Guyana Times Daily - February 27, 2015

friday, february 27, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Nagamootoo nixed Ramkarran’s presidential candidacy

APartnership For National Unity (APNU) was willing to support former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran as the Presidential Candidate for the alliance, but this was blocked by Alliance For Change (AFC)

Vice Chairman Moses Nagamootoo, well-placed sources have confirmed.

Guyana Times had earlier reported that the Opposition was mulling Ramkarran’s candidacy after they had reached a deadlock on deciding on a leader for the coalition. From the onset, the AFC had insisted that it must lead the coalition – a demand which was spurned by APNU.

However, sources close to the negotiations said APNU at one time during the negotiations proposed Ramkarran, but this was

shot down by Nagamootoo, who was AFC’s presidential candidate prior to the two parties coalescing. Nagamootoo eventually had to settle for the Prime Ministerial Candidate’s position with promises of wider powers under the proposed coalition Government and responsibility for the domestic affairs of the country.

Contacted for a comment on the issue, Dr Henry Jeffrey confirmed hearing about the matter. However, he said that his choice would have been a RamkarranNagamootoo ticket. He said that the two parties should have created a special purpose machinery “to go out there and win the elections, change the Constitution that in an equitable way would make all groups feel comfortable in Guyana and then go back to elections quickly thereafter” .

To this end, he believes that Ramkarran should have been placed in that position. Dr Jeffrey said there may be many PPP supporters out there who recognised that “we need change but don’t want to vote for APNU to run the Government after all this time”. “They might be willing to give them space to make the changes, but they (APNU/AFC) have not done that. They want to take the Government and make changes overtime.”

Acknowledging that he was not certain whether his proposed Special Purpose

Machinery would have been accepted, Dr Jeffrey insisted: “Mr Ramkarran, I believe, having Moses and him there would have been security for the Indians, He

would have told them that a system like this should have been built and he would have told them what it was. Africans would have felt safe, Indians would have felt secure; Amerindians, everyone would have felt secure in this. I believe that would have been a better choice. I would have preferred a member of civil society. I think it was an error in judgment,” Jeffrey, a former Government Minister, said. Ramkarran had told this newspaper recently that he would have seriously considered taking up the post of Presidential Candidate if he was approached by the Opposition parties, but noted then that it was highly impossible for this to happen. “If asked, it is a matter that I would give some

consideration to,” the former House Speaker had mentioned while stating that no such proposal had been brought to him.

APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon, who was

also part of the negotiations, had told Guyana Times on February 8 before the Ramkarran option was floated that the parties did not come to a point where they had any hurdles to overcome in selecting a Presidential Candidate. He noted then that he did not want to anticipate that there would be a situation where the parties would be faced with hurdles, but added that if it came to that, then they would deal with the matter at that time. It would appear that the Ramkarran option was one way of “dealing” with the impasse, resolved by Nagamootoo deciding to jettison the “non-negotiable” Presidential Candidate demand and accepting being number two, so as to block Ramkarran.

Rice thieves sentenced to two months in jail

Two men were brought before Magistrate Annette Singh on Thursday accused of stealing five bags of rice. The men made their appearance at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Courts where they pleaded guilty.

Michael Gaynor, age 43, and 28-year-old Mark Angelos were accused of stealing five bags of rice from the Virtual Complainant (VC) Prem Ramraj, also known as “Jerry” between February 22 and February 23.

The charges read that about 01:31h,

Corporal Bristol who was on duty at Bourda Green, Georgetown received information about a robbery taking place. He approached the defendants and questioned them in the presence of Syphus Agasti (who bought the rice from the defendants). The men admitted to removing the bags of rice which value $7800. The two also admitted to selling the rice to Agasti. Corporal Bristol cautioned the men and had them arrested. They were then placed in custody and charged for simple larceny.

The prosecution stated that the

men did not break into the premises of Ramraj thus they were only charged with simple larceny and not break and enter. The Magistrate was also informed by the prosecution that the second defendant (Angelos) had prior trouble with the law.

The defendants pleaded guilty to the charge. The first accused (Gaynor) addressed the court by asking the Magistrate to “see with me and it won’t happen again.”

They were sentenced to two months in jail each.

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, February 27 – 12:00h-13:30h and Saturday, February 28 – 13:30h-15:00h

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, February 27 – 11:25h-12:55h and Saturday, February 28 – 12:35h-14:05h

FERRY SCHEDULE

Ferries will be departing the Parika and Supenaam stellings at 08:00h, 15:00h

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Cloudy to overcast skies can be expected with intermittent rain and scattered thundershowers. Coastal areas are likely to experience occasional heavy downpours and gusty winds. Rainfall is expected between 30.0mm and 80.0mm in coastal areas and between 10.0mm to 50.0mm in other areas. Based on the forecasted rainfall amounts, water accumulations/flooding may become likely. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 and 27 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East north-easterly between 3.12 metres and 5.36 metres respectively.

High Tide: 11:25h reaching a maximum height of 2.14 metres.

Low Tide: 04:50h and 17:40h reaching minimum heights of 1.15 metres and 1.07 metres respectively.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Rice farmers unhappy over lack of markets

Chairman of the Rice Producers’ Action Committee, Jinnah Rahman on Thursday declared that rice farmers are demanding total control of the rice industry and chided the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) for its inability to secure markets for their bumper harvest.

Speaking at a press conference at the Georgetown Club, Rahman was adamant that the livelihood of rice farmers is in great danger.

He explained that while the Government continues to talk of progress in the sector, the small scale farmers are suffering.

This was supported by retired Chief Executive

Ramsammy in an invited comment said the rice industry has been privately controlled since 1992.

“All rice fields are operated by small, medium and large size farmers. All mills are owned by the private sector. All export, except export to Venezuela is managed completely by the private sector,” he explained.

According to him, the exports to Venezuela fall under the auspices of the Petrocaribe Agreement, which is based on State to State relations. The GRDB in this instance links millers to the Venezuelan market.

He added that Government is also involved in quality assurance for exports.

are plans to strengthen the marketing and research arm of the GRDB in 2015.

Earlier this week

President Donald Ramotar acknowledged that lucrative markets for rice have dried up.

Ramotar said that the rice sector despite its many successes over the past years is facing monumental difficulties finding regional and international markets, especially at a price that will be acceptable.

Last year under pressure to defend its failure to secure markets for the current bumper rice crop and justify what it does with the $500 million it receives yearly from its levy on rice exports, the

Officer of Alesie Group, Turhane Doerga who said that while there has been increased rice production, small scale farmers are being paid very little.

The group is calling for an amendment to the Rice Producers Act, immediate re-establishment of the Guyana Agriculture and Industrial Development Bank, duty free concessions and re-organisation of GRDB. These they claim will ensure equity in the industry.

But Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie

“Before 1992, this was a government controlled industry.

"Mr Doerga was given total control of the government business under Mr Hoyte. He helped to destroy the industry,” Ramsammy charged.

Minister Ramsammy stated that the board is always looking for new markets. He added that exports have increased from 50,000 tonnes in 1990 to 504,000 tonnes in 2014 while production was 635, 000 tonnes.

The Minister said there

GRDB had said that it spends millions each year on marketing the country’s rice.

GRDB General Manager Jagnarine Singh had related that it was

never one of the board’s responsibilities to find markets for rice.

However, he added as time passed, the board spearheaded the inking of a contract between the Venezuelan and Guyanese governments to have rice exported to the neighbouring South American country.

Singh further related then that an even larger percentage of funds received by the board goes into research and development.

He noted that the research station is currently working on several new measures which will bring change to the rice industry, including new varieties of rice.

President Donald Ramotar was quoted recently as lamenting the fact that buyers on the international market are unwilling to pay the demanded price for Guyanese rice. Singh has explained that increased production has forced the board to source additional markets outside of the Caribbean, Venezuela and Europe.

The GRDB claims to spend $30 million annually to market locally grown rice.

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

Media and elections

Guyana is heading into full elections mode, as in three months time the nation’s citizens will be going to the polls to vote for a party of their choice. Already we have noticed that the major political players are making the rounds trying to convince voters that they have the best plan for the country’s development.

The media have an important role to play in relation to the manner in which they report on these elections. Media houses can either make a solid contribution to the democratic processes of the country by reporting on the elections in a responsible, truthful and professional manner, or they can seek to destroy the gains we have made so far by publishing content which could lead to hatred, division and violence amongst our people.

Under the auspices of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), and with support from the international development partners, media owners, managers and editors across Guyana recently sat down for two days and were engaged in very lively debates and discussions as to what aspects of the Media Code of Conduct (MCC) could be improved or what elements were missing, so that they could be included in the revised Code.

Both the state-run and privately-owned media and at least some of the main online news outlets by way of their signatories have indicated that they will use the Code as a means of self regulation.

For journalists, the Code provides a benchmark against which their output and activities can be judged by others, as well as guidance for them about acceptable methods of gathering and presenting news and other forms of media content to the public.

For the public, it provides some sort of a guarantee that the material they receive is a genuine reflection of the truth, based on information gathered fairly and thoroughly checked by those who present the information. The Code, in itself is a very thorough document which has undergone several revisions/modifications.

It includes key concepts or guides which every reporter here, especially those covering political and electoral issues, must au fait themselves with. GECOM has reported that it has already employed media monitors who are currently undergoing a rigorous training programme.

Once they have completed the necessary training, their job will be to analyse and report accordingly on all political content carried in the mainstream and online media outlets using the MCC as a guide.

The MMU and the International Media Refereeing Panel (which is yet to be established) will be faced with huge challenge of controlling what is published online, especially in relation to content on Facebook and Twitter. This does not prevent those mainstream media outlets, which also carry online versions from editing the comments accompanying articles, videos or audios posted on these sites.

A responsible media always exercises proper editorial judgment on all matters before they are published, especially if such matters relate to sensitive issues such as race, religion, politics and elections. If the content is found to be offensive, degrading, bias, untrue, inciting/inflammatory or racist they are edited, or dropped completely in the interest of the public.

While it may be difficult to monitor the output of all of the media houses across Guyana, some effort must be made to do some form of sample monitoring to capture those media outlets based in Essequibo, Bartica, Linden and Berbice which will no doubt carry a huge amount of political content.

It is widely accepted that the generally peaceful pre, peri and post elections environment which existed in the last two or three elections was due the high level of responsibility shown by media practitioners.

While the MMU had noted that there were a few infractions of the Code, most of them stood by it. This publication in particular was given kudos by the MMU and the International Media Refereeing Panel for its reporting of the elections.

Our hope is that this time around all media organizations in Guyana will strive to do better.

The truth about the rice industry

Dear Editor,

The rice industry of Guyana continues to rewrite the record books and continues to create new success stories. In spite of the doomsayers, the industry has grown phenomenally. There are some simple truths about the Guyana rice industry that no one can dispute with any credibility.

The rice industry has had two major periods of growth and success. These periods are between 1957 and 1964 and between 1992 to the present time. In both of these periods, the standing story is that new records of production and export accumulated.

Both of these periods of growth and unprecedented success have been under the stewardship of the PPP (PPP/C) Government. Throughout the success periods, the private sector was in control of the industry and the Government played a facilitating role.

While the PPP/C Government has maintained its support to the industry, we have allowed total owner ship of the industry by private sector.

There was a period of utter destruction of the industry in the 1970s and 1980s, mainly in the 1980s. This period was under the PNC’s Government. During that time, the Government was intrusive and sought to control major parts of the industry, such as milling and exports.

These facts are indisputable. During the period of destruction in the 1980s, the PNC Government was in bed with certain selfstyled experts. One of them was Turhane Doerga, who was given a golden spoon, with almost total control of the industry by the PNC

Government.

Can he tell us what happened to all the mills that he obtained from the PNC Government?

The Government is trying through the courts of Guyana to get payments from Mr Doerga for what he owes the Government.

The PPP/C Government has maintained that while we note the success story, we are aware of serious constraints that have arisen as a result of the very success of the industry. With growth, Guyana has to ensure we are competitive with traditional big rice producers in Asia and South America.

The facts speak for themselves. In 2014, rice production was 635,000 tons and rice export was 501,000 tons. The self-styled experts repeat the false tale that there is no export market. But the rice export last year increased by more than 105,000 tons, or more than 25 per cent over 2013 export.

The 2013 export itself was about 20 per cent larger than the 2012 export. Guyana has increased its export between 1990 to now by more than 1,000 per cent. The truth is that when the PNC was in control, supported by these same self-styled experts, Guyana could not produce enough rice to meet local demands and even if we did, we did not have sufficient market.

This is a very different story from 1991 when we produced 93,000 tons of rice and exported less than 50,000 tons. What voodoo mathematics are we promoting and what kind of weird, sick mind can conclude that the disasters of the 1980s with its meager numbers can compare to the success of the industry under the PPP/C?

In addition, to these facts, the 1990 market scenario showed that our market was limited to Europe and parts of the Caribbean.

Today, our market is made up of a diversified portfolio of export destinations. These destinations include a wider complement of European countries, all of the Caribbean countries, including Haiti, Venezuela, Brazil, Columbia, Panama, Belize, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and other countries. Small amounts are being shipped to the Middle East, Africa, the USA and Canada.

In 2015, we will add sizable markets in other countries, particularly African countries. We are presently negotiating a supply of more than 70,000 tons to one African country. While we leave the private sector to service the market, the Government has been opening up these markets.

These are cold, hard, plain facts. The misinformation campaign by misguided and bitter “experts” cannot hide these truths.

With the increasing need to export larger volumes and meeting higher standards, the industry has had to include major investments in the processing and manufacturing side. The Government has worked with the private sector to ensure these challenges are met.

But the major constraint in entering a competitive international trade regime is that these require waiting for payments. Our international trading partners have requirements that necessitate a waiting period for payments. This situation has created hardships for the industry that has resulted in millers and exporters not paying the farmers

on time.

This is a problem that farmers understand, but it creates tension between farmers and millers. The Government has not been on the sidelines, doing nothing.

Indeed, even though the cultivation, milling and processing and export have been exclusively in the hands of the private sector, the PPP/C Government has intervened to facilitate the industry and reduce the impact of late payments.

In 2014, we have had a revolving amount to reduce waiting time that amounts to almost $5 billion. The industry in 2014 produced paddy worth more than $44 billion. Of that amount, more than $43 billion was paid out to the farmers by millers.

An amount of less than one per cent is presently outstanding to the farmers and the Government has been working to ensure that this amount is fully paid off before the harvesting for the first crop of 2015 begins.

The GRDB estimates that the millers have about $20 billion outstanding to them from rice and paddy they have exported and awaiting payments and also from rice and paddy still to export. While the banks have allowed overdrafts, this amount is too large for the banks to accommodate. The Government, protecting the interest of farmers, has stepped in to ease the difficulties. The surrogates from the PNC have insisted that the 140,000 tons that were still in stock in the mills at the end of 2014 represents a failure to find markets. Indeed, the rice industry in every rice-producing country will have an amount remaining at the end of the year.

AFC lacks moral right to claim it’s a party of principles

Dear Editor,

The Alliance For Change (AFC) has taken a big political gamble in entering a preelection coalition with the A Partnership for National Alliance (APNU).

Some political analysts are of the view that it could very well be the end of the life of that political entity after, as seems more than likely, the PPP/C’s victory in the May 11 national and regional elections.

The fact is that unlike the United States and several other western democracies, there is not political space for swing voters. Any political blunder could prove costly if not fatal for parties on the periphery like the AFC.

In our context, the two dominant political parties namely the PPP/C and the PNC have by and large managed over the decades to hold on to their respective support base, with the PPP/C having the distinction of being the only political party in post independent Guyana that has been successful in winning a majority of the votes in all but the November 2011 election, which gave the combined Opposition a small margin of votes over that of the PPP/C.

I refer of course to free and fair elections, which effectively disqualifies the PNC during the 1968-1992 period. In other words, no political party except the PPP/C, has ever won a ma-

jority of the votes on their own strength.

An analysis of voting behaviour would reveal that the PPP/C has always polled the highest number of votes since it entered electoral politics way back in the early 1950s.

Despite the anti-communist hysteria waged by local and foreign reactionary forces in the 1960s, the PPP emerged as the party that commanded the largest bloc of votes until the 1964 elections, when the PPP lost power through constitutional fiddling.

The PNC, except for the elections of 2006, when it polled 35 per cent of votes, never fell below 40 percent which in effect meant that roughly 90 percent of the total votes are shared between the PPP/C and the PNC.

Attempts by third parties to penetrate the electoral boundaries of the two dominant political parties have been met with great resistance, if not hostility. This is why almost all of the smaller parties folded up after the elections are over some never to reappear on the electoral stage, after having been badly bruised in the rough and tough of electoral politics.

The AFC, to its credit, managed to pick up a few seats in the elections of 2006 and 2011 due in part to its promise of being a party that is independent of the centrifugal appeal of the ma-

jor parties.

Its pull in the elections of 2006 was largely Afrocentric and in the 2011 elections it lost that support, but made up for the loss by making some inroads in some PPP/C strongholds.

It is clear that the AFC does not have a stable political base and its political fortunes depended on which way the political pendulum is swinging. Its support base is at best fluid and therefore unpredictable.

