Caribbean Times International

Jamaica moves to ensure citizens’ qualifications recognised internationally -

in response to Canada’s latest policy change

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA:

The Jamaican government is moving to establish a mutual accreditation policy, which gives recognition to qualifications obtained in Jamaica, when the holders move away to other countries for work or to live permanently.

State minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Arnaldo Brown, said the policy aims to ensure that qualifications gained by Jamaicans are recognised in other countries, preventing them from having to re-qualify for

jobs in their new country of residence.

Brown, who was addressing the 2014 grad-

uation class of the Health Education and Counselling Institute (HECOIN), at the

Montego Bay Convention Centre on Sunday, said the policy comes against the background of a recent position taken by the Canadian government to protect the jobs of its citizens.

"The Canadian government is trying to stimulate employment within their country and have taken the stance that they do not want people with no or low skills to be competing for jobs against Canadians, who are at the same level," he said.

He argued that the only way for Jamaicans to overcome this hurdle is to become educated, trained and certified, as

the stance taken by the Canadian government could soon be adopted in other countries.

He noted, however, that the qualifications of Jamaicans are sometimes not recognised overseas and with the mutual accreditation policy in place, these issues will be addressed.

Brown, meanwhile, has encouraged Jamaicans not to leave a stable living and working environment and head overseas, only to be confronted with challenges, which include sub-standard living and working conditions. He, however, urged persons with those intentions to

ensure that the necessary checks and balances are done before they make their move. He implored Jamaicans to make sure that adequate preparations are made for the care and protection of the children they leave back home.

More than 500 students graduated in the HECOIN batch of 2014 after being trained in the fields of occupation skills, phlebotomy, health care assistant and health care specialist. A number of the graduates will be heading off to Canada where they will be employed.

(Jamaica

Observer)

Canada-bound mom, son busted with cocaine at Guyana airport

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: A mother and her son were busted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) in Guyana on Tuesday with a large quantity of cocaine, authorities have confirmed. They were heading to Canada at the time of

the bust. The bust was made around 14:35h by ranks of the Police Narcotics Branch during routine searches on luggage. According to the police, in a statement, a total of 10.503 kilograms of cocaine were unearthed in false walls of the duo’s suitcases.

Caribbean Times un-

derstands that the woman and her Canadian son were outgoing passengers on a Caribbean Airlines flight. Reports indicate that the illicit drug was found in four suitcases belonging to the pair. The duo has been taken into police custody to assist with the investigation. Charges are expected to

be laid soon.

This drug bust comes two days after Guyana police ranks discovered a quantity of cocaine in ceramic ornaments at the CJIA during routine searches of a shipment about to board the Amerijet Cargo plane, destined for Ireland.

Belinda Williams, 29, of D’Aguiar

Park, Meadow Bank, Georgetown, was taken into police custody after the discovery was made. She, along with Gordon Plass, 43, of Princes Street, Georgetown, was remanded to prison after making their first court appearance on Tuesday.

Also facing charges in local courts for traf-

ficking in narcotics is U.S. citizen Jermaine Carter, who was found with 7.057 kilograms of cocaine concealed in three Kerry Gold Milk packets. He was charged last Friday after the discovery was made earlier that day by the Police Narcotics Unit.

A United Kingdom citizen was also intercepted that day for smuggling the illicit substance in milk tins. He was nabbed by ranks of the Custom Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) as he was about to board a TravelSpan flight destined for the John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport.

Trinidad policeman commits suicide after named as wanted person

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD:

One day after his face was shown on TV6’s ‘Beyond the Tape’ as a wanted fugitive in Trinidad and Tobago, suspended police constable Christopher Madeira, 31, committed suicide. According to police reports, Madeira, of California, drank a poisonous substance at a bar Tuesday morning in Chase Village, Chaguanas. Madeira had been suspended from duty after he was arrested in Tobago for allegedly renting out his service weapon. He was due to appear in court on Friday.

In a telephone interview Tuesday evening, co-host of the television programme and vice president of the Police Social and Welfare Association, Insp Roger Alexander, said the officer was wanted in connection with two charges of misbehaviour in public office and failing to appear in court. Alexander said Madeira had been on

run

the past two years after being charged

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EDITORIAL

Caricom

Caricom, in a nutshell represents the strive to give institutional expression to the historical oneness inculcated into those individuals who were subjected to British rule during the colonial era.

While other nations may hark back to their beginnings in an unknown, hoary past, the Caribbean’s beginning is welldocumented: we were all dragged from lands afar and forced to deal with the questions of identity–at the micro and macro levels–by struggling against a common oppression. But while subjectively, those identities were variations on a common theme, for reasons of administrative expedience and imperial control, the politics of “divide and rule” masked the commonality.

It was not until the middle of the 20th Century when trade unionists and politicians (such as Cheddi Jagan) in the Caribbean (Caribbean Congress of Labour) and politicians and activists in Britain (Manchester, 1945 Pan African Congress) gathered, that a common political and economic future was seen as “doable”. But the British had their own priorities–which was to exploit the benefits from the colonies without the expense of governing them.

In 1958, it launched the West Indian Federation with 10 of the island colonies incorporated and the two continental territories, British Guiana and British Honduras, opting to stay out. Jagan, as the Premier of the now self-governing Guiana, critiqued the Federation as a neo-colonial device that was inappropriate for addressing the challenges that the colonies would face if they became independent.

He was proven right when Jamaica quit the Federation in 1962 and precipitated Trinidad and Tobago’s Premier Eric Williams’ famous quip, “1 from 10 leaves zero.” Both Jamaica and TT became independent in 1962 and the other colonies followed suit during the next decade. But Williams, who had been in Manchester, was committed to a common Caribbean destiny and took the lead, in pushing a more pragmatic free trade area which was launched in 1968 as CARIFTA.

Five years later, on July 4, 1973, the major leaders were confident enough to launch a more ambitious venture for unity–the Caribbean Community, Caricom. Unlike what one would believe from the outrage expressed from a section of Guyanese society, about some comments being made on July 4, the day does not only concern the U.S. independence. It is also the day that the leaders of the British Caribbean territories sought to create “a more perfect union” to deliver on the aspirations of the Caribbean people for political, economic, and social freedom.

Even though there were challenges in each of those areas, not the least being the unwillingness of the Heads of Government to appoint an Executive Body with teeth, by 1989, the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) became the new, ambitious goal. In the words of the “Grand Anse Declaration”, the “main objectives of the CSME are: full use of labour (full employment) and full exploitation of the other factors of production (natural resources and capital); competitive production leading to greater variety and quantity of products and services to trade with other countries”.

By this time, however, the grand vision for Caribbean unity had degenerated into mere rhetoric. Very few of the leaders were willing to put their money where their mouths were when it came to executing the programme. And it was not just about unpopular moves such as the “free movement of peoples” but even those such as the “Jagdeo Initiative” that would have given the Region food security.

In 2011, the Heads of Government announced that CSME was officially “on pause”. We believe that it is high time we have a “reset” on that misguided decision.

IMF wants stronger partnership with Caribbean

KINGSTON,

JAMAICA: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is working with the Caribbean to strengthen its relationship and build a partnership for the future, according to its Managing Director Christine Lagarde.

Speaking at an event in Jamaica recently organised by the University of West Indies in Mona, Jamaica, she called on Caribbean countries to “build a partnership with each other and with the international community—including the IMF”.

“A partnership with the IMF is really a partnership with the community of nations,” Lagarde added. The IMF is an organisation that is “owned and operated” by its members–and that includes the people of the Caribbean. As part of this partnership with the region, the IMF has organised a number of high-level conferences on how to bring about sustainable and inclusive growth in the Caribbean. One conference was held in Trinidad in 2012 and one in the Bahamas in 2013—and a third conference will take place in Jamaica, in Montego Bay, later this year. The IMF is also paying special attention to the needs and concerns of small states, Lagarde said.

The UWI event drew in students from campuses in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. During the questionand-answer session, students asked about the impact of the uncertain global environment on their countries.

Difficult legacy

“The Caribbean has had a tendency to get stuck in the doldrums of stagnation—low growth, high debt, low competitiveness, high unemployment,” Lagarde observed. This has been especially true for the countries depending largely on tourism, like Jamaica. In these countries, growth has averaged less than two percent a year since the mid1990s—and less than one percent in Jamaica.

“Given this legacy, the Caribbean was vulnerable going into the global financial crisis, and was hit with its full force. Six years on, output has still not returned to precrisis levels, and public debt is still at record highs–almost 100 percent of GDP in tourism-dependent countries, and 140 percent of GDP here in Jamaica.”

“As always, the poor and the vulnerable were hit hardest by the crisis,” she added. Across the region, about a third of young people are out of work.

The global financial crisis was “a major wake-up call,” Lagarde pointed out. The good news, she noted, is that Caribbean leaders understand the need for change and have begun to deliver on reforms. In the case of Jamaica, the country has made some hard choices to get growth higher and debt lower.

“While Jamaica implemented difficult measures, it tried to spread the burden across society–a wage freeze on civil servants, a debt exchange for financial investors, increases in taxes and tariffs for water and transportation, and higher import prices as the exchange rate was allowed to adjust,” Lagarde said.

“And while the government was cutting spending, it was doing its best to protect the most vulnerable—raising cash transfers for poor households by 67 percent for the elderly

and 15 percent for others last year, with another 15 percent increase planned for October.”

While Jamaica is not out of the woods yet, there are some positive signs. Public finances are healthier and growth has returned.

“We can see similar signs in some other countries that are navigating their way through difficult reforms,” Lagarde said.

Jamaica has also come up with a great innovation in ownership, Lagarde noted.

The government’s reform programme is being monitored by an outside group, the Economic Programme Oversight Committee, drawn from all strands of society— public sector, private sector, civil society, and trade unions.

“This is surely a role model that should be emulated elsewhere. With everybody inside the tent, all voices are heard, and everyone has a stake in success,” Lagarde said.

Jamaica’s four-year economic reform programme, supported by the IMF, is off to a good start. The fourth review under the programme was completed on June 20.

The Caribbean is adapting and building economic stability to lay the structural foundations of sustained and inclusive growth. To continue with this change, Lagarde stressed that the Region needs to address the twin challenges of competitiveness and climate change.

DEA office in Guyana to be up by September

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: The highly-anticipated establishment of a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) office in Guyana is likely to happen by September, a senior U.S. Embassy official has said. The official also confirmed that three agents and an administrative officer will staff the office, which will be located at the U.S. Embassy, in Duke Street Kingston, Georgetown.

Stakeholders believe that the U.S.’ move to set up the office will help break up local drug networks suspected to be operating in Guyana.

Asked why only three agents were being dispatched to Guyana, the Embassy official said due to budget constraints

the U.S. Congress would be hard pressed to send more persons. The official, however, explained that while Washington would have liked to send more agents, the scale of the DEA’s work in Guyana would basically cover information gathering and sharing as well as training local officers.

“I believe with that kind of operations you do not really need a lot of agents…we would have loved to send more persons, but if you look at our other DEA offices across the world, they are not staffed with a lot of people,” the official indicated.

There have been criticisms in the past regarding the integrity of some of the local anti-drug agents, but the Embassy

said the U.S. and the Guyana government have already worked out rules as to whom infor-

mation will be passed. The official said based on the procedures that have been established, the

U.S. has full confidence that there will be no issue of trust.

“So when we get to

the point of sharing information, we have a very good understanding how we will deal with this and who are the persons we will deal with. But we do have a high degree of confidence in the procedures that have been established…,” the official said.

Former U.S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt recently announced that the Barack Obama Administration has authorised its DEA to establish an office in Guyana. But he said Washington has also warned the local authorities that proper Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) legislation is crucial to the agency’s work. (Guyana Times)

Mother, son sentenced for Lottery Scamming in Jamaica

KINGSTON,

JAMAICA: A St

Elizabeth mother and her 16-year-old son are among three persons who have become the latest convicts to receive prison sentences for lottery scamming in Jamaica.

This brings to nine the number of persons to be sentenced for lottery scamming activities for the just concluded sitting of the Circuit Court in the parish.

contrary to the law, was sentenced to three years on each count.

The sentences will run concurrently so she will only spend three years in prison.

And, the third person, Tafarie Haddad, who pleaded guilty to three counts of aiding and abetting the commission of an offence contrary to the

law, was sentenced to two years on each count.

His sentences will also run concurrently.

The three were arrested in November last year during an operation at their house, by the St Elizabeth Proactive Investigations Unit.

The house search uncovered a book containing names, addresses, con-

tact numbers and social security numbers of persons living in the United States. Western Union and MoneyGram receipts were also reportedly discovered. A victim who resides in the United States, said in a statement, that he was swindled out of more than US$60,000.(Jamaica Gleaner)

The 16-year-old boy, his mother, Denise Sutherland, and a 19-year-old accomplice, were sentenced Tuesday for breaches of the Law Reform (Fraudulent Transactions) (Special Provisions) Act. All three pleaded guilty to the charges last Friday.

years probation after admitting to knowingly possessing identity information.

The 16-year-old boy, from Jerusalem in Santa Cruz, was given three

His mother, who pleaded guilty to four counts of aiding and abetting the commission of an offence

President Ramotar updates Guyanese in Antigua on national issues

GEORGETOWN,

GUYANA: Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar last week updated Guyanese living in Antigua and Barbuda about the many challenges back home, especially the struggle of government to get the Opposition’s cooperation on a number of national issues.

Ramotar was accompanied by a team comprising Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn RodriguesBirkett, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, and Chief Diplomat Elisabeth Harper. President Ramotar and his top officials were in Antigua and Barbuda, to attend the 35th Caricom Heads of Government meeting, from July 1 to July 4.

At the Sandals Grande Multipurpose Centre, President Ramotar updated those in attendance, about the current geo-political situation in Guyana.

He spoke of the current impasse with the political Opposition on transformational projects such as the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project, and explained that despite government’s efforts to provide all requested documentation and information, the one-seat majority Opposition Parliament still vetoed funds to make it a reality.

He stressed the need for projects such as the Specialty Hospital, Marriott Hotel, and Cheddi Jagan International Airport Expansion.

He also thanked the islandbased Guyanese for their mor-

al and material support. “Even though you’re not at home, we know that home is always within you…with your support, I’m absolutely certain that we will achieve our goals of making Guyana a far better place where we will have a higher quality of life for all our people.”

Also addressing the audience was Minister Rodrigues-Birkett, who shared information on issues raised such as the Amaila Falls Project and the quest for other sustainable energy sources, the Guyana-Brazil road and incentives for remigrants, such as duty-free concessions and one-stop access for house lots.

The Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General fielded questions about the creation of a Guyanese law school, noting that the issue was being addressed as part of Caricom’s agenda, as several other Caribbean territories had similar challenges with regard to the education of their law students. Guyana will only move towards establishing its own institution if all else fails, he added.

“If we move in that direction, ideally, it would hopefully be a law school that has the blessings of Caricom and it is part of the Caricom structure of education,” he stated. (Guyana Times)

Jamaica authorities probe increased beating in schools

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

The Office of the Children's Advocate (OCA) in Jamaica says there has been an increase in reports of students being beaten by teachers, although corporal punishment was banned in 2011.

"...We tend to get a lot of reports about teachers abusing children," said OCA's investigative officer Bridgette Roye.

"There is a lot of physical abuse being meted out to students at schools and presently we are investigating one that went viral," Roye told Jamaican media at a parenting forum at Mandela Park in Half-Way-Tree, St Andrew last week.

"Aside from the reports from police and the reports that you get from the children's homes the ones from the school seem to out-number those and this suggest that we probably need to be more in the school educating the educators and finding solutions to alleviate the whole problem of hitting," Roye stated.

She was, however, unable to give figures on

beating cases reported.

A teacher and guidance counsellor, Roye said she found the whole issue quite troubling as the matter of corporal punishment in school was addressed by the Ministry of Education and schools were advised to refrain from beating students.

Meanwhile, Roye reminded teachers that their job is to nurture and to teach and is not to create harm, and that they should stop and think about their actions if they find that they are about to verbally or physically harm a child.

The OCA's investigative officer was one of several panellists who addressed a modest gathering of parents who turned out at the forum which was organised by the National Parenting Support Commission as a part of its effort to improve parenting skills and capacity of the country's caregivers and parents.

Parents were encouraged not to use beating as a means of disciplining their children, but to resort to other ways of enforcing discipline.

(Jamaica Observer)

Caricom awardee calls for more female representation in parliament

ST JOHN’S, ANTIGUA: The 2014 Caricom Triennial Award winner, Marion Bethel, is calling for greater representation of women in parliaments across the region.

Bethel said while politics has often been seen as a “boys club”, females often comprise the main driving force behind political parties.

“I am a strong supporter that there should be at least 50 percent representation of women in parliament,” she said.

“That is because women are the backbone of most political parties; women do most of the campaigning; women are the major fundraisers; and, at least in my country, we vote in higher numbers than men.”

The awardee added that, regionally, because women often outnumber males, therefore the parliament should reflect this present ratio.

However, Bethel is of the view that, for this to happen, political parties must commit to having more females in leadership positions.

“Each political party ought to take it upon it-

self to make a commitment to finding, nurturing and supporting women candidates to run in every election,” she stated.

