Guyana Times Daily - May 19, 2015

New Govt begins to take shape

Granger urges professionalism, solidarity

... during frank talks with OP staff

Newly elected President David Granger has urged staffers of the Office of the President (OP) to put behind them the acrimony and antipathy of the elections campaign and work together for the good of the nation. He made the remarks during a meeting with staff of the Office of the President on his first day at his office. Addressing the staffers at the Presidential Complex, Granger reminded employees that the entity is a very important branch of the public service and the hub of Government; hence it is very important that it functions efficiently. “You’re all professionals, and I am not going to enquire into your political leads, I am not going to enquire into your business leads, I don’t know if you belong to the lodge, I don’t want

to know if you put your head in a turban, (or) burn candles at night. When you come in to work, I want you to understand you’re serving the people of Guyana without fear or favour, affection or ill will,” the Government Information Agency (GINA) quoted the Head of State as saying. He reminded them of the oath he took on May 16 when he became President saying, “I am not being sworn in as leader of APNU/AFC, I am being sworn in as President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. If I could have a public conscience, or public vision, or public sense of vision, I would expect all of you to have that vision”. He pointed to the fact that while everyone is biased, the degree of their professionalism is determined by their ability to suppress that bias.

in our duty.”

Staffers were also reminded that, “Parties come, (and) parties go,” and asked that all stakeholders put behind them all of the acrimony and antipathy of the past week or the past years. “I would like us to look forward to a Guyana which is respectful of all of the people”. Today’s meeting was one of several that President Granger had on his schedule as part of the transitioning phase of taking the reins of Government, and ensuring the smooth continuity of the Administration of the nation.

During his inaugural speech as President, Granger had struck similar themes.

“The elections are over. The Guyanese people have chosen their representatives. The Constitution has been respected. Our democracy has been fortified. Let us now put past rivalries behind us and

tions. We have been treated with contempt by the dictatorial prorogation and dissolution of Parliament.

"We have had to bear the brunt of the high rate of crime including armed robberies, arson, inter-personal violence, murder, piracy, rapes, road fatalities and trafficking in persons.

"We have had to bear the cost of the squandering of state resources on exorbitant but misconceived mega-projects. We have suffered most from the high cost of living and the high level of unemployment.

"We have not been filled with hatred by these conditions. We are, indeed, more determined than ever to refashion society into one in which our womenfolk can look forward to working for ‘living wages’ to cope with the cost of living; one in which old folk can enjoy adequate pen-

In whatever field persons work, the first thing is professionalism, President Granger

reiterated, noting that their Office of the President jobs are determined by their expertise. He explained that professionalism also is based on a sense of solidarity and, “We’re all working here together, we’re not working at daggers drawn… so in any group of professionals there has to be a sense of solidarity. If you don’t possess that solidarity, well then, we will fail

work in unity to banish poverty, ignorance, fear and hatred,” President Granger said on Saturday at his swearing in ceremony.

Granger had noted that Guyanese have witnessed the damage done to the country over the years. “We have been mocked by the destruction of local democracy and the denial of local government elec-

sions and social protection.

"Our young people will be able to attain higher educational standards and look forward to finding satisfactory jobs when they leave school. Our women and girl children can look forward to living in safety and to being protected from abuse and violent crime.”

Arrest warrant issued for pregnant woman

An arrest warrant is out for a 20-year-old pregnant woman after she did not show up in Court 11 of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to stand trial.

The woman is Tomeka Kennedy, who was read charges of theft and armed robbery on March 18 in her first court appearance. She is alleged to have stolen an $80,000 Samsung Galaxy cellphone on March 15 from Troy Roberts, also relieving him of $25,000 cash later that same day while armed with a knife.

A not guilty plea had to

be recorded for the defendant as she chose not to re-

spond to the Magistrate’s question of whether she is guilty or not guilty of the offence, not even showing due respect by standing when the Magistrate went on the bench.

The defendant was also charged for another offence after assaulting a Police Officer, however this was wrapped up after she was found guilty and fined for the charge.

Nevertheless, Kennedy’s trial will be going on with or without her presence as statements were already taken. The next court appearance is slated for May 22.

tuesday, may 19, 2015 |

guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic from Tuesday, May 19 - 05:00h-06:30h and Wednesday, May 20 - 05:00h-06:30h

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, May 19 – 16:25h-18:55h and Wednesday, May 20 – 05:15h-06:45h

FERRY SCHEDULE

Ferries will be departing the Parika and Supenaam stellings on:

Tuesday, May 19 – 05:00h and 16:00h

Wednesday, May 20 - 05:00h and 16:00h

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery showers can be expected throughout the morning, with heavy rain showers in the early afternoon. Light rain showers with chances of thunder showers can be expected in the late afternoon and into the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly between 3.12 metres and 4.02 metres per second.

High Tide: 04:59h and 16:27h reaching maximum heights of 2.82 metres and 2.65 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:00h and 23:13h reaching minimum heights of 0.40 metre and 0.59 metre respectively.

MONDAY, MAY 18, 2015

New Govt begins to take shape

Harmon, Greenidge, Jordan for key ministries

BY GOMATIE GANGADIN

The newly-elected A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition Government has begun to take shape with at least five persons identified to head key Ministries including foreign affairs, finance and security.

Speaking to Guyana Times on Monday afternoon, acting Head of the Presidential Secretariat Joseph Harmon disclosed that former Finance Minister under the PNC Government Carl Greenidge will take up the post of Foreign Affairs Minister; Former Director of Budget and Economist

Winston Jordan will now head the Finance Ministry; Attorney Basil Williams will head the Legal Affairs Ministry, while Dr Rupert Roopnaraine is touted to be the next Natural Resources and Environment Minister.

Dr Roopnaraine on Monday morning travelled to Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) where a mining pit caved in at Mowsie Landing, killing 10 miners. This had served to cement speculations that he would be made responsible for that Ministry.

Meanwhile, Guyana Times was able to confirm that Harmon will now be made Minister of State, which will replace the post of Head of the Presidential Secretariat.

He however cautioned that the identified persons have not yet been confirmed in the various capacities since Parliament has not yet been reconvened and they would first have to be sworn in as Members of Parliament before they take up the ministerial posts.

When Harmon was asked whether the new Government was considering convening Parliament before Independence Day, he replied, “Once it is possible for us to do that, I think we may. Parliament has been prorogued for far too long; it’s almost 10 months and so we need a reconvening as soon as

Man placed on self bail

Aman was on Monday placed on self bail by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on a charge of willful trespassing.

Derrick Gomes pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that between May 17 and May 18, without any good reasons or lawful excuse, he willfully trespassed on a property located at 197 Oronoque Street, Queenstown, Georgetown. According to the defendant he was

previously living at the said location but, on the day in question, he was in the process of moving from the said property. He said that this upset the female property owner, who subsequently made a false report to the Police and he was arrested.

He requested time to remove his belongings from the location which was granted by the Magistrate. He was released on his own recognisance and made to sign a bond to keep the peace.

possible.”

President David Granger has promised to reconvene Parliament within 14 days or “early June”, noting too that Parliament had been prorogued for far too long.

As it relates to other positions, Harmon said that Granger was meeting with Prime Minister-elect Moses Nagamootoo up to press time to first decide the number of Ministries which will be established, before deciding on the positions to be held and by whom. However, this publication has been reliably informed that there will be 15 Ministries, with the APNU taking nine while AFC will be given six.

In the meantime, General Secretary of the

AFC, David Patterson indicated to this publication that the alliance has not yet decided on the persons to fill their allocated posts. He did however say that the Cummingsburg Accord was being followed and it was a guide to who was getting what.

According to the Cummingsburg Accord, which was signed between the two parties on February 14, the AFC would benefit from an enhanced prime ministerial position held by Moses Nagamootoo chairing the Cabinet.

The AFC will significantly also hold 40 per cent of the Cabinet positions, inclusive of the Ministries of Home Affairs, Tourism, Agriculture and Public Works.

Khemraj Ramjattan, Leader of the AFC will likely head the Home Affairs Ministry, while Cathy Hughes will hold responsibility for Tourism. It is unclear who will head the Public Works Ministry from the AFC. Amna Ally who served in the 10th Parliament as Shadow Education Minister, will transition to hold that portfolio, with Nigel Hughes being tipped to become the next Attorney General if the coalition decides to split the Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General posts.

Editor: Nigel Williams

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

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

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

Editorial

Revamping the Army

Our new President David Granger, as has been pointedly pointed it, is an ex-Brigadier of our Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and is now their Commander-in-Chief.

Surrounded as he is in his high command by such a plethora of other worthies from his old command, it might not been too early in the day to ask His Excellency as to what are his intentions on reform in this key institution of the state.

He has already promised them a “substantial” raise, so the people of Guyana might also become aware of what they will be paying for.

Last year, the Guyana Police Force (the GPF) held a conclave with its top personnel to discuss the recommendations of the Disciplined Forces Commission (DFC), first submitted more than a decade ago in 2003.

The GPF claimed that the DFC recommendations are on their front burner and it is heartening that they are proceeding with their reforms in a holistic and structured manner. We suggest that the new government advice the GDF to take a leaf from their sister organisation’s playbook.

Last year, President Granger, as then Opposition Leader, commented on the GDF’s post 2002 deployment during the attacks against the state by armed gangs that were holed up in Buxton.

Granger reiterated his previously oft-stated position that the said deployment was an error. This position is rather troubling since the ex-Brigadier was a member of the aforementioned DFC. Maybe we should remind him and the rest of the country what that Commission said as far as the GDF being used as it was in Buxton and by extension other analogous situations.

In terms of “functions” of the GDF, the DFC quotes Section 5 of the Defence Act: “The Force shall be charged with the defence of and maintenance of order in Guyana and with such other duties as may from time to time be defined by the Defence Board.”

It is therefore unquestioned that the GDF is charged with “maintaining order in Guyana”. The DFC, however, pointed out that the GDF was not conferred “the coercive public law, powers of arrest, detention and interrogation”.

As such the Commission recommended that “whenever it is deemed necessary to deploy the GDF to carry out this public function! There should be joint operations between the GDF and the GPF”.

Addressing the specific instance of GDF personnel deployed in Buxton refusing to arrest and apprehend lawbreakers, the Commission specifically pointed out that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is empowered by Section 18 of the Police Act to OBLIGATE any member of the public, including the GDF, to “become directly involved in preventing violations in preventing violations of the criminal law by simply calling upon them whenever the need arises.”

Mr Granger should have stressed this part of the DFC’s report rather than the “unsuitability” of the GDF in maintenance of civilian order. We note that more recently, Granger did not object to the GDF being recent placed on “alert”.

More pointedly for the present, the DFC’s report declares: “For the removal of lingering perceptions of statutory impotence, the Commission recommends that members of the GDF be conferred with powers of arrest and detention for the express purpose of maintaining order, thereby giving effect to the wisdom and foresight underlying the statutory imposition on the GDF of a public duty to maintain public order.”

In terms of about “drug smuggling” from Guyana because of our extensive borders, the DFC made the following recommendations.

For the Coast Guard: “(74) adequate inshore patrol vessels should be acquired to enable the suppression of illegal fishing, narcotics trafficking, gun running... and (75) adequate aerial and radar surveillance.”

For the Air Corps: “(84) There should be increased operational employment of aviation resources in coastal, maritime and border surveillance...(85) reconnaissance/ surveillance aircraft should be acquired.”

We hope President Granger will soon revisit the DFC’s report.

Where did elections 2015 go wrong? GECOM needs to answer

Dear Editor,

Growing up, it was almost impossible to escape the blathering noises about the ‘rigged elections’ in the 1980s and before. Many times, conveniently, those seemingly redundant avowals began to sink in as pure hogwash.

The reason was simple. I did not exist in that epoch, why be bothered by such confabulations. However, things took a melancholic turn. History repeated itself. The famous Karl Marx warnings came alive: “History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.”

Never in my wildest imagination had I envisioned that the generation of this era would have to bear witness of the evils of rigging. The dreadful elections of 2015 evoked sentimentalities of a lost system of justice, where philosophies promoting ideas such as free and fairness were sacrificed.

The gains for such heinous acts will not aid the nation’s healing process in the already delicate and feeble Guyana. Perhaps an investigation into such evils still dawdles in the embryotic stage, but it must be pursued.

Joe Stalin’s words, though

penetrating, come to mind: “It doesn’t matter who votes, it matters who counts the votes.” The biggest antagonist in this façade downheartedly is the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM); the entrusted legitimate referee of this nation’s democracy.

GECOM refusal to follow to the explicit rulings of People’s Representation Act on recounting procedures sets a dangerous precedence. Such actions bring deep resentment which will lead to further polarization of the people of Guyana.

The perception of cheating breeds contempt. GECOM destroyed every iota of trust conferred upon them. The 200,000 plus of people who spoke through ballots may never forgive the current leadership of GECOM.

An overhaul is inevitable to regain the element of trust. There is no other way. From the Chairman, Commissioners, Secretariat Staff, Returning Officers and their subsets must be replaced!

Inefficiency, nepotism, poor management tactics, fake Statement of Polls and denial of recount are some of the contributing factors that

lead to GECOM’s ship to sink. What is the purpose of the recounting guidelines if it cannot be upheld when necessary?

The Standard Operating Procedures must be reviewed by an independent body; thereby leading to a new setup at GECOM. It is regrettable the stint of the relatively new CEO is marred with this controversy.

Armed with an abundance of experience in election management, how could the CEO become trapped in this disgraceful occurrence? Did he trust the wrong set of people? Under his watchful eyes, such devious evil acts of rigging relive.

The Guyanese public demand answers! Whether it was one fake SOP or 50 discovered, no doubt, the integrity of the process has been compromised. Brushing it aside as having no significant impact on the election results is dotish.

The issue is not the result, but the authenticity of the mechanism adopted to capture, tabulate and transmit the voter’s intent. The action of a former CEO of GT&T sets a professional standard worthy of emulating. When it was

discovered that financial irregularities slipped under his watch, he bowed out. GECOM officials should follow suit. Guyana has lost a chance to unite. This time not because of our politicians, but rather due to a failed system that causes further distrust. This distrust will lead to disunity. This was fueled by GECOM’s unfair actions.

None of this would happen if people were satisfied with the way GECOM conducted the 2015 elections. The bone of contention is not winning or losing. Instead it has to do whether the system was fair to its stakeholders and their supporters.

Never has there been such gigantic uncouth display of racism. The imprints of the victory parades will be inerasable. From the wins of the 1992 elections, unruly jubilations never characterized victory merriments.

The silent cries of the 200,000 plus Guyanese; victims of a sophisticated plot to deny them of a victory must not be swept away. The actions of GECOM have added another dark page in the history of this nation.

continue on page 5

Congratulations to His Excellency

Dear Editor, “Your Excellency David Arthur Granger, congratulations to you, on your election as the Eighth President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Do accept my sincerest wishes for your every success and wisdom in discharging the important and responsible duties of your position.

May God guide and

strengthen you, and provide you with full support from the relevant personnel and departments in your resolve to ensure justice and fairness, non-partisan and national care for all Guyanese.

As Archbishop in the Republic, I am particularly heartened at your positive declaration at your pre-swearing-in delivery, repeated at

your inauguration, that your election victory represented the day the Lord has made and the day we should all rejoice and be glad in.

Your Excellency, I declare the favour, wisdom, wealth, and health of God attend to you during your office so that your commitment and vision to be a good President in the interest of all Guyanese will

be realised. God bless you, and as always, I, with my people, stand ready to respond to your call at any time for divine guidance that is beyond you.

Rev Dr Philbert

‘Emmanuel’ London Founder, Presiding Prelate of Beacon Ministries

Shocking revelations!

Dear Editor,

The PPP/C was booted out of office by the shameful act of lawlessness called rigging. It was perpetuated at the highest level of our democracy to boot out the legitimate winners in an election.

It was a blatant act of robbery to make it appear that it was the people’s wish in a free and fair process. Well, the world now knows that the last election was neither free nor was it fair.

This shocking disclosure was made by (one person who shows remorse) as to what really took place on May 11.

From intelligence gathered, the election results of May 11 were already decided on by person or persons at the highest level. It was an inside job done to strip power from the ruling party come what may.

The individual who spoke to me on condition of anonymity said that the decision to rig was made a long time ago, that is, soon after Gocool Boodhoo was edged out of GECOM. He was sent packing because they wanted no PPP/C individuals to be around when the rigging is taking place.

My friend contends that the PPP/C knew of the plan to rig the elections, but sheer over confidence got the better of them and they dropped their guards at the most critical of moments.

To prove her point she highlighted two cases that the PPP/C should have insisted that Boodhoo’s replacement must come from within their ranks and not to have allowed

GECOM to do that for them.

Because when they relinquished their claim to a replacement, it was then left to GECOM to do the filling in and this they did, with not one, but two known PNC hacks.

Even at this stage, there was some trepidation by that group of persons that the plan might have been derailed if the public becomes aware of the finer details of the rigging plan. There was a lot to be concerned about at that stage. However, all of this dissipated when The Alliance came on stream.

The AFC-APNU Alliance was the key to lock in the rigging plan. It was the most opportunistic moment for the rigging to be set in motion. You see, being in an alliance at that stage shows that when the rigging was completed, it would have been like ‘we are all in this thing together’.

Again, it would not be a Black and Indian thing, but an Alliance versus a ‘racist’ party. The PPP/C versus the unity coalition. From then on there was nothing stopping that rigging factory to churn out votes as well as results.

Those responsible for this horrific act claim that this country needs a government of national unity; it is the best government for the country. In their view the Coalition represents the best option.

But should I ask, isn’t that the people’s responsibility to choose their government? I would give an emphatic yes to that question. Choosing who governs us should be left to the people to decide not the

prerogatives of a chosen few.

She further reiterated that Ramotar’s call for a recount would go on deaf ears seeing the international community has all accepted the results as “victory for the people” and there is not a ghost of a chance of him getting a favourable response as to that rigging allegation.

She said, “Mr Adams no one would believe Mr Ramotar now, seeing the Alliance is in control. It is a situation of “choke and rob” in broad daylight; they rob the people. I am still in shock as to what took place here in Guyana, supposedly a civilized place.

I asked her to pass on that information to Mr Ramotar because it is damnable evidence that rigging did take place and that his party was robbed of a well earned victory.

