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thurSday, july 24, 2014| guyanatimeSgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

WEATHER TODAY

Barticians ramp up protest over blackouts …

GPL says generating sets malfunctioning

BY SVETLANA MARSHALL

Three weeks of power outages in Bartica, Region Seven, spurred protest action on Wednesday when, to register their dissatisfaction, more than 50 residents carrying placards picketed the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Office in Bartica around 11:30h.

As they stood in front of the regional GPL office, the residents chanted “Too much blackout, I fed up with this get plenty lamp nonsense” and “We need light, real light, no more Christmas in July.” Others hoisted their placards which read: “New generators needed for Bartica, we are not the dump site for old generators”, “Five weeks blackouts, no update, no info” and the popular one “We need new management”.

The picketing exercise lasted for approximately 30 minutes.

Technical difficulties

Hours after, GPL issued a public apology for the series of power outages which have inconvenienced residents of the mining district, but particularly, the business community. It was explained that the Number Eight and Number Nine Caterpillar generating sets have been experiencing significant technical difficulties over the past week.

“Recently, we performed corrective repairs on the Number Nine set and that engine remains in service to date, although as of Monday, we were unable to utilise its full output because of a defective main switch,” GPL explained on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the power company was in the process of replacing the defective switch, however, the installation resulted in a power outage; an act which was deemed necessary.

“The Number Eight unit was placed in service for a short period on Wednesday

night after repairs were effected to mechanical faults identified and the completion of checks on the alternator.

“Unfortunately, the unit developed further mechanical problems, and repairs should be completed by Friday,” GPL further explained.

Due to the ongoing work being done, the power company indicated that loadshedding will continue during the peak hours of 17:30h-22:00h. According to GPL, the extended outages were unforeseen.

“We wish to reassure the residents that we remain committed to restoring reliable power and to continuously improve our services.” It was pointed out that for the latter part of 2014, residents will witness the commencement of preparatory works for a new 3×2 MW HFOfire power station at Bartica.

But residents told Guyana Times that they have been experiencing power outages for more than three weeks, as they refute the “one week” claim made by GPL on Wednesday. The residents have reportedly registered their dissatisfaction, but to no avail.

Tight-lipped

Keith Blair, a resident of the mining district, said without any form of notification, the community was periodically plunged into darkness, with officials remaining tight-lipped on the issue.

“Three weeks now we have been getting blackout, the power has been on and off and until now, it cannot be stabilised,” Blair said as he complained bitterly.

“There was a resident mechanic but he apparently went on leave and since this guy came from Essequibo, something went wrong. Most nights now we are sleeping in darkness,” he contended.

Bartica United Youth Development Group President Micah Williams, said residents have grown tired of the un-

scheduled power outages that have rocked the community in recent weeks.

“Business owners said that due to the power outages, they are suffering losses of food items ranging in the thousands and the reduction of daily sales of beverages, since most costumers only purchase cold beverages,” Williams said.

Unprepared

According to him, the Bartica United Youth Development Group strongly believes that GPL is unprepared and unequipped with new generators that have the capacity to distribute adequate voltage supply to the massive ongoing population growth in Bartica. It was pointed out that over the past week, only one generator has been in operation.

“This is totally inadequate to supply Bartica’s population and its environs with adequate electricity on a continuous 24-hour basis. At present, when some parts of central Bartica are provided with electricity,the Potaro Road area gets power outage and all of the other sections in central Bartica are not supplied with electricity at the same time,” he complained.

According to Williams, in 2013, GPL promised the people of Bartica and neighbouring communities that the issue of power failures would have been addressed. He said it is disappointing to note that to date, the state-owned company continues to struggle with this issue as the residents of the mining district suffer.

“GPL 2013 upgraded plan to end blackout dilemma at Bartica has resulted in a total failure which confirms the view of the Bartica United Youth Development Group. Breakdown often which leads to continuous waste of taxpayers’ money due to the heavy fuel consumption and parts required for maintenance,” he opined. (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, letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Innovation and entrepreneurship

In yesterday’s editorial, we alluded to management genius Peter Drucker’s seminal work, “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Principles and Practices”, while exhorting our educators not to dilly dally in introducing the new CAPE subject “Entrepreneurship”.

Today, we publish excerpts from the paper, “Innovation and Entrepreneurship in a Global Economy”, which was published last year in the “Journal of Business Management and Social Sciences Research”. It expatiates on the present understanding of what constitutes “innovation and entrepreneurship” today:

“Wikipedia defines innovation as simply ‘a new way of doing something’. It may refer to incremental, radical and revolutionary changes in thinking, products, processes or organisations. A distinction is typically made between invention, an idea made manifest, and innovation, ideas applied successfully. Peter Drucker viewed innovation as the tool or instrument used by entrepreneurs to exploit change as an opportunity.

“He argued that innovation, as a discipline, is capable of being learned, as well as practised. While he never agreed to a theory of innovation, he realised enough was known to develop it as a practice – a practice based on when, where and how one looks systematically for (innovative) opportunities and how one judges the chances for their success or the risks of their failure.

“From Drucker’s perspective, systematic innovation consisted of the purposeful and organised search for changes, and in the systematic analysis of the opportunities such changes might offer for economic or social innovation.

“Since Drucker’s time, new ideas about innovation have emerged. One researcher referred to “indigenous innovation” – the development of a collective type of learning within the organisation. The strategy driving the innovation, he argued, was set in motion socially rather than process-driven. He believed that the pursuit of innovation required much more than taking up a practical course of action.

“Another offshoot is “disruptive innovation,” which improves a product or service in ways that the market does not expect. Coined in 1995, disruptive innovations are predominantly intimidating to existing market leaders, because they represent competition coming from an unexpected direction. The concept of disruptive innovation carries on a long practice of recognising radical technical change in the study of innovation by economists.

“A little over 200 years ago, French economist JB Say remarked, ‘The entrepreneur shifts economic resources out of an area of lower and into an area of higher productivity and greater yield’. But, who is this entrepreneur Say speaks of?

In the United States, an entrepreneur was defined as “one who starts his own, new and small business,” although Drucker noted that not every new small business is entrepreneurial or represents entrepreneurship. Also, not every entrepreneurial business is innovative.

Drucker identified entrepreneurs as people who see ‘change’ as the standard, echoing Heraclitus of Ephesus, the Greek philosopher who said, ‘The only constant in life is change’. Entrepreneurs regard change as essential and welcome it as beneficial to the lives of big corporations and small businesses alike.

However, the kind of change implied here, Drucker clarified, is typically not the kind that can be brought about simply by deciding to create it. Rather, it is created by entrepreneurs who actively go looking for existing change in order to exploit it.

One example Drucker presented was the entrepreneurial genius behind the early days of McDonald’s. The truth was Ray Kroc never invented anything. In fact, hamburgers, French fries and soda had been available for years. Kroc simply asked the question, ‘How does our customer define value’? Once he had the answer, he developed, standardised and branded it. That, Drucker believed, represented entrepreneurial instinct at its best. In terms of innovation and entrepreneurship Drucker added, ‘Above all it needs to be based on purposeful information’.”

The truth of the matter is that in Guyana we are only “muddling through” by doing only “what we know”. We have not consciously set out to create individuals who are innovators and entrepreneurs. We must begin now.

A family’s plight

PPP/C calls on Israel to cease all attacks

Dear Editor,

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) condemns the action by Israel in unleashing a reign of terror on the Palestinian people from both air and sea.

So far, hundreds of Palestinian lives have been lost, not to mention the hundreds more who were seriously injured since the conflict began about two weeks ago. Thousands were forced to abandon their homes and seek refuge in the UN Gaza office.

The most recent de-

cision taken by Israel to launch a ground offensive in Gaza would only exacerbate an already tense situation, leading to more deaths of innocent people, including women and children, not to mention the climate of fear and terror that has been generated as a result of the bombings.

The PPP/C calls on Israel to immediately cease all attacks against the Palestinian people and end forthwith its acts of provocation including the construction of housing schemes on Palestinian lands on territories seized

by Israel.

The democratic wishes of the Palestinian people must be respected and any discussion on the way forward must take into account the full involvement of the elected representatives of the Palestinian people regardless how such representatives may be perceived by Israel or the United States.

The PPP/C further calls on the United States to do much more in terms of putting pressure on Israel to stop its bullying tactics against the Palestinian people.

In this regard, the Party calls on the United Nations Security Council to immediately intervene in the crisis situation by demanding an immediate and unconditional halt to hostilities and also for a comprehensive and lasting resolution to the conflict which must take into account the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people for the return of all Palestinian lands seized by Israel.

Sincerely, PPP/C Freedom House

Social Services Ministry always willing to support TIP victims

Dear Editor,

The Administration of the Labour, Human Services and Social Security Ministry wishes to refute a news item carried by a local television station on July 21, which implied that the Ministry failed to assist a victim of Trafficking in Persons (TIP).

The person in question was indeed brought to the Ministry on April 22, 2013. At the time, she was pregnant and the Ministry provided accommodation to

her at a women’s shelter, as well as clothing for herself and the expected child. The Ministry also facilitated her joining a prenatal clinic.

While at the women’s shelter, the alleged victim requested to visit a nearby shop on August 21, 2013 to make a personal purchase. This was allowed by the person in charge. However, the young woman never returned.

Subsequent efforts to contact and locate her proved futile. The

Ministry’s staff physically searched for her, but were unsuccessful in their efforts. The woman never contacted the Ministry, even after giving birth to her child nor did she indicate to the Ministry that she needed assistance once again.

The Ministry is always willing to support victims or alleged victims of TIP.

In addition, the Ministry remains committed to supporting this individual and her child, and wishes to indicate that contact can

be made via the TIP hotline number 623-5030, or via telephone number 2274083.

In addition, the Ministry wishes to urge this television station, and remind other media practitioners to contact the Ministry on these issues before disseminating such erroneous information.

Submitted by, Labour, Human Services and Social Security Ministry

CIOG horrified by images of death, destruction in Gaza

Dear Editor,

The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) is horrified by the images of death and destruction emanating from Gaza as a result of the Israeli attacks on the Palestinian people. These senseless acts of barbarism, the murdering of innocent men, women and children, permanently maiming and disfiguring those lucky to survive death, did not in the past, or will not in the future, resolve the conflicts that currently exist between the Palestinian and Israeli people.

The actions of Israel only serve to inflame the ill feeling that currently exist, and forces retaliation from the Palestinians, despite their limited and meagre resources.

The CIOG appeals to all nations who share the common values of justice, freedom and equal rights to demand a cessation of the current atrocities perpetrated on the people of Gaza. We demand a united voice in calling for Israel to realise that they are defying the international laws that they themselves subscribe to, but do not recognise it for their neighbours.

In this Holy Month of

Ramadan, Muslims worldwide are aggrieved and pained at the loss of life of our fellow brothers and sisters. We therefore urge those concerned, and those with influence over the parties to commence dialogue that can assist in bringing an end to hostilities and promote peace, justice and freedom for the oppressed and subjugated people of Palestine.

Ramadan fasting

(by Mustapha Ajbaili, Al-Arabiya)

Christians in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, join the city’s Muslim residents in fasting Ramadan in continuation of a centuriesold tradition of interfaith solidarity.

Mike Kanawati, a Christian resident of Bethlehem, who manages a souvenir and jewellery shop, fasts the days of Ramadan with his Muslim neighbours.

“My grandmother used to fast, both Christian and Muslim fasting, and we were raised this way to show respect for and solidarity with other religions,” Kanawati said.

“Fasting, either the Christian or the Muslim way, makes one feel the suffering of those who do

The National Youth Policy: an open letter to the Youth Minister

Dear Minister, We the undersigned have taken the decision to seek out a collective engagement with you in your capacity as the portfolio Minister with specific responsibility for youth issues at a policy level in the Government of Guyana.

Multiple individual attempts to engage in the past six months, and beyond, have so far failed to garner a response from you, even as we have always been ready to contribute to the Ministry’s efforts to formulate a youth policy, both in recent times and before.

We therefore noted with no small amount of concern another article headlined, “National policy in the works”, that you both expressed dissatisfaction with the draft document and failed to give any deadline with regard to the production of a final draft.

Of equal concern is that that pronouncement was made five months after the final consultation in March of this year, even as stakeholders have been privy to information on the process, only via the media.

gard to the commitments therein.

* The analysis of the improvements put forward by the Ministry and other ‘stakeholders’, inclusive of the integration of information garnered from consultations that you have identified as not being incorporated into the document.

not have food,” he added. Kanawati said he was proud “like many other Christians” of fasting the Muslim month of Ramadan and stressed that doing so in no way diminished his Christian faith.

He revealed that some of his Muslim friends in turn perform the Christian fasting, such as abstaining from eating cheese, meat and milk, in demonstration of solidarity with the Christians.

The tradition, Kanawati stressed, was preserved over generations of Muslims and Christians who coexisted in Bethlehem for hundreds of years. Bethlehem has a Muslim majority, but is also home to one of the largest Palestinian Christian communities.

In a survey of Bethlehem’s Christians conducted in 2006 by the Palestinian Centre for Research and Cultural Dialogue, 90 per cent reported having Muslim friends, 73.3 per cent said that the Palestinian Authority respects Christian heritage in the city, and 78 per cent reported that the emigration of Christians from Bethlehem was due to the Israeli travel restriction in the area

In good faith, CIOG

In section 1.2 (Background to the NYP Guyana) of the Draft National Youth Policy that has come out of the Ministry’s partnership with the Commonwealth Youth Programme and UNICEF, the acknowledgement is made that various previous attempts at establishing a Youth Policy under your tenure had essentially failed.

We are also aware that attempts predating your tenure have also been made dating back to 1992. The urgency of such a policy being perennially recognised by Government is now. For example, as the article in another section of the press on January 31, 2007 headlined, “National Youth Policy consultations in phase two”, informs us in covering an event that you launched:

“In consultation with Government on observations, the Young American Business Trust (YABT) in its preliminary document stated that the Government and especially the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport believes it is important and timely for the citizens of Guyana to draft a new policy that avoids the deficiencies of the previous youth policy and adequately reflects the current realities of youth.”

This was seven and a half years ago and yet, multiple consultations after, we have no policy document.

It is our position that, whatever stymied the previous attempts at a National Youth Policy cannot be repeated, and a clear plan with explicit deadlines and indicators need to be established for the finalisation of a draft NYP document and the presentation of same in the National Assembly for deliberation by all stakeholders responsible for policy formulation and implementation.

The agenda of our proposed audience with you is therefore as follows:

* Establishment of a comprehensive narrative of National Youth Policy formulation in Guyana with a view to identifying the choke points that proved fatal to previous attempts.

