Caribbean Times International

GUYANA’S BUDGET 2014…

Education minister barred from budget debate

Guyana’s Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman has banned the country’s Education Minister Priya Manickchand from speaking in the National Assembly after she refused to apologise over rape allegations. It was while A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) front bencher Volda Lawrence was advocating for girls and young women to be protected from men who often get away with statutory rape, that the education minister shouted from across the floor “Ask your member Sharma, ask your APNU Member Sharma!”

Manickchand’s utterances plunged the House into an uproar. APNU Member of Parliament Jaipaul Sharma jumped to his feet, demanding an apology. The Speaker of the House in a matter of seconds rose to his defence, instructing Manickchand to offer an apology. “Minister Manickchand, there is no need for us to go there… I am asking that you both refrain and apologise.”

But rather than apologise, the minister said: “I am in a bit of a tight situation, Sir, and I will tell you why. I would never refuse to yield to your advice, but it goes against my belief. Five children! Five children!”

But this justification was deemed unacceptable by the Speaker. Her behaviour was deemed “out of order” by the Speaker who made it clear that Manickchand would not be allowed to speak during the debate unless she offered an apology. “Ms Manickchand, you will be speaking later and I would not recog-

nise you to speak in this Assembly, any day on this debate, if that is the attitude you are going to take…. a sitting member of this House.”

Despite stern warnings, the education minister remained firm on her position that she was not referring to the APNU MP. “I will say without reservation I was not referring to the APNU and I say that without reservation.” At the end of the fiery confrontation, she sat in her seat.

In 2010, the APNU MP’s father Chandra Narine (CN) Sharma faced the courts over rape allegations involving a 13-year-old. In April that year, Chief Magistrate Melissa Ogle-Robertson remanded Sharma to prison following his first court appearance, but he was later placed on Gy$2 million bail after he collapsed in the court and had to be rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital. In May 2013, the matter moved to the High Court. It is still engaging the attention of the court. (Guyana Times)

TT pastor kills nephew, attempts to kill two others before committing suicide

Pastor Vishnu “Kitty” Lutchmansingh, 54, On Tuesday killed his brother, injured his nephew, attempted to kill two other nephews and then committed suicide, burning down his house.

Lutchmansingh, founder of Faith Sanctuary Family Ministries, was out on TT$75,000 bail after being charged with 88 counts of fraud in 2006. He claimed to have inherited a £50 billion estate from a British national in the United States, and allegedly borrowed over TT$3 million from several persons at different intervals, promising to repay with interest when he collected his inheritance.

Dead is 44-year-old construction worker and part-time farmer Kishan Lutchmansingh of David Toby Road, Chin Chin, Cunupia.

According to the men’s nephew, Joey Lutchmansingh, at about 10 am, Vishnu came to Kishan’s home demanding that he open the gate. Kishan refused and later went to the Las Lomas Police Station to report the incident. After making the report, they returned home and Kishan, his son Brian Lutchmansingh and Joey went to the nearby garden in order to water it.

“While we were watering the land, he (Vishnu) drove down by the garden with a speed, shot the four tyres of (Kishan’s) car and the windscreen, walked across to me, put the gun by my head and pulled the trigger but it was empty,” Joey recalled

with a trembling voice.

Joey told TT Newsday he ran away while Lutchmansingh reloaded the gun and fired five shots behind him, but missed. When he came back, he saw Kishan and Brian speaking to Vishnu who then shot Kishan in his chest and head, and, as Kishan lay on the ground, he stood over him (his brother) and shot him several more times.

“It wasn’t any fighting talk. They weren’t arguing. It’s like he had it in his mind to kill him all along,” Joey said.

He added that Brian ran away when he saw his father murdered and Vishnu shot behind him and missed.

Lutchmansingh then sped off and injured his nephew, Timothy Lutchmansingh, who he hit with his Wingroad vehicle. He then returned to his Savary Road, Chin Chin, Las Lomas, home and allegedly committed suicide by burning down

the house while he was inside.

At the murder scene on Tuesday, Kishan’s wife, Allison Lutchmansingh was being consoled by relatives who had to hold her up, give her water and sap her head with a mentholated splash lotion as she wailed over the loss of her husband. The men’s sister, Geeta, also had to be consoled as she tried to view the body that was cordoned off by yellow police tape. She screamed at her relatives asking, “Where everybody was? Why it had to end like this?”

Police believe Lutchmansingh set the house on fire and then shot himself as a licensed Heckler & Koch 9mm pistol was found under the body.

However this cannot be confirmed until the autopsy is completed. Police are also looking for a shotgun which belonged to Vishnu. (TT Newsday)

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EDITORIAL

TB challenges

Countries around the world, including the Caribbean, observed World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24 under the theme, “Reach the 3 million” – the 3 million being referred to here are those persons who are “missed” by health systems in their TB response. Governments and policymakers used the occasion to engage in various activities, not just to spread more awareness about the disease, but to analyse where we are in terms of winning the TB fight.

TB is curable, but current efforts to find, treat and cure everyone who gets ill with the disease are not sufficient. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), of the nine million people a year who get sick with TB, a third of them are “missed” by health systems. Many of these three million people live in the world’s poorest, most vulnerable communities or are among marginalised populations such as migrant workers, refugees and internally displaced persons, prisoners, indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities, and drug users.

Progress towards global targets for reductions in TB cases and deaths in recent years has been impressive. TB mortality has fallen over 45 percent worldwide since 1990, and its incidence is declining. Also, new TB tools such as rapid diagnostics are helping transform response to the disease and new life-saving drugs are being introduced.

The global burden remains huge and significant challenges persist, and this is evident in the alarming numbers of TB cases, including fatalities, we are seeing, in spite of the numerous interventions at all levels.

In 2012, there were an estimated 8.6 million new cases of TB and 1.3 million people died from the disease. Of note too is that over 95 percent of TB deaths occur in low- and middleincome countries. Poor communities and vulnerable groups are most affected, but this airborne disease is a risk to all. TB is among the top three causes of death for women aged 15 to 44. And there were an estimated 500,000 cases and 74,000 deaths among children in 2012.

As stated earlier, around three million people (equal to one in three people falling ill with TB) are currently being “missed” by health systems. While it would be no easy task, the authorities should do all they can to ensure that this “missed” group is not excluded from crucial TB interventions.

Further, WHO says that there is slow progress in tackling multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB): three out of four MDR-TB cases still remain without a diagnosis, and around 16,000 MDRTB cases reported to WHO in 2012 were not put on treatment.

Additionally, provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for TB patients known to be living with HIV needs to increase to meet WHO’s recommendation that all TB patients living with HIV promptly receive ART.

Attracting the necessary funding for crucial TB programmes has always been a challenge for governments and policymakers. Last year, the WHO and Global Fund had identified an anticipated gap of US$1.6 billion in annual international support for the fight against TB in 118 low- and middle-income countries.

The organisation had pointed to the fact that filling this gap could enable full treatment for 17 million TB and multidrugresistant TB patients and save six million lives between 2014 and 2016. Funding agencies need to make bolder financial commitments and follow through with them as this is a critical part of winning the battle against TB.

Governments and NGOs may have the best ideas to tackle TB, but if funding is not there to turn these ideas into relevant programmes of action and implement them accordingly, then they would be of no use.

All partners can help take forward innovative approaches to ensure that everyone suffering from TB has access to TB diagnosis, treatment and cure. It is, therefore, hoped that stakeholders will utilise World TB Day to mobilise more political, social, and financial commitment for further progress in the fight against this dreaded disease.

let there be light! new lights coming for Jamaica’s sabina park courtesy of india. inset photo shows Jamaica’s prime minister portia simpson miller bowling indian High commissioner to Jamaica shri pratap singh with the first ball, following the media launch of the sabina park lighting project on april 1. (Photos: JIS & FB)

Tax evasion still rampant in Caribbean – IDB study

An Inter-American Development Bank study has found that despite marked improvements in the tax administration in Latin America and the Caribbean, tax evasion remains widespread.

In a recent study titled “More Than Revenue: Taxation as a Development Tool”, the Bank said tax collections have increased approximately 30 percent for each dollar of output or income in Latin America and the Caribbean in the last 20 years. Most of this increase is due to improvements in tax administration. It said tax administrations now boast technical and budgetary autonomy and highly qualified professional staff, while their collection function, focusing on large taxpayers, has been strengthened, thanks in part to the widespread use of technology.

“However, the challenges facing tax administrations are greater than their achievements. A large number of workers and businesses in the region never have contact with the tax authority. Although some are exempt by law from filing tax returns, most simply hide from the tax administration through the use of avoidance strategies or directly illegal fraud,” the study found.

According to the IDB, half of the potential collection of

individual and corporate income tax is lost through evasion, along with over a quarter of the tax revenues that VAT should raise. The Bank said the main reason is that the probability of being punished for tax evasion is virtually nil.

“To begin with, few people are registered taxpayers – only 10 percent of the population in Latin America compared with 59 percent in developed countries. Of the registered taxpayers, only 2.8 percent are subject to general audits each year and an insignificant 0.2 percent are subject to in-depth audits.”

These numbers, the Bank said, can be misleading because the audits are not random: “they focus on taxpayers who show most evidence of sophisticated and substantial tax fraud. This targeting is a bad thing for fat cats who have nowhere to hide, but much better for the majority of taxpayers for whom the probability of being sanctioned is even lower.”

But this is not all. “When fraud or other offences are detected, the penalties are not applied with sufficient vigour. Tax fraud is well defined in Latin American legislation, but judgments are almost nonexistent on average, in every country in Latin America.”

The report said that in a few countries, there has been not a

single judgment for tax fraud in the last five years. A note of caution: in Chile, Colombia and Mexico, the number of judgments is reasonable and could be increasing. As a result of this permissive chain, the impact of audits on total revenue is a meagre 1.6 percent on average in all Latin America (and much less than that in most countries).

According to the Bank, raising the potential cost of evasion is an essential step, but possibly not enough. The efforts of tax administrations would be more effective if there were more “tax morality”. According to polls taken by Latinobarómetro, only one in two Latin Americans think tax evasion is reprehensible. The factors that undermine tax morality include the unpopularity of the government in power, the belief that the country is not headed in the right direction, and the perception that public entities are not tackling the most pressing social problems, such as security or unemployment.

People’s motivations and fears about paying or evading tax are so varied that a wide variety of stimuli and incentives would be needed to substantially reduce evasion. Unfortunately, many of the factors that affect tax morality are beyond the scope of action of tax administrations.

Guyanese teen found hanging in room

A13-year-old boy was found hanging in his bedroom early Tuesday morning at his Enmore, East Coast Demerara, home in Guyana.

Dead is Rishi Ramkissoon called “Sanjay” of Lot 162 Hope West, Enmore. His body was discovered sometime around 07:00h by his father. The young man was an Eighth Grade student of the Golden Grove Secondary School.

Speaking to Guyana Times, the father of the teen Rajnauth Ramkissoon was still trying to get over the shock of what he saw. The man related that on Tuesday

morning around 06:00h, Sanjay’s grandmother woke him up to get ready for school and he came outside with his uniform, and was lying on the sofa before he went back into the room.

The distraught father recalled that about an hour later, he did not see his son around so he went up to his room to get him; however, the door was locked. The man said this was a strange occurrence since Sanjay never locked his door, so he became suspicious and decided to check it out.

“I climb on the walldivider and when I look over the wall, I see the bed sheet tie to roof and

Antigua’s PM Spencer 'begs' for another term

Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Baldwin Spencer launched a series of television addresses by ministers of his ruling United Progressive Party (UPP) on Monday night as he seeks a mandate from voters for a third consecutive term in office.

Prime Minister Spencer has not yet named a date for the polls, blaming the holding up on two matters before the Court of Appeal filed by the main Opposition Antigua Labour Party (ALP).

The ALP has described the Antiguan government as illegitimate and on Monday boycotted the sitting of Parliament as a show of protest. The party has been staging pickets and other actions in a bid to force Prime Minister Spencer to name the election date.

"Over the next few weeks you will be hearing from our respective ministers of government who will provide you with an account of the stewardship of the ministry for which they had each been responsible. I urge you to embrace the opportunity to learn about the progress which we have all made as one people, with one vision, and one mission," Prime Minister Spencer said in his broad-

it deh around he neck,” Ramkissoon recounted. He said after he saw his son’s body hanging, he fell off the furniture and called out to his wife to

cast.

In his 23-minute broadcast, Prime Minister Spencer told viewers that his administration had done much to improve the socio-economic situation in Antigua and Barbuda since his ruling United Progressive party (UPP) came to power in 2004.

"I trumpet the chorus that under the UPP government, Antigua and Barbuda is now securely and safely travelling on the express train to economic growth and stability with the assurance of peace and prosperity for all," Spencer said.

"The reality is that emerging from an environment of doom and gloom which had threatened the future of our twin-island state, Antiguans and Barbudans now go about their daily chores with a spirit of confidence and a posture of assurance.

"It was an expectation which our people honestly believed would have been well nigh impossible to satisfy, given the atrocities which had been inflicted upon the nation by The Antigua Labour Party government during the period 1994 to 2003."

Prime Minister Spencer said he had "every confidence that we as a people would never allow a return to those treasonous times and that, having emerged triumphantly out of the calamity that engulfed and bedevilled us, we swear never to be coerced or lured to return to those treacherous and terrifying days".

Spencer said that his UPP had "delivered" on its promises to citizens adding that "over 280 pledges and counting have been honoured over the past 10 years. Who dares question our well deserved privilege to a third term in office?" he added. (CMC)

inform her. The couple then alerted neighbours who gathered at their residence.

A young boy from the area jumped over the wall and opened the room door from the inside; however, the teenager was already dead. The police were summoned and they subsequently removed the body. According to Ramkissoon, it appeared as though his first born climbed upon a clothes box that was in his room to tie one end of the sheet to a ceiling rafter before wrapping the other end around his neck.

Bewildered

The man explained

that he is bewildered by his son’s action since Sanjay was a happy and satisfied child, relating that he had everything.

Ramkissoon noted that the teenager was only given his own room about six months ago and he was happy since he got his games and DVD player right there.

The man added too that his son was a brilliant student and was doing well at school.

The reason behind the teen’s action is yet a mystery as there was no note left.

Guyana’s labour minister, Dr Nanda Gopaul informed the country’s National Assembly that thus far, one firm was reported for 19 breaches of the national minimum wage order, which came into effect on July 1, 2013. These charges were filed against Strategic Action Security.

During his 2014 budget presentation, Minister Gopaul said more than 31,000 workers are benefitting from this new arrangement and are now entitled to leave with pay. The new minimum wage of Gy$35,000 came into effect last year and stipulates a 40-hour workweek of five days, eight hours daily. The new order paved the way for new categories of workers to benefit under the 40-hour workweek scheme.

The minister, speaking about other aspects of his portfolio, said

the School Retention –Tackling Child Labour Through Education (TACKLE) –Project was very beneficial and targeted 360 children in Dora Secondary, the Kuru Kuru Primary, nursery schools on the Linden Soesdyke Highway and other schools.

The programme focussed on training for teachers and school administrators, numeracy and literacy programmes, a nutrition support and transportation programme, parenting workshops, and psychosocial support.

The project, which commenced in 2011, has concluded and will be continued under the aegis of the Education Ministry. With regard to training, a total of 2304 people were trained by the Labour Ministry in 2013, including youths and single parents.

The National Training Project for

The father said his son does not go anywhere, but prefers to stay at home watching television or sitting in the hammock playing games; hence, he could not have gotten into trouble.

Sanjay leaves to mourn his grandmother, parents and little sister.

The teen’s body was taken to the Lyken’s Funeral Parlour and is awaiting post-mortem examination which was scheduled for Wednesday. His parents were also taken into custody to assist with investigations; however, they were released shortly after. (Guyana Times)

Ramkissoon further stated that even Sanjay’s close friend was shocked and told them that the teen did not have any problem with anyone.

Guyana’s labour ministry strict on minimum wage order

Youth Empowerment (NTPYE) trained 1537 persons in areas of engineering, electrical, construction, health and IT/ Clerical services, and home economics. Four hundred and forty-seven single parents were certified in garment construction, cosmetology, catering, and as drivers/ salesmen. The ministry also acquired two Bobcats to carry out heavy-duty training as there is demand for heavy-duty machine operators.

Over the past three years, the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA) has ensured that thousands of people secured employment. Minister Gopaul, in the meantime, urged the Opposition to work with the government and not sabotage national development. “Let us be realistic and put the nation’s interest first… if you want goodwill, you must show goodwill… another election will not solve the problems the nation is facing, it will only solve the issue of majority and minority… if you cut the budget, you will cut your votes,” Dr Gopaul said. He spoke of the eight years of consecutive growth that Guyana has enjoyed and said if the 2012 and 2013 budgets did not suffer cuts from the Opposition, Guyana would have seen even greater progress. (Guyana Times)

Guyanese MP calls on gov’t to clamp down on ‘rum culture’, abuse

Guyanese opposition party, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) Volda Lawrence on Tuesday called on the government to do something to stem the out-ofcontrol rum culture in the country, saying statistics on alcohol abuse do not make for good reading.

Lawrence made the comments during her budget presentation. In a very dramatic fashion, she whipped out a bottle of rum as she called the House’s attention to the abuse of alcohol and its damaging effects. Despite being cautioned by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman to put away the bottle of alcohol, she made her case for government to monitor and curb the high intake of alcohol.

In 2009, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) identified alcohol as Guyana’s number one drug problem, stating that the consumption rates by teenagers, in particular young girls, are increasing and giving rise to serious social problems. Studies have also indicated that the consumption of alcohol also affects one’s judgement, mood, reaction

time, physical coordination and concentration. It often leads to inappropriate sexual behaviour, unwanted pregnancies, and violence.

Despite all its negative impacts, alcohol remains easily accessible in Guyana, Lawrence complained to the House, noting that alcohol continues to get cheaper as vendors operate outside and above the laws of Guyana.

“I am concerned like several members of the teaching profession of the high rate of consumption by our children and women. The easy access with which our children acquire this drink is worrying and ought to be a concern to us, the legislators

and the government,” she said.

According to the Labour, Human Services and Social Security Ministry, in 2013, there was a 114 percent increase in the number of reports on children who appeared before probation officers, sent to the New Opportunity Corps, under supervision, and on parole. Lawrence called on the National Assembly to do something to arrest the situation, noting that the abuse of alcohol is directly linked to the many road accidents.

