GEORGETOWN,
GUYANA: The A Partnership for National Unity has refused to disclose the financiers of its extravagant 2015 General and Regional Elections even though the political coalition had promised full public disclosures on its campaign funds. It had said it would provide 60% of the funding of the coalition with the AFC, which reveals it had spent an incredible Gy$400M. This would make the total coalition spending at least Gy$1B.
The PNC-led APNU has adopted this position despite having vigorously preached about the need for transparency and accountability.
APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon told the Guyana Times on Monday that the Party is willing to reveal the amount of money it utilised for campaign purposes but will not disclose where the money came from.
Its partner in government, the Alliance For Change (AFC) already disclosed that it expended some Gy$400 million dollars for campaigning purposes. They too did not disclose the name of their donors.
GECOM’s Chairman Dr Surujbally had told the Guyana Times that while GECOM has been pushing for campaign finance legislation there is only so much the body can do. He noted that the responsibility of passing the legislation lies in the hands of the National Assembly and they have taken no direct stance on the issue.
GECOM’s Legal Officer Wanita Barker had also explained to the Guyana Times that the existing legislation governing the campaign financing is “really of no value.”
curate.
“It does not make sense to just name a figure, they have to give details of the donors so then the public would know if you are speaking the truth then because, if someone doesn’t see his name on the list…then he can easily challenge it,” Jagdeo stated.
The two parties made these revelations, years after it had tabled a legislation to tighten campaign financing, the Alliance For Change (AFC) has made no moves to see this initiative completed.
litical players have no interest in the issue.
Financial experts have suggested that the major reason why APNU and AFC had opposed the passage of the Anti-Money Laundering/ Countering of Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Bill in Parliament, was because their trail of funding from questionable sources.
But, in an invited comment, Opposition Leader and former President Bharrat
According to the Legal officer, the current law is antiquated and in dire need of being amended given that it stipulates each party is expected to expend no more that Gy$25,000 on a single candidate.
Jagdeo explained that campaign contribution figures without their sources would be completely useless as there will be no way whatsoever to verify whether the data released is ac-
And at a time when there are renewed accusations of that party and its senior partner – A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) – being funded by a shady businessmen–created group ahead of the upcoming elections, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Dr Steve Surujbally says it would seem that Guyana’s po-
General Secretary David Patterson said then that the party had always been concerned about campaign financing. “The question of campaign financing is something I must admit that we have always wanted to table…we have a draft and things like that but circumstances have overtaken us on that,” Patterson explained. He did not detail what those circumstances were that led to the AFC missing out on the opportunity to address this foundational issue.
(Guyana Times)
Jamaica Broilers Group (JBG) benefited from increased local poultry sales and strong growth in the US which allowed it to post Ja$331 million profit for shareholders in its first quarter ending August 2015, or nearly triple the amount earned a year earlier.
Sales grew to Ja$8.9 billion in the quarter, or 13 per cent higher than a year earlier.
The Jamaica oper-
ations still earned the highest with Ja$697 million from Ja$6.7 billion in revenues for the August quarter. The US operations earned Ja$266 million on Ja$2.6 billion in revenues; while other Caribbean operations recorded a Ja$1.2million loss on Ja$463.4 million in revenues due primarily to currency depreciation in Haiti.
JBG holds Ja$11.7 billion in shareholder equity with assets totalling Ja$22.1 billion. (Jamaica Observer)
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Even as the World Bank and the G-20 nations have placed Public Private Partnerships (PPP’s or P3’s) at the top of their agenda as a model for building infrastructure in the new millennium, the new Government of Guyana, by its precipitate actions on the Berbice Bridge which pioneered the use of the model, is destroying this option for our now investment-starved and stagnant economy.
The P3 model came into vogue in the 1990’s. As explained simply by Wikipedia, “There are usually two fundamental drivers for P3’s. Firstly, P3’s are claimed to enable the Public Sector to harness the expertise and efficiencies that the Private Sector can bring to the delivery of certain facilities and services traditionally procured and delivered by the Public Sector. Secondly, a P3 is structured so that the Public Sector body seeking to make a capital investment does not incur any borrowing. Rather, the P3 borrowing is incurred by the Private Sector vehicle implementing the project.”
As is implicit in the explication above, the PPP model tries to combine the provision of a “public good” – such as a river crossing –which is normally delivered by Government from funds collected as taxes from the citizenry with funding sourced through the “marketdriven” Private Sector. In 2006 when the Berbice Bridge was conceptualised as a P3 model, the IMF had raised the question of the still high debt load, inherited from the People’s National Congress, carried by Guyana. When as in the Bridge or a hydro electric plant the services would be paid for by the end user, it becomes an off balance sheet method for Government spending. The Government would not add to its debt portfolio. The International Monetary Fund explicitly commended the P3 model, also floated for a hydroelectric plant, at the time.
What has not been commented on presently is the tremendous achievement of the then People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government to bring aboard almost every financial institution in the country – and several commercial ones along with pensions funds – to finance a venture via a P3 Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that was never tested before in the country. Eight years after our Berbice Bridge was built using the P3 financing model, in the wake of the recently concluded Ministerial G-20 meeting, the OECD had advised on the necessary complexity of the arrangement. It pointed out that the World Bank has just issued a “Report on Recommended P3 Contractual Provisions”, which recommends language to address key issues that emerge when countries have to negotiate a PPP contract, including transparency and dispute resolution.
This issue about “lack of transparency” has been raised in Guyana on the contract between the SPV (Berbice Bridge Company Inc) and the Government but even the World Bank points out in its Report that because of the involvement of private investors in P3’s, there will have to be broad areas of redactions including commercially sensitive information, trade secrets and strategic/public interest related confidential information.
Because private investors prefer liquid investments (or those that could be easily made liquid) there is great reluctance to enter into P3’s that would tie up their money for decades. The inducement in 2007 for investors in the Berbice Bridge would have been to offer higher than then prevailing interest rates. Interestingly, all the investors, including common shareholders accepted, then prevailing rates. Patriotism must have overcome financial prudence.
The OECD has now moved from its recommendation last year that the aversion to P3’s can be for governments to “mitigate” risks by transferring them to the Public Sector away from the Private Sector. While in Guyana, this move would be condemned by the present Government, this year the OECD has been even more radical in advising governments to consider “credit and revenue guarantees, first loss provisions [that limit the amount the investor will lose if things go wrong], public subsidies, and … direct loans” to reduce the risks for institutional investors.
It was reported that the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) had proposed a debt relief strategy to help Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS).
The question is exactly how bad is the debt problem? Data taken from the World Bank and ECLAC point to Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, and Saint Kitts and Nevis as among the twentyfive most indebted countries in the world. For all these countries Gross Government Debt to GDP (debt/GDP) was above 100 percent. St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, Belize and Dominica all have debt/ GDP above 70 percent. Globally, SIDS’ debt/GDP averaged 64.3 percent while the SIDS from the Caribbean recorded public debt on average at over 80 percent of GDP in 2014. SIDS in the Pacific recorded public debt ratios of 33 percent of GDP. Most other groupings of SIDS around the world were lower than the SIDS of the Caribbean.
Debt service is a particular challenge facing the Caribbean region because it absorbs a large portion of foreign exchange and domestic revenues that are vital to the survival and sustainable development of the SIDS. There are six countries in the region who’s total Debt Service Payments as a percent of Government Revenue range from 33 percent to 57 percent.
The high levels of debt and debt service contribute to poor regional GDP performance since it diverts resources to amortisation and interest payments limit governments’ ability to invest in social programmes such as health and education, that can be of benefit to the poor, also away from much needed public infrastructure, administration of justice, social protection and other areas that are drivers of growth
and development. In addition government borrowing essentially crowds out credit to the domestic private sector and this can reduce their effectiveness to engage in activity that supports economic development and the attendant job creation that can result.
A country’s debt level is considered unsustainable if debttoexport levels are above a fixed ratio of 150 percent; or, for those countries that have very open economies where the exclusive reliance on external indicators may not adequately reflect the fiscal burden of external debt, the debt-to-government revenues are above of 250 percent. There are only two countries that do not breach the debt-to-export threshold of 150 percent while eight SIDS from the Caribbean breach the debtto-government revenues of 250 percent. In fact, an additional three countries are close to the threshold with debt-to-government revenues over 220 percent.
This implies that the Caribbean SIDS in general have unsustainable debt levels.
The case of Jamaica is a good example of the difficulties countries in the Caribbean face because of the high levels of debt.
The Center for Economic Policy and Research reported that Jamaica has paid $138 million more to the IMF than it received last year, and still owes the World Bank and InterAmerican Development Bank over $650 million through 2018. Of course it has to be pointed out that this does not account for all of Jamaica’s debt. The high debt levels has an enormous amount of money allocated to paying off loans. This is exasperating cycles of poverty and low job growth that date back decades. Jamaica’s poverty rate has doubled since 2007, and its unemployment rate — 14.2 percent — is higher than it was since 2009. The debt over-
hang in the small states of the Caribbean has negatively impacted growth. As debt reaches a certain threshold, growth performance would be depressed both through reduced investment and lower factor productivity, as well as the expectations of higher taxes to repay debt and the crowding out of private sector investment.
What gave rise to this situation? There are a combination of factors that include, policy shortcomings and miscalculations, fiscal profligacy, trade and fiscal indirect effects from the international financial crisis, external shocks, structural weaknesses and vulnerabilities and destruction brought on by natural disasters that required governments to borrow to replace destroyed infrastructure.
What are the possible options available to addressing the debt problem? The first consideration is fiscal consolidation. To be effective, high primary surpluses would have to be maintained for a very long period of time for any major impact on the levels of debt to take effect. This strategy can involve expenditure-cuts as well as unemployment. Is this a politically feasible option? The debt in the Caribbean is made up of bonds, both local and foreign placed.
Although defaulting on bond payments has happened in the global financial markets, care has to be taken since defaulting on debt payment has huge reputational costs that can affect a small country’s ability to access future credit and this can be a constraining factor on fiscal policy, since creditors will be concerned whether terms and conditions will be honoured.
If the fiscal space can be found, an expansionary fiscal and or monetary policy can lead to high growth but with high inflation, this should be avoided because of the welfare costs. (TT Newsday)
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo on Tuesday backpedalled on a promise he made to end the political interference in the management and administration of several of the country’s State media entities as he has appointed political party members to serve on the Boards of the National Communications Network (NCN) and the Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL).
Despite promising that State Media Boards would be free from “political hacks”, several members found on the coalition Government’s National List for the May
11 elections have managed to earn a spot on the State Boards, including Jean La Rose, who was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors for GNNL, and Tabitha Sarabo.
Patricia Woolford, who is a member of the People’s National Congress/A Partnership for National Unity (PNC/APNU), was also appointed to the Board. Ruel Johnson and Scheherazade Ishoof Khan, two open supporters of the APNU/Alliance For Change (AFC) coalition as well as Imran Khan, who is Director of Public Information at the Prime Minister’s Office have been placed on both Boards.
The Prime Minister
had recently stated that members of the Board of Directors for the State Media entities would be “professionals” and they would bring to the fore, in Guyana, a “new approach to information and communication”.
New Boards of Directors of State agencies NCN and GNNL were officially appointed on Tuesday during a ceremony at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal.
The other appointees for NCN’s Board of Directors include Karen Davis, Bert Wilkinson, Sohan Poonai and Director of Public Communications Mark Archer, who was a longtime Public Relations
Officer (PRO) for President David Granger and APNU.
For GNNL, the members are Bishwa Panday, the Chair who the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) claims was a known financier of the APNU/AFC elections campaign and relative of Khemraj Ramjattan; Dr Paloma Mohamed; Margaret Lawrence; Kojo McPherson; Dhanwanti Sukhdeo; Carolyn Walcott, and Colin Thompson.
The PPP in a statement said it was not surprised at the recently-named State Media Boards which are dominated by political appointees of the APNU/AFC Government, contrary
…had promised “no party hacks”
to statements by Prime Minister Nagamootoo.
“These two Boards are shallow on professionals and deep on political hacks,” the Opposition Party stated.
The Opposition Party added, however, that Guyanese were wise people and would soon come to the realisation they were ripped-off with lofty assurances by the APNU/ AFC. (jpinder@guyanatimesgy.com)
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:
Government will now have to return to the National Assembly in the ‘wrong’ with regards to their precipitate announcement of Local Government Elections (LGE) being held this year, to seek a further extension of
the date for holding the LGE.
This is according to the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) who deemed the situation as evidence of the “poor leadership and foresight” on the part of the Government.
According to a press statement is-
sued by the Opposition Party on Tuesday, with the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) disclosing that LGEs would not be possible on December 7, 2015, the Government will now have to return to the National Assembly to further amend the Local Authorities (Elections)
(Amendment) Bill 2015 so that a new date for the election can be named.
Guyana Times was reminded that during the recent debate on the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Act 2015, the PPP/C advised that based on the time available, the elections were not possible for 2015. However, this advice, they said fell on deaf ears.
“Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan in his usual illusory disposition declared that the election will and must be held by the end of 2015, which to our mind was merely a political gimmick to fulfil [A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change] APNU/AFC’s “first hun-
dred days” commitment. One would recall in 2014, the APNU/AFC in Opposition, used its one-seat dictatorship in the National Assembly to amend the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill to provide for the holding of Local Government Elections by August 1, 2014, despite being advised from the PPP/C Administration that it was not possible,” the PPP/C stated.
The Opposition explained that in November, 2014, People’s National Congress Reform GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander, has stated that the Elections Commission had said it needed six months to ‘deal with elections.’
Guyana Times was told that the calcula-
tion of these six months commence when the Administration says it wants LGE. This publication further understands that added to the list of demands by the Opposition are that the polling day staff to be publicly vetted and the Returning Officers, Deputy Returning Officers and Presiding Officers be acceptable to the Commission and its Commissioners.
“And the rules under which they conduct their duties must be reviewed and agreed upon by Law. Finally, there must be some internationalisation of the key and critical posts in GECOM’s operational arrangements,” the statement added. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy. com)
Twelve-year-old Yakini Charles was among thousands who began their Secondary school education in Trinidad and Tobago last week. On Tuesday, his life was ended, snuffed out by gun-wielding criminals who made him a statistic, the 298th person to be murdered in the country for the year so far. The young pupil died at hospital on Tuesday after being shot multiple times by unknown assailants on St Andrews Lane in
Belmont on Tuesday.
It could not be ascertained whether Yakini was on his way to the Tranquillity Government Secondary school where he started classes last week, but he was in uniform when residents found him bleeding on the roadway after gunshots were heard. It was originally thought that he had reported to school earlier in the morning and was sent home because his uniform did not conform with school requirements.
But checks by the media revealed he was not listed among students who were so disciplined.
Minister of Education Anthony Garcia said on Tuesday he had heard about the murder of the schoolboy, but did not have full details. Saying he intends to find out, Garcia expressed concern about this murder and in the interim extended condolences to the family.
According to reports, Charles was walking along St Andrews and Hermitage Lanes at 8.45 am when gunshots rang out. The young boy reportedly ran north on Olton Road and collapsed. He was rushed to
Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. He was the 12th murder victim for the year under the age of 18. Eight spent shells were recovered at the scene.
The death of the pre-teen has left his family in a state of shock and disbelief. His grandmother and great-grandmother Lucille and Ianthe Layne told reporters, Yakini was a blessing on the entire family...a blessing which was snatched away violently.
“He was such an enthusiastic and helpful child,” said Ianthe.” He would help you with anything that you needed. Sometimes he would see me working and say ‘come nah granny, let me help you’.”
Charles’ grandmother said she could forgive the child’s killers but she would never forget what they did. She called for the end to all the violence in her area.
“I just want them to put down their guns,” said a sobbing Lucille.
“Please put down your guns!” No arrest has been made and Belmont police are continuing investigations into the killing.
(TT Newsday)
the coI determined there was a pervading culture of laxness towards to safety and that clear rules must be applied and enforced
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: The report of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into mining accidents was presented by Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) executive Colin Sparman at the association’s Annual General Meeting last Friday.
The CoI was ordered by President David Granger after the death toll in the industry spiked in May when a Potaro mining pit collapsed and killed 10 miners. The miners were killed after the mining pit in which they were working caved in at Mowasi Backdam, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni). It was reported that 17 miners were working when the incident occurred. Seven of the men made it out of
the pit alive, but the remaining 10 were found during a three-day search-and-rescue mission.
The report highlighted that there have been, over the last 15 months, 28 deaths, most coming from pitfall cave-ins. Sparman also shared that from 2012 to 2015, 62 miners, particularly young men, lost their lives on the job. He added that in most civilised societies, this would be considered scandalous and unacceptable.
These accidents were said to be caused by neglect of safe mining practices, including shortcuts taken by workers, who sometimes treasured their finds over their own lives. Sparman added that the CoI determined there was a pervading culture of laxness towards to safety and
that clear rules must be applied and enforced.
“As the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) puts it, everyone is wired for gold and not for safety. A drastic change in culture involving education and sensitisation at all levels – miners, operators, property owners and regulators, is required,” Sparman added.
The report recommended that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) institute the proper framework in order to decrease the number of future accidents.
Speaking of the emergency rescue system, Sparman stated that whenever an accident occurred, the available emergency mechanism – the search-and- rescue recovery was inadequate and would need proper definition and manning. He added that there was poor reporting of these accidents, and most times GGMC would act on a report heard or seen in parts of the media.
The CoI was concluded in August and the report with the Cabinet, according to reports. (Guyana Times)
Large Canadian tour operator Sunwing will launch its first Cuba/ Jamaica cruise operated by the fast-growing MSC Cruiseline in a move that shows that both islands can complement rather than threaten the other's tourism product.
Sunwing previously offered inclusive vacations to Cuba but "this cruise itinerary is new to us", stated Janine Chapman vice president of marketing at Sunwing in an initial response to Jamaican media queries during a Canadian holiday on Monday.
Sunwing will offer packages starting in
December and running through to April 2016.
"We're now pleased to offer this exciting new itinerary which combines the diverse culture and attractions of popular vacation destinations like Cuba and Jamaica with the service and comfort of the recently upgraded MSC Opera," added Chapman in a later message to the Caribbean Business Report.
Sunwing will offer new all inclusive cruise packages either starts or ends from Havana, Cuba, or Montego Bay, Jamaica.
"Clients even have the opportunity to add on a 'pre' or 'post' stay
at one of our many resorts. Sunwing has packaged these air-inclusive cruises departing from the Canadian cities of Toronto, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, and Montreal," she stated.
The new cruise packages include meals, port transfers and round-trip flights with Sunwing Airlines departing from Toronto, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay and Montreal.