I further added that it was not a situation of Ramotar or the PPP/C losing, but the people of this country being deprived of the government of their choice. Her response was Ramotar would not be able to show proof of fraud by documentation because in her own words “everything is in a mess right now” and nobody is going to own up to anything.

And a statement that sums it up, she said, “I not about to give up my life to become any hero.” Well, that says it all.

Our conversation ended with that good old Guyanese proverb that says ‘thiefing thing don’t last long’. Only time will tell.

Neil Adams

Where did elections 2015...

The days leading to the High Court deliberations, agonizing as it will be, must be endured with patience, hope and faith. The Judiciary will be given an opportunity to prove its autonomy from the influences of the Executive, in what will be the most followed court litigation. The world will watch.

The ABC countries, partners in this misdemeanor, might never be pardoned by 50 per cent of Guyanese. Their peccadillo will be the new tale to tell to the unborn children of Guyana. The tale of the Hansel and Gretel instantaneously rings in.

Fortunately, the ABC clique represents a block of dwindling international power houses. The PPP/C should seek the help of emerging superpowers China, India and Brazil to pave the path of justice. How could an election be free and fair based on couple minutes of visits to polling stations randomly?

Despite evidence of fake SOPs, yet there was a rush for declaration and swearing in. Can the international communities justify their actions of pushing a declaration to the over 200,000 Guyanese people who felt cheated? Why such injustice to innocent Guyanese? Why the alacrity in ousting the ruling Government out of office? Time will tell.

Prior, we have read and heard about the irregulari-

ties in GECOM’s employment procedures. Like the courts, GECOM is expected to uphold the highest form of professionalism and standards.

An efficiently run human resources department should provide GECOM with the structure and the ability to meet its needs through managing its most valuable resources – its employees. Clearly, the mishap of fake SOPs did not appear mysteriously.

Someone must be held accountable. It is an opportune time to revisit its recruitment procedures. No doubt there was collusion. Through the media, the Guyanese public learnt of the rampant nepotism in GECOM. In a highly sensitive environment like GECOM, this practice should have been discouraged. Understandably, the elections require a large labor intake and desisting from family members may not be possible. However, there must be some clear separation in authority and reporting structure to avoid any possible collusion. There must a boundary between employed family members. News outlets reported scenarios where son reported to father, and where an entire polling station was family dominated. These are recipes for collusion. Historically, nepotism posed a problem. In the public sphere, favoritism, cronyism, and nepotism undermine the

Government must attend to the poor

Dear Editor, Every party in every election campaigned with a promise to lift the lives of poor from the bottom of society to middle class status. But once in office, the poor is far removed from their agenda.

The exception was the Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan administrations which poured a lot of resources to lift the lives of the downtrodden and neglected communities.

Cheddi and Janet were genuine politicians. They were among a few who worked tirelessly to uplift the poor. Poverty did decline under the PPP/C administration over the last 23 years.

But in general, the poor were only needed for their votes and at times a dog bone was thrown their way to keep them quiet from barking and stirring troubles.

Hardly a politician cared for the poor with the governments subscribing to the economic policy that the rich, through their investment and government contracts, will lift the poor out of poverty.

It is hoped, although I won’t hold my breath, that the new government will be different from its predecessors and provide ample opportunities (including contracts to small and start up businesses) for the poor to rise out of poverty.

Several well intentioned and well-meaning individuals (myself included) proposed policies that would help the poor, but these were not supported by governments throughout the Caribbean region. None of my ideas to help the poor were ever considered in my recommendations to politicians around the region.

Politicians don’t really care about the poor. During the PNC dictatorship, poverty rose to around 70 per cent of the population. Over the last 23 years, the poverty rate declined to around 30 per cent - so much progress has been made. But so much more could have been done if money was not wasted on inadvisable policies.

After Basdeo Panday became Prime Minister in Trinidad in November 1995, I submitted a proposal to his government to address the needs of the poorer sections

of society. They were simple acts that would benefit the poor. He showed no interest as he became infatuated with the parasitic class; many felt he had become a member of that class.

A group of Indian medical doctors from Jamaica Hospital and other neighboring hospitals had approached me (through Mohan Sahabir of New York) to speak on their behalf to carry out voluntary, free clinics, and surgeries in Trinidad to help the less fortunate.

Panday’s administration was approached but voluntary service was discouraged as the group was specifically told it would impact on the money making business of the private medical institutions. The doctors, like me, were most disappointed. Some of the Indian and Guyanese doctors over the years undertook medical outreach programs in Guyana among poor communities but still not enough is being done to help poor people with medical issues.

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from page 4

common good. When someone is granted a position because of connections rather than because he or she has the best credentials and experience, the service that person renders to the public may be inferior.

Another issue of nepotism is competence. Public officials should also note that dilemmas involving favoritism extend beyond hiring and contracting practices to the more general problem of influence.

On Facebook, photographs of GECOM employees posing with Presidential Candidates did not go unnoticed. In some regions, employment biasness was evident. In the same way, GECOM insisted political parties’ list of candidates be diverse, this diversity must be reflected in its employment practice also.

GECOM needs to adopt a policy on employing the children and spouses of running candidates. GECOM is tasked with a huge responsibility. They must always be transparent in everything they do.

They must not leave any room for speculations. GECOM needs to reorganize, repair itself and rebuild its name. The Guyanese public surely deserves more. The bad thing about broken trust is the difficulty to regain it.

I am truly disappointed with GECOM.

Disappointed

Guyanese

tuesday, may 19, 2015

Page Foundation

BY TRISTAN DE FRONDEVILLE

Have you ever plunked yourself down in a staff meeting where some of your colleagues were, for lack of a better phrase, not paying attention? Grading homework? Having private conversations? Texting?

As we know all too well, children aren’t a whole lot different than adults: If they aren’t absorbed by what’s going on, they’ll find something else that interests them.

Getting all your students focused, eager, and on task at the beginning of class is challenging enough. Equally problematic, once you have them locked in to the lesson, is watching them zone out. There’s nothing unusual about that. After all, anyone who has to sit through a long routine – including a teacher’s presentation – is bound to drift off at some point.

Still, unless you manage to capture and keep students’ focus, whether at the beginning of or midway through class, the engine of student learning that you are trying to drive simply isn’t even in gear.

From dead time to active learning I call this lack of engagement dead time. Dead time interferes with students’ learning, and it is contagious. It lures those who are on task into wondering, “Why should I pay attention if others aren’t?”

I have come to feel that dead time is so pernicious that I will do everything I can to prevent even the hint of an outbreak. If you strive for maximum learning for all your students, then allowing children to be stuck in dead time feels like a small betrayal – to yourself and to them.

Active learning and active listening – in which students are thoroughly and thoughtfully engaged with

hearted workers. Near the top are responsible students, and, finally, come the fully active learners.

As a teacher and a project-learning consultant, I’ve always paid close attention to these levels of student engagement. I’ve discovered that it’s difficult to keep students focused when the lesson comes from the teacher. But it can be equally difficult when they are engaged as project-learning teams,

Building your arsenal

Eliminating dead time starts with creating an arsenal of routines and activities. They can be generalpurpose activities that apply to various subject areas or styles of teaching, or specific content-oriented activities that allow your students to learn by tapping into multiple intelligences beyond the usual listening and recalling.

each other or the teacher – represents the opposite of dead time. In their book

Inspiring Active Learning, Merrill Harmon and Melanie Toth present a ladder that describes four levels of student motivation. They call students at Level Four, the lowest level, the work avoiders, and on Level Three are the half-

especially when the independence demanded by project learning is new to them.

Sometimes it’s an individual on the team who can’t seem to get involved; other times it’s the entire group. Over the years, I’ve come up with a range of strategies to eliminate dead time and move students up the activelearning ladder.

the payoff – in terms of classroom management and overall learning – is more than worth the effort. By building a storehouse of activities to draw on, I’m rarely at a loss to implement one of them to get children back on track.

Not surprisingly, too, students get to know these strategies and look forward to them. I find they work at the beginning of class to calm children down or any time they need an energizing way to refocus.

10 rules of engagement

1. Start class with a mind warm-up

A classic warm-up is to ask students to find the mistakes planted in material written on the board. (You can use this idea in any subject area.) But instead of asking them to work silently and alone, and then debrief in a classic question-and-answer session with one student at a time (while many sit inattentively), use a mix of collaboration and competition to eliminate what could potentially become dead time.

Some are physical activities that help children unleash pent-up energy, while others create private thinking time that encourages reflection. Or they can be wellmanaged student-to-student communication to guarantee that they are all thinking about the work.

Developing these activities initially takes time, but

2. Use movement to get children focused Ask all students to stand behind their desks and join in simple choreographed physical movement. Because most children find it invigorating and it’s easy to monitor full participation, it may become one of your favorite ways to get children focused and kill dead time.

Here’s how, for the lower primary grades: Teach hand-clapping patterns to accompany a chanted verse or a set of math facts. Add foot stomping or hand clapping with a partner to create variety.

Here’s how, for upper primary grades : Create a rhythm with finger snapping and hand clapping, which you model and they echo back. Vary the rhythm and pattern in intervals of 15-20 seconds to challenge them to pay attention and join in.

Here’s how, for any grade, including high school: Offer a seventh-inning stretch, or the cross crawl. To do the cross crawl, stand up and begin marching in place, raising the knees really high. As you raise the left knee, reach across your body with your right hand and touch the left knee.

Then do the same for the left hand on the right knee. Continue this pattern for a minute or more. (You can also vary it by, say, having children clap their hands over their heads between each set of knee touches.)

Here’s how: Organise teams of three students and ask them to work together (quietly) and raise their hands when they think they have found all the mistakes. After the first team signals it’s done, give a bit more time and then have teams indicate with their fingers – together on the count of three – the number of mistakes they found in the work. The team that found the most describes its answers until another team disagrees politely or until they are finished.

3. Teach students how to collaborate before expecting success Doing project learning and other team-based work without prior training can lead to lots of dead time. You can nip much of it in the bud by teaching collaboration skills before projects get started. You don’t need to use an activity related to your subject area to teach teamwork.

Here’s how: One way is to give teams of students a pair of scissors, two sheets of paper, 10 paper clips, and a 10-inch piece of tape, and ask them to build the tallest free-standing tower in 20 minutes.

Prior to the activity, create a teamwork rubric with students which review descriptions of desired norms and behaviours. While half of the teams are building the towers, have the other half of the students stand around them in a circular “fishbowl” as silent observers. Debrief afterward, and train the observers to give a positive comment before a critical one: “I liked that they [blank], and I wonder if they could have also [blank].” Switch the observers with the tower builders and see if they can do better, then debrief again. (www. edutopia.org)

Ramotar’s return to Parliament ‘up in the air’

… discussions ongoing on MP positions

BY DEVINA SAMAROO

Former President Donald Ramotar who headed the List of Candidates for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) at the recent General and Regional Elections is still to decide whether or not he will be a Member of Parliament (MP) in 11th Parliament.

During an interview with Guyana Times on Monday, the former President explained that the PPP/C is still discussing which of its candidates will be best positioned in Parliament to assist in the policy and decision-making process of the country. Asked specifically if he will be going to Parliament, Ramotar said “We still have to decide on that. You will know in time. The party is still discussing who will be the Members of Parliament, among other things.”

Following his defeat at the 1992 polls, the late former President Demond Hoyte had returned to Parliament, however former PPP/C President Bharrat Jagdeo after demitting office opted not to return as a legislator. There have been talks that Ramotar may follow this route.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds said recently that the party should allow new and vibrant faces to lead the way and let the aged and experienced be the guidance for those upcoming souls with a clear vision to take the country forward. Asked about which candidates have the potential to be the new faces to represent the party in Parliament, Ramotar again explained that those discussions were still ongoing.

Some new and youthful faces had appeared on the PPP/C’s List of Candidates. Possible options for MPs include Clinton Urling, Africo Selman, Charles Ramson Jr, Mahender Sharma, Romel Roopnarine and Alexei Ramotar.

Some long serving members of the PPP/C expected to return as MPs include former General Secretary Clement Rohee, former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall and former Chip Chief Gail Teixeira. The PPP/C after serving 23 years as the ruling Administration, lost the battle for executive power to the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition in the General and Regional Elections 2015. As a result, the PPP/C lost executive power and returned as the minority party in Parliament with 32 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly.

11th Parliament Reports indicate that Guyana’s newly sworn-in President, David Granger, will convene the 11th Parliament within 14 days. On the APNU/ AFC’s side, the now ruling Administration is expected to elect the new members of Cabinet very soon.

AFC General Secretary David Patterson told this pub-

lication that the deliberations team has not yet decided on the persons who will take the Cabinet positions since the number of Ministries was still to be decided.

Patterson explained that the Granger Administration is looking to have the number of Ministries reduced and as such, merges between some of the Ministries have been suggested. He did not disclose which Ministries were being considered for mergers.

Thus far, it is confirmed

that Economist Winston Jordan, a former Director of Budget, will be the head of the Finance Ministry and former Finance Minister under the People’s National Congress (PNC) Government Carl Greenidge will lead the Foreign Affairs Ministry with special attention to be placed on economic diplomacy.

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan has been touted as the person who will be in charge of the Home Affairs Ministry while it is expected that AFC Cathy Hughes will hold responsibility for Tourism. It is also expected that Amna Ally, who served in the 10th Parliament as Shadow Education Minister, will transition to hold that portfolio. Nigel Hughes and Basil Williams, Guyana Times understands, are being considered to become the next Attorney General. Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, Leader of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and Executive Member of APNU, is reportedly being considered for the position of one of the three Vice Presidents and Natural Resources and Environment Minister.

Blanhum replaces Leslie James as Crime Chief

Senior Superintendent of Police Wendell Blanhum has ascend to the office of Crime Chief, taking over from Leslie James who was posted to the position following the appointment of the then Crime Chief Seelall Persaud as acting Police Commissioner in 2013.

The change took immediate effect on Monday following a meeting with His Excellency David Granger and Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud. James was attached to the Office of Persaud.

His duties were immediately known. Guyana Times also understands that following the appointment of Brian Joseph as head of the presidential guards, there will be some shifting around in B Division (Berbice) as well as C, D and E Divisions (East Coast Demerara, West Bank Demerara/East Bank Essequibo, Linden/ Kwakwani) respectively.

Presently, Christopher Griffith who commands C Division is expected to be interchanged with D Division which will also see Marlon Chapman being reassigned.

Calvin Brutus who heads E Division is expected to take up a position in B Division.

In addition, there are expected to be some minor changes in the Traffic Department at Headquarters.

Meanwhile, Blanhum has 16 years experience in the Criminal Investigative Department. He would have been awarded the best student in the CID induction course and topped the Investigators Course.

He also completed the Standard Officers Cadet Course. Blanhum also completed the Crime Prevention Policing Course in Republic of Korea; Organised Crimes for the Americas course in Guatemala; Policing and Management Course in Colombia; Intelligence led Policing Course in Trinidad and Tobago; the Federal Bureau of Investigation Course; the Evaluation workshop Organsied Crimes in Cuba and the Law Enforcement Leadership course in El Salvador.

His academics include a Degree in Public Management where he graduated with Credit; Post Graduate Diploma in Development Studies and he is presently studying for his Commonwealth Masters Degree in Public Administration which is expected to be completed in August.

He has held post as Detective Divisional Officer C and A Divisions and Deputy Crime Chief. His accomplishments include a number of high profile investigations.

2 women remanded on narcotics charges

Two women were, on Monday, remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on charges of trafficking narcotics.

Vanessa Harper, a 30-year-old mother of two who resides Plaisance, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on May 15, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) in Timehri, she was found to be in possession of 5.576 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. According to the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor, Oswald Messiah, the defendant made arrangements with an unknown individual who promised her US$5000 to transport the substance to the United States (US), and gave her an advance of US$1000. She was also given US$300 to assist with accommodation expenses while in the US. It was disclosed that, on the day in question, the defendant was carrying two suitcases on her way to board a flight destined for the US.

While she was being processed by CANU Officers the illicit drug was found con-

cealed in the top covers of her two suitcases. The woman was then arrested and taken into custody, after which an investigation was carried out and the defendant later charged. Harper has no previous convictions nor does she have any pending matters in court. The prosecution objected to bail as the details put forward by the woman’s defence does not support any special reasons.

Nanda Ali, the 39-yearold proprietor of a beer garden on 12 Caribbean Park Annandale, also pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that, on May 15 at the CJIA in Timehri, she was found to be in possession of 6.182 kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. According to the Police

Prosecutor Messiah, on the day in question, the woman was on her way to board a flight bound for Trinidad where she would take a connecting flight to the US.

During a search conducted on her person by ranks of CANU, the illicit substance was found concealed in the top covers of her two suitcases. The woman was then

arrested, taken into custody and charged. According to the prosecutor, investigations have revealed that the woman had also made arrangements with unknown persons in the US to traffic the drugs to the United States for the pay-

ment of US$5000. Ali’s legal representative, Peter Hugh, made an application for reasonable bail stating that the matter would most likely be transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court, where there is a back-

log of matters and his client would have to wait a long time for her trial to commence. Bail was refused for both defendants and the matters were transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for May 25.

7-year-old with brain tumour: Family needs $7M; $2M already raised

Seven year old Colleacia Harcourt is still battling for her life. As a father, Travis Harcourt never thought he would find himself in such a painful situation where he would be looking at his dear 7-year-old daughter in the eye as she battles death. His daughter, Colleacia Harcourt of Lichfield, West Coast Berbice, is diagnosed with a rare intra-ventricular tumour that obstructs the flow of fluids in the brain and causes a build up of pressure in the skull. Without immediate medical intervention, any patient is at severe risk of developing a life threatening complication; needless to say the diagnosis of a rare brain tumour is already worrying.

According to her father, the family succeeded in garnering$2 million, but still needs $5 million more to facilitate the necessary and crucial surgery.

Harcourt explained that his daughter started to experience agonising migraines just before school closed for the Easter Holidays this year. Initially, the family did not suspect it to be anything serious, therefore they opted to treat it with a home remedy and recommended rest to take the pain away. But the excruciating throbs in her brain did not go away.

Instead of having a blissful Easter vacation away from school like her peers, the little girl had to endure days of excruciating pain much to the increased anxiety and hopelessness of her parents,

ing wrong. So then I went to a doctor and explained to him that I wanted to do a brain scan. So if nothing was wrong with her eyes, I thought the best thing would be to do a brain scan and that’s when they found

who were unaware of her unfortunate condition at the time.

