Guyana Times Daily - October 29, 2015

thursday, october 29, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

President yet to engage Opposition Leader on new CJ's appointment

With acting Chief Justice (CJ) Ian Chang slated to go on pre-retirement leave in February 2016, it appears as though Government has not taken any steps to find a replacement for the top judicial post. Justice Chang has been acting in the position since 2000.

According to the Constitutional Reform process of 2000, mechanisms

were introduced for meaningful consultations between the President and the Leader of the Opposition for certain appointments. The reform process itself made the approval of the Leader of the Opposition necessary for some appointments, particularly those of the Chancellor of the Judiciary and Chief Justice.

However, when asked on Wednesday whether there is anyone Government has in mind for the position, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams said “there is nothing to update”. He explained that President David Granger would have to be in agreement with Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on whoever will be appointed to the post.

According to the Attorney General, he had previously confirmed that Senior Counsel Chang is expected to retire come February. He noted that when this happens, there will “obviously” be someone to replace him.

About two weeks ago,

Minister Williams had told reporters that he was currently in discussion with President Granger about recommendations for a new Chief Justice. “The question of a vacancy occurring in the Office of Chief Justice would arise very shortly and when the Chief Justice goes on leave, obviously somebody has to act in his position,” Williams had stated.

The Chief Justice has confirmed with Guyana Times

that he will be heading into retirement on February 23, 2016.

Justice Chang has more than 10 weeks of leave outstanding for this year. Asked whether there is any other leave owed to the acting Chief Justice for previous year, the Legal Affairs Minister could not say. “I was not the person mandated to do those things… I don’t employ people,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

GNBA likely to cease operations this weekend –

Authority without Directors, employees’ contracts nearing end

In the face of existing staffing challenges, the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) is likely to cease all operations this weekend until such can be addressed.

Guyana Times understands from sources directly affiliated with the organisation that the GNBA is currently without a Board of Directors and the employees’ contracts are nearing an end – with no signal from Government that a renewal is forthcoming.

In fact, the source revealed that several employees’ contracts have already ended, but there was no communication at the Government level regarding a renewal.

These employees are no longer working at the organisation.

The other employees’ contracts are scheduled to end on Friday, but once again, there has been silence on Government’s part concerning a renewal. Consequently, it is expected that those employees will also not turn up for work.

Usually, the Board of Directors is responsible for reviewing and renewing the contracts of employees; however based on information received, there is currently no functioning Board.

According to reports, those appointed by Government to sit on the new Board include

veteran broadcaster Vic Insanally, Professor Rovin Deodat, former People’s National Congress Reform Member of Parliament and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member Anthony Vieira, Attorneyat-Law Abiola WongIniss, Sherwood Lowe and Jocelyn Josiah.

This newspaper contacted several of the new “Board Members” who admitted that although the offer was extended, it appeared that the Board was yet to come into effect. Based on the views expressed by those contacted, there is some amount of confusion regarding their roles and responsibilities on the Board. Citing a lack of communication on the part of the Government, the new Board Members said it was unclear if the Board was already constituted.

GNBA Chairman Leonard Craig is reportedly currently overseas and will be returning after the weekend, during which it is expected he will address the situation.

Until he returns to deal with the matter, the GNBA is likely to experience temporary closure.

The GNBA was established following the passing of the Broadcast Act of 2011. The body is responsible for monitoring the operations of all broadcasting radio and television stations in the country.

Queen's College Alumni NY Association meets President Granger

President David Granger was on Wednesday paid a courtesy call by Members of the Queen’s College Alumni Association of New York. The visiting team used the opportunity to brief the President on its plans for students of the school as it was its intention to maintain the high standards the College has held for the past 171 years.

Association President John Campbell told the Ministry of the Presidency that the team also used the opportunity to brief the President on the work of the Association. “We have all benefited from Queen’s College and we want to, in some way, give back to

the school and to the country as a whole,” Campbell is quoted by the Government Information Agency (GINA) as saying.

Beginning today the team will be conducting a conference on a wide range of topics including mental health, entrepreneurship, mathematics, interview etiquette and resume preparation among others. The conference will close on Friday and there will be participation from students of Tutorial High, North Georgetown Secondary, Annandale Secondary, Richard Ishmael Secondary, Christ Church Secondary and Tucville Secondary schools.

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

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

Thursday, October 29 – 05:25h-06:55h and Friday, October 30 – 06:15h-07:45h

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily.

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Light rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected in the morning, while light rain showers and sunshine is expected in the afternoon. Clear to partly cloudy skies are expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 31 degrees Celsius.

Wind: East to East North-easterly between 1.34 metres and 3.57 metres per second.

High Tide: 05:27h and 17:39h reaching maximum height of 2.81 metres and 2.89 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:14h and 23:40h reaching minimum heights of 0.45 metre and 0.33 metre respectively.

No increases for sugar workers this year – CoI recommends – strike costs GuySuCo

By Kristen MacKlingaM

he Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has recommended chief among other things that the sugar company withhold salary increases for the hundreds of sugar workers employed at the various estates across the country.

Although Government is yet to officially release the contents of the report, the leakage of this information has sparked much anger among sugar workers and reportedly led to them downing tools for three consecutive days.

Based on information received, the report recognised that GuySuCo has been operating at a loss for a number of years and is already swamped in billions of dollars of debt. Consequently, the recommendation was made for the sugar company to hold back the salary increases for this year, at least until the industry can recover from its existing challenges.

Guyana Times understands that the CoI report recommended that the industry be privatised in order to facilitate better outputs from the factories located at Blairmont, Skeldon, Albion, Rose Hall, Enmore/La Bonne Intention (LBI), Wales and Uitvulgt.

According to sources, the CoI report noted that the privatisation of the industry is the most viable and reasonable option if GuySuCo ever expected to make a profit.

Meanwhile, GuySuCo has lost more than $222.6 million over the last three days as a result of the strike action embarked upon by the workers which ended on Wednesday.

The recent strike action by sugar workers throughout the country had affected operations at the seven sugar estates and factories belonging to GuySuCo. To date, full normalcy has not yet returned to the industry’s operations.

The already cash-

whopping $222.6M

strapped and financially strained GuySuCo was forced to utilise diesel as its fuel source from Sunday to Tuesday instead of bagasse since its employees were not on site to execute their duties.

The millions of dollars were spent on diesel at all seven of the sugar factories and estates.

This newspaper was told that each day that the workers were on strike over 3000 litres of diesel were used at every factory costing $600,000 daily. Three days of strike resulted in an average of $1.8 million being spent per factory, resulting in a total of $12.6 million for all seven factories.

The Sugar Corporation also suffered losses in sugar production of between 300 and 350 tonnes over the three-day period at each factory, amounting to about $30 million. This meant that GuySuCo lost some $210 million in sugar production during the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) orchestrated strike action.

Guyana Times also understands that the strike brought to a halt the sale of power to the national grid by the Skeldon Sugar Factory; hence the Berbice area received no electricity from the factory/estate while the strike was ongoing.

According to a source, when workers returned to the estates on Wednesday many of them refused to cut the canes because the produce was “stale”, which

would have meant additional work for them.

“They don’t want to cut the stale canes and even wanted extra money to do so, since they only wanted to cut fresh ones. The stale canes were as a result of the three-day strike when they did not come to work and these canes have a loss in sucrose content. Also, many workers did not turn up to work on Wednesday morning, so the factories are still not operating as they should be,” the source said.

This publication further understands that while the industry is in a state of flux, there is a lot of uncertainty as to the way forward, since any more strikes of this nature can result in even more serious consequences for GuySuCo and the country on the whole.

It must be noted that

while the GAWU unionised sugar workers took strike action, workers who were from other unions had turned out to work. Although these workers did not have work to do, the Sugar Corporation still had to pay them, as they could not be held accountable for the lack of work at the estates and factories.

Guyana Times was also reminded that whenever workers decide to go off on strike action, the factories are completely shut down and to restart operations when they do turn out can cause more expenses. This is because if there is low quality of sugar canes being put into the machinery and equipment, they can cause damage creating even more unnecessary expenditure.

(kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)

Editor(ag): Michael Younge

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

New twist on border controversy

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge has attempted to introduce a new element into the prevailing standoff on the border controversy precipitated by Venezuela in 1962, which has had a chequered history. The Geneva Agreement (1966) mandated a “Mixed Commission” of Guyanese and Venezuelan representatives to resolve the controversy. They met between 1966 and 1970, but became embroiled in the fundamental disagreement that still prevails today.

The Guyanese insisted the Venezuelans prove their contention of “nullity” of the 1899 Award, while the Venezuelans maintained it was the revision of the border that must be undertaken. Before the Mixed Commission mechanism was abandoned in 1970, there were a series of proposals and counter-proposals between Guyana and Venezuela to effectuate the “practical settlement” of the controversy mandated by the Geneva Agreement.

The Venezuelans floated “arbitration”, but this was rejected by Guyana since Venezuela had not recognised the “full and final” settlement of 1899. What would be different this time? they asked. Guyana countered by proposing that the question of arbitral nullity be submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), but this was rejected by the Venezuelans. Meeting in Trinidad with the intervention of Prime Minister Eric Williams, the “Protocol of Port of Spain” was signed.

It offered a moratorium on all claims by either side for a period of 12 years to allow for the development of friendlier relations between the two countries. As the end of the Protocol was approaching in 1981, Venezuela objected to a hydroelectric project in the Mazaruni and by the end of the year in the ensuing deterioration of relations between the two countries, cancelled the protocol in 1982.

Venezuela then proposed direct negotiations between the two countries which were eventually rejected by Guyana, which again proposed a juridical recourse. It has been pointed out, however, that in this period, Venezuela alluded to a passage to the Atlantic as a possible quid pro quo for abandoning its controversial claim which never was consummated. Venezuela then proposed the matter be submitted to the United Nations Secretary General and after initially demurring, Guyana agreed in March 1983.

On March 1, 1985, President Burnham, interviewed by a Venezuelan reporter who asked, “But right now the question is being raised – that same kind of proposals that were raised under the Perez Government – of a solution; that is, Venezuela’s exit to the Atlantic.” Burnham answered, “We can discuss it. But having an entry into the Caribbean is quite different from owning the land bordering the Caribbean.” Burnham was thus willing to consider Venezuela having an entrance to the Atlantic as a “practical solution” to the controversy.

Burnham’s successor President Desmond Hoyte continued friendly relations with Venezuela and even considered “joint development” on some projects in Essequibo – these, however, would not include any cession of sovereignty to Venezuela. He also raised the possibility of there being an “exchange of land”. In March 1989, on a visit to Venezuela, Hoyte agreed to a proposal from Venezuelan President Carlos Perez for a former Caricom Secretary General Alister McIntyre to be appointed the “Good Officer” of the UN Secretary General.

And there the process languished until earlier this year when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government indicated it would be seeking a juridical option of the Geneva Agreement. The new A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government accepted this route.

In the penumbra of a statement by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo that Guyana must always be prepared to have several options so as to ensure the UN SG had diplomatic room to manoeuvre, President Granger demurred. Foreign Affairs Minister Greenidge then announced that Guyana would ask the UN SG to submit the controversy to the ICJ for an “advisory opinion”.

While permitted, the SG can only do so, if requested by one of five specific organs of the UN or one of 16 specific agencies. Mr Greenidge did not state whether he has received this sponsorship. The controversy is still in play with no end in sight.

West Indies miss Chanderpaul in Sri Lanka

Dear Editor, The West Indies Cricket Board’s management needs to seriously engage in introspection of its own decision/selection on the team that it sent to Sri Lanka that suffered humiliating defeats in the just concluded two Tests series. Is there any regret over the exclusion of the dependable Shivnarine Chanderpaul? He could have made the difference in saving the team from ignoble defeats. With the team’s disastrous performance based on the selection of one of the weakest teams in recent history, should not the management and selection team consider resigning? A new board and selection team is urgently needed to select the best team and to turn around its economic fortunes.

The West Indies management has to stop “playing politics” with the game by disciplining critics; it must select the best team that can stand up to world class players and show the world we are competitive. The team needs the best players who can win games or save matches; it must not go after those with whom it has issues. It should not have excluded ‘Chanders’ just because he was on the verge of breaking a cricket record. If performance is the selection criteria, most of those selected should not have been there. Many cricket lovers feel we are going back to the ethnic type cricket policy of the late 1970s thru early 1990s (with Lloyd and Richards) when Kanhai and Kallicharran were dropped. It is hoped this is not the direction of the management or selection panel. England, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe all over multiethnic teams. It will be an anachronism if we return to the old ethnic team when the rest of the world is moving in a different direction.

Unless there is improved

performance and competitive cricket from our side, other nations will not be interested in playing us because they will lose money (TV rights, game attendance, sponsorship, etc). West Indies is no longer a TV draw as happened between 1980s through 1990s. TV audience is not interested in watching mediocre performances. And advertisers don’t want to buy time to broadcast or sponsor plays (and players) that are not exciting. Spectators and TV views want to see Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sunil Narine, Veerasammy Permaul, Samuel Badree, Kieron Pollard, etc. It is noted that the team offered meek resistance in the first test and put in an even worse performance in its two batting attempts in the second test. The team could not score 240 runs to seal a victory and tie the series – pathetic performance. It is about time the team’s management reconsiders its decision to leave out Chanderpaul whose recent performance was not any worse than others selected for (played on) the Lankan tour or played against England and Australia. Chanderpaul has had a history of rescuing the team. His presence was sorely missed to save the team from its defeats. If the team is selected on performance, which one of the players deserves his place on the team?

Chanderpaul is more deserving than virtually all of them. There is no Chanders to anchor the team. He has a stabilising effect on the team helping the less experienced players. When the top order collapses as often as they do, there is no one to rally around to prop up the team. Chanders would have done it. He often held together. He normally complimented Denesh Ramdin who lost his sense of balance when he acquiesced (supported) the ex-

clusion of Chanders from the team. Ramdin, himself, lost the captaincy and soon he will also lose his place under the lame excuse of poor performance when all the others are also failing. Chanders would have offered advice and guidance to the captain given his seniority and vast experience playing against top class cricketers – suggesting fielding placement; who to bowl.

Chanderpaul has a never give up team spirit even when he is with the last batsman at the crease. He has a dogged approach to hang in no matter the toughest opponent even when the front line caves in meekly. He stood up time and again. Imagine the team could not make 244 runs to win a match. Chanders would have made the difference guiding the batsman to take their time and score slowly to reach the target. Some 45 overs remained to bowl; two runs an over would have sealed a victory.

Chanders physical presence provides a psychology of stability and strength. Opponents also fear him and are intimidated by his presence on the crease. There would have been an apprehension on the part of the Lankans with Chanders on the team causing them to make errors and allowing the team to score freely.

Many people did not watch the cricket because of a lack of quality players on the West Indies side. Had Chanders been there, viewership would have been higher as would the revenues collected by the board over broadcasting rights or sponsorships. The Sri Lankan cricket board has complained about the lack of interest among media broadcasters for the West Indies tour of Sri Lanka resulting in undervalued revenues. An Internet news report stated that the board was offered only 45 million Lankan rupees (140 rupees = US$1) for broadcast rights for the present series of

20/20s, one days, and tests. In contrast, the Lankan board received 100 million rupees for a similar Pakistan tour and three hundred million for a shorter Indian tour all this year.

Sri Lanka prefers to play India or the other big teams from which broadcasters offer big bucks for TV rights; the board also received significant revenues from sporting the log of sponsors. Also, India prefers to play against Australia or England or South Africa than against West Indies because of lucrative TV broadcast money in the tens of millions in dollars. The BCCI, which manages Indian’s professional cricket, in recent years received tens of millions of dollar annually from TV rights and millions more in sporting sponsors’ logos.

Neither India nor Australia nor England has shown much interest in engaging West Indies because of the fear of losing money because of a lack of competitive cricket by our boys. India is going to Australia in January with both teams earning a hundred times more than what each will obtain from playing West Indies.

West Indies cricket management complains about limited funds and being near bankrupt. Chris Gayle or Sunil Narine collects more in money in a year than what the board collects for broadcast rights for a series. The board’s financial books will worsen unless there is a turnaround in performance which can only be a reality if the best players are chosen based on merit not on personal grouse or revengeful acts. Clearly, there is a vacuum for a Chaderpaul type player (or someone in the mold of Larry Gomes). Shiv is yet to get a respectable “goodbye”. He should be recalled and allow to play his last away and home series.