The MP also zoomed in on the abuse of women and girls, noting that this group faces a threat not from outside forces but from with-

in. She cited the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) State of the World Population 2013 Report on “Motherhood in Childhood”, which noted that while there has been significant progress in improving girls’ access to education over the last two decades, a high percentage of girls have low aspirations, low selfesteem and self-worth. According to the APNU MP, the issue is further compounded by promises from older men of a better life.

Despite systems in place for the reintegration of teenage mothers into the education system, Lawrence said there are several barriers such as abusive partners, neglect, hunger, homeless-

Children poisoned by Guyanese mother

The autopsies performed on the remains of one-yearold Jabari Cadogan and four-year-old Odecia Cadogan have proven that they were poisoned, but samples were reportedly taken to be further analysed.

The post-mortem was performed by Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital mortuary, Guyana, on Monday. He gave the cause of death as insecticide poisoning.

On the other hand, Mayon Hunte, a relative of the dead children, said that now that the bodies are handed over to the family, they will make funeral arrangements.

The children are likely to be laid to rest on

Sunday at Anns Grove, East Coast Demerara. Nevertheless, Awena Rutherford, the woman who is believed to be responsible for the children’s death is still in hospital, but doctors are closely monitoring her condition. Up to late Monday afternoon, the woman was vomiting and from all indications, she would have swallowed the poisonous substance.

A hospital official described her condition as serious, noting that it would take days before the full impact of the tablet takes effect, and as such, they are on the alert.

Rutherford is currently under police guard.

Rutherford allegedly consumed the tablets at her Perth, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home after she would have fed the children several of the tablets.

On Thursday last, Rutherford reportedly called the father of her children, Jabari Cadogan Sr, who resides in the U.S. and they reportedly got into an argument.

She then left and went to pick up the children who had spent the day at their father’s sister in Anns Grove, East Coast Demerara. It was reported that while there, the woman told her children’s paternal aunt that she will get a surprise for her birthday which was the following day.

Later that evening, relatives were informed that the young woman had allegedly poisoned the children and herself.

The father of the children was reportedly trying to get the children overseas and relatives speculated that this might have caused the woman’s action, while others claimed that the

woman was stressed from an abusive relationship with another man that recently ended.

Relatives claimed that the man had abused Rutherford and had even threatened her. (Guyana Times)

ness and most importantly, lack of family support.

Lawrence also waved a copy of a DVD titled “Guyanese Girls Gone Wild Part 2”, citing the prevalence of child por-

nography, as teenage girls and girls younger than 12 years old are falling victim to this social ill.

“These pornographic films cut across all barriers – race, class, colour and age. Some are done in homes, hotels, backyards and backdams.” But all is not lost, she told the House, noting that Women Across Differences continues to make provision for young girls whose rights are being violated. Lawrence added that APNU stands ready to support an increase in the allocation for the Social Services Ministry to establish a strong and fearless body to fight against the scourge. (Guyana Times)

Jamaica’s PM honoured by COPA for 40 years in politics

Portia Simpson

Miller, prime minister of Jamaica, says not enough progress is being made to have more women participate in the political process, as she renewed her call for more females to become world leaders.

Simpson Miller was addressing the closing session of the 27th meeting of the Executive Committee of the Parliamentary Confederation of the Americas (COPA) at the Hilton Rose Hall Hotel in St James, Jamaica, where she was presented with a citation by Senator Zulma Ramona Gomez Caceres, president of COPA in recogni-

tion of her 40 years as a female politician.

Appealing that there is a practical argument that supports her position, Simpson Miller pointed out that on a daily basis millions of women across the globe are making fundamental decisions that affect the survival and well-being of their families.

"They are involved in organising, supervising, demonstrating problemsolving skills, mediating and in general playing the part of a stabilising force. These are skills that are necessary for political work," Simpson Miller told the predominantly female gathering.

She stressed that fe-

male leadership across the world had helped to reshape "our contemporary societies and their human development challenges", citing former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan, whom she said had paved the way for female world leaders.

"They helped to create a world in which female political leadership would not continue to be an exception, but a valid expectation. These women refused to be defined by the constraints that sought to confine them particularly in the realm of politics," she argued. (Jamaica Observer)

EU support boosts CARICOM Merchandise Trade Statistics

merchandise trade statistics project, artemis information management team leader sebastien cadic (centre), makes a point to marissa ramotar of the regional statistics programme, caricom secretariat, as her colleagues deo persaud and Joshua khan look on

As efforts continue to provide core, high quality statistics to regional decisionmakers for the establishment and monitoring of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), staff members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat on Monday were brought up to date on new systems for Merchandise Trade

Statistics.

A consultancy in that regard got underway this week with a briefing session at the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana.

The consultancy is being funded by the European Union (EU) under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and Economic

Guyana’s cabinet secretary recovering

Guyana’s Presidential Advisor on Governance Gail Teixeira has refuted claims that head of the presidential secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon’s health is deteriorating.

Contrary to reports, Dr Luncheon is said to be recovering well, she told Guyana Times in an invited comment.

“Some people want to bury Dr Luncheon before his time,” the presidential advisor said.

While admitting that Dr Luncheon is sick, she maintained that the cabinet secretary is recovering. “Dr Luncheon is not

dying, he just has some health issues and he is working with his doctors,” the presidential advisor added, noting that the People's Progressive

Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administration is receiving regular updates on his health status. He is reportedly working from his residence in accordance with his job portfolio. When questioned about his post as chairman of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Teixeira said there is currently an acting chairperson. That person will work in that capacity until Dr Luncheon fully recovers. The head of the presidential secretariat has been unwell for the past month. He is reportedly receiving medical attention at his home.

(Guyana Times)

Over 1,700 beneficiaries for Jamaican water supply project

site supervisor of the Jamaica social investment Fund (JsiF) neville williams turns on a pipe following the handing over ceremony for the commissioning of a water supply and booster station and tank in thornton, st thomas. sharing the moment are (left to right) JsiF project manager celia dillon; managing director scarlette gillings; minister of Health Fenton Ferguson; minister of water land, environment and climate change robert pickersgill and 2nd Vice president of the st thomas association of branches rupert scott. (Photo: JIS)

FIntegration Programme.

It will build on work done under the Ninth EDF by reinforcing the capacity of the national and Secretariat’s statistical offices to produce and disseminate Merchandise Trade Statistics.

Support to Merchandise Trade Statistics under the 10th EDF centres on the New Eurotrace system for trade data processing and dissemination. This was installed in countries under the Ninth EDF and has been enhanced by Eurostat.

It is expected that under the project the quality of trade data and its processing in member states and at the Secretariat will be enhanced, as well as its dissemination and analysis.

Human resource capacity in the field will also be improved through training of trainers in the New Eurotrace, Comext, Mirror Statistics and Trade Indices Modules. (Guyana Times)

or some persons "going to the river" occasionally is an enjoyable excursion for an invigorating bath at one of the Jamaica's beautiful rivers. But when that river is the only source of water for bathing, washing, cooking and every other possible use, the frequent daily journeys are not so pleasurable.

This is why residents of Thornton and other eastern St Thomas communities are celebrating the installation of a pumping unit, a motor control centre and 3,600 metres of iron pipes to take water into their homes. This has been made possible through the Thornton Water Supply Completion Project funded under the Basic Needs Trust Fund and implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF).

Approximately 1,710 residents of Thornton, Sunning Hill, Seaforth, Mt Pelier and Prospect are beneficiaries of the project which also saw installation of a booster

station, storage tanks, chlorinator and sand filter.

Elrech Dean, a resident of Thornton, expressed gratitude at finally being able to have piped water.

"In the days when we didn't have any water we had to go down into a deep gully and take turns filling our buckets, then come back up with buckets of water on our heads. That water was to drink and to cook so we could not use that to wash," Dean said.

"When the washing time came for the clothes we had to go to Plantain Garden River one mile away. If rain fell when we were down by the river we would have to put the clothes in the pan and take them home wet and it was very heavy to come back up the hill again," she added.

Golden Valley resident George Cole said that the previous pump at Thornton pumping station did not work well.

"Sometimes we did without water for one week, sometimes six

months. We used to have to go down to the reservoir to get water or when rain fell we would catch water in barrels and plastic containers to wash clothes. Sometimes only two periods of the year we would have water. We had to bathe in the river or the waterfall," he explained. Cole also noted that businesses suffered in the communities as they "used to rely on water trucks but they were not frequent and only came once or twice every two weeks".

Managing Director of JSIF Scarlette Gillings hailed the Thornton Water Supply Completion Project as a "true community effort" involving the Jamaica Agricultural Society, the residents of Thornton who assisted in site clearance, security and storage of materials and provision of land for the storage tank site and the St Thomas Parish Council which will manage and maintain the new system. (Jamaica Observer)

Country to experience economic recovery, says Jamaican senator

The Jamaica government is ending the fiscal year "better than it started and better than some expected", Government Senator Noel Sloley is insisting.

Sloley, who was closing the ‘State of the Nation Debate’ in the Upper House on Friday, said also that the government had started the process of living within its means.

He said that the country was on target for a balanced budget next

fiscal year, which will reduce the interest rate and infuse more confidence in the economy.

"We have completed the rebuilding of trust with our international lending agencies with the signing of a four-year Extended Fund Facility; we have stabilised the economy; we have started down the path of debt reduction; we have returned the country to a path of growth, we have passed all International Monetary Fund tests and we are commencing the process of living within our means," Senator Sloley told the Chamber.

He said that the improvement in the economy has seen a return of confidence to the private sector.

Adding that Jamaica's massive debt is on a downward trajectory, Sloley said the country is on a stronger and sounder footing, setting the stage for the economic recovery which will continue in the upcoming new fiscal year.

(Jamaica Observer)

Conservation International officials call on Guyana’s president

Ateam of high-level officials from Conservation International (CI), along with CI Guyana Vice President David Singh, paid a courtesy call on President Donald Ramotar on Monday.

Speaking to the Government Information Agency (GINA), CI Chief Operating Officer Niels Crone said they were pleasantly surprised at how much the head of state knew about the op-

erations of CI, and how the work that is done by this organisation fits into Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

The organisation’s Vice President of the Americas Fabio Rubio Scarano and Vice President Policy Americas Division Lisa Famolare comprised the rest of the team which will spend five days meeting stakeholders and conducting field visits to various conserva-

Unite against crime, GG urges Jamaicans ... as Beryl Rochester

installed as custos of St Elizabeth

There was plenty of pomp, colour and ceremony as Beryl Rochester was formally installed as Custos Rotulorum last Thursday at this historic coastal town's Independence Park.

But also, there was much substance, as Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke and Rochester, who is St Elizabeth's first woman custos, delivered sober messages relating to national development.

Speaking to an audience of leading citizens of St Elizabeth and the wider Jamaica, including custodes, scores of justices of the peace, and political representa-

tives, Sir Patrick underlined the threat posed by criminals among the nation's top priorities.

He urged Jamaicans to overcome "fear" and turn their faces firmly against criminals, whom he said were seemingly "bent on destroying our homeland" and "who have no qualms about wrecking the prospects of honest people, snuffing out the lives of our people, including innocent infants and children".

He instructed custodes and justices of the peace, to "always give leadership at the community and parish levels to secure peace and tranquility across Jamaica".

Rochester, who was formally sworn in by

Sir Patrick at a King's House ceremony on February 10, received her instruments of office, the magistrates' Roll for St Elizabeth and the Insignia of the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) in Black River. The Order of Distinction, Commander Class, is bestowed on all custodes.

The new custos, who is married to former Member of Parliament for South East St Elizabeth, and retired trade unionist Derrick Rochester, assured Sir Patrick and the large audience that her responsibilities "will not be taken lightly".

As custos and the governor general's representative, Rochester

is officially recognised as chief magistrate of St Elizabeth and will have among her varied responsibilities: preparing a roster of justices of the peace to serve as lay magistrates for Petty Sessions Court; making recommendations to the justice minister for appointments of justices; and keeping a close eye on the work of voluntary organisations.

The custos reminded justices of the peace, who collectively reaffirmed their oath of office during the function, of their responsibility to be "of unquestionable integrity", to protect the rights of individuals and ensure justice for members of their community.

A retired accountant and former financial controller of the now mothballed bauxite/alumina plant, Alpart, the new custos has contributed significantly as a volunteer to health and social services in St Elizabeth and the wider south central Jamaica. She has served as a director of the Southern Regional Health Authority, chairman of the Black River Hospital Management Committee, and chairman of the St Elizabeth Care Committee which assists street people. (Jamaica Observer)

tion sites.

On Tuesday evening, a special screening of ‘Guyana’s Green Gold’, a documentary on the indigenous community of Surama in the Rupununi Savannahs, was held. The short feature film showcased the efforts of the community to participate in the LCDS programme through communitybased tourism activities for sustainable livelihood and further development.

CI is a non-profit environmental organisation headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. The organisation’s mission is to protect nature, and its biodiversity, for the benefit of humanity. It has more than 900 employees, more than 30 global offices, and more than 1,000 partners around the world. Since its inception in 1987, CI has contributed to the protection of more than 260 million acres of land and sea. (Guyana Times)

Aquaponics project launched at Memisa Centre in TT

The Digicel Foundation has teamed up with the Memisa Centre in the Heights of Guanapo to establish an Aquaponics programme. The project was launched on Friday at the Lady Hochoy School, Arima.

Digicel Foundation Chairman John Delves said the Foundation is celebrating its eighth anniversary in Trinidad and Tobago and sees this project as a way of giving back to citizens of this country. Delves said he was pleased to join with the Ministry of Food Production in making this Aquaponics programme a reality and revealed that the Foundation has pledged TT$500,000 towards similar projects to benefit children attending special schools.

Aquaponics is a food production system which

combines raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks together with plants.“This kind of projects makes learning exciting and interesting,” Delves said.

He said, apart from consuming the produce, the participants at the Centre can also benefit economically as they can enter into production commercially. He specially thanked Project Officer Cindyann Currency of Digicel and Harrinarine Lalla, of the Ministry of Food Production’s Fishery Division who worked on weekends and evenings to get the project started. Principal of Memisa Centre Sharon Lewis said one of the objectives of the programme is to demonstrate to the students that they can sustain themselves and their families after they graduate. (TT Newsday)

Rodney Inquiry to commence this month in Guyana

- Secretariat received statements from overseas-based Guyanese witnesses

Head of the Walter Rodney Secretariat, Hugh Denbow said the April 22 proposed date for the commencement of the Walter Rodney inquiry has been confirmed as there are enough witnesses and statements.

During a visit to the Secretariat’s office on Monday, staff members were hard at work, putting together bits of evidence. Denbow said the Secretariat has been receiving an overwhelming number of witnesses’ statements, especially from overseasbased Guyanese, who were living in Guyana during the period Dr Rodney was killed. He said the Commission is in contact with the three Commissioners, and is waiting to hear from the Chairman, Sir Richard Cheltenham about the conditions under which these individuals will testify.

Denbow said that locally, Guyanese have been flooding the Secretariat’s office with their written statements. There are cases Denbow said where persons would approach the office without written statements. In such instances, their statements are recorded. He said that the statements, which must be prepared in a particular format, have also been sent to the

dr walter rodney

Commissioners overseas.

The day after its swearing in, the head of the Commission had told Guyana Times that close to 100 persons were expected to testify at the inquiry.

The Commission had later met with officials of the Guyana Defence Force. During its last visit to Guyana, the Commission had also met with a few stakeholders, including the Guyana Police Force and the Private Sector Commission.

Commissioners had also met with leaders of the APNU/PNCR at its Hadfield Street office. Several issues concerning sections of the Terms of Reference (ToR) were raised by the party. However, Commissioners

had informed that those issues would have to be addressed by the Commission’s sponsor President Ramotar.

Questions

Questions were also raised about the granting of an absolute pardon to persons who may have been involved in the death of Dr Rodney. The letter said “it would seem to have the Commission of Inquiry tip-toe in the direction of a Truth Commission, even while the Terms of Reference and the prevailing conditions fall far short of the complex requirements of a Truth Commission. Perhaps, it is enough, at this stage and in our conditions, that it pins the flag of reconciliation on its mast.” (Guyana Times)

Caribbean youth entrepreneurship model receives award

The Caribbean Centre of Excellence for Youth Entrepreneurship (CEYE) based in Barbados, working throughout CARICOM and in some Latin American countries has won the prestigious Juscelino Kubitschek award.

The team of the CEYE has been working virtually for over ten years to help countries in CARICOM and elsewhere, including Latin America, to develop their entrepreneurship programmes and build their entrepreneurship culture.

In 2011 the CEYE established a physical presence in Barbados and in 2012 its presence was endorsed by the United Nations as a concept for other nations to replicate. The CEYE is a regional organisation, working to help young people to become self-reliant and creative to accelerate innovation and sustainable development in the Caribbean region. The CEYE is

also focused on regionalism because as the CEYE’s leader Marcia Brandon notes, ‘alone we go fast, together we go far’.

Brandon is a wellknown name in entrepreneurship, youth and civil society as well as “getting things done” circles. She is recognised as the guru of youth entrepreneurship development in the Caribbean and has helped and continues to help the Caribbean to build a strong, sustainable culture of entrepreneurship from the roots up.

The CEYE leader says she cannot thank her team enough for their support, also thanking the IDB for the high recognition and all the people who have supported and bought into the vision and partnered with the CEYE over the years. She admits that the work that she and her team undertake is not for the faint of heart, it takes long hours, a love for people and the region, as well as self belief.

The Juscelino Kubitschek award encourages self reliance. Kubitschek was a prominent Brazilian politician who was president of Brazil from 1956 to 1961. His term was marked by economic prosperity and political stability, being most known for the construction of a new capital, Brasília. A leader who favored long-term planning and who set high goals for Brazil’s future, Kubitschek is viewed inside the country as the father of modern Brazil. He stands among the politicians whose legacy is held most favorably. Kubitschek had a vision for integration through joint NorthSouth endeavors to raise the standard of living in Latin America, which he dubbed “Pan-American Operation”. That initiative led to the creation of the Inter-American Development Bank in 1959, to provide regional financing for economic, social, and institutional development. (Barbados Advocate)

Jamaica and Germany to collaborate in trade and investment

Jamaica's Ambassador to Germany Margaret Jobson, fired up by a visit earlier this month to Germany by Tourism and Entertainment Minister Dr Wykeham McNeill, plans to use the visit as the springboard for a big Jamaican push in that European country.