Desperately trying to figure out what was wrong with their beloved daughter, Travis Harcourt and his wife rushed her to various hospitals to conduct numerous tests with the hopes of detecting the source of the problem.

“We took her to different hospitals; she visited hospitals like three days straight. They did different tests; all the tests you can think about, cholesterol, blood count, and they didn’t find anything wrong with her. We went to DaSilva’s to do an eye test and there was noth-

out it was a brain tumour,” Harcourt related.

He explained that the doctors told him that the tumour is extremely rare, “probably like in every two million”, and it grows rapidly because it feeds on the brain fluids. “She needs immediate surgery,” the distressed father cried.

Through the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), the family received a quotation of US$35,000 for treatment overseas. This cost only includes hospital fees, anaesthesia fees, supplies and medications required for the surgery, hospitalisation, seven days in the in-

tensive care unit and seven days in a regular room. The family still needs assistance to cover the costs for airfare and accommodation. So far, he acknowledged that they were able to receive $2 million from the Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, as the family desperately tries to acquire the necessary finance to save their beloved daughter’s life, the child keeps getting worse with each passing day.

Harcourt related that it pains him terribly to see his once jovial little girl bedbound in pain, unable to return to school or to even plaster a smile on her face. “It’s not something easy to look at, to see your daughter basically deteriorating,” he said, noting that the child’s mother is in a much more devastated state than he is.

Travis Harcourt can be contacted on 699-1005 or 622-4080. Persons desirous of making donations can do so through Republic Bank Account 730-269-1. JIPA Network, which is responsible for the girl’s treatment, has provided a bank account in the USA where funds can be wired to:

Bank of America

JIPA Network LLC

ABA: 026009593

Account number: 229038312826

Swift#: BOFAUS3N

Tax ID: 80-0539060

Pastor charged for dangerous driving

APastor, of a branch of the Assemblies of God Church, was brought to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on Monday after being charged for dangerous driving.

The accused, 37-yearold Desmond Crandon, is a resident of the East Coast of Demerara where he is purported to have been speeding.

He was read the charge

by Magistrate Zamina Allie that on February 20, along Goedverwagting Public Road, he was driving PKK 7981 in a “manner dangerous to the public”.

Prosecuting the case is Inspector John Singh. He told the court that the accused was driving at a fast rate, while two other vehicles had stopped at the pedestrian crossing on the Goedverwagting Public

Road. It was there that the defendant lost control of his car and slammed into one of the cars that had stopped, which collided with the other. One of the passengers of the vehicle that had stopped was hospitalised and later released.

Pastor Crandon, who was not represented, told the court that he has compensated the Virtual Complainants (VC), which

may explain why no one was in court on their behalf. However, the amount of the compensation was not mentioned. He told the court that he has four children and has never had any problems with the court prior to this incident. Thus Magistrate Allie granted him $80,000 bail and ordered him to return to court on June 22. The VCs are to be summoned.

Eyew tness

Post election...

...land rush

Over the weekend, sections of the East Coast and East Bank were transformed into a replay of the famous "land rush" that was common in the American "Wild West" - during the period when they were expanding westwards. "Go west, young man!!" was the cry.

As must be familiar to Guyanese aficionados of "western" movies, the settlers-to-be would be poised on their covered wagons, waiting for the signal to race to a plot of land which they would demarcate.

The phrase, "put down stakes" entered the English language and was performatively explained in the aforementioned locales in the last couple of days. One question on everyone's mind was, "Who gave the signal for the land rush?"

One answer may be that with the change of the government, after a campaign that in effect lasted the last three and a half years, many have come to actually believe the former Opposition's hyperbole on the illegitimacy of the actions of the former government.

So even though the PPP/C government gave out over 100,000 house lots - in a population that hasn't grown for the last 30 years - we evidently still have a hunger for land. So where's this coming from?

Is it just greed as some say? After all, it's been said - with more than a dollop of truth - that "Guyanese too like freeness!!" But even thought that may be the case... this Eyewitness believes it's part of the supersized expectations the new Government has created - and which they're going to have a whole lot of problem, fulfilling.

Even before the elections - and indeed for decades now, the PNC - and then the PNCR and then PNCR1G and then APNU - have been claiming that African "ancestral land" will be returned when they get into power. Great Expectations. As recently as last year, the APNU supported villagers from Plaisance and Good Hope who squatted on some GuySuco lands - NOT ancestral ands.

But the matter's become more interesting. With his eye on garnering the 11% Indian vote to deliver unto APNU, Nagamootoo announced the day before the elections that sugar workers (code for the Indian poor and powerless) would also be given lands not used by the sugar industry.

With all of these "land carrots" dangled in front of the expectant electorate, can we really be surprised they took matters into their own hands?

But this should be an object lesson for the APNU/ AFC. They haven't only made wild promises on land... from increases in salaries to bringing down the price of cars so that every home'll have one (and maybe two!) the masses are salivating.

Hope they're not disappointed!! Payback can be a bitch!!

...candid comments

Say what you want about David Hinds, he doesn't back off from telling "it" the way he sees "it". And for the just completed elections just won by APNU/AFC, he declared it "would be dishonest if we did not recognize the particular role played by the African Guyanese section of the electorate."

And this Eyewitness agrees with him completely. As he's written in this space, he thinks APNU/AFC's victory is TOTALLY due to the vote of the African Guyanese.

So your Eyewitness wants to big up Hinds for his courage. What courage, you ask? Well, look how those folks (who just happened to be Indians) were denounced as "racists" for pointing out that this was the way African Guyanese had voted in every election since 1964!!

But David Hinds is courageous enough to defy those who haven't seen the light and willing to be called "racist" Hinds also vouched for the African Guyanese not seeing Brother Moses Nagamootoo as a "token". Imagine that!

And it's not even day 3!!

...power vacuum

This Eyewitness wonders why President Grabger's not naming Moses Nagamootoo as the PM right away. He knows the man can be sworn in as an PM before he's anointed MP. What gives?

Man found with cocaine in bulb remanded

A23-year-old man

from Golden Grove was refused bail on Monday at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court after denying that he tried to smuggle cocaine inside two light bulbs.

The accused is Sherman Stafford from 101 President College Road in Golden Grove on East Coast of Demerara. He was brought before Magistrate Zamina Allie where the charge was read to him. He was officially charged with being in possession of 196 grams of cocaine with the purpose of trafficking while at the Ogle Airport.

Police Prosecutor, Inspector John Singh, told the court that the accused was an outgoing passenger at the airport on his way to

Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

After he checked in and was in the process of lodging his luggage on the flight, he was contacted by ranks from the Narcotics Branch for a search to be conducted on his baggage.

Prosecutor Singh told the court that the accused had his bag with him when he was called. He continued that the search was done in the defendant’s presence when the two light bulbs were found, filled with a suspicious white substance.

Stafford was arrested and charged after the white substance proved to be cocaine. However, his attorney, Jerome Khan, disagreed with these facts. He told the court that his client did not have his luggage with him when

he was called by Customs Officer. Attorney Khan stated that after Stafford checked in at the airport he had left his luggage in the immigration section for about 45 minutes. He said it was around that time that the Customs Officer called and asked him if it was his bag and he told them that it was.

The lawyer continued that the Officers went into the bag, pointing out that they did not need to search it, and found the illicit substance right away. Attorney Khan said his client told the Officers that the items found were not his. Nevertheless, since no special reason was given, Stafford was remanded to jail by Magistrate Allie.

He is expected back in court on June 17.

Welder bailed for counterfeiting US charge

A34-year-old welder was granted bail on Monday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after it is alleged that he forged US$100.

The defendant, Simeon Christopher from 39 Houston, Greater Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge that alleged that he forged the money without lawful authority and a licence to do so, on May 15 while on the Alexander AL ship in the Demerara River.

His attorney, Dexter Todd, told the court that his client has a reasonable excuse to do so. He explained that Christopher has been working for the last 4 years in transporting sand and cement from Guyana to several islands in the Caribbean and out. He said this makes it

Suspected currency forger, Simeon Christopher

necessary for his client to buy huge sums of American currency to facilitate these transactions every time he travels.

The lawyer continued that, at the time, his client had over US$4000 within his

possession and thus not sure which of the cambios he had used had sold him the forged currency. He told the Police as much. However, he pointed out that his client is quite willing to continue to work with the Police to trace the offenders.

Todd asked that his client be granted reasonable bail as he is not a flight risk and will attend his trial. Prosecutor

Shawn Gonsalves told the court that he has no objection to bail. The Magistrate granted bail in the sum of $10,000 on the condition that Christopher reports to the narcotics branch of the Eve Leary Police Station every Friday.

His matter was transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for May 25.

Crum-Ewing block put on hold

Government has reportedly put the rehabilitation of the area that was slated to become a historic landmark in the name of slain Courtney Crum-Ewing on hold until further notice.

Mayor Hamilton Green had announced at CrumEwing’s funeral that the block where the man hosted his lone protests will be transformed into a memorable site in his honour, named “The Courtney Crum-Ewing Block”.

But during an interview with Guyana Times on Monday, Mayor Green claimed that the project is still on the table.

Green also claimed that the project, which will be spearheaded by City Hall, has been put on hold until the new government led by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change, has comfortably settled into office.

The Mayor did not disclose the estimated cost of the project, but assured that the necessary finance has already been acquired, and that the design for the area is already formulated. The funding was sourced from various organisations that held Crum-Ewing in high regard, believed in his purpose, and respected the work he was doing. When asked whether the new administration will assist fi-

nancially towards this development, Green replied in the negative. He also noted that much focus is currently being directed towards the cleaning up of

the city for Independence Day celebrations on May 26.

Meanwhile, the area to

Bandits blitz Hockey players moments after arriving in Guyana

Three members of the Georgetown Cricket Club female hockey team were relieved of their valuables and luggage, at about 02:00h on Monday, by three armed men moments after returning to Guyana from Trinidad and Tobago.

The three women were being transported from the airport when the incident occurred. The driver of the vehicle, was also relieved of cash and personal items. Guyana Times understands that the players were picked up from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, and as they dropped off another young lady, they

were confronted by three armed men in a car.

The men, who were not wearing masks, reportedly held up the occupants of the car at gunpoint and demanded that they hand over all their valuables. Out of fear for their lives, they complied. The bandits then collected their luggage as well as their hockey gears, but returned their passports before escaping West into Charlotte Street, Georgetown. According to information received, the getaway car was parked in the vicinity of the newly constructed Jailing Office on Oronoque Street, Georgetown. The victims believe that they might

have been trailed from Timehri.

The flight reportedly landed at about 00:30h, but by the time the 16-member team cleared immigration and customs, it was almost after 01:00h. The players subsequently travelled to Georgetown in separate vehicles.

The Police were contacted and an investigation was launched into the robbery. Guyana Times understands that the national players were in Trinidad and Tobago participating in a twoday tournament over the weekend. It is customary for relatives to collect them at the CJIA whenever they return home.

be transformed is within the vicinity of the former Attorney General’s Office on Carmichael Street, where Crum-Ewing stood protesting for his dismissal following the release of a taped conversation between the Minister and a Kaieteur News reporter. Crum-Ewing received much media attention from this action, after which he continued to publicly ex-

press his opinions about the local political scene. He was then cold-bloodedly murdered on Tuesday, March 10, while conducting one such activity on Third Street, Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

At the time of his death, the father of three who was urging people to vote at the May 11 election was gunned down when a car with four men drove by and

discharged several shots at him, hitting him in the head and other parts of the body. He was laid to rest at the La Repentir Cemetery and saw thousands in attendance. Leading up to his funeral, various organisations collaborated to host vigils and staged protests in his honour, as they reflected upon the work he was doing all by himself.

PPP/C

calls

on Surujbally to resign

... urges supporters to “remain mobilised for further action”

Amid its continued charges that the recent General and Regional Elections were rigged, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has called on Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr Steve Surujbally to resign and has also told party supporters to “remain mobilised for further action.”

In a statement, the party said prior to the May 11 General and Regional Elections, it raised concerns both publicly and privately with the GECOM Chairman, Commission and Secretariat, the advance assessment teams of the UN, Commonwealth and the Carter Centre, the diplomatic community, and subsequently with the International Observer Missions with regard to the partiality of the GECOM machinery.

According to the PPP, the recruitment of polling staff connected to the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition was

known and it consistently raised its concerns publicly months before and during the recruitment and training periods. “Fears were also expressed about the removal of the foreign IT Specialist at a critical time just two weeks before the election and the denial of requests for public disclosures of GECOM Election Day staff. This lack of transparency and willingness to enhance public trust and confidence by GECOM in the face of blatant infiltration of the machinery by known APNU/ AFC activists is an indictment.”

The PPP/C said its positions were supported with conclusive evidence that a number of irregularities were carried out on Election Day and the period immediately thereafter, particularly multiple voting, and the creation of fraudulent and fictitious SOP’s, to such an extent, that any government formed on the basis of declared results (without a recount) would not reflect the will of the people of Guyana.

“Our positions remain the same today in the face of the refusal of GECOM to conduct the recount of a close-finish race the PPP/C considers the APNU-AFC Government as de facto coming in on fraudulent elections. These events, not surprising, have contributed to the loss of confidence in the GECOM machinery and more particularly its Chairman, Dr Surujbally.

The PPP/C calls for the immediate resignation of Dr Surujbally as Chairman.”

The PPP/C said it has collected and will continue to collect further evidence to file an elections petition.

“The PPP/C also condemns the wide scale provocations currently being meted out to its supporters by the APNU/AFC supporters. We are aware of the many acts of the APNU+AFC coalition even at this early stage events of provocation, discrimination, and persecution are taking place. The PPP/C has established a hotline number for the public to call in and report such incidences.”

Furthermore, the party called on the international and diplomatic communities to condemn such acts.

“The PPP/C wishes to assure victims of Election Day violence that it will actively pursue compensation for loss of vehicles and property.

The party urges its supporters to remain mobilised for further action and committed to the defence of democracy in Guyana. The PPP/C will continue to update the country on our evolving position.”

President seeks to deepen ties with neighbours … holds talks with Caricom, Venezuela and Brazil

High on the agenda of His Excellency

David Granger and his soon-to-be-sworn in administration will be to accelerate infrastructural and economic developments with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Guyana’s other immediate neighbours.

During his first official day in office as Guyana’s Eighth Executive President, Brigadier Retired David Granger held brief meetings with the Caricom Secretary General Irwin La Rocque. According to President Granger, his meeting with La Rocque was a deliberate decision he made, as he noted the importance of meeting with Guyana’s most important neighbours.

“It was a deliberate decision of mine that we should meet with our most important neighbours first and Caricom is at the heart of the economic development of Guyana and in terms of not only courtesy, but also in terms of policy (and) I felt it was my duty to meet with our Caribbean neighbour first.”

The Head of State at the Office of the President also met with the Brazil’s Ambassador to Guyana Lineu Pupo de Paula and Venezuela’s Ambassador to Guyana Reina Margarita Arratia Diaz.

Speaking of his meeting with the Brazilian Ambassador, President Granger alluded to the fact that the two countries have always had cordial relations and his Administration will be working to strengthen those ties. “… We would like to accelerate the pace of some of the projects, particularly for infrastructure and other economic ones, I’ve already discussed with Carl Greenidge, who has been identified as the Foreign Minister, to place ex-

traordinary importance on economic relations.”

Brazil, which has the longest land frontier to Guyana, President Granger pointed out, is also a member of the Brazil, Russia, India and China group (BRIC), and has one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Meanwhile, issues discussed during the President’s meeting with the Venezuela Ambassador include the continuation of the Good Officer Process that speaks directly to the dealings of territorial matters. According to President Granger, the Good Officer process forms part of the menu of measures prescribed by the The Charter of the United Nations and is very important to both countries. “As you know, Venezuela is an important neighbour, and in terms of PetroCaribe, the economic importance of PetroCaribe as well as other strategic dimensions of Guyana/Venezuela relations.”

Summing up the three meetings, President Granger said that they were all extremely important in terms

of foreign policies and more so, the internal economic vision and policy of his Administration.

Monday afternoon’s meeting with Caricom Secretary General LaRocque, was seen as a very strong signal of Guyana’s commitment to Caricom’s integration arrangement and to the brotherhood of Caribbean civilisation.

Considering it a great honour to have met with the President on his first day in Office, La Rocque said the discussion was centred on Guyana’s role in Caricom and about the integration arrangement. Like the Brazilian Ambassador Lineu Pupo de Paula, La Rocque said he is looking forward to working with President Granger and his Administration. Lineu Pupo de Paula also opined that he is looking forward to working with the new Administration on some key infrastructural projects, including the Linden to Lethem road, and a hydro plant in the Mazaruni. (GINA)

7 bodies recovered, 3 still missing

...bad weather, terrain hamper operations

By Bhisham mohamed

The bodies of seven of the 10 miners who were trapped after a mining pit caved in at Mowsie Backdam, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) were, on late Monday afternoon, retrieved following a joint operation led by the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) and other stakeholders including the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.(GGMC)

The Guyana Police Force, in a release earlier on Monday, confirmed that 10 persons were missing after the mining pit collapsed on Sunday. According to information received, the bodies were badly damaged and were retrieved after an exhausting day at the mining pit. The identities of the seven men were not immediately available, but the Guyana Times understands that the General Manager of the mining operations is one of the men who perished in the accident. While this publication could not ascertain the correct names for the men, the Guyana Times has managed to acquire the nick names of some of the persons who were trapped in the 40-foot

deep mining pit after its collapse. These include, Banko, Pelt Man, Dangles, Michael, No More and Obama.

Speaking to the Guyana Times Monday evening, Patrick Harding, President of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association, related that he had travelled up to the area on Monday where a massive operation has been launched to recover the missing bodies. He noted that everyone in the area has been working to retrieve the bodies but, with the prevailing weather conditions and the layout of the area, it was an arduous task. Also on Monday, Sheldon Adams, one of the survivors explained that the men who were caught under the rubble only started to work at the mining pit about two months ago. Adams stated that he went into the area to work after “things” were getting difficult at previous mining camp he worked at. Adams recalled working in the mining pit when he heard someone shouting “Run! Run!”, and did not hesitate. He claimed that he and six others, namely Andrew Lazarus, Henry Xavier, Regan Greene, Alex Greene, Shawn Xavier, and an uni-

dentified man, ran out of the pit. Five of the men would have received injuries in the process after they were pulled from the rubble. Two were reportedly discharged from the Mahdia Hospital on Monday.