“I think that women who do decide to run should be given support financially and in their families.”

Meantime, Bethel is calling for greater cooperation amongst women in the region. She said more would be accomplished if women pushed each other.

Barbadians told to pay new solid waste tax or face penalties

Bethel was speaking at a programme organised by the Directorate of Gender Affairs in honour of her gender-related works last Wednesday.

Last Tuesday, the Bahamian was presented with the Triennial Award for her work in the development of females in her home country.

The Caricom Triennial Award was introduced in 1983 to recognise and honour Caribbean women who have made significant contributions to socioeconomic development at the national, regional and international levels. (Antigua Observer)

“The support that we give each other is critical. We cannot do our work by bringing our sisters down … At the end of the day we have to recognise each other’s strengths and commit to the advancement of women,” she indicated.

Plane skids off hinterland airstrip in Guyana

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

A 10-seater Islander aircraft piloted by Captain Orlando Charles skidded off the Monkey Mountain Airstrip in Guyana seconds after touching down on Sunday morning.

The aircraft with registration number 8R-GGY received severe damage, but no injuries were incurred.

Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Director General Zulificar Mohamed said that a team of investigators was dispatched to the location of the accident just after midday on Sunday.

He confirmed that the accident occurred about 10:00h.

Mohamed related that the aircraft left the Ogle International Airport on Sunday morning, made two stops at Omai and Mahdia and it was while landing at Monkey Mountain, it ran off the runway. It is not clear if it was raining at the time of the accident.

Mohamed further stated that the aircraft has received substantial

captain orlando charles

damage. He said another aircraft in the area would have received the distress call via radio and would have alerted the officials who responded immediately.

GCAA, in a release after the crash was confirmed, said a team has been dispatched to Monkey Mountain, Region Eight (Potaro/ Siparuni) to determine what caused the Britten Norman Islander aircraft to run off the airstrip there.

The twin-engine aircraft, the release added, was damaged.

The aircraft is owned by Domestic Airways,

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS: Barbadians have been told to pay the Municipal Solid Waste Tax even though they have not yet received information from the Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA).

BRA director of Shared Services, Wayne Forde, said the first installment of the tax is due by July 28. He said that property owners, who have structures with an improved value on their land, were required to pay the solid waste tax, which has been calculated at a rate of 0.3 percent of the site value.

the release added.

In June, an Air Services Limited (ASL) aircraft skidded off the Paramakatoi Airstrip and crashed into a fence. It was reported that the pilot tried to avoid a herd of cattle that was running across the airstrip as the plane was about to land.

The 8R-SUP Cessna 206 was shuttling food items from Mahdia when on approach to the airstrip, the pilot encountered a strong crosswind.

There were no passengers onboard and the pilot was not injured. In light of the incident, members of the Guyana Aircraft Owners Association have renewed their calls for the government to effectively handle the various inefficiencies in the aviation sector. One of their concerns was for the government to maintain the interior landing strips. The government has made provisions for these in the national budget, but the funds were voted down by the Opposition. (Guyana Times)

“The Municipal Solid Waste Tax Act 2014 does not make any provisions for exemptions from the payment of the tax. However, the Minister of Finance has the authority to remit or refund part or all of the tax on the grounds of undue hardship or for any other reason, as stated in Section

5 of the Act,” Forde said. Forde warned that failure to pay the tax by the specified dates would result in a penalty of five percent of the tax demanded and unpaid. In addition, interest at the rate of one percent for each month on the penalty and the unpaid tax at the prescribed time, will be charged.

The tax was introduced this year to assist with the management of solid waste, that is, all garbage generated from residential households, apartment buildings, commercial and business establishments, institutional facilities, construction and demolition activities, municipal services and treatment plant sites.

But former prime minister Owen Arthur, is mobilising members of his constituency to protest payment of the tax, claiming that they are unable to pay.

Arthur and the main opposition Barbados

Labour Party (BLP) have complained that tax places another financial burden on Barbadians.

“The people who are going to want relief most from this tax are the people who don’t know about writing no minister, (they) don’t know about using the law to help themselves,” Arthur said, adding “I am going to organise my constituency office, and bring all of my key people in St Peter together. And I am going to identify all who are living in house and shed, all the pensioners”. Forde said that any objection to the value of a property must be made in writing to the Revenue Commissioner.

“You are still required to pay the tax although you have lodged an objection. It is advisable to pay the first installment, and if your objection is successful, the adjustment will be made in the second installment,” he added. (Jamaica Observer)

Guyanese is new CCJ Registrar

PORT-OF-SPAIN,

TRINIDAD: The Port-ofSpain-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has a new Registrar and Marshal.

Guyanese national Jacqueline Graham, who took up the post from July 1, is an Attorney with an MBA in Finance (University of Manchester, UK), and an undergraduate degree in Management Studies (University of Guyana) and is a graduate of the Hugh Wooding Law School at St Augustine.

Before her appointment at the CCJ, Graham was the legal assistant to the Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana and the Registrar of the country’s Court of Appeal.

As Registrar of the CCJ, Graham is the Chief Administrator of the operations of the Court and also has responsibility for managing the financial portfolio of the

CCJ.

The Court has a US$100 million revenue base provided by the member states of Caricom, which is managed by a Trust Fund. In judicial matters, the

Registrar is responsible for the receipt, issuance and management of court documents and processes, the taxation of costs and assisting the President and Judges in their official functions.

In addition to her legal training and work experience, Graham has worked in the banking and finance sector, as a Prosecutor in the High and Magistrates’ Courts of Guyana, and was employed by the private law firm, Interlaw Consultants.

She was also an Assistant Lecturer at the University of Guyana in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

“With her distinguished academic career and practical work experience, Ms Graham brings significant administrative capacity and a sound legal education to her job responsibilities at the CCJ,” said CCJ President, Sir Dennis Byron. (Trinidad Express)

Paul Pennicook back as Jamaica’s tourism director

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Paul Pennicook has once again been appointed director of tourism in Jamaica to replace John Lynch, who recently retired from that position.

Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) Dennis Morrison said Pennicook’s successful track record of achievement in the industry was the determining factor in his selection.

Pennicook who was the director of tourism between 2003 and 2006, assumed duties Wednesday.

According to Morrison, Pennicook emerged at the head of a field of more than 20 applicants--from Jamaica and abroad--and stood out as the most suitable candidate based on the breadth of his experience in the public and private sectors of the industry.

Minister of Tourism and Entertainment Dr Wykeham McNeill expressed satisfaction with the decision of the JTB to select Pennicook whom he described as a “well-known figure in Jamaica's tourist industry who is well respected at home and abroad”.

“As we meet the chal-

lenges of modernising the operations of the Board and deepening the partnerships with industry players, I am confident that Mr Pennicook brings the requisite knowledge and experience. I wish him every success,” McNeill said.

The JTB, in a statement Monday, said Pennicook was instrumental in the global restructuring of the organisation that reduced administrative costs which provided more resources for marketing activities.

“In 2006, Jamaica achieved the highest percentage increase in visitor arrivals in a single year, for more than 30 years, driven by recordbreaking investment in new hotel and resort development,” the statement said.

Between 2006 and 2008, Pennicook was senior vicepresident sales and marketing at Air Jamaica. Most recently, he worked as a consultant providing services in hotel operations and management to investors and regional governments on improving efficiency and effectiveness of tourism marketing agencies. (Jamaica Observer)

Antiguan minister apologises to PM Kamla

ST JOHN’S, ANTIGUA: Chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) and recently appointed minister, Paul “Chet” Greene, has apologised to Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The Trinidad Newsday newspaper said Greene, last month, publicly said he was confident that Jack Warner’s Independent Liberal Party (ILP), “will be the government of Trinidad and Tobago.”

He has now written Persad-Bissessar retracting and apologising for that remark.

According to TT’s Government Whip, Dr Roodal Moonilal, Greene wrote the prime minister expressing “deep apologies” on July 3. The Whip read out the contents of the letter in Parliament last Friday.

The letter reportedly said, “I write to apologise to you and your party for remarks I made at a convention of the Independent Labour Party on June 30, 2014. In retrospect I recognise that the remarks were inappropriate and I withdraw them unreservedly. The remarks were entirely my own reflective of an earlier per-

sonal relationship and do not reflect the position of the party or my government.”

Greene went on to tell Persad-Bissessar that newly elected Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, and the ABLP administration, “are committed to working in close friendship with you and your government in the mutual interest of our two countries and Caricom.”

On June 29, at an ILP one-year anniversary function, Greene had said, “I’m confident that in a matter of months the ILP will be the government of Trinidad and Tobago.”

Greene is a former president of the Antigua & Barbuda Football Association through which he had a relationship with former CONCACAF President Austin “Jack” Warner. Greene is also the current president of the Antigua and Barbuda Olympic Association.

After the June 12 election in Antigua and Barbuda, Greene was sworn in as Minister of Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Sports, Culture, National Festivals and Youth Empowerment. (Antigua Observer)

Dominica seeks own ship to transport produce

ST JOHN'S, ANTIGUA:

Dominica is exploring the possibility of acquiring a ship to transport its produce to other Caribbean countries, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has said.

"What we're seeking to do, from the government of Dominica standpoint, is to seek to acquire our own vessel, our own boats, to help address the transportation issue, to the

south of Dominica, Trinidad, Barbados in particular which are very important markets to us, in so far as our agricultural produce is concerned," Skerrit told reporters recently.

"There are a couple of issues which we have to address. The main problem there is regular transportation…so this week you have the boats going and the following week there is no boat, and we cannot trade with -

out a reliable form of transportation," he added.

Skerrit said that his administration was now seeking to intensify negotiations with Barbados on increasing trade opportunities between the two Caricom countries, and that over the past months he has seen an increase in the amount of Dominican produce getting into the Barbadian market.

(Caribbean News)

Heavy army presence in Trinidad’s crime hotspots

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD:

National Security Minister Gary Griffith Monday promised a dramatic increase in soldiers for all hotspot crime areas in TT in a bid to reclaim the country from the hands of criminal elements.

“Every street corner and every area which we consider to be hotspot crime areas will be flooded with Defence Force officers who will be accompanied by their colleagues from the Police Service,” Griffith declared in an interview with TT media on Monday.

There have been calls in many quarters for the Defence Force soldiers to be taken off the streets; calls which were intensified following the shooting death of Regiment Lance Corporal Kayode

Thomas in John John, Laventille, on June 29.

But Griffith said the patrols in communities in east Port-of-Spain will continue despite opposition from residents, who have made claims of assaults and other human rights infringements at the hands of soldiers.

Accusing the soldiers of using excessive force, members of the Laventille community and other members of the public had been calling for the police’s involvement in the patrols.

Comparing the patrols to those done by private security firms and neighbourhood watch groups, however, Griffith said: “There is nothing illegal in a patrol independent of police officers.” He said from his personal experience, a strong response from the military in instances of attacks on its

members is an international norm.

He said there will be involvement from the police in all future patrols,

but he warned this involvement did not mean that soldiers would be standing “shoulder to shoulder” with police

Guyana/Venezuela unresolved border controversy hindering development – PM Hinds

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds said the unresolved border controversy with neighbouring Venezuela is robbing the countries from making a bigger contribution to the development of their peoples.

Hinds made the remarks at a reception to mark the 203rd Independence Anniversary of Venezuela over the weekend. Prime Minister Hinds reiterated Guyana’s support towards preserving the Spanish-speaking country’s democracy, even as he saluted the government and people of the Bolivarian Republic.

At a cocktail reception held at the New Thriving Events Centre, Lamaha Street, Georgetown to celebrate the occasion, Prime Minister Hinds said the observance serves as a historic reminder of the fulfilment of the dreams and aspirations of regional hero Simon Bolivar for an independent nation.

Common interests

Hinds noted that Guyana and Venezuela have been able to take advantage of these integration mechanisms to promote the common interests of the South American continent and the wider Latin American and Caribbean Region.

He cited that Guyana joining UNASUR and CELAC shows its support for the preservation of the democratic process of Venezuela.

The Prime Minister added that even as Guyana is collaborating in the regional effort, so too has the government worked to maintain stability in its bilateral relations.

It was noted that the establishment of a direct air link between the countries through Conviasa Airline would certainly serve to promote more people-to-people contact, as well as support the expansion of the movement of goods.

The Prime Minister said it is the government’s hope that the process can be expedited, which will eventually lead to the delimitation of the maritime boundaries between the two countries.

“These unresolved issues continue to hinder our ability to freely develop our resources in the interest of the people of Guyana and restrict us from

during patrols. He also revealed that Deputy Police Commissioner Glenn Hackett met with Chief of Defence Staff Major General Kendrick Maharaj early Monday to devise methods to facilitate joint patrols of east Port-of-Spain.

Initiative lauded

The minister noted too that since the Defence Force patrols began in Port-of-Spain, he had received commendations from numerous law-abiding citizens who said the high visibility patrols had returned a “concept of calm” to their communities. Griffith said the only people he felt were being negatively affected by the patrols were criminals whose activities were being dampened. “I have no care for their concerns. They are most irrelevant,” he said.

Contacted Monday, vice-president of the Police Social and Welfare Association Insp Roger Alexander also underscored the need for police input in patrols. “There are some inconsistencies in the law with soldiers searching properties and vehicles. This is not a state of emergency,” Alexander said. Alexander added that there were many soldiers and police who live in east Port-of-Spain and Laventille, and suggested that the patrols were aimed at ensuring the safety of their colleagues and their families. He said the Defence Force also maintained a small base in Laventille and the increased presence in military personnel in the area could be attributed to soldiers travelling to and from it. (TT Newsday)

Jamaica on tight watch for Chikungunya

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: The Ministry of Health has established a committee to monitor the threat of the Chikungunya virus to Jamaica.

making a greater contribution to the welfare of the people of the wider Latin American and Caribbean Region.” To this end, the Prime Minister conceded that Guyana is prepared to work with Venezuela in a spirit of camaraderie and good faith.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana, Reina Arratia Diaz, in her message, said the commemoration is as a result of struggles, battles, and victories, which continue in the country today with the aim of achieving the dream of its liberators and the supreme leader of the revolutionary process, Hugo Chávez. (Guyana Times)

The committee is headed by Director, Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services, Dr Marion Bullock Duccasse, and meets weekly to discuss that and other matters, Minister of Health Dr Fenton Ferguson said while speaking at a recent post-Sectoral debate press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kingston.

Dr Fergsuon said that while the virus has not been detected in Jamaica, given international travel and trade, it is likely that it will be introduced into the island.

He appealed to Jamaicans to take precautions against the spread of the virus by destroying mosquito breeding sites in and around homes, places of business, worship and schools, thus eliminat-

ing areas where water can settle.

“Keep water containers tightly covered, fill old tyres with dirt, keep drums and water tanks covered, and punch holes in cans before disposing of them,” Dr Ferguson urged. He said that although Chikungunya does not often result in death, joint pains and stiffness can last for months and even years.

“It may become a source of chronic pain and disability resulting in the individual being unable to attend work or school,” he stated.

The Chikungunya virus is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito, which also transmits dengue fever.

Symptoms include high fever, headache, muscle pain, joint pain and a rash. Infants and the elderly are at greater risk for more severe symptoms of the disease and there is no specific treatment or vaccine for Chikungunya. (JIS)

Recruitment, training of Guyana’s Marriott staff starts soon

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

Training and recruitment of staff for the Marriott International Hotel in Guyana will commence soon, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh has said.

He stated too that the government remains committed to hiring as many Guyanese as possible.

This announcement by the minister comes on the heels of questions by Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Chairman Basil Williams as to whence the workforce, for the five star hotel will be sourced. The Finance Minister, during a recent press conference, maintained that the hotel, which is set to open its

doors soon, will be directly responsible for providing jobs for hundreds of Guyanese and indirectly, for many more people.

“They will recruit persons with some amount

of experience and expertise which they will complement with their own personal training in a bid to equip those persons with the necessary skills,” Dr Singh related

Caricom Commission to review marijuana decriminalisation

ST.JOHN’S, ANTIGUA: Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders have agreed to the establishment of a Commission to further the debate on the decriminalisation of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque told reporters that while the composition of the Commission is yet to be determined, it will most likely be made up of experts “in their field”.

“The objective of such a Commission on marijuana is to conduct an inquiry into the social, economic, health and legal issues surrounding marijuana use in the Caribbean,” LaRocque announced last week at the end of the Heads of Government meeting in Antigua.

LaRocque told reporters that the Commission would “determine what recommendations they wish to make based on objective analysis and consultation within the community.

“It is not a pre-determined end,

it is as I said to conduct a vigorous inquiry into the circumstances of the use and the implications of the use of marijuana in our Community,” he said.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who had initiated debate on the marijuana issue a few years ago, had prior to his arrival in Antigua last week, indicated that while he would not prejudge the work of the Commission, it would most likely consider changes to marijuana legislation in countries around the world, including Jamaica, the U.S., Sweden, and Uruguay.

“They will look at any number of places and they will make their recommendations. I await those recommendations, because I feel even in the absence of those recommendations, it seems to me counterproductive to ignore the potential of an industry in respect of medical marijuana and to continue to expend police, national security, court resources on persons who consume a minuscule amount of marijuana in the privacy of their homes,” said Gonsalves.

