Caribbean Times International

Elite squad to tackle major crimes in TT

Former Guyanese President chairs powerful FAO committee on forestry

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo is congratulated by FAO Director General Jose Graziano Da Silva following his appointment

ORT-OF-SPAIN,

TRINIDAD:

A special National Security unit comprising 80 specially selected, highly skilled and trained officers from the Police, Defence Force, Coast Guard, Immigration and other law enforcement agencies is being set up to deal specifically with gang violence, counter-terrorism, hostage negotiation and any major criminal activities in Trinidad and Tobago.

The unit, known as the Special Operations Group (SOG), and with a mandate to bring crime down to a minimum level in the coming months, is expected to start operations as early as this week and will be coordinated by the National Operations Centre under Commander Garvin Herrah.

SOG officers will report directly to the acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams and Chief of Defence Staff Major General Kenrick Maharaj.

TT’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, third left, cuts the ribbon to open the Piarco Police Station last week. She is assisted by UdeCOTT managing director Jerlean John, acting sergeant Jennifer Crawford, acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams, Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal and Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar (FB photo)

U.S. official insists foreign drug cartel murdered Trinidadian attorney

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Special state prosecutor Dana Seetahal was murdered by a transnational drug organisation with operations in Trinidad and Tobago, says the United States Assistant Secretary of State William Brownfield.

Speaking from Washington, DC, in a teleconference with Caribbean journalists Tuesday, Brownfield said: “Those in Trinidad would know that I visited your country two months ago and two days after I left there was the brutal murder of Ms Dana Seetahal. She was murdered by a trans-national drug organisation.”

Asked to elaborate on the suggestion, Brownfield, who has responsibility for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs, said: “I stand by everything I have said. This was clearly not a crime of passion. It was not a crime of opportunity where someone felt they should steal her handbag and then found they had to shoot her. This was a well planned and orchestrated hit. This is not something you plan easily. It is organised crime with

an international player that has a crime organisation with presence in TT.”

On May 4, Seetahal was shot dead just outside the Woodbrook Youth Facility on Hamilton Holder Street as she was on her way to her apartment at One Woodbrook Place after leaving the Ma Pau casino on Ariapita Avenue, Port-of-Spain. Residents reported hearing a volley of gunshots followed by screeching tyres. By the time they contacted police and ran outside to check, they found Seetahal slumped over the steering wheel of her light blue Volkswagen Touareg. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Acting Police

Commissioner Stephen Williams has publicly said the police knew how and why Seetahal was killed but thus far, 53 days after her killing, no one has been charged with her murder.

Tuesday, Brownfield said Seetahal’s murder could not be seen as “just another statistic,” explaining that Seetahal had partnered with the U.S. government on several issues, had been the beneficiary of a Fulbright scholarship from the U.S. government, and was, in his words, “a star, a woman of tremendous courage.”

Pointing out that there was a correlation between the increase of drugs flowing through the region and the crime and violence on the regional streets, including those of TT, Brownfield said the increased use of the Caribbean as a transshipment point for drugs had led to the increase in murders.

He noted that the U.S. government was partnering with Caricom governments to help deal with the crime challenge, including the challenge of guns coming into the region from the U.S. (Excerpted from TT Guardian)

Guyana calls for release of journalists jailed in Egypt

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

The Guyana government said it is deeply concerned over the sentencing by an Egyptian Court of three Al Jazeera journalists to seven years in prison.

This act by the Egyptian authorities is an affront to the principles which govern press freedom the world over, the Donald Ramotar administration said. “The government of Guyana believes that freedom of the press is essential for the full and effective exercise of freedom of expression and an indispensable instrument for the functioning of representative democracy, through which individuals exercise their right to receive, impart and seek information. In this regard, the government of Guyana joins calls by the international community for their immedi-

ate release.”

Only Tuesday, newly-elected Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said he would not interfere with judicial verdicts, following an international outcry over lengthy prison sentences given to three Al Jazeera journalists a day earlier.

The journalists–an Australian, a Canadian-Egyptian and an Egyptian–were each jailed for seven years on Monday for aiding a “terrorist organisation”, a reference to the banned Muslim Brotherhood. The sentences were widely criticised by rights groups and Western governments, with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry calling them “chilling and draconian” and the UN warning of “a risk that miscarriage of justice is becoming the norm in Egypt.”

Two men arrested in abduction of policewoman in Jamaica

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

Two men have been arrested in connection with the abduction of a policewoman in Junction, St Elizabeth, Jamaica on Monday, June 23, the police have reported.

investigations are ongoing

Hours after the early morning abduction, the policewoman was located in Burnt Savannah also in St Elizabeth.

Reports are that two gunmen kidnapped the cop from her home. The policewoman was admitted in hospital where she was treated for injuries she received at the hands of her abductors. Investigations are ongoing. (Jamaica Observer)

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EDITORIAL

To use an American expression, the U.S. is between a rock and a hard place in Iraq. After a decade of fierce fighting that took thousands of American lives; tens of thousands of mangled bodies; and a trillion dollars expended, last week President Obama committed 300 new “advisors” into the country and deployed naval forces that will be able to carry out “targeted and precise” strikes. If it sounds eerily like the beginning of the Vietnam War, then there are a host of folks that believe the similarities are too close for comfort.

FOOTBALL FEVER: Students at St Aloysius Primary School in Jamaica wave their flags after school last week in support of their teams in the World Cup tournament underway in Brazil (Norman Grindley/Jamaica Gleaner photo)

The U.S. in Iraq University students in Guyana demand more if fees are hiked

In his speech announcing the manoeuvre, President Obama reiterated the U.S.’ interest in bringing “stability” in general to the Middle East and, in particular, establishing an “inclusive” government in Iraq. These were practically the same goals that President Bush articulated when he went on to extend the war from its initial goal of removing “weapons of mass destruction” from the country. Bush had been somewhat less precise in calling for the establishment of “democracy”.

It would appear that with the successes of the forces ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria)–Obama referred to them as ISIL–Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), at least one of the nuances of the Middle East–its multiethnic and multireligious nature has been discovered as needing attention.

ISIS/ISIL is a Sunni agglomeration that is successor to Al Qaida and one that has the support of vast swathes of the Sunni population of Iraq that feel marginalised and dominated by the Shia-dominated government that was backed by the U.S. government.

That ISIS/ISIL is also heavily infiltrated and influenced by the remnants of Saddam Hussein’s Baathist political and military forces, and is not an inconsequential factor. Their stunning success, however, unlike what the alarmists are trumpeting, will not result in the fall of Shia-dominated and controlled Baghdad or other Shia majority areas. But what it does appear to presage is the achievement of ISIS’ goal to obliterate the “artificial” boundaries imposed on the old Ottoman Empire, by Britain and France.

The present government will not be able to dislodge ISIS/ ISIL from its Shia conquests including oil-rich Mosul. Most believe that Iraq will fission into Sunni, Shia and Kurdish enclaves, held together at best by a weak Federal State, or at worst, independent states. Syria has already been fissioned into Shia (Alawite) and Sunni areas and there now is the distinct possibility of the reinstatement of the Caliphate stretching from the borders of Iran to the Mediterranean.

The same hawks who encouraged Bush to invade Iraq to eliminate the non-existent “weapons of mass destruction” are pushing for another massive invasion of Iraq to eliminate ISIS/ ISIL. They are also the same crowd that supported the forces against Assad in Syria. What the hawks ignore is that such a strategy would require the Americans to support Shias in Iraq and Sunnis (whose veterans dominate ISIS/ISIL) in Syria. The hawks have not yet learned to appreciate local nuances.

But this large-scale invasion option is very unlikely, since the vast majority of Americans are opposed to it. What remains then is the partition/federalism option. But the fly in this particular option is, it would need the blessings of Shia Iran, the sponsor and backer of the Shia cause in the entire Middle East. After the failure of the talks on Iran’s push for nuclear capabilities, it was a surprise to many to learn that the U.S. has already been speaking to Iran on this topic.

While Iran remains a touchy subject in the U.S. foreign policy establishment–not least because of the powerful Israeli lobby that is adamantly opposed to Iran–it would appear that certain inevitabilities are beginning to be recognised. One of these, as we stressed earlier, is that in the end, local concerns will trump external ones.

By Svetlana MarShall

GEORGETOWN,

GUYANA: Students of the University of Guyana expressed mixed views about the proposal by the administration to hike tuition fees when a consultation was held at the Turkeyen Campus Tuesday afternoon.

Glenfield Dennison, a second-year Law Student, gained the majority’s support when he said it was bad management that landed the institution in its current state of affairs. Dennison, who hails from Belize, told the Vice Chancellor, Dr Jacob Opadeyi, and his high-level team, that the institution’s records indicate that there has been a history of bad management.

“There has been bad management at UG in the use of these tuition fees,” Dennison told the Professor as loud rounds of applause filled the air at the George Walcott Lecture Theatre where the second of five consultations was unfolding.

According to the student, had the administration implemented a system of gradualism and selectivity, the tertiary institution would not have found itself in its current state. While Dennison did not object to the increase in fees, he told the administration that students must be guaranteed that funds will not be poorly managed.

Recommendations

Referencing a 2008 Report issued by the University of Guyana, the Belizean said a string of recommendations were made; however, to date none have been implemented. Additionally, he questioned

why the University’s administration, without previously consulting with the students, thought that an increase in fees would be the solution to the many problems facing the institution.

The international student’s series of questions and comments had ignited a verbal battle between himself and the Vice Chancellor, leaving many in a state of awe. Dennison sought another opportunity to bash the administration for not consulting the thousands of students who will be affected by the increase. He said students must not accept a verbal presentation on the plans of the institution, and demanded that the administration circulate its strategic plan, which must state clearly the implementation deadlines. Students, he stressed, must be given an opportunity to peruse the document before a determination is made on whether the increase must take effect.

In response, Dr Opadeyi said he has signed a threeyear contract with the Guyana government and the institution will undergo transformation. He maintained his position that if the institution is to rise to the occasion, investments must be made. Students, he stressed, must be willing to invest in their academic pursuits.

Turning his attention to the issue of mismanagement, Dr Opadeyi said, this occurs when an institution fails to keep abreast with its income and expenditure, but continues to operate nevertheless.

“It was indeed bad management, but it was bad management with a human face,” the

Vice Chancellor said. But under his watch, he said the administration will be closely monitoring the financial affairs of the institution. “Under my watch…from the moment we don’t have money to run a certain programme, we will close that programme down. That’s good management,” Dr Opadeyi told the group.

Plethora of problems

However, the Vice Chancellor applauded his predecessors for braving the ‘weather’ despite a plethora of problems. But he said they lacked the courage to “put down their feet and say this must stop” in alluding to the tuition fee which has remained stable for the past 20 years although the prices of goods and services have escalated drastically.

The increase in tuition fees is just one component of the proposed changes, the Vice Chancellor said, positing that the administration will soon be approaching the Guyana government for an increase in subvention to cushion the impact of rising prices.

Though indicating that the University’s administration has a “concrete plan” in place to ensure students get quality education in exchange for the increase in fees, Dr Opadeyi failed to put timelines to the plans touted by his administration.

But as he continued to tout his plan of increasing the fees, the Vice Chancellor told the students that systems will be instituted to ensure that they acquire loans from the Finance Ministry’s Loan Department and other financial institutions. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)

Jamaica nets over US$500 million in Foreign Direct Investment

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

Jamaica reportedly recorded more than US$500 million in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in 2013, the first time since the global economic recession of 2008.

The information is contained in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) World Investment Report 2014 which was launched locally Tuesday.

According to the report, over the past two years, the country has been realising gradual recovery in the flow of inward investments since the recession. It says FDI moved from US$218 million in 2011 to US$490 million in 2012, and US$567 million in 2013.

Speaking at the launch, Investment Minister Anthony Hylton said Jamaica’s performance speaks to the important gains the country is making to bring its finances in order. (Jamaica Gleaner)

PM Kamla orders freeze on TT’s controversial pension bills

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD:

A freeze on plans to hike MPs and judges pensions in Trinidad and Tobago was Tuesday proposed by the government.

Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar, in a statement, said government is willing to hold back legislation on MPs and judges pension reforms until scrutiny by a Parliament Committee in light of objections being raised. But she said it would be for the Senate to decide if this course of action is taken.

In a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister, while the Senate was in session, the Prime Minister stated this position was being taken consistent with a

policy of allowing all views to be aired before taking a position.

The Senate was geared for a vote on the Retiring Allowances (Legislative) Amendment Bill 2013 and the Judges Salaries and Pensions (Amendment) Bill, 2013, when the Prime Minister issued a statement.

“There have been strong objections in some quarters to the Bills,” the Prime Minister said, adding: Consistent with my policy of always allowing views to be ventilated and decisions arrived at after such due consideration, the government’s current position would be not to proceed with approving the Bills until all perspectives and opinions are ventilated.” (TT Newsday)

Former Guyanese President chairs powerful FAO committee on forestry

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

Former President of Guyana Bharrat Jagdeo was on Monday elected as the Chairman of FAO’s 22nd Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO) for the period 2014-2016.

COFO is one of FAO’s governing bodies with over 130 member countries and which deliberates on global forestry issues. This 22nd Session of COFO is being convened in Rome, Italy from 23-27 June 2014 and among the critical issues for discussions include the report on the State of the World’s Forest 2014; Payment for ecosystem services and forest financing; Forests and the Sustainable Development Goals and REDD+ and the UN Climate Summit 2014.

In his remarks upon taking up the Chair, Jagdeo emphasised the need to advance the global forests agenda in light of the role forests play as an important mitigation option for addressing climate change. He pointed to the need for an enabling policy environment at the national level and access to and scaling up financing as two priority areas while underlining the important role of COFO and the FAO in pushing for a globally supportive environment for action on forests.

While in Rome, Jagdeo also met with FAO Director General Mr. Jose Graziano Da Silva. Among issues discussed included expanding FAO’s work in the Caribbean and for the organisation to play a greater role on the issue of forests and climate change. (GINA)

Guyana gov’t crafting new Mental Health Plan

- to combat rising suicide

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

While the number of suiciderelated deaths in Guyana is climbing to alarming numbers, Health Minister Dr Bheri Ramsaran has disclosed that a National Mental Health Strategic Plan is also being drafted to address the issue of suicide in Guyana.

Speaking from his Brickdam office on Monday morning, Dr Ramsaran related that the plan is not only a general one to deal with mental health patients, but also the increasingly number of suicide cases in Guyana.

He noted that these have not gone unnoticed by the administration, but at the same time, his ministry could not have, in most of the cases, intervene until it was too late. On this note, he advocated for neighbours, friends and religious organisations to become involved too since it is an issue which affects all.

Dr Ramsaran refuted claims which he said were made by some that the ministry was doing nothing for the victims and persons at high risk of committing suicide. He said that the ministry has been doing all it could, but, most times, the victims are beyond its reach.

Outside the box

“Sometimes the ministry just cannot intervene. We do not know what is going on in the homes of these victims. We cannot identify the victims until they reach the hospital or the morgue and by then it’s too late. So everyone needs to start getting involved. It’s not just the Ministry of Health’s business; suicide is an issue for all of us and we must all get involved; it’s everyone’s business,” he reiterated.

It is on this note that Minister Ramsaran

said the ministry began to think outside of the box of ways in which it can work to reduce the number of suicide cases which are reported each year, and has managed to formulate a National Strategic Plan with the help of two overseas-based consultants, whom he identified as Dr Balasero and Dr Birohari, both specialists in the field of mental health.

In giving a brief outline of what the strategic plan entails, Dr Ramsaran explained that the ministry will first begin at the nursing schools, incorporating mental health in the curriculum of the schools in Berbice, Linden and Georgetown on the suggestion of the students and teachers.

He related that after this, the ministry will seek to extensively train its doctors and already qualified nurses in mental health, and counselling, after which the programmes will be integrated into the primary health care sector at the level of health centres and even dispensaries across the country.

Extensive education is also expected to be undertaken by the ministry following the launch of the strategic plan. The drafted plan is expected to be launched by October of this year. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)

Prakash preferred as COP leader in TT - NACTA Poll

PORT-OFSPAIN, TRINIDAD:

The findings of a recent opinion poll on the contest for leadership post of the Congress of the People (COP) in TT show most people prefer incumbent Prakash Ramadhar over challengers Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan, Rufus Foster and Dr Lincoln Douglas as leader of the party.

However, people seem to show very little interest in that leadership contest and there appears to be very little support for the COP among the population, as the poll finds the party struggling to gain traction among voters.

The findings of the poll are obtained from interviews conducted over the last two weeks with 240 respondents (43 percent Indians, 39 percent Africans, 17 percent Mixed, and one percent others) who are supporters of varied parties.

Asked who they

prefer as leader of the COP, the overwhelming favourite among all voters is Prakash Ramadhar (47 percent) followed by Seepersad Bachan (19 percent), Dr Douglas (5 percent) and Foster (2 percent) in that order.

Very few PNM supporters express an interest or preference in the COP leadership contest, but most of them feel Ramadhar will win re-election as leader.