Yours faithfully, Vishnu Bisram

Simulated military exercises: Battle of Bartica

Dear Editor, I wish to complement our Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips, for effectively conducting these military manoeuvres, which are enormous positive reinforcements on the psyche on our citizens of Guyana, many of whom are distressed over the savage, wrong and despicable claims of the Venezuelan Government, to take our lands, our peoples, and drive terror into our hearts. Being ‘like a money on our backs’, it frustrates our development and that our standard of living. Our President is right in saying that an end to this is the only way.

Our President David Granger is an astute military master. He is known for his insights into military warfare and as a military tactician, in addition to that of being an intellectual. Yet, he maintains his simplicity, and is always so very approachable by virtually anyone. He obviously is a major part of the planning and conduct of the entire exercise.

I wish to add my bit, as a citizen of Guyana, as one who loves his country beyond measure. I ask that the Brigadier Mark Phillips think of the following:

1. In the not too distant past, late last year and earlier this year, I spoke to him of my son’s interest in doing a short stint in the Armed Forces, even if it be at the Camp Ayanghana, Georgetown for some basic military drills and exercises. This young man has an enormous military calling. Even as a Cadet Corps, but it was not offered. I learned from the Brigadier and others that it was not in the statutes or procedures or policies of the Guyana Armed Forces/ Guyana Defence Force. The Brigadier wanted to help and was concerned. Recently since, His Excellency, President Granger became President, being a military mind, he saw the need and usefulness of re-establishing this Corps, which produced in the past, many great military minds and leaders, such as Retired Chief-ofStaff Norman McLean, late Police Commissioner Laurie Lewis, Chief-of-Staff Joe Singh, and others. I beg that this be put in place earliest, policy wise and logistically. Ambitious youths may lose the opportunity to serve their country and even learn some basic military training for the disciplines that life may call for. At this juncture, this is too late for my son, who is

finishing high school, and will proceed to university overseas. He stands disappointed. He intends to return and serve his country after he completes his studies.

2. The establishment of the Reserve Unit, the Peoples Militia is being spoken of as intended to be activated. Let us get this done Sir. Excellent idea, let us make every positive youth and Guyanese a soldier of the country.

3. When a friend said jokingly at the opening of the Beepat’s Warehouse, “So Roshan, I hear you will volunteer for the battle with Venezuela” he was quite surprised with my answer. I said: “I am prepared to fight, even at this age of 60, as I am still energetic, strong and full of power. So yes, my brother, I will volunteer… not a blade of grass, not one rice grain, not one curass, not a piece of....” Therefore, I suggest, persons such as myself, who understand leadership, administration and can motivate, that we also be encourages to serve, with periodic training, even if to merely mobilise, do stock taking, educate, even actual battle, if and when necessary, the door should be open for Guyanese such as ourselves, who put country before politics, and personal comfort.

4. There is nothing I can teach the Honourable Chief-of-Staff, the talented and well trained professionals officers and soldiers. But, just to make a point, as a kind of emphasis and I am sure they thought of all this. Actual confrontation and battle in sea and land will be well planned and conducted from our side, but I think, if they, the self-proclaimed enemy, dare enter our country, we can make life very difficult for them with guerrilla style warfare. Hit and run, search operations. This kind of warfare caused a major invading force in Afghanistan eventually dropping their military hardware and run for their lives after enormous losses, and in shame.

The peoples of Guyana are with our President, our Leadership of Guyana, and with our Guyana Defence Force. We are a people born for peace; goodwill and love in harmony for all; but they may think us too kind or too small, but may fail to realise we carry a big punch. In crisis and difficulties, we are like the American Machine….we become one! God bless Guyana.

Sincerely, Roshan Khan

How about transforming outrage into action?

Dear Editor,

There has been a great deal of outrage over the apparent suicide of Guyanese rights activist Zenita Temall Nicholson, and rightly so. But would that outrage still be there six months from now? Would those who are so outraged take even minimal action by either linking up with or supporting those NGOs working selflessly and often thanklessly on the ground to tackle suicide and related issues?

Last week, there were four suicides in Guyana, three not reported in the media. This week there has been at least one not reported in the media. And this is often the case almost every week, as it is the case with abuse. Should we not also be outraged about this? After all, precious lives are being senselessly lost for want of someone to talk to, reach out and offer a hand and a heart. And many are victimised by abuse on a daily basis for want of someone standing up and saying ‘this is not acceptable’ and intervening to help the victim.

A recurring question being asked in this outpouring of grief and anger is ‘why did no one close to Zenita take any action?’ The fact is that signs of abuse and its awful emotional and psychological aftermath seem to have been visible, according to the media. And on her Facebook page she also verbalised her agony in a clear and obvious cry for help.

Many who verbalised had very valid suggestions as to what

should be done and urgently so, including utilising social workers in a proactive manner throughout Guyana, instituting outreaches to every community, and talking to the people to see how they can be involved and providing training as extensively as possible.

Clearly, these are actions that the Government is best placed to initiate, but when those who expressed such views are challenged to become part of the lobbying process to bring pressure to bear on Government to act, they become aggressive, defensive and either tangent off or indulge in derogation of the messenger rather than respond to the message.

Now this is not an attempt to find fault or demonise anyone, but there seems to exist a culture in Guyana that says ‘it is not my business’, ‘abuse and suicide are taboo and must be kept under tabs since they can bring shame if publicised’ and ‘if we say/do nothing, it will go away’. It is that it is this culture, more than anything else, that begs for trained personnel in every community, who, as the eyes and ears, can proactively act to prevent suicide and address abuse. The Gatekeepers’ Programme and training provided by various entities in a number of different communities supposedly should have been those eyes and ears.

Facebook user Nanda Boodhoo says she was trained in the Gatekeepers’ Programme and they were told that their names

and contact numbers would be widely disseminated at hospitals and so on, but no contact has been made by the Ministry of Health since their training. I know of a number of others also so trained but not utilised since then. Can the Ministry of Education compile a list and start using these persons? These are the persons who can be the eyes and ears in communities who will be proactive and take measures to start the process of interventions. And every community needs a number of such individuals.

Meanwhile, given this outpouring of outrage, dare we hope to see a continual flurry of individuals now reaching out to NGOs like The Caribbean Voice to join up and/or to ask ‘how can we help?’ Or will all this outrage disappear down the road and we return to ‘same old, same old’?

Incidentally, the International Association for Suicide Prevention is holding a regional symposium from December 3 to 5 in the Cayman Islands, entitled “Protecting our Youth: Suicide Prevention in the Caribbean Region” and it is hoped that Guyana would be significantly represented especially since suicide affects the young (15 to 25) more than any other age group. The workshop will also focus on gatekeepers training and reducing pesticide suicide, both of which are urgent requirements in Guyana.

Annan Boodram

Guyana’s economic situation has reached stagnation

Dear Mr Editor,

No one can know the future (although many write and speculate as if they do) the best that can be done is to calculate probabilities that are based on past events and the current realities. Over the last five months, our new Government has consistently calculated low probabilities that this is a start of a recession in Guyana.

The economic situation is that the country has reached the stagnation point and the Government must move to stimulate commercial activities. Failure to do so will push the country further into negative territory. The Government cannot adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach, rather an aggressive ‘work

and assess’ approach to rectify our situation. Government spending is an important aspect of the economy so it needs to accelerate the pace.

The new Government must understand that Bharrat Jagdeo and his associates (past Ministers and fired public servants) have wide support among the Guyanese populace; it is detrimental to the economy to further humiliate them with wild rhetoric and baseless audits which will certainly create a further negative economic and social environment. It would be a good consideration to abort most of the audits. The present Government must turn its attention to creat-

ing a sense of confidence among the business class. I must confess and echo that tremendous fear and uncertainty surround the capital class.

Five days after the new Government came into power, the Special Organised Crime Unit (SUCO) started to investigate over 100 legitimate businessmen and women of a particular ethnic group. This most definitely is sending a fearful and wrong signal. I call on the coalition Government to take serious steps to curb this situation before it becomes uncontrollable.

Yours respectfully, Businessman

Page Foundation

Healthy habits for healthy families

Over the last 30 years, the rate of childhood obesity has tripled, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. More than a third of children and teens are now overweight or obese. And unhealthy eating habits can continue into adulthood.

Luckily, parents and caregivers can help jumpstart and then sustain a healthy lifestyle for children and adolescents.

A model of good behaviour

You play an important role as guide and coach for your children as they make choices about eating. And the effect your actions have can be profound. For example, research has shown that just

and intervene when behaviours threaten to become bad habits.

Those family meals shouldn’t include the television, however. That’s because children who regularly watch TV during meals have unhealthier diets. In one study, for example, children whose families rarely or never turned on the TV during family meals were less likely to eat chips, soda and other junk foods.

Making dinner time a family event, even if the meal is something simple, encourages a healthy attitude toward eating.

What you can do

Try these tips for helping your child develop healthy eating habits:

eating together as a family can improve children’s nutritional health. In families who shared at least three meals a week, children were 24 per cent more likely to be eating healthy foods than those in families who ate few or no meals together. The children were also 12 per cent less likely to be overweight, 20 per cent less likely to eat unhealthy foods and 35 per cent less likely to engage in dangerous weight-loss efforts like purging, taking diet pills and laxatives, or vomiting.

Although the researchers don’t know for sure why family meals are so effective, they note that homemade meals are typically lower calorie. Plus, eating together lets adults model good behaviour

Start early. If you help your child establish good eating, exercising and sleeping habits early in life, you won’t have to break bad habits later on. Expose your child to a variety of flavours and pair those new sensations with positive contexts and foods that your child already likes.

Research suggests that familiarisation can not only help children come to accept healthy food but actually prefer it.

Ensure that most foods in your home are healthy. You don’t have to swear off desserts, however. Low-fat frozen yogurt and fruit are a good alternative to ice cream and sprinkles, for instance.

Make healthy eating easy. Children generally choose foods that are familiar,

easily available and ready to be eaten. Encourage your child or teen to eat more fruits and vegetables by making them just as convenient as sugary snacks. You could place baby carrots in small bags on an easily accessible shelf in the refrigerator, for example.

Model healthy eating. Children who see their parents or caregivers buying, cooking and eating healthy foods are more apt to eat healthy foods themselves. Avoid using food as a reward for good behaviour. Making unhealthy food a reward for good deeds promotes the idea that healthy food isn’t as appealing as junk food or something to look forward to. Healthy eating doesn’t need to be a trick. Instead, teach your children to look at healthy foods as tasty and desirable.

Have meals as a family. Family meals are not only a good opportunity to share in your children’s lives. They are also the perfect venue to talk about healthy eating habits and engage your children in conversations about what a healthy meal looks and tastes like. Limit eating out. Eating out is not only expensive, but can also be unhealthy. Not knowing what goes into the food you’re eating can make it difficult to help your child choose something that is nutritious and appropriately sized.

How a Psychologist can help

If you need help ensuring a healthy diet for your child or adolescent, consult with a Psychologist or other licensed mental health professional. He or she can help you identify problem areas and then develop a plan for changing them.

Practicing psychologists are experts in behaviour change and use a variety of evidence-based techniques and treatments to help people improve their lives. Psychologists, who have doctoral degrees, receive one of the highest levels of education of any health care professionals. On average, they spend seven years in education and training following their undergraduate degrees. (www.apa.org)

When your child is diagnosed with chronic illness: How to cope

Parents want to protect their children and keep them safe. It can be particularly devastating to learn that your child has a chronic illness such as diabetes, cancer or juvenile arthritis. By managing your own emotions during this time, you and your child can experience greater well-being.

Stress and emotions

When a child is diagnosed with chronic illness, it’s ordinary for parents to feel guilt and sadness. Anger is also common. You may feel angry toward your partner, the world at large or even, at times, toward your child. These feelings are normal.

Addressing your child’s medical condition directly is the best way to move forward.

A study of parents of children with cancer found those parents who took action and focused on the problem experienced lower levels of anxiety and depression than parents who denied or avoided the situation.

Stress levels can spike when caring for an ill child. One recent study found that mothers and

fathers experienced similar stressors when caring for an ill child, but mothers experienced higher stress levels, perhaps because they’re typically the child’s primary caregiver. The same study suggested lack of control may be the most stressful aspect of caregiving –parents can feel a loss of control when, for example, they are unable to help their child feel better, or are uncertain about the future prognosis.

It’s important to manage your own stress. A study of children with type 1 diabetes found high levels of parental distress were associated with higher stress and depressive symptoms in their children. Children whose parents had high stress levels also had poorer management of the disease.

Build a support network you can rely on to help ease your load. Also make time to take care of yourself, both physically and mentally. Eating well, exercising and staying connected to hobbies or other interests can help keep stress in check. Don’t feel guilty to take some time for your own mental health. In the long run, doing so will help both you and your child.

Relating to your child

When a child is sick, parents often have a tendency to become overprotective. Try not to shelter your child or limit his activities unnecessarily. On the other hand, some parents of sick children become overly permissive – allowing the child to stay up late, for example, or to have extra snacks. But children crave structure, and may become scared or confused if you start breaking your own rules. As much as possible, try to maintain the same family routine you had before your child became ill.

Many parents struggle with how to speak to a child about his or her illness. Be sure you’re sharing age-appropriate information. Don’t give too much information, but also don’t try to hide the facts. If a child overhears a doctor or doesn’t understand what’s happening, he or she may begin to imagine the worst. Talk to your child about what he or she is feeling. Parents may be surprised by which aspects of an illness are most difficult for a child. For instance, children with cancer may find not being able to do things they used to do more stressful than uncertainty about their survival.

(www.apa.org)

AG denies Guyana still on FATF blacklist

– Opposition accuses Govt of high-level

By Alexis Rodney And KRisten MAcKlingAM

Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General

Basil Williams on Wednesday said that contrary to public belief, Guyana has been compliant to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and is “light years away from being blacklisted”.

He was responding to reporters’ questions about reports that Guyana remained blacklisted on the FATF charter, because it has failed to come up to the requirements set out by the international financial regulatory body.

He said the newly-minted A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government came in for high praise from both the International Coordinating Review Group (ICRG) and the FATF Plenary, at the recently concluded Meeting in Paris, France.

The ICRG, he said, adopted the Assessors’ report of its regional arm, the Americas Regional Review Group (ARRG) which stated that the main development in Guyana is the enactment of the Anti-Money Laundering/ Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Amendment Act 2015 which became enforceable on July 10, 2015.

According to Williams, the present position is that of the eight recommendations in the agreed action plan for which Guyana has fully implemented five and partially implemented three.

FATF, he said, has set a premium on the sincerity of high-level commitments given by the Governments and their political will to implement its measures.

“From the outset of this Administration, President David Granger wrote the President of FATF assuring him of the new Government’s commitment to remedying the deficiencies identified, and implementing its recommendations,” the AG said.

He said both the ICRG and Plenary Meetings noted that his presence was ample testimony to the Government’s

commitment to expediting its commitments to the FATF process.

And so, according to him, from the foregoing it is clear that an APNU/AFC Government is light years away from being black-listed.

As it relates to the strengthening of anti-money laundering institutions, the Attorney General says the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) is fully functional.

Return to Parliament

Meanwhile, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Chief Whip Gail Teixeira on Wednesday said that the AML/CFT Bill has to be returned to the National Assembly inclusive of additional amendments where necessary in order to ensure that Guyana becomes compliant to the FATF.

In this regard, her Party is demanding that the Administration swiftly move to name 10 appointees for the AML/CFT Authority, which can be implemented without securing a two-thirds majority of votes at the parliamentary level.

Guyana Times was told that in addition to this, the PPP/C is of the view that there needed to be other activities implemented which would successfully secure Guyana’s

dishonesty, offers help

compliancy with the FATF.

“In the interim, before the Authority is set up, (the Government) should re-establish the National Advisory Committee, which is an administrative body that does not need parliamentary approval to address the deficiencies pointed out by FATF and improve work of supervisory bodies and keep Guyana on track with what needs to be done in time for the next review. And bring further amendments to the AML/CFT (Amendment) Act to bring Guyana into compliance with FATF,” she declared.

According to the PPP/C Chief Whip, ever since Guyana had been declared as ‘non-compliant’ by the FATF, its people and many businesses have faced major difficulties thereby suffering tremendous-

ly and this urgently needed to be addressed.

