The Guyana government and the Inter-American Development Bank on Monday unveiled a US$10 million project, which targets small enterprise development, offering loans as high as Gy$300,000 to start up or expand business, with interest rates below six per cent.
The Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) Development and Building Alternative Livelihood for Vulnerable Groups project, funded under the GuyanaNorway Partnership was launched at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal.
An initial tranche of US$5 million will be released for the first phase of the project, which is expected to create 2200 jobs in the country.
Loans
The project will be implemented by the Small Business Bureau (SSB).
Speaking at the launch, President Donald Ramotar said an impediment for entrepreneurs has always been accessing finance at reasonable interest rates. As a result, he noted that the initiative will create the opportunity for entrepreneurs to set up their businesses with funds that require a much lower rate of interest.
He expressed hope that the initiative will place special focus on hinterland
The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) is on board and will assist with providing loans to entrepreneurs through a combination of an interest subsidy and support for a portion of the collateral required for loans, while Republic Bank and the Institute of Private Enterprise (IPED) have been identified to get on board soon.
communities, since he believes the project can aid them to grow economically. Ramotar stated that while big investment is needed as a push factor for development in the country, sustainability of development means a big role for the small business community.
He compared large and small businesses, opining that small businesses are
in a more profitable position.
“Being small gives you the possibility to be flexible and allows them to take decisions more quickly…they also have a much smaller overhead cost, which allows them to provide goods and services to the customers at large, to big businesses and to government at cheaper costs,” the head of state emphasised.
Acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali said banking institutions in Guyana must change their culture to cater for micro and small businesses. Ali underscored that banks need to understand that their perception of micro and small businesses is no longer relevant. He called on these institutions to
adopt a new approach, which would meet the needs of these enterprises without a bias to macro businesses and a certain category of people.
Entrepreneurs
The minister assured small and medium- scale entrepreneurs of the small business bureau’s commitment to help push their enterprises to greater heights.
He noted too that every programme at the University of Guyana should have an entrepreneurship component, so persons can have a more rounded understanding of this field.
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh said government sees facilitating these businesses as a means of building the big companies of tomorrow, since all have the potential to become large. (Guyana Times)
Antigua and Barbuda is joining other Caribbean countries in selling citizenship to international investors.
Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, who officially launched the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) Sunday, said the revenue generated by the initiative will help put the islands "on the road to sustainable growth and development".
He noted that while the United States Citizenship by Investment Programme differs slightly to Antigua and Barbuda’s, the offerings remain the same, in that the investor becomes a citizen of the United States and the holder of an American passport.
“Like the United States Programme and similar programmes in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, St. Kitts and Nevis and Monaco; the singular goal of the Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Programme is to generate investments and jobs for Antiguans and Barbudans and to put
Antigua and Barbuda on the road to sustainable growth and development. Nothing more – Nothing Less!” the prime minister declared.
He said based on the work that has been done on the Antigua and Barbuda programme, he is fully confident that his country’s programme will soon be considered one of the most prestigious and well regulated and managed across the globe.
Under the programme, a foreigner can qualify for Antiguan citizenship with an US$250,000 donation or with a real estate investment of US$400,000. A
business investment of US$1.5 million can also qualify.
Antiguan officials said Monday that they started accepting applications last week.
Spencer reminded though that the programme is not an opensesame for all and sundry. “…we have structured the CIP to meet the most incisive scrutiny and to deliver the most rigorous review of the applications received by the Citizenship by Investment Unit,” he assured.
The Antiguan government has hired Donald Myatt, who has over thirty-five years experience
in immigration and citizenship business, having worked for the Canadian government in China, Hong Kong and London. As CEO of the CIU, Myatt’s appointment is for two years with an Antiguan understudy, who will assume his position upon the completion of his tenure.
The strategy is part of a growing trend in the Caribbean to drum up revenue on tiny islands struggling to pay debt.
For years, St Kitts and Nevis and Dominica have allowed investors to secure citizenship in return for a real estate investment or donation.
(A&B gov’t)
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The Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) 2013, held in the City of Georgetown, Guyana, was just concluded. In its closing session, there was an interesting parsing of words in which it was concluded that even though the region “should be further along” with implementing the ‘Jagdeo Initiative’ on agriculture, there was really no “lag”.
It would appear that they have forgotten what the initiative was all about since it had been on the table for at least eight years.
A reminder might be appropriate at this time. The Caribbean Community (Caricom) had launched its Regional Transformation Programme for Agriculture (RTPA) because it was recognised from the onset that the region was importing too much food.
The “colonial” mentality had persisted after independence. Yet even though hundreds of meetings were held at all different levels, not much had been done by the time then President Bharrat Jagdeo placed the initiative that bears his name.
In 2002, Jagdeo–the lead head responsible for agriculture declared that “at this stage, we need a policy and strategy, which will allow us to decide on what sort of institutions and mechanisms are needed to reposition agriculture”.
In 2003, he asked the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) to assist in the development of a framework for a regional agricultural repositioning strategy. In 2004, the heads of government endorsed the proposal, which contained the initiative’s vision, scope, focus and process.
By 2015, it declared that, if every country did their bit, agriculture would “make substantial contributions to economic development and economic, social and environmental sustainability; have a transparent regulatory framework at national and regional levels that promotes, attracts and facilitates capital and investments; have significantly transformed its processes and products and stimulates innovation and entrepreneurship; and enable the region to achieve an acceptable and stable level of food security”.
The initiative identified 10 constraints and responsibilities that had been allocated for addressing those constraints. Surely if we want to know whether we have lagged or not on the ‘Jagdeo Initiative’, we can review the progress, or lack thereof, made on that front.
The constraints, with the territory’s agriculture minister responsible for removing them are : 1) Limited financing and inadequate new investments–Barbados/Caribbean Development Bank (CDB); 2) Outdated/inefficient agricultural health and food safety (AHFS) systems–Trinidad and Tobago/Caricom Secretariat; 3) Inadequate research and development–St Lucia/Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI); 4) Fragmented and disorganised private sector–St Vincent and the Grenadines; 5) Inefficient land and water distribution and management systems–Guyana; 6) Deficient and uncoordinated risk management measures–Antigua and Barbuda; 7) Inadequate transportation (especially for perishables)–St Kitts and Nevis; 8 and 9) Weak and non-integrated information/intelligence systems and weak linkages/participation in markets–Jamaica; 10) Lack of skilled human resources–Dominica.
With less than two years to 2015, when the initiative was supposed to have been implemented, how can these ministers say there has been no “lag” when the food importation bill of the region has grown from US$3 billion to the present US$4 billion, and growing?
There have been so many meetings and conferences and booklets produced since 2004 on the ‘Jagdeo Initiative’, but what exactly has been done to remove even a single constraint so that the people of the region can say there has been progress and no “lag”?
Back in 2008 at the very same Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) at Liliendaal, there was a Regional Agriculture Investment Forum. In 2009, there was the Public/Private Sector Consultation on Agri-Business in the Caribbean.
With hundreds of “stakeholders”–bankers, ministers, heads of state and businessmen and 25 projects–deemed “concrete”–had been identified. Guyana had offered 120,000 acres of land at a nominal lease for agricultural development.
Four years down the line, has even one of these projects materialised so that we can say there has been “no lag” on the ‘Jagdeo Initiative’”? In 2008” Jagdeo had pointed out that “it’s the projects that matter, not the chat”. It looks like we can only chat.
Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries have expressed concerns over the widening gap between rich and poor countries and warn that they may continue to lag behind in pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Haiti’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Astride Nazaire, told the UN’s Second Committee that it was important for member states to step up their ambitions as they forged the post-2015 development agenda.
“The focus must be on improving its relevance and coherence,” she said, calling for implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Barbados Programme.
Food and agriculture
Nazaire said the challenges facing SIDS in agriculture, food security and fair trade were exacerbated by global market turbulence and the effects of climate change.
“Particular attention should be paid to the sustainability of mountains,” she said, pointing out that two thirds of Haiti was covered by mountains.
Expressing disappointment over the absence of migration and development from the Committee’s current
agenda, the Haitian diplomat said a substantial resolution would be helpful in recognizing the rights of migrant workers, “which continue to be breached”.
Several delegates emphasized the need for developed countries to deliver on their aid pledges, urging that developed countries render 0.7 per cent of their gross national income as official development assistance (ODA) to developing countries and 0.15-0.20 per cent to least developed countries.
Delegates also said just as important are collective efforts to mobilize domestic resources, especially since private international capital flows in the form of foreign direct investment (FDI) tend to fade in most developing countries.
Jamaican diplomat Courtenay Rattray, noted that the global economic recovery continues to be “slow and unbalanced and compounded challenges faced by small, open economies such as Jamaica’s.
“The challenges faced by middle income countries, such as persistent poverty and inequality, are of great concern, as are the high debt burdens of many developing countries, including the small, vulnerable, island economies of the Caribbean,” she said.
Climate change Rattray said climate
change is a matter of “pressing concern,” adding that Jamaica looks forward to the upcoming conference on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, hoping it would result in a new agreement in 2015.
“We must remain mindful of the fact that we are not engaged in abstract discussions but, rather, are creating the normative framework for effectively addressing matters of survival for our people,” she said.
George Talbot, Guyana’s Charge d’Affaires to the UN, said that steps have already been taken to implement the outcome document of Rio+20, that include the “universalization of membership” to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the strengthening of the Economic and Social Council.
“The architecture of a new development agenda must be coherent, integrated, inclusive and dynamic,” he said.
On climate change, Talbot urged governments to accelerate efforts in addressing environmental degradation, stating that Guyana has adopted a low-carbon development strategy.
He urged that extra focus be given to SIDS in grappling with high levels of debt and the effects of climate change. (CaribbeanNews)
“Change is absolutely certain, however, the print media is here to stay,” said popular Real Estate broker, Jay Brijpaul in his recent address to a group of Toronto Star media managers at a special session held at the Star building in Toronto.
His comment was greeted by a round of applause by the media managers, who were examining the role of print media advertising in today's ever changing environment.
Brijpaul noted that human beings want to "feel, touch and see" the news and that is why he is of the view that the newspaper will remain in business.
Brijpaul, one of the top producers at Re/Max West Realty, who successfully uses the print media in his advertising campaign, however cautioned "you have to be prepared for the technological change".
He advocated a combination of print and digital ads for realtors and pointed out that "realtors want to see leads that will convert". He added that ads have to be tracked to determine their effectiveness, as advertisers want to see "the bang for their buck".
Referring to statistics, Brijpaul re-
vealed that his newspaper ads result in 8-10 calls, which yield at least one closing. He said there are approximately 40,000 real estate sales persons in Ontario while 70,000 homes are sold annually, which translates to an average of two sales per realtor. He said that only five percent of realtors advertise and the challenge is how to advertise.
Brijpaul believes in utilizing "creative thinking" in advertising, addressing the "who, what, where, and how" questions. He suggested supporting of community events in targeting a niche market as an, effective tool in building market share. He noted that newspaper advertising is an excellent marketing opportunity for branding.
When asked where he sees the real estate market going in the next five years, Brijpaul expressed confidence that it will "continue to go up". He opined that the only way a country like Canada can survive is by increased immigration, which leads to increased consumption including housing. The domino effect results in real estate values going up.
His well-received talk was interspersed with a number of anecdotes to illustrate his points of view.
Guyana Labour Union (GLU) General Secretary Carvil Duncan has praised the NEW GPC INC for creating a model for other businesses to follow, as regards the way workers should be treated.
Duncan told Guyanese media last Friday that this is important to be placed on record, as the relationship between the union and the NEW GPC has grown tremendously over the years, and is likely to continue growing, based on fruitful outcomes of negotiations.
The GLU general secretary said his union represents a large number of employees work-
ing for the pharmaceutical giant. He recalled the time when negotiations were taking place with the Privitisation Unit to have the company purchased by its new owner Dr Ranjisinghi Ramroop. He said at that time, Dr Ramroop had promised to try his utmost to ensure that the economic standards of workers are improved and job security is assured. This promise has been kept, he said.
Duncan stated that he has recognised that the NEW GPC has now set a record for other companies to follow, as the company takes pride in supporting its staff. He also noted that negotiations for increase in salaries
and other matters never lasted for more than two to three hours and most times the demands of the union are met, and workers in general are fully
satisfied.
The GLU executive said this has created a cordial relationship between the union and the NEW GPC.
“At no time did the GLU take any action against the company or had taken protest action, due to demand not being met,” Duncan asserted. He said there are cases where the company had bent backwards to ensure workers are satisfied.
Front runner
“So we can easily say that the NEW GPC is a front runner where relationships with the union are concerned,” Duncan stated.
He listed a few unique benefits given to staff-
ers, which include transportation from work to home. These, he said are motivational factors that had led to the warm relationship the two entities share. He reiterated that it is fair to say that the NEW GPC treats its workers kindly and with a lot of respect.
This has allowed workers to give of their best, as they work towards achieving all their goals.
He said too that in instances where the company makes a good profit, staffers are not left out in the process of being equally compensated.
Further, Duncan said there has never been a complaint lodged with the union against the
company, which is testimony to the respect and honour workers have in working with the NEW GPC.
“As general secretary, we are satisfied with the benefits the workers receive form NEW GPC and we are even more convinced that NEW GPC is a model company and in this regard, we plan to present a token of appreciation to the company for that.”
The standards set by the NEW GPC must be adopted by all private and public sector companies, he said.
This will only lead to better production and quality work from workers, and more income for the company.
By Whitney Persaud
Potential homeowners in Guyana on Monday were reminded that with the implementation of the Mortgage Interest Relief (MIR) initiative, firsttime homeowners paying interest on a housing loan of up to Gy$30 million from a commercial bank will be exempted from personal income tax.
Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Myrna Pitt reiterated this point during a One Stop Shop in Port Mourant, Berbice.
The event, which was hosted at the community centre ground in the area, was the third of nine such events that will take place during the period of September to December this year. Seven hundred and seventy-five lots were allotted at the ‘One Stop Shop’.
Pitt said the event enables citizens to realise the dream of owning their own homes at the Kilcoy Chesney Housing Scheme, which will benefit 38,000 persons in total.
“You can kiss your landlords goodbye… owning your own home means you can do as you please and at the same time, add value to your home…as far as finances are concerned, we have the institutions here to assist,” Pitt said.
She urged the poten-
tial homeowners to be alert and keep in tune with the GRA’s notices on the MIR, so that the process could be much simpler for them.
According to Pitt, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh had signed and sent for publication in the Official Gazette, the Income Tax (MIR) Regulations 2013.
She noted that this new move signals the establishment of the regulatory foundation for MIR to be granted pursuant to the introduction
The new Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) strategic plan (2013-2017) to turn around the sugar industry has been finalised and submitted to the parliamentary sectoral committee on economic services. The plan also stipulates that there will be a 100,000 tonne deduction in the estimated annual output, rather than what was outlined in the 2009 plan.
That plan had outlined a yearly output of 450,000
tonnes. This was revealed by Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy, who also sought to highlight some of the many changes to the functioning of the industry in the document. Dr Ramsammy said the new strategic plan for the sugar sector has taken into consideration the new weather patterns, the way cane is transported from the field to the factory, and the way in which canes are fed to the factories. As it relates to the
weather patterns, Dr Ramsammy explained that they do not allow for the usual 16-18 weeks per crop, per grinding season. “Therefore, we have to change the way we do business and the amount we did in the 16-18 weeks must now be done in 8-10 weeks, because that’s about all the good time that one could reasonably expect with the weather pattern that we have,” the minister explained.
(Excerpted from Guyana Times)
of this measure.
Pitt recalled that when Dr Singh made the MIR announcement during the Budget 2013 presentation, the minister situated the new measure within the context of the outstanding success of the government’s
housing programme.
Success story
In his address at the One Stop Shop, Region Six Chairman David Armogan expressed satisfaction at the country’s housing drive. He too urged first time homeowners to become familiar with the MIR system. Armogan added that since the housing ministry kick-started its One Stop Shop initiative, Berbice has seen a whopping 17,000 lots developed.
“The housing drive is one of the success stories, or perhaps the biggest since the PPP/C [People’s Progressive Party/Civic] is in government and so much so that the Caribbean is looking to adopt Guyana’s model
houses to be built in the region,” Armogan stated. He recalled St Vincent’s Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonzalves’ visit to Guyana and his appreciation of the massive housing drive being undertaken in the country.
“Government has recognised the importance of every Guyanese owning their own home… whether you are a teacher, working in the cane fields or a nurse–today you have the opportunity of owning your own home.
Armogan said necessary steps have been taken to fast-track the rate at which homeowners receive their land titles and transports. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)
Through what has been described as the highest form of altruism, three endstage renal failure patients in Jamaica have had their life expectancies increased by several years.