Among supporters of the People’s Partnership government, 54 percent prefer Ramadhar for leadership with 21 percent for Seepersad-Bachan, three percent for Douglas and one percent for Foster. Supporters of the PP feel Ramadhar has the best credentials to bring people together. A majority of supporters of all the parties feel Ramadhar will win the leadership contest. (TT Newsday)

Trinidad Police Department in partnership with NYPD

PORT-OF-SPAIN,

TRINIDAD: The Trinidad and Tobago government says the island’s police service is being twinned with the New York Police Department (NYPD).

A statement from the Ministry of National Security said that in an effort to improve the operations of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), National Security Minister Gary Griffith held talks with NYPD Deputy Commissioner John Miller with the goal of twining the TTPS and the NYPD.

“The driving force behind this endeavour is to provide the TTPS with the experience and knowledge transfer that can be gained from interact-

ing with officers of the NYPD. This initiative was developed through the input and agreement of the Commissioner of the New York Police Department, Commissioner Bill Bratton, who visited Trinidad and Tobago last year for a Crime Conference,” the statement said.

It noted that Bratton had a catalyst role in turning around crime in several cities around the world, including New York City.

“New York City has, over the years, gone from being one of the most crime-ridden cities in the mid-nineties to being one of the safest cities today in the U.S. This drastic change was as a result of the revamping and improvement

of policies associated with law enforcement,” the statement read.

It added that, “twining the TTPS with the NYPD will allow for our local officers to get first hand exposure to how the NYPD manages COMPSTAT and, by extension, domain awareness, community policing intelligence and counter-terrorism. They will also get real-time exposure on the beat, including covert operations.”

Further, the statement indicated that NYPD detectives will also visit Trinidad and Tobago “to provide updates on practices and techniques that can improve crime scene investigations and will aid in improving the detection rate in

Trinidad and Tobago”.

Griffith had also discussed with Miller the possibility of having a suitable officer of the NYPD based in Trinidad to provide guidance when required on approaches to reduce violence in schools as well as on the enhancement of the National Security Special Operations Group (NSSOG). Griffith said that he is not trying to replicate exactly what was previously done in New York City, but noted there are basic principles that can be utilised to cause positive transformation in Trinidad and Tobago. He indicated that there is a strong need for the TTPS to operate on important pillars of good leadership. (Caribbean News)

Two Clarendon cops in Jamaica’s death squad probe get bail

CLAREDON,

JAMAICA: Two of 11 Clarendon police officers implicated in the reported murder of several civilians in the parish were Monday offered bail.

The men are District Constable Howard Brown and Constable Peter Samuels.

Brown was offered Ja$7-million bail following an in-chambers application in the Supreme Court.

Samuels was offered bail in the sum of Ja$1.5 million in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court following an application by attorney Peter Champagnie. The bail offers were met with applause from colleagues and family members of the policemen.

The offers were made on a day that was supposed to have seen preliminary enquiries into the killings for which the

11 cops—some of whom have been charged jointly and at least two for multiple deaths— have been implicated. But, instead of preliminary enquiries, the matters were put off until further dates to facili-

tate the completion of the files and for bail applications.

Additionally, the cases against four policemen were transferred to the Home Circuit Court, in a move by the prosecution to avoid a preliminary enquiry before trial.

Guyana police recaptures fourth prison escapee

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

After one month on the run, the fourth prison escapee in Guyana, Keron Cummings, 26, was on Saturday morning recaptured in Omai, Region Eight, police have confirmed. Cummings was among one of the four high-profile prisoners who escaped from the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts lock-ups after removing the ventilation grill work in the holding area of the facility. He was charged for several armed robberies.

Another of the men, Steven Bacchus, was apprehended on Hadfield Street moments after the break-out. He was remanded to prison for allegedly murdering Constable Quincy Wright in January.

Vickram “Lil John” Persaud, another of the escapees, was shot and killed in a confrontation with Police at Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice.

The 28-year-old of Doctor Dam, La

Grange, West Bank Demerara, was shot twice during the confrontation.

A .38 revolver was found in his possession. He was charged with the murder of Constable Cumberbatch in September 2013.

The other, Randolph Marks, 20, of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was found the following day hiding under a bed in a house at Freeman Street, East La Penitence. He was charged with armed robbery and the murder of Patsan’s Trading Sales representative Bharrat Ramcharan in April.

On the day of the break-out, the men had been brought from the Camp Street penitentiary to appear in various courts for their offences.

The men had already made their appearances and were supposed to be taken back to the correctional facility, but there was a delay, and they capitalised on the opportunity to make good their escape. (Guyana Times)

The cops whose cases were transferred to the Home Circuit Court are Sergeant Leeford Gordon and constables Romaine Del La Hay, Damon Robinson and Collis 'Chuckie' Brown.

Brown is charged separately from the three and is facing three counts of murder.

The court was told that the case files are incomplete as the ballistic report and a statement are still outstanding. Brown was given a July 16 return date for a bail application to be made on his behalf, and then on July 25 to assess the status of the file. The other three are also to return to court on July 25 for the same reason. The three were readmitted to their Ja$1.5-million bail, offered in chambers previously.

The men are represented by Queen's Counsel K Churchill Neita, Valerie NeitaRobertson, Norman Godfrey, Dwight Reece, Oshane Cousins, and Andrew Wildes.

The 11 policemen were arrested earlier this year as the Independent Commission of

Investigations probed allegations of death squads in the Jamaica Constabulary Force. The killings were originally reported as homicides. However, their arrests were met with protests by Clarendon residents. DC Howard Brown is charged with the shooting death of Andrew Bissoon in September 2011.

The other policemen who appeared in court Monday are Detective Corporal Kevin Adams, who is charged with four counts of murder; Sergeant Mario Taylor; and constables Carl Bucknor, Jerome Whyte, and Ceion Allen. They are to return to the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on July 23 for either a preliminary enquiry or for their matter to be transferred to the Home Circuit Court. (Excerpted from Jamaica Observer)

Father, son busted with cocaine at Guyana airport

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: A man from North Road, Georgetown and his son were last Friday afternoon intercepted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) with a quantity of cocaine in their suitcases.

Based on information received, the 41-year-old man and his 19-year-old son were outgoing passengers on Caribbean Airlines Flight, BW 528, when the cocaine was detected in the handles and false walls of their suitcases.

The two men were destined for John F Kennedy International Airport.

This newspaper understands that it was while the suitcases were being scanned, the strange object was detected, resulting in a member of the Police Narcotics Branch pulling the said luggage. At this time, a decision was also taken to pull the other luggage belong to the two persons.

The Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU)

was contacted and assisted in the search, which led to the discovery of the cocaine. A source told Guyana media that after the cocaine was discovered, the teenager started to “shake heavily”.

The young man was immediately escorted to the search area where he was further interrogated. The discovery also prompted drug enforcement ranks to pull the other suitcases belong to the young man and his father.

Both men were then transported to Georgetown and are assisting with investigations.

Only last month, sev-

eral staff members of the Timehri Handling Service were remanded to prison following the discovery of 1.46 kilograms of cocaine in the aft hold (the belly) of a BW 606 aircraft by airline security during a routine search.

The aircraft stopped at the CJIA about 12:11h from Port-of-Spain, while on its way to Toronto, Canada. After landing at the CJIA, the baggage was off-loaded from the aft hold and it was during a sweep of the hold as per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the drug was discovered. The flight was bounded for Toronto, Canada.

Mexican operator takes over Jamaica Grande

ST ANN, JAMAICA: Mexican resort operator, Palace Resorts has signed a deal to buy Sunset Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios, St Ann. Palace will officially take over the property on July 7, and will close it for refurbishing on September 1.

The 730-room resort is scheduled for reopening in early 2015, when existing staff will be given an opportunity to be re-employed.

When fully operational next year, 1,020 employees are expected to staff the resort.

"When we designed our strategic five-year growth plan, we listed several destinations as priorities, and Jamaica was at the top of that list," said Gibran Chapur, Executive Vice President for

Ruling PPP wants bigger intake of Guyanese at Hugh Wooding

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Clement Rohee in Guyana applauded the Council of Legal Education’s decision to admit the top 25 Guyanese Law Students to the Hugh Wooding Law School at the start of the 2014/2015 Academic Year.

However, he said, while this was a step in the right direction, there should be an expansion of the existing quota to meet the demands of the growing population. “The People’s Progressive Party would like to call on the Council of Legal Education and the Hugh

Wooding Law School to facilitate our students by making it possible for more Guyanese to gain entry into the law school beyond the exiting quota,” he told reporters on Monday during his weekly press briefing. Rohee said too that President Donald Ramotar and Attorney General Anil Nandlall ought to be applauded for championing the cause of the students of the University of Guyana’s Law Department. He said the PPP/Civic government continues to place a high premium on education in Guyana in its quest to foster national development. Rohee expressed the hope that one day, a

law school will be established in Guyana, eliminating the country’s dependency on the Hugh Law School in Trinidad and Tobago.

More than a week ago, it was confirmed that the top 25 students from the University of Guyana’s Law Department would be admitted to the Hugh Wooding Law School, bringing an end to months of uncertainty after the Council indicated that the Trinidadian law school was experiencing a shortage of space. The students’ acceptance was conditional upon Caricom accelerating plans to expand the Trinidadian-based institution. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)

TRINIDAD: Snipers kill two in Port-of-Spain

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Petrina Salandy, 39, was walking home holding her five-monthold baby, Kayla, in her arms with three of her other children in tow when snipers hidden in the nearby hills opened fire in Port-of-Spain Sunday.

It was around noon and Salandy was returning from the grocery.

Palace Resorts, responsible for the overall growth and strategic direction of the company.

"We believe Jamaica is the most important tourism destination in the Caribbean, and we found Sunset Jamaica Grande to be the perfect opportunity for us to enter this market."

Moon Palace Jamaica Grande, as the hotel will be called when reopened, will be Palace Resorts' second Moon Palace-branded property. Sunset Reorts will retain its three properties in Montego Bay and Negril, which combined has a total of 515 rooms.

Palace presently has seven resorts in Cancun, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and Riviera Maya, Mexico. (Jamaica Observer)

Salandy, with baby Kayla still in her arms, pushed her three other children—Lorenzo, 13, Raheem, 11, and Jaydon, four—to safety.

As Salandy held Kayla between two buildings to protect her from harm, she (Salandy) was shot.

Both Salandy and Kayla fell to the roadway.

Salandy died on the spot.

Also killed as a result of the shooting was 16-year-old Rohan Riez.

The incident took place along St Paul Street in Port-of-Spain,

a woman and teenager were killed

a day after residents of East Port-of-Spain and police officers faced off. Because of this clash officers of the nearby Besson Street Police Station are said not to have responded to the shooting.

Instead residents stepped up to the plate.

Salandy and Riez were taken to the Port-ofSpain General Hospital.

Both were pronounced dead on arrival.

Lorenzo, Raheem and Jaydon were taken to safety at the police station.

Kayla’s father Kurt Fields went to the hospital where he was told of his wife’s death. He returned to the St Paul Street area where he retrieved Kayla and organised for her to be sent to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) in Mt Hope. Fields, 38, is not new to crime and violence in the country as he was a victim of a shooting last July.

He was shot in his left arm. (Excerpted from TT Express)

Delta returns to Barbados after three-year hiatus

BRIDGETOWN,

BARBADOS: The Barbados tourism industry is expected to see growth out of one of its major source markets, as the country welcomes United States-based air carrier Delta Air Lines after a three-year hiatus.

According to the Interim Chief Executive Officer and President of the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA), Petra Roach, the flights to be operated by Delta Air Lines as of December 4, are anticipated to bring as many as 33 000 people per year to Barbados’ shores. Her comments came at a press conference Monday morning at the Courtyard by Marriott to announce that Delta Air Lines was re-entering the Barbados market, and that the challenges which caused the carrier to leave after operating in Barbados from 2006 to March 2011, have been addressed.

She disclosed that in addition to negotiating a flight to Barbados out of Atlanta, for the first time Delta Air Lines will operate out of the New York market into Barbados. Additionally, she said 19 cities will connect to the Atlanta service while another three will connect to the New York service, in-

cluding Amsterdam, which she explained would augment the capacity coming out of Europe.

“We’ve got two days of operations–Thursdays and Saturdays–and then we’ve got two flights which start simultaneously, one from New York going into Barbados and then onto Atlanta; and then we’ve got one that starts from Atlanta going into Barbados and then back to New York,” she explained.

Roach added that Delta will utilise a 160-seat 737 aircraft, with 16 business class seats, 18 economy comfort and 126 economy seats.

Meanwhile, District Sales Manager of Delta Air Lines, Richard Pile, said that their flights into Barbados would not only open up opportunities of travel to Barbados out of the United States, but from countries around the world which utilise the United States as a major gateway.

“We have a good relationship with the government of Barbados and so we will continue to foster that good working relationship because we see the avenues of opportunity that we are going to bring with these two new flights,” he said. (Excerpted from Barbados Advocate)

Canada helping Caribbean address skills shortage

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS:

The Canadian government is putting its money behind a programme, which it believes will see the Caribbean region grow economically.

Monday at Courtyard Marriott in Hastings, Barbados, Senior Technical Advisor at the Caricom Education for Employment Programme and at Colleges and Institutes Canada, Linda Cooke confirmed that Canada is working with the region to ensure economic development.

She said, “The theory is, that one of the issues in many islands and starting now in Barbados is that there is a lot of unemployment; there is a lot of youth unemployment. In the meantime skilled workers are being brought in, as expats from elsewhere in the world, so there are people without jobs, and jobs without people.

And if we could match the kinds of training programmes and be more agile about changing what is delivered at some of the technical in-

Forced prostitution in some of Jamaica’s massage parlours - UWI researcher claims

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: On the heels of a scathing report by the United States Department of State about Jamaica's efforts to combat human trafficking, a leading local researcher has raised concerns about the rapidly growing number of massage parlours that have sprung up across the country.

The concern for Dr Leith Dunn, head of the Institute of Gender and Development Studies at the University of the West Indies, is that more young women who are seeking employment in these parlours are being forced into having sex with clients.

"Individuals think that they may be going to work in a massage parlour and then they are trafficked….they are victims of sexual exploitation," Dunn explained.

"Years ago when I did the first study for the ILO [International Labour Organisation] on children in

stitutes, Caribbean persons could have those jobs and they would have more economic prosperity, and employers could be attracted to the region as well for investments, because they would know there would be a skill set here to help them with manufacturing or services or whatever the field might be.”

Therefore, she said that Monday was the first day of a week-long series of activities, with the day’s workshop focusing on 16 partnerships from 12 countries in the Caribbean, between Canadian and

Caribbean colleges and institutes “to develop new programmes to meet the skills shortage needs in the Caribbean countries”.

Growth

Affirming Canada’s commitment to the cause, she stated, “The Caricom Education for Employment Programme overall is a Cdn$20 million Canadian product [funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, Canada].

We’re entering year four so we have dispersed a proportionate amount of that up to this time.

[…] And each of these institutional partnerships like the one with the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic (SJPP), has a value of Cdn$450 000.”

Focusing on logistics, agriculture, automotive, electronics and cosmetology at the higher levels, to name a few areas identified as ways to bring about growth, Cooke reiterated that the programming is tailored to the countries’ needs.

She explained, “Here in Barbados we’re work-

ing with SJPP to develop training for renewable energy technicians. As you would be aware Barbados’ government has identified renewable energy as one of the major initiatives going forward to reduce the Electrical Bill, and to make that happen, you’re going to need technicians who can calibrate, repair solar panels, wind generators and so on.”

Meanwhile, she continued, “…In some of the other countries we’re working with, we’re developing programmes in food processing to take better advantage of some of the crops that are grown and reduce the Food Import Bills. We are working in heavy equipment maintenance in a programme in Guyana, to help with the shortages in the mining industry. In some of the other countries we are working on things like Early Childhood Development programmes, to increase the capacity of the Early Childhood Care programmes to prepare young persons for future skills development.” (Barbados Advocate)

prostitution, there were relatively few massage parlours. Over the years we have seen the number mushroom," she added, although unable to give a number.

'Back Road' parlours

A large number of these massage parlours are located mainly in the Corporate Area and along the Port Henderson strip, better known as 'Back Road', in Portmore, St Catherine, oftentimes advertising in the media the many services they provide.

Senior Superintendent Clifford Chambers, who heads the Organised Crime Investigation Division (OCID), agreed that a majority of these establishments are really "sex shops" and said the police have put measures in place to close them down.

One of those measures, according to Chambers, is 'Operation Fix It', an ongoing initiative that sees police personnel going into some of these parlours undercover.

The result, he said, is that more than 20 persons have been arrested for prostitution in Kingston, St James and Negril. Chambers noted that among those arrested is attorney-atlaw Lennox Gayle who allegedly operated a nightclub where seven of the women were held. He said investigators are also searching for the alleged mastermind behind the Kingstonbased 'sex shop' where 11 of the women were held.

"We have several cases before the courts and the operations will continue as we intend to eradicate this practise from our shores," the OCID head insisted. (Excerpted from Jamaica Gleaner)

Nine Bajans for ‘Taste Of The Caribbean’ competition in Miami

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS:

Eight chefs and one bartender will represent Barbados at this year’s Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) ‘Taste Of The Caribbean’ competition in Miami, United States, from June 28 to July 2.

They are team captain chef Jason Jospeh, chefs Willis Griffith, Marvin Applewaithe and Antonio Sivers, pastry chefs Keisha Nurse, Katrina Depeiza-Hall and Trenel Ifill, junior chef Trevon Stoute, and bartender Rohan Hackshaw.

