Guyana Times Daily

Banks DIH posts

Security expert says partnership key in solving security woes

Lynch: “I did not kill my husband” Bigger choppers needed for search and rescue – TGA

Region Two Mash activities kick off with children’s competition

Fast food delivery man killed in accident

wednesday, January 22, 2014| guyanatimesgy.com

Weather: Thundery showers are expected during the day with clear skies in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 27 degrees Celsius.

Wind: East north-easterly between 2.77 metres and 3.05 metres per second.

High Tide: 08:14h and 20:39h reaching maximum heights of 2.49 metres and 2.45 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 14:10h reaching a minimum height of 0.74 metre.

Banks DIH posts $2.5B in profits

– cites strong demand for products by Guyanese

Beverage giant Banks DIH posted $2.543 billion in after-tax profits last year, a marginal decline of $15 million compared to the $2.558 billion achieved in 2012.

The company’s profit before taxes was $3.862 billion, compared to $3.700 billion the preceding year, an increase of $162 million, Banks DIH Chairman Clifford Reis said in his chairman’s report to be delivered at this weekend’s annual general meeting.

According to Reis, included in the after-tax profit for the previous year was the one-off gain of $167 million arising from the disposal of the Camp Street property to the conglomerate’s banking subsidiary. After deducting the impact of that gain, the company’s profit after tax increased by $152 million or six per cent.

Reis said his report comes against a backdrop of continued sluggish global economic recovery and tensions which continue to be manifested across the globe, especially in those areas which are prime petroleum producers.

Impact

“The impact of these global phenomena affects all that we do in Guyana even though we are far located from the sources. My fellow shareholders, I previously alluded to the measured global growth and by extension, the economies of many smaller countries. Despite this influence, our improved results were possible in part due to increased production availability, resulting from efficiencies garnered from our capital investments, and in part due to the strong demand for our products from our loyal customer base.

Recognition should also be given to the excellent route to market systems supported by an efficient pre-selling

and distribution network.”

He said as a result of comprehensive planning and prudent management of resources, the overall performance of the group improved, with an operational profit before taxes of $5.340 billion compared to $4.966 billion in 2012, a seven per cent increase of $374 million. Profits after taxes for the group attributable to shareholders grew from $2.812 billion to $2.930 billion, an increase of $118 million or four per cent.

Capital expenditure

Meanwhile, within the year under review, Reis said the company continued with the implementation of the brewery modernisation programme, which is the second phase of its strategic capital investments for the period. Included in this programme to improve production capacity and availability were major capital works within the brewhouse and cellars’ operations, including the installation of Wort Kettle,CIP Plants, Brewhouse Control Systems, BOTEC software upgrade and the new Unitanks.

Additionally, Banks DIH is in the process of installing a palletiser, a de-palletiser, as well as a pasteuriser with a conveyor system and a labeller. “Expenditure was also directed towards equipment for the bakery, the dairy plant, the winery, and the water plant. The drilling and development of a new water well, restaurant equipment, and additional trucks and forklifts were completed in the year.”

Reis said the installation and commissioning of the new 1.7 megawatt Hyundai generator to satisfy in-

creased demand, and a new Cleaver Brooks boiler to increase steam generation for the production areas were started in the 2012/2013 period and will be completed within this year.

In terms of construction work, the Stabroek Sports Bar was opened for business in October 2012 and works were done on the sales office and the credit and internal audit departments.

Citizens Bank Regarding Citizens Bank Guyana Inc, a 51 per cent owned subsidiary of Banks DIH, Reis said the institution increased its revenue from $2.879 billion to $3.010 billion, a 4.5 per cent increase of $131 million. Profit after tax was $1.004 billion as compared to $922.0 million, an increase of $82.0 million or nine per cent.

He credited the improved profitability to increased net interest income and prudent management of the bank’s assets. “The total assets increased by $3 billion from $38 billion to $41 billion or eight per cent. Loan assets increased by 10 per cent

over the previous year to $23.7 billion. Deposits also increased from $32.2 billion to $34.2 billion, an increase of $2 billion or six per cent. Earnings per share were $16.88 compared to $15.49 the previous year,” Reis disclosed.

Dividends

Further, he noted that the Board of Directors declared a first interim dividend of $0.17 per share which was paid on May 21, 2013; a second interim dividend of $0.17 per share which was paid on October 17, 2013 and now recommends a final dividend of $0.30 per share, with the overall cost being $640 million. Dividends received from Banks Holdings Ltd (Barbados) for the year were $30.8 million and dividends paid to the entity were $122.1 million, based on inter-company investments.

Further, Reis said over the past five years, shareholders’ equity value increased from $13.721 billion to $21.558 billion, a 57 per cent spike of $7.837 billion. Shares are currently being traded at $20.00 per share.

Editor: Nigel Williams

Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

A social agenda for the year

South Centre is a Geneva-based Think Tank that has been batting for the Third World for a long time. As our politicians gird their loins to do battle over the budget in Parliament, we commend the following excerpts from South Centre’s Executive Director Martin Khor:

“While political events will no doubt dominate the news in 2014, social issues such as health and environment and coping with the rising cost of living will be just as important in the new year. Good health is the basis of everything else that is positive in life. Thus, a preview of key social issues in 2014 should begin with health. In Malaysia, a major concern is the dramatic rise in dengue, with 39,222 cases in 2013, a 90 per cent jump from a year before.

There is a re-emergence of the deadly human variety of avian flu, with 47 deaths from 147 cases in China coming from the new H7N9 strain in April-December last year. A few years ago there was the expectation that a flu epidemic could sweep through the world, affecting millions of people. The flu pandemic in 2009 killed thousands of people, including in Mexico and Indonesia, but it was fortunately contained. Experts believe it is a matter of time before there is another and possibly more deadly outbreak of flu or other epidemics.

Action is also urgently needed to curb antibiotic resistance, which is a medical time-bomb of our times.

The WHO Director General Margaret Chan warned that we are approaching the end of modern medicine and a postantibiotics era as many disease-causing pathogens are becoming immune to many antibiotics. This has resulted in a resurgence of deadly diseases like TB. Some strains of malaria are also becoming resistant to the usual medicines used to treat it.

Late last year, the United States announced action to phase out the use of antibiotics in animal feed, following similar action in some European countries. Using these drugs in livestock is cause of the rapid rise in antibiotic resistance. This year should see more actions to slow down resistance, especially in developing countries. The WHO assembly in May is expected to highlight this issue.

On the environmental front, water issues deserve our top priority. The oceans are warming, due to climate change, and this results in the increased rainfall and floods, especially in Asia. On the other hand there is an increasing shortage of water as sources of water retention are damaged, for example, by deforestation, hill cutting and urbanisation. But the progress will be slow unless the major developed countries radically change their own climate policies while becoming serious about assisting developing countries with funds and technology.

On the social front, the good news is that the economies of the United States and Europe have not sunk into the deep crisis that some had expected this time last year. But their economic recovery is tepid and the social situation will deteriorate this year, as governments follow the new fashion of slashing their budgets and stopping social protection programmes such as welfare and food.

The United Nations will formulate sustainable development goals this year, which are meant to reflect the priorities and targets for social, economic and environmental issues. The UN will thus provide a global forum for debate on what governments and civil society groups see as the goals to reach for in 2014 and beyond.

A higher standard of living, eradicating poverty and social inequalities, generating enough jobs – especially for young people – ensuring enough food and health care for all, while at the same time guarding the environment, providing water and coping with climate change and natural disasters. These are some of the candidates for the UN’s “sustainable development goals”.

It is said that “forewarned is forearmed”. We hope that the politicians will take some time off from their budget-chopping exercises to consider some of the above suggestions.

Time for serious concern in the prison system

Dear Editor,

The recent discovery of ammunition in a cell at the Camp Street prison raises many concerns for citizens. Evidently, this frightening situation requires the interception of the prison officials to boost the current security measures in place.

What is even more disturbing is that this is the second time in just a matter of weeks that prison officials have managed to intercept unlawful weapons that are covertly being smuggled into the prison.

Members of staff from the Home Affairs Ministry are in fact all of the assumption that the recent unlawful discoveries is a ploy of some kind by persons bent on derailing law and order in Guyana. Presently, it has been rumoured that a firearm or components of a firearm has been smuggled into the prison. The discovery of ammunition in the prison indicates a significant breach in security, and in fact confirms the possibility of the said rumour having some truth to it.

In August, 2008 prison officers at the Georgetown Prison discovered a prisoner who had a .38 revolver and eight matching rounds of ammunition in his possession.

This incident led to the immediate shut down of the prison.

The two recent incidents that took place one after the other have managed to raise grave concerns regarding the competence of the security system currently in place at the facility. Guyana does not need to experience again the frightening reoccurrence of the 2002 jail break or any

kind of uproar by people who are being punished for their criminal acts.

Let us hope that those who are currently being questioned in the ongoing investigation will be able to shed some light on the origin of what is taking place at the prison. It is absolutely important that relevant authorities get to the bottom of this quite unacceptable situation and further assure Guyanese that they are safe.

Sincerely, Ricardo Edwards

Quality and timely execution of projects

Dear Editor,

The establishment of the US$4 million Chinese shipyard located at Coverden, on the East Bank Of Demerara has managed to capture the attention of many individuals in Guyana. Prime Minister Samuel Hinds expressed his overall delight for the establishment of the facility and further expressed his enthusiasm for the construction of the barge.

The project was a great indication of Guyana’s accomplishments. The overall establishment and eminence

of the facility should inspire Guyanese businessmen and women to aim for and adapt higher standards when undertaking small or large projects.

I call attention to the condition of the fishing wharf at Meadow Bank. Several calamities have taken place over the year, fortunately none of which have managed to cause serious injuries or death.

The poor infrastructure of the facility makes it a risky and hazardous place for people to traverse. Moreover, the overall presentation of

the wharf appears cluttered and disorganised. It is absolutely necessary for this facility to undertake a much needed face lift.

Another situation that should be addressed is the current state of roads that were in fact recently upgraded. The individuals responsible for road maintenance need to be questioned and if it is a matter of providing better guidance and expertise then so be it.

As time goes by, many of these pot holes become more and more threatening to both drivers and pedestrians

and it is therefore crucial for this matter to be immediately addressed.

A popular saying states that a job that is poorly done is a job that must be done twice. The outstanding and timely manifestation of the establishment of the Chinese shipyard should be used as a guide and a standard for us Guyanese to follow by. We must be proficient when undertaking any task, since it will ensure that the job is done right the first time.

Yours truly, Surrendra Sukhdeo

It is good that Bulkan recognises that Green has outlived his usefulness

Dear Editor, I read Jennifer Bulkan’s letter of January 17 under the headline, “When will Ramotar say enough is enough.” Permit me to state the following in response.

Bulkan wants President Donald Ramotar and his key ministers and advisors to move around the city of Georgetown to see the garbage accumulation and floods in sections of Georgetown. But she deliberately left out Mayor Hamilton Green and his councillors who are the source of the problem.

Bulkan also failed to include her brother Ronald Bulkan who is a member of Parliament and shadow local government minister in the People’s National Congress (PNC)/A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) coalition.

But it is good that Bulkan recognises that Green of the PNC/APNU has outlived his usefulness when she said in her letter, “We can safely leave the mayor at home because that is where he ought to be.” At least she recognises as well that the mayor has transformed the garden city of Georgetown into a garbage city on the basis of absolute incompetence and corruption.

Bulkan ought to know as well that the current state of the garden city is an indicator that the PNC/APNU cannot even manage the city of Georgetown, yet it badly wants to manage the state of Guyana. It is therefore more relevant for Bulkan to instead say to her brother Ronald that “enough is enough,” rather than President Ramotar, since Ronald is the spokesman

on local government for the PNC/APNU in the National Assembly.

Bulkan telling her brother Ronald that “enough is enough” means that he can in the national interest in Parliament move a motion of no-confidence in the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), calling for its removal and putting in place an Interim Management Committee (IMC) until local government elections are held.

But if not, is Bulkan saying when she asked in her letter “when will Ramotar say enough is enough” that the president must remove the M&CC and put in place an IMC? The residents of Georgetown will certainly welcome this move by His Excellency.

Yours sincerely, Peter Persaud

Essequibo roads getting to be very dangerous

Dear Editor, I was saddened when I learned of the death of an elderly man and his son here on the Essequibo Coast.

Evidently though, the driver is claiming that the two men just veered into his path.

Many are aware that speeding was apparently the cause of the accident, since at no point was the driver’s vision impaired nor did the pedestrians find their way into the path of the car. Moreover, the massive injuries sustained by the victims could have only been caused upon severe impact.

It is sad to know that Guyana’s once calm, accident free Essequibo roads have now become known

for its numerous fatalities. In fact, there have been approximately four fatalities recorded in just a matter of weeks.

Many of the reasons for accidents on the Essequibo roads and other roads in general include mud from the wheels of tractors that have been left on the road, speed, careless and inattentive drivers, young and inexperienced drivers, drivers who have no concern for others, the lack of stringent measures for those who misuse the road, illegally acquired licences and incompetent drivers.

Most accidents can be avoided; all it requires is for drivers to be more cautious

and attentive and also for proper penalties to be put in place for those who break the laws. The Essequibians are now pleading with the government to recruit more traffic police in their region and to station them at critical points along the roadways.

This may be considered as a start, but overall, we need to erase the terrible slackness that has become a part of the driving experience in Guyana.

Truly concerned, Resident of Henrietta, Essequibo Coast Name withheld by request

Pro Guyana

is a political front for PNC/APNU

Dear Editor, I read a letter in a local newspaper on January 20 headlined, “Hinterland city would address development of indigenous people and climate change,” and written by Terrence Simon, Hubert Wong and Tarron Khemraj.

The letter is rather a jokey one. By the way, who are these calling themselves “Pro Guyana”? It seems as though their agenda from foreign lands is similar to the now defunct Amerindian Peoples Liberation Front (APLF), which died as a result of an abortion due to public exposure of its treason-like ambitions in Guyana, under the pretext of Amerindian peoples’ development in March 2013.

Further, the APLF was never known by the Amerindian communities of Guyana and never did they endorse the wicked agenda of this group. Pro Guyana is now being hatched, which is nothing more than a political front for the People’s National Congress (PNC)/A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) since Khemraj, who left the AFC is now in bed with PNC/ APNU, which destroyed Guyana, both socially and economically prior to 1992.

So Simon, Wong and Khemraj are mere stooges of the PNC/APNU promoting its agenda from a foreign

country and behaving as though they are non-partisan. But Pro Guyana, which is linked to the PNC/APNU, seems to be suffering from psychosis in their call for some hinterland city to be established to address indigenous peoples’ development.

This is merely political propaganda to fool Amerindians just to get their votes for the PNC/ APNU at the next elections.

This is the wicked political agenda of the Pro Guyana and Guyana’s indigenous peoples need to be very careful about this anti-government cabal masquerading as developmental specialists when they are PNC/APNU’s political activists.

It is known both nationally and internationally that the government of Guyana is fully committed to the social and economic development of Guyana’s indigenous peoples through its national development agenda and the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), which the Amerindian communities fully support and are receiving significant developmental benefits from.

These communities are receiving funding for the implementation of their community development plans and the Amerindian land titling process, which includes extensions and demarcations already in progress

under the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF), which provides funding for all the projects identified by the LCDS. The LCDS is Guyana’s initiative to fight against climate change.

The rights of Guyana’s indigenous peoples are fully respected and upheld by the government of Guyana. In this regard, they have the right to practise their culture, which they are currently doing. But this socalled Pro Guyana does not believe this because they are hell-bent on promoting their wicked anti-government agenda. Any Guyanese has the right to benefit from the mineral resources of Guyana, but they do not have the right to own it, since they are solely owned by the state. Amerindians like any other Guyanese are currently engaged in small and medium-scale mining. The so-called Pro Guyanese cabal needs to know this.

The Pro Guyana outfit is simply a political front for the PNC/APNU political party and its call for the establishment of a hinterland city to address indigenous peoples’ development is totally jiggery-pokery designed to mislead the Amerindian people of Guyana.