The seven-night packages feature ports of call to Havana, Montego Bay, Georgetown and Cozumel. A one-week allinclusive cruise package on the MSC Opera starts from Cdn$595 plus Cdn$680 taxes per person based on double occupancy, departing from Toronto to Varadero on January 5, 2016."
Last month the president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourism Association Nicola Madden-Greig told the media that Cuba can complement Jamaica's tourism particularly with cruises. She also added that increased airlift would assist in order to facilitate island hopping. (Jamaica Observer)
Salt refinery Industrial Chemical Company (ICC) Ja Ltd, manufacturer of Freeflo and Ocean salts, is pushing to increase exports to between 30 and 40 per cent of total earnings by targeting markets outside of the boundaries of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) in light of the recent construction of a new saltrefining facility.
Following the official opening ceremony of the new salt refinery in Spanish Town on Wednesday, Managing Director Lynden Nugent told the Jamaican media that the overarching vision which resulted in the new plant is "to leverage our considerable experience, infrastructure and know-how to expand in the existing business, and invest in off-shoots where they arise, with a view to maximise our local sales as well as moving toward, over a fiveyear period, pushing to a minimum" of a third of earnings.
The new refinery will also enhance the company's vision to differentiate the offering of its core product -- sea salt, baker's salt, brine salt, solar salt, and iodised salt -- Nugent said, clarifying some key points made by newly installed Chairman Peter Melhado in his address.
Melhado, who was recently appointed chairman of ICC's board following the tenure of R Danny Williams, said despite the quiet nature of the company and its products not being so glamorous, the new addition to the salt-refining plant signalled the company's intention to innovate.
"This plant will also allow us to accelerate our innovation agenda, including the introduction of a wide range of salt options to our discerning customers here in Jamaica, as well as in the export markets," Melhado said, adding, "This investment ensures us a platform to effectively compete in Caricom and beyond."
The company, which imports raw salt from the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire, should also see a reduction in energy costs and an increase in output as the new refinery -- unlike the previous that used fuel oil, sulphur, and other ingredients for energy and produces less -- will now only be powered by
majority rejection
Minister Ronald Bulkan said Government was determined to see the regional flags initiative come to life despite the fact that a majority of the regions’ heads have already rejected the idea while protesting the lack of consultation with key stakeholders.
During a brief telephone interview with Guyana Times on Monday, Bulkan provided an update on the project, noting that the Ministry was still receiving feedback from the regional bodies.
“We are still in the consultative phase, we’ve invited feedback from the regions and we are going to engage the Private Sector bodies,” he said. Asked about his response to the concerns expressed by several Regional Chairmen about the flags, Bulkan pointed out that they did not raise those concerns with him.
“They have not responded to be rejecting the suggestion,” he said, noting that if they had a problem with the flags, they should relate it to
him so the issue could be worked out.
When prompted, Bulkan declined to provide details on the process to finally bestow upon each region its own flag.
Several regional heads have expressed concerns that the imposition of regional flags required amendments to legislation and, therefore, were hesitant about the proposal.
“I don’t know if that is constitutional and I will not act until there is proper guidance provided on this because whatever happens must happen in confines of the law,” Region Two (Pomeroon- Supenaam) Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt had proffered.
However, Bulkan assured that this initiative did not require any change in legislation.
Guyana Times spoke recently to several of the Regional Chairmen about the proposed regional flags, and most were quite upset over the lack of consultation in the process – ridiculing the entire strategy, noting that it was more cosmetic and would not
aid in making each region self-sufficient as was intended by the Government.According to Bulkan, “As part of the decentralisation and regional empowerment, we are convinced that the question of engendering regional flags would be an important component of that feeling of having regional pride.”
However, the regional heads argued that flags simply would not help in this process.
Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice)
Chairman Renis Morian and Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice)
Chairman Vickchand Ramphal had also underscored the insignificance of having flags for each region. (Guyana Times)
liquid petroleum gas.
"The complete package is worth some US$2 million; it's the most modern salt plant available, a state-of-the-art machine that reduces our energy footprint, increases our yields, enhances quality, and very importantly ensures a safe environment for our seriously committed ICC
staff members," Melhado said.
But while thanking Development Bank of Jamaica, Sagicor Bank, and Tank Weld for partnering with ICC to complete the project, the chairman stressed that the country's current economic conditions and the effect of public-private partnerships also
influenced the company's decision to invest in the new facility.
"We want to play our part in recognising the tremendous effort that has been made by public and private sector leaders to bring our economy back from the brink to a level of nascent stability; stability that encourages firms like ours to invest," he said.
"Part of this event is that we are here as a message to the many stakeholders in the economy that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and with continued collective effort, we can translate hard-won gains into growth."
Melhado also lauded ICC's late founder Barclay Ewart for the company's growth, stating: "He eschewed the heavy returns of government debt in the 1990s and instead invested in machinery, processes, and most importantly, people. And it is his legacy that we carry on here today."
(Jamaica Observer)
SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC -- Ministers and deputy ministers of telecommunications ad business leaders from over 20 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean convened to launch the second ministerial forum for broadband development in the Dominican Republic.
During the forum, the participants discussed new growth alternatives in the area of information technologies and communication.
Activities at the forum included a presentation on "Broadband for Socio-Economic Development" presented by Diego Molano, former minister of telecommunications of Colombia, followed by a series of ministerial round tables and panels on public frameworks to boost access to broadband, the adoption of new legal frameworks and challenges facing public/ private investment to bridge the digital divide.
Through its broadband platform, the InterAmerican Development
Bank (IDB) is working with governments in the region, supporting their priorities to bridge the digital divide, especially in rural areas. The risk of being left behind in the adoption of broadband services may affect the efforts of the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean in the fight against poverty and inequality. Broadband has become an axis for all sectors of development and a catalyst for social inclusion, economic growth and social welfare.
According to the Broadband Development Index, a dataset from the digiLAC platform, Panama moved up from fourth to third place in development of the sector among 26 countries of the region, Costa Rica rose five positions to seventh, and Colombia advanced one position to rank fifth. The gap between the countries of the region and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) increased from 1.77 in 2013 to 1.89 in 2014 (4.51 and 6.40, respectively, out of a pos-
sible 8 points).
Ana Maria Rodriguez-Ortiz, manager, institutions for development, IDB, noted during the opening ceremony of the forum, "We cannot leave our citizens outside of the digital society; we cannot create a new digital divide. One of our main objectives in the development agenda should be focused on creating a connected world and a connected region."
Gideon Santos, chairman of the Board of the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications, INDOTEL, said, "Through broadband, distances are eliminated, creating a shortcut between the citizen and government, and thus we can truly put the citizen at the center of public policy."
DigiLAC is part of the IDB’s Broadband Program, the goal of which is to promote an institutional and regulatory environment that facilitates completion and investment to speed up access to as well as adoption and use of broadband services in the region. (Caribbeannewsnow)
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: The Education and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministries have collaborated to pay homage to late Father John Peter Bennett, who produced the Arawak-English dictionary, at the National Art Gallery, Castellani House, as the celebration of Amerindian Heritage Month.
The tribute took the form of an exhibition of artwork by indigenous artists called the “Moving Circle”.
In his remarks at the launch last Thursday, Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock said that Guyana’s indigenous people have made major contributions to the country’s development.
He added that the talents that the country’s youngsters currently posses must be identified, so that the support and encouragement can be given, enabling them to achieve even greater excellence.
The Indigenous Minister told upcoming artists that his Ministry would support their en-
deavours without discriminating against age. He also stressed that art needed to be reintroduced into schools.
Also speaking at the function, Education Minister Dr Roopnaraine assured the artist present of the support of the Education Ministry.
Internationally acclaimed artist George Simon shared, at the event’s launch that after reading Father Bennett’s work, he thought that it would be ideal to pay homage to the man that
produced the ArawakEnglish dictionary, which was a “great contribution to preserve the Loko (Arawak) Culture”. He explained that this exhibition would be very interactive as some of the artists will be present to show how their pieces were created.
Bennett was born in Kabakaburi on November 30, 1914. He completed his formal schooling around the age of 12, but continued to read widely.
After working as a
KINGSTON, JAMAICA:
Co-chair of the Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC), Richard Byles, says the revenue intake for the first four months of the 2015/16 fiscal year, ending July 31, totalled Ja$127.2 billion, some Ja $2.9 billion more than the initial projection.
He added that the amount collected was Ja $16.5 billion higher than the intake for the corresponding period last year. Byles, who was
speaking at the monthly EPOC media briefing in New Kingston on Thursday, told journalists that Government's expenditure for the period was just more than Ja $8 billion below budget. Capital expenditure was Ja $4.3 billion below budget, while the sum for recurrent expenses was Ja $3.9 billion lower than projected. "... So, between the performance of the (tax) revenues, which is pretty much on target, and the under expenditure, we end up with a primary
surplus, which is Ja $4.1 billion better than the target (of Ja $23.7 billion)," Byles stated.
He said that the categories contributing to the positive tax revenue performance include: company tax, which is Ja $2 billion ahead of target; General Consumption Tax (GCT), ahead by Ja $1.4 billion; and tax on interest rates, which is Ja $1 billion ahead of the target.
"The performance of the tax revenues is heartening. I think the Ministry of Finance and Planning and the tax authorities are finally coming to grips with this business of how to project.. and manage tax revenues. My fingers are crossed that this trend will continue for the rest of the year," the EPOC co-chair said.
As it relates to the overall revenue intake for the period, Byles said while this was slightly below target by Ja $82 million or 0.1 per cent, it was approximately Ja $26 billion or 13 per cent higher than the corresponding period last year. (Jamaica Observer)
the entire Pomeroon parish. In 1976, he was made a Canon of the Anglican Church.
catechist in Massara, North Rupununi and as acting Head Teacher at St Monica, Pomeroon, Bennet attended Codrington College in Barbados from 19461949 to train for the priesthood. He was ordained as a priest later in 1949 and would serve as priest in several parts of Guyana: New Amsterdam, Port Mourant, Bartica, North Rupununi, Waramuri and other areas in the North West Region, and finally Kabakaburi and
It was his contact with the various Amerindian peoples in the different villages he worked in that gave him the idea of starting his scholastic work on the Arawak Language. He noted that the Macushis of the North Rupununi, the Caribs of the Barama and Manawarin villages and the Warrus of Waramuri and Warapoka, for example, all spoke and sang in their respective languages. He realised that the church services did not have to be conducted in English. He also noted that in Kabakaburi, the use of the Arawak Language was rapidly disappearing.
He started the Arawak dictionary in the late 1950s and received tremendous encouragement through correspondence from Jamaican lawyer, academic and politician, Richard Hart. They eventually met in 1992 after corresponding for more than 30 years.
The first edition of An Arawak-English
Dictionary was published in 1989 and the second edition in 1994. Bennet was compiling an additional list of Loko words and their meanings which ended when he lost his sight in 1998. His other unpublished works include translations of some books of the Bible and Loko Stories, a collection of stories written in Arawak and English. Bennett passed away in November 2011 several days before his 97th birthday. He dedicated his life to serving in his vocation as priest, but he also made a tremendous effort helping to preserve and to advocate the preservation of the Arawak Language.
Bennett continues to be an inspiration for many, especially his fellow indigenous brothers and sisters.
Chair of Castellani House, Alim Hosein stated that February 2016 will mark 25 years for the “Moving Circle” of indigenous artists in Guyana.
The exhibition concludes on September 30. (Guyana Times)
The Point Fortin Seawater Reverse Osmosis Desalination Facility in TT is the lone Caribbean finalist in the 2016 Private Sector Infrastructure Sustainability Awards, the Washington-based Inter American Development Bank (IDB) has announced. It said that the other finalists are from Latin America and that the awards ceremony will take place as part of the IDB Group's Annual Meeting in April, 2016, in The Bahamas.
The IDB said the projects were submitted online through a self-evaluation tool developed by the Harvard Zofnass Programme for Sustainable Infrastructure. “Each finalist will now submit additional documents and materials to be reviewed by the HarvardZofnass team. The team will then prepare a detailed assessment of each
project for review by the nine-member panel of international experts that will choose the winners.”
The IDB said eligible projects must have at least 70 per cent of construction works completed or have been in operation during the past three years, must have a total investment of US$30 million or more, and have at least 51 per cent equity owned by a private sector entity.
"When providing critical financing for private sector led infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean, we place great value on sustainability to improve people's quality of life and mitigate the effects of climate change," said Hans Schulz, IDB Vice President for the Private Sector.
“The projects selected as finalists contemplate powerful innovations that benefit the region,” he added. (CMC)
ST GEORGE’S, GRENADA -A Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Science, Technology and Innovation Committee (CSTIC) team will visit Cuba from September 14-17, 2015, to explore collaboration and cooperation in the field of science and technology.
Professor Emeritus Harold Ramkissoon, chair of CARISCIENCE, will head the delegation.
This visit has been facilitated by Guillermo Vazquez Moreno, the Cuban ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago.
The delegation is expected, inter alia, to have meetings with the officials of the ministry of science and technology and innovation, the ministry of agriculture and the Cuban Academy of Sciences and visit international well-known science cen-
tres, such as the Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and the Centre for Molecular Immunology.
Ramkissoon is a foreign member of the Cuban Academy of Science and the recipient of the Key to the City of Havana for his contribution to the development of science and technology in the wider Caribbean. (Caribbeannewsnow)
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo has again touted the benefits of Public- Private Partnership (PPP), noting that the mechanism will always remain a winning one for Guyana’s economy.
The former Guyanese leader, who is now leader of the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), was speaking to Journalists on Tuesday, when the issue of the Berbice Bridge came up for discussion. It was during this discussion that the former Head of State spoke of investments and PPPs, and how beneficial they are to the country.
“I believe that PublicPrivate Partnerships are great investments and I think that more and more we should do this. We should create opportunities for this to happen. I would like to see, say the Marriott; why not sell shares in the Marriot to all Guyanese so that we all could own it. I think you can get, if you
sell the shares, you may get more than the Gy$ 8 million equity or the Gy$12 million in equity that you need to raise to take to 100 per cent ownership.”
According to Jagdeo, Government needs to create opportunities for persons so that their money will not just sit in the commercial banks, but begin to be utilised in the public.
“If you look at our manifesto, we said that we wanted to improve the intermediation of capital and expand the range of capital economic opportunities in the financial sector available to people. When you settle the country, you can move to higher levels of sophistication,” he said.
He continued that Government also needed to provide more opportunities for persons to invest in development type activities where they would be able to get 10 and 20 per cent returns on their money, rather than the three per cent they receive from the bank.
Jagdeo had earlier told Journalists that the gridlock between the new A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Government and the Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) could be easily resolved, if the new Administration would sit and work with everyone involved. Government and the privately-owned BBCI are currently at loggerheads, because the latter has refused to agree
to a proposal the new Administration has laid out which would eventually see a reduction in the toll for the Berbice Bridge. Government has offered to subsidise the loss the Bridge would incur, should it reduce the toll for motor cars and minibuses by some Gy$300. However, the BBCI indicated that while it supports moves to make the Berbice crossing more affordable, it could go bankrupt if Government arbi-
KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Morais Guy has awarded 83 scholarships valued at Ja$15 million to tertiary students in his St Mary Central constituency.
Dr Guy, who is also minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, explained that the tertiary assistance programme begun under the former MP for the constituency, the late Horace Clarke, who sought private sector sponsorship to start the foundation. He commended the private sector for coming on board, as well as the National Youth Service which granted 10 scholarships valued at Ja$100,000
for students attending the College of Agriculture, Science and Education, Caribbean Maritime Institute and Northern Caribbean University.
He pointed out that a portion of the scholarships is from the Constituency Development Fund.
"Education is a privilege, and there is a responsibility for those who get this privilege to exploit it to its full potential," he said.
Dr Guy urged the students to make use of the opportunity and to use it as a "means of serving the country when completed". He implored them not to burn their bridges behind them, but to remember where they are coming from.
Beneficiary Alicia
Williams said the assistance helped her to accomplish her dream, having graduated from the University of the West Indies with first class honours and now presently enrolled in a Master's programme.
Custos of St Mary and guest speaker at the event, Lieutenant Colonel Errol Johnson, also urged the awardees to cherish the education that they are getting.
"Don't stop at the first degree, but be a specialist in your area of study as the nation needs your input. It is important how you react to the circumstances and don't get hard or soft by the troubles in life," he informed. (Jamaica Observer)
trarily moves ahead with the toll reduction without fully honouring the legally binding agreement between the Company and the Government to have tolls adjusted within specified timeframes.
A PPP involves a contract between a public sector authority (Government or one of its arms) and a private party. The private party provides a public service or project and assumes substantial financial, technical and operational risk in the project.
In most types of PPPs, the cost of using the service is borne exclusively by the users of the service and not by the taxpayer.
In other types, capital investment is made by the Private Sector on the basis of a contract with Government to provide agreed services and the cost of providing the service is borne wholly or in part by the Government.
Government contributions to a PPP may also be in kind, notably the transfer of existing assets. In projects that
are aimed at creating public goods like in the infrastructure sector, the Government may provide a capital subsidy in the form of a one-time grant, so as to make it more attractive to the private investors.
Speaking directly to the economy, Jagdeo said with the current state of affairs, things could become “substantially worse” in the future.
“Government should do a consumer confidence survey and an investor’s confidence survey and you will see that if you had 10 persons that planned to expand, eight of them are saying they will wait and see. If they do not, there will be no future growth in the economy,” he said. He also alluded to Government’s failure to consider the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project for which, billions of dollars could have been saved overtime in the energy sector. A reliable power supply would likely boost manufacturing and other business. (Guyana Times)
TRINIDAD: The Network of the NGO’s for the Advancement of Women has offered congratulations to the 12 women who have been elected to represent the people of the Trinidad and Tobago in the 11th Parliament.
The 12 women or 29 percent of the Parliament’s composition is the same as in the 10th Parliament.
“We look forward to robust and fearless contributions from our women parliamentarians.
We hope that they will never loose sight of their responsibility to embrace a gender-sensitive approach to their work,” a release from the Network said.
The release noted that of the 36 women who put themselves up for office, 12 were successful — eight in the People’s National Movement and four in the United National Congress.
“We also want to congratulate those women who put their hats in the ring but were unsuccessful. We applaud your effort,” the network said.
United Nation’s Women considers 30 percent as an important benchmark for women’s representation.
Even though, globally, the percentage of women has doubled in the last 20 years, this represents only 22 percent of women in parliament today.
