate to speak up if you don’t understand something.

(March 21-April 19)

Avoid being pushed into a personal decision that doesn’t feel right. If you’re feeling stressed, exercise will help. A relationship that puts emotional pressure on you should be reconsidered.

(April 20-May 20)

It’s a good time to join forces with people who share your interests and concerns. An unusual opportunity will unfold. Changes and opportunities will come hand-inhand.

(May 21June 20)

Travel may entice you, but before you take flight, make sure you aren’t travelling to places that are troublesome. Put your health and wellness first, not your desire for adventure.

Set a standard and let the rules and values you live by bring you hope and serve as an example to others. The more you mingle, the more confidants and helpers you’ll attract.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Think before you say something that you’ll regret. Temper any thoughts regarding what you expect someone else to do. Don’t complain; do the work and take the reward.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

You deserve a break. Incorporate something that interests you into your plans, and you will be enlightened by the results. You’ll be motivated by the unusual lifestyle changes you make.

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Make a move if it will raise your status. Go where the action is, and pursue changes that offer greater income or fewer expenses. Strive to get ahead financially – Lady Luck is in your corner.

YELLOW PAGES

villa apartments 1, 2 & 3

long & short term, and car rental service. Phone: 227-2199, 227-2186

cAR RENtAl

Journey Inn Apartments & car rental. Rooms & car to rent from $3000 Premio, Vitz. Phone: 679-7109, 6896668, 639-4452.

Dentures provided in 72 hours from as low as $4500. Contact Dr B Stuart, 209B Charlotte Street, Lacytown. Tel: 225-5034

Music is fun! Register now and learn to play the keyboard, guitar, drums and do voice training. Call Foundation 7 on: 225-1151/617-4200

Da Silva’s Optical. For Your Eyes Only, Look Better See Better. Phillip A Da Silva OD, Shannon L Da Silva OD, Natalie Da Silva OD. 248 South Road, Bourda. Phone: 227-3529, Linden: 444-6376, Corriverton: 3393536, Meten-Meer-Zorg: 275-0322, Grand Cayman Islands: (345) 9431515 for the perfect trendy touch.

7-bedroom family/students/ individuals. Bungalow for long & short term rental (local & overseas guests), facilities included, vegetarian meals available. Contact BG Real Estate Agency on: 622-7079, 220-2130.

One office space for rent at 195A Camp St, Georgetown. Phone: 6173673, 677-0073

2 bonds with 30,000 and 15,000sq ft space, with offices and residence; 15 minutes from Georgetown, ample parking. Call 647-8077/613-0567

One house located in Lamaha Gardens, hot and cold water. Call 219-4535

2 modern apartments located in Campbellville, Georgetown, hot and cold water, self-contained rooms etc. Phone: 219-4535

FlOwERS

Available: Fresh long-stemmed roses, fresh dried and silk floral arrangements, gift items, bridal boutiques and wreaths. Nesha’s Flowerland. 78 Church Street (opposite St George’s Cathedral). Tel: 227-3553/225-3315

One business property, Lamaha Street. Phone 669-3313, 231-4586, 695-4382.

Properties for sale. Phone: 642-2116

1 large 5-bedroom house with business. Diamond. Phone: 627-3902

hEAlth

Healthworld Holistic Centre: Psychotherapy available for all types of abnormal behaviors – addictions, emotional, suicidal, anger, relationship and sexual problems. Treatment of stress disorders, depression, fear, low self-esteem, insomnia, trauma, psychosomatic sicknesses, and children's disorders. We also conduct IQ evaluations and behavioral assessments. By appointments only. Clinic hours: 11:00 – 17:00h. Tel: 592-6210552. Email:healthworldhc@gmail. com

Ayurvedic herbal treatment for all chronic genetical /none genetical and diseases, including, HIV, Cancer, diabetic, pregnancy, sexual (weakness) etc. Phone: 685- 3220.

Are you pouring on pounds? Then call Raul /Carol Wilson: 660-6818, 641-5923, 216-3016, 216-3601 for your healthy eating package.

Immigration & Visa Services We handle all Canadian, USA and UK, Immigration and Visa matters. Self Sponsorships, Holiday/ Visitor’s Visas, Work Permits, Students Visas, Family, Class, Immigration Forms, Embassy Enquiries, Appeals for Refused Cases, U.S Green Card Lottery, Business Class Waivers, Pardons etc. Get your Visa approved. High Success Rate. Balwant Persaud & Associates. Certified Immigration Consultants 68 Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown (Between Cummings & Lights Sts.)

Professional Key Shop, 125 Carmichael Street, Georgetown. Phone: 2253923, mobile: 621-3249. We cut any type of key, service and repair all types of locks. Get your extra key today. KEy cuttiNg

lAND FOR SAlE

Parfaite Harmonie $1M and $1.2M phone: 675-7292

SERvicES

Dutch healing and upliftment, for clearing of land, dredging and ground work (strictly interior operation). Phone: 662-1247.

Repairs to LCD, LED, plasma, projection, CRT TV’s, microwave ovens, etc, ordering of circuit boards and hard to get spares, Abdul Electronics. Phone: 225-0391

Greenes Electrical Contracting Services For all electrical services contact Greene Electrical Contracting Services, we specialize in phoneS & data, CATV, CCTV, intercoms, fiber optics, fire alarms, security systemS, SVC equipments, all other residential, industrial & commercial installation. Phone 2230973, 618-3075 for safe & reliable services.