Respectfully, Peter Persaud

Page Foundation

How to make maths fun

In road trips, you can play maths games. When your child asks “Are we there yet?” ask how many more miles or kilometres before you reach your destination. For older children, ask travel maths problems such as “If the GPS says we will arrive at 05:30h and it is 05:13h, how many more minutes before we reach the destination?” or “If we are travelling 60 miles per hour, and our destination is 120 miles, how long before we reach the destination?”

If your child is a sport fan, teach him about the numbers used in sports such as scores, batting average, percentage of wins, and so on.

Make maths real and meaningful

We are surrounded by real maths problems in the form of money, measurement, time and others. Point this out to your child as you go with him through life. This includes checking and comparing prices at the grocery store, driving down the street counting lantern posts, reading recipes, calculating coupons, or even measuring food or drink at the dinner table. Before approaching the checkout counter in the grocery, ask your child to estimate how much the items will cost, and if he is within a dollar or so of the right amount, he wins a prize. Encourage your

child to solve real-life problems outside of school. For example, in the toy store, ask her to calculate the price of a discounted toy and how long it will take to save up her allowance to buy it.

Encourage “mental maths” so that your child learns to appreciate “number sense,” which is defined by the University of North Carolina’s School of Education as “an intuitive understand ing of num bers, their re lationships, and how they are af fected by op erations.”

Children with strong number sense are better prob lem solvers; they can approach solving a prob lem in differ ent ways, identify errors in their work when they occur, and be more confident and interested in maths because they understand that maths is more than just a series of operations to be followed.

cation. The reward does not have to be expensive. It could be a special dessert or an extra hour watching TV. Make sure rewards are attached to a specific goal or accomplishment and not used inconsistently or inappropriately.

Make maths a fun competition

You can play maths games with a group of chil-

two, up to a total of 10. This book features number comparison, object grouping, addition, and subtraction); How Many Bugs in a Box by DA Carter (a book about measurements); and A Capucilli’s Mrs McTats and her Houseful of Cats (Mrs McTats welcomes cats into her home, often in multiples, until she has a total of 25. Using good maths vocab-

time to introduce your child to maths games as play because his brain is developmentally ready for it. Importantly, anything that you do with your toddler is fun for him. Below are basic mathematical concepts that you can help your young child learn through play: Patterns – Pattern is important in maths and science because the ability to

en to the child who is first to say the correct answer to a maths problem. The overall winner can win a prize such as a toy or a chocolate.

Teach “mental maths” as a game. Give a reward when your child masters maths skills like counting, doing addition or multipli-

Read books with mathematical themes to your child such as Big Fat Hen by K Baker (A hen lays eggs in quantities that increase by

ages young children to think about adding more than one item at a time.)

Start your child young You can begin teaching your child maths concepts as early as his toddler stage. The toddler stage is the best

Sequence is the organisation and order of successive events and experiences. Recognising sequences helps your child develop a sense of order, logic, and reason. An example of a play activity with your child that involves sequencing is playing with building blocks in a step-

by-step way with a goal in mind, such as building a tall block tower. Reading to your child with emphasis on how the story logically unfolds builds a mind-set for rational and logical thinking.

Seriation – Seriation is a maths concept that involves ordering things in a logical way, in other words, making them a series. Play with your child using toys that can be manipulated, such as different sized stacking rings or blocks. Explore nesting them together. Do this in creative ways such as telling stories about the seriated sizes of the toys.

Spatial relationships –This concept involves making your baby aware of her physical self and her relation with the world. It lays the foundation for more maths concepts involving directionality. Games that teach spatial relationships include navigating through a play tunnel, and climbing on structures. For your older child, playing with jigsaw puzzles, Rubik’s cubes, and anything else that involves moving, rotating, or fitting objects together teach this concept. Doing puzzles together or using gestures to help describe spatial relationships such as “taller” and “shorter,” can instill spatial abilities in your child.

Sorting – This is when things with similar attributes are grouped together. Play with your toddler by sorting different toys.

Comparing – Here, your child identifies and examine specific properties of different objects or ideas and then make judgments about how they are similar or different. Play with your child games that involve comparing objects’ size, number or properties. With your older child, you can compare ideas with him, such as dark versus bright, apple versus carrot, etc.

One-to-one correspondence – This is relating one item to another one item, and is the foundation of counting. You can play with your child a game that involves associating, giving out, or partnering one object to another object like each of his toy (“This one block is for this toy, one for this toy, one for this toy, etc”). Soon (at about age three) your child learns to relate the concept of one-to-one correspondence to rational counting, which involves keeping track while reciting a stable order of numerals to their one-to-one count. (Raise

Govt mulls wildlife import, export bill to counter smuggling

mid numerous cas-

Aes of the smuggling of Guyana’s wildlife, some of which have been prohibited, government is considering tabling a wildlife import and export bill, which it hopes will provide a national framework and mechanism to govern the international trade of all species of wildlife in Guyana.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud in a recent interview with the National Communications Network (NCN) said an intensive public awareness campaign is planned to raise awareness of the issue which potentially impacts the lives of thousands of Guyanese. Several Guyanese had been cited in the past for exporting some of the country’s wildlife.

Meanwhile, Persaud said the Management and Conservation Regulations (WMC) is a key tool in government’s effort to effectively regulate the sector.

Accompanied by head of the Wildlife Division Alona Sankar and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Senior Environmental Officer Sean Mendonca at the interview, Persaud said the regulations cover a vast array of areas with the sector.

International partners

The WMC is the result of several years of work with international partners and wide ranging consultations.

“We wanted to ensure that the development of the regulations, reflected the views of the communities,

10 Venezuelans charged for illegal entry

Ten Venezuelan nationals and one Guyanese were on Tuesday charged with illegal entry into Guyana after they appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The defendants, Kenedy Jose Majarito; Vences Elizabeth Mohamed; Jhon Kendel Majamiton; Juan Diaz; Luis Callejas; Jesus Martinez; Hernando Florez; Oscar Martinez; Berta DeOhonas; James Ricardo; and Hemnant Shilchand pleaded guilty to the charge which alleged that on January 18 at Charity, Essequibo, they entered Guyana via the sea and disembarked without the consent of an immigration officer.

The Venezuelan defendants told the court via their translator that when they arrived at the port of entry there was no immigra-

tion officer present to stamp their passports and grant them entry. They added that they had all previously received visas for Guyana in Venezuela.

The magistrate explained that despite being holders of valid Guyana Visas, they would have had to be stamped in by immigration at the time of entry – which they did not have done and proceeded into the country – hence they were by definition of the law illegal immigrants.

After being told of the penalties attached to the offence, if they were to plead guilty to the charge, they deliberated among themselves in their native tongue, shortly after they all pleaded guilty to the charge.

They were then ordered to pay a fine of $30,000 or an alternative of two weeks in prison. They were given seven days to pay the attached fine.

Woman fined for throwing missiles

Indra Persaud on Tuesday appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Geeta Chandan Edmond charged with two counts of throwing bricks to the annoyance and one count of use of abusive language.

Fifty-eight-year-old Persaud of 39 Sideline Dam, Middle Road, Buxton, East Coast Demerara pleaded guilty to one count of throwing stones and not guilty to the other two charges. The charge alleged that on January 20, she threw stones at Hazel Thomas and her husband.

Prosecutor Jomo Nicholls told the court that the parties are neighbours and on the day in question, the defendant started to throw stones at the virtual com-

particularly all those who may have concerns, and the wider Guyanese public, and then we were able to finalise the regulations with support of the United Nations Development Programme.”

Technical and legal experts conducted interviews with stakeholders and submitted a report on the consensus positions reached by EPA and relevant stakeholder agencies on outstanding issues. The first draft was then prepared and circu-

lated to relevant stakeholders (government agencies, NGOs, wildlife exporters, trappers and transport associations, community development officers and relevant toshaos).

Feedback

The second draft of the regulations was prepared based on feedback from the said stakeholders.

The revised regulations were advertised in local newspaper, requesting

comments on the document from the general public. A second stakeholder consultation was held and a third draft was prepared and submitted.

In addition, the draft regulations were circulated to the members of the EPA board for review. All comments were addressed by the legal expert and re-submitted for EPA’s approval. The regulations were gazetted and tabled in Parliament, where it gained the full support of the House at the January 16 sitting.

The regulations and guidelines will enable the development of systems, including penalties and mechanisms for enforcement for the management of local wildlife, Minister Persaud said.

“As it is now, people would complain that it’s over hunting, over fishing, disrespect for spawning seasons for fish, giving other species time to procreate… sometimes if you travel along roadways in our hinterland,

you would see containers upon containers of ice boxes and when you check these boxes they would contain wild meat. So you had these unchecked and certainly disruptive practices that have been taking place for a number of years; it had gotten out of control.”

Indigenous communities

The regulations will address these issues, as well as the needs of those indigenous communities which traditionally utilise various wildlife species, he added. The regulations also deal with the export of wildlife and exotic plant trade, said Minister Persaud.

The rules will see those who engage in any aspect of the wildlife trade being subjected to licensing and certification requirements as it deals with domestic trade regulation, as well as broader wildlife management issues; however, it does not make provisions for the regulation of international trade of wildlife.

plainants (VC).

They made a report to the station and the accused was arrested.

The defendant said she did not throw stones at the VCs but rather at the fence.

She added that she was on numerous occasions verbally assaulted by the VCs.

She added that on one occasion, they threw faeces into her home and made derogatory remarks to her.

The magistrate urged the police prosecutor to look into the allegations as they were serious, compared to what the accused was being charged with. She then placed the woman on $10,000 bail.

She was fined $10,000 for one count of throwing missles.

She is to return to court on February 28.

wednesday, January 22, 2014| guyanatimesgy.com

No bail for driver in Land of Plenty fatal accident

Forty-nine-year-old

Deyal Singh, of Lot 1

Perservance Village on the Essequibo Coast, was remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce on Tuesday at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court.

The father of four was charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving. He was not re-

quired to plead to the indictable charge. According to police, on January 17, Singh drove a vehicle in a dangerous manner killing Muntaaz Baksh, 77, and Rafmat Baksh, 44, of Land of Plenty on the Essequibo Coast.

Singh was represented by Attorney Hemraj Rajkumar, who told the court that his client is a rice

farmer and hire car driver. The attorney said Singh is the sole bread-winner for his family. In requesting bail, he stated that his married client has a permanent address, and is committed to his family.

Prosecutor Krishnadatt Ramana did not object to bail; however, he told the magistrate that should bail be granted, it must be in a

substantial amount. The prosecutor told the court that the investigation into the matter is not completed.

The magistrate, however, remanded the driver until February 19. Scarce noted that although the prosecutor did not object to bail, accidents on the Essequibo Coast are too prevalent and drivers need to be more careful.

Plantain thief fined $100,000

Seventeen-year-old Abdool Persaud, of Lima Village, Essequibo Coast, was fined $100,000 for stealing bunches of plantains and bananas from an Anna Regina farmer.

He appeared before

Magistrate Sunil Scarce on Tuesday at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court on three charges of simple larceny. After pleading guilty, he

was fined $100,000, with an alternative sentence of 18 months imprisonment for the first offence, an indictable matter taken summarily. The police alleged that on January 19, Persaud stole 272 kilograms (600 pounds) of plantain valued $64,000 and one bunch of bananas valued $7000, property of Baidwattie Ramkishore. To this charge, he pleaded guilty.

Persaud, who was not represented by legal counsel, told the magistrate that he is guilty of the first offence of stealing plantains, but he took two bunches of plantains and two hands of banana from Ramkishore’s farm. Magistrate Scarce asked the defendant who authorised him to enter the farmer’s land and he replied no one. Persaud told the magistrate that he is a

school drop-out who lives with his parents at Lima Village and works as a labourer.

According to the prosecutor’s facts, police officers were on patrol duty when they caught the accused on the virtual complainant’s farm. He was found with a quantity of plantains. He was told of the offence, cautioned, and arrested.

Regarding the other matters, Persaud was placed on $50,000 bail, for each count after he pleaded not guilty. The matters were adjourned to February 18 for the commencement of trial. The particulars of those charges read that on January 10 and 18, at the same farm, Persaud stole 45.45 kilograms (100 pounds) and 51.8 kilograms (114 pounds) of plantain respectively.

Charity driver remanded on causing death charge

Thirty-three-year-old

Orette Best of Charity Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast, was remanded to prison when he appeared in court on Tuesday charged with causing the death of a toddler at Charity on Sunday.

He appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court.

The father of one was not required to plead to the indictable charge. He appeared sad and confused in the dock when the charge was read to him.

According to a police report, on January 19, Best drove motor lorry GPP 4626 in a dangerous manner on the Charity Public Road killing Josiah Persaud, three, of Charity Housing Scheme.

Singh was represented by Attorney Hemraj Rajkumar, who told the court that his client is a truck driver. The attorney made an application for bail on the grounds that his client is married and has a family to maintain.

Prosecutor Krishnadatt Ramana successfully objected to bail. The prosecutor said the investigation into the matter is not yet complete. The defendant will return to court on February 18.

Who has a dream?

...in Guyana

Over in the States they had a field day, pouring praises on the great Martin Luther King. Some private businesses even went along with the national holiday and gave the day off. We’re not going to get into the finer points of the relationship between U.S. federal and state competencies. Save to say that the holiday’s not too popular in the South – where the great man did his thing.

And that says a great deal about the hypocrisy between “honouring” the man, and making a mockery of what he hoped to achieve: making blacks equal to whites. Today, how different is the reality from when King languished in a Birmingham jail and wrote his famous letter? Lest you think your Eyewitness is biased, here’s an excerpt from “on site” eyewitnesses:

We won’t mention the disproportionate number of blacks (millions) incarcerated in U.S. jails – just that an “effect” is being blamed as a “cause”. One academic said: “No matter what sociological theory one uses to approach the problems of the black community, it is clear that they are “disproportionately poor, receive inferior education and health care, and with continued discrimination in the workplace, have difficulty improving their standard of living”.

Blacks are less healthy than whites, which is determined by the places they live and their income level, as well as their access to good health care. In fact, living in more urban areas contributes to all kinds of health problems, such as allergies and asthma that come from pollution. In terms of education:

“The achievement gap between black and white children, which narrowed for three decades up until the late years of the 1980s – the period in which school segregation steadily decreased – started to widen once more in the early 1990s when the federal courts began the process of resegregation by dismantling the mandates of the Brown decision.

From that point on, the gap continued to widen or remained essentially unchanged; and while recently there has been a modest narrowing of the gap in reading scores for fourth-grade children, the gap in secondary school remains as wide as ever” (Kozol).

The point we want to make is that if America wants to honour Dr King, they should do so in ways that honour what he fought and died for. It sounds rather hollow when he’s being lauded as a prophet when the people he fought for have fallen further behind.

...for Mash

If we’re almost halfway through January, Mash can’t be too far away. This celebration of our Republic Day has a most checkered history. Launched more than 40 years ago in Linden and then adopted by the government...it still seems to be on government life support. It’s like most orphans. So once again, you have the government pleading with the business community to help support “Mash activities”.

Maybe they should look over in Trinidad, from where they cogged the whole idea to begin with. (Calling our “poor-man’s” imitation of Carnival doesn’t even provide a fig leaf.) Once the “culture” you’re trying to display is part and parcel of national life, you don’t have to beg for sponsorship. The participation becomes part of one’s life. And you live it.

With Mash...this still hasn’t happened. Will it ever? Not if we have a government that’s force feeding a patient that’s almost comatose. Of course a government must support culture...but it can’t seek to push it down anyone’s throat. Especially when it’s seen as (not) cheap politicking.

...for the police

Once again we say to the opposition: “Don’t cut Guyana’s nose to spite Rohee’s face.” The reform of the police force is a priority for the entire country – even the police brass. Just the bad eggs wouldn’t agree.

Holding up approval for the change in name and nature from “Force” to Service” dashes the dream of all Guyanese.

