Guyana Times Daily

friday, july 25, 2014| guyanatimesgy.com

PAHO workshop puts spotlight on health journalism

By Svetlana MarShall

Journalists from leading media houses in Guyana on Wednesday completed two days of extensive training on the importance of “Health Journalism”, ahead of the Pan-American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) Media Awards Ceremony in December.

The PAHO/WHO Guyana Country Office Media Awards for Excellence in Health Journalism 2014 returns to the scene after approxi-

mately seven years.

During the commencement of the seminar on Tuesday at the Cara Lodge Hotel, PAHO/WHO Country Representative, Dr William Adu-Krow; Advisor on HIV, Dr Rosalinda Hernandez; PAHO/CIDA Coordinator Melanie Thomas; and Health Promotions Officer Angela Hoyte delivered extensive presentations on the work being done to curb communicable and non-communicable diseases, particularly in Guyana.

In his interactions, Dr Adu-Krow said it is critical for journalists to understand health-related issues before penning their articles; as he underscored the importance of research. He said by the understanding the issues, journalists would be able to move beyond the mundane way of reporting.

According to him, for far too long media operatives have been practicing passive reporting in the area of health, as he called on them to be proactive through the unveiling of stories that are not often told, but will significantly impact the lives of Guyanese and persons around the world.

The journalists also had the opportunity to graze shoulders with Alliance For Change (AFC) Parliamentarian Cathy Hughes, who is a specialist within the media fraternity. Hughes, who was acting in the capacity as the PAHO/WHO Consultant, has worked in the media in the Caribbean and internationally for more than 20 years, first as a news reporter for the Caribbean News Agency. In 1987, she joined the BBC’s Radio Merseyside team as a freelance reporter before moving to Texas in 1989 where she worked with the CNN’s Headline News in College Station, Texas and Louisiana.

Voice of the voiceless

For many of the journalists, Hughes’ accomplishments are truly inspirational, and they recommitted themselves toward being the voice of the voiceless within the health sector.

In her presentation, Hughes said the “promotion of good health is the foundation of development”, as she bridged the gap between journalists in Guyana and the PAHO/WHO. With help from institutions such as PAHO and WHO, Hughes said operatives within the media fraternity can disseminate information on the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which is also linked to a clean and safe environment.

“The role of the journalist in this partnership is vital to the process of informing and educating citizens in our communities. The task of good journalism therefore must be to throw the light and understanding on these issues, and to provide accurate information on a range of health- related issues so that consumers

can make informed choices and decisions regarding their health.” According to the expert, this role is best exemplified by the quality and frequency of coverage of health information in the media through careful analysis.

“Today, the media must go beyond merely reporting the sensational stories, the malpractice cases, deaths due to negligence and must go further; crafting attractive, innovative ways of presenting need to know health information to the general public,” Hughes said as she called on journalists to up their game and enter the world of excellence.

Turning her attention to the 2014 Guyana Media Awards, Hughes said the key phrase is “Excellence in Health Journalism”. She said once again, journalists, reporters and media operatives across the country are getting the opportunity to compete in the three categories of the PAHO/ WHO Health Awards: Print (best health news story and best health feature article), Radio (best health news report and best feature or documentary), and Television (best news report and best feature or documentary). However, contesters would only be allowed to submit a maximum of four entries for each category.

Hughes said entries must have relevance to local health issues, stating that they must have the capacity of increasing health awareness and the potential to influence the adoption of healthy lifestyles.

“Judges will consider the originality and timeliness of the subject, the impact of the story in terms of the writer or producers style of writing and ability to evoke emotion in the reader or viewer,” she posited.

It was noted that the submitted pieces must have been published or broadcasted nationally during the period January 1, 2014 and November 13, 2014. The entries must be submitted by 16:00h on November 14 to the PAHO, Guyana Office, Lot 8 Brickdam, Stabroek. (svetlanam@guyanatimesgy.com)

Finance Minister’s referral to Privileges Committee a legal issue – Attorney General

inance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, has been referred to the Privileges Committee of the National Assembly, but the Government of Guyana said it will challenge the ruling made by Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman.

On Thursday, the Speaker ruled that a prima facie case had been made out against the Finance Minister; hence, he was referred to the Committee of Privileges over the $4.5 billion spent from the national coffers despite objections from the National Assembly.

The ruling comes in the wake of a motion submitted by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Shadow Finance Minister Carl Greenidge seeking a committal of the issue to the Privileges Committee to pave the way for appropriate sanctions to be imposed. In his motion, Greenidge said although the National Assembly in April 2014 did not approve several programmes contained in the Budget, the Finance Minister on June 19 submitted Financial Paper No 1 of 2014 (Statement of Excess on the Current and Capital Estimates totalling $4,553,761,991, for the period ended June 16, 2014) seeking the House’s approval of this expenditure.

Ruling

In his ruling, Trotman said Dr Singh relied on Article 218 (3b) as the legal basis for the expenditure. That Article states: “If in respect of any financial year, it is found that any moneys have been expended for any purpose in excess of the amount appropriated for that purpose by the Appropriation Act or for a purpose for which no amount has been appropriated by that Act, a supplementary estimate, or as the case may be, a Statement of Excess showing the sums required or spent shall be laid before the Assembly by the Minister responsible for finance or any other Minister designated by the President.”

The APNU Shadow Finance Minister maintained the argument that the Finance Minister breached his parliamentary privilege and was, therefore, in contempt of Parliament by utilising money that was unauthorised, notwithstanding Article 218.

In keeping with Order

32 of the Standing Orders and Rules of the National Assembly which state that the Speaker has the authority to determine whether or not there is prima facie evidence case against a Member of the House, Trotman said the 2014 National Budget was presented and dealt with in accordance with the ruling of acting Chief Justice filed on January 29.

It was stated too that the Finance Minister adopted the Committee of Supply’s recommendations for “amendments” to the Estimates and amended the Estimates in accordance with the ruling. “This was done when he (the Finance Minister) reported to the House after the Committee of Supply’s review.”

Assent

Subsequently, the House approved the Appropriation Bill, as amended by the Finance Minister. The Speaker further pointed out that “His Excellency, the President subsequently assented to the Appropriation Bill. This then became an Act of Parliament (No 10 of 2014) giving authorisation for spending from the Consolidated Fund.”

Despite the Appropriation Bill being passed into law, Trotman said, Minister Singh proceeded to spend unauthorised funds. “The facts and circumstances of these withdrawals from the Consolidated [Fund] are clearly distinguishable from those that occurred in 2012 and 2013 for the reason being that in 2014, the National Assembly, though aggrieved by the Chief Justice’s decision of January 29, 2014, sought to comply in spirit and in letter. The cause for the accusation of “unlawful or unconstitutional” action on

the part of the Assembly when it amended the budget was removed.”

In considering the facts of the matter, the Speaker said: “It is my considered opinion that the issue of the spending by the Hon Minister of Finance does raise sufficiently serious questions of privilege such that the Committee of Privileges should enquire into.”

Response

But hours after the ruling by Trotman, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall said the motion was purely a legal one. “It concerns the interpretation of several provisions of the Constitution, including Articles 217 and 218. Articles 217 essentially provides when and in what circumstances, monies can be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund.”

He explained that Article 218 creates the avenue needed to withdraw monies from the Consolidated Fund outside of the limitation imposed by Article 217. According to him, Article 218 is but an exception to Article 217. “That is precisely why the wording of Article 218 succeeds the words of Article 217. These very two Articles were examined by the Honourable Chief Justice in the Budget Cut case and interpreted along the same vein that I have articulated,” the Legal Affairs Minister stressed.

“Constitutional supremacy, which is the cornerstone upon which our constitutional democracy rests, mandates that the glories of the common law, statute law, bylaws, standing orders, rules and regulations and indeed administrative polices, must bend and bow to the provisions of the Constitution.”

Jurisdiction

Minister Nandlall is of the firm belief that the Speaker fell into error in determining that there was a serious question of privilege. He maintained that the Privileges Committee is without jurisdiction to convene over the matter for a number of reasons.

Referencing the composition of the Committee, the Attorney General said its membership will comprise political parties, the majority of which have publicly stated that the Finance Minister has violated the Constitution. According to him, it is impossible for the Finance Minister to get a fair hearing at the Privileges Committee. “The persons who will sit on this Committee are simply unqualified to determine the legal issues which will arise therein.”

He said too that the issue was also sub judice, noting that it was the subject of an appeal pending before the Guyana Court of Appeal and, therefore, ought not to be the subject of any consideration either in the National Assembly as a whole or in any of its committees.

Based on his argument, he opined that it is hardly a matter of “privilege” but rather one of law and constitutional interpretation. “The simple truth is, that, a Member of the House cannot act in conformity with the Constitution and at the same time, violate a privilege,” the Legal Affairs Minister said.

Minister Nandlall reiterated that over the next few days, Government will be considering its options.

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, letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Copyright

The issue of copyright has been an ongoing subject of debate and will remain so as long as members of the creative industry believe that more needs to be done to protect their work. And why not? For some, it is their main source of income and their labour and hard work must not be the bounty of the opportunists operating in the lucrative piracy of creative works industry.

This travesty has been stifling the growth and development of the local industry, as it is difficult for professionals to market their work and make a living, much less enjoy a comfortable life. Perhaps, this is the primary reason some of the betterknown names in the local performing industry are choosing Guyana mainly for the big concerts, rather than marketing and developing their trade in their homeland.

There has been the argument that modernising the extant 1956 Copyright Act must be a careful exercise, taking into consideration the current situation that obtains in Guyana. Attorney General Anil Nandlall, at a recent forum on Intellectual Property, said thus:

“Speaking for the Government of Guyana, it is not that sufficient attention has not, and will not, be placed in this direction… when one is in the position of Government in a developing country, there are certain considerations to which one cannot turn a blind eye, and one has to be careful that one does not design, implement and execute a system of laws and policies that are inconsistent with the realities of the society in which those rules and regulations are expected to operate.”

Indeed and quite evidently from this pronouncement, the Government recognises the need for copyright reform, but is placed between a rock and a hard place on the matter, more so given its performance at the last General and Regional Elections.

With the prevailing tense political atmosphere, copyright legislation reform, most certainly, now is an item on the bottom of the agenda, both of the Government and Opposition political parties. Interestingly too, the Opposition has never been vocal on the need to modernise the limited 1956 Copyright Act, which does provide protection of literary, musical, dramatic and artistic works.

Guyana inherited the legislation from Great Britain following its Independence in 1966 and has never revised it since, even though its former colonial master had long repealed the legislation that deemed copyright infringement a civil wrong.

From then to now, there have been significant changes, with some experts expressing the need for the Act to be revised to purge it of obsolete clauses, and for it to be broadened to include modern patents, Internet laws, private international law, consumer laws and international business law, among others.