While continuing to advocate for equal number of women and men in the 41-member House of Representatives, the Network said it was heartened that Trinidad
and Tobago was still a leader in the region when it comes to female parliamentary representatives.
“In a broader sense our numbers are higher than many other countries in the world,” the Network said.
The Network’s Women Political Platform, a non-partisan group of women, the release said, has prepared and distributed a “2015 Women’s Manifesto” to inform women on issues of concern to women locally.
The release said the Network continues to offer support to women in politics in the areas of training, advice and advocacy.
As attention is focused on the national budget, the Network said it will also offer to the women parliamentarians in the House of Representatives and the Senate, some ideas regarding gender responsive budgets.
In many parts of the world gender responsive budget initiatives have raised awareness of the need to integrate gender issues into policy, planning and development showing ways to restructure the allocation of public funds to promote women and girls rights and gender equality, the release said.
The Network also extended congratulations and wished the newly- elected Government led by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, the best.
Now awaiting the full appointment of senators, the network said, it expects Rowley will draw on the “amazing talents” that are available and will “Put a woman, Put a woman, Put a woman.” (TT Newsday)
With the Berbice river taxi service set to be reintroduced sometime in October to compete with the Berbice Bridge, minibus operators who service the GeorgetownBerbice route have become apprehensive that they will begin to experience declining revenue.
This is according to Junior Public Infrastructure Minister Annette Ferguson who, during an interview with Guyana Times, explained that the bus operators have already expressed their views on the issue.
“I was able to meet with the Minibus Association last week Thursday, and yes, they
shared their concerns with us regarding the reintroduction of the speedboats, even though they are happy about it, they had their concerns,” she admitted.
Asked if they were concerned that business would be taken away from them, Minister Ferguson replied in the affirmative, “Yes, you can safely say so.”
However, she noted that moves were afoot to ensure there was a level playing field between the two services which would now be made available to the people of Berbice.
In fact, she noted that there was already a proposal to resolve the issue which she would submit to Public Infrastructure Minister
David Patterson for approval. However, she declined to disclose the proposal at this point in time.
The system was not working perfectly fine with the people of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).
“There is the Vreeden-Hoop Stelling and you have the Demerara Harbour Bridge and everything is fine,” he told this newspaper in an invited comment on the issue.
Meanwhile, Minister Ferguson explained that the reason why the river taxis could not be implemented at this point was because the authorities are still trying to work on a pricing structure.
TT Doctor granted TT$10,000 bail
Head of the Neurological Surgery Department at the Port of Spain General Hospital, Dr Shastri Sookhai, was on Monday granted TT$10,000 bail when he appeared before a Port of Spain magistrate charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol.
Sookhai appeared before Magistrate Marissa Gomez in the Sixth Magistrates' Court charged with “attempting to alter the concentration of alcohol” on his breath after being stopped by police during a road traffic exercise along Wrightson Road, Port of Spain on Saturday night.
Sookhai, who was represented by attorney Larry Lalla, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
minibus operators who service the Georgetown-berbice route have become apprehensive that they will begin to experience declining revenue
Previously, the Minister disclosed that the Government would heavily subsidise the cost for the elderly and schoolchildren utilising the river taxis.
The Minister had met with representatives from the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD); the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Education Ministry.
Furthermore, Ferguson said officials are considering having the transit points at the New Amsterdam Stelling and the Rosignol Stelling; however, the decision was yet to be finalised. Another possibility, she explained, is
to have the boats travel from New Amsterdam to Blairmont.
Thus far, there are four river taxi operators already onboard but for the initial stage, Government would be utilising only two.
Additionally, she pointed out that as time progressed and the demand for the service increased, Private Sector operators can come onboard.
The decision to reintroduce river taxis was made following the impasse between Government and the Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) regarding the reduction in the bridge tolls.
The situation is that
the Government wants to forge ahead with the reduction of the tolls via the provision of a subsidy to the Bridge Company; however, the Company is contending that a reduction in the current fare structure could plunge it into bankruptcy if Government failed to honour the Toll Formula which stipulates that the fares be increased periodically so the Bridge Company could meet its financial obligations. Nonetheless, even as Government pushes for the river taxi services, it noted that it would continue negotiations with the Bridge Company with the aim of lowering the tolls. (Guyana Times)
Following the not guilty plea, Magistrate Gomez proceeded to grant fresh bail in the sum of TT$10,000. When Sookhai returns to court on September 22, the State is expected to disclose to him the evidence that will be relied on during the summary trial.
Also appearing before Gomez for driving under the influence of
The facts of the case against him were not read out in court.
alcohol over the weekend were Brian Bernard, Ryan Singh, Carol St Rose, Alex James, Lexis Salandy, William Crawford and Victor Sooknarine.
All the accused with the exception of Singh pleaded guilty to the offences and will reappear in court on October 14, when the facts in the matter will be read before sentence is passed.
(TT Express)
J’can Nurses start sick out
- in protest against the gov't’s delay to pay retroactive money outstanding since 2013
JAMAICA –Public health
nurses started a sickout on Monday, in protest against the government’s delay in paying them retroactive money from a reclassification exercise, which has been outstanding since 2013.
Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) President, Janet Farr, has confirmed the industrial action, which is affecting a number of public hospitals including the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) and the
Bellevue Hospital, both in the Corporate Area.
According to Farr, although the NAJ was informed earlier this year that funds were allocated in the 2015/16 budget to make the payments, the government is now saying that the payments cannot be made prior to February, 2016.
Farr says that the nurses are not pleased with the response and are opposed to any further delays in payment.
She says that the NAJ is seeking a meeting with the Minister of
Finance and Planning or the Prime Minister to discuss the issue.
After years of battling the government for payment under the reclassification exercise for the sector, the nurses started receiving payments in installments in 2013. The payment should have been completed in three tranches.
The implementation of the health sector reclassification is costing the government Ja$7 billion over a three year period. (Jamaica Observer)
BASSETERRE, St Kitts -- A settlement was not reached on Monday in the law suit brought by the director of public prosecutions vs. the attorney general of St Kitts and Nevis and the matter is now set for trial on September 21.
In the Basseterre High Court on Monday, counsel for the attorney general initially requested a half hour break to confer, and then was granted a request to have the matter stood down until 3:30 pm.
Following the request for a further adjournment, Justice Marlene Carter made it clear that after next week there would be no more delays.
“A lot of the court’s time has been wasted,” she told counsel.
Reminding that the court was stretched for time, she said that she could not afford to waste any more.
Counsel have until September 18 to file any additional submissions.
Justice Carter point-
ed out Monday that the parties still had a week to try to reach a settlement, but emphasized that, if they did not, they must be ready for trial next Monday.
“These issues are quite important and need to be determined,” she said.
Speaking to the press following the brief afternoon sitting, counsel for the DPP Sylvester Anthony said his team was confident that it had a winnable case.
The director of public prosecutions Travers Sinanan filed suit against the attorney general Vincent Byron Jr. challenging the government’s decision not to renew his contract.
"Our position is that based on the reading of the constitution and the reading of the Prescribed Age Act which has to be read in conformity with the constitution that Mr Sinanan... is to remain there until he attains the age of 60 years," Anthony said.
A source close to the case told WINN FM that
lawyers for the two parties met on Sunday, and sometime after midnight counsel for the attorney general made a request for the other side to submit a proposal to settle the matter.
The attorney general told the press on Monday that it was his decision to seek a settlement.
Asked why his team waited until the day of the trial to try to reach a settlement, the attorney general said that settlements could happen at any time and there was a certain amount of pressure with the Criminal Assizes set to begin next week.
"We would have liked to have had the question of Mr Sinanan being resolved by the court expeditiously. It is our case that he does not hold the office of director of public prosecution, it is his case that he does. And so we need the court to resolve that question quickly so that there could be certainty as we go forward,” Byron said. (Caribbeannewsnow)
TRINIDAD: A shake up of military personnel with support duties to some key offices of government was reportedly implemented last week even before the new Minister of National Security was sworn in and could give his blessings.
According to reports, hours after the unofficial results of Monday’s General Election were announced, all Defence Force soldiers, coastguardsmen and Regiment officers assigned to the Prime Ministers’ residence in St Ann’s were recalled to base with immediate effect. Also recalled were
officers working alongside police officers at the National Operations Centre (NOC) and the drivers and other personnel assigned to the office of the Attorney General.
TT media understands that the sudden decision to do so was made by two senior officers of the Defence Force and did not have the blessings of the new Minister of National Security, Major General Edmund Dillon who was sworn in Wednesday last.
Sources revealed that usually those decisions to recall Defence Force personnel are made by the National Security Minister after he or she is sworn in. According to
well-placed sources, the 20 Defence Force officers and coastguardsmen assigned to the Prime Minister’s residence who were under the supervision of Warrant Officer
Bernard Felix were told on Tuesday last, that they had to return to base to be redeployed.
Warrant Officer Felix and three other officers were allowed to remain at the Prime Minister’s residence to fulfil responsibilities. TT media understands that those officers who were recalled had previously performed duties as support staff, cooks, and drivers. A private security firm previously under the supervision of retired brig-
adier Carl Alfonso is said to be carrying out all security responsibilities at the Prime Minister’s official residence.
Also on Tuesday, 32 officers comprising Defence Force soldiers and coastguardsmen and Regiment officers assigned to the Special Operations AntiTerrorist Group based at the NOC were also recalled with immediate effect.
The Special Operations group was formed in 2014 by former Minister of National Security Gary Griffith. Journalists understands that colleagues of the recalled officers were on Monday unsure about
their future at the Special Operations Group saying that the manpower has been watered down. That group was intended to deal with anti-terrorist activities in the country as well as to assist in surveillance duties, providing support to the police and Defence Force in the fight against crime. They were also assigned duties to deal specifically with drug trafficking.
Sources also pointed out that the drivers and other Defence Force personnel assigned to the Ministry of National Security who worked alongside Alfonso, were also asked to return to base on Tuesday last.
Their colleagues
J’can Gov’t to target petrol sector with increased weights and measures fines
Kwho also worked at the Ministry of the Attorney General also got their recall orders on Tuesday.
Sources also revealed that on Wednesday last, newly-appointed Deputy Director of the NOC, Rayden Boodan, also tendered her resignation.
On Monday, former Minister of National Security, Gary Griffith, questioned the decision to recall the officers.
“I think it is very unfortunate that the TT Defence Force have acted in such a manner whereby there has been a mass withdrawal of troops from specific locations the day after the change in government,” Griffith said. (TT Newsday)
INGSTON, JAMAICA: Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Anthony Hylton says petroleum traders will continue to be targeted by his ministry under the new amendments to the Weights and Measures Act.
the equipment used to weigh and measure sales of its products.
Hylton told the House of Representatives last Tuesday that the petroleum industry is one of the areas of concern to the public, in terms of
"That is a area that we have to police vigorously," the minister said in response to a question from Opposition Member of Parliament Daryl Vaz
(Portland Western), as to how the petroleum industry will be treated under changes to the Act which were approved by the House last Tuesday.
He said that regulations attached to the Bill will provide not just for the inspection of the equipment involved in petroleum sales, but also the importation of equipment without notifying the bureau.
He noted that inspection is necessary to ensure that the equipment being imported is not aimed at changing the current regime, and the notification makes it easier to police the industry.
"We believe that the increase in fines will act more as a deterrent than in the (previous) case where the fines were just Ja$2,000," he added.
The huge increases in fines that were approved by the House include that any person who uses for trade, or who is a party thereto, and has
in his/her possession any weighing or measuring equipment which is false or defective, is liable to a fine of Ja$1 million, up from Ja$2,000.
The increase in the fines also applies where a person violates any provision of the Act dealing with petroleum and oil fuel for trade.
Jamaica Gasolene Retailers Association (JGRA) president, Leonard Green, has since reacted to the changes that, while the association supports any measure which will boost integrity in the gasolene trade, the increased penalties under the amended legislation are too high.
He argued that gas station operators work with mechanical devices which can fail and result in an error, and that it would be unfair to assume that the service station operator had deliberately intended to deceive customers and rush
to impose a hefty penalty..
But Hylton has said that the increases will deter offenders and ensure that consumers are protected and are given a high standard of service consistently.
He also stated that given the substantial increases in fines, both the Bureau of Standards and the Consumer Affairs Commission will be directed to carry out an appropriate public education campaign aimed at informing the public of the changes.
The Bill will also be debated in the Senate. (Jamaica Observer)
Guyanese Fisherman on Gy$70,000 bail for larceny
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: A Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) man was on Monday placed on Gy$70,000 bail by Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared before her in Court Two of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with simple larceny.
Erin Herbert, 48, a fisherman, pleaded not guilty to the charge
erin Herbert
which read that on Friday, September 11 at the Houston Wharf, Georgetown, he stole
one Galaxy Note 2 smartphone valued at Gy$75,000 property of the Virtual Complainant (VC), Lorenzo Hamilton. Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones stated that the defendant was caught on Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage removing the item from among the VC’s possessions. The matter was adjourned until October 14 for statements. (Guyana Times)
LONDON, ENGLAND : Pulitzer Prizewinning American author Anne Tyler and Jamaica's Marlon James are among six finalists for the £50,000 (US$77,000) Booker Prize for fiction.
James is the first Jamaican finalist for the prestigious prize, with "A Brief History of Seven Killings," which centers on the attempted assassination of Bob Marley.
Tyler's "A Spool of Blue Thread" is one of two books by Americans on the list, alongside
Hawaiian writer Hanya Yanagihara's "A Little Life." Two years ago, writers of all nationalities became eligible for the Booker, previously open only to British, Irish and Commonwealth authors.
The list, announced Tuesday, includes two books by Britons — Tom McCarthy's "Satin Island" and Sunjeev Sahota's "The Year of the Runaways — and "The Fishermen," by Nigeria's Chigozie Obioma. The winner will be announced October 13. (AP)
…even as Code of Conduct proposed
GUYANA: The A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition
Government is still to accept the proposal made by former President and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo to have all Members of Parliament (MPs) become part of a process which would see them declaring their overseas assets.
Jagdeo had made the proposal at a time when Government itself had announced that it had established a Code of Conduct for all MPs. Against this backdrop, questions are being asked whether Government would accept the proposal of the former Guyanese leader.
Speaking to Journalists last Tuesday, Jagdeo said he was prepared to work with Government to unveil MPs’ assets around the world. “Let’s put a huge penalty for those who
lie or don’t submit accurate information or refuse to provide the information. We should table this, not to the Integrity Commission, but let’s pass a law to deposit these affidavits in the National Assembly so any member of the public can go in and check what assets we hold abroad. I am prepared to do that,” Jagdeo had declared. He added that he was prepared to subject himself to the same scrutiny. “In fact, I am advocating it; so I am not worried about a Christopher Ram and an Anand Goolsarran. They discovered that I am living in Pradoville and how much I paid for the land. I see a big revelation about this. I’ve been living there for four years. I don’t think you could have any more things written about this or any more accusations levelled against me. We should do it, I am prepared to do this, but let us do it as every Member of Parliament across the board,” Jagdeo said.
“I’m also prepared to work with them on declaring that every Member of Parliament must clear for the past 10 years their payment of taxes for them to make public, so that anybody could walk over the road and check this.”
Meanwhile, he had told Guyana Times in an exclusive interview last month that the accusations of the APNU/AFC Government with regard to the “Pradoville” situation were acts of desperation.
“I think they are becoming a bit desperate. They are not focusing on the economy, not focusing on job creation, absolutely no initiative to create wealth… The reason Pradoville is thrown into the Asset Recovery Unit is because they don’t have anything more,” the former President said.
He pointed out that the issue of “Pradoville” has been in the newspapers and media long before the 2015 General
and Regional Elections and since its establishment, he has already answered numerous questions publicly on his home there.
The former President reiterated that this is the Government’s demonstration of a “witchhunt” and that the land price for “Pradoville” was comparable to what Government had been selling to developers.
“They will now have to put the land sold to Burnham’s family, Burnham Estate, which is five acres of prime land in the Gardens, in the city. The land was given at zero cost and they didn’t pay a cent. We will see whether it was a corrupt act of the PPP concerning this land, this has to go to the Asset Recovery Unit as well,” he added.
He said that he was unmoved by the probe as those carrying out the investigations will find nothing unusual or sinister about the project.
(Guyana Times)
NASSAU, BAHAMAS –Bahamas police say they have arrested 24 people, including 16 Jamaican women, for various crimes including prostitution, murder, causing harm and dangerous drugs during an anti-crime operation over the weekend.
The police said that 16 Jamaican women were nabbed at two nightclubs during the anti-crime operation.
“Police suspect the women to be at the nightclubs for the purpose of solicitation for prostitution. The women were taken into custody for solicitation for prostitution and Breach of the Immigration Act.
“Police also confiscated a large amount
of cash from women believed to be the proceeds of crime. The club owner of both clubs was also arrested for breach of the Business License Act and solicitation for prostitution,” the police statement noted.
Police said they were also investigating an overnight shooting in which a man is assisting their investigations, while in another incident on Sunday, an off duty female police officer was exiting a nightclub located when she was shot in the arm. The officer was transported to hospital, where she remains in stable condition.
The police statement gave no other details about the arrest of those on murder and drug charges. (CMC)
Large swaths of Trinidad were left without a pipeborne water supply for most of on Monday following a mid-morning fire at the country’s main water treatment plant.
According to reports, the fire at the Caroni Water Treatment Plant in Piarco started around 10.45 am when Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) employees were doing welding repairs to
a section of the facility.
Although no one was injured and the fire was quickly extinguished by fire officers from the Piarco Fire Station, operations at the plant, which services almost three quarters of WASA’s residential customers, were immediately ceased.
In a press release issued on Monday, the authority’s corporate communications manager Daniel Plenty said 80 per cent of repairs were completed by 1.30 pm.
At 4 pm, WASA said that electrical repairs had been completed ahead of schedule and the plant was restored to full operation as at 3.30 pm.
The areas affected included most of northwest Trinidad from San Juan to St James, almost all of central Trinidad and Debe, Siparia, Penal and Fyzabad in south Trinidad.
The TT media understands that schools and health centres in the af-
fected areas were not so severely affected so as to force their early closure. A truck-borne water supply was also offered by WASA to assist customers who were most affected by Monday’s incident. Monday’s incident is the second time this year that the plant was shut down. In February, WASA was forced to close the plant temporarily after its supply was contaminated by a petroleum-based substance.
Meanwhile, WASA is advising customers in Carenage, Point Cumana and Glencoe that their water supply will be interrupted between 8 am and 4 pm on Tuesday.