SpiRituAlity

Suriname astrology palmist and Djuka healer, the most powerful spiritualist in the world, are you suffering from the following problems - (any religions) love, marriage, family, health, business, husband and wife relationships, property, court, children, promotion, visa, pregnancy, education, depression, job, sexual, jealousy, enemy, money, drinking, also you can have all evil forces destroyed such as black magic, witchcraft, voodoo, obeyah, etc, and gives powerful protection. Private and confidential. Phone: 674-2112.

Dutch Spiritual work. Unite lovers, get rid of evil, enhance prosperity, good luck baths and charm bowu guards, etc. Phone: 220-0708, 6126417, 687-5653

Divinations and cleansing of spiritual problems of all kinds. Powerful Ifá and Khemetian spiritual guards, pendants, crystals and rune stones to help you overcome problems with love, relationships, legal, sexual, pregnancy, business, sickness, jobs, enemies, work, money and many more. Call 10:00-16:00h on: +592-690-1824. Email: anew-life@ live.com

East Street Nursery to open in two weeks

The Education Ministry said it wishes to inform the parents and guardians of children set to attend the East Street Nursery School that the school will not be opened on Monday, September 2, as was previously announced. The East Street Nursery School is now set to reopen in approximately two weeks. This is the only school in Georgetown that will not be opened on time.

The main reason for the delay is due to the fact that the building is not finished and could not be finished in the time that the contractors had over the holiday period, the ministry said in a release. It apologised to parents and guardians for the inconvenience caused by this delay.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand visited the school on Friday to assess the state of the work being done on the building. She also met with parents and guardians and apologised to them for the unfortunate delay. She said that

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

the ministry was faced with two very difficult choices regarding whether it should go ahead with the construction of the school.

tough choice

The minister explained that the ministry is paying even more than normal to repair the building at $38 million so that the workers could have worked day and night. She explained, however, that even with work-

ing night and day, some time could not be condensed, “for example, concrete has a curing time that cannot be reduced”.

“We were faced with two tough choices, either we continue on with the old building or we construct a new building. Continuing with the old building would have avoided your annoyance and the criticisms of the opportunistic politicians who will want to criticise our late opening. But, I must base my decisions only on what is in the best interest of your children. And it is in their best interest to have a new school as the old one was not in the best condition.”

The minister, in recognising the difficulties facing some of the parents and guardians of children attending the school, and their access to further day-care or child care facilities as a result of the delayed reopening of the school, offered to make arrangements for them. This offer was happily accepted by some parents.

Syria: Ban begins consultations with UN member states as chemical weapons team wraps up probe

As the situation in Syria continues to rapidly evolve, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon cut short an official visit in Europe to return to the world body’s New York Headquarters for a series of consultations with Member States today, while UN inspectors are wrapping up their initial investigation into the possible use of chemical weapons in the war-torn country.

UN Spokesperson Martin Nesirky told reporters that Ban returned to New York last night “precisely with the aim of reaching out to Member States and he started that… just a short while ago with the permanent members of the Security Council,” China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Affected sites

Meanwhile, the inspection team led by Swedish scientist Dr Åke Sellström today visited a military government hospital in Damascus. Since arriving in Syria on August 18, the team has visited the affected sites, as well as field hospitals, interviewed victims and doctors, and collected biomedical samples. The sites visited include the location of an alleged August 21 attack in the Ghouta area outside Damascus, where more than 300 civilians were reportedly killed.

“They are now packing up, they will be leaving Damascus and leaving Syria tomorrow,” Nesirky told reporters. The team is heading to The Hague, the headquar-

ters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapon (OPCW), which is assisting the probe, along with the UN World Health Organisation (WHO).

The samples will be taken for analysis in designated laboratories in Europe. While the spokesperson did not specify which laboratories, he did note that none are located in countries represented by the permanent Security Council members.

“Dr Sellstrom’s team is doing its utmost to expedite the process of analysis, but while keeping this in mind, they also have to keep in mind something else which is the need for rigorous attention to maintaining the integrity of the process, in other words, the scientific side of this process,” Nesirky stressed.

Dr Sellström, as the team leader, will remain in Europe to oversee the analysis. He will also be in close contact with Ban to brief him on the progress. “We

have to be very clear here that before the mission can draw any conclusions about this incident, the evaluation of all available information including the laboratory analysis of all samples must be completed,” Nesirky stressed.

He added that the mission “will proceed to complete its fact-finding activities of all pending, credible allegations” and would return to investigate the three initial incidents. Once analysis of the samples is completed, a report will be given to Ban who will share the results with all member states, and the Security Council.

Analysis

Responding to questions, Nesirky said that as of now, there was no timeline on when that final report would be completed and passed on to the secretary-general. “The focus is on completing that analysis of the event from the 21st of August, and everybody concerned, including the Syrian authorities, agreed that his should be a priority,” he said reiterating that the team would return to Syria to complete its inspection of other sites.

Ban is due to meet tomorrow in New York with UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs

Angela Kane, who had been in Damascus meeting with the Syrian government to facilitate access for the team of inspectors. She is expected to brief the UN chief on the work of the mission and the way ahead. (UN News Centre)

Tendulkar, Dravid named in CLT20 squads

Sachin Tendulkar, who has retired from the IPL, and Rahul Dravid, who has indicated the upcoming Champions League would be his last tournament, have been named in the Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals squads respectively for the Twenty20 event. A Faisalabad Wolves squad has also been announced, in an indication of the Pakistan side’s probable participation in the qualifying stage of the league, after political tensions between India and Pakistan had cast doubts over whether they would be allowed to come over.