They cannot be more spot-on, as notwithstanding the political climate of Guyana and the current economic realities, the situation ahead is unlikely to change much to create a favourable environment for Government to revise and implement a modern Copyright Act.

What can be done, in keeping with the AG’s suggestion for a careful revision of the Act, is to modernise the old legislation in a gradual manner, with the aim of discouraging acts of intellectual piracy. Guyana can do so by implementing heavy fines and making provisions for out-of-court settlements.

A time must come, regardless of the political atmosphere, that Guyana must move to fully protect its knowledge-based economy by enacting and enforcing legislation that covers the gamut of issues in the area of copyright. It was the lack thereof that contributed to the death of the local cinema industry.

The environment must be created for small and mediumsized enterprises spring forth from the creative industry to develop and flourish, providing a platform for artistic men and women to be nurtured locally, and to become international stars. Jamaica and Trinidad are two sister Caricom nations that provide this enabling environment.

The professionals produced by Guyana can become some of the foremost ambassadors in promoting the country as a tourism destination.

not this book, Mommy?

Extolling PNC failures hinders Guyanese from moving ahead

Dear Editor, In reinforcing affirmation that Guyanese workers, especially Indians, are indebted because the AfroGuyanese-led TUC fought for those benefits, Lincoln Lewis proudly also reminds us that “these were done during the stewardship of an African-dominated PNC government”.

But isn’t living in the PNC’s past graduated as a bigger burden for black progress? Dialogue should, however, continue even with a gifted shape-shifter, now holding forth about yesterday’s PNC magnificence. Mr Lewis, of course, has the democratic right to remain anchored in yesterday’s starvation.

But assuredly what is currently desired, and it is also everyone’s right, is to be included as equal beneficiaries in “the nation’s bounty and beauty” regardless if it is under stewardship of a working-class-based PPP/C Government that has massively neglected its Indian base ,no less working class for sure!

No way does it logically follow that when Mr Lewis’s

Reporter,

Dear Editor,

The Guyana Police Force is responding to an article published on July 23 in another section of the press headlined, “GRA mulls boosting up armoury to confront armed criminals”.

In the article, it is stated that the row between the GRA and the Police went up another notch with officials from both sides accusing each other of corruption.

TUC democratically opted to remain manacled to the PNC and its sordid past, can any demands by race entitlement become the leapfrog automatic solution of equality.

Extolling embrace of PNC failures in racial solidarity is not only a forever- hindering imposition on all Guyanese moving ahead , but it reinforces such permanent imprisonment as an anchor keeping them back.

Until such issues are exhaustively addressed, the many centuries-old “anchoring slave mentality” will continue to keep black Guyanese from emerging into the 21st Century as self-sufficient bountiful cool cats dependent on none!

Why does Mr Lewis boldly deny, in his own words, mind you, that he “did not set out in any form or claim to say executive power-sharing/shared-governance must be the new form of executive governance”? Could he have set out to probably embrace Federalism and sing a sweet song of sixpence?

Still touting old-time TUC munificence to all workers – no exceptions , it

It then goes on to state that the Police official that was contacted by the newspaper was “a senior Police official speaking on condition of anonymity” while for the GRA it was “a GRA official”.

The Guyana Police Force wishes to state that it is not aware of any row with the GRA and that the cooperation between the Police Force and the GRA remains

was Mr Lewis himself who also reminded us that “the call by the GTUC, though initially rejected, or not quite understood by some, has, over the years, been reproduced in various forms in the call for executive power sharing”.

The same old-timer also wrote that “though there’s respect for the calls for a new model of executive governance, what is not being made clear is how this will… (be implemented).” All these ingredients Mr Lewis wants us to believe, in no way, endorse “power dispensation” by whatever flavour of the month it is described.

Guyanese swift automatic evaluation of such catalogued fossils of yesteryear will not find it anyhow difficult to discern if these are intentionally more lies , damned lies or barefaced lies all packaged, especially by an undaunted trade unionist, to be tomorrow’s new refreshing Jonestown koolaid tonic. It’s either partition, sharing of whatever, retaining the present status quo, or federalism for sure.

While Mr Lewis rides the sprinting “race horse”

steadfast and at a consistently high level.

The Police Force is also expressing serious concern over the wickedness of the newspaper in putting out information that impacts negatively on the integrity of officers of the law enforcement agencies and the inter-agency relationship. Information which the Police Force strongly believes are the vile thoughts

like a seasoned jockey, he is also most welcome to ignore to thy kingdom come, those glaring valid demands which are embedded with their own prerequisite, urgency and necessity: “For power-sharing to work it must be very clear what is being brought to the table by all sides.”

Would these demands disappear if ignored? The Opposition is the alternative Government in all democracies but not by entitlement or race. Those PNC happyhappy joy-joy days for 28 years, in his words “under an African-dominated PNC government” inspires no confidence. With the “frying pan” in charge, the “fire” is the alternative, the “match” from Linden is out of the box and the big pookney (“fan”) in the AFC are all on standby for “slow fire more fire!”. There are many talented Guyanese on both sides of the divide who will never rise to the top. But no one marches into oblivion by choice in a democracy.

Sincerely, Sultan Mohamed

of the newspaper reporter who penned the article and who is hiding behind the frequently used term “Police official” or “Police source” and, in this instance, “GRA official”.

Sincerely, Ivelaw

Whittaker Public Relations and Press Officer

Employment of relatives in an organisation

Dear Editor,

Last Sunday, a few of our newspapers carried reports of “children and relatives” of the head of a public organisation being employed in the same organisation, thus raising questions of potential managerial and staff relations improprieties.

The very next day, the head of the organisation responded, stating that “my children were not given any special or peculiar treatment in terms of position, salary or status and were subjected to competitive interviews before being employed”, etc, etc.

Issues regarding the employment of relatives in the same organisation, whether or not the organisation is headed by a relative, have always been quite contentious and, as far as I know from my fairly wide experi-

ence, the dilemma will continue especially in small societies that are prone to suspicion, rightly or wrongly, of malpractice especially among executives and leaders, despite the protestations, swearings and/or substance of ‘due process’ in the employment function.

It is a conundrum that goes to the heart of the ageold doctrine of letting justice be done and be seen to be done with greater emphasis on the “seeing” as opposed to the “doing”!

Some organisations have a stated written policy on the subject; the United Nations, for example, of which I have firsthand knowledge, expressly prohibits the employment of children and blood relatives.

Others do not expressly prohibit it but set out exceptional conditions or ex-

tenuating circumstances and safeguards, for example, proving that no other suitable candidate is available and that there would be no direct reporting relationships, etc.

Other organisations are silent on the subject, supposedly preferring to leave it up to the wisdom, judgment, and maturity of the respective managers, the labour market context, and similar socio-economic factors.

In the case of Guyana, one may also have to be cognisant of the plurality and well-known prejudices in the society which might strongly invite serious consideration of the maxim: “discretion is the better part of valour”.

Sincerely, Nowrang

Persaud

Announce a date for Local Government Elections

Dear Editor,

In June, Blue CAPS carried out its Building Communities Through Leadership Training and Service (BCLTS) programme. One aspect of the course was for participants to engage three communities, namely East Ruimveldt, Rasville and Roxanne Burnham Gardens, and conduct simple surveys on how citizens felt about their communities and what were some of the major problems they faced. In the end, close to 250 surveys were completed.

Just about two thirds of the community residents interviewed indicated that they were dissatisfied with their community as a place to live. In terms of the things they disliked about their communities, most prominent were poor drainage, which resulted in flooding, lack of street lights, unclean environment, poor roads, inadequate recreational facilities, youth unemployment and crime.

One can easily see that the salient issues identified could be solved if we had an effective and accountable

municipality. Sadly, we have not had Local Government Elections since 1994; hence, no one in the Georgetown municipality is held accountable for the glaring inadequacies.

This situation must not persist and we call on the Local Government Minister to unhesitatingly announce a date for Local Government Elections so that communities can thrive and citizens feel satisfied.

Faithfully, Blue CAPS

Private sector should invest in depressed communities

Dear Editor,

In a place where exclusive housing schemes are being built with the best money can afford, I write once again to share with you the conditions under which I live in. My area, Albouystown, is a reflection of a failed society.

I see great structures every time I walk around central Georgetown, large beautiful buildings! To some of the locals and those returning or visiting for the first time, this represents “transformation” and “development”.

However, take a drive further south to the end of Camp Street; you enter the world I live in. The direct opposite of what you may have witnessed a mere 15 minutes ago. Every day I see youths in every street liming and I see a heavy Police presence.

I’m not ignorant to the fact that poverty exists everywhere, neither am I ignorant of our country’s resources to population ratio, or our recent economic growth. I understand that cycles of

poverty have resulted in broken homes, generations of serial criminals, high levels of teenage pregnancies, etc. What I don’t understand is why intervention into this seemingly forgotten society must start with direct Police intervention?

Why not an economic intervention first? What about equipping the residents with enough resources so that we can start to create a new Albouystown, a better one for our next generation? There was once a factory that made candies, now desolate and abandoned and serves as a visual representation of a decaying community.

Incentives, through lower taxes and or lower electricity charges, could be given to our private sector to invest in depressed communities like Albouystown. Such an initiative could result in employment for residents and generate income in a much-needed community. This is just a simple suggestion on my part.

I personally hold the view that what is happen-

ing here in the community has become a human rights issue. The people are being deprived of proper housing and utilities; there is poor drainage, which results in heavy flooding, and sanitation services are dodgy and inconsistent at best.

Currently, some of the people in the area, including myself, have developed a series of rashes due to the water being used in the household. An outbreak is a definite possibility if this continues to be ignored.

I believe that my community can help itself if given the chance. Give the people a chance to actively participate in their affairs so they can stop this cycle of poverty that afflicts them. So I repeat the call for Local Government Elections, as I feel I am not the only one, nor is Albouystown the only community that feels it stands a better chance of having its concerns heard and acted upon by its own local representatives.

Sincerely, Marvin

Wray

I was just wondering…

Dear Editor, I was just wondering... the Home Affairs Ministry has just made some adjustments with regard to person(s) applying for a Guyana Passport and the need for a very recent Birth Certificate.

My understanding is that such a document is considered a legal document, espe-

cially having a seal affixed to it by the Births and Deaths Department, which falls under the office of the Home Affairs Ministry. With that said, anyone is subject to arrest for destroying a government’s legal document.

However, now that an old Birth Certificate is no longer valid when applying for a new Passport, then

this means that anyone can now walk into the Home Affairs Ministry or any other Government office and literally shred an Old Birth Certificate without being arrested for destroying a government’s legal document’? I was just wondering….