Teixeira pointed out that her Party can “feel some vindication” for the positions it took in highlighting the inadequacies of the law that was pushed through Parliament as well as underscoring the fact that the country would not be FATF compliant.

Guyana Times was further told that Guyana needed to “move quickly” because the country has lost much time as a result of attitudes that reflect the “carelessness,”, “dismissiveness”, and “disregard” by the APNU/AFC coalition.

According to Teixeira, the PPP/C is willing to work along with the Administration to ensure that Guyana becomes compliant; however, it is the government which will have to lead and once the APNU/AFC does this, then the Opposition will willingly offer its support on this matter.

She told reporters that her Party, while in Opposition, would not block any moves by the coalition Government just for the sake of doing so, particularly in cases where the interests of Guyanese were to be served.

The PPP/C Chief Whip underscored the fact that from the beginning when Guyana was declared non-compliant by the FATF the country had

faced punishment for an extended period of time to date. It was further noted that the law which was passed by this Government needed to be and has to be implemented and amendments have to be made.

This newspaper was also told that two countries which were on the list of countries under review by FATF have “come off” since they have now been deemed compliant.

The countries are Ecuador and Sudan.

Teixeira questioned the fact that if a country like Sudan which has a history of war and limited resources can make it off of the FATF watch list, why is it that a country like Guyana cannot do the same.

Guyana Times understands that the FATF in its recent report cited Guyana’s efforts in October last year (under the PPP/C Administration) as a demonstration of “high-level” commitment, but stated that despite passing legislation under the new APNU/AFC Government, the country still has “strategic deficiencies” in its AML/CFT framework. As a result of these deficiencies, Guyana has not been removed from the list of countries which are still under review by FATF.

GRA supports scrutiny above speed – explains alleged slothfulness in service

Concerns and complaints have been mounting about the frustratingly long queues and lengthy procedures taxpayers have to endure in order to complete basic transactions at the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). However, the tax body has responded by highlighting to the general public that its mandate was to put scrutiny above speed.

“The Authority is fully aware that its system of scrutiny can sometimes frustrate some of its taxpayers.

Notwithstanding, the GRA cannot afford to sacrifice

scrutiny for speed even if it will bring delays,” the organisation said in a media release.

Particularly, in a direct response to a newspaper column written by controversial figure Freddie Kissoon about the issue, the tax body insisted that the incidence of “long queues and lengthy procedures” is exaggerated.

Nonetheless, in addressing the issue, the GRA noted that in relation to obtaining a licence and customs clearance the lengthy procedures occur whenever inaccurate and incomplete import declarations are presented and

have to be queried.

The Authority noted that the system was the same with drivers’ licences. The GRA explained that applicants are usually asked to return within one week to pay for and uplift their licence once the application and the accompanying documents are accurate, including the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), Competence, three passport-size pictures and a valid identification card. The organisation said it should be taken into consideration that with the advent of the plastic driver’s licence in particular, applica-

tions have proliferated, and as a result, processing time is being impacted.

Improving services

Nonetheless, the GRA noted that it has taken steps towards improving the services it offers to the public.

The organisation pointed out that it has introduced the licence transaction checker which is an online system that allows applicants to conveniently check the status of their applications before making a trip to its Head Office on Camp Street.

“Since introducing this system, the GRA has been

urging taxpayers, particularly those applying and renewing their licence to utilise this modern system and avoid uncertainty,” the Authority stated.

In addition, the tax body noted that in his column, Kissoon drew “naïve” comparisons with systems in other countries, claiming that Guyana’s systems take the longest time.

In response, the GRA opined, “Certainly Mr Kissoon can’t be that naive to think that other countries have not been experiencing very similar or even greater challenges.”

The Authority pointed out that it was quite certain that a proper study would show that other entities normally “sweep their shortcomings” under the carpet in order to maintain a good corporate image.

“Experience has taught the GRA that in its mandate to deliver quality service, there is a responsibility to ensure that tax, trade, border laws and regulations are followed. Mr Kissoon would also agree that deviations from the norms comes with a backlash and attracts unnecessary public attention,” the GRA concluded.

thursday, october 29, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

11-year-old rescued from Baramita bar

An 11-year-old girl and several others were rescued by Junior Social Protection Minister Simona Broomes during one of her recent visits to Baramita, Region One (Barima-Waini).

According to a media release from the Government Information Agency (GINA), the children were picked up from a local bar on Saturday night. The child was subsequently brought to Georgetown and an investigation launched into the matter.

Minister Broomes noted that the child’s parents were contacted and were assisting with the investigation. She also noted that the child was being kept in a safe house and was fully cooperating with the Police. The Minister opined, however, that the case was a highly sensitive one, so the findings would not be publicised.

Additionally, the GINA report noted that the child was seen in school on Friday

when Minister Broomes, along with Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock and Junior Communities Minister Dawn Hastings-Williams, visited the community to engage the students of Baramita Primary School on the importance of education and Trafficking In Persons (TIP).

Moreover, Minister Broomes stated that she proceeded to conduct houseto-house visitations and met with parents who expressed concern about their teenage daughters being exploited.

Also during her visit, the Minister discovered a fiveyear-old disabled child in the community “lying clothesless on the floor in a house”, unable to walk or speak. Given this observation, the Minister told the community that Government would be placing much emphasis on persons with disabilities. She noted that Minister Hasting-Williams would be engaged on the matter to ensure that the child was properly examined and provided with a wheel-chair. Broomes promised also to report the matter to the relevant authorities so that the child could receive public assistance and a hamper. Furthermore, she urged members of the National Toshaos Council and the Amerindian Associations to

assist the Ministry in identifying persons with similar situations so that they could receive assistance.

“I have heard the cry of the people of Baramita, and I have already started to respond to them. The people were brave to say that they want me to sweep the community and they will do the mopping after,” Minister Broomes emphasised.

In fact, the GINA report stated that Broomes already asked the Village Council to identify at least three persons to be trained as welfare officers.

Also during her visit, the Minister visited the various bars in the village and educated the owners about the laws concerning the age of persons consuming alcohol. She said that if shop owners were caught selling alcohol to children, the law must take its course. The illegal shops located along Golden City (the backdam) have been served notices to remove by November 1.

Conductor charged with robbing Policeman

Aminibus conductor was on Tuesday remanded to prison by Magistrate Dylan Bess at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on a charge of robbing a Police Officer at knife-point.

Twenty-eight-year-old Euchand Frank of Lot 39 Cross Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown was not required to plead to the indictable charge which read that on October 14, at Hadfield Street, Georgetown, while in the company of another and armed with a knife, he robbed the Virtual

Complainant (VC), Police Constable Hubert Collins of a DL 900 Digicel cellphone worth $30,000 along with $10,000 in cash. The Administration of Justice Act (AJA) was applied and consequently the defendant denied the allegation.

According to the particulars of the charge as presented by Police Prosecutor, Corporal Shawn Gonsalves, on the day in question the VC was attired in civilian clothing on patrol. At approximately 20:00h, the defendant and an accomplice approached the VC from be-

hind on a bicycle. The defendant reportedly placed a knife to the Constable’s neck and demanded that he hand over his valuables. After relieving him of the articles, Frank made good his escape. The VC raised an alarm and radioed for backup. The quick response of his colleagues resulted in the apprehension of the defendant. A search of his person resulted in the recovery of the items in question. Frank’s accomplice is allegedly still not in custody.

In addressing the Court, the defendant admitted that

he was present during the incident, but denied perpetrating the act. “Yes, I went deh when the man phone get snatch, but I didn’t thief the phone. It was meh padna who did it; plus meh nah had no knife pon meh”.

Prosecutor Gonsalves objected to bail on the grounds of the seriousness and prevalence of such offences in society. Magistrate Bess refused bail and the man was remanded to prison. The matter will return to Court on November 24 for statements.

IT technician freed of fraudulent conversion charge

Acharge of fraudulent conversion was dismissed against an IT technician by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared before her charged with fraudulently converting his customers electronics to his own benefit.

Twenty-four-year-old

Samuel Springer of 32 West La Penitence, Georgetown, was not required to plead to the indictable charge which read that between May 1 and May 27, at Alberttown, Georgetown, while being solely entrusted with an HP laptop valued $45,000 and a iPhone 6 plus valued at $275,000, the property

of Jose Bristol, he fraudulently coverted the same to his own use and benefit.

When the Administration of Justice Act was applied, the accused denied the allegation. Particulars of the charges were not revealed in court; however, it was revealed that the Virtual Complainant was a custom-

er of the accused. It was later revealed that the Complainant did not wish to continue with the matter and an application was made to have the charges dismissed. The Magistrate granted the application and dismissed the charge after ordering the accused to pay a fine of $5000.

Eyew tness Offering an out...

…to the Venezuelans

Whatever happened to the maxim “the best way to win a war is by not actually fighting one”?

Your Eyewitness’ heart swelled with pride as he saw our ground troops with their (painted) game face emerging from all that smoke – and presumable, sounds of mortar and gunfire. He remembered when he’d been under similarly simulated battle conditions. He never knew the heart could beat so furiously!

But seriously, are we ready to take on the Venezuelan Army with their air and naval support? Your Eyewitness isn’t discounting that the measly-armed Vietnamese defeated the most powerful Army in the world – napalm and all. But just asking whether we’re ready. And ready to at least consider what ex-President Jagdeo said about having options in the quiver when confronting an adversary. Your Eyewitness is a bit confused. You’d think that with all those epaulet covered chests around Pressie – and him having more than his fair share – they’d appreciate what Jagdeo’s saying – give Venezuela a way of saving face. Even the lowest private who’s stuck with kitchen duty knows that a cornered rat will attack!! The Generals mightn’t have had to guard the stew from rats at Camp Stevenson but surely they had to study Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War”.

“When you surround an Army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.” The point – which is frequently missed – is not to allow him to escape but to not fight with the intensity of despair and certain death. All animals are born with a “fight or flight” instinct – he mightn’t fight if there’s the option of flight, no? Or he’ll fight less desperately.

The irony is, Burnham, who wore a General’s uniform, was a better tactician than all these trained soldiers. Training will sometimes make you think only along the beaten track. Burnham always let the Venezuelans know that he was open to other options to settle the controversy – a passage to the Atlantic being one of them.

His successor Hoyte explicitly pointed out the foolishness of leaders who would completely lock out other options and proceed only on one track. Think how easy it is to stymie them! Hoyte also considered the opening to the Atlantic – and even “an exchange of land”. Now this doesn’t mean that either leader was going to give away the store to the Venezuelans.

But they realised that the Venezuelans are never going to accept giving up their claim – misguided as it is – without getting something in return. Does the present Government appreciate what a nationalistic issue this is to Venezuelans?

All Jagdeo is saying is we have to at least give the UN Secretary General something to work with.

…to unemployed youths

There’s been a lot on nonsense spouted about the “wages” of sugar workers by the People’s National Congress and the Opposition in the past. And the new Agriculture Minister just uttered more than his allotment. He claimed sugar workers are the “highest paid workers in the country”. Now “highest” is a comparative term – so we have to ask him, “highest” compared to what? And “for what”?

Is it “highest” compared to the REO’s who just had their emoluments doubled from $300,000 per month to $600,000. And let’s not forget that duty free SUV. And we know how hard those REO’s work in their air-conditioned offices and being driven around by their drivers in their Government-provided air conditioned vehicles.

If in fact the Minister is correct, maybe he could then find out why GuySuCo can’t even get more than 60 per cent to show up.

Perchance, the Minister could persuade some of the 47 per cent unemployed youths to also work for the “highest salary in the land”?

…for EU

Why’s the EU beating a dead horse? Everyone knows they and the ABC countries wanted regime change. And were willing to do the dirty – any which way they could. Like holding up the money for sugar.

Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

Govt to host 2-day forum on oil and gas sector

In light of US-oil gi-

ant ExxonMobil’s significant oil find in Guyana’s offshore waters, the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will be hosting a two-day seminar on building capacity for managing the hydrocarbon sector.

The seminar will be hosted at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, from October 30-31.

Focus will be placed on key elements for the design

and implementation of the legal and regulatory frameworks to effectively govern the petroleum sector. It will address participatory and consultative decision-making processes, revenue management as well as the human, social, physical and financial capital development needed to support economic diversification.

The sessions, while drawing from international experience in this sector, will also focus on the lessons learnt that will be most relevant to Guyana. Additionally, this forum is expected to build on the

Mining industry revenues to sustain Bartica Township – Chairman – calls for more Police outposts

Revenues gained from the mining industry in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) will be used to sustain Bartica when it becomes a town. This is according to Chairman of Region Seven Gordon Bradford who in an interview with Guyana Times said that additional revenues to sustain the town will also be generated from other economic activities in the region.

He said that this is the proposal that he and his regional team has put forward, as the mining community gears up for its major transformation into township.

Currently there are proposals, which would require that a percentage of royalties collected from these economic activities should go to the development to the township, he said, adding that the community is currently sustained by taxes collected.

Bradford said that the community is well on its way towards this transformation. However, much education is still needed.

“We have to look at every aspect of development from village status to township status and of course, it won’t be done in the given time frame but we have phase one. We are looking to get as many people on board and people to understand and we can only do that by educating them. They need to know that there are respon-

sibilities when we become a town and I believe things will certainly change,” the Chairman said.

Bradford said because persons have been living in the village status for so long, there will have to be major educational programmes to bring residents up to speed with the changes.

Meanwhile, addressing the crime situation in the community, Bradford said most of the major crimes are committed in the interior region, where there is little or no Police presence.

“We do have issues of crime. The crime that you hear of is in the interior where there is not much Police presence in those camps. We do have a few incidences of petty crimes in Bartica itself. But I know that the Police is well on top of that and the outskirts. But in the interior, because of the lack of material, it is causing a backlog,” he added.

The Regional Chairman added that what would be helpful, was if Government, through the Public Security Ministry established more Police outposts in key areas. We know it is difficult because in mining, nothing is permanent, today you find a large concentration of persons in a given area and then tomorrow, they have moved to another place and it’s the same with educational and health facilities in those areas,” he added.

‘Cash

jet’

Pilot will be monitored if he returns

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams said ‘cash jet’ Pilot Khemraj Lall could be under the radar of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) if he returns to Guyana.

foundations of an effective governance framework for the oil and gas sector, which will be drawn from the Draft National Upstream Oil and Gas Policy; being created with support from the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The seminar is expected to benefit both policy makers and stakeholders involved in the natural resources sector in Guyana, enhancing their knowledge to provide them with the capacity to make informed decisions and implement reforms.

The Attorney General said that should the FIU seek this recourse, it is free to do so as it has that exclusive responsibility. “Certainly, if a man has a jet or plane that he owns and a whole set of money is found on it and he’s in America and comes back to Guyana, he obviously will be somebody who will be under the radar,” Williams told reporters.

He said any investigation into such matters rest solely in the hands of the FIU. It was suggested to the Attorney General that the FIU, is however a one man unit, but Williams said that the act requires that these institutions be

to Guyana – Govt

Khemraj Lall

constituted.

The FIU, he said, after its investigation, will have to give its information to the Special Organised Crime Unit, which was established to also look at such cases.

The local Pilot Khamraj Lall was last year charged following the discovery of US$620,000 on his private Lear Jet in Puerto Rico as it stopped to refuel. The

money was found in several black plastic bags in a suitcase under a seat.

The large sum of money had not been declared to US authorities and was detected during a routine search of the aircraft. Lall was reportedly the Pilot of a private plane that landed in Isla Verde on November 22, 2014.

It had stopped to refuel with the intention of continuing to Georgetown, Guyana, according to information from the electronic file of the Federal Court. It was reported that customs officers asked the detainee to report how much cash he was carrying. However, Lall, who was travelling with his father and was the Pilot of the aircraft, initially reported only US$5000 between him and his father but later said the two had US$12,000.

US authorities require that sums over US$10,000 be reported.

Public

Service Ministry multi-million fraud

Police to return files to DPP today

Some four weeks after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) returned the 20 plus files on the multimillion-dollar fraud allegation at the Public Service Ministry to the Guyana Police Force, investigators have wrapped up the “additional works” and are ready to resubmit the files to the DPP.

DPP Shalimar Ali-Hack had returned the files to the Police on September 30, asking for several statements contained in the files to be clarified. Guyana Times understands that the DPP had asked that investigators clarify certain aspects of the statements provided by the persons reportedly under investigation. Hence, these persons were required to return to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters to have their statements revised.