Now that the AFC has merged with the APNU in a pre-election alliance, it can no longer present itself as a counter force to either of the two dominant political forces. Put in a different way, it has lost it raison d’etre, or its reason for being.

Political pundits have already pronounced on what seems to be an act of political suicide on the part of the AFC leadership. Already there are several resignations at both the leadership and rank and file levels who interpreted the move as not only opportunistic, but as a betrayal of principles.

As to whether or not the AFC as a party would be able to recover from such a crippling self-inflicted wound remains to be seen.

One thing is certain. The AFC lacks the moral right to claim that it is a party of principles or that it can be trusted when it comes to honouring its promises.

Hydar Ally

Dereliction of duty a serious factor at UG

Dear Editor,

The chants originating from the collective staff of the University of Guyana (UG) have to spur an inquiry.

The many “don’t believe the lies you’re told” and “we’re overworked and underpaid”, etc are not necessarily true, and I quickly suggest that the incumbent Vice Chancellor Professor Jacob Opadeyi open up to have some people really come and see what truly obtains at this institution.

This is my third year as a student, and most of my problems, where the staff are concerned are attitudinal, in that the said university staff, at all levels, manifest a gross lack of proficiency.

Time and punctuality are lost values. The ICT and photocopying centres are terrible in this area - either no one is there to attend to students as the 09:00h time is never respected, or there are extended lunch sessions.

I promise readers that if a clock system is employed and CCTV monitoring is to be enacted, many will be exposed. I add here too that in places like Maintenance and Library, there are too many staff members just marking time.

Honest, I do not see why they should be employed, as there is not enough work for them. The Library is mostly empty and many times students go there to just hang out, chatting in whispers, or just being on their phones (keypad), or some other com-

Road users, be mindful of 5 Cs

Dear Editor,

As the Guyana Police Force continues with its traffic enforcement in efforts to maintain safety on our roads, all categories of road users are once more urged to use the roads cognisant of the five Cs - Caution, Care, Common Sense, Courtesy and Consideration.

Road Safety is everybody’s business. Whether you walk, ride or drive, practice road safety and stay alive.

Unto February 24, there have been 19 road fatalities, compared to 17 for the corresponding period last year.

During the period February 16 to 22, a num-

ber of cases have been made against motorists for breaching the traffic laws.

These include speeding (416); driving under the influence (42); breach of condition of Road Service Licence (52); careless driving (14); dangerous driving (11); failure to wear safety helmet (6); failure to wear seat belt

(35); and prohibition of the use of hand held mobile phone (13).

In addition, six persons were charged for the soliciting of passengers (touting).

Ivelaw Whittaker Police Public Relations and Press Officer

The truth about the rice...

For the three-month period between January and March, when no paddy is produced, the country has to maintain a stock that will meet local demands and also to ship to clients who require shipments during that period.

For January, the stock was further depleted when we shipped about 40,000 tons and in February we have shipped another 35,000 tons. With shipment in March expected to be around 40,000 tons, the remaining amounts of rice and paddy from 2014 would be fully depleted meeting local demands.

This was another bla -

tant attempt to misinform and lie to people.

We reiterate that the major problem the industry faces at this time is not finding more markets.

The PPP/C Government has made available a revolving sum that amounts to more than $5 billion to millers so that we could reduce the long waiting period between export and payment by clients. Sometimes, we have to intervene against unresponsive millers. Presently farmers in Region Three (West Demerara-Essequibo Islands) are in court with one miller who did not

meet his obligations in the first crop of 2014. This resulted in non-payment of more than $226 million to Region Three farmers. The Government had to make these resources available so that farmers could be paid.

We continue to work with farmers to enhance their productivity and lowering their cost of production. Government has and continues to provide lowcost urea, higher yielding varieties and improved management practices.

These inputs from the Government have assisted farmers to meet the challenges of climate change,

munication device.

It is not feasible to have so many employees when there is not enough for them to do. UG has to address this problem.

The other thing too is the attitude of some lecturersthey either show up late for classes or are absent without due notice. It is so sad that they show so little regard for the students. I add here too that they take forever to mark and return scripts.

I recall one lecturer starting a first semester course in the middle of the second, and even after the August break and the new academic year began, he was still without the course grades.

If doubts exist as regards how truthful I am in this, I can call out the course and the year when this happened.

On this particular matter, I know of one student, top one too, who simply abandoned the course and it affected his university tenure, as he had to resort to another course in order to graduate (good thing he had that option).

Let me talk plagiarism too and I can pin-point one lecturer who does not have a clue what this is all about and how to test for it.

Imagine this female student flunked almost an entire class of over 40 students for supposedly committing this egregious crime, when it was not really the case. This kind of thing shows how high-handed and indifferent the staff situation can be-

come and, in fact, has been for quite some time now.

I think that some-staff cutting is in order, and for sure, there needs to be some kind of accountability in punctuality, absenteeism, and neglect, etc, where I think that dereliction of duty is a serious factor at UG.

Now I do believe that some negotiation is necessary and I do believe that everyone at UG deserves a little raise, but what Dr Melissa Ifill is screaming for borders on insanity.

Many Guyanese like to compare salaries and working conditions here with what are the norms overseas, but they do not like to talk about the comparative responsibilities and the consequences of misdemeanours.

Many UG staffers, if they were in another country, would not have lasted long, and this is so for all categories.

This current needless impasse must come to an end. Already the students are getting really fed-up, and from much rumouring, I gather that some staff are all for resuming work.

I get the distinct impression that Dr Ifill has a personal agenda and maybe vendetta too for I do not know what, and I do not think that she speaks for the majority. I wish the relevant authorities can come in and act maturely. It’s about time!

Name withheld by request

from page 4

market fluctuations and late payments.

For example, the urea program has saved farmers more than $700 million in 2014.

The small groups of politically motivated individuals continue to cast blame on Government for any and everything in the industry and they are fully aware of the situation and the role of Ministry and GRDB.

The Ministry of Agriculture and the GRDB operate within the laws of Guyana.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy Agriculture Minister

Page Foundation

How to repair a damaged relationship between you and your child

By Dr Steven richfielD

One of the more painful challenges of parenting arrives not suddenly but gradually and with the ebb and flow of good and bad times with your child. Along with these circumstances come plenty of signs that your relationship is suffering and in urgent need of emotional repair. Frequent conflict tears at family harmony, misbehaviour takes on new and alarming forms, and parental anger leads to the blurting out of stinging indictments of a child. This leads to widening emotional distance between parent and child and the gush of internalised emotion that goes with it. If this sad situation exists in your home, either between one or both parents and a child, read on for ways to begin to heal what’s broken and keep it that way. Take an honest inventory of what “baggage” you bring to your role. Raising a challenging child exerts stress upon adults with already many demands upon them. Consider what past, present, and even future issues may be reducing the emotional fuel to invest into your parenting role. Some suffer from deep disappointment that their same sex child is so different from them in interests and attitude. Others have fragile “parent egos” making

it difficult for them to accept the need for change because they are hindered by personalising and projection of blame. Many are illequipped to recover from a particularly painful episode, and then drag the family through the excessive apology and recrimination. Reflect upon your unique parenting triggers based upon the repeating events at home. Use these insights to develop a parenting mission that prepares you to respond to child behaviour problems and positive relationship situations. Consider both as windows of opportunity to create the kind of unconditionally loving bond with your child. Think of this mission as “being present as the

parent you want to be” so that there is less chance you will be caught off guard by circumstances and distractions. It’s helpful to write a list of principles underlying your new mission, such as ‘respond with acceptance to their interests’ and ‘pause and thoughtfully consider consequences before issuing them.’

Pay special attention to the nuances of your interactions with your child as these can often send an unintended message and sabotage time together. These include imposing unnecessary conditions upon fun time together, displaying familiar annoyance and/or intolerance when circumstances don’t deserve such a

response, and finding fault and/or criticising comments or behaviours in the present when it’s preferable to delay them for another more opportune time. Perhaps most important is to acknowledge that when rebuilding a relationship with your child the sound of rejection is easily interpreted through words and body language.

Ask other family members for their feedback. Those who are daily witnesses of the splintered relationship can be very helpful in your attempt to reframe responses interpreted as rejection or stretch oneself to demonstrate greater tolerance of your child’s uniqueness. (healthyplace.com)

Coping with an alcoholic parent

(Continued from thursday)

What can I do?

Acknowledge the problem. Many children of parents who drink too much try to protect their parents or hide the problem. Admitting that your parent has a problem – even if he or she won’t – is the first step in taking control. Start by talking to a friend, teacher, counsellor, or coach. If you can’t face telling someone you know or go online for help. Be informed. Being aware of how your parent’s drinking affects you can help put things in perspective. For example, some teens who live with alcoholic adults become afraid to speak out or show any normal anger or emotion because they worry it may trigger a parent’s drinking. Remind yourself that you are not responsible for your parent drinking too much, and that you cannot cause it or stop it.

ying your feelings and pretending that everything’s OK.

Learn healthy coping strategies. When we grow up around people who turn to alcohol or other unhealthy ways of dealing with problems, they become our ex-

ample. Watching new role models can help people learn healthy coping mechanisms and ways of making good decisions.

Be aware of your emotions. When you feel things like anger or resentment, try to identify those feelings. Talk to a close friend or write down how you are feeling.

Recognising how a parent’s problem drinking makes you feel can help you from bur-

Coaches, aunts, uncles, parents of friends, or teachers all have to deal with things like frustration or disappointment. Watch how they do it. School counselors can be a great resource here. Next time you have a problem, ask someone you trust for help.

Find support. It’s good to share your feelings with a friend, but it’s equally important to talk to an adult you trust. A school counsellor, favourite teacher, or coach may be able to help. Some teens prefer to talk to a family member or parents of a close friend.

Find a safe environment. Do you find yourself avoiding your house as much as possible? Are you thinking about running away? If you feel that the situation at home is becoming dangerous, you can call the Police, and don’t hesitate to dial 911 if you think you or another family member is in immediate danger.

Stop the cycle. Teenage children of alcoholics are at higher risk of becoming alcoholics themselves. Scientists think this is because of genetics and the environment that children grow up in. For example, people might learn to drink as a way to avoid fear, boredom, anxiety, sadness, or other unpleasant feelings. Understanding that there could be a problem and finding adults and peers to help you can be the most important thing you do to reduce the risk of problem drinking. (teenshealth.org)

Harper is competent, knowledgeable – Rudy Insanally

By goMatie gangadin

Former Foreign Affairs

Minister Rudy Insanally has hailed Ambassador Elisabeth Harper’s selection as the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic’s Prime Ministerial candidate for the May 11 General and Regional Elections, describing her as competent and very knowledgeable in her field of international relations.

According to Insanally, Harper, who served as Director General under him, has always been a competent, professional, loyal and well-liked woman to those she knew and worked with and as such, her ascent to such a position should not be a surprise to any.

“On her selection as the PM Candidate for the PPP/C, I am not at all surprised. After a while everyone seeks avenues to move forward and she has made her choice,” Insanally said of Harper.

Describing her as a “very, very charming and cooperative individual”, Insanally related that by the time he retired as a Government

Minister, Harper had acquired a very broad understanding of diplomacy and Guyana’s international relations. “Certainly, it was very pleasant having her worked with me,” Insanally said.

He told the Guyana Times that someone once described Harper as “unflappable” noting that this may be so since “she takes everything in strides; deals with everything in a very competent manner and was not given to any outbursts”, Insanally related. Asked about her areas of strength, Insanally said that she was very effective in whatever capacity she held while pointing out that as Director General, she held the primary responsibility for administration and accountability of the Ministry.

“She had direct charge over the staff, including ambassadors. She had developed a very firm grasp of the various issues. I found her quite competent in dealing with the various issues on her plate. She had ascended the ladder and made a lot of progress in her career,” Insanally de-

clared. He believes whether PPP/C wins or loses, Harper has the skills that will take her through until such a time she decides to retire. Besides, Insanally said Harper also had fair knowledge of various diplomatic issues Guyana is pursuing and had to be adept with the country’s foreign policies.

Well-liked

Meanwhile, former Foreign Trade Minister, Dr Henry Jeffrey, in an interview with the Guyana Times on Thursday related that while he did not know Harper on a personal basis, given the fact that they have never really worked together, what he did know was that she has a personality which was liked by many.

According to him, there is no doubt of her capabilities since she is very much loyal and committed to her work and always strives to ensure that her agenda is accomplished. “As a person, I find her to be a very nice person, a very approachable person; a person who tries to help out as much as

she can. As a professional, her approach is to be loyal to the Minister, whomever it may be at that time. She will take on her agenda to work it as best as it can,” the political commentator noted.

On Wednesday, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) Chairman Sharma Solomon commended the public servant for her ascent to the position. He noted that as far as he saw it, Harper was a longstanding

public servant and politics was another form of public service.

Harper, born on October 2, 1957 and attended the St Rose’s High School, hails from Kitty, Greater Georgetown, and has worked in the foreign service for decades. Harper succeeds outgoing Prime Minister Samuel Hinds who has held that position since 1992 when the PPP/C was voted into office for the first time in 28 years.

The Ambassador to Caricom is married to Guyanese cricket coach and former West Indies cricketer, Mark Harper. She is the mother of three girls, Michelle, Natasha and Melissa.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in French from the University of Guyana as well as the title of the Best Graduating Student (1981-1986) as well as a Certificate in Diplomatic Studies from the University of Oxford, England.

The newly-selected PM candidate, who also holds the Golden Achievement Award, began her career at the Foreign Affairs Ministry

in 1976 as a Registry Clerk, working her way to hold the title of Director General at the Ministry. She has previously served as Director of the Department of the Americas and Asia at the Ministry from 1996 to 2001; a Consular at the Guyana High Commission, London 1991-1995, and Head of the Frontier Division, Foreign Affairs Ministry 1990-1991. She has been a member of Guyana’s delegation to various meetings of Caricom; the Latin American Economic System; the Association of Caribbean States (ACS); the United Nations (UN); the Commonwealth; and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR); among others. Harper has served in several other positions as Ambassador to Caricom (2003 to present), Non-resident High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago (2003-present), Non-resident High Commissioner to Barbados (2004-present), Nonresident High Commissioner to Grenada (2006-present) and Non-resident High Commissioner to St Kitts and Nevis.

AFC accused of financial skulduggery

– MP unsure of whether accounts presented were audited

By Michael younge

The Alliance For Change (AFC) is facing more allegations of financial misappropriation of funds and skulduggery from its membership following its failure to allegedly present audited financial statements at its last National Conference held at the St Stanislaus College this year.

Balwant Persaud, an Attorney-at-Law and AFC Executive Member who resigned last week, is alleging that the party was engaged in questionable financial activities following its presentation of doctored accounts and statements to the party’s membership that cover the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Persaud, speaking to the media last week when he announced his resignation, alleged that AFC’s failure to present audited and certified copies of its accounts to the membership was a violation of its founding principles and constitution.

“They presented some accounts … that are bogus accounts. The constitution says that at every Congress only audited accounts must be presented. They present just a one sheet of receipts and payments … now these accounts are not accurate,” the former Executive alleged.

He questioned the amounts of $109, 123; $228, $202; $727; $863; and $727, 600 voted as disbursements for the years 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009 under the heading depreciation and amortization.

“What did they depreciate? There is no list of inventory….they did not present a balance sheet or a list of inventory…as far as I know, the AFC did not own any vehicle, property…only a few furniture and 10 computers…even if you depreciate this at 100 per cent … you can’t arrive at these figures,” he alleged.

Something is wrong

He argued further that “any schoolchild who studies book-keeping would know that depreciation is a noncash expense but it’s reflected as a payment here … then they have this vague account...Purchases…that covered all the expenses they can think of….something is wrong with these financial statements”.

He alleged that one of the party’s main donors and financiers, Sankar Nirahu had

threatened to resign from the party if it ever joined A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in a coalition, but he died before having the chance to do so.

Persaud told the media that the AFC was also purportedly in receipt of millions of dollars from Nirahu and the New York/New Jersey Chapter before his passing. He also alleged that the party was unable to account for the monies transferred.

Persaud distributed a purported copy of the AFC’s Statement of Income and Expenditure for the period March 1, 2009 to February 28, 2012.

The party allegedly collected $93, 851, 323 as receipts in 2012 in the form of donations – $69, 958, 523 in overseas contributions and $22, 087, 500 from fundraisers and the sale of furniture among other measures.

The party’s purported statement claimed that for the same period it spent 93, 386, 680 leaving a surplus of $464, 643. Of the total amount spent, advertising and printing accounted for $25,170,745 while staffing and stipends accounted for 23,301,190.

Meals and Entertainment accounted for $7, 222,714

while travelling and accommodation accounted for $10, 335,024.

The Statement shows that $10, 578, 036; $6, 868, 004; and $4, 356, 760 were received for the years 2011, 2010, and 2009 while $10, 943, 847; $7, 934, 721; and$4, 190, 488 for the same period were accounted as expenses.

When contacted, AFC’s Executive Member and Parliamentarian Trevor Williams said he was not sure if the audited accounts were presented at the last National Conference, but he knew they were prepared and that the membership could access them at anytime.