"We will be promoting ‘Brand Jamaica’ through various activities over the next year," Jobson, who has been at the helm of the Jamaican Embassy in Berlin only since November 2013, told the Jamaica Observer.

Among the activities she listed are: a Reggae Meets Opera concert to be staged in collaboration with Nastassja Nass, a German national and artistes from Jamaica; a visit to Germany by one of Jamaica's premier athletes; a fund-raising

event for a charity in Jamaica, and collaboration with the German Jamaica Society in the hosting of its second Film Festival from May 9-11, 2014 in Frankfurt.

The ambassador will take up where McNeill left off, from his March 6, 2014 visit by moving ahead with plans to forge greater cooperation with Germany through trade and investment, with emphasis on the proposed logistics hub which the minister sold as "a great investment opportunity for potential investors".

Other areas of interest include education; the environment, in particular, climate change; the creative industries; and renewable energy.

Jamaican officials are hoping to take advantage of a recent finding by the Worldwatch Institute's Sustainable Energy Roadmap that Jamaica has the poten-

tial to become a climate and energy leader in the world, on the basis that all of the country's electricity needs could be met from renewable energy technologies alone.

During McNeill's visit, the embassy hosted a sizeable group of Jamaicans who journeyed from as far as Hamburg in the north

and Munich in the south to attend a reception.

Minister McNeill, who was on an official visit to Germany to meet with major players in the travel Industry on the occasion of the annual ITB Berlin - the world's leading travel trade show - used the meeting to provide an update on national development is-

sues including the state of the economy, tourism development, forging stronger bilateral cooperation with Germany, as well as to respond to pertinent questions from members of the community.

Ambassador Jobson emphasised that the tourism prospects for Jamaica were positive

as the government had been able to secure increased airlift to the island. But the two officials told the Jamaicans that although the outlook was one of optimism, Jamaica still faces many challenges and their support was critical to take the country forward.

For Jobson, the reception was also an opportunity to meet and greet members of the Jamaican community and to inform them of activities in which the Embassy will be engaged on an ongoing basis. The opportunity was also used to launch a permanent exhibition of Jamaican youth photography produced by rural high school students in JN Foundation's flagship programme, the Resolution Project. The photographs were donated to the Embassy by the JNBS Foundation. (Jamaica Observer)

Canada recommits to developing Guyana’s small business sector

Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr Nicole Giles has recommitted her country’s readiness to help Guyana foster economic growth among Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

According to Dr Giles, SMEs are the unsung heroes of economic development, with larger companies often taking spotlight. Speaking at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Annual General Meeting (AGM), she said as part of its objective to engender Sustainable Economic Growth in Guyana, Canada continues to give much needed support to local SMEs.

Last November, Canada financed the establishment of a Credit Bureau in Guyana, helping to improve business opportunities and simultaneously offering support to small and medium businesses. The Credit Bureau provides information on prospective borrowers and their credit worthiness.

Complementing the Credit Bureau was the Guyana Bank of Trade and Industry’s (GBTI) Risk Management Initiative, which came on stream in February 2014, following collabo-

ration between Canada and the bank.

Comprehensive model

“This initiative will design a more comprehensive prediction model that is specifically tailored for the SME sector, one that is not only based on financial ratios derived from accounting data,” the Canadian High Commissioner said, adding that the timeliness of the Risk Management Initiative will help small and medium businesses to take advantage of a plethora of commercial opportunities, including those offered by the presence of Canadian mining companies working with Guyana.

Boasting of the great accomplishments made by Canada, Dr Giles pointed out that Canadian companies are leaders in the extractive sector, both at home and abroad.

“We recognise that more needs to be done to assist our firms wherever they work in the world and to do so using the ‘Canadian model’ that aligns our political, trade and development objectives internationally.”

To ensure the required assistance is offered to Canadian companies operating abroad, last year the

Government of Canada amalgamated its Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) into a single Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) to spoon out better results.

Dr Giles said too that Canada strongly believes that a CanadaCARICOM trade agreement would bring about further prosperity and sustainable economic growth to both Canada and the Caricom region, and all its citizens.

Security Canada has benefitted greatly from its free trade agreements with other hemispheric partners. It remains optimistic that the Canada-CARICOM trade negotiations will end on a successful note in June, opening avenues for Guyana and neighbouring countries to reap the benefits.

Turning her attention to security, the Canadian High Commissioner underscored the importance of security plans in the commercial sector. To this end, Canada and Guyana have chosen to cooperate on niche, key areas of security, impacting both Guyanese and Canadian interests. In February, Guyana and Canada joined forces to tackle the threat posed by the use of fraudulent documents through the implementation of the Fraudulent Document Detection Project.

“The Fraudulent Document Detection Project strengthens the ability of Guyana’s law enforcement to detect identify theft and document fraud, thereby enhancing Guyana’s border security,” she explained.

IDB signs agreement to promote renewable energy in the Caribbean

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) says it has signed an amendment with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to a 2011 Memorandum of Understanding and a 2012 Framework Agreement to support renewable energy and energy efficiency for the mitigation of climate change in Central America and the Caribbean.

Under this amendment, the target amount of JICA’s co-financing for this programme, known as “Co-financing for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency” (CORE), will be increased to US$1 billion from a previous amount of US$300 million, “as well as the eligible beneficiaries will be expanded in Central America and the Caribbean”, said the IDB in a statement on

Saturday.

It said the amendment was signed between IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno and JICA’s Senior Special Advisor Kunio Okamura during the IDB’s 2014 annual meeting in Brazil.

The co-financing programme was a result of several agreements between the IDB and JICA, the most recent in March 2012, focussing on strategic partnerships on renewable energy and energy efficiency, “a key

component of the bank’s response to climate change adaptation and mitigation”.

Under the terms of the bank’s General Capital Increase agreed by the Board of Governors in 2010, the IDB said it sets a target of 25 percent of total lending to be dedicated to climate change adaptation, environmental sustainability and renewable energy.

It said one of the key priorities of the JICA is to increase assistance and strengthen sustainable energy and climate change operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Member-countries that already are eligible for JICA financing are: Belize, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica and Nicaragua. (Antigua Observer)

LIAT appoints new CEO

LIAT Airlines on Monday announced it has appointed a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

The regional airline said the appointment of David Evans will be effective from April 22. Evans assumes the chief executive post, succeeding Julie Reifer-Jones, who had been Acting CEO since the resignation of Captain Ian Brunton in September 2013.

According to LIAT, the British national is a results-driven executive with more than 35 years of experience in senior roles within the aviation industry. Between 1975 and 1997, Evans served as Airport Manager, Country Manager, and Area Manager with British Airways in East Africa, Saudi Arabia, France, Philippines, China, Denmark, and the

United States. In the latter role, he held responsibility for the airline’s activities in Latin America and the Caribbean.

In 1997, he became Managing Director of British Airways Regional, a position he held until 2001 when he became Managing Director of British Airways CitiExpress and BA Connect, serving in that capacity for six years.

He joined the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2007 and under its auspices served as Chief Operating Officer of Zambian Airways in 2007.

In 2009, he joined Kuwaiti start-up airline Wataniya Airways as Chief Commercial Officer. Since then, he has provided strategic and commercial consultancy services to Egypt’s Nile Air and other organisations in the Middle East.

Evans, who speaks English, Spanish, French, German and Mandarin Chinese, holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Lancaster University and Combined Honours in Modern Languages from Wadham College, Oxford University. (Guyana Times)

Gy$3.7B to power company will stave off tariff hike – Guyana’s PM

The Guyana government said that the Gy$3.7 billion allocation to the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) will help stave off a 12 percent hike in tariff.

Budget 2014 provides a sum of Gy$7.7 billion to help meet the needs of electricity generation to the country. Of that amount, Gy$3.7 billion is for the GPL Inc, and its 170,000 customers, while Gy$3.2 billion is earmarked for the continuation of power subsidies to Linden and Lethem.

Prime Minister (PM) Samuel Hinds, who has oversight for the energy sector, explained that the provisions to GPL, would see the forgoing of what should have been a 12 percent increase in electricity tariff for GPL customers this year.

Speaking on the National Communications Network (NCN) pro-

guyana's prime minister samuel Hinds

gramme, “Budget at a Glance”, the prime minister said on the average, a customer is getting a subsidy of Gy$22,286 this year. This amount would vary for a smaller customer, who may only be getting a Gy$5000 support for the year, and for a large customer or business, that support may run to Gy$500,000 or Gy$1 million per year, he explained.

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The prime minister

St Vincent police sued over woman’s death

The family of a 49-year-old woman, who died at hospital one day after law enforcement officials raided her home in search of drugs, has filed a lawsuit against the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force.

Attorney Kay Bacchus Browne told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that the relatives are seeking half a million dollars (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) in damages.

Sylma “Codo” Thomas died on February 28, a day after police raided her home in the North Leeward town of Chateaubelair.

“I’m going to ask for compensation in the sum of half a million, plus special damages, for the wrongful death due to police negligence,” the attorney said.

She said that the pre-action civil lawsuit letter has been sent to Attorney General Judith Jones-Morgan and Commissioner of Police Michael Charles.

“To my mind, it (Thomas’s death) amounted to gross negligence and apparent disregard for human life,” said Bacchus, lamenting the absence of a female police officer during the raid of Thomas’ home.

“They (police) did not

said the support for GPL is directed more towards capital expenditure and two programmes. The government has been receiving assistance from the Chinese EXIM Bank and from the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB). In the case of the EXIM Bank, GPL has an ongoing programme to upgrade its transmission and distribution systems. This programme is nearing completion and GPL is seeking to expand the upgrading exercise.

“It should be finished by July, and GPL is looking to do some additional things, and that includes to start on an additional sub-station at Williamsburg on the

Corentyne coast and also to expand the Number 56 Substation,” he said.

The 2014 injection to GPL provides too, for the expansion of electricity service to the islands of Wakenaam and Leguan. He said that provisions have been made for these two Region Three island residents to have a 24hour electricity service.

“We have been providing them with limited services mainly in the evening, but with the growth and development of all areas, particularly with the schools and putting in computer systems, more or less everyplace now wants lights not just at night, but 24hour power. It is a step in our growth and de-

velopment, and we budgeted for that at Leguan and Wakenaam,” Prime Minister Hinds said.

Also covered are the preparatory works for the replacement of the generators at GPL power station at Anna Regina in Region Two, and for a new power station at Bartica in Region Seven.

Government had put in two new generators in Anna Regina in 1996, but now that the area has grown, and the generators are getting close to their 20-year life span.

GPL has therefore been seeking to start preparatory work for their replacement, the PM said.

In Bartica, people have been calling for a new power station away

from the waterfront. GPL has some locations in mind and will start preparatory work in this regard this year. The money will also cost nontechnical and technical losses of electricity.

Meanwhile, in the case of Linden, with the budgetary allocation which is a provision for the benefit of 10,500 customers in Region 10, the subsidy per customer will work out to Gy$291,000 per year or close to Gy$24,000 per month on the average, the prime minister said, adding that when Linden’s average consumption is compared with Georgetown; it is about 50 to 100 percent more.

(Guyana Times)

know what to do,” she added.

Last month, Commissioner Charles said an investigation would be launched into the death of Thomas after telling reporters that she had fainted when law enforcement officials found and showed her a “substance resembling cannabis” during the raid.

But neighbours and relatives have accused the police of not acting promptly to provide her with medical attention when she suffered what later was diagnosed as a stroke after the raid.

Thomas’ younger brother Alfred Howe, a veteran of the British Army who has served in Germany, England, Poland and Iraq, said he was among persons looking on as members of the armed Rapid Response Unit (“Black Squad”) conducted the raid.

Ronald “Patel” Mathews, the member of parliament for North Leeward, said while he was not against the police carrying out their responsibility “in a situation like this, the police might have acted improperly in terms of the way the search was done and the fact that they continued even after the woman took sick”.

He has called for an immediate investigation into the incident. (CMC)

Guyana: Radio station launched in Berbice

Guyana's President Donald Ramotar on Saturday launched a radio station in Berbice, telling the audience about the gains made in press freedom since 1992 while stressing his government’s commitment to maintaining this status.

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) report, President Ramotar said the proprietors of Little Rock Radio, Rockcliff and Pearl Christie must be congratulated for what he described as their role with the multimillion-dollar investment. Stating that he felt very comfortable with the ownership of the new station, President Ramotar said radio must have a developmental role as Guyana is a developing country. He stressed, however, that while radio can be used for good purposes, it can also be used negatively.

Guyana's government has opened up the broadcast frequency with several new radio and television stations being granted licences. Among the new raadio stations are Radio

Guyana Inc, Telecor and Cultural Broadcasting Inc, and Hits and Jams Entertainment.

President Ramotar highlighted the role of radio in the genocides of Rwanda a few years ago and its use by the Nazis in Germany during World War II, and urged that such situations must always be guarded against. Several key issues such as the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project, budget cuts, and even the Anti-Money Laundering Bill which were adversely affected by the political Opposition’s stance were noted by the President

who said radio must be used to keep persons informed. “More information is needed to ensure persons are aware of the misinformation being spread by those who want to distort the truth”.

New Amsterdam Deputy Mayor Harold Debydeen stated that “self-motivated and selfconfident” are the words he would use to describe the owners of the new station. He urged them to not only be entertaining but also educational, as he offered congratulations on behalf of all Berbicians.

Berbice Chamber

of Commerce and Industry President Mark Roopnarine said it was with great pride that he too congratulated the Christie family whom he described as a “transformational force in the community”.

He added that they are poised to take the Little Rock brand to greater heights in the community as they transform lives by doing more than just educating and entertaining people through their programming. Congratulations were also extended by Region Six Chairman

David Armogan, who lauded the family’s pioneering efforts in various businesses throughout the years. The sharing of information, he noted, is vital and mention was made of the fact that oft times, events are reported by various media before public officials responsible for the affected areas are even officially informed.

Giving a brief history of the Little Rock business operations, Naomi Christie, daughter of the proprietors, said the company’s initial radio licence application dates

back to the early 1990s, followed by a re-application in 1997. The radio station began testing on February 23, this year with feedback being garnered from the local listening audience.

The station covers the entire Berbice area and extends to the East Coast of Demerara. It is also streamed online. The Little Rock Company began operating in the 1980s with a hotel, then expanded in 2005 with the Little Rock Suites on the Main Street of New Amsterdam. It currently employs 60 persons.

Upgrade for Barbados’ Grantley Adams Int’l Airport

Some infrastructural changes will be made to the Grantley Adams International Airport in the near future.

While not revealing fully what these adjustments would encompass, the country’s Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Richard Sealy, said that the airport was being continually upgraded to facilitate increasing demands.

“Considerable extensions are to be done to the terminal building so as to make provision

for additional departure space and the master plan speaks directly to that constant problem that everyone speaks

about – jet bridges. Yes, there will come a time that when you get some scattered showers you won’t have to be handing

out umbrellas; we would have jet bridges at our airport,” he stated.

In addition, the minister disclosed that a

heavier emphasis will be placed on improving the shopping experience.

“We also are looking at improving the shopping experience such that arrivals, departures, in transit, air-to-sea, everyone will be forced to walk past something where they will be encouraged to leave some money. This happens in other jurisdictions – Trinidad and Tobago, Panama City come to mind right away – [where there are] virtual malls in the terminal building and we think we can do better,” he said.

At the time, he was addressing the audience gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Civil Aviation Building in Charnocks on Monday.

“There are also some very clumsy infrastructural arrangements that need to be sorted out as well. The airport is a nice building aesthetically to some extent but there is room for some improvement and all of that is part of what we are trying to do in creating a dynamic aviation industry,” Sealy further noted. (JMB)

Impact of Limacol CPL hailed by Guyana’s president

Guyana's President Donald Ramotar has highlighted the positive impact of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the tremendous benefits that Guyana would have derived from the hosting of four matches in the inaugural tournament last year.

The head of state pointed out that the tournament is an excellent platform for the promotion of sport tourism, a concept his government embraces.

Delivering feature remarks at the country’s National Sports Commission’s annual awards ceremony on Friday evening at the

National Cultural Centre, president Ramotar spoke glowingly of the success and impact of the Limacol CPL, which was an immediate hit with the fans and players alike.

While pointing out that his government is keen on building quality sport facilities across the country, it is also committed to exploring the economic benefits of sport, thus a major investment in the Limacol CPL in 2013.

“Guyana invested US$175,000 and was to get about US$915,000 worth of marketing exposure for the countrythat’s the estimate from the experts- and about US$4 million worth in

direct and indirect value through our hotels, our restaurants and the transportation system. As I said, this was according to the experts doing the economic impact study that was conducted by

Mona School of Business and Management of Jamaica,” Ramotar explained.

The president said his administration will always invest in events such as the Limacol CPL, as marketing Guyana through sport is critical to the economic well-being of the country.

“When you look at that one example [the Limacol CPL], you will see that if we can look at how we can broaden our revenue base so that we can do more for our people by providing more goods and services and here this gives you a clear example that sports tourism is an area that we can seriously look at in order to enhance

TT’s tourism minister resigns -

In less than a week, a second Cabinet minister has been removed from the People’s Partnership government in Trinidad.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar Monday accepted the resignation of Tourism Minister Chandresh Sharma and has asked President Anthony Carmona to revoke his appointment.

Communications Minister Gerry Hadeed is now the new Tourism Minister and Trade Minister Vasant Bharath will head the Ministry of Trade, Investments and Communications.

Last Tuesday, the prime minister fired Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh as minister of the People and Social Development and took control of the ministry.

Ramadharsingh was dismissed following reports of his disorderly conduct aboard a Caribbean Airlines (CAL) flight.

Sharma, 54, resigned

in the wake of a police probe into reports against him by his exgirlfriend Sacha Singh, 30, who alleged that the former minister assaulted her at Grand Bazaar car park on March 12.

Singh alleged that she confronted Sharma with a woman with whom he allegedly had an affair and a 12-year-

old child from that relationship, whom he refused to maintain, and when she did this he became violent.

The prime minister issued a statement Monday in which she emphasised that wrongdoing will not be tolerated in her government.

“There is no privileged escape, no allowance for arrogance, no forgiveness for indiscretion. Those days are gone, such compromise has expired. The responsible leadership which we promised to usher in a dawn of a new era is the new political currency,” stated the prime minister.