Plenty, in a press release issued hours before the fire at the Caroni plant, said the disruption to customers serviced by the Tucker Valley Pumping Station is to facilitate an interconnection at Guave Road, Chaguaramas. (TT Guardian)
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:
Residents of Kartabo and Itaballi should be accessing potable water before the end of the year. This is being made possible under a project funded by the Caribbean Development Bank and implemented through the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), the Project Implementation Unit of the Finance Ministry.
BNTF Project
Manager Michael Singh, in an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), indicated that the projects were approved by the CDB and were in their final stages. He said that the projects entailed the digging of a 200-foot shallow well and installation of overhead storage and a photovoltaic system that would be linked to a submersible pump at each village.
“The pump will be
powered by solar. The pump will send water to the storage, then by gravity feed. We will have about five standpipes at strategic points in the areas so residents can benefit,” Singh explained.
It is expected that Government buildings, such as the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and Regional Democratic Council (RDC) offices, health centres and schools will have
direct connections to the water supply.“These villages were selected as a result of our needs assessment, where we collaborate with the Guyana Water Inc. They had identified these two areas as areas urgently in need of this intervention,” Singh explained. He further explained that in this Seventh Cycle of the BNTF, there are 18 water supply projects that will be executed countrywide targeting Regions Two (PomeroonSupenaam), Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). The funds are already committed for the implementation of these projects.
Operations Officer of the CDB and Supervisor of the BNTF Guyana Project, Karl Pivot explained that the BNTF programme was targeted at poverty reduction. “We go in the communities, identify where the poverty is, the most needy and we put intervention in those communities, to ensure that the beneficiaries of those interventions, their lives are changed,” Pivot said. Pivot and a team were returning from Kartabo and Itaballi, where they had visited to monitor implementation of the water projects, when he spoke with GINA.
benefiting from the BNTF programme during its Third Cycle in 1993 and saw a number of projects in the education, water, and health sectors being implemented
According to Pivot, the purpose of his visit was to ensure that projects were delivered on time, the designs were as approved and the funds were being spent as agreed.
While in Guyana Pivot will be making random visits to various project sites to ensure they are progressing as planned, after which, he will report on their status to the CDB. “This programme is a grant programme, they are contributors who use taxpayers’ money to provide this funding, so we have to ensure that taxpayers’ money is spent, and there are positive outcomes from them,” Pivot said.
The Trust Fund of
the CDB has the following countries as beneficiaries for the programme: Belize, Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos Islands.
Guyana started benefiting from this programme during its Third Cycle in 1993 and saw a number of projects in the education, water, and health sectors being implemented. The Lethem and Mabaruma Hospitals, Diamond Nursery School, Number 77 Nursery School and Ithaca Nursery Schools were some of the projects undertaken over the years. (Guyana Times)
New Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says no jobs will be lost due to the reduction from 33 ministries to 23 ministries, and the Ministry of Local Government will be removed as promised but on a phased basis.
“I want to make it abundantly clear. No person...has lost his or her job as of today as a result of the compression of the public service into 23 ministries as opposed to 33,” he said.
He was speaking on Saturday with the me-
dia following a retreat for the new Cabinet ministers held at the Hyatt Regency, Port-ofSpain.
The retreat took place from about 9.30am to 5pm. Rowley explained that for ministries that were not named as separate ministries “that block of public officers, public servants, contract officers — whoever they are — they now fall under only the existing ministries.” He continued: “All that is missing from them is the minister or the ministerial head that they used to know.” He pointed out,
for example, that the former Ministry of Water Resources is now under the Ministry of Public Utilities and the minister (Ancil Antoine).
“So every single area of Government activity sits within a ministry somewhere and there is a minister responsible,” he said.
Rowley explained that the ministers will have one or more permanent secretaries “sitting on top of these blocks of people”.
“So it is just a relocation of where they were. So this rumour of people having lost their jobs that’s just not true at all. We just relocated and we removed 10 administrative heads as ministers,” he said.
He noted if he followed the template from the previous administration he would have to appoint 10 more ministers but the 23 ministers have been allocated the responsibilities and the public servants associated with those other ministries.
He said that the ministries, in terms of schedule and scope, are larger but the number of ministers are smaller “and they are expected to work harder” as they are responsible for a wider area.(TT Newsday)
G RAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN
ISLANDS - The authorities have completed post mortems on two decomposing bodies that were found in a Jamaican registered fishing boat.
However their identities have not been released as investigators
say formal identification is pending from another jurisdiction.
One of the men is believed to be between 25 and 40 years old while the other is thought to be over 50 years old.
According to a report in the Cayman media, the Coroner who was flown in to perform the post mortems,
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: The ongoing gun amnesty programme which commenced on September 1 and concludes on the last day of the month can possibly be extended depending on the response from the public as they continue to surrender illegal firearms and ammunition.
This was according to Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who was confident that persons would turn in unlicensed guns and ammunition as the amnesty period winds down. The Minister stated that so far, he was pleased with the response taking into consideration the number of guns and ammunition handed in. To date, 30 firearms and 1457 rounds of ammunition were collected at various Police Divisions across the country.
He explained that gun amnesty programmes were not done often, but
they were about giving members of the public who have unlicensed firearms the opportunity to turn them in. The Minister also warned that if they did not take advantage of the amnesty programme, they would face the consequences provided by law.
In most cases, the guns and ammunition collected during an amnesty are destroyed, but Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud stated that once the ballistic experts give clearance that the guns were not used in any crime related activity, the Guyana Police Force can apply to the authorities to have them added to their stock.
Tests, he noted, have already begun on the weapons and to date, none were linked to any crime.
The Police Chief explained that once a gun has been linked to an offence, the Police can and would reopen an investi-
gation into the particular matter.
The Commissioner further stated that those who would have surrendered their illegal weapons during the amnesty programme will have absolute immunity. The immunity, however, only relates to possession of firearms, but not the crime it might have been involved in.
“If the firearm is linked to a particular crime is another story,” the Commissioner disclosed.
Upon the announcement of the amnesty programme, former Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee stated that the Government was wasting its time in this regard, as no success will be had from this crime fighting initiative.
Public Security Minister Ramjattan had stated that the Government would accept all illegal weapons from individuals who hand them in, adding that these individuals would not face prosecution.
While he had then said the Churches would be the depository for the weapons, this was changed to the Police Stations being the locations for the activity, with the faith-based organisations overseeing.
While he himself was a crusader for the initiative, Rohee said that international experience and advice from his consultants have proven this idea to be troublesome. (Guyana Times)
could not immediately determine the cause of death, due to the advanced state of decomposition.
The 28-foot boat was floating 13 miles southwest of Little Cayman, when it was discovered last month by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Marine Unit. (CMC)
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: With the increase of foreign investment in Guyana there will be a much higher rate of employment opportunities, skills training programmes and even training in some of the most updated, foreign technology.
This is according to Governance Minister Raphael Trotman, who in a telephone interview with Guyana Times on Sunday, stated that the Administration welcomes foreign investors and investments in the country.
He explained that while Guyana has the po-
tential to be placed on the map for its production of natural resources, much more can be achieved if the country can have more ‘value added production.’
Guyana Times was told that it is a wellknown fact that Guyana has a lot of forestry in terms of trees and timber. if the country were to process this on a large scale for exportation this would definitely boost its portfolio and bring in more revenue.
Once this becomes a reality Guyana would be able to assist other countries with value added products (wood) in times
of need, such as countries like Dominica which was hard-hit by the Tropical Storm Erika.
Minister Trotman further stated that with the arrival of more foreign investors locally, there will be the transfer of skills and this would in turn result in more Guyanese citizens having the opportunity to become more skilled in a number of areas.
“Persons will be able to receive training in some of the latest types of technology. Having more value-added production in the country will also create more job opportunities and allow persons to develop their skills,” he told this publication.
The Government official referred to the Barama Company, which has been operating in Guyana for almost a quarter of a century. He posited that the Government has always maintained good relations with Barama during the past 25 years and that he recently met with relevant authorities of the company to discuss changes. (Guyana Times)
J’ca Gov't aims to cut crime by keeping
Education Minister Ronald Thwaites has said that, based on statistics, if young people remain in school, their likelihood of getting involved in criminality reduces.
“Minister Bunting has statistics to show that if a young person stays in school, even if they are not achieving passes – just staying in school – reduces by 40 per cent the likelihood that they are going to find themselves in a gang or in some criminal anti-social behaviour,” Thwaites told reporters.
He said that 1.8 per cent of stu-
dents between grades eight and 10 are dropping out of high schools in the Corporate Area. That figure is closer to three per cent in western Jamaica, the education minister said.
Thwaites also stated that students’ names should not be removed from attendance registers based solely on the number of weeks for which they are absent.
“It’s no longer a question of ‘oh, you’re not present, so after six weeks of absence we strike you from the record’; we are instructing principals, deans, guidance counsellors to go out and go after the children,” Thwaites declared.
“We are also saying to the police, ‘we don’t want you to arrest parents or drape up the child, but you must come with us when we need, because it needs the full authority of the State to ensure that education is not an option’,” he continued. “Education is in fact an absolute necessity for children between the ages of four and 18, especially at those critical ages where we know the dropouts are likely to take place.”
According to Thwaites, the Education Ministry is also working on statistics for girls who have dropped out of school due to pregnancy, and finding out what is happening to them.
(Jamaica Observer)
The lawyers who represented Jamaican Shanique Myrie in her case against the Barbados Government are yet to be paid, almost two years after the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruled in her favour, according to the Jamaica Observer.
While Myrie received about US$38,000 as ordered – though not until eight months after the Trinidad-based court made the historic judgment – the newspaper reported that the lawyers have not received a cent, neither do they know when they will be paid.
According to the report, this is although invoices and receipts for the legal costs were submitted to the CCJ and the government of Barbados.
Myrie successfully challenged the Barbados government after being denied entry into the island on March 14, 2011.
She had alleged that when she travelled to the island she was subjected to a body cavity search, detained overnight in a cell and deported to Jamaica the following day. Myrie also claimed that she was subjected to derogatory remarks by a Barbadian Immigration officer.
The CCJ ruled in
October 2013 that Barbados had breached the rights of the Jamaican national, afforded under Article 5 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, by denying her entry, and therefore ordered that she be paid damages.
Meantime, Myrie is pushing forward with a political career.
She has been given the nod by the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) to represent the Olympic Gardens Division in St Andrew – currently represented by the Jamaica Labour Party’s Christopher Townsend – in the next local government elections. (Caribbean360)
...Olivierre
The ability of newly sworn in Energy Minister Nicole Olivierre to work with the National Gas Company (NGC) and her capacity to manage this critical sector are being called into question as oil prices continue to slide.
Olivierre, the newly elected La Brea MP, has been embroiled in a wrongful dismissal lawsuit with the management of this critical state agency, which now falls under her control.
On Sunday, political analyst and economist Indera Sagewan-Alli expressed reservations about Olivierre’s appointment given the pending lawsuit and her inexperience.
In 2012 Olivierre, who was employed at NGC since 2002, filed a complaint of wrongful dismissal against the NGC at the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC). She alleged racial discrimination by the company, claiming that NGC refused her access to opportunities for training and promotion based on her race. The matter is still before the EOC.
Sagewan-Alli said she believed a critical factor at this time was the min-
ister resolving the lawsuit and determining to what extent she could work with the NGC.
Sagewan-Alli said that only time would tell if Olivierre would be able to look past her previous interaction at the NGC and work with the state enterprise’s senior management.
She said Olivierre should be given the benefit of the doubt.
She added there was no way the Energy Minister could avoid having to work very intimately with the NGC, which is one of Trinidad's major sources of income.
While Olivierre has a degree in engineering, Sagewan-Alli questioned how many years of experience and depth of experience she has.
“It is something we have to be very concerned about because of the (Energy) sector,” she said.
Olivierre declined to share her cellphone number when approached by the TT media after being sworn in at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s, on Friday. She therefore could not be reached for comment.
On Sunday, NGC Marketing and Communications manager Roger Sant did not comment on the matter, but said in a release:
“On behalf of NGC, we wish to extend our sincere congratulations to Ms Nicole Olivierre on the occasion of her appointment as The Honourable Minister of Energy and Energy Industries. We take pride in the appointment of one of our own former employees to this important position and extend our best wishes to the Honourable Minister for every success in the fulfillment of her duties.” (TT Guardian)
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:
Some Gy$8 million worth of white rice amounting to 75 tonnes was dispatched to the storm-struck island of Dominica as aid relief for residents who are currently struggling to survive.
Additionally, a 40foot container of stockfeed is being shipped off to the country for the purpose of feeding the livestock there.
State Minister Joseph Harmon, who visited the Guyana National Industrial Company Incorporated (GNIC) Wharf on Monday, where the shipment of rice was being loaded onto the vessel, expressed his delight over the joint effort between the Public Sector and the Private Sector in helping the country in need.
“On behalf of the Government of Guyana, we are very pleased with this effort – a joint effort by the Private Sector and the State in responding to the needs
of the Dominican people after their recent disaster. I think that this kind of collaboration between the Private Sector and State Sector is important to demonstrate to the rest of the world that Guyana is a state to respond when there is a need,” he stated.
The eastern Caribbean island of Dominica was hit by Tropical Storm Erika in late August and was again struck by another storm, Tropical Storm Grace a few days ago.
More than 25 persons were reported to have died as a result of the
Canada-based Timeless Herbal Care Limited (THC) announced Saturday it has secured a US$100million deal to develop medical marijuana products in Jamaica for the international market.
Courtney Betty, the Jamaican- Canadian who heads THC, did not go into great detail, but said the deal would create job opportunities for many Jamaicans. He said the deal was buttressed by the decision of the Jamaican Government to decriminalise ganja for medicinal purposes.
Betty used the opportunity in a speech at the Association of Consultants and Physicians of Jamaica (ACPJ) Reception and Banquet, held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston, to urge physicians and private sector businesses to get on board with medical marijuana treatment, saying Jamaica was destined to become a hub for investment in medical marijuana.
“This is not about
smoking marijuana, but it is about developing medical products that will be able to help patients,” said the president and CEO of Timeless Herbal Care, a nutraceutical pharmaceutical company that produces medical marijuana products.
A high point of the ACPJ banquet was the honouring of its past president and consultant neurologist Dr Amza Ali and Dr Hafeezul Mohammed, outstanding cardiologist, internist and consultant physician.
Dr Ali was trained in neurology at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, and is specially certified in neurology by the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom and the Association of British Neurologists.
He also completed a clinical fellowship in epilepsy at the Neurological Institute, Columbia University in New York and is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians of
London.
“Being honoured by one’s peers is an amazing thing. It gives you a sense of validation that can’t come from anything else, because it means other people that you respect, respect what you are doing,” Dr Ali said in his response.
In 2009, the American Academy of Neurology selected him for the Donald M Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum for his extensive work in the field of epilepsy. In June 2011, he delivered the prestigious annual Swebelius Lecture at Yale University in recognition of his work in this field.
Dr Mohammed, who has studied at McGill University, Canada, the University of the West Indies, and the Royal Postgraduate Medical School of London, said: “I am delighted to receive this honour from the Association of Consultant Physicians of Jamaica, and this inspires me to continue to provide service to the people of Jamaica and to improve our health care.” (Jamaica Observer)
storms while hundreds are said to be homeless.
Earlier in September, Guyana’s Private Sector donated medical and pharmaceutical supplies, cleaning items, generators and an undisclosed quantity of cash to Dominica.
Some of the donors included NEW GPC INC; Gaico Construction and General Services Inc; International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA); National Hardware Limited; Demerara Tobacco Company (DEMTOCO) and CAMEX Ltd. (Guyana Times)
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Basil Williams has met with a team from the Vancouver-based Justice Education Society (JES) to discuss the two-year Government of Canada funded “Strengthening the Guyanese Criminal Justice System” (SGCJS) project.
The Minister pointed out that the discussions were centred on the components of the Crime Scene Investigations and investigations by the Police in connection with obtaining evidence for a successful prosecution by the courts. In addition, the Minister alluded to the critical fact that training must be given to Magistrates and State Prosecutors as well as Police Prosecutors.
The Attorney General
noted, “We have identified with the components in the programme that is being administered by the Justice Education Society and we believe it’s very relevant due to complaints such as lawyers taking advantage of Police Prosecutors.”
JES International Programme Manager Evelyn Neaman said that activities would be commencing as early as next month, providing the necessary training supplies and equipment arrive in a timely manner. The range of the activities include: working with the Director of Public Prosecutions; helping the Police Prosecutors and providing the requisite training for Magistrates. Neaman is of the opinion that when the strong candidates can be trained from
Georgetown, it can create a ripple effect throughout the country, and in so doing, strengthen the justice system in its entirety. The International Programme Manger also pointed out that the media would play a vital role. She said, “There is a documentary for public viewing which will bring about greater awareness on the project and what it hopes to achieve, so the public can better understand what this project is so we can build better confidence in the justice system.”
Similar projects of this nature have been conducted by the Justice Education Society. The Canadian Non- Governmental Organisation is set to invest US$750,000 for the development of Guyana’s Legal system. (Guyana Times)
PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD:
The Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Police Service has been called in to help find missing San Fernando businesswoman Carolyn Katwaroo.
Katwaroo, 43, was last seen around 8 pm on Friday night by neighbours. She left her home at Block 5, Cedar Drive, Palmiste, in her white Mercedes Benz car and was seen wearing a fitted black dress.
Her younger sister, Karen, told the TT media on Monday she spoke to Katwaroo earlier that evening.
“She was in a very good mood. She
KINGSTON, JAMAICA –Just in case you were wondering why Snapchat stories paid homage to Jamaica, don’t worry, you did not miss the memo. The craze is due to social media application Snapchat deciding to feature Jamaica as their "Live Story of the Day", broadcasting pictures and videos from the Caribbean island to their more 200 million users.
Snapchat is a video messaging application that allows users to take photos, record videos, add text and drawings, and send to a controlled list of people. Launched in July 2011, it is believed to be valued at approximately US$20 billion.
Jamaica joins Boston, Mecca and Saudi Arabia on the list of locations to be featured on the social media platform.
The Los Angeles
Times also reported today of Jamaica being featured on the social media platform, in an article titled: Jamaicans tearing up social media with daylong platform on Snapchat”.
Users in Jamaica who wish to contribute to the story must follow certain steps.
After capturing a photo or video of the featured event/story using the Snapchat app, you must first tap on the arrow symbol at the bottom right. This will take you to the “Send
To” page where you will find the event/story listed. Select the event and once again tap on the arrow symbol that appears at the bottom right, and you will have contributed your snap to the event’s story.