Kumar Sangakkara is the only player who hasn’t preferred his IPL franchise for the tournament among the 12 wanted by two sides, and has decided to play for his home side Kandurata Maroons. Explaining the process for deciding which teams these players would represent, Dean Kino, a CLT20 governing council member and director of legal and business affairs, said: “Players who were named by more than one team were asked to select which team they were going to play for. Teams were then allowed to replace any player that withdrew from their squad and elected to play for another side.

“CLT20 regulations state that when a player elects to play for their ‘away’ team, that team must pay the ‘home’ team $150,000 com-

pensation per player. A ‘home’ team is classified as a team from the country a player is eligible to represent in international cricket.

“This payment is applicable for 10 of the 12 players that were eligible for more than one team. The exceptions are Kumar Sangakkara, who will be representing Kandurata Maroons, which is classified as his home team, and Thisara Perera, who qualified for Brisbane Heat and Sunrisers Hyderabad, neither of which is classified as his home team.”

Lasith Malinga has not been named in the Mumbai

Indians squad as he wanted to be with his wife and family, as they expect their second child late in September.

Group A includes Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Lions, Perth Scorchers and Qualifier 1 while Group B has Chennai Super Kings, Brisbane Heat, Titans, Trinidad & Tobago and Qualifier 2. Otago Volts, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Faisalabad Wolves and Kandurata Maroons will play the qualifiers beginning on September 17 in Hyderabad, with the top two sides advancing to the main draw starting September 21 in Jaipur and to be played

across Ranchi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Delhi.

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar, Dinesh Karthik, Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Ambati Rayudu, Aditya Tare, Rishi Dhawan, Abu Nechim, Akshar Patel, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Smith, Nathan CoulterNile, Mitchell Johnson, Glenn Maxwell.

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, M Vijay, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, S Badrinath, Imtiaz Ahmed, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohit Sharma, Michael Hussey, Dwayne Bravo, Albie Morkel, Jason Holder, Faf du Plessis, Chris Morris.

Rajasthan Royals: Rahul Dravid, Ajinkya Rahane, Stuart Binny, Sanju Samson, Ashok Menaria, Dishant Yagnik, Vikramjeet Malik, Rahul Shukla, Pravin Tambe, Siddharth Trivedi, Shane Watson, Brad Hodge,

Rampaul, Barath working towards West Indies return

Trinidad and Tobago players Ravi Rampaul and Adrian Barath, who were named in the 15man squad for the Champions League T20, are hoping that a good showing in the competition will catalyse their return to the West Indies set-up for the tour of New Zealand in December this year.

Rampaul has been out of action since last June when he injured his ankle on West Indies duty in the tri-nation series against Sri Lanka and India, and missed the subsequent Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL). His franchise, the Jamaica Tallawahs were crowned champions, but the pacer admitted he was he was looking forward to contributing to the success of his national outfit: T&T, as winners of the previous - and final- regional domestic T20 competition, the Caribbean T20, are the West Indies’ entrants in this year’s Champions League.

“It is always good to wear your national colours,” Rampaul said. “We take pride in our T&T team, and hopefully when we go to the Champions League we can bring it home this time. Any tournament for T&T, I will want to do my best, and I have been putting in the work so that when the

Champions League starts I am fit and ready.

“I have been working with the trainer Oba [Gulston] for a couple of weeks and I got out today and feel good, so with some match practice we will see how it goes from there,” Rampaul said. “Things happen for a reason and I went back and looked at my performances and looked at ways I can improve my game. With everything there is always some good that will come out of it.”

Having observed Jamaica’s success in the CPL, Rampaul has identified a few areas to work on to help facilitate his return to international cricket.

“There were a lot of slower balls and everyone was talking about death bowling, and those are the areas I will be looking to improve

on, more variation and death bowling,” he said. “I hope these improvements, and a good Champions League, will push me back into West Indies contention.”

Barath echoed Rampaul’s sentiments as he believes T&T are hungry to prove themselves on the global stage. “It is always a privilege representing T&T. As a team and for myself, we will be looking to make use of the preparation games [in Guyana] and try and play as a team, and this should do us good for the tournament,”

Barath said. “We have a good team. We have a good combination of guys and as we all know T&T is a very strong team and we just [have] to play our roles as individuals and that should help us as a team.”

Following a lean pe-

riod with West Indies, Barath worked with Gordon Greenidge to help regain the promise he showed as a youngster. He endured an average CPL, finishing with 135 runs from six matches at an average of 22.50, but admitted he felt confident things were turning around.

“I will be looking to play my game, try and bat through the innings and try and get the team into good positions as much as possible,” he said. “I think the tournament [CPL] was an okay tournament for me. I got some consistent scores. I played my part as opening batsmen, batting through the Powerplay, and doing the job for the team. I will be looking to do the same [for T&T] and hopefully make the New Zealand trip.”

T&T are placed in Group B with Chennai Super Kings, Brisbane Heat, Titans and a qualifier, while Group A includes Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Lions, Perth Scorchers and the other qualifier. Otago Volts, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Faisalabad Wolves and Kandurata Maroons will contest the qualifiers scheduled to begin on September 17, with the top two teams entering the main draw starting September 21 in Jaipur.