* The examination of the Terms of References (ToR) of the latest consultancy and an analysis of the status of completion with re-

* A framework for engagement with the Ministry towards expeditiously producing a document that can be presented to all stakeholders on or by International Youth Day slated for August 12, 2014. While we understand you are no doubt busy, the timely finalisation and implementation of a National Youth Policy now two decades in the making is of paramount priority. We are therefore respectfully requesting an initial meeting. For any information or clarification Contact can be made with the following persons: Tiffany Daniels, 623-7793; Mark Ross, 6212768; and Tricia Teekah, 651-5892.

Submitted by Interim National Youth Council of Guyana Global Youth Movement - Guyana SASOD Enterprise Youth Development Council Women Across Differences GuyberNet and concerned Guyanese youth

Page Foundation

BY MARILYN PRICEMITCHELL

Caring is our ability to recognise and respond to the needs and suffering of others. An important part of our internal compass, it includes the ways we show compassion, empathy and kindness to the people in our lives.

Human kindness peaks during the holidays. It’s a time to understand how gift giving shapes children’s values and also an opportunity to nurture the development of kindness, a virtue that increases our well-being.

Parents and teachers show a lot of kindness to children during the holidays. We purchase gifts, bake special treats, and work extra hard to make children feel a part of their unique cultures and faiths.

Do our acts of kindness on behalf of children make us happier parents and educators? Of course they do.

In fact, studies show that we feel better about ourselves when we practice the art of kindness – toward our children, students, families, friends, and communities. Not only do good deeds make us feel better, but as David Brooks explained in the New York Times article ‘Nice Guys Finish First’, people who are kind and compassionate are often the most successful.

The kindness dilemma

While the art of kindness should be pretty straightforward to learn, it’s a bit

more complex than meets the eye.

We don’t make children happy when we simply enable them to be receivers of kindness. We escalate their feelings of happiness, improve their well-being, re-

How do we reverse this trend and create long-lasting habits of kindness?

A research study, Kindness Counts, from the University of British Columbia and the University of California,

ness each week for anyone they chose. Another several hundred kept weekly track of three pleasant places they visited.

Not surprisingly, results compared favourably with adult studies. When

an average of 1.5 friends during the month-long period – good support for the idea that “nice guys finish first.”

Like other studies, this research showed that being kind to other people bene-

duce bullying, and enrich their friendships by teaching them to be givers of kindness.

Children are born to be givers. But by fourth grade, research shows they are socialised to think more about themselves than others.

Riverside, showed the benefits derived by tweens when they were taught strategies to increase their happiness through acts of kindness.

For thirty days, several hundred nine to 11-year-old children performed and recorded three acts of kind-

children performed acts of kindness or took notice of the pleasant places they visited, their happiness quotient increased.

But those who performed acts of kindness received an extra boost. The study showed they gained

fits the giver. For children, it nurtures their well-being and increases their popularity with peers.

When children learn to be caring and kind, they also benefit developmentally. Well-liked children display more positive, less bul-

lying behaviours when they become teenagers. Happier children are more likely to show higher academic achievement. Being kind makes you feel good about yourself and improves your outlook on life.

Teaching children the art of kindness

Applying the Kindness Counts study in your home or classroom is easy. The goal is to help children become more aware of doing acts of kindness and of their feelings of gratitude when they experience pleasant activities.

Follow these four steps to help enable children to be givers of kindness! Whether it is holiday-time, or anytime, your efforts will be greatly rewarded.

Understand the importance of kindness

Learn about the benefits of giving for children and adults. The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation website is a terrific place to start. They have classroom and home activities for all children of all ages.

Create a kindness project

Devise an activity where your family or classroom records ONE act of kindness or ONE pleasant activity per day. You might call it your “Kindness Project” or “Happiness Diary.” These activities could include helping with dishes, letting someone else go first, taking care of an animal, going out of way for a friend, hugging someone to make them feel better, etc. Or they might include visits to places and experiences that make us feel good, like visiting a favourite park or a grandparent’s house.

Take time to share

On a regular weekly basis, take time to share as a family or classroom. Rather than sharing everything in your dairy, share the highlights of your week. Share enough so that everyone learns from each other’s acts of kindness and begins to understand the types of experiences that bring gratitude to life. Sharing encourages self-reflection and helps bring meaning to our actions.

Practice, practice, practice

It may not be practical to keep up a routine where you are sharing from a diary on a regular basis. But once children get into the habit, it’s easy to share from time to time. The holidays provide a great opportunity to reignite conversations about kindness and caring. Reinforcement of the kindness habit comes with practice on a regular basis.

How do you help your children or students learn the art of kindness? Please share your ideas so others can benefit from your experience. (rootsofaction.com)

$60M plugged into entrepreneurship in Rupununi

By Svetlana MarShall

The Government of Guyana in collaboration with the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) and Conservation International (CI)-Guyana has launched a G$60 million Rupununi Innovation Fund (RIF).

The RIF represents a unique partnership which creates an avenue for corporate taxes on the income earned from loans granted under the fund to be waived. GBTI has invested G$60 million into the Fund as seed capital, while CI-Guyana is co-financing and executing the US$1.6 million, Inter-American Development Bank Multilateral Investment Fund (IDB/MIF) Rupununi Livelihoods Project.

The Fund has been developed in the institutions’ quest to offer finance and technical support to local and community-based agricultural and tourism enterprises, thereby enabling them to contribute to Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

In this process, emphasis will be placed on sustainable agriculture, agro-processing, marketing, sustainable fisheries, sustainable management of forests, savannahs and other ecosystems, in addition to agro-forestry, nature-based and agro-tourism and arts and craft.

“The development of these enterprises is intended to develop greater synergies between other low-carbon development initiatives, to contribute to the maintenance of ecosystems and to foster good business practices,” the financial partners said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

According to the Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, who signed on behalf of the Government, the RIF will give rise to tremendous benefits within the Rupununi region, while simultaneously fostering the growth of the economy.

“Region Nine represents a major centre of economic growth potential for Guyana, with its capital Lethem al-

ready showing indications of rapid growth being positioned as the gateway between Guyana and Brazil,” the Finance Minister said.

As he touted the Public/ Private Partnership (PPP) initiative, Dr Singh emphasised the importance of embracing and replicating the process of establishing the RIF. “It represents a partnership with a

Women miners roast GPL over Bartica blackout

… say Regional Chairman, IMC ineffective

The Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) on Wednesday said it is very concerned about the constant blackouts that have plagued the township of Bartica and called on Guyana Power and Light (GPL) to immediately rectify the situation and alleviate the suffering of residents.

Bartica has been hit by a series of power outages over the past three weeks, residents have said. But GPL said the situation has been happening for about only a week. This it blamed on the malfunctioning of two generation sets, which the GWMO described as “junk”. (See other story on page 7)

The women said they are giving full support to residents who have taken to the streets protesting “this outrageous situation that has dogged development and living standards in this miming community for years”.

Bartica has been without electricity for the last 48 hours and residents have been complaining bitterly about the effects the prolonged power shortage have had on their lives. Businesses have been losing by the hour, many of their perishable items, amounting to millions of dollars in losses.

“Because many of our members live and work in the community, the impact of the power shortage is personal and as an organisation, we have been working behind the scene in an attempt to improve this situation; but our attempts have been without success,” the GWMO said.

The organisation said it should be noted that prior to the current power out-

GWMO President Simona Broomes

age, there was another that had lasted for some 72 hours, which caused untold suffering to residents, who had not been compensated in any form by the authorities.

“For years, GPL has been providing what we would term “fairy lights” electricity to the community, which has not only destroyed items stored in refrigerators and freezers, but has also damaged appliances. Our own investigation has revealed that many of the engines sent to the community to assist in powering the electricity are old, run-down equipment, which would have already been used in Georgetown and [which] contribute to the poor electricity supply,” the organisation charged.

This information, the organisation said was provided by persons who work at the GPL office in Bartica “and we find this situation appalling and call upon the relevant authorities to address this issue urgently”.

As an organisation, the GWMO said it strongly feels that Regional Chairman

Gordon Bradford is not properly representing the community on this issue.

“As a matter of fact, we would be bold to state that from all appearances and from our observation, Mr Bradford represents the interest of GPL and not the township on this issue. The Interim Management Committee (IMC), which would have replaced the democratically elected Neigbhourhood Democratic Council (NDC) also appears strangely to be sleeping on the issue,” the women miners said.

Apart from the unreliable electricity supply, the GWMO said it is unexplainable that so many years after Bartica became a thriving community which makes significant contributions to the economy of this country, that it cannot benefit from portable water.

“Residents are forced to fetch water for long distances and in some cases have to purchase water. The question should be asked as to why GPL and the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) are neglecting the people of Bratica.”

Additionally, the GWMO said residents’ woes are compounded by poor drainage, dilapidated roads and a garbage situation that is nearing crisis level.

“It is the belief of the GWMO that both the IMC and the RDC should play a much bigger role in ensuring they represent the interest of this constituency; would continue to fight for better living conditions for residents of the community and are once again calling upon GPL to immediately put an end to the electricity situation in Bartica.”

large international NGO in Conservation InternationalGuyana, a major hemispheric developmental institution through the IDB, a major partner in the financial services sector in Guyana and a major corporate citizen of Guyana through GBTI, and of course, a partnership with the Government of Guyana.”

Potential Meanwhile, GBTI Chief Executive Officer John Tracey, who was among signatories to the financial agreement, said “When in 2006, the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited opened a Branch in Lethem, Rupununi, it was in recognition of the potential of the Rupununi for tourism, agriculture and commerce and by its geographical position,

our gateway to Brazil and further South.”

According to him, GBTI has always sought to tailor its banking services to meet the needs and aspirations of the community or region in which it operates. “We seek at all times to make ourselves a partner in development and are fortunate that in the Rupununi we have a partner in Conservation International, whose experience and understanding of this environment far outweigh our own and has allowed us to fashion a unique Fund,” he said.

GBTI CEO also used the opportunity to express gratitude to the Government on in its decision to waive taxes on interest charged, so that an interest rate suited to this developmental leading activity

can lead to maximum benefits to the participants. In his remarks, CIGuyana Executive Director, Dr David Singh welcomed the partnership, noting that it will foster growth in the country. “Guyana, particularly the Rupununi, is one of few places in the world where people can demonstrate how to fulfil their interests in improving livelihoods, contributing meaningfully to the national economy, while maintaining ecosystems,” he said.

With a rich history of conservation, culture and tradition, the CI-Guyana Executive Director said the rest of Guyana would be able to take a page out of The Rupununi’s book; it is transform its village economy, along a healthy sustainable path. With emphasis placed on local and indigenous community-based tourism and agricultural enterprises, the region’s potential would be further utilised.

The Fund is a critical component of the Leveraging Natural Capital in Guyana’s Rupununi Project, currently being implemented by CIGuyana, with funding from the IDB-MIF and the Swift Family Foundation. The project seeks to demonstrate that natural resource-dependent local and indigenous communities in The Rupununi can enhance and sustain their livelihoods, while maintaining the capacity of the Rupununi to provide environmental services such as carbon sinks and bio-diversity habitats.

Accused in Mahaicony murder for court today

Travis Hyman, who reportedly confessed to stabbing 52-year-old Alvy Israel Richmond to death during a row at Straphcampbell, Branch Road, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara will make his first court appearance at the Mahaica Magistrate’s Court today.

He is expected to be slapped with the indictable charge of murder.

However, a post-mortem examination performed on the man’s body gave the death as perforation of the heart due to stab wounds. The autopsy was performed on Wednesday by Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital mortuary.

Dead: Alvy Israel Richmond

en was left stuck in the man’s body, but was later removed by Police Officers who launched an investigation.

The murder suspect, who resides in the same village, was taken into Police custody to assist with investigations.

challenged the man to go onto the roadway where they would “finish it off”. Instead, the now dead man went into the upper flat of the house but Hyman followed him, and stabbed him once to the chest.

Eyew tness

Cavorting...

...with criminals from the beginning

MThe father of three was stabbed on Monday afternoon to the heart during an altercation with another man at Mahaicony. He was allegedly stabbed once to the heart allegedly by his sister’s boyfriend, Travis James.

According to information reaching Guyana Times, the now dead man went to use the washroom unaware that the suspect was taking a shower. As he opened the door to enter the washroom, the suspect got upset and an argument ensued.

Both men reportedly used abusive language to each other, and the row escalated into a physical encounter.

The knife the killer collected from the kitch-

During the altercation, James reportedly

The injured man walked towards his mother and collapsed. He was still alive, when he attempted to go down the flight of stairs, but stumbled and landed on the steps where he died. The suspect was apprehended by publicspirited citizens and subsequently handed over to the Police.

Richmond was taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital where he was confirmed dead. He is survived by his mother, four siblings, and three children.

inister Rohee accused the PNC of “cavorting with criminals”. We’ve heard of “dancing with the wolves” – but the image invoked by Rohee’s phrase is more suggesting of “dancing with hyenas”. He dared PNC Leader (for now) David Granger to answer his charge. Not surprisingly, Granger did what’s standard in these matters – deny everything and hurl some counter charges.

But for a man who was supposedly only recently “not part of politics” he offered up some pretty categorical denials. But there’s the observation that “fools rush in where angels fear to tread”, no?? For a man who was sent to UG on taxpayers money to get several degrees in history, Granger could only be playing the fool. The PNC was midwifed by criminals and criminality and has never shown any inclination to cut those links.

In fact, following their founder-leader Burnham’s lead, the PNC has always flaunted and cultivated its “hooligan” capabilities. The PNC got into power because it was able to come with horrors like its X-13 Plan, found at Congress Place. It was executed by street elements like Emmanuel Fairbairn. The plan was explicit:

“These are rules governing X13”: The Committee should comprise of men governing different sections or a particular type of work. The Chairman could be a person employed by the party and a very high character, subject to the approval of the council. It therefore recommended Comrade Van Gendrine. He would be known or referred to as the ‘Old Man’. He would be responsible directly to the leader Comrade LFS Burnham, for projects, plans, etc., of this organisation. He would be advisor, organiser and coordinator.

“Comrade I Thomas would be responsible for all military training and military advice, posting of men for different duties and all orders should come through him from the Committee, to the men.”

Fairbairn made the following statement to the Police: “I does watchman at Clarke & Martin (Burnham’s Law firm, where Desmond Hoyte also worked) by night and I does get a small piece. During the day I does go to Congress Place...and there I got to know Chippie Graham, because he does detail the watchman duties. On Friday, 17th July, 1964, about 8:00 a.m, Chippie Graham gave me a small square box, he said it was a bomb for Gimpex and I must give it to Godfrey Edgerton and he going to carry it.

“Edgerton was at Congress Place and I give him the box with the bomb and he ride away on his cycle. About 11 o’clock time I was still at Congress Place when I hear the explosion.”

