Business Ministry to advance youth entrepreneurship ... says youths have an integral role to play in Guyana’s business sector
monday, august 17, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com
Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine has stated that the findings from the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that is ongoing into the education system will be used to design an effective education reform process.
He made this statement on Thursday at a press conference where the 2015 May/ June Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results were announced. According to Dr Roopnaraine, the CoI into the education sector will give parents, students and other stakeholders countrywide the opportunity to make contributions to the reform process.
The Education Minister pointed out that the education reform process cannot be designed out of ideas but needs experiences and evidence, which will be gathered through the Inquiry.
“We can’t design a educational reform process out of our heads. That’s something, I think, that really has to be based on the experience of people and the evidence that the Commission of Inquiry gets,” he stated.
However, the Minister pointed out that the Commission does not have a narrow focus. Dr Roopnaraine reiterated his dissatisfaction with the fact that the schools and classrooms are almost exclusively devoted to academic instructions, noting that he wants to see a far more rounded education in the schools.
“So, all of this will encompass the Inquiry. To what extent we believe that
bringing music back into the school will produce more rounded child, to what extent we believe that enhancing physical education and encouraging sports is going to result in a better educated person,” he pointed out.
The Education Minister stated that the reform will not happen overnight but needs time to be implemented and enforced. “Based on everything we hear in the Commission, based on the audit findings we have on our desks, based on all of these things, we will be able to design an education reform process in the key areas that needs to be addressed” he pointed out.
On the other hand, Dr Roopnaraine said that much attention needs to be placed on the high number of subjects that students are allowed to write. He believes that the curriculum has
been diluted hence students are now able to manage more subjects.
“The reason a student is able to cope with that number of subjects, because I believe the intensity of the curriculum is not there. I believe there has been too much dilution but that’s something that I am planning to discuss with my education officers, people with a lot more experience in the education industry than I have and together have a serious look at this and see what kind of improvements that we want to make,” the Minister mentioned.
Furthermore, the Education Minister stated that another phenomenon that needs to be addressed is the gender imbalance in the school system. “The young women are really outstripping the boys... by really quite a large margin. I think this is a problem for sociologists. I think we need to sub-
ject it [to] serious investigations and as I say we must not run away with the idea that this is only affecting us here in Guyana. This is a global and regional phenomenon and we need to look at it in all its dimension. It’s a complex issue and certainly one that deserves a lot of attention,” Dr Roopnaraine declared.
Meanwhile, Chief Education Officer Olato Sam stated that while there is no programme currently in place to address the gender imbalance issue, the Ministry has taken several initiatives such as the Technical and Vocational Education Training project and will be rolling out projects to address the global phenomenon.
“To say that there is one comprehensive programme, such does not exist. It’s a mosaic of various elements being brought together to try to address this issue,” Sam noted.
He explained that a number of factors have contributed to this imbalance, adding that the nature of schooling in general is a more integral element.
“So I think this will require a broad-based multisectoral approach to addressing this issue, particularly as it relates to the factors that impact this at the secondary level. But at the lower level, there is more to it,” the CEO highlighted.
At this year’s CSEC examination, a total of 12,606 students wrote some 35 subjects. Of this, 4506 students were male and 8100 female.
Christobelle Hughes, the mother of prominent Attorney-atLaw and Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes succumbed on Sunday to injuries received in an accident the previous night.
This was confirmed by AFC spokesperson Imran Khan.
Hughes, who was in her early 80s, was a passenger in a vehicle being driven by her other son, Stuart Hughes, when the tragedy occurred.
On Saturday evening, the pair was travelling on Middleton Street, Campbellville, Georgetown heading back to their Subryanville home when an-
other vehicle slammed into theirs, resulting in severe damage to both vehicles.
Hughes was rushed to a city hospital, where she was in critical condition, while her son Stuart sustained minor injuries.
Up to press time, it was unclear what became of the driver of the other vehicle.
The underutilised National Data Management Authority (NDMA) will soon be incorporated into the operations of Government’s E-Governance Project.
This is according to a release issued by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon on Friday, following a visit to the NDMA at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen campus.
During the visit, Harmon was informed of a number of challenges facing the entity, one of which is the fact that it was underutilised for many years.
NDMA General Manager
Godfrey Proctor related that the Authority has not had a Board of Directors appointed in over two decades and this severely interfered with the work of the body.
Meanwhile, Minister Harmon assured that Government would restore the NDMA and develop a strategy to incorporate the organisation with the E-Governance Project under a single administrative system.
He further promised that a Board of Directors would be appointed to give guidance to the work of the NDMA.
An elderly man was on Saturday pronounced dead on arrival at the Linden Hospital Complex after he was struck down on the Adventure roadway in the mining community.
Reports are that about 16:00h on Saturday, 72-yearold Rudolph Ramsammy, of Adventure, Soesdyke/ Linden Highway, attempt-
ed to cross the roadway at Adventure and was struck down by a motor car. He was rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The driver of the motor vehicle that struck the elderly man has been arrested. He is in Police custody assisting with the investigation.
monday, august 17, 2015 |
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Monday, August 16 – 05:00h-06:30h and Tuesday, August, 17 – 05:00h-06:30h
The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Monday, August 16 – 05:25h-06:55h and Tuesday, August, 17 – 06:00h-07:30h
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily.
Thundery showers can be expected in the early morning, with heavy showers midmorning and throughout the afternoon. Thundery showers are expected to return in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 29 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East to East North-easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.02 metres per second.
High Tide: 05:54h and 18:11h reaching maximum heights of 2.66 metres and 2.62 metres respectively.
Low Tide: 11:48h
of 0.58 metre.
The controversy-mired National Toshaos' Conference (NTC) is set for today at the Arthur Chung International Convention Centre, as Government and Executives of the Council continue to be at loggerheads over control of the conference.
From information revealed by several Amerindian leaders, the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Government is so bent on sticking to its 21-point 100-day plan, that it has disregarded many of the standards, protocols and procedures on the planning of the conference, the highest forum where Amerindian leaders assemble to discuss pressing issues pertaining to their development.
Key Amerindian leaders, spokespersons and NTC Executives have already expressed their frustration over what appears to be the “hi-
jacking” of the conference, which is supposed to be under the control of the NTC.
Several observers expect the conference today to be a “train wreck” as most Amerindians were not duly informed of the meeting, nor were there any consultations regarding the agenda of the conference.
The high handed approach, as it is seen by many, taken by the new Indigenous People’s Affairs Ministry has allegedly left many Amerindian leaders out in the cold, with limited access to the decision-making process on matters of prime importance to their communities.
Adding insult to injury, several leaders related the anomaly surrounding Indigenous People’s Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock’s lack of communication with the NTC officials.
According to outgoing NTC Secretary Basil Cornelius, the Minister who is supposed to be an ex-officio member of the
NTC, has not yet met with the Council to discuss any matters pertaining to this spurof-the-moment conference.
“The only persons, the only official we’ve been talking to is Mervyn Williams (Minister’s Adviser),” Cornelius said.
Aside from the Adviser, Cornelius said members have only been communicating with lower officers of the Ministry, which he regarded as blatant disrespect of Amerindian leaders.
And in the Government’s haste to hold the conference just to fulfil its 100-day promises, the irate leaders allege that immense pressure is now upon NTC Executives who were only given no more than five days in some cases to prepare reports to present today at the Conference.
This is in comparison to the approximately four weeks which they were given to compile their reports previously.
The reports reflect on the work of the outgoing Council Members during its tenure, and all Amerindian Leaders who will be present at the Conference today will use them as a guide when electing the new members of the Council.
Given that many Toshaos were belatedly notified or not notified at all of this Conference and given that the NTC did not have adequate time to prepare a full and extensive reports, most Amerindians will be making an uninformed decision when they elect the new Council members.
“The report doesn’t have much information. It does not reflect the work that we really did because we were only told on Wednesday and we didn’t had time to meet with all the members to discuss what was done and I did not want to put things that I am not sure about. So the report will be a very short report,” the outgoing Secretary explained, noting that this will put many at a total disadvantage.
“I am not pleased with this although I am trying to understand,” Cornelius said, expressing that he will just follow along for the sake of his people.
“This Conference is critical; it is not a political game. In fact, it wouldn’t mean a dime for us if this meeting wasn’t held within 100 days of them occupying office. At least we would have had a more fruitful meeting,” he added, hoping that the organisation will be better next year.
Meanwhile, although they are uneasily hoping that the Conference will be successful, Executives are utterly outraged over Government’s “hijacking”.
NTC Chairman Derrick John was highly annoyed and quite upset that the Ministry, without any consultation whatsoever, informed him that the Conference would be today. Making matters worse, a formal invitation was not sent out but rather, the NTC Head was informed via his Deputy. An invitation was only sent out after executives met with the Ministry to express their dissatisfaction with the way things were being executed.
NTC Executives Joel Fredericks and Eyon Boyal also registered their concern about the hijacking of the conference, considering that the APNU/AFC touted to “depoliticise” the NTC.
Additionally, former Head of the NTC Yvonne Pearson was also completely taken aback by the blatancy of the Government to undermine the role of the NTC.
“I am very much disturbed to stand and observe the level of disrespect from the ruling Government … especially from the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs… at no time in our history, since the establishment of the National Toshaos' Council, were we treated like dirt,” she vented.
Pearson explained that the disrespect began during the Toshaos’ Elections when the Ministry failed to facilitate an Elections Observers Mission from the NTC.
“It is clear in the Act that the National Toshaos' Council must be sending observers. This was not done. The entire election was done throughout the length and breadth of
Guyana and not a representative of the NTC was anywhere. They did not participate,” she related.
According to Pearson, the Ministry now continues its disrespect to the Amerindian people by leaving them out of the decision-making process of the Conference.
“Here is where they are lacking in what was touted before elections – no consultations,” the Amerindian spokesperson posited.
People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Aleister Charlie also registered his discontentment over the entire situation.
Moreover, shying away from standard procedures, the President of Guyana will not be addressing the Conference today.
Contrary to what was done in previous years, with the Head of State interacting with all the participants of the meeting, President David Granger is slated to be present on Day Three of the Conference where only the new council members will get a chance to meet with him and to discuss their concerns.
Nonetheless, though things have gotten off to a shaky start, executives still hope that the Government can work dutifully with the Amerindian leaders to enhance the lives of the indigenous people.
NTC Executive Luke Simon urged the indigenous population to work out its differences with the new Administration so as to facilitate better working relationships to ensure the interest of the Amerindian people is placed on the government’s priority list.
Editor (Ag): Michael Younge
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The APNU/AFC Government has now completed three months in office and starting today in Parliament, will be engaged in defending the Budget it presented a week ago. With a change in Government after 23 years, the populace will be looking intently at the performance of the PPP as an Opposition party, with a former two-term President, Bharrat Jagdeo at its helm. While Jagdeo as an Executive President was out of the National Assembly between 1999 and 2011, he had been the former Finance Minister and as such is quite adept at the parry and thrust of Parliamentary debates.
Budgets would literally be Jagdeo's "bread and butter" as a trained economist who helped prepare and present several seminal ones as the country worked its way through the IMF conditionalities imposed when the PNC, under Desmond Hoyte, requested a bailout by that institution. Since then, after removing the debt albatross bequeathed by the PNC, the Jagdeo administration had steered the ship of State through the treacherous waters roiled by the collapse of the western economies. So successful was he that Guyana maintained a greater average growth rate than most of its regional neighbours.
From the Budget Finance Minister Winston Jordan presented, it is clear that his Government is not presenting policies or programmes inspired by any ideological premises at variance from its predecessor. It is simply attempting to tinker with what had gone before to appear that it is not engaged in wholesale "cogging", even as it attempts to satisfy the populist promises made during the hustings.
As such the PPP should have easy pickings in deconstructing the budget since they will be intimately familiar with the implications of variances that simply pander to votes. While the Government has evidently accepted that "discretion is the better part of valour" and abandoned fiscally irresponsible promises such as reducing the VAT "significantly", it's attempt to have its cake and eat it too will be exposed when the PPP debaters point out the sophistry in the "expansion of zerorated items" that was touted to ameliorate the abandonment of cutting VAT.
But even more challenging to the Government would be the questions about the generation of growth in the economy when some of the traditional sectors are on the ropes and there are no concrete proposals to give the economy the "kick start" it needs after falling into a slumber following the change of Government. In fact, the PPP can point out that several of the APNU/AFC Government's actions will produce precisely the opposite effect. There is most prominently, its announced transfer from the private banks of billions in funds from autonomous agencies to the Consolidated Funds.
The Government's inability to produce a cogent rationale for its action lends credence to the PPP's accusation that it was motivated more by pique than economics. First, the Minister of Governance announced that the withdrawal was necessary because the "private banks were too liquid". The PPP will simply point out that excess liquidity in the banking system should lead to a reduction of interest rates - which would stimulate the economy via cheaper loans to businesses and consumers.
Then the Finance Minister weighed in to claim the move was needed to "finance the budget deficit". But the vacuousness of this statement was quickly exposed when even a APNU- friendly economist pointed out that the Government does not need monies to be in the Consolidated Funds to finance deficits, but can simply draw on their accounts in the private banks.
Another anomaly that was most noticeable in the Budget - and which will be certainly exposed by the PPP - was the lack of a coherent macro-economic framework on which the Government could have hung its proposals to ensure that they were internally coherent and externally coordinated to produce reinforcing positive results for the country.
With live broadcasts promised, the country has an entertaining two weeks ahead.
Change so far has been mere empty talk, devoid of any intent to deliver
Dear Editor,
In the present political climate in our country, the sending ‘on leave’ and the dismissal of mostly East Indian and Amerindian workers from their positions as Community Services Officers, Permanent Secretaries, Regional Executive Officers, staff of the One Laptop Per Family, the Office of the President, the Guyana Revenue Authority etc, by the Government, because these dismissed workers are perceived to be supporters of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP); and their replacement by political cronies of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government, has to be viewed as a fulfilment of a commitment by the Government to its own political loyalists; which is to be delivered no matter the cost or result. And so, issues with respect to the rights, financial needs and commitments, and trampling on the rights of the dismissed workers seem not to be of any concern or consideration to the Government which, during its election campaigning and in its political manifesto and even in its 2015 Budget pre-
sentation spoke of “a fresh approach to the good life and to good governance” for all Guyanese.
Like rational human beings, we all want the best for ourselves and our families, but we need to recognise and to accept that while we have a right to “the good life” so too do others. We need to respect their rights and their cultural diversity. We must see ourselves as agents of change. Thus the Government has an important role in facilitating and accommodating the PPP’s involvement for we too have a continual important role as a change agent and a rather experienced one at that. Approximately 204,000 Guyanese voters at the 2015 Election, affirmed this as they affirmed their confidence and trust in the PPP/C Government, and we must never lose sight of that fact.
Parents can make a difference by setting the right example by installing hate free values in children. Children learn not only by seeing and observing but also by listening to what we say. The conduct, arrogance, disrespect and hostility displayed by many of our youths towards adults; the racial slurs hurled by many includ-
ing youthful females, could only be a representation of the learned behaviour inculcated in their homes, schools and communities. And sadly enough, they inherit this from adults to whom they look to for guidance.
At school, we must help children develop the capacity to live in peace and harmony with and to love and respect each other’s culture and religious values; to show racial tolerance; to deal with emotions; to handle peer pressure and to make their own decisions.
The role of the Church must go beyond the singing of hymns and praying, important though they be.
The Church’s role must be redefined to include influencing thinking and positive behavioural change; not only by conventional methods but also by being good examples to their congregation. Many are they who are very vociferous on the pulpit and portray characteristics that must be similar to that possessed and displayed by some of Jesus’ disciples. Albeit, off the pulpit the antagonist and questionable attributes they portray must have been similar to that displayed by Judas
Iscariot. Many were overtly hostile to the PPP as if the Almighty had delegated the task of passing judgement to them.
We may never have a society free of ethnic suspicions and tensions but we must make a special effort to achieve this. Integral to the desired behaviour changes we seek is the work of the political parties among the people of Guyana. We must all be carrying the same message intended to benefit all and not some; for the task before us is to govern our multiethnic nation. The role of the PPP/C is vital in this and the APNU/AFC should be reminded that almost 50 per cent of the electorate have confidence in the PPP’s ability to deliver further improvements in the lives of the Guyanese people. Collectively we must work to remove the fear, hate, envy and mistrust that stalk Guyana. Change so far, has been mere empty talk devoid of any intent to deliver but intended to keep some peoples hopes and expectations alive.
Sincerely,
Norman Whittaker
Dear Editor, I truly understand that news sell papers, as it should. But often what doesn’t make the news are issues which daily burden our people and would be left unattended while our people continue to be oppressed.
I would like for you to consider publishing the behaviour of blue clothes and Tactical Service Unit (TSU) ranks on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD). Firstly, I welcome their increased pa-
trols. But they are taking advantage of motorists, particularly East Indians. I reside at Enterprise front, ECD and the nature of my job takes me across the East Coast. I see these blue clothes and TSU Police putting up roadblocks or stopping drivers willy nilly and harassing them. Very often, it is “pay up” or be delayed for a long time while all sorts of threats are being shouted down at them.
