thursDAY, JANuArY 8, 2015 | guYANAtimesgY.com
Residents have continuously expressed among themselves their frustration and concern over what seems to be a common occurrence in Catherina-Sophias Rust and neighbouring villages on the West Bank of Demerara.
Terrence Segoram, a father of five finally had enough of the dangerous situation after a stray bullet entered in his youngest son’s bedroom last evening around 18:45h.
Segoram explained that
The elder Segoram praised the Wales Police Station for promptly responding to the situation but noted that he cannot wait until they complete their investigations because chances are, someone may lose their life during that period.
He reflected on a similar incident in 2013 where 14-year-old Ryan Persaud of Vive la Force, a village approximately four miles from Catherina-Sophias Rust, was struck by a stray bullet
family members heard a “shattering” sound and upon investigation, found a bullet under his 18-year-old son Joshua Segoram’s bed.
Upon further investigation, his eldest son Rakesh Segoram discovered the entry point of the bullet in the roof of the room.
“He said this here is a serious matter, let us call the Police Station,” the father told Guyana Times
which resulted in his death.
“The child didn’t even finish going to school. It is something serious and I’m here to make a report concerning the welfare of the people because just as how that boy died back then, if this thing should continue, other people could lose their lives,” Segoram stated.
Ryan Persaud, moments prior to the shooting, had left his home with a sling-
shot going towards a friend who was standing on the access road. After receiving the blow, he reportedly walked towards the friend and asked him to check his back, claiming that he was experiencing a burning effect. Upon checking, the friend saw a tiny hole and blood was gushing out.
Within a few seconds, Persaud collapsed on a nearby bridge with blood oozing from his mouth and nostrils.
It was believed that the bullet came from a high powered rifle which was discharged from the other side of the Demerara River.
Segoram explained that he only approached the media for its wide coverage to urged citizens guilty of discharging rounds over the Demerara River to desist from doing so.
He explained that the villages from Supply to Land of Canaan have wharfs where he suspects many go to practice their shooting.
“You might see bush when you watch from the wharf, you mightn’t see houses but people living on the West Bank and people could lose their lives innocently.”
The father is pleading for persons to stop this activity as a bullet from their firearm can result in the death of an innocent person. “I want the persons who doing this thing to become conscious of what their activity can do and how it affects us.”
Meanwhile, while he is fortunate that his family was not injured, the father said he will continue to worry that one day the outcome may differ.
AGuyanese
Calypsonian who was popular in the early 1990s was on Tuesday evening stabbed to death after he caught one of his employees attempting to steal gold from his mining camp at Arimu Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).
Dead is 35-year-old Noel Clementson, also called “Professor Clem” of Bartica. The father of seven was reportedly stabbed at approximately 21:00h by one of his workers, who subsequently fled the scene.
According to information received, the man and a female companion were in their mining camp when he heard a commotion close to the mining pit. This prompted him to check and on doing so, he
saw the suspect trying to retrieve something from a pipe.
At this point, Clementson reportedly realised that the suspect might have hidden gold in the pipe following a ‘washdown’ earlier in the day and confronted him. That led to an argument and then a scuffle.
The Guyana Times was told that during the scuffle, the suspect pulled out a knife and dealt Clementson several stabs to his body.
The woman in the camp heard his screams and went to his aid, but she too was stabbed to her nose and hands as she attempted to prevent the suspect from further stabbing Clementson.
She immediately raised an alarm and the other workers ran to the injured
man’s rescue. By this time, the suspect had fled the scene.
The Guyana Times was informed that as a result of the distance from the camp to Bartica’s medical facility, Clementson might have bled to death on his way out of the backdam. Hospital officials confirmed that his body arrived at the Bartica Hospital after 05:00h on Wednesday morning.
A source disclosed that the man was stabbed at least 10 times about his body while the woman received cuts.
Shirley Hall, a former sister- in-law of the dead man, told this publication that they received the message about the stabbing incident at approximately 02:00h on Wednesday morning.
Hall said they were hopeful of Clementson get-
– says GPHC did all they could
The blame game begins as husband of the late Marina Persaud, Amir Karim holds the mother of his late wife responsible for her death, while her mother, Lenette Persaud and other family members accuse the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for the tragic fate of the young woman.
Persaud, 19, died on December 30, 2014, five days after giving birth to her first child and two days after her first wedding anniversary.
The teenager was discharged from the medical institution on December 26 and after returning home complained of feeling dizzy, nauseated, and terribly sick.
At first, her family members thought nothing of it, concluding it was merely post-birth sickness. After her conditioned worsened, Persaud was taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre on December 30 after which she was transferred to the GPHC.
ting to the hospital alive, but they were confronted by their worst fear.
The woman confirmed that “Professor Clem” was stabbed several times about his body.
She said while information remains sketchy about the stabbing incident, the Police have launched an investigation.
She added that her sister was married to Clementson and their union brought forth four children. She disclosed that despite the separation, they had a mutual understanding and he always took care of his children.
Attempts to speak with the dead man’s former wife proved futile, since she was trying to come to grips with his death. The man’s body is at the Bartica Hospital Mortuary to await a PostMortem Examination.
Upon receiving the news that her daughter died, the mother acknowledged that the doctors did inform her that Persaud could have survived if only she was attended to earlier by a medical practitioner.
Reports reveal that the girl died as a result of a hole in her intestine which could have been reversed if detected earlier.
Karim noted that his wife is now dead because her mother prolonged taking her to the hospital, opting for home treatment instead.
In an interview with Guyana Times, the grieving husband said the doctors and nurses did all they could to save his wife.
“I was there, trust me, they gave their full support.”
He explained that when his wife was discharged after giving birth to their baby girl, he recommended she stayed at her mother’s place.
“I told her to go by her mum, thinking she was ex-
perienced because we’re both young so we thought she knew what’s best.”
He said he would often visit his in-laws and request to take his wife to the hospital but they would tell him that her condition is normal in pregnancy.
Karim said he insisted
his wife visit the hospital, but the young woman’s family always refused.
He noted that he would talk to his wife about seeking proper medical attention, but she told him that her mother knows best.
“She would say that ‘mummy said everything will be alright’.”
However, upon her death, Karim said the doctors told him that because his wife was straining to vomit, it made her intestines weak and eventually it was punctured which led to the infection that killed her.
Responding to comments made by his in-laws concerning custody of the baby, Karim said he does not understand why his motherin-law would make such a claim.
“I’ve been working at DDL for four years now and all the time when I was married to her daughter; didn’t she think that I was fit to take care of my child?”
Karim said he will not give his child up and that his mother takes care of his daughter when he is working.
The baby, who is now 13 days old, is named Alia Marina Karim.
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Thursday, January 8, 2015 – 05:00h-06:30h and Friday, January 9, 2015 – 05:00h-06:30h
The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Thursday, January 8, 2015 – 06:15h-07:45h and Friday, January 9, 2015 – 06:45h-08:15h
The Management of the Transport and Harbour Department wishes to notify the general public that vessels operating the Parika/Supenaam services will no longer be operating according to tidal conditions. The new daily schedules are as follows:
Parika departure – 06:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h Supenaam departure – 06:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h
Low
metres and 2.61 metres respectively.
Government is still very keen on seeing the completion of the US$18 million Specialty Hospital and has built a stronger alliance with the provider of the concessionary loan financing to see it become a reality.
Construction on the state-of-the-art medical facility was halted last September after Government took the contract from Surendra Engineering Company Limited (SECL), following the discovery of major discrepancies.
A month after yanking the contract, Government, through the Attorney General Chambers, had also filed a lawsuit against the India-based company for in excess of US$100 million for alleged fraud,
quent to the termination of the contract, Central Government had moved to inform both the Government of India and the funding agency, the Exim bank, of its determination to see the hospital to completion.
“It is in that regard that Government has reached out to the Indian
breach of contract, and delays in works done. All this was done while the company strongly contended that it had done nothing wrong.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon said, while he could not give an insightful comment on the legal proceedings, Government was confident that it would be able to recover the $4 billion that was unlawfully used up by Surendra.
Meanwhile, Luncheon told the Guyana Times on Wednesday that subse-
Government with certain proposals with regard to the future, how specific concessionary loan financing can continue to be provided and utilised for the completion of this project,” Luncheon told this publication when asked for an update.
He said Government was awaiting a response from the Indian Government before the next step is taken.
The Surendra Engineering Company was contracted by Guyana’s Government back in September 2012 to design, build, equip, test, deliver, install, complete and
commission a Surgical Specialty Hospital located at Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown. The contract was signed to the tune of US$18,180,000.
But according to government, the company had failed to perform its obligations under the terms of the contract and give an account for the advance payment of US$4,285,440.
Instead, the company submitted fabricated, unsigned and sometimes inflated invoices with no evidence of actual payments made or any documents supporting the expenditure claimed.
A letter was also produced and purported to be signed by a D Singh, Director of Financial Institutions, Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, confirming that it has “more than five years in the reinsurance and coinsurance business” and had been authorised for those operations since 1988.
In the wake of ru-
mours that the Indian firm might have been liquidated, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall had said that Government was continuing with its lawsuit against the company.
Nandlall said that while he would be making enquiries about the claim, Government will not be backing out of the fight. In the legal document filed by the Attorney General Chambers, Government said that the company was found guilty of fraudulent practices and breach of the terms, conditions and warranties of the contract it had signed.
The Attorney General told Guyana Times that Government would be moving to serve notice of the lawsuit through advertisement after it was unable to do so since the company’s local office was abandoned. He could not at that time say how soon that would be.
Editor: Nigel Williams
Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134
Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown
Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com
The good book does say that a man is not recognised in his own country. After all, the natives remember when he used to walk barefoot among them. But when it comes to former President Bharrat Jagdeo not only does the Opposition media refuse to recognise his accomplishments but they go out of their way to do what the Americans call, "a hatchet job" on his reputation.
Take the Stabroek News' editorial of January 5, "Observers", which purported to comment on Jagdeo being appointed Head of the Commonwealth Team of Observers to Sri Lanka's general elections, being held today.
While it is accepted that there will be a certain amount of partisanship in politics commentary domestically, one would have hoped that Stabroek News would at least have acknowledged the honour that was being bestowed on the entire country of Guyana, through the selection of Mr Jagdeo. However the Stabroek News chose to declare conclusively, and snarkily, that "a large number of persons here would deem Mr Jagdeo unsuitable for this mission." This is sophistry at its basest.
The question is, which leader - from what their columnist Henry Jerrey calls a "bi-communal" society - would not be deemed "unsuitable" for even being a "dog catcher" by a "large number of persons" from the "other side"?? What exactly was the point that Stabroek News was attempting to make, apart from sheer wickedness?
The newspaper shoots itself in the foot again, when it claimed that because Dr Jagdeo's successor, President Ramotar had "questioned the outcome the outcome of the 2011 polls without providing any evidence of wrongdoing" the former President's "credibility as mission head could be under some pressure".
Stabroek News is really reaching with this claim. Firstly, President Ramotar did in fact produce a welter of factbased proof - including intimidation of PPP poling agents in South Georgetown and preventing authorised persons from witnessing the vote count.
Discussions of these concerns at the Tripartite Talks with the leaders of APNU and AFC produced to a consensus which led to the President deciding not to proceed with a demand for a forensic audit in the interest of peace and stability in the country. President Ramotar acted in the best interest of the country and denied himself an outright victory. But the Stabroek News would deny him even that.
To curry-favour with the Commonwealth, the Stabroek unctuously complained that Mr Jagdeo had not "disassociated" himself from President Ramotar's statement, which was in contrast to the silence of the Commonwealth Observers of the Guyana elections. We do not see what Mr Jagdeo has to do with President Ramotar's statement, since, he, Jagdeo was not a member of the Commonwealth or any other Group of observers. In fact, the Commonwealth's present choice of Jagdeo to lead their team at the very important Sri Lanka elections is a resounding vote of confidence in his impartiality in matters electoral.
But the lowest blow of all was some doublespeak from the Stabroek News that would have done Goebbels proud. It claimed innocuously enough that the Commonwealth's Report on elections "produce a verdict on the quality of the governance of the elections being observed and whether they provide a basis for a fair result." But the newspaper then astoundingly posits a "disjunction" between this verdict and Jagdeo's "own poor Governance" of Guyana.
Apart for comparing apples and oranges, since when can "poor governance" describe securing the write-off of US$2.1 billion PNC's debt, leading the state to fighting off an armed insurrection launched by the PNC and producing sustained economic growth that has led to Guyana graduating from being a Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) to a Middle Income Country?
We remind the opposition media once again: when they adopt the vicious approach exemplified by the editorial "Observer", they are simply cutting Guyana's nose to spite its face. And to the rest of the world, we are all Guyanese.
Dear Editor,
Reference is made to former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s appointment to lead the Commonwealth Observer mission in Sri Lanka for the Presidential election. The former President’s invitation and his acceptance have become critical to ensure a free and fair election in Lanka.
There is full faith and confidence in the mission and in Jagdeo’s ability to oversee the team. Besides, Jagdeo’s team, there are also several other international and local missions. The election is being keenly watched to prevent electoral rigging like what happened in Guyana during the PNC ethnic dictatorship.
The observers will have to render a verdict on the state of the election – whether it accurately reflects the will of the voters. The outcome is expected to be close because of various factors impacting on the contest.
The incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa is worried he could be defeated and the Opposition is worried about potential rigging.
Hence, the reason for the many observers to prevent rigging.
Like Guyana, Sri Lanka has an ethnic problem between the majority Sinhalese (70 per cent)
and minority Tamil. Tens of thousands of Tamils were butchered during three decades of civil war that ended five years ago when the Tamil guerrilla leadership was liquidated in cold blood.
The Tamils (mostly Hindus with about five per cent Muslims) could determine the outcome of the election. Tamils make up some 750,000 votes who could tilt the balance in the election. President Rajapaksa gave the Tamil in the North better roads, rail connections and electricity. But he has not done much to bring about reconciliation. Thus, Tamils will not vote for him.
They don’t like the challenger Maithripala Sirisena but they view him as the lesser of two evils. However, Rajapaksa told them he is a known devil while Sirisena is an “unknown angel” and appealed to them to vote for him.
The Tamils are losing their land and their area is heavily militarized. There is a land grab by the army. Jobs are scarce for Tamils. The economy is growing negatively in the Tamil areas.
Rajapaksa’s support base is among southern Sinhalese (Buddhists) because he ended the civil war, crushing the Tamil rebel Tigers. But there is no reconstruction. Instead, he has alienated
the Tamils.
But there is no major wave of support in favor of Sirisena. It is just that Tamils are determined to vote Rajapaksa out. Rajapaksa has been accused of war crimes against Tamils.
Tamils have been persecuted much the same way that Indians, Chinese, Portuguese, and Amerindians were persecuted in Guyana during the PNC ethnic dictatorship. There is virtually not hope for change in peoples’ lives unless there is some kind of change in government – similar to Guyana when people voted out the PNC.
Neither of the candidates has spoken about the Tamils’ long-pending demand for devolution of power fearing hostility from their Sinhala electorates.
But the campaign theme is “a vote against the Rajapaksa regime is a vote for democracy”. The hope is a Sirisena victory would open up democratic space in the country and set the stage for negotiations over governance and reconstruction of Tamil areas. It is felt it would be hard for Sirisena to continue suppressing Tamils if he wins with their votes. Besides, India, across the Lankan strait, will not sit by qui-
etly and allow Tamils to be butchered like what happened seven years ago.
In the past, the contest was always between a rural and an urban candidate. But now, the contest is between two rural candidates. While Rajapaksa is from the rural south, Sirisena is from the rural north. Sinhalese normally vote SLFP but this time the vote is likely to split. If Sirisena could get a little over a third of the Sinhala vote, he could win with the Tamil votes added to his strength.
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, whose father S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike founded the SLFP, and was the islands first leader, has endorsed Sirisena. Kumaratunga is responsible for making Rajapaksa President.
Now she is against him. People are also against Rajapaksa for promoting his family, corruption and general neglect of his own base. But he still remains strong among Sinhalese.
The election is keenly watched and Jagdeo's Commonwealth mission has an important role to play –there is confdence they will carry out their duty with integrity.
Vishnu Bisram
Dear Editor,
The People United and General Workers Union was registered under the trade union act chapter 98:03, on May 12, 2011.
On November 15, 2011, the union was issued with a certificate of recognition by the Guyana Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board, to represent and become the bargaining agent to represent all non-management workers of Oldendorff Carriers Guyana Inc.
The parliamentary parties should give of their best energies towards finding agreeable and common ground to vote on and have passed important Bills before the House. For example:
The Bill that deals with the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC); the Local Government Bill to be fully complete and assented into law; the completion of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT Act) Bill.]; the Tele Communications Bill; the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project Bill; and all other Bills that are before the House to be voted on and assented.
The No-Confidence Motion by the main Opposition parties may not be the right solution to move Guyana forward or fix the stalemate in this 10th Parliament between Government and joint
Opposition.
If Parliament resumes and the motion is successfully passed, resulting in the President calling elections and the elections resulting in the Opposition regaining majority seats in Parliament, what will the three parliamentary parties do?
Return to Parliament to continue to reach disagreements, or will the joint Opposition continue to bring No-Confidence Motions against the PPP/C Government? How long more do the AFC, APNU and PPP/C Government plan to work against each other?