Led by team manager chef Creig Greenidge and bartender manager Jamaal Bowen, they will be defending the coveted title of Caribbean

Team Of The Year, which Barbados walked away with in 2013, along with Team Gold, Gold (Seafood), Best Use Of Seafood, and Junior Chef Of The Year, among other medals.

Michelle SmithMayers, assistant executive vice-president of the BHTA, said the members of the team had been busy training for the competition for the past few months and were looking forward to an exciting competition.

“They have been practising and training for a while and are ready for the competition,” she related.

Smith-Mayers noted that in addition to winning awards at the competition, members of the

team were also looking forward to the development aspect of 'Taste Of The Caribbean'.

Adding that the process of training the team was also about more than competition, as it was also used to build culinary talent on the island, she said: “Chefs like our team manager Creig Greenidge, who runs his own catering company, as well as chefs Michael Harrison, Angela Garraway, John Hazzard and Michael Hinds and this year’s bartender manager Jamaal, have all come through this process, and it makes them much stronger food and beverage experts. It has helped them to excel in their careers.” (Barbados Today)

Guyana to soon begin testing for Chikungunya virus

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

Health Minister

Dr Bheri Ramsaran on Monday disclosed that there has been no other confirmed case of the Chikungunya virus in Guyana, pointing out that the number of persons infected remains at 19.

Speaking at a press conference at his Brickdam Office, Dr Ramsaran stated that the ministry has sent just over 150 blood samples to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CPHA) and will soon receive the results.

He attributed the freeze in infection to the extensive preventative measures being implemented by his ministry, while noting that contrary to reports in some sections of the media, the virus has been confined only to Berbice.

“The disease has been

confined to restricted areas in Berbice, namely Canje, Cumberland, Canefield, Port Mourant and New Amsterdam. We have concluded the first phase of our fogging exercise, but the second phase will soon begin and in Georgetown, we have

already carried out some fogging exercises while the Ministry of Local Government had undertaken the task of cleaning up the city to avoid having breeding grounds for the mosquitoes,” he related.

Meanwhile, the minister also disclosed that Guyana will soon begin conducting its own tests for the Chikungunya virus since it has the laboratory (Public Health and Reference Laboratory), the necessary equipment, and testing kits, and is currently engaged in discussions to solicit the required training for the testing process.

“We can do the test right here in Guyana. We have the lab, we have the equipment, and the testing kits are in the country so what we need now is the necessary training. We have approached the Pan American Health

Organisation to see if they can facilitate the training for us and the head of that organisation here in Guyana is currently pushing for it. So we are hoping that this process can soon begin,” Dr Ramsaran said.

He stated that Guyanese should be counting themselves lucky, as only 19 cases of the vector borne disease has been confirmed in Guyana while hundreds of cases are being reported in other Caribbean countries.

“This is because we didn’t wait until the disease came here. We began taking preventative methods like our fogging exercises since last year and that is why we have such a low number of cases while the other countries are reporting large numbers of cases,” he indicated. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)

Mobay Civic centre in Jamaica to be rebranded

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA: The Ja$62-million rehabilitation works at the Montego Bay Civic Centre in Jamaica aimed at transforming the 12-year-old facility into a heritage and cultural showpiece in the resort city is to be completed in another few weeks, following which the centre will be rebranded and officially opened next month as the Montego Bay Cultural Centre.

"We have been renovating the centre over the last six months and now it's finally becoming a reality and we are very, very, excited about this new development," said Josef Forstmayr, a prominent hotelier, who chairs the broad-based 14-member Montego Bay Arts Council, the driving force behind the development.

Funding for the project is being provided by the Noel Sloley-chaired Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).

As part of the initiative, sections of the facility will serve as a branch of the National Museum as well as the National Gallery.

"There will be a gift shop, a bistro which will display the best of Jamaican food; there will be an artisan village where we will have artisans in residence that will do productive work there; there will be poetry reading, music, dance.....," an elated Forstmyar told Jamaican media.

Built at a cost of Ja$155 million with funds made available from the Venezuelans under the San Jose Accord, the facility was handed over to the St James Parish Council three months after then prime minister PJ Patterson officially opened it in October 2001.

At that time, the facility, which is built on the ruins of the old court house that was destroyed by fire more than four decades ago, was touted

as the centrepiece of the historic Sam Sharpe Square.

But for several years there have been numerous calls for the facility--where a number of town hall meetings exhibitions and civic functions have been held, to be rehabilitated and transformed into a first-class heritage and cultural centre.

"This civic centre has been sitting there as a white elephant for a long time, so now we are giving it some life and excitement and making it into a place where people can take their friends, their families after church on a Sunday…they will also be open on Saturdays, as well," Forstmayr explained.

He added that the rehabilitation of the centre includes the installation of elevators, generators, water pumps, security cameras, underground water tanks, as well as major repairs to sanitary conveniences. (Jamaica Observer)

Former MP tipped to become Antigua’s next

governor general

ST JOHN’S, ANTIGUA: The Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) is considering Dr Rodney Williams for possible appointment as Governor General of the twin-island state.

He is the son of the late Ernest Emmanuel Williams who was one of the longest serving members of parliament (MPs) in the history of Antigua and Barbuda. As a member of the Antigua Labour Party (ALP), the late MP was the representative of the constitu-

ency of St Paul.

Dr Williams’ entered politics after his father’s tragic death in 1984, and represented St Paul up to 2004. A specialist in sports medicine, he also served as the country’s minister of education. He lost the seat to former United Progressive Party (UPP) MP, Eleston “Namba” Adams, in the 2004 general elections. The current Governor General is Dame Louise Lake-Tack, who was appointed in 2007 under the UPP administration. (Antigua Observer)

American ends up in Grenada instead of Granada in Spain

LONDON, ENGLAND: An American dentist says he is suing British Airways for US$34,000 for flying him to Grenada in the Caribbean, instead of the Spanish city of Granada.

After two years without a holiday and a lifetime of longing to see the architectural treasures of Granada, Edward Gamson felt he could at last relax as he sat back on a British Airways flight en route to the capital of Moorish Spain, according to the British Independent newspaper.

The newspaper said that it was only when Gamson and his partner glanced at the electronic map on the in-flight entertainment system and noticed their plane was heading west out of London that they became concerned something was not right.

The newspaper reported that, some nine hours later, the pair found themselves not among the arabesques of the Alhambra Palace, but a full 4,000 miles from their intended destination on the Caribbean holiday island of Grenada.

It said the mix-up initially re-

sulted in apologies from British Airways staff on board the flight, and a promise that the couple would be put on the plane's return trip to Gatwick Airport in London en route to Granada. Instead, the Independent said they were subjected to a further three-day ordeal, which resulted in them never reaching Spain, and a refusal by British Airways to reimburse their £2,650 firstclass tickets.

“I made it absolutely clear to the booking agent I wanted to go to Granada in Spain. Why on earth would I want to go to Grenada in the Caribbean if I was flying back to America from Lisbon? It's just so sad. A trip we had been really looking forward to was ruined and BA won't do the decent thing?”

According to the legal complaint filed by Gamson, the electronic tickets referred only to "Grenada", without showing the airport code, destination country or flight duration.

But the Independent alleged that BA is resisting Gamson's damages claim for US$34,000. (Caribbean News)

Canadian company seeks partner for silico-manganese plant in TT

PORT-OFSPAIN,

TRINIDAD: A Canadian gold mining company is seeking a partner or funding for a project that would result in mineral extraction from Guyana and a silico-manganese plant in Trinidad and Tobago, according to a release from the Torontolisted Reunion Gold Corporation.

The corporation had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Energy Corporation of TT (NEC) to explore the feasibility of setting up a silico-manganese plant in TT. As of March 31, the company had a working capital of Cdn$0.9 million, ex-

cluding loans from related parties. The company said it "will require additional funds to carry out its activities and to this effect, is evaluating various financing alternatives, including the issuance of equity, debt financing, partnership or joint venture arrangement, or other means."

Reunion Gold told investors: "There can be no assurance that additional funds will be available, or available on terms acceptable to the company."

Operations in Guyana

Upon Monday’s filing of its audited consolidated financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the year ended March 31, Reunion Gold provided an update on its

Matthews Ridge manganese project located in Guyana.

"The company retained the services of consulting firms to assess the viability of re-

ducing the output of the Matthews Ridge Project and converting the manganese concentrate into silico-manganese alloys in TT. The results of these studies should be

available by September 30, 2014," Reunion Gold said.

Subject to the results of the ongoing studies and available financing, Reunion Gold's focus during the balance of the year will be to carry out essential work for the full feasibility study of the Matthews Ridge Project, including completing additional drilling, if deemed necessary, on the Matthews Ridge footprint area and at other surrounding prospects, the statement said.

On January 20, Reunion Gold announced that it had "retained Worley Parsons to conduct a scoping-level study to assess the parameters relating to the possible development of

a silico-manganese plant that would be located in TT."

“In addition to its proximity to Guyana, TT offers numerous benefits including competitive power costs, deep sea port facilities, dedicated areas for industrial projects and proximity to silico-manganese markets," the company said. The Matthews Ridge Project consists of four prospecting licenses covering an area of 185 square kilometres in northwest Guyana.

In July 2013, the company announced a proven and probable reserve estimate of 26.3 million tonnes of manganese with an average grade of 14.2 percent Mn. (Excerpted from TT Guardian)

Jamaican is new chief justice for the

TCI

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Jamaican

Margaret RamsayHale has been appointed chief justice of the Turks and Caicos Islands, the TCI Sun reported in its online edi-

tion Monday. The newspaper reported that RamsayHale will take up her appointment later this year after Governor Peter Beckingham accepted the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission to appoint her as the next chief justice of the TCI.

the Turks and Caicos Islands Supreme Court in November 2011.

Justice RamsayHale, daughter of prominent Jamaican attorney Ian Ramsay, QC, was previously appointed as judge of

She was first admitted to practice as an attorney-at-law in Jamaica in 1991, and was appointed to the bench in Jamaica in 1995.

The TCI Sun said the commission also accepted a recommendation that the offer of outgoing Chief Justice Edwin Goldsbrough to stay on for a few months until a successor to Justice Ramsay-Hale as a judge of the Supreme Court is found.

Chairman of the Judicial Service Commission is Justice Lensley Wolfe. Its other members are Sir David Simmons and Sir Brian Alleyne.

"I have offered this position to Justice Ramsay-Hale this week, and I am very pleased

that she has accepted it. I am certain that she will bring a great deal of energy as well as professional wisdom and experience to this very important job in the Turks and Caicos Islands. I would also like to pay tribute to the work of current Chief Justice Goldsborough. He has overseen the judicial

process at a difficult and demanding time for the country, and Turks and Caicos has benefited greatly from his contribution," the newspaper quoted Governor Beckingham.

A former chief magistrate of the Cayman Islands, Justice Ramsay-Hale holds a degree in economics from the London School of Economics, in addition to her law degree from the University of the West Indies. She previously served as magistrate of the Family Court in St James, Jamaica, and later as a resident magistrate for the parish. She then moved to Cayman Islands to serve as a magistrate of the Summary Court and she sat as an acting judge of the Grand Court for several months. (Jamaica Observer)

Over Gy$500 million in loans available to small businesses in Guyana

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: The Small Business Development Finance (SBDF) Trust Inc of Guyana is looking to increase its loan disbursement this year to over Gy$500 million as it seeks to help another 70 families in starting up small enterprises, which it said are gateways out of poverty.

Speaking at the body’s 11th Annual General Meeting on Monday, SBDF Chairman Sattaur Gafoor said the Trust has been able to generate in excess of Gy$30 million over the past year and all their debt payments are up to date.

For 2013, the Chairman said the company’s performance can be termed as reasonably good with almost 600 loans dispensed to the value of Gy$440,204,000.

In moving forward, the Chairman said the company’s vision for this new year is to help another 700 families to the tune of Gy$550 million.

“This would empower small men and women to gain confidence, think ahead, and live with dignity and economic security,” he said, adding that the company has developed a strategic plan for the next five years during which it hopes to help 4000 families, to develop their cap-

Barbados gov’t pays Shanique Myrie

KINGSTON,

JAMAICA:

After a frustrating eight-month wait, Jamaican Shanique Myrie has finally been paid by the Barbadian government. However, the money is short of Bds$1,000, Myrie told Jamaican media.

Myrie was awarded damages in the sum of US$38,000 by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) after she filed a lawsuit claiming she was subjected to a dehumanising

cavity search by a female immigration officer at Grantley Adams International Airport, locked in a filthy room overnight and deported to Jamaica in March 2011.

"My lawyer called me this morning (Monday) and told me the money was in the account. It was a long wait but finally it is over," Myrie told Jamaican media.

The CCJ had also ruled that Barbados should foot the bill of Myrie's legal costs and

said the action was a serious breach of her right of entry into that country.

Last week, a frustrated Myrie threatened to file another complaint before the court after the award was not paid, despite promises from Barbadian officials.

Last Friday, Barbados' Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite told the media in the eastern Caribbean state that the money had been

Suriname police captures wanted Guyanese man

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: After seven years on the run, Guyanese murder accused Samuel Fable, who escaped from prison authorities in March 2007, was on Sunday captured by Surinamese law enforcement officers and is expected to be extradited.

According to information received, Fable aka “Sammy Samuel Griffith” was arrested at Anton Dragtenweg after he resisted arrest. During the confrontation with police, the wanted man was shot and injured to one of his legs. It was during his detention that Surinamese officials positively identified the Guyanese and immediately alerted their counterparts in Guyana. Fable was on trial for allegedly killing an Alness, Corentyne butcher. He along with two other high-profile prisoners made good their escape in March 2007 when they cut the lock from inside a prison van and escaped. Gavin Balkissoon–one of the other escapees–who was on trial for being in possession of a smoking utensil, was subsequently recaptured. The other prisoner, Derrick Busgith, was being tried for the murder of American citizen Kalidas Surjnarine, 74, whose nude and headless body was found in his yard at Mibicuri, Black Bush Polder on November 27, 2004. Busgith is reportedly still at large.

On March 16, 2007, the three men were being transported in a van

from the Whim and the Springlands Magistrate’s Courts to the New Amsterdam Prisons when they cut the lock from inside and escaped. The then Assistant Commissioner of Police, Clinton Conway reported that the men were in the vicinity of the New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI) when they jumped from the prison van and escaped. It was reported that Gavin Balkissoon,was arrested by a businessman, who knows him well, and saw him walking on the Number 78 Village Public Road and turned him over to the Springlands Police. (Guyana Times)

ital resources and human resources with suitable technologies.

The SBDF has been operating for the past 11 years, and has been providing financial assistance to persons for the expansion and opening of small and medium-scale businesses.

Delivering the feature address, President Donald Ramotar congratulated the management and staff of the SBDF for achieving yet another successful year. He said in providing these services, the Trust contributes greatly in supporting the economy and the general development of Guyana.

According to President

Ramotar, in today’s society there is a proliferation of small businesses and small enterprises that are producing goods, services and creating employment for thousands of Guyanese.

The Head of State called on the owners of small and medium-scale businesses to keep up the good work, but implored them not to become complacent and to ensure quality by maintaining high-quality services and products.

He also spoke of the need for the application of modern science and technology in the business sector. (Excepted from Guyana Times)

paid over, but late Friday evening Myrie said the payment did not show up in her lawyer's account. She had also complained that she was subjected to derogatory remarks from the female official who told her she was her 'worst nightmare'. (Excerpted from Jamaica Observer)

Guyana grants Canadian oil firm extension to drill Corentyne block

GEORGETOWN,

GUYANA: Canadian oil explorer CGX Energy Inc said it has received a fivemonth extension to begin drilling for oil at its Corentyne Petroleum Prospecting Licence (PPL) Block following approval by the Guyana government.

“The government of Guyana granted approval of an extension on the spud date on the first commitment well from May 31, 2015 to October 31, 2015,” CGX said in a statement. It added that the extension was required to ensure that the HAKURYU-12 rig will have sufficient time to arrive in Guyana prior to the commencement of the weather window.

CGX Co-Chairman, Professor Suresh Narine, stated: “The company deeply appreciates the cooperation of the government of Guyana in granting to CGX Energy the spud date extension. The procuring of the HAKURYU-12 drilling rig along with this extension significantly enables the company to address its work obligations under the Corentyne PPL with confidence.”

CGX Energy has commenced the procurement process in order to complete its 2014 work commitments on its 100 percentowned offshore Demerara PPL. The company continues to examine methods to reduce the costs associated with the Demerara PPL’s seismic survey and ex-

pects to be able to share these costs with other companies operating in the Guyana-Suriname basin.

Reaffirmed commitment

CGX Chief Executive Officer

Dewi Jones commented: “The Company currently has a number of initiatives that it is rigorously working on as it begins to fulfil its commitments in all three of its PPLs. The company continues to believe in the potential of the basin and the discovery of hydrocarbons, and also reaffirms its commitment to the successful completion of its work programmes.”

At the company’s 100 percent-owned Corentyne PPL, located offshore Guyana, the reprocessing and merging of the existing seismic surveys are now complete, the release stated, adding that the company continues to have a technical data room available at its Houston offices and is working towards farming out a portion of the Corentyne PPL to a joint venture partner.