The Police has the reputation as some had within
the past Government of being corrupt. As far as I know, these Police are given instructions not to stop a vehicle and ask for papers and harass people unless they have valid suspicions. But it seems as though every East Indian driver is under suspicion. Very few Afro-Guyanese drivers are stopped. Is this a racist trend?
I ask Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and the Police Commissioner to use decoys
to entrap these greedy officers, especially three blue clothes ones who ride up and down the East Coast and are believed to make thousands at the end of each day. Weekends are said to be more lucrative.
Editor, this is a bread and butter issue. As newspapers, you have a duty to help stop citizens being taken advantage of.
Sincerely, Charles Selman
Dear Editor,
The findings of an opinion poll recently conducted by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association found mixed views on whether last May’s General and Regional Election was rigged and whether Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally, should be replaced as a result of controversy surrounding the counting of ballots. Respondents in the poll are divided in their answers, based on ethnicity and political affiliation.
The poll was conducted last week and interviewed 430 voters (41 per cent Indians, 31 per cent Africans, 18 per cent Mixed, nine per cent Amerindians, and one per cent other ethnic groups) to reflect the demographic composition of the population.
Queried whether the election was rigged, almost every supporter of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) said they don’t think so, whereas almost every supporter of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) feels the election was
rigged. Some who supported the AFC (not APNU supporters) also feel the election was rigged. Overall, slightly more people (by 47 per cent to 46 per cent) feel the election was rigged and among the ‘yes’ response were some who voted for the coalition. The latter said they didn’t condone rigging at the time because they wanted a change of Government “to teach the arrogant PPP leadership a lesson”. Since the election, many – primarily AFC supporters –of those voted for the coalition have had a change of view in their choice.
Almost everyone who said the election was rigged blamed the US Embassy and some GECOM officials as working in cahoots for the rigging to produce the desired results. They feel the US Embassy organised and or condoned the rigging to remove the PPP from Office. They also believe former President Jimmy Carter learned about the rigging and decided not to be a part of it, and as such he flew back to the US so as not to be embroiled in what he foresaw would be a controversial election.
Asked whether GECOM or Dr Surujbally should have conducted a recount of ballots, a large majority (52 per cent to 40 per cent) said “yes” to clear up doubts on which party won. Every PPP/C supporter feels Surujbally was biased during the conduct of the election and the counting of the ballots. Asked whether Dr Surujbally should resign or be replaced as Chairman, 45 per cent said ‘yes’ with 41 per cent saying ‘no’ and the rest not offering a response.
Asked what was the main reason why the PPP lost the election or why it was so close, the overwhelming response was “election was rigged”. Among the other responses were: neglect of or failure to service its supporters, hubristic attitude and overconfidence, time for a change having governed for so long (over 22 years), uninspiring Presidential Candidate, corruption, unwillingness to replace several horrible MPs, and or failure to fire several intemperate Ministers who cost the Party a lot of support.
Sincerely, Vishnu Bisram
The equal importance of management and leadership
Dear Editor, A recent editorial in the Stabroek News of August 14 captioned “Management and Leadership” referred to an article with an interesting title by Dr Rudi Webster “The WICB: over-managed and under-led”, which reportedly provided some insights into the difference between management and leadership.
However, the editorial goes on to attribute to Dr Webster what I consider to be some fallacious, if not dangerous, explanations; for example, to say that: “to manage is to control, manipulate and seek obedience” whereas “to lead is to guide, influence, inspire and motivate” is to ascribe to management the most negative definition I have ever seen; it is certainly wrong (unless we are talking about some unscrupulous, vindictivepersons parading in shepherds’ clothing to hide their wolfish ambitions). But, to precise Dr Webster’s definitions the way the editorial reported, doesn’t sit well with my own studies and practical involvement in management and leadership in a wide variety of organisations.
Both leadership and management are indeed critical for the success of any organisation and can indeed be provided by one person; as a matter of fact that is an ideal. Depending on the context in terms of time, place, culture, exigencies and other circumstan-
tial considerations, the focus might shift between leadership and management, but at all times elements of both are relevant and necessary. It is interesting to reflect on these two core ingredients of organisational effectiveness. A pioneer in management literature, Mary Parker Follet defined management as “the art of getting things done through people”. It is said that leaders have followers while managers have subordinates but that does not deny managers of followers nor leaders of subordinates. This is not to ignore the school of thought that argues for a clear definition on the grounds that the ‘roles’ of managers and
leaders are often different at least conceptually. In 1989, Warren Bennis produced an interesting set of dichotomous relationships between managers and leaders such as: leaders innovate, managers administer; leaders develop while managers maintain; leaders take the long-term perspective, managers concentrate on the short-term; leaders eye the horizon, managers keep an eye on the bottom line”. Then there is the question of leadership and management ‘styles’, but that must be left for another occasion.
Sincerely,
Nowrang Persaud
Dear editor, I wish to offer my congratulations to Swami Aksharananda and his prestigious school, Saraswati Vidya Niketan for producing the two most outstanding students at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations – Victoria Najab (20 Grade Ones ) and Vamanadev Hiralal (19 Grade Ones). In fact, it was mentioned that Najab’s feat is unprecedented in the history of CSEC. The school also performed impressively overall, with a matriculation rate of 82 per cent, that is, 53 out of 64 students secured passes in 11 or more subjects including English Language and Mathematics. In addition, it was also reported that the school’s pass rate in English Language and Mathematics, 86 per cent and 93 per cent respectively, are almost double the national pass rate in these two core subjects.
A
These achievements are very impressive indeed! The Education Ministry should visit this school and find out what policies and procedures are working so well and probably implement same in public schools to improve performance.
This school’s performance is also a good indicator that religious schools may be the answer to the problems of discipline and lethargic student performance. A study in this area will provide some useful insight in these and other areas.
I also want to make mention of the generous and humble nature of the Swami. In 2007, when I did my Diploma in Education, I was looking for a school on the West Coast of Demerara to do my teaching practice. Swami Aksharananda willingly offered me the opportunity to do so at his school. He was very accommodating and made me feel comfortable.
My one humble request of
the Swami (which I also made to him in 2007) was to establish similar schools in Essequibo and Berbice. This young generation is not well grounded in their culture and religious practice. A school that provides for both the academic and spiritual needs of the child is definitely needed in present day Guyana, with all its social and other problems. A well grounded child is more focused. Not only the Hindu community but the general public should reach out to the Swami in such a worthy cause. Other religious groups should also think of going in this direction. With respect to all the naysayers and critics of the venerable Swami, it was noted that he did not reply to them but let his school and students do the talking through their performances. This is the way to do it.
Sincerely,
Mahindra Persaud
propaganda budget speech with lofty promises
Dear Editor, I took the time to read the budget transcript yesterday and could not help but sense the reactionary and vindictive tone that laced the pages as I did my best to navigate to the substance of it. Minister Jordan wasted no time to strike at the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) while portraying the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) victory as a shining light in the sky for Guyana. He cited the inauguration and swearing in ceremonies as evidence that an overwhelming majority of Guyana voted for the APNU/ AFC and was overjoyed.
To date, we are not yet sure if they even won a majority, since we only have the words of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman to prove this. Minister Jordan should have been more conscious of this fact before he made his speech.
The speech continued to highlight a number of grand initiatives and ideas in a context similar to that of the “Marshall Plan” for Europe. He created the impression that Guyana is in complete destruction and APNU is here to show the way. To be fair I would acknowledge that his grand gestures are commendable, but I still challenge the APNU/AFC to prove to Guyana that it has the ability to implement these plans effectively with efficiency.
An example of this would be his disclosures on healthcare. As he explains plans to have expansions, training and equipment, I heard nothing of a supply chain strategy to make sure medicines and supplies are made available in every health care facility at the right time, in the right amount. In effect, he failed to speak on
the main driver for good health care delivery, and appears to be clueless on that front.
As he continued to downplay all the initiatives and successes of the PPP/C, he only provided solutions based on unrealised oil resources. Guyana was never in a position for hitting the reset button; instead, Guyanese should have been seeing an approach from this Government that was geared towards building on the successes of the PPP/C. This is proof that the APNU/AFC’s call for working with the PPP/C was always a baseless one used only for propaganda purposes. History will prove that the APNU/AFC coalition will be the Government that was unable to rise above their vindictive and reactionary nature to truly develop Guyana.
Sincerely, Malcolm Watkins
BETH GREENFIELD
arents who work
P“irregular” hours –unpredictable shifts for which they are called in or sent home with little notice, especially at night – can inadvertently lead to psychological or developmental fallout for their children, a new study from the Economic Policy Institute, a non-profit think tank, has found.
“When parents can’t predict when they will or won’t be working, their entire home lives are disrupted – they engage less with their children in critical activities like reading and telling stories,” said coauthor and University of New South Wales lecturer Leila Morsy in a press release about the findings. “In many states, parents working irregular schedules even lose eligibility for child care subsidies.”
The study – part of a larger project by Morsy and Economic Policy Institute Research
Associate Richard Rothstein, looking at how social class characteristics effect children’s development and achievement to suggest policy changes – found that children of all ages can suffer fallout when parents are called in for erratic work hours. For toddlers, that can mean hampered sensory perception, learning and problem-solving skills, and verbal communication. Young teenagers, meanwhile, are more prone to depression and risky behaviours, such as
smoking or drinking, when parents work at night.
As the study points out, “computer software now enables retail, restaurant, service, and other firms to predict hourly customer demand and delivery schedules with precision, encouraging employers to
for example, receive a week or less notice regarding their weekly schedules, adding to anxiety, exhaustion, and stress levels.
“Anything that causes stress to parents is going to do harm to their children,” Ross Eisenbrey, Vice President of the Economic Policy Institute,
create ‘just-in-time’ schedules in which workers are called in or sent home on short notice. By preventing many parents from adequately caring for their children, such practices adversely affect child and adolescent development.”
The researchers note that erratic work schedules are more common among workers who are in the minority group or less educated, as well as young single mothers making low wages; one-third of moms with adolescents at home,
tells Yahoo Parenting. “In this case, it deprives children of the time they need with a parent at important moments, such as getting ready for school or at bedtime.”
The biggest take away from the findings, he says, is that policy changes and new laws are needed to prevent employers from disregarding the scheduling needs of their workers, especially those who are parents. “Employers should avoid these practices,” Eisenbrey stresses. “When you
change a schedule without notice, childcare plans get disrupted or are impossible to even make, especially when it comes to high quality care, which requires regular dropoff and pickup times.” Many states including New York, for example, already have laws requiring employers to receive overtime for unexpected hours or to pay a worker if a shift is canceled with little notice.
The findings are also important, he says, for the sake of the effect they have on schools. “If you have huge disparities – ethnicity, income – then it makes it very hard for a school system in a lowincome area to overcome [low achievement],” he notes. “Yet we expect that just by firing teachers whose students have low-performance levels we will change achievement outcomes, which is not fair, and rather stupid.”
But how can the study’s findings serve parents who find themselves hampered and stressed by crazy work schedules – short of making them feel even worse about their erratic presence?
“Rather than taking the position of guilt or shame here, parents can look at [the study] as a cautionary tale,” parenting expert and family physician Deborah Gilboa tells Yahoo Parenting. “It can help you realise, OK, this is something to pay attention to – what are my children doing while I’m at work?”
More people have these
types of work schedules than not, Gilboa, author of Get the Behaviour You Want… Without Being the Parent You Hate! believes and there are various ways to be proactive. “For starters, ask yourself if you are using your nonstandard working hours to your advantage,” she suggests, such as to go to school for pickup or for afternoon parent-teacher conferences, or meeting your child’s bus after school. “Also ask if you’re using your work breaks intentionally, especially with the technology available.
Set reminders to check in with your children in fun ways that go beyond asking if they’ve done their homework – send a friendly text saying you’re thinking about them, tag them on social media.”
When you’re the parent of older children, you can make an effort to involve them in conversations about schedule challenges, Gilboa suggests. “Ask, ‘What can we do so that we feel more connected?’” And when it comes to little ones, do the best that you can when it comes to getting them as much consistency as possible – such as aiming to have the same sitter all the time, even the hours are not regular – and try to enlist others for support.
“Whether it’s a grandparent, a teacher, your paediatrician, or someone at daycare,” she says, letting others know that you’d love help monitoring your child’s development and behaviour can go a long way in feeling less alone. (Yahoo! News)
BY BETHANY RAMOS
Ilove working, and I love my children. I spent the first few years of my children’s lives racked with guilt, wondering if putting them in even a half-day day care so I could get some work done in the morning would ruin them forever. I was wrong. I was very wrong. According to the latest research, being a working mom may actually be good for your children.
I know, I know. The working mom versus the stay-at-home mom debate is at the absolute core of The Mommy Wars. Working moms often feel judged by stay-at-home moms for abandoning their children and spending time outside of the home. Stay-at-home moms often feel judged by working moms for not contributing financially or for giving up career for family. Can anyone win? The answer is no. There will always be someone out there in your friend circle or on the Internet judging you, and there’s really nothing you can do about it. But if you make the decision to work because it is best for your family, for your bank account and for your sanity, as I have, you can take some comfort in the fact that new research has got your back.
Harvard Business School published a working paper on June 19 with some very intriguing results. In the paper entitled “Mums the Word! Crossnational Effects of Maternal Employment on Gender Inequalities at Work and at Home,” researchers found that children of working moms are better off. Daughters of working mothers are more likely to be employed, get promoted to a supervisor position and earn more money than daughters of stay-athome moms. Sons of working moms are found to be more caring, probably related to the time spent caring for family members and doing chores compared to sons of stay-at-home moms. Researchers came to this conclusion by analysing data from two dozen countries. Compared to the daughters of stay-at-home moms, daughters of working moms are 4.5 per cent more likely to be employed. Thirty-three per cent of the daughters of working moms held supervisory roles, compared to 25 per cent of the daughters of stay-at-home moms. (Yahoo! News)
The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic, led by former President Bharrat Jagdeo, is expected to take up its 32 seats in Parliament, as the legislative body resumes for the 2015 Budget debate expected to begin today.
The PPP/C, which had not attended any sittings of the 11th Parliament since it began, had told media operatives that it would return to the National Assembly when the time arrived for the debate of the first budget presented by the new Administration.
Former President Jagdeo had recently said that the role of the PPP/C would be to hold the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change coalition Government to
account: to push it to fulfil its promises while ensuring that the legacy of the PPP/C was preserved. He stressed that the new Opposition would not act like APNU and the AFC did in the years after 2011 and try to stymie development.
The new Opposition Leader on Monday after the presentation of the Budget themed “a fresh approach to the good life in a green economy” blasted the APNU/AFC Administration and more so the Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, for presenting a number of the PPP/C’s initiatives and plans in hopes of making the public believe that these are initiatives of the APNU/AFC.
Jagdeo, in a brief press statement moments after the budget presentation, accused Minister Jordan of being “lengthy in generality” and having “lofty goals” in his budget speech.
Jordan had used most of his presentation to attack the previous PPP/C Government while articulating his Government’s plan to develop the country over the next five years under a new brand of governance that would hopefully augur well for all Guyanese.
Among the measures announced by Jordan were the transfers of billions of dollars to the rice and
sugar industries as bailouts to meet the operating costs and debt incurred by those industries; the raising of the Public Sector minimum wage to $50,000; the relaxation of taxes for some mining equipment and commodities; promises to reduce unnecessary bureaucratic State procedures, and hikes in Old Age Pensions and public assistance along with the return of subventions for trade union bodies.
With the PPP/C and the APNU/AFC Government already having publicly attacked each other on the 2015 National Budget outside of the National Assembly, the public anticipates a long-awaited ‘showdown’ in Parliament today.
General Secretary of the Alliance for Change (AFC)
David Patterson said his party is still discussing whether or not it will be contesting the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE) as a single unit or as is, together with the other coalition members.
In an invited comment on Sunday, Patterson relayed that the decision has not been made as yet, but as soon as it is, the electorate will be made aware.
Political commentators on Saturday said that any attempt by the party to enter the long overdue LGE could see it suffering a massive defeat. LGE is expected to be held later this year. Political Commentator, Dr Henry Jeffrey in a telephone interview with Guyana Times on Saturday, stated that this decision would depend on how the two political parties see their longterm future as a coalition.
“If they see themselves as a group together in the long-term, then they will go to these elections and contest together. However, if they do not, then they would be contesting the upcoming election in the regions separately. It all depends on how both parties see themselves together in the future,” Dr
Jeffrey explained.
Catastrophic
However, he noted that if there is truth to what the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is trumpeting with regards to the AFC being “wiped out” in traditional PPP/C areas, or what is being deemed ‘Indian’ areas, then it would be catastrophic for the AFC.