James Faulkner, Kevon Cooper, Shaun Tait.

Brisbane Heat: Joe Burns, Daniel Christian, Ben Cutting, Peter Forrest, Dom Michael, Chris Hartley, Nathan Hauritz, James Hopes, Matthew Gale, Chris Lynn, Alister McDermott, Cameron Gannon, Alex Kemp, Kemar Roach, Chris Sabburg.

Perth Scorchers: Ashton Agar, Michael Beer, Jason Behrendorff, Ashton Turner, Liam Davis, Brad Hogg, Burt Cockley, Simon Katich, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Joel Paris, Alfonso Thomas, Tom Triffitt, Adam Voges, Sam Whiteman.

Titans: Jacques Rudolph, Henry Davids, AB de Villiers, Farhaan Behardien, Heino Kuhn, David Wiese, Eden Links, Ethy Mbhalati, Rowan Richards, Mangaliso Mosehle, CJ de Villiers, Graeme van Buuren, Morne Morkel, Roelof van der Merwe, Marchant de Lange.

Highveld Lions: Temba Bavuma, Gulam Bodi, Quinton De Kock, Neil McKenzie, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Ethan O’Reilly, Hardus Viljoen, Rassie van der Dussen, Alviro Petersen, Aaron Phangiso, Dwaine Pretorius, Jean Symes, Imran Tahir, Sohail Tanvir, Thami Tsolekile.

Trinidad & Tobago: Denesh Ramdin, Rayad Emrit, Jason Mohammed, Nicolas Pooran, Sunil Narine, Evin Lewis, Samuel Badree, Navin Stewart, Shannon Gabriel, Yannick

Ottley, Adrian Barath, Sherwin Ganga, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul, Darren Bravo. Faisalabad Wolves: Misbah-ul-Haq, Asif Ali, Ali Waqas, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Salman, Waqas Maqsood, Samiullah Khan, Asad Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Ehsan Adil, Hasan Mahmood, Jahandad Khan, Farrukh Shehzad, Imran Khalid, Ammar Mahmood. Otago Volts: Nick Beard, Michael Bracewell, Neil Broom, Iain Butler, Mark Craig, Derek de Boorder, Jacob Duffy, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, James McMillan, Jimmy Neesham, Aaron Redmond, Hamish Rutherford, Ryan ten Doeschate, Neil Wagner. Sunrisers Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Parthiv Patel, Cameron White, JP Duminy, Dale Steyn, Darren Sammy, Biplab Samantray, Thisara Perera, Karan Sharma, Hanuma Vihari, Ashish Reddy, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, Anand Rajan, TBC.

Kandurata Maroons: Lahiru Thirimanne, Nuwan Kulasekara, Upul Tharanga, Thilina Kandamby, Kumar Sangakkara, Shehan Jayasuriya, Chamara Silva, Milinda Siriwardana, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Dhammika Prasad, Ajantha Mendis, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Lahiru Jayaratne, Dhananjaya De Silva, Suraj Randiv. (Cricinfo)

Djokovic through to round three of US Open

orld number one

WNovak Djokovic survived an early test to see off Germany’s Benjamin Becker and reach the third round of the US Open.

The 2011 champion saved two set points in the first set before coming through 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 6-2.

Defending champion Andy Murray and fifth seed Tomas Berdych play later.

Third seed Agnieszka Radwanska beat Russian 32nd seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4 7-6 (7-1) on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

British number one

Laura Robson failed to repeat last year’s US Open third-round win over Li

Na as the Chinese fifth seed won their rematch in straight sets. Robson, 19, was beaten 6-2 7-5 in the opening match of day five in a sparsely populated Arthur Ashe Stadium.

And after Robson produced a clinical performance against Caroline Garcia in the previous round, Li’s greater quality played a big part in the Briton’s final tally of 30 errors and just seven winners.

The US Open is the first Grand Slam tournament in which Robson has been seeded, and at 30th in the list she had reached her expected position by making the third round.

Zimbabwe likely to play final ODI despite fees protest

Zimbabwe cricketers are likely to play the deciding ODI against Pakistan on Saturday, despite aborting training on Friday morning over unpaid salaries. The players have extended to Monday a deadline for Zimbabwe Cricket to clear their dues, which could yet put a cloud over the twoTest series that begins on Tuesday.

Zimbabwe, through their newly-formed players’ union, were considering a boycott of the final ODI if the salaries were not paid by end of day Friday, but ESPNcricinfo has since learned that “most of the players” are willing to take the field for the game.

However, an uneasy peace hovers over the situation. A player, who asked not to be named, said a final call will only be taken on Saturday morning and “even if one guy does not want to play” the entire squad will sit out because “we are sticking together”. The players, he said, have decided that unless ZC pays them what they are owed by Monday, “there will not be a Test series”.

ZC was due to address the players on Friday morning at the Harare Sports Club, when they decided to stop training on realising none of them had been paid in full what was owed to them. The meeting was delayed twice, though, before ZC summoned players to its offices at 16:45 hours. At least one player confirmed he did not attend the meeting because he did not think he would get anything out of it.

Zimbabwe’s players were given a guarantee they would be paid on Thursday, August 28, and the mon-

ey would reflect in their accounts on Friday. A source close to the team confirmed some of them stayed at the ground on Friday on for a voluntary net but the players as a whole have banded together. “They want to get their point across and they want to make sure they get paid,” the insider said. “It’s about making things happen now and making sure they get some money.”

