Guyana Times Daily - May 14, 2015

thursday, may 14 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Carter calls for immediate release of election results

– says laws provide for recount after declaration

Former United States (US) President and Head of the Carter Centre Jimmy Carter, has urged Guyana’s Elections Commission (GECOM) to release election results and called on political leaders to act responsibly.

“I call on GECOM to urgently publicise all of the results that it have received and reviewed in Georgetown. Political leaders should act responsibly and allow GECOM to continue its work,” Carter said. “The law provides for recounts, and the submission of election petitions follow-

ed the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), noting that thousands of dedicated poll workers, party agents and officials of the Commission served with honesty, integrity, and professionalism.

Co-leader of the mission, former Barbadian Foreign Affairs Minister Dame Billie Miller, said that Guyanese should be proud over the manner in which the election was conducted. “This is especially true because their efforts took place in an atmosphere of tension and anxiety that, unfortunately, was generated by key polit-

frontations between ruling and opposition supporters swirled throughout Election Day. On closer inspection by international observers, most issues, with only a few exceptions, turned out to be largely unfounded or easily explained,” she stated.

Assistant Programme Director of the Democracy Programme in Atlanta, US, Brett Lacy, disclosed that the observers visited some 297 polling stations in all 10 administrative regions, thus providing a relatively high degree of observation coverage. “Carter Centre observers witnessed opening,

ing the declaration of results by GECOM.”

“All sides should avoid taking unnecessary actions that could contribute to a climate of fear or threaten peace. I urge the Guyanese people to remain patient and to reflect the dignity and integrity of what took place on Election Day. The voters have spoken and the results will be available soon.”

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has requested recounts in all of the regions alleging major instances of discrepancies. However, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition said that this is contrary to sections 83-89 of the Representation of the People Act of the Laws of

Guyana.

“APNU/AFC therefore regards the PPP/C’s call as a deliberate attempt to delay the declaration of the May 11th, 2015 polls, and to frustrate the will of the people...APNU/AFC calls on the Guyana Elections Commission to resist that attempt by the PPP/C to further delay the declaration of the results of the poll and to make their declaration as required by the Constitution of Guyana.”

Carter’s calls come amid tension over the release of the final results.

On Tuesday his Centre, at a press briefing, said that despite a few hiccups during Monday’s polling day activities, the process was smooth. The US-based observer mission also commend-

ical leaders, who played on fears during the electoral process. Rumours and allegations of provocative con-

polling, closing, and counting procedures in all areas. In addition, Carter Centre teams are currently in nine

of the 10 regions to observe the work of GECOM returning officers,” she added. According to Lacy, the Carter Centre’s Observer Mission will be delivering a more comprehensive statement within a few days that will summarise observations and key recommendations.

On the other hand, she noted that amid tension, GECOM acted efficiently and coordinated a response to these issues that improved the transfer of materials.

Meanwhile, the second of three Co-leaders of the

Observer Mission, Dame Audrey Glover of the United Kingdom, calls on Guyanese and the political parties to remain patient as the GECOM continues to conduct the tabulation and results process.

“The Carter Centre strongly urges political parties and their leaders to act responsibly and call for patience among their supporters, and allow the process to proceed to its conclusion, reflecting the dignity that their constituents displayed on Election Day,” she outlined.

PPP/C candidate accuses APNU supporters of assault –

alleges she

APeoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) candidate in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) is alleging that she was beaten by a mob of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) supporters on Wednesday in the presence of Police Officers who rendered no assistance.

Lloyda Angus of Number 29 Village, West Coast Berbice, who is also the Chairperson of the Trafalgar/ Union Development Community Development Centre (CDC) says the incident occurred outside of the Fort Wellington Police

was beaten after being handcuffed and arrested

Station. According to the 56-year-old woman, the incident occurred just as she was released from the said police station after an earlier arrest on a report that she had ballot boxes at her home and had spat on an APNU supporter in Election Day.

According to Angus, at about 13:00h, a group of about 20 APNU supporters started a protest in front of her West Coast Berbice home, demanding that she hand over the CDC keys to them. “They start to sing and chant in front of the house and calling me out but I did not come out.”

Angus related that the group then left and went to the Fort Wellington Police Station and returned with two Police Officers and about 100 APNU supporters. “The Police come and open the house and come inside and start to tumble up the whole house and I run and hide under the bed.” The 56-yearold woman says she was pulled from under the bed, handcuffed and taken out of the house where she was placed into a vehicle. “The Policeman tell them to put on the song and they start to play the APNU song.”

According to the PPP/C

candidate, at the Fort Wellington Police Station she was accused of spitting on one Floyd Bell on Election Day. “I don’t go into that shop that he say I went and spit on him because me and those people don’t talk,” the woman said.

“When we were going to the police station, I tell them that I will report it to Comrade Rohee and they tell me that Rohee time done; this is APNU time.”

According to Angus, after the Police took a statement from Bell, the officer received a telephone call and told her that she was free to

go. “When I go outside they start to cuff me and I ask the Police if they see, and they did not answer and when I tell them that I want to make a statement they tell me that they don’t want to hear anything from me.”

Angus told Guyana Times that a senior officer arrived and ensured that she was able to leave safely. However, according to Angus, she was fearful that the mob might have returned to her home, so acting on advice, she was taken to a safe home.

In an invited comment, Commander of B

Division (Berbice), Assistant Commissioner Brian Joseph said that the two sides had a heated argument in front of the police station when Angus was released. According to him, it was due to his intervention that Angus was sent away. Police records indicate that Angus and other persons were involved in a heated verbal exchange but there was no physical contact.

Joseph said that he advised that the parties return to the station when this tense period passed and persons started acting civil once again.

14,

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic from Thursday, May 14 – 14:00h-15:30h and Friday, May 15 – 14:30h-16:00h

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

Thursday, May 14 – 13:30h-15:00h and Friday, May 15 – 14:25h-15:55h

FERRY SCHEDULE

Ferries will be departing the Parika and Supenaam stellings on:

Thursday, May 14 – 05:00h and 16:00h Friday, May 15 - 05:00h and 17:00h

WEATHER TODAY

Thunderstorms with heavy rain can be expected throughout the day and into the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly between 4.91 metres and 6.70 metres per second.

High Tide: 01:11h and 13:40h reaching maximum heights of 2.49 metres at each scheduled high tide.

Low Tide: 07:11h and 19:36h reaching minimum heights of 0.73 metre and 0.68 metre respectively.

– 157,347, PPP/C – 157,306 ...276 of 490 remaining boxes from Reg 4; final results this AM

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Wednesday night released just over 78% of the votes showing the opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity- Alliance For Change leading the PPP/C by a slim 43 votes margin.

At its sixth press conference since Monday GECOM shared that after verifying 1,809 Statements of Polls (SOPs) out of the 2,999, the APNU had managed to accumulate 157, 347 votes while the PPP followed closely behind with 157, 304. However, in the regional polls, the PPP/C is leading the APNU+AFC, acquiring some 146, 804 votes while the APNU+AFC had 146, 250.

According to Chief Elections Officer of GECOM, Keith Lowenfield, there were still 490 Statements of Polls to be processed and this would have been done over the course of Wednesday evening, paving the way for a possible announcement of results early today.

However, Lowenfield said that the PPP/C had asked for a recount in all of the regions and this was still being discussed by the Commission. He did not say whether this will be agreed to and if it will affect the release of the results today. In the meantime he said that recounts were undertaken and completed in regions1 and 2 and a decision is still to be made on Regions 8. The PPP/C had initially asked for recounts in these three regions the PPP/C, but later expanded it to all the other regions.

While the Elections body has managed to count 48 of 49 ballot boxes in Region 8 despite the inclement weather, it could not finish the Region 4 ballots, being able only to check and verify 474 out of the 891. For the regional elections, in Region One, out 95, 85 SOPs were checked, with the incumbent party snagging 5453 votes even as the APNU+AFC received 2380 and the United Force (TUF) 83 while Region Two, 135 out of 138 SOPs, one of the PPP’s strongholds, saw the PPP/C receiving 15,679 even as the APNU+AFC managed 6967, TUF 51 and the United Republican Party (URP) 72 while in Region Three APNU+AFC garnered 18,711 while the PPP/C received 37, 905, TUF 107 and URP 137.

In Region Four, while this is the most accessible to the Elections body only 474 out of 891 boxes were counted and verified, resulting in the PPP/C acquiring 29,635 with APNU+AFC taking the lead with 63,383, TUF 206, URP 240, Healing the Nation Theocracy Party (HTNTP) 182 and Organisation of the Victory of the People (OVP) 220.

Region 5 (93 out of 158 SOPs) saw the APNU+AFC receiving 7800 of the cast regional ballots while the PPP/C took 7972, TUF 32 and URP 41.

In Region 6 (353 out of 374 SOPs), 20,691 of the ballots went to the APNU+AFC, 36, 907 to the PPP/C, 129 to the TUF and 1954 to the URP.

Cuyuni Mazaruni, Region 7 (73 out of 74 SOPs) gave the APNU+AFC 4516 votes, the PPP/C 2972, TUF 175 and the URP 59 while Region 8 spoke, giving the PPP/C 1837, the APNU+AFC 1791, TUF 48 and URP 39.

Region 9, (63 out of 63 SOPs) cast 5764 votes in favor of the PPP/C, 3553 for the APNU+AFC, 140 for the TUF and 66 for URP.

In Region 10 (125/ 127), a PNC stronghold gave the coalition 16, 458 votes while the PPP/C 2680, TUF 101 and URP 103.

On the other hand, in the General elections, in Region One (86 out of 95 SOPs) the APNU/AFC pulled 2414 votes, the PPP/C 5516, TUF 54 and URP 12 while in Region Two (135 out of 138) saw PPP leading with 15,664, APNU+AFC following with 7135m TUF 49, URP 27, National Independent Party (NIP) 17 and Independent Party (IP) 7.

Neighbouring Region Three (310/ 327) gave the APNU+AFC coalition 19,694, the PPP/C 37,951, TUF 100, URP 52, 236 went to the NIP and 41 to the IP.

Region Four (615/891 SOPs), the region which will ultimately be the deciding factor for the two parties, gave the lead to the APNU+AF with 77, 296 votes, the PPP/C with 46, 117, TUF 189, URP 79, NIP 80 and the IP managed to pull 150.

Region Five( 61/ 158) also gave the lead to the APNU+AFC, providing them with 6382 votes, 4225 to the PPP/C, 11 to the TUF, 7 to the URP, 14 to the NIP and 6 to the IP.

Region 6 (352/ 374), lived up to its status as a PPP/C stronghold, giving 36,829 votes to that party, 20897 to the APNU+AFC, 335 for the TUF, 69 for the URP, 44 to the NIP and 34 to the IP.

Region Seven (9/74) divided its votes between the PPP/C 587, the APNU+AFC 1309 and the TUF 6 while Region 8 gave APNU 1837, PPP/C 1836 and TUF 48.

Region 9 spoke in favour of the PPP/C by giving that

party 5794 of the votes, 3592 to the APNU+AFC and 131 for the TUF even as Region 10 declared their support for the coalition by giving it 16, 791. The PPP/C however received 2785, TUF 90, URP 38 and IP, 38.

Disappointed

Meanwhile, the APNU+AFC Coalition said that it is immensely disappointed and alarmed by GECOM’s selective announcement of results at its press conference Wednesday night.

The party said that from the results announced it is obvious to the APNU+AFC Coalition that GECOM “is cherry picking Statements of Poll to report on, in order to create an illusion of a close race. This is being specifically done by exclud -

ing Statements of Poll from Region 4 where the Coalition has established a significant lead. Of a total of 891 SoPs in Region 4, GECOM deliberately chose to report on only 474, leaving 417 unreported. We can find no acceptable reason for excluding such a large number of SoPs from Region 4 in the announced results.”

The party said that the announcements made by GECOM are irresponsible, reckless and provocative and appear designed to cause confusion and discord among Guyanese who are already in a state of anxiety and unease noting that it was further appalled that GECOM reneged on a solemn commitment to announce 94% of the results on Wednesday evening. That commitment it said was made by the GECOM commissioners to an APNU+AFC delegation led by the Presidential Candidate Brigadier David Granger. Instead GECOM announced 78% of the results while deliberately excluding large numbers of SoPs from Region 4.

However, the APNU+AFC has called on all supporters and the Guyanese public to remain calm and not be provoked by these irresponsible announcements from GECOM. “We remain confident that the Coalition has established an unassailable lead and will form the next Government of Guyana,” it said.

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

Continue fight against AIDS

Diseases – conditions that adversely affect the functioning of our bodies – have always been with man.

But AIDS, caused by the “human immunodeficiency virus” – HIV is one that was literally created and became a global pandemic within a single lifetime.

First detected in 1981 in the US, we had our first local diagnosis in 1987. While progress has been made in the fight against AIDS, it remains a scourge to the 24-49 age cohort that accounted for approximately 61.7 per cent (463) of the new cases recorded in 2014.

There was, and remains, no cure for AIDS. To our credit, the Government immediately established the National AIDS Programme to coordinate the country’s response to what was soon established was a burgeoning epidemic.

Preliminary figures indicated that the HIV infection rate was 1.3 per 100,000 inhabitants. In 1989, the National AIDS Committee was formed to advise the Health Ministry on prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.

Since there was no cure for AIDS, there was a furious upsurge in research to discover one in the face of the ensuing pandemic. Several treatment regimes that includes a mixture (“cocktail”) of “anti retroviral” drugs (ARV’s) were discovered, which fought and delayed the fatal effects of the HIV/AIDS. But these cost at least US$10,000 annually to treat an individual and was obviously out of the reach of most third world countries like Guyana.

By the beginning of the millennium, Guyana had recorded an average of about 500 cases annually and was facing a catastrophe of immeasurable proportions. In 2001, however, the Indian pharmaceutical company CIPLA challenged the western patent lockdown on ARV’s and introduced a combination at a fraction of their (western) cost.

In Guyana, the recently privatised NEW GPC immediately collaborated with several Indian companies and began manufacturing the ARV’s right here in Guyana at the cheaper, treatment prices of less than US$1 per day. The Government was now in a position to offer the treatment to all infected Guyanese free of charge.

This historic intervention by the NEW GPC allowed the Government to increase the number of treatment centres from the one in Georgetown to a dozen countrywide. In 2002, AIDS-related deaths accounted for 9.5 per cent of all deaths but by 2008, this was cut by more than half to 4.7 per cent.

Last year it was revealed that there were 751 new HIV cases and 105 reported cases of AIDS. Fifty-three of these cases were advanced. However, the proportion of all deaths attributable to AIDS has been steadily declining over the years.

The prevalence of the disease is now below one per cent according to the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) well within the UNAIDS target of 1.3 per cent.

But the fight against AIDS cannot be confined only to treatment: the focus must also be on preventing the spread of the HIV virus. At its point of origin, AIDS is a social disease, since it is spread overwhelmingly through sexual contact.

Education about the dangers of “unprotected” sex, that is, not using condoms and then making individuals move from knowledge to action is key. Initially, because the disease was associated with men that had sex with men, there were two unfortunate consequences.

Firstly, that women were not at risk. This has been shown to be false and today women represent about half of those with AIDS. Secondly, because male to male sex has a great stigma attached to the practice this has been transferred to AIDS.

While the country has been transfixed with the elections, many new governments must acknowledge that while Guyana has made progress in its fight against AIDS, the funding for that fight has dwindled and new approaches must be found.

One would be for NEW GPC to be engaged to once again manufacture the HIV anti-retrovirals locally, which was discontinued when the foreign funders demanded foreign manufactured drugs.

Some of our agents were intimidated

Dear Editor, The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has requested from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) a recount of ballots in some areas of our country.

This became necessary after it was realized that some of our counting agents were forced to flee some polling places out of fear. While it was declared that voting was generally free and fair, as the counting phase began, some of our agents were intimidated and fled for their own safety.

In addition to this, we have noticed an extremely high number of rejected ballots which we believe may have resulted following

the absence of our counting agents in these areas. We believe that in keeping with electoral laws, voter’s intent must be taken into consideration.

Also, in some places there was an unusually high turnout of voters which raises suspicion of possible electoral transgression.