“If this is true and the AFC decides to go to the election to contest solo and the party (AFC) does not do well, then this will definitely weaken the AFC. In a sense, it would also weaken the APNU because these two parties have coalesced and formed the central Government. As such, a result of this would mean that the AFC would
be weakened,” he stated. Guyana Times was told that a strategic move by the APNU/AFC Government, if they should contest the Local Government Election independently, would be for them to have all ‘civic persons’ from the local areas to participate. “If this is done and the civic persons take part, then a loss on the part of the AFC in some areas, if they do occur, would not be so obvious. If they lose in areas where they are supposed to win, people won’t see it as the AFC losing. What the public would see is that the civic persons who contested lost and, of course, these civic persons can be members of the AFC or APNU and it would not reflect as if it were either party losing,” Dr Jeffrey elaborated. AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan had predicted that if the party moves into the election on its own, it would become “dead meat”. He explained that the party’s support among the East Indian Berbician would desert them en masses. A Local Government Election would test this theory and with the present disillusionment with the direction the coalition has taken most observers say Ramjattan’s prediction will come to fruition.
monday, august 17, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com
Aman is now in custody assisting Police with their investigation into a robbery committed on a West Berbice fisherman on Sunday morning. Reports are that Police made the arrest after responding to a report of a robbery and confronted a group of men along the Number Two Village Public Road who opened fire upon them. The ranks returned fire and were able to arrest one man.
Earlier, three men, two armed with cutlasses and one with a gun, went into the home of Abdool Kadir at Number Two Village, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and robbed he, his wife and two daughters of a quantity of jewellery. In the process, the bandits chopped Kadir and his wife.
According to a release from the Police, about 03:45h on Sunday , the men entered the home of Kadir, 47, and his wife Neeranie Kadir, 46, as they were preparing to go to the market, and held them up.
Speaking with this publication after the incident, the fisherman said about 03:00h his wife woke up and they began preparing for their regular 03:30h departure from home. He explained that he and his wife would normally sleep on
a bed which is under the house. “The door to get inside is locked with a key, but when she go inside she didn’t lock it because she know that I would come in just now,” Kadir explained.
He said shortly after his wife went inside, he saw three men coming into his yard and immediately raised an alarm. “One run and come straight to me and the other two go straight in the house.” All three of the intruders were masked.
“The one come straight to me and he start fo fire chop. He fire good chop, but all ain’t catch me, because me bar.” According to the fisherman, he was able to put up a strong fight until he was overpowered. “I hollering fo thief an all he doing is saying ‘shoooo’, He ain’t sounding he voice. He get to lash me in ma head and plenty blood start pour down and then I get ‘bassidy’.”
A piece of a bed sheet was ripped and used to tie Kadir’s feet.
“After he tie me up, he run inside and I loose myself out and jump over the fence an run over to me neighbour fo help.”
Meanwhile, inside the house, one of the men took control of Neeranie and the other put her daughter to sit. According to the other daughter Alissa, she was
in the upper flat sleeping when she was awakened by shouts from her father.
“When I run downstairs, my sister was already downstairs and one of them had my mother brace up at the wall and the other one put we to sit down and ask for the gold. He take my mother to the bed and get she to tumble up she bag looking for money,” she explained.
The men took Neeranie’s wedding band, two pairs of gold bangles and a gold chain from each of her daughters.
Alissa said the men were unable to get any money. “They wanted to go upstairs, but it was dark and they tell me to carry them upstairs and the same time the one loose Mummy and come, and she run outside.” With that, the trio aborted the upstairs mission and bolted behind the fleeing
hole they had cut in the fence.
“It has to be people who live around here and who would be by the fish port and see me doing business and paying workers on weekends.”
During the ordeal, which lasted about 10 minutes, several threats were made to fatally injure a family member if demands for jewellery and cash were not met.
Kadir was treated at the Fort Wellington Hospital for several chops to his head, hand and stomach along with other injuries and sent away. Neeranie Kadir has been admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital. Police are continuing their investigation.
Recently, armed bandits have been able to elude local Police efforts to counter crime along the
46-year-old. She was caught a few feet into the yard and dragged by the hair towards the gate before being chopped several times. She received chops to both wrists, feet and the back of her thigh.
In the meantime, the two teenage daughters left the house to assist their helpless mother but were greeted with a gunshot fired in their direction. Two other shots were fired in the air before the men walked out of the yard and into a vacant plot of land and escaped into a rice field.
According to Kadir, the persons who entered his home were aware that he slept outside. He also noted that despite the lights being off, one of the men was able to manoeuvre in the dark to find him without hitting into anything. The men entered the yard through a
Corentyne and in Berbice. Most shockingly, eight heavily armed men sawed a hole in a wall to gain access to the home where Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan was born and raised in Number 48 Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).
Just last week, a unit of the Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) had been sent to the area to support the Division in its policing strategy. According to a source close to the Police, the Unit was placed in Berbice to assist with the high number of armed robberies in the county which have been making headlines over the past six weeks. The source noted that the Corentyne and New Amsterdam were two areas that criminals have been targeting.
rime Minister and First Vice-President (PMVP) Moses Nagamootoo is filling some big shoes. His direct predecessor with these titles was Hugh Desmond Hoyte in 1984. The following year, the founder-leader Burnham passed on to the great beyond and voila! Hoyte became President! This Eyewitness hopes this report doesn't give Nagamootoo ideas! After all, Hoyte went on to rig the 1985 election to give himself a larger majority than even Burnham dared!
Anyhow, after losing the substantive portfolio he was promised under the Cummingsburg Accord (Governance), Nagamootoo's been assigned to do what he does best - precipitating Climate Change through issuing copious quantities of hot air! Last week he was sent off to mamaguy private cane farmers. Why? Well, the coalition had to fulfil at least ONE promise from their 100 day list, no? So what if Nagamootoo had nothing to say? Stretching the truth is something Nagamootoo's quite practiced at.
So he told the sparsely attended Convention Centre at Liliendal (right in front of his home) that everything's gonna be all right with sugar!!! Can you believe it? These weren't cane farmers who sell their product to the canejuice vendors...these fellas have to sell their cane to the nearest Guysuco sugar factory. And they get paid from a formula based on Guysuco's selling prices. Now even if Nagamootoo didn't have the faintest clue, we know what we're getting for our sugar nowadays, don't we?
So private cane farmers will basically be getting what Nagamootoo was given before, during and after the elections campaign- Larwah! But hey!! A mouth is muzzled by the hand that feeds it - OK? And Nagamootoo, being paid quite a bundle - obviously has to receive commensurate and consign muzzling.
But this raises the corollary to the question - if a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, did it make a sound? In Nagamootoo's case, knowing his predilection for taking the low, well-traveled road - if he tells a fib for money, but would've told the fib anyway, we know he wasn't muzzled. But did he sell his soul?
Anyhow, starting today in the National Assembly, Nagamootoo will continue to earn his keep as he faces his old comrades (not a term of endearment!) in the National Assembly. He'll be in his element, since he won't be asked to DO anything - just UTTER meaningless words and work himself into a lather.
But hold it! Your Eyewitness just had a thought! Will Nagamootoo be allowed to keep his portfolio as Chief Government Spokesperson in the Assembly? Or will this also be stripped and given to say, Harmon?
What's a "kept" poodle to do?
On show in the National Assembly, will be Nagamootoo's erstwhile leader (whom he now outranks by miles!) Khemraj Ramjattan. Out in Berbice, from where these two worthies hail, if someone can predict the future, he's said to have "black tongue". And based on how things have worked out since the elections if there's one fella who has "black tongue”, it's Ramjattan, supposedly the Minister of National Security.
When Granger started sparking with Nagamootoo to have them hitch up, the latter told the former that with him, marriage was "a joining of families". To snag him APNU would have to take on the entire AFC. Ramjattan colourfully retorted, "over my dead body". He predicted his party would become "dead meat".
Anyhow, Granger made an offer which Ramjattan couldn't refuse (ahhh... the lure of duty free Land Cruisers!!) and the deal was done. But as he'd predicted, so said, so done! After the explosion in crime, the abandonment of rice farmers, the imminent privatisation of sugar and the neutering of Ngamootoo and Ramjattan, the AFC'S DEAD MEAT!
And stinks to high heaven!
What gives with GPL? With all the leaks to the Muckraker BEFORE the elections, your Eyewitness thought the hierarchy was in bed with the Opposition.
Another betrayal and rape?
By Kristen MacKlingaM
In light of the A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government’s decision in relieving Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), Bharat Dindyal, of his duties without proper notice or dialogue, concerns continue to grow as to whether this was truly a political move or an act of ‘ethnic cleansing’.
Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, in his blog, “The Conversation Tree” on Saturday, stated that the manner of the dismissal of Dindyal, who is one of the best and most dedicated managers in the State system, will send “shivers down the spines” of the ethnically sensitive.
“In justifying his (Dindyal’s) dismissal, a nottoo-subtle attempt was made to portray his continued employment without a written contract, even though he was continuing on the job only until a replacement could be found, as some sort of sinister plot. The incidents that led to the dismissal were reported ... [another section of the media] yesterday (Friday). If the report is true, then Dindyal resisted gross and continued insubordination from his Deputy, which was supported by the Minister,” said Ramkarran.
He went on to say that the display of rage by Dindyal was not “what did him in”.
“His dismissal was prompted by his resistance to the insubordination and the exposure of the political involvement. He has stood up and resisted in times past in different circumstances. This political culture in much of the Third World that infects our political system as well, embraces the type of gross political interference and insubordination which Dindyal perceived and which he protested,” the former Speaker of the House explained.
He emphasised that political interference crushed all those in its path who attempted to resist. Dindyal was notified on Friday that his engagement with GPL was concluded with effect on the said day at 16:00h.
“Dindyal is the first known victim since the elections and will not be the last unless the Government breaks with this culture. The Government should have no doubt in its mind that these acts will all add up to the growing perception by the Indian Guyanese community that discrimination against them will become a part of their lot
under the APNU+AFC coalition. The Government must understand that the rise of such sentiments is not determined by constructive examination of facts and rational conclusions arising there from,” Ramkarran posited.
He added that the rise of these sentiments emerged from perceptions rooted in historical circumstances that were given expression by Guyana’s two-party system which drove and sustained the perceptions.
It was further elaborated that there are growing concerns within the Indian Guyanese community that this administration has embarked on large-scale discrimination against them and this is being fuelled by politically driven accusations by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) using the same emotive language that was used by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) in the 1900s – ‘ethnic cleansing’.
Growing perception
“I do not accept that there is such discrimination, but the growing perception is a negative phenomenon so early in the life of Government. It should not be dismissed, because one such perception takes hold, they are very difficult to overcome. Guyana’s politics are organised for the expression of ethnic sentiments and are driven by ethnic considerations,” Ramkarran noted.
He made reference to the period 1957-1964 when the PPP Government(s) were accused of racism, being a ‘rice’ government and the PNCR era of the 1970s and 1980s when the PNCR Governments were accused of “racial and political discrimination”.
Ramkarran stated that when the PNCR lost the elections in 1992, one dominant theme emanating from its leaders, members and supporters was of discrimination by the PPP/C.
This theme quickly developed into accusations of ‘ethnic cleansing’ and finally settled into ‘marginalisation’
where it remained constant throughout the PPP/C’s terms of office and became an ‘accepted fact’ among African Guyanese, explained the Former Speaker of the National Assembly.
According to Ramkarran’s blog, with the advent of the APNU/AFC Government, many Indian Guyanese have become fearful of discrimination and, in particular, fearful of the loss of promotions or job opportunities, loss of access which is vital for overcoming bureaucratic inertia or manoeuvring around ‘bottlenecks’ in the conduct of business.
“The fear is being generated by the reality of Indians
losing their jobs, notwithstanding that most of those are political appointments and are expected to resign upon a change of government or are public servants who have elected to climb a political platform. While on the ground there is little substance to any charge of discrimination, there have been worrying developments. The negative phenomenon was given impetus when Clairmont Lye and Andaiye, two of the most powerful and respected voices in civil society, who do not go to press lightly, raised the issue by protesting in letters to ... [another section of the media] the ethnically unbal-
anced and the gender deficient state boards which had been announced,” he further stated.
However, to Government’s credit, it swiftly recognised the complaint and undertook to review the appointments.
Also on Sunday, the Indian Action Committee (IAC) expressed its concern over the sudden dismissal of Dindyal and how this move contributes to the growing perception of racial discrimination.
The IAC believes that the manner in which he was made to relinquish his post will precipitate much disquiet among employees of the
State.
Former President Donald Ramotar had already stated that Guyana was beginning to witness ominous signs of racial discrimination and victimisation that do not augur well for the future of the country given the firing of hundreds of individuals since the coalition took office.
He had also noted with concern, the deafening silence of human rights groups, the international community and the religious community in this regard and urged them to come forth and speak out before it was too late.
BY KRISTEN MACKLINGAM
Since the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition came into power, it has been repeatedly chastised by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) for its actions concerning issues such as the dismissal of senior officials in State entities, management of the rice and sugar industries, and also the decisions taken by Government as it relates to the country’s indigenous peoples.
Quite recently, the Administration presented its 2015 Budget estimates in the National Assembly which saw a record breaking budget in Guyana of $221 billion to fund projects and initiatives for a four-month period.
This was met with much criticism by some members of the business community, as well as members of the PPP/C. The Administration was questioned as to why such an exuberant sum was being budgeted for such a short period of time by the APNU/AFC Government.
In fact, PPP/C members condemned the budget while making comparisons to their budgets which the Party had presented when in power and
the APNU/AFC was then the Opposition in Parliament.
During the 2014 Budget presentation under the PPP/C Administration, there was $220 billion budgeted to fund various plans and projects, as well as to run the daily affairs of the country until the next budget was presented.
This money lasted the PPP/C over a year and when the Party left office in May 2015 the sum had not been exhausted.
But under the APNU+AFC Administration, $221 billion, is being presented to run Guyana for a quarter of a year, with huge sums of monies being allocated to State entities, which were once being reprimanded by the coalition when it was in Opposition.
GINA and NCN
When the PPP/C won the election in 2011 and prepared its budget for these entities, it was the APNU/AFC that had the majority seating in the National Assembly. The Opposition had voted against allocations to these very entities.
During the time of the PPP/C Administration, APNU/AFC had slashed the budgeted allocations for the National Communications Network (NCN) and the
Government Information Agency (GINA), reducing the figures to $1 each.
The coalition, at that time, cited that these two entities did not report fairly and that GINA was a ‘propaganda machine’ for the PPP/C hence the cuts in budgeted allocations for these entities. Another argument put forward by the then APNU/AFC Opposition was that NCN could survive with its own revenues.
However, this year, the new Government is proposing to allocate hundreds of millions in subsidies for the two agencies. Under the Office of the President, GINA is slated for an $80.4 million subvention, while under the Office of the Prime Minister, it is listed for a $63.9 million subvention; totalling $144.3 million.
Meanwhile, NCN, under the remit of the Prime Minister in this new dispensation, was given a subsidy of $27.2M under the Office of the Prime Minister and $69.5 million under the Office of the President; reflecting a total of $96.7 million.
This totals $241 million in subsidies. However in 2014, NCN was budgeted for a subsidy of $81.7 million which the APNU/AFC voted against this. GINA was also given a $140 million subsidy by the
PPP/C but the APNU/AFC had maintained that they would not support funding for NCN and GINA as they were two ‘propaganda machines’ of the Government.
Due to the slashing of the budgets under the PPP/C Administration, a number of employees were left jobless and experienced difficulties in meeting their financial obligations and maintaining their families, as their source of their income had been cut.
A number of staffers employed at GINA and NCN were forced to resign and seek new jobs elsewhere while some remained working there battling the challenges of delayed payments to their salaries.
Amerindian Development Fund
With regard to the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF) in 2014, the entire $1.1 billion Capital Expenditure for the Amerindian Affairs Ministry was voted down by the APNU/ AFC as they claimed that the money was being grossly misused by the PPP/C Government.
The ADF was implemented in 2013 by the Amerindian Affairs Ministry in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme. It
is expected to benefit some 180 Amerindian communities across the 10 administrative regions of Guyana.
During the consideration for the budget estimates, both APNU/AFC Members of Parliament grilled the then Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai on the use of the monies directed for the project and she desperately tried to justify the spending.
The combined Opposition intensely questioned the $796 million that was directed towards the continuation of the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP) along with funds paid to Community Services Officers (CSOs).
Sukhai disclosed to the National Assembly that large sums of money were injected into the Amerindian communities for various projects. She broke down the $1.1 billion, informing the House of which areas the money was being directed.
APNU Parliamentarian Sydney Allicock, who now holds the portfolio as Amerindian People’s Affairs Minister, had questioned whether any assessment was done to determine the needs of the communities, to which Minister Sukhai had pointed out that this was done at the
National Toshaos Council in October 2013 where some 205 Amerindian leaders discussed their priorities and needs. The Opposition contended that there were no real reasons for the Fund, saying that the House had approved a $500 million vote in December 2013.
Sukhai, for her part, said the ADF in 2014’s Budget had included $796 million for youth and several Amerindian development projects. Sukhai had explained that the $500 million did not capture all the plans for spending the previous year. She said that that sum was directed mainly towards priority projects. Her arguments were to no avail. As a result of that decision, the development of Amerindian communities was slowed tremendously, with a number of persons in the hinterland areas suffering from lack of funds and jobs, education and training opportunities.