The latest development comes just a day after some players told ESPNcricinfo that the union and its members were satisfied with the arrangement they had reached with Zimbabwe Cricket at the beginning of the Pakistan series. Zimbabwe’s cricketers refused to train the week before the series began because they had not been paid their July salaries. Instead, they formed a breakthrough players’ union - the first of

its kind for at least a decade - and demanded match fees, salaries and a percentage of ICC-event reimbursements.

An eventual settlement with ZC was reached a week before the first T20. The Zimbabwe Independent reported the players had asked for US$5,000 per Test, US$3,000 per ODI and US$1,500 per T20 but those figures were too steep for ZC. It has since been ascertained that lesser amounts were agreed on.

A player, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Thursday he was “confident” of ZC keeping to their word and making the payments. “We are satisfied with the arrangement we’ve reached and we believe we will be paid,” he said. Less than 24 hours later, Zimbabwean players felt differently when they were greeted by empty bank accounts.

While cash-flow is-

sues have long dogged Zimbabwean cricket - they also threatened to strike in April this year ahead of the series against Bangladesh because of unsatisfactory daily allowances - lack of playing time has also been a concern for them and if they do not take the field on Saturday they will be forgoing a rare chance to claim silverware with the series locked at 1-1.

Also, Zimbabwe’s international programme for this year was due to conclude with a visit from Sri Lanka in October but the SLC has confirmed ZC asked for a postponement because of “unforseen circumstances”. Zimbabwe’s domestic season was due to progress as usual but the franchises have not been made aware of the exact amount of funding they will receive. As such, many of them have been unable to confirm contracts for coaches and players. (Cricinfo)

Bayern Munich win Uefa Super Cup on penalties

Bayern Munich beat 10-man Chelsea on penalties to lift the Uefa Super Cup and gain a measure of revenge for their 2012 Champions League final defeat.

Romelu Lukaku missed the decisive spot-kick after Chelsea came within seconds of victory in extra time only for Javi Martinez to take the game to penalties.

Fernando Torres had given Chelsea the lead before Frank Ribery equalised.

Eden Hazard restored Chelsea’s lead despite Ramires being sent off, but Martinez and Bayern had the last word.

Even in defeat, this was a typically gritty and courageous performance by

World number 1,528 leads Wales Open at halfway stage

Liam Bond is the surprise leader of the Wales Open at the halfway stage after a threeunder second-round 68 lifted him to five under par at Celtic Manor.

The Welshman, 43, who is ranked 1,528th in the world, does not hold a full European Tour card and only got into the event as a late injury replacement.

“I’m playing way better than when I had my card in 2011,” said Bond.

Overnight leader Espen Kofstad carded a three-overpar 74 to drop to second with Tjaart van der Walt on four under.

Norwegian Kofstad’s second round was 10 shots worse than his opening effort but he remains one shot

clear of European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, who had four birdies in a two-under 69.

The Wales Open is also the first qualifying event for next year’s Ryder Cup against the United States at Gleneagles and while McGinley has ruled himself out of being a playing captain, he said he is “keen to play well to get into better tournaments so I can play alongside my players”.

Bond has put himself in a good position to challenge for the points on offer, although he may be more interested in the £300,000 winners’ cheque having only won a little over £100,000 since turning professional in 1986. (BBC Sport)

Mickelson takes early lead at Deutsche Bank Championship

Phil Mickelson shot an eight-under-par 63 to take an early lead at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

The American opened his round on the back nine with seven birdies to reach the turn at 28 before a bogey on the first set him back in Boston.

Mickelson then picked up an eagle before a string of pars and a birdie-bogey finish.

Kevin Stadler trails the

leader by one shot with Lee

three

and Tiger Woods on three under.

Stadler hit eight birdies and just a single bogey to shoot 64 and keep on the tail of Mickelson who played alongside Woods and current Masters champion Adam Scott.

Woods managed four birdies in his round with a single bogey but Scott finished two over after carding just a single birdie and three bogeys. (BBC Sport)

Permaul enjoyed Limacol CPL outing

–“It was a learning experience for me,” says Bishoo

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

Left-arm spinner

Veerasammy Permaul said he satisfied with his performance for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the just concluded Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

The Albion spinner finished as the Amazon Warriors’ second leading wicket-taker in the tournament, which was won by the Jamaica Tallawahs.

The 24-year-old Permaul ended the tournament with 10 wickets from nine games at an average of 19 with best figures of 3-32 against the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel at the Guyana National Stadium.

It was a complete turnaround for the left-armer, who earlier in the year at the Caribbean T20 competition, was thrashed to all parts of the park, picking up just a solitary wicket.

Determined

According to Permaul, he was determined to bounce back and prove his worth in the Limacol Caribbean Premier League.

“Earlier in the year wasn’t what I was expecting, so during the year I keep working on my game and it [good performances] came off at the right time [during the Limacol CPL]. I think basically at the start of the year I was bowling a bit too short and coming into the CPL camp I really worked on getting that right- bowling more wicket to wicketand it really paid off for me,” Permaul explained.

In the Caribbean T20, Permaul was smashed for 28 runs in one over by Chris Gayle, and during the Limacol CPL final, the leftarmer did not bowl a delivery as Gayle anchored a successful run-chase against

the Amazon Warriors, hitting a subdued 47 not out from 48 balls.