“Watermelon Man” murder trial

Accused walk free after judge upholds no-case submission

The accused in the famous “Watermelon Man” murder trial at the Berbice Assizes walked free on Thursday after Justice Brassington Reynolds upheld a no-case submission submitted by Defence Attorney Peter Hugh. The jury was asked to return a formal not guilty verdict.

The two accused Ojay Van Gourie, also called “OJ” and “Bilall” and Troy Holigan, also called “Shatta” were on trial for the March 27, 2010 murder of Hansraj Samaroo, a New Amsterdam market vender also called “Watermelon Man” and “Bubby” of Hampshire Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

Justice Brassington Reynolds noted that the evidence by the prosecution’s key witness, Kumarie Samaroo who is the wife of the dead man, was manifestly unreliabe. “It was so unreliable that she miss identified the accused in the dock,” Justice Reynolds said.

The co-accused: Ojay Van Gourie and Troy Holigan sult of this.”

the Identification parade. When asked by Attorney Peter Hugh if the two men in the dock were of the same complexion he said no, but at that time there were, much to the amusement of the jury, who were looking at the two men who were opposites’ at it related to complexion.

During his evidence on Wednesday, Deputy Superintendant Booker also remained silent for 10 minutes when he was asked whether he wanted to be shown the statement he made during the Preliminary Inquiry. He did not answer the question.

Eyew tness

Hypocritical...

...Lall on corruption

It’s easy to throw mud at others. Just ask Glenn Lall, owner of the Muckraker. He’s been doing it for years... and getting away with it. Hiding under the skirt of “press freedom” he libelled everyone and anyone who earned his ire.

And since he’s such a petty and envious fella, you didn’t even have to “do” Lall anything. Let’s say, you’re successful in business? That’s enough to make him foam at the mouth!

Everyone in Government was corrupt, if Lall was to be believed - especially if they had even the most tenuous connection with former President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Justice Reynolds found that it was at the Magistrate’s Court during the Preliminary Inquiry that the witness first made mention of seeing the accused persons.

The trial Judge also expressed his alarm over the evidence of Deputy Superintendant of Police Steve Booker who placed the exact eight persons alongside each of the accused during the separate identification parades. “The identification parade was tainted as a re-

He said that the witness saw the man in her home on the night her husband was killed but at the identification parade (ID) she never submitted a statement.

Teenager on robbery with aggravation charge remanded to juvenile centre

A17-year-old was remanded to a juvenile holding cell on Thursday for his trial after stealing the cellphone and gold chain from the Virtual Complainant (VC) Brandon Singh.

He said there was nothing from the Police to show the basis for arresting the two men.

During his evidence on Wednesday, Deputy Superintendant Booker told the court that both of the accused looked alike during

The Judge also noted that Government Pathologist, Dr Vivekanand Bridgemohan gave the cause of death as a lacerated artery but there was no evidence to link the injury to the gun shot.

The State’s case was presented by State Prosecutor Judith Mursalin.

Campbellville resident gets community service for illegal dumping

AStabroek Market

Porter was sentenced to 15 hours community service on Thursday after he was found guilty of dumping garbage on Water Street, Georgetown.

Claiming he was “a friend of Jagdeo”, he was rebuffed on a scheme to make a quick (but illegal) buck. He became an bitter enemy of Jagdeo. Going on seven years now, there isn’t a single edition of the Muckraker that doesn’t throw mud at Jagdeo.

But there’s a saying that “those in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones”. Or “mud”. Because everyone and their uncle know that Lall’s been swimming in corruption ever since he crawled out of Wakenaam years ago.

Name the hustle - and all hustles have to do with corruption - and Lall’s “been there; done that”. Smuggling goods?? There isn’t a Customs officer back in the day who hadn’t been bribed by Lall.

Even former Commissioner of Police Winston Felix was captured on tape, bemoaning Glenn Lall’s bribery of Police Officers. Backtracking made him infamous to ordinary Guyanese. They literally had to pawn their (female) firstborn (the demand was “cash or flesh”) to pay him for getting them past the US Homeland Security.

Even the US Embassy dubbed him a “sketchy character” in the WikiLeaks - which also showed him to be a snitch on fellas who thought he was their friend. Some friend!!

It is alleged that on February 23, the defendant stole a Samsung Galaxy S4 cellphone and a gold chain from the VC.

The defendant’s trial commences today at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Nicholas Sukhra was brought before Magistrate Judy Latchman on Thursday in Court Three of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charge of robbery with aggravation.

Warren Burden, 46, of William Street, Campbellville, Georgetown, was sentenced by Magistrate Annette Singh in Court 11 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where the defendant pleaded guilty.

According to the prosecution, on February 24, a plain clothes Constable saw the defendant depositing

a large brown cartoon box, which contained a quantity of plastic and food boxes, on Water Street. The Constable identified himself to the defendant and informed him of the offence he had just committed. The defendant was subsequently arrested and taken to the City Constabulary where he was charged for depositing the waste.

Magistrate Singh sentenced the defendant to community service at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and his service commenced on Thursday.

And it’s because of this hypocrisy that so many Guyanese are chortling and rubbing their hands in glee when they found out that Lall has been caught in the cross-hairs of the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with his most recent scam. This has to do with participating in the scheme to defraud the Government of $100 million through the remigrant duty-free car scam.

But even though he’s done the crime in Guyana, it doesn’t look like he’ll be doing the time here. However, like the old people say, “There is a God!” Because the fraud originated in the US, the documents Lall and his coconspirers submitted to the locals clearly show - chapter and verse - how they defrauded the US Government.

And Uncle Sam ain’t so forgiving. They’re already preparing the orange jumpsuit!

...Moses Z on race

Because Moses Nagamootoo’s a zero and was on some zero Radio Station, he probably thought he could get away with this piece of hypocrisy: “We are Guyanese and we are not Indo-Guyanese (or) Afro-Guyanese”. This from a man whose single bargaining card in negotiations with PNC/APNU was that he would deliver “11,000 Indian votes” to the PNC!!

He didn’t realise that now he’s officially in bed with the PNC their PR people will write it up so that your trusty Eyewitness can catch his arse in his prevarication! He probably uttered the politically correct sound-bite to catch the ears of the Media Monitoring Unit (MMU) that’s now been launched to catch race-baiting politicians - among other sins.

But that raises the prior issue - evoking the “fruit of the poisoned tree” doctrine, doesn’t it? If AFC’s campaign will be based on “securing Indian votes”, isn’t whatever they say on the hustings, pandering to “race”??

Disqualify the wankers!!

...Lalloo gets “larwah”

If there’s one man - albeit a very, very old man who needs suspenders to keep his pants up - who really knocked himself out to get an Opposition political position, it’s Chris “Lalloo” Ram.

But in the AFC/PNC/APNU he got LARWAH!!

Seeraj says never claimed Jagdeo cost PPP/C majority

More than a week after the Kaieteur News carried an anonymous letter under the caption “PPP needs to break up with Bharrat Jagdeo”, a Central Executive Member named in the controversial missive is distancing himself from the content therein and all references made to him.

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Executive Dharamkumar Seerai when contacted for a comment on the missive which alleges that he blamed former President

Region 10 gearing up for Mashramani observance on Sunday

All roads will lead to the mining town of Linden on Sunday, when the community will host its segment of the Mashramani observances, in commemoration of Guyana’s Republic Anniversary.

While the official national observance was held in Georgetown last Sunday, the Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) Democratic Council (RDC) will present its version of the costume and float parade on Sunday, March 1. The community is currently gearing up for the excitement, with various costumes from different areas in the Region to be featured.

Revellers participating in this year’s exercise will utilise a slightly different route, as the float parade will commence from the Mackenzie shore of Linden, then proceed to the Wismar shore, as opposed to previous years when it was ended in Mackenzie.

According to RDC Commemoration Committee

Chairman Stanley Collins, the event will move along Sir David Rose Avenue, past Five Corner, onto Washer Pond Road and Casaurina Drive at Mackenzie, thence to Burnham Drive, the Winifred Gaskin Highway and the One Mile Public Road, before culminating at the Bayroc Community Centre Ground at Wismar.

The Region’s flamboyant float, which was featured at the national float parade in Georgetown, entitled “the Story of Linden”, is expected to be debuted in Linden this Sunday at the observance.

Leading up to the fun and frolic on Sunday, the first-ever Linden Party Soca Monarch Competition will be contested at the LindenGeorgetown minibus park on Saturday evening. A number of artistes from across the Region will compete for $100,000 in cash.

Jagdeo for the party losing its majority at the 2011 elections, denied ever making such a statement.

He said while he was not in the habit of responding to anonymous letters, based on his recollection of the missive, “I never said that Jagdeo’s mansion or pension caused the PPP/C to lose anything or its plurality after the elections.”

“I will go further to say that I never sought any position with the Government. I was never promised any position with the Government by any President or any

Presidential Candidate, Minister or any persons in the Government,” he explained. He made it absolutely clear that he did not have any problem with Jagdeo or decisions he made while he was President.

Again expressing concern over the fictitious letter, Seeraj reiterated that he has no problem with Jagdeo as a politician or Executive of PPP/C as he disassociated himself from the charges made in the letter. “I never said anything about Jagdeo at any meeting or any forum,” he reiterated.

The allegation first surfaced on the “Conversation Tree” blog of former PPP/C Ex-Co member Ralph Ramkarran back in March 29, 2014, under the heading “The Jagdeo Challenge” : “...as one comrade told him (Jagdeo) immediately after the elections in 2011, ‘it was your mansion and pension that caused the loss.’ The comrade, deprived of high office as a consequence...”

The anonymous letter used the exact phraseology as above, but explicitly named Seeraj as the accuser.

Porter on fraudulent conversion charge released on $100,000 bail

Abush truck porter was granted $100,000 bail at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry charged with fraudulent conversion.

Forty-seven-year-old Ken Stevy Hamlet of 48

La Grange, West Coast Demerara, was charged with converting someone else’s property into his own use.

It is alleged that on May 9, 2014, at the Aranka Landing, Cuyuni River, the defendant was given a quantity of clothes valued $1,000,000, cosmetics valued at $130,000, sneak-

ers valued at $60,000, 10 pairs of slippers valued at $100,000 by the Virtual Complainant to deliver to Hannetha Rose. He did not make the delivery but instead converted the items into his own use. The total value of the aforementioned articles amounted to $1,290,000.

The prosecution had

AFC accused of financial...

When asked for a response to Persaud’s scathing allegations that the party lacked accountability, Williams said: “I think his statements are unfair and scandalous.”

He said if Persaud had asked questions first before contacting the media, he would have been presented with the transparency he needed, because membership was always provided with a chance to view the docu-

ments.

Williams believes the allegations were intended to hurt the AFC in front of the public. “I never thought he was such an individual”

He said people who had falling outs with parties would normally look to strike at them in public.

He also said the treasurer, Dominic Gaskin, was “extremely meticulous” and he practises proper procedure with the use of vouchers and

make sure everything is accounted for. “I will not stand to hear his name (Gaskin’s) be thrown down the gutter.”

He repeated that the allegations were unethical and Persaud obviously had his own reasons for doing so.

He explained that Persaud did not utilise the initial channel, which would have been to visit the party to have discussions about the issue, instead he opted to go to the media in an attempt to

no objection to bail being granted for the defendant. Magistrate SewnarineBeharry granted bail under the condition that he report to officer in charge of F Division Headquarters until his trial ends. The defendant’s trial commences on March 12 at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.

from page 7

hurt the image of the party. As such, he said the former member should “probably look for other issues” to talk about.

When contacted, the AFC’s Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo, referred all queries about the AFC’s accounts and finances to the General Secretary, David Patterson. Efforts to contact Patterson for a comment proved futile.

PPP/C wants PNCR “top guns” to answer for missing army guns

The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) has again called two top executives of the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) to appear before the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry (COI) to answer claims that they had knowledge of a number of guns that were allegedly loaned to the PNC by the military under the Forbes Burnhamled administration.

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic, Clement Rohee on Tuesday issued the call for the party’s leader Brigadier David Granger and its General Secretary, Joseph Harmon to appear before the Commission to provide answers for the weapons which went missing under that administration.

He noted that the ques-

tions over the weapons which were loaned to the Ministry of National Development of the PNC Government during the 1970s and 1980s and are now missing must be answered. “I think and I am convinced of the need for the Commission of Inquiry to summon Mr. Granger and Mr. Harmon to appear before the Commission. They must not be allowed to get away scot free precisely be-

cause of the fact that the party which Mr. Granger now heads, that party’s name has been called within the commission’s evidence taking and as Mr. Granger is now at the head of the PNC Congress, the party whose name has been called so often it seems to me logically that summons should be made,” Rohee said.

According to Rohee, the two members of the APNU

who were in the Guyana Defence Force at the time of Rodney’s death and who are now significant members in the PNC are the ones who should be summoned by the Commission to give the whereabouts of the weapons.

“As far as the missing weapons are concerned, there are questions that must be asked at the COI. They worked in the military. They know what went on. We never did,” the PPP General Secretary noted. Rohee noted that it is in this regard that the media has a role to play, since it needs to push for the answers that are needed and for the men to appear before the commission.

In an earlier interview on the issue President Ramotar had pointed out that Granger was “the Commander” at the time that the weapons were loaned to the PNC. As such, the President highlighted that Granger must have some knowledge of the whereabouts of the weapons.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the President said that while the efforts of the Police will remain unwavering to tackle the issue of gun-related crimes head on, the missing Army weapons must be found and those who may have been involved in this matter owe it to the country to ensure their retrieval.

FITUG warns against political hypocrites

− calls for free and fair elections

Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) President Carvil Duncan has warned the general public about political hypocrites, as he called on the Guyanese working class to uphold their role in ensuring elections were conducted in a free and fair manner.

“The upcoming elections … presents an opportunity not only for workers to vote for the party of their choice, but for the working people to call on the contesting parties, to outline their policies, which should address the general concerns and interests of the nation,” Duncan stated.

While urging all workers to work together, he cautioned them too to “be alerted of those who will come as sheep in wolf’s clothing with promises of gifts”.

“We as trade unionists should hold slavishly, to the golden rule of preserving democracy, be it in the trade union movement, or in the administration.”

Guyana is less than 75 days away from the General

and Regional Elections, with which in excess of 80 per cent of the voting population will consist of working people and pensioners.

Duncan stressed on the Federation’s responsibility to educate workers so they can make the right choice at the right time.

“Let us, therefore, challenge ourselves to educate the workers, so that they can make the right choice at this crucial time in our country’s development,” he said.

Duncan highlighted that since the re-birth of democracy in 1992, the country

has embarked on rebuilding its economy and travelling on the path of steady progress.

He made reference to the health sector, education sector, pensions, physical infrastructure, housing construction, availability and reach of water and electricity services, and reduction of national debt as indicators of achievement of democracy in Guyana.

“These improvements came about, not without strains and stresses, and in spite of the many challenges, in the past … a foundation was set, in which we could continue to build a new progressive Guyana.”

Nonetheless, Duncan acknowledged that great attention must be paid to the troubling issues of crime, violence against women, prevalence of illicit drugs, gun violence and the perception of widespread corruption.

On that note, he stated that those negative features tend to overshadow the country’s gains and act as restraints to further economic growth.

“We know that some of them found their way into the hands of criminal elements a few years ago, in Mahaica/ Mahaicony when the Police had a confrontation with criminals,” the President said.

It was revealed during the current inquiry that 237 weapons were issued to Wilfred Skeete of the Ministry of National Development and Robert Corbin, between 1976 and 1979, by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). To date, only 82 of these weapons were returned to the Army.

The other 155 weapons are still missing and it is unknown if they still are in the possession of the PNCR. Granger has always denied knowledge of the weapons and the loan transaction.

Adumb like lash, but can't tek lashin

Media wuk is serious wuk. Any body who wuk in de media know that it ain’t no easy wuk. Some people in de media does use it as a weapon to lash people fuh no good reason at all, and mek it look like that is part of de wuk.

De problem is every lash got lash back, and some people in de media can’t handle de lash back, nor de back lash. A lotta dem on de other hand simply prefer a lash in de back, and that does make dem happy.

When yuh in de media, yuh does have to lash every body at some time. From politicians to de business people to de ordinary man does have to tek some lashin. But it always got some crooks who don’t expect any lashin because dem got friends in de media.

Some times de very people in de media does lash one another. De Muckraker does want to lash every body and every other media. But when de Stabber lash back de Muckraker boss man de other day, de boss man lose he appetite, then wind build up in he stomach and he start to fart.

And when that boss man fart, Adumb does have to say “excuse me”. So both Adumb and he boss man try to lash de Stabber and Hanand de headitor. But Hanand could tek a real good lashin and he could also lash back.

When de Muckraker lash from Harry Wrong to Harry Right, that is press freedom, but when de Stabber and any other media lash de boss man, that ain’t press freedom. Adumb and he boss man call that spite. Yea, rite.

Now it look like Adumb wanna tek out spite and lash Kwame. But while Kwame could tek a good lashin like Hanand, he ain’t tekkin no lashin from Adumb. In fact, Kwame run behind Adumb to give he a good lash back.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! But clearly at that age, old Adumb ain’t able with Kwame lash back!