LaRocque told reporters that the leaders, had during the first day of their deliberations “covered the grounds we wanted covered”, and that the draft strategic plan for the Community that seeks to identify the areas the Region would focus on over the next five years had been presented. (Guyana Times)

National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) Desmond Trotman, which seeks to stop the government from funding the construction of the hotel that is almost complete.

The minister stressed that “a new hotel being built is good news”; hence, there is no reason why Trotman would take the injunction to the court at such an advanced stage of construction.

“Marriott is a vote of confidence in our economy,” said Dr Singh.

at the press briefing.

Further, Dr Singh also indicated that the government will be contesting the injunction that was filed in the courts by A Partnership for

On May 28, a longserving executive of Marriott International, Roberto Grisi was appointed General Manager of the local Marriott Hotel. Grisi assumed his new post from June 1. He was General Manager of The Ritz-

Carlton, Aruba over which he has presided since its opening in 2013. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is an independently operated division of Marriott International.

Atlantic Holdings Inc (AHI) and Republic Bank Limited had recently announced the completion of the financial arrangements by Republic Bank for a syndicated borrowing of US$27 million in debt financing for AHI.

The two entities in a release said the money will be spent on the construction of the Marriott-operated hotel and the shell of an Entertainment Complex. Republic Bank, on behalf of its consortium of lenders, has received approval and the transaction is expected to be concluded shortly. (Guyana Times)

Ex-Jamaican cop faces drug charges in New York

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES:

A Jamaican policeman, who was kicked out of the force after being convicted of fraud, is now before the courts in the United States on drug charges.

Errol Cliff Richards, who once ruled the streets of downtown Kingston under the moniker 'Schoolboy Richie', is now facing the United States District Court in the Southern District of New York on charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics and attempt/ conspiracy for narcotics importation/exportation.

Court documents obtained by Jamaican media showed that a sealed indictment was entered into the court on March 20 of this year.

The indictment was unsealed on June 19 when Richards and his co-defendant, Ronald Mohammed Noeranie Badloe, waived pretrial report proceedings.

On June 23, the court gave the prosecutors until July 14 to complete discovery and set September 2 as the date for a pretrial conference.

According to the indictment, from at least 2012, in Colombia and elsewhere, Richards, Mohammed and "others known and unknown intentionally and knowingly did combine, conspire, confederate and agree together and with each

other to violate the narcotics laws of the United States".

It is further alleged that on or about October 25, 2013, Badloe attended a meeting in Bogota, Colombia, where he and others discussed the transportation of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Venezuela to the U.S., with a portion of the cocaine to be shipped to Canada.

The prosecutors further charge that in January, Richards and Badloe attended a meeting in Trinidad where they discussed the transportation of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Mexico to the U.S. with a portion of the cocaine to be shipped to Canada.

According to court documents, on or about February 14, a conspirator, not named as a de -

fendant, delivered approximately US$109,900 to another individual in New York as payment for approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine.

The prosecutors have also asked the court to allow the forfeiture of all property the two accused may have acquired from their drug deals.

‘Schoolboy Richie’ had faced the local court system in Jamaica in 1996 when he, his girlfriend Janice Bernard and then Superintendent of Police Owen Ellington were arrested on a charge to defraud an insurance company of Ja$450,000.

Ellington was freed on a no-case submission at the end of the Crown's case on September 10, 1998, while Richards and Bernard were convicted of defrauding the insurance company. (Jamaica Gleaner)

Historic cancer surgery performed in Jamaica

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

When cancer spreads to the lining of the abdomen, the disease is considered to be in its fourth stage. In fact, if a group of patients with stage-four cancer is left alone, as is, allowing the disease to progress, most will perhaps not be around in another six months.

This is according to general surgeon Dr Cherian Cherian, a member of a team of Jamaican doctors at the Kingston Public Hospital, who, just over two weeks ago, with the assistance of general surgeon and surgical oncologist Dr Wesley Francis from The Bahamas, performed the first ever Sugarbaker procedure on the island. According to Dr Cherian, outside of The Bahamas and the Cayman Islands, no other Caribbean country has done the procedure.

It was performed on a stage-four cancer patient who is in his 60s.

“The prognosis for a patient with stage-four cancer is never good,” Dr Cherian said. “But with the Sugarbaker procedure, his chances have increased tremendously.”

The general surgeon explained that the Sugarbaker procedure targets malignancy from the abdominal cavity that has spread to the lining of the abdomen. Risks

Dr Cherian, admitting that the patient is not yet out of the woods, but said that he is doing well and that they are taking it one step at a time.

“We remove the peritoneal surface, which is the lining of the abdominal cavity; we remove any deposits that may be on organs, including the spleen,” Dr Cherian asserted.

Formally called cytoreductive surgery, which is followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, the Sugarbaker procedure also removes “any obvious disease anywhere else”.

The general surgeon

said that the procedure is a technical one that carries a morbidity rate of up to 25 percent and a mortality rate close to 20 percent. Therefore, patient selection and cancer origin are factors that must be carefully considered before such a procedure.

Dr Cherian stressed that the patient must be otherwise well, to be considered for the procedure.

St. Lucia priest pulled from ministry after homosexual relationship

CASTRIES, ST. LUCIA: The Roman Catholic Church Monday confirmed that a priest had been withdrawn from the ministry “with immediate effect” after he had a relationship with a male parishioner.

“It was clear that the priest crossed his boundaries and acted inappropriately,” said Archbishop Robert Rivas, adding that the Church had considered the matter to be serious.

In a statement, in which the priest was not identified, Archbishop Rivas said the priest had also been sent on administrative leave during which time he will receive “spiritual and counselling support.”

He added: “this is an ongoing process so whenever a situation develops, once it’s brought to the attention of the authorities the matter will be properly investigated and once it is proved that something is wrong, that

there has been bad behaviour or an injustice, we have to ensure that it is corrected.”

Archbishop Rivas recalled the position adopted by the Catholic Church in the wake of allegations against priests over the past two decades.

He said that the Roman Catholic Church would not cover up for indiscretions by priests in the future.

“We have to be open and transparent,” Rivas

Archbishop Robert Rivas said the priest had been sent on administrative leave

declared, noting that the incident involving the priest was “a fairly recent matter.”

The Archbishop also disclosed that church protocol dictates that the victim always has to be considered, and said the church had offered counselling to the adult male involved, which the church hoped he would accept.

Archbishop Rivas said counselling would also be made available to parishioners, who have designated Saturday a day of prayer, and will participate in a “mass of healing” on Friday.

(Caribbean News)

Dr Cherian also insisted that “a patient who understands the risks as well as is willing to accept them in the hope that the procedure will improve survival”, is also crucial to such a procedure.

He is hoping that after successfully perfoming the surgery locally, it will mean that the floodgates will open, certainly as it relates to medical staff as they now know

that the possibility exists. The doctor was unable to provide a cost for the procedure because, having been performed at a public hospital, it was not billed, but he insisted that “we know now there is an option”. Previous attempts were made to have the surgical procedure done locally but for a variety of reasons, Dr Cherian said it never happened. (Jamaica Observer)

Guyana’s private sector against snap election

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

Amid calls by the Opposition on passing a no-confidence motion against the Guyana government, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) is appealing to political policymakers to engage in constructive dialogue on issues affecting the economy and social development.

The business representative body in a release said: “We do not subscribe to the notion that premature General Elections is the solution to our current political impasse. General Elections are costly, time-consuming exercises which should preferably be conducted at the time when they are constitutionally due. The parliamentary parties must therefore make every effort to find ways to discuss, negotiate and, reach some level of consensus on the issues critical to this nation’s growth and development.”

It added: “The citizens of Guyana deserve no less an effort. This process of negotiation and agreement occurs in many comparative jurisdictions and it is therefore up to our political leaders to demon-

strate resolve and maturity that leads to win-win outcomes.”

The GCCI said discussions on elections should instead be directed and concentrated at the hosting of Local Government Elections (LGE).

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) recently warned about the implications of political instability in Guyana that would ensue should there be a snap election. (Guyana Times)

Guyana embarks on aggressive campaign to combat Trafficking in Persons

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: The Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking In Persons in Guyana said it will be intensifying efforts to combat the scourge with countrywide activities aimed at arresting offenders and sensitising those vulnerable.

As part of its “National Plan of Action for the Prevention and Response to Trafficking In Persons”, the Task Force over the next two years will not only target interior locations, but urban communities as well.

In its just released Plan of Action, the Task Force said it will conduct awareness and sensitisation sessions in the 10 administrative regions of Guyana, pointing out that the Human Services and Social Security Ministry will provide support to the 38 individ-

uals who were trained in the Training of Trainers Workshop on Trafficking In Persons (TIP) back in September 2013. From now until July 2015, approximately 5000 TIP awareness booklets will be distributed in Guyana, thereby equipping schoolchildren with the requisite

Stiffer fines

information needed to aid in the fight against human trafficking, a scourge which continues to plague countries the world over.

Additionally, awareness and sensitisation sessions will be conducted in 30 secondary schools across the administrative regions, while similar activities will be

for fishing breaches in Jamaica

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

Higher fines are coming for breaches of the Fisheries Act in Jamaica, Minister with Responsibility for Information Senator Sandrea Falconer, told reporters last Thursday.

Falconer, who was speaking at the Jamaica House press briefing, said Cabinet has given approval of an increase of all monetary penalties and custodial sentences under the Fishing Industry Act, aimed at strengthening enforcement efforts to curtail a number of problems facing the industry.

"The fishing industry continues to be adversely affected by issues such as pollution, overfishing, foreign poaches in Jamaica's maritime water, invasive alien species, and degradation of critical nursery and breeding ground for fish stock," she said. Drafting instructions, Falconer stated, have already been issued to the chief parliamentary counsel.

She stated that current fines

for breaches are low, ranging from Ja$20 to Ja$5,000, with many paying scant regard to the provisions under the Act.

The revised Fisheries Bill will provide the framework for the proper regulation of the sector and efficient and effective management of the island's fisheries resources, added the minister.

In the meantime, Minister Falconer indicated that Cabinet has approved an Inter-Ministerial Committee under the Chair of Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries to create an appropriate management regime for the Pedro Cays.

The study was commissioned to, among other things, determine the carrying capacity, the number of people residing and working on the cays and obtain the relevant socio-economic data as well as recommend measures to avoid further depletion and degrading of the natural resources and sanitary conditions. (Jamaica Observer)

geared at getting youth groups onboard. These awareness sessions will allow for the training of 100 youths who will be tasked with the responsibility of incorporating TIP awareness and prevention activities within their routine programmes. The first five youth groups will receive their training from JulySeptember 2014, while the other batch will be trained from FebruaryMay 2015.

Training

Additionally, during the period JuneOctober 2014, 100 civil society representatives will be trained in identifying and reporting TIP.

On Human Trafficking Awareness Day, January 11, 2015, the Task Force will start the year off with a rally, highlighting the negative impacts of TIP on children and women in particular.

By the end of December 2015, the Task Force is hoping to establish Action Task Forces in all 10 administrative regions to foster cooperation among the on-theground representatives from governmental and non-governmental agencies and faith-based organisations in TIP prevention activities.

It was explained, that the governmentled organisation would be putting the requisite systems in place to ensure 100 percent of the survivors of TIP are reintegrated into society through the provision of employment and educational opportunities.

Proactive measures

In addition to the menu of support that will be given to victims, the Task Force said proactive measures will be instituted to identify, rescue and refer victims

of TIP. Additionally, the Task Force will be moving to a tracer system and database of the TIP survivors.

Due to the importance of prosecution in the fight against human trafficking, the Ministerial Task Force will be enhancing the capacity of law enforcement to combat TIP and increase intelligence gathering to facilitate proactive law enforcement. According to the Action Plan, approximately 35 Law enforcement officers will be trained, thereby paving the way for a 50 percent increase in surveillance of suspicious business and 50 percent increase in conviction rate.

TIP scouts will also be trained and dispatched to all of the administrative regions with the aim of targeting bars, kaymaoos and hotels.

Farmer’s daughter tops TT examination

-

as girls shine again in SEA

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: For yet another year, girls have dominated the top places in the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exams in Trinidad and Tobago. This year the top three also emerged from the southland, Fyzabad, Palmiste and Barrackpore. All three will take up places at the Naparima Girls’s High School, their first choice, come September. The trio are Shivanna Chatoor, 12, Guyanese-born Cameel Juman, 11, and Arielle Rambharose, 12.

In a whirlwind visit last week, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, accompanied by Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh, visited each of the three schools where celebratory functions were held to personally announce the high achievers and offer congratulations and tokens. The first stop was at the Avocat Vedic Primary School, where young Shivanna was the centre of attention as the PM declared that she had topped the island in the examination.

This was followed by her visit to Grant Memorial Presbyterian School where Juman, the daughter of a medical doctor from Guyana, placed second, and final stop at the San Fernando Muslim (ASJA) School where third place student Rambharose attended. Persad-Bissessar expressed joy at this year’s results, which she said was the best since 2008/9, and lauded the excellence of the girls.

Her sentiments were echoed by Gopeesingh, who said he was very satisfied with the results, which saw the Continuous Assessment Component being included in the final results.

“The percentage of students who scored above 50 percent, 60 percent and 90 percent was the highest for the period 2008 to 2014,” the PM said.

Shivanna, the daughter of a Fyzabad farmer and seamstress, who overcame all odds to score the highest national mark, hugged her parents—Gaiyatri and Shevanand Chatoor—and thanked them for giving her support during one of the most dif

ficult periods of her life.

“It was a rough road but prayers and hard

work always pay off,” she said excitedly after hearing she had scored 99 percent overall.

“Sometimes I felt like giving up but I would always have my teacher and my parents giving me that extra push,” she related. Shivanna said her dream was to be a lawyer, inspired by her love for debating even the most controversial issues. (TT Guardian)

Guyana police deny stripping protestor during fiery Essequibo demonstration

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has denied that police officers stripped Alliance For Change (AFC) Region Two Councillor Naithram, pointing out that the AFC representative was drunk and exposed himself after he was taken from their custody by a group of protestors.

The action occurred during a protest last Friday night in Essequibo after the police stepped in to maintain control as residents burnt tyres on the road, demanding that millers settle their outstanding debts to them.

Naithram, the Chairman of the Essequibo Paddy Farmers’ Association, and leader of the protest, started the demonstration fully clothed, but reportedly did a “bare all” even before the demonstrations ended.

The police in a release said on June 30, the Essequibo Paddy Farmers’ Association applied for approval to hold a protest march on July 4, commencing at 09:30h.

The protest was expected to be held at the Bush Lot New Market,

following which a meeting would have been held at the Anna Regina High Bridge.

Imbibing

Approval was subsequently given by police.

The protest march commenced at 10:00h, and proceeded peacefully with about 200 persons, mostly farmers.

At the conclusion of the protest march and meeting, about 12:30h, most of the persons left, but some remained and began imbibing, the police said.

Around 17:15h last Friday, those who were imbibing and some others including Naithram, boarded their motor vehicles, including tractors and trailers, and pro-

ceeded to drive along the middle of the main roadway in the vicinity of the villages of Reliance and Land of Plenty, Essequibo Coast, at a very slow rate.

This action, the police said resulted in a back-up of traffic. The group then started burning tyres.

“Missiles comprising bricks, bottles and other articles were thrown at police ranks in their attempt to remove the burning obstacles on the roadway, causing them to cease their efforts,” the police said. No avail

The release explained that the police continued to appeal to the residents, but to no avail.

“The police then arrested Naithram, who was leading the protest,

at which stage a number of other persons surged forward and accosted the ranks and took him away from the police. During this incident, his clothing was torn and several police ranks were thrown into a nearby trench. Naithram then stood among the protestors and stripped himself, and several persons took his photograph. He then left the area and later returned dressed in a change of clothing.

“The Guyana Police Force emphatically reiterates that Naithram was not stripped by police ranks. He took off his own clothing after he had been taken away from the custody of the police by other protestors,” the release said. (Guyana Times)

Montserrat to join CSME

ST JOHN’S, ANTIGUA:

The Premier of Montserrat, Reuben Meade, recently announced at the meeting of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) in St John’s, Antigua, that Montserrat intends to accede to the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and to participate in the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).

He also pointed out that, as at January 1 of this year, a new directive was issued by the European Union, which is equivalent to the Caricom-EPA and creates an opportunity now for the French and Dutch Departments in the Caribbean to also join in the regional integration movement.

Meade added that Montserrat continues to view the regional integration movement as presenting an overarching economic platform that can be beneficial to its people.

“It provides space for employment creation and extending opportunity for joint ventures and increased functional cooperation among our governments and people,” he said.

“It is our intention therefore to bring the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (CSME) Bill to our parliament for its first reading before September of 2014 and we anticipate the enactment of the Bill by the end of this year 2014,” Meade indicated.

Montserrat will also proceed to engage with the CCJ and CDF to ensure concurrent accession to these entities, which are inextricably linked to the Revised Treaty.