Users will also have to first turn on the GPS location services on their smartphones for this Snapchat feature to work. You can add snaps to "Our Story" only, if Snapchat detects that you are located within the geo-fence of an event.
(Jamaica Observer)
said she had plans but after her neighbours saw her leave home, nobody knows what happened,” said Karen.
Katwaroo’s car was found abandoned in Union Hall, San Fernando, the next day, as one of her neighbours saw it parked along the roadway and notified the police.
“He was passing and saw the car earlier in the day and saw it again in the afternoon. The police were contacted and that is when everyone knew that she was missing.”
She said Katwaroo lives alone and has no children. Karen said nothing appeared to be missing from her sister’s home.
Katwaroo owns and operates a wholesale business, importing vegetables.
Karen is appealing to members of the public to continue sharing and posting her sister’s photos on social media sites, as the family is desperate to get any information possible on her sister’s whereabouts.
“We are asking anyone, if you saw her car or someone driving her car or saw her at any time, please come forward. Please tell the police what you know or saw, we just want our sister to come back home safely.
“Please pray for her and her safe return,” she said. (TT Guardian)
The Dominica Government on Monday welcomed the visit of the former West Indies test cricketer, Brian Charles Lara, as the special envoy of the TT Government, saying it signalled an intention of the new administration in Port-of-Spain to assist the island to recover from the battering it received from Tropical Storm Erika last month.
Lara arrived on Monday and held talks with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit on how the new Keith Rowley administration could assist in the rehabilitation of the island after the storm on August 27 left more than 30 people dead and damage estimated at more than EC$600 million (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents).
“Clearly this is a huge decision on the part of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley. With all of the challenges he has
in Trinidad, being a new government, having to settle the new Cabinet, having to re-appoint boards…that he has decided that Dominica is one of his priorities and that alone for us is a huge gesture on his part,” said Skerrit.
“And with Dr Rowley’s strong support for regional integration and for T&T providing the kind of guidance and leadership as a founding member of Caricom we have no doubt that Dr Rowley will provide that leadership and guidance for greater Caribbean integration.”
Skerrit told reporters sending Lara to Dominica underscored Port-of-Spain’s desire to assist his island “and we are really appreciative of the visit itself.
“As I have been saying to the public we have received tremendous support from our regional and international partners…but the presence of individuals here
is a source of hope, motivation and comfort for many who have been affected,” Skerrit said.
Lara said that he had arrived with a message from Rowley indicating “we are family and when one family suffers, the other one does and we are here to help.
“We stand in solidarity with the whole of Dominica during this really trying time. We understand and we know and recognise the displacement of people…we sympathise with their loss of lives and property...and I am really here to take something back to T&T and let my government know exactly the way that we should react and respond to the needs of Dominica.”
Following the storm on August 27, T&T had made available Air Guard helicopters to assist in the rescue efforts after several villages were cut off and roads and bridges impassable. (CMC)
SPAIN, TRINIDAD: One week before the ceremonial opening of the 11th Parliament takes place, the Parliament has begun to list some of the new elected members who will sit in the House of Representatives and Senate as of September 8 to September 20, 2020.
Checks on Sunday showed Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley (Diego Martin West); Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi (San Fernando West); National Security Minister, retired Major General Edmund Dillion, (Point Fortin); Finance Minister Colm Imbert (Diego Martin North/East); Housing Minister Marlene McDonald (Port-of-Spain South); Planning and Development Minister Camille Robinson-
Regis (Arouca/Maloney); Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh (St Joseph); Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General Stuart Young (Port-of- Spain North/St Ann’s West); Community Development and Culture Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly (St Ann’s East); Public Utlities Minister, retired Brigadier Ancil Antoine, (D’Abadie/ O’Meara); Energy Minister Nicole Olivierre (La Brea); Education Minister Anthony Garcia: Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie (La Horquetta/ Talparo), Sport and Youth Affairs Minister Darryl Smith and Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister Ayanna Webster-Roy (Tobago East).
The Government MPs not yet list-
Gwendolyn Persaud, wife of slain joiner Nathan Persaud, succumbed to pressure on Friday evening and admitted to paying a hitman a huge amount of money to get rid of her husband.
A Police source told the Guyana Times that the woman made the confession while being interrogated at the Criminal Investigation Department at Eve Leary, Georgetown.
According to information received, the woman reportedly told investigators that her now dead husband was planning to kill her, but she took the first jump.
She also admitted that the murder stemmed from a property dispute which is presently engaging the attention of the courts. The Police are now hunting for a Georgetown resident in connection with the murder.
The couple was separated for over a year due to constant domestic dispute. The woman who operates a drinking bar in Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara was taken into custody hours after Persaud’s bloodied body was discovered on Thursday morning.
Nathan Persaud, age 43 of Lot 66 Herstelling
ed on the website are Works and Transport Minister Fitzgerald Hinds (Laventille West); Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe (Tobago West); Social Development and Family Services Minister Cherrie-Ann Crichlow Cockburn (Lopinot/Bon Air West); Esmond Ford (Tunapuna); Glenda Jennings-Smith ( To c o / S a n g r e Grande); Dr Lovell Francis (Moruga/ Tableland) and Adrian Leonce (Laventille East/ Morvant). While no formal announcement has been made regarding the post of Government Chief Whip in the House, McDonald and Imbert are considered the most likely persons to fill that post. McDonald served as Opposition Chief Whip in the House in the last Parliament.
None of the 18
Opposition MPs in the Lower House are listed as yet. Last week, Opposition MPs Dr Roodal Moonilal (Oropouche East), Ganga Singh (Chaguanas West) and Dr Bhoe Tewarie (Caroni Central) expressed their support for former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar (who is also Siparia MP) to be Opposition Leader. Persad-Bissessar will occupy the second seat in the Opposition’s front bench,directly opposite from Dr Rowley.
TT media understands that the post of Opposition Chief Whip in the House could be filled either by Moonilal or Singh, who have experience in these roles.
The website also listed Labour Minister Jennifer BaptistePrimus, Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses
and Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat as Government senators.
Not listed as yet in the Government’s senatorial line-up are new Rural Development and Local Government Minister Franklin Khan, Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon and Agriculture Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Avinash Singh, who were all sworn in last week.
Under the Constitution, Prime Minister Rowley has the power to advise President Anthony Carmona to appoint a total of 16 Government Senators, one of who will be the Senate President.
Former government minister and PointeaPierre MP Christine Kangaloo is reportedly tipped for that post. At last Friday’s swearing in ceremony at Queen’s
New Housing Scheme, was on Thursday morning found in a pool of blood in the living room of his home. His head was bashed in at the time of the discovery, which was made at about 10:00h by a relative.
A knife, hammer and several pieces of clay bricks were found next to the man’s body. He was last seen alive by one of his sons before he left for classes. Persaud was reportedly on the telephone at the time.
A post-mortem examination performed on the body of the dead man proved that he died as a result of blunt trauma to the head. The autopsy was performed by State Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh, at the Georgetown Public Hospital on Friday. Persaud is expected to be laid to rest on Monday. (Guyana Times)
Hall, it was announced that Kangaloo would be appointed to the Senate but no portfolio was assigned to her. Khan, who is also People’s National Movement (PNM) chairman, is tipped to be Government Chief Whip in the Senate.
Some of the remaining Government Senators could be chosen from amongst other PNM candidates who were unsuccessful in last Monday’s elections.
A similar situation could obtain for the six Opposition senators who will be appointed by the President on PersadBissessar’s advice.
Former government ministers Vasant Bharath, Brent Sancho, Stephen Cadiz, Stacy Roopnarine and Kevin Ramnarine are reportedly being considered to fill these posts. (TT Newsday)
J’can Gov’t, Opposition agree to CCJ debate in Senate
Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Senator AJ Nicholson, announced Friday that the controversial debate on the three bills concerning Jamaica's relationship with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will begin on October 16.
There is no indication as to why the Government wants to go ahead with the debate at this time.
Senator Nicholson said that the debate, on which both sides agreed to the timeline, will be of equal importance to the Independence Debate in 1962, which dealt with the proposal for a new Constitution for independent Jamaica.
Senator Nicholson noted that the positive vote of at least 14 of the 21 members of the Senate was required for one of the constitutional amendment bills included in the trio of legislation to be passed.
"It is clear therefore that the power of the eight Opposition senators in this exercise looms large," he told his colleagues.
He said that it would be the most farreaching exercise to be undertaken by the Senate since the independence debate, which was concluded in January, 1962.
"The initiative has to do with the relocation of our final Court of Appeal, from an institution, which has served us since the year 1833, and it concerns the journey to fully patriate that third arm or branch of Government, known as the judiciary," he told the Senate on Friday.
The bills to be debated are:
An Act to Amend the Judicature (Appellate Jurisdiction) Act, which seeks to amend the Judicature (Appellate Jurisdiction) Act, to repeal provisions for appeals to the Privy Council, and exclude any appeals to the Privy Council instituted prior to implementation of the CCJ;
An Act to make provisions for the implementation of the agreement establishing the CCJ, as both a court of original jurisdiction to determine cases involving the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and International treaties, as well as a superior court of record with appellate jurisdiction; and,
An Act to Amend the Constitution of Jamaica to repeal provisions relating to appeals to the Privy Council, and replace them with provisions establishing the CCJ as Jamaica's final court, which requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate.
The bills spent more than the required three months
on the table of the House, after being laid in July 2012, and another three months after the conclusion of that debate in May. The Senate took second reading of the bills on May 22, ten days after it was passed in the House of Representatives. However, the Government did not seem anxious to have them debated immediately, due the constitutional make-up of the Senate, including eight Opposition members, which makes it impossible to obtain the required two-thirds majority necessary for the amendment without the support of at least one member of the Opposition. (Jamaica Observer)
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: Some ten years ago, deaf persons in Guyana mainly faced a life in isolation, while persons without the disability remained essentially uniformed and unaware of their difficulties.
Today, from a modest office on Norton Street, Wortmanville in Georgetown, chairman for the Guyana Council of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities and director of the Support Group for Deaf Persons,Leon Walcott, has seen firsthand the progress over the years, as well as the remaining –and new – constraints regarding deaf awareness in Guyana.
Speaking with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Walcott says he is “very
optimistic” with the progress that has been made for deaf awareness and education over the years, and is also optimistic that more will be made. What needs to be done now, he suggests, is to take this success to a higher level.
He mentions the work of Sabine McIntosh, president of the Deaf Association of Guyana, who runs the Deaf Special Needs School in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, as one example of the progress made and continuing to be made in the deaf community.
McIntosh, he says, is using culture to promote and encourage deaf awareness and education through cultural activities such as dance and drama. She has held successful shows, presented by the disabled, over
the past three years. Currently, though few sign language interpreters are available, they are often called upon at police stations or in the courts to lend support to deaf per-
sons in terms of interpreting for them. This ensures deaf persons are provided with their right to adequate representation, regardless of the legal issue.
While there is still a
need for more deaf persons to access jobs, more deaf persons are employed than before and are enjoying successful careers.
The University of Guyana signalled its intention to cater for students with disabilities in its Disability Equality Policy plan; a goal Walcott is happy to lend support to.
In addition, Walcott notes the more sensitive attitude among schoolchildren as well as among the general population, for the disabled. They are some of the groups the organisation has targeted over the years to educate about deaf awareness.
“Things are being done, which is an improvement from…let’s say…10 years ago,” Walcott declares. He adds that since disabled organisations “don’t have to reinvent the wheel” the progress made in the 10 years has been quick, building on what others had already put down.
Walcott notes too that while there has been progress in many areas, in some areas that progress has been limited.
He mentions for example that while deaf persons being employed, promotions are less forthcoming. This he adds is usually as a result of their inability to communicate effectively with other staff because communication has to be done in sign language, and few or no other staff would have such an ability.
In addition, while there is often an initial demand to learn sign language, persons, he says, view it as a “hobby” and learn the foundation stage but go no further. Often this is because there are no financial gains or economic benefits from learning sign language. As such, sign language users who are proficient in sign language are relatively few.
Also, while more persons, including parents of
deaf persons, have been exposed to deaf awareness programmes, many are still not significantly more aware to change their attitudes towards the deaf.
He cites this as an example of why awarenessraising activities need to continuous; something that he says is done, tragically, only in spurts. Funding for deaf awareness programmes may be provided for a few months then nothing for several years.
“Parents need continuous assurance,” he maintains, something that is not possible when there is a lack of funding and few resources for ongoing awareness activities.
“We need a lot of resources,” he states. “We need personnel, and we need money to train them.”
But there is also a caveat with trained personnel, and it is linked to what he calls the “export of Guyana: the brain drain.”
With a certificate proving training in special education fields, when these persons go to the Caribbean or western countries “… we’ve lost them…That is a fact…we have suffered from that,” he reveals, slowing shaking his head.
Walcott also feels there is still a great need for raising more awareness as a public service from the media, government and private sector.
He also reveals that due to a lack of funding, which usually comes from the local business community and individuals, The Support Group for Deaf Persons, of which he is its director, will not be organising its yearly Deaf Awareness Week of activities, held at the end of September.
However, the Guyana Deaf Mission Church,located at the corner of Vlissingen road and Dhanraj Street, will have its usual rally and march, as well as a church service. The church, which isrun by Mary and Lawrence Hallahan,conducts sign language classes as well as church services in sign language.
A bit discouraged with the lack of funding, the group this yeardecided, as they did in 2014, to focus instead on International Day for Persons with Disabilities, which is scheduled for year end and consists of a week of activities encompassing all forms of disabilities.
(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: This year’s installment of Glow Fest—hosted by Glow Entertainment— is expected to be bigger and better than ever with performances by international Gospel artistes and some of TT’s very own talent carded to hit the stage at the newly-built Shaw Park Complex, Scarborough, Tobago, next month.
Glow Fest is now in its sixth year and is one of TT’s most anticipated gospel concerts.
This year’s tagline— #icanglow—is linked to Bible verse Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Organiser of the event Kern Cowan says Glow, which stands for God’s
Lyrical Offering of His Word, aims to help provide a much needed avenue for the nation’s youth to showcase their talents and encourage citizens to lead more positive and fulfilling lives.
Headlining the concert on September 26 is American recording artiste, singer, song-writer and producer Mali Music, who has a string of hits under his belt, including I Believe, Beautiful and Ready Aim. Also billed to perform is US Gospel R&B, Soul singer Jessica Reedy, who shot to fame in 2009 when she landed the first runner-up spot on BET's gospel singing competition, Sunday Best.
Patrons can also look forward to a fulllength performance from
Tobago’s very own gospel singer Positive who will also officially launch his third album that evening, titled Stand and Be Counted. Up and coming gospel artistes Keylon Whitlock and Blessed Messenger, both from the sister isle, will also grace the stage.
“This Glow Fest movement was started in 2011 with the Victory Outreach Church Youth Group and was born out of the need to reach out to young people,” Cowan explains. “Most youths love music and concerts and we found there were so many talented young people but limited opportunities existed for them to really express themselves. We decided to do something about it and give youths the chance to
showcase their talents in a positive way.
“In T&T, we are very much focused on oil, gas and tourism but what’s going on with our human resource? So many so-called bandits have so much talent in them; all they need is a chance. Our aim is to show young people that there is a different way. They can channel their energies into something constructive and live a life pleasing to God. We want them to know there is an alternative to the war mentality.”
Cowan points out that the concert is not only targeted towards Christians, though. It’s open to anyone who wants to attend and experience “a different kind” of enjoyment. “We
are also targeting the average man on the street. We want to spread the message of God to anyone who is willing to listen,” he added.
Trinidad’s edition of Glow Fest was held in July at 02 Park Chaguaramas and attracted more than 4,000 people of all ages and backgrounds. Cowan says he expects a similar turnout in Tobago.
“It was really a tremendous success. People had a great time in the presence of God,” he said. “We are excited for the concert in Tobago. We are working on making Glow Fest 2015 a firstclass event. We want to offer something different, something of substance where people can walk away happy, satisfied and spiritually filled.” (TT Guardian)
By Lennox J Hernandez
GEORGETOWN,
GUYANA: It is generally accepted that the mainland of South America has been occupied by humans since 30,000 BCE, and that northern South America, including Guyana, has been occupied by indigenous peoples for more than 6,000 years.
In what is called pre-Columbian times (before the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the Europeans), the Arawak people, for example, inhabited the river basins of the Orinoco River and the northern Amazon, living in “thatched huts, made of bent branches, covered in leafy boughs.”
Over thousands of years,
indigenous building would have evolved slowly, and a study of the contemporary building forms of the nine indigenous peoples in Guyana is now most desirable.
Indigenous buildings utilize materials readily available, and are a mixture of
various types of thatched roof; walls of leaves, earth, saplings or, in more recent times, rough-sawn boards.
The structure is usually of timber poles using the postand-lintel structural system.
While the coastal and forest peoples would use timber materials mainly, the savannah peoples of the Rupununi make much use of earth as a wall material.
Indigenous buildings have their own aesthetics, especially the underside of the roof which, depending on the thatching used, display artistry comparable and sometimes better, than modern and western ceilings.
Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as leaves, reeds, etc., which are plaited, and laying the material so as to shed water away from the underside of the roof, and hence from the indoor space itself.
It is a roofing method traditionally passed down from generation to generation, and numerous types are known, depending on the materials available and the tradition of
the community.
The major vegetation used by the indigenous peoples for roofing in Guyana includes the troolie palm, the cokerite palm and the dhalebanna leaf.
This article will look at the dhalebanna (Geonoma spp) type roofing, mainly from a study done by the writer at the Pakuri Lokono-Arawak Territory (St Cuthbert’s Mission, Mahaica River) some years ago. (See “Arawak Houses” in Encyclopaedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World,edited by Paul Oliverand published by Cambridge University Press.)
Dhalebanna (or dhalibanna) is a low growing palm found in swamps, which when used for roofing gives a distinctive look both externally and internally. The roof frame is made of round poles, usually wallaba, larger ones for the horizontal tie-beams and smaller ones for the sloping rafters.
The dhalebanna leaves are sorted out and the best selected in preparation for plaiting into a number of what one may call a “roofing unit.” The
roof is made up of a series of these dhalebanna “roofing units” placed, like roof tiles, in horizontal bands from the bottom (the eaves) up to the ridge,fixed to the rafters and overlapped adequately to ensure no rain penetration.
The dhalebanna “roofing units” are made on the ground while the leaves are still green, as dry leaves are difficult to work with. Three other elements are required to make the roofing unit: a runner for hanging the leaves, a thin lath to hold the leaves to the runner, and a vine for strapping the leaves to the runner and lath.