Persad-Bissessar noted that there was discussion on the number of time changes were made to her Cabinet.

The People’s Partnership government, said PersadBissessar, was stronger than ever because of the tough decisions taken “and the population can breathe easier today,

our revenue base and diversify even further the economy of the country,” President Ramotar pointed out.

The Limacol CPL was played in front of sold-out crowds at all the venues across the region, with some of the biggest names in T20 cricket representing the six franchises. Among the international players donning the respective franchise colours were Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah-ul-Haq, Lasith Malinga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Vernon Philander, Shoaib Malik, Kumar Sangakkara, James Franklin, Martin Guptil and Ricky Ponting.

The marquee West Indies players were Chris

Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine.

The second edition of the tournament is billed for July 10 to August 16 this year with some 200odd players in the draft, which will take place at Chris Gayle’s Triple Century Bar in Jamaica on April 3.

When the action bowls off, the Jamaica Tallawahs will look to defend their title against last year’s runnersup Guyana Amazon Warriors, Barbados Tridents, Antigua Hawksbills, St Lucia Zouks and Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel. (Guyana Times)

following assault reports by ex-girlfriend

confident in the knowledge that value-based leadership will never be compromised”.

The prime minister took the opportunity to recognise Sharma’s contributions and service to the government and people of Trinidad and Tobago.

While she commended the prime minister for accepting Sharma’s resignation, Singh called on

Persad-Bissessar to stop the malicious attack on her character by United National Congress (UNC) supporters who have taken to social media to defame her by posting private photographs of her online.

“I commend her (Persad-Bissessar) and still continue to have the utmost respect for her, but I still plead for her to help me, these UNC

supporters must stop spreading my pictures all over,” said Singh. Singh added that she knew that coming forward and pressing charges against Sharma would bring repercussions.

However, she made it clear she has no intent in bringing down Persad-Bissessar’s government. (Excerpt from TT Express)

No complacency in Guyana’s TB fight, says CMO

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Guyana, Dr Shamdeo Persaud said though there has been a significant reduction in tuberculosis (TB) cases, there must be no complacency in the fight against the disease.

Dr Persaud was delivering the feature address at the National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) Staff Appreciation Ceremony at the Pegasus Hotel, Georgetown, Guyana on Friday.

Reflecting on the history of the TB fight in Guyana, he said the country has made significant strides from the time of the first diagnosis of the organism in 1882 to 2014. He said treatments are not only disseminated for the simple forms of tuberculosis, but some of the more complicated ones.

In the past 10 years, there has been a significant decline in TB incidence from 92 per every 100,000 in 2012 to 78 in every 100,000 in 2013. Once this trend is maintained, the programme predicts that by the end of 2015, there will be a further reduction of cases, with 60 per every 100,000.

Dr Jeetendra Mohanlall, who has been the National Tuberculosis Programme (NPT) Manager for the past 10 years, underscored the importance of more laboratory personnel, nurses, clinicians and community volunteers in an effort to combat the disease. Additional health personnel to tackle the disease will help the country to operate in keeping with the 2014 World TB Day theme “Reach 3 million, Find, Treat and Cure”.

In the past, the

Georgetown Chest Clinic was recognised as the only health institution which carried the fight against TB. At the time, it was led by Dr Moti Lall, who was assisted by a small staff complement and often times received support from the Guyana Chest Society. However, in 1994, the NTP received a much needed boost with additional staff under the leadership of Dr Shamdeo Persaud.

“Dr Moti Lall worked for about 30 years fighting TB in Guyana until his passing two years

ago,” Dr Mohanlall said. In recognition of Dr Lall’s commitment to the fight, an award was established in his honour. Quoting Dr Lall, the NTP Manager said, “I have seen this disease and it is a terrible, terrible disease. With the presence of HIV, I have seen TB spread, but we have to work together to keep it down. We have to work together if we are to see results… .There is a need for camaraderie if there is to be progression in any area of our life. If we don’t work as a team, we can’t be successful in

our endeavours.”

Dr Mohanlall added that HIV has been the main fuelling factor for TB in the country and in the fight against TB/ HIV co-infection. NTP must build new partners to see greater results, he lamented.

Dr Roscoe McDonald, who hails from Linden, Region 10, received the top award; the Dr Moti Lall Award, for his dedication and commitment in the fight against TB at the regional level. Dr McDonald, one of Guyana’s many graduates out of Cuba, said he

could not have done it without the help of God, colleagues at the Linden Hospital Complex and his parents. He has pledged to continue the great work in the region. Meanwhile, the Mazaruni Prison received the Most Improved Prison in TB Control Award while the award for the Most Outstanding Volunteer in the fight against TB went to Lloyd Henrito of Region Eight. The retired health worker has given unwavering support to the fight. The Guyana Red Cross Society was awarded for its outstanding contribution in TB community services in hinterland regions while the Food for the Poor was rewarded for fostering partnerships and reaching the less fortunate TB patients. NAPS also received an award for partnering in the fight against TB/HIV co-infection. Representatives from all 10 administrative regions were also recognised. Twenty certificates were also distributed to organisations and individuals who played a critical role in the TB fight. (Guyana Times)

Parents mourn young cricketer’s death in TT

Having one leg did not deter Earl Robertson from attending every one of his son, Tevin’s cricket matches. Cricket he said was Tevin’s life and it soon became his (Earl’s) life. Earl’s left leg was amputated five years ago because of diabetes but, with the assistance of two crutches, he would board a taxi to attend his son’s matches. Robertson, 19, who was a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Under-19 cricket team, died on the spot when the car he was driving crashed into a fence on the Petrotrin compound near Gasparillo along the Solomon Hochoy Highway on Saturday morning.

It is believed he fell asleep behind the wheel. He was returning to Tunapuna after dropping off a female friend at Princes Town shortly after 5 am. Speaking to TT Newsday from his Contention Street, Princes Town home Sunday, Earl recalled five years ago when doctors told him his left leg had to be amputated. He was warded for 15 days at the San Fernando General Hospital. At that time Tevin was attending St Benedicts College, La Romaine.

“I know he did not take it well after they had to amputate my leg. He and all my family members stood by my side, but Tevin had to get counselling. He did not take it good at all, but he was always at my side,” the sad father recalled. He said soon after he was able to use crutches he began attending his son’s matches. “I remember going to his first game at a ground in Tableland. He had made close to 60 something runs and everyone was so amazed. I was so proud,” he said.

Earl said he soon purchased a car and was able to drive to see his son’s matches but the car was seized because of fi-

Canadian entity donates to Barbadian charities

Three charities have been the beneficiaries of BDS$10,000 each to conduct their work in Barbados.

The donation of funds totalling BDS$30 000 came from the Canadian entity – Chancery Reinsurance Limited.

Receiving funds were the Diabetes Association of Barbados (DAB), the Barbados Cancer Society and the Barbados International Business Association (BIBA) Charity.

nancial constraints.

“Well that did not stop me. I just took my two crutches and would travel to see Tevin’s matches. I had to be there to see him play. I just can’t believe now I would never have the privilege of watching him on the field again and cheering him on,” Earl sobbed. He said Tevin would also ensure he got a drop home.

Tevin’s mother, Rhea St John who was seated next to Earl, wept as she spoke of her son’s promising future. Tevin had two other siblings threeyear-old Azariah and Samantha, 25.

St John said that Azariah keeps asking for her brother. “They were very close. But she (Azariah) does not understand what has happened. So she keeps asking me when Tevin coming come.”

The emotional mother held up a few of the many trophies and medals Robertson had copped over the years.

“He had so much talent and he believed that one day he was going to play for the West Indies Cricket team.” She said Robertson was not only a talented cricketer but also excelled academically. St John said her son was being eyed for selection as a potential player for the West Indies cricket team. She said president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board, Azim Bassarath, had told her her son’s extraordinary skill as a left hand bowler was noticed by officials. “Tevin’s dream was to play for the West Indies and he was working towards this dream each day. He trained day and night.

Cpl Lee of the St Margarets Police Station is continuing investigations. An autopsy on Robertson’s body is expected to be performed this week following which funeral arrangements will be announced. (TT Newsday)

Last Wednesday, the presentations were made at the CGE office in St. Lawrence, which is Chancery’s physical presence in Barbados, and each recipient shared to what end they will use the funds.

Expressing her gratitude, President of the Barbados Cancer Society, Dr. Dorothy Cooke-Johnson said, “You took on through CGE an unusual request. We didn’t just ask for a certain amount; we asked for a certain amount to make it into more, and we have made it [the BDS$10,000] into BDS$49,500.”

She said this attained amount is just BDS$500 short of their initial goal of BDS$50,

000 to purchase a dedicated prostate ultrasound machine. This ultrasound, she explained, would enable the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to perform guided prostate biopsies, because at present the hospital is without this piece equipment, “which is absolutely essential to get exactness and precision”. She however, said that subsequently the price has increased to BDS$60, 000 unfortunately, but she thanked the donors for helping them to achieve fivesixths of the amount, because “it is a surety that we will be able to get it”.

Graciously, the President of the DAB, Noreen Merritt said that the donation will help expand and extend their educational programmes to better facilitate prevention.

She said, “The problem is, there is a great percentage of persons in the island who have diabetes who do not know. There is also pre-diabetes, which is the precursor where you have insulin-resistance, a precursor to developing diabetes, and if we could capture those in that bracket and make them do what we call lifestyle changes, lifestyle inter-

vention, the majority of them will not develop diabetes and so this is part of our prevention programme.”

Therefore, she urged that the objective is “… not only the prevention of developing complications [caused by diabetes] but prevention of developing diabetes as well”.

Meanwhile the BIBA Charity, as represented by Trustee Chair Lisl Lewis said that her organisation with its focus on public healthcare in Barbados, will use the BDS$10,000 in their 2014 goal of aiding the Winston Scott Polyclinic. Lewis said, “they are in dire need of some crucial equipment, the largest being a walk-in cooler which will allow them to store the central vaccinations for the island in a coherent and cohesive consistent way.” And she stated that the cooler would be a vast improvement on what is being done right now.

Overall, Lewis said that the charity is targeting BDS$140,000 there, and while thanking Chancery for their timely contribution, she was pleased to disclose, “we are about two-thirds of the way through”. (Barbados Advocate)

Gy$1Billion allocated in 2014 budget to ‘cleanup’ Guyana

Minister within the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry, Norman Whittaker on Thursday said the Gy$1 billion allocation in the National Budget for a countrywide cleanup would fund an inter-Ministry effort.

He related that the project would see a committee being formed to brainstorm ideas to not only cleanup the city but other parts of the country. The committee will involve persons from the Ministries of Public Works, Natural Resources and the Environment and Agriculture and the City Council. He added that there are plans to include persons from the Private Sector Commission, a move he welcomed.

He further explained that the committee will be working to determine the nature and extent of work to be done and the main areas of focus, under the proposed cleanup project for the country. Currently, he further explained, a few preparatory aspects of the project have already been determined, including public awareness.

The Minister maintained that under the Solid Waste Management European Union grant, the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry has been able to acquire more than 700 receptacles, which have since been placed at strategic locations throughout out the city. He said a number of these bins have been given to the City Council, schools, hospitals, and health centres, principally within the commercial area

In the same breath, Whittaker underscored the fact that the monies for the project would not be given to the City Council. “This is not a handout… this is another attempt on the part of the government to improve the environment,” he said, adding “we are not about to hand the City Council anything”.

Just one day after the National Budget was presented in the National Assembly by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, in which the Gy$1 billion cleanup proposal was announced, with over half of the amount stipulated for Georgetown, both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Georgetown publically condemned the government for its decision.

The Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green had

stated at a press conference on Tuesday that City Hall did not want monies from the government but rather independence to acquire its own funds. “We don’t want handouts from the government. The Council wants its independence to be able to earn its own revenue. When we offered to do the lottery, they took it over; parking meters, they took it over,” said the Deputy Mayor, adding that the Gy$500 million allocated to the city was a “joke… just a tear drop in the ocean”.

Mayor Hamilton Green told media operatives that the proposal was unnecessary, adding that he “smell a rat”. He posited “this Gy$500 million will be for propaganda purposes, there is no suggestion that there is the vital component of sustainability, where is the sum to maintain its cleanliness over the next month or years?”

Over the years, the City Council has been at odds with the Government as it relates to the well-being of the city. The quarrel intensified in 2013 after Carol Sooba was appointed Town Clerk. The councillors have since claimed that the Town Clerk is a political tool within their organisation.

Guyana Times took to the streets and spoke to a few vendors and commuters in an effort to gather their thoughts on the proposed project. One woman who identified herself as Sabrina Persaud, a “top-up” vendor, related that she welcomed the proposal from the government. She maintained that it was something that should have been done a long time ago as the Garden City has been in a state of complete disarray for quite a number of years.

Another young lady, Wanda Hytmiah said that not only should the government clean up the streets but they should allow the city’s Councillors to raise their own funds. (Guyana Times)

Gov’t moves against discriminatory laws in TT …as country celebrates Shouter Baptist Liberation Day

The Trinidad and Tobago government will take steps to remove all laws in this country which are discriminatory against the Shouter Baptist community. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar made this announcement in the House of Representatives.

The country celebrated Shouter Baptist Liberation Day on Sunday.

Dressed in gold Shouter Baptist attire, Persad-Bissessar said: “I wish to state there are still laws on our statute books as continued discrimination against the Shouter Baptist community.”

While she did not say what those laws were, Persad-Bissessar said she will ask National Diversity Minister Rodger Samuel to look at those laws with a view to removing all the discriminatory provisions against the Shouter Baptist faith.

Declaring that in TT “every creed and race finds an equal place”,

Persad-Bissessar said there is the assurance that “this is something my government will rigorously defend and uphold”.

Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley and

House Speaker Wade Mark shared the prime minister’s views. Rowley said Trinidad and Tobago has a strong history of embracing diversity.

“We accept we are one people and we have harmony in diversity,” he said. Mark said the occasion of Shouter Baptist Liberation Day is but one “measure of our rich diversity”. (TT Newsday)

Cultural industries gaining ground in Barbados

More and more Barbadians are starting to recognise the importance of the Cultural Industries to the development of the island.

This point was made by Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Stephen Lashley, as he gave a brief address at a church service at Western Light Nazarene Church Sunday, to mark 30 years since the founding of the National Cultural Foundation (NCF).

He said that this can be seen in the number of programmes and policies that the administration already has in place and those they are going to implement.

“Things have changed over the last 30 years. The struggle to make culture an important dimension of national development is not as fierce as it used to be. This is demonstrated by the fact that the cultural industries have been identified as one of the major pillars in Barbados’ growth strategy. We have already witnessed the passing of the Cultural Industries Development Act and the Authority to administer the Act will soon be established.”

It is also demonstrated in the various initiatives that the Barbados government is seeking to administer with their partners from both the public and private sector, said Lashley.

“Plans are on-stream for the mapping of the cultural industries and the creation of a database register for cultural practitioners and entrepreneurs. This database will be the entry point through which incentives and other benefits provided for in the Cultural Industries Act will be accessed.”

The cultural minis-

ter stated that there are also plans to enhance this island’s most popular festival, Crop Over, as it marks four decades of existence as well as to take complete advantage of Barbados’ world heritage status.

“Increased cultural activity will be witnessed beginning with an enhanced Crop Over Festival, which will be marking its 40th anniversary. We will continue to capitalise on our World Heritage Status with respect to Bridgetown and its Historic Garrison and work with various stakeholders to broaden festi-

val activity in Barbados, including those who promote Gospel festivals.”

Lashley also praised the NCF officers in attendance for their valuable contribution to the development of the various art forms and reminisced how the organisation has grown over the last three decades from one that focussed on women and the young people to one that ensured the thriving of the arts, especially among the youth.

“It was in April 1984 that the National Cultural Foundation, commonly referred to as the NCF, became a fully operational entity. In those days its portfolio spanned Women’s Affairs, Youth Affairs and Community Development, along with the Arts. Overtime, the focus changed and the arts in all its facets took pre-eminence. However, that foundation proved to be a solid one and created the linkages with the young people to whom much of its developmental work is geared and the communities which have become the incubator for the nourishing of Barbadian cultural expression.”

(Barbados Advocate)

Former Guyanese president remembered as a champion for women

Former President Janet Rosenberg Jagan was remembered as a champion for women and pioneer of the struggle for Guyana’s development at an annual wreath laying ceremony at the Cheddi Jagan Play Park, Anna Regina, Guyana on Friday.

The occasion hosted by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was held to commemorate the life of the first female President of Guyana, with speakers lauding her struggle for a just society, describing her as the 'Mother of the Nation'.

The fifth anniversary of Jagan’s death featured poems, songs and a reflection on the life and works of Mrs Jagan,

with tributes pouring in from leaders of the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) and the Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO).

Region Two Chairman Parmanand Persaud said that March is a significant month for the PPP as it is a period designated to remember the lives of late presidents, Dr Cheddi and his wife Janet Jagan. He called on women to emulate the life of the Mrs Jagan, and continue the struggle for a better Guyana.

Mrs Jagan, a cofounder of the PPP, founded the WPO with the aim of mobilising women in the fight for a better Guyana. Persaud said

Essequibians are aware of Mrs Jagan’s legacy as she was the first woman elected to the Legislative Council of Parliament, representing Essequibo.

Mrs Jagan, a dental technician in her earlier days, served as Health and Labour Ministers.

Pioneer

Meanwhile, Region

Two Vice Chairman and PPP First Secretary in Essequibo Vishnu Samaroo said Mrs Jagan was one of the pioneers who struggled for the development of Guyana.

He said in Essequibo, Mrs Jagan is best remembered for opening the first housing scheme at Wakenaam Success and the Huis t’ Dieren Health Centre. (Guyana Times)

Four to represent Barbados in Jamaica – at oratorical competition

The winners of this year’s Optimist Oratorical Competition, endeavoured to show how their passions encouraged positivity within your own community.

This year, 17 young orators, hailing from various secondary schools across the island, came together to vie for the opportunity to let their voices be heard as well as to represent Barbados in Jamaica, at the Oratorical Competition at the Caribbean District Level.

Speaking under the topic, ‘How my Passion Impacts the world’, 17 contestants of which 9 were girls and 8 were boys, all with appearance, voice and dynamic conviction, endeavoured to sway the judges to both understand their points and to realise that in the end, it all began with just one.

