Decomposed body of Philadelphia man found Le Repentir Cemetery in dire need of another restoration project Riot case against AFC’s Naithram, other rice farmers dismissed – still to answer to exposure of genitals, other charges
29 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East to East North-easterly between 0.89 metre and 3.12 metres per second.
High Tide: 05:45h and 18:10h reaching maximum heights of 2.87 metres and 2.80 metres respectively.
Low Tide: 11:43h reaching a minimum height of 0.35 metre.
By Michael younge
The 100 per cent pay hike which is being considered by the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC)coalition Government could see the country’s treasury being depleted by $245 million annually sparking shock and outrage among various stake-
holders in the country, who have been told that the economy has sputtered to a halt.
The proposed pay hike would now see Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and First Vice President, earning approximately $2.2 million monthly, inclusive of benefits, while the three other Vice Presidents will earn a total of $5.4 million altogether monthly.
Additionally, the fifteen Ministers in the new Government would earn $1.5 million each bringing their pay package to over $22.5 million altogether monthly.
Junior Ministers are expected to pocket $1.2 million each monthly inclusive of $500,000 in benefits. This means that the 12 Ministers altogether will drain the treasury of $14.4 million.
That aside, all of the Ministers will receive duty allowance, entertainment allowance, a chauffeur and annual vacation allowance
which amounts to over $13.5 million.
In short, over $58 million would be expended on a monthly basis to service the payout to Ministers of Government alone.
Finance Minister Winston Jordan had confirmed that Cabinet is actively considering a salary increase for not only Ministers of Government but advisors as well as Members of Parliament.
He would not confirm nor deny the figures that have been floated in the public over the past two days.
On average, an Advisor is paid close to $800,000 per month which means that annually over $9.6 million could be expended on this category of Government staff.
President Granger has appointed four Advisors so far; therefore they be paid 38.4 million annually.
The salaries of Members of Parliament would see the overall cost of the figure be-
ing significantly increased monthly.
This revelation comes as a governmental volte face as President David Granger has been quoted as saying that he wants to lead a “lean” Administration and the only way to achieve this is by cutting away wastage of tax payers’ monies and stopping the exuberance associated with occupying Executive Office and trailing behind a Cadillac
lifestyle.
In fact, Granger had exhibited uneasiness about the salaries, pension and uncapped benefits of former Presidents arguing that it was a burden to the treasury. Only two weeks ago, his Government piloted legislation to change the laws allowing for caps to be placed on a former president’s entitlements and benefits.
The new APNU/AFC Government has also terminated the services of over 2000 young Amerindians who earned a mere stipend of $30,000 per month and scores staff from the One Laptop Per Family Project (OLPF).
Amerindian shock
It has moved to scrap the previous Government’s "Because We Care" Cash Grant Programme which saw families being given $10,000 to prepare each child in the public education system for school.
Speaking during an invited comment, Region Nine Regional Chairman Brian Allicock, brother of the Indigenous People’s Affairs Minister and Vice President Sydney Allicock, expressed his disappointment over this development, especially against the backdrop that the APNU/AFC had promised to put the people first.
He expressed shock over the Government decision to fire the young Community
Services Officer (CSO) especially given the revelations about a pay hike for Ministers.
“For me, it has been a really sad situation… I think it has gone against the promises that the present administration has made during this campaign that they were going to look after the youths. This was a grand opportunity for them. I think now, dismissing the CSOs in the country, I think it’s terrible and just to make room for those monies to go to the Ministers, I feel really, really saddened. I think they should
reconsider the situation,” the Amerindian leader expressed.
Another Amerindian leader Aleister Charlie, a People's Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament for Region Nine posited, “Where is the plan for the young people? Those individuals who were on the CSO programme benefited, even though the pay was little, it helped them, and it helped single mothers, particularly in my region, in Region Nine. What are you going to put in place for these young people now? They are now jobless.”
Charlie reasoned that it appears as though the Government just wrote off the 2000 Amerindian youths as “collateral damage” to make way for a massive salary hike for themselves.
Sunday Editor: Michael Younge
Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134
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In Guyana, the State has an overweening influence on almost every aspect of national life. While most citizens would heartily concede this observation, they would base their assessment by the very visible – almost ubiquitous –expansiveness of the Executive. This is not very surprising since the Executive is swollen to include the President, Prime Minister, four Vice Presidents, 20 advisors to the President, 15 Senior Ministers and 12 Junior Ministers, 15 Permanent Secretaries and the staff of the Ministries.
When those positions were announced after the Government changed hands to the APNU+AFC coalition following the elections of May 11, there were concerns raised about the dearth of female representation in the above-mentioned positions of power. Of the 15 senior Ministers, of course, only two or 13 per cent were female and these oversaw in areas of Governance – Tourism and Social Cohesion - that made them be seen as “soft Ministries”.
There was even greater alarm at the ethnic composition of the Executive, especially since the coalition had acknowledged the country’s ethnic divide as a major impediment to progress and prosperity. In fact, its major partner APNU had explicitly courted the AFC and hammered out the “Cummingsburg Accord” to achieve its stated goal to create an ethnically “inclusive” Government. Yet the Presidency and 15 senior Ministers included only four persons or 25 per cent Guyanese of Indian origin. In the wider pool of the overall Executive, the percentage is even smaller.
As the Government ensconced itself into office, it initiated mass layoffs in the second tier leadership and general staff of the Ministries and agencies but the axe fell very heavily on Indian and Amerindian Guyanese. While its supporters argued that the individuals were primarily “political appointees”, in the glaring case of one programme, almost 2000 ordinary Amerindians were fired while in the OLPF project mostly young professionals felt the blows. At a minimum, the new administration appeared tone deaf to the impact of its actions on ethnic relations. While the PPP’s categorisation of the Government’s actions as “ethnic cleansing” might have been a bit “over the top”, it was hoped that they would become somewhat more sensitive about adding more fuel to the ethnic fire.
Such hope were shattered when the Government announced the first round of appointments to the Boards of Government entities, both private as in NICIL and governmental, like the NIS. Once again, the appointments were overwhelmingly skewed towards what one activist, Andaiye – not known for her support of the PPP – described as “men, who are mainly older, mainly middle class and mainly African-Guyanese.” The refusal of the APNU/AFC Government to even genuflect to the need for gender and ethnic balance in the corridors of power raised alarms in elements that were normally quite friendly to what it purported to represent.
The GHRA pointed out that only 22 or 18 per cent of 125 members of the announced 20 State boards were women and called this an “affront” to women. One individual, Clairmont Lye, who had protested actions of the previous PPP Administration as “undemocratic” and handed back his national award, criticised this Administration for appointing only 20 per cent Indian Guyanese to chair 35 State Boards. While the Minister of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon retorted that not all appointments have been made, whatever is done with the composition of the remaining Boards will not allay fears that the new Administration is not interested in being “inclusive” as it had claimed, but is actually adding to the fissioning of social relations by its appointments to state positions.
In 2003, after the then PNC Opposition protested violently in the streets at being “excluded”, a “dialogue” between President Jagdeo and Desmond Hoyte mandated that the Opposition would be consulted on State Boards and be offered seats on same. One other troubling fact that adds to the preceding fear is that the PPP claims this agreement has now been violated. Quo vadis?
Dea Editor, Kissoon again insults Guyanese in July 26 column, by accusing this country of practicing a “backward political culture and authoritarian governance” and as such lashes out at Guyana for having “lost its conscience”. In so doing, he proves his lack of basic knowledge and/ or understanding of the historical events which culminated into our Independence and which define our political structure and institutions. The backwardness Kissoon refers to, is reminiscent of the Burnham’s dictatorship which was similar to Franco’s or Salazar’s reigns of terror, maybe worse when one considers that in Guyana Burnham’s regime didn’t just target political opponents but also aimed at ethnic cleansing. Authoritarian governance hasn’t defined our model of governance since the end of the dictatorship, and Kissoon should refrain from misleading his readers by using such adjectives to describe our political arena. Authoritarianism suggests that power is centralised in and withheld by one political leader or group of leaders who practice political, social and sometimes cultural repression. There is no place for democracy in an authoritarian regime. Were we in an authoritarian regime, healthy political debate would be suppressed and freedom of expression currently enjoyed in Guyana would have been limited. I would have been unable to respond to the ludicrous babble spewed by Kissoon
on a daily basis.
The closest that Guyana has come to an authoritarian Government since the dissolution of the dictatorship would be the present APNU/AFC Coalition, formed with the intention of securing enough votes, without which the PNC led APNU would have been unable to accede to power. Signs of authoritarianism are being manifested through the undemocratic rule of the Coalition which so far has shown little intent on promoting ethnic unity as it promised during its campaign trail. Its ranks are strongly dominated by Afro Guyanese, the State boards are predominantly comprised of APNU/AFC partisans and on all front women suffer the blow of being strongly underrepresented. The seizing of the Sectoral Committee reducing the voice of the Opposition is devoid of democratic principle and reminiscent of the PNC’s authoritarian dictat. No different from this is the stark move to rename public institutions without national consultation, or cut social welfare benefits while moving toward drastic salary increases for ministerial and other senior Government positions. Guyana Mr Kissoon, is not yet ruled by an authoritarian regime, but if Guyanese fail at their task of ensuring that power is kept by the people and not the Government, then the country will indeed succumb.
Finally, people in Guyana “have not lost their
humanity” as Mr Kissoon would like us to believe. Guyanese have maintained their aptitude of feeling empathy toward their fellow country men and women. Using horses and personal experiences as Mr Kissoon does to represent a population of 750 000 individuals is inaccurate. If there are wild horses on the road then Mr Kissoon as a concerned citizen should have engaged the responsibility of local authorities rather than complain that Guyanese are deprived of humanity in a column of one of the most read newspapers. The lack of freedom he complains about in Guyanese schools is not reflective of the inhumanity of Guyanese, but rather of an inherited colonial model built on religious restrictions which Guyanese Governments and associations have chosen to maintain.
The further inapplicable examples provided by Kissoon to describe our soi disant inhumanity as a people proves that he has little knowledge of what inhumanity means. Inhumanity Mr Kissoon is not the indifference of Guyanese for charges delivered by the Court, nor for school codes of conduct, dysfunctional parents’ associations or wild horses on the streets.
It is more profound than that. It is the voluntary persecution or indifference to the persecution of fellow Guyanese; persecution and indifference often due to a sentiment of superiority. It is this in-
humanity that ravaged Guyana under Burnham. It is this inhumanity that has caused the downfall of many African States ravaged by ethnic and territorial wars under the nose of the West which stands to reap the benefits. This very inhumanity is leading to the surge in crimes targeting Indo Guyanese as we speak. Inhumanity is not synonymous of the lassitude that Guyanese feel towards the inefficiency of some of our national institutions in dealing with societal issues affecting us. Perhaps Kissoon confused inhumanity with lassitude, a sentiment which engages another form of indifference without being inhumane?
Subsequently, and based on the complaint pleaded by Kissoon, “the biggest danger facing the Granger Government” is to implement the policies required to overcome the underlying issues affecting this country, instead of encouraging further divide as the APNU/ AFC Coalition seems keen on doing presently.
The question is, would the Government be willing to work toward eliminating the controversial characteristics which define the social behavioural pattern of our people, if this were to remove the divide among the electorate, and thus change voting patterns in Guyana? All indicators seem to point in the other direction, a path of power lust.
Sincerely, De Sá
Dear Editor,
While I supported the entry of a Coalition Government representing the people of this country, I somehow cannot resist the disappointment which is slowly seeping in. I am becoming ashamed of having shown such support to what is now appearing to be empty promises, and I know that I am not the only one. Mohammed Khan’s letter published in Thursday’s edition of the Guyana Times, seems to portray the same sentiments of deception and skepticism shared by supporters, especially of the AFC.
As a Guyanese woman, I am beginning to feel under represented by the appointed Cabinet and State boards which are comprised of what appears to be less than twenty per cent of women as compared to thirty percent under the previous Administration. Only three Senior Ministers were appointed heads of Ministries, and hardly any women figure on each appointed State Board. Most State Boards comprised of thirteen members only count one to two women. What message is this sending to young ambitious Guyanese women? Unfortunately for the Government, the record it is creating as a Coalition will be measured against the pre-
vious Administration’s which, as much as one would hate to admit, has offered more senior positions in Government and on State Boards than any other Government that ruled this country.
While Junior Ministers are comprised of a majority of women, their portfolios are in a sense insignificant, especially since the load of most Ministries was pulled by one Minister in the past. Junior Ministers seem to now be tasked with the functions of Project Management, especially at the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, where Minister Garrido-Lowe, besides making symbolic public representations, is keen on working on development projects. However, the role of a Minister is well distinct from that of Project Management, since it is a political one.
In this case, one can hardly believe that the purpose of the failing Coalition Government was to attribute real mandates with real political responsibilities to the Junior Ministers, and as such, these six female Junior Ministers were not offered Senior Ministerial seats.
The message this conveys is that there are no competent women within the ranks of the Coalition Government to head a Ministry, or, that women are
not valorised by the Coalition which, considering the pattern it is laying for appointing Boards and senior positions, do not come close to a quarter of the staffing one would expect.
While the PPP/C Government was accused of countless wrongs during its twenty three year leadership of this country, in all fairness one cannot accuse it of being gender insensitive. The party in its previous administration has appointed at least five women to senior ministerial positions, some of whom have marked this country’s politics, such as former Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn RodriguesBirkett, former Education Minister Priya Manickchand and former Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai. Also, the party’s Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, remains an emblematic political figure in this country’s history and regardless of our political leanings, we should be able to acknowledge this.
While I strongly support a Government for national unity and change, even now, I do believe that if the Coalition doesn’t adhere to its promised motto, it will have to take lessons from its predecessor.
Sincerely, Stacy Cheong
Ialways felt a void when celebrating Emancipation, like something is missing from the essence of this celebration. I wonder many times what does it really mean for Afro Guyanese. As a young boy I would listen to Bob Marley but never really understood what he meant by mental slavery until I was older. And then I realized that the missing link was that mental slavery is worse than any form of physical oppression. Because in physical oppression, your enemy is defined and identifiable, you are able to comprehend the situation and easily unite and resist.
After Cuffy obtained his freedom, he became victim to mental slavery, which led to chaos and his ultimate suicide. History has proven many times over that mental slavery has kept the descendants of slaves in a perpetual state of oppression that yielded more devastating results than slavery in its physical form. As Afro Guyanese, we have been unable to unite amongst ourselves in order to build our communities and nations, because we have no defense to the “divide and conquer” strategy.
Many young Afro Guyanese youth would be unable when questioned about their heroes and how they impacted their lives, to tell you about Garvey or Emperor Selassie and their teachings. So far in my short existence, I have already seen numbers of false leaders who have risen to power under the pretext of liberating black people, only to serve a foreign master while we suffer under their wrath. Every time we celebrate Emancipation we have a tendency of blaming other peoples for causing our down fall while we ignore our own failures and how these destroy our future.