He confirmed that at the

time of the incident, it was raining heavily which may have caused the pit to cave in. “As we de working, the water start full up the pit and then all of a sudden, the top start losing off and then it come crashing down,” Adams stated. The owner of the camp, Imran Khan of Grove Village, East Bank Demerara, was involved in the search and rescue mission. However, Guyana Times understands that once the bodies are found, Khan could face criminal charges since the operation was illegal and did not get clearance from the GGDMA.

In a release from the GGDMA, it stated that the mining association is deeply saddened by this tragic accident and will take all the necessary steps to fully investigate the cause of the tragedy. A team was deployed to the area to access the situation and a detail report will be furnished to the media as soon as the team returns. The

team comprised of President of the GGDMA Patrick Harding; Simona Broomes of the Guyana Women Miner’s Association; Ramdass of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission; an engineer attached to the GGDAM; and Natural Resources Minister Designate, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine.

According to information received, at least 17 miners were working in the mining pit which is estimated to be about 40 feet in depth when it caved in. At the time of the incident, it was raining heavily which might have contributed to the collapse. Those rescued managed to run out of the pit as it collapsed but owing to the silt and the water, those who were further down were unable to make it out.

Back in July 2013 the then Minister of Labour Dr Nanda Gopaul had revealed that some 62 persons died on the job between February 2008 and 2012 with a third

of the deaths occurring in the mining sector. The disclosures were provided to Granger who was then Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly. Granger had requested data on names of the persons whose deaths occurred as a result of the accidents or diseases while working. He also asked whether any inquests or investigations had been conducted under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Of the 62 deaths listed, 23 of them were working in the extractive or mining sector, including gold and bauxite. The forestry sector was the next deadliest with 11 persons killed. In the manufacturing sector, one person was killed while three were from the Guyana Power and Light Inc. In the area of agriculture, four workers were killed, including two from the sugar industry. Two construction workers also died on the job.

Govt to state media: “Don’t be biased”

The state media was on Monday directed to cover everyone and do not be biased to the Government. The instruction was given by a former journalist Catherine Hughes; Imran Khan, Communications Consultant for the Alliance For Change (AFC); and Mark Archer, Head of the Communications team of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), during a meeting with the top managers of the Guyana Chronicle, National Communications Network (NCN) and the Government Information Agency (GINA). The directive is for the entities to give

Cathy Hughes

equitable and fair access to all and to remain balanced and fair in its reports and programmes.

The trio met with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NCN Molly Hassan, Head of GINA Neaz Subhan, General Manager of the Guyana Chronicle Michael Gordon, and Chronicle Editor Mark Ramotar, informing them that their mandate now is to provide fair and equitable access to every party and stakeholder, without favour or partiality to anyone.

Speaking to the Guyana Times, the AFC’s Communications Officer, Imran Khan, related that the new administration thought it fitting to have discussions with the head of the agencies. He noted that

through the discussions, the management and employees of all of the three agencies were informed that the Government had no plans to “witch hunt” anyone and will not engage in any acts of firing or the victimising of any person. “We asked them to be professional, fair and balanced in their reporting, and that they should not pander to any one side,” Khan said. Meanwhile, CEO of NCN Molly Hassan, in a telephone interview with this publication, said that the meeting was civil, with no cause for concern. She said that the meeting was based on the fact that the new Government wishes to see

equal and equitable access to state media remain paramount, while ensuring that fair, balanced and unbiased reporting emanate from the body. Hassan said that she was further instructed to ensure that the reports and programmes were not in favour of any one person or party but that it remains balance and fair.

“They were very open in terms of their views on the fact that some of the stories they would like to see should not be slanted in any way; it should not favour any political party. They did say equal access to airtime remains paramount,” the CEO said. Hassan further related that

all staff were reassured of their positions at the agency and no action of termination was taken. “We continue business as per normal… they have assured that there will be no termination…the staff have been assured of that,” Hassan said. The use of state media had been a pressing topic of discussion by the then (APNU+AFC) Opposition on their campaign trail, blasting NCN and the Guyana Chronicle for shutting them out. The coalition had promised to ensure that the state media does not become the public relations tool for the Government, but that it will represent all stakeholders.

tuesday, may 19, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

GT&T seeks deeper relations with new Govt … congratulatory messages pour out

Communications giant

Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) said it is looking forward to a deeper partnership with the new David Granger-led administration as they work to advance economic development in Guyana.

Granger, who was sworn in as the country’s eighth Executive President on Saturday, has already gotten down to business. “We congratulate the APNU/ AFC, and President Granger in particular, for creating an effective coalition that delivered a historic victory,” RK Sharma, Chief Executive Officer of GT&T said in a statement. “I take this opportunity also to commend the APNU/AFC and the outgoing PPP/C administration for accomplishing a swift and orderly transition of power. On behalf of GT&T, I want to extend our support to President Granger and the APNU/AFC as they work to advance peace, national unity and economic development.” He said GT&T looks forward to deepening “our partnership with the people and with the Government, and working with our new leaders to accelerate Guyana’s growth and development.”

Meanwhile, the Government of Brazil also extended its congratulations to Guyana for holding elections and Granger for being elected President. The Brazilian Government said international observer missions, the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) being among them, which counted the participation of two representatives of the electoral supreme tribunal of Brazil,

followed the calm progress of the electoral process.

Brazil extends to President Granger its warmest greetings and confirms the commitment to continue deepening the bilateral initiatives and the partnership established within the regional context; with Guyana being a member country of UNASUR, the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and Associate State of MERCOSUR.

Maturity

For its part, the Guyana Manufacturing & Services Association (GMSA) in congratulating Granger said that the nation’s manufacturers, service providers, commercial entrepreneurs, importers and exporters are anxious at this time to get on with business; to continue the process of raising Guyana’s standing in the world of trade. “The GMSA is particularly anxious to get on with our business of facilitating the creation of more value-added industries that will utilise Guyana’s many natural resources in sec-

23-year-old

ondary and tertiary production. Our country’s capacity in this regard is tremendous even with the traditional products such as gold, rice, sugar, timber and agricultural crops,” the association said.

It added that, today, Guyana stands on a springboard “and we at the GMSA are ready to promote the evolution of downstream manufacturing and service enterprises which are expected to spring up from the find of commercial quantities of hydrocarbons (oil and gas); from the anticipated construction of a deep water harbour; from the rehabilitation of the Demerara Harbour and Navigational Channel; and from the resurgence of the gold and diamond industry. The agriculture and agro-processing sector is also ripe for immediate expansion, which the GMSA plans to facilitate with technical and financial support through our trade development partnerships with agencies in the Caribbean, North America and Europe.”

The Association said it

looks forward to close collaboration with the incoming coalition Government, which has already laid out broad strategies to address these initiatives that will redound to the benefit of the business community and to Guyanese in general. “In addition, we anticipate that more effective strategies will be implemented in the immediate future to re-train and re-equip our law enforcement bodies to ensure the personal and material safety of business owners and their communities. The GMSA continues to hope that the calm which has accompanied these recent elections will stretch into the years ahead.”

Pentecostal Pastor Philbert London of Beacons Ministries said “May God guide and strengthen you, and provide you with full support from the relevant personnel and departments, in your resolve to ensure justice and fairness, non-partisan and national care for all Guyanese.” London said, as ‘Archbishop’ in Guyana, “I am particularly heartened at your positive declaration, at your pre-swearing-in delivery, repeated at your inauguration, that your election victory represented ‘The day the Lord has made and the day we should all rejoice and be glad in. Your Excellency’. I declare the favour, wisdom, wealth, and health of God attend to you during your office so that your commitment and vision, to be a good President in the interest of all Guyanese, will be realised. God bless you, and as always, I, with my people, stand ready to respond to your call at any time for divine guidance that is beyond you.”

on 6-month suspension for assaulting Police

A23-year-old was on Monday served with a six-month suspended sentence at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after he was found guilty of assaulting three Police Officers and resisting arrest.

Magistrate Alex Moore found Lloyd Abel guilty of the charges which read that in early May, at the mobile Police Outpost located at Stabroek Market, Georgetown, he resisted arrest and assaulted three Police Officers – Constable Caesar, Constable George and Constable Grandshaw –causing Constable Caesar actual bodily harm. According to Police Prosecutor Renata Bentham, on the day in question, Constable Caesar while issued with an arrest warrant for Abel, apprehended the defendant and attempted to take him into the mobile Police Outpost. It was then stated that the defendant resisted and became vio-

lent, dealing several punches to Constable Caesar and shoving him into a bus, causing him to have an abrasion to the right side of his spine. The two other Constables rushed to Caesar’s assistance and were also dealt several hits. According to the defendant, on the day in question, he was standing at the back of the route 46 minibus park conversing with his cousin when Constable Caesar approached him, held onto his pants and tried to haul him away to the Police Outpost. He said during the altercation, his clothes were dishevelled and his slippers came off of his feet, therefore he asked the Constable to release his grip on him to fix his clothing. The defendant claimed that the officer refused and dealt him a punch to his face. In defence, he said that he punched one of the officers but was soon after subdued and taken into the Outpost. There, he was beaten by the

officers then transported to the Brickdam Police Station.

The court heard the testimonies of the officers involved in the altercation as well as two defence witnesses, namely the defendant’s uncle and cousin. According to the testimonies presented by the defence witnesses, on the day of the incident, Constable Caesar approached the defendant with an arrest warrant for him. He then held on to him as to thwart his escape. The defendant started resisting and dealt a punch to Constable Caesar, causing several officers to rush to his assistance. The witnesses claimed that they saw Abel being taken into the Police Outpost, and the next occasion they saw him was at the Brickdam Police Station where his face was swollen and his body bore several marks of violence.

After reviewing all of the testimonies presented, Magistrate Moore found the

OP to be renamed Ministry of the Presidency ... Harmon to be in charge

President David Granger has proposed to designate the Office of the President (OP) as the Ministry of the Presidency. This was told to staffers at the Presidential Complex on Monday when the new President met with them for the first time.

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) bulletin, Granger stated that the new Ministry will be headed by Lieutenant Colonel Retired Joseph Harmon, and explained that when Harmon enters the National Assembly, he will be designated the Minister of State, so he will be Head, or the Minister-inCharge of the Ministry of the Presidency.

The President said that from time to time, other Ministers will be appointed in the Ministry, “but Mr Harmon will be the person who will be exercising the ministerial function under my directions of this Ministry… Some departments will continue, some will remain, but most important thing is that we ensure there is no disruption, simple. Comrade Harmon will be doing the job that Dr Luncheon did, with some exceptions. He won’t be doing NIS (National Insurance Scheme), but as far as OP is concerned, he is Minister-in -Charge.” Meanwhile, Harmon expressed his gratitude at the appointment, saying that the A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration intends to be service oriented. “We are the servants of the people, and the people are excited and expectant, and if you understand this, this is what they are looking for. I have met with some of the staff already and indicated that there is no witch hunt. Government has to be continued, we expect that you will serve to deliver this. We will provide a quality of service that all Ministries must emulate; that would be the envy of the Caribbean.” The President will meet all Permanent Secretaries on May 20 at the Guyana International Conference Centre.

Beharry salesman, guard robbed at gunpoint

defendant guilty of resisting arrest, stating that the officers were entitled to take steps to prevent the defendant from escaping, even if it meant having some amount of physical contact with the defendant. He said that defendant’s conduct was reprehensible, and the officers were permitted to use reasonable force to arrest an unruly and uncooperative arrestee.

As it relates to the charges of assault, Abel was ordered to pay $50,000 compensation to Constable Caesar who had sustained several injuries during the incident. The compensation must be paid on or by August 21 or a penalty of three months in prison will be laid. The defendant was placed on a six months suspended sentence on each charge of assault. The sentences would be served concurrently if the defendant commits an offence punishable by incarceration within the next two years.

Police are on the hunt for two men who committed a brazen daylight robbery of two salesmen and a security guard attached to the Edward B Beharry and Sons Limited on Monday at Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara.

According to information received, the two salesmen and the security guard were relieved of an undisclosed sum of money and a .32 pistol with 10 matching rounds.

The employees of the business entity were in the Non Pariel Area conducting business when two armed men confronted them. They were held at gunpoint and demanded that they hand over the cash and firearm. The men, out of fear complied.

The two armed robbers then made good on their escape on a motorcycle. In 2014, Mahindra Persaud, a salesman of the said company was shot during a robbery at

Better Hope, East Coast Demerara. To date, Persaud remains paralysed, with no one charged. Persaud, 49 of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was shot in his knee and twice to his head by two armed men. The perpetrator managed to escape with $100,000. It was reported that Persaud made a stop at a shop located in Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, to deliver chowmein when an unidentified man ran into the shop behind him, shooting at the ground. The shooter then turned to Persaud and shot him to his knee. Despite being injured, Persaud tried to make his way back to the delivery bus, but was pursued by the shooter who shot him to his head. The shooter then made his escape on a bicycle. Persaud was in the company of a porter who ran away after hearing gunshots.

Family members call for public assistance to bury young mother

The Grey family of Somerset and Berks in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) is calling on the general public to assist them in burying the 20-year-old mother, Yonette Grey, who succumbed moments after she delivered a bouncing baby girl at the Suddie Public Hospital.

The family was expecting to conduct the funeral service for the deceased on Wednesday, but was told that the post mortem has been delayed. According to the mother-in-law of the dead woman, Nellie Grey, she has to take care of the nine days old baby in addition to offsetting all funeral expenses. She explained she is not in a financial position to do so, and the family is contemplating asking the Government to bury the young Grey. Nellie Grey said that it is her desire to give her daughter-in-law a decent burial. She further noted that the deceased’s parents live in Wakapoa, an Amerindian community in Region Two, and do not a lot of finances.

When asked why the post mortem examination was delayed, Grey said that her son, Cliffton Simon Grey,

had to travel to Georgetown to witness the examination, and was caught up by the traffic. “When my son reached, they said that he was late and he has to wait until Wednesday. Right now we really confused and on the verge of giving up,” Grey stated. The family is very disappointed over the

went a C-section and the baby’s life was saved. The mother of one was later air-dashed to Georgetown Public Hospital where she succumbed moments after. Grey’s in-laws are contending that if she was given the right attention at Oscar Joseph Hospital in Charity, then chances are that her

move by Government pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh to postpone the post mortem to Wednesday, hence sending them into additional expenses.

Yonette Grey, 20 of Somerset and Berks in Region Two, died on May 10 after delivering her first child at the Suddie Public Hospital. She was 36 weeks pregnant when she was admitted at the Charity Oscar Joseph Hospital for vomiting and severe abdominal cramps. She was later rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital where she under-

life would have been saved.

Nellie Grey told the media that her daughter- in law was transported to Suddie hours after her admittance. The mother-inlaw attributed the long delay of the ambulance to her daughter in law experiencing seizures. Even in the ambulance, there was no oxygen to help Grey’s condition. The deceased was married some nine months to her son Cliffton Simon Grey. Anyone who wishes to contribute to the family can contact Nellie Grey on her mobile 6809998.

Trio wanted for narco trafficking

Wanted: From left – Kenton Haynes, Shivsankar Khellawan and Keon Anthony Duncan

The Guyana Police Force on Monday issued a wanted bulletin for three men for questioning in relation to trafficking in narcotics.

Guyana Times was unable to ascertain which cocaine bust the wanted men are linked to.

The men being sought

are 29-year-old Kenton Haynes of Lot 14 Nelson Street, Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara (EBD); Shivsankar Khellawan called “Amo’, 51, of Lot 3 Second Street, Bel Air Village, Georgetown and 19-year-old Keon Anthony Duncan of Lot 37 Riverview Drive, Friendship, EBD.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Kenton Haynes, Shivsankar Khellawan and Keon Anthony Duncan is asked to contact the Police on telephone numbers 2267065, 225-6411, 225-8196, 226-2870, 225-1111, 911 or the nearest police station.

Surinamese national held at OIA with cocaine

ASurinamese national was on Sunday arrested at the Ogle International Airport (OIA) after attempting to smuggle 214 grams of cocaine on her person. The interception was made by members of the Police Narcotics Branch while the woman was at the check-in counter.

Guyana Times understands that based on her suspicious behaviour, the Police requested to conduct

a search on her person. It was then that the cocaine was discovered and weighted, totalling 214 grams. At that point, the woman admitted to also swallowing a quantity of cocaine pellets.

She was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she subsequently excreted 25 pellets thus far and remains under guard at the medical facility. Once all the pellets are excreted, the woman will be charged for

possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. This came days after two women were intercepted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport with a total of 12 kilograms of cocaine. The two were travelling separately on the same flight destined for JFK International in New York when the cocaine was detected in their luggage. They were arrested and charged on Monday.

WHO hails region for eliminating rubella

Director General Margaret Chan of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has congratulated countries in the Americas for eliminating rubella and congenital rubella syndrome, during the opening remarks at the 68th World Health Assembly taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, on 18 to 26 May.

“Goals and targets really do make a difference. At the end of April, the region of the Americas became the first in the world to interrupt rubella transmission, eliminating this disease and the related congenital rubella syndrome,” Chan told delegates from 194 member countries of WHO. She congratulated Carissa F Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), as well as “all the countries of the Americas” for their achievement. “You are setting a very high bar,” she said. Chan added that she was committed to collaborating with other regions to advance toward rubella elimination worldwide.

Standard and Poor’s affirms CDB’s AA/A-1+ ratings

Leading rating agency, Standard and Poor’s (S&P) has affirmed the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) ‘AA/A-1+’ credit ratings, as well as its financial outlook is stable.

“We are affirming our ‘AA/ A-1+’ long- and short-term issuer credit ratings on CDB. The stable outlook reflects our view that CDB will retain its high capital adequacy and sufficient liquidity, and that its sovereign borrowers will treat the bank as a preferred creditor,” the ratings agency said in a May 7 note.

S&P said the continued fiscal consolidation of CDB’s borrowing members has kept loan demand subdued, which, in combination with capital instalment payments and internal capital generation, has led to an increase of the Bank’s risk-adjusted capital ratio to 26 per cent.

“Based on this, we have re-

vised our assessment of the bank’s stand-alone credit profile to ‘AA’ from ‘AA-’, S&P said.

The agency said the ratings on CDB are based on its strong business profile which is reflected in its role as “the cornerstone lender” to Caribbean governments and its “extremely strong financial profile”, by S&P definitions. Together these form CDB’s ‘AA’ stand-alone credit profile (SACP). The credit ratings pertain only to CDB’s Ordinary Capital Resources (OCR), the bank’s primary operations.