Yours faithfully, T Pemberton

Amazon Warriors Energy Drink sponsors steel pan group

The Amazon Warriors Energy Drink, produced by the NEW GPC INC, is making waves not just in stores but also by boosting the performance of persons, with its latest sponsorship of the Panwave Steel Pan group on Thursday.

The Panwave group has been in existence since 2009 and teaches music to schoolchildren under the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry. The group will be heading to Suriname to perform in a concert for schoolchildren, as well as a concert for Guyanese resi-

dents living in the neighbouring country.

Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry Music Coordinator Andrew Tyndall told Guyana Times that the trip was part of their programme to expose members to different cultures of music and “we thought the best way to do this was by sharing our culture with the countries closest to us”.

Tyndall said Suriname has a similar culture to Guyana’s, yet “it is different, so it will be good to see the other cultures”.

NEW GPC INC Human

Resources Manager Faye

Smartt-Scott wished the team well, “Amazon Warriors Energy Drink is happy to be associated with the Panwave group and to sponsor the youths for their trip to Suriname. We wish them success and we hope that other sponsors would come on board.”

Panwave steel pan player Mariam Gaskin thanked Amazon Warriors Energy Drink for their timely support on behalf of the group. The new energy drink is creating a buzz in Guyana and the wider Caribbean.

GuySuCo worker killed in accident

Vickram Ramlakhan, a Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) worker attached to the Albion Estate and resident of Number 11 Susannah Village, Corentyne, was on Thursday killed in an accident at the Susannah Public Road.

The incident occurred about 06:00h. Investigation revealed a silver grey Toyota Allion PRR 9655 driven by Ricardo Approo, 20, of Le Ressouvenir was travelling to Suriname at a very fast rate when he swerved away from a headon collision with another vehicle, killing the 26-yearold pedestrian.

Ramlakhan was flung some distance in the air and landed several feet away, hitting a GPL utility pole in the process.

The car also hit the same pole, spun several times before coming to rest inches away from the canal on the side of the road.

The driver miraculously was unhurt.

This publication spoke

Decomposed body of woman found

By Jomo Paul

The body of a woman in an advanced stage of decomposition was found Thursday evening in a clump of bushes on a deserted road behind the Caribbean Community Secretariat Annexe, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

The body was discovered at approximately 18:30h. Residents who live close to the scene recalled seeing the police entering the area around that time. It is not immediately clear who may have found the body or whether the police were

acting on a tip off.

Because of the advanced stage of decomposition, the undertakers were unable to remove the body from the scene. When the Guyana Times departed the scene, the hearse had already departed and a crew of policemen were made to watch the crime scene while additional help was sought to remove the remains.

Although up to press time the body remains unidentified, it is suspected that it might be that of missing St Stanislaus Secondary School teacher Ngyozi Goodman, who went missing after a bas-

ketball game nearly three weeks ago.

When Guyana Times contacted the brother of Goodman, Nestor Thompson, he related that he had heard of the discovery and made attempts to contact the police. Thompson said he called the Sparendaam Police Station but ranks there declined to give him any information on the discovery.

He explained that he would he heading to the city from Linden today, and he will be going to see the body to verify whether or not it is that of his sister. He said he would be able to identify the body because his sister had red hair and a few

other slight distinguishing marks.

However, he is still hoping that his sister is still alive and the body is not hers. This discovery comes exactly five days after the woman’s Digicel branded umbrella and a brown handbag were found in the Botanical Gardens. The 36-year-old St Stanislaus teacher was last seen on Sunday, June 3 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown, where she had accompanied her school’s basketball team to the National Schools Basketball Championships.

Goodman of William Street, Kitty, was last seen sending off the basketball team with another teacher. At her apartment, all her personal belongings were found intact, except for her two mobile phones and iPad.

The last time she used her mobile phone was about 23:00h two Sundays ago, her sister Nestor Thompson said. This information, she said, had been received from Digicel. The telephone company also said that the sim card was either destroyed or removed from the handset.

standing at the side of the public road awaiting transportation to go to work.

The wife of the deceased, Kavita Ramlakhan, 23, told this publication that her husband left home early without breakfast to go to the GuySuCo Dispensary for a medical checkup since he was injured while on duty several weeks ago.

“All I hear is a set of noise and shouting that car knock down Vickram and kill him,” she wept.

to an eyewitness who was first on the scene and assisted in taking the deceased to the hospital. He recounted what he knew of the accident.

Visham Baijnauth, who resides a stone’s throw away from the scene of the tragic accident, said he was at home when he heard a loud noise and shouting.

“Is me, take him to hospital, me deh in the yard and me hear ‘bladam’, next thing when me look, the car done knock down Vickram, pitch he in the air ‘high, high’, he knock the lantern post and fall down blam,” the agitated man disclosed.

Baijnauth said he hastily jumped into his vehicle and drove to pick up the body on the roadside to take him to the hospital, but from all indications, the young man was already dead.

Other eyewitnesses said the vehicle was speeding and swerved to avoid a head-on collision with another vehicle and slammed into Baijnauth, who was

Too grief-stricken to continue, the now widow broke down in tears, as she was being consoled by relatives. According to reports, the driver was speeding and lost control, slamming into Ramlakhan.

Reports say that the victim was involved in an accident in the area before. The driver is in Police custody as investigations continue.

The dead man leaves to mourn his wife, mother and other relatives.

Victim’s motherin-law among five convicted for 2011 Bel Air heist

The mother-in-law of Malcolm Panday who robbed the businessman of millions in 2011, along with four accomplices, was Thursday jailed, after being found guilty of two counts of armed robbery one day earlier in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Chandrada

Rampersaud, the victim’s mother-in-law, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment, while Jermaine Mitchell was given four years for armed robbery and two years for possession of an unlicensed firearm which he will serve consecutively.

Aubrey Simon was also given four years, as were Rayon Jones and Hardat Kumar, the nephew of Rampersaud. On July 12, 2011, the five robbed Rampersaud’s daughter, Annie Ramsood, at her Bel Air Gardens, Georgetown residence of some $7.4 million in cash and arti-

cles, property of Malcolm Panday. The armed bandits invaded Panday’s home and terrorised his wife and their two young sons at gunpoint, but were almost immediately caught by Police after a car chase. Ramsood broke down after the sentencing, but told this publication that she believes justice was served, since no mother should ever put their children and grandchildren through what her mother did.

Her husband also related that he too was satisfied with the ruling given by the Magistrate and that Rampersaud used her relationship with her daughter to find out where the money was kept.

In his remarks, Prosecutor Glenn Hanoman related that while he was never happy to see anyone go to prison, he was satisfied with the ruling, although it was a bit lenient.

Govt extols progress in human development

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh said on Thursday that despite the rating of Guyana’s Human Development Index (HDI) for 2014 (121st), the country still had much to celebrate, as there has been significant progress in its efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs)

At the launch of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 2014 Human Development Report, “Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience”, Dr Singh said Guyana has been most proactive in its approach to the achievement of the MDGs.

Members of the Civil Society and the Private Sector converged at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, to witness the handing over of the report to the Finance Minister by UNDP Resident Representative Chisa Mikami.

This year’s report, which has taken a “people-centred approach”, covers two concepts which are interconnected and deeply important to securing human development – reducing

ties achieving the maternal health target. Government is working with the UNDP on what is called the MDG Acceleration Framework to aid in the achievement of the maternal health MDG.

“We have achieved a number of the other MDGs, including universal primary education, gender equality, and access to potable water,” he reported. The Finance Minister went on to compare Guyana’s continued HDI growth with other Caribbean countries’, since the UNDP began the programme in 1980, pointing out that although those countries had the advantage during the first decade in terms of human development, Guyana was still able

vulnerabilities and building resilience.

Guyana’s Human Development Report for this year shows that from a list of 187 countries, Guyana remains at 121 on the UNDP HDI, a position it has held since 2012. Sitting just below Iraq and above Vietnam, Guyana falls under the UNDP’s consideration of the way in which vulnerabilities change by taking a “lifecycle approach”.

Much to celebrate Minister Singh explained that Guyana still had much to celebrate, since in its recently-issued MDGs report, the tremendous progress made towards achieving these goals was documented. “Through a national collaborative effort, the country is on course to achieving all of the MDGs,” Minister Singh said, although there have been some difficul-

to rise above the social and economic challenges in the decade that followed. Using the chart provided, Minister Singh explained that during the 1980-1990 period, Guyana’s average annual HDI growth was negative. He explained that during that time, the country’s HDI declined on average, 0.22 per cent. However, there was improvement between 1990 and 2006 of 1.2 per cent. Post-1990 saw Guyana improving on average every year by 1.22 per cent. During the 2000-2013 period, Guyana’s HDI improved on average 0.87 per cent every year, while other Caribbean countries struggled. Guyana grew more rapidly than the rest of the Region during that period.

“But we still have room to grow given the steepness of the decline during the 1980 to 1990 period,” Minister Singh related.

“I will be the first to say

APNU says PPP/C running scared

APartnership For National Unity (APNU) said on Thursday that it will be the next Government of Guyana, pouring cold water on statements by the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), bashing David Granger and his leadership style.

that we need to work harder to be at a better place than we are,” he said, noting that this year’s report is a reflection of the Government’s policy objectives.

UNDP Resident Representative Chisa Mikami, in her presentation, said the organisation’s multidimensional poverty index shows an overall decline in deprivation. However, a large number of persons within the 91 developing countries are still marginally dimensionally poor. She noted that while people in most countries have been doing steadily better in human development with advances in technology, education and income, there is also a widespread sense of precariousness in the world.

Turn To page 11

In a statement, APNU said: “The most recent press statement emanating from the Peoples Progress Party/ Civic is a clear indication that the Donald Ramotar and Clement James Roheeled PPP/C is at its weakest point ever and running scared. After more than 22 years of poor governance, rampant crime, corruption, poverty, an education system that produces more dropouts than scholars and failure to hold Local Government Elections, the PPP/C’s desperate attempt to deflect attention from its spectacular failures by drumming up bogus claims against the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) and David Granger is laughable.”

APNU contended that the PPP/C must tell its supporters why after more than 22 years in Government, there are high rates of urban and rural poverty, high rates of crime and sky-high numbers of party supporters migrating.

“It is not the PNCR, but the PPP/C Administration that is now faced with a possible motion of noconfidence in the National Assembly. It is the PPP/C Administration and not the PNCR that is

facing scathing (almost daily) criticism from resident ABC and EU diplomats over its poor standard of governance and its failure to hold Local Government Elections. It is the PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee, who less than 24-hours ago was roundly criticised by the Surinamese Government for his lack of action against piracy.”

APNU said the PPP/C continues to hold firm to the party’s Stalinists principle of democratic centralism; choosing to select its leaders rather than allowing party members to freely elect them.