CID Head Wendell Blanhum confirmed to this newspaper on Wednesday that the investigators have completed the necessary work required on the files and he was able to review them. Blanhum further stated that the files were expected to be returned to the DPP Chambers today.

After months of intense investigations, the Police wrapped up the probe on September 7 and some 23 files were sent to the DPP’s Chamber the same day for le-

gal advice on the way forward.

Back in July, the Fraud Branch was called in to investigate allegations of a multimillion-dollar fraud at the Ministry. This was done after the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration had discovered more than $120 million missing from the Public Service Ministry’s bank account.

However, reports indicate that during the probe, investigators found in excess of $400 million missing. The probe focused on records dating back two years.

Sources told Guyana Times that funds were requested from the then Office of the President for various services and programmes at the Ministry, but no records were found to show that the monies were spent on such.

This newspaper was told that former subject Minister Dr Jennifer Westford and her then personal assistant, Margaret Cummings, were said to be at the centre of the probe. Both women were questioned by investigators on the missing funds.

On July 29, the day before the probe commenced, both Westford and Cummings appeared before the court on fraud charges in relation to the alleged illegal transfer of several State-owned vehicles to private ownership. The former Minister and her personal assistant were granted bail in the sums of $800,000 and $1.2 million respectively.

The transfer of the Ministry vehicles was uncovered following a request from Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Khurshid Sattaur, who had written the Public Service Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Hydar Ally, requesting that he re-issue a letter, dated April 14, 2015, requesting the transfer of registration for eight vehicles into the names of Westford, Wayne Walker, Delroy Lewis, Gary Beaton (Westford’s spouse) and Osbert McPherson.

A change of registration for two vehicles for Walker was sought; one for Lewis; one for Westford; three for Beaton and one for McPherson.

Minister Norton addresses HIV in prisons at Geneva meeting

Guyana has been doing well in HIV prevention and treatment in some regards, but the Government is conscious of the fact that there is still a lot more work to be done in the prisons and other closed settings.

Making a presentation in Geneva, Switzerland, at the UNAIDS 37th Programme Coordinating Board on Tuesday, Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton said that he is in full support of accelerating an increased access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services for people in prisons and other closed settings.

“Whist we are all aware of the risk for HIV in prisons and closed settings, our response in many ways have been lagging and therefore the time is opportune that we prioritise this population,” the Government Information Agency quoted him as saying.

Minister Norton added that in order for an impact to be made, the issue must be tackled at all levels, including at the policy stage. “This means therefore that at the national level, there has to be willingness and openness of all stakeholders to collaborate and share information as possible. There has to be leadership from line Ministries such as Ministries of Security. Indeed, this brings to bear the

concept of health in all policies.”

Calling for more openness, Minister Norton said the discussion has to be transparent and real issues have to be addressed in a frontal manner. “Access to HIV education and testing, the controversial condoms in prisons. The opponents of prevention services and more particularly condoms in prison must be educated and lobbied to ensure that there is full understanding of the issues and that decisions are based on evidence and science. Policies have to take on board a comprehensive, combination prevention approach to HIV.”

Turning his attention to the local prison system and HIV/AIDS, the Minister said, “in my own country, the prison population has an HIV prevalence at least two times higher than that of the general population. While this may be the case in many other places, depending on how we see and approach this issue, these types of settings could present as ideal environments for HIV services. For example, prisoners who are HIV positive and on treatment could be monitored through Direct Observed Therapy (DOT).

There are many challenges in rolling out programmes in these settings. In the majority of the cases, persons are ill

prepared to exit and therefore ill prepared to integrate into their communities and society,” he added.

Further, the lack of knowledge and discontinuation of Anti Retroviral Treatment (ARV) is also a major contributing factor in the high rates of HIV in these systems. “Persons are entering their communities with limited knowledge on HIV prevention and indeed persons started on ARV treatment in the prison setting are far too often lost to follow up. This gap is significant and the implications are far reaching,” Minister Norton pointed out.

With regards to Tuberculosis (TB), the Public Health Minister highlighted that, “TB programmes in many cases have done well in prison settings. Moreover in the last decade or so, there has been strengthening, several folds, with the investments from the Global Fund. Many good lessons and best practices are available to us in this regard. More importantly, this is a real opportunity for us to all take the comparative advantage of established TB programmes in creating synergies and better efficiency in dealing with the HIV epidemic... persons in a prison setting deserve the same access to services as anyone would.”

Death of local LGBT activist... Zenita Nicholson ingested pesticide – post-mortem examination

Apost-mortem examination conducted on the body of 37-yearold Rights Activist Zenita Nicholson, revealed that she died of pesticide poisoning. The post-mortem examination was conducted on Wednesday by State Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Guyana Times on Wednesday that the cause of death was given as ingestion of pesticides. This, he explained, is consistent with the information that the Police have gathered during their investigations – that the woman had consumed carbon tablets, which are used to kill rats.

In addition, Blanhum disclosed that some of Nicholson’s stomach content was handed over to the Police by the Pathologist for a toxicology test to be conducted.

Nicholson was rushed to the St Joseph Mercy Hospital on Monday morning around 02:00h after she reportedly admitted to ingesting 10 carbon tablets. She passed several hours later in the day. It has been reported that Nicholson was a victim of domestic violence at the hands of her partner, an overseas-based student of Texila University.

Her death has raised questions since the woman was an ardent activist on various human rights matters including gender-based violence. Persons have even questioned whether the woman drank the tablets freely or was forced to do so.

On Tuesday, the Crime Chief told Guyana Times that the Police is treating the activist’s death as a suicide, since they was no evidence to suggest other-

wise. He further stated that on Monday, investigators found seven letters along with a note purportedly written by Nicholson.

The letters were addressed to various family members, while the note was for her partner with instructions to distribute the

letters. Guyana Times understands that Nicholson reportedly indicated in the letters that she cannot cope anymore with the “suffering”. However, Blanhum had pointed out that should anything suspicious show up in the post-mortem examination, then the Police would take the appropriate action. But nothing of the sort was found.

According to reports, Nicholson’s 29-year-old Mauritian partner had accompanied the woman to the Hospital and has stated that he is unsure of what happened since he would have retired to bed earlier in the evening, leaving the woman to work.

However Nicholson’s long-time friend and Executive Member of the Society of Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), Joel Simpson, related to this newspaper that up to mid last week, the couple had separated. He recalled that on October 19, the 37-year-old mother of two confided in him that she was being abused by her partner.

Meanwhile, funeral arrangements for the late rights activist are yet to be made as the woman’s family is expected to arrive in Guyana today.

First Guyanese Swami passes on

Renowned Guyanese Swami Vidyanandaji Maharaj, the Spiritual Leader and Director of the Guyana and United States Bharat Sevashram Sangha, passed away on Wednesday at the Long Shore Hospital, New York. The 79-year-old died peacefully in his sleep, this newspaper was told on Wednesday.

Swami Vidyanandaji was a famous historian, theologian and strong believer in his spirituality. He fashioned his lifestyle after Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj who came to Guyana from India decades ago with the sole intention of opening a school here.

Swami Vidyanandaji met the Indian migrant Swami Pranavanandaji and aimed to become just like him in devotion and zeal.

On April 26, 2015, the Guyana Sevashram Sangha hosted a day of honour, tradition and literature at Cove and John, East Coast Demerara where the book “Journey of the Guru” by Richard B Mahase was launched.

The book, which honours the memory of the founder of the Sangha, Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj, is written from the perspective of Swami Vidyanandaji, who tells the story of the great leader’s life.

At that event, Swami Vidyanandaji had said that the book sends a strong message of peace, love, unity and service, aiming to uplift the people – particularly those in the Guyanese Diaspora.

The 556-page book was reviewed by Dr Prem Misir and Peter Petamber.

Swami Vidyanandaji has influenced and steered the lives of thousands of Guyanese more specifically the life of Guyana’s former President Bharrat Jagdeo. Jagdeo, who was very close to Swami Vidyanandaji, had much respect and admiration for the spiritual leader. The “Journey of the Guru”, former President Jagdeo said, made a major contribution to the history of Guyana. Jagdeo had said

Ferguson praises BBCI’s $177M investment in safety measures

Junior Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Annette Ferguson has praised the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) for its latest investment in the safety of the Bridge.

Speaking at a commissioning ceremony on Wednesday, which was held at the BBCI’s headquarters, D’Edward, West Bank Berbice, Ferguson said the investment signified commitment of service and the company’s willingness to play its part in ensuring there was smooth flow of traffic with limited interruption for commuters.

the book was a testament to the struggles of the people of Guyana, adding that it was heartening to have proof that “we did not make up history, many people sacrificed a lot”. He was referring to the clarity the book offered on what occurred in Guyana during the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Swami Vidyanandaji also touched the life of former President Donald Ramotar, who was very heartened by the book “Journey of the Guru”. The former President had stated that one aspect of the book that was outstanding to him was the sentence which read, ““an African or an Indian who aspires to be a good Guyanese must first be a good African or Indian, he must first be proud of his racial origin, not only selfrespecting but respecting others of their own groups”.

Swami Vidyanandaji, who was born on July 3, 1936, returned to the West Indies in 1976 as the country’s first ordained Hindu monk of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha. In early November 2011, the then President Jagdeo presented him with a medal of service.

The great role model was not without challenges in his life as he grew up as an orphan from the tender age of 10 after his parents died months apart. This led to him joining the workforce, first as a handy boy and later as a gate-checker.

The Swami’s spiritual journey took a major turn when Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj first came to Guyana in 1955. Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj had invited him to the Sangha with no assurance of monetary value for his work. However, this was the turning point of his life into sainthood.

Swami Vidyananda’s death has left thousands in mourning as persons in the Diaspora and in Guyana honoured him as a true role model.

This newspaper was told that efforts are being made by the Cove and John Ashram to bring his body to Guyana for cremation.

The BBCI on Wednesday commissioned a $177 million jack-up barge, which is designed to be a temporary fix to change the pontoons that are keeping the Bridge a float.

According to Ferguson, BBCI’s dedication is testimony to it being “a good corporate citizen” willing to work on operational efficiency.

“This achievement is the end result of collaboration, cooperation and syner-

getic effort of what we can do when we work together.

The BBCI has demonstrated the company can effectively draw hypotheses and find solution to better Guyana,” she said.

According to the Bridge Company, the current pon-

toons have been keeping the Bridge afloat for eight years and it was time for them to be changed as a part of their maintenance schedule.

The Bridge Company is set to start replacing the pontoons sometime between November 2015 and January 2016. The jack-up barge with auxiliary units is described a workable solution for the removal and replacing of the majority of the pontoons under the Bridge. Meanwhile, the Bridge also commissioned a 100-tonne weight scale on the eastern side. This, the Company said, would be more effective for commuters who are travelling from East Berbice as they would no longer have to cross the Bridge then wait for weighing.

The pontoon bridge over the Berbice River was officially opened on December 23, 2008.

thursday, october 29, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Don’t lose hope – Jagdeo tells PPP/C supporters in Region 2

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has called on the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) supporters in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) not to lose hope and assured them that come next election, the party will win with a landslide victory, as systems are being put in place to strengthen the Party.

Jagdeo was at the time speaking to a huge crowd gathered at a bottom house style meeting at Golden Fleece, Essequibo Coast, during his outreach to the

region. The Opposition Leader said the Party will continue to serve the people at the grass root level and things will change for the better next election. He said the errors made during the May 11 election will be corrected, as the Party has sought help and advice.

Addressing the gathering, the former Head of State thanked supporters for their continued efforts, nothing that the PPP/C Government over the years significantly transformed Guyana from a highly indebted nation to an independent one.

“We are not saying that the PPP/C didn’t made mistakes, regardless of what we managed to change, every sector from City to rural, we have outperformed the entire Caribbean economically,” Jagdeo posited.

He explained that while the Party is not perfect, it’s a progressive force that will continue to advocate for the rights of the people. Jagdeo added that many persons are now faced with the reality of broken promises and backward development of the David Grangerled Administration, further pointing out that investors lack confidence in the country’s economy.

The Opposition Leader posited that the present Government’s focus is not to generate wealth and support the developmental industries, but rather spend money on their Ministers.

“The Ministers salaries they are paying will pay for all the pensioners water bills. It’s a sad situation but we have to stand tall, the struggle is real,” the former President said. Jagdeo said that from all indications, rice and sugar – two major industries in Guyana – are not being given attention by the Private Sector and explained that if the present Government continues on the path they are travelling, then they will send Guyana into dark days. He urged supporters to keep the faith as many of them feel a sense of hopelessness as they depend on the rice industry for their survival.

Jagdeo called upon supporters to stand strong and not to be sidelined by A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) politicians.

He urged them to continue to support the Opposition Party and to communicate with regional officials whenever there are instances of flaws. Jagdeo said that Party members who were elected to serve the people at the grass root level are working effortlessly daily to ensure that the Party secures victory at the next election and continue to represent the plight of the people. The leader explained the errors of the recently concluded General and Regional Election and shed some light on the court matter that was filed by the Party asking for a recount, due to several errors made by the Guyana Election Commission. The Opposition Leader explained that necessary systems will be put in place to deal with the voting system to ensure that all votes cast at the next election are secure.

Jagdeo further declared that the PPP/C was cheated at the last election but will never be defeated, as the present Government cannot account for most of the things promised to its supporters. The former Head of State also said that the Administration has failed

rice farmers and has done nothing to support them, since being elected to Government.

Subsidy

At the Golden Fleece meeting, rice farmers called on the Opposition Leader to lobby for subsidies for them in Parliament so they could go back to the fields. Farmers explained that the industry is unprofitable and that is what most families depend on for their survival. Many farmers also owe the bank and cannot afford to pay.

Some persons present at the meeting stated that they supported the APNU+AFC Government in the previous election and they are very disappointed now, especially since the promises made by leaders from the present Government, particularly in the rice industry have not materialised. During the campaign period, the APNU/AFC had promised farmers on several occasions up to $6000 per bag of paddy once elected. Now that the APNU/AFC Government had be elected and given the opportunity to prove themselves, rice farmers feel deceived, since they are only receiving $2000 and less per bag this crop.

Overwhelming support

At all of the bottom house meetings conducted, the former President has managed to receive overwhelming support from the people of Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam). Jagdeo is presently in the region conducting meetings along the Essequibo Coast and was accompanied by a strong delegation consisting of former Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali, former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, former Minister within the Agriculture Ministry Alli Baksh, Member of Parliament Dharamkumar Seeraj, Sham Nokta and Zulfikar Mustapha. The outreach commenced Monday night at the PPP/C Freedom House in Anna Regina, Region Two where hundreds of Party supporters converged to listen to the leaders. The outreach continued on Tuesday in villages such as Charity Scheme, New Road, Marias Delight, Better Success, Hibernia, Aurora, Good Hope and Lima Sands. On Wednesday, the meetings were conducted at Golden Fleece, Affiance, Reliance, Devonshire Castle, West Bury, Anna Regina Housing Scheme, Jib/Paradise, Hampton Court, Sparta, Lima Sands, Mainstay Lake, Capoey, Little Alliance, Cullen, Perseverance Estate, Johanna Ceclia, Pomona, Huis t’Dieren, Vilvoorden, Marias Lodge, Aurora Estate and La Union.

Persons were pleased with the Opposition Leader’s visit to the region and called on him to continue to represent their interests.

Ruimzigt man beaten to death, 3 in custody

Three drinking buddies are facing possible murder charges after they reportedly beat another drinking partner to death on Monday last at Ruimzigt, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

The dead man has been identified as Anil Shiwraj of Lot 13 Back Street, Ruimzigt, WCD. He was severely beaten about the body and also sustained head injuries. Shiwraj was reportedly beat-

en by the trio who accused him of talking too much.

According to reports, at about 20:30h on Sunday last, the four people were imbibing when an argument ensued resulting in the now dead man being dealt several blows to the head. He was then left to die in an unconscious state in a yard at Middle Street, Ruimzigt.

Based on additional information received, the argument stemmed from a

suspected case of infidelity. Guyana Times was made to understand that the three men were taken into Police custody and are expected to be charged shortly.

Meanwhile, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has confirmed that the men are still in custody assisting with the investigations. However, he noted that much more work needs to be done by investigators before charges can be instituted against the suspects.