That apart, Permaul said the tournament was a tremendous success, adding that it could only get better as the years go by.

He pointed out that one of the high points for him was being able to rub shoulders with international stars Mohammad Hafeez of Pakistan, New Zealand’s Martin Guptill and James Franklin, and the Sri Lanka duo, Tillekaratne Dilshan and Lasith Malinga.

“It was a pleasure to be around those international players because of the experience they have and what they were able to share with us. I think it is a good thing [having international players

in the Limacol CPL] because as a player you can learn so much from them, playing in different conditions and different situations,” the West Indies A team vice-captain pointed out.

Meanwhile, Permaul is among three Guyanese who will be part of a spin bowling clinic to be conducted by former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq next week.

He has also been selected for the West Indies A team to tour India next month and the talented young cricketer is looking forward to make maximum use of both events.

“Well obviously I think the spin clinic will be a very important thing for me because in the West Indies we don’t usually have spin clin-

ics, and to have a man like Saqlain Mushtaq who dominated international cricket to work with is a big plus. With regards the A team tour, I’m just aiming to go down there [India] and give of my best,” Permaul concluded.

The clinic will run from September 3-21, but Permaul will leave on September 10 for India.

“Amazing” Meanwhile, Permaul’s spin partner, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, who played for the Barbados Tridents in the Limacol CPL, said the tournament was “amazing” from start to finish.

“Well CPL was amazing. I think it can only get better from here on. The tournament was excellent, the

atmosphere was electrifying, and the on-field action was competitive. I think the CPL is here to stay and we as players have to make full use of it,” the 27-year-old Albion cricket stated.

Bishoo played just one match in the tournament against the Antigua Hawskbills, but noted that the experience gained from sharing the same dressing room with international players Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal and Azhar Mahmood of Pakistan and Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh was invaluable.

“Well it was really a good experience because those guys are unbelievable when it comes to cricket, and off the field they’re so humble. I learnt a lot from them, as

well as the coaches Desmond Haynes and Robin Singh,” he said.

Like Permaul, the rightarm spinner is also looking forward to the Saqlain Mushtaq spin clinic, as he is keen on wearing the maroon West Indies colours once again.

“Yes of course I’m looking forward to it. As I keep saying I have to make the most of my opportunities, and whatever the clinic has to offer I’m ready to accept it with both hands. I need to work on my game and get back into the West Indies team- it’s not going to be easy but then again I have to be up for it. So I think this clinic will do a lot for me and the rest of the boys,” Bishoo concluded.

Annual cycling camp culminates today

After eight weeks of intense training, the 37th annual National Sports Commission (NSC) Teach Them Young cycling camp will end today with the staging of an 11-race programme sponsored by the NSC at the inner circuit of the National Park.

This year’s camp attracted a record 65 participants, the most in its history, and according to national cycling coach and facilitator of the event, Hassan Mohamed, it was nothing less than a resounding success.

“This year was by far the most successful because we had a lot of new faces and the youngsters were very keen to learn the basics of the sport. A lot of them came here with balance wheels and within a few hours they were riding without them,” Mohamed pointed out.

The camp, which ped-

alled off on July 8, has been in existence since 1977, and is by far the oldest nursery of any sport discipline in Guyana and the Caribbean.

Mohamed, who has been at the helm of the programme since its inception, said the aim of having it every year is to encourage increased more participation in the sport, prevent delinquency and produce champions.

Sessions were held from 09:00 hours to 11:30 hours on weekdays, and the participants were given a basic introduction to the sport, both at the theoratical and practical level.

During the last few weeks, the young riders were given a chance to exhibit what they would have learnt so far by competing in several 11-race programmes at the National Park circuit. They will have another op-

portunity to do so todaywhen action gets underway at 09:00 hours.

The first champion to emerge from the programme in 1977 was former president of the Guyana Cycling Federation and lecturer at the University of Guyana, Hector Edwards. He was followed by Leo Ramalho, who has since ventured into the sport of rifle shooting.

Some of the other notable names whose foundation came as a result of the programme were the Fiedtkou brothers- Noel and Marcus, Byron and Bertram James, Dwayne “Road Hogg” Gibbs, Godfrey Pollydore, the late Troy Humphrey, Linden Dowridge, Eric Sankar, Warren McKay, Daniel Ramchurjee, Shane Boodram, Alanzo Greaves, Geron Williams, Robin Persaud and Enzo Matthews among others.

Troubling times for UG athletics club

By Treiston Joseph

Amere eight months after re-establishment, the University of Guyana (UG) athletics club is facing a somewhat troubling period after athletes and the instution head athletics coach decided to walk away from the club.

Under the stewardship of manager, Lavern FraserThomas, who has a wealth of experience at the role, along with a returning coach in Anson Ambrose, the club seemed like a promising point for UG.

However, Ambrose, who stated that he is no longer with the club, recently related to Guyana Times Sport that the club has managerial issues and favouritism.

“I have no idea of the state of the club since I’m not there anymore but based on the fact that there are some managerial issues

I was not comfortable staying there. The decisions that were made and the favoritism towards an athlete I was not comfortable with. I put my all into the sport when I came back but the way things were being done, especially the favoritism, made it an uncomfortable situation for me,” Ambrose told this publication.