As noted by Faye Byer, a member of the Optimist Essay and Oratorical Competition Planning Committee, as she addressed the audience in between the speakers, “Optimist International every year tries to choose a topic for the essay and the oratorical that inspires students to really dig deep and really think about how they can impact the world in their small, little corner and I believe we are hearing some excellent examples today about how these children plan to do just that”.

Barbados celebrated the 21st anniversary of its participation in this annual Optimist International Programme, and this year the 17 contestants were vying in zones 12 and 13.

As noted by Byer to the contestants, “Now this is the 21st year of Barbados’ participation in this annual Optimist International Programme and we are proud to say that over the years we

Detained TT Muslims to be released

The Muslim group that was detained in Venezuela had been there since the beginning of February in an attempt to obtain visas to go on an Islamic pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

Eight men, including Imams Salam Abdul, Hamza Mohammad and Sheikh Hamid Hassan continue to be held in a Venezuelan prison after initially being accused of terrorism and later of plotting to overthrow the Venezuelan government.

They, along with six women and eight children, were detained in a Venezuelan jail after a raid at the Plaza Hotel in Caracas on March 19, 2014. The women and children returned last Friday and the men are expected to be released early next week.

The uncle and brother of Abeni Luqman, Andre Battersby and Asim Luqman respectively, are two of the Muslim men who remain detained in a Venezuelan jail.

Upset with some of the local reports on the situation, Luqman recently visited TT Newsday’s Port-of-Spain office.

“You think the men are terrorists? Fine. You think the women are ac-

Four barbados students will represent the country in Jamaica in the optimist

competition 2014

have had many talented young persons, like yourself compete and win in both the local and regional contests. All our past contestants have gained something valuable through this experience and my sincere wish is that each of you will also benefit from the contest as well”.

Continuing, she noted, “This contest is designed for youth to gain experience in public speaking as well as to provide them with the opportunity to compete for a college scholarship at the Regional level, which is valued at US$2,500.”

Those who will be representing Barbados in Jamaica, will be winners, Tammie-Rose Evelyn of Queen’s College and Romario Griffith of Harrison College, with Runners up Adiel Charles from the St. Michael Secondary School and Aaron Ifill, from the Ellerslie Secondary School. (Barbados Advocate)

complices? Fine. But what about the children?

The youngest was oneyear-old. What did they do that they were thrown in jail? And who is going to overthrow a hungry Venezuelan country with their children?” she asked.

“Where is the TT government in all this? It is their right as citizens of this country that government intercedes on their behalf but the government is only focusing on the Imams,” she continued. Luqman admitted that her brother was “not a saint”, that he made mistakes and had regrets. However, she said after their younger brother, Jamal Luqman was killed, Asim moved out of the Beetham with his family and tried to make a better life. She said his purpose for the trip was to get away, get closer to God and find some peace.

Luqman was also upset that her brother’s name was continuously brought up as one of the persons detained in an alleged plot to kill Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar and three government ministers, and to destabilise the country during the 2011 State of Emergency.

She said, after the men were released, PersadBissessar never made it clear that they were not terrorists, and that since then they had been ostracised by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

She noted that there was no Saudi Arabian consulate in this Trinidad and Tobago so many Muslims travel to Venezuela to attain their visas. According to Luqman, the group went with an independent tour operator because making the trip with a registered Hajj was significantly more expensive. She stated that, with a Hajj, the trip would cost $40,000 to $50,000, but independently, it cost less than $10,000.

One of the women who returned from Venezuela after being detained in the Venezuelan jail also spoke to TT Newsday under the condition of anonymity. She said because of the uprising in Venezuela, starting with a student protest on February 12, 2014, “everything was shut down,” so they could not obtain the visas. Asked why they did not attempt to return to Trinidad after over a month in Venezuela, she said they kept trying to do so. (TT Newsday)

Aiming high… …11-year-old wants to be Jamaica’s next female PM

Eleven-year-old

Sherika Mundell was always an ambitious child who wasn't sure of a career path. Now, the student of Greenwich Town Primary is certain of what she wants to become: Jamaica's next female prime minister.

The grade 5 student came to the decision on Wednesday after meeting Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Majesty Gardens Housing Development in Kingston.

Sherika was asked to represent her school and present a token to Simpson Miller.

During her presentation, the prime minister took time out to encourage Sherika, a resident of Caribbean Palm Estate, to work hard at achieving her dreams.

"I want to encourage

you to stay focussed, and who knows, if you work hard you could become the country's next female prime minister," said Simpson Miller. Sherika is now driv-

en.

"I was very inspired by what the prime minister said to me and as a result I will continue to work hard in school," said Sherika, who is the

youngest of five children for her parents.

Representatives from Greenwich Town Primary have since reported that Sherika has been working harder in

class and has been a role model to her classmates.

The Majesty Gardens Housing Development will provide jobs for persons living in and around Majesty Gardens and those trained under YUTE Build, a construction-training programme, the prime minister said.

YUTE Build is administered by YUTE Jamaica Limited, Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) and HEART Trust/NTA and will see approximately J$11 mil-

lion being spent in labour cost to construct the 32 units for community residents.

On Wednesday, National Housing Trust Acting Managing Director Martin Miller said Majesty Gardens would be a pilot development for new housing model developed by the Urban Development Corporation.

The event was to mark the ground breaking ceremony of phase 1A of the Majesty Gardens Housing Development. (Jamaica Observer)

-

Canada among invitees for event next year

It is a month since this year’s Carnival weekend, yet still excitement continues in the steelband world.

Pan Trinbago has a lot of events planned for the remainder of this year and 2015, with the most ambitious being the staging of the first-ever international Panorama contest next year.

Pan Trinbago launched the logo for the International Conference and Panorama (ICP) last Wednesday at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (Napa), Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. Heading the list of dignitaries at the formal function were the country’s President Anthony Carmona; Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Dr Lincoln Douglas; Speaker Wade Mark; Caricom Ambassador Sir Edwin Carrington; and, UWI Pro-Vice Chancellor/ principal Prof Clement Sankat.

The ICP logo is designed by 28-year-old Chevon Le Gendre, assisted by Kalesh Forde.

The intent of the ICP, tentatively scheduled for August 15, is to establish

T&T as the mecca of pan and Panorama.

The central image of the logo is a steelpan, surrounded by the flags of countries to be invited. Among the expected invitees are bands from the USA, UK, Canada, Nigeria, Israel, Australia and every pan-playing nation of the Caribbean.

Some of the rules of the competition are that just one arranger will be permitted per band, and no musician can play for two bands. Bands will also be limited to 60 players.

Performers at Napa on Wednesday night included 2014 National Panorama champion Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove, Schools Panorama winner QRC/ Providence, Earl Brooks and calypsonian Eunice Peters singing Anthem for Pan.

In his feature address

Minister Douglas said: “Pan Trinbago has been handed a very serious responsibility...to nurture and develop a creation that came from the belly of the people. With this responsibility, though, comes a high expectation.” (TT Guardian)

Dennis and Judy Shepard, parents of 21-year-old American student Matthew Shepard, who was tortured and murdered near Laramie, Wyoming, USA in October 1998 because he was gay, will be visiting Trinidad.

The Shepards will arrive on April 7 and depart on April 9 according to a statement issued on Friday by Alexander McLaren, Public Affairs Officer at the United States Embassy in Port-of-Spain.

Dennis and Judy are hoping to “promote their message of understanding, compassion, and acceptance for all, regardless of sexual orientation”. According to McLaren, the visit will include meetings with civil society, a discussion forum at the University of the West Indies, and a screening of the award-winning film ‘The Laramie Project’ before an audience of specially invited guests on April 9.

The film is centred around Matthew’s killing which moved thousands of people around the world to attend vigils and rallies in his memory. Determined to prevent others from suffering their son’s fate, Judy and Dennis decided

On March 13, ten days after his sudden passing, family members, relatives, friends and well-wishers gathered at the University Chapel in Mona, St Andrew to pay their final respects to Michael Anthony Pickersgill, former chairman of the board of Clarendon College.

He was 69 years old.

Pickersgill's brother-inlaw, Glendon Nam, remembered him as a loving husband to his wife Fay and an exceptional father to his children Shakira and Taryn.

"He genuinely loved people and was concerned about them, indeed for all humanity. Tony could not say 'no' to anyone, especially if the person was a family member. Tony was everyone's favourite uncle because he took a keen interest in how their individual lives were developing. He was the one who was always in touch with everyone and he didn't need special occasions to do so," Nam said as he delivered the remembrance.

Pickersgill's daughter Shakira, clearly shaken by the loss of her father, said she loved and respected him unconditionally.

"There were so many facets to daddy. First and foremost, he exemplified the qualities of a true gentleman. We were often teased that we would never be able to find a partner who would match up to the qualities embodied in daddy," Shakira said.

to turn their grief into action and established the ‘Matthew Shepard Foundation’ to carry on Matthew’s legacy.

Judy Shepard is the founding president of the Matthew Shepard Foundation Board of Directors.

The Foundation is dedicated to working toward the causes championed by Matthew during his life: social justice, diversity awareness

and education, and equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. In her role as board president, Judy travels across the United States and throughout the world speaking to audiences about what they can do as individuals and communities to make this world a more accepting place for everyone, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sex, gender identity and ex-

pression, or sexual orientation.

Speaking from a mother’s perspective, Judy also authored a 2009 memoir, ‘The Meaning of Matthew’, exploring the family’s journey through the prosecution of Matthew’s assailants, the ensuing media coverage, and their continuing work to advance civil rights. Originally trained as a teacher, Judy holds a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Secondary

"He was gentle, patient, selfless, sincere and kind and went beyond the call of duty to ensure that everyone was well taken care of. He was the voice of reason and a mentor to many. He was the 'go to' guy and he never once said no to anyone. As so many have said, he had the gift of making others feel valued and appreciated. No matter how tired or busy he was, daddy always found time to give everyone special individual attention, advice and encouragement,"

she added.

She reflected on her father's health crisis in November and December 2011, when he seemed to have reached the end of the road. But miraculously he pulled through, she said.

Lifelong friend William McLeod reflected on their friendship.

"We met in a Sunday School class at the Salem Congregational Church in Chapelton and within a few days we again found ourselves

Education from the University of Wyoming where she later pursued some post-graduate studies.

Dennis has been an advocate for parents’ unconditional love for their LGBT children both during Matthew’s life and, very publicly, since the hate-motivated murder in Laramie, Wyoming, which took Matt’s life at age 21. Born in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Dennis earned a degree in education from the University of Wyoming before marrying Judy in 1973 and settling in Casper, Wyoming, to raise their family. An oil industry safety specialist, Dennis worked for more than 16 years in safety operations for Saudi Aramco in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, before retiring from that position in 2009. He has served on the Matthew Shepard Foundation board of directors since the organisation’s inception, and speaks to audiences around the United States particularly to victims’ advocacy organisations and law enforcement audiences about his experiences and the importance of equal treatment of LGBT crime victims and their loved ones. (TT Newsday)

Cricket Team.

After completing his studies at Clarendon College, he was awarded a Sugar Manufacturers' Association Scholarship to attend the University of the West Indies (UWI) from where he graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and accounts.

He was employed to West Indies Pulp and Paper and served as sales manager, general manager, managing director and chairman of the Group of Companies. In 1983, he became part-owner of the enterprise.

Pickersgill also served as the chairman of NPG Insurance Brokers Limited and Island Dairies Limited.

He was a founding member of the Rotary Club of St Andrew North. He chaired the board of the Polly Ground Primary School in St Catherine as well as Clarendon College for 20 years.

in the same class at the primary school (where) we started a life-changing friendship that lasted for 63 years," McLeod said.

Pickersgill, whose brother Robert is the minister of water, land and climate change, was enrolled in Clarendon College on January 15, 1957 at the age of 12 on a government scholarship. Given his love for cricket, he was one of two high school boys selected in 1974 for training with the Jamaica National

He was conferred with the Order of Distinction in 2013, was a long-standing member of the People's National Party's National Executive Council and served on several public sector boards, including the Port Authority of Jamaica.

He is survived by his wife, Fay, two daughters, Shakira and Taryn, and other relatives.

His remains were interred in the family plot at Devon Pen, St Mary.(Jamaica Observer)

As the island continues to carve out a niche in culinary tourism, a school is needed to ensure that local chefs and bartenders could continue to advance their skills.

Assistant Executive Vice-President Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, Michelle Smith, made the observation while speaking to journalists recently at the Dining Club during the first training lunch for the new Barbados Culinary Team.

Noting that some 16 persons initially would be training, she said that such grounds proved instrumental for these individuals to hone their skills and to become better refined at what they do since there was a lack of a culinary school to do so.

“We have a culinary school here, but that would be at basic level and we still want a place where culinary people –chefs, bartenders or whoever – can go and get a higher level of training without having to

go overseas to Johnson and Wales and other culinary schools. In places like Jamaica and the Bahamas they have the facilities where Johnson and Wales and Cordon Bleu can come in and do training on the ground, because culinary courses are very expensive and they cannot afford to leave to go overseas to

do it, and some of them have commitments on the ground too.

“If we can get facilities where they can come in and actually train here in Barbados that would be great. But in the absence of that, we find that the process of competition and then training with the Barbados culinary team

helps them to grow as a professional and personally too,” she stated.

Over the next few weeks, the team will be whittled down to two senior chefs, a junior chef, pastry chef and a bartender for the ‘Taste of the Caribbean 2014’ competition scheduled for June in Miami. (Barbados Advocate)

TT’s ‘Girl Guides’ celebrates 100 years

In commemora-

tion of 100 years of guiding in Trinidad and Tobago and to sensitise the community of Tunapuna about ‘Girl Guides’ and the work they do, the Tacarigua Division of the Association hosted a Walk-a-Thon and Campfire Sunday at the compound of the old St Joseph Police Station, Eastern Main Road, St Joseph.

Girls attending the event had posters, ban-

ners and placards that expressed their experiences in Girl Guides and the various Millennium Development Goals.

This event was just one of a series of activities for the year to celebrate the association’s 100th Anniversary and to publicise the significance of guiding in Trinidad and Tobago.

The event also served as the official launch of the revitalisation effort of the Tunapuna Guide Hut and campsite that

was demolished in 2000.

From the old St Joseph Police Station compound the march proceeded along the Eastern Main Road, and then turned left onto Auzonville Road then right onto Eastman Street (the last street on the right) and left onto Toussaint Lane #2. There was a Poui tree planting exercise, followed by a campfire which also featured performances by girls of various units of

‘First Resort’, by designer Sonia Noel, is a chic collection of over 100 sophisticated and comfortable designs. In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Noel stated that the collection “depicts the easy, carefree, uninhibited nature of Caribbean lifestyle presented in breathing, eco-friendly, caressing textiles, which captures the attitude of leisure - so compelling to the world”. She revealed that the collection keeps expanding, as more stylish pieces are added.

To create this irresistible collection, Noel infused her signature latticing, kaftan silhouettes and versatile wraps.

‘First Resort’ is a representation of Noel’s creative, designing talents in transforming simple fabrics to celebrated pieces.

The models in this photo shoot were Atulomah Valerie, Raquel Thomas and Steffi Bynoe. Makeup was done by Margaret Ilesanmi Mogbonjubola.

This collection is presently available at Noel’s fashion studio located at 176 Barr Street, Kitty. Call 226-3099 for more information. (Photos by Shiv Dindyal) (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Tacarigua Division and other attending divisions.

The original guide hut was demolished in 2000 as it was considered unsafe for use by the health authorities.

Since then there have been several attempts to get a new building erected by many committees but to no avail. The Tacarigua Division Commissioners together with Tacarigua Division Local Association are currently attempting to get a campsite for the girls to utilise until a building can be erected.

The land was recently cleared of debris and overgrown bush, with the assistance of the office of the Member of Parliament for Tunapuna, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran.

An application for self-help has been forwarded to the relevant ministry so that the land can be developed into a campsite for the girls to use while funding is being sought for the Guide Hut.

The Division is currently awaiting approval of this application. (TT Newsday)

The journey starts with a short boat ride from Rewa River, Rupununi, to a landing where an easy 15-minute hike leads to the spectacular Grass Pond.

Notably, there is a stunning setting of Victoria Amazonica adorning the pond. Also, it abounds with a good population of Arapaima (reportedly the highest density in Guyana). During a late afternoon visit at the pond, Brown Capuchin monkeys or Capybara can be seen. Birds likely to be seen include Limpkin, Wattled Jacana, Black-collared Hawk, Green Kingfisher and Guianan Puffbird. As dusk approaches, the flowers of the Victoria Amazonica bloom in all their glory.

Another ideal location close to Grass Pond is the Awarmie Mountain. The mountain is a 40-minute boat ride from the Rewa Eco-lodge.

Speaking about the mountain in his book ‘Guyana: The Bradt Travel Guide’, Kirk Smock stated, “There is a good path cut up to the top of the mountain but the climb can be steep in places and should be done by those confident with their level of fitness. The hike, depending on your level of fitness, will take around two hours.”

On the top of the mountain there are expansive views of the surrounding forests and winding rivers. It is one of the best jungle vistas in Guyana. The village of Rewa has built a benab on the top, which can be used for overnight camping with hammocks.

(Photos by David Johnstone) (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Muslim women’s organisation launches book in TT

The San Fernando Muslim Women’s Association (SMWA) recently marked its 65th anniversary with the launch of a book at Imani Hall, Omardeen’s Place. President Zorida Mohammed says all praise is due to Allah for His guidance and Who has blessed the women.

Members, she said, have seen the fruition of over six decades of hard work. The book which bears the name of the association, gives a historical survey of this group.

It has 21 chapters outlining the early years, the struggle, the charities, reflections, anniversaries and social activities. It is available at the San Fernando mosque or from members of the SMWA. To celebrate this landmark, the association hosted a thanksgiving with Lydia Choate serving as the chairperson of the day. The feature address was delivered by Nadia Salamat Ali, lecturer at the Arthur Lok Jack School of Business on the topic “Excellence in Salaah”. There was also the performance of Islamic songs and reflections

by Nazra Muradali and Zarina Yusuf Mohammed. Through the years, SMWA has had 14 presidents with Ameena Rahamut (now deceased) serving from 1948 to 1957. The current president Zorida Mohammed has as her excecutive, Bebion Ali (assistant president), Waheeda Shahid Ali (secretary), Nazra

Muradali (asst secretary) and Farida Sammy (treasurer). Committee members include Laila Lalla, Myra Indalsingh, Zahida Hosein, Zarina Yusuf Mohammed, Natasha Narine, Zarina Yusuf Mohammed, Rosalind Rahman, Celia Narine, La Tansani, Shameroon Mohammed, Laila Lalla, Roshanara Khan,

Mona Rahamut and Ameena Rahamut.