The Union is confident that the majority of Guyana citizens will like to see the parties work together in the interest of Guyana, not forgetting that democracy is not about a one-man party show. It’s about the voice of all parties to be heard and the interest/welfare of all citizens to be addressed.
While each party has its functions to conduct, it is expected that no party will choose to work in a dictatorship manner, but when making decisions and conducting its functions, will involve or take on board the thoughts of civil society/citizens of Guyana, since the parties have a constitutional mandate to act in the interest of all the citizens of Guyana.
Further at the end of the day, it is the votes of the said citizens that made up the parties strength in
Parliament and put the ruling party to govern Guyana.
The Union believes that the time has come for all of the parties to work together in the interest of the citizens of Guyana and minimize on fighting against and disagreeing with each other, most times ending in stalemate on matters that involve the country’s welfare.
The parties need to try their best to reach common ground in dealing with all matters and focus on cooperating with each other to move the country forward
While a date was not announced by the President of Guyana for the holding of General and Regional Elections the Union is of the firm view that the possibility exists for dialogue between the parties to bring an end to the prorogation of Parliament and settling of all differences that the parties are facing over this 10th Parliament.
The Union therefore as a matter of urgency calls on the parties to bury the hatchet and put 2014 behind and enter 2015 with a new start by puting the interest of the citizens and Guyana first and work in unity to address all matters that will bring economic development and social benefits for Guyana and its citizens.
Micah Williams General Secretary
The People United and General Workers Union
Dear Editor,
The Ministry of Home Affairs wishes to report that a total of 305 animals, comprising nine horses, 164 cows, 90 goats and 42 sheep were caught and impounded at the Police Pounds in A, B, C, and D Police Divisions during the month of December, 2014.
The Georgetown Unit accounted for 19 cows, 54 goats and 38 sheep, while the Berbice Unit accounted for 145 cows, 36 goats, nine horses and four sheep.
The year 2014 saw a total of 3,678 animals being caught and impounded.
This is comprised of 1,470 cows, 1,071 goats, 231
horses and 906 sheep.
The Ministry expresses concern for the safety of all road users by appealing to cattle owners to ensure the safety of their animals, by exercising a high level of supervision over them during their grazing period.
Home Affairs Ministry
Dear Editor,
A recent column was a very telling commentary on the double standards of many people in Guyana who masquerade as intellectuals, freedom fighters, and human rights activists like Freddie Kissoon.
The column mentioned a number of examples in our history when sitting Presidents like Burnham and Hoyte made derogatory statements yet nothing was much was done to challenge what they said.
The example with Burnham was hilarious, but at the same time it captures the true personality of Burnham who later fashioned the 1980 Constitution that gave him immunity from prosecution.
When Janet Jagan threw the court order over her shoulder she wasn’t being arrogant. In fact, she was just being realistic and practical. The Constitution was made to give her right to enjoy the previledges that Burnham enjoyed.
Why was it right for Burnham to benefit from the Constitution and not Janet? The Opposition and the media tore into Mrs Jagan but were mum during the Burnham and Hoyte regimes.
Freddie Kissoon reminds me of the character, Don Quixote, made famous by the Spaniard, Miguel De Cervants. Freddie flails at everything that is associated with the PPP/C. Like Quixote, Kissoon does not apply rational and intellectual thinking to the attacks he carries out on a
daily basis.
He is driven by a ruthless, arrogant, malicious and sadistic desire to destroy the PPP/C and all it supporters. He attacks President Ramotar and speaks of the latter in a derogatory manner.
No one chastises Kissoon for this despicable act that he commits in the name of freedom of speech. You know what Kissoon? It takes one to know one and when you live in a glass house do not throw stones.
You know why Kissoon?
The glass of your house is already cracked and splintered. A little stone will smash it! Kissoon does not not respond to Ramjattan’s “haul your ass”, but attacks the AG Nandalall,former President Jagdeo, President Ramotar and now the President’s daughter, Lisa.
What is wrong with Lisa saying that even though her father is President, she still enjoys the simple things in life, “like baking and jogging”. Her humility should be admired.
It is quite simple now why Freddie should be called the Don Quixote of Guyana. It will be instructive for Freddie to read about this dumb character and take note of how his flailings ended.
The columnist should be complimented for highlighting this sinister side of Guyanese. I strongly believe that the former President Jagdeo was correct when he mentioned that Indians are being discriminated against in Guyana.
Look at what happens
in Guyana after elections. Yet those who are vocal now against President Ramotar, etc are silent when Indians are beaten, robbed and raped.
However, there is something called Karma. The evil that men do live after them. God is someone who does not accepts bribes. Those who commit these crimes toghether with those who benefit from these crimes, will all suffer the consequences. You see them being killed like dogs. I want to end with something I heard from some old folks who lived during the regime of a former Opposition President.
They claimed that this dictator asked the people who owned all the wealth in the country, and when they mentioned a particular ethnic group, he told them to get it. I would like for this to be verified. Thanks again for that column!
Rakesh Singh
Just under a year after the Firearms (Amendment) Bill 2013 was passed in the National Assembly, no one has been convicted under it, although law enforcers said they have been putting the new gun law into action.
Amid high rates of gun crimes of recent in Guyana, with some 73 illegal firearms seized by the Guyana Police Force during the period January to the end of October last year, citizens have been complaining about the effective application of the law.
Government had amended the antiquated law last year to include stricter penalties for offenders in efforts to curb trafficking and possession of illegal firearms. The Firearms (Amendment) Bill 2013 was passed in the National Assembly on January 17, 2014, and was subsequently assented to by President Donald Ramotar on May 8. The Guyana Times understands that following this, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chambers sent particulars of the amended Act over to Police for implementation with immediate effect.
According to a senior officer of the Police Force, since then the Force has been charging persons found with illegal firearms or ammunition under the new law. However, efforts by this newspaper to confirm how many cases were filed under the new law and whether there were any convictions to date proved futile.
The new gun law stipulates that traffickers of firearms, ammunition, explosives, and/or related components must face the maximum penalty of up to $5 million in fines and 10 years in jail, upon conviction and indictment at the level of the High Court. However, a maximum penalty of $500,000 in fines and five years in prison can be meted out to offenders if the matter is heard at the Magistrates’ Court or summarily tried.
Initially, Government had tabled
the amended Bill back in 2013; however, the Bill was voted down by the combined Opposition after it was present by Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, whom the Opposition had declared it has no confidence in.
The following year, the Firearms (Amendment) Bill was returned to the National Assembly, this time under the sponsorship of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall and gained the approval of the National Assembly.
During the presentation of the Bill, Nandlall pointed out that there was no use in him making a case of the wide use of illegal weapons in Guyana, stating that the House was fully aware of many instances of gunrelated crimes that involved the use of illegal weapons and instances of weapons found in goods being imported into Guyana.
Full force of the law
Former Police Commissioner and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) parliamentarian, Winston Felix, in putting forward his support for the Bill, highlighted that illegal firearms have caused suffering to many in Guyana, especially those who were robbed of their hard-earned belongings in their homes at gunpoint.
He also mentioned the increasing gun crimes occurring in the interior regions of the country and even out on the seas, where he noted piracy has become rampant in recent years. Felix stressed that perpetrators of such heinous crimes must be met with the full force of the law.
“The interest of public security is not best served by batons utilised on the anatomy of innocent citizens, neither is the public interest served in senseless shootings…What we expect is that the Government’s action must stand firmly in prosecuting those who commit crimes and they must feel the force of the law. The citizens of this
BY LISA BENDALL
country pay taxes to the Government and we demand a higher state of protection from criminal actions by preparing effective legislation,” Felix outlined.
In its recent statistics, the Guyana Police Force has revealed that by the end of November last year, some 745 cases of robbery under arms were recorded, representing an increase of six per cent when compared to the same period in 2013. The statistics also revealed that armed robberies involving the use of firearms by perpetrators were up by 10 per cent. Back in November, during a presentation Crime Chief Leslie James had disclosed that Police A Division (Georgetown) accounted for the highest rate of gun robberies for the period 2013 and January- October 2014 – 64 per cent and C Division (East Coast Demerara) followed with 19 per cent.
Division B (Berbice) recorded eight per cent of gun robberies while D Division (West Demerara) had five per cent. Divisions E (LindenKwakwani) and F (Hinterland) accounted for three per cent each while G Division had no gun robberies during this period. It was further highlighted that Police were most able to seize firearms that were found on the streets.
During the period 2009 to 2013 and January to October last year, 35 per cent of the firearms seized were revolvers; 34 per cent, pistols; 25 per cent were shotguns; five per cent, rifles and one per cent was sub-machine guns. Additionally, the records show that most of the illegal firearms seized by the Police originated from neighbouring Brazil.
While unlawful firearms cannot be counted, online reports disclosed that it was estimated that illegal firearms in Guyana are pegged at some 55,000. The records for the total number of guns held by civilians in the country were estimated at 155,000.
When your children are sick, you’re on duty. You wipe their runny noses, comfort them when they cough, let them nap in your bed. That means lots of close contact in a closed environment. So how can you keep yourself from catching the same bug that has your kid down for the count? These six tips will help you stay healthy while you’re caring for a child with the flu.
1. Get yourself immunised
The seasonal flu shot offers parents the best protection against catching the flu from their children. But it takes two weeks to take full effect, so be sure to get immunised before your child comes home coughing, aching and highly contagious. Squeamish about needles? An inhaled vaccine called FluMist was approved this year for use in Canada. Instead of a stick in the arm, you can now get a painfree spray in the nose. Ask your health provider if this option is available to you and your child.
2. Show your child where coughs go Coughing politely into your hand? That’s so last century. Teach your child to cough into his arm or into a tissue, if he’s old enough to learn. Model this behaviour yourself to help him catch on. If he’s too young to control his coughs, be sure to stay out of the line of fire by turning your head when he hacks, especially if you’re within a metre of him. “Try not to be in the spray the child is producing,” says Dr Pierre Lebel, a Microbiologist and infectious diseases special-
ist at McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, adding: “Young kids secrete more virus particles than an adult, because their immune systems are not as strong.”
3. Wash your hands all day long Be a hand washing machine. Wash your hands after wiping your sick child’s nose, after handling her tissues, after taking away her lunch tray or after picking up her toys. “Frequently, after parents handle the child, they touch their nose or eyes, and that’s it – they catch the virus through indirect contact,” says Dr Lebel. “We touch our faces many times per hour and don’t know it.” Be sure to scrub all areas of your hands, including between your fingers. Turn the tap off using a paper towel or your elbow – not your hand, or you could contaminate yourself all over again.
4. Clean up the virus so it can’t languish
Live influenza viruses can linger on doorknobs, faucets, cupboard handles and toys for anywhere from two hours to two days. To protect yourself from picking it up, clean any surfaces that may have been touched by your flu-infested child. Any household soap or disinfectant will do. These products dilute the virus so it’s less potent. For runny noses and coughs, using virucidal or virus-killing facial tissues (like those marked “anti-viral”) can also make a difference.
5. Limit the close contact
Of course you want to dole out lots of hugs when your child is feeling miserable. But be aware that the more you touch her, the more you’re at risk for catching her bug. “As cute as your little baby is, if someone’s sick you don’t kiss them on the mouth,” says family physician, Dr Jonathan Kerr in Belleville, Ontario. When you’re soothing your sick child, try stroking her hair or rubbing her back instead of smooching her face.
6. Care for yourself, not just your child
Looking after a child who’s unwell often means you’re up for hours in the night, and grabbing quick snacks when you can. But in order for you to fight the flu effectively, you need to eat nutritious meals and get plenty of rest and exercise. Try to make sure you don’t short-change your own needs. Remind yourself that you’re a much better parent when you’re in the pink. If you’re parenting with a partner, take turns on call. “It’s not always possible, but try to share the care giving if you can,” says Dr Lebel. “This will reduce by half your chances of getting the disease.” Getting spelled off will also give you a chance to rest and tend to your own needs. (besthealthmag.ca)
Head of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), James Singh, on Wednesday told the Guyana Times that the huge cocaine bust on Tuesday on board the Cyprus-registered vessel MV Delta Dies has no connections to Guyana.
He stated that presently CANU was in close contact with its counterparts in Suriname and it was clearly a case of transshipment from the neighbouring country. The vessel docked at a wharf in Linden where it uplifted a consignment of bauxite destined for Europe before local authorities swarmed the cargo ship and found the narcotics.
Singh noted that the captain and two crew members remained in custody after intense investigations by the team of sleuths. He added that the case file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack who will determine whether or not to institute charges.
Once the recommendations are made, CANU will act accordingly, the head of the anti-drug agency said. He reiterated that the seizure was a clear indication that the drug enforcement agencies were bent on putting a dent in the drug trade.
Record seizure
This bust is the biggest seizure ever recorded in Guyana.
The cargo ship, which re-
portedly left Suriname destined for Europe, was intercepted by local authorities early Tuesday morning in the Demerara River with approximately 192.42 kilograms of cocaine stashed away.
The drug was found concealed under the wooden flooring of a flat rack used as a bed for containers. The cocaine, with an estimated street value of $165.7 billion (US$800 million), was in several rectangular black plastic-wrapped packages.
According to reports, CANU was called in by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), which received a tipoff from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) about possible contraband goods on board the vessel.
After the drug was discovered, the vessel, along with the flat rack, was subsequently transported to Georgetown and placed at the John Fernandes terminal at Mandela Avenue,
Greater Georgetown, on Tuesday morning. Further examinations were done by GRA’s Law Enforcement and Investigation Division (LEID) and Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), along with CANU.
Immediately after the discovery, the CANU head explained that his agency, along with members of the Guyana Police Force and GRA’s DEU, collaborated under the Container Control Programme to make the bust.
A recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UN-funded Container Control Programme paved the way for the establishment of joint port control units in Guyana and Suriname at the John
formation among other advantages. In a recent press briefing, it was reported that in 2014, CANU seized 92.279 kilograms of cocaine and 1223.14 kilograms of cannabis.
The organisation continues to work with local and international partners to reduce the rising incidence of drug trafficking across the country. It was also reported that routine operations at both the Cheddi Jagan and Ogle International Airports and the Guyana Post Office continue to unearth drugs destined for overseas.
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, while addressing the media at his year-in-review press conference, lauded the drug enforcement agencies. He noted that in 2015, the task force will continue as a coor-
Fernandes and Nieuwe Haven wharfs respectively. It allowed both countries to strengthen the control of inbound and outgoing containers, and improve real-time exchange and analysis of in-
dinating body to ensure that there were synergy and cost effectiveness in their efforts to further reduce the smuggling of fuel, illicit weapons, contraband and drugs in Guyana.
An Orealla, Corentyne River woman is now in custody assisting Police with their investigations into a robbery that occurred on the Corentyne on Wednesday.
It is believed that the woman was used as a cover by the bandits who carried out an armed robbery on a Lusignan, East Coast Demerara couple who were in Berbice.
Reports are that vegetable vendor Hemraj Singh and his wife were robbed at gun point at Alness Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) while they were on their way to the Black Bush Polder area to purchase vegetables to sell.
A release from the Police said at about 07:30h on Wednesday, Hemraj Singh, 54 years, of Lusignan, and his wife were held up at the Black Bush Polder Access Road, Adventure, Corentyne, by two men armed with shotguns.
Reports are that two of the men armed with shotguns exited the vehicle and went to the canter in which Singh and his wife were travelling and demanded that they handed over their money and cellular phones. Singh’s wife reportedly handed over $180,000
while one of the armed men relived Singh of his cellular phone and took the key to the canter he was driving.
After receiving the booty the men re-entered the car and headed in the direction of the Corentyne Highway and then turned in the direction of Corriverton.
Guyana Times understands that Singh and his wife had just turned off of the Corentyne Highway at Adventure Village on their way to the Black Bush Polder when a white silver/ grey Primo stopped in their path. The car was carrying a woman along with three men, inclusive of the driver.
The release noted that on receipt of the report, quick response by the Police led to the motor car suspected to be used in the robbery, being recovered at Scottsburg, Corentyne, and the arrest of a man and a woman.
Police received information of the robbery and the description of the car which was used and set up a road block outside the Number 51 Police Station. Moments later, the said car was seen proceeding along the roadway but turned into a street some distance away.
A party of Police officers went in pursuit of the vehicle and subsequently intercepted that car at
Corriverton. At the time only the driver and a female were in the car. When the car was at Adventure, according to Singh it carried a number plate made of cardboard. At Corriverton the number plate was different.
The female occupant of the car, Cindy Devier of Orealla; an Amerindian settlement 50 miles up the Corentyne River, said that the car in which she and her boyfriend were travelling was carjacked by two men in the Black Bush Polder. She said the driver was forced to drive and at Adventure the carjackers stopped the carter and carried out the robbery.
According to Devier, after the car made the detour at Number 51 Village, the driver –with whom she shared a relationship and has two children – put off the two carjackers and went to the front of the vehicle and took off the cardboard number plate and replaced it with the originals. She said that she advised him to report the incident to the police but was told that the Police will not buy the story since the driver is known to the Police.