The three–Wayne Bernard, who urinated for the first time in six years last Thursday; Shaneik Lawson, who no longer feels drained as if she runs from Kingston to St. James; and a man whose sister has made the ultimate sacrifice by doing without one of her two kidneys–are the recipients of the first kidney transplant operations at
Montego Bay’s Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH).
Bernard’s wife, Debbie-Ann, donated her kidney so he could have a new lease on life. Lawson’s sister handed her an early birthday gift of a kidney.
The historic keyhole laparoscopic operations were done last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, at the government-run medical facility, by Jamaican doctors, consultant urological surgeon, Roy “Chippy” McGregor and consultant general surgeon, Dwayne Hall, assisted by visiting surgeons, Nick Inston
and Andrew Reddy from Birmingham, England.
The two foreign surgeons are part of a foundation called Transplant Link Community (TLS) and have brought transplants to several countries. The TLC is a charity with the primary objective of improving medical skills in developing countries, and saving lives through kidney transplants.
Lauding the team spirit at the hospital, McGregor described the three days as “inspiring”.
“I have never seen the hospital come together quite like the way it
Seventy residents of Ebony Park Housing Scheme in Toll Gate, Clarendon, Jamaica, received titles to their land last Friday.
The titles were handed over by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, who told the residents it is a step that empowers them.
“Here at Ebony Park, we have taken another step in our march to community development and progress. This step will further empower many of our people and many of our families," said Simpson Miller.
The Ebony Park Housing Scheme began in the 1970s under the regime of the late former Prime Minister Michael Manley. Some 200 twobedroom houses were to be built, particularly for young men and women with an interest in agriculture, with the wider vision being to allot each household an additional five acres of land in a section of the community, which would be used for farming purposes. The project changed in the 1980s with about 50 per cent of the houses being built.
The prime minister commended the ministry of housing for pushing to get as many Jamaicans as possible their land titles, and urged them not to let anyone or anything slow them down.
"We want Jamaicans, as many as possible, to own a piece of this rock and say this is for me and my children,” she said.
In the meantime, Minister with responsibility for Housing in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing Dr Morais Guy noted that the project was long overdue.
He said that by the end of the fiscal year, approximately 5,000 people will receive their titles as the ministry/Housing Agency of Jamaica accelerates its distribution of land titles.
“To the title recipients here at Ebony Park, you have all been given an additional investment tool that will serve to stimulate growth and progress. The prospects entail using that title to secure loans to expand on your lots, start a business or finance your children’s education,” the minister said. (Jamaica Observer)
did. No one department could have done it. It really took team work–the nursing staff in theatre, the ones on the wards, the lab technicians, etc,” he told reporters.
Explaining the revolutionary keyhole laparoscopic removal of the kidney, McGregor said, “We used the hand-assisted laparoscopic retrieval of the donor kidney and open implantation of the donor kidney into the recipient.”
McGregor spent two weeks in England recently, sharpening his skills on the technique.
This was his second
time doing the operation, and Hall’s first.
Not new to Jamaica, kidney transplant was first done at the Kingston Public Hospital in the 1970s. Approximately 45 cases were done, but the procedures stopped about seven years ago.
Kidney replacement is both cost-effective and designed to improve and increase a patient's life expectancy, when compared to being regularly dialysed. At present, the CRH has approximately 160 patients on dialysis.
Jamaica’s Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson, in addressing a
press briefing held at the CRH on last Friday, cited the success of the initiative.
The decision to start the programme at the CRH, Dr Ferguson said, is good for Jamaica. "It is a decision that in years to come, we will all be very happy to see the programme grow and to see a sustainable transplant programme, as is taking place in Trinidad," Dr Ferguson said.
Senior Medical Officer (SMO) at the CRH, Dr Delroy Fray, said that the surgeries had impacted the whole CRH community. (Excerpted from JIS)
Grenada is examin-
ing the possibility of establishing an Elections Boundaries Commission, as it seeks to overhaul its electoral system, a senior government official has said.
Parliamentary Secretary for Information in the Office of the Prime Minister, Winston Garraway, said the pledge by the Organization of American States (OAS) to provide financial and technical assistance could be used by
St. George’s to establish the commission as part of the overhaul of the current administrative structure of the Parliament Elections Office.
“For example, under the current structure, the Parliamentary Elections Office falls under the responsibility of the Governor General, and the person in charge is the supervisor of election. I believe that once the necessary study and consultation is done, that title will be done
away it,” said Garraway.
“When you look at the other territories with Elections Boundaries Commissions, Supervisor of Elections is not used in the administrative structure,” he added.
Last weekend, Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell, held high-level discussions with the OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza, and Assistant Secretary General Ramdin, and a government statement said that he used the occasion to discuss constitutional reform, including the establishment of an elections boundaries commission, which is a recommendation of the OAS Electoral Commission following the last three general elections and in the functioning of the Integrity Commission.
The statement said that the OAS pledged support for the initiatives with Mitchell indicating that the OAS has a fundamental role to play as a focal point in the Inter-American dialogue on facilitating innovative approaches to promote the well-being of the citizenry. (CMC)
The government of St Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday launched an EC$40 million Caribbean Development Bank-funded project that will see the upgrade of a major span of the Leeward Highway.
The 18 month project, scheduled to begin in January, will see the widening of the South
Leeward Highway, which runs from the capital Kingstown, along the west coast and inland, to the Central Leeward town of Layou. Brent Bailey, chief engineer in the ministry of transport and works, said the road carriageway will be widened and among other things, improvements will be made to drainage
The minimum width of the road between the densely populated suburban area of Campden Park, where an industrial park is located and Kingstown, will be 21.8 feet.
Between Campden Park and Buccament Bay, where the island’s only five-star resort is located, it will be 21 feet.
Between Buccament Bay and Layou, a relatively short span of winding road, where rocky cliffs line the road in some sections, the minimum width will be 19.7 feet.
“These increases in width represent a 5 per cent to 12 per cent increase in the present roadway,” Bailey said.
“It may seem small
but, given the other challenges…as it relates to the existing structures and people’s properties and walls and land acquisitions, this was the most effective adjustment,” he said, adding that the design plans tried to minimise land acquisition.
He further explained that a 300 metre (1,000 feet) of road in one com-
munity will be widened and realigned. According to Bailey, the environment and social assessment study provides the ministry’s project team with the requirements for the contractor’s environmental plan. The levels of monitoring and the critical areas to be monitored are also included. (CMC)
Jamaica’s Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr Peter Phillips has signed a US$60-million loan agreement with the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), at its headquarters in Washington, DC.
The loan is the third tranche of financing for the public financial and performance management programme, which is aimed at strengthening fiscal discipline, improving public financial management, and boosting public performance management. This forms part of the government strategic priorities for 2013/14 in the area of fiscal prudence and the pursuit of a credible economic pro-
gramme.
President of the IDB, Luis Alberto Moreno, who signed on behalf of the bank, expressed the IDB’s satisfaction with respect to Jamaica’s strengthened fiscal management. He said he is satisfied with the country’s progress with the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Extended Fund Facility and the first review, which was approved by the IMF’s Board on September 30, 2013.
Moreno said the review is an important reflection of the IMF’s confidence in Jamaica's macro-economic stabilisation programme. He reiterated that the fiscal management programme combines policy initia-
tives and government actions in four key areas-fiscal responsibility, financial management, public procurement and performance management and accountability.
He added that all these reforms are paramount to accomplishing the objectives of Jamaica’s stabilisation programme, currently being implemented, and are expected to deliver ambitious debt reduction and fiscal consolidation over the next four years.
The managing director said Jamaica has taken a very important step in moving forward and having the international community gain more confidence in the country’s economic stability.
Dr Phillips expressed Jamaica’s appreciation to the IDB for its support to the country over the years. He said it has not always been an easy road, but hopes that Jamaica can continue to count on the partnership with the IDB, as the country enters the difficult period of moving towards sustained growth, which remains the basic building block and fundamental objective of the country. (Jamaica Observer)
The Essequibo Coast has been significantly transformed during the 21 years of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration, President Donald Ramotar said on Saturday evening.
He was at the time speaking at a rally on the Essequibo Coast to mark the party’s 21st anniversary since its victory at the polls in 1992.
The president’s address came after former President Bharrat Jagdeo, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and other government and regional officials rallied residents for support. Earlier in the day, President Ramotar held a meeting with stakeholders from the
business community in the region, where the major issues identified were the need for expansion of the thoroughfare and new street lights.
Investments in the region’s physical infrastructure stand at Gy$528.21 million. The targets have been rehabilitation and expansion of major highways, upgrade of almost 90 percent of internal community roads and upgrade of farm to market roads from mud dams to fair weather roads.
Turning his attention to the social sector, Essequibo again stood out, particularly where education is concerned. The country’s top Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) performers hail from the Essequibo Coast.
Anew weather insurance policy could strengthen low-income earners' ability to access loans in the Caribbean.
Livelihood Protection Policy (LPP), launched under the programme 'Climate Risk Adaptation and Insurance in the Caribbean', provides coverage for loss of income due to weather events. The policy is credited with protecting the livelihood of low-income, vulnerable persons against peril.
It is now being offered by GraceKennedy through its insurance subsidiary, Jamaica International Insurance Company (JIIC), which is partnering with select credit unions and the People's Cooperative Bank to distribute the policies.
These entities are considering using the policy for security, according to Elizabeth Chung, manager, customer experience and innovations at JIIC.
LPP improves access to credit, leading to financial stability in the long run and encourages behaviour shift from risk neutral to risk aware, said Sobiah Becker, project manager at Munich Climate Insurance Initiative (MCII), which developed the pro-
gramme in partnership with the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF); microinsurance broker, MircoEnsure and international reinsurer Munich Re. MIIC was started in response to the realisation that insurance solutions can play a role in adaptation to climate change.
"For example, if someone purchases the policy in addition to being employed, it can help him access credit, because it can be proof that loan repayments can be made once an insurance payout is made," said Chung.
LPP is expected to be taken up by 300 customers in
St Thomas and Portland, Jamaica, where the insurance offering is being piloted.
Some insurance policies are used as collateral, depending on their cash surrender value.
But it's still early days for acceptance of the LPP as collateral, as it is new to the market.
Loss of income after severe rainfall and wind has been a major complaint of farmers for years. Agricultural workers who buy the product could see their food insecurity or crop losses reduced because of the policy.
Quick cash payouts enable affected households to rebuild their lives after a weather
Two students copped 20 and 18 grade ones respectively which will likely help Guyana retain the top spot in the Caribbean for a second consecutive year, an optimistic President Ramotar said. Investments Their successes were attributed to the investments that have been made in the education sector throughout the country. During the period 1992 to 2012, all schools in Region Two were rehabilitated, while new facilities were constructed. Among them are the Aurora and Wakapao secondary schools, the Guyana School of Agriculture and the Essequibo Technical Institute.
Wakapao Secondary School, with a dormitory, was the first for the hinterland area within the region. The president expounded on other pioneering initiatives like the University of Guyana’s plan to introduce online courses, and the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project that seeks to equip the population with the knowledge of computers. (GINA)
THA operating with limited resources – London
event. SMS-based notifications alert policy holders to approaching weather events, allowing them to take precautionary measures and reduce exposure, said MCII.
But LPP is suited for anyone, irrespective of his or her income-generating activity or livelihood.
Surveys for demand of LPP in Jamaica showed 48.1 per cent of individuals indicating that they didn't repair or replace their damaged assets, 51.9 per cent waited for help from the government, 65.4 per cent used up their savings and 16.3 per cent borrowed money to recover following a disaster, according to MCII's Becker.
Over 1,300 households in five islands, including Jamaica participated in the study.
Total economic damage amounted to US$2.6 billion caused by extreme weather locally. In Jamaica, 96.3 per cent of the national population, 94.9 per cent of the national territory, and 96.3 per cent of gross domestic product is exposed.
Extreme weather events have affected 1.5 million people over the last 30 years in the eastern Caribbean region. LPP is also available in St Lucia.
(Excerpted from Jamaica Observer)
Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly Orville London says Tobago is going through a challenging period of operating with limited resources. He said the TT$2.477 billion budgetary allocation to the island was half of what the THA requested to run Tobago in fiscal 2014, but administration is keeping its commitment to the people of Tobago that their quality of life will not deteriorate.
London said the Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries will report to the people of Tobago on the “real Tobago budget” at a plenary sitting of the THA on October 24. He urged citizens to follow the presentations, which will be carried live on television and radio.
Secretary of Health and Social Services Assemblyman Claudia Groome-Duke, said the assembly had received insufficient funds for its caregivers’ programme and had to source funds from other areas to provide for the 120 people in the programme. She said there was a request for an additional 142 people. “Despite the shortfall, we have to take care of our people and nothing can stop us,” she said. (TT Guardian)
The Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF) at the University of the West Indies will be hosting its third annual science conference, this time in Guyana, where issues surrounding the development of science in the Caribbean would be addressed.
CSF Assistant Director Lois Oliver, recently visited Guyana and met with the National Science Coordinator Petal Jettoo, to plan the workshop, which will be held on December 2 and 3 at the Grand Coastal Inn, East Coast Demerara, under the theme “Stimulating entrepreneurship and education through STEM”.
Oliver told Guyanese reporters that with the theme in mind, the conference would be focused on entrepreneurship
and innovation.
STEM for development
Oliver noted that the next great idea may be from a Caribbean scientist and that will, in turn, provide employment opportunities for scores of people in the region.
Oliver revealed that when the idea was pitched to have the conference hosted in Guyana, CSF thought it was a good idea to be where all the action is, since the country has biodiversity which cannot be seen anywhere else in the Caribbean.
“All of what we focus now is in biodiversity, water resources management, natural resources management, that is where a lot of the thrust is. Guyana is unique because of your terrain and topography. You have all these wonderful reserves
include
and wetlands and forests, and there is so much development in science going on in Guyana; the country recently put out a science policy,” Oliver stated.
Showcasing Guyana
She noted that many Guyanese scientists will be in-
Trinidad and Tobago’s Health Minister Fuad Khan Monday admitted that maternal and infant mortality rates in the country were not “the best” and his ministry is attempting to address the issue.
“We have tried and we are trying our best to decrease our maternal mortality rates and our infant mortality rates. We are reaching somewhere but, not as good as we would like to be,” Khan said while speaking at the Fifth Meeting of World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Initiative for Emergency and Essential Surgical Care (GIEESC) at the Hyatt Regency in Port-ofSpain.
Khan noted that the health ministry has been trying to decrease the rates through several methods, including upgrading the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) at hospitals. According to the minister, his ministry was in
the process of planning a new NICU at the back of the Women’s Hospital of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope to increase the efficiency.
He also said if the National Insurance Property Development Co Ltd (NIPDEC) allows it, he hopes to build a two-storey structure to the left of the hospital for clinics.
In addition to upgrading the NICUs, Khan believed it was necessary to educate mothers re-
garding antenatal care.
He advised that mothers regularly go for such care, without which, he said there was increased possibility of infant mortality.
“We had the UNICEF people here last week looking at our infant mortality rates and how best we could deal with it so, in fact, what we’re pushing forward is that aspect of it—how to prevent it rather than how to manage it,” he stated. (Excerpted from TT Newsday)
A41-year-old unemployed man is being sought by Chaguanas police after he raped and indecently assaulted his mother at their Chaguanas home on Sunday.
Police reported that at about 7.15 am the 60-year-old woman, who is a widow, took an early morning bath in a bathroom located near her son’s bedroom. After the bath, the woman wrapped a towel around herself and walked past her son’s bedroom towards her
own bedroom. Her son, who was lying on his bed, undressed himself and stalked after the unsuspecting woman. In her bedroom, the man attacked his mother and overpowered her. He threw her on her bed and proceeded to rape her. After he was finished, the man then proceeded to indecently assault her as she lay sobbing on the bed.
He then got dressed and ran out of the house. The weeping woman got dressed and made her way to the Chaguanas
volved in the conference and it will therefore help to showcase the country’s projects and initiatives.
The CSF assistant director went on to say that they are hoping to feature not only scientists from Guyana and the Caribbean, but from the Caribbean diaspora as well.
The first day of the conference will be interactive with students and young scientists being exposed to all the possibilities available to them.
Professor Maya Trotz, who is a Guyanese, has been working on a project making videos of scientists in the Caribbean. These videos will be launched at the conference, since it is more of a career showcase for young people, whereby they can hear the life stories of scientists and understand their
paths to success.
Oliver noted too that students who participate in the workshop will benefit immensely as it relates to career information.