Ogle Airport to simulate airplane crash

The Ogle International Airport will be conducting a full-scale Emergency Training exercise today, February 27 in order to assess how well participants would respond to an emergency at the airfield.

According to information reaching the Guyana Times , an airplane crash will be simulated and all participants, such as airport security and other staff, would be required to

follow all necessary protocol in the event of an actual emergency. This full-scale training exercise will be facilitated and observed by Lieutenant Jack Mc Govern from the US Department of Emergency Management.

He is a Specialist on Mass Casualty Incident Management and is an instructor at the Art Williams & Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School.

The purpose of this activity will be to test the airport’s emergency responses while providing hands-on experience for airport and airline staff, hospital, fire service, security and other emergency personnel.

During the simulation exercise, personnel will respond as they would in a real emergency, including the use of sirens, firefighting equipment and emergency vehicles.

DSL lucky shopper wins 1 year free groceries

... 11 others receive prizes

Sursati Budhu, of

Lot 31 Haslington, Enmore, East Coast Demerara, has won herself one year’s free groceries in the recently-concluded DSL Cash and Carry holiday promotion. Budhu was among 12 prize winners who won.

A very excited Budhu upon collecting her prize thanked DSL Cash and Carry and encouraged others to shop at the entity.

Budhu and the 11 other winners received their prizes at the drawing held on January 10, 2015 in the DSL Ruimveldt, Greater Georgetown location.

In addition, Bernadette Byass won three months’ worth of groceries valued $120,000. Five other winners won a full rebate of their shopping for the day at the DSL outlet which saw them gain entry to the competition.

Sicilia Bipta, who shopped $159,150 in items, was quite excited to receive her cheque while the others, Parbattie Manikar, Clive Jordon, Rudolph Chung and Gloria Jaimotie won

$80,631; $72,167; $20,449 and $9148 respectively. Another five winners, Bissoon Ramnarine, Balwan Singh, Dhanpattie

Ramlakhan, Vickram Jaikaran, and Desiree Moshett, each won one month’s free groceries, valued at $40,000.

DSL Retail Manager Natasha Ally congratulated the winners and noted that DSL Cash and Carry was very pleased to reward its

loyal shoppers in 2014. She noted that the promotion was a culmination of a year of promotions that saw shoppers winning monthly prizes, from trips to television sets.

“We look forward to the continued support of our customers in 2015, and we continue to find ways to give back to them,” Ali stated. She also urged consumers to look out for even more exciting promotions in 2015.

Customers shopping during the months of November and December were given a coupon for every $5000 spent at DSL Cash and Carry. These coupons were filled out and dropped into entry boxes located in any of the three outlets at Diamond, Ruimveldt or Sheriff Street. The final drawing in the promotion was done on New Year’s Day.

Urling weighs political bets ...but claims Blue Caps will remain “apolitical”

By Janelle Persaud

Chairman of Blue CAPS and former President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Clinton Urling has indicated that he may appear on a political platform for the May 11 General and Regional Elections, but says that his group largely followed by young people will remain apolitical.

Urling did not disclose which of the two major parties he may join, only saying that he was approached but is yet to decide.

“I have been asked, but I have not made any decision as to whether I will join any platform. However, there is always a possibility that I will,” he said in an invited comment.

Pressed on which he is likely to join Urling said: “I will feature on a platform that has an inclusionary approach to governance, a sound job creation and economic plan and social redistribution policies that look out for the less fortunate and which closes the income inequality gap.”

USAID funding?

Questions had been raised earlier about Urling’s political ambitions and there were also talks that his group Blue Caps might have been receiving funding through the USAID programme. Urling had denied these reports.

He told Guyana Times that he is seeking to make a greater contribution to issues of national importance through Blue CAPS Guyana - a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), which aims to provide a platform for young Guyanese to leverage the opportunities availa-

ble for developing their varying roles and consequently shaping and articulating public policy.

But in the midst of speculation and in some instances accusation of being a political machinery, Urling told this publication that “Blue CAPS will always remain an NGO and will never join or coalesce with any political party.

"On the other hand, our members are free to join any campaign they want.”

He promised that once he joins a political party he will step down as chairman of the group.

The group which has been vocal on the promotion of democracy and other issues since its establishment has applied for domestic Observer Status for the May 11 elections.

Urling said while Blue CAPS has certain prerequisites to meet, it have so far received a favourable response from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Efforts are being made to collaborate with other observer groups such as the Electoral Affairs Bureau.

“Each policy committee of Blue CAPS will develop policy areas for advocacy. A compendium document will be completed and released publicly during the early part of March, Urling revealed.

Advocacy

“We will be looking to embark on an advocacy campaign that calls on political parties, supporters, and the media to avoid dangerous or inflammatory speeches, correspondences and advocacy that can lead to incidences of conflict and violence.”

He said the group is also willing to work with other youth focused civil socie-

ty NGOs in advancing civic and voter education initiatives, including encouraging young Guyanese to vote. This, Urling opined requires a joint, collaborative effort to ensure efficiency.

While the political parties contesting the elections are yet to unveil their lists of candidates, it is Urling’s expectation that there will be “new and younger” faces on both incumbent’s and opposition’s platforms.

“I would have liked to have seen younger faces at the top of the tickets, however, considering Guyana’s context of minimum youth leadership political involvement, that is hardly surprising,” he conceded.

So far Donald Ramotar and Elizabeth Harper will lead the list of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), while David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo head those of the APNU-AFC coalition. With the exception of new comer Harper who is 57, the others all over 60.

Young people

Nonetheless, Urling is adamant that young people should jump at the opportunity to get involved in the affairs of the state.

Asked about his views on the recently formed coalition between APNU and AFC, he believes that the alliance removes the possibility of a minority Government and will result in a winner takes all scenario.

He added that the major political parties should look towards cooperation and inclusive governance following the elections on May 11.

“The improvement would be to see the PPP/C joining such a coalition and the re-

sult being governance with all involved.

"Moreover, I don’t think we have a choice, all signs are pointing to the fact that that

is the only way for Guyana to ensure stable governance,” Urling expressed. Urling served two one year terms as President of

the GCCI and was recently appointed Chairman of the FIFA Normalisation Committee of the Guyana Football Federation.

friday, february 27, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

GRDB forges ahead with aromatic rice initiative

…but farmers keep eyes on costs, markets

By Erica Williams

Amid skepticism among farmers, the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) is promoting the cultivation of aromatic rice here as the demand grows on the international market.

However, the big test for the GRDB would be to find sustainable markets for this type of rice with the challenge of securing lucrative markets for the country’s bumper crops. There have been questions on the cost to produce aromatic rice as opposed to the cost of producing other varieties.

GRDB’s Chief Scientist and Plant Breeder, Dr Mahendra Persaud says while it is a very costly and tedious job to breed plants to produce the aromatic seed locally, “the research we do at GRDB is for the benefit of the famers.”

Persaud explained that the cost to produce aromatic rice seeds will not be passed on to local rice farmers. Additionally, he stated that the project is also being subsidised by the Government.

“We have a good advantage with this rice, farmers will also be able to yield the same amount per acre as per other varieties of rice,” Dr Persaud said.

This was confirmed by Mohammed Rafoodeen who has started to grow the aromatic rice. He told Guyana Times that “the cost for producing the aromatic line would be the same as producing conventional variet-

ies. I have farmed aromatic rice in the trials as well as on larger scales and which proven it to be worthwhile producing aromatic rice.”

He believes that once markets are made available most farmers would be inclined to produce the commodity, “since it fetches a higher price on the international market.”

Meanwhile, Chief Scientist further explained that the high yielding ability of Guyana’s aromatic rice is a significant plus on the international market since most specialty rice varieties around the world are low yielding. He speculated that because of the low yields of specialty rice in other countries, costs are significantly higher than other rice varieties.

Aromatic rice requires the same care as other varieties as well, according to Persaud.

General Manager of the GRDB, Jagnarine Singh says rice farmers can look forward to significant ad-

ditional earnings from the board’s new brand dubbed “Maria’s Delight Aromatic.” He said the board has been receiving positive responses from rice farmers for the growth of aromatic rice.

While, the entire venture is still in the discussion stage, Singh is confident in Guyana’s successful entrance into the market. He said aromatic rice is receiving growing demand internationally and it is the opportune time for Guyana to tap into the market. It will be competitively priced with other specialty rice brands such as Basmati and Jasmine.

At present Basmati rice is being sold in supermarkets for almost double the price of white rice, while GRDB’s aromatic rice will be slightly over the cost of white rice. But Singh said, the board is seeking to create its own brand and is not competing with other specialty rice brands. Singh said the GRDB hopes to conclude talks with famers within a week.

The GRDB has been struggling to find lucrative markets for Guyana’s rice, an issue which President Donald Ramotar recently alluded to even while praising the strides made in the sector. When asked about markets for this new type of rice to be produced in Guyana, Singh said in addition to the local market, by the end of 2015, the board will explore the possibility of exporting aromatic rice to parts of the Caribbean.

Minister Gopaul warns against “excessive” strikes

By DEvina samaroo

Labour Minister Dr Nanda Gopaul, former founding member of the Federation of Independent Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has warned against the excessive use of protest actions, as seen lately in society.

Speaking at FITUG’s 5th Delegations’ Conference on Wednesday, the minister dismissed the idea of striking and protesting as an initial resort, noting that it is usually an ineffective and unnecessary course of action. “Strike and industrial disruptions do none of us any good, not the employees, not the workers…I’m not saying that we should not have strikes, but it should be taken only as a last resort…we must use it sparingly…sometimes the threat of a strike is more effective than a strike itself,” he suggested.

Despite justifying the need for other options to be explored first, union leaders of FITUG said they found it strange that someone who was once committed and dedicated to the trade union movement in Guyana, and also held prestigious leadership position in the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), would take such a line against the use of protest actions.

Dr Gopaul recently regarded protest actions by University of Guyana staff and students as “improper”. He explained then that the correct procedure had not been followed and maintained that the continuation of strike during negotiations is a breach of the regulation.

Since late last year, numerous trade unions and workers have staged a series of protests insisting that their demands are met.

Speaking with Guyana Times via telephone, General Secretary of NAACIE Kenneth Joseph expressed total agreement with the Minister’s position. “I definitely agree…the threat of a strike is more effective than a strike itself.” Nonetheless, Joseph said strikes are powerful tools in the hands of workers and trade unions, but noted that it must be done accordingly.

He explained that some Unions usually threaten a strike but fail to comply, which consequently creates the image of a “bluff”, causing the employer to not take the situation seriously. However, once a strike is threatened and demands are not met, employers will only understand the graveness of the situation if an actual strike ensues.

When prompted, Joseph disclosed that in his view, the recent protests by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and Guyana Sugar Corporation were not

premature actions. “The last thing any trade union would want to do is bring workers on the roads to strike,” he explained. However, when asked for his opinion on the situation at UG, Joseph said he has not made a personal assessment as yet. Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union Komal Chand also agreed that strike actions should not be taken hastily. He explained that there is a set of procedures to be followed before strike actions are taken. Chand highlighted that the first of which would be to negotiate with employers and if that fails, the nest best option is to call for the Ministry’s intervention. He stressed that all options should be explored before resorting to strike and protest. Chand declined to comment on the ongoing industrial action at UG.

Took offence

On another matter, Minister Gopaul exclaimed that Guyana has one of the best set of industrial laws and relations in the Caribbean. In light of the tragedy at the CARICOM Rice Mill where an employee, Threeson Gittens met his demise due to an alleged default of the entity, many took offense at the Minister’s declaration. Some sections of society expressed that such matters are seemingly being brushed under the carpet when such statements are made, and therefore, unknowingly promotes unlawfulness. Nonetheless, the Minister pledged his commitment to ensuring all workers are met with fair and just treatment in Guyana.

FITUG hails delegates’ confab as a success

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has hailed its just concluded 5th Delegates’ Conference a major success, which was held under the theme “Upholding Democracy and Struggle for Social Transformation”.

At the opening ceremony of the event on Wednesday, FITUG President Carvil Duncan spoke of the need for unity between FITUG and Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC).

“We recognise that unity among workers and their unions is essential to confront the challenges facing the working class in our country. It is with great concern that I note that our two trade union centers have not been able to reconcile our differences,” Duncan said.

He believes that the two should form a committee to jointly develop solutions to common problems facing trade unions.

“The present tax system needs to be reviewed, if there is no unity, FITUG will just be a lonely voice…,” he pointed out. The Chairman

also spoke of global inequity, increasing militarization and the effects of climate change, among others.

“Our generation has been trapped in the neo-liberal model of capitalism, which as we know, is creating havoc on many lives in several developed countries…the crisis has been with us since 2008, has also had severe

effects on developing countries of all continents.”

Labour Minister, Dr Nanda Gopaul, who delivered the feature address, recalled the complex circumstances that led to the formation of FITUG and his active involvement its establishment.

He used to opportunity to call on employers to work

fairly with their employees and trade union representatives.

The one-day conference brought together approximately 60 delegates from the Federation’s four affiliates – the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial

and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU) and the Guyana Labour Union (GLU) – to review the work and performance of the organization since the 4th Conference in 2012 and to chart goals for the ensuing triennium.

During the plenary session at the GAWU Conference Room, FITUG’s General Secretary Kenneth Joseph presented the Report of the Executive Committee which outlined the work of the organization and other important national and international issues.

The 11 page document addressed many issues including FITUG’s educational programme, participating in national and international events, the prevailing global situation, issues affecting affiliates and meetings of the Executive Committee.

The Conference also unanimously approved five resolutions: the general international situation and the growing struggle of workers and peoples, Trade Union Unity, endorsing GAWU’s and NAACIE’s

call for an inquiry into the sugar industry, solidarity with the CCWU and Tax Reform.

These resolutions will now be sent to different agencies and bodies for their attention.

A 15 member Executive Committee was also elected and tasked with the responsibility of organising the Federation’s 6th Delegations’ Conference.

The members include Carvil Duncan, President; Komal Chand, First Vice President; Sherwood Clarke, Second Vice President; Kenneth Joseph, General Secretary; Irma Glenn, Principal Assistant Secretary; BhagmatHochand, Assistant Secretary; Seepaul Narine, Treasurer; Michael Stephens, Organising Secretary; Harvey Tambron, Assistant Organising Secretary; Aslim Singh, Education Secretary; Jagdeo Paul, Press and Publicity Secretary and Roxanne Garraway, Narda Mohamed, Savitri Thomas and Elmy Ishmael as Executive Members.

CIOG constructs computer and sewing centres in Berbice, Essequibo and East Bank Demerara

In a move to boost the employability of vulnerable Guyanese, the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) has partnered with Asad Al Sanad Trust to construct five computer and sewing machine centres across the country.

In a press release, the CIOG said the centres arose out of realisation that a percentage of our population did not possess the skills to compete in the work environment and there was need to enhance their capacity and break the cycle of poverty.

The centres are locat-

ed in Diamond/Grove, East Bank Demerara (sewing); Aurora, Essequibo Coast (computer); Blairmont, West Coast Berbice (sewing and computer); and New Amsterdam, Berbice (computer), and will be commissioned this weekend.

The CIOG is dedicated to improving the welfare and the overall standard of living of Muslims. The Organisation is engaged in sustainable development and relief assistance programmes. It envisages socio-economic development aiming at the provision of opportunities for self-reli-

ance and human dignity and is engaged in providing relief assistance in the form of food, clothing, shelter, health and educational services to the poor and needy.

CIOG works in collaboration with affiliates, sponsors and volunteers to continuously provide skills to the most vulnerable in order to alleviate poverty and adverse living conditions.

CIOG and the people of Guyana express their gratitude to Brother Asad Abdul Aziz Al-Sanad, Chairman of Al Sanad Real Estate Group Co, State of Kuwait for this kind gesture.

Continuous rainfall in Region 2 causes flash flooding

Continuous and persistent intense rainfall experienced in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) over Wednesday into Thursday has resulted into flash floods in various villages.

On Thursday, several yards and office compounds in the commercial centre of Anna Regina and in Bush Lot, and Cotton Field were inundated with knee-high water, resulting in kitchen gardens and animal pens being underwater.

The National Insurance Scheme (NIS); Anna Regina Town Council; Guyana Power and Light and Anna

Student

WTagman Media wins Silver ADDY awards

Ting in the market. They were forced to start business late in the day, since they had to clean their work environment before selling could have commenced.

Rice harvesting in some areas were also affected due to the continuous downpours. Residents living in the Henrietta area said they woke up to knee-high water. One resident said that she could not understand why every time it rained the village experienced flooding.

Reports from the Region Two Drainage and Irrigation Department are that the Anna Regina Pump as well as the Devonshire Castle Pump are presently in operation to pump water off the land.

agman Media Inc has been awarded a Silver ADDY Award for a 60-second television commercial produced for Igloo Ice Cream. This award sets Tagman’s creative work on the production of the commercial among the top 25 per cent for the entire Caribbean.