Rig sharing

Meanwhile, CGX Energy revealed it has entered into a definitive rig agreement with Japan Drilling Co Ltd for the provision of rig services. In an effort to significantly reduce drilling costs, the company has simultaneously entered into a rig sharing agreement with Teikoku Oil (Suriname) Co Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of INPEX CORPORATION (“INPEX”).

Kingston Wharves to invest US$70 million in Jamaica’s port development

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Kingston Wharves Limited will be investing US$70 million over the next five years to expand its operations in its quest to become what it said is the world's leading multipurpose port, consequent to it being granted freezone status.

Chairman and chief executive officer of Kingston Wharves, Grantley Stephenson, said the development will be funded through a mix of debt and equity.

He said agreement to grant the zone status took longer than they would have liked because it was subject to scrutiny by several government departments, including Jamaica Customs, the Ministry of Transport, the National Works Agency, the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation, the National Environment and Planning Agency and the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce.

The company has now received all the approvals required for the process, Stephenson told shareholders at the company's annual general meeting in Kingston last Wednesday.

Phased-execution

Marketing executive at Kingston Wharves, Catherine Carter, who narrated a videotape presentation at the meet-

ing, said the strategic development plan in their vision to become the world's leading multipurpose port will be executed in three phases.

In phase one, Kingston Wharves will move up its value chain and become a lead logistics provider, fully streamlining its warehousing operations with offerings of modular warehouse spaces and operating an increasingly productive terminal and functioning free zone.

Within the next three months, Carter said, the company will extend its port boundary and relocate the first of three on-dock warehouses to a newly refurbished facility.

Thereafter, and within 24 months, Kingston Wharves will demolish on-dock warehouses and other buildings within it existing boundary as well as reposition its domestic and transhipment car parks.

Carter said those activities will pave the way for the introduction of the company's total logistics complex with accompanying modular warehouses.

She explained that the logistics complex will be an ultra-modern facility, purposefully built and efficiently laid out. The facility will integrate Kingston Wharves' customer service with processing by Jamaica Customs and is envisioned to operate on a 24-hour basis.

Post-panamax cranes

Having reclaimed its ondock open storage space, the company will purchase PostPanamax cranes to increase its efficiency in handling current Panamax vessels and ensure its readiness for the PostPanamax classes expected after the widening of the Panama Canal.

In phase two of the development, Kingston Wharves will continue its preparations for the Post-Panamax era by optimising the port's layout, offering what Carter said are "guaranteed productivity and responsiveness", and ultimately achieve annual throughput of one-million twenty-foot equivalent units or TEUs per annum.

That phase of expansion will see Kingston Wharves undertaking deep-water dredging to increase ships' draft to the 15 to 24 metres required by PostPanamax vessels.

The dredging work will be followed by additional berthface redevelopment, installation of new gantry crane rails, and a complete renovation of the company's container yard.

In the third phase of this development, Kingston Wharves will undertake demand-driven expansion, maintain performance to First World standards, and define the concept of port centred logistics. (Jamaica Gleaner)

Jamaica back on human trafficking watch list

had improved its position last year

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

Jamaica is back on the Tier Two watch list in the 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report released by the U.S. State Department last Friday.

Jamaica had improved its position last year with a tier two ranking after it passed amendments to the Trafficking in Persons Act.

The amendments to the Trafficking in Persons Act passed last year stipulated harsher penalties for offenders sentences of up to 30 years for offences such as forcing children to beg on the streets.

However, the U.S. State Department says Jamaica is back on the watch list because despite implementing amendments to strengthen Jamaica’s anti-trafficking law, the government did not demonstrate evidence it increased efforts to address human trafficking over the previous reporting period.

It says for a fifth consecutive year, the government did not convict trafficking offenders or officials complicit in human trafficking and took insufficient action to address reports of official complicity.

In addition, it says the government identified few Jamaican trafficking victims and failed to provide many of them with adequate assistance.

The report says Jamaican children subjected to sex trafficking in the country’s sex trade remains a serious problem.

According to the report, sex trafficking of children and adults occurs on streets and in night clubs, bars, and private homes throughout Jamaica, including in resort towns.

It says an alarmingly high number of children are reported missing in Jamaica and some of them are likely subject-

Elite squad to tackle major crimes in TT

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: A

special National Security unit comprising 80 specially selected, highly skilled and trained officers from the Police, Defence Force, Coast Guard, Immigration and other law enforcement agencies is being set up to deal specifically with gang violence, counter-terrorism, hostage negotiation and any major criminal activities in Trinidad and Tobago.

ed to forced labour or sex trafficking.

Non-governmental organisations have reportedly expressed concern that children from poor families sent to wealthier families or local dons with the intent of a chance at a better life are highly vulnerable to prostitution and forced labour.

It says too that the government must move to vigorously prosecute, convict, and punish trafficking offenders, including officials complicit in trafficking, and identify and assist more victims.

(Jamaica Gleaner)

The unit, known as the Special Operations Group (SOG), and with a mandate to bring crime down to a minimum level in the coming months, is expected to start operations as early as this week and will be co-ordinated by the National Operations Centre under Commander Garvin Herrah.

SOG officers will report directly to the acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams and Chief of Defence Staff Major General Kenrick Maharaj.

National Security Minister Gary Griffith confirmed to TT media

the formation of this elite unit, declaring that had such a unit been in place prior to 1990, the events leading up to the coup attempt of July 27 that year might not have taken place or could have been averted or dealt with differently.

Targeting hot spots

He said the SOG would deal with gang activities if and when required in particular hot spot areas. He also said the various intelligence agencies would pass on intelligence gathered at the ground level to the SOG for action.

“This group will be our front-line A-team for National Security and the members would focus on drugs and arms and ammunition entering the country, infiltrating crime hot spots, dealing with any threats to the country and any major criminal activity,” Griffith explained.

“These officers consist of the best of the best, they are highly trained in all aspects,” he added, reminding that persons involved in gang activities would be targeted by this group in an effort to

stamp out gang violence in Trinidad and Tobago.

According to reports in TT media, the unit was seen as a crucial need to circumvent the reported leaking of key information to criminal elements by certain members of the protective services and which has allegedly led to failed police operations and raids.

With the setting up of the SOG, the practice whereby intelligence agencies would pass on information on drugs, guns and other criminal activities to police officers at police stations- with this information reportedly

being leaked to the criminal elements from there— would cease; the intelligence agencies would now pass the information to SOG for action.

SOG is expected to address the issue of rogue elements within the national security framework, sources observed.

The elite squad will be based at the National Operations Centre, Air Division at Cumuto which was also the base for the Operations Centre for the now disbanded Special Anti Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (SAUTT). (Excerpted from TT Newsday)

Guyana’s interior awash with fake malaria drugs – Health Minister

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

Health Minister

Dr Bheri Ramsaran has expressed grave concern over the influx of counterfeit products on the local market in Guyana, noting that it has not spared the hinterland, where the malaria tablet Chloroquine is widely sold at shops.

Every day, hundreds of patients are duped into purchasing substandard, falsified products.

Dr Ramsaran made this disclosure while addressing the opening of the 14th Annual Pharmacists Convention held on Sunday at the Ocean View International Hotel Convention Centre under the theme “Improving the quality of life for all in 2014”.

Speaking to a gathering of University of Guyana pharmacy students, practising pharmacists, medical doctors and other stakeholders, Dr Ramsaran stated that it has been observed by his ministry and even international agencies that tablets and other forms of medication are being falsified and sold to un-

suspecting patients in the country, but most particularly, in the interior locations where there is always a demand for medical treatment.

“We have noticed as well as the Pan American Health Organisation and the World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO) who have grave concerns for the false, falsified, falsely labelled, spurious, counterfeit items available on the local market as it relates to medications, especially in the tablet form. A typical example is the Chloroquine which is used for the treatment of malaria. There is a falsified, substandard one coming into the local market and this is being

sold and consumed largely in the interior areas of Guyana. It is available at almost every corner shop in these areas and people are not aware that it is a substandard product they are utilising,” he said.

Exposing traders

He, however, noted that while the trade is currently flourishing, his ministry is closely monitoring the situation and will be taking action against those found culpable.

“The ministry had initiated a campaign in the past under my stewardship to expose companies and persons who are in the habit of fostering this illegal trade and we will continue to do so. The ministry will be

cracking down and exposing those who are soliciting and participating in the sale of the products,” he declared.

Meanwhile, the Health Minister urged delegates at the convention to be quality conscious at all times, and to put the health and well-being of their patients and consumers before personal gain, as it was a matter of their lives.

He also advocated for them to be even more aware and vigilant of the products, which are on the market since it is their vigilance which can help to curb the widespread availability of the falsified products.

(Excerpted from Guyana Times)

Trinidad police probe private doctors, nurses who treat wounded criminals

tt police believe there are doctors and nurses at private medical institutions who have been treating criminals’ gunshot wounds

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Police in Trinidad and Tobago have launched an investigation into reports that some doctors and nurses at private medical institutions have been “treating criminals’ gunshot wounds,” and not reporting same to the law enforcement authorities thus delaying apprehension of the individuals in question.

This was revealed to TT media by Head of the North Eastern Division task Force (NEDTF), Inspector Roger Alexander.

Questioned about the status of the search for an unidentified man shot during an exchange of gunfire with NEDTF officers last Thursday morning, Alexander said the man might very well have been treated by a doctor illegally, enabling him to escape detection to date.

“Lately, we’ve been

hearing about medical professionals, private doctors and even a nurse with access to the required medication, who are treating these criminals privately, which is why we aren’t seeing them (criminals) turn up at the hospitals and the health centres for treatment,” the officer related.

He stated that these rumours are likely based on fact because “when we apprehend some of them a few weeks later, their bullet wounds have been treated and stitched up. So this is something we are actively looking into, and which we intend to get to the bottom of.”

In response to Alexanders’ claim, Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan remarked, “The police should provide the proof of which medics are doing it. This will allow the Medical Council the opportunity to deal with it.” (Excerpted from TT Newsday)

Tax-free designation opens path to Canadian market for Jamaica Stock Exchange

KINGSTON,

JAMAICA:

Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) is now designated among 41 exchanges in 28 countries on which Canadian investors can enjoy taxfree capital gains.

The designation relates to transactions on the JSE Main Market.

This means that Canadian investors can participate in the JSE through tax-free savings accounts, said JSE general manager, Marlene Street Forrest, last Friday.

With the designation, Jamaica now joins other global exchanges such as the tech-laden NASDAQ in New York, and Israel's Tel Aviv Exchange, she said.

Street Forrest told Jamaican media that the JSE plans to target new business from individuals in the diaspora who wish to trade in Jamaica securities and, in the longer term, from Canadian pension funds and other investors.

Retirement plans

"What is important is that most Canadians

in the diaspora have retirement plans. Insofar as they have retirement plans, it is a good opportunity to look towards securities in our market," said Street Forrest.

"Ordinarily, these plans exclude the JSE given the fact that it did not have a designation. Now they can take advantage of securities on the exchange and can have these included in pension plans," she added.

As stated online by the Taxpayer

Services Directorate of the Canada Revenue

Agency, the tax-free savings account was introduced in 2009 for residents of Canada to set aside income throughout their lifetimes.

Those eligible for a TFSA include any individual---other than a trust---who is at least 18 years old, is a resident of Canada, and has a valid social insurance number, the site says.

Jamaica was represented in its application for 'Designated Stock Exchange' status by Attorney-at-Law Courtney Betty, accord-

ing to a statement posted on the JSE website.

"This is a significant milestone in our history, when the Canadian government recognised the JSE as a designated exchange. This seeks to further solidify the relationship between Jamaica and Canada, a country which was instrumental in assisting the JSE with its first sets of rules and the JSE's securities course," said Street Forrest, who was quoted in the same statement. (Jamaica Gleaner)

Guyana embarks on initiative to improve hinterland education

RUPUNUNI, GUYANA: The Guyana government is examining ways to tackle the quality of education being delivered at hinterland schools, as a result of few pupils from those areas making the top 100 performers of the National Grade Six Assessment examinations (NGSA). This is to begin through consultations in the various regions and will target parents, teachers and students among other stakeholders.

The launch of the Hinterland Education Improvement Project (HEIP) took place in Region Nine, where participants from all the villages in the Central Rupununi were present at several locations.

The Education Minister, however, noted that there was no satisfaction at results coming out of the hinterland, hence, the focus on improving it. The HEIP consultation, she said was to hear from residents their needs and suggestions to improve the sector in the hinterland regions.

from government and achieved results. She pointed to programmes such as the Primary Education Improvement Project; the Secondary School Reform Programme; the Guyana Basic Education Teacher Training Programme; the Basic Education Access Management Support Programme; and the Education For All Fast Track Initiative, investments by government which saw a significant increase in the number of schools in the hinterland.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand, accompanied by officials of the ministry, urged the gathering to say how they believe education results in the region could be improved.

Progressive Party/Civic (PPP) administration, and its understanding that it is aimed at uplifting people and communities, and the country as a whole.

The minister emphasised the importance of education to the People’s

She noted also that development is possible only through the educa-

TT public transport going green

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD:

The TT government is moving apace to introduce clean technology in the country’s public transport system as part of a critical first step in reducing dangerous emissions on the nation’s roads, Ramona Ramdial, Minister of State in the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources announced recently.

Delivering the feature address at the Environmental Management Agency’s Green Leaf Awards Ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, she said mitigating climate change required a concerted public education and awareness drive.

“TT has also begun work on the development of its carbon reduction strategy. This project is currently ongoing and seeks to develop the most feasible mitigation options for each of the three main emitting sectors; power generation, industry and transport,” she indicated.

She added that, “this project is anticipated to be completed in September 2015. For these three sectors the recently completed April 2013 second National Communication to the United Nations Climate Change Convention has indicated a sizable increase in emissions between 1990 to 2005. If we were to focus on the transport sector, emissions have doubled from 1990 to 2005, which was directly linked to the number of vehicles on the road, which increased by almost

100 percent over the same period.”

“This ministry is taking proactive steps to address the increase in emissions from transport by the procurement of clean public transport technology for this sector which can be replicated in the future. This is being done in conjunction with the Ministry of Transport which is currently undertaking an initiative to modernise its fleet to utilise compressed natural gas (CNG),” the minister stated.

She continued: “In addition, as part of ensuring that our major road artery is green, the ministry, through the EMA, will be converting all traffic and street lights on the Priority Bus Route to solar technology.”

Ramdial said regulatory, institutional and policy frameworks had to be both modernised and strengthened. In implementing these directives, she said, several initiatives have been undertaken and were on-going.

The minister said the mainstreaming of climate change into national development and Feasibility of Carbon Capture and Storage was one project that sought to examine existing legislation and policy.

“The policy encourages the use of measures and practices that promote energy efficiency, wise use of resources and pollution prevention, ultimately minimising the adverse effects of government operations on the environment,” she explained. (Excerpted from TT Guardian)

tion of people.

Further, Manickchand highlighted the need to match that understanding with investments, pointing to the continued increasing budgetary allocations to the sector under the PPP/C administration.

The consultations would cover a four to five-month period she observed, with visits to other regions, as well as riverain communities, after which a report would be compiled from all the recommendations resulting in the formation of a fiveyear plan.

Pointing out tangible investments in the sector which have shown real results, the minister pointed to several programmes which saw significant investment

From 1994, 14 nursery schools in the hinterland increased to 116 in 2014, primary schools moved from 111 to 139 and secondary from five to 12. Region Nine is the region with the most schools. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)

Barbados legislation proposes jail for silent witnesses to child abuse

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS:

Persons who may be aware of instances of child abuse, but do not inform the authorities, could be brought before the courts and face possible jail, according to a looming law in Barbados.

Child Care Board Director, Joan Crawford, said that the Barbadian Cabinet is about to consider a proposal making it mandatory for school principals, church leaders, social workers, court officials, and media workers, among others to report knowledge of child abuse.

"There are no ifs or buts. It will be that you….are bound to report," she said last Thursday. "The only exception there is that lawyer-client privilege, but all others are not considered that way."

Further explaining the proposal before the Cabinet she said, "Failure to report a suspected case should carry a sanction in the form of a fine, with the alternative of imprisonment".

Crawford's revelation came during a symposium on student sexual abuse, where UNICEF Representative, Knu-

Sandi Lwin, suggested that education officials and others involved in the delivery of education can be blamed for not disclosing all information on probable cases of child abuse.

"All of us, in one way or another, have been sinning, the sins of omission," she said.

(Caribbean News)

IMF approves US$70.9 million drawdown for Jamaica

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a disbursement of US$70.9 million to Jamaica, confirming that the island has passed the latest review.

The confirmation in a statement from the IMF last Friday comes just weeks after an assessment of Jamaica's performance for the January to March period.

achievement of a primary surplus in a short time is impressive. Essential social spending has been safeguarded and steps are being taken to strengthen the social safety net.

Twenty-three graduate with MBA at Nations University in Guyana

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

Thirty-six individuals who successfully completed studies in various programmes offered at Nations University in Guyana, accredited by the Australian Institute of Business, graduated on Saturday at the Guyana International Conference Centre.

Six persons graduated with Certificates in Management, seven with Diplomas in Management and 23 with Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA).

Private Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Ramesh Persaud reminded the graduates of their responsibility to the corporate environment. He noted that the acquisition of their certification is not the culmination of a journey, but rather the commencement of it.