...with criminals during slow fyaah; mo fyaah

How different are those “operations” from the “Freedom Fighters” holed up in Buxton after their prison escape of 2000?? Desmond Hoyte, who is suddenly a “saint”, went into Buxton and denied there were criminals in the village. Very few people know that during the 1964 riots, it was the newly minted lawyer Desmond Hoyte who defended the criminals like Fairbairn in the employ of the PNC.

While Hamilton Green revelled in his role as an “enforcer” and strongman with links to the criminal underworld for the PNC, Desmond Hoyte was just as connected. Granger fools no one when he asserts Hoyte went to arch-criminal Blackie London’s funeral because of “human rights” concerns. Hoyte didn’t have to drape London’s coffin with the flag of Guyana. He was simply signalling to Blackie’s survivors, “The PNC is with you!” Andrew Douglas, the leader of the Buxton Freedom Fighters was a Lieutenant of Blackie London.

Those who have ears, let them hear!!!

...for comedy

Your Eyewitness was very saddened to hear of the passing of Guyana’s first and most famous stand-up comic, Habeeb Khan. The man entertained generations of Guyanese for over 50 years. We hope he’s honoured finally. Albeit posthumously.

thursDay, july 24, 2014|

Three witnesses for PNCR “Kangaroo Court” today

BY SVETLANA MARSHALL

Three witnesses will appear today before the People’s National Conference Reform (PNCR) Disciplinary Committee to present evidence in the Oscar Clarke vs Vanessa Kissoon case.

Disciplinary Committee Chairman Allan Munroe made this disclosure on Wednesday, as he refuted claims that the Committee has taken a decision to suspend Kissoon for a period of three months.

“That is not true, how can we arrive at a decision when the hearing is ongoing?” Munroe said as he questioned the rationale behind the “rumours.”

He told Guyana Times on Wednesday, that several persons have appeared before the Disciplinary Committee since the hearing on the matter commenced on Tuesday.

No-show

Questioned whether the Region 10 representative has signalled her intention to appear before the Committee, the Chairman responded in the negative, noting that Kissoon never responded to the Committee’s request which was issued on July 16. Munroe had written Kissoon requesting her to submit a statement by July 19 before appearing before the Committee on July 22.

Kissoon’s no-show comes days after the Linden PNCR Committee indicat-

ed that it has advised her not to appear before the Disciplinary Committee until the current members are completely removed. The Linden Committee submitted a letter to party leader David Granger, indicating that the Disciplinary Committee must comprise three representatives from Linden in the persons of Leslie Gonsalves, Latoya Williams and Maurice Butters, in addition to two party officials from the Central Executive Committee.

But Munroe told Guyana Times that he is unaware of the request which was made by the Linden Committee, as he made it clear that the hearing will continue, even in the absence of Kissoon. “I have never received any such letter.

I don’t even know who Leslie Gonsalves is,” Munroe claimed.

Questioned when the main complainant in the matter, the PNCR General Secretary Oscar Clarke will appear before the Disciplinary Committee, Munroe declined to comment, contending that he is not allowed to divulge details on the ongoing hearing. He was also unable to indicate when the work of the Committee will conclude.

On June 20, Kissoon and Clarke were engaged in a heated argument at Congress Place, after the General Secretary demanded the keys for the Region 10 PNCR Office in Linden. Subsequently, the Central Executive Committee took a decision to suspend Kissoon, but this did not go down well with her, as she sternly objected.

In April, the Central Executive

Committee had taken a decision to appoint Sandra Adams as the Coordinator for the region, a decision which created major divisions within the party at the regional level.

On Monday, the Linden PNCR Committee accused Party Leader David Granger of acting in contravention of the party’s Constitution. Party member Leslie Gonsalves said Granger does not have the authority to suspend the Region 10 representative, arguing that investigations and a hearing must be conducted before a decision is taken to suspend a member of the Executive Committee. Referencing Section 24 (1) (a) of the rules governing the PNCR, Gonsalves pointed out that the Central Executive Committee is required to appoint a Disciplinary Committee comprising five members, and shall name its Chairman and Vice Chairman.

Wrong

“What is clear here is that Mr Granger has appointed an Ad Hoc Committee, not one consistent with the party rules,” he told media operatives. According to him, for the past two years, the PNCR Leader “has not seen it fit” to put in place the constitutionally required Disciplinary Committee.

“This is a violation of the rules of the PNCR. It was not until he unilaterally suspended Ms Kissoon that he chose to select some persons to form a committee to discipline her,” he added.

Gonsalves wasted no time in signalling the Linden PNCR Committee’s disgust over the biased composition of the Disciplinary Committee. It was pointed out that the Committee is Chaired by Allan Munroe, Granger’s neighbour; Lance Carberry, a Political Advisor to the Leader; and Malika Ramsay, Christopher Jones and Cheryl Sampson, all employees of Congress Place.

While the Linden Committee which is backed by more than 800 members has taken this decision, Clarke speaking in the capacity of General Secretary told reporters on Tuesday that the party’s Constitution provides for the entire process of the Disciplinary Committee, including appeals by the persons concerned if the final decision is unfavourable. (svetlanam@guyanatimesgy.com)

Guyanese fugitive extradited from Suriname

Guyanese wanted fugitive Fabel Samuels, also called “Griffith”, who was nabbed in Suriname in June after seven years on the run, was deported to Guyana on July 15.

According to information received, Samuels was transferred to Guyana via Canawaima Ferry and handed over to local Police.

Samuels, according to Surinamese officials, was wanted by Police for the murder of a Guyanese entrepreneur.

“We’ve returned him to his country under the Aliens Act,” Police Superintendent Stanley Benschop told the Surinamese media.

The senior Policeman in Nickerie said Samuels was arrested in Paramaribo and discharged to Nickerie”.

Samuels escaped from Guyanese prison authorities in March 2007. It was reported that he was arrested at Anton Dragtenweg after he initially resisted arrest.

During the confrontation with Police, the wanted man was shot and in-

jured to one of his legs. It was during his detention that Surinamese officials positively identified him and immediately alerted their counterparts in Guyana.

Samuels was on trial for allegedly killing an Alness, Corentyne butcher. He along with two other high-profile prisoners made good their escape in March 2007 when they cut the lock from inside a prison van and escaped. Gavin Balkissoon – one of the other escapees – who was on trial for being in possession of a smoking utensil, was subsequently recaptured.

The other prisoner, Derrick Busgith, was being tried for murder of American citizen Kalidas Surjnarine, 74, whose nude and headless body was found in his yard at Mibicuri, Black Bush Polder on November 27, 2004. He is reportedly still at large.

On March 16, 2007, the three men were being transported in a van from the Whim and Springlands Magistrate’s Courts to the New Amsterdam Prisons when they cut the lock from inside and escaped. Then Assistant Police Commissioner Clinton Conway reported that the men were in the vicinity of the New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI) when they jumped from the prison van and escaped. It was reported that Gavin Balkissoon was captured by a businessman, who saw him walking on the Number 78 Village Public Road and turned him over to the Springlands Police.

Compensation for sins of slavery a moral duty

– Professor Beckles tells House of Commons

University of the West Indies (UWI) Pro ViceChancellor and Caricom Reparations Committee

Chairman, Professor Hillary Beckles said Great Britain has a moral obligation to compensate Caribbean nations for the sins of slavery.

Addressing the House of Commons in the British Parliament last Thursday, Professor Beckles said Caricom Governments, like the Government of Great Britain, represent nations that are independent and equal.

He said as such, they should proceed on the basis of their legitimate equality, without fear of retribution, in the best interest of humanity, and for a better future.

It was the British Parliament that prepared the basis for the evil system of

slavery, enabled Emancipation from slavery and made independence from colonialism an empowering reality.

“It is in here, we now imagine, that laws for reparatory justice can be conceptualised and implemented. It is in here, we believe, that the terrible wrongs of the past can be corrected, and humanity finally and truthfully liberated from the shame and guilt that have followed these historical crimes.

“We must believe in the corrective power of this Parliament to respond positively to this present challenge, and in the process, free itself from the bondage of its own sins and crimes,” the eminent Professor said.

The crimes committed against the indigenous, African, and Asian peoples of

the Caribbean are well documented – some 250 years of slave trading, chattel slavery, and the following 100 years of colonial oppression.

When slavery ended in 1838, it was replaced by a century of racial apartheid, including the denigration of Asian people.

Wealth extraction

Indigenous genocide, African chattel slavery and genocide, and Asian contract slavery, were three acts of a single play – a single process by which the British state forcefully extracted wealth from the Caribbean resulting in its persistent, endemic poverty, Dr Beckles, a foremost Caribbean academic and the youngest ever appointed Professor at the University of the West Indies said.

“I wish to comment, as a result, on the 1833 Act of Emancipation, and how this august Parliament betrayed the enslaved people of the Caribbean by forcing them to pay more than 50 per cent of the cost of their own Emancipation.

This is an aspect of the history long hidden from public view.

“We know, for example, that this Parliament in 1833 determined that the 800,000 enslaved people in the Caribbean were worth, as chattel property, £47 million. This was their assessed market value.

“We know that this Parliament determined that all slave owners should receive just and fair compensation for the official taking away of their property.

“We know that this Parliament provided the sum of £20 million in grants to the slave owners as fair compensation for the loss of their human chattel.”

The British Parliament determined that the enslaved people would receive none of this compensation, contending that ‘property’ cannot receive property compensation. This Parliament, in its Emancipation Act, upheld the law that black people were not human, but property.

Dr Beckles, an expert in

Afro-Caribbean history, especially the economic and social impacts of colonialism and the African slave trade, said what the British Parliament has hid from the world is that it also determined that the remaining £27 million would be paid by the enslaved people to their enslavers, by means of a four-year period of free labour called the Apprenticeship.

Following Emancipation, the people of the Caribbean have been very courageous in their effort at self-development and self-help in respect of this terrible history and enduring legacy, the largely British educated Dr Beckles said.

“Our citizens have faced this past head on, and have established a vibrant culture of community self-help and sustainable regional development mobilisation. We are not beggars! We are not subservient! We do not want charity and handouts! We want justice! Reparatory justice!

“When all is said and done, our Governments these past 50 years have been cleaning

At least one MP can tek a good kick

De World Cup football done and gone, and Germany gone home wid a trophy of sheer gold. But it got some people still playin football in Guyana. At least in dem mind dem seem to tink that dem can play some ting like football. So dem talkin a lot bout kickin a ball and bout how some body ball in some body court.

But is a different kinda ball dem talkin bout and is a different kinda gold also. It got white ball and red ball from Banks and DDL and it got El Dorado gold. That had to be whah de Nagga Man was talkin bout de other day when he tell a reporter he gon kick a ball to de Guvament in Parliament.

After all, when it come to kickin, de only ting de Nagga Man can do is tek a good kick and feel a high kick, especially when he tekkin white or red balls or a piece of gold. But since de Prezzie challenge he and he balls pardna Rum Jhaat, dem got ‘no confidence’ to kick de ball whah de Nagga Man was talkin bout.

And if yuh ask de Nagga Man to liff up he foot, he gon down he head and walk way. In any case, one of Nagga Man head already down fuh good, and neither he foot nor any ting else he got can liff up. He been to see a lotta doctors, but no doctor don’t bring back de dead.

One of Nagga Man pardna lawyers seh de other day that de Nagga Man does even bring he white and red balls to de court. And sometimes he does choose to bring de gold. Either way he does get a good kick.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! And it does be more kicks when de Nagga Man fall down by de lil shop not too far from wheh he live. Plus when he reach home. That is, whenever he reach home!

up the mess left behind by Britain’s colonial legacy. Our finest Presidents and Prime Ministers have been devising projects to clean up the awful mess inherited from slavery and colonisation. They must be commended for this effort, but the fact is, this legacy of rubble and ruin, persistent poverty, and racialised relations and reasoning, that continues to cripple our best efforts, has been daunting.

Reparatory justice

“Britain, and its Parliament, cannot morally and legally turn their back upon this past, and walk away from the mess they have left behind. We cannot, and should not, be asked to do this by ourselves. We have done our part.

This Parliament must now return, and do its part, within the context of reparatory justice, and within the framework of development cooperation.”

Explaining how reparatory justice can work, he cited two examples, singling out Jamaica and Barbados. Jamaica, Britain’s largest slave colony, the Caricom Reparations Commission Chairperson said was left with 80 per black functional illiteracy at Independence in 1962.

“From this circumstance, the great and courageous Jamaican nation has struggled with development and poverty alleviation. The deep crisis remains. This Parliament owes the people of Jamaica an educational and human resource investment initiative,” he told the House of Commons.

In the case of Barbados, Britain’s first slave society,

which he said is now called the “amputation capitol of the world”, the stress profile of slavery and racial apartheid; dietary disaster and psychological trauma; and the addiction to the consumption of sugar and salt, have reached the highest peak.

“The country is now host to the world’s most virulent diabetes and hypertension epidemic. This Parliament owes the people of Barbados an education and health initiative.” It is the same for The Bahamas, the Leewards, the Windwards, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, and beyond, the Region’s foremost academic said.

Enslaved Africans

British slave ships brought 5.5 million enslaved Africans into their Caribbean colonies over 180 years. When slavery was abolished in 1838, they were just 800,000 persons remaining. That is, a retention/ survival rate of 15 per cent.

The regime of enslavement was crafted by policies and attitudes that were clearly genocidal, Professor Beckles said.

“Madam Chair, we call upon you, and all members of this House, to rise to this challenge and to assist Great Britain to be truly worthy of the title ‘Great’. I urge you to do the right thing, in the right way. There is no other right time, other than right now, in our time. There is so much to gain from your leadership. The Caribbean is counting on you.

“The injustice and the cruelty of that Emancipation Act, remain today like a fish bone stuck in our throats,” he said.

ERC Commissioners to be sworn in next week

Anew Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) is expected to be sworn in by next week, says Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon.

Speaking to media operatives on Wednesday, Dr Luncheon said the Commission has already been approved by Parliament, and as such, President Donald Ramotar will swear in the members before the month ends.

He said this delay was due to the fact that there are several other service commissions which have to be sworn in, and the President is looking to have all done on one day.

The ERC had comprised representatives from seven different constituencies. These included a representative from the three main religions – Hinduism, Islam and Christianity, labour, the private sector, youth and women affairs organisations.

However, a motion was moved and passed by the National Assembly to increase the number from seven to 10.

Among those chosen by the Appointments Committee are: Pastor

John Smith who represents the Christian community; Rajkumarie Singh, the Hindu community; and Shaykh Moeenul Hack from the Muslim community; Norris Witter, Labour; Ravindra Dev, Private Sector Organisations; Gomattie Kalicharran, Youth Organisations; Ruth Howard, Women’s Organisations; Peter Persaud, Amerindian Group; Barrington Braithwaite, African Group; and Neaz Subhan Indian Group.