Plane crash Bigger choppers needed for search and rescue – TGA

Linden Economic Committee chairperson resigns

– to seek international assistance

The bodies of the pilot and a load handler were removed from the dense jungle in the Mazaruni even as local air carrier Trans Guyana Airways (TGA) announced that it will be seeking international assistance to help with the investigation into the plane crash that occurred Saturday last.

The announcement was made on Tuesday at a special press conference held by the TGA management team at the Ogle International Airport (OIA).

TGA Chief Executive Officer Michael Correia said his company will do everything possible to determine the cause of the accident that resulted in the death of Canadian pilot Blake Slater and local load handler Dwayne Jacobs.

This process, he said has begun. “We are fully cooperating with the local civil aviation authorities and we will request whatever international assistance may be required,” he added.

Search and rescue

Correia told the media conference that it took a little over 24 hours to locate the aircraft and another few hours to remove the bodies of the two dead men. On this note, he is recommending better helicopter support and advanced technologies to rappel a search and rescue team.

The company’s CEO said the two Guyana Defence Force (GDF) helicopters were not suitable for the search and rescue mission. He said the use of a more powerful helicopter would have been effective, making reference to the GDF Bell 412.

Questioned as to whether there was any suspicion that the aircraft was overloaded, Correia said this was never the case. He noted that the aircraft weighed 2800 pounds and contained seven drums of diesel.

No

date

NCorreia said the flight was taking fuel from Olive Creek to Imbaimadai, a regular operation. According to him, the company will be seeking answers about why the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) was not activated on impact to allow the Search and Rescue (SAR) team to pin-point the precise location, where the plane crashlanded.

He told the media that records show that the Artex 406 ELTs, which is recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, have not emitted signals in a number of other crashes. The company, he said, changed from the less accurate ELT in 2009, to a device referred to as the Artex.

Cooperation

The TGA, he said has been cooperating fully with the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), and said it would also seek to encourage experts from the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System and the engine manufacturer to also in-

vestigate the incident.

Meanwhile, as it relates to compensation for the victims, TGA’s Chief Finance Officer Nicole Correia said both the pilot and loader are covered by insurance. She said the families of the victims will be able to access the scheme within a year’s time.

In clarifying whether the company has sought to reach out to any of the victim’s family members, the chief financial officer said that both families were contacted and were told of the incident.

The company, she said, stands ready to support both families financially and otherwise and have been in constant contact with them.

The body of pilot Slater was found strapped to his seat while cargo loader Jacobs was discovered outside of the aircraft on Monday. He was not far away from the wrecked aircraft.

The aircraft, a single engine, 13-seater Cessna Caravan with registration number 8R-GHS had disappeared out of the sky about 10:56h on Saturday.

The last contact with the pilot of the aircraft was a

“Mayday” (emergency call) which was transmitted to another aircraft within the area at the time. The aircraft had departed for Imbaimadai about 10:54h after overnighting at Olive Creek.

Location

The plane was spotted on Sunday about 12:35h after an estimated 11 hours of searching by a GDF helicopter. The area is said to be in the vicinity of the Marikina Mountain.

Slater had joined TGA three years ago as a junior pilot and became a command pilot on the Cessna Grand Caravan in April 2013. He was born in Canada but his mother is Guyanese. He had more than 3000 flying hours of which 2522 were on the caravan.

Jacobs joined TGA as a handyman in July 2004 and was promoted to aircraft loader, as a result of his commitment to the job.

The bodies of the pilot and cargo loader were taken out of the jungle late Tuesday morning. They are at a mortuary awaiting post-mortem examinations.

set for meeting on USAID project

o date has been set for renewed talks between the government of Guyana and the U.S. over the controversial United States Agency for International Development (USAID) project.

When contacted by Guyana Times on Tuesday, Presidential Advisor on Governance Gail Teixeira said she is not in receipt of any information as to when the meeting will be held.

When asked if talks are expected to commence soon, she advised that the question be directed to head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon. However, efforts to contact Dr Luncheon proved futile.

Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana D Brent Hardt has also confirmed that no date has been set.

Asked about how soon talks are expected to commence, the ambassador said he has “no idea” and would not want to further comment on the issue until they have met with the government.

“Let’s get the meeting organised and we’ll talk in private and later we’ll have something to say,” the U.S. ambassador stated. The government and the U.S. are at odds over the implementation of the rejected USAID project. The government had disapproved of the project in November last year, stat-

ing that the agreement was flawed; however, the U.S. went ahead to implement the project and this sparked the brief back and forth bickering between the two countries.

The government claimed that they were not included in the process of designing the project; however, the U.S. ambassador stated otherwise. In an interview with Stabroek News, Hardt had refuted the government’s contention.

“That’s completely false that we are not meeting them. We have had over one dozen meetings. From the onset of this proposal, we have worked diligently to involve the government and have been… working to get the government's input on this project.”

The ambassador was also recorded as saying that the U.S. will implement the Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) project with or without government’s position.

This statement escalated the tension between the two countries. Dr Luncheon at one of his press conferenc-

es had disclosed that a letter was sent to the U.S. authorities seeking clarifications of the ambassador’s blatant disregard for decisions made by the Guyana government.

“Cabinet felt that the ambassador’s public comments were arrogant, contentious and that those utterances that the U.S. ambassador made, indicating that notwithstanding a rejection, a disapproval of the USAID project that they intend to and are implementing this project, is really of severe significance. Cabinet contends that all other considerations about this project pale into significance with regards to the U.S. ambassador’s public utterances on this subject,” he had said.

A light at the end of the tunnel, the government and U.S. officials have finally agreed to meet and discuss the project; however, government has put forward a condition, stating that it will only engage in talks if the project is put on a hold.

Linden Economic Committee

Chairperson Joycelyn Williams has stepped down, citing family commitments and other social responsibilities, Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon has announced.

On January 15, Williams reportedly served Solomon and head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon with her letter of resignation.

Williams has demitted the post with the intention of fulfilling her personal, family and social responsibilities.

“On behalf of Region 10, I thank Ms Williams for consenting to serve when she was approached,” Solomon said while expressing gratitude.

The Economic Committee is among several committees established under the August 21, 2012 agreement between the Region 10 Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and the Donald Ramotar administration.

Williams was appointed to chair the Economic Committee in September 2013, with the mandate to produce an economic plan for the region within a 60-day timeframe.

“The region remains confident given Ms Williams’ expertise; her team would have presented an effective plan.”

In keeping with its commitment to the people of Linden and by extension Region 10, the RDC on Tuesday submitted an undisclosed number of names to Dr Luncheon, as possible options to replace Williams.

Claim

However, the Region 10 chairman said “the government refuses to have the Economic Committee work until the region agrees to an imposed nominee for the Technical Committee to look into electricity.”

The work of this committee came to an abrupt end following the resignation of its chairman Narvon Persaud.

The Technical Committee when formalised will be mandated to investigate the electricity situation in Linden.

Under the terms of reference (ToR), it states that the Technical Committee would be tasked with the responsibility of reviewing the existing provision and consumption of electricity in the mining town, including the history, the costs, the tariff structure and the subsidies.

A study on Region 10’s economic circumstances and its ability to facilitate an increased cost of electricity, consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of the integration of supply of electricity in Linden on the national grid and recommendations are among duties to be executed by the technical team.

Solomon used the opportunity to express his disappointment in the progress made since the signing of the agreement in 2012.

“Our fate is not sealed by the taciturn and refusal to

do the decent thing and honour an agreement. Our fate is sealed by our determination to ensure every citizen of Region 10 gets what is his and hers as outlined in the Constitution and sealed in the agreement,” Solomon said.

According to him, it is essential for the region to be equipped with the economic development plan that will address critical and immediate socio-economic issues in the areas of education, employment, health, transportation and poverty.

Alluding to the One Mile Primary School which was reduced to ashes during the 2012 protest, Solomon said labourers should be drawn from the region to aid in the rebuilding of the educational institution.

“If we could have built bauxite’s massive infrastructures, public buildings, schools, roads, water and sewage system, irrigation and drainage from ground up and started through self help, the building of the One Mile Primary School, we can complete this school.”

He subsequently alluded to Article 38A of the Constitution which states that Guyana shall, “facilitate the engagement of citizens in activities designed to achieve their sustainable livelihoods”.

Additionally, it said the state shall provide appropriate support to its people who are under threat of marginalisation.

Williams’ resignation and Region 10’s call for the government to comply with the agreement come on the heels of calls by Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) for a probe to be launched into the dysfunctional Linden agreement.

Call for investigation GCCI President Clinton Urling recently called on the government to mount a formal investigation into the allegations peddled by the Region 10 chairman that the committees established under the agreement are not functioning and have achieved very little.

“This is necessary to ascertain whether there is any merit to the accusations and take the necessary actions to ensure that the agreement is implemented according to the agreed terms,” Urling said. He emphasised that this is necessary to prevent a reoccurrence of the 2012 protest which led to the deaths of three Lindeners and the burning of more than 13 public and private buildings.

“The Linden protest was one of the most significant national crises in Guyana’s recent history.

"The nation remembers the damage done to the physical infrastructure in Linden and also the blocking of the bridge that serves as the main artery and passage to the regions of Guyana.” He also recalled the damaging impacts it had on the private sector, as complaints flooded the chamber and the Private Sector Commission.

Security expert says partnership key in solving security woes

Guyanese-born U.S. professor on Caribbean security, Dr Ivelaw Griffith said the forging of greater partnership in the local and international arenas might be an answer to some of this country’s security challenges.

Dr Griffith at the time was conversing during a highprofile meeting with U.S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt and members of Parliament (MP) in the Parliament chamber on Tuesday.

Dr Griffith was told that Guyana continues to be plagued by traditional security

challenges as references were made to issues surrounding resources, porous borders, corruption and the security forces’ inability to execute their duties.

Building partnership

Dr Griffith said building greater partnership can be a means of addressing security challenges. It was explained that through partnership, Guyana can fill the gaps by securing the necessary resources.

“Resources are not infinite, resources are limited but it is also true that the challenges on

the security landscape are not limited to one country, hence, there is necessity for partnership,” he explained.

According to the Guyaneseborn professor, the government of Guyana cannot address matters of security alone, thus it is important for the private sector to step in and take up responsibility.

Lack of monitoring Alliance For Change (AFC)

member Trevor Williams contended that the lack of monitoring of resources are major impediments in Guyana’s security sector. According to him, it is not necessarily an issue of finance, but one that speaks to the lack of institutional capacity.

Considering Guyana’s geographical location, Williams said the country is among key transshipment points, and security forces must maximise and generate resources to combat transnational crimes and other criminal activities, thereby enhancing the level of security.

He was backed by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) MP Renis Morian, who said the effective use of communication can also remedy security problems facing Guyana.

Dr Griffith in his response said there might be cases where the requisite technologies are provided for effective communication; however, the human capacity to capitalise on the resources is lacking, due to the lack of training in the

area of information technology.

“You have the technology but sometimes it is a resource issue of having the training, to use and adequately service that technology… there are various dimensions of the resource challenge,” he explained in his discourse. Again, he said partnership even with the private sector can help in this scenario.

In keeping with the topical issue of resources, APNU frontbencher, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine alluded to the recent dispute between Guyana and Venezuela when an armed Venezuelan naval ship evicted a U.S. oil explorer from Guyana’s waters.

Additional attention was drawn to the New River Triangle matter in which the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry through the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) issued Permission of Geological and Geophysical Survey (PGGS) to Muri Brasil Ventures Limited; a move that would have paved the way for the issuing of a maximum of 18 prospecting licences for rare earth elements, bauxite, gold and diamond.

Considering Guyana’s porous borders and recent occurrences, Dr Roopnaraine said the country should maximise on diplomatic resources to safeguard itself, in the area of border security.

Not unique

In response, Dr Griffith said maritime and territorial issues are not unique to Guyana, positing that it is often a concern of many nations across the hemisphere. It was posited that most nations do not have the ability to single handedly take military action, hence “military corporation” becomes critical.

AFC members Valerie Garrido-Lowe and Cathy Hughes; APNU’s Vanessa Kissoon, and Christopher Jones; and People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) representative Joseph Hamilton were among parliamentarians that contributed during the forum.

Apart from being a professor of political science, Dr Griffith serves as provost and senior vice president at York College of the City University of New York.

His notable achievements there include growing the fulltime faculty by 30 per cent over four years, re-organising the academic division into three schools and enhancing the research and scholarly climate by creating a Provost Lecture Series and a companion Distinguished Scholars Lecture Series.

In addition to addressing security issues, Dr Griffith will be building partnership with the University of Guyana, the University of the West Indies, the Fort Valley State University and the University of Puerto Rico.

He is in Guyana on an official visit upon the request of the U.S. embassy. After leaving Guyana on Tuesday, his next official visit is set for Trinidad and Tobago.

Slimy for PPC!

Satiricus felt a little ashamed. Satiricus prided himself on knowing the ins and outs and the who’s who of his dear land of Guyana. He was a newshound, no? What kinda newshound would he be if he didn’t have the lowdown on things Guyanese? But a couple of weeks ago, being a public- minded citizen, and hearing the cries to clean up “corruption” by getting the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) going, he’d gone and nominated Rum Jhaat.

The oh-so modest leader of the KFC had nominated Lalloo Ram and Cool Serum...when he was so much more qualified. Satiricus always believed you had to fight fire with fire. In this case, and more to the point, you had to put a thief to catch a thief. And when it came to thieving, who was better than Rum Jhaat? And so when GreenWitch announced John Public could put in their two cents’ worth and make nominations, Satiricus’ hands had gone up for Rum Jhaat.

And that’s why Satiricus was ashamed. Imagine his chagrin when he opened up the Stabber News and found out that no other than Slimy – the Green Mayor of Garbage City (the “green” was because of all the slime around him) – had nominated himself for the position. How could Satiricus have forgotten the exploits of Slimy? Those put even the Jhaat to shame. Right off the bat, Slimy had been thiefin when the Jhaat was still in short pants catching crab on the Berbice mud flats.

“You’re talking about real experience, here,” marvelled Satiricus. In the 50 years Slimy has been thiefin from the public purse, there couldn’t be a trick he hadn’t tried. With him on the PPC – why...Guyana would soon have the best record on corruption! Slimy had been the Big Man’s strongman back in the day. So all the money for the dirty tricks had gone through Slimy’s hands. Thing was, some complained most of the money didn’t “go through” but stuck to Slimy’s grubby little paws.

Then Slimy’s boss had gotten into power...and Slimy was the de facto second man. There was no way to the Big Man but through Slimy. And you had to pay well to go though Slimy. Eventually, he got even too slimy for the Big Man...but his reputation as a thug kept the graft flowing his way.

So when he became Green Mayor of Garbage City when the Big Man passed on, it was only a matter of time before he brought it to its knees (in garbage).

So with humility, Satiricus wrote a letter withdrawing his nomination of the Jhaat – and announced to GreenWitch that Slimy was his man. It was going to be a shoo-in. Hadn’t GreenWitch and Slimy shared more than jus the colour in their names?

They’d wallowed in the corruption, back in the day.

Four arrested in police operations in Georgetown, East Bank Demerara

Police on Tuesday arrested several persons in connection with various offences as they conducted operations in Georgetown and along the East Bank of Demerara.

The operations were done in Ruimveldt and Tucville and Diamond and Providence. During the process, a total of nine persons were arrested, four of whom were held pending investigations into two armed robberies. Four other persons, inclusive of two men and two women, were arrest-

ed for being in possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

Another man was taken into custody after he was found in his house with an unlicensed .32 Taurus Pistol along with two magazines and 25 matching rounds of ammunition. This person is also wanted by the police for question regarding another incident where a firearm was recovered at Ogle, East Coast Demerara. The nine detainees are all assisting with ongoing investigations.

Howard University team calls on President Ramotar

Members of the Howard University Medical Association who are on a five-day visit to Guyana, on Monday paid a courtesy call on President Donald Ramotar at the Office of the President.