The two Guyanese students who went to the CSFrun Student Programme for Innovation in Science and Engineering (SPISE), recently held in Barbados, will be reflecting on the four-week programme and feedback will also be given from the winners of the national leg of the SAGICOR Visionaries Challenge on their trip to Barbados for the regional competition.
Meanwhile on the second day of the conference, representatives from CSF throughout the Caribbean will be addressing the forum. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)
One of the Caribbean’s leading biscuit manufacturers has been heralded for its contribution to Barbados and for its continued thrust to secure new markets.
Police Station where she reported the matter.
The victim was taken to District Medical Officer Dr Indarjit Birja who medically examined her and confirmed that she had been sexual assaulted.
The police carried out a search for the suspect Monday, but to no avail.
The victim returned to her Chaguanas home and police sources said counselling would be provided to assist her to get past this traumatic event. (TT Newsday)
Minister of Industry Donville Inniss, speaking at a ceremony Monday to celebrate the West Indian Biscuit Company’s (WIBISCO) 103rd anniversary, praised the company for the “outstanding contribution it has made to (the Barbadian) economy and society”.
He added that the company had “stood the test of time” as many companies had come, “floundered and gone by the wayside”.
The minister said WIBISCO’s recent participation in the Barbados Investment
and Development Corporation’s commercial mission to Brazil to explore new opportunities, was something that he wanted more Barbadian businesses to undertake. WIBISCO is also seeking to export to Latin America and Germany.
The official noted that Barbados had not only benefited tremendously by the company’s presence, in terms of job creation, and the bringing of new technologies, but from its export of products to 24 countries.
He pointed out that while he would be the first to admit that these are challenging times, he would be the first to highlight that there are many good things happening in the society, and WIBISCO was “a classic example of the
good Barbados has, and continues to have”.
“…The truth of the matter is that you have had a distinct product that has served this country and many families well over the years…It just goes to show the extent of which WIBISCO products have been so much a part of our environment here in Barbados…Wherever you go in the world and you find Barbadians, you can guarantee that they will have some biscuits around,” Inniss stated.
He indicated too that the staff should be commended for being part of an “outstanding entity,” and thanked Bermudez, and other investors, local and foreign, for staying the course and having faith in Barbados’ economy. (BGIS)
The Attorney General’s Office of Venezuela has filed charges against the Ukrainian captain of the Teknik Perdana vessel, Igor Bekirov, at the Crime Control Court of Nueva Esparta state in east Venezuela, for allegedly violating Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone.
Last week, the Teknik Perdana was detained by Venezuelan authorities after being accused of conducting oil exploration activities in Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone under Guyana’s authorisation.
According to the online edition of El Universal, a Venezuelan newspaper, in a preliminary hearing to be held in Nueva Esparta, on the north-eastern coast of Venezuela, the designated prosecutor,
Andrés Bravo, will bring charges against the captain for offences specified in Venezuelan law.
Diplomatic meeting
Guyana’s and Venezuela’s top diplomats were scheduled to meet Thursday to iron out the diplomatic spat.
Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett would only say that efforts are being made to secure the release of the crew members of the Teknik Perdana.
An armed Venezuelan naval ship last Thursday evicted the U.S. oil explorer from Guyana’s waters, sparking condemnation from the Donald Ramotar administration and the main opposition coalition A Partnership For National Unity (APNU).
A foreign minis-
try statement had described the incident as “unprecedented in Guyana-Venezuela relations”. It insists that the seismic vessel, the RV Teknik Perdana, was in “Guyana’s waters when this regrettable incident took place”.
The seismic vessel was contracted by
Anadarko, one of world’s largest independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies, based in the United States.
Anadarko has a petroleum prospecting licence to search for hydrocarbons in the Roraima block offshore Guyana. According to the min-
istry’s statement, the Yekuma–an oceangoing offshore patrol boat that monitors the exclusive economic zone–trailed the seismic vessel before obstructing its path. Crew members were required to change their route and were directed to Margarita Island in Venezuela.
On Monday, the local military spoke on the issue for the first time in a terse statement, stating that the foreign affairs minister is the appointed spokesperson on the matter. The army noted that it was in full agreement with the government’s position on this issue.
For its part, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) said it welcomed the fact that the foreign affairs ministers will meet to settle the dispute.
“The PPP has always advocated for diplomatic and peaceful alternatives to address issues of mutual concern between our neighbouring states. We firmly believe that this process has been advanced over the years to a stage, where our nation enjoys cooperative and meaningful relations with our neighbours,” a statement from the Party indicated.
According to the PPP, in the case of Venezuela, this is evidenced in a number of bilateral engagements and exchange visits between the two nations, which redound to the benefit of the citizens in each state. “Hence, this recent development is to be regretted. The party supports a peaceful resolution to the current situation,” the statement added. (Guyana Times)
The umbrella Jamaica Council of Churches (JCC) has slapped down gay unions, saying marriage must be between a man and woman.
In formally adopting a long-awaited position paper on homosexuality, that has caused heated debate in church flocks, the JCC said it embraced the view that “God’s perfect design, as expressed in Scripture, is for sexual intimacy to take place between one man and one woman within the context of the sanctity of marriage”.
The council said in the position paper that is bound to be seen as a setback for homosexuals hoping to tie the knot at home instead of going overseas: “The JCC will therefore advocate for
the institution of marriage to be reserved for one man and one woman.”
At the same time, the JCC–which represents most of the established churches in Jamaica–used compassionate language in urging Christians to recognize that while homosexuality might be a conscious choice that some persons have made, “for others within and outside of the church, their homosexuality represents an unwelcome struggle between their experience and their faith, the ‘flesh and the Spirit’, it is the basis of chronic guilt and depression; disappointment and unanswered questions within many families”.
It said: “Fear of ridicule and isolation often
causes them to suffer in silence. In view of this, the council appeals to members of the church, clergy and laity, to make church a welcoming and non-judgemental space; one that is sensitive to those who are dealing with issues of brokenness in their lives, which include homosexuality.”
The position paper has been some time in the making, as some denominations were uncomfortable with the original draft. The last attempt at adopting the paper came on June 19, 2013, when some members sent it back for further tweaking.
The position appeared to be much softer on homosexuals than previously, noting: “While the council affirms the prophetic role
of the church, it also affirms its pastoral role, and so appeals to the church, as well as the wider religious community, not to speak or act in ways that could ostra-
cise, incite violence or any other treatment of indignity towards persons who are homosexuals, as they too are bearers of the ‘image of God’ and for whom Christ
died. The church must also be ready to support families who have to cope with the implications of homosexuality within . . . .” (Excerpted from Jamaica Observer)
throughout "appy October", liat customers will have chances to win discount vouchers
LIAT Airline is this month celebrating 57 years of service to the Caribbean.
According to a release from LIAT, the airline is applying a series of promotions and specials, dubbed "Appy October" across digital platforms for its birthday
Throughout "Appy October", LIAT customers will have chances to win discount vouchers each time they purchase a ticket online, and free tickets through multiple competitions on liat.com.
Also, if a customer celebrates the same October 16 birthday as LIAT, they will travel for free.
“The response to our digital outreach has been exceptionally positive,” said Leesa ParrisRudder, LIAT’s director of commercial and customer experience.
“We are honoured
to be of service to the Caribbean region for 57 years and are pleased that many of our dedicated customers are celebrating with us. We value you,” she added.
The airline said that by tweeting Caribbean destination videos at LIAT’s Twitter handle @liatairline, customers can win tickets to any of LIAT’s destinations along with discount vouchers. Similarly, patrons who post short, original videos on YouTube about the attributes of their Caribbean destinations can also win.
Customers uploading photos which represent “Caribbean Fun, Caribbean Food, Caribbean People, and Caribbean Places” to LIAT Facebook and Pinterest pages can also win prizes in the birthday promotion.
The state-of-theart Jagan’s Dental Centre in Guyana was recently commissioned by President Donald Ramotar.
The new multimillion-dollar dental facility, which is owned by Dr Clive Jagan and his sons, Drs Kyle, Shane, and Ian, is expected to promote dental tourism in Guyana and is what the family members described as a “dream come true”. Speaking at the ceremonial opening, the senior Jagan said the centre adds to the professional dental landscape of the country.
He said the dental service provided at the centre will be afforded at the fraction of the cost abroad. “Guyanese in the diaspora and foreigners abroad in general are encouraged to take full advantage of the price difference; we would like the government to highlight this emerging health subsector and to facilitate its growth and development,” Dr Clive Jagan said.
Ramotar said this move is important in carrying on the family tradition, adding that he hopes that “this venture will be an example for
other professional entrepreneurs to follow”.
He said the family is on the same page with the government, noting that its aim to build the Specialty Hospital in the country is to promote medical tourism as well.
“We had some setbacks with some cuts in the budget, but we are going to rectify that,” he promised.
Services
The centre will be offering a wide range of services basically in all the fields possible: including general extraction, cleaning, filling, implants and laser dentistry, cosmetics dentistry, root canals, whitening of teeth, crowns and bridges.
During earlier inter-
views, Dr Clive Jagan and his three sons, who all specialise in the different areas of dentistry, reassured patients of their commitment to them even with the opening of the new centre.
“I have been serving the Guyanese public for more than 35 years, it was sad moving away from my Medical Arts office, but I have three sons who are specialising in various areas of dentistry and I want to start up something that would render new services to people and also accommodate their work,” Dr Clive Jagan had explained.
Least painful
Dr Kyle, who specialises in laser and implant surgery, noted that this
is one of the least painful forms of dentistry.
“Laser is a special kind of dentistry used in this field, and you can do mostly oral surgery with it, it is good for root canals and whitening and, the beauty about it is that it is performing a bloodless surgery and it is also painless,” he said.
Lasers have been used for many years in oral surgery and implant dentistry, becoming standard for some surgeries.
Dr Shane, the eldest of the brothers, said his area of specialty is cosmetic dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry is any dental work that improves the appearance of a person’s teeth and gums.
“Cosmetics dentistry is giving someone a smile they are looking for or maybe a slight rotation, it is all about fixing and achieving the desired results that patients want,” he said.
Dr Ian, who is one of the youngest dentists in Guyana, said he has always had a love for oral surgery. He said before providing this kind of service to the populace, he will be pursuing another year of study in this field. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)
Guyana’s Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh on Saturday signed a bilateral debt relief agreement to cancel just over US$2.9 million of Guyana’s debt owed to Bulgaria. The agreement will be effective from December 31, 2012. A balance of approximately US$322,578 would be rescheduled and repaid over a three-year period.
“The funds saved under this agreement will be used to assist Guyana in enhancing economic growth and alleviating poverty,” Singh said at the signing.
The minister further expressed his deep gratitude and appreciation on
behalf of the government and people of Guyana for the generosity and support from the government and people of the
Republic of Bulgaria.
Bulgaria’s Finance Minister Dr Petar Chobanov signed the agreement with Singh
on the margins of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, which are cur-
rently taking place in Washington, DC.
“Guyana looks forward to the continued friendly relationship and future cooperation with the government and people of Bulgaria,” Singh said. “ This agreement represents a step towards greater cooperation and the strengthening of the cordial friendship between the two countries,” he added.
The debt write-off was facilitated by the Paris Club, which is an informal group of official creditors aimed at facilitating debt treatment options to countries like Guyana.
Guyana’s debt to
Bulgaria resulted from an Intergovernmental Barter Protocol that was signed on June 10, 1984 in Varna, Bulgaria, which facilitated trade between the two countries during the early 1980s.
With the conclusion of this debt relief agreement, the government of Bulgaria recognises Guyana’s attainment of completion point under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative in 2003 and the subsequent agreed minute signed with the Paris Club in 2004 for the delivery of debt relief by Guyana’s creditors. (Guyana Times)
Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque has called on member states that have not taken the necessary steps to make the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) their final court of appeal, to do so.
LaRocque was speaking during a conference at the University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica last Tuesday hosted by the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute for Social and Economic Studies (SALISES).
Review
The conference, which was hosted under the theme “Rethinking Regionalism: Beyond the Caricom Integration Project” sought to “engage participants in a sweeping review of the region taking account of how the complex prob-
lems of the contemporary reality are likely to shape Caricom in the future”.
He said the most recent judgement by the CCJ in the case of Shanique Myrie versus the government of Barbados would cause a shift in the way community business was conducted.
“It has also cemented the community’s rulesbased system and continues to engender a high level of confidence,” the secretary general said.
Far-reaching
He stated further that the decision was far-reaching, addressing decision-making in the community, the nature and effect of community law, obligations of member states and rights of community nationals.
The secretary general also noted that the ruling reinforced the critical role of the CCJ in the in-
tegration movement as a court, which will ensure that the community’s decisions were adhered to.
He told his audience that the Caricom Secretariat was reviewing the judgment to assess the implications for the community and its organs.
“I am certain that the judgment will be an historical contribution to the
development of the community integration arrangements,” Secretary General LaRocque said.
The judgement issued by the eminent judges should give a considerable fillip to the movement for making the CCJ the final court of appeal in the community thereby completing the circle of sovereignty in the region, he noted.
“Many around the region seem to be pleased with the judgement on this particular matter in the court’s role in its original jurisdiction. It should be borne in mind
that it is the same court and the same judges who would be empanelled to consider matters in its appellate jurisdiction.
I hope that this would remove any doubts about the capacity of our jurists to render judgements of the highest calibre,” the Caricom head said.
Ruling
The CCJ last week ruled that Myrie, a Jamaican, be awarded a total of Bds$75,000 or Ja$ 3.6 million.
The ruling by the sixmember panel was delivered via a video conference in the supreme court.
The court declared that the Barbados government breached Myrie’s right to enter the country under Article Five of the revised treaty of Chaguaramas.
Myrie took the Barbados government to the CCJ, alleging that she was discriminated against because of her nationality when she arrived in Barbados on March 14, 2011.
The 25-year-old also
claimed she was subjected to a body cavity search in unsanitary and demeaning conditions, before being detained and deported the next day to Jamaica.
The Barbados government denied the claims and argued at the hearing that the Jamaican woman had been untruthful to Immigration Department officials. Its lawyers also contended that her testimony was contrary to what she had provided in statements to the Barbadian police.
Myrie wanted the CCJ to determine the minimum standard of treatment for Caricom citizens moving within the region under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. She had asked the CCJ to award her almost US$500,000 in punitive damages for the treatment she received on her visit to Barbados.
She also wanted the regional court to award costs and special damages.
week ending OctOber 17, 2013 |
BY MICHAEL YOUNGE
Opposition adviser Lallbachan Christopher Ram and Kaieteur News owner and publisher Mohan Lall, aka Glenn Lall, were slapped with lawsuits in Guyana last Thursday morning for millions of dollars owed in rates and taxes.
The cases were filed by Attorney Sandil Kissoon from the Kissoon and Kissoon Law Firm on behalf of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown.
Ram, who is closely connected to the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI), reportedly owes more than Gy$1.4 million in taxes for sublot D of 157 Waterloo Street, North Cummingsburg, according to court documents. He is also believed to
owe the M&CC another Gy$2.9 million for sublot C of the same Waterloo Street property.
The court documents allege that he owes yet another Gy$7 million for sublot B of the same property. In all, Ram reportedly owes the M&CC about Gy$11.3 million. Lall
Meanwhile, Lall and his wife, Bhena, owe the M&CC more than Gy$5.6 million in taxes, according to court documents. Lall owes that amount for a property at 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown.
“These are the double standards that businessmen like Glen Lall exhibit. He uses his newspaper on a daily basis to publish disclosures on others who are allegedly not complying with the laws of this country... and appears to be driv-
en by his self-professed desire to save taxpayers’ dollars ...and here he is, apparently, not paying millions owed to the government,” a senior councilor of the M&CC said. Inside sources at the M&CC have also confirmed that both Ram and Lall were served with notices some sev-
before the court, as the council seeks redress, and declined to make specific mention of any case or defaulter.
Both Ram and Lall, who are avid supporters of opposition political parties, are now required to appear on October 24 to answer the charges of owing millions of dollars.
en days ago to pay their debts, as legal action loomed.
When contacted, acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba, said the council will continue its zero-tolerance approach in dealing with any case where the city’s laws are breached. She said that a number of cases are
Rehabilitation works on the Annotto Bay Hospital in St Mary have been completed at a cost of more than Ja$90 million.
The project, spearheaded by the ministry of health, was undertaken to repair infrastructural damage sustained by the 146 year-old institution during Hurricane Sandy’s passage in October 2012.
Refurbishing work was done on the female medical, paediatric, and maternity wards; Accident and Emergency unit, doctors’ and nurses’ quarters, and porters’ lodge; kitchen and; laundry room, and the roadway was repaired. These were complemented by the provision of a new ambulance.