The ERC has been virtually dysfunctional since

2011, when then Opposition Leader Robert Corbin had secured an injunction against the body, barring the Chairman and two Commissioners from taking any decision, recommendation or issuing any direction on behalf of the constitutional body.

Corbin was also granted an order to have the current Commissioners and Chairman of the ERC refund to the state all monies they had collected after August 2007, when the life of the Commission had expired.

However, in November of that same year, the injunction filed against the ERC officials was thrown out of the High Court. The Judge had said that the case was baseless. The Commission’s Chairman at that time, Bishop Juan Edghill, who was also blocked from performing his duties, resigned from the post, to join the

People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) election campaign.

Edghill is now Minister within the Finance Ministry. The Opposition had also during the 2012 and 2013 national budgets, cut funding for the constitutional body, but this was later restored through a court order.

The ERC is a consti-

tutional body established under the Herdmanston Accord. It works with persons and agencies to promote harmonious ethnic relations. The Commission also deals with complaints, promotes training in racial harmony, and fosters a sense of security, among all ethnic groups.

“Mr Clean to know fate in October” – pleads guilty to narco trafficking in US

Guyana National Power Lifting Champion Colin Aubrey Chesney, also called “Mr Clean” has recently pleaded guilty to trafficking in narcotics in the US when he appeared before a judge there. He will be sentenced to prison sometime in October.

The national athlete was busted on May 24 at the John F Kennedy International Airport by Customs officials after he was seen acting in a suspicions manner. He later confessed to swallowing “foreign bodies” and was taken to a medical facility where an X-ray was performed.

It was then that the cocaine pellets were discovered in his intestinal track. Initially, he had excreted 33, but on the day of his court appearance, he had excreted 54, with a total weight of 1.25 kilograms. The judge refused him bail, thus, he will spend some time in prison before being deported to Guyana.

During the hearing, the court reportedly ordered that Chesney be detained pending trial, since he posed a risk of not attending court

in the future and becomes a risk to the community.

He has been appointed a public defender. Chesney faces the possibility of 10 years or more in prison for the drug trafficking offence, once found guilty. Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) is heading the investigations locally with the aim of finding the source.

It is believed that the drug was given to the power lifter by a local drug cartel to take to the US, where he would have been paid after making the delivery. He would have admitted to swallowing the pellets mo-

ments before boarding a Caribbean Airlines Flight on May 24.

It was reported that this was the second time Chesney had travelled to the US after acquiring his US visitor’s visa from the Embassy in Georgetown.

In April last, US Customs and Border Protection arrested Godfrey Cassius, who arrived on a flight from Georgetown, Guyana, with an alleged US$300,000 worth of cocaine.

Drug agents at the JFK Airport found nearly 18 pounds of cocaine concealed in a bag of custard powder in his suitcase.

CBP officers arrested Cassius and they found eight packages of “Champion” custard powder in his bag. Officers opened the bags and found a white powder that had a strong chemical odour. The powder was tested positive for cocaine.

Cassius, of Guyana, was arrested for the importation of a controlled substance and turned over to Homeland Security investigators. He was later prosecuted and remanded to prison.

Expert NPTAB panel picks NEW GPC

...in Pharma Pre-Qualification exercise

– company out-points competition on transparent criteria

Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon on Wednesday announced that an expert panel has selected NEW GPC INC as the only pre-qualified supplier of drugs to the health sector for the 2014-2016 period. And again he was at pains to point out that internationally-recognised (World Bank) transparent standards were used in the selection process, which was free from any government control and influence.

Only after this pre-qualification selection, as is legally specified, was the Cabinet asked for its “no objection” which was given. The announcement comes months after government had announced it was revisiting the

procurement process for pharmaceuticals and medicines following criticism -the third such activity for the past decade.

Rubbishes

Speaking at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing Dr Luncheon comprehensively rubbished assertions again that government favours the NEW GPC in the process, telling reporters that the pharmaceutical company was the only one which had passed the pre qualification process for the supply of drugs for all of the public medical institutions in Guyana and as such Cabinet has given it’s no objection to the company being awarded the contracts. This however was met

with comments from several media representatives who were at the briefing who questioned the Cabinet Secretary as to whether it was a case of ‘sole sourcing’ and why other companies did not qualify in the process while asking too whether Cabinet had a role to play in making the decision. Realising the reporters confusing the diametrically opposed process of “sole sourcing” versus “competitive pre-qualification”, Luncheon explained that that it was not a matter of sole sourcing but rather, a case of which company had best satisfied the open criteria which the procurement board has in place for the selection and awarding of contracts.

continued on page 13

In Guyana, medicines and medical supplies are procured through two mechanisms: open bidding and via bidding by pre-qualified suppliers. The latter was recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Bank for comprehensive country purchases so as to address the complexities and scale of the pharmaceutical supply chain.

The last change in procurement was at the end of 2010, when, following the recommendation of the Auditor General, medicines and certain medical supplies began to be procured through a system of competitive bidding to produce the list of pre-qualified suppliers. This list would be compiled after an open tender process, using public tendering modelled after a WHO model. It was stated quite clearly that the list would be valid between 2011-2013.

A “Pre-qualification Questionnaire” by the National Procurement Administration and Tender Board (NPATB) spelled out the criteria necessary for compliance, even as it noted that the traditional international suppliers PAHO/WHO, the UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP and IDA were automatically qualified.

Suppliers also had to be legally registered in Guyana and the Caribbean; be “principally” involved in the distribution of drugs, and be in a position to supply at least 75 per cent of the number of line items on each list. The questionnaire also requested business, manufacturing, quality and product information.

There were several local and Caribbean suppliers that applied, including the International Pharmaceutical Agency, but only two local companies were able to be added to the five international suppliers. These were the NEW GPC and MediPharm.

Even though there were strident criticisms of the results of the Pre-Qualification process, no one has been able to dispute then Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy’s contention that “Guyana has successfully procured items through pre-qualification and other methods at 20 to 30 per cent less than the International Average Reference prices”. These average prices are established on publicly available WHO Guidelines on “Country Pharmaceutical Pricing Policies”.

This feature of the process that compares prices to the International Average Reference yardstick is strenuously ignored by local critics. Some of these critics harp on the need for “cheap” or “cheaper” drugs, not understanding that if prices are significantly at variance from the WHO prices, something is amiss. More than likely, these drugs are expired or made from inferior formulations or are not packaged properly.

In line with the expiration of the 2011-2013 Pre-qualified List, towards the end of 2013, there was an advertisement soliciting suppliers for 2014- 2016, from Guyana and members of Caricom to be pre-qualified and be added to the list of international suppliers that once again were defined as being compliant.

What this meant was that the NEW GPC had to once again stand in line and be evaluated along with other local and Caricom companies. These included: Trinidadian companies ANSA McAL and Western Scientific Company as well as locally-based Telcom Solutions (Guyana) Inc, Meditron Scientific Sales, International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA) and Global Healthcare Supplies Inc.

“Agri” sector roadmap gets nod from Parliamentary Committee

BY SVETLANA MARSHALL

The Agriculture Sector’s 2014-2020 Strategic Plan received the endorsement of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources on Monday.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member Joseph Harmon, who is part of the Committee, said moves to further diversify the sector, is a step in the right direction.

Harmon made this comment, shortly after Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy gave a detailed presentation of the Strategic Plan.

The 2014-2020 Agriculture Sector’s Strategic Plan has been crafted to increase the rate of exportation in Guyana, while simultaneously putting the requisite systems in place to reduce importation, particularly of food.

While pointing out that the Caribbean region’s Food Importation Bill was US$5.2 billion, Minister Ramsammy strongly expressed the view that Guyana has the capacity to meet the needs of Guyanese and simultaneous export

ing 450, 000 tonnes of sugar. While the rice industry will this year surpass its 2020 mark of 600, 000 tonnes of rice, the Agriculture Ministry will be initiating the necessary systems to have rice production increase to six tonnes per hectare in a quest to reduce the cost of production.

Currently, approximately 5.4 tonnes of rice is being produced per hectare after increasing from 2.5 tonnes in the early 1990s.

Import reduction

food and products to the Caribbean region through the expansion of the agriculture sector.

Major emphasis will also be placed on non-traditional agriculture crops and activities as the Agriculture Ministry zooms in on 25 priority areas with the aim of experiencing a five per cent growth on an annual basis.

Dr Ramsammy told the committee, that the Agriculture Ministry is optimistic that the sugar industry would be stabilised by the end of 2020, produc-

Additionally, the Agriculture Ministry is pushing to have a 50 per cent reduction in imports of carrots, garlic, turmeric, ginger, black pepper and potato.

“We want to increase non-sugar, non-rice export by a minimum of 25 per cent by 2020, and increase in agro-processed production in Guyana by 50 per cent and simultaneously produce 50, 000 litres of biofuel on a commercial scale by 2020,” Dr Ramsammy told the committee as he reeled out the Ministry’s ambitious strategic plan.

According to him, the bioethanol demonstration plant

in Albion, Region Six, has already exhibited its ability to produce bio-ethanol, positing too that Ministry is now analysing the possible use of other products such as cassava.

While the Agriculture Sector has traditionally focused on meeting the food and nutrition needs of the country, Dr Ramsammy said the sector would be capitalising on the “F5 Approach” as it broadens its horizons.

safe and can meet the nutrition requirements of the nation.

The Agriculture Minister further explained that F3 capitalises on the generation of energy in the agriculture sector while the fourth approach allows for the production of cosmetics and medicine within the agriculture arena while F5 caters for the manufacture of furniture and craft in the agriculture sector.

into other areas, they have to sacrifice food and nutrition security, Guyana does not have to do that,” Dr Ramsammy boasted.

In addition to the 20142020 Agriculture Strategic Plan, issues surrounding the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, aquaculture, hydromet, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority and the Pesticide Control Board were also placed

The first of the F5 approaches is designed to ensure that citizens have enough food while F2 ensures that food produced is

“This sets the basis for the broader agriculture sector, rather than focusing on just food and nutrition… for most countries to get

on

Expert NPTAB panel picks NEW GPC...

“Other companies submitted their bids but when subjected to the array of analysis and the requirements to be met, only one company survived and that company was the NEW GPC …The pre qualification process sees the procurement committee publicly putting out the requests for those who are interested in qualifying or pre qualifying in any category of prequalification.

No give away

It starts out as a public activity and the respondents are then subjected to a fairly intensive array of the assessment according to an established matrix, under the supervision of the tender board.

At its conclusion, a list of those who pre qualify is submitted to Cabinet for it to grant it’s no objection or not”, Dr Luncheon explained.

The suggestion was made, by some media representatives, without any evidence, that the contract was awarded to the company based on the fact that the owner of NEW GPC, Dr. Rajnisinghi Ramroop is a close friend of former president, Bharrat Jagdeo and not on the criteria. However, the Cabinet Secretary debunked the claims, noting that the government was not operating on a “give away” agenda but had given its no objection based on the high standards of safety which is practiced by the company especially at a time when the pharmaceutical market is being flooded with counterfeit products.

“It is imperative that we set the benchmark at a level that ensures that the safety of the Guyanese public and the safety of the drugs that are being manufactured or imported are not compromised.

Documents in place

There has to be safety in safeguarding the public’s welfare, sufficient attention must be paid and that translates itself into specific criteria that all those who aspire to qualify as suppliers, have to meet.

Safety is important. With the presence of counterfeit drugs, drug safety is important for any country which has its citizens’ interests at heart and the process eliminated those who had failed to meet those standards or criteria.

Only one company satisfied the requirements in full and it was the NEW GPC

Inc which did so. So this is no give away. You have to meet the qualifications to be

must seek to fulfill the requirements which govern the process.

“The board (NPTAB) looks at warehouse and storage facilities, who you are importing from, how you manufacture; the condition of your facilities, if your documents are in place among many other things and if you do not have these in place then you cannot expect to be granted the contracts.

System utilised

You cannot be located here and have your storage bond in another country or have the drugs sitting in a container on the wharf. You need to fill all of the requirements. They have to meet those guidelines”, Dr

that was utilised in the 20112013 criteria.

There were 200 maximum points that could have been allocated to bidders according to how they scored on a number of questions in the categories of General Information, Financial Capacity, Infrastructure, Previous Experience, Established Linkages, Manufacturer/Distributor Information, Quality Information and Product Information.

In the interest of the integrity of the process, three unnamed experts were selected by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) to select local prequalified suppliers, based on

awarded”, Dr Luncheon asserted.

He related that if other companies wanted to be granted bids then they too

Luncheon stressed. Additionally, this year, the application for PreQualification had explicitly spelt out the point system

their ability to satisfy the publicly stated criteria.

In some press reports, it was stated that international suppliers were locked out

from page 12

of the process, but according to officials international firms were rolled over and bids were solicited from all Caricom nations. In terms of giving priority to local companies that

have satisfied other criteria, this is a standard procurement practice the world over once their prices are in line with those from the abovementioned multilateral agencies.

Additionally, local companies pay the blanket two per cent Stamp Tax, hire locals and pay local salaries, from which Pay as You Earn (PAYE) is deducted in addition to paying the 35 per cent Corporate Tax on profits.

There are, of course, the externalities in fostering upstream and downstream linkages, both with the local scientific community as well as other manufacturers.

Around the world

Uproar over CJ’s role

Opposition and Independent Senators have expressed concern over a revelation by Justice Minister Emmanuel George that Chief Justice (CJ) Ivor Archie had an input in the Prison Amendment Bill before it was brought to the Senate for debate on Tuesday. The Bill seeks to impose heavier fines and longer jail terms for offences committed under the act, including breaking out of prison.

letter dated December 23, 2013. Archie began by apologising to George for the delay in his response. George said the CJ’s letter said: “I have enclosed for your perusal the comments of the Judiciary on the Miscellaneous Provisions Bill.”

India doctors remove 232 teeth from boy’s mouth

and hammer to take it out.

“Once we opened it, little pearl-like teeth started coming out, one-by-one. Initially, we were collecting them, they were really like small white pearls. But then we started to get tired. We counted 232 teeth,” she added.

He said the Government had “sought their input before the Bill was finalised.”

George then quoted part of a letter sent to him by Archie in March in response to a

It also creates a new body corporate, called the Inspectorate of Prisons, to be headed by a Chief Prison Inspector and a Deputy Prison Inspector. Those positions are to be filled on the recommendation of the Justice Minister. George’s revelation was made while thanking Archie and the Law Association “for their input into this particular Bill.”

The Minister said the CJ invited him to contact him if he had any concerns about the Judiciary’s comments and added: “The Ministry did consult with the Judiciary and also the Law Association.” He said the Association “did respond, via a letter from Ravi Rajcoomar, senior member,” and expressed support for the creation of the Inspectorate of Prisons, saying it was “correct and complies with modern international requirements.” (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Grenada gets US$10M in low-cost financing from CDB

The Board of Directors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has approved a US$10 million policy-based loan (PBL) to support the reform priorities of the Government of Grenada.