Persaud noted too

that their successes in this regard will largely be dependent on the application of the knowledge that they would have acquired.

“The light that you are seeing at the end of the tunnel today is the beginning of a long road with many twists, turns, and obstacles before you meet the end of the journey,” said Persaud.

He opined too that having an MBA or certificate in business management does not necessarily mean that a person knows more, but rather the person has been exposed to different cognitive methods.

“All you were exposed to were different ways of thinking by different authors and the different ways in which each of them see and interpret an issue, that is what your programme would have taught you… not knowledge but wisdom… having an

MBA means you have to start thinking differently, because that is what having an MBA means. Having an MBA means you have the ability to identify the real factor that gives you, your company the competitive edge and how to challenge the status quo.”

Well quipped

Meanwhile, Academic Board of Australian Institute of Business Chairman, Professor Rod Oxenberry in addressing the second batch of graduates from Nations University, noted that the graduates are now equipped with internationally recognised qualifications.

He said the graduates should use the skills and knowledge they have acquired and embark on a journey to solve the problems that plague the global economy and society.

(Excerpted from Guyana Times)

Over 25 children died in TT within six months

PORT-OFSPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Jamaica has so far received US$414 million from the IMF over the last 12 months under the Extended Fund Facility.

“Jamaica’s programme implementation under the Extended Fund Facility has been commendable. The

Continued support by the international community remains crucial as Jamaica is undertaking this difficult adjustment,” Naoyuki Shinohara, Deputy Managing Director, and Acting Chair said in the IMF statement.

(Jamaica Observer)

An inter-ministerial team is expected to be established in Trinidad and Tobago soon to co-ordinate government’s policies and programmes aimed at the protection of children, Gender, Youth and Child Development Minister Clifton De Coteau disclosed last week at a post Cabinet briefing at the San Fernando Teaching Hospital.

De Coteau revealed that approximately 25 children died between January and June. “I would like to extend condolences to the relatives of our children who have passed away. We have seen the passing of too many children in the months between January to June. In that time, approximately 25 children have died and our hearts go out to their relatives,” he said.

Adding that the ministry through its National Family Services Division has provided “grief counselling and other essential services to try and ease the pain” of the families, De Coteau said, “Cabinet has decided to accelerate our campaign and ensure a more collaborative approach as the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Community Development, the Ministry of National

Security and the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development, would be responsible for coordinating policies for the effective protection of children.”

He noted that the ministry would also increase its parenting awareness programme to ensure parents “know what they are doing is the correct thing”.

De Coteau revealed a “one off” grant of up to TT$250,000 to community residences (children’s homes) for infrastructural development. A total of TT$12.5 million has been allocated for these grants.

He said there are approximately 930 children in Homes scattered throughout the country with 562 of them be-

ing sent to the homes by “formal means”, usually the court system. He said just under half of the homes are in receipt of partial government assistance while the others are dependent on individual fund-raising activities.

The Children’s Authority had undertaken a “base line study” of children in the care of the community residences in 2012, he said, and determined that the homes, “need to be improved in order to meet the standards required by the Authority to operate under the law.”

Also addressing the post Cabinet briefing was Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh who also noted government had embarked on the construction of ECCE centres in private/public partnership arrangements to facilitate universal ECCE education for children between age three and four.

And with government having already constructed approximately 74 schools, which include 53 ECCE centres, 16 primary schools and five secondary schools, he said the average cost of an ECCE centre was approximately TT$7 million while a primary school to house a population of 600 students would cost approximately TT$25 million. (TT

ANTIGUA: Few newcomers in PM Browne’s ministerial Cabinet

ST.JOHN’S,

ANTIGUA: Prime Minister Gaston Browne has named a 12-member Cabinet in Antigua and Barbuda that includes several familiar faces, a female and a few newcomers.

The ministers took their oaths of office last week at Government House before making their way to the Antigua Recreation Grounds (ARG) for a public ceremony.

The swearing-in ceremony, projected on large LED screens, saw Samantha Marshall, a newcomer, assuming the portfolio of Social Transformation and Human Resource Development.

Another newcomer, Michael Browne, had his dreams realised after he was appointed Minister of Education, Science and Technology.

Last Wednesday’s swearing-in also saw a number of returnees including Asot Michael, the minister responsible for Tourism, Economic Development

Investment and Energy; Molwyn Joseph is the new minister of Health and the Environment; and Robin Yearwood, minister responsible for APUA, Utilities and Information—all of whom served under the Lester Bird administration.

Bird, the prime minister between 1994 and 2004, was absent from the ceremony because of ill health, but is to be appointed “senior minister.”

Prime Minister Browne found favour with Eustace “Teco” Lake and entrusted him with Public Works and Housing. The country’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade is Charles “Max” Fernandez.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries, and Barbuda Affairs went to Arthur Nibbs who entered the Lower House with just one vote over his opponent in the June 12 General Election.

Meanwhile,

Melford Nicholas is the Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Information Technology and Information minister, Paul ‘Chet’ Greene has oversight for Trade, Industry and Commerce, National Festivals, Culture and Sports, while Dean Jonas is the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly.

One by one, the ministers took three oaths: allegiance, office and secrecy, and promised to serve the people of Antigua and Barbuda “without fear or favour”.

Two weeks ago, Steadroy ‘Cutie’ Benjamin was appointed Attorney General, and minister responsible for Legal Affairs, Labour, Immigration and Police.

After the official ceremony, Prime Minister Browne, who is also minister responsible for Finance, told a large gathering at the ARG that he has recommitted himself to serving, but that the evening was about “saying thank you to everyone.” (Antigua Observer)

Controversial U.S.-funded project adjusted, back on track in Guyana

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: The stalemate between the Guyana government and the U.S. Embassy over the US$300,000 Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) Project seems to have been resolved somewhat, as the project which is aimed at supporting stakeholders’ efforts to promote effective and responsive democratic institutions, is now back on track.

U.S. Embassy in Georgetown Public Affairs Officer Tabitha Fairclough said that the decision was reached over a week ago between President Donald Ramotar and Ambassador D Brent Hardt, who had met privately.

She said the onus is now on the Head of State to make the decision public.

Early last month, Ambassador Hardt and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon made a joint announcement to members of the media at the Office of the President, that the project, which had been in the pipeline since 2009, would be put on hold.

The Guyana government had publicly chastised the U.S. for pursuing the LEAD Project despite its strong objections. The government had posited that the project’s design and implementation was unacceptable and that the action taken by the U.S. Ambassador was a clear departure from protocols and conventions governing inter-state relations, and deserved full condemnation.

But despite the criticisms, the U.S. Ambassador had claimed that the project still had as its main concern, the interest of the government and the people of Guyana. He noted too

that the objectives towards government’s participation were vital, pointing out that the U.S. government was looking forward to a constructive dialogue, and was hopeful that at the end of the day, both parties would be able to find a way forward in the tradition of their long bilateral relationship.

At the meeting, both Dr Luncheon and Ambassador Hardt could not say how long the project would have been on hold. The announcement by the two government representatives was made days after Guyana had also revoked the work permit of LEAD Project head in Guyana, Glen Bradbury, who it said had violated the country’s immigration laws and regulations. Soon after the decision to halt the entire project was withdrawn by President Ramotar, who had indicated that there was room for further discussions on the way forward.

The Ambassador had said that the U.S. government had already indicated its preparedness to make modifications to the project. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

Guyanese singing sensation, Lisa Punch on Sunday evening proved to the rest of the world that she is a force to be reckoned with when she appeared on ABC’s reality vocal show “Rising Stars”.

Singing Whitney Houston’s ‘How will I know’, she managed to amass 80 points to raise the wall of the international television song competition which indicated that she qualified for the second round.

The Charlotte Street, Georgetown girl will again be performing in two weeks in the next round of the competition.

In Sunday’s premiere, she used her main tool, her vocal abilities, mixed with emotions, to rock the audience with her saucy presentation that

led to a standing ovation from not only the audience but also the judges. Starting like a ballad and bursting with energetic bubbles of freshness, her overall presentation won the hearts and the additional seven votes each from the three judges.

Confident

After showcasing her life’s reality in Guyana and the USA on international television, Punch recalled that before hitting the stage, she was nervous but afterwards she became more confident as she performed.

“After a while, I put the nervousness aside, went on stage and performed to the best of my ability, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I will raise the walls”.

The natural performer, who ensured that Ludacris pronounced

Guyana correctly, further added that after then, she began singing and drew strength emotionally from her family’s circumstances in Charlotte Street and the apartment that she now shares with 12 others in Brooklyn, New York. “After I started to sing, all I thought of was my family, Guyana and New York”.

Although super-excited after her performance, Punch said persons were critical about her “nerves being heard in her voice,” which resulted in Brad Paisley telling her that she deserves her own tour bus. As she heads into the other round, she said that she will definitely step up her game, noting that she expects fiercer competition. She told Guyanese media that it was indeed “a dream come true” for her and that while she expects more competition in the coming weeks, she will make Guyana proud.

She thanked her many fans who voted her and those who have showed her much love before and after her presentation. Guyanese were glued to their television screens Sunday evening to watch the young woman perform.

About Lisa Punch

Born to John Punch Snr and Nafieza Daniels,

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

Members of the National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica (NYOJ) will have the opportunity to collaborate with their peers from 20 other countries, when the Orchestra of the Americas comes to Jamaica on tour in July.

The Jamaican stop forms part of the visiting orchestra's first tour of the Caribbean which involves participation of more than 1000 musicians. Other destinations are Dominican Republic and Haiti.

The highlight of the Jamaican tour will be two concerts; one in Kingston at Church on The Rock on July 24 and the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James on July 26.

While in Jamaica,

Lisa has six siblings. She spent most her life in the compound of the Guyana Police Force’s Headquarters, Eve Leary but also lived in Eldorado City, Berbice and Charlotte Street, Georgetown. Her dad is a serving member of the force.

She was previously employed as a radio announcer/producer at the National Communications Network (NCN).

Punch attended the Smith Memorial Primary School where she wrote the Secondary School Entrance Examination (SSEE) and was rewarded a place at North Georgetown Secondary where she obtained 12 subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC). The admirable Punch then got enrolled to Bishops’ High School where she secured four out of five subjects at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

She started the journey in her music career at the age of nine when she started to sing at home and school, but at the age of eleven she made her first appearance on “Talent Exclusive”. She then participated in the VIP Talent Search at the age of 12.

Orchestra of the Americas members will engage in music education workshops with youth at risk from communities across Kingston, as well as music workshops with students and music instructors attached to NYOJ.

Nigel Clarke, chairman of the NYOJ, sees this tour as a great opportunity for Jamaicans to recognise the power of music.

"NYOJ's aim is to create opportunities for music education to be opened for everyone, regardless of social background and hope that through the outreach, concerts and activities more persons will be seized by the awesome power of music to transform lives and communities," said Clarke. (Jamaica Observer)

Dr Julie Doobay, of Guyanese heritage, is a wellness-focused chiropractor whose personal journey is a unique and powerful story about learning to trust in the restorative capacity of the human body and in the power of focus and determination to overcome incredible odds.

In 2004, while on the path to her dream of becoming a chiropractor, during her last year of chiropractic college, a debilitating brain infection left Doobay in a hospital bed, a quadriplegic, on a respirator and eating from a feeding tube. Her aspirations to be a chiropractor were cut short and all her attention was focused on survival and recovery. Doctors told her family that she likely would not live, but she defied their prognosis. She was told she would never walk again.

It took five long years of intensive therapy, pain, frustration and effort, but once again, she proved them wrong as her capacity and mobility went from being bed-ridden, to a wheelchair, to a walker, to a cane, to independent walking. She was advised that she should

give up on her dream to be a chiropractor, but in 2009, after five years of absence from school, she returned to Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College to complete her degree. In June 2010, she graduated as a Doctor of Chiropractic.

For five years, doctors, nurses, specialists and others told her what she could not do, but Doobay chose to believe in, and act upon, the strength and power of an inner voice that said, “That is not okay with me!” Her sheer desire to live what she envisioned as a meaningful life enabled her to overcome limitations, both physical and emotional, that would have defeated most people.

Upon graduation in 2010, Doobay chose to specialise in Network Spinal Analysis chiropractic care and to focus on helping others to achieve a greater sense of well-being and to realise they can be so much more than what they believe is possible. In just a few short years of working with patients at BodyMind Wellness Studio in Canada, which offers innovative educational programmes to provide insight and guidance to patients and practice members in their journey of self-discovery, self-awareness and self-empowerment, Doobay purchased the practice and now brings her unique passion, perspective and vision to the studio.

In an interview, Doobay said her father was born in Guyana and her mother in India. Doobay’s parents met in Ottawa, Canada – where she was born and raised. On her first birthday, Doobay was brought to Guyana to meet her grandparents but have not returned since.

“At the time of the infection it was diagnosed as a brain infection - Acute Disseminating Encephalomyelitis. Eight years later, it was confirmed that I had Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. There were many working diagnoses,

so I didn't know what I was in store for. Since the doctors didn't know what I had, I figured that they weren't certain about my prognosis. I was told many things ranging from never being able to walk again to never being able to practice as a chiropractor. I just knew that I would regret not even trying to get better. There were many instances when I felt like giving up and that I was angry, frustrated or sad. Deep down inside I kept asking myself what was the worst thing that could happen by trying and pushing myself,” she revealed.

Overcoming her illness was not an easy feat, but with the concrete support from her family, Doobay triumphed.

“Both of my parents devoted all of their time and energy to me and my recovery. My family practically lived at the hospital for the first three months that I was in the hospital. My mom spent most of her days taking care of me and driving me to various medical

appointments. While struggling with my mobility and independence, my sister tried to make sure that I had a social life and got me out of the house. When I decided to return to Chiropractic College in 2009 (in Toronto), my father would drive to Toronto and back to Ottawa every few weeks so that I could spend some time at home. I had a lot of love and support, which encouraged me to keep trying.

“I now see life as an opportunity. You may not be able to choose the circumstances of your life but you can choose how you respond to life. Life never turns out the way you had imagined but when you open yourself to new possibilities things you never imagined do become possible.”

Drawing on both her professional and personal experiences, Doobay has developed a unique and effective fivestep programme entitled, “Dr. Julie’s Abilities Realisation Process”, which guides patients through a process of healing that begins with discovering how their body holds stress, trauma and perceived limitations and ends in believing in and realising their own unique abilities and gifts. Every day, her story, her courage, her compassion and her ability to help others to see what is possible is a source of inspiration to those who work with her. And every day, her passion and commitment to enable people to “discover your will, raise your standards, and make life worth living” is renewed by the healing and progress she sees in those under her care.

“If someone is facing a challenge, they must keep in mind that ‘this too shall pass’. The situation may seem hopeless and painful but I promise you that it will not feel this bad forever, this feeling is not permanent,” the doctor encouraged. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

Jamaican is Carnival Cruise Line’s ‘main man’

TRELAWNY, JAMAICA:

Jamaican Peter

John Ainsworth, a 27year veteran in his field as a crewman, could hardly contain his joy when he got word from his employer, Carnival Cruise Lines, last month that he has been named the company's Team Member of the Year 2013.

Ainsworth, who was on vacation spending time with his family at his New Heaven Heights home in Trelawny, Jamaica, when he got the awesome news, told Jamaican media last week that he still finds it hard to believe that he was able to come away with such a prestigious award.

According to Ainsworth, within days after he was advised by officials of Carnival Cruise Lines about his "good fortune", his employer flew his wife, Dorset and himself, into Miami, Florida, for a three-day all-expensepaid trip where they were feted at the company's Miami headquarters during an elaborate ceremony.

There, a proud Ainsworth, who was presented with a plaque and cheque, was acknowledged for his accomplishments by employers of the cruise line, as well as his co-workers.

Ainsworth, a senior team headwaiter at Carnival Cruise Lines who has been working on the company's Carnival Glory cruise ship for the past four years, after stints on several of the

company's other vessels for more than two decades, was the first person to cop such an award under the company's 'I AM' employee fleet-wide recognition programme, introduced last year.

Last November, the Jamaica native was nominated as Team Leader for the month, as part of the initiative, which saw an employee being singled out for special recognition every month dur-

ing 2013.

An official of Carnival described the 56-year-old Jamaican as a very dedicated individual who has great pride and passion for the job he does.

Founded in 1972, Carnival, which currently operates 24 cruise ships, is said to be the world's most popular cruise company, carrying more passengers than any other line. Its

"Fun Ships" sail voyages of three to 23 nights and visit destinations such as Alaska, the Bahamas, Australia, New Zealand the Caribbean, Hawaii and Mexico.

The company employs more than 31,500 people—roughly 28,000 work on its ships—from over 50 nationalities.

Ainsworth explained that the criteria for the award were based mainly

on reviews and feedback from guests, interaction with crew members, honesty and dedication, as he lauded the cruise line for giving him the opportunity to provide for his family.

Ainsworth left Jamaica for New York in the U.S. almost 28 years ago, to explore economic opportunities for his wife and baby. (Excerpted from Jamaica Observer)

- Anslem Douglas, winner of Black Canadian Award

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Singer, songwriter and performing artiste Anslem Douglas is still celebrating his recent win of the Black Canadian Award for Best Caribbean Style Artiste just over a week ago.