Funding was provided by a wide cross section of public and private sector stakeholders. Chief among these were: the National Health Fund (NHF); Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund; Japanese Embassy in Jamaica; and the RJR Communications Group.A significant number of community organisations and persons also contributed to the cause.
Rehabilitation of the Annotto Bay Hospital is consistent with the government’s 2013/14 strategic focus on human
capital development, with emphasis on the enhancement and strengthening of health care at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.
The newly refurbished institution was rededicated during a ceremony recently.
Guest speaker, Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson, said he was deeply moved by the tremendous outpouring of support for the hospital, following the disaster.
The minister underscored Annotto Bay Hospital’s importance to the island’s north east region, noting that it provides direct health care
for nearly 200,000 persons in St Mary and sections of the adjoining parishes of St Ann, and Portland.
Dr Ferguson informed that in 2010, the institution recorded some 7,118 admissions; 25,125 visits to the Accident and Emergency Unit; and a total of 48,546 patients received medical attention.
“Those figures indicate how essential the services of this hospital are to persons in (that) section of the island. It also brings to bear, how important it was for us to focus on upgrading the facility to better serve its
users,” he said.
Japanese Ambassador to Jamaica, Yasuo Takase, noted that the embassy’s input of approximately Ja$11 million (US$123,000) was facilitated through Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project. The contribution was used to assist in refurbishing the female ward.
Ambassador Takese pointed out that human security is a priority focus for the Japanese government in executing international assistance to developing countries,like Jamaica. (Jamaica Observer)
Only recently, it was reported that Dr Jennifer Basdeo-Green, wife of Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green, headed a list of persons who have been sued by the M&CC for non-payment of rates and taxes to the tune of millions of dollars.
Other cases
The cases against Dr Basdeo-Green and others were instituted in the Supreme Court of Guyana and have all been fixed for hearing on October 22. The proceedings were filed by
Attorney Euclin Gomes. The list of persons and the amount of rates and taxes owed are as follows: Jennifer BasdeoGreen–Gy$10,145,631 from 1997 to 2013, for X Street, Meadow Brook Gardens, Georgetown; Rajpati Latchmansingh (Sandra Singh)–Gy$9,244,124 from 1997 to 2013 for Lot 38 Cummings Street, Alberttown, Georgetown; George Sebastian–Gy$11,579,978 from 1997 to 2013 for Lot 235 Albert and Forshaw streets, Queenstown, Georgetown; Garland Lodge–Gy$2,491,217 from 1998 to 2013 for Lot 134 Fifth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown; and Charles James–Gy$5,299,181 from 1997 to 2013 for Lot 21 Werken-Rust, Georgetown. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)
The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) has embarked on an initiative to utilise technology in an attempt to boost food production on the sister island, with the establishment of a Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory at Goldsborough, East Tobago.
Fully staffed and operating at its peak, the new state-of-the-art facility would have the capacity to produce 250,000 plants per year, according to Laboratory manager Chawanda MacFarlane.
“Assuming a subsidised cost of approximately TT$5 per plant, this translates to TT$1.25 million per year. And, with the addition of another Hardening Facility, the value of the plant output can be substantially increased,” she said.
Addressing the formal commissioning of the facility at the Division of Agriculture/Marine Affairs/ Marketing/Environment (DAMME) compound in Goldsborough last week, MacFarlane said the launch marked a significant milestone in the history of the agriculture sector in Tobago. She said the project was conceptualised five years ago under the stewardship of then Agriculture Secretary Hilton Sandy following a study, which explored initiatives geared toward enhancing food security and increasing food production.
In this context, Plant
Tissue Culture was highly recommended. MacFarlane said modern agricultural societies throughout the world have adopted Tissue Culture as a critical technological tool to stimulate major crop production.
“To put it simply,” MacFarlane said, “tissue culture is a method by which small parts of plants or tissues are grown or cultured on sterile, artificial, nutrient-rich medium under controlled conditions in a laboratory. After a few weeks, the plantlets are then subdivided and following several subculture cycles, thousands of plants can be produced in a few months,” MacFarlane noted. If embraced, Tissue Culture provides a sustainable solution to several challenges plaguing the agricultural sector, including the shortage of high quality and high-yielding plants to supply farmers, as well as the lack of disease-free and disease-resistant plant stocks.
“The most outstanding benefit (of the tissue culture methodology) is that it is a highly effective means of mass production of clean planting material in a relatively short time-frame, as compared to conventional agricultural methods.”
“It is now poised to positively impact agriculture in Tobago; it is a major investment with incredible potential that can tremendously transform the agriculture sector on the island”, she asserted. (TT Newsday)
Guyana’s Local Government and Regional Development Minister Ganga Persaud, last Friday disclosed that the much-anticipated local government elections will be staged by the third quarter of 2014.
“We have seen a tentative timetable that the elections commission would have put out, which seems to suggest that there might be a possibility of local government elections...maybe somewhere mid of the year or the third quarter of the year,” he explained.
The minister made this disclosure during a press conference at his Kingston office. He said the Donald Ramotar administration, through his ministry, is closely monitoring the movements of the Guyana Elections Commissions (GECOM).
Based on reports submitted to the local government ministry, GECOM has conducted approximately 7000 transactions ahead of the closing of its fifth cycle of continuous registration on November 23. Additionally, the ministry has given its green light for GECOM
Pto commence its public awareness programme.
Persaud explained that subsequently the commission will compile its preliminary list, ahead of the local government elections.
Training for NDCs Councillors and representatives from the 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) will converge at the ministry in Kingston to participate in an intense training session from November 18.
“We will be discussing and deliberating on the new electoral environment, legal environment in which the next local government elections will be held...discussions would centre around legislation, issues such as what is a constituency, how you define or recognise these constituencies,
the two systems, under which elections would be held, proportional representative system and the first past the post system,” he explained.
Major emphasis will be placed on the Local Authorities (Elections Amendment) Bill, which was assented to by former President Bharrat Jagdeo in 2009. This particular legislation clears the way for GECOM to carry out the mandate of hosting local government elections through the introduction of a new system of conducting the poll.
Questioned about the impact of the four local government reform bills not being passed into law on the staging of elections, Persaud said, “The ministry has all that is required for the holding of local government elections...and based on that premise if we have everything in readiness, we should go ahead.”
He posited that President Ramotar understands the importance of local government elections and would, therefore, try to prevent any further delays.
(Excerpted from Guyana Times)
The Barbados Labour Party is calling on the Freundel Stuart administration to answer some pertinent questions before it seals the deal to buy the Almond Beach Village for the reported cost of US $53 million.
In a press conference at the Opposition’s Office at Parliament over the weekend, Shadow Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Santia Bradshaw, not only expressed concern about the purchase of the hotel, which closed its doors at the start of the first quarter of 2012, but queried if the price to be paid for the 395room property is a “justifiable investment” by the Barbados government.
Bradshaw is suggesting that this price is based on the last appraisal that appeared in the November 2012 document to the shareholders, and government should not seek to make an investment in the property based on a report, which is now almost one year old. She stated that with the decision to purchase the hotel coming more than a year since the property has been closed, one has to wonder whether it is in a state of dilapi-
dation.
Equally, Bradshaw expressed grave concern to the media about the reports that government intends to purchase the Almond brand, especially given that before the property went out of operation, average daily rates were declining and there were complaints about the room stock. Bradshaw charged that the brand recognition that existed prior to the closure of the property certainly does not exist now, and is a reality the authorities should take into consideration.
“At the end of the day it is important for Barbadians to be satisfied that an investment of this nature is in the best interest of the country, but also that the full facts are disclosed to them,
as it relates to the money that is being spent. This is not the minister of tourism’s money; this is not the minister of finance’s money; this is the people of Barbados money, which is being invested in this particular project,” Bradshaw asserted. She added that, “It is obvious that with any property that has been out of use for almost 18 months, that you would have some repairs that would have to be done to the property; you might have some rusty pipes; you are going to have various repairs to the road ways, you are going to have financial costs that are going to have to be borne by the government of Barbados after purchasing this property. But more importantly the price that we pay for the property must be reflected in a current valuation.”
The MP added that what happens following the sale of the property would also determine if the money used to secure the Almond brand is a wise investment, and if the money, which is being reported will have to be spent on refurbishing the hotel, too would be warranted. (Excerpted from Barbados Advocate)
eople ran out of their homes, some scrambled and ducked under tables and others stood in doorways, as an earthquake with a 6.3 magnitude, the strongest in the last sixteen years, rocked Trinidad and Tobago last Friday night.
The tremor was felt from Diego Martin to Mayaro. Car alarms rang out, electricity lines swayed, dogs howled as the earth shook for almost a minute. When it was over, there were reports of jammed tele-
phone lines as persons tried to contact relatives and friends to ensure they were okay.
The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (SRC) reported that the earthquake had a depth of 60 kilometres and occurred
at about 10.10 pm, north of the Paria Peninsula, Trinidad. It was also felt in Guyana and Grenada.
Acting director of the SRC, Dr Joan Latchman, later confirmed the “quake” was the largest to hit TT since 1997 with that one measuring 6.1, south of Tobago. She said there was one aftershock recorded at about 11.52 last Friday night, measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale.
Lucthman said an earthquake of last Friday night’s magnitude was not unexpected because in the last 100 years major earthquakes occurred every ten to 15 years. She said in 1935 and 1945 there were earthquakes in the Gulf of Paria ranging in the 6 magnitude
as well as in 1964, off the north coast in the Toco area. In 1968 a quake with a magnitude of 7 occurred in the Paria Peninsula. Latchman said in 1974 there was a major quake as well, then in 1988 and then in 1997. She said since then another one was expected.
Earlier this year, Latchman said the country should brace for a very big earthquake. Saturday, she said Friday night’s quake was not the big one.
“We are in a region that could experience an earthquake with very large magnitudes. In 1766, on October 21, there was a very damaging earthquake with a magnitude of 8 so we
know the region can deliver large earthquakes,” she said.
Latchman said as TT develops, it must put measures in place such as proper building codes, so there will be little damage when a big earthquake hits.
Office of the Disaster Preparedness Management’s (ODPM) Chief Executive Officer, Dr Stephen Ramroop said there were no reports of any damage from last Friday night’s “quake”. He said no reports of damage after an earthquake of this magnitude showed that the country has good building stock and that the country was well prepared for any disaster. (Excerpted from TT Newsday)
Extradition proceedings were being made over the weekend to have a Tobago businessman returned to Trinidad from Canada to face criminal charges for fraudulently obtaining TT$5.5 million from the Sport and Culture Fund based in the Office of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
The man fled Tobago to Canada with his wife after illegally obtaining the funds, TT media reported. His wife, who returned to Tobago in September, was arrested by the Fraud Squad as she landed at the ANR Robinson International airport. She has appeared before a magistrate and has been granted TT$900,000 bail.
TT media reported that the fraud was made known to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar by an official of the Sports and Culture Fund and that Persad-Bissessar
alerted both the Fraud Squad and the Office of the Attorney General.
Saturday, Senior Fraud Squad officers confirmed to TT media that they had sought the assistance of the Central Authority Unit under the direction of the Attorney General, Anand Ramlogan, to have the man extradited from Canada to stand trial for fraudulently obtaining State funds.
According to TT media, in April this year, a report was made to the Fraud Squad that TT$5.5 million was transferred out of the Sport and Culture Fund account and into the account of the Tobago-based company owned by the couple. Fraud Squad investigations showed that shortly after the transfer of the money, the businessman withdrew all funds from the company account and left Tobago, together with his wife, for Canada.
Warrants were issued in Trinidad for both their arrests.
The woman told police she was unaware a warrant was out for her arrest when she attempted to re-enter Tobago last month.
Reports are that the businessman involved has since been detained by immigration authorities in Canada following a formal request by the Trinidad Central Authority Unit to the Canadian government and that Attorney General Ramlogan has directed the Unit to work with the Fraud Squad, Interpol and the Canadian authorities to have a provisional warrant issued for his arrest.
The Sport and Culture Fund is a fund set up in the Office of the Prime Minister that gives money to temples, churches, sports groups and nongovernmental organisations. (Excerpted from TT Newsday)
The Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretariat now has a new assistant secretary general in charge of human and social development. The new appointee is former St Vincent and the Grenadines Foreign Affairs, Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Dr Douglas Wilbert Slater.
Dr Slater said he has chosen this new career path because he likes public service and wants to be of benefit to the wider Caribbean.
According to him, he comes in as a “constituent of Caricom,” which allows him to be more cognisant of the difficulties being faced by member states. He said he was also very aware of the challenges of the secretariat, including the lack of resources, but noted that efficiency and conservation will play a large role in addressing those issues.
The new assistant secretary general stated that with the secretariat now deliberating on its work plan for the next year, he is “intent to listen, read, engage and discuss with staff and the
secretary general” areas that will be prioritised under his portfolio.
The consultations now being conducted across member states would also assist in guiding this process, he said.
The tedious process of disembarking at Trinidad and Tobago’s Piarco International Airport and passing through security before boarding an aircraft to the United States will be something of the past for passengers from Guyana–effective November 1, 2013. According to a release from the CJIA, the United States of America Transport Security Administration (TSA) has approved the request for the alternate procedure to be applied for passengers from Guyana transiting in Port-ofSpain (POS).
“It means that passengers leaving Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and passing through POS can do so hassle free. The existing process prompt-
ed numerous complaints and we had to urgently address the situation with Caribbean Airlines (CAL) officials,” Guyana’s Transport Minister Robeson Benn was quoted in the release as saying.
In August, Benn and acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali met with CAL senior executives including Chairman Phillip Marshall and Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) Jagmohan Singh to address several concerns with the airline, including the treatment of local passengers transiting POS.
CJIA CEO Ramesh Ghir held a follow-up meeting in Trinidad, and high on the agenda was the re-screening process. “…so it was decided that CJIA and CAL will jointly approach TSA to review the application for an alternative procedure. Now this has borne fruit, passengers do not have to deplane,” Ghir added.
The CJIA release said too that TT Civil Aviation Authority Director General and CEO Ramesh Lutchmedial told Benn that he was happy “we have been finally able to re solve this”.
St Kitts' PM awarded EC$350,000 in newspaper defamation case
The High Court of St Kitts and Nevis has ordered an opposition aligned newspaper to pay Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas EC$350,000 in damages for defamation.
Attorney Sylvester Anthony said that the prime minister had been able to get a default judgement against the Democrat newspaper after no defence was filed.
“They did try at a stage to file a defence because they applied to the court to set aside the default judgement that we got and the court dismissed their application.
“The problem they had is that the defence that they tried to file is not a defence known to the law of defamation and that is referred to as well in the judgement. So they really could not have defended the case,” Anthony said.
He said the size of the
Adefiant Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Saturday said notwithstanding protests by a handful of persons, not only will the Point Fortin to San Fernando Highway be completed, but the People’s Partnership remains committed to construction of a highway linking Mayaro to the San Fernando.
She made this known hours after the official commissioning of the
North/South interchange at the intersection of the Churchill Roosevelt and Uriah Butler highways.
Outlining her government’s development plans, which includes major investment in the education and health sectors, PersadBissessar observed that not only had the national economy not collapsed, but in fact it registered significant growth despite the economic hardships plaguing several Caribbean countries.
award speaks to the egregious nature of the defamation and disclosed that the court was very clear in its language in relation to the conduct of the defendant which is the Democrat.
“For example, with regards to the attempt to set aside the default judgement, this is what the court had to say ‘In the case at bar, even af-
ter the application to set aside the default judgment was denied, the defendant still refused to retract and apologise thereby showing that his actions were malicious and spiteful and further injured the claimant’s proper feelings of dignity and pride’,” Anthony said, reading from the judgement. (Excerpted from Caribbean360)
Drumming up support for her party’s candidates for the October 21 Local Government poll, she told the large crowd of predominately yellow t-shirted supporters that her government was committed to constructing a highway from San Fernando to Mayaro.
“We are continuing the highway from Golconda, we did up to Debe and we are moving forward to Point Fortin and my govern-
ment remains committed to building a highway from San Fernando to Mayaro.
“If you give us the chance, we will build the highway from San Fernando to Mayaro for you here in the south east.” Persad-Bissessar also pointed out that the Union Village Water Project was now supplying water to communities which had never had a pipe-borne water supply. (Excerpted from TT Newsday)
The Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Jamaica has launched its disclosure protocol, which will serve to enhance transparency and accountability in the justice system.
Launched at the Courtleigh Hotel, in Kingston, recently the protocol deals with the stages, content, exemptions to, and forms of disclosure.