This is the first in a series of three US$10 million PBLs that have been proposed for Grenada. It will provide support to the Government in the implementation of a

programme of institutional and policy reforms to restore macroeconomic stability and resume sustainable private sector-led growth and development.

Warren Smith, CDB President, said: “This PBL is a blend of ‘hard’ and soft resources designed to support Grenada’s policy reforms and to improve the country’s debt dynamics.” Grenada has been a

member of the CDB since 1970 and the CDB has had a long-standing involvement in Grenada, with approvals over the period 1970-2013 totaling US$236.8 million, which represented 5.6 per cent of total approvals to its borrowing member countries (BMCs). Lending has primarily supported the development of economic infrastructure. (Caribbean News Now)

Doctors in India have extracted 232 teeth from the mouth of a 17-year-old boy in a seven-hour operation. Ashik Gavai was brought in with a swelling in his right jaw, Dr Sunanda Dhiware, head of Mumbai’s JJ Hospital’s dental department, told the BBC.

The teenager had been suffering for 18 months and travelled to the city from his

village after local doctors failed to identify the cause of the problem. Doctors have described his condition as “very rare” and “a world record”.

“Ashik’s malaise was diagnosed as a complex composite odontoma where a single gum forms lots of teeth. It’s a sort of benign tumour,” Dr Dhiware said. “At first, we couldn’t cut it out so we had to use the basic chisel

The surgery, conducted on Monday, involved two surgeons and two assistants. Ashik now has 28 teeth.

Describing Ashik’s case as “very rare”, Dr Dhiware said she had “not seen anything like this before in my 30-year career”, but said she was “thrilled to get such an exciting case”.

“According to medical literature available on the condition, it is known to affect the upper jaw and a maximum of 37 teeth have been extracted from the tumour in the past. But in Ashik’s case, the tumour was found deep in the lower jaw and it had hundreds of teeth.” (Excerpt from BBC News)

MH17 plane crash: Netherlands holds solemn ceremony for victims

The Netherlands has received the first victims’ bodies from crashed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in a solemn ceremony at Eindhoven air base.

Forty hearses left for the town of Hilversum where the formal identification process will begin. The Netherlands is observing a national day of mourning for the 298 victims, most of whom were Dutch.

Ukrainian pro-Russian rebels have been widely accused of shooting down the plane on July 17. UK Government sources say intelligence shows rebels deliberately tampered with evidence, moving bodies and placing parts from other planes in the debris.

As fighting continued in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, officials in Kiev told the BBC that two aircraft, thought to be military jets, had been downed just 35km (20 miles) from

the crash site.

Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk later told the BBC that one of the fighters could have been hit by an air-to-air missile. He did not directly accuse Russia but said it was not brought down by a Ukrainian jet.

Two military planes – one Dutch and the other Australian – carrying the first 40 coffins landed at Eindhoven air base on Wednesday afternoon. They were met by members of the Dutch royal family, Prime Minister Mark Rutte and hundreds of victims’ relatives.

Churches around the Netherlands rang their bells for five minutes before the planes landed, and flags of all the nations affected by the disaster have been flying at half mast. There was also a minute’s silence.

The coffins were slowly loaded into a fleet of waiting hearses which then moved off in motorcades. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Gaza bloodshed deepens as airlines shun Israel

Gaza fighting raged on Wednesday, displacing thousands more Palestinians in the battered territory as US Secretary of State John Kerry said efforts to secure a truce between Israel and Hamas had made some progress.

In a blow to Israel’s economy and image, American aviation authorities extended a ban on US flights to Tel Aviv for a second day, spooked by rocket salvoes out of the Gaza Strip, with many other global airlines also avoiding the Jewish state.

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, speaking in Qatar, praised the group’s fighters, whom he said had made gains against Israel and

said he supported a humanitarian truce but a ceasefire would only be acceptable in exchange for easing Gazans’ plight.

“Let’s agree first on the demands and on implementing them and then we can agree on the zero hour for a ceasefire... We will not accept any proposal that does not lift the blockade... We do not desire war and we do not want it to continue but we will not be broken by it,” he said.

Adding to the pressure on Israel, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said there was “a strong possibility” that it was committing war crimes in Gaza, where 687 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the fighting.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Maye Hardware plugs $1.2M into Guyana Festival

Rajendra Maye, owner of R Maye Hardware Guyana Inc on Tuesday pledged his support for the Guyana Festival by donating $1.2 million.

According to Maye, the gesture was a way of giving back to the people of Guyana. He emphasised too that his company is not only in Guyana to “make money, but to also aid in the development of the country”.

Acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali lauded the company for fulfilling its corporatesocial responsibility despite being a Trinidadian-based company, and expressed gratitude to Maye.

Over the past few weeks, the Guyana Festival ‘fever’ has been sweeping the nation; the festival passports are being sold all across the country, and as the days count down,

more corporate sponsors are coming onboard.

This inaugural event promises to be one of the highlight events on the Tourism Ministry’s calendar and the organisers are anticipating thousands to flock the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Dank Demerara on August 8, 9 and 10 for a spectacular display that is 100 per cent Guyanese.

Reporters sharpen skills to cover Parliament

The Office of the Speaker of the National Assembly held a one-day media workshop on Wednesday aimed at strengthening relations between reporters and the Parliament and also for them to effectively report to the public, the affairs of the House.

The workshop, held at the Georgetown Club under the theme “Parliament, The People and The Media” was funded by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

Participants of the workshop included members of the media, who usually cover the Parliament and staff of Parliament.

Addressing the workshop, Speaker Raphael Trotman said several surveys around the world showed that the public have low levels of trust and respect for politicians.

He noted that since the commencement of the 10th Parliament, he has been trying to implement a less conflictive and a more inclusive approach to politics.

“We at the Parliament Office came up with a vision to realise a more modern and truly representative National Assembly… which mandates us to include an inclusive form of decision-making process,” he stated.

The Speaker said they want Parliament to be seen less intimidating and more welcoming. Trotman disclosed that his office has implemented some initiatives to help aid their drive. Some of these include the refurbishment of Parliament’s website, streaming of debates and conducting outreaches at schools in the regions. He noted that another aspect Parliament is building on, is its relationship with the media to make information more accessible.

However, Trotman pointed out that in or-

der for this relationship to be successful, the media will have to play their part. He urged journalists to refrain from twisting and turning the opinions of members of Parliament and corrupting the minds of the public.

“We need your (media) help. We need to forge a partnership established on trust and mutual respect. However, we have to caution, we cannot allow manipulation of our views for narrow political ends, the twisting of our words in editorials and other dailies,” the Speaker stated.

Guyana Press Association representative Neil Marks explained that the 10th Parliament has been “vibrant” and emphasised the importance of knowing and understanding the rules and procedures of the House.

Meanwhile, columnist Allan Fenty, who was one of the presenters at the workshop, said the forum is an eye-opener for reporters.

He was joined by other presenters including former Speaker Ralph Ramkarran and Head of the Centre for Communications Studies, at the University of Guyana, Carolyn Walcott.

Ramkarran spoke about the past encounters with the media as Speaker and made some recommendations of how Parliament can improve and more successfully achieve their aim of strengthening their relationship with not only the media, but the public. There was also a heated debate among the participants, particularly members of the media, and the facilitators on responsible reporting; when and what should journalists publish. The participants were also given a breakdown of the procedures in the National Assembly. Member of Parliament Cathy Hughes also made a presentation.

PPP/C calls on PNCR Congress to vote out Granger

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has called on members of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) to vote out David Granger as their leader at this weekend’s Congress.

Saying that Granger is facing an uphill task to regain the leadership and confidence of the PNCR at the upcoming Congress, the PPP/C said the former military leader has failed “miserably to unite and strengthen the party, which is currently undergoing serious trauma in terms of its organisational health”.

“What Granger has succeeded in doing with a fair measure of success is to sideline the party faithfuls and instead catapult to the leadership people with a military background, including many who have never been involved politically,” the PPP/C said.

The ruling party said Granger is probably the “most ineffective and uninspiring of all PNCR leaders. His leadership style has only served to alienate a significant number of party members and supporters. With the Congress only a few days away, Granger is desperately seeking to retain the unchallenged leadership of the PNCR, but with so much of failure and so little charisma and appeal, his chances of retaining the leadership of the party are far from secure.”

According to the PPP/C, party insiders and loyalists see Granger as a political novice and as an armchair

general whose leadership style seems to be one of leading from behind.

“Not surprisingly, there are now emerging several aspirants from within the party who are openly challenging him for the leadership of the party, the most recent of whom is Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon.” Solomon, however, has since backed down from the challenge.

The PPP/C said it should be recalled that at the last PNCR Congress, Granger narrowly defeated Carl Greenidge and only after he secured the endorsement of former PNCR leader Robert Corbin, who openly campaigned on his behalf.

The PPP/C said criticism of Granger’s leadership style is not limited to party insiders, citing Henry Jeffrey’s Future Notes Column recently, which questioned the sincerity of Granger in his call for a Government of national unity should his party

gain power in the next general election.

The PPP/C said in addition to his manifest lack of leadership qualities and the credibility issue, there is the added problem of Granger’s advancing age which would put him well into the biblical ‘three scores and ten’ age group by the time of the next election should he be retained.

“Granger stands exposed and is going into a Congress like a king in his new clothes. His refusal to appear before the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry speaks volumes about his inability to come to terms with the past despite his own admission that the PNCR may have killed people and rigged elections. The PNCR at its upcoming Congress should consider dumping Granger from its leadership, since he has proven himself a non-stellar performer and a failed leader,” the PPP/C charged.

Solomon drops out of PNCR leadership race

...but seeks position of Chairman

BY UTAMU BELLE

Region 10 Chairman

Sharma Solomon has dropped out of the race for leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) his key backers in Linden have confirmed on Wednesday.

Solomon earlier in the day had issued a statement thanking persons for nominating him and outlining vaguely his vision for the party.

However, sources close to him said he will run for the position of Chairman of the party. Solomon and former General Secretary Aubrey Norton were nominated to challenge Granger for the post as leader. Norton draws strong support from the Region 10 constituency.

Prominent representatives of the PNCR Region 10 party office on Wednesday told Guyana Times that Solomon will no longer be among the contenders challenging Granger at this weekend’s 18th Biennial Congress.

They noted however, that while the Region 10 Chairman declined the offer to be a frontrunner at the Congress, he will still be contesting for the position of Party Chairman, along with Basil Williams as was previously announced. The Congress is slated to be held from Friday, July 25 to Sunday, July 27 at Congress Place, Sophia.

PNCR General Secretary Oscar Clarke had previously announced that Granger, Norton and Solomon had accepted the nominations. However, the party representatives on Wednesday stated that the disclosure of the refusal to contest was made by Solomon himself, during a party meeting, attended by approximately 60 persons in Linden on the said morning.

“This is official; the Chairman is not contesting for the leadership of the party. It is only Mr Norton and the party leader (David Granger). That should have been known ever since because he disclosed it and the General Secretary (Oscar Clarke) should have already announced it. The Chairman is contesting for Party Chairman, but not leadership of the party, he’s not contending that,” a member attached to the party stated on Wednesday.

Not done

PNCR member Maurice Butters said a Committee was expected to be established by the party, to examine the front-runners of the Congress, but according to information received, such was not done.

“The party, based on the Constitution, should establish a Credential Committee, which will go through the list of delegates and nominees, and then they make such a pronouncement, but I heard that that was not the case, the Committee did not meet,” he stated.

Butters said the Region 10 PNCR members will meet again today where members will make their positions

known in relation to the upcoming Congress.

“But it is a fact; Chairman (Sharma Solomon) is not interested in the leadership of the party. He did disclose that at the meeting this morning (Wednesday),”he said. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Solomon in a statement had said he was humbled by the confidence reposed in him to be nominated for positions of Leader, Chairman, Vice Chairman and Committee Member. “The Central Executive is a leadership arm of party and as part of this leadership, it would be a humbling experience to serve people at a larger scale,” the Region 10 Chairman said.

He noted that leaders evolve from many different areas and becoming a national figure is one of strategic positioning or transformation.

“The people’s hope is that as a member of the party leadership, I will be in a position to influence decision-making that will see the party optimise its potential. I hope to fulfil their vision, regarding building and uniting the party and to provide leadership that will bring about growth and consolidation of party resources to effectively address and respond to the political challenges and dynamics of this era: crime, injustice, joblessness, corruption and youth hopelessness. I hope to put the history of the party in its proper perspective, for there are lots to be proud of and lots of achievements that have been either distorted or denied.”

Chances good

On his chances of being elected, Solomon said these were good. “Very good. From feedback, people are ripe for change, both in the party and outside of the party. The PNCR is a party that is alive and in constant motion. We have to sometimes take cues from public opinion. I believe from the support I have, the feedback and encouragement, I represent the change that the party needs. The reality is though, that my chances for being elected are not only hinged on the will of the people but the circumstances under which these are expressed. I would encourage all who support change to safeguard their democracy within the party the same as we seek to safeguard it nationally and as other parties in other nations do also. The PNCR is

the only party where such democracy exists and we must constantly safeguard it.”

He said he will lead by example, noting that he has this quality to offer, “because when we call for nationally, we must be prepared to commit to it within the party. I see myself being able to do this as I have been doing based on my record. My record speaks for itself, integrity and keeping promises to the people, communicating with them and respect for diverse views”.

Solomon acknowledged that the PNCR is losing this direction and focus where the Constitution is being violated and individual rights denied. “At the national level, we see so much violations we condemn them. Our party must not now after setting such examples and with such internal democracy undermine the very pillar upon which it advocates for change in society. We cannot embrace what we condemn. I am prepared to offer leadership (better representation) consistent with the Constitution, individual rights and fairness as the party moves forward.”

Govt to set up Anti-money Laundering Unit by October

Guyana will soon be establishing a Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) that will be dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of suspected financial transactions.

Cabinet on Tuesday approved a ‘turn key’ approach for the creation and operationalisation of the unit. Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr Roger Luncheon told the media of this development on Wednesday.

He said the unit will be based at Police headquarters, Eve Leary, under the supervision of acting Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud and will collaborate with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

Dr Luncheon said the SOCU is intended to be Guyana’s response to its treaty obligation to investigate suspicious financial transactions that are related to money laundering and its creation is in response to non-par-

liamentary recommendations from the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF).

The HPS said Cabinet’s approval will be used for the recruitment of investigators from suitable members of the Joint Services and the security sector and it is anticipated that the unit would be in place within the next 12 to 14 weeks. Funding for its operations has also been approved by Cabinet.