Douglas, songwriter of the internationallyacclaimed and Grammy Award-winning hit “Who Let The Dogs Out?” beat out five other nominees— Ammoye, Jahsmin Daley, Shalli, Soca Emperor and Ms Paige—to win the award.

The Black Canadian Awards 2014 ceremony that took place in front of a packed crowd at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto, Canada on June 7, once again cel-

ebrated and showcased the achievements of Black Canadian artistes, trailblazers and leaders within the Canadian community.

It was reportedly not just a music awards show, since the programme included many honorees from all walks of life in the Black community in Canada, including fashion and business.

Douglas, who had been living in Canada for decades before recently returning to his homeland to live, told TT media that he was unaware when he was announced as the winner.

“I was back stage waiting to be called on to perform, so I was out of suit and into jeans to

get on stage. The monitor back stage was a bit soft and with all the chatting and laughter going on, I never heard when my name was called. Apparently my name was called several times until someone said you’re on, so I was about to run on stage when I heard ‘You won an award’,” he related.

He added: “I went on stage, and my acceptance speech was very simple. I gave God thanks for the gift of music, I thanked my team who has been working with me behind the scene tirelessly. I also thanked the promoters of the show and last but not least, my fans who voted for me on my facebook page and website.”

On winning the

award itself Douglas, who turns 50 next month said, “I felt like I had broken a barrier, like I had once again taken my career and soca music to another level.”

Douglas will most be remembered for his massive internationally-acclaimed hit “Who Let The Dogs Out” that went on to win a Grammy Award in 2000, after being popularised by The Baha Men, though it was composed back in 1998.

Having been asked to close the show Douglas said, “Well I had to do my international signature song “Who Let The Dogs Out” regardless of what (songs) I may have new, and I have to sing “When Ah Dead Bury Meh Clothes”, so I guess

I have two signature songs. They were well received by the audience. It felt good representing Trinidad and Tobago and soca music on an international stage.”

Now that winning the award has sunk in, Douglas says, “I know to whom much is given much is required, so it’s all about working harder at my craft to continue to give good music to the world. After all it’s the world we are making music for.” (TT Newsday)

New Miss Guyana Jamzone queen crowned

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: More than two years after captivating the world with her smiles, glossy eyes and beauty as Miss United Nations, Soyini Fraser was on Saturday evening crowned Miss Guyana Jamzone, 2014 at the Gravity Lounge in Georgetown.

She outshone her two other rivals, Faydeha King and Onesha Hutson, to win the title and will have the opportunity to represent Guyana at the Miss Jamzone International Pageant slated for August at the National Cultural Centre.

She was selected as the best contender after competing in various aspects in a reality show hosted by Hits and Jams Entertainment as part of the 14th Edition of Jamzone Summer Break.

At the beginning of the competition in the form of a reality show, the three contestants were judged in a photo shoot segment and the infomercial they produced.

This was followed by “Meet the Press”, which saw the three delegates showing off their intelligence as they answered several questions posed to them by three seasoned entertainment personnel. In addition, the delegates were part of a runway show in heels and bathing suits.

Fraser promised to put her best foot forward and to represent Guyana to the best of her ability with the intention of keeping the title at home for the first time.

It is time now to focus on the international

pageant, where she will be competing against at least 10 contestants from the Caribbean, she added.

This 24-year-old beauty began her education at Mae’s Under-12 School after which she attended the West Ruimvelt Primary School. She then went to Queen’s College where she was very athletic.

As the years passed by, this well rounded individual became a member of the Classique Dance Company. She was among the eight dancers of the company who went to the United States of America to perform for the Guyana Cultural Association at their annual Folk Festival celebrations. Later in that year, she was crowned Miss Guyana Earth. She was given the opportunity to tour Vietnam as Guyana’s representative at Miss Earth 2010, where she gained great knowledge and experience. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)

PORT-OFSPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Trinidad and Tobago

national Charmaine Ghandi-Andrews has been awarded Hero status by the U.S. Department of State. Gandhi-Andrews, who is the former director of TT’s Counter Trafficking Unit, has been named one of the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Heroes for 2014.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made the announcement in Washington, DC as he released the 2014 TIP Report last week.

The United States

US-based Guyanese artist Harold A Bascom, also a novelist and three-time Guyana Prize winning playwright, uses his art to communicate his perspectives on issues relating to humanity to the wider world, and to showcase his rich Guyanese culture.

The artist was born in Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo. He later migrated to the U.S. where he used his new environment as an inspiration to broaden his art series. He moved to Georgia from New Jersey in 2010. That is when he began setting up a studio in an effort to rekindle his artistic career. In 2011, he completed his “Brownstone Series” and began work on his “Petrified Birds”,

Embassy, in a statement last Friday, said, “Gandhi-Andrews was for several years a leading and outspoken advocate for human trafficking legislation, which the government (TT) ultimately implemented in January 2013. Largely due to her tireless efforts, Trinidad and Tobago now has an infrastructure in place to recognise, identify, and support victims.”

Regional advocacy group, Caribbean Umbrella Body for Restorative Behaviour (CURB), released a statement praising GhandiAndrews’ work.

which he completed in 2012, and is now working on his “New-Earth Incubation (Earth Egg paintings)”.

Bascom has a burning need within to express deeply-felt point of views. It continues to be his creative trigger. The consideration of style, technique, and the overall design serves that need. He is, at core, a figurative artist who believes that art without people or subjects with humanlike personification is art that is wanting. He loves to trek the unbeaten path when it comes to technique. He craves mixed elements and would not hesitate to consider elements pasted into compositions. The artist is also happy to utilise mixed painting tools: traditional brush-

es, painting knives, and sometimes stiff-bristled hand brushes with which he would spatter diluted pigment through hand-cut templates.

The figurative artist is passionate about the overall shape-design of every piece of his art: shape against other shape must be just right; and even after he would have thought a painting finished, it will only truly be so after he would have made continual minor tweaks here and there to the overall design.

Art series

“The Petrified Bird” series began with Bascom wanting to say that the effects of modernism on nature is worthy of note – even if only passively. He recalled the day the idea came to him for this series. He was sitting with his sketch book on the deck of his Loganville, Georgia, home in the afternoon. He looked into the distant forested hills where the developers had not yet reached in their carvings of new subdivisions out of forest. Soon after, a Brown Thrasher bird landed on the rail before him. He felt absorbed by its di-

The statement said, that “Gandhi-Andrews is deserving of such recognition is not in dispute as far as we are concerned…Her years leading investigations for the Immigration Division and her fearless opposition to corruption equipped her to lead the CTU into making landmark arrests including those of law enforcement officers allegedly involved in trafficking in persons...Under her leadership, the CTU was able to make substantial progress in its first year of operation to arrest several offenders in both islands of our republic and

rescue a dozen foreign victims of human trafficking. These are quite enviable achievements in the first 12 months of operation, despite substantial challenges.”

Ghandi-Andrews, who was present to receive the accolade and also delivered remarks on behalf of the group of the 2014 TIP Heroes, said, “Our work has only just begun, but we are committed to the fight against human trafficking and will continue to work with the tenacity with which we started, to end human trafficking in Trinidad and Tobago.” (TT Guardian)

lated eyes and put himself in the place of one bird being terrified by that first bulldozer that broke through the trees and wreaked havoc with the natural habitat.

“South American Gothic Series” is a series of pen and ink drawings of illustrations of macabre figures from the folklore of his homeland,

Guyana. As a result of Guyana’s cultural diversity, a rich, commonly accepted folklore has been spawned- a folklore that challenges visual interpretation. Images of the Baccoo and Moongazer, including other folklore, are artistically illustrated on paper in this series.

“New-Earth

Incubation” is a follow up on his last series, “The Petrified Birds”. In the “New-Earth Incubation” series, the earth is the egg of a Phoenix un-hatched before yet another rebirth. His aim is to show that the earth, forever, dynamic, will continue to survive through every form of natural or unnatural upheaval that visits it. This series represents a liberating of Bascom’s mind that has been more or less chained to the conventional expectations of others and a drive to paint within the lines of expectation.

His recent series, Imposition, constitutes a break-away from previous styles and he is now delving into minimalism. In doing so, the artist is freeing himself from conventions that he felt afraid to leave behind. This series, therefore, registers an intention in him to go places he has not gone before as an artist.

The process is completely different to that of his previous series. For these pieces, the artist is not using his easel; instead he is working on the floor. Also, though his photographing of the ‘Imposition’ pieces do not show it, each of these paintings has a three-dimensional effect since the boldly coloured rectangles are actually smaller canvases glued onto the bases canvases stacked or alongside each other as diptychs and triptychs.

What's most important to the artist is the “process of creation”.

(Source: haroldbascomfineart.com)

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

The prayers of eight people in Jamaica, youngsters 10-18, who suffer from scoliosis, have been answered.

Glendon Whyte, Shantika Genas, Shanice Campbell, Zidane Salmon, Natalia Bernard, Anika Kelly, Davian Dennis, and Shana Kay Woolerly will benefit from the Scotia Foundation's Scoliosis and Spine Care Programme that will provide corrective surgery with the use of metal rods attached to the spine by screws, hooks and in some cases wires to hold the spine in place.

Scoliosis is a condition that causes the spine to curve into an 's' shape extremely to the right or left. It is said to cause pain and can result in respiratory complications. If left untreated, it can lead to paralysis as well as emotional and psychological challenges. The cost of surgery amounts to almost US$600 per

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS:

Barbados may be one of the smaller islands in the Caribbean, but it is making a big impact on the global stage as an environmentally conscious and energy efficient nation.

Currently Barbados is ranked fourth in the world in solar water heater penetration per 1,000 inhabitants and it is expected that by 2020 the island will be among the top five countries in solar photovoltaic penetration/solar energy usage per capita.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), on its Web site, said Barbados is also the first country in the world in diversion of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic from the landfill—it recycles 80 percent of the total PET.

It is against this backdrop that Bridgetown, Barbados became the centre of global celebrations for World Environment Day celebrations recently as the country hosted the annual UNEP festivities.

Green initiatives

Prime Minister Freundel J Stuart QC, speaking with TT media during the celebrations last week, said his country has always taken the preservation of the environment “very serious.”

person and can last for six to 12 hours.

One of the recipients, Woolerly, was diagnosed with a 50 percent right thoracic curvature of the spine—a severe case of scoliosis. Her back was twisted and she had a dragged walking caused by one leg being longer than the other. Today, she is relieved to know that corrective surgery— which involves the fusing of the vertebra in her

spine—will be made possible with the help of the foundation's programme.

Speaking at a ceremony last Thursday to announce the 2014 beneficiaries, Beulah Stevens, chief executive officer of Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) where the surgeries will take place, encouraged the beneficiaries to be of good cheer.

Dr Ian Neil, head of orthopaedics at KPH and the man who will spear-

head the operations, assured the beneficiaries that he will rectify their condition.

"I need my scoliosis children to get the care and attention we certainly give you at KPH; I want you to get better. It's going to be a very interesting road for you because it starts with pain and it ends with joy," Neil said.

Technology

He added that the

He credited citizens with the success of Barbados’s “green” initiatives.

“I cannot complain about the response that we have been getting from householders and from businesses. We have passed a new Electric Light and Power act to modernise that area of our legislative experience and framework. If we continue on that march I do not think there is much to complain about,” Stuart related.

He noted that the Barbados government took the approach that if citizens see the public sector engaging in green

initiatives then they too would be encouraged to do the same.

Government, he added, is implementing its own budgetary incentives and legislative changes to attract more people to the cause.

Solar panel water heaters can be seen on the roof of almost every home in the residential areas in Bridgetown and various parishes, which Stuart said is a testament to the population’s commitment to the environment.

Climate change

Stuart said the country has been taking green initiatives in the

area of energy and the construction sector.

Barbados has also constructed boardwalks, such as the Richard Hastings boardwalk, as part of its shoreline restoration initiatives. The government is also encouraging private-sector businesses to invest in recycling plants and planning to build a green technology park.

“We cannot ignore the effect of climate change. We are all islands and issues of sea level rise and so on must be of concern to us,” Stuart emphasised. (Excerpted from TT Guardian)

Scotia Foundation scholar, has a degree in actuarial Science. She did two surgeries to correct her spine and last Thursday she encouraged the beneficiaries to cheer up as better days are ahead.

technology now available to do the surgeries allow patients to resume their normal lives in a short time span.

"Patients don't need a brace, and repeat surgery is very unusual and uncommon. The kind of correction that is achieved by the implants we use, cause them to be able to go back to school and work in a very short time," Neil said.

Kordel Clarke, a

"Years ago, in 2006, I was in the same position as many of you who I'm seeing here. I used to have that curvature and I used to be just like you and I used to go through the same teasing…being called 'leanie' and imitated and laughed at, but I just want to reassure you that you will get over it and you will be a better person for it," Clarke said.

She added that, like them, she was worried but after the surgery she bounced back and managed to become successful in life.

The Scotia Foundation has been covering the cost of scoliosis surgeries in Jamaica since September 2006. (Excerpted from Jamaica Observer)

TT companies win Microsoft Partner awards

PORT-OFSPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Five organisations based in Trinidad and Tobago and the eastern and southern Caribbean were among the winners of the 2014 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards, which celebrates top partners solving customer challenges with creative technology solutions. Local software developer Teleios Systems Limited was named the global as well as LATAM New Markets winner of the YouthSpark Citizenship Partner of the Year Award for its annual Teleios Code Jam programme. The YouthSpark award recognises a partner that creates unique technology or supports an employee engagement programme to serve the needs of youth between six and 24 years old.

“Teleios is really very honoured to have been recognised by Microsoft for our Teleios Code Jam programme because it represents the heart of who we are. We have always felt that Trinidad and Tobago and the wider region have the capability to be producers of technology and

not just consumers of technology,” said Kevin Khelawan, chief operating officer, Teleios Systems Limited. Infotech Caribbean Limited was named a Cloud Partner of the Year for the LATAM New Markets, which means they’ve successfully packaged Microsoft cloud and partner solutions solving an end customer’s challenge. Additionally, Davyn Limited, Inova Solutions/Netpro, and Infodom, based in TT, Curacao and Martinique respectively, all won the Country Partner of the Year Award for their ability to grow customers by driving impact and satisfaction.

Awards were presented in multiple categories, with winners chosen from a set of more than 2,800 nominations from 117 different countries for the 46 global award opportunities.

The local and regional winners and finalists, comprising the 93 country winners in the 46 categories reviewed, will receive their awards at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) that takes place from July 13-17 in Washington, DC. (TT Guardian)

'My life has become a reality show' - Ranbir Kapoor

Actor Ranbir Kapoor lamented that rumours about his personal life have turned into a "reality show". He said that he feels "bad" for his parents, who have to face the embarrassment as a result of loose talk.

“There were so many stories that I am leaving my parents; my dad has asked me to get out of the house, and all of that…So I feel really bad that my life has become like a reality show," the 32-year-old said Monday.

"My parents are old and I don't want them to read such stuff about me because it's embarrassing for them," added the son of veteran actors Rishi and Neetu Kapoor.

Recently, there were reports that Ranbir was moving out of his parents' house. But setting the record straight, he said: "The house I live in is going for redevelopment, and when that happens, people who are living there have to move out." (TOI)

Preity

Zinta accuses Ness Wadia of abuse

On Tuesday evening, Preity Zinta reportedly told the police that she was abused thrice and manhandled once by Ness Wadia on May 30. The supplementary statement was recorded at the BCCI office in the Wankhede Stadium.

She also went to the Garware Pavilion with the Marine Drive police team and pointed out the two spots where the alleged incident took place, and also showed them the spot on the ground where she claimed that she was abused for the third time.

According to a police officer, Preity was seated under the air conditioned box in the Garware Pavilion initially which was where Ness Wadia, according to her, started abusing a team of-

ficial over the seating arrangement. Preity apparently asked Wadia to be quiet as their team, Kings X1 Punjab, was playing well. "She claimed he then started abusing her and even pulled her hand," related the officer. (TOI)

‘I've never had a girlfriend’ – Armaan Jain

Newcomer

Armaan Jain's debut film is ready to take off, but his love life is yet to begin. The 23-year-old confesses that he has never been in a relationship, probably due to his weight.

The grandson of late actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor is set to make his acting debut with Arif Ali's ‘Lekar Hum Deewana Dil,’ and said that girls were probably not attracted to him as he was fat. "I've never had a girlfriend. It sounds very funny but I haven't. I don't know why. It was probably be-

cause I was around 95 kilos, so no one probably looked at me. After that also, all the girls I knew made me their brother. They tied me rakhi,” the actor said.

"And I started work-

ing very young. I was focused. I didn't have time to go out also," Armaan, who assisted filmmaker Karan Johar when he was a teenager, told IANS in an interview from Mumbai. (TOI)

Arjun Kapoor is very possessive about Alia Bhatt

Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt exhibited intimate chemistry in ‘2 States’, and even while promoting the film. But now it’s a thing of the past. Alia has moved on to other projects, but it apparently seems that Arjun is still emotional about the bond they shared.

Bipasha Basu is known for her chiseled figure. While women are known to take pointers from DVDs on ways to stay healthy, the actress is now turning personal trainer for her family and close friends as well.