In his address, Jamaica’s Minister of Justice Senator Mark Golding, noted that the disclosure protocol will act as a manual, governing disclosure by the prosecution in criminal cases.
“Disclosure is essential in achieving a fair adjudication process, as it promotes fairness and impartiality. This publication will add value to
the criminal justice system by codifying in a single public document, the principles which have emerged over the years of common law jurisprudence,” Senator Golding said.
He noted further that the protocol will improve the level of transparency in the prosecution of criminal cases conducted in Jamaica, and enhance the level of justice that is delivered in the criminal courts.
“The accessibility of the disclosure publication will provide opportunities for the Jamaican public to easily understand the main principles of law. This protocol should be treated with a level of respect that reflects the diligence that has gone into its creation. I charge our prosecutors with the task of familiarising themselves
with its content and applying it accordingly,” the minister urged.
He added that the protocol will be revised over time as it becomes necessary to reflect the ever changing laws and practices, both in Jamaica and internationally.
Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn, noted that prosecutors in Jamaica must demonstrate fearlessness, impartiality and a monumental work ethic in serving the public interest and maintaining law and order.
“The Office of the DPP recognises that true fairness in a trial requires prosecutors to embrace and practise high standards of ethics at all times. Disclosure is the practice of prosecutors revealing to the defendant material on which the case against
him or her is based. This is a critical element of fairness within a trial,” Llewellyn said.
She added that her office looks forward to the concept of shared disclosure and responsibilities, between defence and prosecutors. “The pendulum of jus
The Organisation of American States (OAS) anti-corruption body concluded its meeting with stakeholders in Guyana last Thursday following a series of presentations, which will aid in determining whether Guyana is implementing the Inter-American Convention against Corruption.
The consultations with the commission from the OAS Mechanism for Follow-Up on the Implementation of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption (MESICIC) and civil society commenced on last Monday at
Cara Lodge, Georgetown. Closed-door Outside the meet-
ing last Thursday, Presidential Adviser on Governance Gail
Teixeira, declined to divulge details of the confab.
The meeting was a closed door event and as a result, participants such as the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI); the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG); the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers; the Guyana Bar Association; the Consultative Association of Guyana Industry; and Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI) were all asked to keep their presentations confidential.
Teixeira made it clear that the government will not be making any pronouncement on the meeting until the assessment is completed in 2014; however the OAS team
tice should swing in both directions. This protocol outlines how Jamaican prosecutors consistently strive to approach, as well as, keep pace with ever evolving case law and international best practices,” she said.
The protocol was developed through the JUST Programme, a joint project of the governments of Jamaica and Canada. (Jamaica Observer)
will be issuing a press statement after returning to its headquarters.
The presidential adviser expressed disappointment that the TIGI would have leaked its presentation to sections of the press.
In another section of the media, TIGI made public details of its presentation to the OAS.
Additionally, the transparency institute advocated for the Audit Act of 2004 to be amended to facilitate qualifications requirements for appointments of the auditor general, noting that future auditor general appointments must centre on recommendations from the Public Accounts Committee.
The presidential adviser also criticised a local newspaper for mis-
informing the public. In its October 9, 2013 edition, the newspaper said “notably absent from the closed-door discussions were the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC).”
However, Teixeira explained that only public service agencies were invited to make presentations and as such, the GTUC could not be included.
Representatives of the Judicial Service Commission, the Public Service Commission, and the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, as well as the commissioner of information were also in attendance during the four-day event. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has lauded previous Jamaican leaders who, despite financial constraints facing the country, made sacrifices to undertake astronomical improvements to the country's infrastructure, including the road network.
"And that's why when I rode over this convention centre and looked at the developments, the roads, the bridges, the improvements, I smiled with pride. Because I have been coming to Jamaica for more than 10 years and I remembered when it took, to get to Negril, two-and-a-half hours," Reed said.
“Now you drive down the same roads and you see two of them. And while you smile about it right now, there was a leader who was alone in a room with advisors who had to make the call to make the investments when the money in the treasury might not have been full. These are not easy decisions to make," he added.
Reed was speaking last Friday evening during the official opening ceremony of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) Expo 2013, in partnership with the
Culinary Federation of Jamaica (CFJ) Taste of Jamaica at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.
He said that both the city of Atlanta and Jamaica have recently celebrated significant 50year milestones. The former recently observed its son of the soil, Martin Luther King's famous march on Washington; while the latter, last year celebrated five decades of political independence.
He encouraged his Montego Bay counterpart to build on the infrastructural platform erected by his political predecessors.
"Mayor Harris, you need to be looking at the next 50 years. You can't be sitting on your laurels and talk about what other folks did, and all of the things that they accomplish. Because we are the ones who are responsible right here and right now," the Atlanta mayor said.
"And when you look around Montego Bay and Jamaica at the facilities and assets you have, you all are making a 10-year, 20-year, 30-year decision."
He also called on the business community to support the Montego Bay mayor and the head of the chamber, Nathan Robb, to invest in infrastructure.
(Excerpted from Jamaica Observer)
By Samuel Sukhnandan
The Guyana government has signed on to a new international pact to control mercury emissions–the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
This was done during an international conference organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held in Minamata, Japan from October 9 to 11.
Guyana’s Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud signed the Minamata Convention on Mercury on behalf of the government.
He was accompanied by the acting commissioner of the Guyana Geology Mines and Commission, Rickford Vieira.
Persaud stated that government recognised
pounds are used, artisanal and small-scale mining, emission, releases, storage and mercury wastes.
Phased approach
He explained that at
the environmental and health risks of mercury use and supported the implementation of a legally-binding global instrument on mercury that will examine its supply and trade, mercury-added products, manufacturing products in which mercury com-
the forum, the Guyana government proposed a phased approach over a period of 10 years, which should give parties time to prepare for the implementation of the procedures and provisions. This approach, Persaud stated, has been supported by the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), while discussions were held with Amerindian and riverine communities.
The Japanese government pledged its support to Guyana for phasing out the use of mercury.
During the trip, Persaud also held bilateral discussions with Japanese Environment Minister Nobuteru Ishihara, who reiterat-
ed his country’s plan to provide US$ 2billion in financial assistance to fight mercury pollution.
Discussions were also held with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Achim Steiner to lobby his support for the phasing-out measure.
An action plan was outlined by Guyana to minimise and, where feasible, eliminate the release of mercury release into air, water, and onto land from waste by adopting Environmentally Sound Management (ESM). It was proposed that the plan be implemented and completed within five years of its approval, preferably from 2013 to 2017. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)
With a very strong love for their homeland, especially their village, Moruca-born sisters Stephanie Wall and Regina Rodrigues are focused on bringing joy to the hearts of Guyanese children.
Regina and Stephanie, who migrated to Canada many years ago, are both retired.
Their mission now is to dedicate their time to giving back to their Moruca community.
They raise funds throughout the year, contributed by family and friends, and use this to buy toys for the children to make life a little more enjoyable for the community that once nurtured them.
The sisters ship half
a dozen barrels loaded with toys for children in Moruca. They are also committed to raising funds and other resources to restore the church building at Santa Rosa.
Additionally, they were successful in gathering community members to come together to build a house for an elderly Moruca resident.
In an interview with
Guyanese media, Regina stated that her mother, the late Martina Rodrigues, started a similar initiative but on a smaller scale.
Her mother lived
in Canada and would pack a barrel every year and ship it to Santa Rosa, Moruca, for distribution to her family and friends. Regina said her mother never forgot from where she came, and always tried to give something back.
Observing this, Regina and her sister emulated their mother’s attitude and continued her charity work. Their mother passed away in 1992.
“After we retired from our jobs, my sister Stephanie and I decided to have a toy drive for the children of Moruca. We started to prepare for our first drive in
This time the sisters included school supplies (pens, pencils, note books, children’s books, and novels-just to name a few) in each package given out to the children. In March 2013, they shipped sports equipment, cricket balls, tennis balls, soccer balls and sports shirts and jerseys, for the students in secondary school.
Regina and Stephanie has also collaborated with the Guyana Foundation headed by Supriya Singh Bodden. The sisters donated school and other supplies to the children of Pigeon Island on the
2010. Stephanie started by sending out an email to family and friends in Toronto, specifically those with children, asking for clothing and toys.
The response was phenomenal.
We packed and posted our first two barrels.
From that we grew, and it is now our annual toy drive for the children of Moruca,” Regina recalled.
This year, five barrels were shipped for distribution in Moruca. Regina and Stephanie, once again, were there for the distribution with the help of the women from the community as willing volunteers.
East Coast. They also shipped a barrel to the foundation in September for distribution by the Guyana Foundation.
“We wish we could do more, but can only continue to do what we can as this is a family venture and we are not registered as a charitable organization. However, we do wish to say thanks to our relatives and friends in Canada and the U.S. who have donated clothing and some funds to help us with the shipping expenses. We appreciate that very much,” Regina said appreciatively. (Excerpted from Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
Digital sculptor/3D character artist Damien Abdool is living his dreams, with his name rolling in the credits of record-breaking Hollywood movies
After finishing A Levels in Guyana, Damien
Abdool moved to Toronto, Canada, where he pursued a post graduate 3D programme at Humber College where he graduated with honours.
Shortly thereafter, he moved to Vancouver where he furthered his studies at the Vancouver Film School and once again graduated with honours.
In an interview with Guyanese media, Damien said that growing up, he was always fascinated by fantasy in whatever form he could find: comic books, movies, video games, to name a few.
“My father,” he recalled, “was the main culprit in getting me hooked. He would always tell me stories and draw pictures of superheroes and creatures. As a son, I tried my best to copy him, and found out that I had a natural aptitude towards sculpting and drawing.”
Into Hollywood
This passion, fuelled by his father, led him to become a recognised digital sculptor/3D character artist for film and videogames in the glitzy world
of Hollywood. His job ranges from replicating very realistic humans to entirely animated creatures, with 3D software.
The young acclaimed artist, who has been into the digital art industry for seven years, has worked with Digital Domain, an American visual effects and digital production company, for almost two years on gargantuan movies such as “Jack the Giant Slayer”, “Thor” and soon-to-bereleased science fiction action film “Ender’s Game”.
He went on a hiatus from films to work on a project with Microsoft for the X-Box One. After completing his work for
Microsoft, he then decided to return to Digital Domain to work on the highly anticipated “X-Men” sequel, scheduled for release next year: “X-Men: Days of Future Past”.
“I can’t tell you exactly what I’m doing until it’s released. All I can say is that my usual role is character art. To work with such a big production is great! I work with a very talented team on something that inspired me so much as I was growing up.
“X- Men” has always epitomized amazing fantasy for me,” the artist said, enthused.
He disclosed that he had the pleasure to meet, on a few previous occasions, some of the acting talent involved in the productions he worked on. One such instance was during the production of “Fight Night 4” and “Champion at EA”, Damien felt privileged to meet international boxing champions Shane Mosely, Sergio Mora and Lennox Lewis–just to name a few.
Inspiration
The artist noted that he enjoys any production that challenges him and allows him to further himself when it comes to character art. He added
that he would like to take all that he has learnt and apply it to some of his own creative story driven endeavours.
“For me inspiration comes in many forms.
Listening to an amazing musician, watching a great athlete or something to-
tally unrelated to art, inspire me to try to be as good as I can at what I do.
My parents always stood by my decision to be a professional artist and I think that really gave me the drive to follow it through.
A lot of the challenges as-
sociated with my job have been encountered by commercial artists alike for a very long time. Luckily, careful observation of theory, technique and trends throughout the industry pre-
pares me for any challenge,” he related.
Damien’s encouragement for youths who want to follow a similar path as he did is to “Find what you love and practice it until you are blue in the face.” (Excerpted from Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
The Imam Abdul Razak Foundation is a multicultural and interracial organization founded by persons who are passionate in helping the needy.
The foundation came into being through the efforts of Guyanese Sham Razak, the last son of the late Imam Abdul Razak and Latifan Razak of Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara.
Imam Abdul Razak was born in 1926 into a very humble family. In his lifetime, and accompanied by his wife of 48 years, Latifan, he accomplished many great tasks. Together they provided food and shelter to the needy, and their efforts enabled several parents with the means to provide higher education for their children. During his countless sermons and lectures, not only in Guyana, but later throughout the world, Imam Abdul Razak was constantly striving to share the message of peace, love and help for our fellow human beings.
Charity work in Canada and Guyana
In 2000, after the death of both Imam Razak and his wife Latifan, their youngest son Sham, along with his wife Nazli, decided to continue the efforts of providing food, shelter and financial support to persons in Guyana and Canada.
Together they seek to continue the message of peace,
love and help for fellow human beings. The goal of the foundation is to continue to assist members of the community in the same way Sham’s parents always did–by dedicating anything they had to help others. In Canada, the foundation provides financial assistance and moral support to the elderly and those facing hardship; monthly financial assistance, groceries and basic needs provided to numerous individuals; free financial and business advice to individuals of low income; free tax services for seniors and low income individuals; university scholarships given annually to qualified individuals; and necessities of life for victims suffering from a
natural disaster in their country.
In Guyana, the organisation provides groceries annually, meals and finances to be given to 1,000 individuals; provides homes and food to orphans; offers medical assistance to the elderly; provides monthly food and financial assistance to individuals of low income; and offers a 4-year university scholarship given annually to one qualified individual.
Help for all
In an interview with Guyanese media, Sham stated that the Imam Abdul Razak Foundation was created with one goal in mind-helping others. “Whether you’re an elder-
ly person who requires assistance; suffering from a natural disaster in your country; a student who needs financial aid, or you just want some advice, then we want to help.” He recalled spending his youth attending many of the religious and social activities his father and mother were involved in, and having countless discussions with them on the value of helping others.
Migrating to Canada in 1974, he tried to instil these values into his own life and that of his children, Naseeba and Shiraz, who also share their parents’ strong values. Sham is fully supported by his wife Nazli in all these endeavours.
For the fourth year running, the foundation is offering scholarships to students for college or university education.
“We’re continuing our charitable efforts with providing finances for students in Guyana who are writing their CSEC examinations.
We also have a programme where we provide lunch for the poor and needy every first Friday monthly. We also provide monthly financial assistance to these ones. We are currently looking at expanding our scholarship programme to finance those students who have excelled at CSEC to help them pursue studies at the university. We will be feeding the elderly, and those in need, for Eid-al-Adha, at Cornelia Ida. Also, CSEC exams fees will be paid for 100 individuals in Guyana,” Sham outlined. (Excerpted from Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
The National Cultural Centre (NCC) in the wee hours of Sunday erupted with cheers and jeers as the 13th Miss Guyana Talented Teen and the inaugural Mr Guyana Talented Teen were crowned.
After long hours of competition, Miss Peter’s Hall Tiffani Bonner, 15, outshone her seven rivals to cop the coveted title, one that she truly deserved as she was radiant from the start.
Bonner also copped the prize for Best Evening Gown, with a Randy Madray design.
Outshining his competitors to cop the first ever Mr Guyana Talented Teen title was Mr Beterverwagting Kefa Wesley Smith, 16, who was among the top four, but not a favourite to win the title.
He sealed the deal with his response to the final question.
However, was also given the prize for Best Talent for performing a version of R Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly” as well as Best Male Body, Best Introduction
TT filmmakers Simone Princess Donelan and Michael Mooleedhar recently participated in the CaribbeanTales Incubator Programme, part of the Toronto International Film Festival fringe event the CaribbeanTales Film Festival.
The incubator took place in Toronto from September 4 - 6, 2013.
At the incubator, up-and-coming Caribbean filmmakers get the opportunity to develop skills in film marketing.
They learn to pitch a film and also have the chance to network with industry experts from the Caribbean and other regions.
Donelan co-produced the TT/ Grenada documentary feature ‘Footprints’ and associate produced the TT dramatic feature ‘God Loves the Fighter’, both of which premiered in 2013.
Mooleedhar wrote and directed the dramatic short ‘The Cool Boys’, a TT film, which debuted at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival in 2012.
“The experience of Caribbean Tales Incubator Programme was a magical, life-altering one,” Donelan
Tand Mr Congeniality prizes.
In the female category, the first runner-up spot went to Miss Enmore Chelsea France while Miss Liliendaal Romichelle Brumell and Miss Linden Reona Howell were adjudged second and third runners up respectively.
In the male category, Mr Anna Regina Dennis Glasgow copped the first runner-up spot, followed by Mr Grove Fazil Rahaman and Mr Parika Kevin Smith.
The Stick-to-itiveness awards went to Mr Diamond Linden Isles and Miss Liliendaal Romichelle Brumell respectively. The Miss Congeniality Award went to Miss Cummingsburg Crystal Fraser while Chelsea France was awarded the prizes for Best Introduction.