Meanwhile sources close to the Police told Guyana Times that Premchand Kallowan who was recently
Some $35.2 million was on Tuesday approved for the procurement of sensitive materials for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as it prepared for the upcoming General and Regional Elections.
Cabinet gave its no-objection for the money to be used to secure the materials such as ballot boxes, security seals, validation seals, ballot papers; voters lists, computers, ballot paper stamps, and indelible ink. While a date for elections has not yet been announced by President Donald Ramotar, the Elections Commission has indicated that it was in a state of readiness.
arrested was the driver of the car and is now in custody. The source said that on Sunday they were in pursuit of the very car which is now in custody. Investigations into the robbery continue. Charges are likely to be lain against Devier and Kallowan.
Meanwhile, the University of Guyana’s Information and Communication Technology Department will be given a further boost with the granting of a $34.4 million contract for the procurement of a contractor to commence work at the Institution’s Turkeyen Campus.
Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon made the announcement on
Wednesday at his post-Cabinet media briefing. He also reported that the Tourism Ministry has been granted in excess of $220 million for the construction of two call centres at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo and Enmore, East Coast Demerara.
The Ministry has also been granted an additional $40 million for the procurement of a consultancy firm for the digitisation of records within its deeds and sub registries.
Dr Luncheon also announced that Cabinet gave its no-objection to a $56.2 million contract for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion Project which covers the relocation of the instrument landing and distant measuring systems.
He also reported the allocation of $235.9 million for the construction of the extension of the maternity ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital. An additional $144.1 million has been approved for a river defence at Friendship, East Bank Demerara.
With the Guyana Police Force ramping up traffic enforcement in light of the increase in road accidents and fatalities, some 249 speeding cases and 31 cases for driving under the influence (DUI) were recorded last week. a
According to the Police, during enforcement operations that were aimed at road safety over the period December 28, 2014, to January 3, 2015, the Police Traffic Department made a number of cases against motorists for breaching the traffic laws.
In addition to the 280 cases, there were five cases made out against persons for careless driving, 12 for dangerous driving, 10 cases for failure to wear a safety helmet, and seven cases for failure to wear a seat belt.
Another five persons were charged for using handheld mobile phones while driving. For the offence of breach of condition
of Road Service Licence, some 29 cases were filed against offenders.
Meanwhile, the Police Traffic Department continues its name and shame campaign and has charged four more drunk drivers. These men were tested and found to be above the legal limit of alcohol consumption.
Eighteen-year-old Suraj Persaud, of Lot 19 School Street, Novar, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara
(ECD) was driving motor car PHH 607 along the Weldaad Public Road, West Coast Berbice (WCD) when he was stopped by Police. The teen was made to take a breathalyser test, which showed that he was above the legal limit. Persaud was charged, but failed to appear at the Weldaad Magistrate’s Court on December 22; as such, an arrest warrant has been issued for him by the court.
Then a Cane Grove, ECD man was found to be above the legal limit on December 21, when he was tested by the Police. Narine Lall, 49, of West Strathavon, Cane Grove, was driving motor pick-up GNN 5126 on the Weldaad Public Road when the Police stopped him. The man was charged and released on bail, but he too failed to make a court appearance the following day; as such, an arrest warrant was issued for him.
While driving motor car PPP 6686 on the
Sparendaam Public Road, ECD, Davendranauth Persaud was stopped and tested by the Police. He was found to be above the legal limit in terms of alcohol consumption. Persaud, 29, of Lot 12 Montrose, ECD, was subsequently charged, but failed to appear at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on December 31. An arrest warrant has been issued for him by the court.
Meanwhile, Tularam Ramsukh, 48, of Lot 1 Bissoon Street, Better Hope, ECD, was stopped and tested with a breathalyser on December 24, while driving motor car PRR 8045 on the Sparendaam Public Road, ECD. He was found to be above the legal limit in terms of consumption of alcohol. He was charged, but failed to appear at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on December 31; as such, an arrest warrant has been issued for him by the court.
Renard Romaine of Mabura Hills, Linden (Upper DemeraraBerbice) was slapped with the capital offence of murder when he appeared before the Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The 36-year-old miner was not required to plead to the charge which read that on January 2, at Frenchman, Upper Essequibo River, he murdered 41- year-old Seibert Moore. According to information received, the now dead man and another man were work-
ing in a mining pit belonging to the Empire Mining Company, at Frenchman, Upper Essequibo, when an argument started. The argument quickly escalated and turned into a scuffle when the other miner whipped out a knife and stabbed Moore to his chest
and stomach. He was taken from the worksite and rushed to the Mackenzie Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Romaine was remanded to prison until his next court appearance, which will be on January 13 at the Linden Magistrate’s Court.
Eighteen-year-old, Rochino Maison of Lot 37 Old Kara Kara, Linden (Upper DemeraraBerbice) was refused bail after being arraigned on a murder charge.
The pork knocker appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before the Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry, on Wednesday afternoon.
As if Guyana wasn't notorious enough with being #1 in the world with our suicide rate, it seemed to've slipped under our radar that we're # 2 in the region when it comes to teenage pregnancy. A lot of our prim and proper folks carry on at a rate and look down their noses at Jamaica with its alleged sex-inducing dutty Dancehall music. But if the truth is told...and it must - our teenage pregnancy rate far outstrips those Jamaican hotties.
And imagine the Trinis - with their wild and wooly Soca and Chutney - not to mention all that nakedness at Carnival time - being way behind the Jamaicans!! What's happening with our girl children?? And even more troubling, why aren't we more troubled?? Over the years our overall birthrate's been plunging - but adolescent/teenage pregnancies have been going through the roof!! Shouldn't we be doing something about it??
Trying to wake us up from our Rip van Winkle slumber (How long was it?? 25 years?.) the UN last October released some hair raising statistics on the issue. And what's been our regional governments' reaction?? Hey!! They've done what they do best - held a whole lotta meetings under their CariCom umbrella - about twelve or so across the archipelago, last time we counted. In December there was one in Trinidad and just last week, 2015 was launched in St Lucia with another CariCom meeting to make a plan on the previous plans.
And in the meantime teenage pregnancies keep climbing. If we didn't know better - or if we wanted to be unkind - we might've said those interminable Caricom meetings on teenage pregnancies might have something to do with those pregnancies. Now your Eyewitness don't want to tell you, dear reader, how terrible these pregnancies can be. Most often, the girl's done with for life, as she's considered to be "fallen". Even the fella who knocked her up, pretends she doesn't exist.
According to information received, persons in the village were celebrating the dawn of the New Year when one man accidentally threw a squib into the yard of the deceased. After the squib exploded, Britton, who was in front of his yard, reportedly confronted the man which resulted in an argument.
Sources said that during the con-
The allegation read that on January 1, at 111 Miles, Madhia (Region EightPotaro Siparuni), he murdered Andre Britton. He was not required to plea since the charge was indictable.
frontation, the now dead man started to use obscene language and “chucked” the suspect. The suspect reportedly left, but later returned, walked up to the man and stabbed him several times with a knife. Britton, who fell to the ground after the attack, was picked up and rushed to the Mahdia Hospital, but died on his way there.
Maison was remanded to prison. The matter is transferred to the Madhia Magistrate’s Court for January 19.
AJamaican national was remand to prison after being arraigned on a trafficking in narcotics charge when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, on Wednesday.
Richard Daniels pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on January 5 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, he had in his possession 1.266kg of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
The court heard that on the day in question, at around 22:05h, ranks attached to the Narcotics Unit were on an eradication exercise when they saw the outgoing passenger on a Fly Jamaica flight acting in a suspicious manner.
The Police contacted him and carried out a search on his suitcases. In the suitcase, two bottles of body lotion and two and a half pairs of socks were found in the bag. In the socks, they found 105 pellet shaped objects rapped in a silver foil paper.
Daniels was transport-
ed to the Police station where the pellet shaped objects were inspected. He was told of the offence, arrested and charged.
Police Prosecutor Inspector Michael Grant objected to bail citing the nature and gravity of the offence. He stated that the defendant is not a Guyanese citizen alluding that he is a flight risk and that special reasons must be advanced for bail to be granted.
Bail was refused for the defendant and the matter is said to be heard again on January 20.
And it's not like we're like the UK with its "dole" or the US with its "welfare" where the young mom can grow up to be a "Welfare Queen" like her Momma was. Here the poor little girl child doesn't only have to walk around with the Scarlet Letter ("S" for "slut") on her forehead, but has to take some dead-end job with some sleazy guard outfit whose boss wants to roll in the hay with her whenever he wants.
Well, matters are coming to a boil. You know what happens when all those teenage-pregnancy babies grow up with their poverty stricken mothers in Plastic Cities??!! Gun toting toughs, who'll take what they want from you, that's what!!
One of the editors told your Eyewitness this morning that Ramjattan from the AFC ain't talking to any of his reporters no mo'. Cried, like his buddy Mook that he just can take the ribbing he gets from yours truly. Really!! This from a man to whom "Haul yuh ass!!!" is a term of endearment!! We have some advice for the wanker: like Harty Truman used to say - "If you can't stand the heatjust get the hell out of the kitchen!!"
Seems what pisses off the Jhaat (as he's popularly known to his friends) is that this column has gotten the scoop on all his secrets.. (Why a fella would like to be known as Jhaat - "pubic hair" is grist for a mill that we'll leave for another day!!) Secrets like Glen Lall's "FUCOP" that's pumping money (?) into his coalition with PNC/APNU serendipitously named Partnership for Alliance National Trust - Yes! - (PANTY!!)
But as the Jhaat would know, whatever goes into PANTY! gonna be exposed sooner rather than later!!
...with the PNC traitors
When will Ramjattan expose to Granger, the three traitors from the PNC he saw with his own two (beady) eyes, taking $30 million EACH from the PPP??
Having completed the 7th Cycle of Continuous Registration, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) stated that preparations are underway for the publication of the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE).
The GECOM Secretariat is currently conducting a thorough fingerprint cross matching exercise as it analyses the fingerprints of reg-
istrants on both the existing National Register of Registrants as well as applications for new registration and new databases to eliminate multiple registrations.
When this exercise is completed, the PLE will be produced.
Persons are urged to check the extracts of the PLE which will be displayed in their respective communities to ensure their details are accurate.
If not, persons are required to apply for registration, change, corrections, and transfers during the Claims and Objectives exercise as may be necessary.
The Commission now awaits the announcement by President Donald Ramotar of the date for General and Regional Elections. The announcement of the dissolution of Parliament and General Elections are yet to be made by His Excellency.
During an interview with Guyana Times in December, the Head of State was
pressed for clarity on a timeline within which a date will be set for a return to the polls.
The President noted that the proclamation will be made before Mashramani celebrations. Once a date is set, political parties will move into campaign mode. Also, once a proclamation
announcing a date is made by the President for General and Regional Elections, constitutionally, GECOM has three months within which to deliver.
President Ramotar’s decision to call General and Regional Elections in 2015 has received the support of civil society, with the excep-
tion of a few.
Former Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Clinton Urling, who now heads the newly-formed social change advocate group Blue CAPS, had offered his commendation to President Ramotar.
Urling told Guyana Times that though the President
should have named a date for elections, no longer can the country endure gridlock at the level of the National Assembly as the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) engage in a struggle for power at the expense of the electorate.
The results, whether it favours the ruling PPP/C or the Opposition, should be respected even if it returns a minority Government to power.
According to Urling, if the electorate votes another minority Government into office, it is clear that they are calling for “inclusive power”, and political parties should put aside their individual agendas and work in the best interest of Guyana.
The PPP/C has won every election since entering office in 1992; however, during the 2011 elections, it returned to power with a minority, with the Opposition dominating the National Assembly.
As the search continues for the Missing Air Services Limited
Britten Norman Islander Aircraft, additional human resources have been deployed to join in the mission with the hope of finding the wreckage.
The resources were deployed following a visit by Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips to the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) at Timehri Control Tower.
Brigadier Phillips held discussions with members of the RCC and committed more support as they continue their mission to locate the aircraft and crew that went missing on December 28, 2014. Seven GDF ranks touched down at Mahdia Airstrip Wednesday morning following the meeting.
They were immediately briefed on their role in the active search which started 12 days ago. Guyana Times
understands that the GDF is likely to withdraw from the search next Monday after taking into consideration the present duration of the search and the fact that no success has been made since its commencement.
Meanwhile, Senior Air Traffic Controller Roy Sookhoo, who plays an integral role at the RCC, said the additional man power is welcomed.
He also expressed disappointment that the wreckage has not yet been sighted, but added that the search will continue. Sookhoo said search teams will follow up on all reports the RCC continues to receive from persons within the 10-mile search zone.
Sookhoo reiterated that that they will continue to treat each report with a level of urgency as they become available.
On Tuesday the team searched the Ibini Mountain Range but found no clues
that could lead them to the wreckage. Earlier on Wednesday, the search party ventured out to the Amatuk Falls area with the hope of finding some tangible evidence.
On December 28, 2014, the Britten Normal Aircraft disappeared off radar after taking off from a Mahdia airstrip. On board was the Pilot Nicky Persaud, a Canadian and cargo loader David Bisnauth. To date, several Belle helicopters and Cessna caravans have been deployed to areas of interest.
Family optimistic
Speaking with the family of Persaud, they told this publication that they remain optimistic that he is alive. His elder brother has since joined the search team along with relatives of Bisnauth.
The family added that they have been receiving updates on a daily basis, and wished to thank the mem-
bers of the Special Forces and those from the various agencies who are out there looking for the missing men.
On Saturday last, an aircraft attached to the CGX Oil Company joined the search for the missing Air Services Limited plane and has handed over some data gathered from its aerial search to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
The CGX Oil Company aircraft is equipped with a magnetic reader, which will greatly aid in the search. At the moment, the search team involves the Canadian aircraft attached to CGX, three teams from Timehri (who were flown in on Saturday last to join the search party), members of the Guyana Forestry Commission and the Guyana Defence Force, and eight line cutters from St Cuthbert’s Mission. Also, Suriname provided an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) to zero in on or enhance any signal from the wreckage site. The RCC had plotted a grid with the most probable flight path of the aircraft and where it was most likely to have flown and determined the overall area of interest for possible crash sites. This grid is being flown systematically to ensure coverage of the entire area. To date, systematic flyovers have been carried out, but, all have proven futile.
John Adams, the embattled Aishalton Secondary School
Assistant Master accused of being part of an Opposition plot to disturb a presidential meeting, has a long history of misconduct dating back to 2011.
This is according to the Toshao and parents in the South Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper EssequiboUpper Takatu) village. They say enough is enough, as they push for his dismissal.
Although warned by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) in 2011, Adams appears to be bent in his old ways. According to documents seen by the Guyana Times, the acting Regional Education Officer Marlyn Sears-Joseph on November 18, 2014 called on the TSC to take disciplinary action against Adams following a series of complaints.
The Education Officer’s recommendation was based on a three-page letter written by Aishalton Secondary School Headmaster Leyon Jones under the caption “Unprofessional Conduct of Teacher”.
In the letter, Adams was not only accused of being intoxicated while at school but
also of sexual misconduct.
In the letter dated March 18, 2014, it was alleged that on March 14, 2014, the Mathematics teacher left the school’s compound for lunch and returned long after the second session commenced. Upon his return, he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
“I was also informed by … Sir Ariel James that he noticed Sir John Adams in school and he seemed to be under the influence of alcohol. I was also informed by several other teachers that Sir John Adams was in school for about 10 minutes before dismissal and he appeared to be drunk,” the Headmaster said as he alluded to complaints filed by other teachers.
But that was just the tip
of the iceberg. Jones said he was subsequently approached by a teacher and a student who alleged that Adams sexually molested her. “The student claimed that Sir John Adams touched her inappropriately causing her to feel upset and embarrassed.”
Statements were provided by the teacher, Peter Smith; the alleged victim; and another student who witnessed the act allegedly committed by the Assistant Master.
In her statement, the student recalled that on March 14, she, along with her colleagues, was in a classroom just after school had ended when Adams approached her.
“While I was copying my assignment, Sir John Adams who was intoxicated came in the class, without my consent and touched me on my left hip next to my private part, which I didn’t like. So I told him, Sir, you don’t have the right to touch me,” she stated. According to her, the Assistant Master responded with a smile before launching his second attack.
“After that I felt embarrassed, but I still kept on writing my assignment, so he come to me the second time, but I moved to a corner. Then he said that he won’t touch me no more,” she added.
Additionally, two concerned parents had lodged complaints against Adams the same month. The Regional Vice Chairman, Douglas Casimero, filed the complaints with the District Education Officer on behalf of the parents. In both cases, Adams was accused of teaching while under the influence of alcohol.
Even as Adams was being investigated for incidents that transpired in March 2014, the Aishalton Nursery School Headteacher Joan Peters wrote the District Education Officer complaining about his disorderly behaviour.
According to Peters, Adams, while acting in the capacity of Aishalton Nursery Parent-Teacher Association Chairperson appeared for a meeting “drunk”.
“Adams, who is also a trained teacher, came to chair an executive meeting that was scheduled for 14:30h, under the influence of alcohol and was 15 minutes late,” she said.
In October 2013, another parent, Katherine Michael, complained bitterly about Adams’ behaviour. It was alleged that Adams not only consumed high levels of alcohol in and out of school but encouraged his students to follow suit.