“Make no mistake, the PPP/C is a party running scared; scared to empower its members to pick leaders of their choice; scared to hold Local Government Elections; scared of the strong and united PNCR-led by David Granger that will emerge from the 18th Biennial Congress. No amount of de-

flection by way of PNCR or Granger bashing will change this fact – A Partnership for National Unity will be the next Government of Guyana,” the APNU release stated.

On Wednesday, the PPP called on members of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) to vote out Granger as their leader at this weekend’s Congress. The ruling party said Granger is facing an uphill task to regain the leadership and confidence of the PNCR at the upcoming Congress.

According to the party, the former military leader has failed “miserably to unite and strengthen the party, which is currently undergoing serious trauma in terms of its organisational health”.

“What Granger has succeeded in doing with a fair measure of success is to sideline the party faithfuls and instead catapult to the leadership people with a military background, including many who have never been involved politically,” the PPP said. The ruling party said Granger is probably the “most ineffective and uninspiring of all PNC leaders. His leadership style has only served to alienate a significant number of party members and supporters. With the Congress only a few days away, Granger is desperately seeking to retain the unchallenged leadership of the PNC, but with so much of failure and so little charisma and appeal, his chances of retaining the leadership of the party is far from secure.”

Muslims urged to look for crescent moon

The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) is advising all Muslims to look for the crescent for Eid ul Fitr on the evening of July 27. If the moon is sighted, Eid will be

celebrated on July 28. If the crescent is not sighted, Eid will be celebrated on July 29.

Eid prayers will commence at 06:30h on the lawns of the Muslim

Youth Organisation (MYO) on Eid Day. Please confirm the sighting of the crescent with the CIOG’s Secretariat on telephone 225-6167/225-8654 and 227-1033.

Eyew tness

Frankenstein’s monster...

...from Linden

Most people are confused about the Frankenstein story. Who exactly was the villain? You see, “Frankenstein” WASN’T the monster, he was the doctor who actually CREATED the monster. And if the truth be told, the doctor was the real villain. After all, whatever evil things the monster did, it wouldn’t have happened if Dr Frankenstein hadn’t created him.

And we arrive at the internecine warfare that’s simmering down in Linden within the PNC camp. And will erupt like a sore full of nasty pus in GT this weekend. Solomon Sharma was created because of the weak and vacillating leadership of David Granger. And this was exposed right after the elections.

Everyone’s jumping up and down like chickens without their heads, accusing President Ramotar of not accepting the “new dispensation” in the National Assembly. They’re conveniently feigning amnesia of the statesmanlike action of Ramotar to constitute a formal body with the leaders of the three parliamentary parties – the Tripartite Talks – to consult on concrete policy initiatives going forward.

From the beginning, the AFC was the spoiler: Ramjattan refused to attend. There was the proposal by the Government to gradually bring the electricity tariffs in Linden up to the national rate.

Granger agreed!!! He extracted his quid pro quo, of course, but he agreed that the entire country must be treated equally. But then like the weak-kneed, invertebrate “leader” he is, he buckled to the racial incitement of the AFC – especially Nigel Hughes, who’d fired up some PNC supporters in the town. Among them being Solomon Sharma, the newly elected Regional 10 Chairman.

Granger was warned by many, when he caved in and went along with the Linden hotheads. We warned that he was creating “warlords” who would act totally to feather their own nests – in the Region – and the devil take the rest of the country – including him and the rest of the PNC. Like most ambitious but myopic politicians, however, Granger went for the short-term gains – and created the monsters. Who’re now devouring him!!

Solomon Sharma is only out to ‘big-up’ himself. He’s challenging not only Granger – but also Aubrey Norton! Norton was the reason the PNC and their candidates –including Solomon – even won their positions. So this monster created by Dr “Frankenstein” David Granger has stabbed Norton in the back. But this is par for the course, with such creatures, no??

Let’s see if Granger’ll survive this monster he has by the tail!

...from Richmond Hill

Poor, pathetic Mike Persaud – the taxi driver from Richmond Hill who’s solved all the problems of Guyana –if only the politicians would listen!!! The solution?? The PNC should make an “Indian” – any Indian!! – their leader and the PPP/C should follow suit with an “African”!! Well, it looks like he might have had a recent epiphany.

After inviting David Granger to dinner in his Queens basement, he wrote a panegyric to his erstwhile guest, who not-so-incidentally is fighting to salvage his shortlived political career as leader of the PNC. Mike thinks Granger IS the man to lead the PNC. But hold it!! Granger isn’t an Indian, is he?? Not to worry: in the words of Mike the “Indian”, Granger is “just like one of us”!!

“I have observed him fraternising among IndoGuyanese and frankly, I don’t think there was any awareness that this man was of another race. He was just like one of us.” So the PNC don’t need an “Indian” leader no mo. Why!! Granger can pass for one!!

If this doesn’t illustrate the kind of obsequious, brown noser Granger is, to earn this racist, condescending endorsement, nothing else will.

...in Gaza

While the horror unfolds in Gaza, let’s not forget that Israel can do what it wants with impunity because of the influence of the Jewish lobby in the US. Who is the “Frankenstein”? The US or Israel??

Landlord charged with murder of NY-based Guyanese woman

Suffolk County Police said early Thursday that they have charged a Brooklyn woman with murder of a Guyanese woman whose dismembered body parts were found in Bay Shore and Hempstead over the past several weeks.

Leah Cuevas, 42, who lives in the same Brooklyn apartment building as the victim, Chinelle Latoya Thompson Browne, a Guyanese mother of four, was arrested on Wednesday morning by Suffolk Police with the help of the US Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force, authorities said.

Cuevas was charged with second-degree murder and was being held overnight at Suffolk’s Fourth Precinct, Police said. She was scheduled to be arraigned at First District

Court in Central Islip Thursday. The Nassau County and Hempstead Village Police departments and the NYPD, as well as the Nassau and Suffolk County medical examiner’s offices, all assisted in the investigation, which is still active, Police said.

Browne, an immigrant from Guyana with four children and a husband still residing there, disappeared from her apartment at 346 Sumpter Street in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. Police had been investigating whether the body parts found in Bay Shore and Hempstead belonged to Browne, who was last seen July 5.

The grisly discoveries began July 8, when the remains were found in a vacant Bay Shore lot used as a shortcut between a municipal parking lot and the

Fire Island Ferry terminal. The body was missing both arms and its head, Police sources said at the time.

The next day, a severed arm was found on the lawn of a home on Webb Avenue in Hempstead. Another arm was found on July 10 in a yard on Cornell Street, about half a mile from the first arm. On July 17, a human head was found in the yard of a home Boylston Street in Hempstead.

Police would not discuss the nature of the relationship between the two women. Last week, a source said investigators were exploring several theories about the case, including that the victim may have been killed in New York City, dismembered and then the body parts dumped on Long Island.

Another source said last week that investigators were focusing on at least one person of interest in the case who has had residences in Brooklyn and Long Island. That source also said that during the course of the investigation into Browne’s disappearance, Police had uncovered a questionable transaction involving the building where she lived. An apparently fraudulent deed was filed that bore the signature of the original owner, who had been dead for about four months at the time of the filing, according to New York City records. (Newsday)

GT&T hosting 40 work study students this summer

Forty students from various secondary, technical and tertiary institutions across the country are on a six-week work study attachment programme at the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) which opened on Monday.

On Friday, the students from the University of Guyana, the New Amsterdam Technical Institute, the Government Technical Institute, the Essequibo Technical Institute, St John’s College, North Ruimveldt Secondary, St Joseph High School, Bishops’ High School, Chase Academic Foundation, West Demerara Secondary, President’s College, New Amsterdam Secondary, Christ Church Secondary, St Stanislaus College, St Rose’s High,

Linden Technical Institute, Brickdam Secondary, Anna Regina Secondary School and one student from the Hinterland Scholarship programme were inducted at a simple ceremony at GT&T’s headquarters at 79 Brickdam, Georgetown.

The students will be attached to various departments within the company.

District Education Officer (Secondary) Clifton Davis urged the students to enjoy their stint at GT&T and take the programme seriously.

Other speakers, who included Outside Plant Maintenance Manager Roderick Dyer; Facilities Management Manager Shimbhudyal Naitram; and GTI Welfare Officer Alero Proctor, echoed similar sentiments while encouraging the students to use the pro-

gramme to learn basic work ethics and principles that could be applied in their careers. They were also briefed on the need to be respectful, punctual and regular and the need to “acclimatise” themselves early; and to represent their respective institutions, the Education Ministry and themselves in an exemplary manner.

GT&T said it has over the years been collaborating with the Education Ministry with its work study programme. GT&T every year reaffirms its commitment to the programme as it forms an important part in the development of young people as they strive for success. It should be noted that some students have been retained as employees from previous work study programmes.

New $8.3B conservancy dam to be constructed at Abary

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy on Wednesday announced the construction on new $8.3 billion conservancy dam between the Abary and Mahaica rivers, which would connect to the East Demerara Water Conservancy Dam (EDCWD).

Dr Ramsammy, who was at the time speaking at the launching of the National Agricultural Strategy for 2013 – 2020, noted that when the Mahaica/Mahaicony/ Abary (MMA) Project was conceptualised in the 1950s, it was expected that there would be a conservancy from the Abary River to the

Mahaica River.

However, this was never accomplished as the project was only completed in the first phase and the Government is now looking to act on that premise to avert flooding in the high-risk farming communities along the two rivers.

“It would have been one single operational massive conservancy supplying water, not only for domestic use, but for agriculture purposes all the way from the Berbice River to the Demerara River... we are now agreeing with the European Union to establish

the conservancy between the Abary River and the Mahaica River,” Dr Ramsammy said.

He pointed out that the initial project would cost approximately 30 million euros and would improve over 200,000 acres of existing land for agricultural purposes.

“But importantly also, it would open up 200,000 acres of new land, land that is not being utilised today,” said Minister Ramsammy.

Additionally, Minister Ramsammy announced the addition of two discharge points to the EDWC. Dr Ramsammy noted that the current capacity to drain excess water off the land is inadequate.

He pointed out that with the addition of these drainage points to the existing four points, the drainage capacity will be significantly improved.

Restoration

The Minister pointed out that one part of this initiative would see the restoration of the Cuhna discharge, which is now obsolete after approximately a decade of not being used.

He said too that the restoration will be done under the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF), which is a multicontributor Trust Fund for the financing of activities identified under the Government of Guyana Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

Meanwhile, the Agriculture Minister also dismissed reports in sections of the media about the location of pumps that were acquired by the Government and were to be placed at strategic locations.

It was reported that the locations of the Surendra branded pumps are unknown. The pumps were supplied by and installed by contractor Harrichand Tulsi.