My brothers and sisters need to acknowledge the that while we suffered the evils of slavery and the resulting consequences, we also have ourselves to blame for some of the issues we face. As such, we are not freeing ourselves from mental slavery but are following leaders, some of whom are put there to deceive us, as we depend on unreliable sources to end our suffering.
Instead we should invest in learning from our history and our real heroes, understanding what real unity is, learning to work with other peoples to build something great and strengthen our homes.
Then we will be Emancipated, and I must say blessed are those who are truly emancipated.
Malcolm Watkins
Dear Editor, I wish to express my dismay and utter perplexity at the continued monarchal and inept disposition of the Chairman of Region Ten, Sharma Solomon, who seem to resort to the “I was not informed”, “I was not consulted” excuse that no one informed him that they were entering his region or that they were undertaking a social or other intervention that would benefit his people, each time the Government of Guyana attempts to administer any exercise in this region.
I was bursting at my seams with excitement as a youth, when this promising young man was appointed to the esteemed office of Regional Chairman. Finally, I thought, this region will break the choke hold of dinosaur age leaders who had tunnel vision throughout their years of leadership and alienated the region from the national thrust and movement of the country.
Sharma Solomon came from humble ranks, from among us youths and made us
feel a sense of belonging upon his appointment. However, my constant perplexity at the arrogant and myopic posture of this young leader at every major juncture of significance since he assumed the position, causes me to wonder how this can once in a lifetime opportunity for youths could be so foolishly squandered.
From the onset, Solomon’s leadership excursions lacked foresight and wisdom as was so evident in his handling of the entire protest saga. His uninhibited posture of confrontation in the very first days of his being in office, destined him to the place of isolation where he now resides both in terms of his relationship with his party, particularly its leadership and the duly elected Government of Guyana.
During the protest, it is reported that Solomon upbraided the APNU leader openly in one of the many stakeholders’ meetings, resulting in him being left to his own demise.
In the aftermath of the protest, Solomon allegedly shouted public upbraids at the
President of Guyana for entering “his” region without his express consent. He did the same when the Education Minister launched the project to rebuild the One Mile Primary School, which he had ambitiously committed to the people of the region to doing through self-help. The slew of financial contributions which poured in from near and far for that undertaking is yet to be accounted for by Solomon, but yet he remains on his high horse, complaining about not being informed that the town was being cleaned by the Government, while questioning the objectives of the cleaning exercise in his domain. He is anxiously referring to the money involved. Has Sharma Solomon lost his way the moment he sat on the region’s throne, instead of on the servant’s chair, in that office bequeathed to him by the party whose time has long come and gone in Linden and Region Ten?
Sincerely,
Dave Martindale
Dear Editor,
It is very disheartening to know that, with all the hard work and time the many Community Policing Groups (CPG) have sacrificed in the past to keep the standard and character of the CPG in the highest respect amongst citizens in region 5, they will soon, if favoritism wins honesty, be led by Mr Abel Seetaram. He was accused of beating up a poor woman who sold newspapers to provide for her family, for which he wasn’t charged. There are also allegations against him for being involved in fraudulent
acts of embezzling funds from cricket teams for personal use. He has also recently published a libelous letter in sections of the media about the CPGs being unwilling to work with the relevant Police stations in their area.
If such a man should be the new liaison officer of Region 5, then that the status, admiration and respect given to these voluntary community policing group officers will be most likely defamed, since he might bring disrepute as their leader.
Community Policing Groups country wide have helped the
Guyana Police Force tremendously to eradicate crimes and maintain peace in their communities, so if a new liaison officer is to be chosen for Region 5,it should be someone that people respect and with strong leadership abilities along with a solid background.
The safety of Guyana lies in the hands of the GPF and the CPGs, I am pleading that respectable individual be chosen to become our new liaison officer.
Sincerely, Marlyn Josephs
esterday, August 1st was Emancipation Day! Slavery was abolished over 180 years ago. Yet oftentimes I wonder what has happened to the promise of that seminal event.
In Caribbean History we spent a lot of time learning about conditions on the sugar plantations during slavery and after Emancipation. It was a descent into horror. We learnt about plantation society, about sugar manufacturing and we even had to build models of a typical plantation.
Most horrifyingly, we learnt about the slave trade, and about the terror of the Middle Passage which, when contraposed against the societies from which the slaves were snatched, becomes an
object lesson of “man’s inhumanity to man.”
I loved reading about the societies and culture that was already established in West Africa, about the Kingdoms like Dahomey and Ashanti and about the Oyo Empire. There Were so many rich cultures, religions and art. I got lost in the stories and legends of the Akan religion.
When the Africans were brought to the Caribbean, they weren’t allowed to practice anything of their own culture. They weren’t even allowed to have families. They were forced into Christianity of which the Spanish version had determined that they had no souls and could therefore be enslaved. After they were freed and it was conceded they MIGHT be human - but had to give up their own religions and adopt the Europeanised Christianity and all its antiAfrican biases.
They were forced into a European social structure, where they would always be inferior striving to be what they could never be- white men and women. Never mind that they already had their own well-organised social structures for hundreds of
years. Their “we” rather than “I” centered of Ubuntu would address much of the anomie of western society.
But what I really can’t imagine is what it would’ve been like living like that, being treated as being less than human. As chattel - someone’s property to do as they please- even inflict death on a whim.
One of my favourite heroes in WI history was Toussaint L’Ouverture. To have a man - born a slave –take on the full might of one of the greatest European powers of the day, for the right to be free, was awe inspiring. He was indeed an “Opening”: the eventual independence of Haiti showed the path that every other colony had to walk. But yet we hear ad nauseum about the American and French Revolution and their impact, but never about the Haitian Revolution.
I mean lots of people have the notion that you have to move on from your past completely in order to have a future. But that idea completely disregards the point we are our past: we are, in a word, our consummated past. And this is not just the past of our own short lives, but the past
that has been transmitted to us. History shows how families, countries, laws and institutions are formed, how they evolved and why certain ones have survived while others ‘bit the dust’. If a nation is just defined by its present- how shallow is that? Look at how much our country and our people have survived and suffered through and yet we’re still afloat. We need to be aware of our past. We need to be aware of our heroes, of the adversities we overcame. We need to remember our heroes like Cuffy and Quamina and all who followed on and off the sugar plantations.
Think about how those who came before you struggled and fought for their freedom and how lucky we all are now, to be living free. We’re not enslaved, we’re not indentured: we’re living free, so it’s inexcusable if we don’t work hard to give ourselves the future we want- the shackles are off.
As our own West Indian prophet Bob Marley sang, “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; none but ourselves can free our minds.”
Happy Emancipation Day!
Emancipation celebrations in Buxton… Freedom didn’t come easy – First Lady tells residents
First Lady, Sandra Granger, today announced the launch of a programme that aims to bring complete revival to the residents of the Buxton-Friendship area. She made this announcement at the Friendship Primary School on the East Coast of Demerara, where she joined a large number of residents in their Emancipation Day festivities.
The First Lady explained that the projects that she wants to roll out were identified by the people
of Buxton themselves after consultations over the past two months.
She said she is happy to be part of project that will empower the youth population and ensure that the much-needed attention is paid to senior citizens, who have made sterling contributions to national development in their working years.
Emancipation Day holds special meaning for the people of Buxton.
The village has a rich history; it was among the first lands purchased
by freed slaves. Mrs Granger said that Buxtonians are a proud people and rightly so, as they have braved many struggles to realise great achievements. Buxton is home to many Guyanese scholars who have achieved excellence in Guyana and further afield.
The First Lady said that as Guyana celebrates this significant milestone of 177 years since the end of slavery, citizens should be reminded that freedom was not offered on a platter. It was the result of the blood, sweat and tears of our ancestors. “This day we celebrate arose out of hardship and cooperation. Nothing has been easy in the development of this country,” she said.
Meanwhile Professor David Hinds, a Buxtonian and wellknown political activist, said that while it is important to remember the bondage of slavery that our ancestors were subjected to, much more focus should be placed on the fact that they fought back against an oppressive system and emerged triumphant and that is the spirit of courage that Guyanese should emulate.
The African Cultural and Educational Association Inc (ACEA) usher the Emancipation celebrations into Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) with an impressive candle lit parade and cultural programme at Anna Regina Damon Square Friday night.
Persons clad in their African outfits held their candle light from La Belle Alliance as they proceeded to the Anna Regina car park. The parade commenced at 20:30h and was complimented by live African drumming by Learie Mc Kenzia African troupe.
A rich cultural programme featuring popular dances, poems and skits were held in observance of Emancipation 2015, which was celebrated under the theme “Coming together to achieve and overcome”.
Leader and founder of ACEA Elfreda Munroe, also known as Nana, explained that the slaves went through many challenges and, as such, the parade plays a very significant part in the libation observance. Munroe said that, over the years, the event continues to grow and efforts are being placed on educating the younger generation. She also called on the
ACEA to sensitise the event to encourage a higher attendance. Several other addresses were delivered during the programme by leaders of several villages such Henrietta, Queenstown, Dartmouth, Danielstown.
Coordinator of the activity, Desiree Charles, said it is important for the younger generation to preserve whatever their African ancestors brought. Charles said that Africans have a rich legacy; one that her brothers and sisters should be proud of.
Several other activities were held during the month leading up to the Emancipation Day celebrations. These included interactions with youths, a clean-up campaign, and quiz competitions, along with discussion with youths at the Dartmouth Community Centre on education development.
The event was fully supported by the Region Two Administration in form of monetary contribution. Region Two Chairman, Devanand Ramdatt, called on the African community to get the youths involve in the preservation of the African heritage. Ramdatt said that he feel that youths need to participate at all level in the Emancipation celebrations.
Guyanese turned out in their numbers to commemorate Emancipation Day 2015 at the National Park, Georgetown. Thousands of Guyanese from all walks of life took to the Park dressed in their African attire to celebrate this event. There were also many prominent Government officials and members of the diplomatic corps who attended the concert that was organised by the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA).
Speaking to Guyana Times, Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams wished all Guyanese a happy Emancipation, stating that it is the first time in 23 years that Guyana celebrated the holiday under a new Government. Minister Williams added that Guyanese should now feel “truly emancipated”.
There were many activities that patrons participated in and enjoyed included games, craft and food displays, cultural presentations and art exhibitions – all organised by the Department of Culture Youth and Sport, Ministry of Education; The Forbes Burnham Foundation and the African Heritage Museum. The exhibitions sought to highlight the many years of oppression faced by our
African ancestors and also sought to highlight the journey to freedom and the many “freedom fighters”.
Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine spoke to this publication about the importance of emancipation, adding that being emancipated isn’t just about being free physically but also includes being free on the inside as well.
There was also a concert which saw the participation of many Afrocommunity groups from around Guyana, along with teams from Suriname and Nigeria; the Yoruba Singers; Miss Emancipation Josonia Hermonstine and many other local talents. The packed programme was chaired by Miss Guyana World 2015 Lisa Punch and the entire programme sought to highlight the many talents of the African community.
This activity in the Nation Park is one of the many celebrations organised by the African Cultural Development Association to celebrate Emanciparion. Some of these activities included village celebrations, street exhibitions, cultural performances and many other activities aimed at promoting and preserving the African culture.
Several recommendations have been made to the management of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) by the Audit Office of Guyana in its audited financial statements of the Corporation for the year ended December 31, 2010.
This report was released in Parliament on Wednesday during a sitting of the National Assembly.
The main purpose of the audit was to express an opinion on the financial statements and evaluate the operations of the DHBC to ascertain whether:
(1) The financial statements have been properly prepared, in accordance with applicable laws, and properly present the operations and affairs of the DHBC;
(2) The accounts have been faithfully and properly kept;
(3) The rules, procedures and internal management controls are sufficient to secure effective control on the assessment, collection, and proper allocation of revenue;
(4) All monies expended and charged to the account were applied to the purpose or purposes for which they were intended; and
(5) Essential records are maintained, and the internal management controls and rules and procedures established and applied are sufficient to safeguard the control of stores and other property.
For revenue totaling $434,035,017, the recommendations to Management were that proper segregation of duties be implement and the institution of supervisory control measures over the issuance of manual receipts and void tickets.
Also to ensure that measures are put in place for strict compliance with the requirements of the Stores Regulation of 1993 as it relates to the accounting of the bridge’s assets.
In the report for operating expenditure, totaling $674, 613, 920, with regards to salaries and administrative costs, an examination of personal files was conducted. It was revealed that all 12 of the new employees, who were employed during that period and under review, did not have all the relevant information in their files.
“These information included applications, certificates, police clearances, references and contracts of employment as required. From the sample taken, audit examination revealed that among final benefits calculated, vacation allowances totaling $50,780 were not paid to two officers,” the financial statement documented.
The Audit Office recommended that the Corporation’s management take steps to ensure that all necessary documentations, including proof of qualification, and meeting the job
specifications are obtained before persons are employed; all benefits are properly calculated and paid accordingly and measures are put in place for strict compliance with the requirements of the Procurement Act of 2003.
The DHBC’s fixed assets, totaling some $1,331,819,883, suggested that the Corporation take immediate steps to ensure strict accountability for all assets acquired.
For its current assets, valued at $1,456,891,070, the DHBC was urged to immediately investigate the discrepancies revealed and ensure that measures are put in place for strict compliance with the requirements of the Stores Regulation of 1993.
“An examination of the cash and bank balances ($111,321,751) and other related documents revealed that a Bank Account No 670-170-1 was opened in December 2010 for the operations of a Loam Pit. However, the authority to open this account was not presented for audit verifica-
tion. As a result, the validity of the amount shown as cash and bank could not be determined,” the Audit Office stated.
The DHBC was recommended to implement measures to have all accounts properly reconciled and to make all documentation available for audit scrutiny as it relates to the new bank account.
As it relates to prepayments amounting to $365,011,071, the audit examination of the schedule of debtors revealed that three payments totaling some $25,603,392 for the supply of goods and services, which were paid for in the year 2008 remained outstanding at the time of reporting.
In addition, no security bonds were in place. As a result, the completeness, accuracy and validity of the amount shown as debtors could not be ascertained.
The report further stated that the Audit Office of Guyana recommends that the Corporation vigorously follow up on this matter with the supplier to have the
items delivered immediately or recover in full the sum expended.
An examination of the cash book revealed firstly that it was not maintained in a manner so as to easily identify entries made in accordance with the various categories of receipts and operating expenditures. As a result, it was tedious and time consuming to verify amounts transferred to the general ledger.
Secondly, adjusted entries via journals were not entered into the general ledger resulting in difficulties in verifying amounts in the general ledger with the amounts stated in financial statement. It was therefore tedious and time consuming to verify amounts stated in the financial statements.
The recommendation was for the Corporation to take immediate steps to have this situation corrected. It should be noted that in the report for 2010 each area which the Audit Office highlighted issues that needed to be addressed the Management did supply responses as to the findings.
Aresident of Annai Village, Rupununi was brought to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday to answer a charge of possessing an unlicensed firearm.
Gregory Williams, 37, pleaded not guilty to the charge, indicating that he was not carrying an unlicensed firearm.