The bank which was established in 1969 provides loans and guarantees aimed at aiding the economic development of governments and companies in the Caribbean. CDB had US$1.4 billion in adjusted total assets as of December 31, 2014.

According to S&P, CDB’s

strong business profile reflects first its role as a prominent lender in the Caribbean and its ability to lend to sovereigns throughout the credit cycle. Second, CDB’s members demonstrated their support for the bank’s mandate by granting a 38 per cent increase of paid-in capital in 2010, although some members have continued to be late in paying their subscriptions. Third, the bank’s borrowing members have treated CDB’s OCR as a preferred creditor in most, but not all, periods of stressed external liquidity.

The agency said CDB’s extremely strong financial profile reflects its strengthening capital adequacy, its less diversified funding profile, and its solid liquidity. In its analysis of the bank’s performance, S&P said significant support from non-regional members, including funding of CDB’s Special Funds Resources (not

rated), which provides grants and concessional loans to lower-income countries, has helped sustain the credit quality of the OCR.

“The bank has also continued to strengthen its governance structure through the consolidation of its risk management and monitoring framework, as well as through the introduction of new institutional checks and balances.”

Historically, CDB has maintained a high level of capitalisation to offset the correlation risk of borrowing members. This correlation pertains not only to the bank’s region of operations, but also to the common characteristics of many of its borrowers.

These include economic structure, monetary arrangements, fiscal challenges, and reliance on foreign savings.

With reference to the stable outlook, S&P said CDB will maintain high capitali-

sation to offset the embedded credit risk in its sovereign loan portfolio, particularly as its borrower members continue their fiscal consolidation efforts in 2015. “We believe that the fiscal reform continued this year, in addition to the further improvement of the external liquidity vulnerabilities of some of CDB’s lowestrated members, strengthen borrowers’ capacity to service their US dollar-denominated debt to the bank,” S&P said.

It added that a potential moderate credit deterioration of some of CDB’s borrowing members would have only a limited effect on the Bank’s capital adequacy, by S&P’s calculations

The Caribbean Development Bank is a regional financial institution established 1970 for the purpose of contributing to the harmonious economic growth and development of member

countries. The Bank’s founding President was noted economist and Nobel Laureate Sir Arthur Lewis. There are 19 regional borrowing member countries – including Guyana and Suriname; three regional non-borrowing member countries and five non-regional non-borrowing countries – Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia.

Members outside of the Region are Canada, China, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. As of December 31, 2014, CDB had total assets of USD2.61 billion (This includes US$1.38 billion of ordinary Capital resources and US$1.23 billion of Special Funds Resources.) CDB has an “AA1” with stable outlook rating with Moody’s Rating Agency and a stable “AA/A1+” rating with Standard and Poor’s Rating Agency. In 2014, the bank approved loans and grants of US$26.6 billion.

Colombia landslide kills dozens

Damage caused by a landslide in Colombia

At least three dozen people have been killed in a landslide in the Antioquia province in NorthWest Colombia, officials say. The director of Antioquia’s Disaster Prevention Department told local media 20 others have been injured.

Heavy rains caused the river Liboriana to burst its banks, triggering the landslide. Much of the village of Santa Margarita, South-

West of the provincial capital Medellin, was reportedly swept away when the landslide hit early on Monday.

Antioquia Governor Sergio Fajardo tweeted that it was a “tragedy” and “that all emergency teams have been scrambled”. Local official Zulma Osorio spoke of a “tragedy of enormous proportions” and asked for fire fighters and first response teams to be sent from surrounding areas. She

said the search was under way for missing residents, and that local officials were compiling a list of all the families which had been affected.

Bodies are still being recovered and the authorities expect the number of fatalities to rise. Police in Antioquia put the current number of confirmed deaths at 39. President Juan Manuel Santos is travelling to the town of Salgar to assess the damage. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Jamaican PM to lead child protection campaign

Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller will lead a child protection campaign across the island, against the background of recent cases of murder and abuse of the nation’s youth.

Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna made the disclosure ahead of Simpson-Miller’s address to the nation on Sunday night on issues affecting children.

Hanna said the Prime Minister would be engaged in “courageous” conversations during the campaign that is set to begin on May 28, near the close of Child Month, which has as its theme “Children’s Safety

and Security – Our Priority”.

During her address, Prime Minister SimpsonMiller said she was deeply saddened by the recent mistreatment and murder of Jamaican children, describing those acts as “unacceptable”. “The brutal killing of our children is a vile and dreadful occurrence that is alien to our culture,” she said, adding that she was also concerned about instances of parental neglect.

“What have we become when, as a society, we hurt and kill our children? As a country, we are destroying the social fabric of the society and blighting our collec-

tive future when we abuse and hurt our children... Too many of our children are being subjected to heartrending violence and physical, sexual and emotional abuse, many times carried out by family members and other persons they trust.”

The Prime Minister said that the situation had to be dealt with immediately and firmly and she outlined measures that would be taken by Government, among them changes to legislation to provide for harsher penalties for people who murder, rape or commit other serious violent offences against children. (Excerpt from Caribbean 360)

Cuba finally accepts citizens held at sea by US Coast Guard

Dozens of Cuban migrants who were stuck on a United States (US) Coast Guard ship after being detained at sea, because their country refused to allow them back in, have finally returned home.

But the Cuban Government has called on the US to stop the so-called “wet-foot, dry-foot policy” which allows migrants from Cuba to quickly become legal residents and eventually citizens if they make it to US soil but turns back those caught at sea.

The 38 migrants were repatriated on Sunday af-

ter being in limbo for several weeks. They were among nearly 100 Cubans who had been intercepted by the Coast Guard near the US Virgin Islands in late April.

The migrants would ordinarily have been quickly repatriated under an agreement between the US and Cuba intended to discourage risky sea journeys by people seeking to reach the US. However, Cuban authorities hesitated in accepting them, arguing they did not qualify as migrants in transit who should be immediately repatriated because they had legally left their country and obtained tourist visas to St

Lucia.

A statement issued by the Cuban Interests Section in Washington said Cuba’s Government had notified the US that it would grant permission for the migrants to return even though they did not qualify for repatriation under the terms of a 1995 Agreement.

“It is the principal stimulus to illegal migration from Cuba to the US and to the irregular entries of Cubans to US territories through third countries, undermining the commitment made by both countries to promote legal, safe and orderly migration,” it said. (Caribbean 360)

Canada gives millions to Caricom justice sector reform project

The Canadian Government is providing Cdn$19.2 million to help reform the justice sector in Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries.

Assistance in drafting legislation to further regional integration and economic growth, more legislative protection of vulnerable groups against discrimination, training of mediators to assist parties in solving disputes to avoid long and expensive court proceedings, and a programme for sensitising ordinary people about their rights under the law, are among the benefits promised under the Improved Access to Justice in the Caribbean (IMPACT

Justice) project being funded under an agreement with the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Barbados.

The five-year regional justice sector reform project is designed to address deficiencies in the justice sector in Caricom, outside of those that are directly related to the judiciary and the courts.

Regional Project Director Professor Velma Newton reported that in the first five months of the project, most of the targets set for the first year in the Annual Work Plan have been achieved. “For example, we have been able to do training in the key areas of legislative drafting, mediation, arbitration and also expansion of legal databases,” she disclosed. She also noted that the project would have significant socio-economic impact through drafting of legislation for the improvement of the Caricom Single Market and Economy and OECS Economic Union.

Canadian High Commissioner Richard Hanley lauded the contributions of Professor Newton and former UWI Cave Hill Campus Principal, Sir Hilary Beckles to moving the project forward. Professor Beckles hailed the project which has the ultimate outcome of enhancing access to justice benefiting men, women, youth and businesses in the 13 Caricom Member States. (Excerpt from Caribbean 360)

Former USVI official jailed for bribery, extortion

Aformer Executive Director of the US Virgin Islands (USVI) Legislature has been sentenced to five years in prison for bribery and extortion. Louis “Lolo” Willis, 57, was sentenced last Thursday, almost six months after a jury in the Virgin Islands convicted him of four counts of bribery and extortion.

Willis was the Executive Director of the Legislature between 2009 and 2012. His responsibilities included oversight of the major renovation of the Legislature building, and awarding and entering into Government contracts in connection with the project. Willis was also responsible for authorising payments to the contractors for their work.

Evidence presented during the trial showed that

Former Executive Director of the USVI Legislature, Louis Willis

Willis accepted bribes, including US$13,000 in cash and cheques, from contractors in exchange for using his official position to secure more than US$350,000 in work for them, and to ensure they received payment when they

were done.

One contractor said he wrote a US$10,000 cheque that paid for the repaving of Willis’s driveway and an air conditioner in Willis’ house, after he had secured a US$2100 monthly contract maintaining the air conditioning in the Legislature building. Another contractor said he gave Willis US$3000 before he hired him to remove overgrown tree roots near the Legislature building at a cost of US$18,000.

Willis had also been charged in relation to a third contractor but the jury did not convict him on the bribery and extortion charges involving that individual. The three contractors received immunity for their testimony in Willis’ trial.

The former USVI official is awaiting trial in a separate case of tax evasion. (Excerpt from Caribbean 360)

Beyonce visits Haiti

Multiple Grammy award-winner

Beyonce has paid a visit to Haiti to look at the progress made since the massive earthquake shattered the French-speaking Caribbean country five years ago.

Haiti United Nations (UN) mission spokeswoman Sophie Boutaud de la Combe said that the American superstar was also able to meet some of the people who were affected by the 2010 disaster in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation.

According to de la Combe, the singer, who was named Time magazine’s Most Influential Person 2014, visited Haiti with Baroness Valerie Amos, the UN’s Humanitarian Affairs Chief and Emergency Relief Coordinator. Pictures taken during the pop queen’s visit to the impoverished country showed her wearing a white T-shirt emblazoned with the

name of her charity organisation “Bey Good.” No further details of Beyonce’s trip were immediately available.

In 2010, shortly after the deadly 7.0 quake, the Council of Fashion Designers of America named Beyonce the official face of their fundraising “Fashion for Haiti” T-shirt. Since then, Forbes’ highest paid woman in music 2014 has been involved in several benefits and fundraisers for the stricken nation.

More than five years after the January 12 catastrophe killed over 250,000 people, maimed countless others, and devastated Haiti’s capital and surrounding areas, the country is still struggling to recover. It also continues to contend with political strife and outbreaks of cholera, the latter of which were allegedly inadvertently introduced to Haiti by UN aid workers from Nepal in the aftermath of the earthquake. (Caribbean 360)

192 face charges in Texas

Texas Police say 192 people are to face organised crime charges after the Waco bike-gang shooting that left nine people dead and 18 others injured.

What started as a fist fight soon descended into a battle with knives, clubs, chains and eventually guns as a feud broke out between several gangs at a shopping district in Waco.

One witness described the scene as “a war zone”, while a Waco Policeman called it the most gruesome scene he had encountered in his career.

The incident happened shortly after midday on

Sunday at the Twin Peaks

Sports Bar and Grill in a shopping area called the Central Texas Market Place.

Bullet casings, knives, a club, bodies and pools of blood were all found inside the restaurant.

Up to five rival gangs got into a fight, apparently over parking spaces near the restaurant. Diners and staff at the nearby cafe managed to lock themselves in a freezer room for safety and were later escorted off the premises by armed Police. “I was amazed that we didn’t have innocent civilians killed or injured...In 34 years of law enforcement, this is the most violent

crime scene I have ever been involved in,” Waco Police Sergeant Patrick Swanton said.

In addition to announcing the large number of arrests, Waco Police Department said on Monday that they had temporarily closed the Twin Peaks restaurant for at least a week “due to the ongoing danger it presents to our community”.

A spokesman for McLennan County Court in Waco said the 192 people were being formally charged at the local jail, and that processing the large number of cases was proving to be “a big, big deal”. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Nurse in India dies 42 years after rape

An Indian nurse, who spent 42 years in a persistent vegetative state after being raped and strangled, has died. Aruna Shanbaug was left with severe brain damage and paralysed after the 1973 attack by a ward attendant in the Mumbai hospital where she worked.

Her case sparked a debate about India’s euthanasia (mercy killing) laws. The Supreme Court had rejected a plea to allow her to die.

“Ms Shanbaug died at 08:30h on Monday. She was admitted to the intensive care unit and put on ventilator support,” a spokesman at Mumbai’s King Edward Memorial (KEM) hospital

said. The nurse was 25 years old when she was sodomised by a KEM hospital cleaner, who strangled her with metal chains and left her to die on November 27, 1973. She survived, but spent the rest of her life in hospital, force fed twice a day. She was fed through the nose to keep her alive but developed pneumonia six days ago.

Journalist and author Pinki Virani, who wrote a book on the nurse’s plight, filed the case which was rejected by the Supreme Court in 2011. She had argued that Ms Shanbaug was “virtually a dead person” and should be allowed to die.

Around the World

Burundi President sacks Ministers amid protests over election bid

Burundi’s President has sacked three Cabinet Ministers, as protests resumed after last week’s failed coup.

A spokesman for the President told the BBC that President Pierre Nkurunziza had dismissed his Defence, External Relations and Trade Ministers in a Cabinet reshuffle on Monday. It comes amid protests against the President running for a third term in elections due next month.

Nkurunziza returned from Tanzania last week after a failed coup. The BBC’s Ruth Nesoba says soldiers fired warning shots to disperse crowds on Monday

morning as youths barricaded roads. Protesters were chanting for President Nkurunziza to drop his plans to seek a third term in elections.

Some businesses were closed and activities stopped in the Nyakabiga, Musaga and Mutakura neighbourhoods of Bujumbura, says our reporter. However, she says life carried on as normal in areas where the President is popular.

On Sunday, Kenya’s President called his Burundian counterpart, urging him to delay the elections.

Several alleged leaders of the coup attempt have

been arrested but General Godefroid Niyombare, who announced it in a radio broadcast, remains on the run. President Nkurunziza made his first official appearance in front of international media since returning from Tanzania on Sunday. The President said nothing about the coup plot or the current crisis in the country. Instead, he said Burundi faced a specific threat from the Somali Islamist movement al-Shabab. Al-Shabab spokesman Sheikh Ali Mahamud Rage denied this, saying the statement was intended “to divert the world’s attention from him”. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Ebola crisis prompts US$100M WHO emergency fund

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is to set up a US$100 million emergency contingency fund following the Ebola outbreak, its Director General has announced.

Speaking in Geneva, Margaret Chan said the WHO had been overwhelmed by the epidemic in West Africa. She said the demands were more than 10 times greater than anything else it had experienced.

The Ebola outbreak was first reported in March 2014 and is believed to have claimed more than 11,000 lives.

“With the support of member states, I am establishing a US$100 million contingency fund, financed by flexible voluntary contributions, to ensure we have the necessary resources available to immediately mount an initial response,” Ms Chan told WHO’s annual meeting. She also said that she was putting in place a new “unified” programme to help deal with health emer-

gencies. “I do not ever again want to see this organisation faced with a situation it is not prepared, staffed, funded, or administratively set up to manage,” she said.

The Ebola outbreak was the deadliest occurrence of the disease since its discovery in 1976. The first confirmed cases occurred in South-eastern Guinea early last year and spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone,

Nigeria and Mali. Other countries, including the United States, Spain, Germany, Norway, France, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, all treated patients who had contracted the virus in West Africa. Liberia recently became the first of the three hardest-hit countries to be declared free of the virus, after 42 days without any new cases. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Egypt executes 6 convicted Sinai Province militants

Although the Supreme Court rejected Virani’s plea, the case resulted in India easing some restrictions on euthanasia after the court’s landmark ruling that life support could be legally removed for some terminally ill patients in exceptional circumstances, providing the request was from family and supervised by doctors and the courts.

Shanbaug’s attacker, Sohanlal Bharta Walmiki, was not even charged for raping her since sodomy was not considered rape under Indian laws at the time. He was freed after serving a seven-year-sentence for robbery and attempted murder. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Egypt has executed six men convicted of carrying out an attack on soldiers last year, state media report. The six men, who were hanged, were accused of being members of militant group Sinai Province, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS). They were found guilty of killing of two officers during a gunfight in March 2014.

However, rights groups had called for a retrial for the six men, arguing that the court process was flawed. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty

International said that three of the men were in custody at that time, and could not have carried out the attack in Arab Sharkas, a village North of Cairo. Amnesty described the men’s trial as “grossly unfair” and said that the men said they were tortured into confessing to the charges.

The Sinai Province group has carried out a series of attacks against military targets in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula since the Army ousted President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.

The group has been involved in suicide bombings,

drive-by shootings, assassinations and beheadings. The group was previously called Ansar Beit al-Maqdis (Champions of Jerusalem), but announced a name change in November 2014 after pledging allegiance to IS. The execution comes a day after a court handed down death sentences to Morsi and more than 100 other people, over a mass prison break in 2011. Shortly after the ruling, gunmen shot dead four people, including three judges, in the northern Sinai city of al-Arish. (Excerpt from

tuesday, may 19, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Land grabbers defiant

… say Granger promised them better lives

By Devina Samaroo

Defiant residents from the East Coast Demerara maintain that they will not retreat from marking their territories on unoccupied estate lands inside the canefields, claiming that they were promised a better life by newly elected President Brigadier David Granger, and they are determined to hold him to his word.

Since Granger, the Leader of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition, has been announced to be Guyana’s new President, residents turned out in large numbers and hastily rushed to abandoned Guysuco lands to start squatting. On Monday, the Guyana Times visited Success, one of the villages where squatters were out in large numbers ensuring that their lands are were marked with placards bearing their names and initials.

The residents there said that they expect Granger to allow them to have the lands, in keeping with his promise to provide for the poor people of the nation. “I

need it. We all need lands. I live at renting home and I can’t afford it because I have two children and they go to school. The expense alone is just too much. Granger said vote for a change. He promised we better, so now we need it and he got to give we.

We not moving from here,” Devi Raghubir said. Thus far, residents estimated that approximately 500-1000 individuals already began squatting on the Guysucuo lands which stretch from Vryheid’s Lust to Chateau Margot. “We

want house lots. We need house lots. We got to get this place for house lots. We nah move from here. Five years now, nuff people here complain that they apply for house lot and they never get. We can’t afford to be paying rent every month. It nah easy so we want this place to build house,” Sahadeo Baijnauth related.