With the commencement of budget debates in the National Assembly today, the public is left to wonder if the PPP/C as the Opposition will be allowed to implement changes as they see fit, or if this Government will take into consideration their arguments.
... says youths have an integral role to play in Guyana’s business sector
The Business and Investment Ministry has promised to include youths with entrepreneurial desires in the development of Guyana’s business sector as they move forward.
Business Minister Dominic Gaskin shared that he sees Guyana’s youth and young adults playing an integral role in Guyana’s business sector, with the help of his Ministry. He said his Ministry is seriously looking to encourage entrepreneurship among young people in Guyana.
Minister Gaskin added that he believes that Guyana’s youth possess the ideas and the energy to reinvent Guyana’s business sector and in the past, that energy and innovativeness that they possessed was not allowed to develop.
The Minister mentioned that though entrepreneurship is not for everyone, “every society has its share of risk takers and we need to ensure that the business environment that exists can accommodate our young risk takers with ideas and access to finance and the ability to bring their ideas to life”. He added that entrepreneurship; “especially certain types of risky entrepreneurship” are not always financed by the banking sector. He shared that Guyana’s budding entrepreneurs must be taught how to sell their ideas to investors, and convince these
investors that their ideas might be strange and outside of the box, but worth their provisions. Gaskin stated that in the long-term, he would like the Government and his Ministry to be committed towards ensuring that the youths of today have a major role to play in the development of Guyana’s business sector. He added that he hopes Government and his Ministry will be able to greatly assist these aspiring individuals to build their businesses, by not just showing them how to make a profit, but how to manage and grow their business and adding to the development of Guyana.
He added that though the youths are Guyana’s future, they still have a lot of learning
to do and persons should be dedicated to helping them focus and further developing their skills. The Business Minister had explained that officially, his Ministry will “come into existence” from September 1, at least from a budgetary point of view. This is because the estimates presented by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh in the National Assembly in 2014 catered for the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry from January 1, 2015 to August 31, 2015.
As of September 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015, there are separate budgetary allocations for the Ministries of Business and Tourism. He also stated that for the remainder of the year, his Ministry’s focus is on capacity building so as to accommodate youths in Guyana’s business sector along with other initiatives that will be in their five-year strategic plan when it is released in several weeks. This announcement comes after the Government terminated 1972 Community Support Officers (CSOs) under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP) which employed young people to provide technical support to their communities in the Hinterland. CSOs were paid a stipend of $30,000 monthly although some have not received payments since the month of April.
Once again, our children showed improved CXC results. Congratulations to all the successful students and particularly those students that top the country and to the schools that continue to improve on their performances. After the abysmal CXC results of the late 1970s and the 1980s when Guyana ranked last in Caricom, Guyana's CXC results have improved every year since the mid1990s.
Importantly, the performances by Guyana's top students, with several students gaining 20 and 19 grade ones and coming from various schools and regions, appear to set the stage for Guyanese students to gain the spotlight in Caricom, dominating the CXC awards for more than a decade now.
This year’s results sustained a high level of performance which was nurtured by the PPP/C Government. Yet, there is vast improvement to be met in the education. But under a PPP/C Government, Guyana's education system has been strengthened and im-
proved in measureable ways, year after year.
Soon after the May 11 2015 elections, the new Education Minister clumsily announced that the new Government inherited a broken education system from the previous Government. Dr Roopnarine who should have known better, succumbed to the pressure from his colleagues to denounce the PPP/C, claiming it left the education system in a state of collapse.
This was in spite of the evidence of improved performances, including annual improvement in CXC English and Math results. In addition, under the PPP/C, universal access to primary education was solidified and Guyana is one of the few developing countries that was providing secondary education at almost universal access level. Access to nursery education in Guyana exceeded 75% and was among the highest in the Caribbean and Latin America.
After the CXC results were announced Dr. Roopnarine wisely con-
ceded that CXC results this year showed continued improvement evident throughout the PPP/C leadership. What Dr Roopnarine inherited is a robust system which was broken when the PPP/C took office in 1992. Now the Government has to acknowledge and build on this. It’s been given a good wicket to bat on; it must not squander the opportunity to provide our children with an even better education.
With the CXC results, the coalition has been forced to concede that the PPP/C made Guyana better. The 2015 budget has confirmed that the PPP/C created a strong economy. Growth in 2014 was almost 4%, meaning that Guyana had nine straight years of economic growth, in direct contradiction that the PPP/C mismanaged the economy of Guyana. In fact, the almost decade long successive growth record is one that no other country in Caricom has achieved. The downturn in 2015 has more to do with the APNU/AFC than with anything else.
The APNU/AFC since before the elections has done much to discourage investors without whom Guyana cannot develop. From 1980 to 1992, the average annual foreign direct investment was less than US $2 million but by 2014, it was closing in at about US $1 billion. This year however, foreign investors are timid because they have little confidence in the current Government.
The economy also suffers since the APNU/ AFC has discouraged or terminated a number of big infrastructure projects, such as the Amaila Hydroelectricity project, which will affect the economy. Termination of the fibre optic system will deprive Guyana of an infrastructure much needed to compete in the digital age.
The APNU/AFC argued that the PPP/C was wrong in not reducing VAT and granting a 20 % pay increase. They argued that the PPP/C should’ve had a more robust pension system. The PPP Government spoke of responsible fiscal management and while they wanted to increase
salariesand pensions, and reduce VAT and taxes, they had to ensure that it wouldn’t bankrupt the system.
Salary and wage increases are not overall different from what the PPP had given every year. The increases that the coalition has given is only for the second half of 2015. This means that most workers will receive annual pay increases in monetary terms that are less than they got under the PPP/C. Pensioners have grown accustomed to annual increases in their monthly payments under the PPP/C Government, which would hardly change from what the coalition is proposing.
APNU/AFC claimed they’ve inherited a bankrupt country, yet, the proposed budget amounts to US $221 billion. If the country is broke, where’s the money coming from?
This too is a concession that the PPP/C left the country in a sound financial position, a position that allows the coalition to engage in generous spending. Also, how could the country be bankrupt and
yet the Government talks of $60 billion in private accounts?
These inconsistencies are proof that the APNU/ AFC concedes to the success of the PPP/C policies. This is why it is making changes in ministerial remuneration and benefits despite having criticized the PPP/C for being too generous in the past.
The actions of the APNU/AFC Government are proof that the PPP/C did an excellent job in managing the country. It is now time for them to engage the PPP/C in a meaningful way to make Guyana even better.
Readers are invited to send their comments by email or Facebook to times. notebook@gmail.com.
monday, august 17, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com
BY KRISTEN MACKLINGAM
The rice industry is looking at a bleak future with the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government’s actions since it came into power and this is even more evident from its 2015 budgetary allocations to the sector.
This is according to former Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, who on Saturday told Guyana Times that it either the Government is going to deliberately destroy the rice industry or it has no idea on how to sustain this important industry.
Dr Ramsammy explained that the contract with Venezuela for 2015 calls for the supply of almost 200,000 tonnes of paddy and rice worth G$23 billion and this sum is the money that Venezuela has to pay for paddy and rice to millers who procure paddy from farmers across Guyana.
The former Agriculture Minister emphasised that the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) coordinates this arrangement, and the reason Guyana’s Government is engaged in the transaction is because the Government, through the Guyana Energy Agency, owe Venezuela money for oil.
“This is a paper transaction – instead of Guyana sending US dollars to Venezuela to pay for oil, Guyana transfers the money to millers and farmers to pay for rice that Venezuela buys. This was part of the PetroCaribe arrangement. Therefore, it is not money that the Guyana Government provides to the rice industry; it is money that the rice industry earns for itself,” the former Agriculture Minister explained.
Dr Ramsammy further stressed on the fact that Guyana produces a product (in this case rice) and sells it and that the truth of the matter is that in actuality, no money has been budgeted by the APNU/AFC Government for the rice industry.
It was pointed out that there were no subsidies or support for rice research, none for farmers or the facilitation of millers, fertilisers, dams, roads, the GRDB or the Rice Producers Association (RPA) in the 2015 budget estimates.
The former Minister noted that not one dollar from the 2015 expenditure is intended for rice, which he says is a fact. “The truth is
even worse. Since Venezuela is not presently procuring rice from Guyana, most of the $23 billion will never be transferred from the oil money to pay for paddy and rice,” he said.
With this in mind, Dr Ramsammy added that “local rice farmers and other stakeholders need to reject the irresponsible behaviour of the coalition Administration towards the rice industry because it is a major contributor to the economy, job availability and wealth creation,” Dr Ramsammy went on to say.
“According to the Finance Minister, APNU/AFC will finance the industry with $23 billion and this in fact, is misinformation. The $23 billion is for procurement of rice and paddies from millers and farmers to supply the Venezuelan market. The contract with Venezuela for 2015 calls for the supply of almost 200,000 tons of paddy and rice worth $23 billion and this is money that Venezuela has to pay for paddy and rice to millers who procure paddy from farmers across Guyana... It is the GRDB that coordinates this arrangement,” he added.
Before demitting office, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had set in motion the process to pay off millers for rice supplied. The former Administration had already made available almost US$16 million to ensure early payment to farmers, by pre-paying for some of the paddy farmers were selling.
“APNU/AFC has delayed additional payments and only grudgingly released what they owed the millers and farmers. As far as I know, that sum has reached US$40 billion). It is likely that this is all that would be utilised out of the $23 billion,” Dr Ramsammy continued to explain.
He posited that in 2014, farmers received all their monies by the end of the rice crop as he compared the end
As Government continues to explore avenues to make the country’s sugar industry more sustainable, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder is encouraging persons to invest in the sector, noting that there are lands available for sugar cane farming.
of this year’s first crop which ended a long time ago.
Markets in jeopardy
“Some farmers have still not received their payments from the first crop because of the Government’s delay of payments. The second crop harvesting is about to begin. Guyana has lost the Venezuelan market and has only supplied about 35 per cent of the contracted amount.”
Unless new markets are found, farmers will be stuck with a large amount of paddy and will be forced to sell at a lower price. “I am not certain what has happened to smaller markets like those in Belize, Nicaragua and Guatemala but the 2015 Budget presentation by the Minister completely ignored these facts. How can the Minister not address these very significant realities, realities that threaten the rice industry and the whole economy of Guyana?
Indeed, the new Minister of Agriculture has been very outspoken and honest in declaring that the policy being pursued by APNU/AFC is that the Government has nothing to do with finding markets and the 2015 Budget has confirmed this policy,” Dr Ramsammy said.
He maintains that there is no money allocated to support the development of new rice markets, or for that matter, consolidating existing markets and this a certain way to kill the rice industry.
Meanwhile, General Secretary of the RPA Dharamkumar Seeraj, in an interview via telephone with Guyana Times on Sunday stated that the present Administration will have to clarify this issue.
“The Minister has to clarify this whether the money is actually coming from Government and budgeted or if it is coming from the sale agreement with Venezuela. I thought it was new money. However if the money is coming from the deal with Venezuela it definitely should not be included in the Government’s budget,” Seeraj added.
The Minister was at the time addressing a gathering of stakeholders at the first National Cane Farming Conference on Friday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. Holder encouraged investors to come forward and have discussions on the viable economic opportunities available in the cane farming business. He outlined that there are lands available that have been abandoned by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) that they can have access to.
The Agriculture Minister assured that Government is prepared to look at the remission of duty, duty-free and concessions for machinery. “There are many measures this Government is supporting to encourage the operation of cane farming as a viable business opportunity,” he noted.
On this note, Holder expressed concerns over the abandonment of private cane farms. He disclosed that to date, some 1814 hectares of farm lands have been abandoned for varying reasons. “I would like to implore the farmers to let us work with the National Cane Farmers Committee [NCFC] to rebuild your land and reclaim the sugar industry,” he stated.
Financial assistance available
Moreover, the Minister said he is pleased to note that the NCFC has financial assistance in the form of a revolving fund, whereby small farmers benefit from small loans at zero interest for farm rehabilitation works. He pointed out that many farmers, mostly from the county of Demerara, have benefited from this initiative and will continue to do so. However, he noted that there is a $200,000 restriction on each farmer, which works out at $50,000 per acres for four acres.
“I am confident that with a review of this fund, the Cane Farming Committee can use this as a mechanism to bring more acreage under cultivation and more entrants into the industry,” he stated.
According to the Minister,
with sugar being an integral player in the country’s economy, it has some 16,539 persons directly employed in the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), which means approximately 66,000 persons are dependent on the sugar industry for their livelihood. Additionally, some 2565 business entities including private cane farmers, among others that do business with the Corporation, are indirectly dependent on its sustainability.
He outlined that private cane farmers accounts for 12.5 per cent of the harvest-
ing area and total sugar cane production, and 11.5 per cent of the total sugar production. Furthermore, there are 2205 persons working directly in the private cane industry, of which 774 are from the Wales Estate, on the West Bank of Demerara, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 695 in Skeldon, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne); 484 in Albion, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne); 121 in La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); and 57 in Rose Hall, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
“GuySuCo and the Government recognise the importance of our private cane farmers and have been involving them at all forums from time to time in the decision-making process for the growth and development of private cane farming in Guyana. Furthermore, the government recognised the challenges facing the industry,” Minister Holder stated. Holder highlighted the importance of developing and maintaining a sustainable Private Sector-led sugar cane industry. He pointed out that policy changes and measures to revitalise, resuscitate and encourage pri-
vate cane farmers must be implemented to engage and stimulate more private cane farmers. The Minister noted that part of GuySuCo’s strategic plan focuses on small private cane farmers engaging in private farming. More so, the Agriculture Minister stated that he does not want to only address obstacles for the advancement of private farmers but also a policy to advocate for them. He pointed out that there must be targeted initiatives that can make it possible to materialise this. The policy would include financing programmes, land preparation agreements, looking at the conditions of among other things.
On the other hand, Holder spoke about the ton cane/ton sugar (tc/ts) ratio for 2015, which he said is projected at 12.43 for the industry, 13.56 for private farmers and 12.29 for the State. “While the estate had better productivity, I would like to believe that it would be a viable proposition to put more sugar cane production in private farms, similar to the rice industry,” he opined.
According to the Agriculture Minister, this arrangement would indirectly address the labour challenges of the Sugar Corporation. He noted that the condition under which the private cane farmers operate will be reviewed such as punt charges, which have been considered exorbitant at estates for a number of years.
Furthermore, he went on to talk about land preparation, stating that while many farmers rely on the estate for land preparation, the timely availability of machinery is usually a constraint, hence resulting in backlogs on both estates and private farms. As a solution to this, Holder suggested machinery pooling. Additionally, the Minister said that access dams will have to be maintained to allow operations to be carried out efficiently. While there is no one specifically for fixing and budgeting for this, he mentioned that the National Cane Farming Committee had petitioned the National Drainage and Irrigation Department (NDIA) for rehabilitation of the drainage and infrastructure at Enmore, LBI and Wales. “Now farmers are able to improve their cane yields in those areas. This partnership will continue with a sugar cane farmer representative on the Board of Directors at NDIA,” he stated.
Amere two months after spending some $12.3 million to carry out repairs to the PattensenLiliendaal Bridge on the East Coast of Demerara, Government was forced to redirect huge trucks from the crossing because of a growing pothole on the said bridge.
Over the last week, a small hole on the bridge which saw a week-long repair effort back in June began expanding, forcing drivers of huge trucks to take alternate routes.
Repairs to the Bridge’s structure were executed by Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), while its surfac-
ing was done by the Public Infrastructure Ministry’s Force Account Unit (FAU).
The estimated cost of the project was $12 million.
The bridge had reopened on June 17.
Workers from the Ministry, assisted by employees from the Demerara Harbour Bridge, have com-
menced extensive repairs to the Bridge on the Railway Embankment.
Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson told Guyana Times on Sunday that the hole has been there for just over a week and that Government would be addressing very soon.
By Kristen MacKlingaM
The A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government continues to come under fire for its firing of close to 2000 young Amerindians who were employed as Community Support Officers (CSOs) across the country by the previous Administration.
This act has been deemed by many as ‘unjustified’ and has sparked the concern of citizens who fear that discrimination is ‘in play’.
In July, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon confirmed the dismissal of 1972 CSOs in the hinterland regions. He posited that it “might have very well been the right thing to do” as their operations were found to be political.
While trying to justify this action, Minister Harmon stated that the programme has been in existence for over five years and was being used by the PPP/C Government for political purposes, hence their sacking was “justified”.
In light of the dismissal of these youths which outraged the PPP/C, the Party explained in a press briefing that the almost 2000 youths were engaged in support services to the Village Councils and in particular the social services, education and health sectors in various Amerindian communities and their respective regions.
They each received a monthly stipend of $30,000 which amounted to some $60 million per month and were paid by the then Amerindian Affairs Ministry.
“The Granger-led Administration has cut loose and thrown onto the breadline some 1972 Community Support Officers. They were branded political activists by Government, carrying out support services to the Village Councils particularly in the social services sector in various Amerindian communities…. The CSOs have since been left out since Granger became President,” the PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee had told reporters.