Team member, Dr Fredrick Cober, described the meeting as very productive.

Dr Cober told the Government Information Agency (GINA) the various ways in which the association of medical professionals, many of whom have decades of experience, could be of service to Guyana.

“The president was very receptive to many of our ideas and made some good suggestions of his own,” Dr Cober said.

The doctor, a paediatrician, said the association’s trip to Guyana was a success, and expressed amazement at the locations they were able to visit such as the Kaieteur Falls, saying, “We most definitely will return to Guyana”.

Guyana hosted the 2014 reunion of the association from January 16 to 21. The delegation, of 44 Washington, DC-based medical practition-

ers that included Guyana’s own David Aubrey Gooray, a Howard University graduate from Essequibo, delivered Continuing Medical Education (CME) lectures over two days; January 17 and 18 at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC).

The team also explored the forging of professional and academic ties with the medical staff at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GHPC) and its members also hosted a special event in honour of Dr Martin Luther King at the Pegasus Hotel.

Founded in 1867, Howard is a private, research university that comprises 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees.

Since 1998, the university has produced two Rhodes scholars, two Truman scholars, a Marshall scholar, 30 Fulbright scholars and 11 Pickering fellows.

Howard also produces more on campus African-American PhD recipients than any other university in the U.S.

Delroy Campbell was not in the army – GDF

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) said contrary to an article published in the Guyana Chronicle on January 19, no individual by the name Delroy Campbell was in its employ up to 2007.

The army was responding to an article headlined “Cadet officer on self-bail on discharging loaded firearm matter”.

“This article prompted a perusal of all of our

records and databases, including the nominal rolls of the Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School dating back to 2007.

“All our records have shown that there has been no individual with the name Delroy Campbell that was enlisted on any standard officers’ course and further, ever employed by the GDF,” the army said in a release.

Guyanese on drug charges in Barbados

AGuyanese has been charged with a number of drug offences in Barbados, the Barbados Nation has reported.

Uche Omotosho Adesima Blair, 42, of Buxton Village, East Coast Demerara, Georgetown, was arrested and charged by members of the Drug Squad for possession of 39 pounds of cannabis, with intent to supply, trafficking and importation.

According to police public relations officer Inspector David Welch, Blair arrived by air from Guyana on Monday about 16:30h and was interviewed by Drug Squad personnel after clearing immigration. He was then referred to Customs, where a search of his luggage found the illegal drug in 26 packages. Blair is expected to appear at the District B Magistrate’s Court today.

wednesday, january 22, 2014

Most Alberttown residents dissatisfied with M&CC services

Some 95 per cent of Alberttown residents are dissatisfied with the services being provided by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown, a recent study by the council’s public relations department revealed.

The main objective of the study was to find out the public’s views on two vital services provided by the Georgetown municipality – solid waste collection and the desilting and cleaning of drains and alleyways. According to a release by the council, respondents were randomly selected from the telephone directory.

Ninety per cent of respondents stated that their garbage is collected once a month, while 10 per cent stated their garbage is collected once every three weeks.

Service

Ninety-five per cent of respondents are dissatisfied with the service provided and said the collection of garbage should be done once per week, while the other five per cent were satisfied. Seventyfive per cent of those polled believe improper garbage disposal has led to an increase in the area’s rodent population.

With regard to drainage, all residents surveyed are dissatisfied with the state of the community’s drains. Sixty per cent of them claim that drainage works are only done every three to four years, while 20 per cent said they could not recall the last time drainage works were done.

Poor garbage collection has become a public nuisance and health risk for citizens of Georgetown, giving rise to an increase in vector population, which can result in outbreaks of vector-transmitted diseases.

Additionally, the survey found that the council has been underperforming in its vital responsibility of main-

taining drainage. It was recommended that the council re-examine the performance of the solid waste management department. It also needs to charter a new way forward to alleviate the dissatisfaction of citizens.

According to the release, consideration of a solid waste management strategy with a specific five-year plan would help the Georgetown municipality. This should include restructuring of the solid waste management department to be more responsive to the waste management needs of the city.

Questionable spending

Meanwhile, on Monday the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry announced that it will be focusing on several critical areas in 2014 to improve the services of the Georgetown, Corriverton, Rose Hall, New Amsterdam, Linden, and Anna Regina municipalities.

During a press briefing at the ministry’s boardroom, Kingston, Minister within the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry, Norman Whittaker expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which some of the municipalities have been expending their revenues.

He said in 2013, the

Georgetown municipality received $1.46 billion in revenue from various sources, primarily rates and taxes, and of this amount, $981 million was used to meet employment costs. New Amsterdam received $86.5 million, $51 million of which was used to meet employment costs, as well. Corriverton, on the other hand, expended $38.7 million out of $49.2 million to provide services, while Rose Hall used $19.3 million of $29.3 million for the same purpose.

Concerns

“People would expect that the municipality would use most of the rates and taxes to improve the services that are offered, that mean so much to the people… people have expectations, and when those expectations are not met, obviously, it raises concerns,” Minister Whittaker stressed.

Whittaker said the ministry will seek to have more dialogue and consultations with the people who are the beneficiaries of the services so that they will have an input in terms of which services are provided and where.

He expressed optimism that once this is done, residents will have a greater “buy-in” in municipalities’ plans which would eventually result in more persons paying their rates and taxes.

Lynch: “I did not kill my husband” – says she loves her family dearly, wants speedy trial

Former beauty queen

Carol Ann Lynch has denied killing her husband, Farouk Razack, back in 2007, saying that she loved him dearly. She has vowed to prove her innocence for a second time.

On Tuesday, she turned herself in to police after a wanted bulletin was published for her arrest. Lynch, who recently surfaced after it was discovered that she was working with the Roraima Group of Companies while a wanted bulletin was pending, said she has suffered long enough and the public humiliation has cost her tremendous damage.

“I was charged for the murder of my husband. I had my freedom taken away from me for approximately one year, as I was a remanded prisoner during the conduct of a preliminary inquiry into that charge, which had been instituted against me by the state. At all times, I had publically maintained my innocence,” she said.

"Framed"

She said approximately one year later in 2008, her case was discharged by a magistrate who found that there was insufficient evidence presented by the prosecution to commit her to stand trial for murder. “I felt vindicated. I did not kill my husband. I felt I was publically humiliated by the treatment I received from various members of the Guyana Police Force.

"My daughter was deprived of her mother’s love and care for about one year, as I sat languishing in the New Amsterdam Prison on remand facing a framedup charge for murder," said Lynch.

She said when she was released, no one from the Guyana Police Force or the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions offered an apology for the year of her “life that was taken away" by the institution of a framedup charge… when there was clearly no evidence.

"There was absolutely nothing that could have been

done to erase the damage that was caused to my character, my reputation, and my good name. I tried desperately to move on with my life for the sake of my daughter and my family,” Lynch said.

She said in September of 2013, she was informed that the police had issued a second wanted bulletin for her arrest in relation to the same murder.

“The nightmare that started in 2007 is still clearly not over as yet. How could I be wanted again for a murder which a magistrate already found that there was insufficient evidence against me? My life is again going to be placed on hold, as certain ... people are again attempting to institute another charge of murder against me. I am determined to clear my name. I am determined to ensure that my daughter grows up knowing that her mom is innocent and is being victimised, wrongfully accused and targeted,” she said.

No evidence

Saying that she wants her plight to be accurately communicated to the public, Lynch said the people of Guyana need to know “that I am being treated unjustly and unfairly. I have copies of the court record of the first preliminary inquiry that I will make available so that the public can see that there was absolutely no evidence against me during the first preliminary inquiry.

"The public can see what these witnesses said before,

so that a comparison can be made with whatever these people are now coming to say.”

She added that her biggest fear is that the vindictive and malicious people who are out to get her will stop at nothing and “may even be willing fabricate things now, some seven years later” to see her go to jail for a crime she did not commit.

Speedy hearing Lynch pleaded for a speedy hearing, so that she can again “attempt to put these false accusations behind” her, once and for all. “I am willingly turning myself over to the Guyana Police Force and I am asking that members of the public be vigilant because I have no faith, confidence, or trust that my preliminary inquiry will be expedited, in an attempt to keep me locked up.

"I am confident that I will again be discharged, because I am innocent. I loved my husband dearly and our beautiful family. My only regret in handing myself over to the authorities is that I will be away from my daughter for a period of time that is still undetermined.”

Razack, the managing director of Swiss House Cambio, the largest currency exchange business in Guyana, was found dead by Lynch in the couple’s bedroom in their Bel Air, Georgetown home. A post-mortem on the body of the deceased found abrasions on the neck and determined Razack had been strangled.

Region Two Mash activities kick off with children’s competition

The atmosphere at the Anna Regina Community Centre ground in Region Two on Monday was one of much enthusiasm and a kaleidoscope of colours, as the region’s Mashramani activities kicked off with the children’s competition.

Hundreds of children from various nursery, primary and secondary schools converged at the community centre ground to witness and participate in the dramatic poetry and calypso competitions.

Mashramani is being celebrated under the theme “Cultural folklore: Celebrating 44”. Welcoming the audience of children, teachers, visitors and gov-

ernment officers was Regional Education Officer Baramdai Seepersaud. The education officer said the activity is sponsored by the Department of Education in collaboration with the Region Two administration. Seepersaud added that the activity will continue today and conclude on Friday. He stated that the competition focuses on bringing the Mash theme alive and fostering togetherness among schools in the region.

Declaring the children’s competition open was Regional Executive Officer Sunil Singh, who encouraged the students to give of their best in the competition. He reminded them that the best performers at the vari-

ous categories will be representing Region Two at the national competition to be held in Georgetown at a later date.

First to take to the stage were students from Reliance, Anna Regina, Lima Sands, Cotton Field, Marias Lodge, Abram Zuil, Hampton Court, and Danielstown nursery schools in the dramatic poetry competition. The tots dished out such competitive performances, the judges had a difficult task deciding the winners. Copping the first place was Anna Regina Nursery, followed by Danielstown Nursery in second and Lima Sands Nursery in third.

The Anna Regina Nursery school’s dramatic piece was

based on “Cultural Folklore”, while Danielstown Nursery’s poem was “Celebrating our folklore in 44”. Lima Sand Nursery also focused on the theme for Mash, highlighting Guyana and its beauty. In the calypso competition for nursery schools, Anna Regina was declared the winner, while in the primary school age eight to 10 calypso contest, Mainstay Lake emerged as the champion with “People In Society”.

The competition attracted hundreds of persons. More are expected to converge at the Anna Regina Community Centre ground today and Friday for the continuation of the children’s competition.

Couple remanded for attempted murder

Acouple appeared in the Albion Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday charged with attempted murder.

Harinarine Subranie, 40, and his wife Hemwattie “Radeka” Ramshai, 39, of Topoo, Albion, Corentyne, Berbice, pleaded not guilty to the charge during their arraignment before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh. The court heard that on January 17 at their home

Cargo ship sinks, crew rescued 12 hours later

The Guyana-registered general cargo vessel STOLLIE 1, bound for Port Kaituma, North West District, sank off the Guyana coast between the entrance of the Pomeroon and Waini rivers on Saturday, the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) confirmed.

The vessel departed Georgetown at 06:00h on Friday with a consignment of general cargo. There were four crew members on board. According to the

initial investigation, the MV STOLLIE 1’s engines failed and it became disabled. Some cargo apparently shifted, thus causing the vessel to list heavily, causing it to take in water until it sank.

The captain and the crew safely evacuated the sinking vessel with their lifesaving equipment, and they were subsequently rescued by a passing vessel some 12 hours later. This incident is now being investigated by MARAD.

Jaden Mars’ mother seeks clarity on probe findings

The recent pronouncement made by Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael Khan that the hospital’s probe found no one culpable in the death of fouryear-old Jaden Mars was received with mixed reviews.

The child’s mother, Natalie Casey, said she will not be taking those findings lightly.

Casey, speaking with this newspaper on Monday, said after hearing of the findings of the investigation, she immediately contacted the CEO. However, he denied ever making such a pronouncement and said he was, in fact, “misquoted by the media”.

Casey said although she is pregnant, her focus is primarily on the death of her firstborn child. She was at the time seeking to make contact with the hospital’s CEO to continue discussions. However, her efforts were unsuccessful and a meeting date was scheduled for later this week.

Casey made it clear that

about 17:00h, the duo unlawfully and maliciously wounded Devindra Anirood in an attempt to murder him.

Police Prosecutor Phillip Sheriff disclosed that the virtual complainant was walking along a street in Guava Bush, Albion when the defendants, who are not on speaking terms with Anirood owing to previous misunderstandings, armed themselves with a bat and a piece of wood and dealt him several lashes about his head and body, causing him to fall to the ground in an unconscious state.

Intensive care

According to the prosecutor, Anirood was later picked up by his sister who rushed him to the Port Mourant Hospital. However, his injuries were so severe, he was later taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital after which he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public

Hospital where his condition was listed as critical.

The prosecutor also objected to bail, noting the seriousness of the offence and the fact that Anirood is still a patient in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

However, Attorney Charrandas Persaud, in an effort to secure bail for his clients, told the court that the incident took place in the defendants’ yard and they were protecting their family from a home invasion.

The attorney argued that the VC went to his clients’ home uninvited, which resulted in a confrontation, so his clients armed themselves and dealt him several lashes in order to get him out of the yard.

“These police officers need to do more detailed investigations into the report made against my clients… I am asking the court to grant my clients pre-trial liberty, since there is no medical report to show the severity of

the injuries sustained by the complainant,” he said. After hearing the arguments, the magistrate refused bail and ordered that the couple return to court on January 28.

she does not expect anyone to lie or cover anything up, but expects those who are responsible for her son’s death to own up to that responsibility. After several weeks of investigation, the hospital had come to the conclusion that the four-year-boy did not die as a result of any misdemeanour on the part of hospital staff.

Young Jaden, while playing at home in West Ruimveldt in December, accidentally fell and injured his tongue. He was taken to the East La Penitence Health Centre for medical attention. However, the profuse blood flow caused staff there to refer him to the Georgetown Public Hospital. It was there that the child was reportedly administered two 25-milligram shots of anaesthetic to sedate him, so that he could have his tongue sutured. He was later transferred to the Intensive Care Unit after experiencing complications. He died one week later.

Bahamians warned to take domestic violence seriously

Bahamians have been told that they cannot continue to “bury their heads in the sand” and must deal with incidents of domestic violence.

“To put it bluntly, many of the young males paraded before the courts today charged with violent crimes and many of the young girls committed for uncontrollable behaviour were themselves likely victims of some type of abuse,” said Social Services and Community Development Minister Melanie Griffin.

“Over the years we have hurt ourselves by ignoring the problem, because studies show that unchecked domestic violence not only escalates, but manifests itself in many other different ways.”

She told the audience attending the premiere of the docudrama “Get Out” that studies by The Bahamas Crisis Centre have shown that children who are

abused, are desensitised to violence, more likely to carry weapons to school or social events, and more likely to carry weapons regularly.

“The stark reality is that our crime problem will not be solved if we do not solve the problem of domestic violence,” Griffin said, adding that violence in the family, particularly against wom-

en and children, has been an “open secret” in The Bahamas for far too long.

She said Bahamian law defines domestic violence as physical, sexual, emotional, psychological or financial abuse committed by a person against a spouse, partner, child or any other person who is a member of the household or dependent.

(Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

Gonsalves outlines fiscal policy

Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves has announced an increase in the excise tax on gasoline as he insisted that the government’s fiscal policy for 2014 will continue to be a mixture of prudence, patience and enterprise.

Gonsalves, delivering the budget statement on Monday evening in the wake of the devastating Christmas floods that have left EC$330 million in losses and damages, also announced lower gasoline prices and increased diesel prices as part of the govern-

ment’s regular review of the retail prices of these fuels.

Parliament on December 9, 2013, approved the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for 2014 totalling EC$911.57 million and Prime Minister Gonsalves said that the Christmas Eve floods have “altered profoundly the immediate socio-economic context of the 2014 budget.