The Best Smile prize went to Reona Howell. Closing off the list of special awards was Mr Diamond Fazil Rahaman, who was adjudged the Best Dressed Male. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)
reported to the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC), which sponsored her trip to CaribbeanTales.
“Having the opportunity to col -
he Diamonds World Tour and Rihanna heads to Barbados on November 1, 2013.
The name Rihanna is now synonymous with Barbados. This mega star has placed the island of 166.4 sq miles with a population of 283,221 on the map. She continues to do so with her Diamonds World Tour.
Scores of locals and foreigners alike are expected to flock the grounds of the Kensington Oval on November 1st, 2013.
A representative from local advertisers G & A Communications said, "We are catering to locals and visitors to the island, ages 18-65, music lovers and supporters of Rihanna, who became one of the biggest stars in music."
GTA, a band of deejays that play a variety of music, will be the opening act for the event.
Rihanna has just completed a successful run throughout Europe, China as well as Manila, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Abu Dhabi, Tel Aviv and San Juan. She will perform in Barbados before returning to the US for the final leg of the tour.
According to her local promoters, Rihanna is
laborate with filmmakers from the Caribbean and Diaspora under the mentorship and guidance of leading professionals in their field,
such as Frances-Anne Solomon, Christopher Laird, Nicole Brooks, Rita Deverell, prepared us not only for our pitch session, but equipped us with tools to bring back home to our respective countries,” Donelan said.
Frances-Anne Solomon founded CaribbeanTales and is a TT/ Canadian filmmaker and distributor. Laird is Chairman of the TTFC and a prolific TV and film producer and director from TT. Brooks is a Canadian TV and film producer and director. Deverell is a Canadian TV broadcaster and activist.
“The networking opportunities realised from our pitch session have made us all winners, but mostly the community and collaborations formed in this programme is what I will cherish always,” Donelan said.
The TTFC also funded the marketing of the TT documentary feature ‘No Bois Man No Fraid’, produced by Banyan and the Bois Institute.
The film was the feature attraction at the gala opening of the CaribbeanTales Film Festival on September 4 in Toronto. (TT Newsday)
referred to as the "#1 Person On Facebook" with over 74 million fans and over 30 million Twitter followers.
Forbes named Rihanna the world's #1 social media star and the "Vevo Empress" has just reached another milestone with over 4 billion views on YouTube / VEVO, the most ever for any artiste.
They expect the show to be a successful one with tickets sales rising.
"Diamonds" has become one of the Barbadian artist's hottest singles, dominating global charts. It is said to be "the fastest-rising single of her career to date" and first single to be released from Unapologetic, her seventh studio album for Island Def Jam in just seven years.
This album has become her sixth platinum in the USA.
Rihanna has received six Grammy Awards and seven Billboard Music Awards, has sold over 41 million albums and 150 million digital tracks worldwide, and currently holds the record as the top-selling digital artiste of all time. (CaribbeanNews)
The National Trust of Guyana had submitted City Hall for nomination to the World Monuments Watch list and last Friday, Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony announced that Guyana for the first time has been placed on the list.
At a press conference at his ministry, Minister Anthony said a broad stakeholder committee was needed to advocate for repairs at City Hall, and this had to be done in conjunction with the Georgetown City Council.
The minister said this is a positive for Guyana, as it will generate publicity about this heritage site.
Guyana National Trust Chief Executive Officer Nirvana Persaud said, “This is more of an international promotion or advertisement at that level… while they have some amount of funds they dedicate in smaller sec-
With beats emanating from every corner of the island, music is as much a part of the character of Jamaica as the pristine beaches, the vast expanse of the turquoise seas and the delectable food.
Among the strolling, suitcase-lugging transit passengers, varied hues and aroma of the Duty Free shops and the usual hustle and bustle at the departure lounge of Kingston's Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) is a serene space that speaks volumes of Jamaican music.
‘Visualising 50 Years of Jamaican Popular Music’, showcases the diversity of Jamaica's musical genre dating back to the 19th century from the emergence of Mento to the 20th century sounds of Nyabinghi drums.
The space at the lounge, transformed into a Jamaican musical time capsule, also captures other popular Jamaican music to include ska, rock steady, dub, reggae and dancehall.
The space, according to the Institute of Jamaica, which is one of the partners of this exhibition, aims to engage the memories of those who were around during the early years.
The musicians who were
there as the music was in its formative stage and had the attention of all who cared to experience sounds and images from the past to the present.
"The sub-themes presented in the exhibition include the internationalisation of the music, celebrating the pioneers of the music; exploring the attendant appeal of the music in relation to dance, fashion and film," said Janice Lindsay, director Centre for the Arts at University of Technology (UTech).
The exhibition, a collaboration between the Jamaica Music Museum, the Institute
of Jamaica and UTech, chronicles the development of Jamaican music over the past 50 years.
"We have used musical artefacts such as vinyl records, turn tables, album covers, posters, news-clippings and photos of artists who have contributed to the development of the Jamaican music industry," Lindsay added.
The genesis of this exhibition goes back to the Chancellor's Medal Awards held in December 2012, informed Lindsay. But there were deliberations about showcasing the exhibition be-
yond the awards.
tions to these sites.” City Hall will be on the list for the period 2014–2016. She expressed hope that the site will attract the attention of local sponsors to assist in some aspects of City Hall’s restoration.
“During this period it is expected that the local community, will mobilise awareness and would form groups so as to help safeguard it.” “It is a prestigious opportunity for us to really work towards preservation of one of our most remarkable structures, and it’s one of the most remarkable throughout the Caribbean,” Persaud said.
The WMF had received 248 nominations, from which 67 heritage sites from 41 countries were selected.
The 2014 watch list includes cultural landscapes, eastern urban areas, civic buildings, industrial heritage gardens, and religious structures.
"After much discussion, Herbie Miller, curator of the Jamaica Music Museum and a member of the exhibition committee, recommended that the work be displayed at the Norman Manley International
Airport," she informed.
A space that small might not fully capture the vastness and the richness of Jamaican
music, but it gives a holistic overview of the evolution of the rhythm, the beats and the lyrics on this island.
The exhibits are from both on and behind the scenes - the nyabinghi drum, the turntable with vinyl, a two track reel-toreel tape recorder, the drum machine, a saxophone perched on a pedestal - the synergy is in seamless variation.
Photographs on the wall capture the moments frozen in time, of the artistes and their music.
Those scenes vary from the privacy of recording studios to the machinery of the pressing plant, the rehearsal space with its perceived uncertainties to the business offices of record label executives. Indeed, most have never actually seen the diverse world of those in the music industry.
Also showcased are costumes, awards and accolades that stamp the presence of Jamaica in the world.
"The popularity of Jamaican music is not limited to the aural experience alone," Lindsay said.
For the globe-trotting passenger, this serene spot offers one more fond memory to take back, and also a reason to come back to Jamaica to savour it to the max. (Jamaica Gleaner)
Antigua and Barbuda has just completed a follow-up exercise, as a result of participating in the OECS national consultation on developing community based niche tourism experiences.
The national consultation, which was held on July 11 2013, was implemented under the OECS 10th EDF programme: Economic Integration and Trade of the OECS Region. As a result of the findings of this consultation, the ministry of tourism sought to garner additional support for the further empowerment of personnel in the rudiments of community tourism.
Thirty seven persons from various communities across Antigua and Barbuda assembled at the Methodist Conference Hall from
September 30th to October 5th under the guidance of Maguerite Diana McIntyre-Pike (Facilitator), Chairman/CEO of the Countrystyle Community Tourism Network, who delivered on topics such as ‘The Community Tourism Passion’, ‘The Community Tourism Purpose’, and ‘Building the Community Tourism Product’. Groups were able to formulate and present project ideas for the various communities represented after being trained extensively by McIntyre- Pike who imparted the fundamentals of Community Host and Hostess techniques.
Communities represented at the five-day session included Barnes Hill and its surroundings, Crabb Hill and its surroundings, Glanville and surroundings, All Saints and Liberta. (A&B gov’t)
Born again ex-convict Jamaican David Chang, 46, who has been jailed over 100 times, has 36 convictions, and has served eight years in prison for manslaughter, is now asking that his record be expunged so that he can serve his community as a Justice of the Peace (JP).
"I have gone to prison four times. I went to jail over 100 times and is one time out of all that time I went to jail innocently. I used to be in and out of jail, because I was an allround criminal," Chang told Jamaican media in a recent interview. "I used to pick pocket, grab chain, break into house, rob people, loitering—I get charge for all those things—name them and I was charged for them."
But according to Chang, who is now the pastor of the 50-member Majesty Transformation Fellowship Church in Majesty Gardens, his sole desire now is to serve his community and give back to the nation as much as he possibly can.
"I have been out (of prison) 15 years now. I am a reverend, I have a visa, I travel overseas.
I have been doing a lot of community work and I can recommend anybody like any other pastor. But what is happening with me is that the conviction is still in the way," he said.
"The community need a JP and they have recommended me because they do not have any JP down there in Majesty Gardens because the community has developed now and I am an
active pastor in the community right now, but there are certain things that a JP can do that a pastor cannot do. And there are certain things that a pastor can do that a JP cannot do. The law says if you spend over five years in prison your record cannot be expunged," he said.
Chang said that he made an attempt to have his record cleared four years ago, but was told
he had to re-apply.
Chang said that he was in fact guilty of the murder for which he served two years in remand and six years and one month in prison. The crime was committed in Montego Bay after he and two cronies broke into a house and shot the female occupant.
"I used to do crime for a living. That is what I used to do to survive. I never know any other way. I ran away from home since I was eight. So I was young and in the streets," Chang said.
It wasn't until his last incarceration at the South Camp Adult Correctional Centre that Chang focused on his education. He left the institution with two CXC subjects—Mathematics and Physics. He later continued his studies and earned another two subjects—English and Principles of Business.
Chang completed his first degree last year in Theology and is looking forward to starting his Master's degree next year, after which he intends to pursue a doctorate. (Excerpted from Jamaica Observer)
Amidst a sea of negativity swirling around the current generation of youth in Trinidad and Tobago, there seems to be a glimmer of hope in the horizon with the emergence of young author, Kadeem Robert Hosein.
Kadeem is not stealing, fighting or breaking classes. While many youths his age are seeking entertainment in the sagas of the Miley Cyruses and Rihannas, Kadeem’s first novel, ‘The Four Masters and the Magic Ball’, was recently launched at NALIS to press, family and supporters. More than 50 copies of the book were sold.
The shy 17-year-old St Joseph’s Convent, Port-of-Spain A’ Level student was a model of humility as he unpretentiously spoke to reporters about his first novel.
“I didn’t know I want to write,” he said. “Maybe it’s just because I like to read so much, I just started writing,” he continued, smiling.
By Anu Dev
“A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world.” – Albert Camus
I’ve been in school for the past 15 years of my life and having been in school for so long, I have a fair idea of what different types of teachers could be like. Some go about their jobs like they truly love what they’re doing, others seem to go through the day like teaching is an obligation.
But no matter what their teaching attitudes or stance, we learn a lot from our teachers. Teachers teach more than just science and math and all the other “subjects” – they teach ethics as well. In addition to the weekly one hour of “Pastoral Care”, they do this generally through the most powerful medium – not through words but by their actions.
Their behaviour impacts their students strongly. And of course, it’s always best to lead by example, so we’re most likely to do as our teachers do, rather than as they say.
Quite a bit of my personal values and sense of ethics is a product of the influence of my school teachers. Of course, the major chunk consists of values directly instilled into me by my parents, but on some level, we’ve all been influenced by our teachers.
As an avid reader, Kadeem started writing at the age of seven, but did not know he would like to become a writer until writing ‘The Four Masters and the Magic Ball.’
The 240 page novel is a fantasy story about four teenagers from earth, who were destined to come together to save a dying world with powerful magic they were not aware they possessed. Like most young fantasy enthusiasts, Kadeem’s favourite authors are JK Rowling and DJ MacHale, writers of the famed Harry Potter and Pendragon series respectively. Kadeem, who is constantly looking for something new to entertain him, is currently working his way through ‘City of Glass’ by Cassandra Clare. Kadeem has just started what looks to be an inspiring journey, as after graduation next year he intends to study creative and professional writing at a university in the United Kingdom so
he can work in journalism as well as continue writing novel. Before finding an official publisher, the novel had a large following on Facebook, which result-
ed in one of their fans becoming the illustrator of the book cover. The Facebook page currently has over 5000 likes and is growing. (Excerpted from TT Newsday)
My current value system is a melange of what I’ve been taught at home and whatever modifications my experiences have forced me to make – with me spending a third of my time every day in school.
And I realised how damaging it could’ve been if I had teachers whose values and ethics standards were not that solid. What if I had teachers that throw things and scream at their students, calling them names, belittling them? If a student didn’t have a strong personal value system or positive role models, they could easily accept that sort of behaviour as being okay, or acceptable. And they might carry over that type of behaviour into adulthood in their professions and personal lives.
Our teachers as a consequence have great power; they have the most interaction with us, especially during our young, impressionable years, when we’re still forming our opinions of the things around us and deciding how we want to fit into society.
More emphasis should probably be placed, when training teachers, about their role in moulding the values of their students.
Values like the importance of confidentiality and the importance of privacy could be emphasised by the teachers so that when the students leave the school system, they’ll be able to function like adults that are capable of respecting the persons they interact with.
Others like the importance of accountability, punctuality should all be established as being important from a young age. Teachers that violate these tenets in their classes do damage beyond the details of the “subject” not being covered.
Our teachers can hold great sway over how we might turn out at the end of our tenure at school; they could be the difference between whether we become successful professionals, or whether we go about our jobs in a very unprofessional manner.
We need a solid foundation in professionalism, and our teachers can give us that, hopefully by their actions and not just their words.
Actress Shraddha Kapoor, recently seen in successful love saga ‘Aashiqui 2’, says she wants to go beyond the genre of romance on screen, and try her luck at different
On his 71st birthday recently, Amitabh Bachchan announced his decision to light up rural villages that have no electricity.
The actor said, "There is a trust in my father's name—Harivansh Rai Bachchan Memorial Trust. The funds we collect are used for a charitable cause. This time, along with the Urja Foundation—another charitable organisation—we will provide electricity to 3000 homes in small villages across India. The electricity will be provided through solar energy."
Big B went to work as usual on his birthday, but his shooting schedule was disrupted due to a glitch.
roles, especially a grey character.
"The fact that people liked ‘Aashiqui 2’ and my character (Aarohi) in it, they now want to see me in a lot more romantic films. I would like to do romantic films, but honestly I would like to do beyond that as well," Shraddha told reporters at a recent event.
"I would like to do other genres also and it will be interesting," she added.
Shraddha, daughter of actor Shakti Kapoor, made her Bollywood debut with ‘Teen Patti’ in 2010. But she earned popularity with ‘Aashiqui 2’.
Asked about the kind of roles she wants to play, Shraddha said: "If I will get the opportunity to be a part of a very interesting character that has grey or white shades, then why not? I would love to play it." (TOI)
He was, however, quite happy as he revealed how daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had taught his granddaughter Aaradhya to sing happy birthday to him. (TOI)
Property investments have always lured Bollywood celebrities. While Kangana Ranaut
has bought a flat in Bandra, Priyanka Chopra is looking out for property in and around that area, too. A source said, "Priyanka is eyeing properties at prime locations like Khar and Bandra, a favourite with celebrities."
The actress had earlier said, "I want a sea-facing bungalow in Bandra. But there aren't any." Nonetheless, her hunt continues.
Hrithik Roshan is looking to buy property too. "Hrithik is looking at residential areas and will take a call soon," added the source. (TOI)
Govinda reacts to stories about his ‘unprofessionalism’
Govinda was recently stranded in an elevator of a Juhu hotel for 15 minutes when he was heading for the launch of his music album. "The lift had around 10-11 people in it, so it got stuck. I felt a tad suffocated," said the actor, adding, "But later, I had a glass of water and proceeded to the event, contrary to assumption that I would skip the occasion altogether. Yet, so many stories of my unprofessionalism have been floating around since the past 14 years!
People often complained that I never reach the shoot on time but, most of the times, I wasn't given the right time! Commitments were made on my behalf without keeping me in the loop. Where there is fame, there is jealousy."
A tabloid recently reported that the actor threatened police officers after they asked him to stop his film shoot at Marve Beach without permission. He allegedly threw his weight around, by
stating he is an MP.