Meanwhile, Elton Bollers, who was the captain of the club, revealed that most if not all the athletes have left the club citing the same reasons as Ambrose’s.

“Well indeed most or all the athletes have left the club, yes because of favoritism and because of the administration of the club which runs deeper than we know so my guess is that the club is dormant at the moment. We were unable to participate at the Boyce and Jefford Track Classic because we were not given

permission to because of the situation,” Bollers told this publication via telephone.

UG’s sports organiser, Fraser-Thomas, in a telephone interview, noted that UG is an institution and no one entity can break any programme in the institution.

“The University of Guyana is an institution and the club will continue to function; any coach that is a member of this institution is employed by UG, and therefore, if that coach leaves then there is an opening for a new coach. The University of Guyana is run by rules and policies, and as long as I am sports organiser there, I will follow those polices,” Fraser-Thomas noted.

Meanwhile, she also acknowledged the receipt of a number of resignation letters from athletes who were in the club while also revealing that other athletes are still with the club.

Senior Caribbean Table-Tennis Championships…

Gold for Lowe, Edghill in Women’s Doubles

Trenace Lowe and Chelsea Edghill came out victorious in the Women’s Doubles to claim gold in the ongoing Senior Caribbean Table-Tennis Championships in St Lucia.

Lowe and Edghill topped the Trinidadian duo of Rehann Chung and Ja’sher De Gannes to take the top spot 3-0 on Thursday at the Beauséjour Stadium indoor facility.

While the 3-0 score line might suggest it was an easy win for the Guyanese girls, it was the total opposite as they were faced with three tough set points, winning 11-6, 14-12, 11-7.

Meanwhile, Guyana for the second year running picked up silver in the Women’s team aspect of the Senior Caribbean Championships.

The Guyanese women, who lost to the Dominican Republic in 2012, fell short

Trenace Lowe Chelsea Edghill

again in this year’s edition of the tournament, this time to Trinidad and Tobago by a 1-3 margin.

Lowe was the only Guyanese female to pick up a win during the final against the twin-island re-

Trinity Gris Holding Pacesetters to host interward basketball tourney

The Trinity Grid

Holding Pacesetters Basketball Club will be holding an inter-ward basketball tournament from September 7 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) for all the top communities and villages in Guyana.

Twelve teams will vie for $600,000 in prize money as defending champion Albouystown-Charlestown will look to retain their crown as the top ward in the country.

The teams will be split

into four groups with the top two advancing to the knockout rounds. The semi-finals and final will have a playoff feel to it as the teams will match up in a best-of-three series for the final stages of the tournament.

There will also be female action in tournament as the Georgetown females will face their Linden counterparts on September 19 in a highly anticipated clash.

There will be trophies for the Most Valuable Player (MVP), most rebounds, most blocks and most assists dur-

ing the tournament.

Meanwhile, the final will be played on September 29 at the CASH in what is expected to be a night of top basketball.

Teams scheduled to participate in the tournament are: McDoom/Diamond, Albouystown/Charlestown, Plaisance/Vryheid’s Lust, North/South Ruimveldt, Lodge/Meadowbrook, Buxton, Kitty/Campbellville, Tucville/Guyhoc, Wortmanville/Werk-en-rust, East/West Ruimveldt, Alpha/ Bourda and Melanie.

Lower, Upper Corentyne clash in final today

The 2013 Republic Bank Under-17 inter-zone cricket competition will conclude today with Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne set to meet in the final at the Albion Community Centre ground.

Lower Corentyne, having easily defeated West Berbice on first innings in their semi-final, will certainly start as favourites to regain the championship they lost to East Bank/New Amsterdam/Canje last year. They boast a very experienced line-up with many of their players having represented Berbice and Guyana at the youth level.

Playing in the Regional Under-17 this year were batsmen Matthew Hardyal and Brandon Persaud, together with off-spinner Daniel Lewis. Playing for the country in the Under-15 tournament earlier this year was wicket-keeper/batsman Adrian Sukhwa.

Other players who have represented Berbice at the youth level are batsmen Balchand Baldeo and

Navendra Persaud, pacer Cylus Tyndall, all-rounder Brian Dukhna and spinner Joshua Harrichand and Veeramootoo Senwansane.

Upper Corentyne, on the other hand, with only allrounder Dion Esau and pacer Nicholas Seenarine with inter-county experience cannot be taken lightly as defending champions East Bank/New Amsterdam/ Canje learnt when they were knocked out at the semi-final stage.

Their batting will be spearheaded by Tameshwar Chatterpal, who scored a half-century in the semifinal, as well as Esau, Rabindranauth Roopchand and Mohamed Deochand. However, their main strength would be their bowling with off-spinner Devanand Chatterpaul and Esau, as well as pacer Nicholas Seenarine, who destroyed the combined team in the semi-final, and the dangerous leg-spinner Jameel Jackman speaheading the attack.

The third place playoff between West Berbice and

East Bank/New Amsterdam/ Canje is also fixed for today at Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice. Both matches are scheduled to start at 09:00 hours with the first innings restricted to 60 overs per side.

Below are the two squads for the final.