Concerns raised over burning of medical waste outside LHC

– residents, Health Committee Chairman alarmed

Concerns are being raised by residents of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) over the disposal of sharps by the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), at an area situated between the new Hospital Complex and the former hospital.

Region 10 Health Committee Chairman Maurice Butters said the area was not designated to facilitate the burning of the disposables, however, since there is no proper incinerator at the health institution, the sharps are being burnt in open air at the location, much to the dissatisfaction of residents in neighbouring areas such as West Watooka, Wismar, who are adversely affected. Butters said the negligence of staff is responsible for the action since sharp boxes are supposed to be made available for proper disposal.

“In some cases, they do not always have the supply, so makeshift boxes are

made to dispose of the syringes and other sharps. If a staff who is doing the job realises that there is no safety box there then they would find some place to dispose of it. “The plan for the new hospital was to accommodate an incinerator, however it was built without those two components”, he noted. Butters added that millions was then spent to build an incinerator which was not up to standard and which lasted for approximately two months before it was condemned.

“The structure was not built in accordance with the regulations. A ‘disposal’ receptacle was built instead. The structure could not have accommodated the loading of the stuff to be burnt... so it was condemned and millions of dollars went down the drain.”

According to the Health Committee Chairman, waste from the Hospital was then burnt at the location. “And then the peo-

ple of West Watooka started to complain, because it’s a continuous thing. They’re always burning refuge behind the Hospital and it’s affecting the people. It’s only when complaints are made they would stop.”

Butters further said that the decision to have the refuge disposed by means of the Linden Mayor and Town Council did not sit well in the past, so evidently waste would be burnt at the location constantly.

“There were problems with some members of staff who would refuse to load refuge to be taken for disposal. What I’m saying is that if there is a proper disposal system put in place, all these problems would not be,” he related.

The Health Committee Chairman is urging that the Public Health Ministry look into the situation, since it is of concern to residents living in the vicinity of the Hospital.

Devonish re-elected as President of UG Law Society

Following a landslide victory, Chevy Devonish was on Tuesday re-elected as President of the University of Guyana Law Society (UGLS), Turkeyen Campus.

Devonish won with 65 per cent of the votes.

The re-elected UGLS President, in an interview with Guyana Times, said that his second time at the helm of the body was as a result of the confidence the law students has in him. The second-year student at

law said that he planned to make the Law Department a more practical one for students by creating a legal aid clinic or programmes similar to that nature.

The Law Society acts as a bridge between the students and the administrative department. With legal education in Guyana being a topical issue of recent times, the new UGLS will need to be proactive.

Returning Officer Akeem Greene disclosed that the elections underscored the

principle of democracy. The elections saw, to a large degree, procedures that were utilised at the national level being implemented.

The other members elected to office were Vice President Patrice Wishart; Secretary Kalesh Loakman; Treasurer Sonia Nauth; Organising Secretary Tary Meenaksi Outar; Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Darshanie Lall; First-Year Representative Matthew Humphrey and Second-Year Representative Abiola Lowe.

Caricom observer mission identifies deficiencies in Haiti elections

Despite the significantly reduced cases of violence in Sunday’s presidential and legislative polls in Haiti, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) electoral observation mission said inadequate space at polling stations, anomalies pertaining to voting norms and inadequate legislation are among the issues that need to be resolved for future voting.

And it said that unless the problems are corrected, there could be “undesirable sequels in the future”. In a preliminary statement released by Chief-of-Mission, Dr Robert Surujbally on Tuesday, the team gave a glimpse into the matters which will be discussed in it full report.

The eight-member mission, which visited 127 polling stations, pointed to: too many anomalies pertaining to voting norms, but noted that it could not be ascertained whether those were

accidental or due to deficiencies in the training of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) staff; and varying methodologies in the poll practices, on occasion, being used by CEP officers during the course of the day; for example, different fingers were stained as a form of identification.

One of the other major issues was inadequacy

of physical space in polling stations. According to the Caricom team, this led to the secrecy of the ballot being compromised (persons inside and outside of the Polling Stations could see for whom the voter was casting his/her ballot), and also resulted in party agents being too close to CEP staff, “thus, on occasion, intimidating the officers”. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Suriname to host economicfinancial meeting of Islamic bloc

A group picture from last year’s OIC meeting

From November 15-16, Suriname will host a meeting of central banks and monetary authorities of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries. This will be one of the first meetings of the OIC that Paramaribo will host to enhance its economic standing and raise its global profile since it joined this group of 57 countries in 1996.

The meeting will bring together economic and financial officials from OIC member states under the theme: “Structural and financial policies to cope with

Another newborn dies in bacterial outbreak in Jamaica; Minister criticised for saying babies not “real”

Jamaica’s Health Minister, Dr Fenton Ferguson on Tuesday disclosed that another baby has died in the current outbreak of bacterial infections at two public hospitals, and also ruffled feathers when he suggested that the infants were not “real” babies.

The revelation and backlash came as Ferguson was grilled in Parliament over the outbreaks of Klebsiella and Serratia bacterial infections at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) and Cornwall Regional Hospital. The lat-

est death – which brings to 19 the number of babies that died as a result of the infections, most of them premature – occurred at Cornwall.

Ferguson said a total of 483 babies were admitted to hospitals’ special care nurseries since the crisis started in June. Of those, 45 (9.3 per cent) had illnesses attributed to the bacterial infection.

international and domestic economic challenges in the OIC member countries.”

OIC Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani, will make his first visit to Suriname to attend the meeting. In addition to economic and financial officials, some finance ministers from OIC countries, who also hold the “governor” portfolio, will be in Suriname. Financial officials spanning four continents and from diverse countries such as Albania, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Iran, the UAE, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Ivory

Coast, Gabon, Nigeria, Uganda, Mozambique, among other countries, are expected to attend the Paramaribo meeting.

The first day of the meeting will be dedicated to the experts’ group workshop. On the second day, the meeting of governors will take place.

Several workshops will be held on November 16.

One workshop, “A lesson from past exogenous shocks as policies for guidance going forward”, will address commodity price decline, which is affecting many OIC members, including Guyana and Suriname. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

Officials make assessments ahead of enacting the Child Justice Bill

Technicians within the Ministry of Social Transformation in Antigua are currently conducting in-house assessments to ensure that they are equipped with the necessary tools needed to give “teeth” to the Child Justice Bill, which was passed in the Lower House of Parliament last week.

Minister of Social Transformation Samantha Marshall said while the Bill is yet to be debated in the Senate, ministry officials are hoping to implement it by the first half of 2016.

children, the Bill also seeks to maintain eight years as the minimum at which children will be held accountable for criminal offences.

In addition to establishing a criminal justice process, based on restorative justice, for children accused of committing offences while, at the same time protecting the rights of such

It will also mandate the setting up of a Juvenile Delinquent Centre. “Within the first six months of 2016 were expect that to be enacted,” Marshall said during an interview with Observer media. (Antigua Observer)

He added that most of them were less than seven months old and weighed less than two pounds. “When babies are born under seven months, their organs are not well developed... their immune systems are significantly compromised, so I don’t want anyone to give any impression that these are babies in the real sense,” the Minister said, prompting an uproar from the Opposition benches.

“I’m talking about neonates versus full-term babies, and that is why they end up in the nurseries because they have special issues,” Ferguson quickly added. The comments received not only backlash in the House of Representatives but on social media as well.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Colombia President Santos offers truce with FARC

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has said that he wants to enter into a bilateral truce with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group on January 1, 2016.

Despite having been engaged in peace talks with the left-wing rebels for almost three years, the government had always refused to declare a ceasefire.

The FARC, who have been observing a unilateral ceasefire, have repeatedly called on the government to join them in the truce. The conflict started in 1964.

Speaking at a public event promoting science, President Santos called on the FARC and Government negotiators “to make the effort so between now and December 31 we can wrap up the fifth point [on the peace agenda], which is how to end the conflict, so that

we can declare an internationally monitored bilateral ceasefire from January 1 “.

Santos had in the past refused to enter into a bilateral ceasefire with the rebels arguing that during previous negotiations, the FARC had used it to re-arm and regroup.

An estimated 220,000 people have been killed in the 51-year armed conflict, the longest-running in the Western Hemisphere. FARC and the Government negotiators started official peace talks in the Cuban capital, Havana, in November 2012. (Excerpt from BBC News)

T&T Coast Guard gets new naval ship

Tuesday was labelled a historic day in T&T with the docking of the TTS Nelson II, a large operational naval ship of T&T Defence Force.

Under the captaincy of Commander Jason Kelshall, who is the son of retired Rear Admiral Richard Kelshall, and Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Akenton Isaac, the ship de-

parted China for T&T on September 10. The elder Kelshall had captained the TTS Nelson in 2000 from England to T&T. That vessel is to be decommissioned.

From China the new vessel crossed three oceans, three seas, visited three continents and five countries in a 12,476 nautical mile journey that took 35 days and nine hours.

The vessel, which was constructed by the China Ship Building Company Ltd was commissioned in China on September 6, 2015.

Speaking afterwards, Captain Kelshall said he was proud he was chosen to bring the ship home. “It was an honour just to be the face of my crew. My crew is brilliant, some of the best ever, my crew. I was just the face,” Kelshall said.

National Security Minister, Edmund Dillon described the vessel’s arrival as a defining moment in the life of the Defence Force (assigned to the T&T Coast Guard).

He confirmed the vessel was one that was ordered by the previous Government and assured that his Administration would continue to rebuild T&T’s national security apparatus and fill in the gaps in the current security architecture.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Around the world

Arch-rivals Saudi Arabia, Iran to discuss Syria face-to-face for first time

Saudi Arabia and Iran announced they would attend international talks in Vienna on Friday on the war in Syria, in the first meeting between the regional adversaries aimed at ending the four-year-long war.

Saudi Arabia said its participation in the talks aimed to gauge the willingness of Russia and Iran, the Syrian Government’s main backers, for a peace deal, Foreign Minister Adel alJubeir said on Wednesday.

“The view of our partners ... was that we should test the intentions of the Iranians and the Russians in arriving at a political solution in Syria, which we all prefer,” al-Jubeir told a news conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and three of his deputies will attend the multilateral talks, Iranian state news agencies said earlier on Wednesday.

It will be the first time that Tehran attends international negotiations on Syria’s war. Other participants, notably the United States, say Assad can play no part in Syria’s future.

A school girl walks past damaged buildings in the rebel-controlled area of Maaret al-Numan town in Idlib province, Syria October 28

US vows to repeat sail-by at Chinaclaimed islands

The United States has vowed to continue sailing more naval warships near disputed islands in the South China Sea, risking escalating tension with China, which has claimed a vast territory in the area.

“We will do it again. We sail in international waters at a time and place of our choosing,” a US official said in an interview with the AFP news agency on Tuesday.

The USS Lassen, a guided-missile destroyer, sailed within 22 kilometres of at least one of the man-made land formations claimed by China on Tuesday.

tical miles) limit cannot be set around man-made islands built on previously submerged reefs.

The US official, who spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity, said the “freedom-of-navigation” patrols were expected to become more frequent.

The move prompted Beijing to summon the American Ambassador and denounce what it called “coercive actions that seeks to militarise” the disputed waters.

China’s Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui told US Ambassador Max Baucus, that the patrol was “extremely irresponsible”.

Egypt, Iraq, Qatar, Lebanon, the European Union and France also said they would attend Friday’s talks, which come a day after a smaller round of negotiations between the United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

The Saudi Foreign Minister added that the kingdom and its allies would hold a separate meeting on Friday to seek “the time and means of Bashar alAssad’s exit”.

Police officer fired for student assault in South Carolina

AUnited States Police Officer has been fired after video showing him throwing a female student across a classroom was shared widely on the internet.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said that Senior Deputy Ben Fields “did not follow proper procedure”.

He was a school resource officer at the school in South Carolina.

He “should not have thrown a student – he could have done a lot of things he was trained to do, he was not trained to throw a student”, Sheriff Lott said.

The incident occurred at the Spring Valley High School in Columbia, witnesses said,

Tensions

Twhen the unnamed AfricanAmerican student refused to put away her mobile phone and then refused to leave the classroom.

The Officer was then summoned and asked her to leave again. She refused, and he told her she was under arrest.

Video then shows the Officer violently knocking the student down and pulling her across the floor.

The incident was filmed by a fellow student and was published on the Internet, prompting the hashtag #AssaultAtSpringValleyHigh to circulate on Twitter and an outcry from various civil rights and parents’ groups. (Excerpt from BBC News)

high

anzania’s elections have been thrown into doubt after the semiautonomous Zanzibar archipelago annulled polls, sparking tension on the islands and raising questions about national presidential results.

Zanzibar’s electoral commission on Wednesday said elections on the Indian Ocean islands – where the 500,000 registered electorate had also voted on Sunday for Tanzania’s national president – must be carried out again, citing “violations of electoral law”.

“The process was not fair and had breaches of the law ... I declare all the results to be null and void,” Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC)

Around a dozen participants are expected in total.

It was not clear whether any invitation had been issued to either the Syrian Government or the Opposition. Neither side was present at the last talks in Vienna. (Excerpt from Reuters)

TB “joins HIV as most deadly infection”

Tuberculosis now ranks alongside HIV as the world’s most deadly infectious disease, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says.

Each accounted for between 1.1 million and 1.2 million deaths in 2014.

The WHO said the tuberculosis figures were unacceptable for a disease that could be cured.

Medecins Sans Frontieres said the statistics were “disheartening” and warned the world was “losing ground” on tackling resistant forms of TB.

The WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Report 2015 shows the huge strides that have been made in tackling TB, with the death rate being nearly halved since

1990.

And the number of infections has been falling by 1.5 per cent a year since 2000.

Deaths from HIV/AIDS have also been falling rapidly because of improved access to anti-retroviral drugs.

Dr Mario Raviglione, the WHO’s Tuberculosis Director, told the BBC News website: “Tuberculosis and HIV are now competing to be the number one cause of death from infectious disease in the world.

“Tuberculosis now ranks alongside HIV.”

Most new cases of TB are in China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria or Pakistan.

Deaths from HIV/AIDS have been falling since the mid-2000s, and stand at 1.2 million a year. (Excerpt from BBC News)

in Zanzibar as authorities annul vote

The annulment

Chairman Jecha Salim Jecha said, reporting alleged violations including double-voting and cheating.

In response to the annulment, Maalim Seif, presidential candidate and leader of the main Opposition

party, the Civic United Front (CUF), accused the ZEC of acting unilaterally and without consultation at a brief meeting with senior party members.

Despite also citing electoral irregularities,

such as dead names appearing on the voter’s roll, Seif, who is also currently Zanzibar’s second Vice President in a unity Government that rules the semi-autonomous islands, has urged the electoral commission to continue with tallying votes and announce the result.

“We still can solve the puzzle and the process must continue,” he told Al Jazeera.

“The Chairperson of ZEC had three days to announce the outcome and if there were problems he should have approached us. The rules allow for an extra three days if problems arise, but ZEC did not do this.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

The patrol came within the internationally accepted limit of a nation’s territorial claim, according to the US.

The US and other Southeast Asian countries, with competing claims to the area, say these are international waters open to anybody.

Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the 22km (12 nau-

Earlier, Beijing sent a guided-missile destroyer and a naval patrol ship to shadow and give warnings to the US warship “according to law”, China’s Defence Ministry said. Beijing said that the warship illegally entered Chinese territory and threatened its “sovereignty”.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

India to ban foreign surrogate services

India is called the “surrogacy hub” of the world

The Indian Government has said it plans to ban surrogate services for foreigners wanting babies in a move which will hit a thriving industry.

It says surrogacy would be available “only for Indian couples”.

India is called the “surrogacy hub” of the world, where infertile couples, including many from overseas, hire the wombs of local women to carry their embryos through to birth.

But there have been growing concerns over what is an unregulated business.

This had prompted a petition in the Supreme Court, which last month ordered the Government to spell out plans for regulating the industry.

“The Government does not support commercial surrogacy and also the scope of surrogacy is limited to Indian married in-

fertile couples only and not to the foreigners,” the Government said in an affidavit to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Existing rules say foreign couples seeking to enter into a surrogacy arrangement in India must be a “man and woman [who] are duly married and the marriage should be sustained at least two years”.

The Government said it would require some time to introduce the law.

“[It is] in the process of bringing a comprehensive legal framework for not only protecting the rights of surrogate mother, but also for prohibiting and penalising commercial surrogacy,” the affidavit presented to the court by Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar said.