He added that the APNU/AFC Government was “oblivious” about the hurt and pain it has caused those individuals and “obviously don’t care”.
The CSOs were recruited from the villages based on consultation with Village Captains and Councils.
Meanwhile, former President and incoming Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo says that his Party fully supports the legal action filed by The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (TAAMOG), on behalf of the 1972 young Guyanese of Amerindian descent.
He deemed the decision by the new Government as the “largest single act of ethnic discrimination in the history of post-independent Guyana”, adding that “there
may have few precedents of similar nature around the world”.
According to Jagdeo, the persons fired amount to almost three per cent of the population of indigenous people living in Guyana.
“Apart from the devastating impact that this discriminatory action will have on these individuals and
the Government on the grounds that the CSOs were unlawfully dismissed.
Before the large-scale dismissal, Indigenous People’s Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock had announced that Government was moving to revisit the CSO programme.
The Minister was at the time visiting the Orealla/
Ministry across the country.
Capacity building and training workshops were hosted for those CSOs selected by the Village Councils in areas such as business, agriculture, governance, social welfare issues, communication and infrastructure.
The intention of the Ministry was to provide
their families, it removes from the Amerindian village economy at least $270 million per annum.”
The former President said this act violated all international practices, norms and laws relating to indigenous people. “We call on the APNU Government to immediately reverse this grave injustice perpetuated on our Amerindian brothers and sisters.”
TAAMOG President Peter Persaud had filed a $10 million lawsuit against
Siparuta region, where he assured residents that the new Government was in place to serve all the people, regardless of their political persuasion.
He said the Indigenous People’s Affairs Ministry was in the process of developing a strategy to ensure that the indigenous population, particularly youth, women and children fulfil their potential.
CSOs fell under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP) launched in 2013 by the Amerindian Affairs
– following allocation of $23.2B
Much is expected by the public with regard to the health system in Guyana following Government’s proposed allocation of $23.2 billion to the health sector in the 2015 National Budget.
With 10.5 per cent of the entire budget being allocated to health, Finance Minister Winston Jordan in his 2015 Budget presentation, stated that a lifecycle approach to address the health of persons living in Guyana would guide the Administration’s strategic and programmatic focus in the sector.
He posited that in order for citizens to achieve and maintain a good life, the public health infrastructure and delivery systems would be remodelled to focus on the prevention of illness and promotion of wellness for all.
As such, significant investments have to be made in order to ensure the successful implementation of Government’s Health Vision 2020 with emphasis being placed on reducing health inequalities and expanding the provision of primary health care.
According to the administration, focus will also be placed on arresting Non-Communicable
Diseases (NCDs), eliminating maternal and infant mortality, and providing universal health coverage.
It must be noted that this was also the aim of the previous Administration, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) when $21.5 billion was budgeted to ensure that health services continue to be accessible, affordable, acceptable, appropriate and timely.
The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government, through the Finance Minister, noted that presently there was a shortage of specialists in the local healthcare system. In the budget presentation, Jordan assured that there would be a three-fold plan to address this deficiency.
Firstly, there would be the expansion of post-graduate programmes locally; secondly specialist training abroad would have to be sourced and thirdly, specialist skills would be imported to build local capacity.
It was reported that the Presidential Commission on the Prevention and Control of NCDs would be “reinvigorated”, with a revised Terms of Reference and
newly-appointed Commissioners. They will be expected to advance the national focus on addressing NCDs, in a more comprehensive and equitable manner country wide.
There has been $81.2 million budgeted for the execution of the STEP-wise Approach to Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance (STEPS), which will collect, analyse and disseminate data relating to chronic disease risk factors, so that a more evidence-based approach can be adopted, according to Minister Jordan.
He noted that far too many Guyanese have viewed suicide as an option, and posited that under the 2015 Budget, the Public Health Ministry, together with the Education and Social Protection Ministries, will collaborate and work with families, in determining the causes of suicide.
Solutions are expected to be found to prevent this scourge, the Finance Minister said.
The cost for health care services borne by the elderly was also addressed in the Budget and this has captured the attention of senior citizens who are “waiting to see” what is in store for them.
The YEAP aimed at professionalising young people while promoting personal and educational development and creating employment opportunities, regardless of their political persuasion. The programme also allowed stipends to increase village income while boosting local economy.
Meanwhile, former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, in his weekly blog “Conversation Tree”, recently said, “I cannot say if the employment of 2000 persons was for a political objective as alleged by the Government. It seems unlikely having regard to the large number involved. The Government, which has the responsibility, has provided no information of a credible nature to the public about this large-scale dismissal,” Ramkarran stated.
the support requested by hinterland communities in these areas CSOs would assist the Village Councils and Community Development Officers (CDOs) in developing and enhancing community life while monitoring progress of ongoing projects. Also, in most communities, at least one CSO was attached to the community health centre to provide assistance.
Before the programme was implemented, this support was provided by only 15 CDOs dispatched to the 10 administrative regions.
He noted that the sudden loss of income by the CSOs in the most deprived communities in Guyana has been met with public indifference.
“While I would be prepared to give the Government the benefit of the doubt, it would be conditional on an acceptable explanation for this destructive act with a stroke of the pen and the presentation of a plan for the injection of the same level of resources in the Amerindian communities, which have suffered this devastating loss,” the former Speaker of the House maintained.
The Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) in collaboration with the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) supporters from the community of Industry, on the East Coast of Demerara, hosted their third annual prize given ceremony for five students from the community who would excelled at the 2015National Grade Six Assessment.
The students would have gained places at a top schools in Georgetown, the highest achiever being Pricilla Jalall who will be attending Queens College come September. Accompanying her is Shemar Sookhoo, who gained placement at Bishops’ High School and who is an aspiring Neurosurgeon. The third child honoured is Ganesh Dookie who will be attending St Stanislaus in the coming school term. Katherine Bissoon will be attending Christ Church and the final awardee is Karina Persaud who will be attending Tutorial High School. Speaking to this publication, one of the Executive members of the WPO, who was one of the main organisers for the event, said that this initiative in one that has always been communi-
ty driven. She said that the reason why they would have decided to acknowledge these students is because “We believe that this is a way in which we can encourage them to succeed and excel at school.” The Executive member added that as a community, she believes that it is important that the students know that the community is there to support them in any way possible. She went on to add that the Party would usually acknowledge persons for all of their great achievements, and as such, she is convinced that the students performed credibly. Also speaking at the event was PPP/Civic parliamentarian Clive Jagan who wished the five students all the best at high school as he encouraged them to make the best of their education. He encouraged them to pursue their education to the highest level, since there is nothing like too much knowledge. Also present at the event, was former Culture Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony and he his daughter Ashley Anthony, who secured 17 Grade Ones at the recently concluded Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC).
Tens of thousands of people have taken part in protests across Brazil calling for the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff.
Support for Rousseff has fallen to single-digit figures in recent polls.
Many voters have accused her of failing to stamp out corruption and blame her for the economy’s worst slump in 25 years. Marchers took over Copacabana beach in Rio and also demonstrated outside congress in the
capital Brasilia. Many wore the yellow shirts of the Brazilian football team, and sang the national anthem, carrying banners saying “Dilma Out”. Police said about 137,000 people took part, but tens of the thousands of others were also involved in a demonstration in Sao Paulo.
The national day of action is the third major protest against Rousseff and her left-wing Workers’ Part this year. Hundreds of thousands took part in demon-
strations in March and April. “We want things to change and if the people don’t go in the street that’s impossible,” said retired engineer Elino Alves de Moraes, who joined the march in Brasilia. Rousseff is less than a year into her second term as President. There have also been demonstrations in recent months showing support for the embattled leader, with many claiming calls for her impeachment amount to a coup attempt.
(Excerpt from BBC News)
An agreement amounting to US$1.5 million has been signed with China towards purchasing Police vehicles and equipment as well as the training of Policemen and women.
National Security Minister Rayburn Blackmore who made the announcement on Friday at the commissioning of a new Police station and court in Laplaine, said the agreement is one that deepens
ties between both countries.
“I signed on behalf of the Government of Dominica with the Ministry of Defence with the Government of the People’s Republic of China… to the tune of US$1.5 million and it is going to be utilised to procure new vehicles, to train Police Officers, and to invest in equipment for search and rescue.”
He said the agreement is with a view to further developing the friendly and
cooperative relations between the People’s Republic of China and the people of Dominica. This relationship, as you know, was initiated by our own honourable Prime Minister and now my dear friends we can see for ourselves some of the benefits deriving from that great partnership.”
The new Police station is financed through a loan from the Social Security fund. (Excerpt from Antigua Observer)
After several months of negotiations and more than a dozen drafts of a new wage deal, the Jamaican Government has finally reached an agreement with most of the island’s Public Sector trade unions that will see civil servants getting a seven per cent pay hike and increased benefits.
The majority of unions and associations bargaining with the Portia SimpsonMiller Administration under the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) umbrella have signed the
Heads of Agreement for the 2015-2017 period.
Under the new deal, public servants whose salaries include allowances will get an additional J$48,000 (US$410) annually, while those who do not get any allowances, will get an increase of J$68,000 (US$581).
Prime Minister SimpsonMiller said 12 items from the 2012-2015 agreement with the unions were still to be finalised, but she disclosed that the new deal includes increases in benefits, including meal, taxi and subsis-
tence allowances, death benefits and funeral grants, and a J$45 million (US$384,944) fund for tertiary education grants for children of public sector workers.
She said the signing was “a culmination of a process of dialogue, mutual respect, consultation and understanding” and commended the public servants representatives for their patience and understanding of Government’s current economic programme, which did not allow for bigger increases. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)
At least 10 people have been killed and several dozen others wounded in Haiti during violent incidents related to the conduct of Sunday’s legislative elections, described as valid by international observers despite the violence, technical problems and irregularities that tainted the vote.
Five people were killed on Election Day, one was killed on Thursday and
at least four were gunned down during the electoral campaign that led to the Sunday, August 9 ballot, which allowed voters to elect 119 members of the lower chamber and two-thirds of the 30-member senate.
A runoff is set to take place on October 25, at the same time as the first round of a presidential ballot to elect the successor of Haitian President Michel Martelly, whose term ex-
pires on February 7, 2016. Despite a number of irregularities and other serious logistical and technical problems, election and Government authorities as well as international observers from the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the European Union said the ballot was valid because problems encountered could not generally alter the results of the vote.
Two arrested in The Bahamas after posting images of
Police have arrested a man who posted photographs online of a baby with a gun and drugs on his lap, as well as a woman who was seen in pictures carrying a high-powered assault firearm, warning citizens who use social media in this way that they would not be able to hide.
The 20-year-old woman was held on Friday for questioning in relation to firearm possession. Lawmen said her arrest was a result of an investigation launched after several photos were posted on various social media sites.
The detention of a 26-year-old man in connection with the other controversial posts came earlier in the week. The image of an infant with a handgun – cap-
tioned “Daddy buy me a new toy” – and another showing him with a package of what appeared to be marijuana on his lap, had been making the rounds on Facebook and WhatsApp, prompting Police to initiate a search for the person responsible.
The suspect was arrested shortly after 23:00h on Tuesday night. “Police are issuing a stern warning to social media users who break the law that they will be tracked down and be dealt with robustly, according to the law,” a statement from the Royal Bahamas Police Force said. (Caribbean360)
Over 1000 pounds of ganja found in containers from US,
Members of the Narcotics Division along with the Contraband Enforcement Team of Jamaica have seized more than 1000 pounds of ganja at Kingston Wharves Limited, Newport West, Kingston, on Saturday. Reports are that about 09:00h, security personnel were unable to locate a particular container and a search ensued. The narcot-
ics Police were summoned and upon locating the container, it was found to contain six rectangular parcels with ganja totalling approximately 73.8 pounds. The container arrived in the island on Friday, August 7, from the United States of America and was destined for The Netherlands. This led investigators to another container, which had 10 large duffle bags. A
search of the bags revealed 262 parcels of compressed ganja amounting to approximately1022.5 pounds. The container arrived in Jamaica on Sunday, July 26, from China and was scheduled to depart for Suriname. A total of 1096.3 pounds of ganja, with an estimated street value of J$2.7 million was seized. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)
The wreckage of an Indonesian plane carrying 54 people has been found in the remote western Papua region, officials say.
The Trigana Air flight lost contact with ground control at 14:55 local time (05:55 GMT) on Sunday as it flew from the capital Jayapura to the town of Oksibil.
Indonesia’s Transport Minister said the aircraft had been found in the Bintang highlands region, not far from its intended landing site at Oksibil airport.
It is not yet known if anyone survived.
The wreckage was discovered by villagers, who then alerted officials.
“Residents provided information that the aircraft crashed into Tangok mountain,” said the country’s director-general of air transportation, Suprasetyo.
The ATR42-300 twin turboprop plane was carrying 44 adult passengers, five children and infants, and five crew.
It took off from Sentani airport in Jayapura at 14:21, but lost contact with air traffic controllers half an hour later.
An official search was suspended due to poor light.
Oksibil, which is about 280 kilometres (175 miles) south of Jayapura, is a remote, mountainous region, which is extremely difficult to navigate.
Bad weather is believed to have been a possible reason for the crash.
A second plane, which had been sent to look for the missing one, was forced to turn back because of danger-
ous flying conditions.
Trigana Air has had 14 serious incidents since it began operations in 1991, losing 10 aircraft in the process, according to the Aviation Safety Network.
It has been on a European Union blacklist of banned carriers since 2007. All but four of Indonesia’s certified airlines are on the list.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in the United Arab Emirates for a two-day visit during which he will deliver a speech to thousands of Indian expatriates, tour a mosque in a symbolic gesture of outreach to Muslims and discuss with rulers how to improve already strong trade links.
Modi, who has come under fire for his party’s affiliation to hardline Hindu groups, will kick off his twoday visit with a tour of Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
The first Indian Premier to visit the country in 34 years, Modi will today meet with Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashied Al Maktoum.
He will also speak at the Dubai Cricket Stadium,
Trade between the two reached US$60 billion last year
where more than 52,000 people have registered to attend, according to the Gulf News.
In an interview published in the local newspaper on Sunday, Modi acknowledged that “there is a mini-India in the UAE”.
The UAE, a federation of seven emirates, is home to about 2.6 million Indian expatriates who comprise a third of the total popula-
tion and outnumber the local Emirati population.
Annual Indian remittances from the UAE are estimated at US$14 billion.
Modi said India was the UAE’s second-largest trading partner and the UAE was India’s third largest trading partner behind the US and China. Trade between the two reached US$60 billion last year. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
South Sudanese
President Salva Kiir has arrived in Addis Ababa for peace talks aimed at brokering an end to the country’s civil war, reversing an earlier decision as international threats of possible sanctions mount.
South Sudan’s Government and rebels are under intense diplomatic pressure to sign a deal by Monday to end a 20-month civil war in which tens of thousands of people have
been killed.
Kiir previously said he would send his deputy to the talks in Ethiopia’s capital after complaining it was not possible to strike an effective deal because rebel forces has split into factions.
Earlier this week, two South Sudan rebel generals said they had split with former Vice President Riek Machar, rejecting his plans to join Kiir in a transitional government.
Elia Lomuro, South
Sudan’s Cabinet Affairs Minister, said that Kiir would join the talks, but it would not be possible to sign a full peace deal until all Opposition factions could join the agreement.
“Riek Machar has already been ousted and disowned by his own army and politicians,” Lomuro said.
“If we are to sign peace then we have to sign a peace with all the factions and all the groups that are fighting.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
At least 82 people have been killed in a string of Syrian Government air strikes on a marketplace in Douma, a rebel-held town near Damascus, activists said.
At least 200 people were injured, most of them civilians, with the death toll likely to rise as many of the wounded were in a serious condition, the UKbased Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday.
The civil defence in Douma put the death toll at 100.
Firas Abdullah, a local photographer in Douma, told Al Jazeera that this was the main market in the town.
“The market has always crowded with people buying and selling to make a living,” he said.
The attack on the market is the second in a week.
On Wednesday, air strikes on the area left at least 27 people killed, Abdullah said.
Abdel Rahman said locals had gathered at the site after the first strike to help evacuate the wounded when more raids hit.
“The preliminary information suggests most of the dead are civilians,” he said.
A video posted online by activists of the aftermath of the attacks showed an intersection strewn with rubble and twisted metal.
The fronts of several buildings nearby appeared to have been sheared off by the force of the blasts, and several vehicles were overturned and crumpled amid the rubble.
The civil defence posted the following video it said was from the aftermath of the attack. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Scores of Chinese firefighters are still missing following the massive explosions that hit an industrial area in Tianjin, officials have said.
At an official press conference on Sunday, authorities announced that the death toll had risen to 112, but added that 95 people had been confirmed missing – including 85 firefighters.
Al Jazeera’s Adrian Brown, reporting from Tianjin, a port city in the country’s northeast, said it was now possible that the death toll will climb past 200, “making it one of China’s worst industrial accidents”.
Authorities evacuated residents living near the industrial site on Saturday as fears spread that toxic substances were spreading.