But Dr Ramsammy said that while Surendra was approached for the pumps, the Ministry had to resort to another supplier, contending that it was not a perquisite that all the pumps be supplied by one company.

He pointed out that 14 of the pumps were supplied by Surendra while the other 25 will be supplied by another company.

He maintained too that the deadline set for the installation of the pumps remains the same.

“We readily conceded that the capacity for pumping water is below what is need at this time... the main thing is that in the last couple, that is, the last couple of years going on to next year, 39 new pump facilities are to be added to that capacity... either in pump stations or available for mobile use,” the Minister said.

Cling Tongue clingin like leech

Some people does deh every where yuh go. As old people seh, dem is people who just deh bout. Dem deh bout every where wid every body. Yuh go into a church, yuh see dem. Yuh go into a bar, yuh see dem. Yuh go to a funeral, yuh see dem. Yuh go to a wedding, yuh see dem. Yuh look in a photo, yuh see dem (in front too).

In GT, every where yuh go, yuh see Cling Tongue. That is because Cling Tongue like to cling to nuff tings and nuff people. A reporter tell another reporter that is not only he tongue does cling. De reporter seh Cling Tongue cling to a lil gyal so strong that not even a power saw can separate them.

Nuff people try to separate dem but dem ain’t succeed. De lil gyal she self try but she ain’t succeed either. That is because Cling Tongue can cling strong to any ting. When he cling on to some ting, is like how leech does cling on to dem prey and suck dem blood. Similar to how a parasite does tek and give back nutten in return.

Cling Tongue like to pose fuh photo and he like to deh in front. In all dem photos whah he deh in he clingin to some body. Now he clingin to de US and he clingin to de young people. Plus Cling Tongue like to mek headlines, but he still complain when he name appear in a headline de other day. A reporter ask Cling Tongue some questions bout these same tings and Cling Tongue had a answer fuh every ting. Yet when Cling Tongue read de same answers whah he give, he get vex and write a letter to complain bout de same tings whah he seh.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! But one ting whah Cling Tongue friken to seh is whether he clingin to Green Jah or to Rum Jhaat. Cling Tongue just waitin fuh de right time and de right ting to cling to some ting.

Farmer escapes labaria attack

Aplantain farmer from Bounty Hall Village on the Essequibo Coast narrowly escaped death following a labaria attack.

Carl Roberts, who owns at plantain farm at Cozier Village, said on Wednesday last he was furtunate to have seen the dangerous reptile neatly coiled in a bunch of plantain as he was about to chop it from the tree.

The snake, he said,

hissed at him, but before it could have struck him, he adjusted his aim from the plantain to the reptile, beheading it in one swipe. Roberts has more than 6000 acres of fertile land at Cozier. Most of his land is used for plantain cultivation.

The farmer said several canals and drains are silted up with grass and bushes, creating a favourable condition for deadly snakes to breed.

Clive Thomas praises new BRICS Bank

… says institution is answer to prayers

of developing nations

BY ALEXIS RODNEY

Renowned Economist, Professor Clive Thomas has said that the recent move to establish a development bank by the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) grouping last week is the answer to the prayers of developing nations.

Speaking to Guyana Times during an exclusive interview, Professor Thomas on Wednesday said the idea has been long overdue, since the bank is something economists in the third world and the Caribbean have been calling for a very long time.

“We are very happy that this has taken place. There is a challenge to the economic order of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank operating with the Washington consensus to direct their approach to the global economy in the area of finance and international capital flow and trade and development,” Dr Thomas told Guyana Times

No longer just a catchy acronym, initially designed to assist institutional investors in exploring new investment opportunities in the developing world, the grouping has emerged as a serious contender on the global stage.

To expand its geographical scope, BRIC, which held its first summit in 2009, became BRICS by admitting South Africa to the group in 2011.

There have been talks that the bank was established with an objective of seeking to avoid some of the faults of the IMF, the World Bank and regional development banks, since there have been too many rich countries dominating as well as too many conditions imposed on the borrowing country. Professor Thomas commented on this, pointing out that it is one of the long-term implications of the bank’s establishment.

According to him, it makes for a more multilateral role as it dilutes the concentration of power in the Western countries. He said the bank is essential if progress would at anytime be had in the governance of the global economy.

“We need to incorporate

elements like the BRICS, because they are the fastest growing sector in the global economy.” He said political forces in the already developed countries are resisting this type of change since although they had made a promise to reform the IMF and World Bank after the 2008 global recession, nothing substantial has been done.

Professor Thomas pointed out that although the BRICS bank has its positives, there is a huge difference between calling for its establishment, agreeing to formally establishing it and ascertaining how it will operate in the future.

He said there must be a major breakthrough on whether it will be corroded like other institutions, such as the IMF and the World Bank, which had both set out with different agenda in the past, yet ended up being something they never intended to be.

Major challenge

“I think the major challenge facing the BRICS bank is that it has to be careful that it does not end up seeking to partner with the IMF and the World bank and not try to establish itself as an alternative to that,” he said, noting that the objective is not to partner with these major financial bodies.

“There is a threat that these existing institutions may corrode the activities of the BRICS Bank if it seeks to partner with them, rather than strive to establish itself as an alternative institution.”

The temptation to be a

partner is very strong, Dr Thomas said. According to him, the huge financial bodies have persuasive argument in their favour. That, he said can undermine the mission of the bank since it should be lending money only if it is absolutely sure it will be repaid.

“It has to be sustainable and once you get into that arena, a lot of things come up, so you have to make sure you establish some kind of system where you could guarantee you will get back your money.”

He said if the BRICS bank wants to be truly different, it has to be able to establish a method of delivering loans to the public that is different to the IMF and World Bank.

BRICS last week launched the US$100 billion development bank and a currency reserve pool in their first concrete step toward reshaping the Western-dominated international financial system. The bank is poised to finance infrastructure and development projects across the developing world with a focus on sustainable development, where the emphasis will be more on job creation and poverty alleviation.

Bearing in mind the debilitating impact of the 20072008 financial and economic crises, and earlier episodes of debt crises across the developing world, the BRICS has also created a joint cushion against prospective disruptions in global capital markets by establishing a US$100 billion Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA), allowing member countries to access much-needed funds during crisis periods.

The CRA’s greater relevance lies in the fact that it paves the way for emerging powers to pool their massive foreign exchange reserves together, giving them greater flexibility in crafting their national monetary policies as well as enhancing their leverage in global financial markets.

“I think it could be done, but we just can’t sit down and say that because we have the bank everything will be ok. We have to struggle to help the bank achieve the objectives it has set out to do,” Professor Thomas said.

Govt extols progress...

Speaking to the progress in Guyana, Mikami explained that Guyana’s HDI value for 2013 was 0.638, which is in the medium human development category. Between 1980 and 2013, Guyana’s HDI value increased from 0.516 to 0.638, an increase of 23.6 per cent or an average annual increase of about 0.65 per cent.

She said the 2014 report reveals that overall inequality has declined slightly in most

regions. Many of the MDGs are likely to be met at the national level by 2015, Mikami said. However, success is not automatic, and the gains are not necessarily permanent. With the lead-up to the post-2015 agenda and the development of a set of sustainable development goals, this is a time of reflection for the international community and an opportunity for change and new forms of global cooperation to

Norton confident of defeating Granger – says party members clamouring for change

BY JOMO PAUL

Frontrunner for leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Aubrey Norton, said he is the man to beat when the party’s 18th Biennial Congress convenes today at Congress Place, Sophia Greater Geogetown.

The Congress will conclude on Sunday.

Norton maintains that he has the support of the PNCR membership and the “intellectual” capacity to effectively run the party, contending that the leadership of David Granger is wanting.

Norton will be going head to head against Granger for the post as the only two candidates for the top spot in the party. It was previously announced by PNCR General Secretary Oscar Clarke that Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon would also be vying for the position.

However, sources close to Solomon confirmed that he has declined nomination, purportedly with the intention of throwing support behind Norton, who also hails from the mining town.

Some concerns were recently raised over allegations of vote-fixing in the party. However, this was quickly denied by Clarke, who offered all assurances that the elections process will be transparent and will not tip in favour of a single candidate. But Norton said that while he is not worried about vote-rigging, he will be keeping a close eye on the electoral process.

He said that there are “no elections run by priests and even those run by priests you have to watch...I will be watching the electoral process and doing everything to ensure it is fair.”

er he believed that the party has made any significant accomplishment under the stewardship of Granger, Norton contended that “the average PNC person does not believe that, the average PNC person thinks that there is need for leadership change”, to put the party in a more formidable position going into the 2016 elections.

Norton further criticised the leadership techniques adopted by Granger, opining that had he been the leader of the party, the altercation between party member Vanessa Kissoon and General Secretary Oscar Clarke would not have spilled over into the public domain. He said that were he to be elected party leader, he would ensure that every member is afforded the opportunity to have their concerns aired and handled administratively.

“People go outside when they believe they can’t get justice within the party. As a leader of the PNCR, I would deal with everybody in a fair and honest way. Every member of the party must feel that they are a part of the party.”

Proper plan needed

According to Norton, the party in its present state lacks a proper plan that would effectively deal with its day-to-day work and make it a more socially and economically viable stakeholder in the parliamentary sphere.

He said under his leadership, he would take steps to ensure that such a plan was implemented and enforced so that the party can reap greater benefits.

In this regard, Norton pointed out that the PNCR should be able to use its assets in an effective manner so as to generate income and make the party financially sound. He criticised Granger’s leadership for not taking full advantage of the party’s assets, putting it to profit bearing use and steering the party away from a path of dependency on donations.

Under Granger’s management, the party’s resources continue to be depleted. Only recently, it was discovered that Congress

Place made a decision to sell parcels of its prime lands at Sophia, Georgetown. The party allegedly owes over $77 million in rates and taxes.

But Norton opined that the political party should move ahead and operate more like a business rather than just strictly as a political party.

“Every political party should operate like a modern business and it should have a strategic plan.... It needs to take care of its assets and get involved in proper investments that can bring returns to the party so it can become viable.”

The strategic plan, Norton articulated should place major emphasis on the political, economic and social well-being of the party and its membership. He also noted the need for the party to conduct outreaches to show the electorate it cares for them.

This, he said, has been largely absent under Granger’s stewardship.

With respect to the youth arm of the PNCR, the Guyana Youth and Students Movement (GYSM), Norton explained that enough was not being done to educate and empower them.

Norton said if he wins the leadership of the party, much focus would be placed on rebuilding the GYSM, bringing it up to standard. He contended that one of his “fundamental tasks” is rebuilding the core of the youth arm.

“Within a year, the GYSM must be a strong, vibrant organisation that has a young intellectual core with nice support,” Norton said.

From page 7

reduce persistent and systemic vulnerability, the UNDP Representative related.