"Bipasha's hairstylist was so impressed by her love and dedication towards fitness that she took up exercise and lost a lot of weight. Now, Bipasha is encouraging her family and friends to get fit. She calls her mother (Mamta Basu) every morning to remind her to go for a jog. She even coaxes her sister (Bijoyeta) to visit the gym. She also motivates her friends to take up a disciplined fitness routine," says a source close to the actor.

Bipasha feels that there are more than just physical benefits to working out.

“My philosophy in life is, 'love yourself'. Exercise is like an investment; it

not only helps you look good and stay healthy, but also improves your efficiency,” the actress said. (TOI)

‘Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman Khan are the love of my life’ - Rani Mukerji

Vidya Balan might have confessed that she wanted to work with the Khans at one point of time, but currently the actress is not interested in being part of films with Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir where all that an actress has to do is look pretty.

The award-winning actress said that if there is a great script that justifies her presence in the movie along with a Khan, she would be happy to be a part of it, otherwise she is okay with not having a Khan-starrer on her CV.

So what does Rani Mukerji, her co-star from ‘No One Killed Jessica,’ and someone who has

worked with all the Khans, has to say about this?

“I love all the Khans. Right from the time I started my career, I worked with them. I worked with Aamir in ‘Ghulam’. Then with Shah Rukh Khan in

‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, both during the initial years of my career. I went on to do many films with Salman. My role in all these films were really good. So I shouldn't be complaining. Khans are the love of my life,” said Rani. (TOI)

Sonam Kapoor asked to lose eight kilos for Salman Khan

For the Arbaaz Khan-produced 'Dolly Ki Doli', Sonam Kapoor, who plays a curvaceous Punjabi kudi, had to put on a few extra kilos. But now the actress has to lose between six-eight kilos before she can romance Salman Khan in Sooraj Barjatya's 'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo'.

Fortunately for the actress, she doesn't have to go on a starvation diet. She can eat everything—chicken, fish and salads—in moderation.

She takes small meals every two hours.

And that's not all. Her personal trainer Radhika Karle reveals that besides doing pilates and 45-minutes of cardio, Sonam is also undergoing 'in-

terval training'. "It's a high intensity workout regime that will tone her down," she explains. (TOI)

The report further stated that recently Alia

According to a midDay report, Arjun and Alia used to spend a lot of time together during ‘2 States,’ and Arjun started becoming possessive. Alia had since made it clear that he shouldn't do that. However post the film, Alia got busy with Varun Dhawan for their film, ‘Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania’.

expressed her displeasure about Arjun's possessiveness, when they were all hanging out with friends. And because of this alleged tiff, it seems that Alia and Arjun are no longer close. (TOI)

Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez attend bible study together

She is famed for her feminine charms.

But it was Pamela Anderson's

head that was winning all the attention for a change after she wore a fancy fedora as she jetted into Los Angeles last week.

The Playboy favourite seemed in high spirits indeed as she made her way through the bustling LAX departure lounge.

And no wonder, for the 46-yearold looked great for her age in a canny combo of tan-coloured fedora, demure spotted blue sundress and high heels.

The former ‘Baywatch’ star was certainly turning plenty of heads as she mixed with the proles at the busy transport hub.

And the mother-of-two seemed particularly chuffed when a fan approached her as she pranced around to ask for an autograph. (HollywoodLife)

‘My style icon is Rihanna’ - Cameron Diaz

Actress Cameron Diaz thinks singer Rihanna always looks "incredible" in whatever she wears.

In an interview to French Grazia magazine, she admired the singer's fashion sense, reports contactmusic. com.

"My style icon is

Rihanna, she's incredible. She transcends everything she wears," said Diaz.

Rihanna's sartorial choices haven't always been well received, namely the see-through custom-made Adam Selman dress she wore to an awards function earlier this month. (TOI)

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez attended a bible study together in L.A. last week, where the pair--on and off again since 2010--were openly

Brad Pitt buys 37,000 pounds motorbike for friend

Hollywood star

Brad Pitt has reportedly bought a motorbike worth 37,000 pounds for his friend, whose bike got destroyed in a house fire.

The 50-year-old actor hired a broker to search for a rare 1936 HarleyDavidson VLD motorcycle when he heard his friend's bike was destroyed, reported Female

First.

"The guy had several bikes, but this was his baby and because it wasn't a street bike, he didn't have it insured," a source said.

"Brad sprang into action, hiring a broker to search the world for a duplicate. When one was finally located in Germany, Brad wrote a cheque and had the boss machine delivered with a note that simply said he knew how much his buddy loved that bike, and just wanted to help out," the source added. (TOI)

Jamie Foxx scares his daughter's boyfriends

Actor Jamie Foxx says he "scares the hell" out of his daughter's boyfriends and wants her to be in love when she's in her 40s.

‘The Amazing SpiderMan 2’ actor has two daughters--Corinne, 20, and Annalise, 6,-- and he has confessed that he likes to intimidate the men that take Corinne out on dates so that they'll treat her well, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Quizzed about what he does when guys come to his house to take her out, he told in the chat show "Live! with Kelly and Michael": "You've got to scare the hell out of them. You don't leave any room for them to wiggle. Because we're dudes and we know how we were (at that age). I mean I'm a gentleman, completely, but we know that there are other guys

out there that are trying to get it on."

The 46-year-old hopes his daughter, who accompanied him to Oscars earlier this year, will find true love, but doesn't want to see her get hurt in the process. (TOI)

affectionate, a source told U.S. Weekly.

"They were very lovey dovey and cute," the insider said of the stars, who "came and left together with a few friends."

According to the source, Bieber, 20, and Gomez, 21, "sat next to each other and listened to [Pastor Judah Smith]'s sermon." The insider told U.S. that they were "smitten with each other."

Bieber shared an Instagram snapshot from Smith's teachings last Wednesday evening. "Bible study with Judah Smith," he wrote alongside a photo of the City Church pastor onstage. The insider noted how Bieber appeared to be in a significantly better place at the study session.

"He looks so happy and at peace," the source said, while Gomez seemed similarly pleased and tranquil. (Yahoo)

Antonio Banderas, Sharon Stone getting close to each other

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas is reportedly getting close to 'Basic Instinct' star Sharon Stone.

Banderas, 53, split from wife Melanie Griffith, 56, earlier this month after 18 years of marriage, reported Contactmusic.

"Antonio and Sharon,56, have been great friends for years.

It's all very relaxed at the moment and they want to keep it quiet out of respect for Griffith, but there's no denying the spark is there," a source said.

"Banderas and Sharon are planning for a holiday together in July. They've both been married twice before and are just enjoying having fun." the source added.

(TOI)

Channing Tatum doesn't like wife Jenna Dewan in sex scenes

Channing Tatum doesn't like his wife filming sex scenes.

The 'Magic Mike' star is uncomfortable with the idea of Jenna Dewan-Tatum---with whom he has 12-month-old daughter Everly--getting close to her male co-stars on 'The Witches of East End,' but she thinks it would be ''weird'' if he felt any other way.

Asked if it was true that her spouse ''doesn't like her having sex scenes with other men'' on TV, she said: ''So true.''

She added: ''It'd be weird if he was like, 'Ah, I'm cool with it, do whatever,' you know? It's never fun [shooting love scenes], but you just get really used to it, it's weird.''

And the 33-year-old actress admits that shooting the scenes are even more ''weird'' because she and her spouse are so close

(TOI)

Willow Smith sleeps with pet snakes

Willow Smith reportedly lets her pet snakes sleep in the same bed as her in the night.

The 13-year-old, who got her first boa constrictor named Beauty in 2008, is reportedly "obsessed" with the slithery reptiles, Contactmusic reported.

According to sources, Willow is obsessed with snakes and has 10 sleeping in her room, and some of them aren't even in cages.

Willow's brother Jaden Smith also lets the creatures, which he reportedly calls his "girlfriends", sleep on his bed. (TOI)

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: On Saturday last, nestled in the Oasis at Pegasus Hotel, Guyanese fashion icon Sonia Noel and her team of associates executed another great event to bring awareness and raise funds for the Sickle Cell Association of Guyana.

Hours before a number of designers showcased their masterpieces, an awareness walk was held which started at 06:00h and proceeded along several streets throughout Georgetown. Then, at the actual fashion show,

PORT-OFSPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Second and third year students of the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) Caribbean Academy of Fashion and Design (CAFD) showcased their talent and knowledge last Saturday night at the National Academy for Performing Arts, Port-of-Spain.

The third Junior Design Critic fashion show launched the CAFD week of fashion to observe UTT’s tenth anniversary. The first segment of the event showcased three projects completed by 12 students during their second year. The first two categories: Knitwear and Sophisticated Suits were individual projects while the third was a group effort in Denim Couture.

Second half featured third year students’ Designer Critique show. Eighteen students spent two semesters working on two looks based on themes chosen by this year’s designers. Some students opted to work with local designer, Shaun Griffith Perez whose theme, “Couture Rhapsody”, fused music and fashion and highlighted the culture of the Caribbean.

Nigel Eastman of the fashion label, Zadd and Eastman was the second designer who chose the theme, “Shirt”, that may seem simple but students had to rework and re-image the shirt for the 21st century.

“Students were given words like “futuristic”, “elongated” and “boyish” to play with to help them with their theme,” said Sandra Carr, CAFD Fashion Design Coordinator, Programme

the audience was addressed by Nurse Bond, an executive member of the Sickle Cell Association of Guyana, who shared the importance of building awareness about the disease. He expressed his gratitude to Noel for her outstanding contributions thus far.

The show got underway with a collection from Andy Cummings, winner of Designer Portfolio, which was hugely appreciated by the audience.

The collections of Deborah Mathias, Channey Wong, Hashim Alli and Melicia Pertab,

Leader and a full-time Lecturer at UTT.

Winners

Winners of the critique were chosen by Griffith Perez and Eastman prior to the fashion show and winners were named on the night. The Couture Rhapsody segment was won by Devi Siew Ramnarine. Second and third place went to Derrick Auguste and Shurland Pasea respectively. First place under the “Shirt” theme was

Kaleen Sanois, followed by Gaviann Mitchell in second place and Renee Williams in third.

Carr said because it is UTT’s tenth anniversary, the CAFD decided to give students participating in the Designer Critique more this year.

“Usually it is just a first and second place award. We pushed it to a third place because these students have worked very hard,” she said.

The night was a culmination of two semes-

ters of work, she said. In the first semester, designers came in and gave their theme and students chose one of the options. Each student then completed 25-50 sketches of outfit ideas based on the theme and this was whittled down to 12, then six sketches and then two.

The two looks were then developed into the toile, which, said Carr, is the design created in brown cotton to give an idea of what the finished garment would look like.

In the second semester, students would make the actual garments. The designers would come in again and would give their comments so students could make their final changes before judging. Carr said students have to do a lot of background work before they come to their final designs, which entails research and paperwork to explain different aspects of their design including information on their concept, inspirations, fabric choices and colour choices among other things. (Excerpted from TT Newsday)

Meleesa Payne, Neilson Nurse as well as the men’s and women’s collections by Sonia Noel followed.

The models wore the outfits well and were constantly applauded by the audience as one breathtaking piece after another came down the runway.

There was also a Dutch auction chaired by prominent attorney Nigel Hughes who managed to squeeze quite a few cents out of the audience in support of people with sickle cell.

The evening also saw several performances by up and com -

ing singers Joanne Ford and Travis Bowen, who wowed the crowd with his moves and serenaded on bended knee, one lucky guest in the front row.

In addition, the winner of the Sickle Cell logo design competition was announced. Chontelle Stewett won a day trip for two to Baganara Resort, compliments of the tourist destination, with her innovative design. It was this design that also graced the t-shirts that Noel had made for the Sickle Cell Awareness Walk. (Guyana Times)

Jamaican dancers ready for World Reggae Dance

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

Last month

the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) stepped up its campaign to help Jamaican dancers bring the title back home.

For the past two years the World Reggae Dance Championships has been claimed by Japanese dancers. This year, workshops were held in the elimination stages and in an earlier interview, JCDC co-ordinator Julette CowanMorgan said the organisation intend to shake things up in preparation for the final at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in St Andrew on Monday, August 4.

Workshops were held across three regions--Northern, Central and Eastern with Dance Xpressionz, Orville Hall sharing his expertise.

"The participation

was varied in all the regions, but the JCDC is encouraged by the numbers of participating groups overall," said Cowan-Morgan.

She added: "The JCDC saw the need to provide the necessary training and development for these youths who have unique dancing skills and need the assistance to move their career forward."

Since the workshops have been held, CowanMorgan said she has seen an improvement at the auditions held across the island.

"It was quite obvious that the dancers who participated in the workshops have garnered the knowledge and brought their creativity and diversity to the auditions."

The finals will take place on August 4 at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre.

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: International

Reggae recording artiste Jamaican Wayne Wonder kicked off his first-ever tour of Canada last Friday at the Estate Nightclub in Toronto. The seven-show tour, which runs until July 1, will see Wonder performing at a number of club venues, including Club XO in Edmonton on June 27 and the Karma Club in Winnipeg on June 30. Opening for Wonder on this inaugural tour will be Canada-based

reggae singer Shalli, who is best known for her singles ‘Show My Love’ and ‘Down in Jamaica’.

Wonder is also set to release a new video for his single ‘Many Reasons’, which is featured on the Natural Juice rhythm. The video, which was directed by Chris 'Icey Jace' Campbell, was shot in Kingston and is the third official video release from Wonder since the start of the year.

Other videos released earlier this year are currently in rotation on television stations worldwide, among them, ‘Let Me Love You Tonight’ on the Sweet Personality rhythm by Nature's Way Entertainment; and ‘Searching For Love’, which features dancehall deejay Iyara for Pay Day Music Group. (Jamaica Gleaner)

Guyana prepares for bigger, better choral festival this year

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: Buoyed by the successful launch of Guyana’s National Song Festival in 2012, organisers renamed the festival the National Choral Festival, and a second edition was launched last week.

The second festival is slated for October 19.

The festival has been expanded, and this year 50 new and existing groups are targeted, while new categories are to be introduced, all in aid of revitalising choral singing in Guyana. The groups will have the opportunity to participate in workshops and other activities to build their individual capacity.

Guyana’s Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, who launched the festival at the Umana Yana, last Thursday said singing is a choice which helps to realise potential, and build the country’s music industry.

He explained that the ministry is only the facilitator of this event, noting that the training aspect, which is the most important, is more of a developmental programme which allows persons to enhance their capabilities.

The feedback from the music festival last year was very positive, and based on some constructive criticism, the

ministry is working on enhancing the festival.

Apart from that, Minister Anthony said in 2016, Guyana will observe its 50th year as an independent country, and the ministry will be looking at doing something special, and this festival will highlight the talent needed for that event.

The Culture Minister further stated that a specific programme will also be established to develop new music especially composed for that occasion. He urged those gathered to be creative and get on board with this project.

Recently, the ministry was able to republish the 100 folk songs of Guyana. Minister Anthony said that another project the ministry will be working on is putting those 100 songs on CDs and distributing them widely so that persons, especially youths, can become familiar with those songs.

Speaking about the Amerindian languages, Minister Anthony said the ministry will also be looking to introduce an Indigenous Song Competition during Amerindian Heritage Month celebration in September.

Quaseeda, bhajan, gospel, and folk are just a few of the categories which will be showcased during the festival. (Guyana Times)

Key role for Santokie in Guyana Amazon Warriors - coach Harper

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS:

Guyana Amazon Warriors head coach, Roger Harper, expects Jamaican seamer Krishmar Santokie to play a key role in the upcoming Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which bowls off next month.

Left-armer Santokie has emerged as one of the more exciting bowlers in the region in the game's shortest form, and Harper said it was important Amazon Warriors retained the player from last year.

"Krishmar Santokie is a hugely valuable asset to my team. He is an intelligent and determined player, and I am very happy to have retained him," Harper said.

"He deserves all the success he is reaping, and it's great that he is now in the Windies T20 team."

The 29-year-old Santokie has taken 17 wickets in 10 Twenty20 Internationals and was at the forefront of the West Indies attack at the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh earlier this year. He subsequently turned out for Mumbai Indians in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL).

Santokie will line up alongside Pakistani Mohammed Hafeez and the New Zealand pair of Martin Guptill and Corey Anderson, and will form a formidable force for the July 11th to August 17th championship.

Harper, who was also in charge of the Georgetown-based franchise last year, believes

the big-hitting Anderson will also be a key player in this year's campaign.

"We have seven Guyanese players in our team, in addition to a few new players like New Zealander Corey Anderson, who is making his name on the international cricket stage, and Navin Stewart from Trinidad and Tobago, who is a solid all-rounder," the former West Indies coach said.

"James Franklin (New Zealand) delivered the x-factor last season, and I am very disappointed not to have him back. I do, however, believe that we have a squad capable of giving any team a hard time."

Outstanding play

Guyana had mixed success in the inaugu-

ral tournament last year, playing outstandingly to reach the final, but then going down to eventual champions Jamaica Tallawahs.

Harper said the Warriors would be looking to do even better this year.

"I am truly delighted to be back again. Last season, I would say, was a success for us. We topped the group stages and then finished second. So now we see the areas we need to work on in order to improve," he pointed out.

Guyana Amazon Warriors will raise the curtain on the tournament when they face Antigua Hawksbills at the National Stadium in Grenada. (Caribbean News)

TT’s Nathanael Charles to referee at CBC championships

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: Trinidad and Tobago’s FIBA referee Nathanael Charles has been appointed to officiate at next month women’s competition at the 2014 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championships in

(British Virgin Islands) from July 8—12. Fiba Americas Referee Supervisor Geraldo Fontana made the announcement on the weekend.