“The upshot of this is that the 2014 estimates which were approved in December 2013, and upon which the 2014 Appropriation Bill is based, has to be supple-

mented within the next four to six weeks or thereabout,” he told lawmakers.

He, however, said that while the budget was interim in nature, “this does not mean it is provisional or temporising on fact or law.

“This budget is aimed at strengthening our socio-economic base for recovery and reconstruction after a natural disaster in a context of on-going global economic uncertainty and downside risks,” Gonsalves told parliament. (Excerpt from Nation News)

Colombian army kills 14 FARC rebels in Arauca

Colombian troops have killed 14 rebels during an operation in the north-east of the country, the army says. It says the dead belonged to Colombia’s main rebel group, the FARC, and were involved in the sabotage of oil installations in Arauca province.

The Colombian government and the left-wing rebels have been holding peace talks in Cuba for more than a year. But the fighting has continued despite repeated calls by the FARC for a temporary cease-fire.

The government says the end of military activity would provide an opportunity for the rebels to rearm.

The FARC declared a unilateral ceasefire during the Christmas period. It expired last week.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has said

that fighting will continue until the rebel group agrees to give up its armed struggle and join the legal political process. The Colombian army says the latest operation in Arauca, close to the border with Venezuela, began on Saturday with aerial bombardment and ground attacks.

The alleged leader of the Alfonso Castellanos col-

Sickle cell good news in Jamaica

Health officials who specialise in treating sickle cell patients are hopeful that within the next three years all Jamaican children will be screened for the disease.

Their anticipation has been heightened by the fact that funds from this year’s staging of Sagicor Jamaica’s Sigma Corporate Run will be donated to the Sickle Cell Unit at the University of the West Indies and the Sickle Cell Trust in Mandeville.

“After the run, we will work with the Ministry of Health to go into the dif-

ferent hospitals to establish universal screening,” Dr Jennifer Knight-Madden, senior lecturer and head of the Sickle Cell Unit, said at the Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange.

“We will be teaching everybody how to do it. We have to set up the logistics. We hope that in two to three years everybody will be screened,” she added.

Knight-Madden and head of the trust, Professor Graham Serjeant, were thankful that their entities were chosen as beneficiaries this year and ex-

pressed their gratitude that isoelectronic focusing and High Performance Liquid Chromatic machines (HPLC) will be donated to the unit. The machines cost US$50,000 and US$75,000 respectively. Sickle cell disease is a hereditary blood disorder characterised by red blood cells that assume a sickle like shape. The abnormal shape decreases the cells’ flexibility and results in a risk of various complications. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

DEA progress in US$12M cocaine case suspects in sight

Shipping documents relating to the export of local juices to Virginia were seized on Monday by United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and local law enforcement officials, as they closed in on the suspects believed to be behind the estimated US$12 million cocaine seizure last month. A prominent TT businessman, sources said, had also been identified as a prime suspect and a statement of case “with all the evidence to support an extradition request has been drafted by the U.S. authorities.” The U.S. probers, sources added, have been working independent of local investigators. Among the documents seized were a bill of landing which would have named the consignee, the exporter and a full de-

scription of the goods and its intended destination. The drug was seized by United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers at the Port of Norfolk on December 20, 2013, but the haul was not announced until last Thursday. The cocaine was being smuggled into the U.S. in over 700 cans mixed into a shipment of Trinidad juice products which are manufactured by Citrus Growers Association. Sources from the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB), who are working closely with Customs and Excise Division, said on Monday the investigation had reached a “sensitive stage” with a list of suspects already complied. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Press freedom organisation welcomes indictment of suspects in journalist’s murder in Haiti

Press freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has responded with a mix of satisfaction and prudence to the news that nine people were indicted in connection with Radio Haiti Inter owner Jean Dominique’s April 2000 shooting murder, in which the radio station’s security guard, Jean-Claude Louissaint, was also killed.

“We welcome this major judicial step, one that was quite unexpected after years of paralysis and impunity in a case that was handled suc-

cessively by seven investigating judges,” RSF said.

“The investigation was relaunched on May 8, 2013, when former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who is reportedly linked to the nine accused, was questioned as a witness. The different degrees of responsibility must now be established with precision on the basis of the depositions of these nine people. Everyone’s cooperation is needed for this case to proceed. The truth must finally emerge, 14 years after Dominique’s murder.

“Like SOS Journaliste, we urge the authorities to take the necessary steps to ensure that Myrlande Lubérisse appears in court in Haiti. A former senator for Aristide’s Fanmi Lavalas party, she is named in Judge Yvikel Dabrésil’s report as the person who ordered Dominique’s murder. The authorities in the United States, where she now resides, should authorise her extradition if required,” RSF added. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

No pay, so oil spill cleaners down tools

Oumn of the FARC, known as Franklin, is probably injured, army general Luis Danilo Murcia told RCN radio.

The government and the FARC have been in negotiations since November 2012 to end a 50-year war which has killed an estimated 220,000 people. (Excerpt from BBC News)

il spill clean-up operations at Point Sable stopped on Monday as La Brea residents downed tools to demand payment for their services. On Monday they blocked the entrance to the Point Sable beach, where clean-up operations are being coordinated, and vented their anger over the non-payment of wages. But Petrotrin corporate communications manager Gillian Friday, said: “As far as I know there was no protest.” In a telephone interview,

she said: “We usually have issues with tides and sometimes they stop early because the tide impacts how they do the work and that has always been the case. I have had no reports of any protest action.”

She said the information she had was the contractor on site at Point Sable “took a decision to sort out payroll issues. It was not protest action, people had some concerns.” But spokesman for the La Brea resi-

dents Carlton Plenty, speaking with the TT Guardian, said residents were fed up. “People getting violent too. We do not want to reach down to that but they making it worse because they bringing Petrotrin police to come out with guns and thing. Man coming out to do work,” Plenty said. He said Petrotrin promised to pay workers on Friday and while some were paid, others were short paid and some not paid at all. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Syria to seek anti-terror support in Geneva

The Syrian government will demand support from the international community for its “fight against terrorism” during upcoming peace talks, sources in Damascus told Al Jazeera.

Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem, in a speech he is scheduled to give during the peace conference in Switzerland, will also pledge to end the suffering of the Syrian people by agreeing to humanitarian corridors in besieged areas and to a ceasefire in Aleppo, the sources said.

Talks between representatives of the government of President Bashar al-Assad and the Western-backed opposition will begin today. It is the first time the warring parties will enter into direct negotiations since the conflict in Syria began almost three years ago.

The government’s

The Syrian regime refers to all armed opposition groups as ‘terrorists’

15-member delegation, headed by Muallem, is not authorised to agree on any deal without referring back to Assad, the foreign minister will say during the socalled Geneva II conference.

The foreign minister will also emphasise that any future negotiations will have to be held within the Syrian territories, and that the gov-

ernment will not accept to set a timeframe for the negotiations.

Further, he will reiterate the government’s line about an international conspiracy facing the country and ask the international community to cooperate with Damascus in fighting the “terrorists” operating in the country. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Report details “industrial” killing of 11,000 in Assad jails

ASyrian military police photographer has supplied “clear evidence” showing the systematic torture and killing of about 11,000 detainees in circumstances that evoked Nazi death camps, former war crimes prosecutors said. Syrian officials could face war crimes charges as a result of the evidence provided by the photographer, who has defected, the three prosecutors said.

One of the prosecutors said the evidence document-

ed “industrial scale killing” that was reminiscent of the World War II concentration camps of Belsen and Auschwitz.

The trove of harrowing photographs ratchets up the pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who the United States and its Western allies say has committed war crimes against his own people during the civil war.

Assad, once courted by Western leaders and now

supported by Russia and Iran, has denied war crimes, saying he is fighting “terrorists” who want to use Syria to sow chaos across the Middle East. But 55,000 images provided by the photographer, who fled Syria after passing the pictures to Assad’s opponents, show emaciated and mutilated corpses.

Bearing signs of torture, some of the corpses had no eyes. Others showed signs of strangulation or electrocution. (Excerpt from Yahoo!)

Iraq executes 26 people for terrorism offences

Iraq has hanged 26 people convicted of “terrorism” offences, the Justice Ministry said on Tuesday, pursuing what a UN official criticised as a “conveyor-belt of executions”.

All those executed on Sunday were Iraqi nationals. Among them was Adel al-Mashhadani, a “Sahwa” militia leader in Baghdad who was “famous for sectarian crimes”, Justice Minister Hassan al-Shimari said in a statement on the ministry’s website.

Sahwa (Awakening) militias are formed mostly of

Sunni Muslim tribesmen who helped U.S. troops roll back an al Qaeda-led insurgency in Iraq from 2006 onwards.

Violence in Iraq has surged in the past year to its highest levels since the Sunni-Shi’ite sectarian bloodshed that peaked in 2006 and 2007 when tens of thousands of people were killed.

Iraq hanged at least 151 people in 2013, up from 129 in 2012 and 68 in 2011, New York-based Human Rights Watch said in its annual world report published on

Tuesday.

The United Nations human rights chief, Navi Pillay, has frequently condemned Iraq’s mass executions. “This continued conveyor-belt of executions by the government of Iraq is simply deplorable,” her spokesman, Rupert Colville, said of Sunday’s hangings.

“Iraq’s justice system still has huge deficiencies which mean that resorting to even a small number of executions is risking a grave and irredeemable miscarriage of justice,” he said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

U.S. east coast braces for heavy snow and bitter cold

The U.S. east coast is bracing for the second major winter storm of the year, with up to 12 inches (30 centimetres) of snow, blowing wind and bitter cold forecast.

Even before the first flakes had fallen, U.S. government offices in Washington, DC, and schools in several states were closed pre-emptively.

In New York, snow began falling during the morning commute, and authorities warn of hazardous road conditions. And more than 2500 flights have already been cancelled in the U.S.

The storm comes just two weeks after a weather pattern known as the polar vortex brought heavy snow and record low temperatures to the eastern half of the U.S.

Winter storm warnings have been declared from

Thailand imposes state of emergency over unrest

The Thai government has imposed a 60-day state of emergency in the capital, Bangkok, and the surrounding provinces, from today, to cope with unrest.

The decree gives the government wide-ranging powers to deal with disorder.

Anti-government protesters have been blocking parts of the capital to try to force Prime Minister

Yingluck Shinawatra to resign.

They accuse the government of being run by exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, the brother of the current prime minister. Yingluck has refused to resign and has called an election on February 2 to pacify the protesters.

The state of emergency was announced after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday

and comes after a spate of attacks with explosives and firearms on the anti-government protesters blockading central Bangkok for which the government and the protesters blame each other.

On Sunday, 28 people were injured when grenades were thrown at one of several protest sites set up at major road sections in the city. “The cabinet decided to invoke the emergency de-

cree to take care of the situation and to enforce the law,” Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said.

The emergency decree gives the government power to censor the media, ban public gatherings and detain suspects without charge. It also allows for curfews and for parts of Bangkok to be declared off-limits. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Chicago archdiocese hid decades of child sex abuse

After a 13-year-old boy reported in 1979 that a Roman Catholic priest raped and threatened him at gunpoint to keep quiet, the Archdiocese of Chicago assured the boy’s parents that, although the cleric avoided prosecution, he would receive treatment and have no further contact with minors.

But the Reverend

William Cloutier, who already had been accused of molesting other children, was returned to ministry a year later and went on to abuse again before he resigned in 1993, two years after the boy’s parents filed a lawsuit. Officials took no action against Cloutier over his earliest transgressions because he “sounded repentant,” according to internal

archdiocese documents released Tuesday that show how the archdiocese tried to contain a mounting scandal over child sexual abuse.

For decades, those at the highest levels of the nation’s third-largest archdiocese moved accused priests from parish to parish while hiding the clerics’ histories from the public. The documents, released through set-

tlements between attorneys for the archdiocese and victims, describe how the late Cardinals John Cody and Cardinal Joseph Bernardin often approved the reassignments. The archdiocese removed some priests from ministry, but often years or decades after the clergy were known to have molested children. (Excerpt from Jamaican Observer)

West Virginia to Boston, with some of the heaviest accumulations threatened along the coastal cities.

Washington, DC, is expected to see its heaviest snow fall in three years.

The White House cancelled an afternoon press briefing and a meeting of President Barack Obama’s commission on electoral administration.

But the U.S. Supreme Court remains open to hear arguments. Temperatures across the eastern U.S. are expected to be 10 to 25 degrees colder than average on Tuesday and today, according to the U.S. National Weather Service. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Overdose likely killed Indian minister’s wife – autopsy

An overdose of anti-depressant drugs likely killed the wife of a high-profile Indian federal minister, according to an autopsy released days after she accused him of having an extramarital affair.

Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Junior Human Resource Development Minister and former top UN diplomat Shashi Tharoor, was found dead in a New Delhi hotel room after she sent out tweets suggesting he was involved with a Pakistanbased journalist.

Pushkar, 52, probably died of drug poisoning, two officials said on Tuesday, citing the post mortem report submitted to a magistrate leading an inquest into the death on Friday.

There was no suggestion as to whether the overdose was deliberate or not, and no

suggestion of foul play. “The conclusion of the post mortem report was death likely due to drug poisoning,” said an official at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences where the autopsy was conducted.

Television channels reported that magistrate Alok Sharma had ordered the police to conduct further investigations into the case following the autopsy report.

Sharma could not be contacted immediately but Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said it had received the post mortem report and was examining it. The report also said there were 15 injuries on Pushkar’s upper body, but these were described as small and ruled out as a cause of her death. (Excerpt from Reuters)

wednesday, January 22, 2014|

Fast food delivery man killed in accident

Adelivery man at-

tached to a popular fast food outlet was killed on Tuesday after he fell off his motorcycle and sustained severe internal injuries.

The accident occurred sometime around midday. The dead man has been identified as Julian Welch, 28, of Duncan Street, Georgetown. He was employed at Mario’s Pizza and at the time of the accident was on his way to make a delivery.

According to reports reaching Guyana Times, the accident occurred at Lamaha and New Garden streets. This newspaper understands that the man was riding between several vehicles when he lost control of his motorcycle and fell on the road. It is unclear whether he was hit by any of the vehicles behind him.

Welch was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where doctors tried to resuscitate him; however, their efforts were in vain. He suc-

Dead: Julian Welch

cumbed to his injuries while in the theatre. Welch reportedly suffered several punctured organs, including to his liver.

He reportedly lives alone and efforts to contact his sister who resides in Sophia proved futile. Meanwhile, when contacted by this publication, staff of the fast food outlet were tight-lipped on the accident but they described Welch as a friendly and jovial person.

Health Ministry looking at unhealthy lifestyles in children

TChief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud in a recent interview with the Government Information Agency said “In terms of nutrition, we are working on several standards of course;

the food safety area… whether the food is wholesome, with bacterial contamination, but also to look at nutrition requirements so food that are labelled with fats and heavy in salts, high in sugar; we really want to reduce those and increase in everyone’s diet foods that are high in fibre so its low on those three things, but high in fibre,” he said Persaud said that outside of ensuring that the

food sources that service the canteens of the country’s schools supply healthy meals, the ministry will also be seeking to tackle reduction of alcoholic beverages to children at school activities.

“People offer kids drinks, we want to reduce that, work with the Ministry of Education to not have alcohol served at school functions,” he said. He noted that the ministry has already moved towards ad-

dressing alcoholism as a whole, pointing out that it has started some provision of counselling and treatment to people who are addicted to alcohol, and to raise general public awareness. The Health Ministry will be collaborating with other ministries, faith-based organisations and non-governmental organisations to have students engaged in more physical activities as well.

Soldier in court for rowdy, threatening behaviour

Asoldier was placed on self-bail when he appeared before Magistrate Robindranauth Singh at the Albion Magistrate’s Court to answer to five charges on Tuesday.