The Caribbean Advertising Federation (CAF) recently announced the winners of the organisation’s American Advertising Awards, formerly known as the ADDY Awards. The American Advertising Federation (AAF) hosts the advertising industry’s most comprehensive and prestigious competition recognising creative excellence in advertising. The competition comprises three tiers starting with local competitions such as CAF which includes entries from across the Caribbean. Winners in the local CAF competition move on to compete with other winners from the fourth District which includes the entire state of Florida. Winning entries then move to the final tier to compete for top honours in the National American competition.

The commercial depicts a young boy Howard fantasising while in his classroom about having fun eating Igloo Ice Cream. The fantasy is triggered by his teacher, who during a lesson, mentions the word igloo. Howard becomes so engrossed in this

ice cream paradise that he only is awakened while dancing on his desk, by the sound of his name being called by the teacher. The entire production is animated. Igloo Ice Cream is produced in Guyana by Sterling Products Limited.

Tagman Media Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alex Graham said that “the award is very important to us particularly at a time when we are celebrating 20 years in business. It is also important that the young creative talent be recognised and rewarded this way”.

Graham added that he hopes that award also encourages other talented professionals in the local industry to strive for this and higher achievements for their work.

This is the first time that Tagman has submitted its creative work for peer review in the industry, the company submitted three entries for 2014. Tagman Media is the only Guyanese agency to have won an award.

“It is a remarkable achievement, over 900 entries in all the categories, but Tagman Media Inc was the only Guyanese company to have won an award,” said a euphoric Graham. He noted that several foreign companies won awards for products developed for companies and advertisers in Guyana.

The advertisement was produced by the Tagman Media team of Kewan

Harlequin, Christopher Leach, Kemptorne Daly, Jason Lampley and Alex Graham. A record 995 professional entries and nine student entries were judged. This represented the most entries in the fourth District for the third year running and for the first time, one of the largest local ADDY competitions. Entries were submitted by 51 different companies representing seven territories, including US Virgin Islands, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Curaçao, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Guyana. Tagman Media Inc has 20 years’ experience with lead-generating PR, Event Management and Marketing and Advertising in Guyana. The company blends innovative PR interventions with marketing and advertising tools to deliver real results to clients. Tagman Media Inc produces cutting edge advertising products for press, radio, television, web, mobile and outdoor. The company has worked on extremely successful creative campaigns in various industries, including lubricants, food and beverage, and telecommunications.

Tinninben Animation Studios (formerly Cube Studios) is a spinoff of Tagman Media Inc. Tinninben Animation focuses on the development of cartoons for public education, behaviour change interventions and children’s education.

body insists “all classes or no classes”

ith little movement in the ongoing industrial crisis at the the University of Guyana, Student Society President Joshua Griffith insists that the body will continue with its push for “all classes or no classes”.

This is intended to send a stronger message to those in authority that normalcy must be restored immediately. According to Griffith some 35 per cent of the student population is infrequently attending classes while more than 1000 students are awaiting resumption.

Law students in particular, are reportedly more affected, since the final year students have already sent applications to law schools

and are now reliant on the conclusion of their degree programme to send out transcripts.

“Even when they attend classes, the unrest at the University will obviously disrupt them,” Griffith said. He describes the situation as “completely ridiculous” and is calling on other students to abide by the “all classes or no classes” policy as a means of demanding improvement.

The UG administration insists that stalled negotiations will continue when striking workers go back to work. But the workers say they require a written terms of resumption deal.

“They want it in writing, that if they stop protesting, that nego-

tiations will commence,” the UGSS President stated.

However, Griffith said he is baffled as to why the administration is hesitating to comply with such a simple demand.

The protests began when the Unions’ demand for a 60 per cent salary increase were not met. Instead, the workers were assured a 25 per cent increase for three years- an offer they adamantly refused.

It was then reported that the Unions demanded a 75 per cent increase over a three-month period as opposed to the 60 per cent.

In addition to the 25 per cent increase, workers were also assured benefits such as house lots

and duty-free concessions for the purchase of vehicles for lecturers with a Master’s Degree and 10 years of service.

An offer was also made to buy the material needed for work outfits for some staff as well as provide bursaries to their children who performed well in the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA); the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).

Despite that, the UGSS President justified the lecturers’ position by highlighting that they have been suffering in silence for more than three years with a ‘deadbeat’ salary along with poor working conditions.

In light of statements made by Labour Minister Dr Nanda Gopaul that negotiations cannot resume until the protests are discontinued, Griffith pointed out that, to his knowledge, the UGWU feels they are being treated unfairly since they believe the Guysuco protesting incident did not follow the same protocol.

However, President of the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union Komal Chand explained that the 15 workers, who claim they were wrongfully dismissed, ceased their protests actions and only then did negotiations with Guysuco begin.

Digicel Guyana appoints new Chief Executive Officer

4 more prosecuted for drunk driving

Digicel Guyana todayannounced the promotion of Kevin Kelly to the role of Chief Executive Officer. Gregory Dean the current Chief Executive Officer has been promoted to Regional Chief Executive Officer with responsibility for Guyana, Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

With over seven years’ experience in the telecommunications and technology

sector,Kevin moves into the position of Chief Executive Officerfrom his current role as Chief Financial Officer of Digicel Guyana. He has held the latter role since August 2008.

Gregory Dean said; “I would also like to take this opportunity to wish Kevin all the very best in his new role as we look forward to the further expansion of the business following the ending of the telecommunications monopoly.”

Commenting on his new role, incoming Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Kelly said; “I am pleased to beleading the team as we continue to transform the communications landscape in Guyana. I look forward to building on the excellent base we have established in Guyana and aim to continuedelivering best value, service and network to our customers across Guyana as Digicel evolves to a total communications provider.”

Digicel CEO for the

Caribbean and Central America, Regis Romero, said; “I would like to thank Greg for hisyears of service as Digicel Guyana’s Chief Executive Officerand the progress made during his tenure. I would also like to congratulate both Kevin and Greg on their promotions and wish them the very best in their new roles.”

The new structure is effective March 1st2015.

Excavator driver, 17, crushed to death at TT quarry

A17-year-old boy of Barrackpore died on Wednesday when a hill he was excavating at a sand quarry collapsed on the hood of the excavator trapping him inside. He died on the spot. By the time

workers used their hands and shovels to remove the mound of dirt and aggregate from the hood of the excavator to get to Shivnarine Manbodh he was crushed to death.

The incident happened

at Rochard Road Number Two. The truck driver, who was waiting for his truck to be loaded, received minor injuries. At the family’s home at Ridge Road, Barrackpore, his mother Zeeta and his siblings – Rangie, Nary and Hema – were inconsolable.

His mother said she was coming home from the eye clinic at the San Fernando General Hospital, excited to tell her son, who was better known as “Navin”, she had seen a stove and a refrigerator at Courts and they would purchase these items over this weekend. “My birthday is on March 2 and he promised to buy me a fridge and a stove. I told him okay we would put up together and buy it.

“But when I was at the hospital someone called me on my phone and tell me to come home quick. I said okay. I got another call and someone told me that my son was dead,” she said. Knowing that her son was working there and based on the calls she received, she kicked off her shoes and ran to the quarry where she saw her son lying on the sand, dead.

A report said Shivnarine, who was employed with a contractor, was operating the machine, removing sand from the hill and filling trucks. The contractor was said to be assisting the Police with their investigations up to late Wednesday evening. Superintendant Yusuf Gaffar and Corporal Beharry of the Barrackpore Police are continuing investigations. (Trinidad Guardian)

The Traffic Department of the Guyana Police Force has arrested and charged four more men with driving under the influence of alcohol.

The details are as follow: Dave Lall of Lot 1 Alliance, Canal Polder Number One, West Bank Demerara (WBD), was stopped and tested with a breathalyser on February 7 while driving motor vehicle PJJ 3487 on Albert Street, Alberttown, Georgetown

and was found to be above the legal limit in terms of consumption of alcohol. He was charged and appeared at the Providence Magistrate’s Court three days later when he pleaded not guilty. The matter is continuing before the court.

Also on February 7, Shirdyal Hoosner, of 1934 Section C, Block X Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was stopped and tested with a breathalyser while driving

motor vehicle PFF 9346 on the Diamond Public Road, and was found to be above the legal limit in terms of consumption of alcohol. He was charged and appeared at the Providence Magistrate’s Court on February 12 when he also pleaded not guilty. The matter is continuing before the court.

Fellow EBD resident, Ramnauth Persaud, of Lot 10 Grove Public Road, was

stopped and tested with a breathalyser on February 7 while driving motor vehicle GPP 4374 on Providence Public Road, EBD, and was found to be above the legal limit in terms of consumption of alcohol. He was charged and appeared at the Providence’s Magistrate Court on February 10 when he pleaded guilty and was fined $7500.

And finally, Wayne Blackett of Lot 46 Atlantic Ville, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was stopped and tested with a breathalyser also on February 7 while driving motor vehicle PMM 4235 on Providence Public Road, EBD, and was found to be above the legal limit in terms of the consumption of alcohol. He was charged and appeared at the Providence Magistrate Court on February 10 when he pleaded guilty and suffered the same fate as Persaud.

Dominican Health Ministry declares Chikungunya epidemic officially over

The Health Ministry says the Chikungunya epidemic on the island officially ended on January 23.

The declaration is based on World Health Organisation (WHO), recommendation that the end of a disease outbreak in a country can be declared over – once two maximum incubation periods have passed and no new cases have been

detected.

“The incubation period for Chikungunya ranges from one to 12 days… the last clinically diagnosed case of CHIKV in Dominica was on December 28, 2014. Since then 42 days (as of February 9), which is more than twice the maximum incubation period, have passed without a new case of chikungunya being detected in the country,” the Health Ministry said.

The disease had tremendous impact on Dominica with 3764 cases reported across the island and 173 cases confirmed by laboratory testing. One hundred and eleven persons were hospitalised during the epidemic. The first confirmed reported case of the disease was in Dominica came from an individual who travelled from St Martin. (Caribbean360)

Argentine Judge says no evidence Government tried to derail bombing probe

There is no evidence that President Cristina Fernandez tried to whitewash Iran’s purported involvement in a deadly 1994 bombing, an Argentine judge told Reuters in an interview on Thursday after dismissing the case.

On the contrary, the evidence suggested “the Government exhausted all possibilities to enable the investigation into the AMIA (Jewish community centre) attack to advance”, said Judge Daniel Rafecas, who showed Reuters copies of the evidence.

Rafecas on Thursday discontinued the case brought by Prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who was found dead in mysterious circumstances in January the day before he was to appear in Congress to discuss his criminal complaint.

Many Argentines expressed dismay at his decision and said the Government may have had a hand in it – a suspicion Rafecas firmly rejected.

“There is simply no evidence revealing that the

Argentine Government had any intention to disturb, impact or cover up the work of the Argentine justice, on the contrary,” Rafecas said, sitting behind his desk in his downtown office, in front of a bookcases stacked full of legal books.

In January, Nisman had accused Fernandez of seeking to whitewash the investigation into the 1994 AMIA attack that killed 85. Four days later he was found dead with a bullet to the head, spawning a torrent of conspiracy theories. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Neesa Gopaul trial: State witness recounts accused’s chilling confessions

By Vahnu Manikchand

“Gopaul reportedly related to De Nobrega that “Barry” then took Neesa out the car and she fell on her knees crying and in a dull voice was saying: “Mary [ calling to her sister who was asleep in the car]! Mary! Wake up!”. At this point “Barry”, the witness related, took a piece of wood out from the trunk of the car and began hitting Neesa on her head until she was not moving anymore. The woman reportedly told the witness that the last sound she heard from her daughter was a moaning sound and after “Barry” was done, he put her lifeless body in the trunk of the car and they drove back to the West Coast where she dropped him off at the junction at Vreed-en-Hoop and she proceeded to her home…”

The murder of West Coast Demerara teenager Neesa Gopaul back in 2010 was a well-planned attack orchestrated by the child’s mother and her lover, a state witness told a High Court trial on Thursday, detailing a chilling confession made by Bibi Gopaul to her while the two of them were locked up in the East La Penitence Police Station cell.

Gopaul and her lover, Jarvis “Barry” Small are indicted with the murder of Neesa, which they allegedly committed between September 24 and October 2, 2010, at the Emerald Tower Resort, Madewini, Linden/Soesdyke Highway.

Taking the stand for the first time, State witness, Simone Diane De Nobrega called Simone King, a convicted fraudster narrated a lengthy testimony of Gopaul’s confession to her beginning with her allegedly poisoning her husband to get close to Small and the eventual slaying of Nessa in an attempt to cover her tracks.

De Nobrega told the court that one night in the cold East La Penitence cell, Gopaul opened up to her relating that after her husband passed away, Small began visiting her at home and would often sleep over. De Nobrega said the woman related to her that suddenly Neesa and the man started getting along well and whenever her teenage daughter was around, Small would be mean to her but would act normal when she was not. Gopaul confided in her (De Nobrega) that Small told her that Neesa wanted to be with him. The witness said that the woman was stressed out and depressed hence Small gave her some medication to help her relax. He also told her that one day she should lie in bed pretending to be asleep and he

would prove how much Neesa wanted him. However, she made him promise that he would not touch her daughter.

The witness related that when the teen entered the room, Gopaul said she appeared “groggy” and was dancing taking off her clothes, but Small kept his promise and did not touch her. According to De Nobrega said Gopaul went on to say that Small informed her that Neesa had told him that she overheard her mother telling someone on the phone that she (Gopaul) poisoned her husband. She said too that the teen had even made a report at the station, but was asked to return with her mother.

Sell her for $2M

The witness said that Gopaul told her that one day in anger, Neesa confronted her about it. De Nobrega added that her former cellmate said to her Small had told her that Neesa was getting out of hand and they should get rid of her, because she could cause trouble for both of them and suggested that they sell her to his friend in Venezuela for $2 million. However, this option was ruled out because the couple reasoned that Neesa would return when she turned 18.

Small then suggested, De Nobrega related, that they should take the teenager to the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway where they burn coals and pushed her over, but Gopaul told De Nobrega that she did not like the idea as she was afraid that her daughter and then lover would turn on her and pushed her over instead. De Nobrega continued her testimony saying that Gopaul related that one night she got up to get some water and found Neesa and Small in a compromising position and as a result, she went to get a knife. She later got into a scuffle

with Small during which his hand was cut. Gopaul told her cellmate that Neesa then intervened and was also injured. She reportedly ran out of the house and went to the home of the man’s wife. Gopaul told De Nobrega after stitching his hand Small went looking for the teenager and found her at his wife’s house, but instead of taking her home, he took her to a hotel.

The next day Gopaul said during an argument Small hit her with a phone on her head and Neesa seemed to be happy about it. Then Small told her that the teenager was causing too much trouble and she should “join her father”, De Nobrega stated. According to the witness, the

woman disclosed that Small would come up with perfect plans but never had any back-up for the outcome. De Nobrega said she was told that a few days later, Gopaul took her daughters out and picked up Small at the Vreed-en-Hoop junction in a car. She said he was sitting in the back of the car with her younger daughter Mariam and they went to Royal Castle and then to the seawall, the witness recalled being told.

“Mommy! Mommy! Don’t kill me” De Nobrega further stated that Gopaul had told her that they went up to the Soesdyke/Linden Highway and while in the vicinity of Splashmin’s, Small began choking Neesa, who was sitting in the front seat. “She said “Barry” placed a rope around Neesa’s neck. She said Neesa held on to the rope saying “Mommy, Mommy don’t kill me”,” the witness told the court, while adding that Gopaul said the teen began fight, kicking the dashboard and the steering wheel so she wound up the window and turned on the air conditioner.

The witness added that the woman told her that Mariam was at the time sleeping. According to the witness, Gopaul told her that she turned into the trail to Emerald Tower Resort, which she is familiar

with since they used to go there a lot and it was Neesa’s favourite place. Gopaul confided in De Nobrega that she drove about a mile in and then “Barry” got up and Neesa held on to the rope panting for breath. Small then came out of the car, the woman told her cellmate, and she turned up the music so that her younger daughter would not wake up. She then exited the vehicle to watch out to see if anyone was around.

Gopaul reportedly related to De Nobrega that “Barry” then took Neesa out of the car and she fell on her knees and in a dull voice was saying “Mary! Mary! Wake up”. At this point Small, the witness related she was told, took a piece of wood from the trunk of the car and began hitting Neesa on her head until she was not moving anymore. Gopaul reportedly told the witness that the last sound she heard from her daughter was a moaning sound and after Small was done, he put her lifeless body in the trunk of the car and they drove back to the West Coast where she dropped him off at the junction at Vreed-en-Hoop and she proceeded to her home.

Confronted by wife of “Barry”

However, Gopaul related to her cellmate that when she got home, the wife of her lover was there and threatened to go to the Police with

tapes she had of her and “Barry” talking about her poisoning her husband if she did not leave her husband alone. Gopaul told the witness that she got down on her knees and begged the woman not to cause a commotion or the Police would come, and also agreed to stay away from “Barry”. After the woman left, Gopaul told De Nobrega, Small called to find out if she was okay and told her that Mariam had opened her eyes while he was killing Neesa but then she went back to sleep. According to the witness, Gopaul said that Small told her if Mariam had gotten up then, they would have had to get rid of her also.