Montserrat therefore intends to deposit an Instrument of Accession to the Revised Treaty by the next meeting of the Heads of Government conference. (Caribbean News)

New 40 million-barrel oil discovery offshore Trinidad

PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Spanish oil company Repsol has announced the discovery of 40 million barrels of oil in its Trinidad and Tobago offshore acreage.

This oil is already on production and is adding to overall national oil production. The latest discovery is the fifth in the last two years and comes after discoveries by Petrotrin, Bayfield (now Trinity) and BP in 2012 and by Trinity in late 2013.

These discoveries are premised on a significant increase in exploration and development activity in both land and marine acreages over the last three years. This is also reflected in the record levels of foreign direct investment that the energy

sector has experienced in the period 2011 to 2013.

These trends signal a resurgence of the upstream component of the national energy sector.

The net result is an arresting of the decline in oil production, which declined sharply from 2006 to 2012.

According to Energy Minister Kevin

Ramnarine, in the past four years, the government has created an enabling environment for this level of investment through the introduction of a suite of fiscal incentives for companies operating in the oil and gas industry.

At present there are eight rigs working in the waters of Trinidad

and Tobago. This compares to one rig working in Trinidad and Tobago’s waters in mid-2010. Two of these eight rigs are currently working for Repsol.

Repsol has been investing in TT since 1995 and currently holds rights over the TSP block and other offshore exploration and production

Jamaica, Nigeria discussing direct flights

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Work is currently underway to establish direct flights between Nigeria and Jamaica, as soon as possible.

According to the Nigerian Tribune, officials from the two countries are working to conclude a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) to set up flights from Lagos, Nigeria to Kingston, Jamaica.

The report states that Professor Viola Onwuliri, Nigeria’s Minister of State I for Foreign Affairs said the agreement would be concluded at the forthcoming third session of the Nigeria-Jamaica Joint Commission.

The minister explained to the Nigerian Tribune over the weekend (July 5 – 6) that it is believed that a direct flight from Nigeria to Jamaica would connect the Caribbean region to Africa and unbundle the existing opportunities on both sides. This is in view of the almost zero trade and investment statistics existing between the two countries, she said.

She added that when implemented, travelling from Nigeria to Jamaica, which currently takes about 17 hours irrespective of the route taken, would only take about eight hours if direct from Lagos/Abuja to Kingston. (Jamaica Observer)

blocks. Its production in the country averaged 135,046 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) last year, representing 39 percent of company’s total production.

Repsol has boosted its exploratory activity in the last few years with significant success, with more than 50 discoveries since 2008, including

some of the world’s largest finds in the period.

In 2013, Repsol posted the highest reserve replacement rate amongst its peers at 275 percent, which also exceeded the company’s internal reserve addition targets for a third consecutive year to reach a total 1.515 billion barrels of oil equivalent. (TT Guardian)

Jamaican sentenced in Trinidad -

attempted to smuggle ganja in his wheelchair

PORT-OFSPAIN, TRINIDAD: A 36-year-old paraplegic man, who was arrested at Piarco International Airport in Trinidad more than two years ago after trying to conceal a large quantity of marijuana in his wheelchair, has been sentenced to four years’ hard labour.

Aaron Lewin, who was said to be a roadside vendor from the parish of Clarendon in Jamaica, was sentenced last Friday by Senior Magistrate Rae Roopchand in the Arima Magistrates First Court.

Lewin pleaded guilty to the charge of attempting to traffic 10.94 kilograms of marijuana on December 23, 2011.

In addition to being charged with marijuana trafficking, Lewin was charged under the Customs Act for importing a prohibited

substance and failing to declare such item to Customs officers at Piarco. He was represented by attorney Fareed Ali.

In passing sentence, Roopchand said he considered the large quantity of drugs which Lewin had in his possession, as well as concerns raised by his attorney over his health while in custody.

Ali also asked Roopchand to dismiss the Customs charges,

which he said only carried fines which his client could not pay since Lewin spent the past two and a half years in jail after he was arrested. After careful consideration, the magistrate sentenced Lewin to four years’ hard labour, one year less than the five-year maximum. However, the Express was told Lewin will only have to spend 18 months in prison, after which he will be deported.

Surinamese investors eye Guyana

PARIMARIBO, SURINAME:

Surinamese investors have their eyes set on neighbouring Guyana, where they are discovering more and more investment opportunities; however, they are very disappointed in the bureaucracy, according to Paramaribo’s Waterkant News.

“Guyana is our main goal,” said Anil Padarath, board member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Suriname.

While there are some setbacks in establishing a business quickly, investors said this is not discouraging them from expanding their businesses in Guyana.

According to the Chamber of Commerce of Suriname, in the first quarter of this year alone, more than $30 million of products were exported to Guyana. The chamber wants nothing more than to encourage this trend.

“Guyana is very lucrative for Suriname. There is a good market for quality products from Suriname and there are many opportunities,” said Padarath.

Investing and setting up businesses in Guyana is becoming more wide-

spread, he said.

“Rossignol Butcheries has been successful in Guyana,” Padarath noted.

The Surinamese company opened last year in Guyana, a state-of-theart meat market and bakery, the first of its kind in Guyana. They also sell Dutch cheese, which is a favourite in Guyana.

Big names like Rudisa Beverages and Fernandes from Suriname are also in Guyana. The insurance company Assuria made its first overseas expansion into Guyana. Surinamese entrepre-

neurs are already investing in oxygen production, mining and tourism in Guyana, the Waterkant News reported. Padarath is impressed by the agricultural sector of Guyana and said it looks promising for Surinamese investors. Besides the bureaucracy that investors allege, they are also complaining about outdated and unfair investment laws. Rudisa recently won a case at the Caribbean Court of Justice against Guyana for unfair business practices. (Caribbean

Dynamic Airways suspends flight until August

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: Due to operational difficulties with securing time slots at the John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York for the month of July, Dynamic Airways has announced the suspension of all flights until August 8.

“We are announcing temporary suspension of JFK–GEO service until August 8 2014,” the troubled airline said in a release. Dynamic Airways said it will operate flights on July 8, July 11 and July 15, and transport passengers which already started their travel.

“We are currently

protecting all passengers who have started their travels and are impacted by this temporary suspension. All passengers travelling in the period July 17-August 8 will receive full refunds plus compensatory voucher for future purchase on Dynamic Airways network. All passengers will be contacted by Dynamic Airways directly or by their respective travel agents,” the U.S. air carrier said. According to the airline, this temporary suspension “will allow us to secure time slots at JFK airport, organise better ground handling and check in process, as well as secure schedule in-

tegrity which Dynamic Airways is well known for. All flights starting from August 8 are not impacted by this change and will be operated as displayed on our website, and in our reservation system. We are very sorry for the inconvenience this change might have caused and thank you for your patience while we are processing refund requests and protecting

our passengers impacted by this temporary suspension.”

Since its launch, Dynamic Airways has been mired in hiccups. After several days in operation, it last week told the media that it will continue to land at other international airports in the United States of America (USA) and not JFK after not being granted full permission

to use the facility.

Some “slack”

Managing Director of Roraima Airways–the airline’s local ground operations company, Captain Gerry Gouveia had disclosed that the airline will continue to use the Bradley International Airport and passengers will be shuttled by luxury buses to Terminal Four of the JFK International.

He explained that the distance from the Bradley International Airport is about two hours drive but they are committed to ensuring that their passengers are well taken care of. Gouveia said that all arrangements from Guyana’s end were tied up, but there was some “slack” at the other end. He explained that all the necessary documents were initially in place, but after the sacking of the handling agent in the U.S., they had to reapply all over again. Presently, they are finalising arrangements with respect to the usage of a terminal and more importantly, a handling agent.

Jamaica firefighters get critical training in rescue operations

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

Jamaican firefighters recently benefitted from state-of-theart training in rescue operations through the non-profit organisation International Fire Training Force (IFTF) which has been exposing them to some of the latest techniques in the field.

Chief Executive Officer of IFTF Patrick McDermott, who is also of Jamaican birth, and his team were recently in the island conducting the International Fire Training Force Training on Automobile Extrication and Confined Space Rescue with personnel from the Jamaican Fire Brigade and the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ). The PCJ personnel were only

trained in confined space rescue training. The technical fire rescue classes, recently,

held at Port Royal Police Station in Kingston included urban search and rescue, trench rescue,

Young couple burns to death in Trinidad crash

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: A young couple in Trinidad met a fiery death early Monday morning when the car in which they were travelling burst into flames after veering off the north bound lane of the Solomon Hochoy Highway and slammed into a concrete post.

Jermaine Ackie, 22, of Roystonia in Couva and his girlfriend Lee Ann Ramkissoon, 22, of Champs Fleurs were burnt beyond recognition. Police officers on the scene were able to trace their identities through two cell phones found in the burnt wreckage of the rental vehicle. Ackie and

Ramkissoon were two of six persons who perished in three separate vehicular accidents over the weekend. Two people also died in an accident on Uriah Butler Highway, Chaguanas on Sunday.

A seventh victim identified as Arjoon Matadeen, 60, succumbed to his injuries last Saturday, four days after he was involved in a vehicular accident in Ste Madeleine. Up to Tuesday, Matadeen’s wife Sumintra Matadeen, 55, remained warded at the Intensive Care Unit of the San Fernando General Hospital in a critical condition. Their granddaughter Carline Matadeen, 19, sustained injuries to her feet and has since been discharged. (TT Newsday)

hazardous materials and collapse rescue.

At the training session, the participants were trained to remove accident victims trapped in vehicles piled on top of each other. They were also taught how to remove victims trapped in small spaces that may contain hazardous air as well as how to protect themselves through the use of proper breathing apparatus.

"Jamaica sits on a fault line, so what happened to Haiti could very well happen in Jamaica, so Jamaica is now gearing up to be ready and prepared for when that happens," said McDermott, who is also a

Chicago fireman. He explained that some of the Jamaican firefighters who have benefited from IFTF training in the past were sent to Haiti to help in the rescue mission following the earthquake which devastated that country a few years ago.

McDermott, while lauding the cooperation received from Jamaica in facilitating the training sessions said one of the biggest challenge, was getting enough cars to use in the exercise.

"We couldn't get cars so that is a big issue for the firemen to practice how to do their jobs...they need the resources," he said. (Jamaica Observer)

18 News

Guyana gov’t says it will not tolerate meddling diplomats

GEORGETOWN,

GUYANA: The Guyana government said it will not tolerate disrespect, meddling and interference from foreign envoys in its internal affairs, especially when they are pursuing a clearly political agenda.

It said that while it respects all of its partners, there is a line that must not be crossed which is clearly stipulated in all international diplomatic conventions and protocols.

These sentiments

were expressed by Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon, who was at the time addressing media operatives at his weekly postCabinet briefing, held last week at the Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown.

Dr Luncheon made it clear that the recent rebuke outgoing U.S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt received from the government through acting Foreign Affairs Minister Priya Manickchand was “fit-

KINGSTON,

JAMAICA: For US$900,000 (Ja$100.8 million), a new 200-seat call centre incubator will be built in the Montego Bay free zone in Jamaica. Working round the clock, the facility, partly funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), can create

600 new jobs for the local business process outsourcing (BPO) sector.

That may seem a tiny blip when compared to the 14,000 persons currently employed by the sector, but the potential US$15 million it can generate for the local economy is nothing to scoff at.

BPO operators in

Jamaica now pull in upwards of US$350 million annually, and that figure is expected to increase by 50 percent, along with an additional 7,000 new jobs, should efforts focused on growing the sector are successful, according to Yoni Epstein.

The chairman of the Business Processing Industry Association

ting” and “legitimate”.

Last Wednesday, Manickchand accused Hardt of unprofessional and undiplomatic conduct, while upbraiding him for a series of attacks on the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government and President Donald Ramotar. She insisted that the Ambassador “crossed the red-line” when he continued to criticise and demonise the government on the issue of holding the long-overdue Local Government Elections.

of Jamaica (BPIAJ) believes the country is emerging as a regional hub for the provision of BPO services largely "through well-developed and reliable infrastructure, a highly literate workforce, excellent telecommunication facilities, competitive labour costs and near-shore advantage".

He figures the sector can grow to employ as many as 45,000 professional, before it becomes saturated.

But getting there will need a lot more office space--at least 620,000 square feet more, in fact.

The Barnett Technology Park in Montego Bay is already earmarked for 800,000 square foot. Construction

on a 50,000-square feet facility there commenced in January, and is expected to be completed at a cost of US$8.5 million by the end of 2014.

Using the current industry standard in Jamaica of 60-70 square feet per seat, when restroom facilities and lunch areas are included in the office space, that should translate to a minimum of 720 seats, or over 2,100 jobs over three shifts.

The new facility is also cheaper to build than the US$25 million that was spent on a 100,000 square-foot facility for Vistaprint at the tech park three years ago.

Even at the higher rate, it would cost

The minister’s comments ignited a national controversy.

But while some criticised the occasion used to launch the salvo against the Ambassador, Dr Luncheon last Friday said that that was of little or no significance to the issue at hand.

In fact, he said that it was the “ideal opportunity” for the government to articulate its position on the Ambassador’s continued objectionable posture given the fact that he was slated to depart the country on Sunday, July 6.

US$50 million to create the space needed for an additional 10,000 jobs in the sector. What's more, financing is available.

Having already partly financed the Barnett Technology Park expansion, the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) is seeking an additional US$20 million from the PetroCaribe Development Fund to finance the construction of more space for the BPO sector.

The agency will lend up to US$5 million per project—representing a maximum of 70 percent of total costs—with an interest rate of 4.5 percent per annum on the reducing balance. (Jamaica Observer)

Bright future for ANSA McAl as it posts TT$1 billion

profit

million.

PORT-OFSPAIN, TRINIDAD:

The ANSA McAl Group in fiscal 2013 made a profit before tax of TT$1.14 billion, revealed chairman/ CEO Norman Sabga at Sunday’s AGM at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.

Anyone who bought TT$10,000 in ANSA Mc Al shares in 2003 would today see them worth TT$33,000 (inclusive of dividends), giving a compounded rate of return of 13 percent.

He added that the share-price rose from 75 cents in 1988 to TT$66.50 today. Sabga said the past year had seen the group earn record revenues, record profits, record earnings-per-share, and a record dividend payout of TT$1.30.

The 2013 Annual Report shows that last year the group had revenues of TT$6.21 billion, operating profit of TT$1.16 billion, finance costs of TT$47 million, profit before tax of TT$1.14 billion, in-

come to shareholders of TT$742 million and earnings per share of TT$4.31.

Sabga stated that revenues were up by six percent, operating profits up by 14 percent, profits before tax up by 31 percent, interest cover up by 135 percent (and is now “25 times” compared to “11 times” the previous year), profit margin is up by 13 percent, and earnings per share are up by 17 percent, while the group beneficially also saw a 51 percent drop in its financial costs.

He added that the group’s total debt, outside of deposits in the financial sector, is TT$74

The ANSA Mc Al Group has total assets worth TT$12.2 billion, reported Sabga, with net assets of TT$5.3 billion. There is a 104 percent ratio of revenue over assets, a 1.73 liquidity ratio and a two percent increase in the profit margin, he added.

Some TT$284 million was spent in 2013 to modernise the group’s plants so as to make them world-class.

Based on the performance, the Group’s Chief Operations Officer Gerry Brooks is keenly optimistic about its future prospects in the country, region and hemisphere.

“We are very excited about growth. It is a record year, TT$1.1 billion in profitability, and we are also very excited about the future.”

He noted that the group has about 3,500 shareholders, with that number staying fairly steady due to each one’s reluctance to sell shares which have been so profitable. (TT Newsday)

Cop on nine rape charges in Trinidad

PORT-OFSPAIN, TRINIDAD:

A

Police Constable with ten years service in Trinidad appeared Monday in the Siparia Magistrates’ Court to answer nine counts of rape of a teenage girl.

PC Melvin George, 41, appeared before Senior Magistrate Joanne Connor charged with one count of sexual intercourse with the girl without her consent. He was charged with three counts of having sexual intercourse with the girl who was under the age of 14. George, who was

last posted at the San Fernando Police Station, was also charged with five counts of having sexual intercourse with the girl who was not his wife and who was not yet the age of 16.

It is alleged that the offences occurred during different periods between January 1, last year, and June 7, this year, at a house in Siparia. Cpl Garvin Haynes of the Siparia CID laid the indictable charges and thus the accused policeman was not called upon to enter a plea Monday.

As Connor was read-

ing out the charges, George, of Siparia, stood with his hands clasped in front of him as he looked

in her direction. On June 20, last, the alleged victim accompanied by her mother made the report

against George at the Siparia CID. Cpl Haynes led an investigation and on Wednesday night last, the accused policeman gave himself up at the Siparia Station.

Police reports are that on Saturday last, Cpl Haynes charged George with the nine offences. The accused was granted TT$430,000 bail while in police custody.

Monday, attorney Richard Valere represented George and reminded the court that his client was granted bail over the weekend.

Court prosecutor Sgt Dridgenath Sookraj not-

ed he did not have any instructions on how to proceed with the case and was awaiting such from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Before adjourning the case to August 11, Connor noted that a State attorney has to be appointed to prosecute the accused policeman. As a condition to his bail, the magistrate ordered that he have no interaction with the alleged victim.