Bilateral and multi-

Chand turns down GuySuCo’s

national partners have been approached and have shown interest in supporting the SOCU, Dr Luncheon said. It is the intention to have as soon as possible a professional and competent capacity in Guyana to investigate such offences, he added.

The HPS further explained that the FIU is tasked with monitoring the financial sector and information compiled will be passed on to the SOCU. Investigations will follow to establish whether transactions are indeed money laundering or financing terrorism. If so, prosecution would follow.

Dr Luncheon added that the FIU operates without reference to the administration, Police or Cabinet and information will be going straight to the SOCU. Investigators for the SOCU will receive training from a trained and skilled foreign investigator, who will act as a partner to the SOCU Head for the next three years.

Board

invite ... but GAWU to be represented

Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) President Komal Chand has turned down an invitation to sit on the Board of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), but his union will field a representative to sit on the body.

This was confirmed by Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy on Wednesday. Dr Ramsammy also said that the full board will be announced next week.

During the annual Enmore Martyrs rally earlier this year, President Donald Ramotar had extended an invitation for Chand to sit on the Board. He said this move is necessary to ensure that the management does not “short change” workers.

But in an interview with Guyana Times, Chand had said he has not received a formal invitation from the Office of the President to represent workers at the level of the Board and until an official document was issued to GAWU, he will not offer a comment on whether he will take up the offer.

Subsequently, the Agriculture Minister wrote to Chand on the issue and the matter was discussed last weekend by the union. The decision was taken that Chand would not sit on the Board, but GAWU would nevertheless take

up the offer and appoint a representative. That representative, Guyana was told has been identified.

President Ramotar had publically offered the invitation minutes after Chand had told those at the forum that the time had come for a new Board to be installed.

“A new Board of Directors is long overdue, since the last Chairman became the new Chief Executive Officer, leaving GuySuCo headless and the present Board headless,” the GAWU President said.

Alliance For Change (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan had opposed Chand taking up the position, preferring rather a union representative appointed by the union.

The AFC had also called for a professional and competent Board of Directors

at GuySuCo, saying that the brightest and best persons available should be appointed with a skill set that includes but is not limited to accounting and finance, engineering, agronomy, human resources management, among others.

Ramjattan had said that Chand is a highly respected trade unionist... and should remain at the helm of GAWU and keep the union from compromising its integrity.

Only last week, it was disclosed that GuySuCo has debts of more than $42 billion, with billions owed to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

Finance Director Paul Bhim disclosed to a Parliamentary Committee that GuySuCo’s long-term debt stood at US$112 million or G$23.072 billion, while the short-term debt totals G$19.4 billion. At the time, he was responding to questions posed by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member Desmond Trotman, when GuySuCo appeared before the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Economic Services.

Bhim explained that of the US$112 million, the World Bank loaned GuySuCo US$56 million, while US$32 million was borrowed from the Exim Bank of China and US$24

million from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). According to him, the loans were taken to primarily finance the Skeldon Sugar Factory. But it was Bhim’s breakdown of GuySuCo’s short-term debt that raised eyebrows in the Economic Services Committee, placing the sugar company under further scrutiny. Of the $19.4 billion, the Financial Director said GuySuCo owes GRA $2.7 billion for PAYE and $729 million is outstanding for NIS. According to him, the Corporation has not paid NIS for the last four months, a situation which was described by members of the Committee as “worrying”. With $800 million paid in overdraft approximately three days ago, the Corporation now has an indebtedness of $2.5 billion to seven commercial banks in Guyana.

Corporation and property taxes owed amount to approximately $3 billion while $1.4 billion is outstanding for the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Fund. To add to its high level of indebtedness, GuySuCo recently took a one-year loan from the National Commercial Bank of Jamaica totalling G$3 billion or US$15 million. According to the Finance Director, the loan was taken to finance the operations of the Corporation.

Passengers stranded on Essequibo River

– after boat engine shuts down

passengers

Several passengers were left stranded in the middle of the Essequibo River as one of the engine of the boat they were travelling in failed.

The boat, fully-loaded with passengers and suit cases, began experiencing technical difficulty 15 minutes before it could have reached its destination Supenaam.

The boat was powered by two engines, and after one failed, it slowly began to drift further and further in the river. Children who were on the boat began to panic.

Luckily, another boat, fully-loaded with passengers was making its way to Parika when the bowman insisted that the Captain stop and assisted the other boat.

The boat that was heading to Parika was delayed for 15 minutes as the Captain turn around to drop the passengers to the Supenaam stelling.

Other boat operators, who were waiting on their turn to load, said the Captain of the defaulted boat should have called their boat for help, rather than waiting on a fully-loaded boat to rescue.

Only last week, a similar a problem occurred and passengers called the Regional Chairman to address the issue. Passengers commuting the route from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) to Parika (Region Three) are questioning their safety while on sea.

Passengers are calling on the Parika/Supenaam Speed Boat Association to meet with all boat operators and inform them about the importance of daily maintenance. Passengers are of the view that before a boat starts its journey for the day, the Captain should do routine checks to ensure the safety of passengers.

Hand-in-Hand joins hands with GT&T’s Mobile Money

Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company’s (GT&T) Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) announced on Wednesday that Hand-inHand Mutual Fire Insurance Company Limited has signed on to its service, clearing the way for the payment of fire insurance premiums via the Mobile Money Service.

With this addition, persons all across Guyana have access to a fast, safe and convenient way to cover their fire premiums at Hand-in-Hand, GT&T said in a release. Payments can be made using any model of GT&T mobile phone or at any of the 90 MMG agent locations across Guyana.

Customers should have the relevant information available when making payments using Mobile Money, eg policy number, and the premium (amount) to be paid. Payments will be updated daily by Hand-in-Hand Fire, with the relevant document being mailed to the policy holder, or uplifted on a specified date at the Hand-in-Hand Insurance Building, Avenue of the Republic,

Georgetown.

“Mobile Money offers simplicity and convenience not previously possible in Guyana, where anyone can safely make payments using any cellphone on the GT&T network. Plus, if preferred, they can simply visit a nearby MMG Agent to do their payments. We are pleased to welcome Hand-in-Hand Fire Insurance Company Limited onboard, and to extend our services to meet the needs of their policy holders. This is an addition to the many exciting offerings MMG plans to deliver this year,” said Mobile Money Managing Director Eshwar Thakurdin.

“The Hand-in-Hand Mutual Fire Insurance Company Limited is happy to partner with GT&T Mobile Money, in offering this comfortable and convenient service to our fire policy holders. In an era where persons are seeking alternative methods of payment, to avoid either joining a line or leaving their homes, MMG allows policy holders the convenience of paying premiums from their mobile phone. Our fire policy holders can be assured that all payments will be up-

dated accordingly and transactional records will be available for them,” said Hand-in-Hand Business Development Officer Shanomae Baptiste.

Finance Controller Shaheed Essack welcomed the partnership between The Hand-in-Hand Mutual Fire Insurance Company Limited and Mobile Money Guyana.

“This initiative”, he advised, “would allow our fire policy holders the option of conducting their transactions from the comfort of their homes and at their convenience”. He further stated “HIH continues to explore avenues to better serve policy holders and MMG provides such”.

Mobile Money is a service which allows GT&T mobile customers to store money in their mobile ‘Wallet’ and perform everyday payments such as paying bills (GT&T, GPL, GWI, IPED, recently added GRA, and now Hand-inHand Mutual Fire Insurance Company Limited); buying GPL tokens/credit; sending money to practically anywhere in Guyana; and buying GT&T credit.

Fisherman in pirate attack died from drowning – Autopsy

The post-mortem examination performed on the body of Andrew Goppie, one of the fishermen who washed ashore at Mahaicony several days after he was reportedly thrown overboard during a pirate attack, gave the cause of death as drowning.

The autopsy, which was conducted by Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital on Wednesday, eliminated any form of speculation that the man was murdered as was initially claimed by his relatives.

According to reports received, the man’s body was severely damaged and was immediately handed over to the family for burial.

Goppie, 41, of Sand Reef, Annandale, East Coast Demerara, was badly decomposed. He was positively identified by his missing teeth.

His sister, Debbie, confirmed that he did not have four of his front teeth; hence, the identification was a smooth process.

The body was still clad in pieces of cloth and was lying face down. Portions of the body were missing, probably eaten by fishes.

He was described as a simple guy, who only started to work with the boat owner a few months ago, although he had been in the fishing business for some time.

Relatives are still in a state of shock after receiving the news of his disappearance.

However, the relatives of the other three missing men, Vinesh Drunarine of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara; Raymond Gomes, 37; and Chandrapaul Jallim, 19, of Recht-Door-Zee, West Bank Demerara are still hopeful that the men are alive while bracing themselves for the worst.

The Captain of the boat, Salim Hack also called Feroze, 48, of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara returned to Guyana and was grilled by

local Police, who found some inconsistencies in the story told compared to the one that was initially reported. According to information gathered, the Captain is holding out that the attack was done in Suriname, but several questions arose since the boat was discovered in Mahaica and the body of crew member Andrew Goppie at Mahaicony.

Hack reportedly told the Police that he was rescued by a fishing vessel after spending eight hours in rough waters, along the Corentyne Coast. Initially, the Captain had told the owner of the boat that it took him some 19 hours to reached land.

The four men went missing two Tuesdays ago after they were attacked, beaten, and thrown overboard during a pirate attack on their vessel. The vessel owned by Deochand Bharat was found on Monday last drifting in the Mahaica area.

The Captain of the boat reportedly swam for some 19 hours before reaching land after which he alerted Surinamese law enforcement officers. Local Police were also contacted. They are in contact with their counterparts in the sister Caricom State. Several searches were conducted in the area and along the Corentyne Coast for the men, but all have been in vain thus far.

GUYANA

Banks (Barbados) Breweries supports Tridents

The Barbados Tridents now have the official support of the ‘Beer of Barbados’.

Banks (Barbados) Breweries Limited has signed a deal with the local franchise that will see the Barbados Tridents prominently sporting the iconic Banks Beer logo on their match caps for the remainder of the 2014 Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

“We are pleased to partner with the Tridents as they seek to bring cricketing glory to the people of Barbados,” said

Bernard Frost, Group Marketing Manager of Banks Holdings Limited (BHL). “We have enjoyed a longstanding relationship with both the West Indies Cricket Board and the Barbados Cricket Association, and we see our new partnership with the Barbados Tridents as an evolution of BHL’s continuing support for local culture and sport, especially our beloved cricket.”

In January this year, the ‘Beer of Barbados’ became the ‘Official Beer Partner of West Indies vs England 2014’. “The CPL has been billed as the ‘Biggest Party In Sport’ and Banks Beer fully intends to keep the party go -

Barbados Tridents stick St Lucia...

A platform had been put in place for a big total, with Smith looking to make the most of the base he had set. The Bajan opener reached his half- century off just 39 balls and he always looked like going very big.

Smith’s partnership of 110 with Malik was the perfect contrast in styles. While Smith was booming bat and big shots, Malik was about glides and touches that he times to the boundary. With his team-mate going so well, Malik was more than happy to give the strike to Smith, but the Pakistani was capable of finding the ropes. One cut shot off Tino Best travelled so fast, it was a blur as it left the bat. The next ball was a slower one that was just as sweetly timed by Malik for another four.

That over cost Best 16 runs, but also brought him Malik’s wicket. This was not without controversy as the two men shared some angry words as the batsman headed back to the dressing room. A timely intervention from Zouks captain, Sammy, helped to calm things down as he explained to his bowler that he was crossing the line.

While the kerfuffle took place, Smith carried on as before, bringing up his century with a six over midwicket off the 68th ball he faced, the penultimate delivery of the innings. He repeated the feat off the last ball to finish on 110 not

out. It was Smith’s highest score in T20 cricket and the first ever 100 in this format at the Kensington Oval. He was ably supported at the death by his captain, Kieron Pollard, who finished on an undefeated 18.

A target of 187 was always going to be difficult for the Zouks, but Johnson Charles made a good fist of it in the opening exchanges. In the second over, he hit a “helicopter” shot for six that India captain, MS Dhoni, would be proud of.

If the Zouks were going to get close, they would need one of the openers to bat for the majority of the innings. A bullet throw from Ravi Rampaul that hit the stumps from well over 40 yards away ran out Charles by a few feet, so ending his hopes of fulfill -

ing that role.

That left the responsibility of managing the chase with Henry Davids, and he was lucky not to depart inside the power play as Jonathan Carter failed to hold on to a difficult catch off the bowling of Jason Holder. The South African opener failed to make the most of his life, hitting the ball straight into the hands of Dwayne Smith on the leg side boundary for Holder to claim his wicket for 22. It was a stop-start knock as he struggled to dominate the Tridents bowling in the way Smith had managed in the opposition’s innings.

The Zouks players

SCOREBOARD

Barbados Tridents innings (20 overs maximum)

DR Smith not out 110

SO Dowrich† c †Fletcher b Sohail Tanvir 0

View dismissal Shoaib Malik b Best 49

KA Pollard* not out 18

Extras (lb 4, w 4, nb 1) 9

Total (2 wickets; 20 overs) 186 (9.30 runs per over)

Did not bat: JL Carter, BMAJ Mendis, AR Nurse, JO Holder, RR Emrit, AJ Hosein, R Rampaul Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Dowrich, 1.1 ov), 2-128 (Shoaib Malik, 14.5 ov) Bowling: RE van der Merwe

1-0-18-0, Sohail Tanvir 4-0-381, TL Best 3-0-27-1, DJG Sammy 4-0-34-0, M Mathew 4-0-330, S Shillingford 4-0-32-0

St Lucia Zouks innings (target: 187 runs from 20 overs) J Charles run out (Rampaul) 12 H Davids c Smith b Holder 22 ADS Fletcher† c Smith b Emrit 27 K Lesporis not out 50 DJG Sammy* c Carter b Mendis 0 Sohail Tanvir not out 38

Extras: (b 1, lb 2, w 5) 8

Total: (4 wickets; 20 overs) 157 (7.85 runs per over)

Did not bat: SW Ambris, RE van der Merwe, S Shillingford,

ing whenever the Tridents play,” added Frost.

Barbados Tridents, captained by Kieron Pollard, played St Lucia Zouks on Wednesday, and will meet the Antigua Hawksbills on July 25 and the Guyana Amazon Warriors on July 26 at Kensington Oval.

The Barbados Tridents squad includes West Indies stars Pollard, Dwayne Smith, Jason Holder, Kirk Edwards, and Ravi Rampaul, while international players include Shoaib Malik of Pakistan, Jeevan Mendis of Sri Lanka, and Neil McKenzie

of South Africa. The team is under the guidance of head coach Rabindra ‘Robin’ Singh, assistant coach, Henderson Springer, and is mentored by West Indies batting legend, Desmond Haynes. The final of the 2014 Limacol CPL is scheduled for August 16 at Warner Park in St Kitts. “We wish the Tridents every success and we hope to see them lift the trophy at the end of the tournament. We already have the Banks Beer on ice,” added Frost.

struggled to go at better than a run a ball as some excellent Tridents bowling first from Holder, and then from Reyad Emrit, meant that a climbing required rate and falling wickets made victory a forlorn hope.