The PPP/C notes the comments made by the APNUAFC Co-Chair Raphael Trotman, who is calling for the recount to be disallowed. Our Party stands firm in this regard.

Our Party is pleased that GECOM has accepted our call for the recount and ask that all be patient until this process in complete. In mak-

ing this call, we reiterate the need for everyone to remain calm and for GECOM to be allowed GECOM to fulfill its mandate.

Further, it was reported that the PPP/C did not document various electoral transgression that occurred on elections day. This is far from the truth as a number of emails were sent, and which can be produced to show the contrary.

As you would recall, yesterday President Donald Ramotar disputed the figures released by APNU-AFC with regard to the elections.

The PPP/C repeats that those numbers are very misleading and would only serve to create a false sense of ex-

pectation among Opposition supporters. Just to note one example, the Opposition claimed that in Region 6 it received some 23,520 votes as against 30,501 for the PPP/C. Our tabulation from the Statements of Poll shows that for the same region, the PPP/C received 39, 597 and the APNU-AFC coalition got 22, 017.

While we are cognizant that only GECOM can legally release the official results, we believe that the Opposition misinformation campaign must not be allowed to go unchallenged.

PPP/C, Freedom House

Image GECOM projected not reassuring for the nation

Dear Editor,

The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) is appalled at the attitude projected by GECOM with respect to the counting of votes. While the electorate accepts transparency and accuracy are unquestionably necessary, people begin to lose patience when the precautions appear to be excessive.

This is particularly the case for a generation raised on cell-phones and the internet. Moreover, both major parties are being forced to take risks to placate their supporters by what comes across as self-absorbed posturing by GECOM.

The image of GECOM projected at a press confer-

ence is not reassuring for a nation on tender-hooks.

Witnessing the Chairman of GECOM, the CEO and a foreign technician playing ‘pass the parcel’ over who is responsible for releasing results was as unedifying as it was discouraging.

Most of the press conference was devoted to a bewildering series of distinctions about results which had been “received but not processed”; those which had been partially but not “fully” processed; what was “far too detailed” to project onto a screen and what had been “cleared from the stand-point of the Commission but had now passed for IT processing”.

The foreign technician made the oblique remark that the exercise was “not an official release of data”.

A press representative, clearly frustrated by all the fine distinctions and no results, was patronizingly informed that what was available was “too detailed” to be of much use to him.

Cell-phone technology over the past decade has transformed the dissemination of polling results. GECOM was advised as early as the 2001 elections by the Commonwealth Observer Team to begin to take account of it.

Results are in the public domain from the moment the Statement of Poll (SOP)

is posted on the door of the polling station. Guyanese across the country and abroad have been able to access SOP data since early this morning.

After a long and generally unpleasant elections campaign, the last thing the Guyanese public need, at this point, is a prolonged and ill-tempered count. The Guyanese people deserve better.

The GHRA is appealing to the Chairman of GECOM to give highest priority to bringing this process to a swift, efficient and dignified conclusion.

Executive Committee GHRA

Atmosphere of uncertainty affecting Private Sector – PSC Chairman

The high level of tension and unease which is currently being experienced in the country due to the May 11 General and Regional Elections is negatively affecting the Private Sector.

This is according to Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Ramesh Persaud who spoke to media operatives on Tuesday afternoon.

Responding to questions posed on what was the general feeling among business owners at this point in time, especially given the turbulent events which were experienced on Election Day, Persaud said that while the business community was particularly pleased with

the conduct of polls, it was very “nervous” given the political history of the country. As such, stores were not being opened for business.

“They were very happy about the electoral processes… but the business community is very nervous, I must let you know, based on what happened in Sophia last night [Monday evening]. Quite a bit of our members and stores in the city have not been opening, all out of precaution and not necessarily out of any incitement on what may happen now but based on historical scenarios, we know what can escalate and those incidences last night (Monday) are indicators that would definitely scare the older of

the businesses and people who operate businesses…,” Persaud said.

He noted that while he along with the rest of the business community was very disappointed with the incidences which marred the smooth running of the electoral process on Monday and hopes that it does not escalate in the coming days, he understood that it was due to the fact that persons were being misinformed and only reacted to the information they received.

But on this point, he stated that the incident only served to strengthen the point of how imperative it is that persons educate themselves and check information before accepting or be-

lieving anything they hear or are informed of.

urged

calm so

that the country can return to normalcy as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, British High Commissioner to Guyana Greg Quinn, US Charge d’Affaires to Guyana Brian Hunt; Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Nicole Giles and the PSC Chairman all praised the efforts and response of the Police Force, especially at the unrest which prevailed in Sophia on Monday evening.

The PSC Chairman also said that the Police should be credited for ensuring that the electoral process was incident free.

On Monday evening, residents of C Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, erupt-

ed, transforming the community into a virtual warzone over allegations of electoral impropriety by a political activist. In the ensuing battle, five cars, one minibus and a house, along with a horse stable were burnt.

The violence stemmed from allegations that People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) member Narine Kooblall had taken ballot boxes into his home and was keeping them there. Residents stormed Kooblall’s home, attempting to set it ablaze.

All of the officials have issued a call to the Guyanese public to remain calm and peaceful and to accept the results of the election.

Let us look to the future, work together in peace

Dear Editor,

The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) wishes to offer our congratulations to the Guyanese people for the peaceful and orderly way in which they exercised their franchise on Election Day.

We further offer our thanks to all those who worked in the various departments, polling stations and in our security forces

to ensure the orderly and soothe process that were achieved.

CIOG however appeal to all leaders of the Political parties to communicate the message of peace and calm to their supporters, constituents and in general to the. people of Guyana prior to the deceleration of the results.

As leaders in our country it is imperative we demon-

Newspaper vendor not being paid

Dear Editor,

As a poor newspaper vendor, the failure by the Police Department to pay me for three months supplies in ‘G’ Division way back in 2012 continues to be a big problem for me to meet my financial obligations with mounting stress for my survival.

From a mutual arrangement for some seven years now delivery was being made on a daily basis to the Suddie Police station, the training school there, the Divisional Commander’s office and the Anna Regina Police Station, with payment to be made at the end of month.

The system in operation required me to submit an account for payment within the district and this was done all over the years for processing, after which it was possible for me to collect the money right here on a voucher sent from the Finance Office in the city.

But payment is still owing to me for the months of April, May, and December of 2012 and what is responsible for the protracted delay to do so remains very much baffling.

Despite not being paid for the three months I still continued making delivery with the hope that the arrears would be forthcoming, but with no improvements was forced to “cut off’ the supplies a month ago.

Once full payment is made to me, the service will be restored instantly.

Every possible avenue was explored by me to get payment with the relevant authorities including the Finance Office in the city but it was just a royal pushing around which was most unacceptable and much to my detriment.

Sham Mannilall

strate the strength of leadership in ensuring that peace and tranquility prevail in Guyana prior to and after the announcement of the election results.

We further request all

parties and their leaders to be magnanimous in accepting the final result as announced by GECOM, and advise their supporters accordingly.

Let us all be cognizant

that we have to look forward to the future to work together in peace and harmony for the success of our families and our Country.

Acts of violence and intimidation can only serve to

create discord and disunity that will be detrimental to the well being of all people in Guyana, our communities and our beloved country.

CIOG

Every person who witnesses cruelty should speak out

Dear Editor

A few days ago, two donkeys in Enterprise village, East Coast Demerara were beaten. One is bleeding from his tummy and struggling to walk.

The other donkey is heavily pregnant and traumatised. What kind of monstrous, ignorant behaviour is this?

I was told that the donkeys had been sprayed in the colours of one political party and that is why they were beaten in this village.

This reaction is stupid and primitive. There is never any excuse for taking out one’s fear and anger on an animal. The donkeys have been rescued, treated by a vet and are being nursed back to health.

Thank you, Bollers, and the others who called to report this horrible cruelty. Thank you to those who helped - Bisnauth, Robert, Rakesh, Gautam, Syeada, Anasha and Shane Ally, as well as Ricky and the boys who seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Thank you, Dr and Mrs Pierre for your swift kindness and professional exper-

tise.

We want to live in peace and harmony with one another. That is impossible unless we reject the emotional, mental and psychological straitjacket of violence and stop cruelty to animals.

Our churches and religious leaders have to teach people to be kind to animals.

So do our schools. The press should take a much stronger line against cruelty to animals and hammer home the message that animal abuse is wrong.

The Police should stop behaving as if animals don’t matter and do their job of enforcing the laws against cruelty. Court room lawyers can contribute by doing free private prosecutions. The Government should provide land for a sanctuary. And finally each and every person who witnesses cruelty should speak out on behalf of the victims who cannot speak for themselves.

Melinda Janki

Page Foundation

5 lifelong lessons children learn from doing chores

BY MISS GINA GARDINER

Research has shown that only 28 per cent of children today are asked to do chores, a figure that is in sharp contrast to what their parents experienced when they were young (82 per cent of that generation were expected to help out at home).

Why is there such a marked decrease? Is this a positive change, or are we doing our children a disservice? Does asking children to help around the house help or hinder their development?

Having worked for more than 30 years with children and their parents, I am absolutely convinced that – approached in the right way –there are lots of benefits to children and their parents in creating a whole-family approach to getting jobs done inside the house and out.

Here are five super important life lessons your children learn from chores:

1. How to take care of themselves when they’re older

We hugely underestimate what children are capable of doing. They have the capacity to learn a wide range of skills, but adults need to take time to teach them – with patience. It’s important that children learn skills associated with daily living. (There’s a list of age-appropriate chores at the end of this article.)

Too often children leave home for college unable to look after themselves adequately. They have to rely on junk food or expensive ready-made meals. They store up their laundry until they go home for the holidays because they never learned the intricacies of the washing machine.

How parents and teachers can help children understand and confront adversity

BY JOANNE FOSTER AND DONA MATTHEWS

Ways teachers can help children

* Listen patiently to children and ask them what they want to learn more about, and what concerns or uncertainties they might have. Incorporate this as may be fitting into classroom discussion times, and infuse it delicately into the instructional framework.

* Ensure that children actually feel that that are being listened to. (If you’re not sure about this, ask them!)

* Encourage children to express their feelings, concerns, and ideas for solutions in a variety of ways. Help them to brainstorm together, and recognise accomplishment and thoughtfulness. Teach them how to create concept maps, design group responses, support one another’s choices, and work collaboratively on relevant tasks.

* Explain the connections between real-world and curriculum-based learning.

* Break problems down into smaller components or steps. Find out what children already know about a concern or situation, how they acquired the information, and whether it is accurate. Determine what they still want to know. Deal with matters one aspect at a time. Both during and after any learning, help children reflect on what they have come

to know, and how that makes them feel. Be alert to any emotional ups and downs that present themselves (sadness, discouragement, relief, and other emotions).

* Consider how aspects of troubling circumstances are being productively addressed. For example, focus on the many ways in which hurricane relief management and response processes have improved as a result of past devastation. Show children how to think in positive ways.

* Build confidence and positive expectations by enabling children to work at their individual levels of understanding, and by modelling good coping and problem solving skills.

* Help children realise and accept their limitations, including recognising that they cannot be expected to fix major or global problems. They can, however, take on some leadership roles, and take responsibility for and pride in their involvement in helpful school-wide or classroom oriented initiatives. Assist them in setting productive and reasonable goals about what they can and cannot do about certain circumstances

* Stay attuned to the world of children. This includes what is happening in their online venues, in the music they listen to, on the playground, in the hallways, at the movies, and so on.

* Try to maintain a sense of humour – even when

times are troubling.

* Security and predictability matter. Be trustworthy. Be available when you say you will be – and beyond then, too.

* Find resources that personalise and give voice to those who have been affected by unsettling events (such as hurricanes, tsunamis, street violence, etc).

Help children appreciate and understand some of the many true stories that have been told, and to focus on the strengths and courage conveyed. Consider setting up communication networks with children and classrooms in communities in other locales so as to offer support and encouragement.

* Select literature that builds understandings of persistence, bravery, and ways to confront challenge, suffering, or loss.

* Respect, accept and, most importantly, value curiosity-driven learning.

* Discuss government policies and plans, volunteerism, good citizenship, and social activist projects. Point out ways in which people can and do contribute to society, embark on new beginnings, and make a difference to others (and particularly those in need). There are lots of organisations to contact as well, and useful information can be accessed from agencies responsible for tracking weather patterns, institutes that offer environmental strategies, associations that deal with disaster prepared-

(Continued from Wednesday)

ness, health centres, youth groups, businesses, psychological service providers, and charitable organisations such as UNICEF, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and many others.

* Keep explanations clear and be mindful of the child’s intellectual ability and emotional competence. Better to be brief than boring.

* Be particularly sensitive to children who have previously experienced a traumatic event, who have a history of emotional problems, who lack friends with whom to share ideas, or who show signs of undue stress. (This includes sleeplessness, eating disorders, mood swings, academic decline, a change in activity level, substance abuse, or behaviour that is markedly out of step in relation to age peers.) If anxiety interferes with a child’s daily functioning then professional consultation might be warranted. Parent-teacher communication is especially important.

* Help build emotional intelligence among all members of the school community. Consider it a part of the curriculum and programme (and advocate for such programming) accordingly. Educators who model and teach good coping skills send positive messages that help affirm a child’s sense of self.

* Network and communicate regularly with others in children’s lives, such as parents and extra-curricular instructors. Find out about resources, community-based and online support groups, guidance services, and other possible avenues for the provision of comfort and support.

During times of trouble, when emotions run high, parents and teachers can help children develop the skills necessary to manage their feelings, to confront unpleasant or adverse realities, and to acquire greater emotional stability.

In order to support children in better understanding their world, adults may have to help them come to terms with circumstances that are frightening, confusing, overwhelming, or possibly unrelated to their past experience. By providing a safe and supportive environment and a healthy acceptance of all that is good in life, a calm and ready-tolisten adult can facilitate children’s well-being, and help to alleviate the fear, dismay or confusion they may feel.

In doing so, it is important to honour and nurture children’s sensitivity. Although parents and teachers cannot shelter children from all adversity, they are well positioned to help children learn about the imbalances in the world, to better comprehend their impact, and to find thoughtful ways to strike a comfortable and meaningful balance of their own. (www.sengifted.org)

PPP/C's

call for total recount:

Agreement for Reg 1,3, and 8

...counting proceeding

By Vahnu Manikchand

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has requested a recount of ballots in all regions across Guyana; a move the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition describes as "desperate" and aimed at delaying the results.

However, PPP/C’s Candidate Dr Frank Anthony, at a news conference on Wednesday, denied that charge. In fact, he contended that the PPP/C was leading the APNU/ AFC coalition, but declined to disclose any details on their tabulations, citing that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is the only authorised body to do so. According to the PPP/C spokesperson, some of the reasons that contributed to the their call for a recount include the “unusually” high number of rejected ballots and voter turnouts in some areas, and the abandonment of several of their agents from polling stations owing to the alleged intimidation by activists of the APNU/AFC coalition.

The APNU/AFC had asked its supporters to guard each polling station after the polls closed, and this caused confusion in some areas. “Some of our counting agents were forced to flee some polling places out of fear… we have noticed an extremely high number of rejected ballots which, we believe, may have resulted following the absence of our counting agents in these areas… Also, in some places there was an unusually high turnout of voters which raises suspicion of possible electoral transgressions,” Dr Anthony stated.

Initially the PPP/C had requested recounts in Regions One, Two and Three, but later expanded this to all of the 10 regions. However, by late Wednesday afternoon APNU/AFC urged GECOM

PPP/C’s Candidates Dr

news conference on Wednesday

to stop the recounting. At its press conference to announce the results from 1809 of the 2299 polling stations, the GECOM CEO Lowenfield revealed that Regions 1 and 2 ballots were already recounted and included in the released figures. Region 8 ballots, in which there was still 1 bod still to be processed will be recounted.

The district polling agents, to whom the requests for recounts must be sent, for the other 7 regions have not yet indicated whether they will proceed on the requests. Recounts have to be authorised in accordance with Section 89 (1) of the Representation of the People Act. The relevant section reads: “A duly appointed candidate, or counting agent present when the counting or any recount of votes is completed, may request the returning officer to have the votes recounted or again recounted; but the returning officer may refuse such request if in his opinion it is unreasonable.”