George hid his face with a bandana from media photographers as he was leaving the courthouse. (TT Newsday)

Guyana records significant increase in commercial buildings over last decade

GAccording to the Bureau of Statistics, the distribution patterns remain the same when compared to 2002, pointing out that the number of business places had outstripped the level of growth of the building stocks when compared regionally.

Using Region Seven as an example, the

EORGETOWN, GUYANA: The number of buildings within the commercial sector of Guyana has grown tremendously over a 10-year period. According to the Guyana Population and Housing Census 2012 Preliminary Report, the number of commercial buildings has increased by 26.4 percent, moving 14,560 in 2002 to 18,537 in 2012.

Bureau of Statistics pointed out that the number of businesses nearly doubled with a recorded increase of 88.1 percent. The increase in commercial buildings within the district was linked to the sharp rise in mining activities.

“The increase is an important indicator of economic growth in those regions, but would obvi-

Pig and poultry in Jamaica attract heavy investment dollars

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Pig and chicken rearing in Jamaica are being backed by heavy investment dollars as the agricultural subsectors continue to see significant loan growth.

Piggeries started to get the attention of major lenders back in 2009, when the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) disbursed Ja$64 million in loans towards that area of production.

Since then a further Ja$500 million has been lent to pig farmers through the government-owned lending agency.

For poultry, DBJ loans to the subsector topped Ja$1 billion last year, up from Ja$177 million in 2012 and Ja$80 million five years ago.

"What you find is

that poultry is the most sufficient converter of animal protein when compared to fish, cows or pigs," said Ian Parsard, senior vice-president of operations at the Jamaica Broilers Group. "So when costs are going up, chicken will go up at a lower rate than those other proteins and it is a competitive product for Jamaica consumers."

Currently, the system in place for the poultry industry encourages stability in the repayment of loans through contract farming with Jamaica Broilers and Caribbean Broilers and markets where one can "un-sell" their birds to repay their loans.

As such, contract farmers are beginning to expand their operations which results in the poultry processors' continuous investments

in its feed mills, chicken plants and hatchery.

Depreciation of the Jamaican dollar also factors into the rising cost of animal protein, but the adverse impact on a company's working capital, as well as the disposable income of consumers, stretch businesses even further.

"It really is a twoedged sword; the best thing for the country as well as our company would be more stability in the exchange rate," said Parsard.

President of the Pig Farmers' Association Delroy Manya remains optimistic about growth of piggery and is lobbying to have contractual arrangement with processors and producers, which should be able to stabilise the industry going forward. (Jamaica Observer)

ously require a more detailed survey of a special type to ascertain the actual types of business activities that are being undertaken there,” the Bureau of Statistics stated in the preliminary report.

Significant increase

In Region One, there were 288 commercial buildings in 2002; but by 2012, the number increased to 433 while in Region Two, the number of businesses had dropped from 1203 in 2002 to 1077 in 2012. However, Region Three experienced significant growth jumping from 1885 in 2002 to 2672.

Similarly, the number of business places increased from 6424 to 8745 in 2012 in Region Four, while there was a slight increase in Region Five, moving from 949 in 2002 to 1138 in 2012.

Regions Six, Nine and 10 experienced marginal increases while in Region Eight, there was a reduction in commercial buildings, moving from 117 in 2002 to 80 in 2012. However, in Region Seven, the commercial sector doubled with 662 businesses being recorded during the 2012 Census.

Overall, the country’s building stocks have in-

creased by 16.9 percent, moving from 187,696 in 2002 to 219,509 in 2012. Regions Three and Four topped the chart, recording the highest increase in building stocks. According to the report, 13,120 new buildings were erected in Region Four since the 2002 Housing Census, increasing from 73,390 to 86,510 buildings. Region Three came in second with an increase of 8972 buildings. At the time of the 2002 Census, the coastal region building stock stood at 26,516, but jumped to 35,488 buildings by 2012. (Guyana Times)

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES:

International Guyanese designer and Corporate Executive of her brand “Colefacts”, Michelle Cole has recently launched her new costume “Colefacts Carnival” in New York City.

Her first costume collection “Lotus” for Sesame Flyers will be featured in this year’s Labour Day Parade on September 6, on Brooklyn’s famous Eastern Parkway.

Cole is a trendsetter in creative fashion; her designs display statements of elegance and class. They are simply irresistible. She is no stranger to the fashion world.

Known for creating show-stopping couture gowns, jewellery, swimwear and ready-towear fashion, Michelle’s

Colefacts has been featured in numerous fashion shows across the globe and worn by pag-

eant contestants, finalists and queens. Pink, yellow and gold are the official co-

lours for Michelle Cole's “Lotus”. Her designs are all handmade and ecofriendly. Colourful feathers with gold accents complement the beautifully crafted wire headpieces.

Michelle’s “Lotus” for Sesame Flyers provides options for all body types for both men and women. She loves creating her deigns with natural fabrics and specialise in hand designed, painted and decorated fabrics.

Her ability to create such exquisite and fashionable designs has taken carnival fashion to the next level. Currently, settling in New York, Michelle continues to shape and market her brand to fashion houses and various highend runway events.

She currently sits on the committee of Miss World Guyana as one of its Executive Directors.

(Guyana Times)

Mister, Miss Guyana Talented Teen 2014 crowned

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: Elroy Adrian Walcott and Rissa Sooklall in the wee hours of Monday morning were crowned Mister and Miss Guyana Talented Teen 2014 after an evening of spectacular performances, featuring dazzling evening wear.

The lively event was held at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown.

Breana Nicholas and the underdog Akeila Dey were the second and third runners-up respectively from the female contingent of the pageant, while on the male side, Daniel Ifill and Mikel Andrews copped second and third places.

Other prize winners included Kimberly Sattaur, Meshack Howard and Felicia Sears. Both Nicholas and Ifill captured the prizes for being photogenic while the Miss Congeniality prize went to overall winner Sooklall.

The pageant got off to a late start, but that did not change the mood of patrons who were eagerly awaiting the second edition of the Simpli Royal event.

Introducing themselves to the half-filled NCC on Sunday, Ifill and Nicolas were from the inception crowd favourites as the crowd erupted with applause when the introductions were made.

Moving on to the talent segment of the pageant, Stephen Validum, who was also a crowd favourite, sent the crowd into frenzied laughter when he appeared on stage to do his dramatic comedy piece shouting “Guyana Times” and the

names of other newspapers.

He further woo them, reminding of the thing that truly made them Guyanese, in jokes.

Also noteworthy among the male contingent in the talent segment was Ifill, who performed a breathtaking rendition of Sammy Baksh and The Prodigal Sons classic “To Be Lonely”.

And, although he got off to a false start and had to rush behind the curtains, when he returned, he mesmerised the audience with his soulful voice.

Second runner-up Nicholas showed up, delivering a powerful performance, effortlessly belting out the lyrics of Timeka Marshall’s “One More Day”.

Although she too had performance hiccups, having nearly tripped halfway through her performance, she still had the crowd going. Her performance made way for “Splish Splash”, the swimwear segment, which heated up things on the cold night.

Then came the moment that revealed who would be moving closer to the title of Mister and Miss Talent Teen 2014. It was not all a bed of roses for the contestants, however, as some of the finalists fumbled to answer the question on global warming. The final six contestants were asked to send a message to the Guyanese public on the effects of global warming and the only persons that came close to answering the question properly were Nicholas and Walcott. (Guyana Times)

GEORGETOWN: GUYANA:

Managed by the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre, the home of the late Jagans was declared open to the public by their daughter, Nadira, on 30 April 2009, after Mrs Jagan died in March of the same year.

The house was built in 1966, the year of Guyana’s independence, and designed by Dr Jagan. This was the family’s first owned home, as up to late 1966 they had been living in rented houses since returning to British Guiana in 1943. Their children had both left by 1972 for studies overseas. Dr Jagan and his wife lived there until 1992 when he moved to the State House after being democratically elected President of Guyana. He lived there until his illness on 14 February 1997. After her husband’s death, Mrs Jagan returned to the home in 1997 and lived here until her death on 28 March 2009. She also lived there while she was president from 1997 to 1999.

Some changes were made to the house in 1997. Originally, the wooden front of the house, which is now grey, was stained dark. The kitchen and bathroom were redone.

The tour

The Jagan’s modest wooden home consists

of three bedrooms, one bathroom, a study, living room, dining room and a kitchen.

Entering the home, visitors will go through the entrance room, which was used as a greeting place if the family had other visitors. There was a door opening out to the yard but this was later closed off because of water seeping in when it rained heavily. This was the only change made to this room from its original state.

The focal point of the living room is said to be the carpet purchased by Dr Jagan from Kissoon’s Furniture Store in 1966. Collections of books, found in all the rooms of the house, cover a wide range of topics, and the many paintings and sculptures were collected by Mrs Jagan over the last 66 years. There are copies of original paintings done by Guyanese artist Stanley Greaves and many other local and

international artists.

There is a blue chair in the room used by Mrs Jagan during the last few years of her life. The large photographic collection covers the period from the 1940s to 2009. They include historical photos from the couple’s early days in the U.S., the early political struggle, the history in photos of the 1953, 1957, 1961 and 1992 PPP governments, photos of private moments with family, overseas visits, and their funerals.

The study was designed to house all of Dr and Mrs Jagan’s papers and books, and to provide a quiet space for them to work. The desk that Dr Jagan worked on was bought by his father as a gift after Dr Jagan returned to British Guiana from the U.S. This is where he sat down to write his articles, speeches and most importantly, many of his books, including his

Jamaican artiste joins in Canadian sports countdown

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Next year, Toronto, Canada, will be the host city of the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games. It will be the third time Canada has had the honour of hosting the games, doing so previously in 1967 and 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

As a part of the countdown celebrations leading to the big games, there will be a series of crowd-pulling activities and, this Thursday, Jamaican artiste Steele (who now resides in Canada) will be in action at Celebration Square.

The free family day of activities at City Centre Drive in Mississauga will include dance, music, food and sports.

autobiographical work, “The West on Trial”. The painting of Dr Jagan that now hangs above his desk was placed there after his death.

In the dining room the family had all their meals; meals were never eaten in the living room. The BBC was always on in the mornings during breakfast. The stove is one of the home’s original pieces, having been purchased in 1966. The kitchen was remodelled in 1997 and a few changes were made to the cupboard doors. When there was not any extra help in the house, Mrs Jagan cooked the meals and cleaned the house but Dr Jagan would clear the table and wash up the dishes. His job was to polish the wooden floors when they needed to be done.

Dr Jagan enjoyed resting in the hammock and even had one at his office at Freedom House during his years as Leader of the Opposition and one at State House when he was President from 1992 to 1997. The typewriters at Mrs Jagan’s desk are the ones she used to type her articles for the periodicals Thunder and the Mirror along with her children stories and her personal correspondences. She never used a computer. After she returned home in 1997, she would write her weekly articles by hand at the dining room table.

The size of the veranda was enlarged in 1995 and a covered roof added. This is where the Jagan family enjoyed entertaining their guests or just spending quality time together as a family. Almost all of the trees in the yard were planted by Dr Jagan. He took care of the yard and the planting of fruit trees, flowering trees such as

- keeping memories of indomitable freedom fighters

the flamboyant trees, vegetable gardens, and flowers. He loved his orchids. He also at different time had chickens, rabbits, and even sheep. Working in the yard was a joy for him, and his form of relaxation. He spent hours there whenever he had the chance. Unfortunately he was not able to spend time doing this during his years as president.

Sunday was the only day off if they did not have meetings and it was spent quietly. The mornings would begin with Dr Jagan in the yard and Mrs Jagan cleaning the house. For lunch,

the family enjoyed Mrs Jagan’s Sunday meal of roast chicken, baked potatoes, stuffing and lots of fruits.

After lunch, both husband and wife would nap then they would sit together on the veranda or go to the seawall for a walk. Later in the evening, Mrs Jagan would read; one of her many loves. Dr Jagan would end up at his desk.

This was their life together: a loving couple who, together in a loving home, were able to create much change in the lives of so many Guyanese and transform the country. (www. jagan.org)

Steele, who is from Hanover, is an accomplished musician, songwriter and producer who has earned a strong reputation as a perfectionist with his professional approach to music.

The Pan American Games are the world's third-largest international multi-sport games, surpassed in size and scope only by the Olympic Summer Games

"It's a great honour to represent in the countdown activities. I am looking forward to showing sports enthusiasts a great time. What better marriage than sports and entertainment?" Steele asked rhetorically.

and the Asian Games.

The first Pan American Games were held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1951 and the inaugural Parapan American Games were held in Mexico City in 1999. Both the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games are held every four years for the athletes of 41 nations, in the year preceding the Olympic and Paralympic summer games. (Jamaica Gleaner)

Alyson Cambridge—international opera singer of Guyanese heritage

Alyson Cambridge is an accomplished soprano opera singer born in 1980 to a Guyanese father (Richard Cambridge) and a Danish-American mother. At age 23, while a first year student at the Curtis Institute of Music, she was the grand prize winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Nine months later she debuted at the MET as Frasquita in “Carmen” under renowned music conductor/director James Levine; a performance that earned her praises from many news outlets including the New York Times for her “powerful, clear voice”.

Alyson earned a B.M. in Voice Performance from the Oberlin

a

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

Recently, a young man by the name of Shavonne Campbell got the chance to do what some kids only dream of—meet the First Lady

of the United States. Shavonne, is a Jamaican-born teen who has been living in the United States for the past 14 months, and he took the time out to share a few details of his mem-

later continued her studies at the Curtis Institute of

she pursued a Master’s of Music Degree. The singer’s performances have brought her over a decade of success on the leading opera and concert stages throughout the United States and internationally. In addition to the MET, she has wowed the audience at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Washington National Opera, as well as recent debuts in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Beijing, and other musical capitals throughout Europe and Asia. One of her more notable performances was that of Julie in Francesca Zambello’s highly-acclaimed production of “Show Boat”, a performance for which she earned positive reviews.

where

Alyson’s debut album, “From the Diary

of Sally Hemings”, a song-cycle by acclaimed American composer William Bolcom, premiered at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hal, New York, to rave reviews, and her next album of crossover and jazz standards is due out within the next year.

Among numerous awards and prizes, Alyson was also awarded First Prize in the 2003 Licia AlbanesePuccini Foundation International Voice Competition; was a 2004 George London Foundation Award recipient; and received the Régine Crespin Award at the 2008 Elardo International Opera Competition.

As part of Alyson’s personal mission, and with a strong desire to

give back and make an impact beyond the traditional confines of the theatre, she lends her time and talent to charities and causes close to her heart, including Sing for Hope, The Humane Society, K9s for Warriors, Hope For Hearts Foundation and American Red Cross. And, as a former athlete and fitness enthusiast, with a penchant for fashion, Alyson’s exotic looks have enabled her to enjoy collaborations with designers for her concert performances and off-stage appearances. She serves as an official brand ambassadress for luxury jewellery and watch designer Chopard and fashion designer Vivienne Tam. (www.guyanesegirlsrock. com)

Jamaican teen elated after meeting U.S. First Lady

orable experience. It was berth from something as simple as a game.

"The First Lady heard about the game and was really excited to see what it was about. She requested that I come to

Washington DC with others, and the experience was absolutely amazing," he expressed. The event they were invited to was the National Summer Learning Day Fair held on June 20th.

The game, entitled ‘Life as a first in the field’, is about Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play on a major league baseball team. The game is location-based--in order to complete the game, one must be at the location given on the map, and as you go, there will be different trivias and other interactive challenges to keep you engaged.

Campbell, who now lives in Brooklyn, said

the game he showed the First Lady was a collaborative effort. "We all made it. Seven other kids, we made the game together", Campbell said. "One person came up with the idea of Jackie Robinson because she actually lived in the building near Ebbets Field, where he used to play."

Global Kids is a programme that targets middle- and high-school students in New York and Washington, DC and gives them the opportunity to travel abroad and learn digital skills.

First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, encouraged the student leaders to continue their learning year-

round. "Summer can't just be a vacation. It's really a time to try to get ahead", she said.

Instead of a vacation, some students, like Campbell, will have an even better trip to brag about when school's back in session.

Shavonne shared: "If you think you love coding then you should go for it with all that you have and never allow anyone to tell you that you can't. Never be scared to ask for suggestions and collaborate with others, we all have different skills and abilities so friends might have an idea that will help to make yours even better." (Jamaica Observer)

KINGSTON,

JAMAICA: The Golden Grove Cemetery in St Thomas, Jamaica was recently transformed from a place of rest into a party venue as relatives of a deceased man employed a non-traditional method of mourning their loss.

Latest dancehall hits blared from a sound system as a woman showed off her dance moves amidst cheers from a large throng of people. Nearby, groups of people engaged in card and bingo games as the deejays at the console created a vibe for the large crowd standing and sitting on graves and rewarded their enthusiasm with free phone cards and other giveaways.

Party-style

This is said to have become the norm in St Thomas where residents have been hosting these party-style celebrations at the grave-digging for their loved ones.

The latest such event was held for 33-yearold Romane McLean of Duckenfield, who died after a short illness.