However, the Police have already lodged that on July 29 he was busted with the .177 pistol at his home when he was not the holder of a firearm license. He is also charged with making use of threatening language against Mark George, whereby breach of the peace made the occasion.
Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones told the court that the defendant took out the gun and used it to threaten his manager after an argument ensued among the two. A complaint was lodged against him for the latter offence and was later charge when it was found he did not possess a firearm license. Williams also pleaded not guilty to this charge.
Gregory Williams
His lawyer, D James, made a bail application for him, providing his basic information to the court. He stated that Williams works as a security guard and is from North Rupununi where he lives with his five children and reputed wife of 15 years. He asked the Magistrate to consider the fact that the gun was not found on his client, but had actually been taken to the Police Station by a Toshau during the first incident. He said they cannot be sure where it was found as it could have been found on the road and simply handed in for safety.
The prosecution explained that investigations are still continuing. He is expected at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court on September 7, where his case will be tried.
The conditions of the Stabroek Market Stelling have been continuously highlighted and there have been promises to repair and improve. However, this has not been manifested and commuters have been expressing concerns about their safety while at the stelling and in the speedboats.
One commuter was heard voicing his frustration about the unsafe conditions of the Stabroek Stelling. Eddu, as he called himself, was visibly upset as he told Guyana Times about a friend of his that slipped while leaving one of the speedboats two days ago. He stated that his friend fell into the Demerara River and neither the bowman nor the driver could have helped as neither knew to swim.
Eddu said that it is not the first that such an incident happened and it probably would not be the last until something is done to remedy the issue. He indicated that next time someone can be seriously injured.
The Staborek Stelling was built decades ago, before the Demerara Harbour Bridge, to enable better movement between Regions Three and Four. The bridge has made speedboats less needed, but some persons still prefer the boats to the bridge, thus it enables a decent revenue.
However, the deteriorating state of the stelling, and other stellings across Guyana, has come under focus as no one seems to have
an agenda for its improvement.
Another commuter told this publication that new rails and steps need to be added to the stelling for commuter’s safety. She, who requested to remain anonymous, also said that a little pride in the stelling would probably go a far way in getting persons interested in using speedboats again.
Last March saw the roof of the stelling falling apart while commuters and ven-
dors went about their business.
No one was injured that time nor last year when another part had collapsed either. However, once again promises were made for repairs but no bids have been made in this direction.
However, the commuter commented on the competence of the boat operators, stating that more training needs to be considered before one is allowed to become an operator for speedboats. Guyana Times learnt that one becomes a licensed boat operator after a recommendation and a medical is given to Maritime Board; this was how bowman Ramesh said he got into the profession.
The concerned citizen said more training or certification needs to be considered before the relevant agencies allow such person to become boat operators as they are responsible for lives. She said the ability to swim should be one such training a boat operator should have.
I...my turn to loot?
f the PPP wanted to write a script as to how the APNU/AFC coalition would self-destruct, they couldn’t have improved on what’s unfolding. First there was the Orwellian News Speak of renaming Ministries. We now have a “Social Cohesion” Ministry that fulfills its mandate by dragging foreign working girls out of Bartica all the way to Georgetown. The Minister “I is” Broomes claimed the 29 or so girls were trafficked. So you’d think they were the victims, no? NO! They were the ones Broomes charged to increase social cohesion.
Then there was the trampling on the Cummingsburg Accord to effectively banish the AFC big wigs to Siberia. Like in the Gulag! Quick now...what exactly has Ramjattan, appointed Minister of National Security done? Excepting, of course, extrapolating his own compulsion for all-night binges to impose a 2:am ban on serving alcohol. Would solve the crime wave, the man says!
And now comes the latest howler. Imagine promising these to your supporters, to now tell them 1) you can’t give them school vouchers to cover basic expenses; 2) you can’t bring down VAT “significantly”; 3) you can’t give the 50,000 public servants ...of all stripes - a “significant raise”. But you now give yourself 100-200% raises??!!!
This Eyewitness would just like to hear the explanation. Your $50,000 per month policeman or clerk can’t get a $750 A MONTH raise (15%) but a minister is bumped up from $579,000 to $1MILLION??? That’s a $431,000 a month increase!! 74%!! Extreme actions call for extreme reactions and all your Eyewitness can say is “WTF???!!” This is madness!! So not only have these jokers created 4 Vice Presidencies who’re drawing over $1 million each...but they increase the number of Ministers from 20 to 27, and give everybody a raise?
Now let’s take a simple example from the fella getting the smallest percentage raise... Nagamootoo’s 13 per cent. This still amounts to $200,000 - four times the minimum wage - on top of his $1.5 million!!! Now why give Nagamootoo $200,000 when he’s already going to be living in the fancy house on Waterloo St that’s being air conditioned and termite-proofed ($80 million?), he draws $500,000 in vacation allowance and millions for entertainment. Don’t talk about guards, maids, gardeners and drivers! And then multiply that by 27. 37 if you throw in all those high-powered advisors to the president. Reminds this Eyewitness of the beauteous Marie Antoinette, Queen of France 1790’s. Told that the rioting peasants can’t get bread to eat, she remarked without the slightest touch of Irony: “Well, let them eat cake!!”
She, of course, lost her head on the guillotine. A hint to Beneba mek Quashie tek notice.
...sugar faith
So we have a “high powered” COI looking into the travails of sugar. We were assured that all these worthies are “sugar” men (not “sweet” men) who knew sugar “inside out”. Well their questions to Tate and Lyle earlier this week, reminded your Eyewitness of another “sugar man” interlocutor - Ian Mc Donaldand his faith in the European Sugar Protocol that was supposed to last “in perpetuity.
Ha!!! The Europeans broke that so fast it made Usain Bolt look like the fabled tortoise! They said that nothing lasts “forever” - even true love and “special relationships”. So these COI sugar mavens needed Tate and Lyle to tell them they had to bring down our production costs?? While the plan might’ve gone awry, wasn’t that what the Skeldon Factory supposed to do??
As as for Beet sugar, that was in the cards since the Napoleonic Wars as was later the U.S. HFCS - which Europeans call Isoglucose.
Let’s face it. They use us and then throw us away liked sucked oranges.
And we go back for more!
...being a hit man
Sean Hinds claimed he singlehandedly brought the 2000-2008 crime wave under control.
Nominations open for the next OR?
More than a month after the new A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Administration was briefed about the agreement between Guyana and India,the Government is yet to finalise a way forward.
Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson had previously told the Guyana Times that while he was not familiar with the details of the agreement or the project, Indian High Commissioner Venkatachalam Mahalingam was kind enough to brief him on the agreement, and even left a copy. Patterson explained that his Ministry will have to review the documents and then consult with the Foreign Affairs and Housing Ministers in order to decide on the way forward.
During a visit to India in January, former President Donald Ramotar secured a Line of Credit (LOC) to build a bypass road from Ogle to Eccles, linking East Coast Demerara to the East Bank. The former Government had initiated the bypass road project in an effort to reduce traffic congestion for commuters, particularly on the East Bank of Demerara. A feasibility study for this road link was conducted.
The funding for the project was tied up between Ramotar and India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, during a meeting held on the sidelines of 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas at Gandhinagar. High Commissioner Mahalingham had previously told this publication that he is in the process of working with the Guyana Government to determine the way forward on the bypass road project.
The LOC for this project is to the tune of US$50 million. He noted that an agreement has to be signed between the Government of Guyana and the India Export and Import Exim Bank outlining the details of project before the money can be paid.
“The agreement is with the Government of Guyana
However when contacted on Saturday, the Public Infrastructure Minister informed this newspaper that he has handed over copies of the document to his colleague Ministers, but they have not been able to further consult due to more pressing matters taking precedence, such as the 2015 Budget presentation.
and they have to make the decision because it’s a new Government, and the project was proposed by the previous Government. So the new Government has to take a view whether they would like to pursue this project and when would they like to purse this project,” he outlined.
In addition, Mahalingham had disclosed that during a visit with Public Infrastructure Minister, he indicated that any other project the Government wants to take forward and needs assistance with, then they can approach the Indian Government.
“We would like to work with the Government of Guyana on the basis of Guyana’s interest. We are willing to commit ourselves to whatever project the Government of Guyana proposes and take it forward to get the approval of the Government of India,” the High Commissioner declared.
While the monies were approved by the Indian Government, it was reported in an Indian newspaper that the LOC to Guyana was among a list of LOCs to several other countries that are in limbo after India’s External Affairs Ministry’s budget was cut. The Telegraph in Calcutta, India, had reported in May that documents from the Ministry shows several overseas projects as “curtailed” since this year’s total Foreign Office budget for aid to Latin American countries is only approximately US$5.1 million.
However High Commissioner Mahalingham clarified that LOCs are not from the External Affairs Ministry’s budget, but is actually from the India Exim Bank. He went on to say, “So if by chance the Ministry of External Affairs’ funds are curtailed, it will have no impact on the LOCs because the LOCs are from the Exim Bank, which is an entirely different entity; it’s almost like a commercial bank.”
Bainey Prim Gangoo, 30 of 22 Anna Regina in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), was found guilty of obtaining money under false pretences when made his final appearance before Magistrate Sunil Scarce on Tuesday at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court.
Gangoo, in 2014, had pleaded not guilty to the charge read against him, however on Tuesday he changed his plea to guilty and ask the Magistrate to be lenient in his sentencing.
He was brought before the court for obtaining money from two Essequibians after fooling them that he would provide house lots for them. Gangoo had promise to repay the money he obtained but unfortunately did not do so.
Gangoo told the court that he was sorry and pleaded for a concurrent sentencing for the two matters. He was represented by Attorney-at-Law
Yansen.
According to the particulars, the accused, between March 19, 2014 and May 16, 2014 at Anna Regina Essequibo Coast, obtained $488,000 from Roxanne Nauth by pretending to be in a position to sell one house lot to her. It was further related that, on the day in question, he spoke to the defendant and promise to present transport for the lot after the money was paid. He was found guilty and sentence to 44 months in prison by Magistrate Sunil Scarce.
For the same offence, this time committed to Margret Kumar between May 2, 2014 and July 25, 2015, Gangoo was sentence to an additional 40 months in prison.
He was found guilty of falsely obtaining $292,000 from Margret Kumar, with the promise providing her with a house lot. His sentences will run concurrently.
Families who have laid to rest friends and loved ones at the Le Repentir Cemetery are concerned once again about the upkeep of the burial site, as grass, shrubs and bushes continue to block access to the tombs there.
When GuyanaTimes visited the cemetery on Saturday it was evident that a number of tombs were already being overtaken and towered over by large shrubs and bushes; they are hidden away by overgrown vegetation. Garbage was also seen at various sections of the burial ground.
A group of men were seen erecting fences around certain sections of the burial ground. One of them told this newspaper that they were employed privately to do this job but, because of the inclement weather earlier, they could not complete the job on schedule.
He explained that while the Mayor and City Council is responsible for the cemetery their “lack of concern” is evident, and this has forced citizens to take steps
of their own. “The man who employed us to do this job is paying us from his pocket, it isn’t the City Council paying for this, all because a lot of persons are crying out that people are still dumping plenty of garbage and waste here. The fences that we have to build is only for a certain section, but it will have gates so to avoid people coming and dumping their stuff on top or near the tombs. Yes this place has the dead, but it still needs to be respected. So maybe the City Council should hire proper security or something to overlook this place,” said the workman.
His co-worker stated that although the Council may cry out that there is limited funds to take better care of the Le Repentir Cemetery, the relevant authorities should at least employ persons to “guard” the fences that are presently being erected.
“They don’t have to pay for this; it is coming out of a private man’s pocket in trying to help the situation out. They should help mon-
itor the area or something with security. They used to dump garbage here but have a new dump site long now, yet people still dumping garbage here. They need to do something because it isn’t like people getting the plot for tombs free here, people pay for it, and the Council should make sure it is safe and clean,” the younger man said.
Previously, the poor conditions and maintenance of the cemetery had citizens in an uproar, especially when persons had difficulties in locating tombs for re-painting or paying their respects.
Residents living nearby were also upset when the area was used as a dumping site for garbage, citing health hazards and the the stench before the introduction of the Haags/ Bosch site in Eccles, East Bank Demerara.
Almost one year ago the city of Georgetown underwent a massive cleaning up campaign which was spearheaded by the then People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government as part
of its initiative to promote a cleaner and healthier environment.
The Le Repentir Cemetery, which was in dire need of restoration, was allocated $100 million and works on Blocks One, Three, Four and Five of the cemetery commenced under the PPP/C Government’s $1 billion “Clean Up My Country” Programme.
The project saw the entire cemetery and its outskirts being enhanced. It entailed the desilting of drains and canals, rehabilitation of internal roads, and removal of overgrown vegetation. It also included the rehabilitation of the Mayor and City Council’s machinery to ensure the maintenance of a clean city after the exercise was completed.
In addition to this, the Guyana Prison Service was also contracted to de-bush Block Seven of the burial site, which is bounded by Broad Street to the North, Sussex Street to the South, Louisa Row to the East and St. Stephen’s Street to the South.
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has commended the new Government of Guyana for repealing the controversial and discriminatory “Environmental Tax”, when the case was called up before the panel on Friday via video conference.
In May last year, the CCJ ordered Guyana to pay the Surinamese beverage company, Rudisa Beverages and Juice, some $1.2 billion for imposing the controversial tax on each non-returnable bottles imported into the country, saying it is discriminatory
and breached the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC).
However, Guyana’s failure to repay the money in a timely manner has resulted in the cost being racked up by an additional $4 million, to a total of $1.6 billion. The total of GY$1.6 billion
(US$7.72 million) also includes interests to the tune of US$338,000, as well as legal cost of some US$120,000. However the Surinamese company recently agreed to slash US$1.5 million from the cost owed to it by the Guyana Government.
At the previous hearing, the CCJ was informed of the new arrangement and adjourned the matter for a formal agreement to be prepared and signed by both parties. Additionally, the regional trade court had raised concerns that despite their ruling for the removal of the tax, Guyana continues to impose it.
Following the ruling last year, the former People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration immediately took the amendment bill to Parliament, but it was voted down by the then combined A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change parliamentary Opposition.
During Friday’s hearing, the CCJ panel praised the Government for removing the discriminatory tax.
On Thursday the National Assembly passed the Customs (Amendment) Bill of 2015, which gave effect to the removal of the $10 taxation imposed on all non-returnable alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverage bottles. The amendment took effect from Friday.
In addition, the Attorney General filed a copy of the agreement with the
Satiricus was amused. Folks could be unreasonable. Look at all the fuss some people were making about only a couple of Indian Guyanese being appointed to Government Boards. What a bunch of ignoramuses! Even Satiricus, who had left algebra to the other kids in First Form, knew why this was so. It was just that people just insisted on seeing what they want to see.
It was right there in Black and White in the Cummerbund Accord signed by APANU and KFC. Didn’t people realize why the agreement was called the “Cummerbund Accord”?? Did they even know what a “cummerbund” was? Satiricus was lucky to come from the countryside and have cane cutter friends like his buddy Cappo.