Zorida gave a history of the SMWA saying 1948 marked the dawn of a new era of Muslim women in Trinidad and Tobago.

“At the palatial home of the Rahamut’s located at La Retraite, Pointe a Pierre Road, San Fernando, surrounded by the lush vegetation of the San Fernando Hill, a group of confident women took the courageous step of forming a women’s group,” she said, detailing that at 4:30 pm on November 22, 1948, the San Fernando Muslim Women’s Association was formally established. This women’s group is an auxiliary of the Prince Albert Street Mosque in San Fernando. This masjid (mosque) is the first in San Fernando, established in 1894. Originally it was a square wooden structure with windows and thatched roof, located on Prince of Wales Street in San Fernando in the vicinity of “Faith Centre” formally Globe Cinema. After a few years the building was physically re-

moved, rolled on wheels, to its current site on a plot of land donated by Rahamut, an indentured sugarcane labourer who felt that the masjid was too small and the location was not conducive to a place of worship.

The affairs of the masjid were managed by a committee who contributed financially from their personal funds towards the upkeep of this noble institution. This continued for a number of years, until Sultan Khan, the last and major contributor, was unable to do so.

The responsibility of paying the utility bills created anxiety amongst members of the board. At a board meeting, the then president, Rasheed Mohammed asked members how they would pay the bills. When there was no response, he asked, “Why don’t you ladies say something?” It was then that Ameena decided to form a women’s association. From the original group Zarina Yusuf Mohammed is still serving on the executive of the association.

TT, Jamaica writers on OCM Bocas Prize shortlist

Two writers from Jamaica and one writer from Trinidad and Tobago have made the shortlist for the 2014 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature.

The US$10,000 cash award will be presented on Saturday April 26 at a prize ceremony at the NGC Bocas Lit Fest that runs from April 23-27 at NALIS, Port-of-Spain.

From a long list of ten titles in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, the prize judges have chosen a winning book in each of their own categories. Kei Miller’s ‘Writing Down the Vision’ was chosen from the non-fiction list, and fellow Jamaican, Lorna Goodison’s ‘Oracabessa’ was selected from the poetry category. Trinidadian Robert Antoni’s ‘As Flies to Whatless Boys’ was

Lchosen from the fiction list.

Kei Miller’s work, ‘Writing Down the Vision’ is a collection of essays that present a range of experiences – personal and public –which the writer uses to articulate his vision, his understanding of the realities of life in Jamaica and the Caribbean. The judges praised Miller saying, “Miller is an original thinker, a writer who knows his own mind and is wary of orthodoxies. He is uncompromising and honest in his interrogation of issues and his experiences of the worlds he inhabits, cutting through the normalcy to reveal the realities of these worlds.”

‘Oracabessa’ by Lorna Goodison is a book of risky journeys, mappings and re-mappings through Spain, Portugal,

ivingston Cain, the juror accused of attempting to bribe fellow jurors to return notguilty verdicts in the Vybz Kartel murder trial is still maintaining his innocence in the matter.

"We can't reveal [what the defence] is at this time but he's maintaining his innocence of course, Dian Watson, Cain's attorney, told reporters after the matter was mentioned in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court in Half-Way-Tree.

Cain's J$750,000 bail was extended until April 24, by which time the prosecution is expected to provide the defence with transcript from an in-chambers meeting where the attempted bribery was discussed in the High Court after it was reported. The prosecution is also to turn over a cellphone allegedly used by the jury foreman to record her conversation with Cain.

The items were requested by Watson, who told the court that the defence wishes to have its own expert examine the phone.

Cain is charged with five counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice and one count of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Canada and her homeland of Jamaica as the poet navigates place, history and imagination. According to the judges, “In ‘Oracabessa’ the distinctive voice of Lorna Goodison – an elegant, captivating fusion of international English and Jamaican Creole – presents segments of autobiography as a series of travels. Goodison’s persuasive art is a manysided celebration of spiritual search.”

Robert Antoni’s novel, ‘As Flies to Whatless Boys’ is accented with West Indian cadence and captivating humour. It provides an unforgettable glimpse into nineteenth-century Trinidad and Tobago. The judges added: “With mischief, ingenuity and linguistic verve, Antoni reinvents the idea of the region’s islands as zones of

perilous fantasy, where dreams come to grief but still make history.”

The 2013 OCM Bocas Prize was won by Monique Roffey for her novel ‘Archipelago’. The 2012 prize was won by Trinidadian Earl Lovelace for his novel ‘Is Just a Movie’. Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott was winner of the inaugural 2011 prize for his poetry collection ‘White Egrets’.

The final cross-genre judging panel, headed by the celebrated Jamaican poet Linton Kwesi Johnson, will include poet and academic Mervyn Morris, writer and academic Hazel Simmons-McDonald, literary critic and academic Ken Ramchand and Marjorie Thorpe as representative of the Prize administrators. (TT Newsday)

cain, the

in the

He is accused of offering the jury foreman in the Kartel murder trial J$500,000 for a notguilty verdict. It is also alleged that Cain told another juror that he would "take care of him" if he returned a not-guilty verdict as well. He is also alleged to have approached the other jurors. Cain was the only juror to

vote not guilty in the conviction of Vybz Kartel, Shawn 'Shawn Storm' Campbell, Andre St John, and Kahira Jones. A fifth man, Shane Williams, was acquitted. The men were convicted for the August 16, 2011 murder of Clive 'Lizard' Williams over the disappearance of two illegal guns. (Jamaica Observer)

A cup of coffee

By Anu Dev

Those of you who love coffee can appreciate the simple pleasure of waking up to a nice, freshlybrewed cup of coffee in the morning. I guess those of you that like tea probably get some sort of satisfaction from tea, but “objectively” speaking, tea really doesn’t have anything on a nice cup of coffee. I know there are loads of tea drinkers, who have this air of self-righteousness as they look down on us for enjoying our caffeine-laden drinks, but the thing is, I don’t think they quite realise that tea has caffeine as well.

The smell of coffee is just so warm and welcoming. For me it reminds me of home. In the morning and in the evenings it’s a familiar ritual to see my mom putting some coffee to brew and soon after the smell of coffee wafts through the house.

And there are so many options with coffee. You could have regular coffee or you could have an espresso or a cappuccino if you prefer. And why not have a slice of cheesecake along with your coffee?

So much can be done over a cup of coffee. You could make business plans while meeting investors over a cup of coffee. You could meet up with a friend you haven’t met in a while and chat over a cup of coffee. You could curl up in bed with a book and a hot cup of coffee to stay warm and cozy. So many memories can be made over a cup of coffee –laughing over something with your family, or even the not-so-pleasant memories of having to charge up on coffee to stay awake studying.

And since exams are right around the corner I’m guessing that coffeemakers all round will be getting more use than they’ve ever gotten before as students try to pull all-nighters to try to absorb last minute information for their Spanish orals or try to cram the names of all of the arteries supplying the heart.

But I don’t really support the whole idea of pulling all-nighters – your brain needs some downtime to process and file away all of the things you’ve learnt and it’s designed to do that while we’re asleep. It’s probably better to have half of the knowledge with a clear mind rather than having all of the knowledge while your brain is all foggy. Because in exams, you have to be able to analyse the question, retrieve information quickly and apply that information to the question.

It’s important to try to keep calm in the days leading up to your exam. It’s very easy to become panicked and stressed out if you’ve left everything to the end. Or even if you’re well-prepared, sometimes nerves can cause you to become panicked. It’s always helpful to take a deep breath, go for a walk or find some other way to let off some steam. So take a break every now and again, work some past papers, take a deep breath and you’ll all be fine.

And for parents of the students taking exams –you’re as involved in the whole exam-taking process as your kid! So keep them well-fed, make sure they’re not pushing themselves too hard – we don’t want them to burn themselves out – and just be there to lend them a helping, supportive hand.

Your kids probably won’t be the easiest to deal with around this time – they’ll be tense and snappish and sometimes they’ll probably be rude. But it’s because of the enormous amount of pressure they’re under. CSEC and CAPE are really important exams, they help to determine what colleges we can go to, what type of jobs we might end up having someday. And trust me; all of these thoughts are currently weighing down your child. But they’ll be back to being your lovable darlings when their exams are all over.

So good luck to all of the students who are quickly hurtling towards their first exams, whether it’s CSEC, CAPE, or end-of-semester exams!

'Bombay To Goa' re-release as tribute to Mehmood

Bollywood's legendary comedian Mehmood's ‘Bombay to Goa’ is set to re-release on his 10th death anniversary as a tribute to him. However, the release date is yet to be decided, his brother Anwar Ali said, according to IANS.

Mehmood died in 2004.

"It's a tribute to Mehmood bhai on his 10th death anniversary. 'Bombay To Goa' is an evergreen comedy and everyone can relate to the film so, we thought we must re-release it," Anwar told IANS.

Released in 1972, S. Ramanathan-directed ‘Bombay to Goa’ was an adventure-comedy, which saw Mehmood teaming up with Amitabh Bachchan, Shatrughan Sinha and Aruna Irani in the cast.

Moon Moon Sen: From actress to politician

Former Bollywood actress Moon Moon Sen Tuesday launched her campaign as the Trinamool Congress candidate from the Bankura Lok Sabha constituency, reports IANS.

The daughter of Bengali screen icon Suchitra Sen, who passed away early this year, the Oxford-educated Sen sought blessings at a mosque as well as a temple in Metia Narayanpur village in Bankura district.

Known as "Suchitra Sen er meye (Suchitra's daughter)" in the interiors, her calm demeanour was in sharp contrast to the aggressive body language of battle-hardened politicos as she interacted with residents in her constituency.

Sen made heads turn as she stepped out of the vehicle ferrying her and Trinamool workers.

"I will try (to) be closer to the people of my constituency," she said, attired in white and sporting glares.

However, the actress recently courted criticism for her comments regarding campaign preparations in the summer.

"It's very difficult to look glamorous in summer but I'll see what I can do. There's no harm in that. I've done theatre and I know to combat heat. I've been to Bankura to shoot for films. I know people will accept me," she told a TV channel.

"As far as the re-release date is concerned, we are still figuring that out. We will either release it before the IPL (Indian Premier League, which starts April 16) or after the IPL as we want to do complete justice to the film."

‘Johar-Mehmood in Goa’. He also directed films like ‘Kunwara Baap’.

One of the star comedians of the late 1960s and 1970s, Mehmood is known for his ribtickling performances in ‘Padosan’, ‘Love in Tokyo’, ‘Aankhen’, and

Talking about his brother's work, Anwar said: "While comedy is being explored really well today, but during his time he alone explored comedy." (Times of India)

Saidah Jules visits the famous Golden Temple

Saidah Jules recently visited the Golden Temple and was really happy, reports TNN.

She felt as if she was close to attaining mental peace. Being accompanied by her 'JAL' colleagues, Purab Kohli, Yashpal Sharma and producer Puneet Singh she had an experience to remember. According to the sources, this was Saidah's first visit and she seemed very chirpy throughout. Very few know that the foreign origin actress is following Hinduism since her childhood. Indian Gods intrigue her and she currently is even reading a book on them.

She believes that it is a small thread of a rope that binds each and every human being with each other. She also loves to visit spiritual places of other religions and Golden Temple was a top priority for her.

She was always fascinated by the Indian mythology and this was her golden opportunity. So, 30th March was decided as the day of the visit.

Saidah says "It's really a very beautiful temple to visit".

While touring Punjab for ‘JAL’ promotions, she happened to be in Amritsar and she felt really great that the producer, Puneet Singh gave them the opportunity to visit the famous temple. Saidah has lot of Sikh friends and she knows what Golden Temple means to them. Now, she can finally brag about it to them! (Times of India)

Salman's re-trial fails to begin, case deferred to April 28

The re-trial in the hit-and-run case involving actor Salman Khan was on Tuesday deferred till April 28 by a sessions court as the prosecution sought time to produce witnesses in view of police deployment on election duty, reports PTI.

Investigating Officer Rajendra Kane informed the court that police were deployed on election duty and hence they were not yet prepared to go ahead with the trial which was to commence on Tuesday.

Sessions Judge DW Deshpande asked the prosecution to produce on April 28, the first witness who was injured in the mishap in which the actor was involved, followed by eyewitnesses in May.

This is the second occasion when the fresh trial has not begun. On March 26, three witnesses failed to turn up as they were either not available or untraceable.

Salman's lawyer Srikant Shivade said the actor was ready to face the trial while prosecutor Jagannath Kenjalkar said they would produce witnesses from April 28.

Salman is facing the charge of running over his Toyota Land Cruiser on a group of persons sleeping on a footpath outside a bakery in suburban Bandra on September 28, 2002, killing one and injuring four others. (Hindustan Times)

The actress had earlier stated she was familiar with the area.

"Actually, I have done lot of films and jatras (folk theatres) in that part (Bankura) of the state. I have travelled a lot. I used to break into songs whenever I saw the red soil of the region," she said, reacting to her nomination earlier.

Once a sex-siren who mesmerised legions of male fans with her oomph and charisma, Sen will be fighting CPI-M heavyweight Basudeb Acharia in her constituency. It remains to be seen whether her star-power can garner votes. (Times of India)

Bobby Deol loves playing cricket

Aenergy besides keeping his mind balanced. The actor, who is busy doing movies these days, is looking to have a friendly game with his buddies.

According to the sources, Bobby hardly gets time to watch the matches live, but he takes update from his friends over phone.

"Chandigarh is where he feels at home. Lot of his friends stay here and whenever he visits the city, he never misses out on playing a match or two," a source said. When he is in Mumbai. he's active with cricket as he's a part of Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) where he plays for Mumbai Heroes team.

"All his actor friends know him as passionate cricketer. He often plays a role of a strategy maker when he's playing a game," a source added. With some movies in the pipeline, Bobby feels life is busy. But all this has not stopped him from playing the game of cricket. (Times of India)

Being a foreigner is a plus in Bollywood: Evelyn Sharma

She speaks with an accent, but Evelyn Sharma’s half-Indian and half-German lineage has given her an edge in the Hindi film industry. She says being a foreigner in Bollywood has been a boon for her, according to IANS.

Over the years, the globally popular Indian film industry has opened up to talented foreign beauties. Cases in point are Katrina Kaif (Britain), Jacqueline Fernandez (Sri Lanka), Nargis Fakhri (US), Elena Kazan (Russia-born German), Elli Avram (Sweden), Lauren Gottlieb (US), Hazel Keech (Britain) and Kristina Akheeva (Russia).

"It’s been a positive (to be a foreigner in Bollywood). It is up to the directors — if they dress me up in western, I can carry off the look well, and I can also carry the traditional look for an Indian character."

For Evelyn, who has mostly spent

Times)

CBS TV comedy 'How I Met Your Mother' ends

In its 208th and final episode on Monday, the CBS TV comedy 'How I Met Your Mother' finally revealed the mystery contained in its title and then ended with a twist designed to reward longtime fans, according to reports by AP.

Actor Josh Radnor's character Ted meets the mom, played by actress Cristin Milioti, on a rainy train platform after his friends Barney and Robin are married. But that marriage doesn't last, and neither does Ted's, because

And at the end of the one-hour episode, the romance that seemed natural at the show's beginning, between Ted and Robin, is rekindled.

Creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas say they knew the plot for the final episode when the series premiered nine years ago. Success kept them stringing along the story, even though part of Monday's finale was filmed in 2006 for fear that the teenaged actors

recognisable.

The final episode skips through several years, where we learn that the marriage of Robin and Barney (played by Cobie Smulders and Neil Patrick Harris) splits up because of her success as a television correspondent. Barney has a baby through a one-night stand and Marshall and Lily (played by Jason Segel and Alyson Hannigan) have three kids and he becomes a judge. (Times of India)

Schwarzenegger promises twists in ‘‘Terminator 5’

Veteran actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is reprising his role as ‘Terminator’ in the fifth instalment of the eponymous franchise, finds action scenes taxing, but promises to surprise the audience with interesting twists in ‘Terminator: Genesis’.

The actor was merely 37 when he first played the character in the classic 1984 movie. Now at 66, he found the action scenes taxing on his body, but he says the story still has a relevant context.

"The way that the character is written, it's a machine underneath," Schwarzenegger told

MTV News, reports contactmusic.com.

"It's this metal skeleton. But above that is human flesh. And the Terminator's flesh ages, just like any other human being's flesh. Maybe not as fast. But it definitely ages," said the actor.

Talking about the action scenes, he said, "Sometimes it does get more difficult when you're 66 years old and doing this kind of action, versus when you're in your 30s or in your 40s.”

(Hindustan Times)

‘LiLo’ takes up pole dancing to stay sober

Lindsay Lohan has revealed that she has taken up pole dancing to stay sober and keep fit according to reports.

According to the Daily Star, the 27-year-old actress, who is documenting her recovery from substance abuse for the Oprah Winfrey Network, said in the series' latest episode that she likes doing that kind of workout as she sweats more doing that than yoga or treadmill.

It's a really good workout and is empowering for women to get to know their body and yourself, she added. Lohan also said that though she's sober, she has been close to relapsing and it scares her. (ANI)

'Fast and Furious 7' resumes shooting …after Paul Walker's death

James Wan, the director of 'Fast and Furious 7' resumed filming on Monday, about four months after Paul Walker died in an accident last November.

Director James Wan shared an image on Instagram on Monday of a placard from set, writing, "First day back filming. Better and stronger."

The Universal production, which is going to be filming in Abu Dhabi in April, is set to bring back Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson and Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges for the remainder of the shoot, reports the Hollywood Reporter.

The film was about half way finished when Walker - who played former police officer Brian O'Conner died in a car crash in Valencia, California, on November, 30 last year. (ANI)

Eva Longoria says she may never have kids

EWhile talking to Parade magazine, the 39-year-old actress said that though she's always wanted a family, children are a product of love and hence, she won't have a baby by herself unless she finds the right man, the Mirror reported.

The former 'Desperate Housewives' star, who's been dating Televisa media company's president Jose Baston, said that she does not have that need to procreate.