When Guyana Times reporter Vanu Manickchand asked GECOM Chairman Steve Surujbally at an earlier press conference whether the lack of a party polling agent's signature from a Statement of Poll would invalidate its authenticity, he replied that it would not. On those that claimed "in-

timidation" he pointed out that these agents should have had the fortitude to perform their appointed task. Observers indicated that all of these possible challenges claimed by the PPP/C on their monitoring of the votes had been pointed out in advance, but they were left unaddressed.

Surujbally told the Guyana Times at the press conference that if these claims are one of the factors upon which the PPP/C has called for recounting of several ballots, then the Commission will look into it.

However, he opined that the party should have agents that are made of sterner stuff. “It would have to be a bit of a conspiracy, don’t you think, that you have a Presiding Officer, Deputy Presiding Officer and three clerks – that’s five already ...these would have to be in on the plan,” he remarked.

Furthermore, Dr Surujbally pointed out that in addition to the political representatives and the Election Commissions’ staff, there were international observers present at all the polling stations and have deemed the electoral process credible and transparent. “You do realise that not (only) one observer said that they observe the intimidation; that too might be

Palm Court murder suspect remanded

The alleged killer of 49-year-old Nigel Isaacs, of Guyhoc Gardens, Ruimveldt, was refused bail on Wednesday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after his first court appearance.

Andre Gomes, of Craig Street, Campbellville, is alleged to have accidently shot Isaacs in front of Palm Court on Main Street.

Reports detailed that about 00:25h on Sunday, the driver of HB 4024 accidentally collided with a parked vehicle bearing registration number PPP 7994 and drove away. Gomes, a

licensed firearm holder who was in the vicinity, fired several shots at the errant driver, but killed Isaacs instead.

Isaacs was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery, but succumbed to his injuries later that day.

Gomes was subsequently arrested.

Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru told the court that the shells at the murder scene were a match for the gun of the defendant. However, Gomes’s attorney, Mark Waldron, told the

court that the charge against his client seemed premature considering that the postmortem had only been done earlier on Wednesday.

He also mentioned that the Police have evidence that there was another issue that triggered the shooting whereby his client was almost robbed. He indicated more information was needed to shed light on the circumstances that led to Isaacs’s death.

Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, who presided over the case, adjourned the matter to June 1.

true… but I’m saying that I have not heard this,” the Chairman declared. On the other hand, Dr Surujbally confirmed that those SOPs that were not signed by the PPP/C agents are valid and have been counted.

Meanwhile, PPP/C Candidate Priya Manickchand, however, said that, in fact, some of their concerns - not the ones identified above - raised to GECOM on Election Day were ignored. She described her experiences as Assistant Elections Agent

for Region Five (DemeraraMahaica) where she noticed a series of irregularities taking place, made reports to the returning officer, who she claimed acknowledged the reports but did nothing to address the situation.

Manickchand asserted that if so many irregularities could take place in one region, then more "obviously" exist elsewhere. She said, in some instances, persons showed up to vote with someone else’s ID card and when the error was pointed out by PPP/C polling agents, the matter was dismissed and the imposter was allowed to vote. In other cases, Manickchand said some polling agents were chased away from the polling stations while some voters were turned away from voting at all.

Final results

Asked how the recount would affect the final results of the polls, Party Executive Anil Nandlall explained that it could contribute to gaining more seats in the National Assembly.

“This election is not only about winning the presidency you know, we have seats in Parliament. You can win the presidency but due to in-

advertence and carelessness on our part…we may lose seats in Parliament. It is a very important process,” he said. Based on the comments of the observers identifying the PPP/C's failure to place systems in place to deal with identified contingencies, they might be trying to lock a stable where the horse has already bolted.

But, Nandlall maintained that the PPP/C’s call for a recount is catered for in the Laws of Guyana, refuting allegations that by the Opposition that stated otherwise. “There is some view that is being peddled that the time for a recount has passed…that notion that is being peddled out there is not consistent with what the laws say…it is a day after the returning officer would have declared results, you have that timeframe in which to lodge a request for a recount,” Nandlall said.

Nandlall also hinted at the possibility of filing an injunction blocking the final declaration but noted that at this time, the move is not necessary. However, he noted that the recount would definitely delay the release of the elections results.

2 remanded for Sophia disturbance

Two teenagers were brought to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday to answer to criminal charges after the display of violence at C Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown on Election Night.

Seventeen-year-old Lloyd Grant and Orlando Noel were read separate charges of larceny and attempted felony by Magistrate Zameena Seepaul

The Magistrate stated that Grant was officially charged with simple larceny after allegedly stealing a pair of sneakers, valued at $20,000, from the home of the Virtual Complainant (VC), Richi Chand at C Field on May 11. On the same day, Noel allegedly entered the home

of Farida Prasad at C Field with the intention to commit a felony.

The Police Prosecutor at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, Inspector John Singh, elaborated on the details of the charges. He told the court that Grant went into the VC’s home around 17:00h and accused him of having an illegal polling station at his house.

The Prosecutor said that it was at the premises that the defendant saw the sneakers, picked them up and immediately put them on his feet and escaped. However, in the process, Grant was apprehended by the Police, who removed the sneakers.

He was positively identified by Chand as the boy that entered his home, accused him and stole his sneakers. So Grant was arrested and taken to the Turkeyen Police Station, where the sneakers were lodged. Prosecutor Singh continued that an investigation was carried out by the Police before the defendant was charged for the offence.

Prosecutor Singh objected to bail as the defendant had not given his correct address to the court.

For Noel’s case, the Prosecutor said that it was around 20:00h on May 11 that the defendant was with others in C Field and began to stone Prasad’s home, believing it to be

housing ballot boxes. He said that the stoning continued and the defendant, with others, managed to enter the VC’s home.

Noel was then arrested after being told of the offence he had committed by the Police. He was taken to the Turkeyen Police Station with Grant, where an investigation was carried out.

The Prosecutor said that Police were not in full control of the incident at the time, but also managed to enter the victim’s home before any harm could be done. The defendant was thus caught there, while the others he was with escaped.

Noel was not required to plead to the offence as it was labelled indictable. However, he told the court that he lives at Lot 604 B Field Sophia with his mother.

Grant, who was slight of built and bare footed like his colleague, did not argue with the prosecution’s facts. He stated that he did indeed take the sneakers of Chand, as stated by the Prosecutor, informing the court that his boots were “loosening”.

Continuing in a small voice, the defendant provided details of himself to the court. He confirmed that he was 17 years old, lived by himself, worked as a labourer and hailed from Essequibo.

The Prosecutor, how-

ever, pointed out that the defendant had informed the Police that he lived in Sophia when he was arrested. Even so, the Prosecutor stated that the defendant’s father and sister are in Essequibo and his mother hails from Matthews Ridge.

Magistrate Seepaul informed the court that though Grant had pleaded guilty to the offence, she cannot sentence him without first hearing a probation report. Thus, she called upon the Probation Officer of the court, Orlene Matthews, to put one together. This would be produced on June 17 and would influence the Magistrate’s decision in the sentencing of the defendant.

Meanwhile, since Noel’s case is indictable, fixtures were ordered by June 1.

La Grange man shot during robbery

A24-year-old West Bank Demerara (WBD) man is now a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital nursing a gunshot injury to his right hand following a robbery.

Vishaul Sooklall of Unity

Street, La Grange, WBD was shot by one of two bandits on Tuesday evening in a yard after which the perpetrators escaped with $15,000.

According to a Police report, Sooklall was in a yard at Unity Street when he was

held up by two men; one of whom was armed with a handgun. The men reported demanded that he hand over his personal belongings but he resisted.

In retaliation, one of the men discharged a round

which hit him in his right hand. The bandit then relieved him of the cash before both men made good their escape on a pedal cycle. The Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Eyew tness

A kinder, gentler...

...political discourse?

OK. The elections are over. And even in the US where it’s claimed right after one elections, preparations begin for the next, there’s supposed to be a “honeymoon” period. Shouldn’t we, proud Mimic Men, follow suit??

Well, your Eyewitness doesn’t know about the politicians but he hopes commentators will take a breather now and take off their brass knuckles. He’s going to take off his. For a while, at least.

Hey!! We all know Guyanese politics ain’t for the faint hearted...after all it’s not just the words that can hurt here, there’s also the possibility of bullets or fire. And those will ALWAYS hurt. We’ve seen the fire and we sincerely hope there will be no bullets.

Remember, the call was “Ballots OR Bullets” – it’s one or the other – not both. And since we’ve already had our bullets...

But this delay in announcing results isn’t helping matters. Tempers are getting frayed. And what this Eyewitness wouldn’t buy is it’s all because of the “vast” size of our country. The country hasn’t grown lately, has it? If the truth be told, it shrunk after the Venezuelans huffed our portion of Ankoko Island back in ‘69.

So how come special provisions weren’t made to deal with ballot boxes from Point Playa in the north to Gunns Strip in the South? We can’t keep doing the same thing and expecting different results.

Einstein pointed out that kind of behaviour actually defines “insanity”. But your Eyewitness just reminded himself about the “kinder, gentler” discourse, so he’ll ease up on the smoke starting to come out of his nose.

Your Eyewitness was wondering if there was ever an instance of a party leader in Guyana calling up the winner and conceding defeat. He wracked his brains and couldn’t think of any.

Hoyte did concede in 1992 – but not to Jagan and only after some not so subtle prodding from President Carter. Taking defeat gracefully isn’t part of our political tradition. Like Dylan Thomas advised his old man, our politicians don’t go gently into the night.

Maybe it has to do with how long that “night” could be? Back in 1964, the PPP went along with the “fiddled constitutional arrangements” by the British and before they knew it, it took them 28 years to get back into office. And for the PNC, their 23-year-old-wait must seem longer: they actually KNOW what they’ve been missing.

But like your Eyewitness said earlier, let’s try not to raise too many hackles for a while, shall we? For one, it’ll make you feel soooo virtuous.

Your Eyewitness can already detect a faint halo over his head!

...and wider concern?

Your Eyewitness was quite shook up this morning as he perused the newspapers. The photograph on the Guyana Times front page was shocking. He’d heard about Kwame McKoy from OP being roughed up at a Polling Centre in the city where he’d gone to perform his job.

But his alarm was assuaged by statements from the Opposition that he hadn’t been hurt and that, rescued by David Granger and Joseph Harmon, his subsequently hospitalisation was just “drama”. Until the photograph.

But even that didn’t get your Eyewitness riled up. That happened when he saw a letter from someone complaining about a donkey being beaten by some misguided souls after the poor animal had some party acronym painted on his body. Very good sentiment he thought. Donkeys shouldn’t be beaten...only “miscreants” do that.

But what do you call people who beat up other people – also for no good reason? Isn’t that also to be condemned? Your Eyewitness awaits words of outrage for the assault of McCoy.

But he ain’t holding his breath.

...city

Your Eyewitness can’t say that this period of marking time as the nation awaits the election results has been all bad. He can now park any which where he wants!

GECOM explains elections operating procedure

Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr Steve Surujbally has justified the procedure utilised by the election body as satisfactory as he opined that voting across the country was smooth for the most part.

Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield, said that for any multi-voting, it has to be in collaboration of all present at a polling station. Both GECOM staffers noted UNASUR’s earlier praise of the system GECOM had put into place

LIAT defends high winds advisory following criticism

The airline indicated that prevailing seasonal high winds continued to affect some flights, particularly in Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines, and advised customers travelling to and from those countries of the possibility of cancelled flights and delayed baggage

Regional airline LIAT is hitting back at critics of the advisory it issued earlier this week on seasonal high winds affecting flights and baggage, insisting that the safety of passengers is its number one priority and the measure was aimed at ensuring safe and reliable operations.

Two days ago, the airline issued a statement indicating that prevailing seasonal high winds continued to affect some flights, particularly in Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines, and advising customers travelling to and from those countries of the possibility of cancelled flights and delayed baggage. It said the conditions were likely to continue until mid-June.

The notice was the subject of comments by a host on radio station Voice of Barbados Wednesday and LIAT immediately sought to defend its decision.

Head of Corporate Communications Desmond

for the election, pointing out that the organisation had said that GECOM had gone above and beyond what many Latin American countries do to ensure that their system is fool proof.

Dr Surujbally did however, acknowledge that no system is ‘pure’ and if in fact the commission investigated and found that its

staff has made such incidents possible such as multi-voting, then they will be dealt with according to the standard operating procedure set out by the commission. Claims from some quarters of the voter education programme being launched too late were also rejected.

Dr Surujbally explained

that campaigning was done in a strategic manner and explained it thus.

“There are strategic tactical times, when you start the bombardment, and you do it in such a blitzed way, with such intensity, that even if part of it is absorbed, then we are ahead of the game.”

Dr Surujbally said that

GECOM’s voter and civic education process cannot be faulted; noting that for the first time the commission had sign language for the hearing impaired and that for the first time blind voters without the assistance from others were able to vote using templates that GECOM created.

Brown explained that landing and taking off at certain airports in the Region, either at night or during adverse weather conditions, is governed by the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA).

“Currently at Dominica’s airport we have been experiencing tailwinds in excess of 15 knots, which is the aircraft limit for night landings/landings in adverse weather and LIAT’s aircraft are not permitted to land there beyond these limits. A similar situation exists in St Vincent,” he said.

Brown reiterated that at this time of the year, the wind conditions in St Vincent restricted the takeoff weight of the aircraft and when that occurred, the company was obliged to restrict the number of bags taken on the aircraft.

He said the airline was, therefore, appealing to customers for their continued patience and understanding in the face of the situation that is outside its control. (Caribbean360)

Caricom Observer Mission to extend stay

As the country and the rest of the world eagerly await the announcement of the final results from Monday’s poll, the Caribbean Community’s (Caricom) Observer Mission has opted to extend its stay to further monitor the post-election conditions in Guyana.

This was announced by Chief of Mission of the Caricom Observer Team that is in Guyana to monitor the electoral process, Earl Simpson. He disclosed that the team will remain in Guyana to observer the transmission and announcement of the final result, which has been delayed.

The team was scheduled to depart on Tuesday, however, the Chief of Mission along with the Deputy Chief of Mission will be returning to their respect regional Caribbean countries on Friday. The Caricom group monitored the electoral process at some 224 polling stations. The team had observed the opening and closing of polls, which was done on time; the casting of votes, and tabulation of the Statement of Polls (SOPs).

According to the Chief of Mission, Caricom found that the electoral process was a free, fair and transparent one. “The secrecy of the ballot was protected at all times and respected. Again, we wish to state quite clearly that the conduct of the poll should result in the expres-

sion of the will of the people of Guyana. We urge the people of Guyana to await the official announcement of the results and accept this decision regardless of the winner,” he stated.

Furthermore, the Caricom Chief of Mission noted that during its observation, they focused on the administration of the electoral process since the team was comprised of experienced electoral administrators with Simpson being the Deputy Director of the Elections Commission in Jamaican. On this note, Simpson stated that the Mission was impressed with the work of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Elections Day.

“We know that GECOM has to abide by the Constitution and the Electoral Laws of Guyana and cannot deviate from those. Any deviation from the law would result in the integrity of the process being compromised and subsequent legal actions,” Simpson mentioned.

The Chief of Commission went onto highlight that from observations, most of the concerns the regional delegation has are systemic. He noted that no band-aid changes by the Commission can address these concerns.

Simpson further stated that the next government should be bold and transformational, putting the country first above their own interests.

“What we believe is required is for whoever is victorious in this election and form the Government, in collaboration with the Opposition, they have to be bold, they have to be brave and they have to be transformational – to think of the country first and the party second and to make comprehensive legislative change to the Constitution and electoral laws of Guyana,” the Chief of Mission remarked.

He explained, furthermore, that this partnership between the leaders of the ruling and Opposition parties is crucial in bringing members of the two parties on board. According the Simpson, following the enactment of legislative changes, Caricom will be open to providing experience and technical expertise from member states within the organisation to assist in the transformation of the electoral process.