Cappo always wore a Cummerbund after he cut the cane and then had to load it into the punts. In their simple broken language Cappo and his friends simply said they had to “band their belly” so wouldn’t strain themselves. The cloth band rightly strapped over the belly would help them to “bear strain”.
So Satiricus was surprised when he went to a wedding at the Georgetown Club in town as a reporter and saw the groom wearing a cloth band around his waist. Satiricus learnt that the proper name was “Cummerbund”. Satiricus understood. As a married man with ten years under his belt, he knew that marriage could be a strain. Sometimes more strain than fetching cane to load punts.
So when Satiricus saw Naga Man signing the Cummerbund Accord, he understood. The great leader was agreeing that the people he led - the fabled 11% Indian Guyanese - would have to bear strain to reach the promised land of love and unity. They would deliver victory for the good of the entire country. Naga Man’s strain would to be named “Prime Muenster” (the Big Cheese), force himself to have sirens announce his arrival, live in a house that only recently had no air conditioning and had been infested by rats and have his salary doubled.
His Indian Guyanese supporters would bear strain to not have the strain of becoming Ministers and Members of Boards. Once their leaders Naga Man and Rum Jhaat were bearing the strain of holding office, there was unity. And love.
Just look how the Guyana Human Lights Association (GHLA) didn’t utter a word about hardly any Indian Guyanese being appointed to Boards. They always spoke up for the underdogs - like criminals - while everyone else carried on about victims. Indian Guyanese weren’t underdogs. They wore Cummerbunds. They could bear strain for the good of the country.
Not like Naga Man and Rum Jhaat maybe. But every man had to bear strain in his own way. To each his own Cummerbund.
Court that was signed between the Government and Rudisa, outlining that the company is willing to accept US$6.2 million as a full and final payment to satisfy the judgement of the court. The CCJ was also informed that the two parties agreed to extend the time for the payment until January, 2016.
On this note, the CCJ panel adjourned the case until February 26 next year, when the parties will report on whether the payment was made in full as agreed upon.
However, the Government has expressed its intention of paying the judgement. The Attorney General had declared to the National Assembly that unlike the previous administration, his Government intends to pay the judgement as it recognized the principle of adhering to the
laws and conditions of the Treaty.
“The present Government of Guyana will pay the sum of $6.2 million in full and final discharge of the obligation we owed to Rudisa,” he stated. On the other hand, a few weeks ago, Minister of State Joseph Harmon had commented the Administration is committed to abide by the Court ruling.
“We respect judgments of the Court and, once they are final judgments, we accept also the consequences… This is why we have been in consultation and talks with the person who has the judgement in his favour, for us to basically work it out. These are things that have been thrown into our laps by the previous administrations and we have to now clean up that mess,” he posited.
Muslim wom-
Aan was escorted to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday after she was accused of assaulting a male Police Officer who tried to arrest her.
Lovern Bamfield, a Businesswoman of Lot 490 North East, La Penitence, Georgetown, appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan to answer three charges against her.
The Police are alleging that on July 30, at North Road, Bourda, Georgetown, she assaulted Detective, Corporal Campbell in order to prevent her lawful arrest. She is also charged for resist-
ing the arrest of a Constable who was acting in his duty. The third charge state that she behaved disorderly while in the public view.
Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones told the court that the Police Officers were arresting Bamfield for obstruction. The defendant is a Vendor at Bourda Market.
However, her Attorney Euclin Gomes explained to the court that his client did not intend to resist arrest but was simply reacting to being touched by the officers who tried to arrest her. He said his client is a Muslim and their customs do not permit men, other than their spouse to touch them, even in a ca-
sual manner; thus Bamfield protested this.
Also, he said the officers did not inform his client of what her offence was but manhandled her. Due to this approach, Gomes said the accused thought she was being robbed and fought to escape her attackers. He asked the court to un-
derstand these circumstances and allow his client to go free.
This plea for bail was granted by Magistrate McLennan in the sum of $20,000. Bamfield was ordered to be back in court on August 6 in Court 10 where Magistrate Alex Moore will be overseeing the case.
The village of Montrose, East Coast Demerara has plunged into a state of shock following the gruesome murder of a well respected elderly woman whose body was discovered on Saturday just after noon.
The body of Carmen Ganesh, 75 of Lot 121 Montrose, was found in a pool of blood in the kitchen area of the house she took care of. The owners of the house are reportedly overseas.
Information reaching the Guyana Times revealed that her daughters did not see her for the entire Saturday morning, hence they went to the house and called out to the woman. Their calls went unanswered and the gates were locked, therefore they could not get into the yard. Soon after, a grandson of the now dead woman was summoned and decided to scale the fence.
As he entered the yard, he saw his grandmother lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen and immediately raised an alarm. The Police
was summoned and have launched an investigation into the gruesome murder.
The still devastated young man told this publication that he could not tell where on the woman’s body was bleeding. He explained that his grandmother worked with the owners of the house for quite some time, but after they left the country they entrusted the house to her. He added that the perpetrators prob-
ably thought that there was money on the property since the yard housed several vehicles, a speed boat and an outboard engine.
However, Sandra Ganesh, a daughter of the dead woman, told the Guyana Times that the surveillance footage showed the perpetrator exiting one of the cars in the yard and making his way into the house as the woman stepped out to pick flowers to conduct her daily prayers.
She stated that she last saw her mother alive on Friday evening before she went to bed. When she woke up on Saturday morning she claimed that she did not see the woman, but thought that she went to the market as she normally does on a regular basis.
After sometime, she stated that the neighbours contacted her and vented their concerns, claiming that they too did not see the woman. They called but no one answered. At this time she called two relatives and asked them to check on the
woman. They were reluctant at first and thought that they should call the Police. Nevertheless, they jumped the fence and realised that the back door was opened. As they looked inside, they saw the woman lying on her back and in a pool of blood. A knife was reportedly found close to the body. The “tari” with the fresh flowers were seen on the altar, which meant that the woman never started her daily prayers.
Police confirmed that the woman sustained a shot to the back of her head, and that her neck was tied with a piece of cloth. Crime scene ranks have since dusted the car for finger prints and more so, took the bloody knife as evidence.
When Guyana Times visited the scene, rela-
tives of the dead woman had converged as ranks reviewed the recordings taken from the security cameras. The body was taken to the Lyken’s Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem ex-
amination. The Police have since secured an image of the perpetrator as they continue their investigations. The woman leaves to mourn her six children and grandchildren.
– thousands of new house lots made
By Kristen MacKlingaM
In pursuit of continuing access to land, housing and infrastructure, as well as improving the quality of life of Guyanese, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) established six new housing areas, yielding 4907 new lots for new homeowners for the period January to December 2013.
Such a move was aimed at reducing poverty, creating employment and generating skills in various communities across the country.
The CHPA’s annual report 2013 which was released in Parliament on Thursday last, stated that 4417 applicants finalised their allocations.
In addition, 613 lots were regularised in favour of their occupants in several squatter settlements, bringing the total number of lots allocated to 5030.
The Authority also continued to consolidate 22 housing areas through infrastructure upgrade, with respect to roads, drainage, electrical installation and water distribution of networks.
For infrastructure development, 111 kilome-
tres of new roads were constructed – 52 kilometres of existing roads were upgraded, 92 kilometres of transmission mains were installed, and an additional four housing areas were serviced with electrical distribution networks.
According to the report, with respect to transfer of titles, 3643 additional homeowners collected their titles and obtained the required collateral to finance the construction or improvement of their homes.
Additionally, the issue of affordability of vulnerable households continued to be addressed through the implementation of the pilots under the Second Low Income Settlements Programme.
“For the core House Pilot, 91.4 per cent of the target was achieved; the Home Improvement Pilot achieved 76 per cent; the Hinterland Pilot, 130 per cent; the Professional Pilot, 116 per cent and the Sanitation Improvement Project, 144 per cent.”
In the area of community participation and development activities, the CH&PA accomplished its target in the training and mentoring of community leaders; preparing commu-
nity development plans; facilitating group organisation and implementation of community development projects in housing areas.
“For land use monitoring and management, the CH&PA processed 1126 planning permits for the establishment of business enterprises, primarily within Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and 10. The work programme activities were implemented in keeping with the goals and objectives of the Poverty Reduction Strategy, the National Development Strategy and the Low Carbon Development Strategy.
In this regard, it contributed significantly to continued growth in the building and construction sectors, the GDP of the country and the quality of life of many Guyanese,” the report read. It was also noted that other positive impacts included the expansion of the market for building accessories and supplies, mortgage interest relief, concessions granted to allottees on building materials and accessories and the expansion of the turn-key solution as another option for beneficiaries.
Ryhaan Shah
Our crime situation became up close and personal for me when I was robbed of my handbag at gunpoint as I returned to my home in the city on Thursday afternoon. The robbers were two young African Guyanese men. We would all like them to be productive, upstanding members of society. Yet, here we are. The question is: how did we get here?
Ryhaan Shah
We would all agree that our runaway crime did not come into being overnight. It has been around for decades and has gone through evolutionary changes – choke-and-rob, kick-down-the-door, terrorism and banditry - that were aided and abetted by directives from leaders who have encouraged and justified criminal activities for political advantage.
The rot set in during the Burnham era when the police and army were used as arms of the state to enforce the dictates of the PNC regime. Professionalism and independence were not required or desired. Only loyalty to the party mattered. The Rodney COI at least proved that.
Politicians have actually spoken proudly from public podiums of their ownership of the police. Hoyte’s reminder to PNC supporters that the police were their “kith and kin” was part of his “slow fyah, mo’ fyah” campaign of violence during the 1998 post elections period.
Once the stage is set, once crime is justified, it is difficult to then, as it were, put the genie back into the bottle. Young men are taught that to assault and rob, and even to kill, especially if those under attack constitute a perceived enemy, are not only good but heroic. They are freedom fighters, and sordid ethnic crimes become romanticized and common bandits are made over as revolutionaries.
With such rich rewards in the offing, a life of crime pays, and that this behavior would become cancerous and spread from its original point and purpose to infect every strata of society is only natural.
In 1992, when the PPP Government inherited armed forces that were loyal to the PNC, they did no work to make them professional and ethnically balanced as was recommended by the ICJ and the Adams Commission following the elections riots of 1992. The Disciplined Forces Commission of 2004 also did the same, but the PPP improvised with their own crimefighting strategies to the volatile situation that followed the 2002 jailbreak.
Among the reports recorded in the GIHA Crime Report of 2002 – 2003 was one by kidnapped victim Kumardat Ramprashad who was told by his kidnappers that they wanted every Black boy in Buxton to have a gun to rob and kill Indians and get rich.
The confessions of death squad member Sean Hinds support this narrative when he speaks of his initial training in crime within the PNC which had racial/political motives and Indian Guyanese targets. The boy soldiers of Buxton are now men and all they know, surely, is what they have been taught.
Crime has grown from those of political violence and terrorism to include narco-trafficking and turf wars. These are good training grounds for criminals and when President Granger pardoned 60 young offenders recently he continued to relay the message that crime pays, that there is no need for youngsters to learn responsibility and accountability.
We continue to deal with crime as if it is separate and apart from society when it is actually the main symptom of a sick and errant one. It is the direct byproduct of a society that encourages and supports decadence, degradation, and ill-will to others. A 2 am curfew and all is well? Hardly.
The criminals are riding or walking about in broad daylight with guns and knives tucked in their waistband and they go after everyone and anyone including little old ladies. They have been taught that this is heroic behavior so crime has become both endemic and institutionalized.
And as was evident in the recent post elections period, the PNC led APNU is still well prepared to make good on its threats of violence if it does not get its way.
Fighting crime requires a holistic approach if Government means to succeed in containing it then establishing a zero tolerance for criminal behavior. Every member of society will have to be involved and Government will have to commit to a serious programme to counter the societal ills and political stratagems that contribute to crime.
National security, the security of all citizens no matter race, creed, gender or political persuasion, is the primary charge of every Government. A successful national security strategy would include the promotion of fairness and decency, the enforcement of law and order, and the immediate professionalizing of the armed forces.
Until such time as this happens, no one is safe. Be cautious; be careful. The threat is all around us.
Readers are invited to send their comments by email to shah@guyanatimesgy.com
Agriculture Minister Noel Holder has stated that his Government is open to the idea of mixing rice flour with that of wheat flour in order to boost the local rice industry.
“The Government is always willing to support initiatives as long as it benefits the rice industry, or any industry as a matter of fact, at the local level,” he told the Guyana Times. The Minister noted that while the matter has not come up for discussion at the Government level, he would like to see the Rice Sector taking the initiative forward.
He pointed out that the millers can partner with the National Milling Company (NAMILCO) to explore the possibility of mixing the two ingredients. Holder further stated that this is something that his Administration will support while adding that not only rice but cassava flour, can also be considered.
Last week the Agriculture Ministry held a National Rice Industry Conference, where it was suggested by a farmer that rice flour should be mixed with wheaten flour so as to utilize some of the soaring production of the staple, especially with the loss of the 200,000 tonne Venezuelan market..
The farmer conceded that the mixing of the flours is a “ticklish” suggestion given the country’s political history, however, he urged the other participants to forget about the politics and focus on the future of the rice industry instead. “Our rice is going to Trinidad, going to Jamaica, and they mix it and send it back right here. We buy it and we eat it and we say it tastes good. Why can’t we do the same here?” questioned the farmer. Guyana Times has been unable to confirm whether Guyana imports any rice/ wheat flour mix.
According to the farmer, if there is a 50 percent mixture of rice flour with a 50 per cent mixture of wheat flour, such a move could result in the country saving foreign exchange on wheaten flour purchases. It would also help in securing a ready market for at least 400,000 bags of paddy or 25,000 tonnes of rice, he added. The question of course, would be the acceptability of the rice flour mix.
Meanwhile, newly-appointed Chairman of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Claude Housty, had stated that rice flour is healthier because of its higher digestible protein content, it possesses low calories and high fiber.
However one nutritionist pointed out that the protein content of rice is minuscule compared to wheat.
However, Housty explained that the low gluten content makes the flour difficult to bind and also results in the products being hard. “If you get health conscious go to rice flour, don’t worry with wheat,” he said while noting that rice flour has been used to make bread, pastries and even ice cream. His claim echoes the rationale of the PNC government in the 1970’s when they restricted foreign currency for the importation of wheat which was an effective “ban” on wheat flour. This led to widespread dissatisfaction in the populace which pointed out that
rice flour even mixed cannot substitute for wheat flour in many dishes. Many citizens expressed skepticism about the initiative.
The GRDB’s Chairman, however, urged that the country seek assistance from the Philippinesheadquartered non- governmental International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Global Rice Science Partnership to produce highquality rice, its by-products and value-added rice products.
Since the election of a new Government in Panama, the Spanishspeaking country, which was been purchasing over 60,000 tonnes of rice from Guyana has reduced its purchases. Some 5, 000 tonnes were shipped to Panama since last September following the signing of the contract between the two countries.