Longoria also said that she is not worried about ageing and welcomes the process with open arms. (ANI)

‘Harry Potter’ spin-off to be made into film trilogy

Celebrated author JK Rowling's 'Harry Potter' spin-off, ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’, will be made into a film trilogy.

The film series will be based on a book, which was originally published in 2001 (between the fourth and fifth addition) and was originally billed as one of Harry Potter's Hogwarts textbooks, reported New York Daily News.

Warner Bros chief Kevin Tsujihara has reportedly persuaded Rowling to create the spin-off into a big-screen film series.

He said that "three mega movies" are being planned, which will follow a "magizoologist" named Newt Scamander.

Scamander is the writer of a guide to magical creatures and his adventures will be the focus of the first film in the upcoming series.

The spin-off story takes place 70

Syears before Harry Potter is ever introduced to the world, and will be set in New York City.

The original film franchises stars were Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, but they will not be appearing in the spin-off versions.

(Hindustan Times)

elena Gomez has reportedly splashed out 3 million dollars on a new pad in Calabasas shortly after her on-again, off-again boyfriend Justin Bieber sold his property in the area.

According to the real estate sources, the 'Spring Breakers' star has bought a 5-bedroom 7,200 sq. ft. Calabasas mansion, lo-

home

cated minutes away from the Kardashian Empire in Hidden Hills, TMZ reported.

The 21-year-old actress apparently didn't have too many demands when shopping for her new place but she refused to look at any properties in exclusive gated community ‘The Oaks’, where Bieber previously lived. (ANI)

Grove Craft Production Centre

Providing a solid foundation for self-development in Guyana

Equipping youths with life skills for self-development, the Grove Craft Production Centre, despite its challenges, is focused on its empowerment mission.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, headmistress Sharon Redman stated that the centre caters for early school leavers from ages 15 to 21. The programme lasts for one year and a certificate is given upon completion.

“This is my 22nd year at the centre. I was the one who proposed to the RDC to open it after seeing the need for one, and they did. I travel everyday to get to the centre. I’m living on the West Bank. I’m employed by the RDC as an officer and also teach at the centre. I didn’t expect to be with the centre so long, but when I saw the needs of the youths coming here it motivated me to stay,” Redman revealed.

The centre comes under the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Region Four. Programmes include embroidery, macramé, straw craft, tie-dye, crochet, fabric painting, floral arrangement, and cooking and baking – among others. Apart from craft courses, English and Mathematics are offered.

The centre is located at Station Street, Gove, East Bank Demerara, next to the nursery school. There are currently 15 girls on register, some of them coming from as far as Timehri. Males are also welcomed at the centre, although none have expressed interest in the programmes.

“Due to a lack of funding, students are asked to bring along materials and pay a small stipend to cover the other volunteers/teachers’ travelling expenses. Bringing their own materials tends to ham-

per the timeline of the programmes because some of them cannot afford to purchase the items. Most of the girls coming here are from single parent families and face financial difficulties. However, we still welcome them to the centre and work with whatever they have,” she disclosed.

According to Redman, initially the centre received its first donations of a sewing machine, gas stove and baking utensils from the Demerara Distillers Limited, which she used to start the programmes. However, over the years, there has not been any support from corporate Guyana, which limits the centre’s potential.

“This year, I’m focusing on opening a garment centre right at this location. Also I’m hoping to start computer classes. However, to do this we need funding. I have approached several institutions, but to no avail. I’m also hoping this year some of our students can join the Board of Industrial Training programmes. I have submitted their names and hope this would materialise soon,” she noted.

Redman mentioned that the centre’s programmes have been successful thus far. She

out

graduated in 1997 and has returned to teach at the centre. Redman hopes businesses can join the centre to help in maintaining its empowerment programmes.

“I’m hoping hotels and other businesses can approach us to market our products so that the girls can earn something from their craft. These girls are very talented, but we just don’t have market for the work. I’m also hoping we can have a craft shop right in the Grove area to help in the marketing of the products made at the centre, which ultimately will bring in an income for the girls. I encourage businesses to reach out to us and help in empowering our youths to become earners,” Redman encouraged.

The centre’s programmes have become so popular among youths, advertisements are not sent out anymore. Every September, persons flock at the centre to register. Like every other educational institution, the centre is governed by rules, which must be adhered to by all. This, according to Redman, instils values that will help in self-development.

Redman’s commitment and passion to help youths is commendable. Despite financial difficulties faced by the centre over the years, Redman has been able to maintain the centre’s programmes. Her dedication is certainly acknowledged. During the course of the interview, Redman received a call from the RDC’s vice chairman, who relayed she will be receiving an award for her dedicated services.

A few of the students at the centre were also interviewed. Jenesse Thomas said, “I wasn’t able to finish school. I’m from a single parent family. I came here to learn skills that will help me to earn. When I complete my studies here in December, I want to study nursing and will use what I learn from the centre to support me financially. Miss Redman is our role model and a huge support. She constant-

ly encourages us to develop ourselves and I’m thankful for that.”

Natascia Kitt stated, “I travel everyday from the West Bank to attend classes at the centre because there aren’t any like this where I’m from. I plan to go to Carnegie School of Home Economics to continue my studies after I graduate from the centre. I’ll use what I know to support me while I’m going to Carnegie.”

Sarah Castello noted, “I do all the courses the centre offers. I didn’t get to continue schooling and so I came here to learn a skill, from which I can earn. My future plan is to open a salon where I can also sell my craft products. I’m thankful to Miss Redman for helping us to learn a skill that will help us to become earners. She is very supportive and is our role model.”(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

The show goes on for former ‘Empire’ members in Jamaica

Former members of the Vybz Kartelled ‘Portmore Empire’ are determined to continue their individual musical careers, even while their controversial mentor faces life behind bars.

On March 30, Kartel (given name Adidja Palmer) and three accomplices were found guilty of the August 2011 murder of Clive 'Lizard' Williams. Their sentencing, initially set for March 27, has been rescheduled to April 3.

At the peak of its popularity, the ‘Portmore Empire’ attracted promising dancehall acts like Popcaan and Black Ryno.

For producer ‘NotNice’, who laid down several hit tracks for Kartel, it is business as usual. He continues to churn out dancehall rhythms.

"The work has never stopped. I'm here still producing hit rhythms and spreading

my wings," he told the Jamaica Observer. NotNice (real name Ainsley Morris) said his

latest projects include the Boom Box, a beat featuring ‘Gal Bruck Out’by deejay Alkaline, as well as the Spice and Busta Rhymes remix ‘So Mi Like It’.

The producer is also part of Alkaline's creative team.

Singjay Black Ryno, who left the Empire in 2010, has found a new home with a group known as ‘Garrison’.

He points out that the name is not as ominous as it sounds.

"It's not a gang or anything like that. It's a music group which consists of young artistes, producers and musicians. Everyone knows that there is a lot of talent in the Garrison and that's the point we are bringing out with this new group," he said.

Ryno (Romaine Anderson) plans to release a new single, ‘Kawasaki’, with Garrison artiste Kalsani. He is also working on songs with producers, including Serani and Johnny Wonder from Happilos Productions. Vanessa Saddler, who uses the stage name ‘Gaza Slim’, made her departure from the ‘Empire’ in 2012. She is currently promoting her latest single ‘Touch Me Right’. The track, produced by Bigga Don Don, was released last week. According to Slim's producer and manager, Elvis Redwood, the artiste is working on new projects, but her main 'job' at the moment is being a responsible parent for her child. (Jamaica Observer)

- Celebrating 143 years of existence in Guyana

The Catholic Church in British Guiana owes its existence, expansion and growth to the Portuguese, who first came here in 1835 as indentured emigrants to satisfy the labour hunger of the planters.

Although, previously, there had been intermittent visits of Catholic priests to the colony, it was not until 9 December 1825 the construction of the building of the first Roman Catholic Church began and was later opened by Revd J Hayes, OP, in 1827. From Madeira, the Portuguese had brought not only their agricultural and commercial skills, but their devotion to their religion –the Catholic faith. The roots of their faith went deep, their devotion was

marked by the simplicity and exuberance of a “folk religion”, which sometimes was misunderstood, and their faith was branded by some as a “Madeiran type of Catholicism”. March 1857 marked the beginning of an organised mission by The Society of Jesus in British Guiana with the arrival of James Etheridge, SJ, Aloysius Emiliani and Fr Clemant Negri from Naples.

With the increase in Catholics, in particular the Portuguese community in this area, there was need for a “proper” church. St Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church was opened on the 19 November 1871 and was blessed by Bishop James Etheridge and dedicated to St Anthony. It is located in the twin villages

of Buxton/Friendship. There was a Mass Station in this area as far back as 1862. St Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church is one of the larger Catholic churches on the East Coast and still retains most of its internal architectural designs, even though its tower was taken down in 1984.

Like other East Coast Catholic churches, it was located near the railway.

The St Anthony church is physically located on Friendship Middle Walk in Friendship Village. The Catholic custom refers to it as Buxton Church. The high altar was made in 1905 and houses a shrine of St Anthony at the top with three small arches containing angels on either side of the tabernacle. Two side altars, made of

nicely designed wood, are dedicated to the Sacred Heart and Our Lady.

It is recorded that this parish community, Friendship Village, celebrated the golden jubilee of Pope Leo XIII in 1893 with lavish events, processions of its various guilds and societies, ending in the evening with

illuminations, fireworks and other decorations.

In addition, the celebrations for the Feast of St Anthony were of a grand scale, including the blessing and distribution of St Anthony’s Bread.

The first resident priest at St Anthony was Fr John Purcell in 1892. Purcell, a diocesan Priest, was a Jamaican who offered to work in British Guiana in the time of Bishop Anthony Butler. Purcell also had the difficult task of travelling to Bartica once a month to minister to

the needs of Catholics there. It was he who was responsible for building the small concrete church at Mahaicony. The longest serving priest at St. Anthony, from 1936 to mid 1970s, was Fr Emmanuel da Silva. He was the second Guyanese and third Diocesan priest. This church still carries on the tradition of devotions to St Anthony. Its feast day is celebrated annual on 13 June. (Text by Vanessa Phillips and Francis

Shawn Pereira

Shawn Pereira, a right-arm leg-spinner from Berbice, made his debut for, and captained, the Guyana Under-15 team in Trinidad & Tobago, in 2010. He made his debut for, and also captained, the Guyana Under-19 team in Barbados in 2012, and took 6 for 40 in his very first Under-19 match. In Berbice cricket, Shawn plays for the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club. In 2010, Shawn was the club's assistant public relations officer. At the club's annual awards in 2011, he was named Under-15 Bowler and Cricketer for 2010. The dedicated cricketer continues to demonstrate his dexterity in his game and aims to get his name in the cricket hall of fame.

Curtain comes down on historic karate c’ships in Guyana

weekend (Carl Croker photo)

The first ever South American Karate Championships being held under the auspices of world karate organisation, the International Karate Daigaku (IKD), got under way at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Homestretch Avenue, in Georgetown, Guyana at approximately 10:00h on Saturday.

According to a media release from the Guyana Karate College, His Excellency the President of Guyana Mr. Donald Ramotar, a 7th Degree Black Belt, graced the event with his presence and in his remarks, pledged his government’s continued support to the development of Karate-do, to sport in general and to the development of the youth of Guyana.

Attending and officiating at the championships were top brass of the IKD including the Chairman and Chief Instructor Frank Woon-a-Tai; Vice Chairman and Deputy Chief Instructor Maureen Woon-a-Tai; Shihan Keith Da Costa; and IKD Executive Treasurer Bernice Hughes, 6th Dan.

The tournament, which saw the participation of Venezuela, Suriname and Guyana was of a very high standard with competitors participating in individual kumite (fighting), kata (form), and the application of karate through team kata team bunkai, and team enbu.

The championships ended on Sunday. (Guyana Times)

TT’s U-16 netballers leave for Antigua

A12-member T&T Under-16 netball team left Piarco International Airport for St John’s Antigua via LIAT flight LI 308 from 5:45am Tuesday where they will compete in the Caribbean Netball Association Jean Pierre Youth (Under-16) Netball Championships from Friday until Sunday April 3-13. In Antigua, the host, for the third time and first since 2008, T&T will play matches against St Lucia (April 7) and Jamaica (April 8) followed by two matches on April 10 versus St Vincent and The Grenadines, and St Kitts followed by Barbados (April 11) and Dominica (April 12) in the seventeam round-robin series.

The four-other teams in the tournament, host Antigua & Barbuda, Grenada, Nevis and St Maarten will compete in

Simmons, Ramdin not in CPL draft

Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies players

Lendl Simmons and Denesh Ramdin are the notable omissions while Shahid Afridi (Pakistan), Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka) and late addition Kevin Pietersen (England) are among the major international cricketers named in the draft pool of players for the 2014 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) six franchise teams.

A total of 229 players (122 overseas and 107 West Indian) will be part of the Draft, which will be staged on Thursday evening at the Chris Gayle’s Triple Century Bar in Jamaica.

The CPL will take place in July and August with Jamaica Tallawahs defending their title against Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel, St Lucia Zouks, Antigua Hawksbills, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Tridents. Simmons and Ramdin played for the Amazon Warriors in the inaugural CPL last year and are both involved with the Windies team at the current ICC T20 World Cup in Bangladesh.

Former WI leftarm spinner Dave Mohammed is the other

TT player, who featured in last year’s competition (for the Hawksbills) not to be included in the draft pool, while his unrelated namesake Jason, and another left-arm spinner Yannick Ottley (who both played for the national team at the NAGICO Super50 competition earlier this year) are also missing from the pool of players.

The Trinidad and Tobago players retained from last season are Adrian Barath, Darren Bravo, Justin Guillen, Kevon Cooper, Samuel Badree, Nicholas Pooran, Yannic Cariah (Red Steel), Ravi Rampaul (Tallawahs), Shannon Gabriel, Rayad Emrit (Tridents) and William Perkins (Amazon

Warriors).

New in the fold, at least from a TT perspective, are Evin Lewis, Imran Khan, Navin Stewart and left-arm spinner Kristopher Ramsaran — the only player yet to play for the twin-island republic, though he played a game for the Combined Campuses and Colleges in last year’s First-Class season.

And the overseas players who participated in last year’s CPL and included in this year’s draft are Ben Rohrer, Luke Pomersbach (Australia), Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh), Kevin O’Brien (Ireland), James Franklin (New Zealand), Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Ahmed

Shehzad, Misbah Ul Haq (Pakistan), Herschelle Gibbs, Davy Jacobs, Vernon Philander (South Africa).

The West Indies Franchise Players remain the same as last year — Dwayne Bravo (Red Steel), Sunil Narine (Amazon Warriors), Kieron Pollard (Tridents), Marlon Samuels (Hawksbills), Chris Gayle (Tallawahs) and Darren Sammy (Zouks). As far as the draft is concerned, it will be conducted over 13 rounds, with each franchise having, for the draft, a maximum cap of US$350,000 (minus the West Indies Franchise and International Franchise Players).

Each team will have a squad of 19, including two pre-selected players (the Franchise players) and six from the “home territory”, as well as four local Under-19 players, which will be chosen by the local territorial boards. With regards to players salaries, that will be dependent on how they are chosen by their franchises in the draft, with the earnings ranging from US$5,000 to US$80,000. (TT Newsday)

Colbourne joins Antigua’s qualified CARIFTA athletes

Under-18 boys’ 1600-metre specialist Aaron Colbourne, during national trials at YASCO Sports Complex over the weekend, was the only junior national athlete to be added to those who have already qualified to represent Antigua & Barbuda at the 2014 CARIFTA Games.

their own developmental series. Jamaica has won the tournament a record ten-times including on the two previous times it was held in St John’s, where T&T was runner-up twice as well. The youth championship (named after the renowned international netballer, the late Jean Pierre of T&T), has been staged annually since 1998.

T&T U-16 netball squad: Afiya Vincent, Tiana Dillon, Aquilla O’Brien, Ruydene Garcia, Asouwsa Joseph, Khadija Coltes, Alissa Homer, Brittine Greenaway, Renna Julien, Celine Waithe, Rochelle Chung, Rayann Bristol; Naomi Bobb (coach), Lystra SolomonSimmons (assistant coach), Lynette Duncan (manager), Shurlan Bonas (trainer). (TT Guardian)

Colbourne clocked 4:14.32 on Sunday to qualify for the threeday meet slated for Martinique over the Easter weekend.

The runner joins six other athletes who had previously qualified for the annual event – shot putters Jess St John and Tanya Green, long-jumpers Micaiah Washington and Coull Graham, 200m specialist Miguel Francis and overseas-based 400m runner and hurdler Rai Benjamin.

Antigua & Barbuda Athletics Association Vice President Everton Cornelius said a full squad of about 12 athletes would be announced later this week, as the association is scheduled to meet with those coming close to the qualifying times, but not quite getting there.

The VP also lamented the lack of public support

for the trials over the weekend.

“We didn’t do enough to really engage the public outside of what we had announced during Inter-Schools Sports, and whenever we were having any sort of development meets and we have the ears of the public, and what we put out,” Cornelius said.

“So I don’t think we had the kind of turnout I was looking for and we made it a free two days. But be that as it may, we still got some support from the family and friends of the athletes and I think that was enough to at least get us

through the two days.

“As for the expectation and performance of the athletes, I was hoping we would have gotten more qualifiers or people getting closer to the qualifying standard, but I see most of the qualifying was done before the CARIFTA trials,” he added.

Cornelius also reassured the public that funding for the team’s trip to Martinique would be made readily available.

“We have our funding coming from the Ministry of Sports through the ADAP (Athlete Development

Assistance Programme) and that has always been the government’s commitment to us when it comes to CARIFTA. So that part of it is normally taken care of,” he said.

“So once the funds reach us on time, coming out of the Treasury, we should be OK. If not, we would have to make whatever arrangements we can make, as the fact is that at the end of the day we will get the money and we will repay whatever bills we have outstanding.”

The 2014 CARIFTA Games will be taking place from April 19 to 21. (Antigua Observer)

30 sport

Quantum leap envisaged for Guyana volleyball

Guyana volleyball is expected to catapult to new heights with help in several technical areas from the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and the South American Volleyball Federation (CSV) in the very near future.

With renewed relations and new developments taking place in the world of volleyball, the Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) will be working much closer and collaborating with the FIVB and CSV on several fronts with the aim of enhancing and developing Guyana’s sport infrastructure and exposing players, coaches and referees to world-class training.