The runner is of stripped and quartered manicole (a palm) over which the dhalebanna leaves are folded, each leaf overlapping the previous. A thin strip (lath) of the turu (or tooroo) palm is then placed against the leaves, pressing them to the covered manicole runner, and the three strapped with vines of another palm called mukru.
These roofing units are then left to dry before they are fitted to the roof; this allows them to “fluff” out and give an impression of thickness. A roofing unit could be about 2 metres (6.5 ft.) or more, long.
The dhalebanna “roofing units” are placed on the roof with the turu lath visible on the underside of the roof, giving distinctive thread-like bands running horizontally across the leaves when viewed from inside the building.
This decorative outcome of a construction technique is even more impressive when viewed in a circular building as in the case of the Umana Yana which was destroyed by fire in 2014.
On the exterior of the roof the strips of the roofing units are not seen separately and the entire roof appears to be a single mass of dried leaves. Rectangular roofs may have separate roofs at the gable end forming a ventilation opening or the roofs may be neatly joined to form a hip roof; in the latter case the roof would have an opening at the ridge for ventilation.
As mentioned before, indigenous buildings would have evolved over thousands of years. The present high level of sophistication of these roofs meets decorative, environmental, and constructional requirements, making them ideal for our warm-wet climate even in contemporary times. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: lsa
Goveia’s 1956 publication, “A Study on the Historiography of the British West Indies to the End of the Nineteenth Century” is considered the “first substantial work” to study the writing of Caribbean history.
She is celebratedas a pioneering Caribbean history research and teaching individual, and acclaimed for her “sensitivity to the racism of the time”: writing to provide a balanced appraisal of historical studies
once usually conducted by whites only.
Elsa Vesta Goveia was born April 12, 1925 in the former British Guiana, one of two daughters. Mixed with African and Portuguese heritage, she was described then as “coloured”.
At the time when only a minority of non-whites of the former colony could benefit from anything higher than an elementary education, Elsa won a scholarship to St Joseph’s High School, Convent of Mercy, in Georgetown, and matriculated with her Higher Level Certificate.
She became the first woman to win the prestigious and much coveted British Guiana Scholarship in 1944, (there were only two such awards available in the colony) and arrived in Britain to study history at University College and the Institute of Historical Research in London.
She later won the Pollard Prize for English history while earning her BA First Class honours in 1948, the first West Indian to do so.
While working for her PhD, she was appointed lecturer in 1950 at the University College of the West Indies (now known as UWI), and earned her doctorate in 1952.Her thesis, "Slave Society in the British Leeward Islands at the End of the Eighteenth Century", was eventually published in 1965.
She rose to prominence as Professor of West Indian history in 1961 where she taught until her death.
Mary Chamberlain, author of ‘Elsa Goveia: History and Nation’, writes that Sister MaryNoel Menezes (who was once a fellow student of Goveia) in her presentation, ‘The Intellectual Legacies of Elsa Goveia’, Proceedings of a Commemorative Symposium in Honour of Professors Elsa Goveia and Walter Rodney, 15 May1985, University of Guyana, Turkeyen, Guyana. (History Gazette 66, March 1994, pp. 9–12) recalled Goveia “staggering under a large pile of books, as she passed our classroom en route to solitary study in the Sister Superior’s office. It was unusual for a girl to be swotting for Higher Levels and even more unusual for her to be reading history.”
A chapter by Franklin W. Knight enti-
tled, “A Caribbean quest for the muse of history” in the book “Becoming Historians”, edited by James M. Banner, Jr. and John R. Gillis, (University of Chicago Press, 2009) states that she was the first female professor in the history
Indies.”;“Slave Society in the British Leeward Islands at the End of the Eighteenth” (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965) pp. xii, 370, “The West Indian slave laws of the 18th century” (1970)with C. J. Bartlettand “An intro-
Jamaica at the age of 55. The Association of Caribbean Historians today sponsors the 'Elsa Goveia Book Prize', which is awarded every two years in recognition of research excellence in the field of Caribbean history.
of British higher education. She was also the first female and West Indian to be awarded a chair, it adds.
Goveia’s eventual publications include “A Study on the Historiography of the British West Indies to the End of the Nineteenth Century” (1956, reprinted 1980), which is considered a “landmark study in this field related to the West
duction to the Federation Day exhibition on aspects of the history of the West Indies”.
Goveia’s historiography is considered a comprehensive survey and commentary of important pre-1900 books on the British West Indies, located at the University College of the West Indies and the Institute of Jamaica.
Elsa Goveia died March 18, 1980 in
The University of West Indies also has a student prize in Goveia’s name for the best result in courses related to Caribbean history, and conducts an annual Elsa Goveia Memorial Lecture by the UWI Department of History, Mona Campus. April 7, 2015 marked its 31st annual presentation. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: On September 6, one of the Caribbean’s largely unsung but widely revered man of letters finally succumbed to a long-term heart condition. Already critically ill, Anson Gonzalez had left TT back in 2013 to join one of his daughters living in Wales. Besides his own poetry Anson will be remembered for his “work toward sustaining the literary culture of the Caribbean and T&T in particular.” In 1973 he founded edited and published The New Voices, a bi-annual journal which ran for 20 years and published work by more than 300 Caribbean writers and which was also responsible for the Bibliography of Creative Writing in TT from 1962 onwards, now available online. The New Voices imprint founded in 1974 published both his own poetry and that of many others including Jennifer Rahim and Paula Obé. The New Voices Newsletter he founded in 1981 was another of his initiatives servicing Caribbean writing with its information on writers, competitions, workshops
and grants. More egalitarian than the pioneering Beacon magazine of the 1930s, New Voices along with the Bajan Bim, the Guyanese Kyk-OverAl and the Jamaican Focus magazines, provided the vital first publication portal for new writers in the pre-Bocas Lit Fest period when regional publishing was either moribund or minimal and metropolitan publishers only dealt with established names.
As co-founder and former president of the Writers’ Union of TT, in 1979 Anson established Poetry Day, celebrated on October 15, ini-
tially in TT and now in eight other Caribbean territories. In addition to teaching creative writing courses across the region, as a facilitator par excellence, he adjudicated many regional poetry and literary competitions, including the prestigious Casas de las Americas prize.
Back in May, TT media spoke with Anson, via Skype. While he joked about being “one step from the exit”, he made light of his terminal condition and was happy to reminisce about his early days. As the son of a primary school teacher he spent
a peripatetic childhood in Central and South, moving from Mayo to Palo Seco, Erin, Siparia and Caratal. When he wasn’t “skating down hill on coconut branch” and “tearing up pants”, from the age of about ten “reading was a major pastime” and he particularly recalled Dickens and RL Stevenson.
Retrospectively, one can read Anson’s individual development as an artist (His volume of collected poems is aptly titled Artefacts of Presence) as synchronous with the collective spirit of creativity generated by the transition from colonialism, through federation and on to independence and the forging of a national cultural identity. He encountered the same impulse to research, document and develop folk resources, which drove Beryl McBurnie’s Little Carib Theatre intiative in the person of Eileen McSween of The Sando Arts Fest; “She’d encourage us to visit old people and learn their folksongs and dances.” The Arts Fest provided a welcome forum for nurturing and giving exposure to young talent, “I learnt
the Maypole and the Bongo. Yuh boy was a dancer!”
Although he may not have fulfilled the wish expressed in Exit (“If I had my way I would decide/when I should die”) back in May, Anson seemed reconciled to his imminent departure. He spoke with self-deprecating humour and a modesty which belied his achievement. While it may be too soon to fully assess his contribution to Caribbean culture in general and literature in particular, there can be no doubt that Anson Gonzalez, (along with AJ Seymour of former British Guiana and founding editor of Kyk-OverAl and Frank Collymore of Barbados’ Bim magazine) was one of the major agents of developing and promoting indigenous literary production. The legacy of his selfless lifework continues not just with Poetry Day, but in the pages of the books he helped inspire and bring to print and in the inclusive creative vision he helped foster, which we need now more than ever.
RIP Anson, we’ll be looking out for your poems in the sky. (TT Guardian)
Designer Deborah Mathias’ artistic journey began when she took over her father’s advertising agen-
tirely from local semiprecious stones (quartz and agates). While some of the pieces were bold,others were sophisticated and elegant.
Most importantly,the
cy where she honed her graphic art skills as well as her marketing and customer relations talents.
Rave Designs was later created mainly as a costume company which, to date has produced several prize winning bands at the annual Mashramani Parade.
Mathias, of Rave Designs, last year presented a collection of hand-made jewellery as part of Sonia Noel’s Style Mission at the Pegasus Hotel.
The collection, named “Aspire”, was created en-
entire collection showcased the beauty of our local semi-precious stones,natural seeds and coconut. The “Aspire” collection was very well received by the audience.
Along with local semi-precious stones, coconut shells and natural seeds,presently Rave Designs has expanded, and is also producing jewellery made from leather.
Rave Designs is now setting its sights on the commercial and domestic décor market as it moves forward. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
SOOOO nice to know that we're not the only ones gushing about renowned Jamaican jewellery designer Matthew 'Mateo' Harris. Here's what French Vogue is saying....
The New York designer's graphic installation earrings chime in time with the mobiles of Alexander Calder, a cherished inspiration. Calder's subtly balanced and enchanting airborne creations have been reinvented by the talented Mateo Harris, who has crafted mobile prisms from yellow gold, continuing the passion for architecture and graphics that also characterised his first collection, La Barre. Now, the artist brings out a triumph of contemporary art, as his collection chimes in time with the determined beat of the New Yorker. (Jamaica Observer)
TRINIDAD: Twenty-fouryear-old Khalea Callender, has won the Trinidad and Tobago National Youth Award for Youth Activism, in the 18-29 year old category. She was the Young Women’s Christian Association of Trinidad and Tobago’s nominee for 2015 in the 20th annual competition hosted by the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development in recognition of the United Nations International Youth Day which is observed on August 12. worldwide.
Khalea joined YWCA in August 2009, at a time when treasurer, Amanda Joseph, says: “we were opening up a youth friendly space funded by the UN Population Fund and so pulled together a focus group of 12 young people to find out their issues. Khalea was instrumental in forming a youth activism group and youth friendly space called D’Zone, to assist in the personal development of young people, and in their growth and leadership enhancement skills.” As chair of the organising committee, Khalea is a product of this group which developed a programme of activities, and every Xmas throws a party for mothers living with HIV - raises the funds, solicit hampers and finds the mothers. Most of D’Zone’s work is done in homes across Trinidad and Tobago.
Caribbean at the Meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, in New York, where she was asked to represent all youth worldwide, after which she presented the Youth Caucus Statement emerging from the UNCSW meeting in an address to the General Assembly. Following this meeting, the Ys of the Caribbean and North
the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), where she lobbied heavily for social justice for all women and persons around the world.
She also travelled around the In June, 2014 she sat twice on a UN Human Rights Council panel and presented her paper on Linking Child Early and Forced Marriage with Teenage Pregnancy in the Caribbean.
In 2012, Khalea represented the local Y at the International Training Institute on Violence Against Women in South Korea and made a presentation on Violence Against Women in Trinidad and Tobago, showing her passion for activism to the international community.
In March 2013,the World Y invited her to represent the
America hosted a meeting in Barbados where this dynamic and enthusiastic young graduate of Woodbrook Secondary School and of the University of the West Indies at St Augustine in Environmental and Natural Resource Management, was asked to apply for an internship. And was one of two persons selected by the World YWCA out of hundreds of applicants from 125 countries worldwide, to attend a one year Internship Programme at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2014..
During the internship, Khalea was afforded the opportunity to speak at various United Nations events including the 26th and 27th Human Rights Council Meetings and the 57th session of
“The experience gained from this internship taught me public speaking, peer mediation, peer counseling, anger management, and every other possible training you could imagine, so that we now do our train the trainer programmes in the Trinidad Y.” In November 2014, Callender led a delegation of young women from the Caribbean and Latin America to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean 51st Meeting of Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Women in Santiago, Chile, where a Special Session on Beijing +20, was mounted, with focus on its progress and challenges to date.
Rather than opting to stay abroad, Khalea chose to return home to continue to advocate for social justice among young persons throughout Trinidad and Tobago. Currently she is assisting the YWCA in the development of youth focused programmes for implementation in at risk communities.
From January 2015, she has dedicated every single working hour, first volunteering with the YWCA, until a two-year contract was arranged on August 15, appointing her Programme Manager responsible for all outreach programmes of the organisation. (TT Newdsday)
KINGSTON, JAMAICA:
International
recording artiste
Shaggy was recently in the western Pacific island of Guam to assist in raising funds for typhoon-ravaged Saipan.
The entertainer performed to a packed Guam Greyhound Park at a concert that raised
By Lennox J Hernandez
Sand Creek is an indigenous community (population of 712 in 2009) located in the south of Region 9, about 96 km (60 miles) roughly south-east of Lethem, with the Kanuku Mountains to the north and east, and Sand Creek (after which the village is probably named) to the west, snaking around on the south of the village.
The Rupununi River, into which Sand Creek flows, is further west of the creek.
Sand Creek is translated as Katiwau in Wapishana, the language of the people of the area.
Though dating the origins of the village may be difficult, a long-time resident
of the village estimates it could be more than125 years old. Villagers are predominately subsistence farmers, and the area has adequate fishing sites.
Picturesque in its savannah setting with a mountainous background and much vegetation, Sand Creek appears almost serene.
The village today is a mix of old and new; traditional and contemporary, as expressed by the buildings located there.
Whereas the village centre has a number of contemporary style buildings, including the Medical Centre, the primary school, the new Catholic Church and the Office of the Village Council, houses outside the centre are of the traditional thatched roof with mud walls, and a few with brick walls and galvanized iron
over US$1 million dollars to aide in the recovery efforts.
Throughout his set, Shaggy delivered a string of hits including Boombastic, It Wasn't Me, and Angel. He also had his fans singing along to a few of his latest singles such as I Need Your Love and Only Love, which fea-
tures Pitbull and Gene Noble.
Typhoon Soudelor -with its 120 mph gust winds -- left a trail of destruction on Saipan after a direct hit on August 2 and 3. No deaths were reported. However, more than 50,000 residents and tourists were left without power, water and
homes. Airport and seaport operations were halted while all commercial activities were at a standstill.
All proceeds from the Steven Brownstein Entertainment production will go toward the Lady Diana Torres Foundation to aid the recovery effort. (Jamaica Observer)
roofs.
On higher ground, about a 20-minute walk from the centre of the village, is the newly built secondary school, which opened in 2012, along with a students’ dormitory and teachers’ quarters, to cater for students from nearby areas.
The age of the village is seen in buildings such as the shop and the old Catholic Church, and the huge mango trees, estimated to be more than100 years old, which line both sides of the main road to the village centre.
A more recent amenity in the village is the solar panel, used for lighting and electrical power.
From the publication “Rupununi Mission” (1985) by Fr John Bridges SJ, which highlights “the story of Cuthbert Cary-Elwes SJ among the Indians of Guiana 1909-1923,” we learn that the first church in Sand Creek was built by the villagers in 1918 at the insistence of FrCary-Elwes, who will later become the village’s first priest.
On his visit to the village in early 1919, the church of leaves (roof and walls) was ready. He,however, suggested replacing the leaf walls with mud, and the book gives Cary-Elwes’ delightful description of the happy disposition of the villagers during their conduct of this project.
On Fr Cary-Elwes visit to Sand Creek in February 1922, he records that “we moved the church to a site nearer the water.” This may be a reference to a then existing large pond; however, there is no mention if the building was new.
The first mention in the book of the name of the church at Sand Creek -St John Francis Regis – is when Fr CaryElwes’final visit there in January 1923 was noted.
The outward features of the church has changed over the years, the existing dilapidated remains being somewhat different to that of the church portrayed in a 1956 publication by Edwina Melville (“This is the Rupununi”). (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
The Central Range is teeming with the kind of outdoor environment that can ignite, stimulate and excite both visitors and locals. The area of Gran Couva alone is rich in a landscape that can keep driver and passenger staring out the window at the passing scenery. Then there are such hot spots as the La Vega Estate and Knolly’s Tunnel to make a drive through this part of the country a very rewarding experience.
Located in the Montserrat Hills among the beautiful greenery of the Central Range, is the area of Gran Couva. The drive through the community takes you past abandoned cane fields and flourishing cocoa trees appear as you get further away from the highway.
This part of the country was home to many cocoa estates, some of which are still existing and thriving today. Indeed, it is felt that the combination of weather, fertile soil (which some describe as clay-like) and the Trinitario cocoa work in harmony to produce some of the world’s finest cocoa. Gourmet French chocolate company, Valrhona seems to agree with this view as they produce a chocolate bar named Gran Couva since it is made using the cocoa grown in this part of TT.
The cocoa trees grow quite close to the roadside so it is possible to just pull aside and pick a pod or two from the trees. For many people, cocoa is enjoyed as a snack, sitting in front of the television, sucking on the juicy seeds of the pods.As with many rural and small town places, Gran Couva offers many diversions along the way
deners, professional planters and even those who do not quite have a green thumb but still like to be surrounded by real plants.
For nature lovers La Vega is a wonderful location where different outdoor pursuits can be fulfilled in one place. The beautiful Lake George, with picnic huts located right on its banks,
worth hitting the brake pedal for. One popular diversion takes you onto the La Vega Estate. For gardening lovers the estate is a paradise. From varieties of orchids to herbs, vegetable seedlings and a host of flowering plants, La Vega has a lot to offer home gar-
in the surrounding region of the hinterland is one of the delights of Gran Couva. Continuing the drive along the main road past the entrance to La Vega takes you into true Trinidadian country back roads and eventually into the town of Tabaquite. It is here
you will find many signs directing you to a major remnant of the days when trains were part of the country’s transport system. That remnant is Knolly’s Tunnel.
Located off the Tabaquite main road, this old railroad tunnel linked Tabaquite with other surrounding towns. Historical accounts indicate that the tunnel was built to facilitate railway travel between Tabaquite, and villages such as Rio Claro and Jerningham Junction.
Its presence enabled transportation of crops like cocoa and coffee from these rural communities to more urban areas. The tunnel was officially opened in 1898 by the then acting governor of TT , Courtenay Knolly, after whom the tunnel was named.
Several years ago, work was done on the tunnel to help restore it. The tracks were cleaned and the area around the tunnel was landscaped, with picnic benches setup to facilitate visitors.
Sadly, though the tunnel and the area around it are today in shambles, once again because of neglect and lack of proper maintenance. Hopefully the authorities will restore this artifact of our country’s history and put proper regular maintenance procedures in place for it and other heritage sites that are also in neglect. (TT Newsday)
Bollywood actor, Akshay Kumar, has taken an initiative to help droughtstricken farmers. Considering the worsening situation in the Marathwada region, Khiladi Kumar has pledged an amount of Rs 90 lakh for the families of drought affected farmers who've committed suicide.