Venezuela has also indicated that it will not renew the contract under the PetroCaribe agreement to import rice from Guyana. The neighbouring country accounts for approximately 30 percent of Guyana’s rice exports.
This has pushed farmers and millers to find other markets globally where the cost of production and prices of rice are lower.
The decomposed body of a cash crop farmer was on Friday last found along the Ruby, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) access road with a suspected bullet wound to his head.
The dead man, who went missing since July 27, was identified as Davonan Sookram, 37 of Philadelphia Village, East Bank Essequibo. According to reports received, the man left home on Monday last with the intention of visiting relatives at Parika Back, EBE, but never returned home.
Several calls to relatives of the dead man were made on numerous occasions; however they claimed that they did not see the father of two. They then made a formal missing person’s report to the Police.
Days passed and the man did not show, hence relatives established a search party and went in search of Sookram. During the search, they received a call that the decomposed body of a male was spotted in a clump of bushes.
As they arrived on the scene, the Police were already there. The relatives were given access to see the body. It was then that his wife, along with others, positively identified the man as Davonan Sookram. They are unsure of who would have wanted to harm the man,
since they claimed that he did not have any enemies.
The Police have since launched an investigation, which resulted in the arrest of one man (name unkown). He remains in police custody as investigations continue. Attempts to make contact with the immediate family of the now dead man proved futile.
Only on Thursday evening was the body of 76-yearold Henry Lalman, of No 55 Village Corentyne, Berbice, found in a shallow grave in Skeldon days after he was reported missing by his family.
Based on information received, the now dead man and a customer had an argument over old grievances involving money owed to him. Lalman reportedly threatened to inform the suspect’s father about the money which might have triggered an altercation.
This publication understands that the suspect in this incident, whose name was given as Asif Hamid, had subsequently confessed to Police that during the altercation he strangled the pensioner and then dumped his body in a shallow grave since July 27. He then used a portion of a zinc sheet to cover the hole.
The suspect is shortly expected to be charged for murder.
The man accused of killing rice farmer
Hardat Kissoon made his first appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday, where he was read the charge against him.
Kirk Clarke, age 30, and a resident of Georgetown, was remanded to jail
when he appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan for murder.
The court heard that on June 1, while being a passenger of a minibus plying the University of Guyana (UG) route – on UG Road in Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown – he murdered Kissoon during the course of a robbery. He was not required to plead to the offence as it was indictable.
In a previous article, Guyana Times had reported on the brutal killing of the rice farmer, who was on his way home in a minibus in Turkeyen.
The deceased had gone to a bank in the city to change a cheque before returning to his Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara home.
On the day in question, Kissoon boarded the minibus at the East Coast Bus Park, in Georgetown at about 14:45h and as the bus made its way to UG Road, the gunman asked to get off.
It was while he was exiting the bus that he grabbed Kissoon’s bag that was filled with the money.
Douglas Casimero, former Region Nine Vice Chairman and newly elected Toshao of Aishalton said that it “is unfair to our young people, especially those who are now unemployed. I am fully disappointed and against the decision of the new Government especially in their period of campaigning, they would have focused on employment for youths and to me this is an insult to the Amerindians”.
Mother’s response
“They cancelled the
“Because We Care” grant where every child, every child was getting $10,000 to help them go to school. Look how many children we have. It’s like they taking this money away from the people and giving it to themselves. What about the promises they made to the people? How they expect people to vote back for them. They are just showing us that they are greedy politicians,” said Jasmine Headley, a mother of three from Diamond, East Bank Demerara.
PPP’s response
Meanwhile, the People’s Progressive Party in a statement to the media said it is appalled of recent reports quoting Finance Minister Winston Jordan as saying the Cabinet of David Granger is actively considering pay increases, in some cases more than 100 per cent for its Ministers and Vice Presidents.
The party condemned this act of excessive generosity to the satraps of the Granger Administration.
“As is establishing a
However, Kissoon would not let go and the gunman shot him and threw the bag out the minibus window, where an accomplice was waited on a CG Motorcycle.
Clarke was not required to plead to the offence. However, he told the court that the officer who reported the issue at the Turkeyen Police Station had beaten him. He said the officer told him that his 72 hours was up so he was going to be charged for Kissoon’s murder.
He provided the court with his relevant information. However, Magistrate McLennan refused him bail and ordered that he return to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on August 6 where his case will be tried.
from page 3
bloated is not enough, the Granger Administration is now planning to rub salt in the wounds of Guyanese, by “ fixing up the boys and girls” with big pay increases”, it said Saturday.
The PPP said, “this is the same administration which had claimed there is no money in the treasury to continue the School Uniform Voucher Programme and to give public servants a promised 20 per cent pay increase”.
It reminded that the APNU/AFC, while in opposition, had accused the PPP/C Government of excessive spending.
“Clearly, the Granger Administration is more concerned with living extravagant lifestyles and earning big bucks, while the population suffers, it is meat for the boys and bones for the rest of the nation. Every day, it is becoming clearer that vintage Burnhamism is slowly but surely returning to Guyana once again”, the party said.
media
On social media, Guyanese wasted no time in berating the Government for mulling a pay hike for itself of a greater magnitude than what is being offered to the public.
Trudie Daniels-Clarke said “I am hoping this is not true....I would more rather see 100 per cent increase for teachers and Police” while Rehanna A Rahaman suggested that, “Hmmm full them pocket first.. no wonder the school children 10 grand was taken away.. plus the false promises to teachers and others... Smh..”
Another facebook user, Nanda Juman said, “Omg... weren’t they making outrageous minister salaries a big campaign thing? And didn’t they say the economy cant afford to raise the salary of public servants? Whats this now?
And where are all the supporters who blindly justify everything they do and say? How will you justify this now?”
Since becoming President, David Granger has delivered several speeches about his Government’s vision for Guyana’s socioeconomic development and the policies it will pursue over the next five years to achieve its vision.
Chief among those policies articulated by President Granger are the need to alleviate poverty, end the wastage of taxpayers’ monies, reduce the amount of monies spent at the level of the Executive in pursuit of a Cadillac lifestyle, the creation of jobs and the removal of inequalities that undermine the development of the country.
At the opening of the 11th Parliament, President Granger said that his Government also wanted to “eradicate the enemies of the people” as he committed his Administration yet again to fighting poverty, crime and ethnic divisiveness.
He also promised, soon after being sworn-in, not to embark on a politically motivated witch-hunt campaign, but to pursue political policies that would lead to national healing and unity.
The President’s speeches on the regional and international platforms have all been consistent and well received by the various target audiences.
This, in turn, has led to increased expectations of his Government’s performance and execution of the many, sometimes ‘fanciful and outlandish’, things that Granger has promised in his discourse with domestic and international audiences.
If one were to examine the President’s speeches as opposed to the actions of his Government thus far, the result would be shocking to say the least.
Firstly, the actual construct and composition of President Granger’s Government was the first sign that the content of his speeches could not be trusted. He has promised a small Government and less bureaucracy. He now has 28 Ministers, over 7 Advisors and three Vice Presidents.
Secondly, there have been mass firings of young professionals and over 2000 Amerindians from their jobs. There has been, what appears to be, an ethnic cleansing of Government and State apparatus, as it is no secret that a majority of the people fired from their posts since the new Government came to power are East Indians who are perceived to be supportive of the previous Administration. In countless pre and post elections speeches, he promised this would not happen and even if justifiable reasons abound, due course would be followed.
Thirdly, to date, crime continues to be an area that is not being properly managed by the new Government as it soars and spirals out of control. Apart from platitudes and a few overtures in the form of commitments to fight crime and more speeches from the Government, Guyana is not safe and is not secure. President Granger promised in his speeches that his Government would do better than the PPP/C in its first 100 days!
That aside, the decision of the Government to place controversial and political camels at the helm of unilaterally imposed state and village audits is also worrying to the masses, but the new Administration could care less.
Fourthly, State Boards and Interim Management Committees were dissolved and reconstituted without consultations with the public and key sector stakeholders on many of the nominees that form part of new bodies. President Granger was big on consultation and non-exclusion of voices of dissent while in Opposition; what has changed his heart now?
Firstly, recent revelations that the Government plans on spending over $1 billion on luxury vehicles for its Ministers and Advisors must be condemned strongly and flies in the face of Mr Granger’s promises to reduce wastage of taxpayers’ dollars.
Additionally, the Government’s decision to increase the salaries, benefits and other perks enjoyed by the Executive makes a mockery of all that President Granger has said about spending monies from the public purse on priority areas and where it matters the most. It also brings into doubt his commitment to leading a lean Government.
In the same vein, the scrapping of the Education Ministry’s Cash Grant Project and the One Laptop Per Family Project is also worrying. As a matter of fact, the halting of all of the projects under the previous Government is disturbing because billions of dollars have already been spent and will now go to waste if the current Government feels that they would lose politically to continue them.
There are countless examples of inconsistencies in President Granger’s speeches that were delivered and the actions of his Government. While he may get away with the fact that his Government is still relatively young and has time on its side to deliver on many of the promises and commitments he has made, he will not get away with the fact that it is articulating one policy position and then doing summersaults after.
Maybe Confucius is right, “the superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions”.
When composing his next set of speeches, the President must remember the words of two international writers:
F Scott Fitzgerald who wrote the ‘The Beautiful and Dammed’: “I don’t want just words. If that’s all you have for me, you’d better go.” Rudyard Kipling: “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”
After all, words without actions are meaningless and actions without words are confusing.
Stakeholders have welcomed government’s proposal to reduce the tolls to cross the Berbice River Bridge using a government subsidy as opposed to what it had originally intended to do, which was to unilaterally breach a contract with the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) thereby undermining the strategic importance of public/ private partnerships in the country’s development.
The then People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration had opposed a motion in the 10th Parliament for a reduction in the tolls because both the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) were insisting that government simply demand the Bridge Company amend its toll fee structure, ignoring all arrangements provided for in the contract. The two parties opposition eventually passed their motion because of their majority in the Assembly, but the then PPP overnment refused to go along with the obvious authoritarian measure that would vitiate the cardinal principle of the free enterprise system - the sanctity of contracts.
At the time the PSC strongly supported the PPPC’s stance since they understood that a breach of the terms of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) financial arrangement would send the absolute wrong signal to the international financial institutions and investors vitally necessary for Guyana’s development.
But even during the subsequent elections campaign, the APNU/AFC coalition gave the impression that it would still take a unilateral approach in reducing the tolls, saying that “we will be the government” and therefore, will have the power to effect whatever change they wanted. It made the lowering of the Berbridge Tolls the 1st of 21 promises they expected to complete in their first 100 days in office.
But on Thursday, Governance Minister Raphael Trotman made a welcome statement signaling the Government’s intention to pursue a more realistic route towards lowering the tolls, which was
consistent with Finance Minister Winston Jordan’s earlier hint that cabinet will not tamper or breach public-private investments and partnerships.
“Government has no intention of interfering with the Company’s right to a rate of fare or rate of returns on their investment… however; we have heard the cries of the people of Regions Six and Five in particular
have a problem with that,” he said.
Dookhoo added that “it was our original solution to the problem, we said that the investors shouldn’t be allowed to suffer and if it is done, subsidies should be put in place … using taxpayers money is a broader base and that broader base is being used to subsidise a smaller base which is the people who use the bridge.”
and, therefore, a toll reduction would benefit them.
In the area of education, Samad said children in Region Five use the Bridge on a daily basis to attend schools in Region Six and therefore, a toll reduction would help families save heavily.
“The lowering of the Bridge toll makes sense, it makes financial sense and it makes building human
and we must act on their behalf”.
Minister Trotman explained that while existing legislation pronounces on the setting of fares, a subsidy by the Government to ensure fares are lowered is an alternative that the Administration will explore.
Stakeholders are now relieved that government will engage in discussions with the Bridge Company and propose the idea of providing subsidies to ensure the fees structure is adjusted to benefit commuters. Even though the Berbice Bridge generates $1.5 Billion annually, the shareholders owning the Bridge have never been paid any dividends on their massive investment. They appear to have made their investment as a matter of patriotism and at least one of those investors have hinted that maybe the government should buy out its shares.
Almost every major financial institution in Guyana has a financial stake in the Berbice Bridge primarily through bonds, and any interruption of those fixed payments could have disastrous effects as the disruptions ripple through the economy.
Chairperson of the Private Sector Commission’s sub-committee on trade, Ramesh Dookhoo, who was once PSC Chairman, in an invited comment, said the Private Sector welcomed the move, as it would benefit not only Berbicians but all Guyanese.
“We were particularly concerned about the investment of the Private Sector in the Bridge because you know the Bridge represents a pioneering Public Private Partnership investment … So we are happy for this and I believe the Berbice people have made a huge plea and cry for the reduction of the toll and so as long as that subsidy is there and the Bridge can use that subsidy to stay afloat, we won’t
minister Ttitman had pointed out that the subsidy would directly benefit some 60,000 Berbice commuters.
Dookhoo highlighted that it was not uncommon for Governments to provide subsidies to assist in situations that affected nations.
“We subsidise so many things; in Trinidad and Tobago the total transfer of subsidies is $40 million so I believe a government can either decide to subsidise a part of the population because of a particular issue or decide on behalf of a few investors, in this case, the investors won’t lose and in case of the populace that is affected, it will impact them positively,” he explained, adding that “over a long period, because of the volume of people crossing the bridge, it will even out”.
View from Berbice
Also, Professor Daizal Samad, who had supported the AFC during the elections campaign, said he was in complete agreement with Government’s plan to subsidise the Bridge Crossing.
“Any counter argument does not, to me, hold water because Berbice is an essential agri-area and the more we pay for bridge crossing, the more we pay for goods, greens and so on, and this disadvantages everybody, it is not just a ‘small’ population of Berbice, it affects everybody,” he stated firmly.
Samad noted that the lowering of the bridge toll would impact the agriculture sector, education sector and the health sector, among others.
“What happens if you have the bridge crossing and let’s say we’re taking plantains or bananas across, the price immediately goes up, so everybody pays for it…,” he reasoned.
With regard to healthcare, Samad pointed out that persons often travel from Region Five to New Amsterdam Hospital and would have to use the Bridge
of the Berbice Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCCI) Rajnauth Ramroop who said the reduction of the tolls “will affect the Berbice region in a positive way. We have been calling for a reduction in the tolls for a long time and we welcome the move. It is not safe for us in the region to be paying so much when the Demerara [Harbour] Bridge is not even so much.”
Since the construction of the Berbice River Bridge, commuters specifically from Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) and Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) have bemoaned the fees structure and have since been calling on Government to lower the tolls
capacity sense,” he maintained, noting that one cannot simply measure the importance of the Berbice region in terms of population density.
Guyana Times had also spoken to the Chairman
Now that the government will engage the BCCI in discussions, presumably on the modalities of passing through their subsidy to the commuters, it is expected as promised, the exact proposed reductions of tolls will be adumbrated during the Budget presentation.