“We recognise the importance of transparency and accountability in the electoral process, and to have the support and the confidence of political stakeholders, whatever is being recommended must factor these into its outcome. We stand ready to support our brothers and sisters of the Caribbean Community in ensuring that the electoral process that emerges from any changes to the laws of Guyana are accepted and embraced,” Simpson declared.

Half of road deaths in Caribbean occur among pedestrians – report

In Latin America and the Caribbean, over half of road traffic deaths occur among pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists, according to a regional report on road safety published by the Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). The report warns that stronger traffic

Caribbean, 44% of road traffic deaths are among motorcyclists.

As motorcycles have become a more common form of transportation in the Americas, they have also grown as a road safety concern, the report notes. Motorcycle-related mortality rose significantly between 1998 and 2010 in all

law enforcement is needed to reduce the number of road deaths and especially to protect vulnerable groups.

In the Americas, some 150,000 people died in 2010 as a result of traffic injuries. PAHO/WHO’s “Report on Road Safety in the Region of the Americas” notes that the risks faced by different types of road users differ significantly across subregions.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, 27% of road traffic deaths occur among pedestrians, 20% among motorcyclists and 3.7% among bicyclists. In North America, the highest proportion of deaths is among car occupants (70%), with pedestrians accounting for 12% of road deaths. In the Spanish-speaking

subregions.

“The challenge for the Americas is to have adequate public transportation policies to cope with the increased use of motorcycles and to ensure measures that will protect all vulnerable road users,” said Eugenia Rodrigues, PAHO/ WHO’s Regional Advisor on Road Safety. “The region has made progress in terms of legislation in recent years, but there is still a lot that needs to be done.”

The regional report on road safety notes that 42% of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean is now protected by drinking-and-driving laws, but only five of the 14 countries with such laws consider their enforcement as good. The report also warns that laws on motorcycle helmet

use have improved, but more efforts are needed to enforce those laws and to ensure that helmets meet quality standards.

The report also notes that policies that promote walking or biking must be accompanied by investments in public transportation systems to provide alternatives to motor vehicle transport and in particular to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. The countries of the Americas in 2011 collectively adopted a regional road safety action plan that calls on countries to adapt their legislation to address the top five risk factors for road safety: speed, alcohol, helmet use, seat-belt use and child restraints. The Third United Nations Global Road Safety Week, observed May 4-10, seeks to draw attention to the plight of children on the world’s roads and to spur action to better ensure their safety.

PAHO/WHO is joining the call for the adoption of 10 key strategies to ensure child safety on roads and streets: controlling speed, reducing drinking and driving, using helmets for bicyclists and motorcyclists, restraining children in vehicles, improving children’s ability to see and be seen, enhancing road infrastructure, adapting vehicle design, reducing risks for young drivers, providing appropriate care for injured children, and supervising children around streets and roads.

PAHO, founded in 1902, is the oldest international public health organization in the world. It works with its member countries to improve the health and the quality of life of the people of the Americas. It also serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of WHO.

CSEC, CAPE examinations…

Tension in political atmosphere affects students

Several students writing the Caribbean Examination Council’s (CXC) Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) in Guyana have admitted to being affected by the up-

surge of tension throughout the current political season.

Guyana Times visited several schools across Georgetown on Tuesday where several students were coming out of the examination room.

Most of the students explained that from the beginning of the campaign season, the political atmosphere distracted them from their studies and it is now distracting them with their examinations.

“It’s very impacting, you have to be leaving school early and you are always

worried about if anything dangerous is going to happen. The political parties’ music you are hearing and it’s disrupting you from focusing on your exams, it impacts you,” Hilary Singh from St Stanislaus College explained.

Tenesha Persaud, of Central High School, also attested to the distractions from the music being played in an effort to promote a political party.

“Well it was a bit distracting because there were persons travelling all over playing these politicians’ song,” she said.

Nonetheless, both girls explained that though it was a challenge, they succeeded in ignoring the political distractions and managed to focus on their examinations.

Over at Bishop’s High School, Matthew Gaul who just came out of his CAPE examination explained that the tense political climate often made him lose focus during the examination.

Ganesh Balkaran, another student of Bishop’s High School also noted that the political atmosphere partially distracted him from his studies because a part of his mind was caught up with the current affairs of the country.

Chris Narine of St Stanislaus College explained that, due to the fear of riots during this time, his mother is always worried about his wellbeing which contributes to

Man sentenced to 3 years for burning sister

A28-year-old man was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment on Wednesday after admitting in Court One of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts that he purposely threw a pot of hot rice on his older sister.

The now convicted felon, Daniel Younge of East La Penitence, Georgetown, had been in prison since the charge was first read on March 13.

Younge appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on Wednesday morning and asked to change his plea from not guilty to guilty.

He admitted that on the day in question, he had a misunderstanding with his sister, Natasha Younge, over cooked food. During the incident, he threatened her after which she made a report to the Police against him.

The young woman was accompanied by Police ranks back to her home but the defendant was nowhere to be found.

The following day Younge returned home and he saw his sister washing. He then picked up a pot of hot rice from the stove and threw it over her before striking her with the pot repeatedly. He subsequently ran away.

The defendant was represented by Attorney Clyde Forde, who told the court that his client was provoked by his sister.

In her ruling, Chief Magistrate SewnarineBeharry told the court that she had taken into consideration the defendant’s wish to not waste the court’s time, the fact that he feels remorse and the fact that his sister had suffered third- degree burns in 50 per cent of her body.

his anxiety during the examinations.

However, for 16-yearold Paige Carter of Queens College, while she is cognisant of the intense mood of the country at the moment, the young lady explained that she is not at all affected by the activities outside of her academic work.

tions are equivalent to the Ordinary Level (O-Levels) examinations and are targeted towards students 16 and older.

Generally, despite the slight distractions, the students expressed confidence in their ability to remain focused, thus succeeding in the exams.

Thousands of students countrywide are in the process of writing these crucial examinations in the height of the political season.

CSEC examinations are usually written by students after five years of attending secondary school to mark the end of standard secondary education.

The CSEC examina-

CAPE, on the other hand, is written taken by students who have completed their secondary education and wish to continue their studies. Students who wish to sit for the CAPE are usually in the possession of CSEC or an equivalent certification.

The CAPE is equivalent to the British Advanced Levels (A-levels) – they are both voluntary qualifications that are intended for university entrance.

The examinations in Guyana this year will be slightly different from the previous years due to recent hosting of General and Regional Elections during the same period CXC traditionally hosts its examinations.

As a result, CXC was forced to reschedule several of the exams in the country to facilitate the electoral process.

The CSEC and the CAPE examinations that were slated for May 11 and May 12 will be rescheduled for June 15-16 respectively for Guyanese students.

The Education Ministry in Guyana and the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) had both assured that efforts will be made to ensure all candidates are duly informed of this alteration.

CSEC exams scheduled for June 15 begin at 09:00h with Agricultural

Science (double award) – Paper 2, Agricultural Science (Single award) –Paper 2, and Theatre Arts – Paper 1. At 13:00h, students will write Electrical and Electronic Technology – Paper 1 and Food and Nutrition – Paper 2.

CSEC exams scheduled for June 16 will begin at

09:00h and include Home Economics: Management – Paper 2; and Technical Drawing – Paper 2. The afternoon session will commence at 13:00h with Electrical and Electronic Technology – Paper 2.

CXC Registrar Glenroy Cumberbatch explained that the Council agreed to the rescheduling because they wanted to provide students with the same conditions and environment for the sitting of their examinations, as any other candidate on any other day would endure. As such, allowing them to write their

examination on Election Day would have placed them in an unfair environment, ultimately putting them at a disadvantage. He further stated that protocols were in place to ensure the integrity of the examination papers was maintained and that they were equal in weight and value.

Cumberbatch explained that CXC usually prepares “back-up” examination papers in the same subject area in the event something goes amiss. The assumption of students in Guyana contacting other students across the region for “prohibited assistance”, as it relates to preventing the contents of the examination papers from leaking, was also addressed during the press conference.

“They (the papers) will not be the same exact wording and questions and numbers and so on, but they will be parallel in terms of difficulty, conflict and demand,” the CXC Registrar explained.

Moreover, the Guyana Government will have to bear a cost for the adjustment in the timetable for Guyanese students but to this date, the Government has not yet made any announcement in that regard.

It was last reported by this publication that the Education Ministry had received an estimated cost for the rescheduling but had declined to disclose the amount.

EAB says report indicates efficient polling

The Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB) said that it deployed over 750 Volunteer Election Day Observers across nine regions on Monday and that the process was efficient and transparent.

In a statement, the EAB said its observers were present at approximately 30 per cent of the 2299 polling places. The EAB, in collaboration with the International Republican Institute (IRI), facilitated a trainer of trainers seminar

for Coordinators, and subsequent training exercises were conducted for observers in preparation for the Electoral Observation Mission.

“Overall, polling was conducted in a calm and peaceful way. The initial feedback received from our Observers is that the GECOM polling officials with the support of the Guyana Police Force carried out their duties in a dignified and efficient manner.”

The EAB said the electorate must also be com-

plimented for their behaviour in the exercise of their right to vote – from the official opening of the poll to its closing. Nevertheless, the EAB condemns the isolated cases of disruption, violence and damage to property that took place on the day of the election and its impact on the tabulating process.

The EAB, although challenged by the timely delivery of Identification Cards from GECOM, were able to field observers and will be exploring various

GPHC honours nurses

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has planned a number of activities to mark International Nurses Day 2015.

This year’s observances will recognise the hard work of nurses at the health

care institution. In a press release, GPHC said the activities kicked off with a Church service on Sunday, May 10, and will conclude on Saturday, May 23, with a social evening of games, poetry, singing, modelling, and a mother and daugh-

ter fashion show. Some of the other activities include the presentation of tokens to nurses at the hospital, Nurses Day Lunch, a panel discussion and Education Day.

This year’s Nurses Day is being celebrated un-

methodologies in expediting this aspect of our processes in future elections. The Bureau appealed to the public, and all other stakeholders to continue to show patience while this election exercise goes to completion, as the official results of the elections are being prepared for declaration by GECOM. The EAB is heartened by the response to its call for volunteers and would like to publicly thank them all for their support and civic mindedness.

der the theme, “Nurses: A Force for Change: Care Effective, Cost Effective”. The management of GPHC would like to express gratitude to its nurses for their dedication in ensuring that quality service is provided to all our patients.

thursday, may 14, 2015

Commonwealth to submit comprehensive final report

– calls for patience as Guyana awaits the results

As it released its preliminary report on the electoral process in Guyana, the Commonwealth Observer Mission called for patience from the political parties and the general public as they awaited the announcement of the final results.

“We urge political parties, citizens and other stakeholders to continue to display the admirable restraint and patience they have so far exercised as they wait for the official results from GECOM,” Head of the Observer Mission, Kate Wilkinson implored.

In the report, the Mission highlighted several concerns and will be dealing more comprehensively with the issues in its final report.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, Wilkinson noted the campaigning environment was competitive, adding several large public rallies were held across the country by the political parties and they were all wellattended.

CGX awaiting announcement from ExxonMobil on reported oil find

Canadian oil and gas exploration company CGX said it is still awaiting an official announcement from the United States Based ExxonMobil Energy on its reported oil find in the Stabroek block.

The oil exploration company, which is based in the Guyana-Suriname Basin, said there have been various media reports coming out of Guyana with respect to a possible discovery by Exxon in the Stabroek Block.

It said the Stabroek Block is immediately adjacent to the Company's 100 per cent owned Corentyne Block, offshore Guyana.

According to the Leader of the Observer Mission, this was particularly disappointing since it violated the Code of Conduct agreement that was voluntary signed by political parties. Furthermore, Wilkinson noted that there were several allegations of direct vote buying as well as the misuse of state resources. She pointed out that the observers only heard of these allegations and did not observe it firsthand, adding that it would be disappointing if the claims turned out to be true. “We didn’t do any forensic investigations, we didn’t have time,” she noted.

Media

On the issue of State resources being misused, she noted that this mostly related to advertising activities; however, they saw reports from the Media Monitoring Unit (MMU) that referred to biased reporting.

“We note the domination of State-owned media. We are concerned about the lack of fair access to all parties. These issues are especially concerning considering the fact that all major media outlets are also signatories to a Code of Conduct which binds them to bal-

“Election campaign materials were seen displayed across the country. There were concerns raised about the inflammatory rhetoric and personal attacks by elements of political leadership during the campaign period … politics and campaign should be the contest of ideas, not personalities,” she opined.

anced, fair and accurate coverage in election periods,” the Commonwealth Head of Mission stated.

Furthermore, Wilkinson noted that while GECOM had adequate materials on hand for an efficient electoral process, it lacked arrangements for the visually impaired and physically disabled persons. Another issue the Commonwealth delegation raised was the presence of portraits of the President, Prime Ministers and Education Ministers at some of the schools that were used as polling stations.

She went on to highlight that another matter that was of great concern to the Mission was the rapidness by which rumours tend to spread across the country.

The Commonwealth official referred to several incidents of alleged ballot box stealing that were proven to be untrue. She also mentioned the St Sidwell’s incident, where a People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Candidate (Kwame McCoy) was greeted with hostile behaviour from supporters of A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition.

Wilkinson said the situation “was calmly calmed down – not directly but it

was calmed down and it was well dealt with”. She explained that Guyana’s active media sector had extensively reportedly on the elections period in print, television, radio and online outlets. Additionally, Wilkinson highlighted that the role of social media has increased this year when compared to previous elections.

The Chief of Mission said that her team will deal with these issues in their final report which will be complied and presented to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) prior to their departure on May 17. She added that the report will also contain a set of recommendations that will seek to improve technical expertise. Wilkinson further stated that the Commonwealth was willing to provide the technical expertise needed to implement the recommendations.

The seven-member Commonwealth Observer Mission had teams deployed in six of the 10 regions: Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and Ten. Commonwealth is among five international Observer Missions that came to Guyana to observe the General and Regional Elections held on Monday.

But while the company has a policy of not commenting on market rumours, it is encouraged by the public comments made by former Natural Resources and Environment Mnister Robert Persaud in that regard and looks forward to hearing official results from Exxon and its partners.

The US ExxonMobil had last week announced that it had encountered hydrocarbons in its Stabroek offshore block.

Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited; an affiliate of ExxonMobil, holds 45 per cent interest, while Hess Guyana Exploration Limited holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 per cent interest.

It was still however expected to carry out a full evaluation of the results before it could confirm whether there are commercial quantities of hydrocarbons, specifically light crude.

Government has been optimistic about this declaration.

The project is expected to be executed over a 10-year period and has been divided into three sections, including two phases in each section which lasts for one to two years.

The scope of operations

include a drillship with approximately 200 crew and contractors; helicopter support, with two from Ogle, including a utility and a Search and Rescue at all times; four support vessels and two shore bases, running from Georgetown and Trinidad, and a waste treatment facility at the John Fernandes Site at Houston, Greater Georgetown. The total area allotted to Exxon covers 26,806 square kilometers. The company also has a target depth of 1750 metres. Meanwhile, the company said it is pleased to announce the completion of a 3005 kilometer airborne survey on January 18, of this year.

That, it said, exceeds the required commitment under the terms of the new Berbice petroleum agreement (PA) and petroleum prospecting licence (PPL) which was granted by the Government of Guyana to ON Energy Inc; a 62 per cent owned subsidiary of the company, in February 2013.

Pursuant to the new Berbice PA, covering 3295 km2, the company has an obligation during the initial period of four years to conduct an airborne survey comprising a minimum of 1000 kilometers and to either conduct a 2D seismic survey comprising a minimum of 100 kilometers or commence to drill one exploration well. The Berbice PPL is 62 per cent owned by the company.

Pursuant to the new Berbice PA, covering 3,295 km2, the Company has an obligation during the initial period of four years to conduct an airborne survey comprising a minimum of 1,000 kilometers and to either conduct a 2D seismic survey comprising a minimum of 100 kilometers or commence to drill one exploration well. The Berbice PPL is 62% owned by the Company.

Region’s unemployment rate rising – ECLAC

The less than encouraging economic outlook for the current year will likely prompt a mild increase in the regional unemployment rate to 6.2 per cent from the 6.0 per cent registered in 2014, according to estimates released today by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). In a new edition of their joint publication Employment Situation in Latin America and the Caribbean, both institutions indicate that the one per cent average expansion

in economic activity forecast for the region will not be enough to reverse the deceleration process that began in 2011.