Satesh Appadoo of Albion Front, Corentyne, Berbice, pleaded not guilty to all the charges which read

Caribbean

TT

chamber warns: Drug bust may hamper trade

The TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce on Monday expressed concern about the damage that could be done to TT’s trading relations by reports of illegal drugs being found in shipments from this country. In a statement, the chamber said it could “affect our ability to do legal business with the international community”.

“We, however, respect that the law enforcement officers of both the United States and TT have their investigations to complete, in the case of the

US$12 million cocaine find, and so we will await word on the conclusion of these investigations,” the chamber said.

The business organisation said government had recently concluded re-negotiation of a Double Tax Treaty Agreement with Germany to foster deeper business relationships and promote economic development. Chamber officials met with German Embassy officials last week and they expressed concern about the level of crime and security within TT. The state-

ment continued: “This week, the chamber is part of two delegations which are engaging in bilateral trade agreements between TT-El Salvador and a Caricom/Canada Free Trade Agreement respectively – we believe that the issue of illegal substances originating from TT shipments will certainly be a concern to our North and Central America neighbours, and it may hamper our trading relationships with them in the medium to long term...” it said. (Trinidad Guardian)

that on January 2 at Albion, Corentyne, he used threatening language and behaviour towards Jawaharlal Nathoo. It was also alleged that on the same day, the accused resisted arrest, behaved disorderly and assaulted police officer Maxton Semple.

Police Prosecutor Phillip Sheriff said on the day of

the incident, the ranks from Albion Police Station received a report of threats, and upon arrival at the scene, the accused, who was armed, started to behave disorderly and also abused the officer. The prosecutor also stated that the ranks spoke with the accused but he continued with the inappropriate behaviour.

Appadoo was represented by Attorney Rodwel Jagmohan, who disclosed that this matter is a conflict of interest since the police were trying to show that they are superior to the accused, who is an army official. The young soldier is expected to return to the Albion Magistrate’s Court on January 28.

North America

Wall Street inches up after two-day dip;

materials climb

U.S. stocks edged higher on Tuesday, putting the S&P on pace to snap a two-session decline, as gains in the materials sector were offset by declines in a trio of Dow components.

The S&P materials index gained 0.9 per cent as the best performing of the 10 major S&P indexes, led by a 4.9 per cent gain in Dow Chemical to US$45.18. Activist investor and hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb has taken a stake

in the company and wants it to spin off its petrochemical arm.

“Dow Chemical is kind of behind sort of a broader market rise with the idea there is still value, or at least one respected hedge fund thinks there is still some value in a specific stock,” said Rick Meckler, president of investment firm LibertyView Capital Management in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Also adding support to the materials sector was Alcoa Inc

, which advanced 4.8 per cent to US$11.90 after JP Morgan upgraded the stock to an “overweight” from a neutral” rating and boosted its price target to US$15 from US$9 per share.But three Dow components fell after reporting earnings, giving back advances made before the opening bell. Travellers Cos Inc lost two per cent to US$84.75 after the insurance provider posted a more than three-fold rise in fourth-quarter profit. (MSN)

Accounting practices needed when starting a business

The general ledger

This is the final book of entry that is typically maintained by an experienced accountant or bookkeeper. The general ledger for a business is maintained from the point that the business is started until it closes its doors. This single key ledger is typically updated on a monthly basis with the totals from each journal into the corresponding general ledger accounts and is used to create financial statements. A separate page in the general ledger is kept for each individual account.

The general ledger balance sheet

An important end result of effective accounting re-

cord keeping using Journals, Subsidiary Ledgers and a general ledger is commonly known as the company’s balance sheet. The balance referred to in this key statement of a business’s assets and liabilities is achieved in double entry book keeping systems because total debits must equal total credits for the company.

The general ledger’s balance sheet has four main sections, and each section in the general ledger is then totalled as part of a company’s basic accounting practices. Specifically, the sections include and keep track of:

* Assets — also known as debits

* Liabilities — also known as credits

* Capital — includes investments and earnings * Accruals — include depreciation and uncollectable debts

In terms of the general ledger balance sheet, the balance refers to the fact that the assets that a business has or owns must equal the sum of its debits, or what the company owes with respect to its liabilities, its accruals, and its capital. Basically, the balance sheet provides very helpful information for any investor or tax authority that wishes to assess the financial success of the business that it pertains to. (Business Dictionary)

Business concept – Security breach

An act from outside an organisation that bypasses or contravenes security policies, practices, or procedures. A similar internal act is called security violation.

TGI targets youth for construction training seminars

University and technical/vocational students will benefit from a series of training seminars on proper practices associated with construction technology, organised by TCL Guyana Inc (TGI), in conjunction with fellow TCL Group subsidiaries Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) and Readymix (West Indies) Limited (RML).

The training initiative got off to a successful start with the initial seminars held between January 17 and 20. The first session was a TCL Learning Academy cement and con-

jor in Guyana.”

The second seminar was held on Saturday at the Government Technical Institute, where more than 100 technical/vocational students from institutions across Guyana were enlightened about aspects of construction technology by TCL facilitator Romol Bereaux.

Building boom Whaul said the number of students who attended this TCL Learning Academy seminar was testament to the “building boom”, which has overtaken Guyana in the past few years. He stat-

Robertson’s sentiments, “It was a very good seminar. Mr Bereaux explained everything thoroughly. I came here today to learn more about this technology, because I want to get a good job in construction.”

While Bereaux’s seminar was in progress, Austin Rodriguez and Sanish Maharaj of concrete manufacturer RML were conducting a seminar for Ready Mix concrete operators at the TGI boardroom in Lombard Street. Present were representatives from Dipcon, BK International and Toolsie Persaud Ltd. Rodriguez,

crete technology seminar on Friday at the University of Guyana, which was facilitated by TCL Group civil engineer Avaleen Mooloo and coordinated by TCL Customer Excellence Officer Andira Kowlessar.

TGI Marketing Representative Eric Whaul, who organised the events, explained that the “primary objective of these seminars is for cement users to understand the right techniques and best practices involved in construction.” In explaining the strategy of targeting mainly young persons who are new to the industry, Whaul said, “If we get these young people to learn the right way of doing things when it comes to cement and concrete, then we’ll achieve something ma-

ed that across Georgetown and other parts of Guyana, major construction work is taking place, which explains the vast interest of many young people in the building industry today. “It’s a very lucrative business.”

Speaking on his interest in Bereaux’ presentation, New Amsterdam Technical Institute student Kevin Robertson said, “I was always interested in construction – ever since I was a little boy. My uncle was into construction and I always loved being around cement.”

He added that “there’s a serious need for young people to learn about construction.”

He hopes to one day become a self-employed contractor. Another student, Jevol Alphonso of the Essequibo Technical Institute echoed

Caribbean countries must improve quality, transparency of spending

Latin American and Caribbean countries registered an average global deficit of 2.4 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2013, but their fiscal revenues rose and kept their public debt situation stable, giving them more room to increase investment and social spending. This is according to a new study by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) released on Tuesday.

In its “Fiscal Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean 2014”, the organisation contends that public spending increased significantly in the past two decades region-wide – especially on education and health. However, institutional reforms must be expanded upon to improve the quality and transparency of spending, since both are key to achieving a fiscal pact that promotes greater economic growth with equality.

The document was presented Monday during the first session of the XXVI Regional Seminar on Fiscal Policy, which was inaugurated by ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena.

Fiscal pacts

“Forging fiscal pacts that promote equality is essential for a sustainable future,” said the United Nations official. “These pacts must be firmly rooted in broad social agreements and their goals must be clear: to increase tax flows and make them progressive, reduce evasion, and capture more income from natural resources.”

According to the document, Latin America’s public debt was close to an average 31 per cent of GDP in 2013, with nearly equal parts external and domestic debt. A

significant decline in interest payments was also registered in the past few years.

The situation is different in Caribbean countries, where public debt is much higher, with an average that surpassed 76 per cent of GDP in 2013.

Meanwhile, the region’s fiscal income as a whole increased 0.7 per cent of GDP in 2013. According to ECLAC, the region’s fiscal position is mixed and efforts to consolidate it must be intensified in those countries with financing difficulties. The organisation added that in addition to ensuring economic solvency, fiscal policies must also contemplate available income distribution, medium-term growth, and sustainable development.

The study shows that although environmental criteria have been incorporated into recent tax reforms, challenges persist, such as devising clear and transparent policies to subsidise fuels and including redistributive considerations in the design of “green” taxes. In redistributive matters, the

Fiscal Panorama shows the limited impact of fiscal policy on taxation systems, since the progressive effect of income taxes tends to be small and is offset by the regressive impact of the value-added tax (VAT).

Social spending

Regarding transfers, ECLAC’s report says, that they have a strong effect in countries where pension system coverage is significant, especially in Argentina and Uruguay, and a moderate impact in the rest of the region. Finally, the document shows that increased social spending has been important in the recent improvements of the Gini coefficient – which measures income distribution – at a regional level.

Participants in the inauguration of the XXVI Regional Seminar on Fiscal Policy included Sanjeev Gupta, deputy director at the Fiscal Affairs Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Teresa Ter Minassian, international consultant and a former director of the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department.

The meeting was organised by ECLAC and co-sponsored by the IMF; The World Bank (WB); the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), with the support of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

It ended Tuesday, and will be complemented by the Public Finances Workshop 2014, which will be held today, to examine the effects of fiscal action on income distribution and the policies needed to improve them, both in terms of taxes and public spending.

Man sentenced to 12 months for assaulting reputed wife

Aman was on Tuesday sentenced to prison after he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond charged with assault causing actual bodily harm and use of threatening language.

to ask her to have sexual intercourse with him, a request which she denied. An argument ensued and Oliviera dealt Fernandes a slap to her face, while threatening to chop her. The matter was reported and the accused was arrested and charged.

with the man. He added that his client works in the interior and would send money to the VC to pay the rent for the home, monies which he claimed she took and spent otherwise.

RML’s technical services manager, spearheaded the presentation, discussing topics like proper techniques involved in concrete batching, the process of delivering concrete, and concrete processing on site. The value of this seminar was lauded by those present. “I deal with batching concrete and I came here to learn more about it. This was a very important training seminar,” said Dipcon civil engineer Sohan Bridjlall.

TGI also took its training initiative to the airwaves on Monday, with a live television programme entitled “Concrete – Best Practices”, featuring Whaul, Rodriguez and TGI Plant Manager Mark Bender on the National Communications Network (NCN).

According to Police Prosecutor Jomo Nicholls, on the day in question, the defendant, Raul Oliviera went to the home he shared with the virtual complainant (VC) Lucy Fernandes about 12:00h. He proceeded

Oliviera, who was represented by Attorney Paul Fung -A-Fat, told the court that the defendant’s wife is an adulteress, claiming that a man comes and sees her very often and she leaves whatever she is doing to go and talk

Before sentencing the 43-year-old man, the magistrate told him that the VC’s actions did not warrant him assaulting her. She then sentenced the defendant to nine months in prison for the assault charge and three months for the use of threatening language.

Man jailed for restaurateur’s death

Leron Griffith, 26, was on Tuesday sentenced to 60 months in prison after he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Judy Latchman charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

The man was on trial after he had struck down and killed Feng Xue Fang on May 31, 2013. The man, who was represented by Attorney Paul Fung-A-Fat and subsequently

Melville Duke had entered a guilty plea.

Prosecuting the case was state prosecutor Sergeant Vishnu Hunt, who presented five witnesses during the trial. The defence had failed to present any witnesses. They were scheduled to present their case to the court today.

In handing down her sentence, Magistrate Latchman, said she felt the need to send a message to the public since road fatalities are extremely

prevalent. The accident occurred on May 31, 2013 around 15:00h in the vicinity of Agri Parts, Mandela Avenue, Georgetown. Feng Xue Fang, a restaurateur, was struck down by the defendant, who was employed by Green Ice Taxi Service, mere moments after she left her restaurant. According to some eyewitnesses, her body was flung into the air and landed several feet away from the car.

SUDOKU

Don’t be aggravated if things don’t turn out your way. Putting in extra time and energy will be necessary. Change is upon you, so prepare to accept the inevitable.

By Bernice Bede Osol

(June 21July 22) (Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Implement a clear system to prepare yourself to meet your goals. Travelling may be the best way to find the information you need to move forward.

Family matters will probably require some damage control. Awkwardness may result from your current limitations. Make use of your resources, even though family members may not be eager to follow orders.

While you are busy defending yourself, you are likely to uncover some extremely valuable information. Find an opportunity to take a little trip.

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

(July 23Aug. 22) (Feb. 20-March 20)

You will be bogged down with added responsibilities today. You may have to handle someone else’s financial matters or estate. Get informed before making any big decisions.

(March 21-April 19)

You will tend to react prematurely and get into trouble if you don’t listen carefully to what others have to say. Nothing will be as it first appears. It’s best to wait and let others approach you.

(April 20-May 20)

The harder you are willing to work, the better off you’ll be. Your eagerness to take on responsibility will impress someone who is searching for the right person to do an important job.

(May 21June 20)

Plan to go out and have a fun and social evening. You are likely to have interactions with children, and you will be surprised what they can teach you.

Don’t let anyone impede your progress. Remain aware of past mistakes to avoid falling into the same patterns. Financial strategies should be presented carefully.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Don’t be overtaken by your emotions. You will do well today if you can present a stable front. Take the time to further develop your creative ideas.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

You will have good ideas for improving your finances. If you stay grounded, you will make all the right decisions. Trust your instincts, but don’t get carried away.

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Restlessness will lead to personal changes. If you communicate your differences, reforms can be made fairly easily. Likeminded individuals will offer you their support.

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wednesday, January 22, 2014

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ull-service business solutions provider Digicel Business is the winner of the coveted Avaya Partner of the Year award.

The award was presented on Thursday, January 16 at the Avaya Partner Connection Day event held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The award ceremony, which marked the end of a week of conferences and seminars, was held to recognise and award 2013’s best partners and collaborators of Avaya Inc, a global provider of business communications and collaboration systems.

Avaya’s Managing Director for the Caribbean and Central America, Jose Fernandez, lauded Digicel Business’ achievement saying; “We would like to congratulate Digicel Business on its award as Best Business Partner for the Caribbean and Central America region. This award exemplifies Digicel Business’ commitment and dedication to meeting all of our customers’ needs in the multiple lines of business that we bring to the market.”

A division of Digicel Group, Digicel Business delivers value and innovation, enabling people to work better together and to connect with their customers,

suppliers and communities. Digicel Business said it “partners with businesses to maximise the potential of technology to solve intricate business and technical challenges”.

Delighted

This year, Digicel Business was nominated in four categories, including Best Marketing Partner of the Year, Best Project of

the Year, and Best Sales Executive of the Year. In 2012, Digicel Business won the Best Project of the Year award for the Digicel Contact Centre and the Sales Executive of the Year award went to Digicel Business Enterprise Account Manager Duwayne Watson.

“We are delighted with the recognition from Avaya. We have been very focused on expanding our techni-

cal integration capabilities and the broad range of technologies we can offer to our customers in Caribbean and LATAM markets and we see this award as total endorsement of that strategy and recognition of how Digicel has evolved from a mobile telecommunications provider into being the leading business solutions provider in the region,” Digicel Business Solutions CEO Tom Carson said.

Eid Milad un Nabi celebrations continue

The Anna Catherina Islamic Complex (ACIC); the Guyana United Sadr Islamic Anjuman (SADR); the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) Region Eight, and the Anjuman Hifazatul Islam (HIFAZ) will host a special programme today, featuring Muslim scholar Shaykh Safraz Bacchus Al Azhari.

The programme is part of activities being held in commemoration of Eid Milad un Nabi 2014 (Youman Nabi) and begins at 18:15h (after Maghrib salat) at the ACIC.

The shaykh, a Guyanaborn, New York-based orthodox Sunni scholar, studied in Egypt at the famed Al Ahzar University, the world’s oldest university. He was actively involved in Islamic Da`wah and education upon his return to his homeland. He served with the CIOG as its director of education until his migration to the United States a year ago to take up the important position of imam at Masjid Al Abdin, the largest masjid for people of West Indian origin in the tri-state.