Body in car trunk

The following morning, Gopaul told De Nobrega that she went downstairs to check on Neesa’s body and used a piece of stick to poke the body to ensure that she was dead. The woman said that she later took Mariam to her parents and then filed a missing person’s report at the Police Station after which “Barry” told her to get a sheet, a suitcase and Neesa’s Passport along with her Early Savers bank card so that it would look like she ran away and then they drove up to the highway at mid-night.

Small had reportedly taken his dumbbells and a rope, Gopaul had disclosed to the witness, and they then wrapped the body in the sheet and put it in the bag along with the documents and Small went into the creek where he tied the rope to the weights and then to the bag before letting it sink and covering it with weeds.

Gopaul reportedly returned home and cleaned the car, then took it to a wash bay. Small then told her to go buy some fresh meat and leave it in the car for two days to cover up any evidence left there. The accused woman told De Nobrega that she gave Small the power of attorney to her property because he said Neesa had told him her father left a large amount of money for her and her little sister. The witness said that the woman further confided in her that Small told her to pack their suitcases as they would go to Suriname in case the Police suspected anything. However, one day while packing, a Police officer showed up and told her that they found Neesa’s body and she should go to identify it.

De Nobrega told the court that she decided to tell the Police what her cellmate confided in her, because she has two sons whom she has to protect and could not carry that weight of what she was told, stating that no matter what Neesa did, she did not deserve to be killed by someone she trusted.

The witness then turned to Gopaul sitting in the dock and said, “Neesa deserved to get justice. Neesa didn’t deserve to die by the hands of someone who supposed to protect her.” The witness went on to tell the court that she was in the lock-ups at the time for a number of fraudulent offences and was sentenced to five years in her absence, because she never returned to court for her trial, as she was threatened by persons associated with this case. On Thursday morning, the woman turned herself in to Police before testifying in court.

Rising alarm over deaths in Police custody

Police Complaint Authority (PCA) Chairman, retired Chief Justice Cecil Kennard on Thursday expressed concerns over the frequent deaths of Guyana while in Police custody. He was at the time speaking on the death of Zaharudeen Rozan, 38, of Lot 18 Hague Back, West Coast Demerara (WCD) who died while in Police custody at the Parika Police Station lock-ups. Kennard stated that although the man might have died in the lock-ups, there has to be evidence to substantiate the possibility of him being assaulted by the Police. This, he noted, will be revealed during the investigation launched by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

In this regard, he noted

that if the Police claimed that Rozan died of natural causes, it must be proven via an autopsy. He said that once there was proof of unprofessional behaviour on the part of the officers, the matter would eventually reach his office.

Post-mortem due today

The post-mortem is scheduled to be performed today at the Ezekiel Funeral Home by local pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh. A senior rank within the Guyana Police Force stated that statements were taken from the other prisoners who were in the lock-ups at the time of Rozan’s demise. According to reports, the prisoners allegedly told investigators that the man suffered a seizure, but this contradicted what was told to the relatives of the dead man.

Dead: Zaharudeen Rozan

Police ranks upon informing the family of the man’s death reportedly told them that he deliberately hit his head against a metal pole.

A senior rank told the Guyana Times that only the post-mortem can determine the cause of death and if it was indeed true that the man hit his head, then the possibility existed that he died as a result of self-inflicted injuries. At this point in time, no one has come forward with something different. He also stated that based on information received, Rozan was an alcoholic.

The relatives of the dead man stated that they did not believe the cause of his untimely death and they were not there when he met his demise, but were calling on the Police to do a thorough investigation. The father of three was found dead at the Parika lock-ups on Wednesday at approximately 08:45h.

Police said he had collapsed

onto the floor and was alive when they picked him up and rushed him to the Leonora Hospital, but was subsequently pronounced dead on arrival. There were reports to the contrary that the man reportedly died while at the detention facility. Prior to his death, he might have been crying out for pain, but was reportedly ignored by the ranks on duty. Following the discovery, Rozan was reportedly left for well over an hour before he was taken to the medical institution.

The Police stated that the man was arrested on Tuesday evening about 21:10h following a report of damage to property that was made against him. At the time of his arrest, this newspaper understands that the man was manhandled by the Police after he resisted ar-

rest. Rozan was reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time. He is survived by his parents, wife, three children and four siblings.

The death of Rozan comes in the wake of renewed criticisms of the way the Guyana Police Force and the Police Service Commission handled the recent promotions of two officers who were charged for allegedly torturing a teenage boy back in 2009. The incident occurred on the same day the United Kingdom-based Amnesty International released its human rights report making reference to the alleged torture committed on Colwyn Harding who had accused ranks of the Timehri Police Station of sexually assaulting him with a baton.

APNU claims unaware of Kissoon’s square-off with Edghill

APartnership for National Unity (APNU) has denied having any knowledge of an incident allegedly involving its Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) representative Vanessa Kissoon and Junior Minister of Finance, Juan Edghill.

Contacted by this publication on Thursday for a comment on the alleged incident, particularly because it involved a senior member of the party, Vanessa Kissoon, APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon said that he was never aware of the incident.

Further questioned, the General Secretary said no formal complaint has been made about the alleged incident which was caught on tape, but he would be making checks with representatives of the region for information.

Kissoon, a serving member of the 10th Parliament under the APNU umbrella, reportedly had to be restrained by ranks of the Guyana Police force last Sunday, from mounting the stage where Edghill was speaking during the flag raising ceremony to mark Guyana’s 45th Republic

Anniversary.

According to reports, Edghill was charged with delivering the feature address at the ceremony in the mining town and Kissoon, along with other supporters, mounted her protest while he was speaking.

The Member of Parliament then moved ahead, storming towards the stage while Edghill was in the middle of his speech and had to be restrained. Further information states Kissoon continued her protest after the ceremony ended.

Kissoon, a teacher and mother had made headlines mid last year, after being allegedly involved in an almost similar incident with PNC’s General Secretary Oscar Clarke. That incident had led to her suspension from the party. Her relationship with the leaders of the PNCR has since deteriorated.

It was alleged that Kissoon verbally and physically assaulted the General Secretary. Subsequent to PNCR’s Biennial Congress in July, Kissoon was instructed to apologise for misconduct; however, this recommendation which was made by the party’s Disciplinary Committee has been blatantly ignored.

Health Ministry hosts stakeholders’ consultation on safety of products

A section of the stakeholders who participated in the Health Ministry’s Food and Drug Department’s awareness session at the National Library, Church Street, Georgetown

The Health Ministry’s Food and Drug Department facilitated an awareness session, targeting stakeholders at the National Library, where the discussions focused on requirements for the importation of drugs, cosmetics, devices and food packaging, and sale regulations.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud, during brief remarks today, said that this is part of a much larger sensitisation process, in engaging stakeholders, and highlighting some of the issues that involve people’s wellbeing.

Dr Persaud explained that the Health Ministry’s “Health Vision 2020” strategy aims to have Guyanese among the healthiest peo-

ple in this part of the world. However there are many challenges facing the nation, and lots of risks are emerging; hence the need for stakeholders’ support in this regard.

He further explained that health is not just the absence of illnesses, but rather a combination of a number of things, such as the physical environment, and the spiritual and mental wellbeing of people. “We don’t want to ever be in the position to have to take the measures to try to get people to do the right things; when it comes to health, we should all be convinced to do the right thing. It is almost a global village that we access and bring things to help enhance Guyanese and make

Region 3 NDCs receive approved 2015 budgets

The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, has handed over the approved budgets for the 14 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

At the brief ceremony held at the Best/ Klien Pouderoyen tarmac, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Norman Whittaker presented the representatives of Wakenaam, Leguan, Mora/ Parika, Hydronie/Good Hope, Greenwich Park/ Vergenoegen, Tuschen/ Uitvlugt, Stewartville/ Corneila Ida, Hague/ Blankenburg, La Jalousie/ Nouvelle Flanders, Best/

Klien Pouderoyen, Malgre Tout/Meer Zorgen, La Grange/Nismes, Canals Polder and Toevlugt/ Patentia NDCs with their 2015 budgets, after they were reviewed and approved by the ministry.

Speaking to the gathering, Minister Whittaker noted that the ministry recognises that the NDCs do not have access to subvention grants, as there is no 2015 National Budget as yet, so the ministry has been working very hard, to approve the budgets for the various regions. Through this early intervention, the work programmes of the various NDCs will continue.

He also urged the representatives to use more money, to provide scholarships

for students, and to honour the elderly people in their communities from time to time. Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Norman Whittaker among other Region Three officials pose for a group photograph with the representatives of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Region Three.

Further, the minister stressed that there has not been an increase in taxes. Also present at the ceremony was the Regional Executive Officer (REO) Donald Gajraj among other representatives of the regional administration. Earlier this month, the Region Five NDCs received their approved budgets.

Samad backs UG industrial unrest

Fthem better people…we have to be very careful that we don’t provide anything that can cause harm, that can be dangerous to those whom we serve,” Persaud told the participants.

Persaud highlighted the dangerous effects of expired products and the harm they can cause to citizens. He also mentioned those cosmetics that persons are using on their skin, noting that businesses should be more conscious of the items they are importing, that can cause harm to the body.

“You can’t want to be among the best in the region and live as long as the people in the United States and Canada, and you are giving them things that are laced with all kinds of substance that can cause bad health,” he said

He said that while the Food and Drug Department will do its best, at setting down the standards, in ensuring that Guyanese be able to access the best products, stakeholders have an important part to play in this regard. Dr Persaud urged the stakeholders to be aware of fake brands and other substances that can cause harm. He urged that they partner with the ministry, to ensure the safety of consumers, while contributing to improving the standard of living of all Guyanese. (GINA)

ormer Director of the University of Guyana Berbice Campus (UGBC), Professor Daizal Samad said he strongly supported the action of the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) and the UG Workers Union (UGWU) in their quest for improved working conditions.

Samad, who resigned from his post in August 2013, has also accused the administration of stifling the growth of the University which he said has been rated among the lowest tertiary institutions in the world.

He had himself had his share of clashes with the University’s Vice Chancellor, Dr Jacob Opadeyi, whom he accused of oppressing the UGBC.

He had been campaigning for UGBC’s independence from the UG Turkeyen campus.

In his resignation letter to the then Pro-Chancellor, Dr Prem Misir and the UG Council, Samad had stated that relations between him and the Vice-Chancellor, as well as with the “deadweight” Turkeyen campus had become strained and distant over the past couple of weeks.

He had also accused Turkeyen of dictating the day-to-day running of the Berbice campus.

That situation remains the same today, Samad said, as the current Director cannot carry out his functions as he should.

He told the Guyana Times, in an invited comment on Thursday, that the UGSSA and UGWU had every right to carry out the protest action.

“If you don’t have proper facilities, proper washrooms, inadequate salaries, if you’re at a University where there is no published work, then the action taken by the staff is justified,” Samad told this newspaper.

And while he is not lobbying for a 100 per cent increase for staff, “they should be paid a salary that matches their qualification. They should be paid for their published work”.

He said the University is “in a state of chaos and is a disgrace”, noting that it has become the lowest ranking “national” university as against the University of Malaysia in the Germanic ranking system.

University staff members, over five weeks ago, began what critics have described as the first massive industrial action against the University’s administration, a move they say has been long overdue.

The situation, which has severely affected operations at the University, particularly the resumption of classes, has been mounting as the days go by.

Staff members, with support from sections of the student population, have called for a 60 per cent increase across the board, a 200 per cent increase in their travelling allowance, a better med-

ical scheme, increases in allowances for books and other materials, duty-free concessions and yearly research grants.

But the numerous consultations with the University’s administration headed by Opadeyi have been yielding undesirable results.

Staff members have even called for Opadeyi’s resignation as he has failed to come up to their expectations.

Samad told the Guyana Times that compounded with all the other major issues; there is no system of ensuring research and publication.

He said the publication of books and scholarly research was among the many things which define a thriving university.

He related that there were currently many staff members who have been in the University’s employ for over 25 years and have not been able to publish anything simply, because the university was unable to have this realised.

He argued that all these issues are affecting the growth of the university “yet we are raising the fees”.

“We have labs that are not working, being unfair to staff and students, but we have raised the fees,” Daizal lamented.

Turning his attention to the Berbice Campus, Samad said lecturers are hand copying notes from old books and giving to the students.

"The quality of teaching is awful," added Samad.

Banks DIH supports Cross Fit Games

Banks DIH Limited, the official beverage provider of the inaugural E-Networks Cross Fit Games, on Thursday presented the sponsorship cheque to organisers of this weekend’s event at a simple ceremony at Thirst Park.

The cheque was presented by Aqua Mist Brand Manager, Errol Nelson, to Games organiser, Noshavyah King, of Genesis Fitness Express.

Troy Peters, Communications Manager of the local beverage giants said the company was extremely pleased to be a key partner of the Games under three brandsAqua Mist Water, Vita Malt Plus and Powerade Energy Drink.

The Games, billed for

WI mull possibility of replacing Darren Bravo

Five days after sustaining a low-grade tear to his left hamstring, Darren Bravo is still unable to run, which has forced West Indies’ management to “begin discussions” over the possibility of calling for a replacement player. A team spokesperson confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Bravo is “taking longer than expected to recover” and there is a chance West Indies will need cover.

Bravo will sit out West Indies’ next match against South Africa, after also missing Tuesday’s match against Zimbabwe, and he may not be able to make a comeback against India as planned. West Indies have seven days between the games in Sydney and Perth and then another nine days before their final group match against UAE in Napier.

It is expected that if Bravo has not recovered in time for the India match, a

replacement will be called up.

After missing the South Africa tour because of personal issues, Bravo returned for the World Cup with mixed results. He scored two ducks in four innings, including one in a warm-up game, and was on 49 when he retired hurt in the match against Pakistan.

Jonathan Carter took his place in the starting XI against Zimbabwe but was not required to bat; he may get the opportunity to do so against South Africa. West Indies do not have another extra batsman in the side and will have to look at the rest of their talent pool.

Leon Johnson, who was part of the ODI series in South Africa albeit without much success, would be one option. Narsingh Deonarine, who also played that series and had a decent score of 43 in one of the matches, may also come into contention. (Cricinfo)

National Sports Clinic...

“The Pre-participation Evaluation, not that it prevents injuries, but what it does is help the team management to determine whether there are persons who are at risk of injuries. It also helps to identify those persons who have injuries and the rehab department will work with that athlete to manage the injury so that they can be fit to be a part of the team.”

Changing environment

Meanwhile, at the launch of the NSC, Director of Rehabilitation Services at the Ministry of Health, Debita Harripersaud, said the changing competitive environment has implications for the provision of sports medicine services, noting that more young persons are involved in competitive action at the national and international levels.

“Guyanese who are disabled participate at the Special Olympics, hence, the need for a holistic approach in the provision of sports medicine that will fit into the overall development plan of sports in Guyana. In recent years, Guyana has been the host of some international sporting activities,” she pointed out.

Harripersaud added, “With the construction of a National Stadium at Providence, Olympic-sized pool at Lillendaal, all-weather track at Leonora and Racquet Court at Woolford Avenue, Guyana will be in a position to host many international sporting events. Elite and other athletes will therefore have to maintain the high -

est levels of fitness and skill in their disciplines in order to compete with international teams. It is therefore, imperative that the young athletes/ sportmen and women are properly prepared to excel in their performance. Excellent performance depends not only on the skills of the sport, but

also level of physical fitness and as a subset of that being injury free.”

Harripersaud reflected that the NSC was first established during the 1970s, complete with a pool and sauna facilities. It had the notable distinction of being among the first of such clinics to be established in the Englishspeaking Caribbean, and was managed by professional Physiotherapists on a rotational basis.

However, the facility was closed in the early 1990s due to a shortage of professional staff to manage the clinic.

Harripersaud continued, “To facilitate the sportsmen, a reduced service was offered twice weekly at the

from back page

Sunday at the National Park starting at 10:00h, will feature several of the nation’s top athletes and fitness experts, who will compete for top prizes. King, a certified fitness instructor, expressed gratitude to Banks DIH Limited for sponsoring the event.

In addition to its monetary contribution, Banks DIH Limited will also be providing beverages to the competitors, judges and support staff. There will also be sampling of Pinehill juices, Golden Harvest whole wheat bread and Trisco whole wheat crackers. Also present at Thursday’s ceremony was Colin King, a brand manager of Banks DIH Limited.

Physiotherapy Department, Georgetown Public Hospital. However, with this system athletes were required to enroll in the regular out-patient clinic to receive treatment, which resulted in lengthy delays for the athletes. Due to the large patient load at the hospital, it became quite a challenge to afford priority attention to the athletes in the face of serious debilitating medical conditions: to date some of these challenges still exist and in this regard the re-establishment of the National Sports Clinic is both timely and necessary.”

According to Harripersaud, with the revival of the NSC the main beneficiaries will be athletes from the various sporting fraternities. The Clinic will provide the professional guid-

ance and advice for athletes, coaches and other individuals involved with sporting teams’ need in achieving and enhancing fitness, as well as to expediently recover from injuries.