The construction of a new volleyball gymnasium is one of the major facilities to be built along with a new beach volleyball court and training in beach volleyball, referee courses and coaching.

According to a release from the GVF, “Guyanese athletes are asked and encouraged by the new president Mr. John Flores to intensify their training and to start thinking of tougher competitions to come as early as next year. The CSV is very much anticipating Guyana’s involvement at several of these competitions and hope Guyana will soon be a proud host of one of these tournaments.”

It added, “The GVF

and CSV are engaged in talks to execute some of these plans very soon. As part of the commitment by CSV to assist Guyana, first on the agenda is a referees training course which is set for May 1622, 2014. Guyana will soon be a recipient of a brand new playing surface for volleyball and measures are being put in place to accommodate it.”

The newly-appointed president of the GVF, Captain John Flores, is very optimistic for Guyana volleyball after fruitful discussions with key members of FIVB and CSV at the 68th Congress in Brazil. At that forum, he had presented Guyana’s volleyball programme for 2013 and highlighted the areas where assistance are most needed in progressing and fast-tracking that programme.

According to Captain Flores, he made a commitment to CSV to give

Guyana one year to prepare to re-enter competition in South America.

The release concluded, “The presidents of the FIVB and CSV are very keen on visiting Guyana later this year and plan to bring Brazilian national players for exhibition matches against Guyana. It is anticipated that the beach facility will be completed in time for their visit to Guyana and a beach tournament will be held. Other exciting activities on the agenda for Guyana volleyball will soon be the launching of several local second and third-division beach volleyball competitions by the Demerara Volleyball Association and Berbice Volleyball Association. Later in the year, teams will be travelling to Lethem, Bom Fin and Boa Vista to challenge teams there. Also, a secondary schools programme will be held towards the end of the school term.”

TT’s Nero places 77th in World Half Marathon

T&T’s Tonya Nero ran a season’s best of one hour, 18 minutes and 26 seconds, to place 77th out of 90 of the best women runners in the world at the IAAF/Al-Bank World Half Marathon Championships Saturday in Copenhagen, Denmark. This was Nero’s second trip to the Championships. In the 2012 edition in Kavarna, Hungary, she finished 27th and set a new national record mark of 1:15.13 for the 13.1 miles road race. Her record run two years ago capped off a successful year as the 25 year old broke national marathon standard clocking 2:43.45 in Rotterdan, Netherlands in April, missing qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics Games by less than a minute (B standard 2:43.00).

Saturday, after the event, she posted on her Facebook page: “It was such a great experience. I look forward to improvements.” Kenya, as expected, produced a totally dominant performance in the women’s race as they reclaimed individual and team honours from their Ethiopian rivals. Gladys Cherono led them home in a sea-

‘Team

son’s best of 1:07:29 ahead of silver medallist Mary Wacera Ngugi, who clocked a personal best of 1:07:44, and Sally Chepyego Kaptich, who also produced a personal best on this flat and fast course in 1:07:52.

Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor of Kenya won the men’s title, while five-time winner Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea only came fourth. Kamworor completed the 21.0975-kilometres flat route through downtown Copenhagen in 59:07. He was followed by Samuel Tsegay of Eritrea and Guye Adola of Ethiopia, who were both 13 seconds behind. The trio of Kamworor, Tsegay and Adola managed to shake off Tadese, and the Kenyan then pulled away from his two rivals in the final kilometres.

(TT Guardian)

Terminix’ recruits Cuban cyclists to challenge locals in Antigua

Cyclists in Antigua will soon have some “real” competition on their hands thanks to Team Terminix Cycling, as two top-notch Cuban riders will compete in the domestic season from this month.

This is according to a founding member of Team Terminix, Daniel Rogerson, who revealed that Cubans Vicente Sanabria and Yordenis Crespo are due to arrive and compete in competitions sanctioned by Antigua & Barbuda Cycling Association.

Sanabria, who is no stranger to Antigua after having competed there last season, ar-

rived on Tuesday, while Crespo will arrive a few days later.

“It’s all about trying to get the cyclists in Antigua to understand where they need to be and what level they need to be at. What was happening last year was that Vincente was just riding off and nobody else was able to keep up with him; so we are trying to encourage the local riders to take up the challenge of the Cuban cyclists and we see that by bringing in a second Cuban as well is a good way of doing that,” he said.

“It’s not just the club we’re looking at. We’re trying to use them as a yard stick for all the lo-

WICB Four-Day TournamenT

cal riders and not just Team Terminix riders.”

Rogerson added that Team Terminix has been a pioneer in finding creative ways to enhance the sport in Antigua and believes the decision to add a second Cuban rider this time around will reap outstanding rewards.

“We’re the first ones to have an official team car. We have quite a few good sponsors on board,” he said.

The move, according to Rogerson has received the blessings of the Cycling Association as together they work towards providing quality competition for all cyclists. (Antigua Observer)

Barbados whip Jamaica

Jamaica went down to their second defeat in as many matches when they were whipped by Barbados in their fifth-round WICB Four-Day Tournament encounter at Sabina Park on Monday.

After Barbados set a massive victory target of 381 at the start of the day's play, Jamaica were dismissed for 136 with 4.1 overs remaining in the day's play, to lose by 245 runs.

The win, however, was not as straightforward as it appeared, as late-afternoon rain gave Jamaica some hope of saving the match.

The rain came during the tea break at 2:40 p.m., and lasted for approximately one hour before play resumed at 4:25 p.m.

This presented the home team with the arduous task of batting out close to 25 overs with two wickets in hand. David Bernard Jr, who picked up a knee injury on the second day, and was declared unfit to take any further part by the team's man-

ager, Donovan Senior, emerged to be the last man out. He was adjudged leg before wicket for nine off 89 balls to a faster ball from left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.

Fast-bowling all-rounder Brian Buchanan, with six off 60 balls, was left not out.

The chief wicket-takers were: Benn, with three for 30, and off-spinner Ashley Nurse, three for 40, emerged as the chief wicket takers for the victors.

Final scores, Barbados 423 and 162 for two declared, Jamaica 204 for nine, and 136.

"Barbados played a

much better game than we did. They dominated from day one, and we must give them credit," said Jamaica vice-captain Nikita Miller.

"We had to battle a bit with the weather in the end, but we were always confident of coming away with the win," said Barbados captain Kraigg Brathwaite.

"It was good performance from us throughout, and I must congratulate the guys for how they applied themselves."

At Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago defeated Combined Campuses and Colleges by ten wickets.

Scores: T&T 451 for eight decl. (Jason Mohammed, 220; Rayad Emrit, 100; Evin Lewis, 26; Raymon Reifer, 3-65; Steven Jacobs, 2-52) and 24 without loss.

CCC 144 (Raymon Reifer 51 not out; Steven Jacobs, 26; Imran Khan, 4-25; Shannon Gabriel, 2-25) and 330 (Shacoya Thomas, 116; Chadwick Walton, 76; Kyle Corbin, 65; Ricky Jaipaul, 4-56; Imran Khan, 3-97). (Jamaica Gleaner)

Guyanese champ puts WBC/CABOFE belt on the line this weekend

In what is envisaged will be an evening of fistic fury, the Guyana Boxing Board of Control will host “Jamaican Invasion”, a five-fight boxing card on Saturday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, Guyana.

A maximum of 32 rounds of boxing is carded for the night, with action set to commence at 20:00h.

The night’s action will be headlined by what is touted as a mouth-watering showdown between Guyanese Dexter “The Kid” Marques and Jamaican Rudolph “Cutting Edge” Hedge, who will square off in a 12-round title fight.

ter, while the other three fights are all four-rounders.

Both pugilists have expressed confidence of outdoing each other, but when they enter the ring on Saturday all the thrash talk will count for nothing if skills, dexterity and tactical acumen are no-shows.

belt, currently adorning Marques’s waist.

At stake would be the World Boxing Council (WBC)/Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) Flyweight

While Marques, with a record of 13 wins (two knockouts) and two defeats from 15 bouts, would look to keep the belt in the Land of Many Waters, Hedge would definitely be harbouring thoughts of flying back

Windies Women to play Aussies in semis after defeat

West Indies Women forfeited the top position in Group B after suffering a crushing ninewicket defeat at the hands of India in the Women’s World T20 Tournament at Sylhet Stadium earlier this week. A powerful half century from Deandra Dottin attempted to salvage a crumbling innings as West Indies plunged to their first defeat in the tournament following a hat-trick of victories.

Stafanie Taylor tried to steady the innings as well with a knock of 17 and a half century stand with Dottin but the Caribbean girls stumbled to 117 for seven before the Indians cruised to the target on half centuries from Mithali Raj and Poonam Raut.

The other double-digit contributors for Windies were Stacy-Ann Kings who was run out 0n 17 and Shemaine Campbelle ten. Seamer Harmanpreet Kaur with two wickets for 12 runs was the pick of the bowlers. A win meant

West Indies would have finished top of the Group B table. However, they finished behind England on net run-rate, and will therefore face Group A finishers Australia in the first semifinal on Thursday. West Indies were off to a scary start after losing opener Kycia Knight to the first ball of the match.

However, Taylor steadied the innings in a 61-run second-wicket partnership with Dottin who went on to score a 51-ball 57 as West Indies tried to recover from a wobbly 87 for three in the 15th over. Dottin, who scored seven fours and two sixes, departed, leaving her side in shambles as the innings failed to pick up steam and four more wickets fell as Windies Women reached 117 for 7.

India coasted to the target easily almost without losing a wicket, spurred on by Raut’s 52 ball 56 while captain Mithali was unbeaten on 55 from 52 balls. (CMC)

to the Land of Wood and Water the new WBC/ CABOFE Flyweight title holder.

Hedge would be desperate for a win at this stage of his career, having suffered two defeats and a draw in his last four trips to the “square jungle”. After 11 fights,

the Jamaican’s record stands at seven victories, (two knockouts), one loss and three draws.

In the main supporting clash, Mark Austin of Guyana will trade punches with Devon Moncrieffe of Jamaica in an eight-round Junior Middleweight encoun-

Romeo Norville of Guyana will take on Jamaica’s Kemahl Russell in a Super Middleweight clash; hometown boy Quincy Gomes will face Toriano Nicholas of Jamaica at Lightweight, while in an all-local showdown, David Thomas will confront Richard Williamson at Super Lightweight. Admission to the venue is Gy$3000 (ringside) and Gy$1500 (stands). Saturday’s card has received corporate support from Fly Jamaica, Digicel, Banks DIH Limited, GUYOIL, Courts, Giftland OfficeMax, the Guyana Tourism Authority and Top Brandz Distributors. (Guyana Times)

West Indies dish out

thrashing to enter semis

West Indies scored 84 runs in their first 15 overs. They nearly doubled their total after that, smashing 82 off the last 30 balls of the innings. No Full Member team had ever conceded so many in the last five overs of a Twenty20 game.

It remained to be seen which part of West Indies’ innings, the first three-quarters or the final quarter, would make a bigger impact on the result as Pakistan began their chase, in a knockout game to determine who would take on Sri Lanka in the first semifinal on Thursday. In the end, West Indies could have declared after 15 overs and still won.

and West Indies were barely switched on. As usual, they weren’t rotating the strike.

South Africa seamer, Vernon Philander, who tasted Limacol CPL success last year with the Jamaica Tallawahs, is hoping to return to the competition for a second year alongside Herschelle Gibbs, who played for St. Lucia Zouks in 2013. 23 South Africans in total will go into the Draft, including current Proteas stars, Robin Peterson and Lonwabo Tsotsobe. England internationals, Simon Jones, Dimitri Mascarenhas and Owais Shah, will line up alongside former teammate, Kevin Pietersen, in the Draft. They will be joined by Bangladesh pair, Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, Zimbabwe spinner, Ray Price, Irish World Cup hero, Kevin O’Brien, Netherlands World T20 star, Tom

Cooper, and Afghanistan captain, Mohammad Nabi.

Limacol CPL 2014 will give cricketers from across the Caribbean the opportunity to play with and against some of the best players in the world. Up and coming cricketers, such as Nicolas Pooran and Jason Holder, will enter the Draft alongside Windies test stars like Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Tino Best, and current World T20 players, Samuel Badree, Dwayne Smith and Krishmar Santokie.

The Draft takes place at Chris Gayle’s Triple Century Bar in Kingston, Jamaica, on Thursday 3rd April at 2:30pm (Central) (7:30pm GMT), and will be streamed live at http://cplt20.com/ draft. (Guyana Times)

The timing of the assault by Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy –they put on 71 in 32 balls, having come together at 81 for 5 in the 14th over – was a knockout blow to Pakistan. You could tell by the way Sammy pumped his fists after pounding Saeed Ajmal for a straight six in the 19th over. It wasn’t arrogance or bravado. It was adrenaline.

It surged through the entire West Indies team, and some of it was still coursing through Krishmar Santokie’s blood when he pinged Ahmed Shehzad’s front toe plumb in front of middle stump with an inswinging yorker, first ball of the chase.

It had started so well for Pakistan. Their bowlers were on target, their fielders were buzzing,

The Powerplay brought West Indies the first three of their tournament, and four singles. Not all of their 24 dot balls, though, were the result of hitting to fielders. Some of them came via Sohail Tanvir’s awkward angle across the right-handers, exaggerated by some late away-swing.

Having been beaten three times in a row – the last two balls of the second over and the fourth ball of the fourth, when he came back on strike – Dwayne Smith tried to run the ball to third man and only managed an edge to the keeper.

By then, West Indies had already lost Chris Gayle, who came hesitantly down the pitch and thrust a hesitant bat at an offbreak from Mohammad Hafeez. After that stumping, Hafeez’s T20 record against Gayle looked like this: six balls, one run, three wickets.

Simmons wasn’t given when he was struck

on the back pad trying to cut a skidder from Shahid Afridi, but the third umpire had an easier decision to make when Umar Gul’s direct hit caught him short as he tried to sneak a leg bye.

Gul nearly had another run-out when Bravo cut Afridi straight to him and took off for a quick single. His throw just missed the stumps at the bowlers’ end. Either side of that, West Indies had lost Marlon Samuels and Ramdin. West Indies were five down, Pakistan were on top, and their spinners were rushing through the overs. West Indies took 23 from the 16th and 17th overs, but their run rate had only just gone above six an over. Pakistan were still in control. When Bravo hit the first two balls of the 18th over for six, though, something seemed to change. Gul had sent down two poor balls – length and back-of-a-length – and followed up with a wide as he tried to compensate with the yorker. That over went for 21. (Cricinfo)

Global stars including Afridi, Sangakkara and Vettori join Pietersen in Limacol CPL Draft

– Jayawardene, Philander and Umar Gul also enter Draft for the ‘biggest party in sport’; Murali, Ajmal, Anderson, Taylor, Hodge and Malik confirmed as International Franchise Players

The Limacol Caribbean Premier League has confirmed a stellar line-up of cricketers registered to take part in this year’s competition.

The announcement includes the six International Franchise Players (IFPs) chosen by the teams, and all of the players entering the 2014 Draft, which takes place this Thursday in Kingston, Jamaica.

The six IFPs will include three returning stars and three newcomers to the Limacol CPL. International cricket’s most successful bowler ever, Muttiah Muralitharan (Jamaica Tallawahs), CPL

2013’s leading run-scorer, Shoaib Malik (Barbados Tridents), and New Zealand’s Ross Taylor (Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel) will all return to their 2013 teams, while the top wicket-taker in T20 Internationals, Saeed Ajmal (Antigua Hawksbills), record-breaking New Zealander, Corey Anderson (Guyana Amazon Warriors) and Australian T20 specialist, Brad Hodge (St Lucia Zouks), will all make their CPL debuts.

Vying to join the six IFPs in the Biggest Party in Sport will be global stars such as Shahid Afridi, Kevin Pietersen, Kumar Sangakkara and Daniel Vettori, as well as more than 100 Caribbean players, who will all enter the 2014 Draft.

Big-hitting Afridi will feature alongside 26 of his Pakistani compatriots, including Umar Gul, World T20 centurion, Ahmed Shehzad, and test and ODI captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, while 13 New Zealanders, including James Franklin, Martin Guptill and Jesse Ryder, join former Black Caps skipper Daniel Vettori in the Draft.

11 Sri Lankans will go into the Draft, including former captains, Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan, as well as hard-hitting all-rounder, Thisara Perera, and mystery spinner, Ajantha Mendis. Australia has the largest overseas contingent in the draft, with 32 players, including prolific batsmen, David Hussey and Adam Voges, pace bowlers, Shaun Tait and Dirk Nannes, and spinners, Brad Hogg and Xavier Doherty.

Guyana names CARIFTA Games team

The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has released its shortlisted team for the 2014 junior CARIFTA Games set for Martinique in April.

The team will consist of two US- based Guyanese, along with seven locally based athletes, a head coach and three assistant coaches.

Headlining the local side of the team will be defending CARIFTA under-18 1500 metres champion Cassie George, who won gold last year. The talented distance athlete will be defending her 1500 metres title while making a switch to the 3000 metres.

CARIFTA 400 metres bronze medallist Jason Yaw will also be the next local headliner, as he will attempt to top his bronze medal performance from one year ago.

Avon Samuels will also look to improve on her performances from last year in the under-18 200 and 400 metres.

Making their debuts at the event will be talented sprinter Jevina Sampson in the 200 and 400 metres under-18, Natricia Hooper, triple

jump, Kevin Abbensetts 100 and 200 metres under-20 and Kade Pearce, male under-20 high and triple jumps.

The US-based athletes will be headed by World Junior silver medalist and CAC gold medallist Kadecia Baird, who will look to better her bronze medal performance in the girls’ under-20 400 metres from one year ago. Baird will also feature in the girls’ under-20 200 metres.

Making her debut for Guyana as a US- based athlete will be Brenessa Thompson, who has one of the fastest junior indoor 60 metres in the US at the moment. Thompson will be competing in the girls’ 100 and 200 metres.

The team’s coach will be Running Brave Athletics co-coach Sham Johnny, who will be assisted by Shawn Diets, Glenton Pantlitz, and Matthew Martin. The manager of the team will be Mayfield TaylorTrim.

Meanwhile, missing from the team will be CARIFTA 200 metres bronze medallist Tirana Mitchell, who has been ruled out due to an injury to her right quad muscle. (Guyana Times)