When Darren Sammy departed second ball without scoring, even forlorn hopes were missing.

A very expensive over from Akeal Hosein that went for 20 gave the Zouks a glimmer, but it was always too little, too late.

Keddy Lesporis played a mature innings of 50 not out, and an entertaining cameo from Tanvir of 38 off 18 balls gave the visitors something to cheer, even if it didn’t give them victory.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel will meet again this evening following their thrilling game at the

Guyana National Stadium on July 17, when Sunil Narine single-handedly settled the issue in the Super Over that ensued.

The Amazon Warriors had clawed their way back from an early batting collapse to tie their game against the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel before coming out convincing winners. Mystery spinner Narine was simply unplayable in the Super Over, as he bowled a wicket maiden over to send the packed Guyana National Stadium in party mode.

The game is expected to be another keenly contested affair but Guyana Amazon Warriors should hold the psychological advantage and confidence- at least that appeared to be on the countenance of skipper Denesh Ramdin at the press conference in Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday.

WICB Regional Under-19 cricket…

Powell ton leads Leeward Islands’ surge

SCOREBOARD

BARBADOS UNDER-

19s 1st Innings 120

JAMAICA UNDER-19s 1st Innings

(overnight 106 for five)

L. Lugg st Boucher b Williams 42

O. McCatty st Boucher b Williams 16

R. Francis c wkpr Boucher b Williams 4

M. Parchment c Springer b Williams 1

+R. Morris c wkpr Boucher

b Persaud 6

A. Mansingh c wkpr Boucher

b Harding 11

*R. Lewis c Kirton b Williams 23

N. Walters not out 13

G. Walker lbw b Williams 4

O. Smith b Persaud 0

O. Thomas lbw b Williams 0 Extras (b3, lb5, w1, nb1) 10

TOTAL (all out, 60 overs) 130

Fall of wickets: 1-62, 2-65, 3-69, 4-76, 5-76, 6-111, 7-111, 8-120, 9-121 Bowling: Harding 9-2-261, Jones 11-2-17-0, Springer 2-0-16-0, Williams 21-1031-7, Persaud 17-5-32-2

BARBADOS 2nd Innings

L. Gaskin b Smith 4

D. Wilson b Smith 7

+L. Boucher b Smith 0

A. Greenidge c Thomas b Walker 39

B

y A ven A sh R A mz A n

An uninspiring field -

ing effort saw Guyana chasing leather all day as a Ross Powell hundred gave the Leeward Islands first-innings honours at stumps on day two of the first-round match of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Under-19 tournament at the National Stadium, Providence.

On another day of glorious sunshine, the Leeward Islands, responding to Guyana’s

J. Toppin c Parchment b Lewis 46

N. Kirton lbw b Lewis 20

S. Springer lbw b Smith 23

M. Jones c Parchment b Lewis 34

C. Williams c and b Williams 2

K. Harding c Thomas b Lewis 26 N. Persaud not out 4

Extras (lb1, w1, nb4) 6

TOTAL (all out, 67.1 overs) 211

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-4, 3-13, 4-65, 5-105, 6-128, 7-159, 8-170, 9-189 Bowling: Smith 13-3-44-4, Thomas 2-0-17-0, Lewis 29.15-75-5, Walters 9.2-2-31-0, Walker 5-0-22-1, Mansingh 8-2-11-0, Lugg 0.4-0-10-0

JAMAICA 2nd Innings

(target: 202)

L. Lugg b Jones 3

O. McCatty not out 1 R. Francis not out 0

Extras (b4, nb2) 6

TOTAL (1 wkt, 5 overs) 10

Fall of wickets: 1-7

Bowling: Harding 3-05-0, Jones 2-1-1-1

Position: Jamaica need 192 more for victory with nine second innings wickets standing

Points-to-date: Jamaica 4.5, Barbados 4.1

first innings 270, extended their overnight 21-1 to 300-8, an effort built on a rock-solid 130 from the left-handed opener Powell.

As it is, the Guyanese, who started the day with high hopes of gaining a first-innings lead, were left pondering what could have been had their fielding been better, and are now faced with the task of putting up an improved batting performance to save the contest today.

The Guyanese started positively, remov -

to dismiss

ing night watchman Shaquille Martina, leg before to off-spinner Steven Sankar for six at 49-2. However, Powell was joined by Kacey Carthy and they proceeded to bat the visitors to a position of comfort, adding 97 for the third wicket.

During the partnership, Powell brought up his 50 from 90 balls, after spending 116 minutes at the crease and hitting eight fours and a six. The Guyanese however, squandered the opportunity to dismiss him shortly after, flooring two catches off consecutive deliveries from Daimon Waldron when he was on 52.

The right-handed

at 104-2. Powell was on 55 and Carthy on 35.

After the break, the pair consolidated the islanders’ position with Carthy notching up his half-century and Powell remaining resolute. But just when it seemed as if the duo were batting Guyana out of the game, Carthy played a rash shot and lost his off stump to Kemo Paul for 64 (118 minutes, 132 balls, 9x4s) at 146-3.

Asharn Hodge and Powell then added 37 before the former was run out for 13, leaving the Leeward Islands at 1904 at tea with Powell on 94 and Mohit Hingorani yet to score.

Upon resumption, Powell pulled off-spin -

SCOREBOARD

T&T UNDER-19s 1st Innings 74

WINDWARDS UNDER19s 1st Innings

(overnight 91 for two)

G. Pope lbw b Jadoo 20

M. Gordon c and b Roopnarine 32

T. Simon b Roopnarine 30

K. Jno Lewis c Bootan b Phillip 17

*R. Cato lbw b Jadoo 43

+A. Latchman c and b Phillip 38

R. John lbw b Joseph 10

D. Edwards not out 26

D. Hypolite lbw b Joseph 0

S. Lewis c Jadoo b Roopnarine 13

C. Phillip not out 3

Extras (b4, lb7, w1, nb5) 17

TOTAL (9 wkts decl’d, 108 overs) 249

Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-74, 3-92, 4-118, 5-184, 6-198, 7-204, 8-207, 9-232

Bowling: Seetal 15-4-35-0, Phillip 15-3-29-2, Roopnarine 26-9-53-3, Jadoo 23-8-39-2, Joseph 18-5-39-2, Bootan 102-42-3, Christmas 1-0-1-0

Carthy remained solid and the pair batted the Leeward Islands to lunch

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 2nd Innings

*J. Solozano not out 34

A. Jangoo c Gordon b Lewis 0

B. Christmas not out 12

Extras (lb2, nb1) 3

TOTAL (1 wkt, 20 overs) 49

Fall of wickets: 1-15

Bowling: Lewis 5-2-8-1, Phillip 4-1-14-0, Pope 5-112-0, John 3-0-6-0, Hypolite 2-0-3-0, Edwrads 1-0-4-0

Position: T&T trail by 126 with nine second innings wickets standing Points-to-date: Windwards Under-19s 5.1, T&T Under-19s 1.2

his hundred, which took 296 minutes, spanned 260 balls and included 13 fours and a six.

Soon after, Hingorani was caught at mid-off by Sharaz Ramcharran off the bowling of Sankar for a patient knock of one to make it 201-5. When the new ball was taken in the 93rd over with the score 221-5, it brought immediate rewards for The Leeward Islands with Powell hitting seamer Keon Morris for three consecutive fours, followed by four leg byes off the next delivery.

With the new ball yielding runs, Powell decided to cash in, adopting a more adventurous approach with first-innings honours in sight. However, he was undone by a Ramcharran delivery, which he top-edged to Morris at cover to end a brilliant knock of 130.

Powell’s innings spanned 346 minutes and 293 balls and included 19 fours and a six, and when he was dismissed at 2546, the tourists were still 17 short of a first innings lead.

Alzarri Joseph would later hand Leeward Islands the advantage with a six off Ramcharran, but fell soon after for 11 at 2747. Sixteen runs later, Kenrick Scott was brilliantly run out by Baldeo, who threw down the stumps at the nonstriker’s end from wide long-off at 290-8.

ner Balchand Baldeo to the mid-wicket boundary for four to bring up

Skipper Jeremiah Louis, who took on the senior role after Powell departed, and Colin Archibald batted through to the end without further

SCOREBOARD

GUYANA UNDER-19s 1st Innings 270 LEEWARDS UNDER19s 1st Innings (overnight 21 for one) D. Weste c Morris b Baldeo 1 R. Powell c Morris b Ramcharran 130 S. Martina lbw b Sankar 6 K. Carty b Paul 64 A. Hodge run out 13 +M. Hingorani c Ramcharran b Sankar 1 *J. Louis not out 49 A. Joseph c Hetmyer b Ramcharran 11 K. Scott run out 1 C. Archibald not out 1 Extras (b10, lb7, nb6) 23 TOTAL (8 wkts, 113 overs) 300 T. Bussue to bat Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-49, 3-146, 4-187, 5-201, 6-254, 7-274, 8-290 Bowling: Paul 17-2-651, Baldeo 26-12-43-1, Waldron 10-3-19-0, Morris 6-2-32-0, Ramcharran 226-45-2, Sankar 28-8-712, Chanderpaul 4-1-8-0 Position: Leewards Under19s lead by 30 runs with two first innings wickets standing Points-to-date: Guyana 5.1, Leewards 5.3

alarm, as the Leeward Islands ended the day on 300-8, a lead of 30 with a day to go.

Louis is not out on 49 (91 minutes, 71 balls, 5x4s, 2x6s) and Archibald on one. Sankar ended the day with 2-71 from 28 overs, while Ramcharran has so far taken 2-45 from 22 overs. Over at the Everest Cricket Club Jamaica will start the final day needing 192 more for victory with nine second innings wickets standing in their game against Barbados while at Enmore Community Centre Trinidad and Tobago will resume their second innings trailing by 126 with nine wickets standing.

Headquarters open lead at Police Sports

By TreisTon Joseph

After ending the opening day of competition tied with ‘A’ Division, Headquarters took first position when day two of the Guyana Police Force Athletics Championships concluded on Wednesday at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary.

Headquarters (HQ) ended the day with 200 points, while ‘A’ Division was left second on 171 points. Country Division maintained their position of third with 77 points, while ‘B’ Division brought up the rear with 63 points.

Nathaniel Giddings did not hesitate to put on a show, outpacing his competitors by over 100 metres to win the male 5000 metres in a time of 17:06.9s for ‘A’ Division, while Headquarters’ Grivon Grant was second in 18:01.6s.

Nevil Nicholas of Antigua was third in 18:24.1s.

Tevin Garraway looked to be running himself into form in the 200 metres with an explosive start before shutting down to easily win the event in 22.4s after a series of injuries that kept him off the track.

Carifta bronze medallist

Jonella Jonas captured her second event of the championships by winning the female 800 metres for Country Division in 2:27.3s. Dellie Williams was second for HQ in 2:35.2s while Shion Boyer of ‘A’ division was third in 2:41.7s.

‘A’ Division’s Tracy Moses topped the female triple jump field with a leap of 10.15 metres, while Cindy Fraser also of ‘A’ Division was second with a jump of 9.45 metres. Lashuana Benjamin was third with 8.90 metres for HQ.

Clarence Greene threw away the men’s ‘B’ Class

Javelin with a throw of 44.06 metres to give HQ an additional 10 points while ‘B’ Division’s Colwin Leacock was second in 42.81 metres. Warren Duncan was third for HQ with 39.63 metres.

Troy Williams made up for his loss in the long jump on day one with a win in the triple jump to add to the points tally of HQ with a jump of 13.12 metres. Yoel Benjamin was second for ‘A’ Division with a jump of 12.94 metres while Greene finished third for HQ with a jump of 12.84 metres.

Meanwhile, day two saw the first set of relay action in

Williamson banned from bowling due to illegal action

Kane Williamson, the part-time New Zealand offspinner, has been suspended from bowling in international cricket after his action was found to be illegal.

Williamson was reported for a suspect action following the second Test against West Indies in Trinidad in June and was sent for biomechanical testing at Cardiff Metropolitan University. That testing has shown that Williamson’s elbow extension when bowling exceeds the 15 degrees allowable under the ICC rules.

As a result of that finding, Williamson has been banned from bowling in all international cricket matches, a suspension that can only be lifted if and when he reworks his action and has it found legal by similar independent testing. Williamson has declared his intention to focus on remedial work to improve his action and hopes to be able to bowl again in future.

“I note the findings of Dr Craig Ranson and his team at Cardiff Met and will concentrate on changing whatever’s necessary to return to the bowling crease,” Williamson said. “Clearly, the onus is on me to satisfy assessors as to the legality of my action, and I’m aware I have some hard work in front of me to achieve that goal.

“It’s never nice, going through this sort of process but it will be worth it if I can manage to bowl again at international level.”

the championships with HQ taking both the male and female distance medley relay events.

The men won the 3000 metres relay event in 7:37.5s, while the women won the 2400 metres relay event in 7:27.9s to end HQ on a high note after the first two days of competition.

Today will be a rest day for the athletes, while the final events of the championships will be contested on Friday. HQ will be aiming to retain their championship as the finals of the sprint events are set to light the ground afire.

Guyadeen

beats 70plus field at Baiting Hollow

Guyanese Cris

Guyadeen defeated a field of more than 70 golfers to take yet another win in the Golf Channel’s AM Tour at Baiting Hollow Golf and Country Club in Long Island, New York, on Wednesday.

Guyadeen told Guyana Times Sport he was denied the privilege of playing a practice round because the golf club is private; however, he managed against the heavy 15-20-mile winds and the thick rough around the very fast greens to shoot a 78 to win over the field and take the first-place trophy to go along with his already bulging collection. This is Guyadeen’s sixth win on the GCAM tour. His next tournament is a twoday major tournament in Orlando, Florida on August 2-3.

Cutting Gay’s ban a bad message – Bolt

World record holder Usain Bolt has criticised the decision to reduce Tyson Gay’s doping ban because he co-operated with the US Anti-Doping Agency. Gay and Bolt’s fellow Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell, both 31, failed drug tests for oxilofrine, in July 2013.

Gay was given a one-year ban and Powell was initially suspended for 18 months. Bolt said: “It is sending a bad message into the sport that you can do it, but if you co-operate with us we’ll reduce the sentence.”

Former 100m and 200m world champion Gay could have been banned for up to two years but received a lighter penalty because of his co-operation. Powell claimed his ruling was “unfair and unjust”, and said a legal supplement he took, Epiphany D1, was contaminated. He

appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and his ban was subsequently reduced to six months.