Charles, who took charge of five matches in the recently concluded Super 10 Basketball

Limacol CPL launches #GETMETOTHEGAME Twitter Petition

- calls on employers to allow staff to get off work early for Limacol CPL games

The Limacol Caribbean Premier League Monday announced that it has launched a regional twitter petition that calls on businesses and governments across the region to let employees leave work early to watch the mid-week CPL game in their respective countries.

Under the banner and twitter hashtag of “#getmetothegame”, the twitter petition is a rallying cry to cricket fans and party people alike to fight for their right to enjoy the “Biggest Party in Sport”. Fans in host countries (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago) are being encouraged to join

‘Torpedo’

the petition by clicking on http://bit.ly/TocX7p and clicking ‘sign’. Select fans who join the twitition will also be in with a chance to win tickets for themselves and four friends to a CPL game in their market as well as a chance to win a trip and tickets to the finals in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Limacol CPL Head of Marketing, James Wynne, said; “The #getmetothegame twitition is a Caribbean-wide movement for people to get off work early and enjoy the Biggest Party in

Sport instead. We know that nothing beats being in the stadium for a CPL game and as such, we are using this platform to allow people to enjoy that electric atmosphere and watch some of the biggest T20 cricket stars in the world.”

“We are calling on businesses, government bodies, leaders, and all others with the power to do so to get in the spirit and allow their employees and colleagues to finish work early to enjoy the CPL,” continued Wynne.

Thompson sets new national record in Trinidad

MUCURAPO, TRINIDAD:

Richard ‘Torpedo’ Thompson showed why he has been labeled a torpedo last Saturday when he blazed his way to a new national record and gold medal in Trinidad and Tobago’s Men’s 100 metre final at the Sagicor National Track and Field Championship at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

League finals between eventual winners Petro Jazz and Valencia Heat, will line-up with 13 other referees from the FIBA Americas region. Meanwhile, the men’s championships will run from July 1 to 5 at the same venue. (TT Guardian)

Only a day after he cruised to the semis and later final of the 100 metre dash, Thompson left the best for last, sprinting to a fast 9.82 seconds for the gold medal. In the heats last Friday, Thompson ensured he got an early lead before he cruised past the fin-

ish line.

But last Saturday the triple Olympic silver medallist had a point to prove, getting out of the blocks first for the lead and sprinting past the finish line to show his readiness for the coming Commonwealth Games. He was followed in second position by Keston Bledman in a time of 10:00 flat while Darrel Brown underline his intentions to be among the country’s top sprinters once again, by securing third and the resulting bronze medal in 10:05 seconds.

Fourth in the race was Marc Burns in 10.21 and Rondel Sorrillo was fifth 10.26.

Meanwhile Jamaal James won the twolap 800 metres event in a time of one minute, 51.95 seconds for his club Rebirth with Mark London taking second in 1:52.42 and Clifton Sylvester in third in 1:52.84 seconds.

Meanwhile Kyron Blaise took the long jump title with a distance of 7.28 metres. He got the better of Seon Michael Stafford in second in 6.98 metres. (TT Newsday)

Among the WomenMichelle Lee Ahye did not disappoint in the 100 metre dash final crossing the finish line in 10.88 seconds. Kai Selvon snatched the silver medal by finishing second in 11.32 seconds while Rayare Thomas completed the top three with a time of 11.37 seconds.

30 sport

Jamaica crush DR in CFU Women's Caribbean Cup

SAN CRISTOBAL, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:

Shakira Duncan scored four goals for the second time in three days as Jamaica crushed hosts the Dominican Republic 7-0 on Sunday to qualify for the finals of the inaugural Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Women's Caribbean Cup.

Playing in the decisive final game of Group Five at the Estadio Panamericano, Jamaica rushed to a 4-0 lead at half-time before pumping in three more secondhalf goals to run out easy winners.

Jamaica ended on a maximum six points in the three-team group, while the DR finished second on three, with St. Lucia ending without a point.

Needing a win to advance to the final round, Jamaica started brightly when Duncan put them ahead in the third minute, and then doubled the lead in the 23rd.

Omolyn Davis netted the first of her brace in the 31st, before Donnakay Henry struck three minutes before half-time to put the

game out of DR's reach.

In the second half, Duncan took charge with goals in the 64th and 77th minutes, before Davis wrapped up proceedings at the death with her second goal.

Last Friday night, Duncan also netted four times as Jamaica crushed hapless St. Lucia 14-0. Jamaica will now progress to the finals in Trinidad and Tobago in August where they meet fellow group winners Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Martinique, and Haiti.

(Jamaica Gleaner)

Bronze for TT’s Kwesi Brown at Flying Mile

PENNSYLANIA, UNITED STATES: TT’s young national cyclist, Kwesi Browne bagged bronze in the Pro Men Flying Mile event last Friday night when the First Niagara Fastest Man on Wheels--a division of the World Series of Bicycling-rode off at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania.

Browne was the only Trinidad and Tobago rider to secure a place on the podium as seasoned athletes Njisane Phillip, Justin Roberts, Varun Maharajh, Keron Bramble, Samuel Mahabir and Jude Codrington were successfully held off by persistent rivals in their respective events.

The promising sprinter finished third behind eventual winner Jeffrey Hoogland and silver medallist Hugo Barrette in the Flying Mile. Rounding off the top-five were Zachary Kovalcik and Matthew Baranoski respectively.

And in the Men’s Keirin event, Olympian Phillip held on to ninth place overall while Roberts settled for 11th. Lining up in Heat Five of round one, Phillip emerged the victor and automatically advanced

Female softball tournament in Guyana later this year

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA:

With the aim of empowering female cricketers across Guyana, the Trophy Stall Female Cricket Club will stage an all-female softball tournament in September and October, with the format being a Major and Minor League.

During an exclusive interview with this publication last Friday afternoon, Abiola Allen, the Public Relations Officer of the competition, said that for far too long the female players have taken a back seat to their male counterparts, and the upcoming tournament is geared to highlight the talents that exist on the distaff side.

“Time and time again the women who play cricket, we feel sometimes we’re not given enough recognition because there is a lot of emphasis being placed on the males. It there’s a tournament, if we’re not directly involved, most times we’re called to play exhibition matches. We just want to show people that we have more to offer and there’s a wide range of females who want to play,” Allen explained.

According to Allen, the Major League will involve rivalry among the six main female teams: Trophy Stall Angels, Mike’s Wellwoman, Blue Divas, Karibee Strikers, 4R Lioness and Regal Champs.

The Minor League, which will target teams in Georgetown, East Coast, West Coast and East Bank Demerara, will consist of corporate and even family teams.

“We want the females to know that

to the semi-finals. However, Roberts and Codrington finished second in their respective heats, while Browne, Mahabir and Bramble finished fourth, and were forced to contest the repechage heat in a final effort to advance.

In the repechage, Roberts was the only local rider to produce a strong showing, winning Heat Six, and thus advancing to the semi-final stage.

However, riding in Heat Two of the “semis”, Roberts placed fifth while Phillip was sixth in Heat One. Their respective times did not fall in the top six of 12 semi-finalists, and were

therefore forced to contest the 7-12 final while the six fastest riders, vied for top honours in the 1-6 final.

In the 7-12, Phillip was third fastest, placing ninth overall, ahead of Roberts, who fifth fastest, and 11th overall. Winning the Keirin was Kiwi speedster, Eddie Dawkins, while American Matthew Baranoski and Dawkins’ countryman, Sam Webster, grabbed third.

Phillip is expected to be in prime form this weekend as he sets up to defend his Fastest Man on Wheels Match Sprint crown against a packed cast of world renowned cyclists. (TT Newsday)

they can take off their high heels and they put down the pens and come out and have fun; let’s see the other side of you,” Allen remarked.

Teams interested in competing in the tournament will have to pay an entrance fee of Gy$15,000 with the winners of both Major and Minor League receiving Gy$200,000 each as the first prize.

The runner-up for both categories will receive Gy$100,000, while the third place finisher will pocket Gy$75,000.

The tournament, which will bowl off on September 6 and conclude on October 26, will have its official launch in August 24.

Lara to play in Limacol CPL charity game

PORT-OFSPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Cricketing legends Brian Lara and Sir Ian “Beefy” Botham are set to take part in a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) charity game on August 12, at Warner Park, St. Kitts.

The all-star match, called “Beefy’s Bash”, will bring together a host of celebrity personalities, cricketing legends and current stars, and will form part of an exhilarating week in St. Kitts, building up to the final of the Limacol CPL 2014 on August 16.

Lara and Botham have been designated as captains for the two teams, and have issued a call to arms to cricketing superstars, personalities and fans across the world to take part.

Piers Morgan was the first to volunteer, and has been snapped up by fellow Englishman, Botham.

About the initiative, Lara said: “I’ve seen first-hand the impact CPL has had on the region. Players and fans love it, it’s great for our up and coming talent, and it provides an economic boost as well.

“I’ve always believed in the importance of giving back to the Caribbean, and this match will be a great way to do that. It’s going to be fun to play with and against some old friends and reignite some old rivalries, and I’ve already been contacted by plenty of fast bowlers keen to have a bowl at Piers!” he added.

Botham said: “I know how important cricket is to everyone in the Caribbean, and CPL has done a lot to reignite the region’s love for the game.” (Trinidad Express)

IAAF ranks TT’s Thompson, Ahye world’s fastest

PORT-OFSPAIN,

TRINIDAD:

Trinidadian Olympic medallist Richard Thompson and Michelle Lee-Ahye are now the fastest athletes in the world for 2014 in the men’s and women’s 100-metre events respectively.

New IAAF rankings declared Thompson’s record breaking 9.82 performance at last Saturday’s Sagicor/NGC Senior Open Track and Field Championships held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, Trinidad, caused him to jump to the top spot, ahead of Justin Gatlin of the USA. Ahye’s winning performance at that event was achieved in 10.85 seconds. A closer look at the IAAF standings showed Thompson,

who had a difficult 2013 season due to injury, not only bounced back, but went on to register to other top ten performances.

On June 8, at the

IAAF World Challenge’s Fanny BlankersKeon, held in Hengelo, Netherlands, he won in a time of 9.95. It allowed him to clinch the fourth spot, too, on the honour

roll. Three days later at the Diamond League series on Olso, Norway, he won in a time of 10.02. For the performance he was ranked ninth according to the IAAF. But for Ahye, it was extra special citing that she held the top three spots. Having recorded a time of 10.88 at the weekend (wind +1.2) Ahye tied for second with Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown. The latter athlete’s time was 10.86 (wind +2.0). At the Francisco “Papuito” Montaner Stadium, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, back in May, Ahye won the women’s 100-metre in 11.04 seconds. But as fate would have it, Thompson and Ahye would share company with other impressive local athletes. (TT Guardian)

Exciting showdown expected at Jamaica’s Senior Championship this weekend

KINGSTON,

JAMAICA:

Without a doubt, Novlene Williams-Mills has been Jamaica’s most consistent female 400-metre senior athlete over the past five years.

Come this weekend--at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships---she looks set to add another title as she has been blazing the track this season and should continue that good form on local soil.

In the Diamond

League series, she has been impressive, raking up wins upon wins and in the process beating some of the world's best. With a season best of 50.06 seconds, she has the top four fastest times by a Jamaican, and with her sights set on her first Diamond League 400-metre title, plus the Commonwealth Games in July, she looks set for another impressive run.

It will be interesting to see who takes the other top two spots, to book their individual tickets for the Commonwealth Games.

Also after bursting onto the scene in fine style a year ago, Stephanie McPherson, who was the country's top finisher at last year's World Championships in Moscow in fourth place, has a season's best 50.54 seconds at the Shanghai Diamond League meet and is favoured to finish second.

The most interesting battle, however, could be for third, and any number can play as the likes of Patricia Hall, Anastasia LeRoy, Kaliese Spencer and Christine Day should have a battle royal.

Barbados’ Kraigg Brathwaite leaps 35 spots in ICC Test Rankings

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS: West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite has made a dramatic jump in the ICC Test Player rankings, following his maiden Test century against New Zealand at Queen’s Park Oval earlier this week.

The 21-year-old right-hander has leapt 35 spots to be 69th, his highest ever position in the rankings. Brathwaite hit 129 in the second Test which West Indies won by ten wickets last Friday, to level the three-match series.

There was also movement for Jermaine Blackwood who stroked a half-century on debut in the second Test. He has entered the rankings at 67th, with 390 rating points.

Left-handed strokemaker Darren Bravo has also climbed eight places to 21st, following his 109

brathwaite

against New Zealand. Opener Chris Gayle moved up two places to 26th.

Veteran left-hand-

er Shiv Chanderpaul is the highest-ranked West Indies batsman at number three. (Barbados Today)

Guyanese sprinter confirmed for World Junior Championships

GIf Spencer does not double at the meet, this should pave the way for LeRoy to finish in the top three, as she has shown very good form this season.

The top three are Novlene Williams-Mills, Stephanie McPherson and Kaliese Spencer/ Anastasia LeRoy.

EORGETOWN, GUYANA: Overseas-based Guyanese Sprinter Brenessa Thompson has been confirmed to participate in the 2014 edition of the World Junior Championships scheduled for Eugene, Oregon, United States of America from July 22. Thompson, who qualified for the event after running an on average time of 11.79s early in May, gave the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) a positive reason to ensure she participates with a fast run of 11.338s that broke her state record in America earlier this month.

of

Aubrey

confirmed the sprinter’s participation at the event with this publication on Monday and noted that the association will be standing the expense for Thompson.

Thompson will now join fellow overseasbased Guyanese sprinter and World Junior silver medalist Kadecia Baird and Carifta bronze medalist Jason Yaw on the team.

The sprinter is expected to participate in both the female 100 and 200 metres at the event which begins on July 22 and concludes on July 27. (Treiston Joseph)

TT’s Emile Abraham pedals to Atlanta victory

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD: Emile Abraham, manager of Incycle-Predator Components Cycling Club, powered to his first USA Championship title on Sunday when he produced a golden showing at the Georgia State Championships road race which was held in Atlanta.

Abraham completed the 76-mile rolling terrain course at an average speed of 27.2 mph, ahead of international riders Andy Scarano and Aleksei Shmidt. This result, from the reigning national time trial champion, saw him grab his first victory after sustaining a concussion, a broken nose, an injury above his right eye, an injured shoulder and multiple abrasions as a result of a bad crash in the Athens Twilight Criterium in early May.

The current national road title holder however has shown significant recovery and affirmed such with his winning finish in Georgia on Sunday.

The 38-year old endurance specialist will suit up in his club colours once more Thursday for the Tour of America’s Dairyland annual road races. In 2013, Abraham and his then Team PredatorCarbon Repair team won the team event, but would not be defending their crown this year, since they have opted to enter as individuals. (TT Newsday)

Former Windies’ player Royston Crandon leads Vikings to impressive win

By RavendRa Madholall

TORONTO, CANADA: Versatile all-rounder

Royston Crandon struck a brilliant 108 to lead Vikings Cricket Club (VCC) to a superb win over Victoria Park Cricket Club last Saturday when action continued in the Toronto and District Cricket Association (T&DCA) competition at King City.

The right-hander Crandon, a former West Indies one-day player, mixed solid defence with occasional aggression, hitting five sixes and nine fours in his 83-ball occupation at the crease as VCC tallied up a formidable 283-9 from the allocation of 50-overs.

When Victoria Park batted, they only reached 184 all out in the 42nd over.

Crandon said he was very happy to play among his fellow Caribbean cricketers such as former West Indies player Ryan Ramdass and Guyana’s firstclass opening batsman Rajindra Chandrika.

Ramdass, who opened the batting, made 47 and Chandrika scored 37 while ex-Guyana batsman Zaheer Haniff, who is the captain, chipped in with 23.

“Playing in Canada and among

all these players that represented Guyana and West Indies is wonderful since it brings a competitive nature to the game. I [am] enjoying my stint here and looking forward to keep making runs and taking wickets,” Crandon said.

This year marks the off-spinner’s fifth consecutive year in Canada. His representation for Hawaiian Arctic Club in the Scarborough Cricket Association has been very impressive.

“….the more cricket you play, the more focused you will be. Representing these clubs in professional and competitive crick-

et will certainly keep me fit once I can make runs and take wickets on a regular basis for my teams,” Crandon stressed.

The versatile player began his first-class career for Guyana in 2007 against Trinidad and Tobago. His highest score (136*) also manifested his true and natural potential.

Additionally, he had a commendable start to his one-day (List A) career, registering a century (101) against Windward Islands.

“Absolutely, those innings are still very much memorable, and I (am) confident that I can still make big contributions for my country Guyana and by extension the West Indies; as I said it is about consistency both with the bat and ball, and I am here to perform well and represent my teams with determination to win the different tournaments,” explained Crandon, a Rose Hall Youth and Sports Club athlete.

Meanwhile, he also noted that he had a fine season in Trinidad and Tobago earlier this year when he represented Caldrac Cricket Club. His scores of 45 not out, 59, 84 not out, 67, 39, 93, 101 and 28 subsequently gave him tremendous confidence of donning the national colours soon.