A father of four, Fyouse Shakair, explained that Granger promised the poor people of the country a better life and that many residents are looking up to him to fulfil those promises, either by allowing the residents to keep the lands that they already marked or offering it up for sale at an affordable price of around $100,000. “When he was campaigning he said that this country has enough wealth for everybody. So I want him to do that and make sure the poor people look after. We fed up. Its long now poor people suffering,” he stated.

Using himself as a “classic” example of the struggles of poor people in Guyana, Shakair said “I working at Guysuco for nine years now. I apply for house land since 2008 and it take me

long to get land and when I finally get it, I can’t afford it. The land they give me is $800,000. Where I gon get the money for that. I don’t work for much. I can’t afford that. I have four children to mind. I live in a renting home. I don’t mek nuff money,” he vented off. Additionally, some residents complained that the poor people of the country have been neglected for quite too long and it is time for them to stand up for their rights. “It’s too long. We want change. They give lands to all them big people and them big rich businessman, and they don’t give to

we nothing. We don’t have a life? Why we can’t get house? We need it more than them. I want Granger to listen to we and keep his promise,” a mother of six blurted out.

Meanwhile, the new Government has since registered its disturbance over these recent developments. In a statement, the coalition contended that Granger did not authorise any of these illegal activities. The statement further encouraged residents to desist from these actions by reassuring them that all Guyanese will be given fair and equitable access to land under the new Government’s Land

Distribution Policy. Additionally, the coalition disclosed that the Police and other lawful authorities have been instructed to maintain peace and good order in all locations where attempts have been made to stake illegal claims to land. However, the East Coast Demerara is not the only district where these activities are ongoing. The Guyana Times understands that hundreds of eager residents have also been illegally claiming lands on the East Bank of Demerara, particularly in the villages of Diamond and Grove.

Wanted bulletin issued for Sophia teen’s killer

Weeks after being fingered in the murder of Alissa McPherson, the Police on Monday issued a wanted bulletin for 22-yearold Shivanand Roopnarine, called “Shiv” or “Tuck”, for questioning.

The young man, whose address was given as Lot 478 School Street, Grove Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was seen leaving his premises with a bag containing personal items after McPherson’s murder. He was last seen boarding a route 72 minibus at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, and has reportedly been in constant contact with his immediate family members and friends. Moments after stabbing the now dead teenager, the wanted man reportedly confessed to his friends.

On April 19, McPherson, of Cappies Place, ‘C’ Field Sophia, Georgetown went to a party with a few relatives, and someone informed the suspect that she was having an affair with another man. After receiving the news,

Roopnarine went to the area where he saw his girlfriend dancing in a comprising position with her ex. This prompted an argument, during which the young man pulled out an ice pick and dealt the teenager several blow before escaping.

McPherson was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she succumbed around 07:30h the same night. Guyana Times

was made to understand that the couple has been together for the past three years and was having problems. Prior to the incident, the teenager caught the suspect with another woman at his mother’s home. This newspaper was also informed that a torn photograph of the couple was found in the teenager’s handbag. A post-mortem examination conducted on the McPherson’s body revealed that she was stabbed at least 41 times. The teenager reportedly sustained stab wounds to her eyes, chest, hands, neck and abdomen, among others. She suffered a punctured lung, and her uterus was severely damaged. The cause of death was given as haemorrhaging and shock due to multiple stab wounds.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Roopnarine is asked to contact the Police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-8196, 229-2557, 229-2702, 911, or the nearest Police Station.

SASOD to continue discussion with new administration – plans to protect LGBT community

The Society Against Sexual Orientation and Discrimination (SASOD) will soon be approaching the newly installed Government of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), to propose its five-point plan to protect the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community (LGBT) in Guyana.

It has been called symbolic that the new President of Guyana, David Arthur Granger, was sworn in a day before the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT); a day where the struggles of the LGBT community are highlighted and society is taught to be accepting and understanding.

Schemel Patrick, SASOD’s Advocacy and Communications Officer,

told Guyana Times that the group has several plans in place to ensure the LGBT community is rendered the same rights as others in society and also properly protected from the opinions of said society. She explained that this can only be fully achieved with the help of the administration, thus SASOD will be approaching the President to lay out his Government’s plans to do so.

The SASOD representative stated that even before the election season, the human rights group had approached the two major political parties, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic and APNU/AFC to initiate a conversation on issues relating to homosexual and transgender persons. She said that they were made aware of the “challenges and have been very responsive

to our engagement”. It was then that the group’s fivepoint plan was introduced to the then competing political parties. However, this conversation will continue soon, Patrick stated.

The five-point plan was explained to involve issues relating to education, employment, legislation, health and discrimination. The Patrick further related that if the LGBT community is to truly be accepted as part of Guyana, then there will need to be constitutional reforms to amend articles in the Constitution that do not take the community into consideration or laws that encourage discrimination and prohibit their sexual choices.

Guyana is presently the only country within South America where homosexual acts are illegal. The

Criminal Law Offences Act, for instance, details that “any male person who, in public or private, commits, or is a party to the commission, or procures or attempts to procure the commission, by any male person, of any act of gross indecency with any other male person shall be guilty of a ‘misdemeanour’ and liable to imprisonment for two years.”

Patrick said that new laws need to be put in place to combat this, mentioning the Prevention of Discrimination Act which was enacted to protect employees from discrimination in the workplace. LGBTs need to be added to this act of protection to ensure that they are not discriminated against in seeking employment.

Also, in the five-point plan, SASOD is asking the

APNU/AFC Administration to consider the amendment of certain health laws that do not currently enable the relevant resources needed by LGBTs, like a transgender’s steady dose of hormone medication. In addition, the Advocacy Officer is proposing that the Government put necessary programmes in place, or make opportunities available to members of the LGBT community, that allow them to be a part of the workforce. She said too many times young men and women feel the need to drop out of school due to discrimination and are thus are left lacking in skills and education. This is in conjunction with plans to facilitate easy access to loans to initiate business ownership.

A call for a “comprehensive sexuality education” programme was also made,

which can be instituted in the schools. She explained that it should teach young people about “sexuality” and all aspects of it so as to encourage acceptance and understanding.

Patrick elaborated that education is “first and foremost” the priority for SASOD, as it is important that information is shared to make persons more accepting and understanding. She said that society needs to be more open minded as the LGBT community are the same as everyone else, “they have a right to education, a right to employment… we don’t want you to discriminate against someone because you don’t necessarily agree with their sexual orientation.”

The newly elected administration will need to deliver results

Dear Editor,

Congratulations to the newly elected officials of Guyana. You truly deserve to celebrate your accomplishment.

We all sing “Dear land of Guyana” and I truly believe that no matter how far away you roam, creek water and labba will draw you back to “O beautiful Guyana”, so I celebrate with you!

The people have spoken, though by a small margin, but they have spoken for a change. This change is not only for a new administration. It is for a new culture within the administration.

The people need to know, without any doubt, that they have strong leaders. Leaders whose agenda represents the best interests of the people and the country. We need leaders who value people.

The timing is right. It’s a time when this newly elected administration can leverage the skills, talents and resources available both locally and internationally to truly move Guyana into the 21st century.

Of the many things that are at the top of the agenda, I think first, you will need to win over those who

are still doubtful and will be apprehensive. The margin of victory clearly proves that there’s a great divide amongst the people.

Guyana is a diverse nation that lacks unity. Over the past few days the international press corps has seen this division and they have reported on it to a great degree. The new administration need to work to change this image.

Guyana is a nation of six peoples/races. It’s time to see people for who they are and not the texture of their hair or the colour of their skin. Let’s build a nation where everyone truly feels like a Guyanese. It is possible.

Then, we need an administration which is disciplined and professional in their operations. Any appointed Minister who shows lack of respect for citizens and abuse of power doesn’t deserve to be a representative of the Government and must not be allowed.

Any representative whose conduct is unbecoming of an elected official doesn’t deserve to represent the people of Guyana.

The people of Guyana deserve better. It is my strong belief that if there is

a culture of respect, discipline and professionalism, amongst other qualities and characterister traits, at the top of the pyramid, it will cascade down to the bottom. It will take time, but it must be done.

The next five years is where the real victory lies. The citizens of Guyana will need to be patient for change to come but, they must see evidence. The newly elected administration will need to deliver results.

The road ahead will not be an easy one but the people elected you and that should be enough motivation to accomplish a restructured and rebuilt Guyana.

In boxing, very rarely does the challenger win on a split decision. It is always the champion’s fight to lose. So the way I see it, the PPP/ C’s victory lies ahead!

To the people of Guyana, everyone, be humble and gracious. Think about this: Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison and when he was elevated to his destiny, he was humbled and forgiving.

One People, One Nation, One Destiny! A Patriot

Advice to APNU\AFC Govt from a layman

Dear Editor,

The new government should start to work immediately, avoiding the temptation of losing time by being dragged into peripheral and emotive non-rational concern.

The Government should try to proceed along the line of continuity and business as usual. This would imply allowing the administrative arm of Government to function as it had been and not changing any one except some permanent secretaries and ministerial secretaries.

The private sector must be left absolutely alone without disturbance. The over-exuberance of supporters must be curbed as such alienates. If such is done, governance becomes easier, more acceptable and legitimate. This is standard political theory.

These three projects of national importance should be proceeded with and we should not try to reinvent the wheel.

The Hydro-Power Amaila would cheapen electricity, helping in achieving an industrial revolution making Guyanese products more competitive locally and overseas.

The Specialty Hospital would save many lives providing facilities which are only available overseas. As important, it would allow older members of the Diaspora who would desire to return to Guyana to do so since world-class medical

services would be available for them as in the developed countries. These people would bring their capital and their foreign pensions and as such the hospital would be a foreign exchange earner.

The Airport Modernisatiion would cause airfares to fall since there will be more airlines and more competition and it would be an earner of money since Guyana, from its situation at the top of South America, would be the stopover hub for planes going from North to South America and vice versa, and from North America to Africa.

All three programmes would amortise themselves, that is, pay for themselves and create jobs.

Constitutional reforms should be an immediate priority. Such reforms should return to the system we had and which all the Anglophone Caribbean shares.

In such reforms, regional local governments should be strengthened giving the regions financial and developmental autonomy. The Central Government should have the role of supervising the regional local governments, the currency, defense, foreign affairs and the ports including the airport.

The central government should also be responsible for the capital city of Georgetown.

The new government

Dr Roger Luncheon is one of the greatest sons of this soil

Dear Editor,

With stumbling steps, helpers on both sides and concern from the audience, he emerged at the microphone with a glow of optimism emanating on his face.

He has undergone a dramatic change in recent times. Although, less puffy than he had appeared on television, his complexion was darker. He was breathing hard as he spoke. His voice course, eyes bleary, and his hair thinning and greyer.

His presentation was brief to the amusement and uproar of the crowd.

Dr Roger Luncheon is no ordinary man. His motivation and drive was not about financial upliftment or self aggrandizement. His cre-

dentials as a medical doctor are outstanding from one of the most revered universities of the world.

He could have been among the wealthiest and most prestigious doctors in Guyana. Instead, he joined with the late comrade Cheddi Bharrat Jagan and Janet Jagan to work diligently for the inhabitants of this land.

Dr Roger Luncheon is one of the greatest sons of this soil.

The treatment which was given to this humble civil servant in War-Lock and Stabroek Market Square was unacceptable and demands the condemnation of all Guyanese.

I humbly call on the present administration to look

seriously into these matters of intimidation and terrorization being expressed to its citizenry.

Regrettably, we may never see Dr Roger Luncheon again on a political platform, but this gem will always be remembered by all of us Guyanese living in Guyana and in the diaspora.

Sir Isaac Newton said, “If I have seen further, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” Thank you Oh great son of Guyana for being our giant! We are happy and grateful to have been served by you. May God-Almighty bless you with his guidance and mercy.

Nazar Mohamed

New Govt must be accountable for implementing changes promised

Dear Editor, Help and Shelter extends congratulations to President David Granger, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and the APNU-AFC coalition government on their elections success.

should immediately address the question of corruption in a quiet, constructive way. This would include cutting out bribery of officials in various government departments such as the Supreme Court registries, and immediately keeping a rein on all the ministers.

The ministers should immediately be made to publicly declare their assets. Such a declaration must be done within three months. This would curb the temptation of ministers enriching themselves from public funds or taking kickbacks. This is an urgent priority.

There are credible reports that numbers of people on learning that APNU-AFC had succeeded to the government, began squatting on government and private lands and invading the Turn Key houses the Ministry of Housing had built at a cost of scores of millions of dollars.

The new government must immediately put a stop to this attempted theft of state property and the lawlessness accompanying it. Government would then exhibit to all Guyana that it is strong and not weak, is capable of maintaining law and order and is focused on eliminating criminality.

With honest will and dedication, the new government could achieve these impacting activities in less than six months.

R Drakes

As Guyana prepares for a new government, we at Help and Shelter remain steadfast in our mission to contribute to bringing about a society where attitudes to the use of violence and practices of violence have been transformed.

We continue to believe that the culture of tolerance of violence can be changed through education; that everyone is a unique and valuable person; in the equal rights of all human beings and that no one has the

right to be violent to another human being.

We also remain steadfast in our commitment to work to build respect for the rights of women, children, youth and men to live free from violence and the threat of violence, and to assist women, children, youth and men to develop alternative ways of handling power, resolving conflict and widening options for survivors of gender-based violence.

The task of securing a regime change having been achieved, the new government must be held to account for implementing all the changes promised during the elections campaign.

We sincerely hope that ministerial and other appointments will be guided by the overriding need

for competency, integrity, transparency and full accountability.

We also fervently hope that all Guyanese, irrespective of their age, gender, race, political allegiance, etc. will be prepared to work toward promoting greater unity in order that our country can fulfill its enormous potential.

Help and Shelter looks forward to working with the new government in relation to the reduction of violence in all its forms, services for victims of domestic and sexual violence, child abuse and trafficking in persons and the effective implementation (and where necessary amendment) of all relevant laws and regulations.

Help and Shelter

Government must attend...

The Panday administration, like the Patrick Manning administration, was not genuinely interested in helping the poor. And in Guyana, although the PPP/C reduced poverty, much more could have been done to raise standard of living had the opposition cooperated with the government. Proposals to help the poor were often ignored.

The poor has been viewed as a burden on society. In general, politicians don’t care about them and wish if they could just go away. I have dealt with politicians in too many societies proposing policies on how to lift the poor. They trample on the dignity of the poor. They never walk the talk of their nice. Good sounding policies. They hardly ever delivered what they promised. Politicians say one thing in public in speeches filled of rhetoric of what they will do for the

poor. But once in office, they forget what they said.

Politicians (from the government side) will soon hide from the poor because it will be difficult to deliver on all the promises. It won’t be long from now that they will stop answering their phones and hide from constituents and even friends and those who fund them for the campaign.

It has always been this way. The only politician who did not hide from people in need of something or to address a problem was Cheddi Jagan. He was among the most honorable of all Guyanese politicians. He was caring and compassionate especially towards the poor and working class; he lived for them.

There still are a few politicians who truly care for the poor and less fortunate. Nagamootoo is one of them. I remember one of his partners complaining to me that all Moses cared about is to

from page 5

do free (charitable) work for the work and not make money. When he was a Minister and a PPP/C MP he had limited power, clout and influence to execute programs to lift the lives of the poor. He now has an opportunity as PM t lead the government in parliament and propose policies to help the poor. At one time, Moses told me he so wanted to help people but was in no position to help them because his colleagues were not cooperative. For inexplicable reasons, colleagues did not allow him to serve party members and those who helped built the party.

After every election, virtually every handout went to newcomers and the financiers. I don’t think it will be any different now. But I still hold hope that this administration will be different.

Vishnu Bisram

SUDOKU

Monday's Solution

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

(May 21June 20)

CANCER

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

If asked to provide help for someone who was once close to you, you should do so with care. Be compassionate, but don’t try to revive the previous intimacy you once shared.

Be realistic. You will burn out if you don’t slow down and take care of your health. Make time for personal needs instead of just doing things for everyone else.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

CAPRICORN (June 21July 22)

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

PISCES

(Feb. 20March 20)

Make sure all of your bases are covered before you sign up for a joint venture or make a commitment. Something that sounds too good to be true will be a disappointment. Now is the time to tie up loose ends. You will gain credibility if you are seen as a take-charge individual who can handle any situation.

A personal change will improve your self-image and confidence. You will be able to convince others to come on board if you present your ideas with vigor and dynamism.

Joint ventures look promising, but read the fine print before making a commitment. Clear your agenda in order to spend time on personal pleasures. Do something with someone you love.

Don’t deceive others about the way you feel. Honesty will strengthen, not weaken, a good relationship. You’ll face criticism if you don’t keep your end of the bargain.

Share your ideas. A respected acquaintance will provide the key to a homebased business venture. A sound financial investment will pay off if you are willing to work hard.

Prepare to jump at a romantic opportunity. The time is right for love. Limit large social gatherings, and spend some one-on-one time with the person who intrigues you most. Don’t allow anyone to push you around. If your motivations are clear, there will be no reason to accept criticism or debate from others. A minor health issue will escalate if neglected.

Your dwindling bank account will require you to make some difficult choices. Durability and versatility will allow you to rise above unanticipated workplace changes. Diversify and prosper.

Someone will try to exploit your generosity. Be helpful and sympathetic, but keep your cash in a safe place. Trying to bankroll someone else’s venture will be a costly mistake.

GCC ladies enjoy greater success on second T&T stint

After their first stint in Trinidad where the GCC ladies hockey team played five matches, winning two and losing three, they found themselves sitting in third place of the seventeam competition in the Trinidad and Tobago outdoor season.

On Saturday last they embarked on their second of three scheduled visits to the twin-island republic to compete in four more matches over the weekend. The rigorous schedule was necessary in order to manage the high cost of airline flights by getting as many games into each trip as possible.

After an early morning arrival in Trinidad on Saturday, the GCC ladies faced tournament leader Paragon in the hot midmorning sun. Paragon had beaten GCC 5-2 on their previous clash and the home team was likely to prove a strong challenge to the Guyanese in their opener for this visit.

The two teams produced a high-scoring and exciting duel for spectators as the lead changed hands several times en

route to an eventual 3-3 draw. Gabriella Xavier scored GCC’s opener, while Kerensa Fernandes and captain Sonia Jardine, with a brilliant solo run, rounded off their team’s three goal tally. Paragon’s captain Allana Lewis scored a double for her side, while national striker Zene Henry tipped in their third.