The warning letter, which was issued by the Teaching Service Commission
“One Sunday September 29, 2013, Sir Adams got one Joshua Michael, a student of the Aishalton Secondary School and being of my nephew, intoxicated,” the woman complained.
In 2011, the TSC found Adams guilty of three charges: conduct unbecoming of a teacher; unfitness – being on duty under the influence of alcohol and inappropriate behaviour to female students, in accordance with the Education Act Chapter 39:01.
He was warned that any repetition would lead to dismissal. Additionally, he was debarred from promotion for one year. “You are hereby warned that should there be any recurrence of a sim-
ilar nature, the Teaching Service Commission would not hesitate to move towards your dismissal,” the TSC said in a letter to Adams on December 5, 2011. With Adams’ history of misconduct, it is, therefore, not surprising that he would have acted in a disorderly manner while in the presence of President Donald Ramotar. It is alleged that the 29-year-old teacher was assaulted by two members of the Presidential Guard after he disregarded a warning to desist from heckling while the President was speaking in the South Rupununi village in December. According to reports, Adams was intoxicated at the time of the meeting.
Freedie de man kisser dance fuh de first time in he life de other day. Now de reason fuh that is that Freedie grow up very gyurly. De people who used to look after Freedie never used to want people know he was who pickney.
So de people who used to look after Freedie used to lock he away in de house whole day and in he room whole night. Due to that Freedie never getta chance to hang out and run around like boys when he was growin up. That is why Freedie ain’t grow up like a boy and end up not bein a boy. Up to today he still can’t behave like a man. So he had start to turn he back and then he turn out to be a man kisser. Now he does even get vex when people call he man kisser.
Freedie read a news article earlier this week and he jump up and wine like winin goin outta style. Freedie musta tink he was by de Cathedral when he start winin. If Freedie wine like that fuh a livin he gon mek plenty money. Freedie do de bubble wine, de backball wine, de dollar wine, de jump and wine, de tempted-to-touch wine, and then he try de walkie-dip wine. When Freedie done that he do de stookie wine, de skip-to-my-lou wine and de Jim Screechie wine.
By that time, Freedie try de rubber waist wine like Jomo, then he move to de dutty wine and de bruk-it-down wine. A neighbour who live next to Freedie neighbour seh Freedie bottom was winin till de top start shakin.
But then he start to tremble. De neighbour neighbour seh people thought Freedie was doin de tremble wine. But whah really happen was that Freedie had start to feel cold after he read de other news whah come out just after de first one that mek he start to wine.
Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! But de neighbour neighbour seh Freedie could wine better than nuff women. After all, what is Freedie?
In the wake of efforts by Aishalton leaders to remove the schoolteacher who heckled the President at a meeting there amid allegations of prolonged misconduct, the Opposition said education should trump politics.
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) said the education of the children of the South Rupununi village must not be sacrificed because of party politics.
“APNU strongly affirms that the education of the children of this nation must not be tampered with for narrow political gain or to save political face,” the coalition said in a release on Wednesday as it alluded to the incident involving Assistant Master John
Adams and the Presidential Guard.
Adams was reportedly assaulted by two members of the Presidential Guard after heckling President Donald Ramotar during a public meeting in the South Rupununi District last month. The Assistant Master was reportedly under the influence of alcohol.
In Adams’ defence, APNU pointed out that he was the only Mathematics teacher in the entire South Rupununi. “He has proven to be a very good teacher who is committed to the education of the children of the South Rupununi. Mr Adams and the children of Aishalton should not be victimised for the boorish and un-presidential behaviour exhibited
by Donald Ramotar,” the coalition opined.
The coalition further assured that any dictatorial or unfavourable decision taken by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration against Adams will be reviewed by “an APNU Administration”.
It is also calling on the people of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) to resist the pressure being exerted by the operatives of the PPP/C.
On Tuesday, PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee said the incident might be a political plot by the Opposition. He said although the President had pronounced on the matter, the Opposition continued to use the incident as a politi-
cal football. “It comes as no surprise that the political Opposition and Opposition media have played up and overplayed their anti-Ramotar, anti-PPP/C sentiments. Clearly, the objective is to divide and rule over our Amerindian brothers and sisters”.
Nevertheless, the recent incident has shed light on Adams’ long history of misconduct. He is reportedly known for teaching while under the influence of alcohol, a matter which has led parents to advocate for his dismissal.
In 2011, the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) found him guilty of three charges, including unfitness: being on duty under the influence of alcohol.
APartnership for National Unity (APNU) has described as “badmouthing” earlier allegations by the Alliance For Change (AFC) that three of its parliamentarians had been bribed with $30 million to vote against a No-Confidence Motion that was tabled against the Government.
With plans moving forward for talks on a possible coalition between the two parties, ordinary members of the APNU believe that the matter must be settled during the talks. “One cannot make such an allega-
tion and don’t back it up and I believe this issue must be settled during the talks,” a supporter told this newspaper during a recent outreach in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) by APNU.
AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan had said last year at a news conference that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government had offered three Members of Parliament $30 million to vote against an AFC tabled no-confidence motion, stressing that the MPs in question were not from his party. From the onset, APNU had denied the allegation, indicating that there was no evidence to support the claim made by Ramjattan.
“Ludicrous”
When contacted on Tuesday, APNU Co-Chair, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine said that the APNU did not hold the statement against Ramjattan. According to Roopnaraine, the statement was nothing more than “badmouthing” by the AFC Leader. He said to this day he was unsure of what could have prompted the AFC Leader to make such a statement. “APNU has not tak-
en it serious, it’s ludicrous,” said Roopnaraine during the telephone interview. According to him, “it was not a very sensible thing to say”, but, nevertheless, the Partnership was not going to hold it against Ramjattan. APNU Leader David Granger is on record as saying that he is sure that none of APNU’s MPs had been approached with such an offer. He further noted that prior to the revelation made by the AFC he was not aware of such an undertaking by the Administration, hinting that it might have been made up. He said: “I
ANew Amsterdam woman is nursing three stab wounds following what she says is an attempt on her life.
Natasha Brooms of Nurseville Housing Scheme, New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) was admitted in a critical conditional to the New Amsterdam Hospital on Tuesday with multiple stab wounds to the upper body.
Speaking with Guyana Times, the 37-year-old vendor told this publication that she had just returned home from a trip with a friend when the incident occurred. Brooms, who is engaged in the business of buying and selling fruits and vegetables said that she had just returned home after a purchasing spree when she was attacked. “Ah friend dropped me off and I went into the yard with two bags in my hand and went straight to the back door for my daughter to open it.” She said when the door was opened she was expecting to see her daughter but was greeted by her former husband, with whom she severed their relationship with four years ago. “I din see the knife in he hand, but he come up to me and grab me by me chest and say ‘if I can’t get you nobody gon get you.’”
According to the mother of five, with those words the man with whom she has
five children started to stab her in the back. Meanwhile, the driver who was at the time taking things out of the trunk of the car; heard the commotion and approached the back door. Upon seeing what was transpiring, he threatened to injure the attacker.
Brooms was released as the attacker focused his attentions on the driver. He made good his escape, allowing brooms the opportunity to dash for safety. “I get away and run inside and bolt up the door,” the injured woman related. The driver of the car told this publication that he went to the Police Station and was able to get the mobile patrol to respond.
According to a source
close to the Police, when the patrol arrived they saw a man carrying a knife in his hand making a bid to escape. However, some officers were able to apprehend him without any of them being hurt. The man was taken into custody and is now assisting with the investigations. Meanwhile, Brooms said that the suspect had made several threats on her life, adding that on one occasion the matter was reported to the Police but the father of her children fled the district and resurfaced months later and had developed a relationship with his children. As Police continue to investigate, the suspect is likely to make a court appearance on Friday.
don’t know that there’s an offer at all. I don’t know who made it up, I don’t know who made it up.”
Government had also challenged the AFC to produce evidence to support its allegations. In a statement, the Office of the President had rejected the accusations made by the minority Opposition party. It expressed “utter shock” at what it called the latest public revelation by the AFC Leader as it noted that the startling disclosure followed a long line of reckless and baseless utterances emanating from the AFC.
“Office of the President rejects this outrageous allegation, and challenges Mr Ramjattan to forthwith disclose, publicly, the names of these three parliamentarians to which he makes reference and to further make a full and frank public disclosure of all or any information which he claims he has received in relation to this matter,” the statement said. It had also called on the AFC to lodge a report with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) forthwith, furnishing the Police with the information received with
a request to immediately commence an investigation since the allegations border on criminality. “Office of the President holds firmly to the view that the AFC has become desperate and is obviously prepared to adopt strange postures and make wild and irresponsible statements in their quest to exaggerate their importance and standing,” the release had noted.
Over the weekend, the AFC said a draft proposal stipulating that talks could only be held in secret was submitted to APNU for the party’s consideration.
However, when contacted by the Guyana Times on Monday, APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon explained that from where he stood, secret talks would not be an issue. He opined that he was in favour of the AFC’s stated prerequisite to dialogue, that is, a secret agreement on the part of both parties. According to Harmon, APNU would be discussing the agreement in the near future, but he was unable to say when this will be.
“I agree that we need not have these discussions in the public domain,” said the APNU Member of Parliament. He explained that APNU has many partners and some of them were on vacation out of the jurisdiction; hence, they would not be able to discuss the AFC’s proposal. When further pressed about a possible timeframe for APNU to give an answer to the AFC, Harmon said that he was not willing to publicly put a timeframe on the party’s in-house discussion on the issue. “We are going to get back to the AFC very soon on the matter,” he said.
One man remains hospitalised following the fatal accident at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, on Tuesday evening which claimed that life of 51-year-old Yvette StollJoseph of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
Oswin Tappin, 59, of Zeskendren, Mahaicony, ECD remains a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital and is said to be in stable condition. Tappin reportedly sustained abrasions to the body and lacerations to the head.
He was transferred from the Diamond Diagnostic Centre following the accident on Tuesday evening. Also treated at the Diamond medical facility were the driver of the minibus, Travis David, 27, of Agricola,
Greater Georgetown, and Joylyn Barker, 58.
They were treated and sent away but David was immediately arrested and is assisting the Police in their investigations.
It was reported that the now dead woman was a passenger in a minibus being driven by David who was allegedly driving at a fast rate, when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a utility pole. The vehicle reportedly toppled several times before coming to a halt. Joseph was reportedly pinned by the wrecked vehicle and died on the spot.
Joseph, David and three other passengers received injuries and were taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where Joseph was pronounced dead on arrival.
The dead woman’s husband
was distraught as he struggled to come to grips with his wife’s death. Several times the man had to be stopped as he banged his head against the wall of the medical institution.
One witness told this newspaper that the bus flipped a few times and some passengers could be seen pitching out of the vehicle onto the roadway.
Meanwhile, in a recent release from the Guyana Police Force, speeding continues to be a sore issue among errant drivers. At end of December 28, 2014, 249 drivers were charged for speeding while 31 were charged for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Sixty-eight others were charged with other traffic related offences.
An alleged burglar who was seen trying to break into a shop at Papi Show Landing, Mazaruni River, reportedly jumped into the river in order to escape from the residents, but, instead, met his demise.
David Marks, a known character in the area, was pulled out of the Mazaruni River on Wednesday morning, three days after he reportedly jumped overboard.
A Police rank told the Guyana Times that they have not ruled out foul play, since there are reports that he might have been beaten by residents and thrown into the river after he was caught. Several persons have been questioned as Police continued their investigation.
Government has expressed its intention of taking legal action against the Guyana National Council on Public Policy (GNCPP) and its chairman, Dr Phillip Mozart Thomas so as to recover the over $4 million owed for services provided. The announcement was made on Wednesday by Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon. He told reporters that Government has been keeping track of the organisation and Thomas.
Last week, the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) reported that it was owed a total of $4,208,360 for services provided to the organisation for its civil society summit held between December 17 and 19 last. It said too that the GNCPP might very well be bankrupt.
The management of the centre said after being issued an invalid cheque on the first day of the summit, it has been unable to contact Thomas.
Dr Luncheon said Government would be tak-
ing every available step to recover that money.
“The latest disclosure justified Government’s reservation… The services provided by Government to the organisation have been unpaid. The cheque was not honoured by the bank. Cabinet will be taking appropriate steps to recover that sum of money,” Luncheon declared at the Office of the President
The GNCPP and Dr Thomas have already been dubbed a facade by Government and sections of society. Dr Luncheon said following Government’s public warning about the organisation, it has found out some additional things which have given credence to its suspicions.
“Cabinet has followed the issue surrounding the December 17 gathering of Thomas and supporters which was intended to form a body of civil societies in Guyana. The [Office of the President] OP had already distanced itself from the event and the organisation, rejecting the reach out for talks.” Subsequent investi-
gations further validated Government’s decision.
The GNCPP, between December 17 and 19 last, hosted a civil society summit. Apart from seeking the establishment of a Guyana National Civil Society Council (GNCSC), the objective was to seek a transition into a new dispensation of peace within society.
The summit got off to a disappointing start, however, as a few “big names” that were slated to address the audience, never showed up. Among them were President Donald Ramotar, who in a telephone interview with the Guyana Times had disassociated himself from the organisation and Thomas.
Dr Thomas had boasted of great success, notwithstanding the warning given by the OP to Guyanese citizens against becoming entangled with the organisation and its leader, the evening before the summit.
Even with Government’s non-support, on day two of the summit, which was moved to the body’s Secretariat, Thomas contended that the summit was a “phenomenal success”, bringing together a wide cross-section of society to enable the formation of the GNCSC.
Following the failure of the Council to involve Government in consultation during the summit, Thomas admitted that his organisation might have been too “rash” and would be giving itself and Government some time to recoup before seeking out another meeting.
According to him, the time might be right after Government “fully digests and analyses” the strategy used by the Council on the prior engagement.
The Rajiv Gandhi University of Science and Technology, a fairly new institution in Guyana located at 135 Sheriff Street, Georgetown, hosted its first graduation exercise at the Pegasus Hotel on Wednesday.
at the University. They are currently employed at the Dr Balwant Singh Hospital as part-time workers; however, now that they have completed the 16-month programme, they will have to decide if they will return to India or stay in Guyana.
During the ceremony, three Indian Nationals Biji Biju, Sheethal George and Geno Kuriakose graduated from the nursing programme with their Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. The three were already registered nurses when they applied to study
In his remarks at the simple ceremony, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds commended the Board of the University for starting a school that opens the door for persons from other parts of the world to join.“We are ready to receive people from all continents” he said.
Hinds added that he was excited to see more foreign nationals coming to Guyana to study as it promotes the country’s cultural diversity.
He further noted that there was potential for more Universities in Guyana, since the country has an advantage with its climate and the low cost of living which are important components for University students.
Also speaking at the event and expressing well wishes to the students in their journey ahead were the Vice Chancellor of the University, Dr Sherlock Rawana and the Dean of the University, Dr Emanuel Cummings.
The University offers international courses in the fields of Medicine, Humanities, Science and Technology.
At present, both local and international students are attending classes in the Pre-Medicine course, the Degree in Medicine (MD) course and courses in pharmaceutical practices.
The University was established in 2012 and is recognised by the National Accreditation Council.
TAssistant Commissioner and A Division (Georgetown) Commander, Clifton Hicken told the Guyana Times that his officers were currently speaking to a number of persons within the community to understand the depth of the crime that was committed against the children and also to learn more about the parents in order to find them. He stated that the issue was quite upsetting as “children are the future” and these children were left in extremely bad conditions with nothing to eat and no way of caring for themselves.
Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) Deputy Director Teresa Gaime told this publication that the children have been placed in safe houses where they are being well taken care of.
However, Gaime was awaiting the completion of the Police’s investigation to locate the parents or other family members who may be suitably equipped and willing to take care of the children.
Gaime stated that the condi-
tion of the children was indeed deplorable, but the agency’s objective was to always have the children in “family-based care” or at least with someone they were already familiar with. She said the mother of the four children had told neighbours that she would be back in February after her sojourn in the interior.
It was speculated that she may have gone into the interior to work to provide better care for the children which was understandable after it was reported that the neighbours were providing food to the children not only in the mother’s absence but also while she was present too.
Thus, Gaime stated that it was too soon to decide on the future of the children as the mother may have her reasons for her actions.
Colleen Khan, who heads the Foster Care Division, had informed this publication during a previous interview of the agency’s efforts in maintaining this principle of ‘family care’. She had ex-
plained that CCPA offers a number of counselling sessions for parents or guardians who have been accused of neglect or abandonment. It is a second chance for parents to reform themselves for their children’s sake as they remain parents. However, Khan had indicated that if no change or an attempt at change had been made, children would be put up for adoption. Usually, foster parents have first preference in such cases.
Presidential Adviser on Governance, Gail
Teixeira has underlined that condition such as press freedom is one of the basic principles of a democratic society, noting that an open and free press exists in Guyana.
She noted that government has only one television station, one radio station and a single newspaper. In contrast there a total of 20 television stations, 13 radio stations and four daily newspapers, hence the private sector is in control of the mass media, she said. Speaking on the issue of governance on the television programme, ‘Political Scope’ on the National Communications Network, she added that the media, however, is expected to comply with the laws of Guyana.