The stagnation of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita should weaken labour demand and, therefore, the creation of salaried employment. For that reason, a decline in the region’s urban employment rate – which refers to the relationship between the employed population and the total number of people who are of working age – is forecast for a third consecutive year.

The report says that on a regional level the decline in

labour participation – which is to say, the proportion of the working-age population that is active in the workforce, whether employed or unemployed – seen in 2014 is not expected to be repeated with the same intensity in 2015, which, coupled with a decrease in the employment rate, should lead to higher open unemployment, similar to the levels seen in 2013.

“The labour market situation in 2015 is not expected to be particularly conducive to progress in reducing poverty and inequality,”

Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, and

Elizabeth Tinoco, ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, state in the document’s prologue.

In effect, the report indicates that during most of the last decade and at the beginning of this current decade, Latin America and the Caribbean made important advances in poverty reduction and income distribution, in a global context characterised by growing inequality. These improvements were due to the labour market’s positive trends, such as the robust creation of salaried employment and the reduction of gaps in la-

bour income. Other contributing factors included public policies on labour matters (minimum wage, formalisation, inspection) as well as non-labour matters (expansion of social protection systems and education).

The first part of ECLACILO’s document analyses the region’s labour performance in 2014 and attributes the decline in the unemployment rate seen last year to the atypical behaviour of labour markets in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, more specifically to the steep fall in their labour participation rates. In its second section, the report examines the expansion of

social protection in the context of high degrees of informality in the region. It contends that, from a rights perspective, the universalisation of social protection is essential to helping build societies where equality is the end-goal of development strategies. The United Nations organisations indicate that to guarantee universal access it is necessary to integrate contributory and noncontributory components in social protection systems, which entails significant challenges, above all in terms of institutional design and financing.

New studies show immunisation remains a ‘best buy’

Immunization programmes have become increasingly costly in recent years as a result of the introduction of new vaccines and an expanding number of recommended target groups. Even so, immunization remains costeffective and should continue to be considered a public health “best buy,” according to a new series of studies published by the scientific journal Vaccine.

The new studies appear in a special Vaccine supplement titled “Expanding the Evidence Base to Inform Vaccine Introduction: Programmes Costing and Cost-Effectiveness Analyses.” The series was coordinated by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) as part of the ProVac initiative to provide evidence to support policy decisions on vaccine programmes.

The studies, based on country-led research from

around the world, show that with few exceptions, newer vaccines—including pneumococcal, rotavirus,

and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines—are costeffective in countries where there is a substantial dis-

ease burden or where treatment costs are high, or both, and if the vaccines can be procured at favorable prices.

Immunization campaign

The studies that assessed immunization costs and financing, resulting from an initiative led by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, also show that, overall, governments are providing more financing for national immunization programs than previously reported, such that the lion’s share of funding for these programs currently comes from national resources. The participating researchers in this EPIC initiative – EPI costing and financing -- developed and implemented a common approach to costing and formed a community of practice around cost and financial analysis of immunization.

The supplement includes 31 original research

articles, nine of which are from the Americas (from Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Honduras, Paraguay and Peru), and four perspective articles by global experts in health economics and decision science. The original research includes 14 country-led cost-effectiveness analyses and nine country costing and financial flows analyses that incorporate new data collected from over 300 primary health care facilities in six countries. The four perspective articles address subjects including the potential role of cost-effectiveness analysis in vaccine price negotiations, the continued need for models and methodological approaches that can be adapted for use in low resource policy settings, and the challenges of supporting country-level decision making in the context of donors’ priority setting.

“The country-led cost-effectiveness studies give an important update on the ex-

periences of different countries with new vaccines,” said Cuauhtemoc Ruiz, Chief of the Comprehensive Family Immunization Unit at PAHO/WHO. “The supplement also provides insights into the work that is needed to help countries strengthen policy making through the use of cost-effectiveness analyses, program costing analyses, and financial flows analyses.”

The new supplement is the second to be published by Vaccine and coordinated by PAHO’s ProVac initiative, which seeks to strengthen and institutionalize country capacity to generate, assess, interpret, and use local data in decision making about immunization programs and vaccine adoption.

“Accelerating national policy development on the adoption of vaccines is an issue of growing importance since newer vaccines come with higher price tags and compete with other new technologies and interventions for space in already constrained national health budgets,” said Ruiz. The Region of the Americas has been a leader in the introduction of new vaccines. Currently 19 of the region’s countries use the rotavirus vaccine, 28 use the pneumococcus vaccine, and 16 use the HPV vaccine. Despite the higher costs of these vaccines, these countries have successfully introduced sustainability plans for these vaccines and financed their introduction with >99% of resources originating from public funds.

The ProVac Initiative has supported countries in the Americas in their immunization policymaking and resource allocation processes for the past 10 years. Recently, a pilot initiative to transfer the tools and knowledge developed by ProVac in the Americas to other Regions was implemented with the support of partners in the African, Eastern Mediterranean and European WHO Regions. This platform – the ProVac International Working Group – was coordinated by PAHO and implementing partners, including Sabin Vaccine Institute, the US Centers for Disease Control, the Agence de Medicine Preventive and PATH.

ProVac partners who contributed to the Vaccine supplement include the ProVac International Working Group, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundationled Multi-country Costing and Financing of Routine Immunization and New Vaccines (EPIC) Initiative, and the Sabin Vaccine Institute. The supplement is available online to Vaccine subscribers via the journal’s website. PDFs of the individual articles will be available to the public on the PAHO website. (PAHO)

New girl in US-Mexico mistaken identity custody case

Anew teenage girl has appeared in a court in Mexico saying that she is Alondra Diaz Garcia, the girl at the centre of a United States-Mexico custody battle.

Alondra Diaz Garcia was taken from Houston to Mexico by her father eight years ago after a US court awarded custody to the girl’s mother. Alondra’s mother, Dorotea Garcia, has been searching for her since.

Last month, a Mexican girl was mistaken for Alondra and taken against her will to Ms Garcia in the US. Ms Garcia had mistaken Alondra Luna Nunez for her daughter because the two girls share the same first name, are of a similar

age and bear a similar scar.

Alondra Luna Nunez was sent to Houston even though the girl and her family insisted all along there had been a mistake.

The local judge in Mexico had refused to carry out a DNA test before sending her to the US, saying that was not within the court’s remit. DNA tests carried

out in Houston eventually revealed Alondra Luna Nunez was not Ms Garcia’s daughter.

On Monday, a 13-yearold girl appeared in a court in the western state of Michoacán saying she was Alondra Diaz Garcia.

The girl told local media that she had been “happy with my dad, but at the same time I felt there was something missing”. Her relatives said her father had decided to hand her over after he saw coverage of the confusion over Alondra Luna Nunez in the media.

Mexican officials are now expected to conduct DNA test to confirm whether the girl is indeed the daughter of Dorotea Garcia.

(Excerpt

Puerto Rico rejects smoking marijuana for medicinal purposes

Smoking marijuana for medicinal purposes will not be allowed in Puerto Rico, but cannabis derivatives could be consumed in other ways, Government officials said on Tuesday as they provided more details on the Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla’s weekend executive order on cannabis use.

Justice Secretary Cesar Miranda stated that the Government would allow patients access to cannabis derivatives that would be inhaled or used orally, such

as potions or pills.

“Smoking marijuana is not being contemplated as part of a medical treatment,” he said.

Advocates say marijuana helps with conditions like chronic pain, glaucoma, anxiety, and nausea from chemotherapy or drugs to combat HIV.

The Governor issued an order late on Sunday directing the island’s health department to authorise the use of some or all controlled substances or derivatives of the cannabis plant for med-

ical use. Health Secretary Ana Rius has three months to submit a report that details how the order will be implemented, the impact it will have and what future steps could be taken.

It is unclear whether the Governor supports smoking pot to treat illnesses. He did not specify in his executive order what type of medical marijuana uses he supports, and his office said he had no plans to comment on the issue.

Rius told reporters on Tuesday that smoking mar-

ijuana, regardless of its purpose, would still be considered a crime.

The general use of medical marijuana is legal in 23 states in the United States (US), and a group of US legislators is seeking to remove federal prohibitions on it.

In the Caribbean, Jamaica recently passed a law that partially decriminalises the possession of small amounts of pot and paves the way for a legal medical marijuana sector.

(Excerpt from The Daily Observer)

French President Hollande pledges Haiti investment

TJamaican Parliament gives nod to join CCJ

Jamaica cleared the first hurdle to becoming the fifth Caribbean country to replace London’s Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), after the House of Representatives yesterday passed three bills needed to make it happen.

All 42 Government Members of Parliament (MPs) and the 21 opposition MPs showed up for the vote yesterday, and stuck firmly to their parties’ positions.

Speaker of the House

Michael Peart had to cast his vote to ensure the Government side had the two-thirds majority it needed to pass the Constitution bill which amends the Constitution to repeal provisions relating to appeals to the Privy Council and replace them with provisions establishing the CCJ as Jamaica’s final court.

Also getting the green light, but needing only a simple majority in the 63-

seat Parliament, were: the Caribbean Court of Justice Act which makes provisions for establishing the CCJ as a superior court of record with appellate jurisdiction; and the Judicature Act which repeals provisions for appeals to the Privy Council and excludes any appeals to the Privy Council instituted prior to implementation of the regional court.

While Caricom member states have accepted it in its original jurisdiction, only Barbados, Guyana, Belize and, more recently, Dominica have acceded to its appellate jurisdiction.

In a statement issued after the passing of the bills, CCJ President Sir Dennis Byron said: “The CCJ continues to follow very closely these developments in Jamaica with the highest respect and regard for the local constitutional processes. We look forward with great anticipation to a positive outcome...” (Excerpt from Caribbean 360)

Nicaragua volcano Telica spews ash

voked small-scale protests with demonstrators demanding France pay damages for its legacy in Haiti.

Meanwhile, Haitian President Michel Martelly said, “No negotiation, no compensation can repair the wounds of history that still mark us today...Haiti has not forgotten, but Haiti is not stubborn,” referring to the debate in Haiti about whether the country can rebuild relations with its former colonial power without demanding reparations.

Last year, the 15-member Caribbean Community (Caricom) announced a 10-point plan for seeking reparations from France and other slave-holding European nations on behalf of Haiti and other former colonies.

The Telica volcano in north-west Nicaragua has been spewing large clouds of ash since erupting on Thursday last. There have been more than 60 explosions covering nearby towns in a dusting of ash.

The 1061 mile-high (3475 feet) volcano, one of Nicaragua’s most active, is located 110 kilometres north-west of the capital, Managua.

tions, but no injuries of any kind. Residents said they were “alarmed” by the series of eruptions, but so far no evacuation orders have been issued.

Francisco Jose Caballero, who lives 12 kilometres from the volcano, told Nicaragua’s Nuevo Diario newspaper that it was a “horrible situation”.

he French President has pledged investment to Haiti, but steered clear of the reparations some in the former colony are demanding from Paris. In the capital Port-auPrince, Francois Hollande said France would spend US$145 million on development projects. This is the first official visit by a French Head of State since Haiti won independence in 1804.

future,” President Hollande said on Tuesday.

He added that French investments in development projects, including education, should be seen as an appropriate effort for “a moral debt that exists”.

“We can’t change history, but we can change the

Hollande’s visit pro-

French administrations have acknowledged the historic wrong of slavery in Haiti and other former colonies but have avoided any real discussion over whether they would return the “independence debt”. (Excerpt from BBC News)

The Telica is a popular destination for tourists and hikers. A group of visitors captured footage of one of the recent eruptions close up.

The nearby towns of El Realejo, Corinto, Posoltega and Chichigalpa have reported a fine dusting of ash falling following the erup-

“We’re very worried because the tremors and gas explosions have become more frequent and we’re all fearing that there could be an eruption at any moment,” the 63-year-old said.

An official with Nicaragua’s Territorial Studies Institute said there was currently no risk of the eruptions getting worse. (BBC News)

Dozens killed as armed men open fire on bus in Pakistan

At least 43 people have been killed, and many more wounded, in an attack on a bus in the Pakistani city of Karachi. The bus belonged to the Ismaili Shia Muslim sect, and was targeted by gunmen at an intersection in the eastern part of Karachi on Wednesday.

Sindh Police Chief Ghulam Haider Jamali said officials believe there were six attackers, who approached the bus on three motorcycles. Testimony from witnesses suggests that the attackers boarded the bus and shot indiscriminately while inside. Jamali said that those killed had been hit by 9mm gunfire.

“Oh soldiers of the unbelievers! We swear that we will make you and your families cry tears of blood and will not rest until we have cleansed this land of you and established sharia,” read pamphlets the gunmen left behind.

Following the attack, the bus was driven to the near-

Candles being lit to remember the lives lost

by Memon Medical Institute and Hospital with 62 people still inside. “When the bus came into the hospital, there were some people whose heads were hanging limply out of the windows,” said a hospital official; many of those injured were in critical condition.

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said that he

had ordered senior Police Officials to investigate the incident.

“I have taken it very seriously. I am terribly sorry that this nasty incident has taken place. Whoever it is, we have to detect the offence and take action against the culprits,” he told local media shortly after the attack. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Around the World

North Korea executes Defence Chief

Korea has executed its Defence Chief on alleged treason charges, Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) stated. The execution appears to be the latest in a series of high-level purges since Kim Jong-un took power after his father’s death in 2011.

NIS officials told a closeddoor parliamentary committee meeting that People’s Armed Forces Minister Hyon Yong-chol was killed by anti-aircraft gunfire with hundreds watching at a shooting range at Pyongyang’s Kang Kon Military Academy in late April.

Hyon, who spoke at a security conference in Moscow in April, was said to have shown disrespect to Kim by dozing off at a military event, media said. North Korea has not commented on the reports.

The execution comes after South Korea’s spy agency said late last month that Kim had ordered the execution of 15 senior officials this

Celebrations erupt in Burundi amid coup reports

Celebrations have broken out in Burundi’s capital Bujumbura over reports of a coup against the Government of President Pierre Nkurunziza.

The developments came after an army officer reportedly announced, on Wednesday, that Nkurunziza and his Government had been dismissed.

Major-General Godefroid Niyombare, who was fired by Nkurunziza as Intelligence Chief in February, made the announcement at a military barracks, reports said.

“Regarding President Nkurunziza’s arrogance and defiance of the international community, which advised him to respect the constitution and Arusha peace agreement, the committee for the establishment of the national concord decide that President Nkurunziza is dismissed, his Government is dismissed too,” Niyombare was quoted as saying.

Al Jazeera’s Malcolm Webb spoke of huge celebra-

tions and some gunfire; although it was not immediately clear if the shots were being directed at the demonstrators or were celebratory in nature.

Nkurunziza is currently in Tanzania where he is due to meet the leaders of the five-nation East African Community (EAC) - made up of Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania

and Uganda as well as Burundi.

The President’s office, in a message posted on Twitter, said an attempted coup had “failed”. “The situation is under control, there is no coup in Burundi,” the message read. A Presidential Adviser also dismissed the news of the coup as “a joke”.

Agathon Rwasa, a leading

Japan recalls 6.5M cars over airbags

Japanese car giants

Toyota and Nissan are recalling a total of 6.5 million cars globally to replace potentially faulty airbag inflators made by Takata, an automotive parts company based in Japan.

Toyota said it was recalling just under five million cars, including the Corolla, Vitz and other models made between March 2003 and November 2007. Nissan is recalling about 1.56 million cars over the same issue.

Both carmakers said the recall was for investigative purposes and no accidents or injuries have been reported.

Toyota, the world’s biggest carmaker, said the recall affected 35 of its models made around the world, and that it would include 1.36 million cars in Japan alone

The move is the latest in the saga of potentially exploding airbags made by Japanese car parts maker Takata, which has been

linked to at least six deaths - all in Honda cars.

After the recalls by Toyota and Nissan were announced, Honda, Japan’s third largest automaker, said it was also preparing to announce more car recalls related to the air bags. No details were given on the number of cars Honda would recall.