The solemn approach usually associated with death was visibly absent as hundreds of residents crammed into the cemetery to participate in

a range of fun activities while a handful of men worked on digging the grave.

In-between hefty servings of food and alcohol, the women formed themselves into smaller groups to play bingo and card games on top of the tombs in the cemetery.

Even children, who are usually scared of going into cemeteries, were right at home playing on the tombs.

However, what was most unusual for some passers-by were the two deejays, who were seen busy spinning records on the console set up on a tomb. The deejays urged the residents to participate in the various competitions to win prizes.

Brother of the deceased, Dwight Francis, said the entire entertainment package was provided by a funeral home in Morant Bay.

Packages

He noted that as the competition increased among funeral homes, operators have become more creative in trying to attract customers.

"The package from the funeral home included the music and the deejays and we had a choice of taking it for the grave-digging or the set-up (nine-night), but we took it for the gravedigging because we have another music system to play for the set-up," he explained.

He pointed out that

musician makes international splash with ‘Celebrate!’

PORT-OFSPAIN, TRINIDAD: The ten-minute-long video starts with a montage of equally depressing situations: a man contemplating suicide, a mugging, vagrants begging, a shot of an ominously headlined newspaper. Shady figures meet in secret to plan on how to plunge an already dark world into further darkness. Enter Richie Luna.

Richie Luna is another way for Trinidad-born performer Richie Sabga, to bring light back into the world. A musician and entrepreneur, Sabga started his road-lights company Luna Road in 2008, and his musical career in 2010 as popstarcum-superhero Richie Luna.

“The overall idea of the character Richie Luna has been in development for roughly three or four years. The original idea started off as a movie script, however, given my innate love and passion for music, I decided to tell the story of Richie Luna through writing songs and equiv-

alent music videos. Each song and video representing a unique chapter of his story,” said Sabga via e-mail. The character himself is a superhero with the power to generate moonlight energy, using it to bring light and love to a depressed world.

Sabga’s first song, cowritten by Sabga and Kevon and Kory Hart, ‘Lighting the Way’, won the monthly songwriting award for March 2012 from Songwriters Universe Magazine. It was later picked up by producer DJ Ammo, and re-recorded by Machel Montano and popstar Pitbull in 2013. On the

tails of that success came ‘Celebrate (The Call to Light)’. The ambitious video for the dance-pop tune was finally released on Yahoo Music and Vevo on June 26 after a full year of online hype. The 42-second-long teaser on popular video site, YouTube, has managed to rack up more than five million views since it was released in May 2013.

“Having the music video for ‘Celebrate!’ premiere to the world on the front page headlines of Yahoo Music was definitely an amazing moment in my career,” said Sabga.

The video was produced by Alan Ferreira and Nigel Celestine with cinematography by Ronald Lee. Viewers may recognise parts of Port-of-Spain as well as masman Peter Minshall who plays one of the mid-level villains. The video also features the Elle NYTT dance group, though most of dancing in the video was not choreographed.

For Sabga, ‘Celebrate!’ is just the beginning. (TT Guardian)

Funerals no longer a dead business in St Thomas

would have wanted.

while revelry was unusual in a cemetery, it was what his brother

"He was a very fun person and this is what he would have wanted and so, while it is a sad time, we are enjoying ourselves for him," he said. While not saying what the package cost, Francis said this is becoming a regular occurrence in the parish.

(Jamaica Observer)

New play educates Barbadians on political history

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS:

The Hilary Beckles play ‘No Country for a White Hero’ featuring the politics of Athol Edwin Seymour T.T. Lewis, comes at a time when Barbados is celebrating the 375th anniversary of parliamentary rule, much of which was under the domination of the planter-merchant elite.

The play captures a very critical period of the parliamentary history, the period 1942 to 1956, when power was wrested from the elite and middle class leaders sought to cement themselves within the existing parliamentary framework, ostensibly for the benefit of the masses.

It introduces the nation to a white social reformer, A.S. T.T Lewis, who played a significant role in shaping the direction of the country. It is a much needed introduction because many Barbadians might have heard or seen the biography of Lewis, written by his great nephew, Gary

Lewis and published by the UWI Press in 1999.

The play highlights the contribution of T.T Lewis in the campaign for franchise reform in a period when only 3,500 people voted in a population of 200,000 persons. Lewis also takes a stand for government-sponsored education for everyone in the society in an age when poverty prevented

many bright, black children from acquiring a secondary education. He calls for the sub-division of bankrupt plantations as a means of ending the near chronic landlessness in the country. With this political stance, he is at the heart of the social revolution, along with Grantley Adams and Wynter Crawford. (Barbados Today)

Caricom Day, celebrated in Guyana on 7 July, commemorates the treaty establishing the Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom) and is observed annually by all Caricom countries, though not necessarily on the same date of the year.

The establishment of the Caribbean Community and Common Market was the result of a 15-year effort to fulfil the hope of regional integration which was born with the establishment of the British West Indies Federation in 1958. The West Indies Federation came to an end in 1962 but its end, may be regarded as the real beginning of what is now the Caribbean Community.

With the end of the Federation, political leaders in the Caribbean made more serious efforts to strengthen the ties between the islands and mainland by providing for the continuance and strengthening of the areas of cooperation that existed during the Federation. Further, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago both attained independence in August that year and with it the power to control their own domestic and external affairs.

In announcing its intention to withdraw from the Federation, the

government of Trinidad and Tobago proposed the creation of a Caribbean Community, consisting not only of the ten members of the Federation, but also of the three Guianas and all the islands of the Caribbean Sea - both independent and non-independent.

To discuss this concept, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago convened the first Heads of Government Conference in July 1963, and attended by the leaders of Barbados, British Guiana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. At this Conference, the participating leaders of the four Caribbean countries all spoke clearly of the need for close cooperation with Europe, Africa and Latin America.

In July 1965, talks

between the Premiers of Barbados and British Guiana and the Chief Minister of Antigua on the possible establishment of a Free Trade Area in the Caribbean resulted in the announcement of definite plans to establish such a Free Trade Area. In December that year, Heads of Government of Antigua, Barbados and British Guiana signed an Agreement at Dickenson Bay, Antigua, to set up the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA).

The new CARIFTA agreement came into effect on 1 May 1968, with the participation of Antigua, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana. The original idea to permit all territories in the

Region to participate in the Association was achieved later that year with the entry of Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts/Nevis/Anguilla, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent in July and of Jamaica and Montserrat on 1 August 1968. British Honduras (Belize) became a member in May 1971.

At the 7th Heads of Government Conference in October 1972, Caribbean leaders decided to transform CARIFTA into a Common Market and establish the Caribbean Community of which the Common Market would be an integral part.

At the 8th Heads of Government Conference of CARIFTA held in April 1973 in Georgetown, Guyana, the decision to

establish the Caribbean Community was brought into fruition with the consideration of Heads of Government of the draft legal instruments and with the signing by 11 members of CARIFTA (the exception being Antigua and Montserrat).

The Accord provided for the signature of the Caribbean Community Treaty on 4 July and its coming into effect in August 1973, among the then four independent countries: Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Georgetown Accord also provided that the other eight territories - Antigua, British Honduras, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Montserrat, St. Kitts/Nevis/Anguilla

and St. Vincent which signed the Accord would become full members of the Community by 1 May 1974.

The Caribbean Community and Common Market was established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which was signed by Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago and came into effect on 1 August 1973. Subsequently, the other eight Caribbean territories joined Caricom. The Bahamas became the 13th Member State of the Community on 4 July 1983, but not a member of the Common Market.

In July 1991, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos became Associated Members of Caricom, followed by Anguilla in July 1999. The Cayman Islands became the fourth Associate Member of the regional grouping on 16 May 2002, and Bermuda the fifth Associate Member on 2 July 2003. Suriname became the 14th Member State of the Caribbean Community on 4 July 1995.

Haiti secured provisional membership on 4 July 1998, and on 3 July 2002 was the first French-speaking Caribbean State to become a full Member of Caricom. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Ewart Walters’ controversial book ‘We Come From Jamaica’ launched in Toronto

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Revered founder of Kingston College Bishop Percival Gibson once wanted to ban calypso great the Mighty Sparrow from performing in Jamaica, according to Jamaican journalist Ewart Walters in his controversial book ‘We Come From Jamaica: The National Movement 1937-1962’.

Walters, whose latest work was recently launched in Toronto, Canada, where he lives, also wrote that "O T Fairclough was an assistant manager of a bank in Haiti (but) could not get a bank job in Jamaica because he was black".

Bishop Gibson was the first black in 100 years to be consecrated as Anglican Suffragan Bishop of Kingston in 1947 and Fairclough was the founder of the Public Opinion newspaper and a co-founder of the People's National Party (PNP).

Walters said that Fairclough had created a newspaper to develop ideas and a climate in which to launch a political party to work for self-government and Independence and that he should have been "at the top of the list of national heroes".

In March, while the book was still on the press, Walters was severely criticised by three ex-prime ministers of Jamaica for charging that Bustamante, the national hero and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) founder, had split the national uni-

ty movement of the late 1930s when he left the PNP and formed the JLP, thus setting back Jamaica.

In ‘We Come from Jamaica’, the journalist also quoted another writer Obika Gray—in his book ‘Demeaned But Empowered’—as saying that "Bustamante unabashedly identified himself with the use of force...violent skirmishes and was a practitioner of the disruptive uses of violence to turn back political challenge".

Walters, after being lashed by three former JLP leaders Edward Seaga, Bruce Golding and Andrew Holness for his "outrageous and ludicrous claim", struck back that Lady Bustamante, widow of the national hero, as well as Sir Alexander's biographer, George Eaton, had described the national hero's penchant for violent and dictatorial action.

Walters said his book was the result of 10 years of work; read-

ing, researching, consultation, interviewing, digesting, writing and editing.

At the launch on June 17, 2014, Walters asserted that late leaders Premier Norman Manley, Prime Minister Hugh Shearer and Prime Minister Michael Manley did more for education than any other prime minister and that George Headley and Herb McKenley inspired Jamaicans to greatness in sports.

Walters' book got the powerful endorsement of Jamaican-born University of Toronto professor emeritus, Dr Keith Ellis, a renowned scholar, translator and critic of Latin American literature, who called the work "a masterpiece and a magnificent literary and historical body of work that all Jamaicans should be proud of".

Walters' book was also embraced by Jamaican writer Rachel Manley, daugh-

for English Language non-fiction

Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif to give European feel to their apartment

Ranbir Kapoor had acquired three storeys in a plush Bandra apartment complex a while ago. He had earlier planned to move into this apartment and had he done so, he would have had cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin in the same complex. However, there seems to have been a slight change of plan.

Now we hear that Ranbir and Katrina will move into their love nest on Carter Road, close to a building in which Aamir Khan is renting. A source said that the superstar couple will be renting the same flat that was rented out by filmmaker Subhash Ghai a few years ago when his own home in Mount Mary, Bandra, was undergoing renovation. Ranbir and Kat's love pad is a beautiful address with an enviable view of the sea.

It is currently being done up by Ashiesh Shah but Kat is personally supervising each and every

aspect. Pieces of furniture are essentially being picked up from Italy, Bali, Dubai and South

Africa. The Bollywood couple is keen to give a modern European feel to their apartment. (TOI)

Women can have it all -Alia Bhatt

Indra Nooyi, the CEO of an international beverage company, sparked off a debate when she commented on her professional life being "three full time jobs rolled into one" and that "women can't have it all". While the statement might bring out the hard truth of a woman's life according to her, many disagree with it.

When consulted, actress Alia Bhatt, who started her acting career at the age of 17, quickly retorted, "I think it is the most ridiculous statement that has been made by person of such stature."

She further added, "Women are extremely powerful. Be it in the

role of mothers, daughters, wives or housewives, they endure hardships and prove themselves every single day. Such statements

only point out the stereotypes attached to women at large. It is high time that we change our attitude towards ourselves."

(TOI)

Sunny Leone attempts a Marilyn Monroe

Sunny Leone's next with Ram Kapoor will target families for a change.

In fact, it could well turn out to be her first film with a U rating. Sunny will play a Bollywood actress in the film and Ram, a boisterous middle-aged Gujarati married man, who fantasises about her.

Director Devang Dholakia revealed, "Sunny will look glamorous as she plays a movie star, but it won't be raunchy. You will see her dressed in casuals and there is not a single kissing scene between her and Ram. Their characters will share the

Deepika Padukone voted sexiest woman in the world

Actress Deepika Padukone has been voted the sexiest woman in the world in a poll conducted by the FHM magazine.

She will feature in the new edition of the magazine and the actress last week unveiled the edition featuring her and the other girls in the top 100 list of sexiest women. However, Deepika believes that her physical appearance has got nothing to do with this poll and it is only her work that led her to this.

"I think something like this is really the result of the work that I do. I don't think it has got anything to do with me physically. I also think that the brand endorsements are also the result of the films that you do," the actress said.

"I have been very fortunate that

the roles I have done in the last 2-3 years have been very different from each other. So I guess this and the endorsements are a result of that and, of course, the success of that and the relatability of the characters," she added. (TOI)

'I am a bad singer, but I sing'- Salman Khan

Superstar Salman Khan, who has sung the song ‘Hangover’ for his film ‘Kick’, says he is a bad singer but that doesn't stop him from singing.

"I sing badly, but I can sing just about anytime. I don't care about how I sing...I sing, I don't care," the 47-year-old said Sunday in an interview.

"But to be suddenly put in a spot and being told to sing, then I get hesitant. If I am sing-

ing on my own then I am fine," he added.

As much as he is enjoying the curiosity created by ‘Hangover’, Salman is also quite sur-

Humaima Malick -She is all of 25 but already a name to reckon with in Pakistan. Model and actress Humaima Malick is all set to make her Bollywood debut with Emraan Hashmi in ‘Raja Natwarlal’. The young actress made her film debut with the Pakistani film ‘Bol’ directed by Shoaib Mansoor and now has her eyes set on Bollywood. In an exclusive interview to Bombay Times, the Bol actress confesses that she is the highest paid actress in Pakistan.

Shahrukh Khan -He's the badshah of Bollywood and rightly so. Apart from his long standing career in the Hindi film industry, his personal life, his controversies, there's another reason why SRK stands out from the crowd. The actor has made it to the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list and there's no guesses for this one! King Khan dominated the list, capturing the Numero Uno position. As of December 31st, the actor makes 220.5 Crore through films and his many endorsements.

Salman Khan- While SRK has been ranked No.1 on the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list, Salman Khan comes in third after cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni who occupies the 2nd position. As of 31st Oct'13, the ‘Dabangg’ actor rakes in an estimated 157.5 Crore through films and endorsements. Salman has actively been working on his charitable foundation ‘Being Human,’ which contributes to the poor and needy.

Amitabh Bachchan- Big B is a force to reckon with! The legendary actor went through a slump when his production company ABCL went bankrupt and the actor had to start from scratch. ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ came as bless-

prised to see the hype around him singing a song for a film.

"I have sang before, in 'Hello Brother' and 'Wanted' also, the 'Most Wanted' title track was sung by me. I don't understand why is all this happening because I have sung earlier," Salman said.

"So all this hype is making me feel like I am singing for the first time. I have just sung a bit better than those two times," he added. (TOI)

in disguise and ever since,

‘Ryan Gosling magnetic’ - Gillian Anderson Mila Kunis had first real kiss ever with Ashton Kutcher

Actress Gillian Leigh Anderson has confessed her liking for ‘The Notebook’ star Ryan Gosling and says she would love to work with him in a romantic film.

The 45-year-old actress puts Gosling, 33, in the same league with Hollywood hunks like Tom Hardy and Bradley Cooper because she feels he has the same magnetic effect on people, reports contactmusic.com.

When asked who she would want to work with in a romantic movie, she said: "I do have a healthy appreciation for Ryan Gosling. I don't know what it is. I haven't met him, but I read something recently that said that from the moment he walked into a room, nobody

could concentrate on anything else."

"I think some men do have that effect. Bradley Cooper has it, and Tom Hardy, who I think is one of the most extraordinary actors of our time," she added. (TOI)

Cameron Diaz says life is easier without kids

Actress Cameron Diaz, who is dating rocker Benji Madden, says life is "easier" without children.

Diaz says deciding not to have a family was not "easy" but she was never "drawn" to being a mother, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"It's so much more work to have children. To have lives besides your own that you are responsible for, I didn't take that on. That did make things easier for me. A baby, that's all day, every day for eighteen years. Not having a baby might really make things easier, but that doesn't make it an easy decision," she said.

"I like protecting people, but I was never drawn to being a mother. I have

The ‘Braveheart’ star Mel Gibson says making films independently has become an extremely costly business, therefore, he has decided not to finance his movies anymore.

"It's tricky…Nobody would have financed them, they more or less worked, but I would never have got anyone else to finance them. I'm out of that business of financing my own films because they (studio chiefs) see you coming and take you for a ride. I'm not a fool," The Hollywood Reporter quoted Gibson as saying.