Free and fair elections
Examining the electoral laws, the presidential adviser said that dictators don’t like or hold elections, and, “If they do they are often rigged”. Guyana has had five free and fair elections since 1992, overseen by international observers, she pointed out, and unlike in years past, at no point were they described as fraudulent. “We are proud of that fact, the fact people have the right to vote unencumbered, unfettered”.
Speaking on the rule of law, Teixeira explained that this is supervised by the executive, the legislative and the judiciary. She said the latter is intact, independent and doesn’t bow to the government, which she added, incidentally also losses many of the cases brought before the court and wins some. There is no saluting or allegiance pledged to the flag of the ruling party as obtained during the PNC regime, she further noted. Persons are also free to bring constitutional motions before the courts, if they feel their basic human rights are violated. “We are free to go to rallies, we are free to picket. The opposition has not been prevented from having a say, they have not been prevented from holding their picketing in front of Office of the President…what they are told is that there are certain rules in law that you have to obey and that’s it”.
Fallacious claims
The claims that Guyana is a “failed state” were also dismissed by Teixeira, “If you have a failed state, nothing works, the institutions of the state don’t work the judiciary, the executive, the legislature don’t work. That’s when we talk about a failed state”. These terms are being “thrown” around by the “intellectuals” and leaders of the political op-
position and are absolutely fallacious, she stated. “They are trying to ‘mamaguy’ or fool people”. It is easy, she added to say these things instead of saying that there are some things that they don’t agree with.
She labelled the political opposition as the actual dictators who through the “myth” of the one seat, feel they can run the government from the outside. The fact that the opposition took such strong positions and cut some $ 90 billion in total from the national budget, is an indication, Teixeira opined of what will happen if they should ever gain power, since their position is dictatorial already.
Teixeira is confident that Guyanese will be able to analyse the statements made by the opposition and be conscious of what they are attempting to do. She recalled that a study done in 1991 showed that 67% of Guyanese were living below the poverty line, and the APNU, formerly PNC, is uncomfortable with this fact.
The PNC government, which is recognised as a dictatorship was unable to “deliver the goods” because they were busy catering to one sector of society, supported at the time by the army and or police, and or rigged elections. The situation that obtains at present is reversed with 67% of the people living above the poverty line, she noted.
Claims that government is not listening to the people were also debunked by Teixeira who noted that programmes such as the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), bills and various programmes have all been vetted by stakeholders and civil society before even reaching to Cabinet for final consideration.
There have been no real compromises reached in the Parliament by the political
The case filed by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to stop Government from what they call “illegal spending”, has commenced in the High Court and arguments are being laid over.
The matter was heard in-chambers by acting Chief Justice Ian Chang on Wednesday, during which the attorneys representing the APNU commenced and completed arguments.
Senior Counsel Rex McKay led the arguments stating that the affidavit in answer to the application for a Conservatory Order to stay Government’s spending until the hearing and determination of the matter, contains nothing of substance.
of the public funds. He explained given the fact that the State or a Minister cannot be injunct the Opposition is asking the court to grant a Conservatory Order to preserve the situation and restrain Government from further spending.
opposition, and with the one seat majority, they operate in a dictatorial manner, she restated. The example of the United States of America’s Congress which is now controlled by the Republicans was cited by the presidential adviser, who said that despite their differences, they have “risen to the occasion” when the need to support the Democratic Party, which controls the Executive arose. In Guyana, neither the APNU nor the AFC have risen to the call to “put the nation first” but rather have gone on record for the last three years as doing the exact opposite.
The claims that President Donald Ramotar was dictatorial in his refusal to assent to four bills passed by the opposition were also set aside by Teixeira. She said that in meetings with the political opposition and the government officials, the offer to assent to the contested bills was made by the president, but close to a year has elapsed, Teixeira said, yet the opposition has not moved to the courts.
“They know that these bills are unconstitutional”. The aforementioned actions can have an impact, but people must think for themselves and recall “then and now, pre 92 and now”.
Following almost two hours in chambers, APNU executive member, Attorney Basil Williams, told reporters that “there is no answer to the contentions raised in the ex parte application for the Conservatory Order”. Williams had continued arguments on behalf of the Opposition party, citing several authorities from countries such as Kenya and Trinidad, where conservatory orders were granted on the basis of protecting the public coffers.
“That is very important; that where the public coffers are threatened, a Conservatory Order was issued because if at the end of the hearing, the decision is law then there is no way you could get back monies that would have been spent. So wherever the public purse is threatened, that situation is likely to have a Conservatory Order issued to protect the people’s money,” the attorney stated.
The APNU member contended that Finance Minster, Ashni Singh, has been allegedly illegally spending monies, pointing out that there is nothing in the Constitution or any Statue to show that he (the Minister) can lawfully spend on programmes that were disapproved by the National Assembly.
Williams believes that the APNU will succeed in this legal proceeding since the action will basically prevent the illegal spending
“Parliament was prorogued to remove the scrutiny of the National Assembly over Government’s spending and that compounds the situation even more –that the people’s representative, majority of the people in the Parliament have been shut out by the closure of the Parliament unlawfully by the President – so we won’t be able to scrutinise any spending done by the Government so it’s imperative that we have an order restraining them from doing any further spending until the matter is resolved” Williams stressed.
On the other hand, the Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall posited that there is nothing for Government to defend in this proceeding. He told reporters that the orders being sought by the applicants are all misconceived.
“I think this case was filed as a mere afterthought because it seeks to restrain spending when the spendings would have already been almost completed. This case was filed at the end of 2014 to restrain spending for the year 2014.
It was a badly thoughtout strategy and decision to implement or to institute the case in the first place,” the AG contended. Nandlall outlined that Minister Singh has acted in compliance with constitutional provisions that are well known and has followed constitutional procedures that are well recognised.
“He has done that in three successive years. Coupled with that is the fact that we have two rulings from the very judge before whom we are appearing and those rulings indicate that the Minister of Finance has a discretion, if he wishes to exercise it, to use money in the manner contemplated by the Constitutions
and the Laws of Guyana and the Minister of Finance has done precisely that. He has not violated any laws, he has not acted in any manner contrary to the Constitution of Guyana,” the AG ventilated.
The Attorney General and Minister Singh were named the respondents along with Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman. Senior Counsel Ashton Chase led arguments on behalf of the Finance Minister but was unable to conclude his submissions. He will continue on Friday while Nandlall will commence his arguments when the matter resumes. On December 12, 2014, Leader of the APNU, David Granger, filed the court seeking to stop unauthorised spending by the Government and spending on programmes that were disapproved by the Parliament.
The APNU contends that the Finance Minister took back to the National Assembly new Estimates of Expenditure minus the disapproved $37 billion that were passed by the National Assembly as the Appropriation Act No 10 of 2014.
However despite the said disapprovals, the Minister went ahead and spent around $4.5 billion on the said programmes by June 16, last year.
The coalition is seeking a conservatory order from the court to stay all spending or any further spending on the programmes disapproved by the Parliament and other unauthorised spending by the Government.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr Roger Luncheon on Wednesday during his postCabinet press briefing called on Digicel to outline its plans to run fibre-optic cable project (FOCP) in Guyana.
Dr Luncheon’s comments came after persons in some quarters accused the Government of refusing to grant permission to the telecommunications company to land fibre-optic cable in Guyana.
The HPS stated that the Government has granted permission to Digicel to land the cable. “What is necessary is for Digicel to advise what the steps are that they plan to take to use the approval given by the Government to land cable in Guyana to make that a reality,” Dr Luncheon said.
Recently, concerns had been raised about the Fibreoptic Cable Project especially after Project Manager Alexei Ramotar disclosed that the project has been suspended
since November 2013.
Former Head of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Clinton Urling said such projects should be left in the hands of the Private Sector. He also expressed dissatisfaction over the revelation made by Ramotar.
Urling blasted the Government for getting involved in the project, but Prime Minister Samuel Hinds said the Private Sector did not commit to the project initially.
Early last year, the Digicel Group had announced that it received the required approvals from Government and regulatory authorities with regard to its purchase of a submarine fibre network across the Caribbean region from the Guadeloupe-based Loret Group and Caribbean Fibre Holdings.
Digicel has been on an ongoing quest to become a global communications provider growing out of its mobile provider roots.
Despite National Security Minister
Gary Griffith’s decision to place the law enforcement agencies on high alert, the criminal element’s attack on law-abiding citizens continued unabated across TT on Tuesday. Most of their crimes were committed with guns as three people were murdered, taking the toll to 14 for the year, a toddler and two women were shot and a security guard shot a bandit dead after he and an accomplice had committed a brazen daylight robbery at a roti shop in Barataria.
In the latest incident, 18-month-old Imani George is fighting for his life in hospital after he was shot in his mother’s arms in a midafternoon shooting in east Port of Spain on Tuesday. According to reports, around 14:45h, Lichel Francois,
Policemen search for bullet casings at the scene of the incident in which Lichel Francois and her son, Imani George, were shot while seated in a taxi at the corner of Prince and Nelson Streets, Port of Spain
29, of Trou Macaque Road, Laventille, and her son, Imani George, were seated
in a taxi near the corner of Prince and Nelson Streets, Port of Spain.
People in Venezuela’s savannah heartlands struggling to survive the national economic crisis have found a novel way to make ends meet: fish-smuggling to Colombia.
While contraband of gasoline and medicine has been going on for years, little is known about the trade in tonnes of fresh-water fish by Venezuelans who pile them onto long, motorised canoes and traverse dangerous waterways for days into Colombia.
Fishermen and traders in the border state of Apure, in Venezuela’s “llanos” or agricultural plains, speak openly of negotiating with Colombian guerrillas and bribing Venezuelan authorities in a trade that keeps whole villages fed.
“There’s no other work. The fish pay for our food, our clothes, our children’s studies, everything,” said Jesus Rodriguez, 53, who supplies coporo fish to buyers at the beginning of the smuggling chain.
As the driver was awaiting other passengers, a heavily-tinted car with five men inside stopped alongside the passenger side of the taxi. One of the men then lowered the window, pointed a gun through it and fired several shots at the taxi. The men then drove off. Francois was shot in her left hand while George was struck in his head. The taxi driver, who was not identified by Police, escaped unscathed.
The driver drove to the Port of Spain General Hospital where Francois and her son were stabilised and then transferred, via ambulance, to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope. Francois’ nonlife threatening injury was treated but she was warded overnight for observation. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)
Cuba has implemented a national Ebola prevention programme to counter the introduction and spread of the virus in the country, which included the training of over 384 persons, according to Granma newspaper.
The programme includes sanitary surveillance, prevention, attention and biosecurity measures, which guarantee early detection of Ebola cases and immediate control actions.
The strategy consists of a coordination group jointly working with the national civil defence staff, backed by the Health Ministry’s control centre, which moni-
tors and evaluates the national and international situation 24 hours a day, said Francisco Durán, General Director of Epidemiology.
The programme also included the increase of diagnostic capacities and the training of specialists in labs of developed nations. Part of the strategy was the setting up of a training centre at the Pedro Kouri Tropical Medicine Institute in Havana.
At present, there are 32 Cuban medical brigades in Africa, made up of 1048 specialists in countries like Sierra Leone and Guinea.
(Caribbean News Now)
The Domestic Violence Act in Barbados ensures greater protection of victims. In many cases, children and vulnerable members of the household are caught between the disputes of their parents or family members. Though domestic violence has continued to remain a major concern for children’s rights activists, such concerns include the vulnerability of children during violent disputes.
should be given full consideration of the law. Children have been known to have suffered severely through the various acts of sexual and physical harm; and in some cases even death by the hands of parents or family members.
Human and gender justice advisor Felicia Browne applauded the Police Force and community members for the immediate intervention which has saved the life of a young child. She added that domestic violence is a still a very serious concern for many societies.
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is urging Caribbean farmers to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices that can help lessen the impacts of climate change.
Working with boats and nets on the river Arauca in South-western Venezuela, the fishermen in El Yagual village sell their catches to traders who load as much as 3.5 tonnes per canoe for the trip to Colombia.
The fish are carefully packed with ice then covered with cloth. Children can be seen working on the riverbank, while large wads of cash change hands at every juncture. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Children, like many vulnerable persons, are at greater risk, primarily due to their inabilities to protect themselves from physical and bodily harm. The need for greater protection of children in domestic disputes
“We have continued to observe the detrimental effects of domestic violence on the victims and their families. We should continue to
ensure that governmental and civil societies conduct the necessary follow-ups on existing reports of domestic abuse. For instance, we have had many instances of repeat domestic abuse cases which have led to devastating outcomes. It is critically important that families, as well as perpetrators receive the necessary intervention that it needed. We just cannot continue to assume that violence or abuse within such homes will go away. We should ensure that every community member is aware of the signs of abuse and what steps they can take to prevent such harm – in particular to young children,” she said. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)
An upward shift in the age of consent and increased penalties for sex crimes are to be given consideration as Attorney General Steadroy Benjamin laments last year’s increase in all forms of sex crimes.
tractual relations at that the age. How then is it proper that persons below 18 years old can consent to sexual activities?” the Minister posited.
Benjamin said penalties for sexual offences should also be increased.
“Climate change has resulted in flooding, landslides, the loss of soil nutrients, and it has a dramatic effect on our agriculture which has a ripple effect on food security, and the livelihoods of small farmers,” said Ena Harvey, IICA Management Coordinator for the Caribbean. She said the entire region has experienced the impact of climate change with devastating consequences on food production and food security. IICA consultant on climate-smart agriculture, Steve Maximay, said to lessen the impact, “conservation and the proper utilisation of resources” is vital.
said, adding that in many cases it means reverting to tried and tested farming practices.
“Climate-smart agriculture employs an ecological approach. Everyone has to survive in this changing environment, so we need to know how to adapt,” he
“When we talk about climate-smart agriculture, we are talking about general survival and development, and not just agriculture. Climate-smart agriculture entails good agricultural practices applied to climate change impacts. So all the things we recommend is stuff that our forefathers knew about, like how to conserve water, and how to maintain soil fertility,” Maximay said.
(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)
The legislator said he intends to start discussions soon with the relevant Government and non-governmental organisations to clamp down on sexual offences.
“We will be speaking with social partners in the future to make a determination whether or not we ought to increase the age of consent to the age of 18. This would seem to be consistent with the Constitution, which (stipulates) a person reaches his or her age of majority at 18; you can vote then and you can enter into con-
“The penalties will be reviewed. (For) any person taking advantage of persons between the ages of 14 and 16, (penalties) must be increased. We must stop the act of men exploiting young (girls). Many young girls are disadvantaged and their eyes are opened when they can be given these expensive phones and latest clothing and go to parties and get their hair fixed; that is unfortunate and must be stamped out,” Benjamin said.
Currently, if a man has
sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 14, he could be jailed for life. But, if he engages a girl between 14 and less than 16 years, he faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)
Gunmen have shot dead 12 people at the Paris office of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in an apparent militant Islamist attack.
Four of the magazine’s well-known cartoonists, including its editor, were among those killed, as well as two Police Officers.
A major Police operation is under way to find three gunmen who fled by car.
President Francois Hollande said there was no doubt it had been a terrorist attack “of exceptional barbarity”.
It is believed to be the deadliest attack in France since 1961, when rightwingers who wanted to keep
Algeria French bombed a train, killing 28 people.
The masked attackers opened fire with assault rifles in the office and exchanged shots with Police in the street outside before escaping by car. They later abandoned the car in Rue de Meaux, northern Paris, where they hijacked a second car.
Witnesses said they heard the gunmen shouting “We have avenged the Prophet Muhammad” and “God is Great” in Arabic (“Allahu Akbar”).
The number of attackers was initially reported to be two, but French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve later said secu-
rity services were hunting three “criminals”. He said that Paris had been placed on the highest alert.
Charlie Hebdo Editor Stephane Charbonnier, 47, had received death threats in the past and was living under Police protection.
French media have named the three other cartoonists killed in the attack as Cabu, Tignous and Wolinski, as well as Charlie Hebdo contributor and French economist Bernard Maris.
The attack took place during the magazine’s daily editorial meeting. At least four people were critically wounded in the attack. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Part of the tail of crashed AirAsia flight QZ8501 has been found in the Java Sea, Indonesian searchers say.
The tail houses the “black boxes” – the voice and flight data recorders – which could give investigators clues as to the cause of the crash.
It was found in a secondary search area, lending weight to theories that strong currents have moved the debris.
The plane was lost
en route from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore on December 28, with 162 people aboard. No survivors have been found.
Part of the tail of the Airbus A320-200 was spotted by teams involving divers and unmanned underwater vehicles, search and rescue chief Bambang Soelistyo said in Jakarta. It is the first significant piece of wreckage from the crash to be identified and
was found in an area some 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the initial search area.
The part found has the AirAsia mark on it, Soelistyo said. It is buried in mud, in water 30 metres (98ft) deep, and is believed to be upside down.
Despite powerful sea currents and murky water, searchers managed to take photographs, he said. On one piece, the letter A appears to be painted. (Excerpt from BBC News)
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has confirmed that the Palestinians will officially become a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on April 1, the UN press office said on Wednesday.