When asked about the incident, the actor clarified, "What can I say, when you are not doing well in life, these controversies keep you alive. This incident did happen. The cops were technically right. It was 12 noon and to change the location for one shot would have been time consuming, so I requested them to let it finish….But we adhered to their decision and shot somewhere else." (TOI)
Sanjay Leela's Bhansali's ‘RamLeela’ is one of the most talked about films this year as it shows alleged real-life couple Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone paired on screen for the first time. With the movie's poster out, people are talking about the sizzling chemistry between the lead actors.
Ranveer is very excited about pairing up with Deepika for the first time. In a casual chat with Indian media, he revealed that they do make a terrific couple on screen. He feels the chemistry between the two will knock the audience out. He thinks that since Deepika is very graceful and he is absolutely raw, they look good together.
He also feels that his lip-lock scene in the film is one of the best to date. He told reporters that he hoped there is no objection to the kiss because it's a beautiful kiss. It's the best kiss one will ever see in a Hindi movie. (TOI)
Akshay Kumar, who was in Dubai recently to promote his upcoming film ‘Boss’, has revealed that he is greedy about doing good work and never takes his success for granted.
The self-made billionaire said that even today he is excited about flying in first class and always feel a sense of regret if it's a short distance flight, Gulf News reported.
Kumar, whose name always features in India's highest celebrity taxpayer list, said that he likes to do stunts in his films because he enjoys pushing himself.
The actor, who is married to actress Twinkle Khanna, added that despite of taking Sundays off, he manages to finish about three films in a year. (TOI)
‘Sussanne paid on our first date’ - Hrithik Roshan
Hrithik Roshan, 39, lives the life of a superhero. He is a fighter and does not quit. He is a man of truth and is on a mission to live the best life possible, no matter what. Ahead of his upcoming superhero film 'Krrish 3', he talked to TOI about many things including his strong father and his sunshine wife. The following is an excerpt.
Let's talk about your father?
I learnt how to be strong from my dad. I am still learning from him. He teaches by example. He is a very good businessman. He will not let anyone take him for a ride. He has seen tough times. I have seen my mom cry, as there was no money for groceries.
Despite the fact that he was an actor, we have been kicked out of our house, as we did not have money to pay the rent. I was ten at that time and we had no place to live,
so we moved into my mother's parents' house and my father lived with his friend until he managed enough money to buy a place. Who are you most attached to?
Sussanne I think. She has been my closest companion. I was infatuated with her when I was 12.
She lived in the vicinity. I met her time and time again as a part of a group that used to play in the compound. All the boys would try and impress the girls with their bicycle stunts. She hap-
pened to come to my sister's engagement party and I told my best friend, 'One day I am going to marry her.' At that time, she was a working girl and was making more money than me. She paid for my first date with her. She's still very ambitious and career-driven and I am very proud of her.
I would struggle day in and day out and so God must have thought of her as a blessing that he must send down for me as a ray of sunshine. That is how I have managed to survive. (TOI)
Rachel McAdams is confident people can find love several times throughout their lives.
The Canadian actress previously dated her ‘The Notebook’ co-star Ryan Gosling and more recently actor Josh Lucas and Welsh star Michael Sheen.
Despite her relationships coming to an end, Rachel is still confident there is romance in her future.
"I think yes, for sure," she replied, when asked by website heraldsun.com. au whether it is possible to love more than once. "I don't think there's a hundred times but, yeah, you can...there's room in life for more than one love. I would hope there's room for more."
The 34-year-old beauty continued to discuss her outlook on love. She feels there are different types depending on the people involved.
"Some people have that spark immediately and it stays," she explained. "For others, the love deepens as time
goes by. More often than not, that spark can go more quickly than if you spread it over the years. And love changes so much." (Telegraph)
‘Ryan Gosling is great’ - Saiorse Ronan
‘The Lovely Bones’ actress Saiorse Ronan loved working in actor Ryan Gosling's directorial debut ‘How to Catch a Monster’ and found him to be a confident man.
The 19-year-old actress had a good time filming the movie, as everyday was a surprise for her, reported Contactmusic.
"He's great. He's the best. He's very, very honest and self-assured; very con-
‘I
fident and comfortable with who he is. And because of that we all felt immediately relaxed with what we're doing," Ronan said.
"Everything was improvised, really. We'd learn the dialog the night before, and Ryan would make us ad-lib the whole thing. Every day was a surprise; you didn't know what was going to happen, where your character was going to go, or what relationships were going to form," she added.
The Irish beauty believes Gosling's own acting experiences made him a better director on the film, which also stars Christina Hendricks and Eva Mendes.
"I think his acting background did [help] in this case. He had such high respect for all of us. Anything he didn't feel was honest for our characters, he'd change. He respected the instinct of the actors because he does that himself," she said.
Ronan has starred in films like ‘Atonement’, ‘Hanna’ and ‘The Host’ among others. (TOI)
From losing an incredible amount of weight to going bald, actors are doing it all to make the characters they play on-screen, more believable. Staying true to this form of method acting, Jennifer Lawrence took extremity and dedication to a different level all together in order to get into the skin of her character, Katniss Everdeen, while shooting for ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.’
While talking about the most difficult scene from the movie, Jennifer cringingly said, "I had to eat a raw fish. And not like a sushi raw fish. I held a fish and had to
‘Competition
Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will be seen with his once fierce on screen competitor Sylvester Stallone in "Escape Plan" Friday, says competition between them gradually gave way to increased mutual respect.
The duo used to compete in the action and muscle genre on the big screen.
Talking about his camaraderie with Stallone, Schwarzenegger said: "Sly (Sylvester) and I were very competitive in the early days. It was always about who had the most cuts, the best mus-
cle separation, the least amount of body fat, as well as who had the biggest guns and the biggest on screen body count.
"This kind of competi-
Stion was continuous. But we always appreciated each other's talent and this competition gave way to mutual respect."
(TOI)
andra Bullock has revealed that her mom raised her to be a tough person and not be dependent on a man for anything.
'The Proposal' star said that she may have taken her mother's parenting to extremes, the Daily Express reported.
Bullock said that she spent the first 12 years of her life shuffling between America and Germany to be with her mother. (TOI)
Hayley Roberts, David Hasselhoff's girlfriend of two years, has revealed that she is finally ready to settle down with the former 'Baywatch' star, after turning down five marriage proposals from him.
The Welsh beauty told the Daily Star that if the veteran star proposed to her for the sixth time she would say yes, because earlier she didn't want to rush into anything.
The 33-year-old star asserted that every relationship reaches the point where the honeymoon period is over, but with Hasselhoff it's still amazing.
Roberts added that she would really like it if the 'Knight Rider' actor buys
eat it. And for the record, it tastes exactly how it smells."
Further talking about how the crew of the movie motivated her to do it she said, "They
kept saying its sushi and I am like, I am beholding it and I don't like fish. But no, I don't care, give me some soya sauce on it and give me some rice." (TOI)
an engagement ring for her to prove that he's serious, because all those other times he didn't actually have it. (TOI)
Actress Nicole Kidman, who was honoured for her humanitarian work at the annual Variety Power of Women event, says she is not afraid to be known as feminist.
Hollywood stars Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington, Elizabeth Banks and Jennifer Hudson were also in attendance at the Lifetime-sponsored gala and were honoured for their work and humanitarian efforts, reported Variety.
"I was raised by a feminist mother. And yes, she said, 'Never be frightened about using the F-word'. So I'm not. She believes in the sisterhood, and so do I. And she planted the seed in me early to speak out against the fact that women are so often treated differently than men," Kidman said. (TOI)
Jamaican model Racquel Smith beat more than 10,000 hopefuls to secure a spot in the final 12 of the United Kingdom's model competition ‘The Face’.
The leggy Smith, who hails from Portmore, St Catherine, is currently based in London. She is a product of the Caribbean Model Search organised by Kingston fashion agency Pulse.
Smith has not only made the show's final cut, but is paired with iconic British supermodel Naomi Campbell, who will mentor and coach her through the show.
"I thought it would be a good platform to enhance my career internationally and be seen by a lot more potential clients in the UK and Europe. I also really fancy my chances of winning," she told Jamaican media last week.
Smith was encouraged by her agent to try out for ‘The Face’. She described the experience thus far.
"Ten thousand girls entered from all over Europe. Although I was confident, I knew it could have gone either way; I really tried to keep my composure. The next cut was down to 50. At this stage we were taken through a mini-interview in order to get an idea of your personality. I was just being myself at this stage. Confident, but let the real me shine through," she explained.
The next cut would take it to 24 contestants and the show's first episode.
"I was so nervous as I did not want to be among those eliminated on the first show."
That was not to happen, as Smith faced the first challenge—a photo shoot without make-up and a runway presentation wearing a bikini.
It was then up to the three supermodel coaches— Campbell, Caroline Winberg and Erin O'Connor— to select their teams of four hopefuls.
Smith was selected by Campbell, one of her biggest influences.
"I kept pinching myself as I could not believe it. I felt overwhelmed, humbled and very blessed. It was a long-time goal of mine to meet Naomi. And to not only meet but get the chance to be mentored by her was really special," said Smith.
She added that being Jamaican never gave her a shoo-in on Team Naomi, given that the supermodel has Jamaican roots.
"I don't think I had any advantage by being Jamaican. She is on the show to work and win. She didn't even give any indication that she liked me. I remember her saying 'Oh yeah, I like your features,' but I was really surprised and excited to be chosen by her."
The Bridgeport High School graduate has nothing but kind words for her mentor, describing Campbell as "caring, protective, a mother and a drill sergeant, who pushes her charges to the limit and expects nothing but the best".
The Face's confidentiality clauses prevent Smith from divulging details regarding the show, which began airing on British network Sky Living on September 30. (Excerpted from Jamaica Observer)
After only six months as a film-maker, it’s already looking like “pay day” for Barbadian Shakirah Bourne.
Shakirah is the script writer for the local hit ‘PayDay,’ which has been showing at the Olympus Cinemas for the past five weeks, sometimes to soldout crowds.
This petite film-maker, script-writer, storyteller, is not only thrilled with the success of the film, which has been viewed at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival and in Canada, she is equally over the moon with her recent big win of the Royal Bank of Canada’s (RBC) Focus Pitch Prize at the 2013 Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival.
Trinidad asked film-makers all over the world with Caribbean origins to submit an idea for a feature film and from there ten people were selected to attend the festival and a workshop with a prestigious filmmaker. This year
it was Julia Solomonoff, an award-winning Argentinian writer, director and producer. The list was whittled down to five to pitch their ideas to a public jury and a panel of esteemed judges–all from Hollywood.
The best pitch with the best idea to be developed would win TT$20 000 towards the development of the film.
Shakirah was surprised–and still is–that she was chosen as one of the ten and eventually won against some
heavyweights in film.
“I tell people I am not sure how I got in. I was up against people with over 20 years in the business,” she recalled.
Shakirah pitched her “baby” ‘One Way Ticket’, an idea that was floating around in her mind for some years.
“I have always wanted to do a story about winning a lottery ticket and how that would impact on people. I did research, and most people who won lotteries say they wish they never won…because their lives changed for the worse and I found that so fascinating because everyone dreams about winning the lottery,” she explained.
Her storyline centres on seven strangers whose lives become entwined because of a single winning lottery ticket.
With an all-Bajan pitch of her idea, characters and setting, which she thought went “horribly wrong” before the judging panel and audience, Shakirah secured her one-way
ticket to the top prize and to her dream.
Shakirah wrote the script for ‘PayDay’, but had a mandate to fulfil. The film had to be easy to shoot, cheap, set in one location and funny.
“I came up with setting a story in one neighbourhood, one street. I went into communities and observed people in the communities and that’s why it is so real”.
It took Shakirah six months to write the script. It was then filmed in April in Bayfield, St Philip.
'PayDay' is unapologetically Bajan. The film’s success has caught her offguard since there is some less than flattering language and the use of “women who aren’t exactly role models”.
‘PayDay’ may soon be filmed in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Britain as well as another Caribbean island. (Excerpted from Nations)
diana chapman
The Linden Wireless Communications Network Inc
will be launching its radio station on Saturday, October 19, in association with Divine Entertainment at the Amelia’s Ward/Wisroc Bus Park Republic Avenue, Mackenzie, Guyana.
The launching of the new radio station, which takes the form of an entertainment concert, will attract thousands of residents within Linden and
Region 10.
The programme will feature some of Guyana’s best acts including Linden’s own Genesis, Malika Boyd, Chiney, Diana Chapman, various dance groups and deejays and as a side attraction, there will be various promotional giveaways at intervals and novelty games.
Then at the stroke of 00:00h the station will officially be turned on by the company’s chief executive officer.
Currently there is no radio station broadcasting mainly from the boundaries of Linden/Region 10 to the entire Guyana and moreso on the FM frequency.
The station is a high quality broadcasting station that spans far beyond the boundaries of Region 10 and prides it’s self as being the first Linden based radio station in over 50 years.
Advertising with this station simply means that promotions relating to your business will have a listening audience of over 200,000 and by the end of 2014 over 600,000, not forgetting the station’s online streaming audience of over two billion.
Hands down, the introduction of this new radio station will create marketing opportunities for corporate entities, local businesses and promoters.
(Guyana Times)
Jamaican singer Tessanne Chin scored another win on her journey through NBC's talent show ‘The Voice’ aired Monday night.
Chin, who wowed all four judges during the blind auditions broadcast two weeks ago, went into the battle rounds of the competition and was pitted against her Adam Levinecoached teammate Donna Allen performing Emeli Sandé's ‘Next To Me’.
Prior to the performance, Allen heaped praises on Chin, calling her "a phenomenal vocalist".
As she prepared to take to the
stage, the ‘Hideaway’ singer stated: "I'm not trying to out-sing Donna, it's not gonna happen. I want to win this for anyone who has a dream and wants to make something of themself."
The two singers then went at it, each trying to convince their coach, in whose hands the decision rested, to keep them on his team.
Chin utilised range and tone, while Allen stuck to raw power and passion to produce an electrifying performance.
In their comments, two of the other judges—Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green—named Chin their winner, while Blake Shelton gave the battle to Allen.
It was then up to Levine to make the announcement.
"You both know how I feel about you. Tess, you make everything so effortless. Donna, you were pretty astonishing," he said before naming Chin as his winner.
An obviously emotional Chin thanked Allen for making her a better vocalist. "I'm a blubbering mess," she said, as she fought back tears. (Jamaica Observer)
Carlea Chappel is a sparkling beauty from Essequibo currently pursuing a Sociology degree at the University of Guyana. She also works as a customer service agent at Neal and Massy Group of Companies. The aspiring lawyer, who recently placed second runner-up in the Miss Guyana Universe pageant, views herself as a more “flip flops and t-shirt” type of girl, and never thought of entering pageants or modelling. Although she did not win her debut pageant, the 19-year-old beauty used her experiences as a catalyst for “regaining her voice and bravery.” Carlea is determined to find ways of promoting the importance of empowering young women; it was one reason she decided to enter the pageant. As a determined individual, Carlea faced her fear of pageantry and successfully overcame it. She focused on using the platform to eloquently speak about empowering young women. Focused on a bright future, Carlea is firm on excelling in her studies, and continues to seek ways to empower young women.
Construction of the 25m warm-up pool at Lilliendaal is well underway, as the government of Guyana seeks to enhance the country’s ability to host prestigious regional and international meets.
The warm-up pool, which is a prerequisite for the staging of regional and international competitions, is being built by Innovative Engineering Consultancy Services, which will install the base and decks, to be completed by March 2014.
After that, Myrtha Pools will supervise the installation of the prefab pool, according to Guyana’s Sport Minister
Dr. Frank Anthony.
The minister also pointed out that unlike the 50m Olympic size swimming pool, which was erected on pile foundation including 110 70’ piles, the warm-up pool will be built on strip foundation.
“We need to work quickly and in a timely manner. I think some of the challenges that we experienced with this particular pool [50m pool], we’ve learnt from them and the design we’re employing here [warm-up] is slightly different. This particular pool [warm-up] would have had quite extensive piling,” the minister explained.
The minister also used the opportunity to urge the contractors to work assiduously to honour the deadline, as finishing the project on
time is critical.
Managing Director of Innovative Engineering Consultancy Services, Deoraj Dalchand, said works have been pro-
gressing well on the project since the site was handed over by the sport ministry in early September. He noted that the
contract was signed on August 16, while the project was handed by the ministry on September 10. Actual work on the site began on September 15.
Meanwhile, Director of Sport Neil Kumar said alternative arrangements have been made for national swimmers who usually use the 50m Olympic sized swimming pool to train on a daily basis.
Kumar revealed that swimmers are now utilising the Colgrain and Castellani pools, an arrangement that will be in effect until the warmup pool is completed. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)
Trinidad and Tobago’s George Bovell won his second bronze medal at the FINA Short Course World Cup at the Olympiisky Swimming Pool, in Moscow, Russia when he placed third in the men's 50m freestyle final, Monday.