The 58-year-old actor-director invested his hard earned money into his

it much easier than any of them. That's just what it is. Doesn't mean life isn't sometimes hard. (TOI)

(TOI)

Sudan visit makes Keira Knightley emotional

Actress Keira Knightley started crying while recalling the horror she witnessed on a recent charity trip to refugee camps in South Sudan.

The ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ actress visited the victims of the region's civil war to coincide with the three-year anniversary of its independence from Sudan, which was celebrated, Wednesday, reports contactmusic.com.

Mila Kunis has revealed that Ashton Kutcher was her first real kiss ever and even took her to prom.

The 30-year-old actress told W Magazine that the best day of her life was when Kutcher proposed to her, ABC News reported.

The 'Friends with Benefits' star asserted that she went through everything embarrassing that a girl could go through in front of her fiancé, and there was no question that Kutcher

had seen the worst and it was comforting for her. (TOI)

Nicolas Cage becomes grandfather

Actor Nicolas Cage has become grandfather as his son Weston has welcomed a baby boy with wife Danielle.

The couple welcomed their first baby on July 1 and has named him Lucian Augustus Coppola Cage, reported U.S. magazine. "Lucian Augustus Coppola Cage was born on July 1, 2014 at 3:14 pm," the representative for the couple said. This is the couple's first child. News of Danielle's pregnancy first broke

earlier this year. The couple had chosen the baby's name months before birth. "Lucian is of Romanian descent, which is what I am," Danielle had said.

"And Augustus is taken from Weston's grandfather. We honour him very much. He was of extreme brilliance. He was a genius," Weston had said. (TOI)

Katherine Heigl regrets doing too many romantic comedies

Actress Katherine Heigl admits taking part in so many romantic comedies has derailed her career.

The 'State of Affairs' star said she regrets not taking more challenging roles, reported Ace Showbiz.

"I had an amazing time. I love romantic comedies. I was so stoked to be doing them. But maybe I hit it a little too hard. I couldn't say no. There's nothing wrong with them, but maybe I overloaded my audience. I should have done a superhero movie or a psychological thriller," the mother of two said.

"I stopped challenging myself. It became a bit by rote and, as a creative person, that can wear you down. That was part of why I took that time off, to ask myself, 'What do I want? What am I looking for?' and shut down all the noise," she added. (TOI)

Liam Hemsworth, Miley Cyrus remain best friends

‘T

he Hunger Games' star Liam Hemsworth has reportedly told his friends he will always be best friends with ex-fiancée Miley Cyrus.

"I'd never been to a refugee camp before,

However, she became emotional when discussing the Oxfam trip in a recent interview, telling Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper: "I didn't cry when I was there. What b****y right would I have to cry when the people I met, who were living in as near to hell as I can imagine, weren't crying?

but I'd seen images. I read newspapers, so I know what goes on in the world, don't I? But I'd never been to a postconflict zone, I'd never experienced the incredible, palpable atmosphere of terror..." (TOI)

The 24-year-old actor said he had an 'instantaneous and powerful' connection with Cyrus, 21, reported New York Post.

"Liam kept raving about how amazing she was, how much they clicked and understood everything about each other. He also said they bought a lot of furniture but he had to leave it behind when they broke up and he got his new place, which was furnished," a source said. (TOI)

Sparrow, Marcia Griffiths for JAMBANA this year

TORONTO, CANADA: The JAMBANA

One World Festival is set for the Markham Fairgrounds in Toronto, Canada, on Sunday, August 3 and Monday, August 4. This year, the family festival has been expanded to two days with an amazing line up of entertainers.

Day One, Sunday August 3, will honour musical royalty with collectively over 100 years of contributions to the global music Industry. It will feature performances by Trinidad’s Slinger ‘Mighty Sparrow’ Francisco and Jamaica’s Marcia Griffiths.

Sparrow, a calypso singer, songwriter and guitarist of Trinidadian citizenship, who was born in Grenada on July 9, 1935, is known as the ‘Calypso King of the World.’ He is one of the best-known and

most successful calypsonian having won TT’s Carnival Road March competition eight times, Calypso King/Monarch eight times, and has twice won the Calypso King of Kings Title.

Sparrow has been a significant contributor to the calypso music industry and to the love and development of the art in Canada, JAMBANA organisers have noted. Tribute

"Sparrow has done more than any other Caribbean musician to forge a strong relationship between the music of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. We recall his significant collaboration with the late Byron Lee.

Jones & Jones is so delighted to join with colleagues and friends around the world to pay tribute to the Calypso King at JAMBANA this

Jamaican gets top Maritime Law prize

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

From a class of 33 lawyers from 25 countries, Jamaican Vannessia Stewart was awarded the prize for best overall performance at the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) located in Malta.

Earlier this month, Stewart, legal officer at the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ), who was a participant in IMLI's 25th master of laws programme, also graduated with distinction.

IMLI commenced its 25th master of laws programme in October 2013. The programme is a specialised post-graduate course in international maritime law and consists of post-graduate education in all areas of international maritime law.

"Pursuing the course at IMLI was a wonderful, although challenging

experience. Challenging on account of being in the presence of such imminent international maritime law experts and arduous due to the diverse curriculum to which we were exposed. It was exciting, however, because I was part of a unique opportunity and at a special moment. Fortuitously, IMLI was celebrating its 25th anniversary and I was one of the many applicants to have been given the opportunity to be part of the institute's silver year", said Stewart. The institution was established in 1988 by the International Maritime Organisation, the specialised agency of the United Nations with responsibility for regulating the safety and security of international shipping and prevention of pollution by ships, to help ensure that sufficient maritime law experts, with appropriate

year", said Director of Marketing and Sales of Jones & Jones, Allan Jones, who attended the University of the West Indies, in Trinidad at the St. Augustine campus.

Meantime, this year marks the 50th anniversary for Jamaican reggae queen Griffiths, who first stepped on stage in Kingston, Jamaica, backed by Byron Lee and the Dragonaires in 1964.

“Griffiths has maintained a steady presence in the business, first as a solo artist, then raised her musical trajectory as one of Bob Marley's I Threes and continuing with combination tracks with Bob Andy as the duo 'Bob and Marcia', Sanchez, Beres Hammond, Buju Banton, Busy Signal, Freddy McGregor and Canada's three time JUNO award winner

Exco Levi,” a JAMBANA release stated. It added: “Her classic, ‘Electric Boggie’, written by Bunny Wailer, spawned one of the globe's biggest dance craze, the Electric Slide. It reached 51 on the U.S. hot 100 and remains her most successful single and the highest selling single by a female reggae artist of all time.”

Headliner on Day two, Monday, August 4, is the Cocoa Tea.

The One World Festival will also feature Chinese reggae band, Long Shen Dao, which is on a North American tour this summer.

The Beijing-based group that has fused reggae vibes with traditional Chinese music was founded in 2007 and is considered to be China's first authentic reggae band.

There will also be Ghanaian Blakk Rasta.

Guyanese woman is Naomi Campbell lookalike

knowledge and skills, would be available particularly for developing countries and small island developing states.

The MAJ as Jamaica's maritime administration has, among its roles, obligations to provide for maritime safety and protection of the marine environment from potential damage caused by shipping activities in Jamaica's waters.

"The Maritime Authority of Jamaica congratulates Stewart on her achievement. Her training will be of tremendous benefit to the organisation and to Jamaica, especially in the area of bills of lading and the liabilities surrounding the carriage of goods by sea which are a critical element of the global logistics hub framework," said Bertrand Smith, director of legal affairs. (Jamaica Observer)

NEW

YORK, UNITED

STATES: A Naomi Campbell lookalike who was bullied at school for being “too tall and nerdy” says she cannot walk down the road without being pestered for autographs.

Lystra Adams was constantly teased while at school in Montserrat for being taller than everyone else in her school and looking like a geek.

The name calling and snide whispering was so vicious that the young Lystra used to suffer panic attacks before going to class.

Now the 37-year-old stunner has conquered the bullies and has carved out a successful career in modelling and being the supermodel’s lookalike, the Daily Mail reported.

Striking Lystra said: “I was constantly bul-

lied at school–I was always tall and used to tower above most of the older boys, let alone girls my age, and I wore these thick glasses….It was horrible and really knocked my confidence at the time but looking back it has made me a stronger person–all I think now is look at me now!”

Astonishingly when Lystra arrived from Montserrat in 1997–the height of the supermodel’s catwalk fame–she had no idea who Naomi Campbell was.

The then 20-year-old, originally from Guyana, found herself in Halifax, Yorkshire–a far cry from the runways of Paris, Milan and New York–but was still stared at in the street.

She related: “I signed up with the Model Bank modelling agency in Birmingham, and I have been in work ever since.”

For the last 15 years, she has been turning up at functions and events in stretch limos and being “papped” on the red carpet.

As the supermodel–the first black model to appear on the cover of French Vogue in 1988–has calmed down and shied away from the press, lookalike work has slowed for Lystra.

However, she is still stopped in the street wherever she goes–even if she is just out shopping with her partner and her daughter Jasmine, 13.

Lystra, who now lives in Staffordshire, joked: “When all these people stared at me, I thought there was something wrong with me! I had no clue until one day, about a year after I’d arrived, this woman came up to me and told me I looked like Naomi Campbell.”

PORT-OF-SPAIN,

TRINIDAD: Jamaican singer, Siccature “Jah Cure” Alcock slipped quietly into Trinidad last weekend and enjoyed a restful time, as he prepared for the release of his latest single, “The Life We Live” and an upcoming performance in Trinidad scheduled for August 30.

“Trinidad is my second home and that’s not a jokething,” he explained. “I really and truly mean that, so whenever I get the vibe and I need a little Trinidad time–me just ah come through and meditate, relax and enjoy the vibes without announcing I-self…”

Alcock has been working arduously on his next album, which is scheduled for release in September and will see the popular singer experimenting with different sounds.

“Well the new album is in keeping with new developments, new events, new shows and the new pace of life,” he said, “because we don’t ever stay stagnant or stay the same, the world is always changing

and evolving, so Iyah Cure must evolve with the times. It is being mixed and mastered and all dem tings right now, and I’m preparing to release it in September. It’s a very di-

verse mix – you will find reggae of course, but I also made songs with some pop and some R&B feels, so that my fans can experience and enjoy different blends of music.”

Jah Cure revealed that he also executive produced this album himself in order to maintain creative control and ownership of the project.

He said: “The album is executive produced by my company, Iyah Cure Music and that is also another phase of development for me and my career into the business of music. Many times before I would leave it in the hands of the producers and others to steer the direction of my albums and while I have found success with that approach, at the same time you find that when it’s all said and done, many people will claim rights and royalties for things that I did myself. This album was made in the direction that I wanted, so I’m learning from the great entrepreneurs like Beres Hammond, who has produced his own albums for many years and thus, been able to control his catalogue and his direction. It’s growth for me and it ensures that I am in control of my music and my career.”

In the face of frequent out-

bursts of violence and crime taking place in Trinidad and Tobago right now, 'Jah Cure' sends only messages of peace, love and unity to the nation in response.

“Trinidad is such a beautiful place,” he enthused, “me no wha see it go crazy or go under to wickedness and violence and greed. To all the youths, Iyah Cure say: stay positive, stay away from the violence, for violence only begets violence. Love is the answer, love is the key. Honour your mother and father. Educate yourself so that you can be the next great person in whatever you do: the next great artiste, the next great athlete, prime minister, astronaut, whatever it is, you can do it! Why be the next great criminal, when all great criminals’ rewards is death or a life behind bars?

“I love Trinidad and I thank you all for loving me. Let us ask for more peace and more love in Trinidad and keep the vibes up-ful! I will see you all and you will hear me soon…” (TT Express)

Tonya Singh is a beauty who loves the art of dance. After graduating from Mae's Secondary, Tonya is now pursuing a diploma in public communications at the University of Guyana. She also works as a television producer/presenter with National Communications Network. As for her dancing career, Tonya’s passion for the art form began since childhood. Her first onstage performance, when she was about five years old, was for a fundraiser at the Herstelling Mandir. This love for dancing propelled her to develop her talent. She joined local Indian dance group Dharmic Nritya Sangh, and is also a member of the local Latin dance group Latin Heat. Through dance, Tonya is able to touch lives with positive energy. The “spiritual return” she gets when dancing is what inspires her to continue. Tonya always says that dancing frees her soul from a world that is trapped in evil. Although dancing is a vital aspect of her life, Tonya also enjoys modelling, acting and working as a masseuse. In the future, Tonya wants to pursue a career in law and to open a dance academy.

Binnie, Mullings retain All Jamaica Squash titles

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

Defending champions Alyssa Mullings and Chris Binnie swiftly took care of business to retain their titles at the All Jamaica Senior Squash Championships, which wrapped up at the Liguanea Club in Kingston over the weekend.

Rising star Mullings proved that her breakthrough win last year at 14 was no joke by following it up with a repeat victory. The squash starlet upset the applecart in 2013 when she won her first senior title while still competing in the Under-15 category.

This year Mullings struck again, beating the more experienced Tracy Binnie 11/6, 9/11, 11/2, 11/8 to successfully defend her title.

Reflecting on the victory, the teenager is al-

ready focused on her next big tournament, which is the Caribbean Championships later this month in Bermuda.

"I am very happy to have won my second All Jamaica Senior title," Mullings said. "And I really hope to continue playing well going into the Caribbean Championships."

For men's champion Binnie, the victory meant his fifth title overall and the continuation of a winning streak which has left him unbeaten at the championships for the last four years. He scored 11/8, 11/3, 11/6 to wear down four-time runnerup Bruce Burrowes for yet another year.

However, the number one ranked Jamaican and Caribbean male said this victory was particularly sweet as it signaled his return from a long lay-off following surgery

and recovery.

"I took nothing for granted coming into these National Champs because I've been off the court for almost nine months after having surgery last year and spending all of this year rehabbing," Binnie explained.

"It really felt good to be back on the court playing and I am very happy that I was able to defend my title," he added.

Also in the women's competition, Under-19 girls' champion Mary Mahfood beat 2012 All Jamaica Women's champion Lauren Mahfood 12/10, 11/7, 9/11, 11/9 for third place.

Similarly, in the men's competition, Under-19 Caribbean boys' champion Ashante Smith beat former men's champion Dane Schwier 11/5, 11/9, 11/13, 11/9, 11/9 to take third place. (Jamaica Observer)

Shared honours for Guyana, Barbados and Jamaica at CMRC meet

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS:

Host nation Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica were on par after the opening round of the Seaboard Marine Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC) 2014-2015 concluded this past weekend at Bushy Park, St Philip in Barbados.

Guyana’s Kristian Jeffrey claimed a clean sweep in the three CMRC Group 4 races and Jamaica’s Kyle Gregg won two Group 2 encounters, but it was Barbados leading the country championship standings when the revs were finally silent.

A record 27 regional competitors participated in the Digicel Williams International Race Meet, the first staged at the redeveloped Bushy Park, St Philip circuit. The largest contingent came from Guyana, the only country to field riders in the CMRC Superbike Championship, with Nikhil Seereeram and Stephen Vieira claiming a win apiece.

After testing last Thursday and Friday, teams got down to serious business last Saturday with qualifying for all classes on the 24-race programme. Roger Mayers, CMRC Champion in 2011, claimed pole position for the home team in his Ford Focus, ninetenths quicker than

reigning champion Doug Gore of Jamaica (Audi TT-RS DTM). Guyana’s Mark Vieira (Mazda RX-8) and Kevin Jeffrey (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII) lined up on row two, with locals Barry Mayers (Suzuki SX4) and Stuart Williams (Lotus Elise) on row three.

An incident at the Ws Hairpin at the start of the lap two resulted in early retirement for poleman Mayers, with a broken wheel on the Focus, then Gore took time to re-start after a spin on the following tour. Vieira seized the initiative, leading until lap five, when he coasted to a halt on the exit of The Bullet, handing the lead to Kristian Jeffrey (Evo IX), who had started on the last row of the grid after issues in qualifying.

Jeffrey claimed a memorable victory in his first serious outing in the car, consolation for father Kevin, by now watching from the Automotive Art Pits Complex. Mark Maloney (RX-3), who also started at the back of the grid, was second, with Williams and

Barry Mayers third and fourth. Jamaica’s Peter Rae (RX-7) finished fifth, with Guyana’s Vishok Persaud (Subaru Impreza STi) sixth and Gore seventh and last. Trinidad’s only CMRC Group 4 runner was Kristian Boodoosingh (Evo 6.5), who had qualified seventh, but retired mid-way through the first race, not to be seen again.

In race two, with the grid based on race one results, Jeffrey made the best getaway, to lead throughout, with Vieira second and Gore third.

Jeffrey made it a hattrick in the final race–either he or his father have won five of the last six CMRC races, Kevin with two wins last November on their home track South Dakota. Williams finished second, to end the day second in the driver’s championship points table, ahead of Rae–the only driver other than Jeffrey to score in all three races, maintaining his 100 percent finishing record at Bushy Park–and Barry Mayers. (Barbados Today)

Bahamas take top honours at CBC Men’s Championship - Guyana finish fifth

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

Bahamas defeated Cuba 75-64 to win the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Men’s Championship while Guyana rebounded to avenge a defeat to Barbados to end in fifth place at the Multi Purpose Sports Complex in Tortola, British Virgin Islands (BVI) last Saturday.