In March, Honda had said it was recalling another 100,000 vehicles in the United States (US) related to the airbags. (BBC News)

Burundian opposition figure, states that he supported the move by military officials to remove Nkurunziza. “I think it’s right to rescue the people and the nation.”

At least 19 people have died since Nkurunziza announced his intention to run for a third term in next month’s elections. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

year as punishment for challenging his authority.

“North Korean internal politics is very volatile these days,” said Michael Madden, an expert on the North Korean leadership.”Internally, there does not seem to be any respect for Kim Jong-un within the core and middle levels of the North Korean leadership.”

In 2013, Kim purged and executed his uncle, Jang Song-thaek, once consid-

ered the second most powerful man in Pyongyang’s leadership circle, for corruption and committing crimes damaging to the economy, along with a group of officials close to him. Pyongyang’s military leadership has been in a state of perpetual reshuffle since Kim took power. Hyon, a little-known general, was promoted to the rank of Vice Marshal of the North Korean army in 2012.

EU quota plan to take 20,000 refugees

The European Commission has unveiled a new blueprint for dealing with the European Union’s (EU) migration crisis, including a controversial plan for national quotas.

The EU aims to bring 20,000 refugees to Europe in the next two years, as part of the plan, at a cost of €50 million. The Commission is urging EU states to share the burden of processing asylum claims. Italy and Greece, facing a migrant surge, are struggling to cope.

Under EU law the United Kingdom (UK), Ireland and Denmark are exempt from the quota plan.

EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini called the migration problem in the Mediterranean “unprecedented” and “dramatic”. More than 1800 migrants have died at sea this year trying to reach Italy.

The EU will step up cooperation with officials in

Libya, she said, to curb the flow of migrant boats. The UK says the EU should focus more on fighting the traffickers who exploit migrants, put their lives at risk, and fuel the influx into southern Europe.

The Commission’s “European Agenda on Migration” consists of policy guidelines that would have to get approval from a majority of EU Governments to become law.

The proposed quota system for distributing migrants in European countries - separate from refugee resettlement - is based on key data such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), unemployment figures and national population.

The Commission calculates that Germany would take the largest number18.4 per cent - followed by France (14 per cent), Italy (11.8 per cent) and Spain (9 per cent). (Excerpt from BBC News)

Vatican has agreed 1st treaty with State of Palestine

The Vatican concluded its first treaty that formally recognises the State of Palestine on Wednesday, with an agreement on Catholic Church activities in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority.

The agreement “aims to enhance the life and activities of the Catholic Church and its recognition at the judicial level,” said Monsignor

Antoine Camilleri, the Vatican’s Deputy Foreign Minister who led its six-person delegation in the talks.

The text of the treaty has been concluded and will be officially signed by the respective authorities “in the near future”, a joint statement released by the Vatican stated.

Vatican officials stressed that although the agree-

ment was significant, it certainly did not constitute the Holy See’s first recognition of the State of Palestine.

“We have recognised the State of Palestine ever since it was given recognition by the United Nations (UN) and it is already listed as the State of Palestine in our official yearbook,” Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

OPINION I SAY...

Views on GECOM delay of election results

Persons across the various regions shared their views on the delay of results by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as they elucidate how distressing the electoral process gets at a certain point in time

Anuradha Ramdeholl

The election process has been, for many years, a very tedious and anticipatory process for many Guyanese as they anxiously await results from GECOM. While some fail to see the time span and manner in which the elections are conducted are not as one may expect, this takes time. And with this, it gives each party a right to object if any doubts are raised within regions, such as allowing each party to exercise their constitutional rights to ask for recounts and so forth. All of this takes time and the public should understand the situation. In order for an accurate figure from GECOM, they must follow the process as it is meant to be.

Inverary Ishako

Even though I am very disappointed at the delay of the election results by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) at the set time, I am just hoping and pray that everything goes well in the country. Following the past unrests, I am sure that everyone has a fear and that, I think, has been contributing significantly to persons uneasiness as they await the results to be announced.

Stephan Ramcharran

As the time gets closer I am hoping and pray that the results will be released soon. I would like to encourage everyone to maintain peace as they patiently await the results by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). This being said, I am also of the hope that the political parties accept the results that would soon be released and also try to preven as much as possible, confusion and frustration among citizens. At this point in time, we all should be supporting each other regardless of which party you are in favour of; after all it’s about One People One Nation, One Destiny.

Roy Punch

Election results has, over the years, been a very tedious task for the officials at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). However, I am of the hope that very soon it will be released and a corruptionfree state will exist. Apart from that, one cannot hide from the fact that many are in anticipation, but at the same time one must understand what a time consuming process it is.

Kevin Jettoo

Whilst some persons are getting uneasy as it relates to the releasing of the May 11, 2015 election results by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), I honestly think that citizens should try to understand the seriousness of the process. Often times persons tend to think that the nature of the procedure is not of a tedious one. However one must realise that before an official result is to be announced, there is need for repetitive tasks so as to secure accuracy and not just remain focused on declaring results ‘in a timely manner.

Vishal Ramsook

The delay of results by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is making the atmosphere a bit more tensed. I am not leaving my house until they give a response, because I do not want to be out there when the results are given and someone dislikes it and decides I am going to feel the wrath. For instance, I was suppose to attend my regular sessions at the University of Guyana and was also suppose to hand in an assignment but due to the delay, I do not think leaving my home would be wise, not even if I am driving; my vehicle is not bulletproof. Besides, rushing to get out of a crowd in a vehicle is not something that someone may want to do because someone can get in an accident and then it will escalate. And before or after that happens I will just like to repeat myself that I will stay tucked in where I think it is safe.

I

the

is trying to be as accurate as possible before making any official announcements which can mislead the citizens and create unnecessary conflicts, but I trust that they have the citizens at their best interest as they proceed with the job tasked to them.

Sharwin Carter

The atmosphere is quite tense at the moment as persons await the announcement of the May 11, 2015 election results by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). I must commend their efforts during the voting process, however I feel dissatisfied at this point knowing that I am not being served with any factual information thus far. Noting as well that the process is of a difficult nature, I must say that the officials are seeking to ensure that accurate information is provided to the public. This being so, I hope for the soon release and also for the maintenance of peace.

Derailed Amtrak train lacked latest US safety controls

The commuter rail route where an Amtrak train left the track on Tuesday was not governed by an advanced safety technology meant to prevent high-speed derailments, investigators said on Wednesday.

A system called Positive Train Control (PTC) automatically slows or even halts trains that are moving too fast or heading into a danger zone.

Under current law, the rail industry must adopt the technology by the end of this year.

The investigation into the cause of Tuesday’s crash, in which seven people were killed, has only just begun but initial examination of the train’s data recorders determined the train was travelling 106 miles per hour (171 km per hour) in a 50-mph (80-kph) zone.

It would have been impossible for a train to reach such speeds if PTC had been in place, officials said.

“Based on what we know right now, we feel

that had such a system been installed in this section of track, this accident would not have occurred,” said Robert Sumwalt, a board member of the National Transportation

Safety Board.

Amtrak has begun installing components of a PTC system, but the network is not yet functioning, federal officials said.

Amtrak officials did not

respond to calls for comment.

Federal rules require the national rail network to have an operating PTC system by the end of the year, though many lawmakers have endorsed rail industry appeals for more time to comply.

In March, the Senate Commerce Committee voted to extend the deadline for implementing PTC until at least 2020.

Both Republicans and Democrats supported the measure which will now go to the Senate floor.

“This accident is exhibit A for ending the delays and getting positive train control in place,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat.

The Association of American Railroads has said it wants PTC in place, but blames logistical challenges like acquiring radio frequencies and plac-

ing transmitter towers for the delay.

“This is not off-theshelf technology; it has had to be developed from scratch,” said Ed Greenberg, spokesman for the trade group.

Installing radio towers and other hardware at congested rail junctions, like the site of the Philadelphia accident, poses unique challenges, according to former and current officials.

PTC control would go as far as overriding a train conductor who was exceeding posted speed limits, said Joseph Szabo, who stepped down in January as administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.

“If there is a red signal you can’t pass it, if there is a speed restriction, it will slow you down,” he said of the override system.

ECLAC pushes equality as the driving force of Caribbean development

Equality must be the driving force for economic growth and sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean, stated Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) at the 10th meeting of the World Economic Forum on Latin America (WEF), which ends today in Cancun, Mexico.

ECLAC’s Senior Representative was one of the speakers at the “From Poverty to Prosperity” panel held on Thursday in the event that brings together more than 750 leaders of governments, companies, academia and civil society from 45 countries.

Bárcena shared the session with Joseph E Stiglitz, Professor at the University of Columbia and Nobel Prize in Economy; Brian Gallagher, President and Chief Executive Officer, United Way Worldwide; Isabel Cecilia Saint Malo De Alvarado, Vice President of Panama; and Alancay Morales, from the organisation Forest Peoples Programme, with Marcelo Lins from the Brazilian network Globo, as a moderator.

The participants agreed on the need to “share prosperity” amongst every member of society to guarantee, not only equality of rights, but also a path of sustainable economic growth.

The Senior Representative emphasised that the region’s main issue is inequality, which must be tackled with social pacts based on a new statemarket-society equation. She added that the rules of engagement among these actors should be revised in favour of goals for the common good, prioritizing rights-based employment and environmental sustainability.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, she said, 10 per cent of the wealthiest population receives 40 per

cent of all income, while the poorest 10 per cent has access to only 12 per cent.

ECLAC’s Executive Secretary mentioned the need to raise the average regional tax rate from 18 to 20 per cent in order to increase public revenues in about $60 billion per year. She explained that investment levels should also be increased, both public and private, from 20 per cent to 27 per cent annual at least. It is necessary to protect the physical and social (education) investment during the recessive stages of the economic cycle within counter-cyclical frameworks, especially in those countries with enough fiscal space, she said.

According to Bárcena, pacts between workers and corporate leaders are required in order to increase employee capacities, and also a pact for the governance of natural resources that allows the transformation of this capital into other forms of capital and investment.

It is also urgent to foster a participative process in defining the new post-2015 development agenda, which includes the fight against climate change and environmental destruction. This calls for mechanisms that

give access to information, participation and environmental justice, through instruments such as previous and informed consent.

“The new Sustainable Development Goals, which will replace the Millennium Development Goals, aim not only at eradicating poverty but are also expected to reduce inequality,” Bárcena stated during the panel, where the specific situation of certain sectors of the population, such as the youth and indigenous peoples, was also addressed.

Finally, the United Nations official invited participants to ask themselves what kind of society we want to be in 2030, making an appeal to change from a culture of extractivism towards a culture of sustainability, and to defeat the functional inequality that favours capital revenues over labour.

Throughout the duration of the meeting, which started on Wednesday, Bárcena acted as moderator and was a participant in different sessions where issues related to inclusive growth in Latin America and the Caribbean were discussed, along with priorities for governmental reforms and democratic stability in the region, among others.

New visual guide to protect children from pesticides

With the help of a new training guide developed by FAO and the International Labour Organization (ILO), extension workers in Africa and elsewhere are engaging with rural communities to reduce children's exposure to toxic pesticides used in farming.

Nearly 100 million boys and girls between 5 and 17 years old are engaged in child labour in agriculture, according to ILO statistics. Many are directly exposed to toxic chemicals while working on the farm. But children are also exposed when they help with family chores or play, and through the food they eat and the water they drink.

Children are far more sensitive to pesticides than adults. Exposure can result in acute poisoning and sickness immediately after contact. But often, it also has longer-term, chronic impacts on their health and development. Limiting pesticide use and promotion of non-toxic alternatives are important for reducing exposure, but education is equally crucial.

Protect children from pesticides!, FAO and ILO's new visual guide, provides an easy accessible training tool. It helps agricultural extension workers, rural educators, labour inspectors, and producer organisations in teaching farmers and their families how to identify and minimize risks at home and on the farm. They also learn how to recognize and respond to signs of toxic exposure.

The user-friendly guide has three main modules: how children are exposed to pesticides, what the health risks are and why children are particularly vulnerable, and what can be done to reduce those risks.

Growing interest

"The tool was initially developed in Mali, where it is now widely used by extension workers, farmer field schools, labour inspectors, and producer or-

ganizations", said Rob Vos, Director of FAO's Social Protection Division. "Its use is also expanding in Niger and other African countries. We are seeing growing interest from other regions. The guide is not only raising awareness that something must be done, but also showing what needs to be done."

Not all situations are the same. The guide is not only available in several languages (currently in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish, and a Russian version will be available soon), but also adapted to different regional contexts, including Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and Asia Pacific. The graphics and illustrations are adapted accordingly as well.

The effort to adapt the visual guide and promote its wider use is being supported by the Rotterdam Convention, a multilateral treaty to promote shared responsibility in relation to imports of hazardous chemicals. FAO and the United Nations Environment Programme jointly serve as the Secretariat for the convention.

"This is a good example of how the normative work of a convention can contribute to reaching out to the most vulnerable groups and

make a difference to their lives" according to Christine Fuell, FAO's Coordinator for the Rotterdam Convention. "The colourful illustrations are built on local knowledge and refer to very concrete and real situations, such that they also appeal to children, raising their own awareness of the risks posed by pesticides."

Why children are at greater risk

Children are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposure for various biological and behavioural reasons. They breathe in more air than adults and so take in more dust, toxic vapours, and droplets of spray. Relative to their body weight, children need to eat and drink more than adults, and if food is contaminated, they absorb more toxins. The surface area of a child's skin per unit of body mass is greater than that of an adult, and their skins are more delicate. All these factors can lead to greater absorption of chemicals, and children's organs are less able to detoxify pesticides because they are not yet fully developed, according to the guide. Young children often play on the ground, put things in their mouths and are attracted to colourful containers, all common behaviours that increase risk.

PAHO/WHO highlights need to train more nursing personnel

On International Nurses Day, May 12, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) is calling for more nurses to be trained to provide skilled care while also urging steps to address inequities in their distribution and the problem of outmigration.

Many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean currently face shortages of nursing personnel, presenting an obstacle to achieving the goal of universal health access and coverage for all people in the Americas, said experts at PAHO/WHO. “Nurses are an important human resource for health,” said Silvia Cassiani,

PAHO/WHO’s regional advisor on nursing and health technicians, noting that nursing personnel make up 60% of the health workforce and cover 80% of healthcare needs. “We have to do much more to train more professionals, to make sure they are distributed equitably according to the needs of the population, and to retain them in their workplaces.”

According to WHO, approximately 23 doctors, nurses and midwives are needed for every 10,000 inhabitants to provide essential health services. In the Americas, some 70% of countries have the number of personnel they need, or even more, but they face challenges in their distribution and

PAHO/WHO is calling for more nurses to be trained to provide skilled care while also urging steps to address inequities

training. One-fourth of the world’s registered nurses are in the Americas, yet about 57% of these (nearly 3 million) are in North America.

Proportionally, there are 110.7 nurses per 10,000 inhabitants in North America but only 13.8 per 10,000 on average in Central and South America

and the Caribbean.

Outmigration has a major impact on nursing human resources. The number of nurses from the Englishspeaking Caribbean who are working abroad is estimated to be three times the number of those working in the countries where they were trained.

Approximately 42% of nursing positions in the Englishspeaking Caribbean are vacant due to outmigration.

Establishing mechanisms to improve workforce retention and working conditions in public health services are among the measures that can reduce outmigration of health workers.

Other causes of nursing

shortages include lack of access to quality education, excessive school dropout rates, poor curriculum content and teaching methods, lack of continuing education among professors, and poor political and administrative infrastructure in schools.

PAHO/WHO is working with countries throughout the region to promote nursing education and to strengthen capacity for producing, evaluating and using scientific evidence in nursing, while also evaluating the situation of nursing human resources to promote adequate policies and plans and facilitate communication and dissemination of scientific information.

SUDOKU

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER

Thorough research will uncover valuable information. Financial gains are possible if you use your intuition, knowledge and experience. A past acquaintance will want to resume contact.

Someone will try to discredit you. Keep all of your business dealings open and aboveboard. This is not a good time to lend or borrow money or break any rules or regulations.