In line with the human development paradigm, the 2014 report also pays particular attention to the disparities between and within countries. It identifies the structurally vulnerable groups of people, who are more vulnerable than others by virtue of history or their unequal treatment by the rest of the society.

Norton from the time he announced his intentions to vie for the leadership post has contended that he will be seeking to return the party to its grassroots level as opposed to Granger’s elitist leadership style.

He said on Thursday that he believes Granger would have been able to accomplish a lot more if he had a different approach to governing the affairs of the party.

When questioned by Guyana Times as to wheth-

Biased reporters are quacks – Granger Rice harvesting commences in Reliance Village

Opposition Leader

David Granger is calling on local media operators to practice professional journalism when reporting on political issues, giving adequate coverage to all sides.

He made this comment at the opening ceremony of a media workshop hosted by the Parliament Office, which sought to strengthen relationships between the two bodies.

According to Granger, there are three key principles which guide journalists to practice professionalism in their work. These, he said are education and training, social responsibility and corporate responsibility.

“If you do not adhere to those three tenets, you are a quack; you don’t belong in the profession of journalism. If you feel that your job is simply to report in a slanted manner, your opinion and policies of some political parties and ignore the truth, this is not the place for you,” he stated.

The Opposition Leader went on to point out that

there is always a need by the State to control press freedom since it means that they can control the information that is released into the public domain.

He explained this might be the case since information reaching the public often determines the public’s behaviour and the State wants to influence the behaviour of the people.

However, he said: “It is not just a matter of control;

it is a matter of abuse, that those media are used not to convey information in an objective way, the media are used to abuse the enemies of the political party that runs the State.”

He continued, questioning the legality of such attitudes, pointing to Article 146 (1) of the Constitution, which stated that there should be no hindrance in a person enjoying their freedom of speech.

Granger went on to point out the biasness of some journalists in their reporting; disclosing that in the first year of the 10th Parliament, there were approximately 100 hostile articles from the Government Information Agency (GINA). He noted that his first letter to the Speaker of the National Assembly was a complaint of this.

“How would a State medium; how could the medium of communication, supported by taxpayers’ money, use such feral blasts against the entire Opposition?” he asked.

He added that it is not fair when all the Opposition gets is a one sided-blast, noting that “you can’t expect the Opposition to vote money for people who are so biased”.

The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) for three consecutive years have voted down budgetary provisions for GINA and the National Communications Network (NCN).

Funds for GINA and NCN were reduced to $1.

Harvesting of paddy in Reliance Village on the Essequibo Coast has commenced and farmers are anticipating that millers will make prompt payments and avoid any protest.

According to information reaching Guyana Times, one farmer from Reliance began reaping from his three-acre plot last Tuesday and harvesting will be in full-swing by mid-August.

Farmers say they are hoping that with this crop, things will be different and they are paid for their product on time.

Farmers were paid last week by the biggest miller on the Essequibo Coast, Golden Fleece Rice Investment, owned by Nazeemul Hakh.

Hakh had purchased truck loads of paddy from millers and had a huge stockpile.

The pile and lack of market had resulted in Hakh owing millions of dollars to farmers for the last crop.

Farmers were aggravated and staged several protests

for their payments.

The situation had prompted President Donald Ramotar and a delegation of officers attached to the Agriculture Ministry, including Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy; Guyana Rice Development Board General Manager Jagnarine Singh; and Rice Producers Association (RPA) General Secretary Dharamkumar Seeraj to meet the farmers to address the issue.

Billions of dollars were given to millers in form of advances to settle outstanding debts for paddy brought in February. Meanwhile, reports emerging from the Region Two Administration revealed that 37,500 acres of rice are under cultivation.

The Region Two Drainage and Irrigation Department will be involved in fixing and levelling several access dams throughout the rice growing area to ramp up harvesting. This crop is expected to be a bumper harvest.

Caricom to empower Guyana’s youth with animation skills

Agroup of young people in Guyana will get an opportunity to learn valuable animation skills through a project coordinated by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretariat.

The project, which is being implemented in collaboration with Animae Caribe and the Guyana Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry, is designed around the use of animation as a tool to address youth crime and violence, and safeguard cultural heritage.

A workshop, targeting youth with computer skills and who have an interest in the arts, will provide the participants with basic knowledge to create animated short films. It will run from July 28-31 at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Greater Georgetown.

This is the fourth workshop in an initiative supported by the USAID-funded Caricom Programme for Crime and Violence Prevention project. Two one-day workshops were held in Suriname during CARIFESTA XI in August 2013 with approximately 50 young people benefiting from the training.

The third one-day workshop involving 20 youth was held at the Youth Training Centre (YTC) in Trinidad and Tobago in October 2013,

prior to the Animae Caribe Animation and Digital Media Festival.

This time in Guyana, the participants are benefiting from more extensive training. It is anticipated that through the process of learning about animation, the participants will empower themselves and others with knowledge in communication, teamwork and conflict resolution, folklore figures in the Caribbean oral tradition, script writing, and short animation film production.

The animation workshops form part of “Animating the Caribbean” – A Caricom and Animae Caribe regional initiative. Over several years, the Caricom Secretariat and Animae Caribe have collaborated on raising awareness about animation and digital media in the Region and promoting the use of animation in learning environments, public education and safeguarding cultural heritage. Human capital development is one of the top priority areas for focussed attention under the recently approved strategic plan for the Caribbean Community. The plan is aimed at improving the quality of life for citizens of the Region through concrete action on matters of direct relevance and benefit to all.

Guyana, US hold talks on human trafficking

The Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) on Thursday met with US officials to discuss the situation in Guyana.

The meeting was held in the boardroom of the Home Affairs Ministry. Two officials from the US State Department, along the US Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires Bryan Hunt were present at the meeting.

According to Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, the Task Force had several meetings in the past with officials from the US State Department and was looking forward for a productive discussion this round.

“We have had several engagements in the past with the representatives from the Department of State in the US, and this is an ongoing exercise where we meet with State Department officials visiting in Guyana, from time to time, to engage particularly with the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons,” Rohee stated.

Some of the members of the Task Force present at the meeting were Human Services Minister Jenifer Webster, Foreign Affairs

Minister Carolyn RodriguesBirkett, Natural Resources

Minister Robert Persaud, and Amerindian Affairs

Minister Pauline Sukhai.

Also present were acting Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud and Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) Head Ann Greene. The Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons was established in February 2007.

Only last month, the Task Force blasted the US

State Department’s 2014 report on the TIP situation in Guyana. Minister Webster noted that the report again did not reflect a fair review of TIP in Guyana, as it contains several inaccuracies and misrepresentations regarding the scope of TIP.

Guyana was placed on the US Tier 2 Watch List as the US 2014 report calls it a source and destination country for men, women, and children to be subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour.

It also added that women and girls from neighbouring countries such as Venezuela, Suriname and Brazil are subjected to prostitution in Guyana.

It was further stated in the report that despite Government not fully complying with the minimum standard for the elimination of trafficking, it is making significant efforts to do so. The report went on to say that the Ministerial Task Force was designated to monitor and assess the Government’s anti-trafficking efforts, but it did not report any results.

Has done a lot

However, both Government and the Human Services Ministry refuted this, saying that they have done a lot to curb TIP in Guyana to protect victims.

Webster rubbished claims that her Government did not fully comply with the minimum standard for the elimination of trafficking.

In an attempt to highlight some of the work done, the Human Services Minister said: “Nationally, there were a number of pro-

Auditors urged to tackle “white-collar crimes”

By Jillicia Pinder

Igrammes responding to human trafficking, including hinterland surveillance, visits to hinterland check points, training of members of Community Policing Groups… and the display of information on Trafficking in Persons at national exhibition events.”

Meanwhile, the report also referred to a leading Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that has played a significant role in rescuing trafficking victims had requested to be one of the NGO partners on the Ministerial Task Force.

The US Department noted that despite the organisation’s critical role in the protection of victims, its request is yet to be granted. The organisation being referred to is the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO), headed by Simona Broomes.

Broomes was awarded last year by the US Secretary of State John Kerry, as one of the 2013 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Heroes. The GWMO President is very outspoken against human trafficking in Guyana and has rescued a number of female victims, who were used as sex slaves, in various interior locations.

On the other hand, responding to Government’s contention that the report is inaccurate, former US Ambassador D Brent Hardt explained that the facts contained in the 2014 report are based on limited information provided by the Guyana Government and investigations conducted by US officials.

Rapist jailed for 30 years

Aman was on Thursday sentenced to 30 years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to raping a six-year-old child two years ago. Gavin Nero pleaded guilty to the indictment when it was read to him before Justice Rishi Persaud at the High Court. According to the court document, Nero had committed the offence on March 19, 2012. Earlier this month, Nero

first appeared before the court for the commencement of his trial; however, he pleaded guilty to the offence and a probation report was ordered. The report was presented to the court on Thursday after which sentencing was imposed.

Nero got to his feet and told the court that he was sorry for what he did but the presiding judge responded: “I don’t buy it; it’s a very convenient remorse.”

However in handing down the sentence, Justice Persaud took into account the mitigating factors mentioned in the probation report. The report states that Nero had suffered from instability early in his life and was also a victim of abuse.

Nero was charged shortly after the gruesome incident two years ago and was committed to stand trial in July 2013.

nternal auditors opened a two-day workshop on Thursday with Board Member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Ramesh Dookhoo lamenting the low rate of prosecution for white-collar crimes here. He, therefore, urged that auditors take their jobs seriously to bring about the change that is required in ensuring greater financial control both in the private and public sectors.

The workshop will present to the participants the skills and thinking required when dealing with Audit of Inventory and Stores Management, and The Auditing Process: from Planning to Reporting. This year’s seminar broke the conference’s participant record with 111 participants from several organisations around Guyana, including the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI); the Guyana and Trinidad Mutual (GTM) Fire

and Life Insurance Company; and Sterling Products. Dookhoo, in his address to the participants, stated that they need to be cautious in their operations when it relates to auditing. He stated that auditing services in Guyana are much-needed, but unfortunately, “this profession is not one in which clients beckon for your services”. He noted that as members of the different organisations in the public and private sector, the participants are responsible for the promotion and good governance of their profession within their institutions. He advised the participants that they must think of their own roles in this cause that deals with many issues of fraud, which are eventually uncovered by the media. He noted that “our country is ripe” with anti-bribery and anti-fraud legislation that can make the labour of law for many auditors who believe in proper governance and integrity in management rewarding when serious fraudulent crimes are committed.

Miner drowns after boat capsizes in Puruni River

The body of a miner who went missing after a boat capsized in the Puruni River, Region Seven on Monday evening, was fished out of the Mazaruni River on Thursday morning.