In the 10th Parliament, now Minister of State, Joseph Harmon in the motion adverted to above, had pro-
posed a reduction in rates for large trucks from $13,600 to $10,000; 50-seater buses from $12,800 to $9000; 30-seater buses from $7200 to $6000; four-wheel drive/ SUVs/Pick-Ups from $4000 to $3000; SUVs and pickups pulling a boat for recreational activities from $4000 to $3000; four-wheel drive SUVs and pickups pulling horse buggies from $4000 to $3000; four-wheel drive/ SUVs/pick-ups transporting BBQ Grills and coolers from $4000 to $3000; motor cars from $2200 to $1000; minibuses from $2200 to $1000; and motorcycles to be free.
Alliance For Change (AFC) Regional Democratic Councillor and the main representative for the Party in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaaam), Naithram, and other rice farmers were found not guilty of causing a riot on July 4, 2014.
They made their final appearance at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court on July 28 before Magistrate Sunil Scarce. The farmers were found not guilty of the act and a no case submission was filed. There was also a lack of evidence from the prosecution; as such the case was dismissed.
Naithram, Tajpersaud Sewcharran and Nazeem Mohamed were bonded to keep the peace for one year and to stay away from the court. The rice farmers were represented by Attorneysat-Law, Nigel Hughes and Hemraj Rajkumar.
After the Magistrate announced that the case was dismissed, the farmers showed a sense of relief.
According to the particulars Naithram, Taj sewcharran, Danniram Naipaul, Chaitlall, Bridgelall, Naeem Mohamed, Ganesh Motilall, Bheem Singh, Azuredeen Kamardeen, Saif
Ally, Naresh Ramnauth, Persaud Hariylall, Ravindra Ramotar, Poashan Gaylall, Denis Raymond, Rakesh Raymond, Sudesh Raymond, Lakeram Naipaul and Devindra Naipaul, along with others, on July 4, 2014 at Land of Plenty on the Essequibo Coast riotously assembled and continued after being lawfully commanded to disperse.
The above mentioned rice farmers in Region Two were charged for riot by the said Magistrate. Meanwhile Naithram still has several other charges pending, in-
cluding the exposure of his genitals in a public place, assault with intent to resist lawful apprehension, and using public address system without permission.
Tajpersaud Sewcharran, who is a Pastor as well as a rice farmer, also has other matters pending in court, including assault with intent to resist lawful apprehension and holding a meeting in public place without notification to the relevant authorities. Both Naithram and Tajpersaud Sewcharran were charged for the matters and granted bail.
Residents in Region Two are questioning the leadership that Naithram was given on the Guyana Rice Development Board. They have questioned his leadership in the view that he has been before the court, was found to have financial irregularities from his part, but still holds a position as a leader in society.
Naithram was also elected on July 18 at the Party’s special meeting as Chairman of the AFC in Region Two. Member of Parliament Hemraj Rajkumar was reportedly elected as ViceChairman to represent the Party in the Region and various forums.
he Anna
TIslamic Complex on Saturday hosted a health fair/outdoor clinic for members of the community at the community’s Masjid complex.
Neaz Hussain, the Public Relations Officer of the Islamic Complex, told Guyana Times that the initiative was in keeping with doing something great for the community.
He also stated that they were given a challenge from his Excellency David Granger to do something for the community to better Guyana and the group had decided to take up that mantle and host a medical clinic and health fair for persons living in Anna
When this newspaper arrived at the event, the group had managed to receive 12 units of blood from volunteers to be donated to the blood bank and was striving for more before the day was up.
The event saw hundreds of persons benefiting from the various services offered, such as blood pressure and blood sugar testing.
Hussain mentioned that several pharmacies, such as the International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA), Mike’s Pharmacy, Smart Aid Pharmacy Meditron and others, came on board to be a part of the initiative.
He also expressed the
By: IndrawattIe natram
Children living in the Amerindian Community of Akawini in Lower Pomeroon in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) will be able to access Secondary Education within the confines of their community in the near future. This disclosure was made by newly elected Chairman Devanand Ramdatt at the opening of Food For the Poor Akawini Development Project in the present of Minister within the Ingenious Peoples Affair Ministry, Valerie GarridoLowe.
Ramdatt said that the population in the community is increasing yearly; as such necessary provisions have to be made from the regional level. The Chairman further explained that back in 2012 the village had a population of 250, which is now overshadowed by the 895 residents currently liv-
ing there. This, he attributed, is due to the high birth rate in the community. “If the birth rate is high, then we have children coming. Education is the key and as such we need to provide,” Ramdatt noted.
He stated that he will make necessary recommendation to the Education Ministry from the Regional Democratic Council level. Hearing this, residents who attended the meeting gave a loud applaud approving the establishing of a Secondary School in the area. The Chairman said that he has tasked the Regional Education Office to conduct a feasibility study in the area.
Meanwhile Toshoa to the village, David Wilson, earlier in the meeting, call for his community to have a boost in education, particularly when it comes to information technology. He said it is his desire for all residents in his community to be com-
puter literate, hence staying apace with the current era. He welcomed the establishment of a Secondary School and noted that currently approximately 90 children journey outside the village to access such an education. The Toshoa said sometimes parents get sick and depress sending their children away from their home. The children are usually housed at Charity, Anna Regina or at Wakapoa dormitories. In responding to the plight of Chairman and residents, Junior Minister Valerie Garrido- Lowe said she supported for the community to have a Secondary School in the fight against poverty. Lowe promised the residents to make necessary recommendations to the Education Ministry, stating that there will be improvement in the dormitory within the Amerindian communities and trained teachers within the villages.
By: IndrawattIe natram
Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt, during his weekly media briefing, said that a Regional Conservation will be held on August 7 in the Regional Boardroom at Anna Regina to help tackle the issue of suicide within Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).
Ramdatt said the Region Two Administration has been approached by several non- governmental organisations including “Hope For All” to help address the issue of suicide. He said that “Hope For All” had indicated their interest in reaching out to groups via counselling sessions.
The Regional Conservation, which is will begin at 9:00h, will host interactive sessions and in-
clude participation from various religious organisation, Amerindians village council, representatives from the Neighbourhood Democratic Council, religious leaders, Regional Democratic Councillors, Regional Member of Parliament.
Presentations will be presented by psychologist and social workers on the cause and effects on suicide. “I want this conservation to be everybody business; I am inviting everyone. We need to have a positive approach to things. Persons from all the Amerindian communities are invited,” Ramdatt said.
At the end of the session a Regional Committee will be established to tackle, as well as develop, an active work plan and human resources within the various communities. The
Chairman said, base on recommendations, that activities will be planned which can become an everyday plan to tackle the social ill of society. Ramdatt further explained that he feels that the media plays an important role in disseminating positive information to the public. It was also noted that several local programmes on the television will be done to hold health talks and the way forward on the issue.
Since the start of 2015, many persons within the region have lost their lives due to suicide. Many young persons were victims and, to all indications, the main contributing factor was domestic violence. The Health Ministry stated that Region Two has the highest suicide rate in Guyana.
Complex’s gratitude towards those who came on board to make the venture a successful one.
A representative of IPA Guyana shared that the Agency believed this was an opportunity to not only showcase what the company has to offer but to also give back to members of the community so they were happy to join.
Members of the community explained that they were very elated about the execution of the health fair, as many persons in the community are unable to travel far distances to obtain medical health and it was very convenient to be able to receive medical attention so close to home.
Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago have entered into an agreement to establish a Joint Commission that will oversee collaboration in areas that are mutually beneficial, as a means of deepening ties between the two Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries.
The agreement was made during a recent visit by President David Granger to the twin island republic, during which he held bilateral discussions with the country’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Friday at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital.
During the meeting, they discussed issues focused on enhancing the existing bilateral relationship in various
spheres. Both leaders exchanged views on deepening bilateral collaboration already initiated in the areas of agricultural production, skills development, and energy cooperation.
On this note, Granger and Persad-Bissessar agreed that a Joint Commission will be formed to assess the furtherance of these and other items, such as construction, education and business.
President Granger welcomed the presence of Trinidad and Tobago’s expertise and companies and also noted that in order for significant progress to be made, there must be sufficient political will, a release from the Ministry of the Presidency further stated.
The Prime Minister
headed the delegation for the bilateral discussions which included Senator, Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie, Minister of Planning and Sustainable Development and currently Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs; Senator Kevin Ramnarine, Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs; and senior officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Energy and Energy Affairs, and the Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development. Granger visited the Caribbean island following an invitation to deliver the feature address at the ceremonial topping off and Deed handover of the University of the West Indies (UWI) South Campus, Penal-Debe.
Food For The Poor (FFTP) Guyana Inc on Thursday commissioned the first Community Centre for residents living along the Canje River, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) when a $6 million facility was declared open. The building which is equipped with electricity via solar panels, is equipped with a computer room, a library and sewing machines. It is located at Baracara, a community situated 25 miles up the Canje River. The community centre will also be available to facilitate social events and is the first in the community.
FFTP contributed $5 million towards the project and the community contributed $1 million in labour.
Residents were responsible for clearing the area of trees, which were more that 20feet tall, preparing the land and constructing the building, which was done through voluntary efforts.
Baracara is predominantly an Afro-Guyanese community and was established by runaway slaved in the 18th century. Many of them travelled up river on makeshift rafts. After slavery was abolished, other
freed slaves migrated to the village because of the abundance of land and its productivity. In 1901, the community got its first school and it was not until the turn of the century that a health centre was built.
Chief Executive Officer of FFTP Guyana Inc Kent Vincent said the FFTP was happy that the residents were able to make the contribution which they did in labour.
He noted that apart from food and clothing, FFTP also assists with educational projects. Earlier this year, FFTP presented residents on the community with solar panels. “Food For The Poor will continue to assist you whenever we can,” Vincent said while adding that people from the United States have been kind and generous to Food For The Poor Guyana Inc in providing the things they supply to locals.
He urged the residents of the community to raise funds which will go towards maintaining the building and even improving it.
Project Manager for FFTP International, Suzan James Casserly, in brief remarks said even to her the building means a lot because resi-
dents were part of the building process. “Everything done by Food For The Poor, is done for the glory of God,” Casserly told the highly religious community.
Meanwhile, President of the St Francis Community Developers, Alex Foster who is FFTP Berbice representative and who was instrumental in getting FFTP involved with the project, said it was time for the residents of Baracara to look forward to a bright future and stop looking back. “You need to be as progressive as your foreparents. Today, because of the generosity of Food For The Poor, this should be the beginning of a happy life.”
Foster noted that over the past two months, community development has taken on a new look nationally and he hopes the spirit continues in Baracara.
Deputy Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Six Imran Ali, speaking on behalf of Government said it was a hallmark moment for Baracara.
He said Region Six and the David Granger Administration welcomed the move taken by FFTP in helping to transform the country.
The Palestine Liberation Organisation has said it holds Israel’s Government “fully responsible” for the death of an 18-month-old baby in an arson attack in the occupied West Bank and will lodge a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The death of the baby boy on Friday morning was roundly condemned around the world, including by Israeli leaders, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ringing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and saying they must fight “terrorism” together.
Abbas said he had ordered his Foreign Minister to file a complaint at the ICC in The Hague. “We want true justice, but I doubt that Israel will provide that,” he said of the attack in Duma, near the northern city of Nablus.
Earlier, he stated: “When the Israeli Government encourages settlements everywhere, they’re also encouraging these thugs to carry out these attacks. This is a war crime and a tragedy for all of us.”
The Hamas Government in Gaza has also condemned the latest incident, and called for “a day of fury in response to the relent-
less Zionist assaults on Jerusalem and the murder of toddler Ali in Nablus”.
The United States State Department condemned the “vicious terrorist attack” in “the strongest possible terms”, urging Israel to “apprehend the murderers” and calling on both sides to “avoid escalating tensions”.
Family members buried Ali Saad Dawabsheh on Friday afternoon, as his four-year-old brother and their parents, both in extremely critical condition for major burns, are being treated at an Israeli hospital. Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Known spiritualist, Bishop Andrew Irving, is encouraging Afro-Guyanese to focus on the spiritual aspect of their culture and not let it fade away.
Bishop Irving of IFA’s House of Santeria on Friday explained that dealing with African spirituality, is very important because without our spirituality, “We are nothing”.
He explained that our spirituality defines our culture, traditions and way of life. He added that through our spirituality, we also receive divine guidance; and these things that encompass our spirituality, people of African descent, should try not to let the little history that we are aware of fade away.
The Bishop shared that libation is an important aspect which showcases the spiritual realm of African heritage, but when it comes to the process,
many persons are gravely afraid of African spirituality. He shared that it is not strange to be afraid as he is sure that even after a while, the Africans were afraid because of the amount of psychological damage that they may have been through, and when persons still strong in their beliefs would acknowledge their ancestors, the process was seen as a “taboo” or “demonic”.
He stated that a lot of churches preach against the issue of libation and claim that participants of this act are worshiping the dead. Irving shared, “We do not worship our ancestors, we honour them.” He added that if persons who have made great contributions not only to society, but also the world, are not honoured, we will not be able to attract new enthusiastic persons to take their place.
He mentioned that over the years persons have kept
moving further and further away from their spirituality and what little that would have been preserved after the abolishment of slavery, that now is watered down tremendously.
Irving states that he and his church have been steadfast in their ways to showcase and keep the culture alive and show persons that the activity can be embraced and it is not something to be afraid of.
Bishop Irving also stated that persons should also learn that great respect should be given in celebration of Emancipation, as they can never even begin to imagine what the ancestors would have been through to get us to where we are today in life.
The bishop wished all Guyanese a happy Emancipation and urged all Afro-Guyanese to never stop trying to learn more about their spiritual heritage.
B y A ndrew C A rmi C h A el
Police in Berbice are looking for two men who they believe can assist with investigations into yet another robbery carried out on a Corentyne businessman. Reports are that on Friday, Ramlinggum Mangalie, a businessman of Albion, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) was robbed at gun point and beaten by two men, one of whom was armed with a hand gun.
Information reaching Guyana Times suggests that Mangalie had just returned from Georgetown where he operates another business and had given one of his employers a parcel containing an undisclosed sum of money to hand over to his wife Subramanie Mangalie for safe keeping. In the process of handing over the money, two men entered the yard and demanded the parcel.
Reports are that the man’s wife was relieved of the parcel just as it was changing hands. Unconfirmed reports indicate that Subramanie Mangalie and her employee were beaten and made to lay on the floor. Details as to what happened to Ramlinggum Mangalie re -
main sketchy but suggest that he was also beaten.
Meanwhile, it is reported that the Police responded and were in pursuit of two men; one of whom appeared to be of East Indian heritage and the other with dreadlocked hair. Police followed the men into the Alboin backlands but were unable to apprehend them. The men are said to have entered Fyrish where they disappeared from Police. Police were hampered in the quest to apprehend the suspected thieves as a result of poor light and the lack of flashlights.
Meanwhile, when several media houses sought an audience with the businessman at his home to gain information about the alleged robbery, Mangalie said the media should go and ask President David Granger why he released 60 criminals from prison. That request was carried out.
The Head of State addressing the group of reporters said he has no evidence that those who were released are involved in crime and asked persons with any such evidence to come forward. “The persons who were released were non violent criminals.