Keep adding to your skills. The more you know, the better your chances of advancement. You will discover a way to masterfully market a skill or service.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Confusion or indecision will cause you to reconsider your vocation. If you aren’t moving in the right direction, it’s time to plot a new course. Be aware of the available options.

Love and romance will soothe your troubled mind. Spend quality time with someone special to counter daily pressures. A brief getaway will give you a new lease on life.

Easy money is headed your way through an inheritance, rebate, old debt or settlement. Don’t spend it rashly. An unanticipated expense will set you back quickly.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

With drive and determination, you can outmaneuver any opponent. Don’t expect to get results if you sit back. Put your ideas out there and follow through on them. Romance is looking hot.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

You are feeling full of energy. The more activities you are involved in, the more allies you will gain. Feel free to share your ideas. The results will be worth the effort involved.

CAPRICORN (June 21July 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Today is all about positive change. Physical fitness and healthy eating habits will improve your image and self-esteem. Equip yourself to handle the challenges that life offers.

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

Family demands will cause headaches. Promptly deal with any issues that arise. Letting unpleasant situations fester will lead to unnecessary distress and a loss of trust. Proceed with caution.

AQUARIUS

PISCES

(Feb. 20March 20)

Celebrate your uniqueness. Your creativity and inventiveness will lead to a lucrative side business. Don’t be reluctant to sell something you have to offer. The response will be overwhelming.

You may be called upon to put in extra time and work for a colleague. Don’t complain. Your superiors will be impressed with your willingness and versatility.

Broadcaster issues hinder IndiaPakistan series planning

The issue of broadcast rights could determine the fate of the Pakistan-India series, scheduled for the end of this year. The rights to Pakistan’s home matches are held by Ten Sports; however, the BCCI has a public and longrunning problem with Ten’s owners, the Essel Group, and this could become a sticking point.

The series has come into focus now, more than six months before it is due to start and even before the two governments have signed off on it, following statements made by PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, who was in India meeting BCCI officials over the past few days. Shaharyar was quoted in Indian newspapers on Wednesday as saying that his board’s hands were tied with respect to Ten Sports because it won the bid by paying $60 million more than the competing bidder.

A way around this could involve the BCCI asking the PCB to play the series in India. This would give the PCB a major chunk of the revenue because it would still be their ‘home’ series but it would involve a different broadcaster.

Shaharyar also said the BCCI’s objections to Ten Sports had not been formally stated in writing, which might have allowed the PCB to keep Ten Sports out of the bidding process on grounds of acceptability.

“We have said that if you (BCCI) have a problem with Ten Sports or the Essel Group, just let us know in writing that because of this problem, we would not like X company to bid for the series, because of their association with anti-BCCI activities,” Shaharyar told Mint.

“We were never told in writing, even though we asked for it. You write to us and we will do what is necessary, because legally, our position is then established that the BCCI is not willing to accept a particular broadcaster.”

However, any change of broadcaster is likely to be strongly opposed by Ten Sports. Rajesh Sethi, CEO of Ten Sports, told ESPNcricinfo that they would explore all options to protect themselves if pushed into a corner.

“We are not going to let it go so easily. We are the legal rights holder for the contract (Pakistan home series). There are financial guarantees that have been provided. If there is something on which we feel there is not a ethical and fair push to us we have every right to defend and we will strongly defend,” Sethi said on Wednesday.

He said that neither Shaharyar nor anyone from PCB had brought up the issue of thinking of an alternate broadcaster for the India series if the BCCI or ICC sent them in writing that they did not want Ten Sports as the broadcaster. “No one has brought up this issue with us. We talk to them everyday on various different things on which we are partners. So had this been a point in case it would have been discussed.”

Sethi said he believed the reports were speculative at the moment. “Beyond the contractual arrangements we also share a huge moral partnership and a strong relationship with various cricket boards and stood with each other through thick and thin. And none of them has ever brought any such issue or discussion point with us where they have even

thought of Ten Sports being a partner not being an option. So I will call all this extremely speculative. I will call this not having a strong base at least as of now.”

Sethi also pointed out that the BCCI had never interfered with Ten Sports or created hurdles for the broadcaster anywhere in the cricketing globe, at least over the last couple of years. “To be fair to BCCI, no. We have never faced any challenges,” he said.

The problem could recur during India’s proposed tour of Zimbabwe for a limitedovers series in July, and the tour of Sri Lanka for three Tests in August. Ten Sports hold Zimbabwe Cricket’s terrestrial rights for the Indian subcontinent, and could win the rights to the Sri Lanka series too.

It could not be ascertained if the BCCI has held formal or informal discussions with Zimbabwe Cricket with regard to withdrawing Ten Sports as a broadcaster for the India series. The Sri Lanka series could only be in jeopardy if Ten Sports wins the broadcast rights for the India series. Since India’s tour to Sri Lanka wasn’t included in SLC’s deal with Ten Sports, SLC has invited bids for broadcast rights for the three-Test series.

The BCCI’s well-documented problems with the Essel Group include the rebel Indian Cricket League in 2007 - a T20 tournament that preceded the IPL but was marginalised into shutting down by the Indian board. There have been subsequent court disputes between the two parties. The Essel Group has also been publicly speaking about a new breakaway Twenty20 league. (Cricinfo)

Barcelona FC to face tax fraud trial over Neymar transfer

ASpanish judge has ordered Barcelona Football Club to stand trial over claims it tried to mislead tax authorities.

The club bought the Brazilian player Neymar in 2013 for what they said was €57m euros ($41m; $65m).

But a judge in Madrid said he believes the club knew the fee was far higher - and so more tax should have been paid.

The club’s current and former presidents have 10 days to respond to the court.

Barcelona and its former president, Sandro Rosell, have previously denied wrongdoing.

The current president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, previously said that the findings were “open to in -

terpretation” and that he would challenge them.

The club said it paid €57m for Neymar, 23, with

his parents receiving €45m of the fee.

But investigators allege that the fee for Neymar’s transfer from Brazilian team Santos was closer to €83m.

As a result, Barcelona has not paid about €13m in tax, say prosecutors.

The Spanish news agency, Efe, said the club could face a fine of more than €22m if found guilty.

All parties have 10 days to file papers in their defence before the court. No trial date has yet been fixed.

Barcelona need only one more victory to win the Spanish league, and reached the Champions League final after beating Bayern Munich 5-3 on aggregate on Tuesday. (BBC Sport)

Juventus beat Real to reach final

Juventus will meet Barcelona in the Champions League final after Alvaro Morata scored against his former club to knock holders Real Madrid out.

Real trailed 2-1 from the first leg but levelled on aggregate through Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty after James Rodriguez was caught by Giorgio Chiellini.

A first ‘El Clasico’ final looked on the cards until Morata fired into the ground and past Iker Casillas.

Gareth Bale and Rodriguez went close but Juventus held on.

While Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri will deservedly win praise for leading the Italians to their first Champions League final since 2003, questions are likely to be raised about the future of Real manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Trailing Barcelona by four points in the Spanish ti-

tle race, Real face ending the season with only one trophythe Fifa Club World Cup.

And it was a player

Ancelotti - who managed Juve from 1999-2001 - allowed to leave who ended his hopes of retaining the title they won in Lisbon last season.

Morata, who also scored in the first leg, again refused to celebrate after his 57thminute goal proved decisive.

It came after a half clearance by Casillas, Paul Pogba using his height and strength to help tee up a chance which Morata buried into the far corner.

Bale missed two chances to send the tie into extra time, one from close range which he headed over, while Rodriguez went close from distance.

Yet the Italian champions missed a huge chance of their own to win on the night when Claudio Marchisio was thwarted by Casillas when he only had the keeper to beat.

It had started so well

for Real, Ronaldo netting from the penalty spot after Chiellini had caught the back of Colombia forward Rodriguez’s leg in the 22nd minute - a strike which drew him level with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi on 77 goals in the all-time Champions League top scorers’ list. The hosts were on top as Ronaldo’s first-time shot flew into the side netting five minutes before the interval after he was set up by Bale, while Gianluigi Buffon kept out Karim Benzema with a onehanded save.

But Real’s season fell apart in the second half, Juventus’s character shining through.

It means Barcelona forward Luis Suarez is likely to face Chiellini in the final, their first meeting since the Uruguay international was banned for biting the Italy defender at the World Cup in Brazil last summer.

Tahiti FA chief Temarii banned for eight years

Former Fifa executive committee member

Reynald Temarii has been banned from football for eight years for accepting money from former Asian Football Confederation chief Mohamed bin Hammam.

Temarii was found to have violated Fifa ethics codes relating to “conduct, loyalty, confidentiality, conflicts of interest and of

fering and accepting gifts”, a Fifa statement read.

The head of the Tahiti FA accepted 305,000 euros (£220,000) from Bin Hammam in 2011 to cover costs arising from an appeal against an earlier ban. That suspension, handed down in 2010, came after Temarii, along with fellow executive committee member Amos Adamu, offered to sell his vote in

the bidding process for the 2018 World Cup to reporters from the Sunday Times.

Both men were stripped of the right to vote in the 2018 and 2022 hosting contests as a result.

Tahitian Temarii, who was also president of the Oceania Football Confederation at the time, lost his subsequent appeal and served a one-year ban, while Nigerian Adamu was suspended for three years.

Qatari Bin Hammam, another former Fifa executive committee member, was initially banned by world football’s governing body for bribery before the 2011 presidential election, in which he was standing against incumbent Sepp Blatter.

Bin Hammam overturned that verdict only to be suspended following a review of AFC accounts by Fifa, which accused him of repeated violations of the ethics code during 20082011. (BBC Sport)

Guptill ready to restate Test case

New Zealand have not lost a Test series in the last two years, since their last visit to the UK. Martin Guptill has not played a Test in the last two years, having featured on that tour, but he is in line for a recall at Lord’s next week. Like the rest of Brendon McCullum’s side, he is quietly confident of acquitting himself.

Guptill has struggled to adapt his belligerent limited-overs hitting for Test cricket, averaging less than 30 from 31 matches, but he played a full part in New Zealand’s romp to the World Cup final two months ago, hammering 237 not out, the highest-ever score at the tournament, during a quarter-final win over West Indies.

He carried that form into a short stint with Derbyshire, hitting 227 off 176 balls in a Championship match at Bristol, ahead of joining up with New Zealand’s touring squad. Such was the ferocity of that innings, Guptill suffered a side strain that kept him out of the warm-up match in Taunton; he is, however, expected to be fit for the game against Worcestershire, starting on Thursday.

“I guess playing here in England before the Test series was the best preparation I could have asked for. So pretty thankful for Derbyshire having me there and getting a couple of games under my belt,” Guptill said. “If I get the chance in the Test matches then I’ll look to play how I can play and take it from there. I’m preparing as if I’ll play at the moment and if I’m not then I’ll try and get in there for the second Test.”

Guptill is likely to be in competition with Hamish Rutherford to partner Tom Latham at the top of the order but all three will play at New Road - weather permitting, that it, with persistent rainfall forecast for Thursday. An extra day of rest might not do Guptill any harm but New Zealand will be keen to continue their good form after starting the tour with an efficient win.

“The team played a great game down in Somerset, unfortunately I couldn’t play,” he said. “There’s a lot of confidence in the guys at the moment, some young guys being drip fed into the team and they’ve done very well so far.” New Zealand will not be quite so reliant on the rookies in their squad for this match, with Guptill returning and pace bowler Matt Henry having been released early by his

IPL franchise. The other five members of New Zealand’s IPL contingent should begin to arrive at the weekend and could be substituted straight into the action, with the Worcerstershire match no longer having firstclass status. While England’s preparations are being overshadowed by off-field issues, New Zealand are gearing up nicely.

“We’ve come over here to win, not to compete,” Guptill said. “If we can do our things well and prepare well and go out and show our skills like we have done over the past couple of years, then we’re going to get the results we want.

“The guys have played some great cricket over the last couple of years. The way that Brendon’s leading us from the front, showing confidence in every player in the squad, it’s helping each individual be able to perform on the international stage.” (Cricinfo)

elusive win;

KXIP v RCB, IPL 2015, Mohali… KXIP find

RCB

Kings XI Punjab secured a 22-run consolation victory, after their bowlers trussed up an explosive Royal Challengers Bangalore top order, in a rain-curtailed 10-oversa-side contest in Mohali. Axar Patel played impactful hands with bat and ball, holding together the back end of the Kings XI innings, before claiming two wickets and conceding only 11 runs from his two overs. Seamers Beuran Hendricks and Anureet Singh also helped defend 106 for 6, which was kickstarted by Wriddhiman Saha’s 31 from 12 balls.

Kings XI began their innings at full pelt, as Saha swiped Mitchell Starc to the legside boundary off successive balls in the first over, before carting three fours and a six over long-on to loot 20 from Sreenath Aravind in the second. His dismissal bought Royal Challengers some cheaper overs, followed by two more wickets. Manan Vohra holed out to long-off for 11 in the fifth over, before Glenn Maxwell picked out deep midwicket two balls later, off Harshal Patel.

David Miller would help the hosts briefly regain impetus, slamming two towering sixes off the legspin of Yuzvendra Chahal, but got himself stumped off a wide soon after. Axar would see the innings to its conclusion, hitting a six and a four in his 15-ball 20, while George

slip to fifth

Bailey hit 13 from 9. Kings XI still had enough batsmen to finish more violently, but were curbed by Harshal and Starc, who conceded five and six runs from their final two overs respectively.

The fall of the first wicket dampened Royal Challengers’ advance too; Kohli played Anureet onto his stumps after adding 33 off 17 balls with Chris Gayle. Sandeep Sharma had Gayle caught behind soon after, before AB de Villiers also failed to move the chase along falling for 10 from 9 balls.

Mandeep Singh gave the visitors some hope, cracking his first ball to the cover fence, then reverse-sweeping Axar for four two overs later. But wickets continued to fall at the other end, and boundary attempts were repeatedly thwarted. The required rate had leapt to 12.66 with three overs to play, but Hendricks delivered a five-run over that claimed a wicket, then Axar removed Mandeep. Royal Challengers had not found the boundary off the last 22 balls, when they ran out of overs, at 84 for 6. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

Kings XI Punjab innings (10 overs maximum) WP Saha† c Mandeep Singh b Wiese 31 M Vohra c Mandeep Singh b Patel 11

GJ Maxwell c de Villiers b Patel 10 DA Miller st †Karthik b Chahal 14 GJ Bailey* b Chahal 13 AR Patel not out 20 Gurkeerat Singh c †Karthik b Starc 2 R Dhawan not out 1

Extras (lb-1, w-3) 4

Total (6 wickets; 10 overs) 106

Fall of wickets: 1-34 (Saha, 2.1 ov), 2-50 (Vohra, 4.2 ov), 3-54 (Maxwell, 4.4 ov), 4-71 (Miller, 5.4 ov), 5-99 (Bailey, 8.5 ov), 6-102 (Gurkeerat Singh, 9.3 ov)

Bowling: MA Starc 2-0-20-1 (1w), S Aravind 2-0-31-0 (1-w), D Wiese 2-0-17-1, HV Patel 2-012-2, YS Chahal 2-0-25-2 (1-w)

Royal Challengers Bangalore innings (target: 107 runs from 10 overs)

CH Gayle c †Saha b Sandeep Sharma 17 V Kohli* b Anureet Singh 19 AB de Villiers c Hendricks b Patel 10

Mandeep Singh c Miller b Patel 20 KD Karthik† c Miller b Hendricks 2 SN Khan c Hendricks b Anureet Singh 4 D Wiese not out 4 HV Patel not out 0 Extras (lb-5, w-2, nb-1) 8 Total (6 wickets; 10 overs)

Fall of wickets: 1-33 (Kohli, 2.6 ov), 2-44 (Gayle, 4.4 ov), 3-67 (de Villiers, 6.4 ov), 4-74 (Karthik, 7.5 ov), 5-77 (Mandeep Singh, 8.4 ov), 6-83 (Khan, 9.5 ov) Bowling: Sandeep Sharma 2-0-20-1 (2-w), BE Hendricks 2-0-9-1, Anureet Singh 2-021-2 (1-nb),

Woods writes to teen being bullied for his stutter

Former world number one Tiger Woods has written to a young fan being bullied because of his stutter, saying “I know what it is like to be different.”