Commercial surrogacy is estimated to be worth more than US$1 billion (£65 million) a year in India. (Excerpt from

thursday, october 29, 2015| guyanatimesgy.com

Gaskin optimistic about economic turnaround

By Akeem Greene

usiness Minister

BDominic Gaskin is of the view that the Christmas season will bring the boost the economy desperately needs.

When the Minister was quizzed about how he felt about the approaching Christmas season, he responded, “I think as usual the Christmas season will give the economy a boost: people will travel to Guyana; more persons will spend money.”

The Minister disclosed that many capital projects were delayed as the Budget was not passed, and the economy would now begin to

benefit from these projects.

The Business Ministry has a strategic plan which if materialised would see the economic infrastructure flourishing. Gaskin explained that among the plan’s objectives were promoting investments, improving ways of doing business and increasing exports. The Minister disclosed that the strategic plan was a five-year programme, which he believed the Ministry could have begun undertaking within a month, but after consultations with stakeholders, it sought a more comprehensive approach and got assistance from a consultant attached to the United Nations

Development Programme (UNDP). Gaskin is of the view that this would only enhance the initial five-year

plan.

Only recently, a MidYear Report, released by the Finance Ministry, showed the country’s economy declined some 2.5 per cent in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2014. The report outlined that initially, Guyana’s half-year growth was estimated to be at 0.9 per cent. However, with the passage of time and the benefit of actual first-half performance in a number of sectors, the country’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) recorded a growth of 0.7 per cent in the first half of 2015, with non-sugar GDP recording a growth rate of 0.8 per cent.

In the report, the Finance Ministry stated that the contributory factors to Guyana’s low economic performance during this period were the late presentation and passing of this year’s National Budget, which was as a result of the 10th Parliament being prorogued in November 2014 and its subsequent dissolution in February 2015, followed by the General and Regional Elections in May. Moreover, given the measures outlined in Budget 2015, it is projected that there would be 3.4 per cent economic growth in the second half of the year.

The Report stated that although the economy’s first-half performance was less than desired, this was not unexpected given the internal affairs of the country during the first six months. Going forward, the Ministry said the outlook for the second half of the year remained positive.

Bartica, Lethem, Mabaruma officially towns

Ignoring concerns expressed by certain sections of the population, Government has moved ahead and officially declared three of the four identified villages as towns.

According to the Official Gazette (Extraordinary) published on October 21, Bartica Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini) have been named as towns. The three communities join the existing six towns: the country’s capital Georgetown; New Amsterdam, Corriverton and Rose Hall in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); Anna Regina in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), and Linden in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). More specifically, the Government announced that it would transform Bartica into a “green” town.

Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) was the other village slated to be a town; however, it was not gazetted.

In addition to naming three new towns, Government also gazetted several boundary amendments to Corriverton, Region Six and Anna Regina, Region Two.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had expressed some concerns regarding Government’s intention to transform these villages into towns. PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee had asserted that the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change

(APNU/AFC) coalition is attempting to gain control of the various regions by adjusting the boundaries in favour of their constituencies so that the eventual outcome would be the current PPP/C Regional Chairmen would be replaced with proGovernment Mayors and Town Clerks.

Meanwhile, the naming of these villages as towns brings Guyana one step closer to the hosting of the long overdue Local Government Elections (LGE), which Government already announced was likely for March.

Guyana Elections Chairman (GECOM), Dr Steve Surujbally had pointed out that in order for Local Government Polls to be held in March, all the prerequisites needed to be fulfilled such as the ‘Order’ as to whether Government would create any new constituencies, townships and municipalities. Since its election into office on May 11, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition announced that it planned to give township status to the four communities mentioned above.

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan had previously commented that these communities would have their own Mayor and Councillors as well as provide all the services other municipalities offer. These include sanitation, banking, and governmental services such as provision of passports and driver’s licences.

Uniting against Breast Cancer Walk! – Guyanese urged to participate

Guyanese are urged to come out in large numbers to participate in the Uniting against Breast Cancer Awareness Walk on Saturday.

The Walk kicks off at 06:00h at Parade Ground, Middle Street, Georgetown and the procession will make its way into Waterloo Street, Church Street, Irving Street, Lamaha Street and then into Camp Street before heading back to Parade Ground.

T-shirts can be purchased for $1500 at Beauty and Home System at 219 Camp Street. The proceeds will go towards offering free breast cancer screening.

First Lady Sandra Granger is expected to participate in the Walk.

The Walk is being organised by the Breast Cancer Awareness Committee.

Committee President Bibi Hassan noted that the group was dedicated to achieving a future without breast cancer and was,

therefore, calling on the entire Guyanese populace to support this initiative in order to make this dream a reality.

“Your donation of $1500 towards a T-shirt could make the ultimate difference for free screening,” she stated.

At the end of the Walk, there will be a small ceremony where participants will be treated to drinks and other refreshments.

Further, Guyanese are urged to wear the colour pink today to raise breast cancer awareness and to advocate for early screening.

Region 2 Information Office staff sent home

– REO in charge of office, staff given short notice

More persons have joined the unemployment line as staff attached to the Regional Information Office (RIO) in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of the Region Two administration were sent home on Monday. This move was carried out by Regional Executive Officer (REO) Rupert Hopkinson who informed the staff that their services were no longer needed.

The workers were summoned to a meeting by the REO, who told them that an audit of the office was needed, hence they were asked to surrender all items belonging to the Government. This move came immediately after an article was published highlighting the water woes experienced in Lima Sands and the frustrations of residents. The reporter of that article, Rajendra Prabhulall, who is attached to the RDC office and reports for the Guyana Chronicle, was also given a warning and then asked to leave.

According to information received, Prabhulall who served in the capacity Regional Information Officer for over 20 years has reached time of retirement and as such, had proceeded on annual leave until October 31. Even as Prabhulall proceed-

ed on leave, he would sometimes visit the office to ensure that all was well with workers. On Monday when the staff reported for work, they were summoned to a meeting by the REO and the

Personnel Officer, requesting that they leave the office at 14:00h.

This move came as a surprise, since it came immediately after Hopkinson verbally abused Guyana Times Reporter Indrawattie Natram over the same issue raised in the article. Natram said she held the REO in high esteem and was surprised by his tone of voice and the public embarrassment meted out to her due to his shouting, in

the presence of the Regional Administration staff.

Hopkinson reportedly gave the staff three hours to remove their belongings and vacate the office. Shocked and hurt over the move, since they were occupying the office for years, the dismissed employees felt they should have been given longer notice.

Guyana Times understands that Hopkinson informed the staff that he is now in charge of the Regional Information Office even as he holds the post of REO. Hopkinson in his early years had served at the Information Office as RIO under his father Keneth Hopkinson’s tenure as Regional Chairman.

As it stands, Region Two no longer has an Information Office, since the office has been given to Chand (only name given); a representative of the Prime Minister in the region.

The staff is left to question Hopkinson’s move and his reasons for sanctioning everyone for an article which represented the truth. At the moment, there is a vacancy for the position of Regional Information Officer within Region Two and the position was advertised through the Public Service Commission. However, the REO hold the responsibility of selecting the suitable candidate.

PARD initiative taking shape in Region 10

The development of a “Plan of Action for Regional Development” (PARD) has already begun to take shape in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The initiative, being executed by the Ministries of Communities and Finance, is now in its consultation stage. Already, consultations with residents have been conducted in parts of the Region. Region 10 has been selected as the pilot area for the programme, which aims to look after the interest of the people via a five-year Development Plan (20162020).

PARD Regional Coordinator (Region 10)

Alfred Julien said on Tuesday that a fresh holistic approach is being undertaken, noting that generally PARD is an Action Plan aimed at developing the Regions of Guyana with the assistance of Central Government and the Ministry of Finance.

“It is envisioned by the President to use communities for the development of the country. Instead of the decision being made and carried out from top to bottom, we are using a “bottom up approach”, where communities have a say in

what improvements they would like to see. We’ve been tasked with moving around to the various communities in the Region and finding out what developments they would like to

see,” he explained. Guidance for the programme is being provided by a Steering Committee, a Technical Working Group and a Consultative Forum.

Julien said two of the most critical areas being revised presently are food security and unemployment reduction in the Region. He said PARD’s strategic priority was to reduce unemployment from 50 to 10 per cent by 2020. Other strategic areas include infrastructure; social welfare (ed -

ucation, sports); health; social protection; environmental sustainability; water and sanitation; energy and economic diversification, which includes business development to generate investment.

Some sectors included under the programme are mining (land reclamation included); manufacturing; tourism; public works and the Private Sector.

Input from consultations is expected to shape future budgets for the Regions. Presently, the main areas of focus for Region 10’s budget are public works, health, education and regional administration and finance.

Under the PARD, an agricultural element is expected to be introduced, with an emphasis on job creation.

“The emphasis is mainly on action, it’s not just a wish list,” Julien said. He also stated that based on consultations thus far with residents, the upgrading of public health facilities and improvements in water supply are a few of the issues brought to the forefront.

Other Regions across the country will soon come on board with the programme.

thursday, october 29, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Repair works done on Linden-Kwakwani Road

Repair works are presently being undertaken on the Linden to Kwakwani road, which was reported to be in a terrible state during the present dry spell.

Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Vice

Chairman Alroy Adolph confirmed that rehabilitation works commenced last Friday.

He said given the deplorable condition of the road, it would take approximately three hours to travel to either community by bus; however when the works were completed, that estimated time was expected to be cut by half. He said more extensive works were expected to be carried out on the stretch of road next year.

SUDOKU

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

(May 21June 20)

CANCER

Don’t back down. Put your heart and soul into whatever you do and you will achieve success. You will gain selfsatisfaction once you begin to see the progress you make.

Love and romance are in the picture. You’ll attract a potential partner if you don’t try to be something you are not. Honesty is always the best policy.

Financial matters are highlighted. A change in location will be the key to potential gains. Check out real estate and property deals and determine what your current assets are worth.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Positivity is contagious. The more you do to help others, the better you will feel about yourself. The time and dedication you invest in a worthy cause will be rewarded.

Update your resume, set up an interview or ask for a raise or promotion. Valuable opportunities are apparent. Minor health issues should be dealt with promptly.

An interesting offer will be awarded to you. Don’t dwell on personal setbacks or disappointments. A self-improvement regimen will give you more energy and the confidence to excel.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

A poor financial decision is likely if you act in haste. Refer to professionals regarding investments, inheritances or savings plans. A well-meaning friend will inadvertently cost you money.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Boredom will set in if you don’t make a concerted effort to find something that piques your interest. Get involved in an organization that supports environmental or conservation issues and make a difference.

CAPRICORN (June 21July 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

You will be disappointed if you are too trusting. Make sure the people you share your secrets with have your best interests at heart. Someone will make you look bad.

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

Follow your own path. The strategies that worked for someone else will not be right for you. Pick up some pointers from experienced individuals, but in the end, add a personal touch.

AQUARIUS

PISCES

(Feb. 20March 20)

You have much to lose and little to gain if you end up in an emotional tug-of-war with a family member. Admit that you don’t have all the answers and try to work on an amicable compromise.

You are more talented than you think. The possibility of turning one of your skills into a moneymaking venture should be investigated. Ask someone who has experienced success doing so.

Motie bowls Johnson’s

XI to 9-wicket win

By Rajiv Bisnauth

Leon Johnson’s XI wrapped up the second Guyana Jaguars practice game within three days, clinching a nine-wicket victory over Robin Bacchus’ XI on Wednesday at the National Stadium, Providence.

Set 34 runs to win, Johnson’s XI, batting a second time, reached 34-1, with discarded West Indies batsmen, Assad Fudadin and Leon Johnson, unbeaten on 12 and seven respectively.

Shemron Hetymer was trapped leg before wicket to Raun Johnson for 11.

The architect of the win was unquestionably left-arm spinner Gudekash Motie, who capitalised on some carefree shot selection to finish with 4-53 off 20 overs, while Raymond Reifer and Christopher Barnwell picked up two wickets apiece.

Faced with a first innings deficit of 136, Bacchus’ XI were bowled out for 169, batting a second time. Barbadian Javon Searles restoreD some pride to the innings with an entertaining 60. Steven Sankar chipped in with 35 during the latter part of the innings.

Earlier, pace spearhead Ronsford Beaton took three wickets in the first session to bowl out Johnson’s XI for 277 in their first innings shortly before the lunch break. They were responding to Bacchus’ XI 141.

Johnson’s XI, resuming at the overnight score of 2015, added a further 76 runs.

Left-arm spinner, Anthony Adams (1-74) and leg-spinner, Leon Johnson (2-31) removed both overnight batsmen,

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (60) and Reifer (21) respectively.

Chanderpaul’s innings lasted 142 balls, while he reached the fence on six occasions.

Barnwell made a brisk 27, while Anthony Bramble struck an unbeaten 19, but Barnwell’s departure also saw the demised of Steven Jacobs (0) and Akshaya Persaud (7). All three batsmen feel to Beaton, who finished with figures of 3-41.

Paul Wintz (2-31), Robin Bacchus (1-8) and Searles (131) were the other successful bowlers on day two.

At the interval, Robin Bacchus’ XI were 8-0, with the skipper on three and TagEnarine Chanderpaul on five. The young Chanderpaul was the first to go after lunch, leg before wicket to Raymond Reifer for five.

The wicket triggered a slide which saw four other wickets tumble in the second session. Bacchus was clean bowled by Reifer for four, before left-arm spinner Motie accounted for

the wickets of Kandasammy Sujunarine (15) and Kevon Boodie without scoring.

Searles joined Tevin Emlach and began in a attacking fashion, hitting three fours and a six off the first five balls he faced, but Barnwell then had Imlach plumb in front for 15 to end a disastrous session in which 59 runs were added and five wickets fell.

Resuming at 67-5, Motie and Barnwell struck telling blows to further limit Bacchus’ XI. Motie had Kemo Paul stumped for 15, while Barnwell claimed the wicket of Kemol Savory for five.

Dextor Solomon joined Searles, but his stay was short. The right-hander was removed by Motie for nine.

Keon Joseph returned for another spell, but was greeted with four consecutive boundaries from Searles, who, together with Sankar, took Bacchus’ XI pass the deficit.

The pair salvaged some pride by added 61 for the ninth wicket before Sankar was dismissed by off-spinner Steven Jacobs.

Searles brought up his 50 off 64 balls, with eight fours and a six, but was run out soon after.

Meanwhile, the Senior Selectors are expected to release the Guyana Jaguars 13-man squad sometime this week for the second edition of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional Cricket League, which is set to commence on November 6.

The Guyana Jaguars will begin their title defense against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the National Stadium. (rajivb@guyanatimesgy.com)

Chris Cairns perjury trial…

Guyana Jaguars practice game…. Cairns anger at match-fixing

The jury at Chris Cairns’ perjury trial has heard how the former New Zealand allrounder reacted with exasperation and anger when confronted by police with allegations of match-fixing.

Cairns, who denies two counts of perjury and perverting the course of justice, relating to his 2012 libel action against Lalit Modi, listened to tapes of his statements to police in April and May 2014, in which he responded to allegations made by his former New Zealand team-mates Lou Vincent and Brendon McCullum, as well as Eleanor Riley, Vincent’s ex-wife, all of whom have now given evidence in the trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Cairns could be heard protesting on the tapes that the allegations had cost him work and left him in financial difficulties. He was especially angered by Riley’s recollection of a night out in Greater Manchester in 2008, in which she claimed that Cairns had attempted to calm her fears about her then-husband’s involvement in match-fixing by telling her that “everyone in India” was doing it.

“Seriously? These are the accusations in regard to this?” Cairns told police in his statement. “This is why I can’t get money, this is why I can’t make a living? This is it?

“I don’t want to seem like a whack job. I’ve been wracking my brains for months, I’ve been f**ked over.”

Vincent, who has ad-

mitted to taking cannabis and medication to combat his depression following his axing from the New Zealand squad in 2007, had played under Cairns for Chandigarh Lions in the 2008 Indian Cricket League tournament.

He was “always up and down, and that was without medication”, said Cairns, who claimed to have attempted to help his teammate out during his time in the ICL, but that he had also had other players to worry about.