Brown said that officials have still not been able to identify the cause of the explosion, but the disaster is
believed to have started at a warehouse of shipping containers with hazardous materials.
“What the people in this city want is reliable information,” he said.
Officials have listed a litany of chemicals that may have been at the hazardous goods storage facility when the explosions happened, but have been unable to say
precisely which ones were present.
Potassium nitrate and ammonium nitrate are believed to have been there. Chinese reports said 700 tonnes of sodium cyanide were at the site, and officials called in experts from producers of the material to help handle it. Hydrogen peroxide, which neutralises it, has been used. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
An Iraqi parliamentary panel has called for former Prime Minister Nouri Maliki to face trial over the fall of the northern city of Mosul to Islamic State.
More than 30 other officials including former Mosul Governor Athil al-Nujaifi were also blamed in the report.
The militants seized Mosul in a sweep across north and west Iraq last year.
Maliki, a Shia, is seen as
having fanned sectarian tensions, leading to a growth of discontent in those mainly Sunni Arab areas captured by IS.
Hours earlier, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi cleared the way for a court martial of military commanders who abandoned their posts as another city, Ramadi, fell to IS in May this year.
Iraqis have staged regular protests in recent weeks against corruption and incompetence triggered by power shortages during a heatwave.
The report on Mosul was approved by 16 of the parliamentary committee’s 24 members, and will be submitted to a vote by the whole chamber on Monday, MPs said. (Excerpt from BBC News)
The moves come as the current Government launches a major campaign to combat corruption and mismanagement. Abadi unveiled the seven-point plan a week ago.
Come Alive Network Inc (CANI) is a local non-governmental and not-for-profit organisation that focuses on promoting youth and community development by using applied global perspectives to effectively contribute to our society. The group’s intention is to teach young people about self-value and their roles in society.
In 2014, the group hosted their first “Just Youth It” Conference (JYIC) and it was a huge success. This year, the organisation lived up to the expectations and certainly did not fall short of delivering the most inspirational youth programme for the year. Some of the young participants told Guyana Times that the experience was amazing and they are eagerly waiting the third edition of JYIC in 2016.
Ebony Spooner, a youth participant had this to say: “Attending the JYIC was a very edifying experience. The speakers did a fantastic job bringing forth their different expertise and was informative in showing that it doesn’t matter where one comes from or who they are, but what matters is how much the person wants to accomplish his or her goals. Also, the workshop “Women Empowerment” was very uplifting and motivating. In sum, it was a great pleasure of mine, that I got the opportunity to attend the JYIC and it is also my intent to share the information that I have obtained from this conference.”
The organisation went above and beyond to seek sponsorship to bring three inspiring young people out of Trinidad and California, USA, to accompany a local panel of youths. One of the speakers was 18-year-
old Marc Boneo who is the United Nations Youth Representative for the Caribbean and Youth Ambassador for Trinidad. Boneo also runs a successful hydroponics project and he is a farmer and entrepreneur. Accompanying him was Teokah Dove, who recently received the Queen’s Young Leaders Award from Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on behalf of Trinidad and Tobago. Dove is an activist, volunteer, lecturer and entrepreneur, and holds quite a few degrees. She spoke to the young people present about their role in governance and how they can become more involved in the entire process. The third speaker was Caiphus Moore who is an American artist who originated from Trinidad as well. Moore currently resides in Oakland, California, advancing his career as a professional artistic creating artwork for the video game industry. He currently works as a Senior Artist for Electronic Arts (EA), creating a variety of mediums; from traditional canvas to 3D sculpting. His role at JYIC was to speak to young persons about the endless possibilities in the animation industry and he also encouraged young people to follow their dreams and work hard behind it. Accompanying the international team was Guyana’s very own Tatiana Woodroofe, Gabriella Xavier and Rawle Toney. They were also accompanied by many young inspirational persons who are members of Come Alive Network; one of those persons was Shontay Noel (one of the top CAPE performers for 2015).
The youth driven programme will be host-
Asenior official of the Barbadosbased Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has warned the Region against measuring the annual results of the examination body simply in Grade Ones or Twos.
Speaking at the official release of the May-June 2015 Examinations results, CXC Registrar Glenroy Cumberbatch said there is a purpose to education and as a result, the Region must examine how the CXC subjects can contribute to building better societies.
“Despite the achievements we’ve had in the Region, crime and violence still seem to dominate and also we had very high unemployment among youth,” Cumberbatch said, noting that in some instances unemployment rates were as high as 50 per cent depending on the country, with especially high figures around females.
ed by Tiffani Bonner, who is the 2013 Miss Guyana Talented Teen and Malcolm Wills from the organisation. The initiative is supported by the Caribbean Community and the US Embassy here in Georgetown and is being sponsored by Courts Guyana Inc, Suriname Airways, Liat, Herdmanston Lodge, and the Hughes, Fields and Stoby Law Firm.
The well attended event saw young people from all walks of life and from various parts of the country occupying one space and being inspired. Other non-governmental organisation’s also sent participants to the event; some of which were Caribbean Youth Environment Network, Youth Advocacy Movement, Youth Action Network, SASOD, The Bishops’ High School’s Arts and Interact Clubs, and other young people.
As it relates to the impact the conference had on young people, Dueva Lewis said that “From my perspective, the JYIC 2015 experience was life changing and also opened my eyes to new possibilities in life. There were speeches from animation to entrepreneurship to youth empowerment that I found very influential. Personally, it inspired me to write my first life based poem which helped me let go of the negativities that were placed upon me. I attended the first JYIC which was last year and I must say that it only gets bigger and better by the year. I believe it’s a great initiative for the youths in our society and I urge them to come out next year and witness a stupendous experience that will last a lifetime.”
the same females,” he said.
Barbados Education Minister Ronald Jones noted that in the Region, the CXC had proven to be a worthwhile catalyst for the improvement of the Region’s educational standards.
“CXC is on the cutting edge. It is one of the outstanding examination bodies in the world,” he told the ceremony, noting that there was “need to get more students doing our exams in the Region.
apparent decline in interest in subjects such as Human and Social Biology.
He said to change the current trends, both students and teachers must work together and continue to strive for success.
Meanwhile, the Senior Assistant CXC Registrar, Noel Stennett said that electronic marking, which was first introduced in 2010, will be fully implemented in the coming year.
“In some subjects, we have four times the entries for females, as opposed to males, but towards the end of the process, we still have high unemployment among
“The system is leaking too many of our children; that leaking will cause a flood of further despair,” he said expressing concern with some subject areas, and listed the seeming lack of interest in Social Studies and Caribbean History, and the
“The journey therefore has been won, it has been paced, it’s been reflected, and we’ve had the opportunity to look at the issues and address them, to bring together the various technologies… all in the interest of improving quality,” he said.
(Antigua Observer)
The Regional Executive Officer of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Deolall Rooplall is claiming that the capital development programme for the region has been put on hold temporarily for the year 2015, due to policies and actions of the previous People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Administration. Rooplall stated that this has resulted in the current Government’s developmental programme being stagnated and citizens’ expectations being unfulfilled.
Rooplall, in a press release, stated that approval of the 2015 Budget was delayed, owing to the prorogation of Parliament on November 10, 2014, followed by the dissolution of Parliament on February 28, 2015, and the holding of the General and Regional Elections on May 11, 2015. The budget preparation timetable was then disrupted.
“The new Government was forced to adjust the budget timetable to reflect a new budget cycle that commenced on June 4, 2015. The Ministry of Finance, being conscious of the available time for the execution of large capital projects and the adherence to the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act of 2003, has made a conscious
decision to scale down the capital programme to what can be realistically accomplished within the calendar year. The available time remaining in the calendar year will see the presentation and debating of the National Budget in the National Assembly during the month of August, 2015. The events following the appropriation of funds by the National Assembly will be the preparation of bid documents, advertisement of projects, opening and evaluation of bids, award of contracts, and the execution of projects. This procurement process leaves approximately two months for the execution, monitoring and completion of projects.” the release stated.
According to the release, this obstacle has resulted in the need to make necessary adjustment of the capital programme to complete projects that can realistically be completed within a two-month period, and this programme will see a postponement of all major capital works in Region Four. It was stated that new initiatives and training will not be accomplished. Furthermore, the 1/12 monthly release of funds for the first half of the year is now a ‘holding’ budget which will focus on maintenance of existing buildings, other infrastructure, vehicles and equip-
ment, continuation of ongoing programmes and acquisition of materials needed for routine works in 2015. The release further stated that some of the projects which will not feature in the capital programme for 2015 but will remain relevant in 2016 are: the construction of a multipurpose building at the Regional Democratic Council compound; construction of all weather roads at Bamboo Dam, Mahaica and Middle Walk; construction of roads at Benkay Alley in Lusignan and Martyr’s Ville Main Access; extension of the Beterverwagting Practical Instruction Centre; reconstruction of Golden Grove Secondary, rehabilitation of Bladen Hall Secondary, reconstruction of Peter’s Hall Primary; rehabilitation of Mahaica Primary and Enmore Primary; extension of Kuru Kururu Primary; construction of nursery schools at Grove, Craig, Vryheid’s Lust; extension of Mocha Nursery; extension of Triage and Observation Unit, Intensive Care Unit and Delivery Room at the Diamond Regional Hospital; construction of a health centre at Eccles New Scheme and the construction of a health post at Haruraruni Village.
Guyana’s premier trade show, GuyExpo, normally held every year, will be put off for the year 2015 and held in May 2016, when the Government of Guyana plans for it to be a “grander event” and part of the commemoration of Guyana’s 50th anniversary of independence.
Business and Investment Minister Dominic Gaskin shared that there was a committee in place for the planning of next year’s GuyExpo. They are examining various concepts and making recommendations as they move forward. Gaskin shared that the recommendations that were received, having deferred GuyExpo to next year, are cognisant of the fact that GuyExpo provides an opportunity for many small businesses to sell their goods, and an effort should be made to replace that opportunity.
Gaskin mentioned that the National Exhibition Centre is underutilised, so the Business and Investment Ministry sought to find a way to create something to give small businesses that opportunity this year by hosting a Small Business Exhibition in November 2015.
However, the Business Minister stated that GuyExpo should remain an annual expo with the objective to attract foreign buyers and create linkages between Guyana’s exporting businesses and regional and international markets. He posited, however, that has not been the case for the past several years. “It has not developed that potential and I think the reason for that is that the priority of GuyExpo changed over the last few years and those priorities to me, from just looking at what I have seen on the ground, seems to be just entertain-
ment and getting people to come in to say how many persons attended,” the Minister relayed. He added that the objective of the Ministry is to really satisfy the business development thrust and increasing local exports objective.
“We wanted to give it more of a business focus because that’s what we think that GuyExpo should be all about. It should have a business development focus,” Gaskin stated.
Gaskin shared that his
run successful trade fairs and expos and how they are developed will show how these countries have remained focused in their original objective, which is business development and expansion of the country’s export markets.
Gaskin mentioned that theirs is the level that he would like Guyana’s trade expo to reach and it requires great investment which the Ministry is committing to do.
“We want to make GuyExpo a place where foreign investors and buyers and even ex-
mission for the reinvention of GuyExpo is to introduce local businesses for the export market and exposing them to foreign buyers. He added that these require time and dedication to develop.
He explained that an international trade fair usually commences with one event, and then every year, it is built upon with more exhibitors and more buyers. The event is professionally organised and is not something that can be accomplished without careful planning or long-term objectives.
Additionally, Gaskin stated that looking at countries that
hibitors can come… a place of business where a lot of business activities will take place and connections are made.”
He added that he is striving to place GuyExpo on the annual calendar of regional events so that all Caricom brothers and sisters and the regional business community will know that GuyExpo is an event that happens every year in Guyana and is a good place for them to come and do business and/or make good and useful connections.
“That is what I would like to see GuyExpo develop into,” stated the Business Minister.
monday, august 17, 2015 |
The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) in pursuing their mandate to ensure vulnerable communities become resilient to disasters, conducted training sessions at Orealla and Siparuta earlier this month.
Major Kester Craig, Training and Operations Officer of the CDC, indicated that work is currently ongoing in those communities, with the intention of making them model communities for Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM), the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.
Craig explained that training in community leadership and management is important, as it ensures the requisite knowledge and skills are in place to secure the sustainability of any project, and many community members lack capacity in these areas.
“We are hoping that we can partner with community-based NGOs and the Ministry of Communities. Communitybased training helps to strengthen the Local Government arms at the community levels,” Craig said.
Anita Wilson, Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) Officer and Volunteer Coordinator of the CDC, in an invited comment, said that the programme, which is sponsored by United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), is being implemented by CDC, its Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne)Volunteers and UNICEF in a collaborative effort.
“With the communities having established a committee of persons (one for each community) to lead the process, we are building the capacity of the team for disaster risk management and emergency response,” Wilson explained.
Wilson added that the CERT training is aimed at having a team of persons identified who have the requisite knowledge and skills, and so can respond to emergencies which may occur within the community.
Additionally, the Community Leadership Training was done so as to establish management teams that will be responsible for the implementation of the Disaster Risk Management plans for the communities which are being developed through the project.
“Community leadership was specifically done because a concern was raised by the residents that they have had many committees established. However, persons lack the
leadership skills and qualities to continue the work after agencies pull out. The training was done to mitigate and prevent such an instance in this case,” Wilson said.
Orealla and Siparuta were selected because these communities were highly vulnerable owing to their distance and remoteness from the rest of the regional network.
“We identified the need to build the community’s systems so that they can be better able to manage and respond before regional interventions are required. The CDC will continue to work with the communities and hopes to feature them during this year’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction,” Wilson said.
Shameza David, a CDC Volunteer, facilitated training in Community Leadership –Project Management and Finance.
As the CDC continues to implement its project within the communities, upcoming missions will include the development and vetting of emergency disaster plans and, equipping the established committees with kits which would have the necessary equipment, uniform and other accessories, to be used by committee members.
In 2016, the CDC will be focusing on CBDRM plans in most vulnerable communities in Regions Four, Six and Nine.
“The intensive use of Internet is essential for the region’s economic growth,” said Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, at the recently held Fifth Ministerial Conference on the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean, along with Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs, José Antonio Meade; Mexico’s Coordinator of the National Digital Strategy, Alejandra Lagunes, and the Executive Director of the Agency for e-Government and Information Society in Uruguay (AGESIC), José Clastornik.
With the participation of the officials in charge of the digital strategies for the Region’s 17 countries, along with members of civil society, the private sector and the technical community, the ministerial meeting organised by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and
the Government of Mexico updated the Region’s digital agenda looking towards 2018.
In her opening speech, Alicia Bárcena underlined the particular character of the event, which “celebrates the 10 years of the eLAC process, the digital agenda in the region, which ECLAC has had the honor to accompany as its technical secretariat.”
The United Nations official underscored the need for the Region to integrate the digital revolution through the inclusion of new technologies to the productive structure, considering that “the countries’ capacities to develop the digital economy have a direct impact in their growth,” she said.
According to Bárcena, digital and data revolution represent one of the biggest changes of paradigm at a global level, and both can boost new business models, new public policy tools and new ways of citizen partici-
pation based on the digital economy. Joining Alejandra Lagunes, Alicia Bárcena emphasised that the regional agenda eLAC2018 must be transforming and oriented to the Sustainable Developmen Agenda towards 2030 objectives, which main priorities are: people, planet, prosperity, justice and dignity so “no one is left behind”. This paradigmatic change is key to create more supportive societies which will allow them to go from a culture of privilege to a culture of equality with rights in the region.
On his part, José Clastornik, outgoing President of the Regional Plan of Action for the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean (eLAC), highlighted the three action plans implemented since 2005, which have pointed to the incorporation of information and communications technologies (ICT) as development tools to reduce the gaps in the Region. Clastornik un-
derlined the evolution and continuity of the mechanism and thanked both ECLAC as its technical secretariat and the new presidency, which will go to Mexico.
Alejandra Lagunes stressed that Internet and digital technologies are a powerful tool that will help the Region put itself at a leading position for taking on the great development challenges. “The technological evolution has brought enormous benefits and no country can fall behind,” she said. The Region should contemplate strategic goals, added Lagunes, who assumed eLAC’s presidency in the name of Mexico.
Access to Internet essential Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs, José Antonio Meade, underlined that the access to Internet is essential to constitute a fair information society and that this goal requires active public policies by the Region’s countries.
At the conference, the ECLAC Executive Secretary presented the document “The new digital revolution: from the consumer Internet to the industrial Internet”, which analyses the most recent technological trends in the digital sphere (such as big data analytics and the Internet of things), the situation of the Region’s countries in matters of access and appropriation of those technologies, and the main areas of international debate that will define the future of Internet and the use of digital technologies.
Bárcena stressed the importance of designing modern systems of regulation, the initiatives for setting standards led by the most advanced countries, the neutrality of the network, the governance of Internet and the protection of online consumer rights. In addition, she said, the State must be the architect of structural change for equality in the Region, through industrial
policies with digital development as a mechanism of change for achieving more equality and environmental sustainability, together with new ways of collaboration between private sector and civil society actors.