On Friday, the Palestinians delivered to UN headquarters documents on joining the Rome
Statute of the ICC and other international treaties, in a move that has heightened tensions with Israel and could lead to cuts in US aid.
The official announcement of the date of the Palestinian accession to the ICC, in the form of a letter from Ban, was posted on a UN website. The UN is the official depositary of the Rome Statute and many other treaties.
The decades-long drought in antibiotic discovery could be over after a breakthrough by American scientists.
Their novel method for growing bacteria has yielded 25 new antibiotics, with one deemed “very promising”.
The last new class of antibiotics to make it to clinic was discovered nearly three decades ago.
The study, in the journal Nature, has been described as a “game-changer” and experts believe the antibiotic haul is just the “tip of the iceberg”.
The heyday of antibiotic discovery was in the 1950s and 1960s, but nothing
found since 1987 has made it into doctor’s hands.
Since then microbes have become incredibly resistant. Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis ignores nearly everything medicine can throw at it.
The researchers, at the Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, turned to the source of nearly all antibiotics – soil.
This is teeming with microbes, but only one per cent can be grown in the laboratory.
The team created a “subterranean hotel” for bacteria. One bacterium was placed in each “room” and
the whole device was buried in soil.
It allowed the unique chemistry of soil to permeate the room, but kept the bacteria in place for study.
The scientists involved believe they can grow nearly half of all soil bacteria.
Chemicals produced by the microbes, dug up from one researcher’s back yard, were then tested for antimicrobial properties.
The lead scientist, Professor Kim Lewis, said: “So far, 25 new antibiotics have been discovered using this method and teixobactin is the latest and most promising one. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Astrike by coal miners in India opposed to privatising the coal industry has been called off, with the Government and the Unions reaching an agreement after a crisis meeting, officials said.
The strike had entered the second day on Wednesday after talks with the Government failed, sparking fears of power cuts in the energy-hungry nation.
“The strike has been called off,” Lakhan Lal Mahato, leader of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), said after a meeting with Coal Minister Piyush Goyal that lasted for over six hours, reported the Press Trust of India.
About half a million workers were taking part in the strike.
Supplies to nearly 100 coal-fired power plants have already been hit, raising fears of widespread disruption to power supplies.
Al Jazeera’s Faiz Jamil, reporting from New Delhi, said some coal-fired power plants could run out of fuel
AAbout 500,000 workers continued on the second day of a proposed five-day strike [AP]
before the strike ends.
“Theoretically, there’s supposed to be more than enough supply of coal to see the country through a fiveday strike,” he said.
“The problem is that the stockpile is not evenly distributed around the country, so some power plants may run out of coal before others.”
The strike was called by five coal unions representing some 3.5 million workers amid fears that any move to privatise the coal industry could lead to job cuts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to open India’s mostly state-run coal mines to private investors as part of wide-ranging reforms to boost the economy. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
man claiming to be one of the top commanders of the Lord’s Resistance Army has surrendered to American forces in the Central African Republic (CAR), a United States official has said.
Under ICC rules, Palestinian membership would allow the court, based in The Hague, to exercise jurisdiction over war crimes committed by anyone on Palestinian territory, without a referral from the UN Security Council. Israel, like the United States, is not a party to the Rome statute, but its citizens could be tried for actions taken on Palestinian land. (Excerpt from Reuters)
State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Tuesday that a man saying he was senior LRA leader Dominic Ongwen had defected, and was in the custody of US forces deployed in the hunt for Kony in the CAR.
“If the individual proves to be Ongwen, his defection would represent a historic blow to the LRA’s command structure,” she said.
“Efforts to establish full and positive identification continue, so I don’t have confirmation of that at this point,” Psaki said.
According to the United Nations, the LRA led by violent warlord Joseph Kony has killed more than 100,000 people and kidnapped more than 60,000 children in an almost three-decade reign of terror in central Africa.
In 2013, the US offered up to US$5 million for the capture of Kony, who is also wanted by
the International Criminal Court along with Ongwen and two other lieutenants.
There is also a US$5 million bounty offered for information leading to the arrest, transfer and conviction of Ongwen, accused by the State Department of “murder, enslavement and cruel treatment of civilians”. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Josh Oodit – Student
“Well I’m not blaming the doctors at the hospital, or saying that they spitefully kill someone, because I don’t think that’s what’s happening. I don’t exactly know what goes on but I think if someone dies at your hospital, during childbirth or anything, whether public or private, then you should assist the family. Offer compensation, nothing big or anything to break your bank, but it’s the thought of it that will count, because you have to remember, these family just lost their loved ones, at the hands of your staff, so you have to understand where they are coming from and reach out to them. So the least you can do is offer some compensation. And also, the doctors and nurses need to be penalised.”
Marianne Danjou –Employee at Zoon
“It’s such a tricky situation but those doctors and nurses need to be penalised if someone died on their watch, because, if they aren’t punished then chances are, they will continue doing it. I mean, I’m not saying they do these things deliberately or on purpose but if it happens, then you have to own up and face the consequences, so you will be more careful next time, because you won’t want to face these punishments that will come your way.”
Akion Timmerman –Employee at GDF
“Well what can I say? It makes sense to say anything? Because, what we hear don’t always be the full truth, so I am not in a position to give recommendations. I have never experienced this situation with any of my family members, so I don’t know how it feels. But it’s not nice to know that you take your wife or daughter to the hospital and then she dies. So it’s something people need to look into but then again, mistakes happen and the mistake may not always be the fault of the nurses and doctors.”
Rayon Mantoos
“I think that the staff needs to be more trained, some of them need to be more careful in what they’re doing in terms of handling the patients, and facilities need to be improved as well as treatment. They all need to be improved so patients can get better treatment.”
Rhonda Austin – Police
“Right now I’m having a colleague who is suffering from that. Only today we’ve learnt that she is back in the hospital, because they’re saying she was cut wrong at the Georgetown Hospital. So we’re worried. My opinion is that we’re having a lot of doctors that are coming in from Cuba, so I think that in as much as they undergo their training; they should still be supervised by senior doctors. They need supervision from experienced persons in the field.”
Cuthbert Melvin – Student
“I think better disciplinary measures should be put in place for the personnel at the public hospital. I don’t think there is enough accountability on their behalf with regards to addressing those particular issues. I’ve heard a lot of these things, not just now but overtimes, and I’ve never seen anybody been brought to justice or any disciplinary measures, so that’s what I think should happen.”
Anesa Permal – Student
“I think the nurses need to look at the situation in a very mature manner; for example, there are some nurses who look at patients and just leave them on the bed instead of staying with them and making sure they are okay. We also need them to have more training. There are also some of them who do not look at things the way we do, so if something bad happens, they will just move on with their lives, instead of making an issue. So, there needs to be stricter measures. Also, the doctors need to guide the young nurses, because you can’t expect them to know everything, so you have to guide them as they go along.”
Crystal Jones –Employee at Zoon
“I think if people have jobs that they really like then they would be good at it naturally. So basically, if you have a passion for what you do then you will be good at it. Most of the nurses there, if you call them, they’d be like “stwww what you calling me for?” and these sort of things, they can’t do that. I understand they may get frustrated but they can’t let that affect them. So you really have to get a love for your job and I don’t think these nurses here do.”
Marlon Downer – Employee at Immigration Office
“I think they should do something concerning the training of their staff. I had a cousin who died there (Georgetown Public Hospital) giving birth, her child survived but she passed away soon after. They have to do something. It’s not nice. It’s not nice for the families.”
Darius Austin – Student
“I think they should put more measures in place man, cause they ain’t taking care of the people them properly. They got to get more up-todate technology to deal with them because when there is a problem and people go to them, they hollering about they ain’t know and them stupidness. So if you get the proper technology, they’d be able to see what it is and treat them properly.”
Cheryl Clarke
“I think there should be more qualified staff, not that they don’t have qualified staff, because they do, but they need better supervision. For example, if you’re a new medical student on an internship then there should be somebody overseeing what’s going on because its life you’re talking about, so I think that’s what should be done. They need more qualified staff.”
By Royden James
Guyana Public Service Union’s Industrial Relations
Officer
Jermin Hermanstine is refuting an allegation made by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry that the protest called by his Union for wage increases at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) is illegal.
The Natural Resources
Ministry on Tuesday had issued a statement condemning the strike undertaken by the workers attached to the GGMC after they had downed tools following management’s failure to resolve the issue of non-payment of salary increases promised since 2013.
Speaking to the Guyana Times on Wednesday morning, Hermanstine said the Ministry’s allegation had no
solid ground and noted that there was no section in the legislation which stipulated that concerned workers did not have the right to take industrial actions.
He noted that they were pointing out terms of resumption which have specific laws and those laws clearly made what they were doing legal.
“The terms of resumption specifically states that
the Union has one month and within that one month the Union could review its position, what the union has done is review its position within the one month and what we are doing is what is stipulated within that document, so there is nothing for us to hide and there is nothing illegal in what we are doing,” he said.
GGMC Senior Industrial Relations Officer Dennis
English also dismissed the comments made by the Natural Resources Ministry, noting that it was quite unfortunate that a top Government Ministry was making such a statement.
“What we are doing here is legal. Those who are claiming that this act is illegal; it is quite unfortunate that they will be making such statements. If the statement was intended to
create distraction, then I am afraid it will not distract us and we will continue to take the necessary actions,” English said. In addition, English noted that both management and the board should reflect at statements they were making, as it may not augur well for a good industrial relations climate and a cordial Union-management relationship.
In 2014, a total of 1,244 complaints were lodged with the Ministry of Labour, of which 821 or 66% were resolved. While in 2014, more complaints were lodged, fewer were concluded and this was because many of the complaints related to the mining industry, noted Minister of Labour Dr. Nanda Gopaul.
He said that in the mining industry, both employers and their complainants seem to always be ‘out of touch’ with the ministry. Minister Gopaul stated that from the 1,244 complaints, only 24 or 1.9% were related to non-payment of wages below the National Minimum Wage. This is an indication that the National Minimum Wage is now settled and the defaulters, despite some amount of resistance, have now accommodated the request.
“Out of the complaints, the sum of $31.5M was recovered on behalf of workers, and representing $4.2M for annual leave, $1M for overtime, $12M for terminal benefits, $13M for wages, and $18.2M for complaints. During the course of 2014, $49.7M was received on behalf of workers, filing cases with the ministry,” Minister Gopaul said.
In addition, the sums collected constituted ‘outof-court’ settlements against employers and the number filed in 2014 was 141. The number of matters closed was 38 and for employers being taken to court in 2014, the figure
rests at 57. The minister said that the number of charges was 362 in 2014, with 130 cases pending and filed, including paying of wages, failure to provide severance pay, in lieu of notice, and grant leave with pay.
Meanwhile, resulting from the complaints that were lodged, the sum of $31. 5M was recovered on behalf of the complainants. This includes payment of annual leave, overtime, terminal benefits, wages and a few related ones. In addition to these sums, a further $ 18.263 M, due on complainants for the previous year 2013, was collected, with the total garnered for the year being $49.771.
The important thing of note within the Ministry of Labour was that there were some successful prosecutions for erring employers in 2014. The Labour Ministry was quite suc-
cessful in this aspect of its mandate and in fact was able to recoup large sums for workers who were exploited. The Minister of Labour told the Guyana Information Agency (GINA) that a total of 141 prosecution cases were filed in 2014 against 57 employers, while 362 charges were instituted against the delinquent employers. Some 38 prosecution cases were closed in 2014, while 130 cases (2013-2014) are currently outstanding.
The charges instituted against the employers include failure to pay the entire amount of wages and severance allowances, no notices of termination, overtime neglect, and the non-honouring of the national minimum wages order. The most significant cases for 2014 include the Management of Tower Hotel and Strategic Action Security Agency. Employers who are delinquent and pay their staff less than the national minimum wage will, if found guilty, have to pay a fine of $35,000 for the first offence. The second offence will result in a fine of $75,000 and one month in jail.
The decision by Government to implement a national minimum wage will result in a higher standard of living, in addition to increased wages for approximately 31,000 workers. The national minimum wage, which was established in 2013, saw workers receiving up to $35,000 per month, during a forty-hour work week.
One of Guyana’s massive projects, the East Demerara Water Conservancy’s (EDWC) Hope Canal, located at Hope, East Coast Demerara, and which was expected to come to full fruition by December 31, 2014 has faced a slight setback due to some over-run in costs.
The four-component project, when completed shortly, is expected to offer a real solution to the risk of the failure of the EDWC, a situation that has the potential to occur. Already the bridge across the canal has been commissioned, with the canal itself and the head regulator completed, while the eightdoor sluice too is close to completion.
However with the slight delay in the project,
Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon stated, during his post Cabinet media briefing on Wednesday, that when the project is completed, along with the defect liability period, netting off will have to be done. “Once you have expenditure that cannot be recovered, expenditure will have to be made. You wouldn’t believe it’s possible to have a billion dollar project that is delayed because millions are outstanding, so Government will complete it if it is needed. If defects have to be corrected, and funds are not available, you can’t recover it from the consultant, we will have to correct it,” Dr. Luncheon declared. He acknowledged that while there is expenditure which contractors and con-
sultants will have to bear, for the purposes of the over-run, it might be a big sum, but it also depends on what can be recovered. Government embarked on the US$15M Hope Canal Project, since it believed that this major undertaking will be the answer to the flooding, experienced in the Mahaica/Mahaicony Abary areas, annually during the rainy periods.
The work at the canal was carried out by young Guyanese engineers, with consultants on the job at the various sites. The relief channel was excavated by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, whilst another component of the project, the construction of the conservancy head regulator, comprising three gates, was built closer to the conservancy.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment through its environmental regulatory body the Environmental Protection Agency said it has received several reports of illegally hunted and traded wildlife in Guyana.
This is undertaken by persons in direct contravention of the Wildlife Management and Conservation Regulations, 2013, a release stated. This legislative instrument allows for regulating the harvesting of wildlife for various purposes including bush meat, scientific research etc. Anyone who contravenes the tenets of this Legal Instrument will be guilty of an offense and liable to receiving penalties ranging from $30,000 to $750,000 along with prison time.
The First Schedule of the Regulation lists ALL protected species in Guyana. At this juncture, the Ministry would like to reiterate that all species of wildcats in-
cluding jaguar and puma are protected, which means that their collection, holding in captivity, hunting, or otherwise molesting is prohibited. This extends to the owning and selling of cat body parts or products thereof.
In light of the foregoing, the Ministry said it has embarked on a vigorous programme to enforce the regulation and curb the illegal hunting and trapping of wildlife. To this end, it established a National Committee to oversee the management and conservation of wildlife in Guyana. This Committee known as the Wildlife Management Steering Committee is headed by Major General (ret’d) Joe Singh and represents the interest of all relevant public sector institutions and their stakeholders. It acts in an advisory capacity to provide general oversight and guidance in the development of strategies and programmes for wildlife management and conserva-
tion in Guyana as per the Wildlife Management and Conservation Regulations 2013. Upon its finalisation, the Committee will also be guided by the Wildlife Import and Export Bill 2013 which seeks to better regulate the trading of wildlife. In executing its mandate, the Committee is liaising with various stakeholders both local and international including Panthera and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. This collaboration has realised the development of a 12 month project to build the foundation for monitoring and regulating wildlife harvest in the South-Guyana Region. On completion, this project will be rolled out on a National level. Meanwhile, a communication strategy that the Committee developed will be implemented to inform stakeholders and the general public on key issues related to wildlife management and conservation in Guyana.
Aduo was remanded to prison after the prosecution’s objections were upheld on a robbery charge that was read against them.
Twent-one-year-old Natasha Campbell and 25-year-old Nevil Campbell appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on Wednesday.
It was alleged that on
January 2, in Georgetown, they robbed Martian Atterley of four gold rings valued $120,000, a haversack valued $3000, a uniform and radio set and a pile of documents. The coaccused denied that charges read against them.
The court heard that Atterley was at home when he was attacked by four perpetrators – three male and one female. One of the male and female perpetrators is known to the Virtual Complainant (VC). They allegedly choked Atterley, rendering the man unconscious. They then relieved the man of the said items and made good their escape.
The Chief Magistrate asked the defendants to state the nature of their relation, to which the female defendant responded “they are just friends”. Their Attorney told the court that Atterley did not identify his clients as the persons who attacked him, but rather it was another relative who identified them. He further
added that the relative was not on the scene at the time of the attack.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Michael Grant objected to bail citing the nature and prevalence and penalty attached to the offence. The Prosecutor added that the defendants are known to Atterley and may tamper with him. They are expected to make their next court appearance on January 12.
ARIES (March 21April 19)
TAURUS (April 20May 20)
(May 21June 20)
CANCER
Don’t waste time brooding over matters that you can’t change. Increase your knowledge through study or travel. Proficiency at a new skill will expand your career options.
A compromise or diplomatic agreement will be necessary before you can move ahead with your plans. Forming an alliance with a more experienced individual will open your eyes to new possibilities.
It’s important to spend time with people you care about. A get-together or vacation will bring you closer together. Involve everyone in making arrangements so that no one feels left out.
LEO (July 23Aug. 22)
VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)
Don’t let anyone persuade you to do something against your wishes. Financial investments must be carefully researched before you make a commitment. Hasty decisions will result in a loss.