GCC next faced Magnolias later that same evening under cooler conditions, but failed to produce similar results. Magnolias presented a solid defensive block which gave the Guyanese a difficult time to penetrate.

After an opening penalty corner goal in the 14th minute from left back Shaniah Defreitas, Magnolias rattled in two more from national strikers Brianna Gouveia and Stacy Sui-Butt before GCC could get on the board.

Although GCC would produce two goals during the match from sisters Kerensa Fernandes with a penalty corner strike and Sonia Jardine with a superb reverse shot, Magnolias prove too much for the Guyanese. Speedy

striker Brittany Hing sealed the match with a fourth goal for Magnolias six minutes from full time to leave a final score of 4-2 in favour of Magnolias.

Sunday morning’s match would see GCC face Malvern for the first time in the competition. An uncharacteristic field goal from GCC’s holding midfielder Trisha Woodroffe in the 21st minute broke the deadlock and GCC’s frustration of dominating the possession with no goals to show until that moment. After a 1-0 lead at the half, GCC’s Shebiki Baptiste scored the lone goal in the second half giving her team a 2-0 victory.

The second match of the day for GCC would pit them against Notre Dame whom they had previously defeated by 3-2 on their last visit. Notre Dame had noticeably boosted their arsenal with the addition this time around of Bajan international midfielder Nakira Downes and Trinidadian national striker Dana DeGannes.

In the very second minute of the match, with her first possession, Downes weaved through the GCC midfield to feed DeGannes for the opening goal and a 1-0 lead to Notre Dame.

After an unnerving start, GCC finally began to settle into their own game and despite a good competitive battle between the two, GCC’s captain Jardine would come through for her side once more to even the score in the 24th minute.

GCC by this time had begun to mount several meaningful attacks with their short passing game and got the breakthrough through striker Kerensa Fernandes just eight minutes from full time when a deflected pass fell kindly for her in the scoring circle. Fernandes made no mistake with her finish which was enough to give her side the 2-1 win.

After nine games, the GCC ladies have four wins, one draw and four losses. They return to Trinidad on the weekend of May 30 for their final visit and three more matches.

Uefa to ‘ease’ financial fair play rules

European football’s governing body is preparing to relax the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules it introduced in 2011 to stop clubs from overspending.

In an interview with French radio station RTL, Uefa president Michel Platini said FFP was “working well” but would be “eased” this summer.

This followed a report in Le Parisien newspaper on Sunday that said “significant changes” are on the table.

Manchester City and Paris St-Germain were fined last year for breaching FFP.

Platini’s right-hand man at Uefa, general secretary Gianni Infantino, later confirmed to the BBC that talks about FFP with Europe’s leading clubs were “ongoing”, with a “number of amendments” under discussion.

“Financial Fair Play has proved successful in achieving considerable improvement in the financial health of European football,” said Infantino.

“Aggregate net losses of Europe’s clubs have fallen from 1.7bn euros in 2011 to 400m euros in 2014.

“Regular review of the regulations is vital to ensure they keep pace with the ever-changing football environment and the new challenges that this often poses.

“Any potential changes will look to encourage more growth, more competition and market stimulation while strengthening the emphasis on controlling spending and safeguarding financial stability.”

The guiding principle of FFP is that clubs should stay within their means when it comes to buying and remunerating players: central to this is the so-called “breakeven requirement”.

The rules have been

phased in to allow clubs some leeway but many have struggled to stay within the criteria and several have been given sanctions that range from bans on registering new players, fines and even exclusion from European club competitions.

But criticism of FFP has grown over the last two seasons as many observers have pointed out that stopping clubs from spending more than they earn cements the status quo - without the ability to speculate with their own money, ambitious owners of smaller clubs can never compete with more established clubs for the best players.

Platini did not go into details with RTL, saying only that the clubs had voted for FFP in the first place but Uefa’s executive committee was likely to revise them by the end of June, when it meets in Prague.

But he also alluded to French critics who say FFP has made it very difficult for Qatar-owned PSG to join Europe’s elite, a position fans of Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester City share.

“The French press say it is not right that [Chelsea owner Roman] Abramovich can buy many players and in France they cannot buy them,” he said.

“But if the Qataris had bought AC Milan, the French

would also say we should make financial fair play even tougher. As it is, the Italians wanted it eased.

“The world is two-faced but we will say this openly: I think we’ll ease things.”

The article in Le Parisien went slightly further, suggesting the changes were a reaction to the “multiple legal actions (against FFP) currently in process, some of which are nearing conclusion”.

Those legal actions are being spearheaded by Belgian lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont, who forced Uefa to overhaul its transfer rules with the Bosman Ruling in 1995. Originally acting on behalf of a football agent, Dupont’s challenge to FFP has now attracted support from fans of Manchester City, PSG and other clubs.

Dupont maintains FFP is contrary to basic European Union rules on free markets and he has filed complaints at courts in Brussels, Paris and Switzerland, as well as with the European Commission.

“We welcome the announcement of a change in the rules in line with the demands expressed by our clients in their various legal actions,” Dupont said.

“When the exact content and scope of these changes are known, we will consider how this development, which on first sight appears favourable, is likely to meet their legitimate expectations and influence the conduct of ongoing actions.”

A spokesman for the European Club Association, the body formed in 2008 to replace the G-14 group of elite clubs, confirmed it has been involved in talks with Uefa since December, those talks continue and a final decision was likely by the end of June.

(BBC Sport)

Enrique focuses on treble after...

Real Madrid won 13 successive La Liga matches to lead the Spanish top-flight going into the winter break, but four defeats since the season restarted in Januaryplus two home draws against Villarreal and Valenciahave proved costly.

Their hopes of becoming the first side to retain the Champions League were also ended by last week’s semi-final defeat by Juventus.

“The overall assessment of the season is not positive because Real Madrid play to win and we haven’t managed it,” said manager Carlo Ancelotti.

“We had a good first half to the season but the second half was more difficult.

“The team reacted well and had a very good attitude. It was not easy to motivate the players after Wednesday and I am grateful. Now we have to prepare professionally for the last game right up until the last minute. We have to keep our heads held high, although the team has not won, they have battled.”

Real Madrid’s hopes of only a second Spanish title in seven seasons were hampered by injuries to key players including Luka Modric, James Rodriguez and Gareth

Bale over the course of the season. And Barca were left needing just a win for the title after Los Merengues hit the woodwork three times, with Cristiano Ronaldo missing a penalty, as they drew with Valencia last weekend.

“There were key moments during the season in which we weren’t able to pick up vital points and we lacked a bit of luck at times,” said Madrid defender Raphael Varane.

“We have to congratulate the champions because they have done very well. We’ll try to win it next year.” (BBC Sport)

SL

v

WI, 3rd

women’s ODI, Colombo… Taylor, Dottin set up West Indies win

Unbeaten half-centuries from Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin set up West Indies Women’s 18-run win (D/L method) over Sri Lanka Women to give their team a 2-1 lead in the four-match series.

Opting to bat, Kycia Knight (34) and Hayley Matthews (22) put on 49 before Matthews was bowled by left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari. Five overs later, Kumari struck again to remove Knight and captain Merissa Aguilleira in the space of three balls. Taylor, who scored nine boundaries in her 112-ball 89 not out, and Dottin then put on an unbroken 151run stand in 28 overs for the fourth wicket to steer West Indies women to 215. Dottin’s 69 not out, her second half-century of the series, included five fours and a six. Sri Lanka women slumped to 58-3 and then 99-4 in reply before rain halted play in the 25th over. They lost Eshani Lokusuriyage to Taylor in the first ball after resumption. Then, Nipuni Hansika, who remained unbeaten on

SCOREBOARD

West Indies Women innings (50 overs maximum)

Kycia A Knight st †PM

Weerakkody b Kumari 34

HK Matthews b Kumari 22

SR Taylor not out 86

MR Aguilleira*† c †PM

Weerakkody b Kumari 0

DJS Dottin not out 69

Extras (w-4) 4

Total (3 wickets; 50 overs) 215

Fall of wickets: 1-49 (Matthews, 15.6 ov), 2-64 (Kycia A Knight, 21.4 ov), 3-64 (Aguilleira, 21.6 ov)

Bowling: SS Weerakkody 6-024-0 (2-w), LE Kaushalya 7-021-0 (1-w), HASD Siriwardene 10-0-50-0, BMSM Kumari 10-048-3, HM Samuddika 10-0-360 (1-w), I Ranaweera 7-0-36-0

Sri Lanka Women innings (target: 189 runs from 40.2 overs)

AC Jayangani* c Dottin b Mohammed 25

PM Weerakkody† run out (Cooper) 7

BYA Mendis c Mohammed b

Fletcher 16

HASD Siriwardene c Smartt

b Matthews 13

MDN Hansika not out 50

LE Kaushalya c Campbelle

b Taylor 8

MADD Surangika b Fletcher 16

SS Weerakkody st †Aguilleira

b Mohammed 13

HM Samuddika run out (Campbelle/Taylor) 1

BMSM Kumari not out 0

Extras (lb-7, w-12, nb-2) 21

Total (8 wickets; 40.2 overs) 170

Fall of wickets: 1-35 (PM Weerakkody, 5.6 ov), 2-57 (Mendis, 13.6 ov), 3-58 (Jayangani, 16.2 ov), 4-86 (Siriwardene, 23.2 ov), 5-99 (Kaushalya, 24.5 ov), 6-140 (Surangika, 33.3 ov), 7-166 (SS Weerakkody, 38.6 ov), 8-169 (Samuddika, 39.4 ov)

Bowling: TD Smartt 5-0-26-0 (2-nb, 3-w), SACA King 3-0-170 (2-w), A Mohammed 9-1-30-2 (1-w), SR Taylor 8-0-39-1 (1-w), ASS Fletcher 9-0-25-2 (1-w), HK Matthews 6.2-0-26-1 (2-w)

Red-hot Mumbai run into steady Super Kings

F50 off 71 balls, and Dilani Manodara added 41 runs in 8.4 overs as Sri Lanka women pursued a revised target of 189 in 40.2 overs. However, after Manodara was bowled by Afy Fletcher, Sri Lanka women lost wickets regularly to finish on 170-8.

Taylor later said it was an important victory as it gained them valuable points on the ICC women’s championship table. (Cricinfo)

West Brom beat Chelsea 3-0

West Brom inflicted a third league defeat of the season on champions Chelsea in an eventful game that ended 3-0 at the Hawthorns.

Saido Berahino opened the scoring with a fine 20yard strike, before Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas was bizarrely sent off for kicking the ball at Chris Brunt.

Berahino added a second from the spot after he was brought down by John Terry within seconds of the restart.

Brunt rounded off the win with an angled shot from a quick corner.

With Chelsea having already secured the title and West Brom safely ensconced in mid-table, the result had no major significance for either side, but the game began with an intensity that belied the meaningless nature of the contest.

Berahino had not found the net in his previous eight Premier League matches

but he recaptured the sparkling form he showed earlier in the season with a superb goal after just nine minutes.

The 21-year-old received the ball from Joleon Lescott on the edge of the area and turned before curling a stunning shot into the bottom corner.

Chelsea responded well but their hopes of extending their 16-game unbeaten run - the longest in the top flight this season - were rocked when Fabregas was dismissed in farcical circumstances.

Chelsea striker Diego Costa and Baggies centreback Gareth McAuley became embroiled in a tussle, and as referee Mike Jones tried to restore order, Fabregas kicked the ball at the group of players around the referee, hitting Brunt on the head.

The visitors competed well until half-time despite their numerical disadvantage, but the scale of their

task was increased inside 30 seconds of the second half.

Berahino was played through the middle by a brilliant reverse pass from Brunt and Terry hacked the striker down with a desperate challenge - a tackle for which the Chelsea captain was hugely fortunate to escape without a card.

Berahino beat Thibaut Courtois from the spot for his 14th league goal of the season - the third-best tally of any English player, behind Harry Kane and Charlie Austin.

Brunt then ensured that West Brom would extend their unbeaten run to four matches with a powerful shot that beat Courtois at his near post.

There was time for Mourinho to hand a debut to 18-year-old midfielder Izzy Brown at his former club, but he was powerless to prevent Tony Pulis’s side completing an impressive victory. (BBC Sport)

or the second year in a row, Mumbai Indians have started poorly - they lost their first four games in IPL 2015before hiking up their performances in time to make the playoffs. After winning only two of their first seven matches, they raised their game in the middle stages when forms of some other teams began to taper off.

They now run into Chennai Super Kings, the original ‘slow-starters’ of the IPL who eventually become an antithesis to that image. This year they reeled off six wins in seven games before winning only half as many in the next seven.

Super Kings, though, have had the wood on Mumbai in the post-league stages, with a 4-1 record, including a seven-wicket win at Brabourne Stadium last year. However, Super Kings haven’t looked unbeatable; their patchy record in the latter half of the league phase bears testimony to it. One area they would look to remedy is their finishing with the bat; notwithstanding Pawan Negi’s clean hitting lately, it’s a gap that hasn’t been plugged entirely. They would, however, derive confidence from having performed on the big stage several times in the past.

Mumbai, on the other hand, don’t have to peer

into the past too much, given how their form has progressively ebbed. They might not read too much into home-advantage, though, having won only four of their seven games at the Wankhede. Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma said his team approached their last league game, against Sunrisers Hyderabad, like the final. They would do well to carry on with the same mindset.

Head-to-Head

They have played each other 22 times with each side securing 11 wins apiece. In IPL 2015, too, they are squared on 1-1, with neither team winning their home game. Super Kings, backed by solid efforts from Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum and Suresh Raina, chased down 185 with 20 balls remaining in the Wankhede fixture, while Mumbai pulled off a heist in Chennai through Hardik Pandya’s blitz.

In the spotlight

Michael Hussey has spent practically the entire season as a substitute supplying drinks and cheering his team-mates on. He hasn’t had much game time, making only one run off four deliveries in his only match, against Kings XI Punjab. In the absence of McCullum, Super Kings’ leading run-maker, Hussey

will have to click pretty much immediately.

Lendl Simmons was Mumbai’s highest runscorer in IPL 2014, and is second on the list this time around, trailing his captain by six runs. His contribution to Mumbai’s batting solidity has been remarkable not just for the unobtrusive manner in which he has racked up the runs. Did we mention his gravity-defying catches?

Team news Alex Hales joined the Mumbai squad ahead of the Sunrisers game, but Mumbai might be unwilling to tinker with a settled team.

Mumbai Indians (probable): 1 Lendl Simmons 2 Parthiv Patel (wk) 3 Rohit Sharma (capt) 4 Ambati Rayudu 5 Kieron Pollard 6 Hardik Pandya 7 Harbhajan Singh 8 J Suchith 9 Mitchell McClenaghan 10 Vinay Kumar 11 Lasith Malinga With McCullum leaving for England on international duty, Hussey is the obvious choice to replace him.

Chennai Super Kings (probable): 1 Dwayne Smith 2 Michael Hussey 3 Suresh Raina 4 Faf du Plessis 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk) 6 Pawan Negi 7 Dwayne Bravo 8 Ravindra Jadeja 9 R Ashwin 10 Ashish Nehra 11 Mohit Sharma/Ishwar Pandey. (Cricinfo)

Hinchcliffe has surgery after crash

Canadian driver James Hinchcliffe was taken to hospital for surgery after his car smashed into a wall and briefly set on fire in the fourth dramatic crash in under a week at the Indianapolis 500.

IndyCar said the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver, 28, was “alert” after the crash but had a thigh injury.

The incident was reported to be the result of a

mechanical failure, with Hinchcliffe going straight into a wall.

Rule changes have been introduced amid concerns over the cars’ designs.

CFH Racing’s Ed Carpenter was unhurt after his car crashed into a wall and flipped over during practice on Sunday, while teammate Josef Newgarden and Helio Castroneves of Team Penske also escaped injury despite serious crashes last week.

In an effort to reduce speed and increase downforce, the cars - which can travel at up to 230mphmust now run race-level aerodynamics and engineboost settings during qualifying.

British driver Pippa Mann, of Dale Coyne Racing, also crashed this week but said her car’s design had not been a factor, describing the incident as “just one of those things”.

(BBC Sport)

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Fewer fielding restrictions, more free-hits on cards

Removing the batting Powerplay and allowing five fielders outside the circle between overs 41 and 50 were among the major suggestions made by the ICC’s cricket committee that met in Mumbai over the weekend. The committee also suggested a free-hit for all no balls in ODI and T20s, and not just for the front-foot calls.

The recommendations made during the meeting were subject to the approval of chief executive’s committee (CEC) that will meet in Barbados during the ICC’s annual conference week from June 22 to 26.

The committee suggested the changes as it felt that fielding teams were at times left with limited defensive options. The alterations suggested, if ratified,

would mean there would be two fielders outside the circle for the first 10 overs, four for the next 30 and five for the last 10 overs. The doing away of the batting Powerplay meant only one block of 10over Powerplay remained, two less than in the 2011 World Cup. Additionally, the

requirement of placing two fielders in catching positions in the first 10 overs has also been relaxed.

On the topic of the balance between bat and ball, the committee discussed the size of bats, the boundaries and the durability of white ball and concluded that although the ICC will not introduce any regulations on the bat size, it will provide inputs for the consultation process ahead of MCC’s redrafting of laws in 2017.

Reviewing the reports from the firstclass matches played with pink balls, the committee asked Test-playing nations to identify opportunities and make provisions for play to extend later into the day. The idea of four-day Tests, however, was rejected. (Cricinfo)

Murray ‘amazed’ at criticism of Mauresmo

Andy Murray says he was “amazed” by the level of criticism his appointment of Amelie Mauresmo as coach attracted.

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The Briton, 28, became the first leading male player to employ a female coach when he hired the Frenchwoman.

“I knew it would be a big story at the beginning, but I thought it would die down quicker than it has,” Murray said.

“I was very surprised at the amount of criticism she received for each loss I had. I couldn’t believe the negativity towards her personally.”

World number three Murray employed Mauresmo, who won two Grand Slam tournaments and 25 WTA titles, last June after previous coach Ivan Lendl quit three months earlier.

When the appointment was announced, Australian player Marinko Matosevic said he would never have a female coach because he did not rate the women’s game.

Murray told Red Bulletin magazine some of the negative comments he had heard were “an eye-opening experience for me.”