“It will offer an effective and integrated service with a professional, qualified technical staff, which includes Physiotherapist, Rehabilitation Assistants, Athletic Trainers and Consulting Sports Nutritionist and Orthropods. Castellani is also strategically equipped to offer hydrotherapy as a main adjunct to comprehensive rehabilitative care,” Harripersaud highlighted.

The vision of the NSC is to function as a Rehabilitation Centre of Excellence in the Caribbean, Harripersaud noted.

Afghanistan v Scotland, World Cup 2015, Group A, Dunedin...

History for Afghanistan, heartbreak for Scotland

For the second time in two days the Associate head-to-head produced a magnificently compelling contest, a finish filled with tension and drama as Afghanistan’s lastwicket pair hauled them to a famous one-wicket victory in Dunedin following an epic innings by Samiullah Shenwari.

When Shenwari, who had been dropped on 20 at slip by Majid Haq, hammered three sixes off Haq’s last over he appeared to be guiding his side to the win but attempting a fourth he picked out deep midwicket. For a moment time stood still (and not because of the speed of Haq’s bowling) as there was uncertainty over whether Scotland had the correct number of fielders inside the circle, but the umpires were satisfied.

It meant Hamid Hassan, who had provided priceless support for Shenwari in the ninth-wicket stand of 60, and Shapoor Zadran were left needing 19 off 19 balls. Every delivery was a minor epic. Ultimately it was Shapoor who found the runs that will forever he etched in Afghanistan history by securing a maiden World Cup victory: a boundary off the final ball of the 49th over, then the winning hit, with a whip off his hip, against Iain Wardlaw the ball after he could have been run out if Scotland had found a direct hit.

Afghanistan seemingly had no chance when they slumped to 97-7. The

slide was sparked by Richie Berrington’s medium pace and involved a collapse of 5-12 after Javed Ahmadi had struck a brisk half-century. But Shenwari was magnificent in his calmness and assessment of the situation, firstly with Dawlat Zadran for company as the pair began to chip away at the target with an eighthwicket stand of 35.

Shenwari’s reaction when Dawlat slogged to mid-off encapsulated

his first six, and the first of the match, in the 39th over it felt like nothing more than late defiance but his second, the first of four against Haq, brought the runs required to 50 and Afghanistan started to believe.

Scotland’s batting again suffered from failing to convert starts into something more substantial. Four of top six fell between 23 and 31, but unlike against New Zealand and England they were able to make up some

Afghanistan’s emotions as he showed his disgust well before the fielder had taken the catch then stayed on his haunches. Hassan, though, rarely moved away from the block or the push as he heeded to Shenwari’s instructions as he opted for a mixture of farming the strike and trusting his partner.

When Shenwari struck

SCOREBOARD

Scotland innings

Coetzer b D Zadran 25 MacLeod c N Zadran

b D Zadran 0 Gardiner lbw b Hassan 5

Machan b Nabi 31 Mommsen c Zazai b Naib 23 Berrington c Zazai

b D Zadran 25

Cross c Zazai b S Zadran 15

Davey c Hassan b S Zadran 1 Haq c Naib b S Zadran 31 Evans c Nabi b S Zadran 28 Wardlaw not out 1

Extras: (1-nb, 12-w, 12-lb) 25

Total: (all out; 50 overs) 210

Bowling: S Zadran 10-1-38-4, D Zadran 10-1-29-3, Hassan

10-1-32-1, Naib 9-0-53-1, Nabi 10-0-38-1, Ahmadi 1-0-8-0

Fall of wickets: 7 (MacLeod), 38 (Gardiner), 40 (Coetzer), 93 (Machan), 95 (Mommsen), 132 (Cross), 134 (Davey), 144 (Berrington), 206 (Haq), 210 (Evans)

Afghanistan innings

Ahmadi c Machan b Berrington 51 Mangal b Evans 7 Stanikzai c Cross b Evans 4 Shenwari c Davey b Haq 96 Nabi lbw b Davey 1 Zazai lbw b Berrington 0 N Zadran c Haq b Berrington 4 Naib c Haq b Davey 0 D Zadran c Mommsen b Berrington 9 Hassan not out 15

S Zadran not out 12

Extras: (1-nb, 10-w, 1-lb) 12

Total: (for 9 wickets; 49.3 overs) 211

Bowling: Wardlaw 9.3-0-610, Davey 10-1-34-2, Evans 10-1-30-2, Haq 10-0-451, Berrington 10-0-40-4

Fall of wickets: 42 (Mangal), 46 (Stanikzai), 85 (Ahmadi), 88 (Nabi), 89 (Zazai), 96 (N Zadran), 97 (Naib), 132 (D Zadran), 192 (Shenwari)

ground against their fellow Associate.

Dawlat struck first ball against Sri Lanka and only needed six deliveries this time when Calum MacLeod slashed to point. He and Shapoor shared seven wickets while Hamid chipped in with the scalp of Hamish Gardiner after a terrific working over which included three consecutive throaty appeals.

Scotland lost their way a second time against the change bowlers as Matt Machan gave himself too much room facing Nabi and Mommsen edged a good delivery from Naib. Shapoor then fired up, extracting Matthew Cross from round the wicket as Zazai plucked out a terrific catch to his right then Davey drove to mid-off with 17 overs of the innings still remaining.

When Berrington became Dawlat’s third it seemed unlikely Scotland would be able to see out their innings, but Haq and Evans played sensibly in a Scottish record ninth-wicket stand.

The expectation was that they had done enough to make the second innings a fascinating contest. No one could quite have imagined how it would unfold.

Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, World Cup 2015, Group A, Melbourne...

Dilshan, Sangakkara tons set up big win

Sri Lanka have finally made themselves heard, 12 days into the World Cup. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara did most of the talking through their bats, hammering unbeaten centuries that set up a 92-run win over Bangladesh at the MCG.

Bangladesh were bowled out for 240 inside 47 overs after they once again shuffled the batting line-up, leaving Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim with too much to do. Both batsmen aren’t particularly renowned for stitching together big partnerships during a chase, so aiming to gun down 333 from the 21st over remained an ineffectual exercise.

Contrast that with Sri Lanka who usually have most of their in-form batsmen in the top order. Dilshan was one of them, making an unbeaten 161, his highest ODI score. Sangakkara celebrated his 400th ODI with his 22nd century having come into bat in the 25th over. Sri Lanka also became the only side to lose just one wicket in a 50-over innings as they ended with 332-1. The Dilshan-Sangakkara partnership added 210 runs in 25.3 overs for the unbroken second wicket, following the 122-run opening stand between Dilshan and Lahiru Thirimanne.

Bangladesh fielded poorly, highlighted by three dropped catches and a missed stumping. Sangakkara was dropped on 23 and 60: Taskin Ahmed

fumbled a low return catch, and Mominul Haque dropped a sitter at point. In addition, Anamul Haque dropped a dolly at slip in the first over to give Thirimanne a life, before the batsman was reprieved through the missed stumping. Anamul also had a chance to run out Dilshan who was halfway down the pitch after a mix-up, but without a backup, his throw at the striker’s end was hesitant and ultimately, futile.

Rubel Hossain took the only Sri Lanka wicket to fall when Thirimanne lazily guided his short ball to third man where Taskin took the catch. But from there, Dilshan and Sangakkara

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka innings

Thirimanne c Taskin Ahmed

b Rubel Hossain 52

Dilshan not out 161

Sangakkara not out 105

Extras: (9-w, 3-b, 2-lb) 14

Total: (for 1 wicket; 50 overs) 332

Bowling: Mortaza 10-0-53-0, Rubel Hossain 9-0-62-1, Taskin Ahmed 10-1-82-0, Shakib 100-55-0, Mahmudullah 7-049-0, Rahman 4-0-26-0

Fall of wicket: 122 (Thirimanne)

Bangladesh innings

Tamim Iqbal b Malinga 0

A Haque run out (Mathews) 29

Sarkar c Sangakkara

b Mathews 25

M Haque c M Jayawardene

b Lakmal 1 Mahmudullah c Herath

b T Perera 28

Shakib c Malinga b Dilshan 46

Mushfiqur Rahim b Lakmal 36

Rahman c Sangakkara

b Malinga 53

Mortaza st Sangakkara

b Dilshan 7

Rubel Hossain not out 0 Taskin Ahmed lbw b Malinga 0

Extras: (6-w, 9-lb) 15

Total: (all out; 47 overs) 240

Bowling: Malinga 9-0-35-3, Lakmal 8-0-49-2, Mathews 5.4-0-36-1, Herath 10-043-0, T Perera 6.2-0-331, Dilshan 8-0-35-2

Fall of wickets: 0 (Tamim Iqbal), 40 (Sarkar), 41 (M Haque), 84 (A Haque), 100 (Mahmudullah), 164 (Shakib), 208 (Mushfiqur Rahim), 228 (Mortaza), 240 (Rahman), 240 (Taskin Ahmed)

batted without much worry to ensure a score in excess of 300, adding 115 in the last 10 overs.

Bangladesh’s chase got off to a poor start as Tamim Iqbal was bowled by Lasith Malinga second ball, beaten by pace. Soumya Sarkar, though, remained unfazed, immediately striking a fulltoss for four. He would hit four more boundaries, including three off successive deliveries from Suranga Lakmal.

It was the sort of counterattack Bangladesh badly needed at the stage, but Sarkar lasted for only 15 balls, edging Angelo Mathews for 25. Curiously, Mominul Haque was sent to bat at No. 4 for the first time in his short ODI career, and was out three balls later, slashing a catch to Jayawardene at slip. More incongruity followed in the Bangladesh batting line-up when Mahmudullah was sent ahead of Shakib at No. 5. The last time this happened in 2013, Shakib wasn’t in the Bangladesh team due to an ankle injury.

Mahmudullah added 43 for the fourth wicket but ultimately paid the price for his constant miscommunication with Anamul. After working the ball on the onside, Mahmudullah set off for a run but suddenly refused the single, selling Anamul down the river as Mathews struck with a direct hit. (Cricinfo)

YELLOW PAGES

friday, february 27, 2015

Lacytown. Tel: 225-5034

Shalom Driving School, lot 2 Croal Street, Stabroek. Enjoy 20% discount. Phone: 227-3869, 622-8162, 644-7052, 227-3835

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

Caterpillar parts sale! Sale! Sale!

Genuine parts for all caterpillar machines. Navparts. Tel # 642-5439. Email: navpartsgy@gmail.com. www.facebook.com/navparts

USA and UK

and visa matters. Self sponsorships, holiday/visitor’s visas, work permits, students visas, family, class, immigration forms, embassy enquiries, appeals for refused cases, US green card lottery, business class waivers, pardons, etc. Get your visa approved. High success rate. Balwant Persaud & Associates. Certified Immigration Consultants, 68 Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown (Between Cummings & Lights Sts) Tel: 225-1540, 622-8308, 655-3105. Email: balwantpersaud@yahoo.ca

pROpeRTy

Eccles: two flat executive concrete house; three bedrooms upper, two bedrooms lower (separate flats). Price negotiable. Tel: 602-2135

Eccles: Build your own home in a modernized, gated community. Lot size 60’x100’ $7.5M. Call: 2272913, Cell: 689-3033.

Eccles: Commercial lots $14M. Call: 227-2913, Cell: 689-3033

One two-storeyed concrete building with four apartments at Fort Ordinance Canje. Size: 50 x 30 feet. Contact Indera Gupta at Telephone: 627-3095 for further details.

Two storey house in good location; Lot 55 Section ‘B’ Non ParielFirst Street, ECD ($12m or best offer. Quick sale preferred. Contact 651-8901.

Khemraj & Son -landscaping & plant nursery. Lot 77 Independence Street, La Grange, West Bank Demerara. Landscaping, planting grass, weeding, killing wood ants, killing roaches, rats & mealy bug, treat plants, coconut trees and flowers, cleaning ceiling, grafting coconut plants: 18 months bearing period, treating land, grass & spraying grass, grafted papaya plants: 6 months bearing, grafted cherry plant, sour sop & sapodilla, cutting big trees & removing, treated mould for sale & flower plants for sale. Tel 627-5969/ 603-1134

Setting up point of sales and Accounting software with on hand training. Call 669-9342

Online shopping and Logistics services in Mahaicony. Call 669-9342

Fully furnished 3 self contained bed room house to rent. 643-8292

Learn transcendental meditation and gain deep rest, eliminate stress, increase creativity, intelligence, improve memory, self- confidence relationship, reduces insomnia and hypertension. Bring peace and inner happiness. For next introductory lecture contact T.M. teacher Asholle 609-3701 or Elton 609-3443

for tomorrow may be too late. Call 674-5317/ 683-5228/ 612-1975

Dutch spiritual healing in removing evil spirit; bad luck; evil sickness; spells; reuniting lovers and prosperity to business etc, Call 612-6417, 220-0708/687-5653.

Cleansing of spiritual problems of all kinds. Powerful Ifá protection against evil. Get help to overcome problems with love, relationships, legal, sexual, pregnancy, business, sickness, jobs, enemies, work, money. Call 592-690-1824 from 10:0016:00h Email:anew-life@live.com

Suriname’s Astrology, Palmist and Hindustani Spiritual Healer, solve all purpose problems, 100% confidential guaranteed. Phone: 679-4672

JUST ARRIVED: TOP QUALITY RECONDITIONED VEHICLES; TOYOTA NOAH; TOYOTA VOXY; TOYOTA IST (NEW SHAPE); SUZUKI SWIFT; DAIHATSU MOVE (660CC); MERCEDES BENZ C200 KOMPRESSOR; COROLLA AE100

WAGON; TOYOTA HIACE MINIBUS RZ; PITBULL-STYLE FREEZER VAN; LAND CRUISER (FULLY LOADED); MAZDA PROCEED 4WD EXTRACAB PICK-UP; TOYOTA HILUX 4WD EXTRA CAB PICKUPS - 3RZ, 5L, 3L SOLID DEFFERNTIAL; MITSUBISHI CANTER TRUCKS 4 TONS FREEZER; 3 TONS OPEN TRAY; 2 TONS 4WD; NISSAN ATLAS 2 TONS OPEN TRAY TRUCK. PRE-ORDER YOUR UNITS EARLY AND GET THE BEST PRICES. FULL AFTER SALES SERVICES AND FINANCING AVAILABLE. DEO MARAJ AUTO SALES, 2 CHIMNEY ROAD, CHATEAU MARGOT, ECD. 624-0762, 220-5177. A NAME AND SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST

Truck drivers & Casual Labourers at Readymix Concrete Ltd. Phone: 2332773/4

Laborers and forklift operators/ helper must be hardworking and able to work flexible hours. For more information call 231-8344

$5+VAT per word Call: 226-9921

Sir Viv hails Gayle’s double

Chris Gayle's double century against Zimbabwe was "the stuff champions are made of", says former West Indies captain Sir Viv Richards.

The Jamaican opener scored 215 against Zimbabwe on Tuesday - the first doubleton in World Cup history and only the fifth in one-day internationals.

Since being stunned by Ireland in their opening match, West Indies have won easily against Pakistan and Zimbabwe.

"Their response and the talent in the team, it's potent," Richards added.

Tuesday's win lifted the

West Indies to second place in Group B, albeit having played two games more than third-placed Ireland and one more than South Africa in fourth. Richards believes Gayle's knock has "lifted the spirits" of the team and relieved pressure on young captain Jason Holder.

But he added that more consistency was needed for the team to progress to the final stages of the tournament.

"It was a phenomenal innings. Especially the way West Indies batted against the so-called minnows [Ireland]," he said. "It's the stuff champions are made of.

"But what the fans de-

mand is to see this on a more consistent basis. You need that leadership where the batsmen are concerned."

Antiguan Richards compiled two of the most-highly regarded ODI innings, both against England: a matchwinning 138 not out in the 1979 World Cup final; and a brutal then-world-record 189 not out at Old Trafford in 1984.

Asked how Gayle's effort compared with his own, Sir Viv said: "In the circumstances it would be ranked up there. When you make 200, it's got to be better, so I would certainly put it in that category."

Raffik & Sons Inter-zone cricket tournament… RHT Bakewell start campaign with two victories

Led by veteran cricketer, Major James Fraser, of the Guyana Defence Force, Rose Hall Town Bakewell started their pursuit for championship honours in the Raffik and Sons 20-over, Inter-zone tournament with two easy victories last weekend.

Playing at the Area ‘H’ ground, Rose Hall Town Bakewell defeated Guysuco Training Centre by seven wickets on Sunday, and then on Monday, got the better of Young Ambassadors of Number 35 by nine wickets.

Batting first after losing the toss, Guysuco Training Centre were bowled out for 60 in 15 overs with only

Andy Mohan and B. Sattaur reaching double figures with 11 each. Off-spinner Khemraj Mahadeo (3-12) and medium pacer Sherwin Murray (2-10) bowled well for the home team, who in reply, reached 62-3 off 7.4 overs with Vihal Crandon and Khemraj Mahadeo both topscoring with 20 each.

On Monday, Young Adventure were restricted to 89-7 off their allotted 20 overs with A. Azeez 20 and S. Pestano 19 been the principal scorers. Off-spinners Azam Khan and Khemraj Mahadeo claimed 2-11 and 2-18 respectively.