Cairns and his fellow defendant, Andrew FitchHolland, are charged with perverting the course of justice after allegedly persuading Vincent to provide a false witness statement to support Cairns’ libel action against Modi. Cairns told police that Vincent

Drakes credits consistency for win

West Indies Women head coach Vasbert Drakes has credited consistency and an all-round effort for his side’s triumph over Pakistan in the fourmatch One Day International series, which ended on Sunday. The Caribbean side stormed to the top of the ICC Championship tables alongside superpowers Australia with a three-one series win over Pakistan at Beausejour Cricket Ground, in St Lucia. They were led by Playerof-the-Series and captain Stafanie Taylor, who smashed two unbeaten half-centuries in compiling 261 runs at an

average of 130.

“Stafanie, the best player in the world, she dominated the game she leads from the front. Kyshona also Shamilia bowled really bowled fast, consistently,” said Drakes.

“It was basically a collective effort from everyone. We talk about everyone making a contribution as a group and that was the main theme. Everyone actually contributed.”

Former captain Merissa Aguilleira, relieved of the burden of captaincy prior to the series, displayed her best form in years with two half-centuries in 177 runs at an average of 59.

“I think it was the consistency in everyone,” stressed Drakes.

“If you looked at it you

saw Merissa Aguilleira. She improved tremendously. She batted at number five. The captaincy being released from her probably it did her the world of good. Certainly she was a highlight in the tournament.”

Fast bowler Shamilia Connell was the pick of the Windies bowlers with three for 32 as her side defeated Pakistan by six wickets in the final match of the series.

The result meant the Windies Women won the four-match series 3-1, sweeping all three ICC Women’s Championship matches – the last three in the series – to gain the maximum six points.

It moves them level on the table with leaders Australia on 16.

“Everyone that got the opportunity really played their role. Unfortunately, upfront there with Kycia and Hayley Mathews. They look well. They look good but for short periods,” said the former West Indies player.

“So going forward we know we still have a lot of work to do. So we are just going to enjoy our success and look forward to the South African leg”. West Indies Women will play Pakistan Women in a three-match Twenty20 series, starting in Grenada today.

(windiescricket)

claims

had agreed to do it, but had indicated that he wanted payment in return.

“He was looking for remuneration for providing something he felt would be helpful to me,” Cairns said. “He never said money, and I never said money, but without a shadow of a doubt we were talking about money.”

The alleged approach, which was made in a Skype conversation in March 2011 that Vincent recorded, was played back to the court earlier in the trial.

Fitch-Holland said he was unaware Vincent had “surreptitiously” taped the call, or that the player was involved in match-fixing, but did not accept that the tape served as evidence that he had been trying to obtain a false statement on behalf of Cairns, his thenclient.

At one point on the Skype call, Fitch-Holland tells Vincent: “we all know some of what is being said is clearly true”. This, he claimed, was a reference to Indian players who were involved in match-fixing in the ICL.

“Lou Vincent is up to his neck in match-fixing and he’s trying to throw Chris Cairns under the bus ... and I’m collateral damage,” Fitch-Holland said. “He is a self-confessed corrupt man and a liar.”

McCullum, the current New Zealand captain, told the court last week how Cairns had called him to a meeting in a hotel room in Kolkata in 2008, ahead of the opening match of the Indian Premier League, at which he had raised the topic of spread betting over a room-service meal.

Cairns, however, denied that any specific meeting had ever taken place.

“I may have bumped in to him, there were a lot of the boys [New Zealand cricketers] in and out and around,” he said.

Pressed on whether he had told McCullum “everyone was doing it [fixing]”, Cairns responded: “Brendon McCullum?”

Asked if he’d told McCullum “not to miss out” on his chance to make money match-fixing, Cairms said “No. Brendon is misconstruing a discussion we might have been having. Baz is an inquisitive guy.” The trial continues. (Cricinfo)

GCB/Scotiabank Kiddy Progression One Cricket…

Sandvoort, Fort Ordinance and Aurora Primary Schools victorious

Sand Voort Primary, Fort Ordinance Primary and Aurora Primary were victorious in the second round of the GCB/ Scotiabank Kiddy Progression One Cricket competition.

In the New Amsterdam/Canje District, Sand Voort Primary won the toss and decided to bat first, posting 160-2 with Jarvis Southwell topscoring with 32 and Nathan Christian supporting with 17 runs. However, it was the extras (70) that aided Sand Voort to a respectable score.

Set 161 to win, Lachaber Primary found themselves 34 runs short of the target, when their overs expired. Afraz Wahab made 19 and Sabrian 15. Bowling for Sand Voort, Kaylor Hope took 3-7 and Jarvis Southwell 2-2.

Over at All Saints Primary cricket ground, Fort Ordinance Primary defeated Friends Primary by 12 wickets. Friends Primary won the toss and chose to bat first, posting 116-2 in 14 overs. Simon Gaffoor and Zelline Peters each contributed 15. Bowling for Fort Ordinance Primary, Tracy Simon took 2-13.

In response, Fort Ordinance eased to their target in just 10 overs for the loss of only two wickets, as Noel Brummel hit a brilliant 41, which included six fours, while Stephan Dindial ably supported with 38 (4x4s).

In the Essequibo Coast District, Good Hope Primary came up against Aurora at Hibernia ground on the South Coast of Essequibo. Good Hope Primary won the toss and decided to bat first, reaching 149-1.

Joshawn Hackett topscored with an unbeaten 53, while Narendra Dusrajh contributed 20. Gauri Seeraj took the lone wicket to fall.

In reply, Aurora Primary made 154-4 in 14 overs, with Anil Williams making a valuable 35 and Sherwin Davson supporting him with 15. Bowling for Good Hope Primary, Narendra Dusrajh, Selwin Owner, Kumarie Ramjohn and Navindra Sukhu grabbed one wicket apiece.

Ramnarine Appiah Memorial T20 cricket competition…

Wins for Young Warriors, Canje Pathfinders and Hamid’s XI

Play in the Ramnarine Appiah Memorial T20 cricket competition for second division teams in the East Canje/ Lower East Coast, Berbice, area continued last Sunday, with Young Warriors, Canje Pathfinders and Hamid’s XI coming out victorious.

At Cumberland, Hamid’s XI won against Number Seven by eight wickets. Batting first, Number Seven were bowled out for 105. Raymond Mohamed (25) and J Bowler (21) were the principal scorers.

Zamin Hamid and I. Kamaludin claimed three wickets apiece. In reply, Hamid’s XI raced to 106-2 in 9.5 overs, with J. Kamaludin

striking an unbeaten 54. Young Warriors beat Kendall’s Union Big Team by 37 runs. Batting first after winning the toss, Young Warriors amassed 192-6 in 20 overs. Popular umpire Zaheer Moakhan scored a classy 66, while Alex Algoo supported with 60.

The visitors give a good account of themselves and were always in the hunt until they lost their way in the last few overs. They ended on 155-7, with Dasrat Debidin (50) and skipper Navendra Mangra (48) among the runs.

Bowling for the host, left-arm spinner Trevon Stanislaus took 3-21 and Roydel Phil supported with

team unity reveals full slate for gFF elections

The Nigel Hughes-led Team Unity has announced its full slate to contest the November 14 elections of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF). Team Unity was launched last weekend in Albouystown with Hughes, a politician, Attorney-atLaw, and former goalkeeper, being the presidential candidate. It was announced this week that president of the Alpha United Football Club, Odinga Lumumba, is the First Vice-president, while Attorney-at-Law Mark Waldron is the Second Vicepresident. Former GFF executive and co-director of the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation, Aubrey “Shanghai” Major is the Third Vice-president. Ordinary members

2-16.

Over at Rose Hall Estate ground, the host made 134-9 off their allotted 20 overs. Kristoff Bahadur (31), Berbice junior player Sasenarine Sukhu (22) and Khemraj Dyal (22) were the principal scorers.

Bowling for Canje Pathfinders, Mark Sampson (2-14) and Andre Sobhai (2-22) were the wicket takers.

The visitors reached 138-8 in exactly 20 overs, with Doodnauth Arjune hitting an unbeaten 52 and Videsh Singh 36. Bowling for host, skipper Ameer Rahaman took 2-17, Andre Grant 2-20 and Zachary Persaud 2-27.

include Troy Cadogan (Marketing Director, Ansa McAl Trading); Javid Ali (Owner of Slingerz Football Club and Businessman); Robbie Rambarran (Administrative Executive and Experienced Football Administrator); Carmel Williams (Headmistress, Current Bartica FA Executive and former player); and Faizal Khan (Georgetown Football Club Team Manager).

At the launch of their campaign last weekend, presidential candidate Hughes spoke of starting the development process at the bottom, and properly remunerating and upgrading coaches to serve the system.

“The solution doesn’t lie in just getting an individual to come and head a team, and say that he or she is go-

ing to do great things for football. It is really the plan that one has for the development of football, and like the development of any sport or any business, you have to go to the foundation, you have to go to the start…,” Hughes outlined.

He added, “You can’t sustain successful football purely on volunteerism- we have to pay coaches. You cannot possibly talk about expecting the national team to qualify into World Cup finals whether you’re depending on whether or not people volunteer. So one of the first things we have to do is look at the structure.” They are up against Team Integrity, who members are presidential candidate Wayne Forde, Rawlston Adams, Dion Inniss, Thandi McAllister and Bruce Lovell.

‘I am the frontrunner

to face Pacquiao’- Khan

Amir Khan says he is the favourite to face Manny Pacquiao in the Filipino boxing legend’s final fight.

Khan had earlier suggested the match was unlikely but now believes there is a “big chance” of taking on the seven-weight world champion.

Alongside Khan, Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum has also named Terence Crawford and Tim Bradley as possible contenders for his star’s last bout.

“I am the front-runner,” Khan told BBC Sport.

“Manny Pacquiao makes a good story because we’ve been training partners and I’ve been with his coach Freddie Roach.

“There’s a big chance of the fight happening, it’s all about making sure my team is on point with the deal and they need to make sure they

get the fight that I want.”

Khan hoped to be Floyd Mayweather Jr’s final opponent before the multiple world champion opted to fight Andre Berto instead, but Khan believes Pacquiao, 36, is looking for a higher profile end to his career.

“It would be Manny Pacquiao’s last fight and end his career in a big way, not like Floyd Mayweather where, no disrespect to Berto, but I think Floyd finished his career on a low note,” he added.

As an alternative to Pacquiao, Khan is not ruling out an all-British clash with Kell Brook despite also identifying rematches with Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson and a bout with Shawn Porter.

Brook, 29, defeated Porter over 12 rounds last year but Khan insists his fellow Brit still needs to prove

himself against the best.

“My body’s taken all the wear and tear where I’m fighting the best fighters in the world and he’s not even fighting half of them,” said Khan.

“I want him to prove himself so it’s a big fight, we go into the ring 50-50 and it’s a massive fight not only for Great Britain but around the world.”

Khan is currently training in Doha, the site of the 2015 World Amateur Boxing Championships, and says the Middle East could soon host a headline professional bout.

“The Middle East has never had a big, big fight,” he said.

“They’ve had a few decent names but no one in their prime, putting on a world title fight, so I think it’s going to happen soon.”

(BBC Sport)

BaBy

on Camp St. Tel: 227-6015

One 3 storey building in Plaisance Village Telephone: Attorney Bristol at 628-0668/231-7128 or 612-6417 (owner)

198 Lamaha Gardens, 4 Bedroom (2 Self contained and semi-furnished with bed); Dining table with China cabinet in China room. Upstairs roof required work (Leaking), Fully Air conditioned. Interested person kindly contact Rosann Tel # 219-4535, between 08:am-04:30pm

Mobile Wizards 10/10…

Jaipaul Singh (6-1) highlights latest play

Need a car to rent? Then call 6111018 for the best cars at great prices. Progressive Auto Rental: Cars from $4000 and up. Tel: 219-3900, 6435122

SHALOM ENTERPRISE 2 CROAL STREET, STABROEK. ENQUIRE ABOUT OUR DRIVING PACKAGE & INTERNATIONAL DRIVER'S PERMIT (JOIN US ON FACEBOOK) 2273869/622-8162/644-7052

Private Custom’s brokers certificate training course. All importer/ exporters and others who trade is on the increase globally and locally. Learn how to prepare custom documents. Date :4th August 2015 (for three weeks). Classes from 2:004:00 pm and 5:00-7:00 pm (optional). For more

Clean Garden earth. Also excavating, grading and leveling done. Call 6279977

For sale by lot: Lot (1): 2 bath tubs, bathroom fittings and fixtures & toilet set; shower fittings - $150,000 and Lot (2): 1 Dell desktop computer & HP scanner - $25,000. Call 225-2676 or 601-5285. Car rentals

pardons, etc. Get your visa approved. High success rate. Balwant Persaud & Associates. Certified Immigration Consultants, 68 Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown (Between Cummings & Lights Sts) Tel: 225-1540, 622-8308, 655-3105. Email: balwantpersaud@yahoo.ca

275-0322, Grand Cayman Islands: (345) 9431515 for the

for sale in West Minister Robb Street, Alberttown, New Annglet and Rental Call: 6609478/672-0865

House plans & estimates, weeding of grass and spraying done within 48hrs. Call: 216-0671; 622-0267; 692-8464

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

License Custom Broker/Tax Consultant, assistance with Tax Compliance Certificate, Customs Documentation, and Tax Returns etc Call: 660-9478

K. LAKERAM - BUILDING CONTRACTOR, HOUSE PLAN, ESTIMATES, WEEDING & SPRAYING GRASS DONE WITHIN 48HRS. CARPENTRY, MASON, TILING, PAINTING, PLUMBING. PROMPT & AFFORDABLE GENERAL HOME MAINTENANCE. FREE ESTIMATES. TEL: 216-0671/622-0267/692-8464. EMAIL: klakeram.construction@ gmail.com

Surinamese spiritualist. Resolving all problems. Money, love, blockage etc. Call 223-6834/600-7719

Suriname’s Astrology, Palmist and Hindustani Spiritual Healer, solve all purpose problems, 100% confidential guaranteed. Phone: 6028997

FOR PERSON WITH STROKE AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES WE HAVE HERBAL BATHS AND SPIRITUAL MASSAGE MEDICINE. CALL: 2200708/687-5653/612-6417

HEPHZIBAH MINISTRIES 24 hrs Prayer Line 322-5081,3374510,337-4259,337-4583,3373070,337-5103. For healing, deliverance, financial difficulties, marriage issues call now. Jesus Cares.

Dutch spiritual healing in removing evil spirits, bad luck, evil sickness, spells, reuniting lovers and prosperity to business Call 6126417, 687-5653, 220-0708

Three Storey 75ft’x 30ft’ bldg, open floors, 2 offices, 2 washrooms, driveway. 25B Princess St, Charlestown. Tel: 223-0654, 225-0605

Two Self-contained single bedroom furnished apartments for rental. Selfcontained 7 bedroom bungalow idea for family/ guests/ students local or overseas long/ short term rental. Contact: 622-7097 / 624-7111

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

65 Fifth Street, Albertown: 6 Apartments, 2 Bedroom each (all self contained). 2 with front large verandah, 2 additional back step entrance. Simple clean up required. Gate required at entrance. No A/C. Interested person kindly contact Rosann Tel # 219-4535, between 08:am-04:30pm

31 First Street, Section L, Campbelville Georgetown, 3 Bedrooms (2 self contained). Simple clean up required, Lights at step required. Interested person kindly contact Rosann tel # 219-4535, between 08:am-04:30pm

693 Section A Diamond , EBD Upstairs, 2 Bedrooms (both self contained). Required extensive work outside (weed, paint, etc). Gate key to be requested by Wayne. Fully Air Conditioned. May require new door. Interested person kindly contact Rosann tel # 219-4535, between 08:am-04:30pm

GR Taxi,

JUST ARRIVED: TOP QUALITY RECONDITIONED VEHICLES; TOYOTA NOAH; TOYOTA VOXY; TOYOTA IST (NEW SHAPE); SUZUKI SWIFT; DAIHATSU MOVE (660CC); MERCEDES BENZ C200 KOMPRESSOR; COROLLA AE100 WAGON; TOYOTA HIACE MINIBUS RZ; PITBULL-STYLE FREEZER VAN; LAND CRUISER (FULLY LOADED); MAZDA PROCEED 4WD EXTRACAB PICK-UP; TOYOTA HILUX 4WD EXTRA CAB PICKUPS - 3RZ, 5L, 3L SOLID DEFFERNTIAL; MITSUBISHI CANTER TRUCKS 4 TONS FREEZER; 3 TONS OPEN TRAY; 2 TONS 4WD; NISSAN ATLAS 2 TONS OPEN TRAY TRUCK. PRE-ORDER YOUR UNITS EARLY AND GET THE BEST PRICES. FULL AFTER SALES SERVICES AND FINANCING AVAILABLE. DEO

MARAJ AUTO SALES, 2 CHIMNEY ROAD, CHATEAU MARGOT, ECD. 624-0762, 220-5177. A NAME AND SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST

As the second round of the Mobile Wizards 10/10 softball cricket competition concluded, there was certainly an enthralling display by the teams. The first match between Power XI and Next Level XI saw the crowd buzzing as an amazing bowling feat set the tone for the day

Power XI showed their power in both batting and bowling as they won the toss and elected to bat on a perfect batting strip.