The senior representative explained that the document proposes progressing towards a digital single market in the Region that enables generating network and scale economies to compete in relative equality with the main global platforms. This is due to, besides the progresses made in access –in 2014 half of Latin Americans used Internet – the lag of the Region with respect to more advanced fixed technologies hinders the usage of border techniques in matter of production, education, health and climate supervision. “To strengthen the processes of investment and innovation, in the framework of a digital single market, is the path proposed by ECLAC,” she said.
ARIES (March 21April 19)
TAURUS (April 20May 20)
(May 21June 20)
CANCER
Spending too much time at work will cause problems in your personal relationships. Take something that you’ve mastered and enjoy doing and consider starting your own business.
Start a project you’ve been contemplating. You will have everyone eating out of your hand if you present what you are doing colorfully. Enjoy the positive energy that surrounds you.
Minor upgrades at home will increase your comfort. Stretching the truth or embellishing the facts will lead to trouble. Avoid the temptation to repeat unsubstantiated rumors or gossip.
LEO (July 23Aug. 22)
VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)
Your reputation and popularity are on the rise. Because of your honesty and good judgment, you will be called upon to mediate arguments and assist others with their problems.
An unexpected bill will throw you off-course. Resist the urge to splurge. Think about your future security before you go into debt. A longterm investment will pay off.
Take some time for rest and relaxation. You will feel better if you tie up a few loose ends. Complete projects rather than starting something new. Research is encouraged.
LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)
A change is on the horizon. Before you take on a new opportunity, make sure you are up for the additional responsibilities that go along with it.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)
Don’t let anxiety or selfdoubt prevent you from moving forward. If you write down your qualifications and strengths, it will help you improve your selfesteem. A promising opportunity is waiting for you.
CAPRICORN (June 21July 22)
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)
Finish what you start. If you are faced with a problem, keep asking questions until you get the information you need. Assuming you have all the answers will lead to a costly mistake.
(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)
Networking is just as important personally as it is professionally. Interacting with a diverse group of people will be educational and rewarding. Someone you meet will play a role in your future.
AQUARIUS
PISCES
(Feb. 20March 20)
A love connection will confuse you. Go over your personal papers and bring them up to date. Trouble will surface if you fall behind or neglect to keep up with changing economic trends.
Someone from your past will resurface. Do what you can to help others. Your sympathetic and caring nature will be a comfort to those in unfortunate circumstances.
&T Soca Warriors
Twill have the benefit of three international warm-ups between September and October and possibly two Copa America 2016 playoff matches before meeting powerhouse USA in the semi-final round CONCACAF 2018 Russia World Cup qualifying, Group C opener, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, on November 17.
This was confirmed by the T&T Football Association national teams Operations Manager, William Wallace while speaking to the media at the VIP Lounge, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. Wallace said two matches that have been confirmed are a clash against Mexico on September 4 in Salt Lake City, Utah, which everyone will be looking forward to, based on the Soca Warriors showing against them at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the USA last month.
With regards to the upcoming Mexico match, which comes less than two months after a 4–4 thriller at the Gold Cup, Wallace said, “Again, this well be added pressure on the players, but they also have to understand we have to keep the momentum going. “We have to continue to build on what
we started and if that is what it takes to bring T&T and the corporate sector on board then they have to understand their role in that.
“We then move on to October, where we have two available FIFA international dates and we already have confirmed a warmup match with Panama in Panama City, and then the question is if we have any games here in T&T, and we are currently working on that for the other FIFA date in the month (October 13).”
However, the T&TFA may have to put off any possible friendly engagements set for October 13, as it may coincide with the first leg of their playoff against Haiti for a spot at next year’s Copa America Championship, the 100th edition, which will
be held in the USA. The 16-nation Centenario is scheduled to run from June 3-26 and includes the 10 South American teams and six invited teams from CONCACAF, led by USA and Mexico, the recent Gold Cup winners.
The South American contingent includes Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, while recent Gold Cup runner-up Jamaica and Costa Rica have sealed places from CONCACAF and will be joined by the winners of the T&T/Haiti, and Panama/ Cuba home-and-away ties.
T&T will then enter November 17 where its faces USA in its opening Group C CONCACAF semi-final round of World Cup qualification for the Russia 2018 World Cup. The Soca Warriors will also come up against the winners of the St Vincent/Grenadines versus Aruba and Guatemala versus Antigua/Barbuda ties.
However, with only the coach Stephen Hart being employed on a full-time basis as part of the technical staff team, Wallace also pointed out that there was a great need for more staff to be added for the national team. He explained: “We
Manchester City laid down a significant early marker in the Premier League title race with a commanding dismissal of champions Chelsea at Etihad Stadium.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho’s turbulent week - shaped by the controversy surrounding the demotion of medical staff Eva Carneiro and Jon Fearnended in misery as he saw his side outclassed by a resurgent City.
Sergio Aguero had been thwarted three times by Chelsea keeper Asmir Begovic before giving City a deserved lead just after the half-hour, an advantage they never looked like losing.
City’s superiority was emphasised with two more late goals as captain Vincent Kompany headed in David Silva’s corner and midfielder Fernandinho
sent a thunderous finish past Begovic, whose excellent performance was just about the only positive for Chelsea.
City manager Manuel Pellegrini was left frustrated last season as his lavishly talented squad failed to live up to their potential, but all the riches were on
show in front of a record crowd of 54,331 at the newly extended Etihad as they demonstrated a desire to reclaim the title Chelsea took from them last season.
So often last season, in a lame Premier League title defence, City looked like a team resting on their laurels and lacking the hunger
have done a comparative study and the T&T team in terms of staff, we have the least numbers compared to the other teams who were at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
“We saw teams with 20odd persons as technical staff members, but people here in T&T are complaining that we have 12 members. “Every single member of staff has a role to play and when you look at teams like Mexico which operates with a budget of over US$100 million and you see at a tournament like the Olympic qualifiers in 2012 they even brought their own cooks.
“You were not seeing their players even though we were in the same hotel, as they occupied their own floor, and they functioned professionally at that level with a full complement of staff, but we here are still fighting sometimes to take our boys across the road just to get burgers.
“So, again we have to feel very proud when we can go out there and compete and achieve what we do, and this is saying to us that we have a product, and if we can put the necessary support systems behind this product, just imagine where it can take us,” said Wallace. (Trinidad Guardian)
and desire to claim the big domestic prize.
The evidence so far this season, both here and in the victory at West Bromwich Albion on Monday, suggests the fires have been rekindled - and in this mood they take some stopping.
Captain Kompany was a dominant figure, adding another goal to his first of the season at The Hawthorns and looking to have regained much of his old authority, barely giving Chelsea’s attack, led by the combustible Diego Costa, a chance.
Yaya Toure looked back to his best with Fernandinho as the perfect foil, while an attack of the world-class pair of Aguero and Silva, now augmented by £49m Raheem Sterling, looks loaded with menace.
This was a powerful statement of intent. (BBC Sport)
Athletics’ governing body has denied blocking publication of a study, which reportedly says a third of top athletes admitted violating anti-doping rules.
The Sunday Times said the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) suppressed the survey, conducted at the 2011 Daegu World Championships.
But the IAAF said it had “never vetoed publication of this article.”
Meanwhile, a German TV documentary claims four leading Russian athletes could face bans.
Responding to the Sunday Times story, the IAAF said that “this is not a new story”, adding that the claims were initially made on German TV in 2013.
The IAAF played no role in the study but said it
WDR.
On Sunday, the broadcaster said four Russian athletes and four officials face suspension if their national federation is unable to clear up suspicions of wrongdoing.
The newspaper reports that the survey concluded that 29%-34% of the 1,800 competitors at the championships had violated antidoping rules in the previous 12 months.
It says that a month after collecting the information, the researchers were told to sign a confidentiality agreement to prevent them speaking out about the admissions.
The IAAF says it had “serious reservations” about the “interpretation of the results” made by the research group and submitted their concerns, but got no response.
The IAAF has denied blocking publication of a study, which reportedly says a third of top athletes admitted violating antidoping rules
was a “social science-based survey” conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and a team of researchers at the athletes’ village in Daegu, South Korea.
However, the IAAF did have the power to veto its publication by Wada in return for allowing access to the competitors at Daegu.
The University of Tubingen in Germany, who conducted the study, said: “The IAAF’s delaying publication for so long without good reason is a serious encroachment on the freedom of publication.”
A leaked copy of the full study has been seen by The Sunday Times and the German broadcaster ARD/
UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner told BBC Radio 5 live’s Sportsweek: “The IAAF believes that the scientific rigour of that survey didn’t pass muster.
“They claim they’ve been conducting their own prevalence survey.”
A Wada spokesman said: “Wada sought the agreement of the IAAF to carry out the project at the Daegu World Championships in 2011.
“Their consent was given so that researchers had access to athletes at the event, and was conditional upon any publication first being approved by the IAAF. The IAAF has not approved the publication of the project.” (BBC Sport)
South Africa have only once successfully chased a score of 170plus in T20 cricket, and New Zealand made sure it stayed that way. Kane Williamson’s line-up put right what they did wrong two days ago, and built on their start with the bat to allow for a flourishing finish. Their attack adapted and studded South Africa’s scorecard with scalps to ensure the hosts were never quite in a chase of 178.
Unlike Durban, where the temperatures stay tropical even in the dry winter, the arid air in Centurion has an effect and both teams thought that would warrant the inclusion of two specialist spinners on a parched, cracked surface. Both teams opened with a spinner, but neither got the desired result.
Aaron Phangiso’s first ball was hammered wide of a diving AB de Villiers at cover, while Nathan McCullum’s first over was boundary-less, but only because Williamson pulled off an exceptional stop and midoff. Instead, it was a strip for seamers but only those willing to bend their backs. The short ball proved an effective weapon as Mitchell McClenaghan showed, but South Africa did not make as much use of it as they should have.
For the second match in succession, they went too full and New Zealand took advantage. The visitors scored 64 runs in the ‘V’, which amounted to more than a third of their total. By contrast, South Africa only managed 26 runs down the ground and lost both Morne van Wyk and David Miller to the short ball, while only Farhaan Behardien, with a career-best 36, put up something of a fight.
Behardien was the only South African who had reason to celebrate - he also took his first T20 wicket when Martin Guptill holed out to a full toss - but by then New Zealand were already faring better than they had on Friday night.
Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott provided plenty that was pitched up, and Williamson and Guptill plundered runs over their
on a hat-trick for the second time in the series. Abbott did not enjoy the same fortune, though, and went wicketless for the third international match in a row.
South Africa were never able to get on a similar roll. Van Wyk was cramped for room on the pull and caught behind in the third over, and Hashim Amla was caught at point in the fourth which meant an unsteady start.
De Villiers, Rilee Rossouw, Farhaan Behardien and Miller all had the opportunity to put that right but none showed the patience required to do that.
All-rounder Stuart Binny has been added to India’s Test squad for the Sri Lanka series. He will join the team ahead of the second game, which begins on August 20 in Colombo at the P Sara Oval.
heads. Their partnership was worth 50 when Williamson sliced Rabada to deep third man and when Guptill was dropped two overs later, New Zealand looked ready to replay their Kingsmead collapse.
But South Africa were unable to enforce the same squeeze. Guptill was on 38 when Miller put him down, and he added another 22 runs to his score, mostly by taking on the spinners. He brought up his sixth T20 fifty - the only one of the game - with a slog sweep off Eddie Leie and breached the boundary one more time before holing out to a full-toss offered by Behardien.
Grant Elliott followed Guptill in the following over when he was trapped on the front pad by a tossed up delivery from Phangiso, but still, New Zealand did not slow down.
They scored 63 runs off the last seven overs as Neesham and Colin Munro brought out an array of strokes, with Munro taking 18 runs off Abbott’s third over with clean strokes down the ground.
Rabada had Neesham and Munro dismissed in consecutive balls to find himself
De Villiers departed cheaply, going for one big shot too many and Rossouw, who showed proficiency against both pace and spin, came out of his crease to pull Ish Sodhi and found short midwicket which left Behardien and Miller to score 103 runs in the second half of the South Africa innings.
Scoreboard pressure increased when they found the boundary only four times in the five overs that followed and Behardien, although comfortable, through caution to the wind. He slogswept a Nathan McCullum full toss to deep mid-wicket to begin South Africa’s slide. A wicket fell in each of the next three overs as the pressure told.
New Zealand offered deliveries South Africa could not resist hitting and the visitors’ fielding was sharp enough to take the chances.
Behardien, David Wiese, Phangiso and Miller joined de Villiers, Rossouw, Amla and van Wyk in falling to big shots, but the lower-middle order’s collapse was more dramatic.
South Africa lost 4 for 19, stubbed out of the chase and were forced to share the series spoils. (Cricinfo)
New Zealand innings (20 overs maximum)
MJ Guptill c Miller b Behardien 60
KS Williamson* c Abbott b Rabada 25
TWM Latham c Amla b Leie 3
GD Elliott lbw b Phangiso 20
JDS Neesham b Rabada 28
L Ronchi† c Miller b Wiese 6
C Munro c de Villiers b Rabada 18
NL McCullum not out 1
AF Milne not out 10
Extras (lb 1, w 5) 6
Total (7 wickets; 20 overs) 177
Fall of wickets: 1-52 (Williamson, 5.3 ov), 2-70 (Latham, 8.2 ov), 3-104 (Guptill, 11.4 ov), 4-113 (Elliott, 12.6 ov), 5-146 (Ronchi, 16.6 ov), 6-166 (Munro, 18.2 ov), 7-166 (Neesham, 18.3 ov)
Bowling: AM Phangiso 4-0-401 (2-w), KJ Abbott 4-0-44-0 (1w), K Rabada 4-0-30-3, D Wiese 4-0-26-1 (1-w), E Leie 3-0-321 (1-w), F Behardien 1-0-4-1
South Africa innings (target: 178 runs from 20 overs)
HM Amla c Munro b Milne 14
MN van Wyk† c †Ronchi b
McClenaghan 3
AB de Villiers* c Neesham b McCullum 15
RR Rossouw c Williamson b Sodhi 26
F Behardien c Guptill b McCullum 36
DA Miller c Munro b McClenaghan 29
D Wiese c McCullum b Sodhi 2
AM Phangiso c Williamson b Neesham 2
K Rabada not out 5
KJ Abbott not out 9
Extras (w-4) 4
Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 145 Fall of wickets: 1-15 (van Wyk, 2.4 ov), 2-19 (Amla, 3.2 ov), 3-47 (de Villiers, 6.4 ov), 4-75 (Rossouw, 9.6 ov), 5-112 (Behardien, 14.5 ov), 6-115 (Wiese, 15.4 ov), 7-123 (Phangiso, 16.6 ov), 8-131 (Miller, 17.4 ov)
Bowling: NL McCullum 4-031-2, AF Milne 4-0-27-1 (2w), MJ McClenaghan 4-028-2 (1-w), JDS Neesham 3-0-22-1, IS Sodhi 4-0-27-2, GD Elliott 1-0-10-0 (1-w)
The BCCI confirmed that there was no fresh injury concern for any other members of the squad, that Binny was just an “addition” to the 15-man unit. Binny, seen as someone who can bat at No. 6 and be a fifth bowling option, will provide the team management with an additional all-round choice. He has played three Tests, all on India’s tour to England in mid 2014. While he did not pick up a wicket in any of those games, he scored a handy 78 in his debut Test, in Nottingham, to help India draw.
India does have a couple of injury concerns going into the second Test, around their openers. M Vijay, who had missed the first Test with a hamstring niggle,
was on the mend the board said, though a decision on whether he will return to the XI would be taken closer to the game: “Improving every day and the team physio is working with him. The final call will be taken one day before the Test.” There was no further update on Shikhar Dhawan, who had batted through the Galle Test with an injury to his right hand.
India lost the first Test of the Sri Lanka series, in Galle, after being ahead for a large part of the match. There are two more matches to go, both in Colombo,
one at the P Sara Oval and the other at the Sinhalese Sports Club. With the P Sara Oval, considered Sri Lanka’s most seamer-friendly wicket, it is possible that Binny could slot in. Leading up to the game, the indication is that a pacer will in all likelihood replace the third spinner, especially as Harbhajan Singh was largely ineffectual on a turning pitch in Galle. Despite the Sri Lankan elections taking place on Monday, the Indians will train at the P Sara Oval in the late afternoon. (Cricinfo)
Defending triple champion Usain Bolt looks set to miss Jamaica’s pre-World Championship training camp in Japan and will instead catch up with the team on Tuesday in Beijing, China, the Jamaica Observer was told by a high-ranking member of the management team.
Bolt, the defending 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay champion from Moscow, has been training in Monaco, where it is said that he is in tremendous form as he finetunes his preparations for another assault at the World Championships.
Meanwhile, a week after Jamaica opened their pre-training camp in Tottori, Japan, the 15 MVP athletes arrived after initially encountering visa issues.
The 10-day camp, which started on August 8, saw the MVP runners, including Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson, Kaliese Spencer and Nesta Carter, arriving Saturday to participate.
They initially had a camp in Italy, but ran into visa diffi-
culties over the last few days.