Rose Hall Town Bakewell spearheaded by an opening stand of 62 between skipper

James Fraser and Khemraj Mahadeo reached 92-1 off 18.3 overs. Mahadeo top scored with 40, while Fraser was unbeaten on 30.

The tournament will continue on Sunday with the Rose Hall Town Bakewell playing Jai Hinds at the Albion Front Cricket Ground. Meanwhile, Secretary/CEO of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, Hilbert Foster, disclosed that two Rose Hall Town Bakewell teams are scheduled to play in the upcoming NBS 40-over second division tournament.

The teams will be led by James Fraser and Brandon Prashad respectively.

MetenMeer-Zorg: 275-0322, Grand Cayman Islands: (345) 943-1515 for the perfect trendy touch.

Two bedroom upstairs apartment. $60,000 monthly with parking. Couples preferable. Tel 233-2607 / 644-7089

Two Self contained single bedroom furnished apartments for rental. Self contained 7 bedroom bungalow idea for family/ guests/ students local or overseas long/ short term rental. Contact # 622-7097

and lovers, money problems, jobs, pregnancy, uplift business, skin problems, sexual problem, legal matters and much more. Call today Empty land for sale. 185 “B” Anaida Avenue, Plantation Eccles E.B.D. Tel 628-9119 Located in Republic Gardens, Peters Hall, EBD. Interested persons contact 231-5359 or 672-7189

Liverpool

out of Europa

League on penalties

Liverpool lost their first European penalty shootout as Besiktas knocked them out of the Europa League. Centre-back Dejan Lovren missed the crucial spot-kick after Tolgay Arslan’s 20-yard curler forced extra-time in the round of 32 second leg. Daniel Sturridge’s shot was beaten out by Cenk

Gonen as Liverpool failed to make their first-half superiority tell. Besiktas were the better side after that, and almost sealed the tie in 90 minutes as Demba Ba hit the crossbar. Liverpool had happy memories of their last penalty shootout at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, where they beat AC Milan

to win the 2005 Champions League, but there was to be no repeat here. Slaven Bilic’s side deserved to go through after recovering from a dreadful opening 45 minutes to dominate the game, meaning that Liverpool have only the FA Cup to go for as their last realistic hope of a trophy this season. (BBC Sport)

Horse-race meet rescheduled to accommodate PPP/C’s annual ceremony

– major changes made to programme

By Rajiv Bisnauth

Organisers of the Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) have rescheduled the club’

s Phagwah horse-race meet to March 15. The meet was originally scheduled for March 8 at the club’s race track, Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice.

President of the KMTC, Cecil Kennard, told this publication on Thursday that the decision is to facilitate the People’s Progressive Party’s annual ceremo-

ny to celebrate the lives of PPP co-founders and late Presidents, Cheddi and Janet Jagan, slated for the same day at Babu John, Port Mourant.

“On Monday, I had insisted that the club’s Phagwah horse race meet will go ahead as planned, but after talks with organisers for the PPP/C’s event we have decided to reschedule to March 15. It’s an annual event to celebrate the lives of two PPP stalwarts, and as a club, we would like to be a part of that celebration,” Kennard said.

Changes Meanwhile, Kennard indicated that several changes have been made from the original programme. The D3 Maiden and E and F Lower race has been changed to facilitate D3 and Lower animals. The winning tag remains at $400,000. The race for K and Lower handicap horses is replaced by the D3 and Lower. Further, Kennard stated that the top prize for the feature A1 and Lower race has been increase to $1M, pro-

viding that six or more horses have entered for the race.

The second, third and fourth place finishers in the seven furlongs race will also depends on the amount of entries. The other seven furlongs race is the G1 and Lower for a winning prize of $300,000.

The remaining four races will all run over five furlongs. The K1 and Lower and D3 and Lower races will see the owner of the winning horses taking home $120,000 each. The final race for J1 and Lower has a top prize of $180,000.

The registration has been extended to March 8. Race time is 12:30h. Admission into the venue is $1,200, while children will pay half that amount. Access to the car park is $500, while programmes cost $300 each.

Horse owners can register their animals with Roopnarine Matadial on 325-3192, Ivan Dipnarine on 331-0316, Cecil Kennard on 226-1399, 225-4818 or 623-7609, Isabella Beaton on 693-7812, Dennis Deroop on 609-9143 or Compton Sancho on 690-0569.

GSSF set to stage another Steel Challenge match – Federation attracts new sponsors

The Guyana Sport Shooting Federation (GSSF) will be hosting a Steel Challenge Tier One Shooting Match on Saturday at the Guyana Defence Force’s Range at Timehri, sponsored by Boodram’s Bakery and Why Pay More Trading.

The GSSF, an affiliate of the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA), continues to promote this simple, yet actionpacked shooting sport to local pistol shooters by organising such matches on a regular basis.

Steel Challenge is con-

sidered to be the fastest practical shooting competition in the world. The upcoming competition will consist of two different stages where competitors will shoot at five individual steel targets per stage.

One of the targets is designated as a “stop plate”, which when hit stops the time; this plate should be shot last. Shooters will be scored using an electronic timing device and penalties of +3 seconds are applied for any misses after the stop plate is shot; the time taken is the score.

The shooter with the

lowest time to hit all the plates wins. The GSSF Steel Challenge Match Committee reported that everything is set for Saturday’s Match, which promises to be an exciting one with shooters competing in two SCSA divisions: Wildcat and Limited.

The prizes up for grabs will be awarded to the top three overall in each division and the top three in each stage per division.

Match Director, Captain Roul Bhudu noted that, “Steel Challenge is the perfect way to introduce new shooters to sport shooting

Road to Mecca II… Intense quarter-final matches set for tonight

By tReiston joseph

The Road to Mecca II National Club Basketball

Championships will continue tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall with four quality quarter-final games from 16:30h.

The first match-up will pit two Georgetown sides against each other when Bounty Colts face the Pepsi Sonics. The Colts, known for their slashing guards, with the likes of Dave Causway and Shelroy Thomas, will aim to hit the floor running.

The ability of the Colts to also get hot from behind the arc can always turn the game one-sided, providing that their guards are stroking it from distance.

The major advantage Colts have is Shane Webster on the block, who

Retrieve Raiders missing their star forward Shane Roberts, the Kings will aim to dominate the game in the post with their bruising style of play.

Raiders will have to shoot the ball well if they are to come out on top of the game while limiting their turnovers.

because of the easy to understand rules and scoring. Coupled with the satisfaction gained from the instant audible feedback that is the “ring/ping” heard when the bullet hits the steel, this proves to be very encouraging. This usually challenges shooters to return for more and better times.”

Meanwhile, in accepting the kind sponsorship from the GSSF’s newest partners, Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer, Ryan McKinnon, noted as with every GSSF event, strict firearm safety will be observed. He also wished all the shooters best of luck on Saturday.

McKinnon further thanked the Match Committee and members of the GSSF who came on board to support the GSSF hosting such matches.

At the small presentation ceremony at Georgetown Club on Wednesday afternoon, President of the GSSF, Vidushi Persaud, conveyed thanks to Managing Director Eric Doobay of Why Pay More Trading, located at 7 Houston Public Road, Georgetown, and to Managing Director Raymond Islam of Boodram’s Bakery, located at 18A Foulis, Enmore, East Coast Demerara.

is versatile forward that can hit the mid-range jumper as well as go to work in the post with his great body control and footwork.

The Pepsi Sonics will need to try and slow down Webster if they are to win the game.

However, the Sonics will look to run the ball in the open court more times than not and will depend on their scoring guard Jason Squires to create shots for himself, as well as his teammates.

Once Squires is in the zone and the Sonics are playing tight defence, the first quarter-final can definitely steel the show.

The second game of the night will see to Linden sides going at it when the Retrieve Raiders battle the Kashif and Shanghai Kings. Both teams are known for their post play and will provide an intriguing contest when they collide tonight.

However, with the

In the third game of the night, defending champions Dynas Ravens of Georgetown will face the Victory Valley Royals (VVR) of Linden.

Ravens, the better allround team, will have their hands full with a team that is defence minded and can easily pull of an upset.

However, with stars like Akeem “The Dream” Kanhai, Ryan Gullen, Ryan Stephney, Jermaine Slater and Dominic Vincente, the sum of the parts might be too much of VVR to handle.

The final game of the evening will feature Georgetown’s Trinity Grid Holding (TGH) Pacesetters versus East Coast’s Plaisance Guardians in

game that can easily turn into a track meet.

Both teams like to run, both teams have capable shooters and both teams can play defence. With no major shot blockers on either side, this game will come down to who can make the better plays on the court.

Beharry scrums off with ruggers once again

- injects US$10,000 into national Men’s team

Edward B Beharry and Company Limited has once again aligned itself with the national Men’s rugby team, becoming a major sponsor of the unit that will contest the Rio 2016 Olympic Qualifiers in June in North Carolina.

At a simple ceremony at the company’s Charlotte Street office on Thursday, Marketing Director of the Beharry Group, Anjuli Beharry- Strand, presented a cheque valued US$10,000 to members of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU), including newly appointed Technical Director Angus Thomson and several national players.

Patron of the Union and former president, Christopher “Kit” Nascimento, lauded the contribution of the Beharry Group towards the growth and development of rugby over the years.

He noted the company’s continued investment in the game as a catalyst for other corporate entities to follow suit and support the sport. Last year, the Men’s rugby team was able to capture both the NACRA 7s and 15s titles, becoming the first Caribbean nation to capture both trophies in

the same year.

Green believes such success was a direct result of the sustained input by companies such as the Beharry Group, noting that sponsors don’t just invest their money, but they also want to see results. He boasted that the GRFU has been able to deliver every time, and with such faithful partners by its side, it will continue to do so.

Beharry- Strand said the company was most honoured to sponsor the team, and will continue this alliance in the years to come.

“It really is an honour and a pleasure to sponsor the rugby team again; their professionalism and dedication along with their passion for the sport is why we continue to support them,” she said.

Beharry-Strand added, “I’ve personally watch them play, I’ve watch them practice and I’ve had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with most of them individually and I must say that they’re really dedicated to what they do.”

She also spoke of the company’s delight to support local talents. “There’s not enough invested in sports here in Guyana unfortunately because there is so much talent out there,

it’s a shame, so to even be able to send these gentlemen out there to make a name for Guyana and do us proud, it’s such a pleasure as a company and we will continue support the team and we wish them all the best of luck.”

Head Coach Theodore Henry also expressed gratitude to the Beharry Group for its demonstration of continued confidence in the team. “I can guarantee that the heights that this team has reached in the past few years would not have been possible without your support.”

He added, “In the same breath, I want to ask others to show the same faith in us so that we can surpass where we’re at right now and move on to even bigger things. One of my goal as a coach and all the players, is to be on the international scene on a consistent basis and in order for that to be accomplished, we need a whole lot of financial support to play more competitive games, rather than playing regional competition because when you play in the international scene it’s two different levels of play, so consistent play equals results, but it requires consistent financial support as well.”

Fudadin to undergo tests before returning

By Rajiv Bisnauth

The fate of Assad

Fudadin’s return to the national line-up will be decided after the completion of some physical tests, according to Chairman of selectors, Rayon Griffith. Griffith, who is also the Assistant Coach/Manager of the Guyana Jaguars, told Guyana Times Sport on Thursday that while the West Indies left-handed batsmen may be medically clear, the team management will still have to carry out some physical tests in order to make a decision on Fudadin’s return.

Fudadin, who is remembered for being part of the West Indies U-15 team in 2000 that won the World Cup in England, is expected to undergo the physical tests when the Jaguars resume training.

The 29-year-old had fractured his right little finger during West Indies’ warm-

ups on the first morning of the Centurion Test in December last year and had put him out of action for the entire South Africa Tests tour, which concluded last month.

Fudadin had surgery on the finger later in the day. Ironically, Fudadin had himself been brought into the squad as a replacement player, after Darren Bravo withdrew due to personal

Bounty Farm Handicap squash tournament… Khalil looking strong in opening match

– Stag, Mackeson Brand Managers face off

The second night of the Digicel sponsored Bounty Farm Limited’s squash tournament played out interestingly on Wednesday evening with some public figures and pros of the game getting into winners’ row at the Georgetown Club Squash Courts.

Top talent Jason Ray Khalil got into the action with a negative handicap of -24 but still managed to outplay Ingram Edwards in two straight sets tow in at 15-7 and 15-9.

Top stars Ashely de Groot, Ashley Khalil, as well as Nyron Joseph all get walkover wins on the second night of action in the tournament.

Meanwhile, 704’s Project Manager, Dustanni Barrow, with a positive handicap of +8 defeated young star Makeda Harding, who had a positive handicap of +10. The game ended in three sets 10-15, 15-7, 15-13.

Stag Brand Manager, John Maikoo, with a pos-

itive handicap of +7 was able to topple colleague Jamaal Douglas, who is the Brand Manager of Mackeson. Douglas has a positive handicap of +8 and lost in two straight sets 153, 15-7.

Full results of night two are as follows: Category AMohryan Baksh defeated Geovanna Dos Santos 15-7, 15-9; Kamir Khan defeated Aliyah Persaud 15-10, 15-2 and Chad De Abreu beat Beau Fernandes 15- 2, 15-

3. In the Open Category: Jason Ray Khalil defeated Ingram Edwards 1510, 15-11; Daniel Islam defeated Rebecca Low 15-11, 15-8; Ryan Rahaman beat Anthony Islam 15-12, 1510, Dustanni Barrow beat Makeda Harding 10-15, 15-7, 15-13; John Maikoo defeated Jamaal Douglas 15-3, 15-7; Jan Verwey defeated Dustanni Barrow 15-11, 15-6; Satesh Singh defeated Dwayne Yan 1510, 15-7; Raphael De Groot beat Tristan Gomes 15-11, 16-14; Javid Rahaman defeated Tiffany Soloman 1512, 15-10; Matthew Phang defeated Anil Singh 1511, 15-4; Nicholas Narain defeated Joe Mekdeci 159, 15-10; Ashley Khalil won by walkover from S Seebarran; Ashley De Groot got a walkover from David Dyal; Nyron Joseph got a walkover from Sarah Lewis; Wayne Alphonso won by walkover over from N. Persaud and Regan Pollard gained a walkover from Kyle Waldron.

reasons.

Meanwhile, Griffith revealed that the Jaguars are expected regroup on Monday for next Friday’s start of round eight of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League Four-Day tournament. The Jaguars are set to battle the Jamaica franchise at the Guyana National Stadium.

They will then tackle Trinidad and Tobago Red Force from March 13 at home before playing hosts Windward Islands Volcanoes from March 20 in the final round.

The Jaguars have being the dominant force throughout the tournament with six outright wins for the season, and are on top of the points table with 107 points, followed by Barbados Pride 82; Windward Islands Volcanoes 80; Jamaica Franchise 60; Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 47 and Leeward Islands Hurricanes 17.

National Sports Clinic fully functional

– Golden Jaguars players go through Pre-participation Evaluation

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

With the aim of providing professional guidance to athletes and coaches to achieve fitness and expediency in the recovery from injuries, the National Sports Clinic (NSC) was recently revived in the compound housing the Castellani Pool, Homestretch Avenue.

Housed in the Physiotherapy Annex of the facility, the NSC was resuscitated through a collaborative effort of the Disability and Rehabilitation Services, Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Office of the President.

The facility will holistically and comprehensively cater for the sports medicine needs of sportsmen and women nationally with a vision of functioning

as a Sports Rehabilitation Centre of Excellence in the Caribbean.

Physiotherapist attached to the Ministry of Health and Coordinator of the NSC, Beverly Nelson, said the ultimate aim of

Fudadin to undergo tests before returning

the Clinic is to manage athletes and their injuries. Nelson has over 25 years of experience in rehabilitation and significantly, is only one of two specialist Sports Physiotherapists in Guyana.

“Now apart from being skillful, it is also important for the athlete to be fit, and we do know that when injuries do happen, it is also important for those injuries to be managed properly and in a timely manner so that the

athlete can get back into competition. If that is not done, then the athlete just falls by the wayside and all his/her potential will just fall apart,” Nelson told this publication on Thursday.

She added, “In addition, it’s not only for the athletes, but coaches can also come in to get advice on training; how they can go about improving the training they offer to their athletes.”

Evaluation

The NSC was only re-commissioned last Thursday, and for now the Clinic will be offering sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays to athletes desirous of the assistance that is being offered, free of cost.

“For now the clinic will be opened on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and as the numbers build up we will look at it and maybe add anoth-

er day. If they have injuries they can come in and see us; we will evaluate them… if we feel they need to see a doctor or need more indepth evaluation we make that arrangement,” Nelson explained. When Guyana Times visited the Clinic on Thursday, several members of the Golden Jaguars ─ Guyana’s senior national Men’s football team ─ were going through what is dubbed Preparticipation Evaluation under the watchful eyes of a team of medical personnel. The players are currently preparing for several crucial engagements this year, including the start of the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers in June, and according to Nelson, such an evaluation will provide critical information for the team’s management.