These were young men and women… some of them were arrested and in prison for stealing a cellphone.
I think a year in jail for stealing a cellphone is not fair. I want to give them a second chance. I think that the good that will be done will be more important than the possibility that some of them would return to crime.”
President Granger further noted that all of those released had committed what he referred to as petty offences. “They were not robberies, they were not burglaries and they evolved no violence,” the President said.
In April 2014, Mangalie had made headlines after a bag was snatched from him in front of a commercial bank at Rose Hall Town. He claimed that the bag contained $10 million and a man was subsequently charged for the alleged robbery.
The President said that in many instances, there is no evidence that the victims actually lost the sum that they claimed. “I don’t know about the sums of money but people make all sorts of claims with the hope that they can get some sort of compensation,” President Granger said.
World sailing’s governing body is to test for viruses in waters to be used at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
According to an Associated Press investigation, the sailing venue at Guanabara Bay is badly polluted, as is Rodrigo de Freitas lake, which will host rowing and canoeing.
It is claimed the levels of raw sewage pose a serious health risk to athletes.
The International Sailing Federation’s chief executive said the findings have helped “wake us up again”.
“I want to make sure everyone who goes out in the water is safe,” Peter Sowrey added.
“We’re going to find someone who can do the testing for us that can safely cover what we need to know from a virus perspective, as well as the bacteria perspective.”
The investigation also showed venues for triathlon and open water swimming off Copacabana Beach had
high virus levels that pose a threat to athletes and tourists.
Up to 1,400 athletes will compete in water sports at the Games and, in a statement to AP, the World Health Organisation said it has suggested the International Olympic Committee start monitoring for viruses at the Rio venues.
What is Rio’s Plan B?
When Rio was awarded the Olympics in 2009, it promised cleaning its waters would be an Olympic legacy, but Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes has repeatedly acknowledged this will not be done, calling it a “lost opportunity”.
Sowrey said a “backup plan” included sailing all the
events outside Guanabara Bay in the open Atlantic. The ISAF has three courses there, and three inside the bay.
He said it would be “heartbreaking” to sail outside the bay and lose the postcard backdrop of Sugarloaf Mountain, which will be a focus of television coverage.
West Indies will no longer be touring Zimbabwe. While the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is still looking at other avenues to give the regional side a chance at qualifying for the 2017 Champions Trophy, India is not one of them.
WICB CEO Michael Muirhead told the Trinidad Express yesterday the Zimbabwe tour was definitely off, after Pakistan pulled out of the tri-nations One-Day International series which was scheduled to be played in August.
Only the top-seven sides as of September 30, apart from hosts England, will make it to the 2017 Champions Trophy and the tri-nations series was the only ODI engagement the West Indies had scheduled after the World Cup.
Pakistan moved from ninth place to eighth in the
Michael Muirhead
ICC rankings after winning the ODI series against Sri Lanka while West Indies slipped to ninth.
“We are not going to Zimbabwe,” he said. “They have scheduled the ODIs to be played after the cutoff day for the Champions
Trophy and Pakistan have also pulled out of the series for obvious reasons so we can’t blame them.
“We are still trying to find any avenue that is available. We have been exploring different options but it seems very doubtful,” he said of the possibility of any ODI series being played before the cut-off date.
It was reported on Wednesday that the WICB had approached the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to play an ODI series before the cut off date, however, Muirhead said he was not aware of that.
The BCCI and WICB are still trying to get a resolution to the impasse between the two boards stemming from the abandoned tour of India last year.
The BCCI subsequently slapped a US$41.97 mil -
lion claim on the WICB and also suspended bilateral relations with the regional body until the dispute is resolved. In terms of an update on the discussions between the two boards, Muirhead said the two parties sat down and had talks however the BCCI still had to have internal discussions before getting back to the WICB.
“There is nothing further to report,” he said, noting that the recent Indian Premier League match-fixing scandal might have had the BCCI pre-occupied.
Asked if there were any tours coming out over the next two months, Muirhead said “there is nothing scheduled at this time.
“The players have been playing a lot of cricket and are looking to get a rest,” he added. (Windies Cricket)
The English football season returns on Sunday when Premier League champions Chelsea meet FA Cup winners Arsenal in the FA Community Shield at Wembley.
The match comes 64 days after the Gunners ended the domestic season with their 4-0 FA Cup win over Aston Villa.
Neither side have added significantly to their squads over the summer - though goalkeeper Petr Cech will make his Arsenal debut against his old side.
Chelsea could hand a start to new signing Radamel Falcao.
Falcao, 29, spent last season with Manchester United but endured a poor campaign, scoring just four goals in 29 games.
He signed a season-long loan deal from Monaco earlier this summer, while Chelsea’s only other signing is goalkeeper Asmir Begovic from Stoke.
He replaces Cech, 33, who played 494 games in 11 seasons at Stamford Bridge before his £10m move in June.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed that striker Diego Costa (hamstring) and defender Gary Cahill (nose) are both fit after pre-season injury concerns.
A rivalry renewed: Wenger v Mourinho
Sunday sees two Premier League giants collide, with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger hoping to beat a side managed by Jose Mourinho for the first time.
Wenger is yet to taste victory against Mourinho in 13 attempts and the two managers have already been involved in one disagreement this summer.
Mourinho suggested that Arsenal had spent more money than Chelsea over the last few years, with Wenger responding by saying he “does not listen to what people think or say”.
On Friday Mourinho repeated his belief that Arsenal can mount a serious title challenge this season but played down his rivalry with Wenger. He said: “It doesn’t matter about Arsenal, it doesn’t matter about the manager.
“I never made it an explosion of happiness or special pride in my victories over Arsenal. I do not make a drama if one day we lose.”
In return Wenger lightheartedly suggested the media favour Mourinho: “I’ll leave your love story with him to continue without interfering.
“I wouldn’t like to interfere in that.”
When challenged that Mourinho believes it is Arsenal who receive preferential treatment, Wenger replied: “So it’s all about love.”
Arsenal - who have not scored against Chelsea in over eight hours of play - did win last season’s Community Shield - beating Manchester City 3-0 at Wembley.
Pre-season form Arsenal have been in fine form this summer, and have already won two pre-season tournaments.
First they beat Everton in Singapore before thrashing Lyon and beating Bundesliga runnersup Wolfsburg to win the Emirates Cup at their home ground.
A highlight has been the emergence of youngsters Jeff Reine-Adelaide and Alex Iwobi - nephew of former Bolton and Hull midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha. Chelsea have spent a mixed pre-season in the United States.
Begovic was beaten four times in a “tired” display as Jose Mourinho’s side lost 4-2 to New York Red Bulls, before draws with Paris StGermain and Barcelonaboth of which the Blues won on penalty shootouts. (BBC Sport)
Australia arrived on the third morning in Birmingham dreaming of a monumental comeback. They left on the third afternoon still dreaming of one. It will have to come at Trent Bridge and The Oval, though. There were no last-minute surprises at Edgbaston, where Ian Bell’s second fifty of the match ensured a 2-1 series lead for England and snuffed out any hopes Australia raised during a tail-end fight that set England a target of 121. It might still have proved tricky had a few top-order wickets fallen early. And England did lose both openers cheaply. But Bell realised that a handful of boundaries would be enough to place the pressure back on Australia, so he counterattacked. Five fours came
from his first nine balls, all against Mitchell Starc. And when Michael Clarke dropped a sitter at slip from Bell’s 11th ball, all the wind was out of Australia’s sails.
It capped off a listless match for Clarke, who managed only 10 and 3 with the bat. There was little he could do as captain with such a small total to defend, but still it was odd that Mitchell Johnson, the man who roughed up England on the second mornings, was not handed the ball until the ninth over. By then, England were already 47 for 1. From there it was just a matter of how much time. And a Test that had raced along for two days began to meander.
Cannabis lamps had been used to prepare the surface and typical of gateway drugs, the match soon appeared to be on speed. Day one brought 13 wickets, day two brought 14. Thirteen more on day three would have meant an Australian victory. But instead only five eventuated. Alastair Cook was bowled by a Starc outswinger for 7 and Adam Lyth was lbw to a Josh Hazlewood inswinger for 12, but that was all Australia managed.
from the wilderness brought eight wickets for the match, and Bell’s move up the order to No.3 resulted in a fifty in each innings.
That the match lasted until past the time of the scheduled tea break was thanks to the fight shown by Starc and Peter Nevill before lunch. They each managed a half-century and Australia’s last three partnerships extended their advantage by 97 from the overnight lead of 23. Nevill and Starc did their best to make a game of it during a 64-run eighth-wicket stand.
Nevill had some nervy moments, edges and a near chop-on, and he should have been given out on 53 when he gloved behind off Stuart Broad; Chris Gaffaney did not pick up the contact and England had no reviews left. Nevill’s innings came to an end on 59 when he tickled a catch down the leg side off Steven Finn, who after his day two heroics finished with his best Test figures of 6 for 79.
AJR Hazlewood 7-0-21-1, NM Lyon 11-1-52-0, MG Johnson 7-3-10-0, MR Marsh 1.1-0-8-0.
Lyth’s continued lack of form was one of the only negatives for England in this match, although the major one was the side strain sustained by James Anderson, which will keep him out of the next Test. But the positives were significant: Steven Finn’s return
From his first ball, a clip through midiwicket for four off a fullish Starc inswinger, Bell looked in touch. There was a majestic drive through cover point and another straight down the ground, and his half-century came with a glide to the third-man boundary from his 68th ball, also off Starc. Bell found good support from Joe Root, and between them they ensured an eight-wicket win, with Bell on 65 and Root on 38 after he struck the winning boundary.
At the other end, Starc proved tough to remove and he later started to play his shots, going over the top when the spin of Moeen Ali and Root was introduced. Starc’s fifth Test half-century came with a six over long-on from his 83rd ball, off the bowling of Moeen, and Australia could have been forgiven for dreaming of pushing their lead up towards 150, and perhaps beyond.
But Starc lost his partner Hazlewood (11) to a stunning one-handed catch at third slip from Root off Ben Stokes, and their 28run partnership was over. Still, Nathan Lyon proved a capable ally for a further 20-run stand before Starc chipped a catch to extra cover off Moeen and was dismissed for 58.
It was too little, too late. All of Australia’s bottom five batsmen reached double figures in the second innings. Only one of the top six did - David Warner with 77. It is hard to imagine the same batting line-up being retained for Trent Bridge, with Shaun Marsh for Adam Voges the most obvious change on the cards, given Marsh has piled up centuries in the tour games.
Whatever XI is picked, they will need to recreate history. Only once in Ashes history has a team come from 2-1 down to claim the urn. That was in 1936-37, when captain Don Bradman scored 212 in Adelaide and 169 in Melbourne to lead the fightback. Australia may need Steven Smith to return to his recent Bradmanesque touch to have any hope of repeating the feat.
England’s outstanding all-round match at Edgbaston has given them every chance of regaining the urn. Another win (or two draws) will do it. The good news for Australia is that England’s recent form is up and down like Tower Bridge: WLWLWLW. The bad news is there are five Tests in this series, not four. (Cricinfo)
nwar Ali, Pakistan’s No. 9 batsman, waltzed into the belly of a baying Premadasa with 66 required from 35 balls, and produced a cataclysmic 46 from 17 balls, to help prise stunning victory from the clutches of almost-certain defeat. He brought the chase to sudden life when he plundered two sixes and a four off debutant Shehan Jayasuriya in the 17th over, before treating Thisara Perera and Lasith Malinga with almost as much disdain to send Pakistan to within eight runs of victory.
Malinga had Anwar caught behind in the penultimate over, and another wicket would also fall two balls later, but Imad Wasim was on hand to provide the finish. Binura Fernando had the task of defending six runs in the final over, but Mohammad Irfan pinched a single first ball, then Wasim socked the next delivery over the wide long-on rope to spark celebrations in the Pakistan camp.
Long before even Anwar’s innings, Pakistan appeared to be tumbling to a heavy loss at 40 for 5 in the eighth over. It had been Shahid Afridi’s brutal 22ball 45 that lit the flame
that Anwar stoked into the inferno that devoured Sri Lanka. The hosts have now lost all three series in this tour, though in mitigation, they were fielding six players with two T20 international caps or fewer, in this match.
Perhaps it was the inexperience that saw Pakistan gain a foothold in the match. Afridi kept making room against the spinners early in his innings, but instead of darting it at his body, Milinda Siriwardana sent two balls at the stumps, which Afridi swung away for a four and a six to get his assault in motion, in the tenth over.
More huge strikes would follow from Afridi’s blade soon after. Malinga was tonked over deep square leg in the eleventh over, and Jeffrey Vandersay was blasted over the leg-side rope twice. Sri Lanka may have felt they had quelled the Pakistan surge when they got rid of Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan within five deliveries, and the required rate had crept up to 12, by the end of the 15th over, but Anwar had the measure of the pitch and the bowling almost from the beginnings of his innings.
Sri Lanka innings (20 overs maximum)
MDKJ Perera† b Shoaib Malik 19
TM Dilshan c Mohammad Hafeez b Anwar Ali 10
DSNFG Jayasuriya c Imad Wasim b Sohail Tanvir 40
DM de Silva b Shahid Afridi 14
NLTC Perera st †Mohammad Rizwan b Shoaib Malik 1
TAM Siriwardana c Mukhtar
Ahmed b Mohammad Irfan 23
CK Kapugedera not out 48
MD Shanaka run out (†Mohammad Rizwan) 7
Extras (lb 3, w 7) 10
Total (7 wickets; 20 overs;) 172
Did not bat: B Fernando, JDF Vandersay, SL Malinga*
Fall of wickets 1-24, 2-32, 3-61, 4-64, 5-90, 6-145, 7-172
Bowling: Anwar Ali 4-0-40-1, Sohail Tanvir 4-0-44-1, Shoaib Malik 3-0-16-2, Mohammad Irfan 4-0-31-1, Shahid Afridi 4-030-1, Imad Wasim 1-0-8-0.
Pakistan innings (target: 173 runs from 20 overs)
Mukhtar Ahmed c Kapugedera b Fernando 4 Ahmed Shehzad b Fernando 7 Mohammad Hafeez run out (Dilshan/NLTC Perera) 11 Shoaib Malik st †MDKJ Perera b Siriwardana 8 Umar Akmal run out (de
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Barbados National Cricket Coach
Richard Clarke, along with his team, paid a courtesy call to the Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, at his Homestretch Avenue Office on Tuesday. Jones, in his brief remarks, welcomed the Barbados team to Guyana and also to the Department of Sport. He also wished them well in the tournament.
Coach Clarke was very pleased to be given the opportunity to meet with the Director of Sport in Guyana. The visit was facilitated by Sports Officer Alistair Munroe, a friend of the coach, and who has been an advocate for school windball cricket in Guyana.
Clarke also met with students who are a part of the Department of Sport “Teach Them Young” cricket programme at the National
Park tarmac, where he did a three hours session with the students.