Club president Bruce James told the Sunday Observer that everything has gone smoothly.
“All the MVP team members, who are on the 2015 Jamaican World Championship team, are safely in Japan,” said James.
Meanwhile, former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell and Veronica Campbell-Brown have been named Jamaica’s team captains.
Powell, who will be 33
in November, will be attending his fifth World Championships where he won bronze in the 100m in 2007 and 2009 and relay gold in 2009. Powell will be participating in the 100m and the relays.
Campbell-Brown, 33, one of Jamaica’s most decorated athletes, will be attending her fifth World Championships. She won the 100m gold in 2007 and was the 200m champion in 2011 for a total of nine World Championship medals. (Jamaica
Swiss
18-year-old
Belinda Bencic secured her second career title by winning the Rogers Cup as Simona Halep retired hurt in the final.
Bencic, who beat Serena Williams in the semi-final, came through 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (4-7) 3-0 in Toronto.
Second seed Halep required treatment as she struggled with a leg injury and the extreme heat.
The Romanian said: “Sorry that I couldn’t finish the match. I tried very much
but it wasn’t possible.”
Bencic, who accounted for four of the top six seeds this week - Halep, Williams, Caroline Wozniacki and Ana
Ivanovic - said on BT Sport 2: “Even if I would have lost it would have been an amazing experience.”
Halep broke back from 5-3 down in the second set and won the tie-break to huge applause, but retired after losing her serve twice in the third set.
Bencic, who claimed her first title at Eastbourne in June, has won 21 of her past 25 matches and will move from 20th to 12th when the world rankings are announced today. (BBC Sport)
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planted his front foot and fell lbw to the economical Ben Sanderson for 20 - all that was missing from the usual script was an unsuccessful referral.
There is every chance that Chris Rogers will play his final Test match at The Oval next week. If so, events at Wantage Road gave some indication of exactly how much he will be missed by the remainder of the batting order. The display put on by the top order conveyed a near total lack of confidence about how to cope with even a mediocre bowling attack using the Dukes ball serviceably in overcast conditions.
On the same strip that Steven Crook had occupied
Meanwhile, the retiring captain Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson and Chris Rogers all spent time away from the team in London, leaving the new captain and deputy, Steven Smith and David Warner, to commence their time as a leadership duo in the most inauspicious surroundings. Whatever is said about the unity of this group, the performances at Edgbaston, Trent Bridge and now Wantage Road have been anything but cohesive.
The trouble had started early, when Smith failed to cover a fraction of new ball movement for Maurice Chambers and edged behind for a duck. Shaun Marsh, who had looked momentarily solid, was then unable to ride some extra bounce extracted by Richard Gleeson and parried an edge to third slip. The Marsh brothers appear likely to again be trad-
From there Mitchell Marsh and Peter Nevill recovered some ground with a stand of 69 that featured as many runs snicked as stroked, but they were to be separated when Crook returned to pluck out the wicketkeeper’s off stump. Marsh and Peter Siddle were out within the next eight overs, and at 180 for 8 just past the day’s midpoint an uncomfortable number of overs still remained.
Cummins and Lyon proceeded to show rather more application than some of those who had preceded them, and saw the innings beyond tea in the absence of Crook, who left the field soon after pouching his third wicket and did not re-
to clatter their bowlers for a brazen 142 from 96 balls the day before, Australia’s batsmen failed comprehensively to function as a unit. It took a lower-order stand by Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon to ward off the momentary threat of an outright defeat in the two available days, and the last pair of Cummins and Fawad Ahmed to avoid the follow-on.
ing places in the team for The Oval, while Cummins may find himself included for Josh Hazlewood.
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Cummins played well for his undefeated 82, but it spoke volumes for the shambles further up the order that he was required to more than double his tally of firstclass runs to see out the day.
This has been a most unsatisfactory week for the tourists as they try to regather themselves for the Oval Test. Internal troubles, articulated as the loss of trust in the coach Darren Lehmann after the Brad Haddin affair in at least one report, appeared to be thrashed out in a terse meeting between players and selectors on the outfield before the game, while further discontent with selection was voiced by Nathan Lyon after his latest ODI team omis-
A few overs later and Crook was introduced to the attack. Afflicted by all manner of injuries over the years, he was road-testing his bustling fast-medium for other late-season assignments, and was greeted most generously by Adam Voges, who offered a vague waft at Crook’s first ball and was taken in the slips. The innings entered the realm of parody when Shane Watson
appear. Northamptonshire will hope he is fit for their Royal London Cup match against Gloucestershire at this ground on Monday. Their last chance of getting any further in this match was spurned when George Munsey dropped the most straightforward of chances at backward point when Lyon sliced Chambers square of the wicket. Chambers kicked at the turf in dismay, but it was really the Australians who had more reason to be angry with themselves. (Cricinfo)
– Believes missing Champions Trophy a reflection of the state of WI cricket
By AvenAsh RAmzAn
Renowned Guyanese cricket commentator, Inderjeet Persaud, believes that a restructuring of the current regional 50over set-up could be beneficial for the West Indies ODI team going forward.
Persaud, touching on the West Indies ODI side failing to qualify for the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy in England, also said the scenario is reflective of the state of West Indies cricket.
“It simply shows that we have not developed our game in the 50-over category. We were preparing a team for the 50-over World Cup, but judging from the performance there we have failed,” Persaud stated.
Earlier this month, Chief Executive Officer of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Michael Muirhead, declared that all options in trying to find an opponent for a series before the cutoff date for qualification for the Champions Trophy had been exhausted.
The top eight teams in the ICC rankings as of September 30 this year will earn automatic qualification for the prestigious tournament. Currently, the Caribbean side is ranked ninth in ODIs.
Persaud argued that the domestic structure needs to be improved if the West Indies are to once again be a force in the ODI format. He said the Caribbean side has already lost traction in Test cricket, and if the situation is not arrested, the T20 team could also suffer a similar fate in the near future.
“It comes back to our level of 50-over cricket in the West Indies. We need to spread
the game across the region, rather than playing the regional competition in one territory. It really is a reflection of the state of West Indies cricket that we have not qualified,” Persaud noted.
He added, “I feel until the day comes when we invest in human and financial resources into school and club cricket, only then we can become competitive on the international scene.”
Persaud, who has vast experience in radio commentary, having done international and regional coverage for over a decade, reflected
on the 2015 Super50 competition, which he said produced “below par scores.”
He recommended that the Super50 be expanded to afford the territories more matches, thereby providing more opportunities for players to hone their skills.
“I’m not surprised [that West Indies have failed to qualify], but I’m hurt that we have plummeted to this level,” Persaud concluded.
Options exhausted Muirhead, speaking to the Antigua Observer last weekend, revealed that the WICB’s efforts to secure a series before the cut-off date were unsuccessful.
“It is 95 per cent sure. We tried with England, but there is no slot to play them and we have just exhausted all of our options in terms of trying to get any opportunity before September 30 to put a tour in place,” Muirhead had said.
He added, “Results count for everything because there are times when we will move in the rankings without playing a game but it all
depends; it’s relative to the other nine teams so it happens that we have to save ourselves.”
The West Indies were down to play Pakistan and Zimbabwe in a tri-series before the September 30 cut-off, but that series was shelved after the two teams pulled out.
Pakistan are currently above West Indies on the ICC ODI rankings in eighth place and victory in the Triseries could have potentially given the Caribbean side a boost.
Late last month, it was reported that the WICB was working on having a series against India, following the cancellation of the tri-series.
Muirhead pointed out, “I had preliminary discussions with them [India] on that; however, they said they had plans for that slot we had identified and it was a non-starter almost. It all started with India and if we had performed in India we wouldn’t be in the position
that we are now.”
He added, as he referred to the West Indies abandoned tour of India last October, “If we had played the games, we were obviously on top while we were in India and I honestly believe that we would have had a good showing, if not winning the series, we certainly would have gained some points from it and would not be in this position now.”
“Wake-up call”
At the town-hall meeting in Guyana last month, WICB president Whycliffe “Dave” Cameron laid the blame squarely at the feet of the players, pointing to their lack of performance.
“It’s part and parcel of not performing year in, year out that we’ve found ourselves in this position. All we can say is that all our programmes have to be geared towards making West Indies cricket better. I don’t think if you try to do stop-gap measures by going to the Champions Trophy that serves anything at this point in time,” he told local media operatives.
Jamaican Cameron believes this predicament must be a “wake-up call” for all concerned with West Indies cricket, especially the players.
“Yes we have some very talented players, we have some players that have done very, very well for themselves, but as a team, as the West Indies cricket team, we haven’t done well enough, and it’s a wake-up call to all of us that we have to change how we’re doing things, and the PCL [Professional Cricket League] is a change in that direction. Not everybody agree; people feel that it should be open up to all players from everywhere, but we believe we need to find the best solution to getting the best players playing and competing, that is one way of improving the levels right around,” the WICB top brass acknowledged.
At the moment, West Indies are ranked ninth, two points behind eighth placed Pakistan and eight adrift of Bangladesh, whose recent series wins have moved them into seventh spot. Pakistan moved from ninth place to eighth in the ICC rankings after winning their ODI series against Sri Lanka a month ago.
With no one-day fixtures scheduled until the cut-off period of September 30 this year for Champions Trophy qualification, the top eight teams will remain unaffected. Under the leadership of Brian Lara, West Indies won the tournament in 2004 in England.
The Competitions
Committee of the East Coast Demerara Cricket Association (ECDCA) wishes to notify all participating Clubs in the SPR 40-over round-robin cricket competition, which had been delayed because of bad weather that the competition will resume on Sunday August 23. To date, four rounds) have been completed. The following teams are registered in the competition: Mahaica, Enterprise, Unity, Lusignan B, Mon Repos, Fairfield, Tiger, Strathavon A, Enmore CCCC, Strathavon
B, Enterprise A, Lusignan A, Cummings Lodge, Ogle, Enterprise B, Lusignan C, Helena, Golden Achievers and Better Hope SC.
The teams are asked to confirm continued their participation in the competition by contacting any of the following committee mem-
Rajendra Chandrika
B y A ven A sh R A mz A n
West Indies Test opener Rajendra Chandrika stroked a magnificent hundred and followed up with three wickets on Sunday to lead hosts Enterprise Busta Sports Club (EBSC) A team to a comfortable 84-run win over the visiting GEML Cosmos team of Trinidad and Tobago.
The right-handed Chandrika, who made a forgettable Test debut against Australia in June when he failed to score in both innings, cracked 102 in EBSC A’s 258-8 off the allotted 40 overs and then claimed 3-14 with his off-spin as the visitors crumbled for 174.
“It feels good to be back among the runs. It was my first game since the Test match and I really felt good out in the middle,” Chandrika, who turned 26 earlier this month, told this publication.
The elegant batsman said a batting camp organised by the West Indies Cricket Board in Barbados recently was
centrate harder today [Sunday] and I’m happy that it paid off.”
Chandrika’s knock propelled his side to a solid score, and the fact that he recorded only three fours and six showed that he was prepared to rotate the strike and build an innings. While his innings was the cornerstone of the total, young Vivian Albert smashed a stroke-filled 61, which was decorated with three maximums and four fours.
Bowling for the GEML Cosmos, C. Sookdeo claimed 2-43, while Nicholas Sanasie and DeAngelo Sanasie bagged identical figures of 2-49.
Chandrika and former national all-rounder Zaheer Mohamed then chipped away at GEML Cosmos’ batting, snaring three wickets apiece as they were bowled out in the 38th over. Nicholas Sanasie top -
scored with 51, while Andre Sewsankar (32), DeAngelo Sanasie (29) and Justin Samkarran (28) chipped in during the run-chase.
bers on or before August 20 in order to finalise the next rounds of fixtures: Anil Persaud (624-6098), Jitlal Jowahirlall (660-4783) or Quancy Cummings (6778009).
Teams are also asked to put their grounds in order, the ECDCA said in a release.
very helpful to him. “The camp was very good, and it helped me to con -
On Saturday, GEML Cosmos started their tour of Guyana with victory over EBSC B in a 30-over fixture at the same venue.
Batting first, GEML Cosmos posted 146-6 with Samkarran hitting 43 and DeAngelo Sanasie scoring 28. Pradesh Balkisson picked up 3-21 off six overs for EBSC B, who responded with 139 all out in 29.overs.
Veteran player Latchman Yadram made 53, while DeAngelo Sanasie claimed 3-22 off six overs.
GEML Cosmos will be in action again today, this time against hosts D’Edward, while they will face EBSC A in a 50over game on Tuesday at Enterprise.
By Rajiv Bisnauth
Jockey Semple with a free running effort in almost fading sunlight rode a tactical race aboard CP Got Even from the Poonai Racing Stable to stun the field and take the feature A3 and Lower event at the ninth annual Guyana Cup horse race meet on Sunday. A colourful sold-
out crowd, which included Director of Sport Christopher Jones, sought to take advantage of every possible viewing area to witness the day’s action at the Port Mourant Turf
Club, as over 100 horses competed for over $25 million in cash, trophies and bragging rights.
The final race, the showpiece event of the day covered a distance of 1,800 me-
tres, and 15 horses entered the starters’ gate, minus one of the pre-race favourites Score’s Even, who was ruled unfit by the medical team minutes before the race.
As the race kicked off, it was Princess She Is Not, who took the lead from start until the animals approached the final turn for home.
However, as they came about four lengths to the finish line, CP Got Even seemed to have called on his jockey to give him more ‘rein’ and Semple responded affirmatively, which saw the race favorite galloping to the front through the field.
CP Got Even did not display any signs of tiredness even after he passed the pole, as Semple celebrated by making several whole circles with his whip hand, fully aware that he had just won for his handlers, $3 million and the beautiful Banks DIH trophy.
Princess She Is Not finished second.
Colin Ross was adjudged best jockey, while
the Sheriff Racing Stable won the best Stable award. Due to the fading light, the final race, the I1 and Lower, did not materialise.
Below are the summarised results from the other eight races.
Unclassified K and L Lower- Liquid Lion, Plain Land, Call She’s Royal and Blue Lighting; F3 and Lower - Rossetta and Appealing Harvest (only five horses participated so there was no third place winner); TwoYear-Old Guyana BredSlim Shady, Red Jet, Party Time and She is a Message; Four-Year-Old West Indies Bred- Unsettled and Just Call Me Boss (only four horses participated so there was no third place winner); G3 and Lower- Compador, Bird Man, She so Special and Caisse; Two-Year-Old West Indies Bred- Wichie Poo, Fire in Line, The Girl in Mine and Jumbo’s Gift; Three-Year-Old West Indies Bred- It’s my Choice, Keep on Swinging, Storm Bird and Settling Star; and E1 and Lower- Swing Easy and Right to Rule.
dominated the game from start to finish, in the process becoming new champions
Playing undefeated, Barbados Women on Sunday pulled off a stunning 124-run victory over Jamaica to claim the Regional Women’s Super50 cricket final at the National Cricket Centre, in Trinidad and Tobago.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Barbados Women posted a competitive 242-7 against the defending champions and then bowled them out for 118 for nine in 38.4 overs.
Jamaica’s stand was built on 47 by Stafanie Taylor and Natasha McLean
(28). However, Taylor was caught by Deandra Dottin off the bowling of youthful captain Shaquana Quintyne in the first over after the drinks break. McLean followed soon after, lbw to Kelia Elliott. Jamaica tumbled from 90-4, losing the last five wickets for 28 runs. Last woman Chedean Nation was injured and unable to bat.
Earlier, openers Hayley Matthews (53) and Kycia Knight (39) laid a firm foundation of 93 before Knight became the first wicket to fall. Her twin sister
Kyshona joined Matthews at the crease and brought up a half century, scoring 68.
Quintyne added an unbeaten 31, anchoring the innings after Dottin went for 19. Jamaica’s Chinelle Watts took 4-39. Quintyne, only 19, was also praised for her captaincy.
Below are the summarised scores.
Barbados Women 242-7 in 50 overs (Kyshona Knight 68, Hayley Matthews 53, Kycia Knight 39, Shaquana Quintyne 31*, Deandra Dottin 19; Chinelle Watts 4-39, Roshana Outar 2-50)
– Believes missing Champions Trophy a reflection
By raJiv BisnauTh
Semple with a free running effort in almost
By TreisTon Joseph
lympian Winston George displayed his finishing speed after cruising off the turn to win the Men’s International 200m at the sixth annual Boyce and Jefford Track and Field Classic on Sunday at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Linden.
Despite a challenge from Linden’s Compton Caesar on the turn in soggy conditions, George made the race seem easy, stopping the clock at 21.9s.
Caesar finished second with 22.1s, while Guyana Defence Force’s Davin Fraser was third in 22.3s.
Earlier in the day, GDF dominated the relay events, winning the Women’s 4x400m as well as the Men’s and Women’s 4x100m relay events.
Cleveland Forde was also in the winner’s row, running away with the Men’s 5000m in a time of 17.37.6s.
Up to press time, after 17 events police were leading with 209 points, while GDF were in second with 186 points. More details in Tuesday’s edition.