He is also a member of the ACIC and was honoured by the prestigious National Islamic Awards Committee (NIAC) for his work in promoting Islamic education in Guyana.

In addition to Shaykh Safraz’s feature presentation, the programme will also include brief messages, qaseedas, and Quranic reci-

tations.

“International mawlid in the City Event”

One of the most exciting activities of the Eid Miladun-Nabi (Youman Nabi) 2014 celebration, in honour of the birth of the Beloved Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (SAS), was the “International Mawlid in the City Event”. In a symbolic gesture of love and peace, local Muslims handed hundreds of bouquets of red and white flowers at the ACIC, as they joined their brethren in 69 cities across the world in celebrating the international event.

Organised by the SADR and the ACIC, the event sought to convey the true message of Islam to the world.

In cities across North, South and Central America; Europe; the Middle East;

and Asia, the rose-themed events aimed to promote peace, to bring out the beautiful qualities of the Prophet Muhammad (SAS) and the beauty of his teachings, as well as to further isolate extremists of all kinds. The local organisers, in a release, stressed that “Islam is of the balanced middle way and always has been”, noting that the event targeted especially the media, which, by and large, has been guilty of portraying Muslims as an angry, violent and blood-thirsty community.

The inspiration for the International Mawlid was the hugely successful similar event held a year ago outside Google’s London headquarters.

“Guyana (through ACIC) was selected because of the fact that our great country of Guyana can be an example to

other countries on how to integrate, strengthen ties and live together as one community,” the local groups said.

Riveting

The local event, held in the ACIC on Saturday, January 11, featured qaseedas, messages, and Quranic exhortations, etc. In attendance were representatives of Muslim organisations, imams and a wide crosssection of Guyanese, including leaders of other religious groups, members of civil society, and media personnel.

Featured speaker, eminent Caribbean Muslim scholar, Maulana Dr Waffie Mohamed, in a riveting address, told the gathering that Prophet Muhammad (SAS) was sent by Allah to “the entire creation, to all human beings, not only Muslims and he was sent only as a Mercy”. With their bouquets – which symbolised Islam (white and green) and love (red) –in hand, the invited guests were certainly exposed to “the warmth, kindness and compassion which is to be learnt from the noble character of the blessed Prophet Muhammad”.

Also addressing the event were Opposition Leader David Granger, who commended the Muslim community on their observances, and Region Three Chairman Julius Faerber, who brought greetings to the Muslim community on behalf of the government.

World Cup 2014: Brazil has to be ready – Fifa

The pressure is on Brazil to be ready to host this summer’s World Cup, says Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke.

Valcke made the comments during an inspection tour of Brazil, where some of the 12 stadiums remain unfinished.

The Frenchman changed a planned visit to Manaus, where England will play their opening game against Italy, to go to the Curitiba venue which is heavily behind schedule.

“Brazil has no choice. Brazil has to be ready,” said Valcke.

“In 2007 you [Brazil] asked the world to support you to organise the World Cup in 2014. You have to welcome 31 teams from around the world.

“Brazil has to welcome thousands of thousands of

fans and 7,000 journalists coming from around the world. So, we have to work together.”

The World Cup will start at Sao Paulo’s Arena Corinthians stadium on 12 June with a match between Brazil and Croatia.

Two workmen were killed at the venue as a crane fell and destroyed parts of stadi-

um last November.

The crane that collapsed was removed last week.

“In a way I would say the pressure is a little bit bigger here,” said Valcke. “It’s the first game. It has to be a success. The world will be watching.

“We will do all that we can to make sure this opening game is a success.” (BBC Sport)

Draft ICC revamp proposal could hit a snag

With Cricket South Africa making public its opposition to the revamp of ICC’s structure, formulated by the triumvirate of BCCI, Cricket Australia and the ECB, there is a possibility of the proposal getting blocked should it come to an early vote at the ICC board meeting on January 29.

The proposal, it is understood, was only known to a handful of senior officials from the Big Three who formed part of the “working group” that drafted the document. For it to progress from merely being a proposal or a recommendation - which any individual of the ICC can make - it would need to be approved by a majority during an ICC board meeting.

There is a possibility that the draft “position paper” could be treated more than a routine recommendation. Considering that the draft of the F&CA “working group” has far-reaching changes in administrative structures, financial distribution and the creation of an entirely new commercial wing of the ICC, it could require a “special meeting” to pass what the ICC’s constitution refers to as a “special resolution”.

Mohamed pedals off programme of activities on Saturday

After staging a record 42 events in 2013, national cycling coach Hassan Mohamed will on Saturday roll out another packed programme of activities for 2014 with the aim of surpassing his achievements of the past year.

The cycling season in Georgetown will commence with the 21st annual Ricks and Sari Agro Industries Limited’s 11-race cycle programme at the inner circuit of the National Park.

The programme will pedal off at 09:00 hours, and according to Mohamed, the event should set the tone for the rest of the season.

“I’m expecting a large turnout of riders, not just for this event but all the other races I have planned this year. Last year I was able to

stage a record 42 events and hopefully this year I would surpass that number,” Mohamed intimated.

The long-serving national coach said that the long list of corporate entities and the National Sports Commission are expected to renew their sponsorship of the various events, making it much easier to match or surpass the achievements of previous years.

Saturday’s programme will see the riders competing in the 12-14 Open (three laps), BMX Boys 1214 (three laps), Veterans U-50 (five laps), BMX Boys 9-12 (three laps), Veteran O-50 (five laps), BMX Boys 6-9 (two laps), Upright (five laps), BMX Girls 6-12 (one lap), BMX Boys Open (three laps), Juveniles and

the feature School Boys and Invitational 35-lap.

In 2013, Raynauth Jeffrey clocked one hour, 16 minutes, 56 seconds (01h: 16m: 56s) to win the feature race, while Raul Leal was victorious in the Juveniles 10-lap in a time of 25 minutes, 12.34 seconds. Leal will resume competitive cycling after recovering fully from the career-threatening injuries he sustained in May last following a road accident in which he suffered a broken right forearm and right leg while training.

The first event of 2014 was held in Berbice and was won by Linden’s Orville Hinds. The road race was sponsored by Benjamin Sport Store of Fyrish, Corentyne.

Stanislas Wawrinka beats Novak Djokovic in Australian Open

To get a special resolution passed, eight out of the 10 Full Members will need to back the proposal according to the ICC Constitution. Article 6.12 a)3)b) in the constitution, which deals with voting on a special resolution, reads: “Resolution proposed at Conference or at a Special Meeting shall be deemed to have been carried as a Special Resolution only if not less than three-quarters of the aggregate number of votes exercisable by all the Full Members shall have been cast in favour of the Resolution, irrespective of whether or not all of the Full Members shall have actually been present in person or by proxy.”

along. They are acting like UN Security Council where the Big Three have veto powers,” the official said.

Stanislas Wawrinka ended the three-year reign of Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic with a stunning quarter-final victory.

Some of the officials from group of seven members, outside the Big Three, ESPNCricinfo spoke to admitted that they were concerned by development. “We have been talking between ourselves. Everyone is disturbed because the draft proposal will have greater repercussions on futures of members’ cricket,” a senior board official from the seven-member group of nations said. His greatest fear was the Australia-EnglandIndia triad were getting the majority of the funds while the G-7 were left with nothing much. “You need money to run the sport. They have proposed to make FTP optional. For such decisions you have to have everybody

The “position paper”, as the 21-page document was titled, was revealed to the Full Members for the first time during an additional ICC Board meeting to discuss “financial matters” called suddenly on January 9 in Dubai. When the proposal was presented, it not only took the representatives of the rest of the seven Full Members by surprise but also caught unawares the top brass of the ICC, comprising of president Alan Isaac, Mustafa Kamal (vice-president) and Dave Richardson (chief executive).

The meeting will be significant because of the immediacy and urgency spelt out in the “position paper” with respect to the formation of the ICC Business Co (IBC) - a new commercial arm of the ICC which will be set up to replace the existing IDI (ICC Development International). The proposal states that the IBC is to be “established immediately” in order to take overall charge of the next cycle of ICC media and sponsorship rights that cover 2015-2023, starting with the task of issuing media rights tenders.

(Cricinfo)

The Swiss eighth seed won 2-6 6-4 6-2 3-6 9-7 to set up a semi-final against Tomas Berdych, and gain revenge for an epic five-set defeat by Djokovic in the fourth round last year.

It was the first loss for Djokovic under the guidance of new coach Boris Becker, and brings to an end a winning streak of 28 matches on tour - and 25 matches over three years in Melbourne.

His last defeat in the Australian Open - which he also won in 2008 - was back in 2010 when he was ill and lost in the quarter-finals to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

“He’s an amazing champion, he never gives up. I’m really, really happy,” said 28-year-old Wawrinka.

“I was really focused point after point. I had to stay aggressive, and not give up. I was tired, I was cramping a bit, and I was nervous too. But now I’m going to have an ice bath for a very long time.”

Djokovic said: “He deserved this win. I congratulate him absolutely. There is nothing I can say.

“You know, I gave it my best. I gave it all. I tried to come out as the winner. I tried to fight until the last point as I did in a very similar match we did last year in

the fourth round, same court, but it wasn’t to be this time.”

A 15th consecutive Grand Slam semi-final had looked there for the taking when the Serb rolled through the first set thanks to some loose errors from Wawrinka in game six, but a moment of brilliance turned the match.

Wawrinka won a breathtaking rally with a flowing backhand down the line to break at 3-3 on his way to taking the second set, and the winners kept coming.

Djokovic, 26, threw a few frustrated looks towards Becker in the stands as Wawrinka powered through the third set to take a grip on the match, but finishing the job remained another matter entirely.

There were signs of fragility on Wawrinka’s more suspect forehand swing

in a tight fourth set, and Djokovic came storming back from 40-0 down to break at 4-3.

After closing it out in a tense game with an ace, the champion let out a huge roar and Becker got to his feet to urge his man on.

Keeping it away from the Wawrinka backhand whenever possible, Djokovic made what seemed to be the decisive move with a break in game three of the decider, only to hand it straight back with four forehand errors in a woeful service game.

A packed crowd on Rod Laver Arena was now reaching fever pitch as the match clock ticked past three hours, and as serve began to dominate it headed towards a fourth. A re-run of last year’s 22-game final set did not seem out of the question. (BBC Sport)

Guyanese trio aiming for consistency during ICC U-19 World Cup

By Rajiv Bisnauth

Three emerging West Indies cricketers, opening batsmen Shimron Hetmyer and Tagenarine Chanderpaul and leftarm spinner Gudakesh Motie say consistency will be their main aim during International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the United Arab Emirates UAE).

The three Guyanese are among the 15-member squad announced by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) on Saturday. They were part of the regional Under-19 side that played the Bangladesh Under-19 team in a seven-match oneday series in Guyana last October and also part of the team for the return series in Bangladesh.

However, that series was short-cut after the WICB withdrew from the tour for safety and security rea-

“Basically, I haven’t set myself any goals but would like to occupy the crease for long periods and get among the runs. I am learning a lot from my father. He told me to concentrate, play the ball on its merit, and occupy the crease for long periods.”

sons, following an explosion near the team hotel in Chittagong.

Meanwhile, in exclusive interviews with Guyana Times Sport, the players say they are elated with their selection, adding that consistency will be their watchword during the tournament. “It is a great feeling to represent West Indies at a youth world cup. And all I am looking for is to stay focused and live up to the expectations,” Hetmyer

Hetmyer, a left-handed opener, who plies his trade with the Young Warriors Cricket Club in Berbice, added, “I want to use this tournament to develop my game; it’s a big step in my career, so I am looking forward to it.”

Chanderpaul, who along with Motie was encamped with the national senior squad, preparing for the upcoming WICB’s NAGICOsponsored Super50 competition starting next week, said he is looking forward to the tour. “I am thrilled to be named in the West Indies U-19 world cup team; I am really looking forward to the series and want to make Guyana and the region proud,” said Chanderpaul.

On the other hand, Motie said his expectations of the tour are high, as his aim is to use it to take his game to the next level. “I’m really looking forward to it, because bowling on different turfs will definitely help me to improve on my game and move to the next level,” he said.

The three joined the rest of the squad on Tuesday in Barbados for a one-week camp at the Sagicor High Performance Centre before departing for Dubai.

The team will be led Jamaican off-spinning allrounder Ramaal Lewis, while vice-captain is Nicholas Pooran, the lefthanded wicket-keeper/batsman from Trinidad and Tobago (T&T). Head coach is Roddy Estwick.

Fixture and squads

This year’s tournament will feature 16 teams in four groups. The Windies have been drawn alongside South Africa, Zimbabwe and Canada in Group C. Their opening preliminary match is against the Proteas on February 14 at the Dubai International Stadium.

The second match is on February 16 against Zimbabwe at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, while the third games is two days later against the Canadians at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium Nursery Ground One.

The full squad reads: Ramaal Lewis (Jamaica; captain), Nicholas Pooran (T&T; vice-captain), Fabian Allen (Jamaica), Tagenarine Chanderpaul (Guyana), Bryan Charles (T&T), Tristan Coleman (Jamaica), Jonathan Drakes (Barbados), Shimron Hetmeyer (Guyana), Jerome Jones (Barbados), Ray Jordan (Windward Islands), Brandon King (Jamaica), Preston McSween (Windward Islands), Marquino Mindley (Jamaica), Gudakesh Motie (Guyana) and Jeremy Solozano (T&T).

NCN continues to sponsor Berbice Under-15 cricket tournament

which help youths channel their energy in positive directions.

“We have a social obligation to give back to society and events, such as sports, contribute to the positive development of our young people,” he said. “Therefore we at NCN are more than honored to be associated with events of the BCB.”

Prior to Gordon’s remarks, BCB Special Events Committee Chairman Hilbert Foster expressed his delight that NCN has once again come on board as the official sponsor of the tournament.

By Rajiv Bisnauth

While cricket in Guyana continues to suffer from administrative struggles and lack of visionary management, the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) can perhaps safely be described as a model of how to achieve goals with proven and dynamic leadership.

On Tuesday, the BCB and the National Communications Network (NCN) confirmed their relationship for the sixth consecutive year with the launching of the NCN Inter-Zone Under-15 cricket tournament.

The company’s Assistant Sport Editor Alethea GrantCharles handed over a cheque worth $211,000 to BCB Secretary Angela Haniff. The presentation ceremony was held in the studio of NCN, Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown.

Prior to the ceremo-

ny, NCN’s acting Chief Executive Office (CEO) Michael Gordon described the BCB as a good example of the administration of the game in Guyana.

He added that NCN was “highly impressed” with the level of cricket as well as the cricket administration in Berbice, which prompted the company to give an additional commitment to ensure the success of the tournament.

“The National Communications Network has observed the degree of management and administration executed by the BCB – in fact we here at NCN believe that in the context of Guyana, in the local context, BCB shines as an example perhaps as the bastion of the administration of the game in Guyana,” Gordon said.

Gordon disclosed that NCN “considers itself a good corporate citizen” and is involved in a number of activities, especially sports,

He expressed gratitude to the management and staff of the entity for investing in Berbice cricket and expressed the hope that the relationship between the two organisations would be long and successful.

The tournament will feature players born on or after September 1, 1999. It will involve the best Under-15 players in Berbice playing for Upper Corentyne, Lower Corentyne, New Amsterdam/Canje and West Berbice. West Berbice will play New Amsterdam/Canje at the Cumberland ground while Lower Corentyne will clash with Upper Corentyne at the Area H ground.

Matches will be played over two days and the two top teams will face each other in the finals at a venue to be announced. The winner will collect $60,000 and trophy, while the other teams will also receive monetary prizes.

The Berbice Under-15 team will be selected based on performance in the tournament.

Whatmore delighted with “perfect” send-off

Dav Whatmore has commended the Pakistan team for giving him the “perfect” send-off as his coaching tenure with the team came to an end in the form of an exciting five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka to draw the Test series in the UAE 1-1. It had been announced last November that he would step down as Pakistan head coach following the conclusion of the series.