The body of Orlando Graham, 23, of Lot 336 Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara had no visible marks of violence when it was retrieved, but relatives have deemed his death foul play.

According to information received, the body was discovered sometime after 10:00h by the man’s family who went in search of him after the Police allegedly refused to believe that Graham was missing following the boat mishap.

The boat reportedly capsized about 18:45h on Monday evening with three men in side. The Captain and another miner, who is called “Micee”, reportedly swam to shore and

were rescued by Brazilian miners.

Graham was described as a good swimmer. A sister of the dead man on Thursday told Guyana Times that her brother left for the Puruni Backdam about six months ago and was on his way out when the boat capsized.

The woman said her family

received the news of the boat mishap on Tuesday morning from one of the survivor’s brother, who told them that “Lando” fell overboard and was not seen since.

She said her relatives subsequently travelled up to Bartica where they met with the Police, who confirmed that there was indeed a mishap, but claimed that everyone was accounted for.

The woman said that it was only when she told Police about her missing brother, the Police accompanied them to the location where the accident occurred, but there was no sign of the man.

She said they went back several times in search of him, but came up empty-handed.

“This did not stop my brother to go and look for Lando… it was until Thursday morning, my brother found him stuck at a tree trunk… I must say that my brother went alone on the

Auditors urged to...

Dookhoo stated that Guyana has a low prosecution rate for dishonesty, “and our Police Force and auditors are at fault”. He believes that while special forensic auditing can be taught, as a country, “we are still a far way from handling these issues completely”. He noted that the grand turnout by the workshop’s participants, has demonstrated a thirst for knowledge in Guyana which the IIA must continue to serve. The annual workshop is being held for a second time and is being held at the Conference Room of the Regency Suite Hotel.

Also speaking at the opening of the workshop, IIA Guyana Chapter President Jaigopaul Ram stated that the workshop is one of the first set of presentations that the IIA will be providing, with the aim of contributing to value-added services to members of different organisations. These services are to boost

skills and competencies to enhance individual performances in respective institutions. Ram stated that, in preparation for this seminar, areas for presentations have been carefully evaluated to meet their aim. He noted that in order to gain the knowledge to plan and audit and illuminate risks and benefits within the auditing system, and furnish appropriate recommendations auditors need to be involved in the complete system from its scope, design, and implementation. He also noted that auditors must pay keen attention to what is required of them by stakeholders.

Former President and current IIA Board Member John Seeram stated that the seminar was presented as part of the organisation’s 2014 education delivery programme. He added that the chapter, from its inception in 2000, has been launching Seminars/ Workshops in various areas

search without any Police…. He chartered a boat and brought the body to Bartica,” the sister told Guyana Times Up to Thursday morning, the woman was optimistic that her brother was alive and well, but became disappointed on receiving the news a few hours after.

She claimed that ever since the boat capsized, they have not heard nor seen the Captain of the boat; thus, a proper account of what really transpired is still unknown.

The woman is accusing Police ranks at Bartica of slothfulness, claiming that they were reluctant to carry out a search for her brother in the first instance. They reportedly told relatives that there was no boat at their disposal.

The man’s body is at the Bartica Hospital Mortuary and is expected to be transferred to the Lyken Funeral Home today.

From page 13

of internal auditing and other related subjects. He noted that at all of IIA’s presentations, the emphasis was enlightening participants on the latest developments of internal auditing in Guyana. Seeram stated that now in 2014, IIA Guyana Chapter is still heavily involved in this education and still maintains the standards set since 2000.

To participants, Seeram stated that the Guyana Chapter has an obligation to provide them, as practitioners on the job, with an opportunity to update themselves on the latest developments. In doing so, it is the Chapter’s objectives to have the participants leave the conference having acquired knowledge that would benefit them and their organisations.

The presenter for the workshop, IIA Trinidad and Tobago Chapter President Larry Kowlessar, mentioned that his only hope was that the in-

Police destroy marijuana plants at Springlands

Police at the Springlands Police Station led by Cadet Officer Jermaine Dufu on Wednesday destroyed a small number of cannabis plants in the Corentyne community.

According to information reaching Guyana Times, the ranks received a tip-off and went into the area where they found about 15 plants among plantain suckers.

The cannabis plants measured some three to four feet in height and weighed about 8.5 kilograms.

The exercise was conducted between 06:00h and 09:00h. The Police set alight the plants.

There have been several successful raids at Springlands, unearthing fields of cannabis.

formation presented would be embedded in their minds and somehow contribute to their personal business enhancement skills. He noted that his presentation would be based on internal and external auditing perspectives, and he wished to tackle the issues of fraud detection and prevention.

Two weeks ago, Police unearthed a quantity of ammunition and cannabis at Sheet Anchor, East Canje, Berbice. According to information received, Police, acting on a tip, went to a camp in the area where they found a 12-gauge shotgun cartridge and 5.5 kilograms of marijuana.

Based on reports received, the men at the camp escaped upon seeing Police approaching the area. The cannabis and ammunition were collected and taken to the New Amsterdam Police Station where the former was weighed.

guyanatimesgy.com

Jamzone Summer Break, one of the biggest calendar events for the summer. This year, for the first time, Jamzone Summer Break will be held in New York with some of the biggest names in reggae, dancehall and soca scheduled to perform. That event is slated for August 9 in Brooklyn, New York.

After that, Jamzone fever hits Guyana with the first event – the Miss Jamzone International Pageant – billed for August 15 at the National Cultural Centre. This will see at least 10 delegates competing head on to win the US$10,000 prize money and one-year boasting rights.

The delegates include Miss Guyana Soyini Fraser

who is confident that she has what it takes to cop the title. Other countries that are in the run for the title are Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, with both countries having won the crown for the past three years.

On August 16, all attention will be on the little ones as the Kids

Zone which will be held at the Everest Cricket Club Ground, Carifesta Avenue. As usual, there will be 3D shows, mix and mingling with cartoon characters, face painting and other activities to keep the youths busy.

When the sun sets, Palm Court is the place to be for Brazilian Night, which will see local Brazilian bands steaming up the dance floor. The event is the second of its kind since the existence of Jamzone

Issue No. 023

Summer Break and from all indications, it will be added to the calendar of events permanently.

On August 17, be prepared to witness the stunts and rides as Bikers Fest is held on the tarmac of the National Park. The event is expected to be clean fun, with thrills and spills for the entire family, with

special guest riders among other international bikers who will leave patrons breathless.

The Black Tie Auction is set to invade the Pegasus Pool Side on August 20. This event will see the delegates auction several pieces of items from their native country. This event draws some of the most elites in showbiz and the entertainment industry. All focus will then be placed on the Water Colour Party on August 22 at a venue to be announced later.

Four stunning young ladies were shortlisted as they each try to be Guyana’s representative at the 10th Annual Miss Global International which will be staged at Jamaica’s prestigious Resort Capital, Montego Bay from December 2-7.

The Guyanese delegates will be announced at a special event on Saturday, August 2 at the Pegasus poolside, commencing at 20:00h. The lucky young ladies will immediately commence

additional training leading up to the pageant.

The four contestants selected will undergo an audition before a panel of qualified judges, both in pageantry and tourism, and they will be awarded a maximum of 70 points.

The additional 30 points will revolve around the number of text votes each delegate receives from the public. Commencing July 31, at 13:00h and concluding on Saturday August 2, at noon, Guyanese will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite contestant via text messaging.

These delegates are 25-yearold Ayana Harris, who has a wealth of experience in pageantry. She has copped several titles including Miss Central High (while she was a student there); Miss Guyana Junior Queen, 2003; and she was the third runner-up in the 2007 Miss Guyana Universe Pageant. Ayana was crowned Miss Jamzone Guyana in 2012 and went on to represent Guyana at the Miss Jamzone International Pageant,

where she was awarded the third runner-up spot. Her experience is definitely a plus for her.

The second delegate is 22-year-old Onesha Hutson who is also no stranger to the glitz and glamour of the life and pageantry. She was a contestant in the Miss Guyana Universe Pageant 2012; that being her first pageant and also the 2014 Miss Jamzone Guyana Pageant where she places second, and has also walked the runway numerous times locally and regionally.

Next is 25-year-old, Rashawna Alleyne who hails from the West Coast of Demerara, but now resides in the capital city of Guyana. She is the holder of a Degree in Biology from the University of Guyana and a Diploma in Project Management from the Institute of Commercial Management-UK, passing both fields of study with honours.

Finally, we have Ashley Andrea Cameron, who is no stranger to the camera. From the year 2007 to present, Ashley has taken part in Facts 2, a designing

competition for young people, Guyana Model Search and recently the Miss Guyana Jamzone 2013 pageant, where she was the first runnerup and was awarded the prize of most intelligent delegate. Cameron also competed in this year’s Hugh Ross Classic Body Building Competition. She has worked as a model with various companies such as Digicel and GT&T and ever since then, she has continued to excel in all endeavours.

One of the initial aims of staging this pageant is to promote tourism, hence the theme: “Uniting the world through beauty and tourism”. With the anticipation of having a contestant base of over 50 beautiful and well talented beauties, the pageant is fully endorsed by the Jamaica Tourist Board and blessed by the Governor General and Prime Minister of Jamaica.

On the night of August 23, all roads will lead to Hits and Jams Water Park for the Regional Night Concert which will feature Alkaline and soca sensations Bunji Garlin and Fay Ann Lyons. Other artistes are also expected to perform.

The final day of Jamzone Summer Break will be the Beach Party but it will definitely not be at Splashmin’s Fun Park and Resort as previous years. The new venue will be the Hits and Jams Water Park, aback the Princess Hotel and Casino.

the auditions and the great potential they saw in each of the contestants.

Saturday, July 5, 2014

saw a huge number of young people turning up at the ACDA (African Cultural and Development Association) headquarters in Thomas Lands to be a part of the auditions for the first edition of Centre Stage: a one of a kind competition being hosted by the organisation and the Guyana Music Network.

Applications were open to young and upcoming singers, dancers, designers, instrumentalists and comedians/poets between the ages of 12-24 years, who were looking for an avenue to showcase their talent.

The young contestants were more than excited to per-

form for a panel of five judges from the various creative fields who were tasked with

selecting the finalists in each of the categories. The judges were all very impressed with

The Chief Judge and founder of the Guyana Music Network Burchmore Simon explained that the objectives of the competition include enabling youths to express themselves to a captive audience and providing a stage for creative expression, while giving the young performers a chance to experience the big stage with a professional setting and star treatment, as it will be hosted annually as part of ACDA’s youth development and the music network’s outreach programmes.

The other judges included

Meet Miss Trinidad and Tobago

– another delegate in the Jamzone International Pageant

Ten beauties are confirmed to participate in the Miss Jamzone International Pageant slated for August 15 at the National Cultural Centre.