Gersham Sookmangal 23 (1x4, 2x6s) and Jaipaul Singh took 13 off the first over bowled by Navindra Singh. That set the tone for a score in excess of one hundred. Power XI eventually got to 103 all out in their 10 overs.

Bowling for Next Level XI, Imtiaz Mohamed took 2-12 and Narendra Hussain 2-6 in their two overs. Next Level XI batting never lived up to expectations and with the run out of Narendra Hussain the team crumbled as pressure took its toll.

Jaipaul Singh’s introduction hastened the end, as he finished with an amazing feat of 6-1 from two overs.

That feat included five wickets from the first five balls as the batsmen had no answer for the prodigious turn he was getting off the wicket. One such delivery pitched outside the leg stump and seemed to be heading for a wide. But, the batsman and wicket-keeper were completely deceived, as the ball spun ‘square’ to hit the base of offstump.

Next Level XI eventually folded for just 27 in 5.1 overs.

In the second match, Settle XI defeated United Muslim Youth by 38 runs. Settle XI were inserted and were in trouble in first over losing Ameer Khan for one, but a 67-run partnership in 23 balls between Avinash Dhaniram 41 (1x4,3x6s) and skipper Nazim Azeem 30 (3x6s,1x4) took them to 110-8 in 10 overs.

Zahir Haniff with 2-16 was the pick of the bowlers for United Muslim Youth. In their turn at the crease, the newly crowned Raf Variety Store’s champions, were bundled out for 72 with only Zahir Haniff with 29 (3x6s) showing any semblance of coping.

Bowling for Settle XI, Premnarine Omadat took 3-2 and Ameer Khan 3-19 off their respective two overs.

The third game saw Leonora Youths SC beating Enemy Lines XI by 76 runs. Leonora Youths SC won the toss and batted first with opening bat Imtiaz Hack slamming 56 off 20 balls, laced with seven sixes.

The next best score was 16 by Christopher Sookram, as they ended on 137-6 in 10 overs.

Enemy Lines XI, who are made up of mostly West Demerara Under-17 players, were never in the hunt and folded for 61 with only Avishkar Ramgobin with 12 reaching double figures. Leonora Youth SC Nandalall Ragoonath took 3-15 off two overs.

The last match of the day

between Ocean View XI and Super Street XI was a lowscoring affair in which Ocean View XI scraped home by five runs. Ocean XI took first strike and made 61 all out in 7.3 overs; Khelawan Tulkhan with 19 was the top scorer, while Ameer Ali with 3-9 was the pick of the bowlers for Super Street XI.

In Super Street XI’s chase, it was easy going for the first four overs, as they cruised to 45-4, but the introduction of Tameshwar Persaud saw the tumbling of wickets on a regular basis. Persaud ended with 4-8 from two overs, as they were dismissed for 56. Meanwhile, in the games for the spectators, Imtiaz Hack and Narendra Hussain won in the Hit the Wicket competition and were the recipients of one Oakley sunglasses and Mobile Wizard T-shirts respectively.

In addition, Wolf’s Furniture Store has joined the list of sponsors, which includes Mobile Wizards and Trophy Stall. Wolf’s Furniture Store will be donating a number of items to the winning team. The teams now move to Ruby ground next week for the continuation of the tournament in which a Linden combined male team will challenge a club team from West Coast Demerara. Another match will be Leonora Primary School versus a strong Cornelia Ida Primary School team. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy.com)

Sangakkara signs up for Pakistan Super League

Kumar Sangakkara, the former Sri Lanka batsman, has enrolled for the draft of the franchise-based T20 tournament Pakistan Super League (PSL). Sangakkara has also registered for another franchise-based T20 tournament - Masters Champions League (MCL) - that is expected to run concurrently with the PSL but at different venues in the UAE.

The inaugural PSL will feature five franchise-based teams from the provincial capitals - Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad - with prize mon-

ey of $1 million. The tournament is scheduled to run from February 4 to 24 in Dubai and Sharjah, and will feature 24 matches.

The PCB has signed over 100 players, including big names such as Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Kevin Pietersen and Shakib Al Hasan, for the draft. The board will also hold an open auction for the five franchises and broadcast rights for the tournament in due course. The players will be picked via a draft set for December.

“Sangakkara is a worldclass sportsman and we are

excited to welcome him on board,” Najam Sethi, the head of PSL, said. “He brings a wealth of experience to the PSL. His inclusion makes the player draft even more exciting.” While the PSL has announced the window for the event, the MCL is presently sorting its dates, which are likely to overlap with the former’s.

Mahela Jayawardene has also agreed to play in the PSL and the players’ management team said that they will proritise the MCL, the prior commitment, over the PSL, should there be a clash. (Cricinfo)

Tour of Guyana pedals off today in Berbice

Rebranded Tour of Guyana, the ninth annual Five-Stage cycling meet will pedal off this morning with dozens of local and foreign riders set to face the starting line in Corentyne.

A total of 60 local and foreign riders will face the starting line in East Berbice, and the four-day race, which will span all three counties of Guyana, will see 11 overseas riders competing.

Among the foreign riders is 2012 champion Jaime Ramirez of Team Coco’s, along with teammate Carlos Ospina of the Miami-based club.

The neighbouring Dutchspeaking nation Suriname will be well represented with five riders confirmed,

while two cyclists will be riding under the Barbados flag. Grenada and St Lucia will be represented by one rider each.

The race is the signature event on the local cycling calendar, and usually attracts the largest group of local and foreign riders.

As is the norm, the first two stages will be held on the opening day (today) in Berbice and Demerara. Stage three (on Friday) will take place in West Demerara, followed by Stage four (on Saturday) in Essequibo.

The final stage (on Sunday) will place from Linden to Georgetown.

The opening stage will be held from Corriverton to New Amsterdam (46.6 miles) from 07:30h; while Stage Two will be on the same day from Rosignol to Georgetown (60.4 miles) from 14:00h.

Stage Three will take place from Wales to Parika (35 miles) from 09:00h, while the penultimate stage will be contested from 07:30h from Supenaam to Suddie, covering a distance of 62 miles. The fifth and final stage will commence in Linden at 08:30h and finish in Georgetown, covering a distance of 62 miles.

As was the case in previ-

ous years, the event will be held with the objectives of increasing awareness and knowledge about HIV/Aids among participants and the general public, and increasing HIV/Aids activism and volunteerism among the participants and inspiring them to become ambassadors in the fight against HIV/Aids.

Last year’s race, which spanned 266 miles of the country’s roadways, was won by Carlton Wheelers’ rider Robin Persaud.

Guyana Open Golf Tournament…

Ramroop anticipates high standard of play

B y R ajiv B isnauth

President of the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) , Oncar Ramroop anticipates that the two-day Guyana Open golf competition will produce a high standard of play since the tournament is set o attract a record number of participants.

Speaking with Guyana Times Sport on Wednesday, regarding the highly anticipated tournament, which is set for Saturday and Sunday at the Lusignan Golf Course, Ramroop pointed out that many quality players are in the reckoning for top honours.

“The history of the tournament has always been competitive; it’s a tournament where all the golfers want to come out and showcase their best,” he said.

Ramroop added, “As we speak, we have over 50 golfers, who have already registered, but over the next two days we anticipate another 30-40 golfers, mainly overseas golfers, so definitely I anticipate that the two-day competition will produce a high standard of play.”

Further, the LGC President reported that the greens and fairways are in excellent shape and while the locally-based players have enjoyed good success over the past few years, the improvements that were done on the course makes it a lev-

el playing field for all, giving the visiting players an even chance to excel.

“Everything is in place as we speak. The course is almost ready, the fairways are good and the greens are extremely fast so we can expect a very good tournament. The only setback we have is the road leading into the course, but as we speak the NDC and RDC are currently doing some works on the road, so hopefully that will be completed in time for Saturday,” Ramoop outlined.

He urged Guyanese to come out and improve their knowledge of the sport which he stated has been increasing in popularity.

Meanwhile, apart from the usual categories: First Flight (0-9 handicap), Second Flight (10-18), Third Flight (19-28) and

Ladies Flight, the club has decided for the first time in its history to introduce a Senior Flight.

Like the previous years, the overall champion in the Men’s division will be judged by the player with the Best Gross, while on the distaff side, the winner will come from the person with the Best Net.

In 2014, Avinash Persaud was easily the top golfer, winning the event for a fifth time.

Persaud led from start to finish, relegating his sibling Avinda Kishore, who was the 2013 winner, into second place, after finishing with a superior overall Gross of 144.

Kishore occupied the second spot with an overall Gross of 153, while Rishi Suknanan finished third with an overall Gross of 160.

On the distaff side, Joann Deo created one of the biggest upsets when she defeated Christine Sukhram as the top female golfer. Deo made an array of focused shots to register a Net of 141 for the big win.

Shanella Webster finished second with Net 146, as 2013 champion Sukhram fell all the way to third with Net 149.

Due to the large number of participants expected, the organisers have opted to tee off from as early as 05:30h when a representative from Digicel will perform the ceremonial swing to set the golfers on their way. (rajivb@guyanatimesgy.com)

Good Hope crowned Ram Slam champions Rubis Guyana continues support of Guyana Softball Cup

Good Hope emerged champions by the narrow margin of three runs over Annandale in the final of the second annual Ram Slam cricket competition, played on Sunday last at the Lusignan Community Centre ground.

Batting first in the 15-over final, Good Hope made 95 all out with Kumar Bishundial hitting 33 (2x4s, 2x6s) and Vishnu Ramjeet 16 (2x4s).

Ferron Kadir (2-12) and Shazam Ali (2-24) were the top wicket takers for Annandale, who fell short of the target, finishing on 92-7 when the overs finished.

Davanand Samaroo top scored with 22 (2x6s) and Ali made 15 (1x6). Bowling for Good Hope, Navin Persaud took 2-14 and Rajindra Naikbaran 1-7.

The two finalists had won their semi-final encounters, with Mon Repos and Lusignan being on the losing end.

In the first game, Good Hope defeated Mon Repos by 24 runs. Good Hope posted 106-4 in 15 overs with Naikbaran scoring 41 not out (2x4s, 3x6s) and Ramjeet hitting 21 (1x4, 1x6). In reply, the Mon Repos lads were restricted to 82-7 at the end of 15 overs with Nadir Baksh scoring 33 not out.

Bowling for Good Hope, Gajanan Suknanan took

3-10, Ramjeet 2-16 and Naikbaran 2-19.

In game two, Annandale got the better of Lusignan by six wickets. Lusignan managed 89-8 off the 15 overs with Steve Ramdass hitting 28 (4x4s) and Harrinarune Hira 17. Bowling for Annandale, Shazam Ali took 3-12, Tameshwar Motiram 2-9 and Devindra Bishram 2-18.

Annandale then replied

with 90-4 off 13.2 overs with Gavin Boodwah stroking 51 (2x6s, 5x4s) and Leon Morgan 25 (1x6 1x4).

While Good Hope collected the winner’s trophy and medals, several individual performances were also recognised. They included Kumar Bishundial (Man-of-the-Match in the final), Gavin Budwah (Best Batsman), Leon Morgan (Best Fielder), and Tyrese Usana (Best Catch).

The one day event attracted corporate support from Penko Steel Fabrication, Hanso Trading, Miracle Optical, PY Taxi Service, B.M. Soat Auto Sales, Selina Auto Sales, Singh’s Grocery and Bicycle Store, Pretty Love Sound System, Jagdeo General Store, Iron Construction, Peppy Food Products, Two Sisters Car Rental, A. Bipta Grocery, Atlantic Southern Trading and Ansa McAl Trading.

President Granger receives RHTY&SC highest award

- Henry, Jones inducted as Honorary Members

His Excellency

President David Granger on Sunday last received the Dolphin Award of Excellence from the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC).

The Dolphin Award is the club’s highest award and is given to individuals whom the club views as a positive role model. President Granger was honoured as an outstanding national leader and as a role model, the club said in a release.

The RHTY&SC also inducted the President as an Honorary Member during the club’s Silver Jubilee Anniversary Celebration at the St Francis Community Developers Complex.

Club Secretary/CEO, Hilbert Foster, in announc-

ing the award, stated that it is the highest of eight awards that the RHTY&SC shares out every year. The award would only be given to 10 individuals every year and the President was the third since the award was founded.

The first two awardees were Guyana Beverage Company General Manager, Robert Selman, and Chief Executive Officer of Gizmos and Gadgets, Ravi Mangar. President Granger expressed gratitude to the management and members for honouring him and expressed his appreciation for the work of the club.

Stating that he was not the President for any political party, but for the whole of Guyana, President Granger

committed himself to working to make life better for every citizen. The Guyanese leader also urged the management of the RHTY&SC to share its vast experience with other youth and sport organisations across Guyana.

The club also inducted Minister of Sport Nicolette Henry, Director of Sport Christopher Jones, Rose Hall Town businessman Lorezao Johnny, CEO of Metro Office and Computer Supplies Avia Lindie and CEO of Caribbean Containers Inc., Patricia Bacchus.

Foster welcomed all of the new Honourary Members on board the RHTY&SC and expressed confidence that together they can work to make a positive difference in the lives of youths, the elderly and less fortunate.

The RHTY&SC, he stated, was committed to working beyond the call of duty to make god’s world a better place for all to live in and expressed confidence that the club would continue its outstanding work long after the excitement of its Silver Jubilee Anniversary passes.

In 2015, the RHTY&SC has already successfully completed 233 projects/programmes after setting a target of 200 for the year. With two full months to go, the Secretary/CEO stated the RHTY&SC would fulfill its revised target of 300 programmes for the year.

Among the major programmes to be complet-

ed are the annual Busta Champion of Champions 40-over cricket tournament, the Christmas Village and a multi-million Christmas charity programme.

- final meeting of teams and officials set for this afternoon

Apartner from the inaugural tournament in 2011, Rubis Guyana on Wednesday committed to another year of sponsorship for the Guyana Softball Cup, the fifth edition of which will bowl off on Friday at venues across the country.

At a simple, but yet significant ceremony at the Rubis outlet on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, top officials of the company presented what was described as a “handsome” sponsorship package to members of the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA), the organisation responsible for conceptualising and sustaining the Guyana Softball Cup over the years.

Retail Accounts

Executive Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Mohan of the Vlissengen Road branch represented Rubis, while the GFSCA members present were Ricky Deonarain, Jailall Deodass, Surendra Nauth and Clive Canterbury.

Johnson said her company was more than pleased to once again partner with the organisers, noting that the GSFCA has been doing a fantastic job in running off the tournament annually.

She expects the same level of professionalism that has prevailed over the years, both on and off the field, and said it should be an easy

task to replicate such high standards, given the proficiency of the GFSCA members.

As has been the case over the past years, Rubis Guyana will once again be sharing out branded products on the day of the finals.

Deodass, speaking on behalf of the GFSCA, said the body was grateful for the support of Rubis Guyana on a yearly basis, adding that the company started its involvement with the tournament through Bel Air Rubis for the first two years, before it became a general sponsorship on behalf of Rubis Guyana for the past three years.

A total of 26 teams, 10 in the Open and 16 in the Masters, will compete for top honours when the tournament bowls off on Friday. It will culminate with the grand finals on Sunday, starting at 11:00h and concluding under floodlights at the Demerara Cricket Club ground in Queenstown.

Wolf’s Warriors are the defending champions of the Open category, while Floodlights won the Masters division in 2014. Meanwhile, there will be a team briefing this afternoon from 17:30h at the Georgetown Cricket Club pavillion where the rules will be discussed and any other activity related to the tournament.