This amount will be
disbursed over the period of next six months. As a part of the initiative, an amount of Rs 15 lakh will be given out on Tuesday in Beed district. Aurangabad range Inspector General of Police, Vishwas Nangre Patil, is coordinating the entire event scheduled at Beed district police headquarters at 6 pm.
(TOI)
As Bollywood cou-
ple Kajol and Ajay Devgn's son Yug turned five on Sunday, the actress beamed with joy and said that it's a "happy and proud" moment for her, while Ajay was in awe with how fast the time flies.
Kajol, who is busy in shooting for Rohit Shetty's upcoming film 'Dilwale,' took to Twitter to share: "Very happy and proud as Yug turns 5 today! Let's make sure every child has that chance."
The Drishyam star Ajay Devgn also thanked his fans and followers for their "best wishes".
"Time flies, Yug turns 5 today. Thanks every-
one for your best wishes. #ProudDad," Ajay tweeted.
The duo got married in 1999 and have two children together. The couple have shared the silver screen in movies like Ishq, Pyaar To
Delhi is known for its energy and vibrancy. But a different side of the national capital was unfolded in front of Arjun Kapoor during his shooting schedule for "Ki and Ka". The actor says Delhi gets "a little still, a little dreamy and a little melancholy" during night.
The actor shared his experience of witnessing the serene side of the city on Twitter.
"Night shoot and you get to see a different side of Delhi...a little still, a little dreamy, a little melancholy...and lots of TRUCKS passing by," Arjun tweeted. Come morning, and
On the movie front, Kajol is gearing up for Dilwale, in which she is coming back on the silver screen opposite superstar Shah Rukh Khan. (TOI)
Hrithik Roshan is shooting for Ashutosh Gowariker’s Mohenjo Daro these days. The actor will be seen romancing debutant Pooja Hegde in the film. While not much is known about the period drama as of now, a report on Bollywoodlife.com states that the film will feature a passionate love making scene. Quoting a source, the report states the high-onpassion scene will be two and a half minutes long and will be shot in a cave. It even states that the scene will be far more passionate than Hrithik and Priyanka Chopra’s intimate scene in'Agneepath.' (TOI)
Tanishaa Mukerji has moved miles away from her personal relationship with Armaan Kohli and is concentrating fully on her acting career. Trade gup has it that the spunky actress' next has her playing a Pakistani woman in a social drama that revolves around terrorism, directed by South-based ad man, Eshwar Gunturu. Confirming the news, Tanishaa said, "It's a Hindi language film, which will feature a few American actors as well. I play the protagonist, who happens to be a Muslim woman."
Tanishaa is slated to leave for the U.S. on a month-long schedule on September 18. The actress will be seen wearing the abaya, commonly worn by Islamic women and will sport a thick eye liner to look the part. (TOI)
the Gunday actor came up with a way to ditch the morning blues as he shared a selfie with India Gate in the background.
"Forget the morning blues...I got the morning PURPLE #Indiagate #sundayselfie #selfietohbantahai #KiandKa," he shared.
R. Balki's Ki and Ka is a romantic film about two people with contrasting ideologies. While Arjun essays a progressive house husband, who lovingly supports his wife's ambitions, Kareena Kapoor Khan portrays a super ambitious career-oriented woman in the movie.
The film is slated to hit the theatres next year. (TOI)
After years of constant speculation and news of trouble looming large over their marriage, star couple Konkana Sen Sharma and Ranvir Shorey have decided to part ways. The couple announced their decision on Twitter. The couple have a fouryear old son named Haroon. Konkana
tweeted, "Ranvir and I have mutually decided to separate, but continue to be friends and co-parent our son." (sic)
Ranvir Shorey also tweeted, "Konkona and I have mutually decided to separate, but continue to be friends and co-parent our son. Will appreciate your support. Thank you." (TOI)
Veteran actor Anupam Kher, who is of Kashmiri ethnicity, was presented a "Certificate of Recognition" by the California legislature for his dedicated efforts towards helping the community, which was displaced from the Kashmir valley due to militancy 25 years ago.
Humbled by the recognition, the actor says that with the honour comes a sense of responsibility.
"I feel honoured to get these recognitions in the US. But they also add to my sense of responsibility towards humankind," Anupam tweeted on Tuesday.
The actor, who was touring the U.S. and Canada for his play "Mera Woh Matlab Nahi Tha", felt ennobled with the honour on September 12.
The document read: "Certificate of Recognition presented to Anupam Kher in recognition as an agent for change, he is a champion in achieving gender equality, women's
right and a defender of human rights, representing the community of 500,000 Kashmiri Hindus displaced and dislodged, many whom immigrated to the United States."
The "Baby" actor wrote alongside the photograph: "Thank you Assembly Member, California Legislature @rudysalasjr and @ kthusu for this most important recognition."
Anupam, who has worked in a number of Indian as well international films like "Silver Linings Playbook" and "Bend It Like Beckham", has always voiced his opinion
about the struggle of the Kashmiri Pandits and how they can be assisted.
He strongly reacted when director Vishal Bhardwaj dedicated his National Award win of "Haider" to Kashmiri Pandits, calling it a "fraudish thing to do".
Meanwhile, the recognition is another feather in his cap as the actor was presented with the "Honoured Guest" award by the U.S. state of Texas for his contribution to cinema and art, and September 10 was declared as 'Anupam Kher Day' in Las Vegas. (TOI)
SAandra Bullock, who will be next seen in David Gordon's directorial 'Our Brand Is Crisis', recently opened up about how women are being paid in tinseltown.
Addressing the media at the Toronto International Film Festival, the 51-year-old actress said that women still have a long
way to go in Hollywood, adding that she wanted to do the role that was originally developed for a man to do, People Magazine reports.
The upcoming flick, which also stars Billy Bob Thornton, Zoe Kazan and Anthony Mackie, was premiered at Toronto film festival and will hit the U.S. theaters on Oct. 30, 2015. (TOI)
Pop star Britney Spears held a DJ-themed joint birthday party for her two sons, Jayden, nine and Sean, 10, at the weekend.
The Piece of Me hitmaker had time off from her Las Vegas residency to treat sons to a joint birthday celebration complete with a trip to an indoor skate park, reported E! Online.
Captioning photographs of their special day, she wrote on Instagram, "Happy birthday to my boys - love you Jayden & Preston!
"Thx @skatelab & #lindacohencakepops for making the day so special. (sic)"
The group of around 40 guests, including the 33-year-old singer's ex-husband Kevin Federline, the boys' father, enjoyed the treat of a "party zone" at the skate park, a special room made available exclusively for them but still enjoyed what the entire venue had to offer.
"They were cruising around and didn't just stay in the private room. Everyone had a blast."
ctress Zoe Saldana has signed on for a key role in 'I Kill Giants', the upcoming film version of the graphic novel by Joe Kelly and illustrator Ken Niimura.
The story follows a
reported Deadline. The 37-year-old Guardians of the Galaxy star will play Mrs Molle, the school psychologist who helps Barbara through her struggles and forms a tight bond with her as a result.
young misfit girl named Barbara who grapples with monsters both real and imagined in her life,
Saldana joins Madison Wolfe as Barbara, who was chosen for the role after a nationwide search of over 500 actresses.
Anders Walter is directing the film which is written by Kelly. Filming is set to begin in early 2016.
Saldana was recently seen in Infinitely Polar Bear opposite Mark Ruffalo, and will soon be seen in the upcoming 'Star Trek Beyond'. (TOI)
Director Oliver Stone's biographical political thriller about Edward Snowden, the former government contractor, who leaked classified information, has been pushed from its original Christmas release to 2016.
featuring Jennifer Lawrence - as well asStar Wars: The Force Awakens, opening the previous week.
Linda Cohen, who personally designed the boys' cake and the other treats on offer, revealed the star was "super sweet", greeting all the boys' guests.
"Words cannot describe how unbelievably thrilling it was to be able to help them create a fun and awesome skate party.
"Britney's boys are total skater boys. While last year's party was totally skate-themed, this year the boys wanted a little bit of a DJtheme incorporated ...
As expected, (Britney) was super sweet and greeted all of her guests with a wide smile and a phenomenal hospitality," she said. (TOI)
ie Hard' star
'DBruce Willis, actor Christopher Meloni, and former professional mixed martial artist Dave Bautista are set to star in the action- thriller 'Marauders'.
The film tells the story of an FBI agent who uncovers secrets kept by a bank owner (Willis) as he pursues a group of bank robbers who hand their stolen goods over to charity, reported Entertainment Weekly.
Directed by Steven C Miller, of Under the Bed fame, Maraunders is written by Michael Cody and Chris Sivertson.
Lydia Hull, Tyler Olson, Christopher Bowen, and Danny
A Abeckaser are also set for the film, which will kick off production later this month in Ohio.
Willis, 60, will be next seen in comedy Rock the Kasbah, which also stars Bill Murray, Zooey Deschanel, Kate Hudson among others. (TOI)
Former One
Direction star
Zayn Malik has been sending raunchy photographs and text messages to singer Lily Allen to woo her.
According to a source to The Sun newspaper, Allen is flattered by his gestures, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
"Zayn fancies Lily and has made that very clear. He has even sent
her X-rated pictures and raunchy texts which Lily has told quite a few people in her close circle about. She's flattered," a source said.
Malik and Allen have met numerous times, including on a flight in 2013 and again at the 2014 BRIT Awards, but it is only now that he has tried to pursue her. However, the Air
balloon hitmaker Allen has been married to Sam Cooper since 2011 and the couple have two children, Ethel and Marnie.
Meanwhile, Malik has been romantically linked to a string of female following his split from Perrie Edwards. He was also reportedly smitten by an Indianorigin Burberry model Neelam Gill. (TOI)
The move bumps Snowden that stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley from this year's Oscar race.
Sources say the film is not finished yet. Distributor Open Road Films has not yet determined the movies new release date, said The Hollywood Reporter.
The development gives some breathing room to the Christmas Day frame, busy with five other wide releases - Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, Concussion, Mark Wahlberg's comedy Daddy's Home, dramedy Joy and Point Break
Actor Orlando Bloom and stylist Chloe Bartoli sparked romance rumours after they were photographed enjoying lunch together in Malibu.
Both Bloom, 38, and Bartoli were spotted sporting casual outfits during September 9 outing, reported Ace Showbiz.
Following their lunch date, the two were spotted together again as Bloom picked up coffee for two.
Bartoli and her
Christmas Day also includes bows from Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight and new Leonardo DiCaprio-starrer drama The Revenant from Oscar-winner Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
Snowden has been eagerly anticipated given that it is the first narrative feature to tackle the polarising figure, considered a hero by some and a traitor by others.
The Snowden documentary Citizenfour won this year's best documentary Oscar. Kieran Fitzgerald and Stone wrote the screenplay.
Wildbunch is selling international territories on Snowden at the Toronto Film Festival. A spokesperson for Open Road Films did not comment. (TOI)
are
“...Wait, do I know you?” asked Simeon Sandiford, cracking a smile, his salt-andpepper hair and jovial laugh-lines the only visible signs of a man who is ageing very gracefully. Simeon Sandiford, known by many simply as Sanch, is a veteran in the TT music business from a technical, recording and local business point of view.
Sandiford is managing director of Sanch Electronix Ltd, and a voting member of The Recording Academy (for 25 years), a US organisation of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life for music and its makers.
and French at school, and went on to earn an MSc in Applied Physics at the University of the West Indies in 1975. Sandiford is also a lifetime member and distinguished alumni awardee of UWIAATT (2011).
But Sandiford has eclectic interests: arts
nally made loudspeaker systems to supplement high-end imported audio equipment. But with the economic downturn of the mid-eighties, the company started selling indigenous cultural products, including music. In 1995, Sandiford started the Sanch CD
Sandiford spoke to the media in an interview last month at the International Conference and Panorama (which took place August 4-9) on how we can improve TT’s music sector.
A former student of St Mary’s College, Portof-Spain, Sandiford studied the sciences, maths, Latin, Greek
and culture, economic empowerment, education and science are just a few of his longheld causes. For decades now, he’s been a passionate advocate for TT music. Indeed, his business, Sanch Electronix, has as its mission statement: “To produce, promote and market the music of TT and related multimedia products and services within the global community.”
Started in 1979, Sanch Electronix origi-
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: If you want to experience relaxed living and authentic wildlife along with adventure in an ever increasing stressful and artificial world, then Guyana is as natural as you can get.
From its many old heritage buildings on the coast to its sprawling jungles and savannahs in its interior, nothing is left out from your adventure.
You cannot come to Guyana without experiencing the remote and truly natural Kaieteur Falls, considered the world’s largest single drop falls by volume and height, or leave with-
out visiting St George’s Cathedral, a historic icon of the capital city, arguably the world’s tallest wooden building and just
KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Chronixx, frontrunner of the rootsreggae revival, leads the nominees for the International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) set for Broward Community College in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on October 4.
The conscious singer, who is known for songs such as Who Knows, Behind Curtain and Smile Jamaica, has received six nominations. He is up for the Bob Marley Entertainer of the Year, Best Male Vocalist, Best Song -Who Knows, Best Album -- Dread and Terrible, Best Music Video -Who Knows and Most Cutural/ Educational Entertainer.
label.
More recently, the business has shifted emphasis to services, offering on-location and studio recording, mastering and mixing, editing, archive transference, audio restoration and CD replication. It also offers two ICT-derived products: the Pan in Education Business Model, and Pete the Panstick interactive software to teach music literacy through pan. (TT Guardian)
His contemporary Protoje is also in the running with four nods for Best Male Vocalist, Most Promising, Best Song -Who Knows, and Best Music Video, also for Who Knows.
Singer Etana also has been nominated for four IRAWMA trophies -Bob Marley Entertainer of the Year, Best Female Vocalist, Best Song -- I Rise as well as the Marcus Garvey Humanitarian Award.
Newcomer Dexta Daps earns three nominations. His hugely pop-
ular track, 7/11, has been nominated for Best Song. He is also nominated for Best New Entertainer where he is up against Gully Bop, Kabaka Pyramid and Jesse Royal. His third nod comes in the category, Most Promising, where he competes with Omi, Protoje and Romain Virgo.
Trophies are up for graps in 41 categories covering reggae, soca and other genres from the Caribbean and Africa.
In the Best Dancehall Artiste (male), nominees are Demarco, Popcaan, Stylo G and Vybz Kartel. On the female side, nominees are Ishawna, Lady Saw, Spice and Tifa.
The Best Male Vocalist category sees Chris Martin, Romain Virgo and Tarrus Riley up against Protoje and Chronixx.
The nominees for Best Female Vocalist are
Alaine, Etana, Ikaya and Tessanne Chin. In addition to Chronixx's Dread and Terrible, those in the running for Best Album are: Strictly Roots from Morgan Heritage, Where We Come From by Popcaan, The Reggae Power from Sly and Robbie and Strictly the Best 50, the compilation from VP Records.
Inner Circle, NoMaddz, Raging Fyah, Steel Pulse and Third World are nominated for Most Outstanding Show Band/Group. In the Most Consistent Entertainer category, nominees are Freddie McGregor, Marcia Griffiths, Richie Stephens, Sanchez and Yellow Man.
This year, three Jamaican artistes -- AJ Brown, Ed Robinson and Pluto Shervington -will be inducted into the IRAWMA Hall of Fame. (Jamaica Observer)
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:
According to one source, the Guiana Match Factory was founded in Georgetown, British Guiana in 1910. In the book “Igniting the Caribbean's Past: Fire in British West Indian History” by Bonham C. Richardson, it is stated that the match factory opened in British Guiana in 1883.
Juanita De Barros, in her book “Order and Place in a Colonial City: Patterns of Struggle and Resistance in Georgetown, British Guiana, 1889-1924” states that there were
two match factories near Georgetown in the late 19th – early 20th century.
In a 1903 Hansard report of a British parliamentary discussion on British Guiana’s protective duty on matches, it was stated that there is only knowledge of one such factory.
A 1955 report on the factory later noted that by then there was only one match factory.
In April 1932, the Guiana Match Factory Limited began manufac-
turing cigarettes under the ‘Lighthouse’ brand, named after Georgetown’s famous lighthouse landmark located in the Kingston area, near the Demerara River.
In 1966, when the country became independent, the name of the factory was changed to the Guyana Match Company Limited, which was by then located at 25 Vreed-en-Hoop, West Bank Demerara. It closed down sometime later. The building, which was partially destroyed by fire in 2009,is now owned by Demerara Distillers Limited.
Matchbox covers or labels of the company have since become scare collectors’ items.
A phillumenist is a collector of matchboxes, matchbox labels and/or all things related to it.
(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
Gamescon 2015 was three-floors swarming with teens, young adults and families who were there for a day of nonstop video gaming, cardbased gaming, PC-based games and an open cosplay competition.
The video and card gaming convention was held on August 29, created by E-sports Caribbean’s Kevin LeeA-Ping and his organising team. Registration remained open for several weeks to an influx of teams and individuals all vying for prizes and most importantly, bragging rights.
The games played throughout the day were League of Legends, Dota, Hearthstone, Fifa 15, Mortal Kombat X, Ultra Street Fighter IV, Naruto Shippuuden Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution, Super Smash Brothers, along with other featured Free-to-Play games and a cosplay competition.
“This event is about seeing the passion from gaming grow and to develop e-sports within T&T and also throughout the Caribbean,” said Lee-A-Ping. “For future tournaments we also would like to invite other Caribbean islands to take part in GamesCon,” he said. “We are aiming to be the biggest video gaming event in the Caribbean.” (TT Guardian)
Gamescon was held at the Teaching and Learning Complex at UWI, St Augustine, and was supposed to begin at 8 am and end at 9 pm. With a late start and one or two tournaments which went over time, the day of games did not conclude until after 11 pm.
Newly crowned
Miss Jamaica World
2015 Dr Sanneta Myrie has been named an honorary Reggae Boyz teammate.
The 24-year-old Myrie was awarded the number 15 jersey with her name on the back during halftime at the Nicaragua versus Jamaica World Cup qualifier match held at the National Stadium in St Andrew, on September 4. This number will never be assigned to another player.
Miss Jamaica World Franchise holder Laura Butler said the beauty queen wore the jersey proudly at the second leg in Nicaragua earlier this week.
"They decided to present her with her own jersey, number 15 which means no other mem-
ber of the team will wear number 15. It is a wonderful gesture," she said.