Give love and partnerships top priority. It’s time to rid yourself of people or things that have been holding you back. Taking control will bring you closer to your goal.
Relationship woes will escalate if you cannot keep a secret. Someone trying to discredit you will be deceptive. Don’t believe or repeat information without researching the facts first.
LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)
Your mind is wandering, but before you aimlessly follow your dreams, it’s vital that you fulfill your responsibilities. Neglecting your duties or career commitments will lead to complaints.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)
You can ease your stress and reduce tension if you speak openly about your feelings. Trying to hide your emotions will cause a rift that will escalate if not addressed swiftly.
CAPRICORN (June 21July 22)
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)
Spend quality time with someone dear to your heart. A fun outing will revive your feelings and abolish any uncertainties you may be harboring. Don’t ignore minor health issues.
(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)
Focus on personal relationships. Your serious demeanor will intimidate someone younger with less experience than you. Participate in activities that provide good times and some laughs and are conducive to making new friends.
AQUARIUS
PISCES
(Feb. 20March 20)
A partnership will be in jeopardy. Uncertainty and emotional discord will leave you in a vulnerable position. Clear the air with a heart-toheart discussion and let your expectations be known.
Keep your mind on the job. Emotional or relationship issues will hurt your professional productivity. Deal with personal problems quickly to avoid a setback that could alter your standard of living.
Lasith Malinga has been included in Sri Lanka’s World Cup 15, subject to fitness. Sri Lanka named an almost identical squad to the one that will play an ODI series in New Zealand later this month - the exception is fast bowler Shaminda Eranga, who has been left out.
Malinga had undergone surgery on a troubled left ankle in September, and missed Sri Lanka’s one-dayers against India and England after that, before returning to the squad for the final two ODIs of the upcoming series against New Zealand. Chairman of selectors Sanath Jayasuriya said Malinga is still undergoing rehabilitation and might not be ready in time to play those games, but he will still be saved for the World Cup.
experience at their disposal, even without Malinga.
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne, who has been part of Sri Lanka’s squads for the two ODI assignments leading up to the World Cup - the series against England in November and December, which Sri Lanka won 5-2, and the upcoming series in New Zealand - retains his place. Seamer Nuwan Kulasekara, who was dropped for the England series at home but made his way back to the squad for New Zealand courtesy strong showings in domestic cricket, also makes it.
Jayasuriya said Kulasekara had made technical adjustments to his bowling. “In the few games [domestic] he played, Nuwan bowled very well. At the same time he rectified some of his tech-
“A player like Malinga, we have to take a gamble because he is a match-winner,” Jayasuriya said after announcing the squad. “We know and everyone knows what he can do. We need him in the bowling department for it to be strong. At the moment he is undergoing a rehabilitation programme. We are not very sure of playing him even in the last two ODIs against New Zealand. He might miss them because we want to make sure that he is fit for the World Cup.”
There are no real surprises in the squad. In Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Rangana Herath Sri Lanka have a wealth of
nical mistakes with the help of [bowling coach] Champaka Ramanayake.
“We received a good report from Ramanayake that Kulasekera was bowling well, and in Australia and New Zealand we could encounter some grassy pitches, so Kulasekera’s experience will be vital especially with Malinga not 100% fit.”
He said he was happy to see how Karunaratne delivered as opener in the justconcluded Test series against New Zealand, where he made 152 at the top in the second innings in Christchurch, in a pressure situation with the team following on. “We were a bit worried about the opening slot. We tried Upul Tharanga
and Kusal Perera and even
tried Mahela as opener. But Dimuth is a solid opening bat and since the conditions are also different in Australia and New Zealand, he has adjusted himself very well. We looked at him as opener and gave him a chance in the first Test [against New Zealand]. He proved that he can bat for longer periods under those conditions.
“With two new balls at either end and in different conditions we expect him to bat through the first 10 overs and play a long innings. He knows his game plan, his strengths and weaknesses. We don’t want to lose quick wickets early. That was the problem we had in the past. We brought in Dimuth to plug that hole so that the other batsmen can play their natural game.”
Given the conditions in Australia and New Zealand, the selectors picked only two specialist spinners for the showpiece tournament, in left-arm spinner Herath and offspinner Sachithra Senanayake. They will be backed up by leg-spinning all-rounder Jeevan Mendis. The other all-rounders in the squad include captain Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera and Tillakaratne Dilshan. Thirimanne and Chandimal join Jayawardene, Sangakkara and Karunaratne as the specialist batsmen, while Dhammika Prasad and Suranga Lakmal are the specialist fast-bowling options in addition to Malinga and Kulasekara.
Sri Lanka will play seven ODIs in New Zealand from January 11 to January 29. Then they play two warmups, against South Africa and Zimbabwe, before they feature in the World Cup’s opening game, against New Zealand, on February 14 at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. The other teams in Pool A, with Sri Lanka and New Zealand, are Australia, England, Scotland, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Sri Lanka’s World Cup squad reads: Angelo Mathews (Captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Lahiru Thirimanne (Vicecaptain), Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga (subject to fitness), Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath and Sachithra Senanayake. (Cricinfo)
Pakistan have picked 30-year-old fast bowler Sohail Khan in their 15-man squad for the 2015 World Cup. Sohail had played the last of his five ODIs in Zimbabwe in 2011, but took ten wickets in two of his most recent List A games, and was the highest wicket-taker in this season’s Quaid-e-Azam Gold League - 64 at an average of 22.
Apart from Sohail, the other World Cup inclusions not part of the squad for the series against New Zealand in December 2014 - Pakistan’s previous ODI assignment - are batsman Sohaib Maqsood, and fast bowlers Junaid Khan and Ehsan Adil. All three missed that series because of injuries, but have now recovered.
The players who were part of the New Zealand series, but excluded from the World Cup squad are: Anwar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Nasir Jamshed, Sohail Tanvir and Zulfiqar Babar. Umar Gul and Bilawal Bhatti had been withdrawn from the New Zealand series because of injury and were also not included in the World Cup squad.
There had been plenty of speculation over the last week regarding the selection of Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal, but the selectors decided to stick with younger prospects, with Haris Sohail being included for a spot in the middle-order.
“Shoaib Malik was being considered for the middle-order slot as we lost the bowling utility of Saeed Ajmal and Hafeez,” chief selector Moin Khan said. “But eventually, we preferred Haris Sohail as his recent performances and the added advantage of him being a left-hander put him ahead.”
The 15-man squad includes two specialist openers, five fast bowlers, and three all-rounders in Shahid Afridi, Wahab Riaz and Haris.
“Obviously Sohail’s inclusion is a sur -
prise for all of you, but this is a proof that we selectors do prefer the domestic performances. He had a good one-day tournament and this is the reward for all his hard work and performances.
“Nasir Jamshed was discussed for the opening slot, but we felt recent performances were important and hence couldn’t justify his selection. Fawad Alam also, unfortunately, could not make it into our team combination, but he is indeed is a fighter.”
When asked why Pakistan had gone with just two specialist openers, Moin said: “We have gambled having two openers, but we have Sarfraz Ahmed as a back-up force. The nature of his game, his positivity, and the sort of shots he plays make him a solid prospect to bat higher if needed. We are very much clear in our mind that we have the best two openers, with Sarfraz as a third option.”
As many as six players named in the party had been suffering from various injuries going into the tournament, but Moin confirmed that there were no serious injury concerns at the moment.
“The 15 men are fully fit following the medical evidence we have after detailed fitness tests,” he said. “Obviously, the standard is not very high, but with the recently developed culture, every player is improving.
“I must say that the fitness levels of our players is ready to match those of players in any other part of the cricket world. No one can give assurance of a result, but we are confident that this team can do better in the World Cup.”
Moin also gave his vote of confidence to the captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who had suffered a hamstring injury during the home series against New Zealand last month, but recovered after extensive rehabilitation.
“He is fit and has informed the selectors that he has recovered,” Moin said. “His call is taken with respect as he is the captain and we have to respect his observation. He has started running, batting and sprinting between the wicket, but if there is any deficiency, he still has plenty of time to cover up and I am sure in due course he will be fine.”
Pakistan are without a specialist offspinner, though the selectors have named a leg-spinner in Yasir Shah, along with Afridi. Moin defended the selection as a pure cricketing decision.
“We had also carried two leg-spinners [Mushtaq Ahmed and Iqbal Sikander] in the 1992 World Cup, so that isn’t something exceptional,” Moin said.
“With leg-spinners, the probability of taking field wickets increases. We have as many as 12 matches including the World Cup games, and given the age factor of Afridi, naturally we have to keep a backup as well. Yasir, we believe, is a wickettaking bowler and a good prospect.”
The Pakistan squad reads: Misbahul-Haq (Captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfraz Ahmed, Younis Khan, Haris Sohail, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Ehsan Adil, Sohail Khan and Wahab Riaz (Cricinfo)
Everywhere you turned on the second day in Sydney there were stats, and Steven Smith was at the centre of most of them. But at the end of the day the only figure that really mattered was 501. That was the deficit India faced at stumps, when they had moved their score along to 1-71, with Rohit Sharma on 40 and KL Rahul on 31. On a good batting surface, India need to make day three a big one.
The first two were great ones for Australia, who declared at 7-572 shortly after tea. It was the first time Australia’s top six batsmen had all reached fifty in an innings, the first time since West Indies toured in 196869 that Australia had posted four consecutive 500-plus first-innings totals in a series, and the first time since Bradman that an Australian had scored hundreds in four consecutive Tests in a series.
The man who achieved that was Smith, whose 117 continued a most outrageous run of first-innings form at home that stretches back more than a year. Six of his past seven first-innings scores in Tests in Australia have been hundreds, the last three of those as captain. In Sydney, he put on 196 for the third wicket with Shane Watson, their partnership ending in the morning session on day two.
Smith reached his hundred from his 168th delivery with a flick through midwicket for a boundary off a low full toss from Umesh Yadav, and celebrated with a raise of the bat, a glance to the sky and a hug from Watson. Eventually he fell for 117 when Yadav pitched the ball up outside off, and a rare lack of footwork from
Smith resulted in an edge behind.
Already Watson had departed, caught at deep midwicket when his pull off Mohammed Shami picked out the fielder, R Ashwin. His 81 was a good contribution but in friendly conditions a fifth century was there for the taking; instead it was his 23rd time out between 50 and 100. Not
that the loss of Watson and Smith hurt Australia much, for India’s bowlers were unable to get anything out of the pitch.
Joe Burns and Shaun Marsh each scored half-centuries as 118 were added during the middle session for the loss of only Marsh, who steered a catch behind off Shami for 73. Marsh was typically strong when driving straight and cutting, and his fifty came from 87 deliveries, although he had received a life on 9 when he prodded Ashwin and M Vijay, in close on the off side, was unable to cling on.
Burns took 19 balls to get off the mark and when he did so two consecutive boundaries arrived off Ashwin, but after reaching 30 he again became bogged down for a period. He was not at his most fluent when going over the top but began to find his rhythm and put away the bad balls, and his half-century came from 94 deliveries.
He was helped after lunch by Virat Kohli’s strange decision to bowl Suresh Raina with Burns and Marsh both reasonably new to the crease, although in truth none of the bowlers looked especially threatening. Burns’ registered his maiden Test fifty with a sweep for four off Ashwin, but was caught at longon for 58 when Australia
Lionel Messi is happy at Barcelona and will stay with the club until at least the end of his contract in 2018, says president
Messi started on the bench as Barcelona lost to Real Sociedad at the weekend. The defeat meant they remained
Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Reports in Spain suggest that La Liga’s all-time record goalscorer, 27, is unhappy under coach Luis Enrique.
But Bartomeu said: “Messi has a contract until 2018, he is happy with the club and wants to win more titles.
“There is nothing to panic about in that regard. Messi is the central figure. The team is built around him.”
He added: “The whole footballing world knows that Barca don’t want to sell Messi. For me he is the best player in the world.”
second in the La Liga table, a point behind fierce rivals Real Madrid. In November, Enrique insisted Messi was “delighted” to be at Barca after reports linked the Argentine with a move away from the Nou Camp.
Talk of a transfer has resurfaced in recent days, with rumours Messi could be interested in a move to English Premier League side Chelsea.
Catalan radio has claimed that the London club has contacted Messi’s father and agent Jorge.
But Bartomeu told a news confer-
chased quick runs after tea. Brad Haddin, who cleared the long-on boundary off Shami from his first ball, and Ryan Harris boosted the total as 34 runs came in 3.3 overs after tea, before Smith’s declaration. That came when Harris, who had struck 19 off one over from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, was caught at deep midwicket for 25 off nine balls. It gave Shami the consolation of a five-wicket haul.
He was the only bowler to manage multiple wickets. Notably, Bhuvneshwar’s pace was well down throughout the innings and decreased even further, to the point where in his first over after tea every delivery was
115kph or slower.
On the first day it had taken India three hours to break Australia’s opening partnership; on the second day it took Australia only three balls to end India’s opening stand. Mitchell Starc took the new ball and lured M Vijay into wafting outside off and he tickled behind to Brad Haddin to give Australia the perfect start.
Rahul, who moved up the order to open, had a few plays and misses early but survived, and Rohit had struck a couple of sixes by stumps. But with a 501-run deficit, it was going to take a lot more than that for India to fight back into the match.
(Cricinfo)
b
25
c
(7-w, 6,lb) 13
(for 7 wkts dec; 152.3 ov ers) 572 Fall of wickets: 200
(Rogers),
(Smith),
(Burns),
:
28.3-3-112-5, Ashwin 478-142-1, Raina 16-3-53-0 India 1st innings M Vijay c †Haddin b Starc 0 KL Rahul not out 78 RG Sharma b Lyon 53 V Kohli* not out 37 Extras: (nb 3)
(S
(Watson),
(Harris)
34-5-122-
ence: “These news stories are created to try to damage FC Barcelona. They are written with the intention of creating conflicts where conflict does not exist.
“Ultimately these are questions that you have to direct to Enrique and Messi, but from the contact I have made they are getting on fine and want to win titles.
“Enrique has a project that he is working on. Of course, we always want to win, but there is no doubting him.
“All the turmoil around the club will affect the team. That is precisely why we have called an election.”
Bartomeu has called elections for the end of the season after conceding the club has been affected by “an astonishing amount of tension over the last few weeks”.
He backed Enrique to stay at the club, with the Barcelona coach saying earlier on Wednesday he does not feel under any pressure ahead of Thursday’s Copa del Rey clash with Elche.
“I haven’t received an ultimatum from the president,” said Enrique. “I’ve never had any such threat in my entire career.”
Asked if Messi was still happy with life at Barcelona, Enrique said: “I don’t want to comment. We know things change and a month is a long time.”
The former Barca player added: “I have the same relationship with all my players that I had at the start of the season. That has not changed.”
Total: (2 wickets; 72.5 overs)
To bat: AM Rahane, SK Raina, WP Saha†, R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, UT Yadav, B Kumar Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Vijay, 0.3 ov), 2-97 (Sharma, 43.4 ov) Bowling: MA Starc 12-332-1, RJ Harris 16-4-330, JR Hazlewood 13.55-26-0, NM Lyon 21-6-58-1,
Muhammad Ali has been has been released from hospital after recovering from an infection.
The 72-year-old, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, was hospitalised in December with what was initially believed to be a mild case of pneumonia, but later emerged to be a severe urinary tract infection.
A spokesman for the three-time world heavyweight champion said: “Mr. Ali returned home on Tuesday night
“He is looking forward to celebrating his 73rd birthday on January 17 with family and friends. The Ali family appreciates the outpouring of support and well wishes.” Ali, who also won an Olympic gold medal in 1960, made a rare public appearance in September to attend a ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, for the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s around three years after retiring from boxing in 1981. (Sky Sports)
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The way the fourth day had panned outonly one wicket - New Zealand would have known going through the Sri Lanka batting line-up was not going to be easy. The visitors had played out almost 11 hours in the second innings of the Christchurch Test without Kumar Sangakkara. The pitch was flatter in Wellington and Sangakkara was back in form. But once New Zealand picked up four wickets - including Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews for single-digit scores - in the first session, the result was more or less decided.
Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell did the early damage before Mark Craig ran through the tail to complete one of New Zealand’s most remarkable Test wins. It was only the second time they had recovered from a deficit of more than 100 to win a game, the last instance being their five-wicket win against Pakistan almost 21 years ago. The situation in this Test had been bleak too, until Kane Williamson and BJ Watling turned the tables on Sri Lanka with a record 365-run sixth-wicket stand.
Batting had seemed easy then and it would have lent Sri Lanka the belief this match could be saved. But they suffered the big blow in the first half-hour of the day. Sangakkara had just clipped Tim Southee through square leg to pick up his first boundary. He was not troubled once during his brief stay, defending comfortably off the back foot and denying Kaushal Silva’s calls for dicey runs in loud and clear terms. He appeared every bit the fourth-innings saviour Sri Lanka needed. Moreover, neither Boult nor Southee managed any movement despite moisture in the air. It was perhaps this lack of lateral movement or the assured strokeplay from Silva at the other end that coaxed Sangakkara into a
loose shot. Boult pushed a length ball a bit wide outside off. Sangakkara had left a few, ducked under others that were not there to hit, and chose to chase this particular delivery, but it flew past the bat. There was not much support from behind the stumps for Boult’s appeal for caught behind, but as Brendon McCullum put it, “it was worth” a review. With the edge in question - the under edge of the bat, hidden from the Hot Spot view - the third umpire overturned the on-field call on the basis of a faint spike on the Snickometer.