Both finalists, along with the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) who placed third after defeating hosts BVI, will participate in the 2014 Centro Basket Championship, in Nayarit, Mexico from August 1-7.

Bahamas’ championship conquest was spearheaded by the pair of Alonzo Hinds and Marvin Gray who both got 22 points while the

other three starters–captain Magnun Rolle, Kadeem Coleby and Mitchell Johnson–all finished with 11 points.

For the losers, only Jasiel Rivero with 15 points and seven rebounds reached double figures.

For the bronze medal, the USVI routed the BVI 102-68 with the USVI’s Cuthbert Victor top scoring with 20 points, Devon Peltier hitting 17, Johnathon Gray 11 and Laron Smith 10. The BVI were led by Rasheed Cann’s 19 points and 11 rebounds, Kennedy Bass 14 and Halstead “JR” Chiverton 11. Former college standout Steve E. Parillon netted 8 points and pulled 7 rebounds.

In the game to decide fifth and sixth position, Guyana made amends for losing to Barbados in the group stage by

winning 79-58. The Guyanese had lost to the Bajans 69-80 in their final preliminary-round game on July 3.

This game was another story, however, as Guyana looked a different team that started

the tournament and led the Bajans 56-47 at the end of the third quarter. The advantage of the Guyana team kept growing throughout the fourth quarter and the final score was Guyana 79–Barbados 58. The top scorer for Guyana was Gordon Klaiber with 17 points. Andrew Ifill and Dwayne Roberts both put in 16 points and captain Rawle Marshall netted 12. For Barbados, Akeem Marsh scored 14 points and eight rebounds while captain David Gill basketed 13 points. Meanwhile, Antigua defeated St. Vincent and the Grenadines 10981 to take 7th place. (Guyana Times)

30 sport

Grenada anticipate many benefits from CPL

ST GEORGE’S, GRENADA:

Sports Minister Emmalin Pierre believes that Grenada’s hosting of the opening games for the Caribbean Premiere League will result in an immense level of marketing for the island’s tourism product.

For the first time this year, Grenada will host matches in the Twenty20 event, with the National Stadium playing host to the opening ceremony on July 11th as well as the first three matches in the tournament.

Speaking during a ceremony in which Sandals presented the government of Grenada with EC$135,000 (US$50,000) to contribute to the cost of acquiring the rights to host the games, Pierre said the exposure Grenada was poised to receive would exceed the money involved.

“What we are going to achieve singlehandedly on that day, the country will never be able to pay for this. We cannot afford to pay for this, the island and its facility will be on show for the entire world, think about the millions in India and South Africa who will be watching,” Pierre stated.

“It’s opening a barrage of opportunities. The games will be exposing our young people to the many opportunities that are available through sports,” she added.

The CPL opening ceremony will be followed by the first game between Antigua Hawksbills and Guyana Amazon Warriors, last year’s losing finalists.

A double-header will be played on the following day, with Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel facing Barbados Tridents in the first game and St Lucia Zouks and defending champions Jamaica Tallawahs squaring off in the second game.

Pierre noted that the tournament’s presence would also have a significant impact on hotel room occupancy, during

what is traditionally a slow and low season.

“The officials alone will be filling two of our biggest hotels, plus the teams and others who are coming just for the events on those two days,” she pointed out. “The entire country stands to benefit from this, the marketing opportunities will just be magnificent,” she indicated, while reiterating that tourism and sports partnerships had the ability to boost both the public and private sectors.

The Sports Minister said that though government has been criticised for pursuing the hosting of the games, she believes that the results would vindicate the decision. “When we took the decision, we did not even know where the money was coming from to pay but we looked at the bigger picture and we firmly believe that this can only be in the good of the country,” she stressed.

It will cost government US$500, 000 to host the games and funds are being raised through various partners. The National Lottery Authorities has already contributed US$250,000. (CMC)

Jamaican breaks 100m hurdles record at CAC Champs

MORELIA, MEXICO: A record-breaking performance by Jeanine Williams in the Under-18 girls' 100m hurdles highlighted Jamaica's performance last Saturday, the second day of the XX Central American and Caribbean Junior track and field championships in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico.

Williams clocked 13.46 seconds (1.5m/s) to win the first of three gold medals won by the Jamaicans on the second day of the three-

Clive Lloyd continues to serve as Limacol Brand Ambassador

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: In a cricket career spanning 23 years, Clive Hubert Lloyd was involved in numerous partnerships and played many match-winning knocks on his way to becoming not only one of the world’s finest batsmen, but one of the most successful Test captains of all times.

Post-retirement, the affable Lloyd, fondly called the ‘Super Cat’, is still ‘batting’ well, but building a different kind of partnership, aliging himself with another partner of world class quality, the Limacol brand.

The 69-year-old former West Indies captain and winner of the first two Cricket World Cups in 1975 and 1979 recently renewed his contract as Limacol Brand Ambassador for the exciting Limacol Caribbean Premier League, the second edition of which is set to run from July 11 to August 16.

According to Lloyd, the long association with Limacol is a result of a courtship that incidentally started during his playing days, way back in the eighties.

“I have an affinity with Limacol going way back into the 1980s be-

cause I did an advertisement for them way down in Queensland, Australia, so it’s not a case that they’re new to me or I’m new to them,” the bespectacled former cricketer mentioned.

He added, “I told people before that whenever we came to Guyana, especially the Test team, a bottle of Limacol was always given to them and it was part of the water cart.”

Quizzed on his role as Limacol Brand Ambassador, Lloyd said it is based on promoting the Limacol brand to the world.

“It’s part of giving the Limacol brand that kind of lift…I don’t think they need it, because it is well known, but that’s

my role to basically promote the brand,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Lloyd was optimistic about the success of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League 2014 and the Guyana Amazon Warriors chances, having finished runner-up to Jamaica Tallawahs in the final last year.

“The Limacol CPL is a very good tournament, as it proved last year. A lot of people attended the games and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We narrowly missed out in the final, but I’m hoping that we can go one better and with the tournament because we have a very good team,” Lloyd concluded. (Guyana Times)

Silver for TT in Pan Am Team Sprint

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Trinidad and Tobago’s female cycling duo, Keiana Lester and Kollyn St George, captured their first ever Continental medal on Sunday night when they rode to silver in the Team Sprint event on day-one of the Junior Pan American Cycling Championships which pedalled off in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

day championships, breaking the 13.53 seconds set two years ago by Barbadian Shakera Hall.

Jamaica also picked up a bronze in the event as Janeek Brown was third in 13.92 seconds.

Chad Walker in the Under-18 boys' 200m and Shadea Lawrence in the girls' Under-20 discus throw also won gold medals for Jamaica last Saturday.

The Jamaicans won an additional 13 medals on last Saturday’s second day for a total of 31

so far--nine gold, 13 silver and nine bronze to be second in the medal standings. The medal count could be one gold higher, but the boys' Under-18 4x100m relay team was disqualified after crossing the line first.

Hosts Mexico are way ahead, however, with 81 medals--28 gold, 34 silver and 19 bronze.

Trinidad and Tobago are in third overall with 18 medals (8-5-5), while Puerto Rico are next with 17 medals (6-4-7) and Bahamas 14 (6-4-4). (Jamaica Observer)

On their way to the podium, St George and Lester shattered the previous Junior and Elite National records after clocking a time of 35.967 in the qualifying round. This strong performance saw them better compatriots Jodi Goodridge and Denese Francis’ time of 37.120, set in Mexico City in 2010. The national pair was held to the line by eventual winners, Yuli Paola Verdugo/ Mariana Valadez of Mexico, and finished ahead of bronze receivers, Luisa Fernanda Parra/ Valentina Ocampo of Colombia. Both riders expressed pleasure with their medal showing shortly after their impressive ride.

“It feels amazing,”

said Lester. “I feel really proud that the hard work is paying off.” Additionally, budding speedster Akil Campbell finished in a credible 10th place in the 3km Individual Pursuit Monday. Campbell clocked a time 3:31.969 and was just a fraction of a second from setting a new National Record. The

Guyanese cricketers continue to dominate OSCL competition

By RavendRa Madholall

TORONTO, CANADA:

Guyanese cricketers continue to dominate the 2014 Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) 20-over cricket competition after some outstanding batting and bowling performances on Sunday at various venues across the Greater Toronto Area.

At Ellesmere in Scarborough, Jairam Ramotar created history by picking up a hat-trick for Betterhope Sports Club against Rems while Guyana’s firstclass opening batsman Rajendra Chandrika cracked an unbeaten 77 for Caribbean

Sensation in his debut at Littles ground also in Scarborough.

At Lancaster in Brampton, former Guyana captain Damodar Daesrath produced a fine bowling display to help Dant thrash Annandale while at Ashtonbee venue in Scarborough, Essequibo Sports were indebted to Iman Ghafour who slammed a brilliant century (110).

At Ellesmere Number Two pitch on Sunday, Bellevue beat Rebels by 30 runs in an East End Conference B game. Bellevue batted first and scored 132-7 off their 20-overs while Rebels only replied with 1029 from the 20-overs.

Farouk Inshan made 29 for Bellevue as Mohan Singh captured 3-16 off his four overs. When Rebels batted, Sunil Nirmal was the only batsman to offer resistance with 27 runs as Richard Shivrattan nabbed 3-31 off his four-over spell. Essequibo Sports and

GT Bannas played to a thrilling tie on Sunday at Ashtonbee in an East End Conference A regular season 20-over match. Essequibo Sports made a challenging 177-5 from the allotment of 20-overs while GT Bannas, in response, reached 1779 at the expiration of their 20-overs. Essequibo Sports won the game by virtue of losing fewer wickets than GT Bannas.

Iman Ghafour stroked an entertaining century (110) for Essequibo Sports. In GT Bannas’ innings, Travis Blyden made 33 and Elton Baker contributed with 29. Mahendra Monilall grabbed 3-31 off his four overs delivering for the victor.

Dant embarrassed Annandale by a massive 163-run win on Sunday at Lancaster in a West End division 20-over match. Dant accumulated a daunting 197-8 off their 20-overs while the opposing side only responded with 34 all out in 12.4 overs. Reyaz Kadir topscored for Dant by hitting an even halfcentury.

In the bowling department for them, Damodar Daesrat and Yadram Bogh claimed three wickets apiece.

Caribbean Sensation clinically whipped Caribbean HD by seven wickets on Sunday at Littles in an East End Conference A game. HD took first knock and only

made 99 all out in the penultimate over. Caribbean Sensation, in reply, raced to 1033 off 9 overs. Jai Singh scored 46 for the losing side while debutant Rajendra Chandrika cracked an unbeaten 77 for Caribbean Sensation. Defending champion Cricketers Cove defeated Matrix by 71 runs on Sunday at Smithfield in a West End division regular season 20-over match. Cricketers Cove compiled a solid 1556 off the 20-overs while Matrix only replied with 84-5 at the expiration of 20-overs. Kumar Doodnauth struck 46 and Eyaaz Mohamed supported with 38 for the winning combination.

Parchment sets new Jamaican record in Paris

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Hansle

Parchment set a new Jamaican national record and World-leading time after running a sublime 12.94 seconds (0.8m/s) to win the men's 110m hurdles at Sunday’s Meeting Areva in the Paris IAAF Diamond League.

The 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist, who was second at the JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships last weekend, destroyed a quality field on his way to smashing his own previous personal best of 13.05 seconds set at Eugene, Oregon in June last year.

His victory was the only one for the Jamaicans at the event with Stephenie-Ann McPherson taking second in the women's 400m, just beating compatriot Novlene Williams-Mills.

Parchment, the Fitz Coleman-coached ath-

lete, is the first Jamaican man to go under the 13.00 seconds barrier that is reserved for the truly special hurdlers and only 16 have ever done it legally.

The lanky UWI, Mona final year student, who was breaking the national record for the fourth time, is now joint 10th best of all time and was easing up as he crossed the line Sunday, winning by nearly a metre over the field.

Parchment used his customary mid-race acceleration to get past the field as France's Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, the most consistent sprint hurdler this season, was second, well behind despite yet another personal best 13.05 seconds, while Cuba's Orlando Ortego was third in a season's best 13.10 seconds. World Championships finalist McPherson ran a season's best 50.40 seconds for second in the wom-

en's 400m, which was won by American Sanya Richards-Ross in 50.10 seconds with Jamaican national champion Williams-Mills taking third in 50.68 seconds, her slowest time in more than two months.

It was the first Diamond League win for Richards-Ross this season which snapped a string of three straight wins for Williams-Mills.

It was another disappointing result for Shelly-Ann FraserPryce, who was fifth in the women's 200m, as she returned to the track for the first time in a month after an injury.

Fraser-Pryce got off to a great start and was second to American Allyson Felix at the top of the curve but faded badly in the straight to finish fifth in 22.63 seconds, just ahead of another Jamaican, Simone Facey (22.75 seconds).

Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare powered

home over the finals 30metres to win in 22.32 seconds, with Felix second in a season's best 22.34 seconds and the Bahamian Anthonique Strachan third in 22.54 seconds.

Nesta Carter was the best-placed Jamaican in the men's 100m, clocking 10.12 seconds (-0.8m/s) for fourth with

Kemar Bailey-Cole fifth in 10.14 seconds.

American Mike Rodgers won the race in 10.00 seconds, edging Trinidad's Richard Thompson (10.08 seconds) and St Kitts’ Kim Collins (10.10 seconds).

The race was held up for some time as Jamaica's national champion Nickel

Ashmeade vigorously protested his disqualification for false-starting. Television replays showed Ashmeade leaving the blocks prematurely, but he protested that crowd noise had distracted him and even sat on the track at one time before he eventually left the track.

(Jamaica Observer)

Final preparations are underway for the second edition of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament, which bowls off Friday, July 11, 2014, in Grenada. As the six competing teams get set to showcase their talent, fans across the Caribbean eagerly await arrival of the games in the various host countries.

After the opening ceremony at the National Cricket Stadium in St George’s, the Guyana Amazon Warriors will face the Antigua Hawksbills.

Amazon Warriors’ game plan

The Warriors, who lost to the Jamaica Tallawahs in the finals of the inaugural tournament last year, is captained by Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies test skipper Denesh Ramdin and boasts the likes of Pakistan’s Mohammed Hafeez, Trinidad’s Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons and

Navin Stewart, New Zealand’s Martin Guptill and James Neesham, Jamaica’s Krishmar Santokie, Guyana’s Christopher Barnwell, Veerasammy Permaul, Ronsford Beaton, Steven Jacobs, Leon Johnson, Trevon Griffith and Robin Bacchus.

The majority of the 15-man squad spent the last seven days at a preparatory camp in Guyana under Head Coach Roger Harper. They departed Guyana on Tuesday for Grenada but before leaving, Harper indicated how pleased he was heading into this year’s tournament.

“We got close last year and we want to do even better this year, looking forward to winning this championship. I am very happy how the camp went, the players responded very well, they were very enthusiastic and I am very happy how things went,” he told Guyanese media.

Further when questioned regarding the

Let the games begin!

replacement of Corey Anderson, Harper said “We could not have asked for a better replacement for Corey. Jimmy is a great fit for the Amazon Warriors, and we look forward to seeing the excellent form he displayed in the recent Test series continuing in the CPL.”

MNeesham replaced his countryman Anderson, who withdrew from the tournament due his fitness.

On the other hand, the former West Indies vice captain expects Jamaican seamer Krishmar Santokie to play a key role in

the Guyana Amazon Warriors outfit.

Bravo fit to lead TT Red Steel

Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago fans are overjoyed that Red Steel captain Dwayne Bravo is fit and will take his place on the local franchise in the opening Limacol CPL match against the Barbados Tridents in Grenada on Saturday.

Bravo has been out of action since the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year when he injured his shoulder. He returned home and was well on his way to resuming his Test career when he suffered a hamstring injury, which has had him sidelined since.

However, with great determination to lead his team in the 2014 Limacol CPL, the all-rounder has been working very hard on regaining his fitness.

Tuesday, he told TT media: “Earlier in the

week when I played, I got a lot of pain the following day, however, when I played (Monday) night, I felt good and am now confident that I can take my place on the team for the opener. It has been a work in progress in terms of getting myself fit in time for the matches and the more I play, the better I will get.”

The Red Steel had their full team assembled in Trinidad this past week and Bravo was very happy with the form of his foreign imports. “The foreign guys are going to be key for us in this tournament and in terms of preparations they are in good shape. Ross Taylor has been involved in the series against the West Indies, while Kevin O’Brien has been playing in England and showing good form. Nasir Jamshed has been knocking up in the nets and he is looking good,” Bravo stated.

UMBAI, INDIA: The second edition of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will again be broadcasted by Sony Six in India.

The league will be held from July 11 to Aug 17 and will be telecast on Six HD and SD feed, showing live coverage and highlights of all 30 matches, according to reports from India.

The tournament will commence at Grenada with a match between Guyana Amazon Warriors and Antigua Hawksbills before moving on to neighbouring Caribbean nations.

“This year the matches are scheduled through Thursday to Sunday featuring some of greatest global cricketing superstars,” Sony Six business head Prasana Krishnan said.