Six-time Olympic champion Bolt does not agree that the athletics world governing body, the IAAF, should have accepted Gay’s reduced ban. “I don’t think that’s the right way to go because you are pretty much telling people that this is a way out, it’s

a way of beating the system,” he said.

The IAAF said in a statement: “After careful review of the full file provided by USADA, the IAAF has decided that the one-year sanction applied in the case of Tyson Gay was appropriate under the circumstances and in accordance with IAAF Rules.” Both Gay and Powell have now returned to action.

Williamson was reported by the umpires Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth and Rod Tucker, as well as the match referee Chris Broad, following the Trinidad Test. At the time, the ICC said the umpires’ report from that match had cited “concerns over a number of deliveries that they considered to be suspect”.

breaks have brought him 24 wickets at 40.66 from his 34 Test appearances. Mike Hesson, the New Zealand coach, said he was hopeful Williamson would be able to bowl for his country again.

Williamson bowled 15.2 overs during that match and although his primary role in the New Zealand side is as the No.3 batsman, his part-time off-

“Kane’s disappointed, clearly - anyone in his situation would feel the same way,” Hesson said. “He now has a challenge on his hands if he’s to bowl again at the top level, but we’re very hopeful he can manage it.” (espncricinfo.com)

Rafal

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China Trading presents cheque for GMAA 5K

– Khan’s Electronics, S&L Enterprise and Parsram’s Discount Store donate trophies

The Guyana Masters Athletics Association (GMAA) on Tuesday received a cheque valued $35,000 from Jason Wang, owner of China Trading, as part sponsorship for Sunday’s 5K run at the National Park.

The association also received three trophies each from Khan`s Electronics, S&L Enterprise and Parsram’s Discount Store.

Wang presented the sponsorship cheque to Treasuer of the GMAA, Malcolm DeFreitas, who said “the GMAA is appreciative of the member [Wang] who has been kind enough to help finance the 5K run.”

He also said: “It is difficult for sporting organisations to get money, and this is a major contribution towards having that venture and we are very appreciative of it and hopeful that other agencies, companies

will continue this kind support not only for us but for sports generally.”

Malcolm also noted that athletics can return to its glory days in Guyana. He said the athletes who were champions in the past can still remain champions, as these races provide great opportunities for them to once again showcase their skills.

Sometime in November the GMAA hopes to compete overseas, DeFreitas said.

The event on Sunday, which starts at 16:00h, is open to all athletes countrywide and prizes will be given to the top three finishers of various age group categories, starting from age 35. Llewelyn Gardner, Ian Archibald, GMAA President Dr George Norton and Lindon Harrison are expected to take to the starter’s line as veteran male athletes, while Alicia Fortune and Cyrleen Phillips are ex-

pected to be among the female competitors. Road race ace Alika Morgan is expected to appear for the Open females’ race. The GMAA was resuscitated in June with the electing of executive members. The Secretary is Silas Brummel, Treasurer Malcolm De Freitas and Assistant Secretary Treasurer George Barry. Revamping of the constitution, pursuing a membership drive and having an active calendar of events are some of the things the GMAA reportedly have as priority. Future efforts would include getting affiliated to similar associations in the Region and farther afield.

Guyana currently has a number of top distance athletes who compete in the Masters category of various road races here and in the Region. (Saeed Mohamed)

GASA announces 12-member IGG swimming team

By TreisTon Joseph

The Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) has named a 12-member team to represent the country at the upcoming Inter- Guiana Games (IGG) to be held here during the first weekend of August.

The team is made up of six males and a similar amount of females, with Olympian Britany Van Lange spearheading the team, along with upcoming star Hannibal Gaskin.

The team has been training at the National Aquatic Centre, where Guyana Times Sport spoke to Team Manager Leon Seaton on Tuesday. Seaton was full of optimism for the team, especially since he believes home advantage may come into play.

“This year the team has seen great improvement and I know that they are going to do better than last year. It’s a full team and the swimmers are eager to go especially because the games will be keeping here in Guyana, so I expect them to do well,” Seaton stated.

Meanwhile, Cuban Isabel Marie Cousos Fals, who currently coaches in Guyana, stressed that it would have been better to have the Inter- Guiana Games in October, so that “we can come back from the Goodwill Games and then start preparing for the IGG,” Fals noted through her interpreter, GASA President Ivan Persaud.

However, Fals also highlighted that the IGG will serve as a prelude for the Goodwill Games set for a week after IGG.

“Last year the competition was held

Britany Van Lange

in October and this year it’s just before Goodwill so it is seen as a warm-up for the Goodwill Games so we are hoping that we do really well,” Fals stated.

The male team will include: Omar Adams, Omari Dunn, Philip DeNobrega, Dylan Nurse, Selwyn Miller and Hannibal Gaskin while the girls’ team includes: Accalia Khan, Britany Van Lange, Nikita Fiedtkou, Jamila Sanmagon, Soroya Simmons and Kenita Mahaica.

Bush Lot Rising Stars get uniforms from NAMILCO

Bush Lot Rising Stars, the latest team to join the list of first-division cricket teams in Berbice, were recently the proud recipients of uni-

forms sponsored by the National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO).

The uniforms are in the colours of the NAMILCO brand and

bear the company’s logo, while at the same time, display the Maid Mariam and Thunderbolt flour brands, premier products of the entity.

At a simple ceremony in the company’s boardroom, the team’s manager Ravindranauth Saywack highlighted the accomplishments of the team in the cricketing arena, from 2010 to 2014, with the most recent being Kris Ramnarine being selected to represent the national Under-15 team in Jamaica.

He posited that even though the team is yet to win a major tournament, it is only a matter of time before that happens.

However, in the interim Saywack said they would continue to produce quality players of the calibre of Keyron Fraser, Brentnol Woolford, Dellon Joseph, Adrian Singh, Randy Singh, Bramdat Singh and Kris Ramnarine among others, for possible Berbice and national duties.

He thanked NAMILCO for their support and pledged on behalf of the team to work assiduously to bring glory to the company and help to further popularise the Maid Mariam and Thunderbolt flours.

Saywack posited that the team can only grow from strength to strength with the support exemplified by NAMILCO, and urged the business community to support ventures such as these in their quest to keep youths off the streets and away from crime and drugs.

Chief Executive Officer of NAMILCO, Bert Sukhai, in his presentation, challenged the players present to work hard on their game to achieve success, while at the same time, aspire to make NAMILCO proud.

He implored them to work hard with the key words being discipline and mutual respect so that many more could emerge to the top levels of cricket in Guyana. Sukhai also pledged his support for their future development.

The players also received words of advice from Affeeze Khan, himself a former cricketer and sport enthusiast, who reminded them of the importance of staying in school and having a good education.

P&P tennis camp nearing successful completion

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

As most sport disciplines grapple with in-house fighting and power struggles, thereby stymieing the process of development, the Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) is quietly making progress with its next generation of players, laying a strong foundation for the future of the game.

Executives of the Association, headed by a woman who ‘eats, sleeps and breathes tennis’, Grace McCalman, have once again thrown their time, energies and expertise behind the hosting of the 10th annual tennis camp for beginners, sponsored exclusively by P&P Insurance Brokers and Consultants Limited.

The two-week camp, which has attracted approximately 65 youngsters from as young as three years of age and as old as 18, will conclude on Friday, but according to National Coach and Chief Coordinator of the activity, Shelly DalyRamdyhan, there is a demand for the event to be extended by a week.

She said that’s a decision that will be have to be made by the GTA executives in consultation with the spon-

sor Bish Panday, but for now, she is focused on ensuring the youngsters receive the best possible training and tutelage.

“It [the camp] has always generated a high level of participation. There is also a demand already for another week, but of course that will be decided by the executive,” the highly respected coach told this publication during a break in one of the sessions at the National Gymnasium on Wednesday.

Daly-Ramdyhan further stated that the conclusion of the camp is not the end of the process, but rather the beginning, as the participants will be assigned to clubs once they display an avid interest in the game.

“After that [the conclusion of the camp] we will tell the kids how they can continue playing tennis in clubs. There are currently five clubs that have junior programmes, so they can continue playing. Some of them are already in school programmes and some are already in clubs, so hopefully we can get the others to join clubs,” Daly-Ramdyhan, who has been conducting the programme since its inception, explained.

She added, “What I’ve seen in terms of participation I’m very overwhelmed

so hopefully we can have them continue. It’s unfortunate we can’t have all of them in a programme, but hopefully we can encourage parents to encourage them to continue playing.”

Quizzed on the success rate of the camp during the past decade, DalyRamdyhan pointed out that a perfect example of how the programme has served tennis is the progress made by Afruca Gentle over those

years.

Gentle started out as a bubbly four-year-old when the programme was initially held and has evolved into one of the country’s top junior players. She is currently the reigning national Under-14 champion and has represented Guyana at several regional competitions.

While Daly-Ramdyhan is satisfied with the strides made and benefits gained,

she said the GTA and those directly involved in the development of tennis are aware that there is always room for improvement and that has been the driving force for them to continue.

“Tennis is in a place that we over the years expect it to be. I won’t say safe as yet; safe would be when we have our own home. I’m satisfied though, more so that we now have programmes in other clubs. In the past it

was only Park Players Club, which is the club that I run, and then we have a couple of junior programmes so it shows that something is happening and we’re going in the right direction. We’re working with our five-year plan; we haven’t met all the goals that we would like, but we’re on the right track,” she concluded.

Daly-Ramdyhan is assisted by Leyland Leacock during the sessions.

Grenville Felix Memorial 60-miler pedals off Saturday

Cyclists will converge in East Canje on Saturday to race for the first annual Grenville Felix Memorial 60-mile road race. The event will pedal off from the engineer’s former residence at Canefield East Canje and proceed to Number 43 Village, Corentyne, before returning to the starting point.

The event is open to cyclists countrywide and is being organised by the Flying Ace Cycle Club (FACC).

Speaking at the launching of the event Wednesday, son of the former GuySuCo engineer, Russell noted that the idea to have the race to showcase the life of the former sports enthusiast was conceptualised three years ago. Then, he noted, his brother Rawl decided to organise the event in collaboration with the Flying Ace

Cycle Club. “To commemorate his birthday every year we decided to have the race. However, this year will be the first memorial.”

Felix passed away on January 5 and would have celebrated his 97th birthday on July 16. However, the race is being held 10 days after what would have been his birth anniversary. Meanwhile, coach of FACC Randolph Roberts, speaking at the simple presentation ceremony, said the race promises to be one on the biggest in Berbice this year so far. He said with a number of top riders in the country already signalling their intention to participate,the event is expected to be highly competitive.

Prizes will be awarded to the first eight finishers, while the first three juniors and first three females will

IAAF World Jr Championships…

Thompson qualifies! Baird disqualified!

Brenessa Thompson qualified for the semi-finals of the 100 metres at the IAAF World Junior Championships

WBaird ran away easily with her heat in the girls’ 400 metres in a time of 53.39s to top the field, only to find out that she was disqualified after the event at the 15th edition of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Junior Championships in Hayward Field, Oregon, United States of America.

Baird made the crucial mistake of running on the inside line of her lane, a violation of Rule 163.3(a).

Russia’s Yana Glotova was second in the heat with a time of 53.61s, but was elevated to first after Baird’s disqualification.

The only female running faster than Baird after the completion of the first preliminary round, which had 35 en-

trants divided into five heats, was the US’s Kendall Baisden with a time of 53.28s.

Thompson advances

While Baird’s disqualification is a major blow to Guyana’s chances of capturing a second medal at the most prestigious meet, Guyana will now depend on sprinter Brenessa Thompson.

Thompson qualified for the semi-finals of the 100 metres in a time of 11.71, which was one of the fastest losing times. She was expected to run in the semi-finals on Wednesday evening. The final was also slated to be run on Wednesday.

The overseas-based Thompson will also seek top honours in the 200 metres today.

CFU Under-17 Qualifiers Guyana squeezed out on goal difference

The National Under-17 footballers have been eliminated at the group stage of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Under-17 Qualifying competition in The Dominican Republic.

After drawing their opening game against Barbados and beating Antigua and Barbuda, the young Guyanese stumbled badly at the third hurdle, losing 0-3 to hosts The Dominican Republic on Tuesday.

The Guyanese needed a win to stay in contention to win the group, but instead turned up on the losing end against the host nation and were squeezed out of the competition on inferior goal difference.

The Guyanese had drawn their first game against Barbados 1-1, before rebounding to beat Antigua and Barbuda 3-2 in their second match.

Bryan Joseph

also receive prizes.

According to Roberts, eight sprint-point prizes will be up for grabs. Although the event is open to cyclists countrywide, the first four finishers from FACC will also receive awards.

The Grenville Felix Memorial Trophy is a lien trophy and will be given to the first person who wins the trophy three times.

The Bajans took top honours in the group and have booked a place in the finals of the competition. They defeated Antigua and Barbuda 2-0 in their final group game to end on seven points from two wins and a draw.

The Dominican Republic ended as the runner-up team with four points (one win, one draw, one loss), the same points as Guyana, who had to settle for third on goal difference.

National Coach Bryan Joseph commented on Facebook after the loss that he was disappointed in the result, but noted that the little lads gave of their best.

“We have failed, but we are proud since we gave of our best amidst a mountain of challenges at home and abroad. I’ve asked all the players and staff to chin up and be proud because your great effort was just not enough. We’ve won the hearts of the other teams with our power, grit, determination and humbleness and they still doubt that we were able to put together this team in less than two weeks.”

Joseph also apologised to the Jaguars’ supporters for the loss and also expressed appreciation for the “prayers and support”.

Barbados Tridents stick St Lucia Zouks with third loss

The Barbados Tridents made the most of home advantage against the St. Lucia Zouks as they scored the highest total of this year’s Limacol Caribbean Premier League to set up a comprehensive victory. The home side, skippered by Kieron Pollard, posted a daunting 186-2 and then restricted the Darren Sammy led St Lucia Zouks to 157-4 to win by 29 runs A century from local man Dwayne Smith was the star performance, the second hundred of this edition of the tourna-

ment.

Having been set such a daunting target, the Zouks never looked like reaching it under the Kensington Oval lights. The Tridents’ victory keeps them in touch with the leading teams, but the Zouks’ third successive loss leaves them struggling.

Smith was in fine form from the first over, destroying the left arm spin of Roelof van der Merwe, as he hit 18 runs off the South African to give the Barbados Tridents an excellent start. The second over saw Sohail Tanvir pick up the wicket of Shane Dowrich for a golden duck before rain took the teams off the field. A relatively short delay saw no overs lost, and when the game got back under way, Smith was joined by Shoaib Malik.

An excellent over from Darren Sammy at the end of the power play checked the progress of the home side slightly, but not for long as they reached 78 for one at the half- way stage. – Dwayne Smith hits second century of Limacol CPL as Tridents win by 29 runs