Lower Corentyne reads: Balchand Baldeo, Jason Anderson, Brandon Persaud, Daniel Lewis (captain), Adrian Sukhwa, Matthew Hardyal, Cylus Tyndall, Navendra Persaud, Brian Dukhna, Daniel Samaroo, Kevindra Persaud, Kelvin Omrow, Joshua Harrichand and Veeramootoo Senwansane. Upper Corentyne reads: Dion Esau (captain), Tameshwar Chatterpal, Rabindranauth Roopchand, Mohamed Deochand, Nicholas Seenarine, Jameel Jackman, Sahif Jamesy, Devanand Chatterpaul, Aslim Baksh, Taleshwar Baichan, Abdur Ajib, Navindra Edwin, Totaram Rajaram, Samuel Serrao and Rajiv Bickram.

Gayle eyes rest after tiring season

Cpublic in the final team encounter.

In addition, Edghill also picked up her third medal of the tournament with a second place finish for silver in the Under-21 category of the tournament.

hris Gayle, fresh off leading Jamaica to the first Caribbean Premier League title, has indicated he is eyeing a long rest after a hectic season of continuous cricket. In the last 12 months, Gayle has featured in 71 matches across different formats, 35 of them for five domestic T20 leagues around the world. “It’s been a long road, and I am very, very tired mentally,” Gayle said. “It was a challenging time batting-wise in the Tri-nation series (against India and Sri Lanka) and then against Pakistan, and to have come and played a captain’s part in the CPL has been really, really, stressing.”

Gayle, whose captain’s knock of 47 not out in the final earned Jamaica the CPL

trophy, started the year with a stint with Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League in Australia. He flew back to the West Indies to play two T20s for Jamaica in the Caribbean T20, scoring 85 and 122 not out.

Gayle then travelled back to Australia on West Indies duty for the limited-overs series in February before joining the Dhaka Gladiators in the Bangladesh Premier League. He played only one match in the BPL and hit a century that helped Gladiators make it to the final of the tournament. He then returned home for the series against Zimbabwe.

This was a precursor to his stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. The ICC Champions Trophy in England ensued in

May before the Tri-nation in the Caribbean. West Indies then played five ODIs and two T20s against Pakistan and Gayle featured in every match of the series.

“It’s been quite a lot, and I am really, really happy that it is over now. No more cricket for me until the next three months,” he said.

Gayle’s form took a dip after he scored a century in the first match of the Trination series against Sri Lanka, but he managed to finish fourth in the batting charts of the CPL with 234 runs from nine games at an average of 29.25.

West Indies are slated to tour New Zealand starting in December. They are due to play three Tests, five ODIs and two T20s. (Cricinfo)

T&T edge Guyana by 12 runs in first warm-up game

By Rajiv Bisnauth

Trinidad and Tobago

Red Force put in a disciplined all-round effort to edge Guyana by 12 runs to win the first of two warm-up games at the Guyana National Stadium on Friday evening.

Medium-pacer Rayad Emrit finished with excellent figures of 3-10 from his four overs as the Guyanese, chasing 135 for victory, finished on 123-7.

He took the crucial wickets of Leon Johnson, who topscored with 41, Rajiv Ivan (13), and Anthony Bramble (01) in the dying stages of the innings.

Earlier, the visitors, after winning the toss and electing to bat, rode on an excellent start provided by openers Lendl Simmons and Evin Lewis. The pair put together 60 runs off 7.5 overs after which both batsmen were dismissed in the space of three runs.

Simmons topscored with 34, inclusive of five fours and a six, while Lewis struck two fours and similar number of sixes in his

11-ball 26.

The Guyanese then made further inroads into the visitors’ line-up with the wickets of Adrian Barath, Jason Mohammed and Denesh Ramdin to keep a tight reign on proceedings, and at the same time, ensure a dip in the run rate.

However, 17-year-old Nicholas Pooran provided some late flurry, hitting 33 of 22 balls, inclusive of five fours to hand the Caribbean Champions League representative a reasonable total.

During the run chase, Guyana reached 60-2 halfway through the innings as T&T bowlers kept the batsmen in check. Openers Trevon Griffith and debutant Robin Bacchus were both dismissed by the sixth over.

However, Christopher Barnwell and Leon Johnson added 37 runs for the third wicket before Barnwell was dismissed. Debutant Rajiv Ivan followed soon after at 99-4 to leave the match interestingly poised.

At the fall of Ivan’s wicket, the Guyanese tried

desperately to speed up the victory chase, but the lost of regular wickets saw them fell short of the victory target.

They lost Steven Jacobs, Leon Johnson and Anthony Bramble in quick succession, leaving the tailenders to get fifteen runs off the final three balls.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the Albion cricket team crushed Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) by 58 runs in the exhibition game.

Batting first, the Ancient County side reached 160-7 from the allotted 20 overs.

Jonathan Foo topscored with 59 (5x4s, 2x6s). He received support from former West Indies opener Sewnarine Chattergoon (39) and West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo (24).

Left-arm mediumfast bowlers Andrew Carmichael and Andre Stoll were the best bowlers for the city side with figures of 2-25 and 2-27 respectively.

In reply, DCC faltered to 102 all out in 19.3

overs. Brian Sattuar (37), Andrew Carmichael (24), and Andrew Lyght (14) were the contributors with the bat.

Bowling for the visitors, Andre Percival, Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai, Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul were the principal wickettakers with figures of 3-9, 2-10, 2-8 and 1-2 respectively.

Meanwhile, today’s exhibition contest will see West Demerara Mavericks playing Suriname Tigers from 15:00h, while the feature game between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago will start at 19:00h.

The games are part of the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force’s preparation for next month’s Champions League T20 in India.