“I know a lot of the players were surprised because I do hear what goes on in the lock-

er room,” he added. “Some comments did make it into the press before it was officially announced, that some people thought it was a joke I was playing along with. To me, it’s amazing to hear that.”

The Scot says he has now “become very passionate about getting more women in sport, giving women more opportunities”.

He said: “I wasn’t thinking of it being a groundbreaking move or having an influence that could cross over into other sports. Then, after seeing the response to it, and some of the things that have been said, I can see it is.”

Asked whether he considered himself a feminist, Murray said: “I’m pro everyone being equal and if that’s being a feminist then you could say so, yes.

“It really opened my eyes when I started working with Amelie. Inequality is something I started to see and become passionate about. It’s opened my mind.”

After Murray’s mixed 2014 season following back surgery, his assistant coach Dani Vallverdu and fitness trainer Jez Green left his team having disagreed with his appointment of Mauresmo, 35.

The two-time Grand Slam champion’s results in

2015 have been much improved so far as he reached the Australian Open final and won his first clay-court tournaments in Munich and Madrid.

He is unbeaten on clay going into the French Open, the second Grand Slam of the year, which starts on Sunday.

Murray says he finds it easier to be open about his feelings when talking to women.

“Of course it depends on the person, but generally, when you get five or six men sitting at a table in a competitive environment, it’s not pleasant,” he said.

“I’ve found it difficult to open up sometimes as you feel judged or that it’s seen as a sign of weakness. Sometimes, when we’re competing and working out, trying to be macho, it can get a bit testosterone-fuelled. I’ve ended up having some big arguments.

“I don’t feel like I’m competing with Amelie. When we’re talking, it’s more of a collaboration.”

Swede Jonas Bjorkman recently joined Murray’s coaching team and will have a bigger role as the year progresses with Mauresmo preparing for the birth of her first child, which is due in August. (BBC Sport)

Enrique focuses on treble after La Liga win

Coach Luis Enrique says Barcelona are already focusing on completing the treble after sealing the Spanish title. The Catalans beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to ensure rivals Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of La Liga.

Barcelona face Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final on May 30 before the Champions League final against Juventus on June 6.

“We have two more titles to win but we have picked up the one for consistency,” said Enrique, 45.

It means former Barca midfielder Enrique, who replaced Tata Martino last summer, has the chance to emulate Pep Guardiola by winning three major trophies in his first season.

Enrique experienced challenges off the pitch during his first few months in the role, facing criticism in January for leaving Lionel Messi and Neymar on the bench as Barca lost to Real Sociedad to leave Real Madrid in control of the title race.

“We started 10 months ago with many changes at the club which doesn’t understand the idea of transition and was coming off a season having not won

anything,” said Enrique, who was also reported to have fallen out with star man Messi during training in January.

“There is no way that a trainer of a top club will not receive criticism during the year and I knew that.

“We knew that we wouldn’t be given time but we did our best.”

After last season ended without trophy, midfielder Sergio Busquets says the club are continuing the success started by Guardiola in 2008-09.

“La Liga is the most important - we play against everyone home and away,”

Busquets said.

“The Champions League is more prestigious but this is more important. Last year we struggled a lot, we weren’t at the right level to be champions.

“You can’t win every year but there is no end to this cycle. We are a very young team - this is an historic day.

“This winning era hadn’t ended. What Pep Guardiola started with [Lionel] Messi, Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta is still going. We have one title now and are two more wins away from a historic season.”

How the CPL superstars are faring?

As the 2015 edition of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League approached, let’s find out how the heroes of the League are faring around the world in other T20 leagues.

May 17: St Kitts and Nevis Patriots star Martin Guptill warmed up for the Test series with England by hitting a 150 from 210 balls, with 15 fours and three sixes, in New Zealand’s final tour game against Worcestershire, with the Kiwis going on to win the game by 15 runs.

In the IPL, Chris Gayle and Darren Sammy’s Royal Challengers Bangalore made it through to the knockout stages after their game against Delhi Daredevils was abandoned due to rain.

Later on, Mumbai Indians secured their lastfour place with a crushing win over Sunrisers Hyderabad. Guyana’s Lasith Malinga took 2-17 from four fine overs and Barbados captain Kieron Pollard 1-14 from two. Guyana’s Lendl Simmons helped them ease home, plundering 48 off 44 balls with four fours and two sixes.

In the NatWest Blast in England, Jamaica Tallawahs’ Mahela Jayawardene hit 43 off 30 balls as Sussex beat Gloucestershire by six runs in a thriller, while in Pakistan’s Haier T20 Cup, Barbados’s Shoaib Malik scored 22 off 21 balls as his Sialkot Stallions side won yet again.

May 16: Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel captain Dwayne Bravo nudged further ahead at the top of the list of leading wicket takers at the IPL, grabbing his 20th as he finished with 1-20 from two overs as Chennai Super Kings restricted Kings XI Punjab to 130 from their 20 overs, knocking them off with more than three overs to spare. Jamaica Tallawahs superstar Andre Russell produced another scintillat-

ing all-round display in Kolkata Knight Riders’ slender nine-run defeat against Rajasthan Royals, by far the pick of the bowlers with 3-32 from four overs and then smashing 37 from 20 balls with four fours and two sixes as they fell narrowly short of their target.

May 15: Pakistan superstar Shahid Afridi started his warm up for the CPL, where he will be playing for new boys St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, by making his debut for Northants in the NatWest T20 Blast in England. Afridi took 2-28 from his four overs against Durham, going on to score three not out off six balls before rain washed away the rest of the game.

His ex-Pakistan teammate Shoaib Malik, who will be playing for Barbados Tridents, struck another fine half-century in the local Haier T20 Cup, making a fine 56 not out off 37 balls for Sialkot Stallions. He then took 1-19 from two overs as they won easily by 87 runs.

In the IPL, Jamaica Tallawahs captain Chris Gayle was given the unenviable task of helping Royal Challengers Bangalore chase 81 in six overs in a rain-affected clash, the selfstyled ‘World Boss’ making a sensational 35 off only 10 balls, with four fours and three sixes, as they chased down their total to stay in the hunt for a play-off place.

May 14: Barbados Tridents captain Kieron Pollard stamped his class on the IPL, producing a nerveless performance to help Mumbai Indians beat Kolkata Knights Riders by five runs in a thriller at the Wankhede.

Pollard struck an unbeaten 33 from 38 balls as the Indians racked up 171-4, Lendl Simmons hitting 14 off 16, while Sunil Narine’s four overs cost him 1-38 and Andre Russell’s four went for 0-37. In reply, Lasith Malinga impressed with 1-31 from four, before Pollard bowled a brilliant

last over to see his team home, taking a wicket and conceding only six when KKR needed 12 to win.

May 13: In a rain-affected game in the IPL, Chris Gayle’s Royal Challengers Bangalore failed to reach their target of 106 in a 10-over run chase against King’s XI Punjab, with the Jamaica Tallawahs captain managing 17 off 14 balls.

In England, St Lucia Zouks star Kevin Pietersen was ruled out for two weeks with an injured calf, meaning he will not now play in the knockout stages of the Indian Premier League for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

May 12: An incredible 24 hours in the life of Kevin Pietersen - he was told by new England director of cricket Andrew Strauss he would not be considered for selection for his country again, as he made an astonishing 355 not out for Surrey in the County Championship.

“I am angry and hurt, but right now there is nothing I can do about it”, said Pietersen, who will be playing for St Lucia Zouks in the Caribbean Premier League this summer.

In the IPL, there was disappointment for Dwayne Smith and Dwayne Bravo as their Chennai Super Kings side lost heavily at the hands of Delhi Daredevils.

May 11: St Lucia Zouks’ hero Kevin Pietersen produced one of the great innings of the year, smashing an incredible unbeaten 326 for Surrey against Leicestershire in the English County Championship, the 34-yearold bludgeoning 34 fours and 14 sixes in an amazing 373 balls.

The next highest score in Surrey’s overnight total of 528-9 was Kumar Sangakkara’s 36, showing the true class of the Zouks star batsman.

In Pakistan in the Haier T20 Cup tournament, Barbados Tridents’ Shoaib Malik showed he is in fabulous form too, hammering an incredible 95 not out

ter than anyone else’s.

In reply, fellow Warrior Lendl Simmons anchored Mumbai’s always-doomed reply with an unbeaten 68 from 53 balls with five fours and three sixes, though Barbados Tridents’ captain Kieron Pollard did obliterate 49 runs from 24 balls with six fours and two sixes as he gave it a good go.

Chennai Super Kings bounced back to beat Rajasthan Royals by 12 runs. They made 157-5 with Dwayne Smith out for six off 10 and Dwayne Bravo scoring 15 not out from eight balls. In reply, the Royals fell just short as Bravo took three catchesone an absolute humdinger - and two wickets, taking 2-43 from four overs. Smith also took a catch as CSK went top of the table.

off only 49 balls, including 9 sixes, as his Sialkot Stallions side won. He also took a wicket!

May 10: Royal Challengers Bangalore destroyed Mumbai Indians by 39 runs, even though Chris Gayle only managed 13 from 12 balls. AB de Villiers scored an amazing 133 from 59 balls as they scored 235, though Guyana Amazon Warriors’ Lasith Malinga bowled wonderfully, taking 1-27 from four overs, his figures miles bet -

May 9: Two Caribbean Premier League stars shone on another day in the Indian Premier League, with Guyana Amazon Warrior’s Sunil Narine and Jamaica Tallawahs’ inform Andre Russell both in stunning form for Kolkata Knight Riders.

KXIP made 183-5 batting first, but Narine bowled superbly, taking 1-19 from his almost unplayable four overs, while Russell took 1-50 from his four. But Russell’s sensa-

NPG basketball tournament in Berbice…

tional 51 off 21 balls - the fastest fifty in the IPL this season - led them to a onewicket win with one ball to spare, the powerful righthander smashing five fours and four sixes, with Narine sneaking a leg bye to win it!

May 8: Mumbai Indians pulled off a surprise win over Chennai Super Kings by six wickets with four balls to spare. Lendl Simmons hit 38 off 31 for the Indians and took a screamer of a catch to help them triumph.

May 7: Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel’s Johan Botha played a lovely cameo at the end of Kolkata Knight Riders’ score of 1717 in the IPL, hitting his first four balls for four and eventually being run out for a five-ball 17! Jamaica Tallawahs’ Andre Russell batted down the order at number six, and only managed to score five.

May 6: Jamaica Tallawahs captain Chris Gayle produced one of the great T20 innings of this year’s IPL, smashing an astonishing 117 off 57 balls in a stunning assault on the Kings XI Punjab bowlers for Royal Bangalore Challengers. Gayle brought up his 100 off only 46 balls, and hammered seven fours and an incredible 12 sixes in his brutal knock. (www.cplt20. com)

Rockers lose 62-63 to Black Sharks in thriller

Accurate shooting by Linden Joseph with his eyes on the clock helped Fyrish Black Sharks to edge Smythfield Rockers 63-62 at the Fyrish basketball court on Sunday in the NPG Packaging Plant basketball tournament for teams in Berbice.

With less than four seconds left on the clock, Joseph made a steal and went straight to the basket to put the Black Sharks ahead by one point and eventually victory. It was the second win for the Black Sharks in the tournament to take them to the top of the points table.

The Rockers had taken a taken a three-point lead (58-55) inside the last two minutes of play when Royel Franklyn scored from beyond the three-point line to level the scores. Franklyn was called again as his team was down by four points (5862) with only seconds left on the clock and again he scored from beyond the three-point line before Joseph sealed the issue.

Earlier, the Rockers had taken a 16-11 lead at the end of the first quarter and ensured a 28-25 lead at the half-way mark. Backed by a small, but vocal home crowd, the Black Sharks fought back to be ahead, 50-48, go-

ing into the final session.

For the Black Sharks, Keenan Williams and Linden Joseph led the way with 14 points each; Joel Fraser had 10 and Royel Franklyn eight. The top scorers for the losing Smythfield Rockers were Sherman Braithwaite 17, Tyrone Dey 16 and Shimroy McKenzie eight. With the win Black Sharks have now been assured of a semi-final spot.

The competition will con-

tinue on Sunday when New Amsterdam Warriors and Ithica Hardliners meet at the Vryman’s Erven Court in New Amsterdam, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne). Both teams are without a win and must win on Sunday if they want to keep their chances alive of getting to the next round. The tournament is being organised by Vibert Garrett and is being played on a round-robin basis in two groups.

Clarke not taking Windies for granted

Form, experience key for...

You know Shiv could be more of a mentor guy, but he’s also the type of player who can win games for you if he bats high up the order,” Ramdin explained.

It is a battle between the world number two and the lowly minnows ranked ahead of only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, but Australia skipper Michael Clarke expects a torrid Test series against West Indies.

The Windies, who recently drew a three-Test series 1-1 with England, host Australia for two Tests in Dominica and Jamaica starting on June 3 and Clarke is wary of their attack led by Jerome Taylor.

“I think they’ve got a really good bowling attack, they swung the ball well, whether that was with the brand new ball or reverse swing,” Clarke said. “And they’ve got some handy spinners as well.

“So I think the conditions we’re about to face are going to be very similar to the sub-continent, the wickets are going to be slow and low and will spin. They’re coming off some form as well, against England. Nothing

changes for us as a team, we know travelling overseas is a tough part of international cricket, to be able to win away from home, it’s a challenge we face in West Indies.”

The Australians play a three-day tour match in Antigua starting May 27, but could be without several stars who are playing in the IPL, a far from ideal preparation which leaves Clarke uncertain about the possible make-up of his warm-up team.

“It will be dictated more by who is available with the IPL, if guys make the finals of the IPL then they won’t be available for that tour game, so let’s see what 11 players we come up with,” Clarke said.

With Fawad Ahmed and Nathan Lyon both in the touring party, Clarke said it is conceivable that Australia could play two frontline spinners, however that will be determined once the selectors see the conditions.

The same applies to who will take the contentious number six batting spot, with Mitchell Marsh or Adam Voges the front-runners.

“We’ve got eight batters on this tour for six spots, there’s a number of guys competing for that, selectors will have a look at conditions and work out what is the best XI to give us success in that first Test in Domenica,” Clarke said.

Following the two Tests against the eighth-ranked Windies, Australia will head to the UK for the Ashes series.

Australia’s Windies and Ashes squad: Michael Clarke (Captain), Steve Smith (Vice-captain), David Warner, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin, Peter Nevill, Adam Voges, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Fawad Ahmed, Ryan Harris. (windiescricket)

Lusignan Golf Club congratulates President Granger

The Lusignan Golf Club has joined the long list of persons and organisations that have come forth with congratulatory messages to newly elected President David Granger and his Coalition’s ascendancy to power. The club, in a release, said it is wishes to offer congratulations to the new administration.

Below is the full text of the message.

President David Granger

“Your Excellency, President David Arthur Granger, please accept, on behalf of the Executives of the Lusignan Golf Club sincere congratulations for being elected the President of our Cooperative Republic of Guyana. The Executives note with appreciation and gratitude the expansiveness of your vision for us being

one people, one nation, with one destiny and salute you for the clear call for national unity and understanding.

Though only a department of sport, golfing attracts many persons of influence on an international scale and so in our own small way we endeavour to always portray this national harmony.

We are pleased and look forward to continue our support of this vision which you have clearly defined for the benefit of all Guyanese. May God grant you the wisdom, strength, health and national support to enable you to accomplish the things you have expressed for all Guyana.”

Chanderpaul has turned out for several T20 franchises across the globe, including Royal Challengers Bangalore in India, Khulna Royal Bengals in Bangladesh and Uva Next in Sri Lanka, while Hodge is the second highest runscorer in T20 history with 6,363 runs from 233 games.

Meanwhile, Ramdin also used the opportunity to welcome Canada’s Satsimranjit Dhindsa as the player designated to the Guyana Amazon Warriors under the arrange-

ment with the ICC Americas to have Under-23 players part of the League. Dhindsa is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast bowler.

“Anyone coming in we want to tell them that it is a very comfortable and relaxed set-up. He will certainly learn a lot and I’m sure he will enjoy it…it’s a great opportunity for him to be around the team and share a dressing room with the international players. I’m sure he will relish that,” Ramdin pointed out.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors are looking to win the title for the first time this year, after finishing as runner-up in the first two editions. In 2013, they lost

to Chris Gayle’s Jamaica Tallawahs, while last year, they fell to Kieron Pollard’s Barbados Tridents. The squad this year comprises: Denesh Ramdin, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons, Tillekaratne Dilshan, Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera, Brad Hodge, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Assad Fudadin, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Christopher Barnwell, Ronsford Beaton, Trevon Griffith and Paul Wintz.

Last year’s finalists, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Tridents, will bowl off the 2015 tournament on June 20. The League will conclude on July 26.

Form, experience key for Amazon Warriors, says Ramdin

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

Guyana Amazon Warriors captain in 2014, Denesh Ramdin, believes form and experience will be two key factors for his franchise at the upcoming Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL), set to start next month.

Ramdin made the disclosure during an exclusive interview with this media house recently, as he touched on several aspects of his team’s plans going forward.

Ramdin, the 30-year-old Trinidad and Tobago wicketkeeper/batsman, said players coming in from the current Pepsi Indian Premier League with match time under their belts will be a massive plus for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the 2015 campaign.

Batsman Lendl Simmons and fast bowler Lasith Malinga of Mumbai Indians and spinner Sunil Narine of the Kolkata Knight Riders have been enjoying varying levels of success in India, something that pleases Ramdin ahead of the Limacol CPL.

“Yea, I think that’s a big

stage and when you perform there that confidence you gain and then you come down here it’s always good. Those guys are world-class players and once they continue to keep that form and momentum it would be good for the Amazon team,” Ramdin reckoned.

Simmons has been the Mumbai Indians second leading runscorer, notching up 407 runs from 11 games, just six behind his captain Rohit Sharma. He is tenth on

the list of highest runscorers.

Malinga is the joint second highest wicket-taker with 19 scalps from 13 games, while Narine, whose action has come under scrutiny this season, finished the

Taylor, Dottin set up West Indies win

campaign with seven wickets from eight matches. Apart from having ‘form’ players in the line-up, Ramdin is also enthused by the presence of two 40-yearolds, West Indian Shivnarine

Chanderpaul and Australian Brad Hodge, noting that their vast experience will be crucial during the tournament.

“The two of them are very dynamic players- age is on one side- but we need some experience in the team. It doesn’t guarantee they would play, but having experience around the team will always be good for the guys. turn to page 23