Pakistan chased down a difficult 302-run target on the final day of the third Test, with Azhar Ali leading the way by compiling a fifth Test hundred, while Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfraz Ahmed sealed the contest with crucial knocks.

“[I am] absolutely delighted. It’s a satisfying win and a perfect gift the boys have given me on my departure,” said Whatmore. “I am leaving the Pakistan Cricket Board on amicable terms, but it’s not a case of leaving Pakistan and not wanting ever to come back.

“I am sure that I will be

Dav Whatmore took over as Pakistan coach just before the Asia Cup in March 2012

back in a different capacity, sooner rather than later. I will always look forward to coming back to Pakistan.”

Whatmore confirmed that the victory was definitely one of the highlights of his coaching career. “This victory [against Sri Lanka] will be ranked up there with the (one-day) series win in India and one-day win in South Africa (2013) and the Asia Cup, are pretty decent to start with. When we arrived we were not given any chances in South Africa so there were some high points.”

He also stated the team’s future will be determined not by the legacy he has left, but rather how the new coach, when appointed, would fare over the next coming months.

“It is for the next coach to do the [future development]. The nucleus is there. We have to pay a little bit more attention to the eleven we play. The will is there and that is a major asset.”

Whatmore took over as coach in March 2012 from Mohsin Khan. Prior to that, he had also coached Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. (Cricinfo)

Who will lead West Indies’ regeneration?

– after heavy losses in India and New Zealand there’s a need for some serious introspection

Beaten and battered in two bruising campaigns, those West Indies players still standing finally staggered home last week with a bag full of questions to be asked and answered over what really went on in India and, especially, New Zealand.

Reports from media conferences on tour were filled with comments that need expanding on by the new director of cricket, Richard Pybus, and the cricket and executive committees of the West Indies Cricket Board. The claim by ODI captain Dwayne Bravo on arrival in New Zealand that a lack of unity led to the poor performances will be a prominent item in the debriefing. So would the allusion to players’ indifference by the manager, Richie Richardson (“it bothers me when you see guys hang around the changing room at the ground, doing nothing, like they’re still back at the hotel room”) and the mysterious “personal reasons” given for the hasty exit from New Zealand of Darren, the younger Bravo, that set off widespread gossip. Captain Darren Sammy’s candid acceptance that he could be one of those on return home whose “careers are on the line”, as he put it, has poured more fuel on a fire that has flickered since his appointment three years ago. His obvious commitment to the team and the way he has handled the position in difficult times have earned Sammy a justifiable reputation as leader; the snag is that, as his stats indicate, he is a Test allrounder purely in name.

As always, it is who as captain if not Sammy?

While New Zealand present Corey Anderson, and England, Ben Stokes out of nowhere, there is no young allrounder of even that level to be presently found in a region that produced the greatest of them all.

Nor are there obvious future captains such as Virat Kohli currently is for India and Alastair Cook and Michael Clarke were when Andrew Strauss and Ricky Ponting stepped down from their posts.

Made skipper of the A team in its most recent series against Sri Lanka and India, batsman Kirk

Edwards appeared the likeliest contender. The Barbados selectors essentially torpedoed that plan last week, inexplicably replacing him for the coming first-class season with Kraigg Brathwaite; it is a formidable challenge for the 21-year-old opener, who approaches his batting with single-minded Chanderpaulian dedication and for whom captaincy would be an unnecessary distraction.

It leaves Dwayne Bravo as the only like-for-like choice, should Sammy go, as he seemingly expects to. Bravo is 30 and as gung-ho

as ever, yet he hasn’t played a Test in three years, while prospering in T20 leagues. Nor is he nearly the super allrounder he promised in his early years in the West Indies team. His elevation to the ODI captaincy last year “to refresh the leadership”, according to the selectors, was a clue to their thinking. Sammy remained at the helm for Tests and T20s; it has understandably proved a divisive arrangement.

Other long-serving candidates have been suggested. Denesh Ramdin has intermittently been the West Indies vice-captain, as he was in India and New Zealand, and a successful skipper of Trinidad & Tobago.

To dovetail with Bravo’s West Indies’ position, he has been shunted aside for the imminent regional Super50 tournament; Trinidad & Tobago would send an unequivocal message by retaining Bravo for the firstclass season as well. Those in the know regard that as unlikely.

Indeed, the former T&T captain, Daren Ganga, has gone for a long shot. Ramnaresh Sarwan was Brian Lara’s natural successor, taking over after the great left-hander’s retirement in 2007. Untimely injuries opened the way for Chris Gayle, and Sarwan was never called on again. Over the past few years, he fell out with the WICB’s former chief executive Ernest Hilaire and with Ottis Gibson, the coach. Sarwan claimed that episode affected his form; the last of his 87 Tests was in June 2011. He is 33, hardly old age for a batsman, and says he’s committed to forcing his way back in with performanc-

Emmanuel to replace Sammy in Windwards

Defending champions Windward Islands will be without captain and allrounder Darren Sammy for the upcoming NAGICO Super50 Tournament.

Sammy, the West Indies Test and T20 captain, was named to lead the Windwards, but had to withdraw with an injury.

He will be replaced by fellow allrounder Craig Emmanuel, while Liam Sebastien will assume the role as captain. Andre Fletcher is the new vice captain. Sebastien was at the helm when the Windwards won the tournament in 2013.

the tournament in style... so I’m backing my team to do it again this year. Craig is a good, experienced cricketer who is very capable of performing at this level.”

The NAGICO Super50 tournament will run from January 30 to February 15 and will be broadcast live on ESPN for the television audience and on Caribbean Super Station radio. Matches will be played at Queen’s Park Oval in Portof-Spain and Shaw Park, Tobago.

es in the coming regional tournaments. As captain? Improbable, but not entirely impossible.

In addition to the captaincy issues, the immediate on-field focus is on the regional tournaments over the coming three monthsthe Super50 in late January and early February, and the first-class from late February. They assume added substance given Sammy’s blast after the New Zealand thrashing that “we cannot continue like this”.

His contention that some careers are on the line places pressure to perform on those who faltered in India and New Zealand, even those as established as Gayle and Marlon Samuels (average 21.6 in the five Tests).

At 23, the elegant lefthand opener Kieran Powell is still seen, along with Darren Bravo, as key to the long-term batting. He kept devising frustrating ways of getting out, didn’t pass 50 once in ten innings, and averaged 22.50. He needs a

productive season. At 30 and without a hundred after 18 Tests, Narsingh Deonarine, the middle-order left-hander and useful offspinner, has surely come to the end of the line.

So too Tino Best. For all his 90mph pace, energy and enthusiasm, a return of 57 wickets in 25 Tests at 40 each is not a recommendation for continuation.

Shannon Gabriel, 25, and the left-armer Sheldon Cottrell, 24, carried real hopes of two tall, strong bowlers capable of intimidating pace to partner the injured Kemar Roach when his shoulder surgery mends sufficiently for his return. On the tour technical flaws were revealed that now need attention from the coaches.

Jerome Taylor’s reappearance for Jamaica in the Super50 is encouraging news. His unforgettable 5 for 11 opening burst which blew England away for 51 in their second innings at Sabina Park in 2009 highlighted his quality as a pacy swing bowler. He had 82 wickets from 29 Tests, with a hundred and a 50 to boot, before, for several reasons, he disappeared off the radar in 2010. Now 29, there are hopeful expectations for his first season back.

There are a host of others who have already made their names with the A team - the left-hand batsmen Jonathan Carter and Leon Johnson, the quick bowlers Miguel Cummins and Delorn Johnson, for instance - who must realise that now is the time to seize the moment.

West Indies cricket is certainly crying out for a regeneration. (cricinfo)

Port of Spain, Trinidad - Fans will only have to dish out $30 to see the preliminary round matches of the Nagico Super 50 tournament, according to a media release issued by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB).

“I suffered a Grade 2 injury in New Zealand and it is still not fully healed. I still require some more time to get back ‘on the park’. I want to make sure I’m at peak fitness when

Sammy sustained a hamstring injury during the recent tour of New Zealand and has not fully recovered. He will travel to Antigua this week to continue his rehabilitation with Hector Martinez Charles, the West Indies Team’s Strength and Conditioning Co-ordinator.

I make my return. I’m looking to make a return when we [West Indies] play against Ireland in Jamaica in second half of February,” Sammy told WICB Media.

“We [Windwards] did really well last year under the captaincy of Liam and won

Windward Islands Squad: Liam Sebastien (captain), Andre Fletcher (vice captain), Johnson Charles (wicket-keeper), Tyron Theophille, Mervin Matthew, Craig Emmanuel, Garey Mathurin, Keddy Lesporis, Devon Smith, Dalton Polius, Delorn Johnson, Kenroy Peters, Romel Currency, Alston Bobb (WICB Media Release)

For the semi-finals on February 12 and 13, the entry fee will rise to $40 while spectators will only have to pay $50 to see the grand final.

The preliminary round will bowl off on January 30 and will run until February 15 with matches at both the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair and Shaw Park in Scarborough.

All matches in Trinidad will be day/night fixtures (starting at 13:30 hours) while the two matches in Tobago — February 5 and 6 — will be day games (09:00 hours). (WICB

UDFA executives challenge suspensions by GFF

Executives of the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) are challenging the move by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) to suspend them, stating that “the entire process is riddled with violations”.

Several executives of the UDFA were slapped with heavy suspensions on Friday by the GFF, for alledgedly acting in contravention of the constitution.

The move to impose the penalties on the UDFA stemmed from the association’s choice to play the final of the GT Beer year-end competition despite the GFF Congress passing a ruling that no other final should be played, but the Banks Beer Knockout Cup, which was hosted on January 1.

During a press briefing on Tuesday in the boardroom of the Critchlow Labour College, president of the UDFA, Sharma Solomon, said the association is prepared the challenge “the reckless and unconstitutional decision of the GFF since the entire process is riddled with violations of the rules that guide the conduct of the business of the GFF”.

He said the executives of the UDFA were never charged and placed in front of the Disciplinary Committee where the right to be heard would have been given based on Article 56 of the GFF constitution.

“Article 56 speaks to the judicial bodies. Where is the Disciplinary Committee? Where is the Appeal Committee? Since members of the executives were never

charged and placed in front of the committee, this constitutes a major infraction of the rules of the organisation,” he added.

The most severe penalty was handed down to Solomon, who was given an eight-year suspension, while every executive member of the association, including GFF second vice-president Collie Hercules will serve a five-year suspension.

Despite the recent development, Solomon said the UDFA will continue with its mandate to promote football within its jurisdiction since the body is not in receipt of any document confirming that the executives have indeed been suspended.

“The UDFA wishes to strongly register its concern as to the quality of leadership given by the president [Christopher Matthias] and General Secretary [Noel Adonis] of the GFF, while recognising that the general secretary and president respectively served in esteemed positions prior to their present posts,” Solomon stated.

“Their performance at this juncture brings into question what quality of service they may have given to the taxpayers of this country as we see the breaking of the GFF rules to satisfy the political machination of a group at the expense of the UDFA and the people of Linden,” said Solomon.

The suspensions mean that the executives in question will not be allowed to participate in any football related activities for the said period.

Djokovic “satisfied”...

“[Wawrinka] had been blocking my serve,” said Djokovic. “He’d been chipping the return for the whole match basically.

“And it was actually a good decision. I had a good serve and volley and good volley, but didn’t put it away.”

The shock result ended Djokovic’s 28-match winning streak, a 25-match run at the Australian Open and 14 consecutive Grand Slam semi-final appearances.

It was also the first time since 2006 that Wawrinka had beaten Djokovic, and gained the Swiss some revenge for five-set defeats at last year’s Australian and US Opens.

“He’s in great form,” said Djokovic. “In the last 15 months he’s had the best results. He’s established now in the top 10, he’s been winning against top players in big tournaments, he won against [Andy] Murray in the US Open last year.

“So he knows how to play on the big stage. You could feel that with his game. He’s really taking it to the opponent and step-

ping in.

“When you’re playing like this, the only thing I can say is congratulations.”

Djokovic won his first Grand Slam title on Rod Laver Arena in 2008, and began a spectacular winning run in 2011 that saw him beat Andy Murray in the 2011 and 2013 finals, and Rafael Nadal in an incredible six-hour final in 2012.

“I have to be very proud of my accomplishments in my whole career, and especially in this tournament,” said the world number two.

“This is definitely by far the most successful Grand Slam that I have.”

He added: “It’s an amazing court, probably the court where I have had the most excitement in my tennis career.

“I mean, matches with Rafa, with Stan, last year, this year, some epic battles. I love that court. These are kind of matches that you work for, you live for, you practise for.

“Unfortunately somebody has to lose in the endthis year it was me. I lost to a better player.” (BBC Sport)

National XI 1604, chasing 251 for victory

The National XI reached 160-4 in 36 overs, chasing 251 for victory against the Rest combination in the first of two practice matches on Tuesday under lights at the Guyana National Stadium. Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Up to Guyana Times Sport press time, West Indies batsman and national vice captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 67 and skipper Christopher Barnwell was on five, still 91 runs away from victory with 14 overs remaining.

The batsmen dismissed were Assad Fudadin (8), Robin Bacchus (27), Narsingh Deonarine (21) and Royston Crandon (25).

Earlier, batting first, the Rest combination posted 250-6 in their 50 overs. Out-of-favour batsmen Sewnarine Chattergoon

and Rajendra Chandrika hit contrasting half-centuries.

Chandrika made 62 off 77 deliveries with four fours and a six, while the former West Indies opener Chattergoon hit an 86-ball 55, inclusive of four boundaries.

The pair was supported by the diminutive Vishal Singh (49) and the hard hitting Jonathan Foo (22).

National skipper Christopher Barnwell was the best bowler on show for the National X1, capturing 4-44. Spinners Royston Crandon and Veersammy Permaul had figures of 1-44 and 1-55 respectively.

The warm-up game is the first of two day/night games planned this week for the senior national cricketers, who are preparing to compete in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) NAGICO Super50 tourna-

ment, starting January 30 in Trinidad and Tobago.

The second match will take place on Friday at the same venue.

All of Guyana’s games in the Super50 competition are day/night fixtures. Captained by West Indies Twenty20 all-rounder Barnwell, the Guyana team will be aiming for their 10th regional 50-over title, the last of which was won in 2005.

Back then, Guyana defeated Barbados in near darkness in the KFC Cup final at the GCC ground, Bourda in Georgetown on the strength of a Sewnarine Chattergoon’s career-best hundred.

The tournament will feature hosts Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica, Windward Islands, Leeward Islands, Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) and

International Cricket Council (ICC) affiliate side Ireland.

Guyana will open its quest for honours against Ireland in a Zone A match on January 31.

The other two teams in Zone A are Jamaica and defending champions Windward Islands. The Guyanese will then play Jamaica on February 4, before taking on the defending champions on February 8.

Guyana’s full 14man squad reads: Robin Bacchus, Trevon Griffith, Leon Johnson, Shivnarine Chanderpaul (vice-captain), Narsingh Deonarine, Christopher Barnwell (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Royston Crandon, Assad Fudadin, Anthony Bramble (w/k), Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Ronsford Beaton and Paul Wintz. (Rajiv Bisnauth)

Djokovic “satisfied” with coach Becker

Novak Djokovic is satisfied with the early progress being made under new head coach Boris Becker, despite defeat by Stanislas Wawrinka at the Australian Open.

Djokovic, winner of the last three titles at Melbourne Park, was beaten 2-6 6-4 6-2 3-6 9-7 in the quarter-finals.

It was his first defeat since taking on former world number one Becker in December.

“It’s been the first official tournament for us. I’m sat-

isfied with things that we’ve been talking about, working on,” said the Serb.

“Of course, it’s unfortunate that we finished the tournament in the quarterfinals. But it’s the beginning of the season and we’ll see what’s coming next.”

Djokovic had brought back memories of threetime Wimbledon champion Becker when he chose to serve-volley facing match point, only to steer a forehand effort into the tramlines.