The 39-year-old American revealed to the teenager, called Dillon, that he too had a stutter as a child.

Woods said he was “proud” of the boy and urged him to “keep fighting.”

The 14-time major winner learned about the boy’s condition through Swedish professional golfer Sophie Gustafson, who has a severe stutter.

Gustafson, who is mentoring the boy, had contacted American golf journalist Ron Sirak asking for help and passed him emails from

Dillon’s mother about the situation. Sirak said he would contact Woods who then wrote to Dillon.

“I know what it’s like to be different and to sometimes not fit in,” wrote Woods.

Gustafson has since tweeted: “Thanks so much

Tiger Woods for sending my friend Dillon a letter. He got so happy! It’s being framed and hanged.” (BBC Sport)

“I also stuttered as a child and I would talk to my dog and he would sit there and listen until he fell asleep.”

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Pacquiao’s retirement decision on hold after surgery

Manny Pacquiao says he is close to making a decision on whether to retire from boxing.

The Filipino, 36, returned to his home country on Wednesday following defeat by Floyd Mayweather in their world welterweight super-fight on May 2.

“I will focus on healing my shoulder. After that, I will announce continuing my career or retirement,” he said.

“I’m not saying I am going to retire, but it’s near. I’m already 36, turning 37 this December.”

Despite a unanimous points defeat in Las Vegas, Pacquiao, a sixweight world champion, was welcomed back to the Philippines by fans as he paraded through the streets of capital city Manila on the back of a truck.

Pacquiao, who is also a congressman in his home country, had his arm supported by a sling following surgery on his injured shoulder - a problem he said had hampered him during the fight with Mayweather, the most lucrative in boxing

history.

New figures released by American networks Showtime and HBO said the fight shattered the previous record for total payper-view buys with 4.4m purchases of the fight in the United States alone.

That generated $400m (£254m) in domestic sales while total revenue is expected to exceed $500m (£318m).

Following the fight, Mayweather, 38, called Pacquiao a “sore loser” and has ruled out a rematch.

But Pacquiao, who is the subject of a Nevada law suit after being accused of failing to declare his injury prior to the bout, said he would consider fighting the undefeated American again.

“I [would] like that. I want that. But my focus right now is my shoulder,

my work as a congressman and my family,” he said. Pacquiao also said he had accepted his defeat by Mayweather, but that after reviewing the fight on video he still believed he won by a slim margin.

“I reviewed the fight and kept score. I won by two points, but a decision has been made and we have to accept it,” he added. (BBC Sport)

‘Deflate-gate’: How America reacted to Tom Brady ban

Fans in handcuffs at NFL headquarters, a public fund to pay a $1m fine, mocking billboards and an avalanche of social media wisecracks.

Just some of the myriad ways the people of the United States have reacted to the news that NFL poster boy Tom Brady must serve a four-game ban for his alleged involvement in the ‘deflate-gate’ scandal.

The New England Patriots quarterback is to appeal the sanction, which is viewed as draconian by some and lenient by oth -

ers. The ban came following an NFL investigation into claims the Patriots had deflated match balls in January’s 45-7 play-off victory over Indianapolis Colts which sent them to the Super Bowl.

The punishment handed down to Brady has been met with irritation by Patriots staff and fans.

Brady’s agent Don Yee said the four-game ban was “ridiculous and has no legitimate basis”, while Pats owner Robert Kraft said the punishment “far

exceeded any reasonable expectation”.

The mood of many fans was captured by a small four-man protest group that put on handcuffs and sat in the lobby of the NFL headquarters in New York on Tuesday.

While being led away by police, one protester said “I’d die for Brady”, while another said it was “the best day of my life, getting arrested for Tom Brady”.

Brady and the Pats need not look four hours southwest for any outpourings of sympathy, as there is little

emanating from New York.

Certainly Brady’s plight has been greeted warmly by a group of New York Jets fans who went to the trouble of renting 12 billboards and plastering them with the message #TomShady, which until someone tells me otherwise I will take to be a pun on Tom Brady.

For background, the Pats and Jets both play in the AFC East and have a rivalry stretching back to 1960. As divisional rivals, they have played each other at least twice a year for more than 50 years, stoking the enmity.

NFL under fire

Social media has been buzzing with commentators keen to point out that Brady’s four-game ban for being “at least generally aware” of a plan to underinflate balls is somewhat out of kilter with the initial twogame ban handed to former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice for assaulting his wife.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell later admitted he “got it wrong in the handling of the Ray Rice matter” after footage of the assault went viral. Rice was ultimately given an indefinite ban, which came to an end when he won an appeal in November.

Limacol Caribbean Premier League 2015…

Ramdin confident Amazon Warriors can lift title

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

Skipper of the Guyana Amazon Warriors last year, Denesh Ramdin, said he is confident he has the right blend of players to bring home the Limacol CPL title to the South America based franchise in 2015. He made the comment during an exclusive interview with Guyana Times/TVG/Radio Guyana on Wednesday.

Speaking to this media entity via phone, wicketkeeper Ramdin, who led the Guyana Amazon Warriors to the runner-up position last year, said he is adamant they have the right combination to win the title after losing at the final hurdle the previous two years.

He highlighted that the franchise has been able to secure the services of four top international players, Australian batsman Brad Hodge and the Sri Lankan trio seam-

er Lasith Malinga, opener Tillekaratne Dilshan and all-rounder Thisara Perera.

“I think this year we have one extra player which we didn’t use for the last two years; that’s the overseas players. We used three for the last two years, now we have four, which can be a whole lot better in terms of batting and bowling. We have Perera, Dilshan, Malinga and Hodge. I think those four international players will fit nicely into our set-up,” Ramdin said. Ramdin said he is looking forward to partnering with former West Indies captain and all-rounder Carl Hooper, who has been appointed as the new Head Coach of the Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise.

He said Hooper, the Australia-based Guyanese, brings a wealth of experience to the table, having played cricket all parts of the world during his inter-

national career.

“Yes, first time under Carl Hooper, who we know has represented West Indies in so many matches…lots of experience, which he brings to the table, and with myself and some of the other players we will go with open ideas and enjoy the cricket, which is most important,” the Trinidad and Tobago player stated.

Ramdin also spoke of having off-spinner Sunil Narine on top of his game during the upcoming Limacol Caribbean Premier League, despite the spinner having a turbulent time over the past few months with his bowling action attracting worldwide attention.

“Sunil has been through a lot over the last six, seven months going through a lot of work with his action, but I think he’s very good now…he’s cleared now and he will be one of our main bowlers in the upcoming

CPL,” Ramdin pointed out.

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

In 2013, they lost to Chris Gayle’s Jamaica Tallawahs, while last year, they fell to Kieron Pollard’s Barbados Tridents.

The squad this year comprises: Denesh Ramdin, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons, Tillekaratne Dilshan, Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera, Brad Hodge, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Assad Fudadin, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Christopher Barnwell, Ronsford Beaton, Trevon Griffith and Paul Wintz.

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

Nurse backs Tridents to retain Limacol CPL title

Energetic off-spinner, Ashley Nurse, has backed the Barbados Tridents to repeat as champions of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) when the new season bowls off next month.

Nurse, a key component of the Tridents set-up, believes the unity in the camp, along with the balanced nature of the squad, will make the title-holders difficult to beat in the upcoming tournament, which runs from June 20th to July 26th.

This year’s curtain-raiser features the Barbados

Tridents against the Guyana Amazon Warriors, in a repeat of last year’s final, with Kensington Oval hosting three more matches in the opening week against the Jamaica Tallawahs, the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel, and the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. With sell-out crowds expected, Tridents fans are being urged to buy tickets early, at www. cplt20.com, to guarantee their place watching the defending champions.

“We are always confident in the Tridents camp.

The guys who selected the teams – Robin Singh, Polly (Kieran Pollard) and the legend himself, Desmond Haynes, always pick role players because they know what they really want, so they picked certain players to fill certain positions,” Nurse said.

“As a result, I think this year’s team is really well balanced, one of the best in the tournament, and equipped to take home the trophy this year.”

Last season, the Tridents opened with a loss to the Red Steel, but rebound-

ed to win three straight. However, they then lost two of their next three fixtures and were in danger of missing out on the playoffs.

With a big effort required, the Tridents pulled together as a team to crush the Red Steel and the Tallawahs in their remaining matches, and book their spot in the final where they subsequently beat Guyana Amazon Warriors in an exciting contest at Warner Park.

“The Tridents always thrive on team work – the idea of one team and to-

getherness – and after losing the first couple of games, we really came together and wrapped ourselves around each other,” the Barbados and West Indies player explained.

“As the saying goes, a chain is as strong as its weakest link. Everyone came together in one team effort and you would realise we beat three teams on the trot to lift the cup. We thrive on being a team so teamwork is always the key in the Tridents set-up.”

By his standards, Nurse had a relatively quiet season with just five wickets in nine matches. Crucially, however, his best performances came in backto-back victories against the Red Steel and the Tallawahs. He took one wicket and conceded just nine runs in three overs as the Red Steel were routed for 105, and took two for 16 to help bowl out the Tallawahs for 87.

The 26-year-old said he is focussed on stepping up this season, both with the ball and bat. “Last year I had a quiet CPL. I was one of the breakthrough players in the first edition so this year I just want to be as consistent as possible and get back to where I was in the first tournament, contributing as much as I can to help Tridents to retain the CPL title,” he stressed.

“Also, every time I come

Ashley Nurse

to the crease, I believe I can get the job done with the bat. I don’t just pigeon-hole myself as just a bower, I believe that I am an all-rounder, so when I get the opportunity with the bat, I just try to contribute as many runs as I can.”

The Limacol CPL features six franchises –Barbados Tridents, Jamaica Tallawahs, Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel, St. Lucia Zouks, Guyana Amazon Warriors and new boys, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, contesting 33 matches. (www. cplt20.com).

ICC Americas players confirmed for Limacol CPL 2015

Six up and coming young cricketers from across the Americas have been given a fantastic opportunity - the chance to make their mark in the 2015 Caribbean Premier League.

The chosen onesAmerican Steven Taylor, Bermudan Christian Burgess and Canadians Satsimranjit Dhindsa, Farhan Malik, Nikhil Dutta and Nitish Kumar - went through an intensive training camp in Barbados in late 2014 where they proved they were ready to showcase their talent on the big stage.

The Americas’ regional ‘young guns’ have now been allocated to each of the franchises throughout the strong Caribbean T20 league. They will join icons of the sport such as Jacques Kallis, Kevin Pietersen and Shahid Afridi for a week-long camp as they compete for the final place on each team’s rookie list.

Despite their ages, these players are regular selections for their national teams. They have had experience on the international stage and are ready to take their game to the next level as the six players will be

competing against four local under-19 cricketers from the West Indies for the remaining contract on each franchise list during the midJune camps.

Commenting on his allocation to the CPL’s newest team, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Nikhil Dutta,

said; “I am really excited to try out for the Patriots and learn from head coach, Eric Simons, and some of the international stars like Shahid Afridi and Marlon Samuels.

“This is a great opportunity for me to learn from the best cricketers and coaches – who have been around the

collingwood not thinking about england job

Paul Collingwood, the veteran former England all-rounder who has already declared his ambition to coach at the highest level when he retires from playing, says that only “a ridiculous offer” would interest in him the current England vacancy.

Yorkshire’s first-team coach Jason Gillespie and fellow Australian Justin Langer currently head the betting for next England coach and Andrew Strauss, the new director of England cricket, confirmed at his first news conference that Gillespie was a candidate.

Were England to go in another direction, though,

and shy away from putting an Australian in charge for an Ashes campaign, then Durham captain Collingwood would be a front-runner, especially given that he has already worked with England during a brief stint as assistant to former limited-overs coach Ashley Giles.

Collingwood will be 39 in two weeks’ time but asked if he would be putting his name forward following the sacking of Peter Moores, he said his thoughts are on continuing his playing career, possibly even into next season.

“I’m still playing cricket for Durham,” he said. “I

have a contract until the end of the season and I’m looking forward to fulfilling that.

“At the moment, unless some kind of ridiculous offer comes in, something I can’t refuse, I’m more than happy playing cricket for Durham, maybe even the season after this.”

Collingwood, who has also coached with UAE and was Scotland’s assistant coach at this year’s World Cup, announced he would retire from playing at the end of last season only to change his mind.

“I spoke about last year being my last one, but if I keep taking wickets and scoring runs and keep enjoying it, and bringing some good youngsters through here at Durham, it is going to be a hard thing to give up.”

Captain when England won the only ICC trophy in their history at the 2010 World Twenty20, Collingwood impressed with his energy and manmanagement skills in leading Durham to the County Championship in 2013, during a traumatic season in which their director of cricket, Geoff Cook, was recovering from a heart attack. (Cricinfo)

sport for decades – to help me improve my all-round game.”

Steven Taylor is looking to use his try-out with the Barbados Tridents as another opportunity to learn from, and impress, a coach he knows all too well in Robin Singh. As the Tridents are

the defending champions, he knows the bar will be set high.

The excited Taylor commented; “I am ready to compete at the highest level and help the Tridents retain the title. I have also worked with Robin while he was the head coach of the USA national team. He is a great coach and competitor and has proven it on every level.”

Preparations for the players continue at home as well as additional training camps facilitated by ICC Americas over the coming months as they get ready to try out. (www.cplt20.com)

Limacol Caribbean Premier League 2015…

Ramdin confident Amazon Warriors can lift title

The Guyana Amazon Warriors are without the services of premier bowler Krishmar Santokie, but they are confident of winning the title this year

v WI, 1st women’s ODI, Colombo…

Dottin 84 leads WI women to win

Deandra Dottin’s unbeaten 113-ball 84 helped West Indies women beat Sri Lanka women by five wickets in the first ODI in Colombo. Chasing 150, West Indies were rocked early as they were 41 for 4 in the 11th over, but a 70-run fifth-wicket partnership between Dottin and Merissa

Aguilleira (30) put the game in West Indies’ grasp. It was followed by an unbroken 42run stand between Dottin and Stacy-Ann King(18) which finished the match off.

Eshani Lokusuriyage, who was appointed captain after an injury to Chamari Atapattu,

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka Women innings (50 overs maximum)

PM Weerakkody† c & b Mohammed 42

HML Madushani run out (Kycia A Knight/Mohammed) 23

MADD Surangika run out (King) 3

BYA Mendis lbw b Mohammed 2 HASD Siriwardene c Mohammed b Matthews 17

MGMCP Gunawardene c King b Matthews 3 LE Kaushalya* c Smartt b Matthews 0

SS Weerakkody not out 24

HM Samuddika c Kycia A Knight b King 11 I Ranaweera run out (Connell/King) 6 BMSM Kumari run out (King) 1

Extras (lb-4, w-13) 17

Total (all out; 49.5 overs) 149

Fall of wickets: 1-79 (PM Weerakkody, 20.2 ov), 2-79 (Madushani, 20.4 ov), 3-82 (Mendis, 22.6 ov), 4-88 (Surangika, 26.6 ov), 5-99 (Gunawardene, 31.6 ov), 6-103 (Kaushalya, 35.3 ov), 7-109 (Siriwardene, 39.1 ov), 8-133 (Samuddika, 45.6 ov), 9-146 (Ranaweera, 49.1 ov), 10-149 (Kumari, 49.5 ov) Bowling: TD Smartt 10-1-27-0, SS

picked up two wickets in one over but bowled only three overs.

After choosing to bat, Sri Lanka got off to a solid start as Prasadani Weerakkody (42) and Lasanthi Madushani (23) put up a 70run opening stand in 122 balls. However, their innings went downhill

West Indies Women innings (target: 150 runs from

overs) Kycia A Knight c Samuddika b Kaushalya 6 HK Matthews c & b SS Weerakkody 0 SR Taylor lbw b Kaushalya 1 SA Campbelle lbw b Samuddika 8 DJS Dottin not out 84 MR Aguilleira*† st †PM Weerakkody b

from there as they were soon reduced to 109 for 7, the next highest contributor being Sripali Weerakkody with 24. Hayley Matthews took three wickets and Anisa Mohammed finished with figures of 102-15-2. Sri Lanka’s innings also included four run-outs. (Cricinfo)