The dreadlocked Myrie emerged winner of the Miss Jamaica World title at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James, in August.
The beauty queen, who won the Miss UWI contest in 2012, also mentors youth in Kingston's inner-city communities and runs an after-school progamme.
She is expected to represent Jamaica at the Miss World pageant in China in December.
The Miss World pageant is the oldest surviving major international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951.
The current Miss World is Rolene Strauss of South Africa.(Jamaica Observer)
Three-time Olympic medallist Richard Thompson says the opportunity to partner with sports drink manufacturer Gatorade to host Sunday’s inaugural sprinting camp in his name was a huge boast for his career. Some 100 emerging athletes from major clubs and schools across the country turned out for the Gatorade Richard Thompson Sprinting Camp held at the outfield at the Hasley Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, Port-of-Spain.
In a TT media interview the champion athlete cited the hunger he developed for new information about his sport just over two years ago, which guided him along the path to conceptualise and execute this clinic. In his view, it was part of his natural progression.
“I know where my head was a couple years ago, how much knowl-
edge I wanted; how hungry I was for knowledge; how hungry I was to get better; and I know these kids are no different from me. I know there are a lot of people who see people like (Usian) Bolt and Maurice Greene and LaShawn Merritt and some of the top names and feel they want to be like them.
This is my way of assisting them to achieve
that dream and to achieve that goal, but having these camps and giving them insight into things that could allow them to be better on a daily basis, that could allow them to be better in competition.
“And, who knows what this would lead to?
If it’s as simple as them qualifying for Carifta Games and the regional meets; or going to a (for-
eign) university and doing better. It may mean becoming professionals from secondary school, but which ever way we could assist and try to get people better, it’s important to us. I’m extremely glad to associated with something like that,” he said.
“I think it’s very important that we focus on the young talent in TT. Keston Bledman
and I have to have people continue to fly the flag when we decide that we are going to hang up our spikes. This is just part of the process-molding the young ones, giving insight into some of the things they may not be privy too or have any knowledge at all aboutincluding things like strengthen and conditioning.”
Gregory Seale from Movement Mechanics enlightened emerging athletes on the two previous areas of training as well as nutrition during Sunday’s session. Thompson lamented that because proper nutrition usually had no place in programmes designed by young athletes and their parents, but declared if they did not eat right to fuel their bodies the right way then the hard work they put in was null and void.
Shane Cooper, meanwhile, an athlete development and sports performance specialist from Altis Performance Evolution brought his
experience as an assistant sprint coach from a US-based educational facility to bear. Thompson said establishing himself as a brand synonymous with educating and nurturing in sport was crucial for him.
“It is something I’ve always wanted to do-to help kids out-because again every time I talk somewhere, every time I give a motivation speech, I talk about the impact that Ato Boldon had on me in primary school, coming into Newtown Boy’s...just his presence! This guy went to the same school as me, he is from the same country as me and here he is an Olympic medallist. Why can’t I do it too?
“This camp was to give kids hope, by me not only sharing stories with them and motivating them, but allowing them to interact with me going through the exercises and drills and accelerations; the stuff that I do as a professional,” Thompson said. (TT Guardian)
By Akeem Greene
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: The days of a lethal four-prong pace attack in the regional side are long gone. In the eighties and early nineties, the West Indian team was one of the most feared teams in cricket.
It was not just the Clive Lloyds, the Gordon Greenidges, the Gary Sobers, and the Brian Laras just to name a few, who took the world by storm with their phenomenal batting exploits.
It was the fear of having to face up to four genuine quick bowlers, who can be devastating in any conditions. The names Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Colin Croft, Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose on any team sheet would send shivers through opposition batsmen.
These men dominated the game for a long time, and they did not do it by simple brute force; a large degree of their success was due to skill, and thoughtful bowling, and not to mention, superb fitness levels.
Assessing these players figures, one would see their respective average was in the twenties, and their strike rate was in the low fifties. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the West Indies’
pace attack was the manner in which they dominated in every country they played in.
In fact, nowhere did they concede more than 26 runs per wicket. Even on the slow wickets of India, they averaged 25.41, and their strike rate there was the best among all countries. Individually, there were 19 instances of a fast bowler taking 25 or more wickets in a series, prior to 1995.
West Indies’ results, though, had started to fall off. From 1994 to 1996, they played 25 Tests, won 10, lost eight and drew seven.
Currently, the regional side holds the likes of Jerome Taylor, Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach and Jason Holder, who are more of the constant names in the Test team.
The West Indies have played 18 Test matches in the last two years with the bowling department averaging 38.88, with the highest opposition team score being 609 and the lowest 123.
A breakdown in these figures will reveal that of the 18 matches played, eight were ‘away’ games and the regional side lost six and drew two games. In those ‘away’ games, the bowling department had an average of 50.88 going at a run rate of 3.63. Conversely, in the 10 ‘home’ matches played,
the bowlers went at an average of 31.17. The team won four of those matches, lost five and drew one.
These figures would have included spinners, but the last time a paceman took a five-wicket haul in an innings was Taylor in June 2015 when he claimed 6-47 against Australia.
Gabriel is still young in his international career, but the tall and robust player would be ideally suited for the duties of fast bowling. However, like many others who have come and gone, consistency continues to be the main issue.
Gabriel certainly can rough-up batsmen with his speed, but an unusual bowling action, and being prone to dropping the ball short, makes him release the pressure he would have added on the opposition batsmen.
The key to Test cricket is not just having batsmen, who can bat for long hours and put big runs on the board, but having a bowling department that can take 20 wickets to win the match. Now with only one potent and dependable paceman, the selectors must be looking for more formidable strike men to add to the team.
According to the ICC Test rankings, the highest ranked West Indies Test bowler is Roach in 13th, while Taylor is
24th. In the top 10, seven of the players are fast bowlers.
The likes of Ronsford Beaton, Delorn Johnson and Sheldon Cottrell are certainly worthy players of accession to the regional side. The Guyanese bred Beaton has impressed in the shorter formats of the game with his pace and aggression, but like many bowlers in the region, consistency has affected his game.
The WICB’s selectors
need to look at the upcoming Professional Cricket League Four-day tournament keenly to properly examine the talent base in the region. Assessment should not just be based on match performances, but other key essentials, such as fitness and having the work ethics and understanding of the game.
Too many times, young talents have burst on the international scene and soon after they
are gone. International cricket calls for lots of determination, especially in the Test format.
The talent is there, it simply needs correct nurturing. Many former legends of the game are still around to give the necessary advice to help them formulate a regimen for success. In the end, the discipline and dedication of players is what usually determines how successful they become. (Guyana Times )
KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Former West Indies Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan has ruled himself out of playing for Jamaica Franchise for the upcoming regional professional cricket season.
Sarwan, 35, had expressed an interest in representing the franchise, but Courtney Francis, the chief executive officer of the Jamaica Cricket Association, confirmed that the Guyanese-born middle-order batsman has since made an about turn.
"The selectors would have had correspondence with players and Mr Sarwan's correspondence came through chairman of selectors Wavell Hinds. He (Hinds) informed me that he is in receipt of an email from Mr Sarwan expressing regret that he is unable to attend our trial matches and our training based on commitments that Mr Sarwan has in Guyana," Francis told the Jamaican media on Tuesday.
It is understood that Sarwan's commitments are of a business nature.
Francis explained that as per the franchise's guidelines, squad members are required to participate in physical assessments and trial matches.
Had he been selected for Jamaica, Sarwan would have been expected to be paid on a gameby-game basis. The styl-
ish right-hander has been dogged by fitness concerns throughout much of his senior career with the West Indies.
He made his Test debut against Pakistan at Kensington Oval in Barbados in May 2000.
The batsman played the last of his 87 Tests against India in Barbados in mid-2011. He averages 40.01 with the bat and has a top score of 291 against England in 2009, also at Kensington Oval.
Sarwan has scored 15 Test centuries. Meanwhile, the two non-Jamaican players contracted to represent Jamaica Franchise are Guyana's Trevon Griffiths and Kirk
Edwards of Barbados. They are expected to join the squad by next month.
The coaching staff, consisting of Head Coach Junior Bennett and his Assistant Coach Robert Samuels, and the national cricket selection panel, are set to oversee a total of six trial matches. The first was played last week.
Another game is set to begin at Sabina Park Today.
The second season of the Professional Cricket League (PCL) is scheduled to start November 6.
The Jamaica Franchise for the PCL will likely be officially called Jamaica Scorpions. (Jamaica Observer)
TT
Soca Warriors will play an international friendly against a Central American or African nation on October 12 or 13, before kicking off its 2018 Concacaf semifinal qualifiers.
This was confirmed by T&TFA general secretary Sheldon Phillips when contacted on Tuesday for an update on the team’s preparations ahead of its World Cup qualifying campaign which begins on November 13 away to Guatemala, followed by a home clash four days later versus USA.
St Vincent and The Grenadines is the other team in the group from which the top two will advance to the six-team Concacaf final round.
It was initially thought the Stephen Hart-coached Soca Warriors preparations for the World Cup qualifiers would be derailed by its home-and-away Copa America 2016 playoff matches with Haiti.
However, word reach-
ing the T&TFA is that the Copa America tie will not be played until later in the year, giving Hart ample time to focus on his team’s World Cup qualifying Group C preparations.
Phillips said a warmup game with Panama in Panama City was finalised for October 8 and discussions were on going with a number of associations with regards to the second Fifa international date in the month.
Pressed as to a possible opponent, Phillips hinted that Nicaragua was one of the teams with which the T&TFA was holding discussions.
The son of former national goalkeeper, Lincoln Phillips, the younger Phillips confirmed that no matter which team T&T plays, the match on October 12 or 13 will be played in Trinidad.
In their recent warmup, the Soca Warriors squandered a 2–0 lead before drawing 3–3 with Mexico in Salt Lake City, Utah, on September 4, less than two months af-
ter a 4–4 thriller at the Concacaf Gold Cup.
T&T’s drawn result has now seen coach Hart improve his overall record to 12 wins, nine loses and five draws in 26 matches.
The winner of the T&T and Haiti home-andaway series will qualify for 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 ten 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 homeand-away ties. (TT Guardian)
By AvenAsh RAmzAn
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: The Indo-Caribbean Alliance (ICA) on Sunday hosted its third annual gala under the nautical inspired theme
“Unanchored” with several prominent individuals in different spheres of society being honoured for their contribution to their respective fields.
The New York-based group catered for over 350 guests in the fivehour event, which was held at the World’s Fair Marina. Veteran Guyana and West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul was among four persons, who were honoured at the ceremony.
Chanderpaul, the Region’s most capped Test cricketer, copped the Icon Award, while television personality Lakshmee Singh was given a Community Impact Award, New York City Council Member Eric Ulrich was bestowed with the Civic Leadership Award, and businessman Dave Kadernauth of The Nest Restaurant received the Business Leadership Award.
Chanderpaul said
moments after receiving the accolade, “I’m happy to support the IndoCaribbean Alliance, and humbled to receive their highest award, the Icon Award. We want to see this organisation succeed in providing programmes for residents in New York City.
Chanderpaul, a former Captain of the West Indies, was the first Indo-Caribbean player to appear in 100 Test matches. He has scored
over 20,000 runs in international cricket, and in 2008, was awarded the coveted prize of Cricketer-of-the-Year by the International Cricket Council.
The mission is to unify and advance IndoCaribbean and South Asian interests by fostering joint and collaborative actions among different peoples, organisations and businesses. (aramzan@guyanatimesgy.com)
By RavendRa Madholall
TORONTO,
CANADA: This
is not an assumption, but New York Enforcers would have received lavish accolades for some sterling batting, bowling and fielding performances at the epic Toronto Cup 1 whiteball softball tournament which concluded last Sunday at the University of Toronto ground, Scarborough Campus.
They proved their invincibility from the beginning of the three-day mega softball event winning three preliminary round matches, a semifinal and then humbled Canada’s top team Dant Cricket Club in the final.
Victorious skipper
Anil Beharry spoke of his team’s feverish preparations for the Canadian trip and attributed the success to hard work and commitment by his players . In the Masters category, another team with a great reputation came to the fore, Our Own Sports Club defeated Guyana Floodlights ‘A’ side by five wickets at the same venue, which preceded the Open final.
Captain Mahendranauth Parasnauth had the luxury of hitting the winning run with a superb pulled shot to mid-wicket boundary. All 13 participating teams in both categories assembled at Ellesmere facility, Scarborough Friday morning for the opening ceremony and President of the hosts Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC), Jai Singh, expressed gratitude to them and welcomed everyone involved in such a historical cricket competition.
round they got the better of rivals Dant by 2 wickets.
In their last match of that segment, they disposed of Caribbean Sensation X1 by 6 wickets before their semi-final encounter with New York All-Stars ended in no-result.
New York Enforcers immediately stamped their authority beating their fellow Americans (New York All-Stars) by a handsome 9-wicket margin while in the next
What had transpired in the final on Sunday was a manifestation of New York Enforcers extreme buoyancy and the great degree of confidence featured in the tournament.
Beharry won the toss and inserted Dant to take first strike. Dant only could have mus-
PORT-OF-SPAIN,
Caribbean-based Kenyan runner Kenneth Rotich and Venezuela’s Maria Osoria claimed the men’s and women’s titles in Sunday’s 16th-annual Venture Credit Union 5K Run and Fun Walk in Couva, central Trinidad. The event was staged by the credit union in collaboration with the CUNA Mutual group and the Athletics Central club .
Scores of people, including children from as young as five years braved the early morning rain to participate .
Rotich, a 24-year-old, broke the course record, covering the distance in 14 minutes, 24 seconds .
He was followed by Guyana’s Cleveland Forde (14 minutes, 57 seconds), with Cuba’s Livan Reyes taking third spot in 15 minutes, three seconds .
Defending champion Pamenos Ballantyne crossed the finish in fourth place (15:36); the veteran St Vincent and the Grenadines runner said after that he had not been feeling too well, due to injuries, but he was happy just to have come out to defend his title .
Kelvin Johnson (15:49) completed the top five in the Open category .
Maria Osoria outpaced a strong women’s field to win in a time of 17 minutes, 53 seconds. Local athlete Tonya Nero of the host Athletics Central
ran a very close second (17:55), while Keneisha Pascal of Grenada (18:59) took the bronze medal. April Francis of Abilene Wildcats (19:39) and Celine Lestrade 5th (20:03) made up the women’s top five finishers .
The theme for this year’s event was “Courage, Prosperity and Performance.”
Preparations for the race started from as early as were afforded a warmup session from 6:45am. The main event started at promptly 7:00, under overcast skies outside the Couva RC Church.
Both runners and walkers headed east along the Couva Main Road and proceeded south at Isaac Junction, then west alongside the HDC housing development, and finally, north along the Southern Main Road to the finish line in front of the Venture Credit Union building on the main road. At one point, there was a light drizzle, but the rain was never heavy enough to dissuade the participants .
As an added attraction, a raffle was drawn at the prize-giving ceremony .
The first prize winners won a onenight weekend stay at the Hyatt Regency; the second prize winners got tickets to the Venture Credit Union Wine and Cheese Night, and the third prize was a One Spa Manicure from the Institute of Elegance . (TT Guardian)
tered 86 all out in the 18th over, courtesy of an incisive bowling display.
In New York Enforcers’ innings, Vicecaptain Vickey Subkaran led the way with an undefeated 35 while the consistent Nyal Singh scored 15 not out. Anil Mahadeo finished with 2-20 from his four overs.
Our Own Sports Club, like New York Enforcers, dominated the first period of the tournament whipping OMSCC side by 63 runs in the opener while they
beat New York Muslims Organisation by 6 wickets but engaged in a tight tussle with Guyana Floodlights ‘B’.
At the presentation which took place after the game, Singh told the large gathering that he and his fellow executives and all who had played a part to make the tournament a success, were delighted to run off such a huge softball tournament. He thanked all the sponsors as well and the touring teams for accepting the invitation.
Gobin was named man-of-the-match for his batting effort while Beharry captured the Open final man-of-thematch trophy. Richard Driffield of Caribbean Sensation Masters took home the Most Valuable Player trophy having scored 178 runs inclusive of two half-centuries while Sookram took home the opening category one having tallied up 156 runs with a highest score of 49. They all received a gold bracelet each, compliments of Jay’s Jewellery. Kris Jagdeo of Tri-State Master, the America side, was the only batsman to have registered a century and he received a trophy, courtesy of Trophy Stall of Guyana. All trophies were sponsored by Ramesh Sunich of Trophy while the four finalists received medals, thanks to the OMSCC. The Open champion received US$3, 000 while Our Own pocketed US$2, 500.
The other teams that took part in the Open were: GM Sports (Cricketers Cove/ Masters) and in the Masters was New York Softball Cricket League Legends.
By RavendRa Madholall
TORONTO,
CANADA: Former Guyana and West Indies B team opener
Krishna Arjune was in form here over the weekend playing for Hawaiian Arctic Cricket Club (HACC) in the Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) 50-over Premiere League tournament.
The Arjune slammed a brilliant 132 which included 13 fours and a six, ensuring HACC reached a formidable 284 for six off the reduced 47 overs. The reduction was due to rain. Tim Reynold and Mathew Francis sup-
ported with 30 and 25 respectively.
Opponents Toronto Smashers were dismissed for 204 in 39 overs, losing down by 80 runs. Leftarm fast medium bowler
Zaheer Allard bagged five for 35 from 10 overs while former Guyana and West Indies all-rounder Royston Crandon claimed two for 52 from his maximum 10 overs.
The win was a welcome one for HACC who had suffered their second defeat for the season the previous weekend.
HACC are aiming for a sixth consecutive championship, having won the
SCA Premiere League for the past consecutive five seasons.
The reigning champions will be back in action again this weekend when they oppose Highland Creek on Saturday at the Ashtonbee ground and on Sunday they play their last regular season game versus Scarborough Cricket Club at the Ellesemere ground. Meanwhile, Arjune, the eldest brother of two from Unity in Guyana stated that he is currently enjoying his cricket in North America. His debut season for Brampton Masters Cricket Club in the Toronto and District Cricket Association
has been excellent as well.
“I am just enjoying my game in Canada; wonderful place to play the game and representing these teams is certainly a great privilege for me,” Arjune, who has so far featured in 40 first-class matches for Guyana in the West Indies Cricket Board regional 4-day tournament, declared.
Arjune is plying his trade Canada for the past ten years and also plays competitive softball with Cricketers Cove in the Ontario Softball Cricket League Regular 20-over Season tournament. His prolific run in in all formats of the game is admirable.