The 30-year-old Bovell, who entered the event as the defending champion, placed third in the eight-man final in 21.49 seconds.
First was hometown swimmer and World Short Course Vladimir Morozov, who won in 20.59 followed by South African, Roland Schoeman (21.15).
The other finishers in the final were Japan's Shinri Shioura (21.51), Poland's Conrad Czerniak (21.71), Japan's Kenta Ito
bovell
(21.80), Russian Nikita Konovalov (21.81) and Great Britain's Benjamin Proud (21.96).
Earlier in the heats, Morozov was also the fastest qualifier in 20.90 seconds ahead of Ito (21.67), Schoeman (21.69) and Bovell (21.71) who was second
in heat five to Ito.
The other qualifiers for the final were Russian Andrey Arbuzov (21.88) who opted out the final, Konovalov (21.95), Czerniak (21.97), Shioura (21.97) and Proud, ninth in 22.06, but given a spot in the final after Arbuzov’s withdrawal.
On Saturday, Bovell also won bronze in the men’s 100 metres individual medley with a time of 52.88 seconds.
First was Morozov in 51.61 while Australian Kenneth To took silver in 51.83 and Brazilian Henriques Rodrigues fourth in 53.47.
With the two medals, Bovell, the reigning World Short Course 50m freestyle bronze medallist, has now carried his World Cup medal haul to an impressive 21 from 22
There is enough room for one more declared Chris Gayle, as he officially opened his Triple Century 333 Sports Bar and Restaurant last Wednesday night in Jamaica.
The newest sports bar is located on Knutsford Boulevard at a location, which was previously home to the Godfather nightclub and in recent times the Asylum club. It is just around the corner from Cuddyz Sports Bar owned by another cricketing icon, Courtney Walsh. Gayle, one of the most explosive batsmen of all time, welcomed everyone before cutting the ribbon to officially open the chill out spot.
"I don't want to single out anyone, but a lot of big names and legends are here," said Gayle.
west indies opener chris gayle (left) gets the help of (from second left) nasha-monique douglas, Heineken’s brand manager, digicel's tahnida nunes, and west indies cricket board president dave cameron to cut the ribbon to officially open his Triple Century 333 Sports Bar and restaurant last wednesday. (Lionel Rookwood photo)
Of course Ambassadors Walsh and Usain Bolt were in attendance, along with footballer Ricardo Gardner, West Indies president Dave Cameron and West Indies Women's coach Sherwin Campbell of Barbados.
Gayle's stylish Triple Century Sports Bar with several large 55-inch television sets strategically located around the bar has been endorsed by both Heineken and Digicel. (Jamaica Observer)
starts.
The meet was also his first since August when he had his World Cup medal winning streak halted at 19 medals from 19 finals with a fourth placed in his pet event, the men’s 50m freestyle final on the second day of competition in Berlin, Germany.
Bovell also took bronze in the 100m individual medley in 51.65 seconds behind Morozov
(51.13) and To in 51.21.
Earlier on in August, Bovell, a four-time Olympian, began the World Cup with gold in the 100m individual medley in a new national record mark in Holland, when he touched the wall in 51.15 seconds.
He also competed in the 50m breaststroke, but missed a spot in the gold medal splash by one spot after he was fifth in the final heat.
A day later he got bronze in the 50m freestyle final after he clocked 21 seconds. Bovell will compete in the other legs of the World in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (October 17-18); Doha, Qatar (October 20-21); Singapore (November 5-6)’ Tokyo, Japan (November 9-10) and Beijing, China, (November 13-14). (TT Guardian)
Off-spinner
Mehedi Miraj
snared five wickets and Nazmul Shanto hit an half century, as Bangladesh thrashed West Indies Under-19 by four wickets in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead in the seven-match series at the Everest Cricket Club ground in Guyana on Monday.
Set a paltry 144 for victory, the visitors stumbled to 29 for three before steadying themselves to reach their target with 11.2 overs to spare.
The left-handed Shanto was at the heart of the recovery with 60 (5x4), while Miraj topped off a fine all round performance with a patient 27 to earn the Man-ofthe-Match honour.
Earlier, off-spinner Miraj and medium pacer Prodhan Rifat bowled impressive spells as Bangladesh ripped through the hosts’ top and middle order.
The off-spinner finished with 5 off 17 in 10 disciplined overs and Rifat, 2 for 19 off six overs, as the home side were at once precarious-
ly poised at 51 for 7 after 24 overs in a dramatic collapse.
However, Marquino Mindley and Gudakesh Motie staged a remarkable recovery, putting on 65 runs.
Both batsmen produced gritty innings of 38 runs apiece. West Indies’ decision to bat first backfired as the Bangladeshis bowlers used the conditions well and bowled a stifling line and length to tie down the opposition batsmen.
Miraj and Rifat were superbly backed by
Zubair Likhon, who took 3-25, as Bangladesh boosted their chances of a series win.
Meanwhile, left hander, Jeremy Solozano was the only other batsman to reach double figures in West Indies’ dismal batting performance. Their batting woes began in the third over when medium pacer Prodhan Rifat trapped Leroy Lugg (0) leg before for his first victim.
Rifat then removed fellow opener Shimron Hetmyer (8), before Miraj got into the act.
The Bangladeshis
skipper then dismissed Fabian Allen (8), Nicholas Pooran for a first ball (00), Tristan Coleman (4), Ramaal Lewis (1) and Jeremy Solozano (21).
Mindley and Motie resurrected the innings for the next 16.4 overs, to ensure the hosts posed a respectable total before Likhon claimed the final three wickets.
After the departure of Mindly, who played an aggressive knock, inclusive of seven boundaries, the innings folded quickly.
In their run chase,
the visiting side lost the plot early on as they were reduced to 29 for 3 in the eighth over as fast bowler Ray Jordan struck twice.
Sadman Anik (1) was run out in a mix up with fellow opener Munim Jummon, but Jordan removed Jummon (1) and Jashim Uddin (16).
Shanto then stabilised the innings with two crucial partnerships, adding 42 for the fourth wicket with
Mossadek Saikat, who scored 22, and a further 69 for the fifth wicket with Miraj. Both Miraj and Shanto fell in successive deliveries to off-spinner Ramaal Lewis at 140 for 6, before Javed Rahuttul (3*) and Abu Saeed Sarker (1*) guided the team home safely. Motie was the other successful bowler for the hosts with one for 31 off eight overs. (Excerpted from Guyana Times)
Jamaica’s drug-testing practices are to be audited by the World Anti-Doping Agency amid claims of gaps in testing.
A former director of the Jamaican AntiDoping Commission (JADCO) says out-ofcompetition testing was insufficient ahead of the 2012 Olympics.
A number of Jamaican stars, including sprinter Asafa Powell, have since tested positive for banned substances.
“Wada has accepted an invitation from the Prime Minister of Jamaica to visit and inspect JADCO,” said the agency.
“WADA was unhappy to learn that JADCO cannot accommodate this visit until 2014.” The IAAF, athletics’ governing body, insists it has extensively tested elite Jamaican athletes.
The country’s sprinters won eight individual medals at the London Games.
But in recent months, Jamaica’s reputation has been tarnished with news of positive tests by Powell, Sherone Simpson and three time Olympic gold medal winner Veronica CampbellBrown.
Former Jadco direc-
He came to Barbados to give words of inspiration but, Christian Taylor has a different message for the rest of the world.
The Olympic gold medal triple jumper says he is hungrier than ever to prove he is still the world’s best after meekly surrendering his World Championship title in Russia just two months ago.
Taylor issued the challenge Monday at the Grantley Adams International Airport while returning to his parents’ homeland for the first time since winning Olympic gold last year.
“This only fuels the fire because sometimes when you’re on top you take it easy, you forget that you have to keep that fire going,” said the American-born 23-year-old of losing his title to Frenchman Teddy Tamgho.
“You forget that hunger, so now that someone’s taken me off that podium it’s a mistake on their part because now I’m more hungry than ever. So it’s about sending that message that it’s not over and I’m going to put a big mark out there [because] it’s not a game for me, this is my life and it’s something I want to be the best at,” he added.
His comments came as part of a serious introspection following a very disappointing showing at the World Championships, where the US-based Taylor didn’t even medal despite coming in as the defending champ.
‘Drive missing’
“I almost felt like people were just going to bow down instead of just going in there and saying I need to take this for myself,” admitted Taylor.
“The drive wasn’t there and maybe I was a bit too confident, but I won’t make that mistake again.”
But the road back to the top won’t be an easy one, as Tamgho signalled his intent to the rest of the field by winning with the third best measurement in history of 18.04 metres to become only the third man to break the 18-metre barrier.
“I’m a student of the sport so it was huge to see something like that; unfortunately I didn’t want it to be done on me,” said Taylor of the performance, which put Tamgho along retired jumpers Jonathan Edwards and Kenny Harrison.
“But it’s still a part of history and you have to sit back
tor Renee Anne Shirley alleged in August that athletes were not tested outside of competition for five of the seven months before last year’s Olympics.
While the organisation’s chairman Herbert Elliot has dismissed her claims, Wada directorgeneral David Howman believes there is an issue.
“There was a period of, and forgive me if I don’t have the number of months right, but maybe five to six months during the beginning part of 2012 where there was no effective operation,” Howman told the Associated Press.
“There might have been one or two, but there was no testing. So we were worried about it, obviously.’’ JADCO is not the only body which would carry out drug tests on Jamaican athletes.
An IAAF spokesman told the Associated Press its own out-of-competition programme was “robust and comprehensive”, with tests carried out at Jamaican training camps.
Meanwhile, all athletes finishing in the top five places at the London Games were tested by the International Olympic Committee. (BBC Sport)
and just appreciate what it really means. At least I know what’s out there now and I know what I need to do, it’s just about getting back on that horse.”
Taylor, whose four-day trip comes under the auspices of the Barbados Olympic Association (BOA), visited the BOA museum Tuesday before giving motivational talks at Harrison College, Lester Vaughan and Hilda Skeene Primary. (Nation News)
By RavendRa Madholall
The Toronto Police Cricket Club and the Sugarcane Thunderbolts Cricket Club have started preparations for the inaugural tour of Guyana early next year. The two teams are set to participate in several limitedover matches across the country during their twoweek visit.
In a recent match, the Toronto Police secured an empathic five-wicket win over Sugarcane Thunderbolts at the Police ground in Scarborough.
Current president of the Toronto Police club Mansoor Ahmad, said the team is excited to make the trip a reality but, is awaiting an approval from Guyana’s Police Commissioner Leroy Brummel.
He noted that the planned visit, which would see cricket matches against the Guyana Police Force, would also include tours to several tourism destinations, and as such, it would be beneficial for both countries.
“We [are] very excited about making the trip to Guyana; I am confi-
dent the guys will make an impression because we have begun preparations and are keenly looking forward to it,” Ahamd stated.
President of the Sugarcane Thunderbolt team, Raj Singh, also emphasised the significance of the tour to his native country.
“We firmly believe that interaction with our fellow officers from different parts of world in the form of sports leads
to lasting friendship, camaraderie, exchange of ideas and meaningful dialogue that will be of benefit for our official duties,” Singh indicated.
Singh, who is a founding member too of the Toronto Police club, pointed out that the Toronto Police team has featured in several international tours including visits to Australia, England and Barbados over the years and has gained tremendous expo-
sure.
Meanwhile, at the practice match, 48-yearold opening batsman Nadeem Khokhar, stroke an attractive 80 to lead the Toronto Cops to the victory. Thunderbolts took first strike at the invitation of Toronto Police and only managed an insufficient 165-7 from the allotment of 35-overs.
The left-handed and man-of-the-match, Khokhar, hit seven fours and four sixes during his
innings as his team surpassed the total in the 30th over. He was supported by skipper Asad Khan with a steady innings of 20.
Earlier, Richard Moore, a Retired Officer and former Toronto Police Club captain, top scored for the visitors with 38 with two fours and similar number of sixes while veteran Officer Dwarka Rampersaud and Deo Ramlochan chipped in with 25 and 22 respec-
tively.
Barbadian and retired Toronto Police Officer Arthur Jones grabbed three wickets for 17 runs from five off-spin overs while another offspinner Zappy Greaves claimed two for 27 off seven overs. At the simple presentation ceremony following the match, several players were given trophies for their outstanding performances, courtesy of the two teams.
Jamaica's Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller is among confirmed speakers for the inaugural CONCACAF Sports Summit in the Cayman Islands next week Tuesday.
The Jamaican leader will join some of football's most powerful leaders at the summit, which is meant to bridge the different aspects of the game—from what happens on the field to what happens in the boardroom and parliament.
The list also includes Cayman Islands' Premier Alden McLaughlin, FIFA president Sepp Blatter, FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF president, Caymanian Jeffrey Webb.
The Commissioner of United States' Major League Soccer (MLS), Don Garber; General Secretary of the English Premier League, Nic Coward and Dr Danny Jordaan, CEO, FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 will also share insights into various aspects of the sport.
Former players will also participate in the one-day summit under the theme, "Transformation through Partnership".
Dwight Yorke, the former Trinidad and Tobago and Manchester United FC striker, heads
a list of ex-footballers who are confirmed to attend the October 22 event. They include Bernard Lama, the former French striker and former US women's national defender Brandi Chastain.
"CONCACAF is fostering this dialogue as a moment to contemplate and set strategies of collaboration for the future development and growth of our region. The confederation will assemble all stakeholders to better understand and maximise the potential for strong partnership and co-operation between
By Rajiv Bisnauth
Fifty-one (51) golfers took to the Lusignan Golf Course in Guyana on Saturday after Sport Minister Dr. Frank Anthony performed the ceremonial swing to signal the start of the second annual President’s Cup golf tournament.
The annual tournament is a collaborative effort of the Guyana government through the ministry of tourism, industry and commerce and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA).
The event adds to the list of tournaments being played at the venue and is being promoted by the tourism ministry in a way that seeks to lift the quality of the game, and at the same time, attract the high-end category of golfloving tourists.
At the official opening, Dr. Anthony said he was elated at the level of attention that was being given to the sport. The minister said golf is as good as any other sport and has the potential to grow into a big sporting activity.
“It’s one of those games where a lot of professional and business persons easily gravitate towards and we think this is good for the sport and Guyana. This is something that we should promote. It is a game that has a strong international recognition,” the minister pointed out.
Dr. Anthony assured the gathering of government’s unwavering support for the sport, adding that the administration will continue working to improve existing facilities and erect new ones, in order to have athletes train in the best possible environment. He add-
ed that the aim is to have more people visit Guyana to engage in the various sport disciplines.
“We in Guyana are right now building a lot of sporting infrastructure; one of the reasons we are doing so is not only about developing sport here in Guyana, but it is also about attracting people to come to Guyana to play in the different sporting disciplines…” Dr. Anthony explained.
Minister Anthony also applauded the administrators of the Lusignan Golf Club and wished the participants best of luck.
Meanwhile, GTA’s Director, Indranauth Haralsingh, in his address, said he was thrilled that the sport was growing, since it has the potential to attract a vast number of tourists.
The tournament has become an an-
government authorities and federations," said Webb.
"We are honoured to have gathered such distinguished speakers to offer their unique contribution on the power of football as a tool for social, cultural and economic development," he noted.
"We are certain this inaugural Sports Summit will enhance the discussion towards an improved strategy for building bridges of collaboration for the future of sports in the region," Webb added. (Excerpted from Jamaica Observer)
sport minister dr. Frank anthony about to tee off to signal the start of the second annual President’s cup golf tourney on saturday (Photo:
West Indies women opened the West Indies Tri-Nation with a convincing 23run victory over New Zealand Women, thanks largely to Deandra Dottin's 52 and Anisa Mohammed's 5 for 12. West Indies elected to bat, but were quickly in trouble at 18 for 3 inside six overs. Kyshona Knight and Dottin began to rebuild with a 51-run partnership for the fourth wicket, before Sian Ruck dismissed Knight on 20. Stacy-Ann King hit 12 off 8 to lift West Indies to 104 for 6 in their 20 overs.
West Indies needed a strong performance from their bowlers to defend that score, and they delivered. New Zealand faced a similar situation when they were left at 15 for 3 with a couple of top-order run-outs. Then came the spin threat of Mohammed. Only Amy Satterthwaite and Rachel Priest reached double figures as Mohammed rocked the New Zealand line-up with 5 for 12, her second T20career five-wicket haul. New Zealand could only muster 81 before they were bowled out with an over to spare. (CricketInfo)