New Zealand were buoyed and Sangakkara, who had appeared confident while waiting for the decision, was visibly disappointed as he walked back. It was the third time this series that Sangakkara had fallen to Boult. With him went a fair chunk of Sri Lanka’s resistance.
The other major blow came at the stroke of lunch.
Mathews had been in for ten minutes and was almost bowled through the gate by Craig, but the bounce carried the ball just over the stumps. He wasn’t so lucky three balls later. Williamson leaped up to a thick edge, got both hands
on the ball, saw it pop out, yet still managed to grab the rebound one-handed. Sangakkara and Mathews contributed 13 runs between them. Mathews had come to the crease at the dismissal of Silva, who had looked the most solid batsman. He ran his runs hard, drove anything pitched in his half, and reached his halfcentury with a paddle shot off Craig. The only time he made a mistake - an outside edge off Bracewell - he was snaffled up brilliantly by second slip. Like Silva, Lahiru Thirimanne too had no issues and helped himself to his third Test fifty. Thirimanne remained unbeaten on 62, but had to watch his partners succumbing to spin. After a 51-minute resistance, Prasanna Jayawardene uncharacteristically drove a wide delivery straight to Williamson at cover. Dinesh Chandimal did not hold himself back against Craig, swinging at a couple for boundaries, but was caught in the crease to a straighter one and edged it to the keeper. Rangana Herath was trapped lbw next ball and the innings ended 17 minutes later when Southee yorked Nuwan Pradeep. (Cricinfo)
b Boult 5
HDRL Thirimanne not out 62
AD Mathews* c Williamson
b Bracewell 8
HAPW Jayawardene† c Williamson b Craig 10
LD Chandimal c †Watling
b Craig 13
HMRKB Herath lbw b Craig
The new Technical Director of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will be introduced to the public this weekend at a specially convened press conference at football house in Dadanawa Street, Section ‘K’, Campbellville.
The recently installed Normalisation Committee headed by businessman Clinton Urling announced on Wednesday that the GFF will on Saturday make known to the public the person who will take up the crucial post of Technical Director for Guyana’s football.
The Technical Director position became vacant with the exit of overseas-based Guyanese Mark Rodrigues,
who was part of the Christopher Matthias-led administration, which was disbanded by FIFA late last year, thus making way for the setting up of the Normalisation Committee to run the affairs of local football in the interim.
Rodrigues had taken over from Trinidad and Tobago’s Jamaal Shabazz, who had served under Colin Klass and Franklin Wilson, during their tenures at the helm.
Shabazz is considered Guyana’s most successful Technical Director, having led the country to the historic third round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Meanwhile, during 2015, Guyana will participate in the CONCACAF Olympic
Under-23 Qualifiers and the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers, and as such, filling the Technical Director’s post is one of paramount importance since it will be responsible for the composition of teams and the identifying and gathering of players suitable to represent the country.
While no names have been made public, it is understood that all the applicants are highly qualified, and according to Urling, FIFA has been clear that the GFF must employ the services of a resident Technical Director. The press conference will take place at 11:00 hours on Saturday in the conference room of the GFF.
Liverpool skipper
Steven Gerrard has confirmed he will join Los Angeles Galaxy this summer.
In announcing his decision to leave Liverpool, Gerrard stressed he could not play for another European club if there was a chance they would come up against his boyhood side, and he believes Galaxy is
the ideal destination.
“I think it’s a match made in heaven really,” Gerrard told the Los Angeles Times. “One of the reasons I chose LA Galaxy was because of the success they’ve had recently.
“I want to finish my career very strong. I want to add some medals and trophies to my collection.”
Galaxy coach Bruce
World number 12 JoWilfried Tsonga has pulled out of this month’s Australian Open with an arm injury.
The Frenchman, 29, has been struggling with the injury for over a month and missed the defence of his Hopman Cup title this week.
“I am still suffering from a forearm inflammation that prevents me being 100% in a competition,” said Tsonga.
Britain’s James Ward’s improved ranking means he could receive a late call-up to the Australian Open main draw.
The British number two, 27, moved up six places to a career-high 101 in the latest ATP world rankings and is now just one ranking point outside the top 100.
He is set to contest qualifying at Melbourne Park for the first Grand Slam of the year which starts on 19 January, but is well placed to enter the main draw if players withdraw through injury.
Tsonga reached the final of the 2008 Australian Open, losing to Novak Djokovic and is twice a Wimbledon semi-finalist.
He described the setback as a “big disappointment”, adding in a statement: “I’m going to receive over three weeks all the needed treatments to be able to be back on track in the best conditions.”
Meanwhile, US Open champion Marin Cilic is a doubt for the Australian Open because of a right shoulder injury.
The world number nine said: “Considering the full recovery and opportunity for practice, it is highly questionable if I will be able to play.” (BBC Sport)
Arena said: “Steven Gerrard arrives in July and by then we will certainly have a plan available. He’s a player of quality. I’m not concerned about how he’s going to fit in with our team. We have a club now with a proven history of success. All those things go hand in hand in making LA Galaxy a very attractive team for players such as Steven Gerrard.”
Galaxy president Chris Klein described the former England midfielder as “the perfect fit” for Galaxy who have won the Major League Soccer title in three of the last four years.
Klein said: “We just started thinking in the universe of players that are out there, we want to make a decision on what signifies a Galaxy-designated player.
“When we look at that, Steven Gerrard is the perfect fit with what he brings to us on the field and the character that he has off it.”
(Sky Sports)
World number 2 Roger Federer will play less tournaments in 2015 as he hunts for an 18th Grand Slam title in Australia.
Many critics were writing Federer off after a testing 2013 as he struggled with a back injury, but the 33-yearold stormed back last season to win more matches - 73than any other player on the men’s tour.
And the Swiss superstar is set to kick off the new year at the Brisbane International on Thursday in buoyant mood with a fresh outlook on his playing schedule.
“I’m not sure if I’m going to play as much this year,” Federer told Sky Sports. “I will have to win even more matches because I will most likely play less tournaments - we’re talking a couple here and there.
“I can definitely play another good season. I finished so strongly in the last six months so there’s no reason to think negatively at this point. At the same time, I know how well prepared all the other players are.”
Federer, who claimed five ATP Tour titles last year, will play his first game of the tournament against John Millman in the second
round in Brisbane.
With Novak Djokovic sitting at the top of the rankings, Federer is still motivated by claiming top spot again and impressing in Melbourne with the year’s first Grand Slam starting on January 19.
“I would love to win the Australian Open,” Federer added. “It would get me really close to being world No 1, plus it would mean I would win another Grand Slam.
“But if that wasn’t possible, then I would probably dream of winning Wimbledon once more. I just want to stay healthy and play good tennis and enjoy myself.”
By Rajiv Bisnauth
Guyana Jaguars
Head Coach Esaun
Crandon has exuded confidence about his team’s chances in the 2015 NAGICO Regional Super 50 tournament, set to start shortly.
Crandon said his team is banking on the strength of its all-rounders and experienced players for Super50 glory.
“I think we have a pretty good line-up in the 14man team. Obviously we are missing a few of our big players in Leon Johnson, Assad Fudadin, Narsingh Deonarine and even Ramnaresh Sarwan who was with us last year. But looking at the squad we have a good balance. We have a number of all-rounders and we have a decent mix of experienced players at our disposal,” Crandon said after the squad’s training session on Tuesday at the Everest Cricket Club ground.
He added, “I think our chances are just as good as any other team in the tournament. We are preparing very hard, and I am optimistic that each player will give a good account of themselves. As I said, we have a good chance, just as any other team; we just have to focus on our game at the mo-
ment,” he said.
However, with Deonarine and Johnson unavailable due to West Indies 50-over commitments in South Africa, Fudadin out with a broken finger sustained during a fielding drill in South Africa, and Test batsman Sarwan overlooked by the Jaguars, Crandon is calling on the young and inexperienced players to make the opportunity count.
“It’s a good opportunity for them to show us what they have to offer. I’m confident the young players have the ability to fill those spots. We are banking on their ability. Some of them have been around a couple of years, but they don’t have
NAGICO Super50 practice game…
the playing experience so it’s an opportunity for them to showcase what they have,” Crandon said.
All-rounder Christopher Barnwell will lead the local side, which includes veteran batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who has 12 tons in his 398 List ‘A’ matches, and is the most experienced player in the entire tournament. He is one of three Test players in the Jaguars team.
Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, who was recently named in the West Indies 30-man provisional squad for the 2015 World Cup, was appointed Vice-captain.
Vishaul Singh and
Guyana Jaguars, led by captain Christopher Barnwell, whipped Vishual Singh XI by 106 runs in the first of two warmup games on Wednesday at the Everest Cricket Club ground.
Fifties from Royston Crandon and Barnwell, and 44 from Steven Jacobs backed up by fatal bowling, ensured the commanding victory.
Crandon struck six fours and two sixes in his top score of 75, while Barnwell stroked four fours in his 58.
Jacobs hit a blistering 24-ball unbeaten 44, which
featured one four and four sixes. Jonathan Foo also supported with 38 in the Jaguars’ 281-7 in 50 overs.
Fast bowler Paul Wintz took 3-59 from his 10 allotted overs, while Keon Joseph (1-38), Raun Johnson (111) and an expensive Amir Khan (1-70) managed to make inroads for the Singh’s XI. Singh’s XI in reply were bowled out 175 in 43.5 overs.
Kevon Boodie hammered 44 with seven authoritative fours and one six, while fellow opener Kandasammy Surujnarine stroked 22, keeper Jason Sinclair 21
and the Captain Singh 29.
The Jaguars bowling was led by their skipper who returned with the ball to snare a miserly 3-16, while Crandon too returned to capture 3-25.
Spinners Devendra Bishoo with 2-14 and a wicket each for Jacobs and Veerasammy Permaul dotted the wickets column.
The second practice game is billed for Friday at the same venue. The games serve as preparation for the Guyana Jaguars ahead of the NAGICO Super50 starting later this month.
Raymond Reifer are set to make his regional 50-over debuts for Guyana, while Steven Jacobs makes a return to Guyana colours after leading Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) in the same tourna-
ment last year.
Also making a comeback to national duty is middle-order batsman Royston Crandon and Jonathan Foo, who gets a recall after a four-year absence.
The Jaguars have been
Banks DIH Classic Basketball…
placed in Group ‘A’ alongside defending champions Barbados Pride, Windward Islands Volcanoes and CCC.
The Jaguars will play the Windward Islands Volcanoes on January 15, Barbados Pride on January 17 and CCC on January 19 in their three preliminary round games.
All three games are Day/ Night matches, which will commence at 13:30 hours at the Queen’s Park Oval. The 14-member squad reads: Rajendra Chandrika, Trevon Griffith, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Vishaul Singh, Christopher Barnwell (Captain), Raymon Reifer, Anthony Bramble, Veerasammy Permaul (Vice-captain), Devendra Bishoo, Ronsford Beaton, Paul Wintz, Steven Jacobs, Royston Crandon, and Jonathan Foo.
Smithfield Rockers have booked their place in the final of the Banks DIH Classic Basketball tournament in New Amsterdam with a 45-26 win over a toothless Fyrish Black Sharks team in their semi-final game played at the Vrymans Erven Court in New Amsterdam on Monday.
The Black Sharks, who tried to show off their individual skills in front of a sizeable holiday crowd, were completely outplayed in the first semi-final of the six-team competition. After trailing 8-23 at halftime, the Black Sharks had no chance of sinking their jaws into the Rockers.
Led by a game-high 19 points by Neil Wills,
The five players were overlooked by the West Indies selectors for the limited overs series against South Africa, and hence, are available to play for their country.
Dwayne Bravo and Pollard would not be available for the opening game on January 16 against the West Indies Under-19 at Shaw Park in Tobago as they will be playing for the West Indies T20 team against South Africa until January 14, and would arrive home thereafter.
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force have been drawn in Group B alongside the Jamaica Franchise, Leeward Islands Hurricanes and West Indies Under-19s.
Smithfield have set a date with the winner of the other semi-final between Canje Knights and New Amsterdam Warriors.
That game will take place at the Vrymans Erven Court. The two teams had matched skills in a semi-final playoff over the Christmas holidays when rain interrupted play with four minutes remaining on the clock. At that time, the Knights were leading.
The Knights have been unbeaten in the competition so far, while the Warriors lost to Smithfield in a thriller in their roundrobin match.
If the Knights are to have a date with the Rockers in the final, captain of the Canje team
Steve Roopnarine, who is currently the leading points scorer in the competition, will have to bring his ‘A’ game to the court and will need the support of guard Kevin Emanuel and Travis Sutton.
Roopnarine has been accurate from the 3-point line, but so too has been Carlos Crandon for the Warriors. Forward Michael Bowen has also had some useful throws from the 3-point line for the Warriors, while Shemroy McKenzie playing in the centre has supported the team well on the court. The final is set for Sunday and at stake are cash incentives and trophies. The tournament is being organised by Vibert Garrett. (Andrew Carmichael)
from back page
Shaw Park, Tobago. The games at the NCC and at Shaw Park are daylight games starting at 09:30 hours, while the matches at the Oval are day/night games starting at 14:30 hours.
T&T Red Force squad reads: Rayad Emrit (Captain), Evin Lewis, Nicholas Sookdeosingh, Jeremy Solozano, Darren Bravo, Jason Mohammed, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, Kevon Cooper, Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Akeal Hosein and Imran Khan.
The Super50 matches will be played at three venues- the National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Couva, Queen’s Park Oval and
Group A consists of reigning champions Barbados Pride, Guyana Jaguars, Windward Islands Volcanoes and CCC.
Gus Logie is the Coach and Manohar Ramsaran the Manager, while the reserves are Derone Davis, Bryan Charles, Yannick Ottley, Steven Katwaroo and Marlon Richards.
Historian Dr Winston McGowan has been appointed Guyana’s first-ever Cricket Ombudsman. The announcement was made by Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon, during his post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday at the Office of the President.
Dr Luncheon highlighted that subsequent to Cabinet’s approval, Dr McGowan, who has given distinguished service to the University of Guyana for close to four decades, was appointed by the Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony.
“The post of Cricket Ombudsman is new to Guyana and is a feature of the recently enacted Cricket Administration Law…June 20 it was enacted in Parliament and assented to by the President [Donald Ramotar] in August,” Dr Luncheon said.
The Head of the Presidential Secretariat also used the opportunity to highlight the primary roles and functions of the Cricket Ombudsman.
“Dr McGowan is responsible for those elections of the recognised cricketing organisations in Guyana, and their officials. Essentially, from henceforth, and in accordance with the provisions of the Cricket Administration Law, the elections of officers of these recognised cricketing organisations would be conducted a la Cricket Ombudsman,” Dr Luncheon explained.
Dr McGowan’s appointment comes at a most oppor-
tune time in Guyana’s cricket history, a period which has been plagued with headlines of internal power struggles, fraudulent elections and numerous court battles among administrators of the game.
Distinguished gentleman
His appointment follows closely on the heels of Retired Justice Winston Moore being appointed as the Ombudsman for Guyana.
During his time at the University of Guyana, Dr McGowan served as Head of the Department of History from 1985 to 1996; Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Arts from 1975 to 1976, Coordinator of the MA Programme in Guyanese and West Indian History from 1990 to 2008; and Chairman of the Board for Graduate Studies from 1992 to 1996.
Dr McGowan concluded his service to the University as the second and most recent occupant of the Walter Rodney Chair in History in the School of Education and Humanities. He is also credited with outstanding research and publications, as well as sound adminis
trative skills.
Dr McGowan earned his BA Hons from the University of the West Indies in 1965 and PhD in London in 1979
By Rajiv Bisnauth
Marquee batsman Ramnaresh
Sarwan will take no part in the NAGICO Super50 regional tournament, slated for later this month in Trinidad and Tobago.
This confirmation came after Trinidad and Tobago Red Force announced a 14-man squad on Tuesday evening, minus the righthander.
Sarwan was ruled out of the WICB Professional Cricket League Four-Day Tournament after withdrawing from the Trinidad
and Tobago Red Force squad prior to the second round game against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes.
The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) confirmed that the former West Indies right-hander had pulled out of the squad for “personal reasons” and has since returned to his native Guyana.
Sarwan, the out-of-favour Test batsman, was selected by Trinidad and Tobago as a second round pick, while Barbados allrounder Raymon Reifer was chosen by Guyana as a first-round pick.
They were the only two
players chosen by teams based outside the territory of their birth as regional franchises chose to stick with their zonal players.
A former Guyana and West Indies captain, the elegant Sarwan has played 87 Tests, 181 One-Day Internationals and 18 Twenty20 Internationals.
However, he has not played a Test in three years and an international match in over a year, because of loss of form and fitness.
He has turned out for Leicestershire in the English County Championship for the last two seasons.
Ravi Rampaul turn to page 23
Meanwhile, the Red Force, led by Rayad Emrit, includes the West Indies quintet Darren Bravo, Dwayne