Clarke’s first visit to Guyana was in 2009 with the Barbados female cricket team. During that visit, a similar coaching session was conducted at the Guyana Teachers Union ground. This time, Clark visited Guyana as coach of the Barbados U-15 Cricket team.
Petama Enterprise of 16 Delph Street, Campbellville, and Motor Trend Auto Sales, Spares and Repairs of Old Public Road, Enmore, are the newest sponsors of the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) organised softball tournament.
This new tournament will bowl off on August 9, and like all GFSCA-organised event, it will be played in three categories, namely Male and Female Open and Male Masters. For the Male Masters Division, only players born 1970 or before will be eligible to play.
However, all Master Squads can include a maximum of three players, born 1971 or 1972, on their 16-member list to be submitted to the organisers.
The Essequibo zones will be handled by Khalid Baksh and he can be contacted on 618-1905, while the Berbice and Demerara zones will be headed by GFSCA Chief Organiser, Wayne Jones, who can be reached on 650-
1790 or 685-6908.
Prizes for the winners of the Male Open and Male Masters are $100,000 and a trophy each, while the runners-up in both categories are guaranteed $25,000 each plus a trophy.
In the Female Division, the champion team will col-
The category finals are billed for October 11.
According to the GFSCA, the Males teams will use the white GFSCA/Trophy Stall balls, while the Female teams will use the yellow Floodlight balls.
“The Petama Enterprise/ Motor Trend Softball Competition serves as the perfect build-up for the fifth GFSCA International Softball Tournament, Guyana Softball Cup 5, which will be held on October 30, 31 and November 1,” the GFSCA said in a release.
Petama Enterprise is the distributor of KYB Shocks, NPW Water Pump, Toyo Bearing, FIC Clutch and Break Product.
lect $50,000 and trophy, while the losing finalist will receive $20,000 and a trophy. Player-of-the-Series in all categories will receive a trophy and $10,000. The Player-of-the-Match in the respective finals will receive a trophy and $5,000.
Petama Enterprise Managing Director, Petamber Maharaj, and Motor Trend Managing Director, Jailall Deodass, are very enthusiastic about sponsoring this tournament, the GFSCA has disclosed. The tournament is also co-sponsored by Trophy Stall, Ariel Enterprise, Mike’s Pharmacy, Romeo Oil Seal, Rohan Auto Spares, Ramchand
After pulling the plug on the 4th Digicel Classic horse race meet last year, communication giant Digicel is considering the return of the one-day event in the near future, according to by Digicel Events and Sponsorship Manager, Gavin Hope.
Hope made the disclosure on Thursday at the launching ceremony of the Guyana Cup horse race meet. “Last year we had some concerns, hence the reason we didn’t have the meet last year. But we are looking forward in the near future to restart that Classic,” Hope revealed.
He added, “We want to see the return of the Digicel Classic because, like I said, we know the importance of the event and we know the importance to be a part of horse racing fraternity. We know the benefits towards the horse racing fraternity and we want
to be a part of the development of horse racing, so you can look forward for the return of Digicel Classic.”
The Digicel Classic was first held in 2011, and the Norman Singh Memorial Turf Club, located on the West Coast of Berbice, has played host to telecommunications service provider for that year as well as 2012.
In 2013 the Bush Lot Corentyne-based Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) which, in its own right is Guyana’s oldest horse racing club, hosted the third edition. However, the Port Mourant Turf Club (PMTC) was expected to host last year’s event, but separate horse-race meets between the PMTC and Budhan’s Memorial
Sports Complex and Race Track has forced Digicel to pull the plug on its sponsorship deal with the PMTC.
Both the PMTC and Budhan’s Memorial Sports Complex and Race Track have planned separate horse race meets for July 27, but Digicel ended the partnership, claiming that as a corporate entity, the company wishes to stay clear of conflicts.
“We decided to pull out because we don’t want to find ourselves in any sort of conflict whereas we are competing with another club who is part of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority, regardless how small or big is the race meet we will not get involved in conflicts,” Hope had told Guyana Times Sport back then.
The country’s leading wheelsmen will take to the West Demerara roadway today when national cycling coach, Hassan Mohamed, stages the 11th annual Regan Rodrigues memorial 50-mile cycle race from 08:00h.
Rodrigues, who died in August 2004, was the founder of Ricks and Sari Agro Industries, and that company has been sponsoring the annual race in his honour. This year would be no different.
While all the riders will be hunting victory, Carlton Wheelers Cycle Club’s (CWCC) top rider Robin Persaud will look to continue his fine showing in this specific race.
The veteran rider has won the event an unprecedented three times in succession, and no doubt he would want to add another trophy to his large collection.
Persaud clocked one hour, 56 minutes, 50 seconds (01h: 56m: 50s) to win the 2014 event. Kravitz Jeffrey was the junior winner, while Davendra Ramnarine and Ozia McUally won the vet-
eran and mountain bike divisions respectively.
Today’s race will roll off from the Wales Police Station, proceed to Bushy Park, Parika, before returning to Schoonord for the finish. The veterans, mountain bikers and females will turn at Uitvlugt on the upward journey and return to Schoonord for the finish.
The top six finishers and the top three in the junior, veteran, mountain bike and female categories will be rewarded. There will also be a special prize for the top over60 rider. Eight prime prizes will also be at stake.
The race is being coordinated by Mohamed, who said that Rodrigues was an avid sportsman and supporter of the disciplines, especially cycling. Rodrigues was a former President of the Guyana Cycling Federation and the CWCC. He was also a motorracing champion.
Members of the Rodrigues’ family, as well as staffers of Ricks and Sari Agro Industries will be on hand to witness the race and assist in the presentation of prizes.
The inaugural Forbes Burnham Memorial Softball Competition is set to bowl off on August 9. The tournament is being run under the auspices of the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc (GSCL) and will be of 10 overs duration.
Teams from Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and 10 will vie for supremacy with the winners from each area qualifying for the playoffs, which will be held on August 29; the final will be contested on August 30.
Entrance fee is $10,000 and the winning team will receive a trophy and $500,000, the runner-up a trophy and $300,000, third place and fourth place a trophy and $100,000 each.
Teams are asked to provide balls for the preliminary games and those in Georgetown can contact Longsford Klass on 6267259, or visit him at Regal Stationery and Computer Centre on Seaforth Street for more information.
President of the GSCL,
Ian John, said each Region must provide a winner by August 23 to facilitate the playoff and final on the aforementioned date. He added that transportation will be provided for the winners of the respective regions to travel to Georgetown for the playoffs and finals.
Coordinator Mark Walkes said the competition is being organised to observe the 30th death anniversary of the late President Burnham. He informed that a number of activities are planned, including domino, chess, karate and basketball, adding that some of the events started with a church service last Saturday.
Cecil Kennard
Organisers of the Bush Lot United Turf Club (BLUTC) have assured that all systems are in place for today’s one-day horse race meet slated to be held at the Club’s track in Sea View Park, Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice from 12:30h.
The meet was originally planned for last Sunday; however rainfall left the venue in a waterlogged state, leaving the organisers with no choice but to postpone the event.
Chief Coordinator Lakeram Sukhdeo told this publication on Saturday that a break in the inclement weather for the past few days has left the venue in an excellent condition. “The race is definitely on; the track is good and we have put all systems in place for the race meet,” Sukhdeo stated.
The organisers have put together an impressive eightrace programme. The feature race is classified for horses in
the C Class over 1600m, with the winner set to race away with $1 million and a trophy.
The other events on the day’s card are the three-yearold race for West Indies bred horses for a winning purse of $350,000 and a trophy for the over 1200m race. Then, there is an event for animals classified E1 and Lower for a top purse of also $350,000 and a trophy for the over 1500m race.
The G2 and Lower race will be a 1300m affair with the animals running for a winner’s purse of $300,000 and a trophy. The race for two-year-old Guyana and West Indies bred animals is a 1000m contest for a top prize of $300,000 and a trophy.
The organisers have added the event for horses classified I and Lower and threeyear-old Guyana bred horses over 1300m for a winning take of $200,000 and a trophy. The animals classified J and Lower will be competing
Jamaica made sure of their place in the final of the Regional Under-19 Championship when they defeated Barbados by 39 runs in their final round contest here Friday.
Batting first at Chedwin Park, they piled up 251 for eight off their 50 overs with Leonardo Friginette (76) and Abhijai Mansingh (58) stroking half-centuries.
Seamers Keon Harding (331) and Shamar Springer (243) led Barbados’ attack.
In reply, Barbados were cruising at one stage on 95 for one but then declined badly to be dismissed for 212 of 47 overs.
Captain Akil Greenidge scored 59 while opener Leniko Boucher got 40. Harding struck a lively 32 down the order.
Fast bowler Miguel Smith (3-25) and off-spinner Michael Frew (3-29) both picked up three wickets apiece while seamer Odean Smith claimed two for 69. Jamaica, who started the final round in second spot, will now face Guyana in Sunday’s final.
Jamaica had a shaky start, losing opener Jevoy Spence for seven with the score on 24 but Friginette and Mansingh stitched the innings up with a brilliant 135-run, second wick-
for a first prize of $180,000 over 1300m.
The final event will be for animals K and Lower, also over 1300m for a winning pocket of $140,000 and
a trophy. The meet will be conducted under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority.
Meanwhile, the Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC)
annual Emancipation Day horse race meet, which was slated for today, has been postponed until October.
According to Honorary KMTC President, retired
Justice Cecil Kennard, the postponement was to facilitate emergency sea defence works, which are expected to commence shortly within the vicinity of the Club.
et stand.
Friginette faced 89 balls and struck three fours and three sixes while Mansingh counted five fours in a 100-ball knock.
They both fell within ten runs of each other to leave Jamaica on 169 for three, but Ramone Francis struck 25 from 19 balls to keep the momentum going.
Barbados then had a nightmare start to their run chase when they lost Lee-Germon Gaskin without scoring with no runs on the board.
However, Greenidge and Boucher came together to add 95 for the second wicket and put Barbados back in contention. Greenidge struck four fours off 88 deliveries and Boucher counted four fours in a 67-ball knock.
Once Boucher fell, Barbados lost five wickets for 65 runs to decline to 160 for six until Harding and Nicholas Kirton arrived to add 51 for the seventh wicket, and revive the innings.
Harding lashed a four and two sixes off 29 balls while Kirton stroked 20 from 40 with two fours.
Kirton’s dismissal, however, proved pivotal, and Barbados lost their last four wickets for just one run. (CMC)
By TreisTon Joseph
Sparks are expected to fly on Sunday evening when Digicel hosts the final of their Nationwide Schools Football Tournament, featuring three-time defending champion Christianburg/ Wismar and first time finalist Chase Academy.
The National Stadium at Providence will be the venue of the most anticipated school football final in a number of years, according to a number of football enthusiasts as Christianburg/Wismar and Chase Academy do battle for the most coveted title in local school football.
Some of the action during the semi-final round between Christianburg/Wismar and Waramadong
Christianburg/Wismar has a proven championship pedigree with three titles out of four and now appearing in their fifth final, which
speaks of their dominance and experience.
The side is stacked in all areas and could control the pace of the game once they find their groove during the encounter.
However, the Chase Academy team, appearing in their first final, has a very versatile team that pose the biggest threat to the Lindeners in years. Chase Academy has a very strong defence and can attack really well on the counter, especially with the likes of Kelsey Benjamin in the attacking line.
Waramadong, who will not be in the final for the first time in three years, will be hoping to finish third by showcasing their ability to score goals. Nevertheless, Annai is no stranger to scoring goals in bunches, an attest to their 13-0 whipping of Dolphin in the quarterfinal round.
The first place team will receive one million dollars; second, $600,000; third, $400,000; and fourth, $350,000. The final is slated for a 16:00h start.
With both teams having physically strong players that are fast, whichever team is able to make the fewer mistakes, along with controlling the pace of the game, will more than likely come out on top. Meanwhile Waramadong will match up against Annai for third place in a game that is expected to be high energy and filled with goals.
Headquarters are once again champions of the Guyana Police Force Inter-Division Track and Field Championship when the event was held on Friday at the National Track and Field Centre, Lenora.
Headquarters amassed a total of 487 points to lock up the title for an 18th straight year, dating back to 1997.
A Division was second with 345 points, while C Division was third with 276 points and B Division fourth with 148 points.
Meanwhile in the A Class Competition, Guyana won the event with a total of 402 points while the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago was second with 102 points, and St Vincent and Grenadines third with 41 points.
Olympian Winston George returned after a training stint in the United States to make his first competitive appearance on the synthetic facility at Lenora. George blazed to 10.01 seconds in the 100m Male Invitational race ahead of Akeem Stewart, who ran 10.2 seconds and Tyrell Peters (10.9s). George returned in the 200m to win in the steamy 21.0 seconds ahead of Trinidad’s Che
Hart (21.7s) and Roberts (22.5s) respectively.
However, Julio Sinclair and Keith Roberts shared the A Class Champion Male award with 26 points each, while Kevin Bayley was runner-up with 20 points. Trinidad’s Nikita Thomas was the Champion Overseas Female with Sheldon Mason taking the male prize.
Tevin Garraway won the B Class 100m Men for Headquarters in 10.5 sec-
onds, while Linton Mentis placed second in 10.7s and Owen Adonis third in 10.8s. C Division’s Trevor Benn led the way in the Senior Officers 100m race in 10.8s ahead of Dennis Thomas (11.4s) and Derwin Eastman (11.8s).
In C Division action, Deja Smartt sprinted to 11.7s to win the 100m Female race ahead of Headquarters’ Leota Babb, who clocked 12.6s. Onika Eastman
clocked 13.3s for third.
Babb also finished on top of the podium in the Female Senior Officers 100m race with 12.8s as Akeela Alves (13.0s) and Nadine Rodrigues (13.3s) completed a clean sweep for Headquarters.
Peters returned to win the 100m Youth Club Male in 10.7s seconds ahead of Emmanuel Sancho and Ronald Gobin, who posted 11.1s and 11.3s respective-
ly. Joshua Hamilton clocked 10.4s to win the A Class race ahead of Hart (10.8s) and Roberts (11.1) respectively.
Kezia Bess won the Youth Club Girls 100m in 12.3 seconds, ahead of Jevina Sampson (12.5) and Archer (13.5). Carto won the 400m Female in 1:04.4 from Cindy Fraser (1:09.0) and Keiandra Gordon (1:14.3) respectively.
Arinze Chance blazed to an impressive 48.1 seconds in the 400m B Class with Kareem Punch second in 48.6 seconds and Winston Dummett third in 49.9 seconds.
Boyer won the A Class 1500m Female race in 5:34.5 with Dellie Williams (5:56.2) second and Melissa Byass (6:10.6) third. Archer won the Youth Club event in 5:24 from Tabitha Bowman (5:34.6) and Bess (6:54.4). Rondel Austin won the Male Youth club 1500m race in 4:32.4 from Delon Bagot (4:50.0) and Moses Best (4:52.6). Bayley jogged to victory in the 1500m males in 5:36.7, ahead of Grivon Grant (5:40.2) and Jayon Johnson (5:46.7) respectively.