These delegates include several from the Caribbean, a few from North America and Guyana’s

very own Soyini Fraser. The delegates will be competing in several competitions such as talent, display of national costumes, intelligence, photo shoots and others.

Guyana Times Entertainment will be featuring delegates of the 2014 Miss Jamzone International Pageant in the coming weeks. This week, we are pleased

to introduce Miss Trinidad and Tobago, Kareesia (Yaya) Henry.

Meet the delegate

At just 23 years old, Kareesia Henry has already participated in nine pageants, five of which she emerged the winner, three of which she was a runner-up and her most recognised, the Miss Trinidad and Tobago Universe 2011 where she was a semi-finalist.

This young lady is currently employed as the Protocol Officer to the Minister of Tobago Development but says she has a passion for flying planes. It is with this in mind that she said she sees herself as a First Officer Pilot with British Airways doing short haul flights throughout Europe and travelling a great deal in about five years.

Henry is proud of her country’s people and their ability to live in love, adding that she is especially proud of their victory after many years of struggle and their subsequent independence which defines them as a people.

She also boasted about Trinidad being home to the “Greatest festival on Earth” –Carnival – further pinpointing their unity and very rich

culture. Henry is excited about meeting beautiful people and learning about new cultures as she continues on her Jamzone journey.

professional designer Neilson Nurse, young producer Simeon Browne, former Miss Guyana World and Universe Ruqayyah Boyer and Child Educator Joy Stanton. The top three performers in each category will be awarded with trophies and other prizes including publicity on the GMN website, social media, newspapers and other websites.

The winning singer will also have two songs recorded and one video produced, compliments of Kross Kolor Records. Photos of the finalists will be posted online at www.guyanamusicnetwork. org and www.facebook.com/ guyanamusicnetwork and

Adams.

The final will be held on Friday, August 1 at the National Park as part of ACDA’s 2014 Emancipation celebrations.

GUYANA

Fidel’s snorter, Ramdin’s master-class, Barnwell’s cameo and the Bravos’ show

The Guyana Amazon Warriors lost to the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel in another close finish, this time at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain on Thursday night. Avenash Ramzan recaps some key moments of the game.

An admirable replication

Maybe buoyed by the success of the Guyana Amazon Warriors playing in front of sold-out crowds in Guyana, fans packed the Queen’s Park Oval to scream for the home-based franchise, the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel. Whether it was a ploy to remind Sport Minister

Anil Roberts that the entire nation is behind the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel is up for debate, but the crowd certainly came to party in true Carnival style. They were dancing in the stands quite early as well, as the world’s number one ranked T20 bowler Samuel Badree plucked out three crucial wickets in the Powerplay.

Fidel’s snorter

Denesh Ramdin was hit on the helmet by a Jerome Taylor delivery against the Jamaica Tallawahs and had to retire hurt immediately. Mohammad Hafeez suffered a similar fate at the end of the third over when a Fidel Edwards’ back-of-a-length delivery crashed into his helmet. Timed at 140 kmph, it came as no surprise Hafeez was late on the pull shot.

And just when he looked keen on scoring the third century of the 2nd edition of the Limacol CPL, Ramdin fell tamely on 84 attempting a shot over fine leg off the bowling of Edwards and instead finding the safe hands of Badree. His gem of an innings came from just 45 deliveries.

But the skipper had already done his work with the score on 149 for 4, involving

He didn’t face a next delivery until the start of the sixth over, and like Ramdin, he had to hit the dugout, caught by Kevin O’Brien off the bowling of Badree.

Ramdin’s masterclass

Not only did Ramdin notch up his career-best score, he played a T20 master-class on a slow pitch. With the Warriors wobbling at 27-3 after six, it required something special to turn it around. Like a man possessed, the skipper bullied his way to 84 off 45 balls and shared a century stand with Jimmy Neesham to inject much needed life into the innings. Six sixes, a similar number of boundaries and a strike rate of 186.66 are not stats you would associate with Ramdin, but it was just what the doctor ordered.

Barnwell’s cameo

The Red Steel were hoping Ramdin’s dismissal would ease the carnage, but they ran into a no-nonsense Christopher Barnwell. Coming in with 2.1 overs remaining and no time to settle, “The Bull” as he is known, clobbered two sixes and a four in an electrifying eight-ball 23 to ensure the momentum created by Ramdin was carried through to the end. Combined, Barnwell and Ramdin produced 107 off 53 balls at a strike rate of over 200, and all through the onslaught, Neesham had the best seat in the house, contributing

in a 4th wicket partnership of 122 with Neesham.

At 149 for 4 off 17. 5 overs, it was the perfect stage for Christopher Barnwell to make an appearance and he did not disappoint as the hard hitting Guyanese hit 23 off just 8 balls, including a towering six that went for 75 metres.

But Barnwell would be run out by Kevon Cooper who was mostly having a

a steady 33 out of the 152 scored while he was at the crease.

Big fishes Kevin O’Brien and Ross Taylor established a Limacol CPL batting record in the last game and a repeat of that effort was desperately needed by the Red Steel, chasing a huge total. However, they didn’t get a chance to bat together this time, as O’Brien was undone by a late in-swinging yorker that the former Pakistan left-arm extraordinaire Wasim Akram would be proud of. Taylor followed soon after, playing back to a Veerasammy Permaul delivery that struck him plumb in front, as the Red Steel lost their two premier international players up front.

The Bravos’ show

The cheap dismissals of O’Brien and Taylor made way for the Bravos’ show, as Dwayne and Darren, pulverised the Warriors bowling, hitting boundaries almost at will in a stroke-filled century partnership. The pair converted a hopeless position of 13-3 into a hopeful one at 144-4 when Dwayne departed for 67 from 42. T he Warriors made a late comeback with a few wickets, but Darren remained to the end to perform the final act, hitting exactly what was required off the final ball, a gigantic six to finish on 69 from 49. If Ramdin’s was a master-class, the Bravos were simply spectacular.

from back page

bad day in the field. In fact, Cooper would drop Neesham off the last ball of the game, the ball spilling into the boundary for four. Neesham was left not out on 33 off 22 balls.

Samuel Badree captured three wickets for 13 runs from his 4 overs.

Guyana Amazon Warriors next play Barbados Tridents at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday.

Best and Malik fined for on-field altercation

St Lucia Zouks fast bowler Tino Best and Barbados Tridents

Shoaib Malik were on Thursday fined for their onfield altercation during the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) match at Kensington Oval, Barbados, on Wednesday, Charges were laid by onfield umpires Joel Wilson and Gregory Brathwaite under the relevant section of the WICB Code of Conduct, which is the governing code for the CPL.

The charges laid by the on-field umpires were as follows:

*?Tino Best was found to have breached Article 2.1.8 of the Code of Conduct which relates to “conduct that either (a) is contrary to the spirit of the game; or (b) brings the game into disrepute. This is a Level One offence. As a result, Tino Best was charged 10% of his match fee.

*?Tino Best was found to have breached Article 2.2.8 of the Code of Conduct which relates to “using language or a gesture(s) that is seriously obscene, seriously offensive or of a seriously insulting nature to another player. This is a Level Two offence. As a result, Tino Best was charged 50% of his

match fee.

*?Shoaib Malik was found to have breached Article 2.2.4 of the Code of Conduct which relates to “inappropriate and deliberate physical contact between players in the course of play during an International Match”. This is a Level Two offence. As a result, Shoaib Malik was charged 50% of his match fee.

Both players pleaded guilty to the charges laid against them. As a consequence of this, Match Referee, Denovan Hayles, was not required to hold any hearings into the incident and the fines have been levied against both players.

In addition, there was a further incident which took place after the match at the players’ hotel.

“While this is being investigated currently, the CPL management can confirm that the incident was minor and no one was injured,” a press release from Limacol CPL stated.

“The management of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League would like to take this opportunity to thank the Match Referee for his prompt handling of this incident and to restate its commitment to protecting the integrity of the tournament and the sport,” the release concluded.

Fernandes reaches quarter-finals at Commonwealth Games

– Men’s TT team end day one with 1-1 record

Guyana started the quest for Commonwealth Games gold with an opening game win for squash queen Nicolette Fernandes, when the 20th edition of the event got under way on Thursday in Glasgow, Scotland.

World number 19 Fernandes was at her best in defeating Namweene Muchaile of Zambia in the round of 16 in three straight sets at 11-4, 11-3 and 11-3 to advance to the quarter-final round of the tournament.

Fernandes will now face world number two Laura

Massaro of England in her quarter-final encounter today.

Sunil Seth made it past Malta’s Daniel ZammitLewis with a 3-0 win, only to be defeated by Australia’s Cameron Pilley in three straight sets at 6-11, 3-11 and 9-11, while Alex Arjoon was booted from the competition in the round of 32 after losing to Joel Makin of Wales in three straight sets.

The Guyana women’s table tennis team got off to a rough start, losing their first match to Australia in three straight games.

Hawksbills hoping to snap 4-game losing streak

– “We must back our ability on the day,” says Marlon Samuels

With the Antigua Hawksbills suffering four defeats in a row for the first time in their history, Captain Marlon Samuels and Coach Tim Nielsen had a chat with www.cplt20.com and are optimistic despite the recent displays.

Marlon Samuels commented; “Results may not have gone in our favour over the past two weeks, however, we must back our ability on the day. We have genuine match winners in

our team, we still stand a chance of reaching the semi-finals and that is our aim.”

Samuels, who has played in three T20 World Cup’s for the West Indies, said; “I feel like I am at home here in Barbados, I enjoy playing at Kensington Oval and I will be aiming to capitalise on this strength of mine.”

English-born coach Tim Nielsen echoed his skipper and believes he has a competent team; “I have a great skipper in Marlon to lead

the players and I find that the mood in the camp is quite mellow and calm. Our batsmen have been hitting the ball in the right areas and our bowlers are bowling with a good line and length so I am pleased with how things have gone in this regard. I am just hoping tomorrow (today) can be our day when the flood gates open.”

The Antigua Hawksbills take on the Barbados Tridents at the Kensington Oval from 16:00h.

The men’s table tennis team went 1-1 for the day, defeating Vanatu in three straight games but losing to Northern Ireland in three straight games to end the first day of competition for team Guyana.

Meanwhile, the boxers will start their competition today, while Onika George is set to hit the pool in the women’s 50 metres freestyle.

Action in squash and table tennis are also scheduled to continue as Fernandes looks to create a major upset against world number two Massaro. (Treiston Joseph)

Paul, Savory save Guyana blushes on final day

By Avenash Ramzan

emo Paul and Kemol

KSavory led a lower-order resurgence to earn Guyana a morale-boosting draw in the opening round of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Under-19, three-day competition at the National Stadium, Providence.

The talented Essequibian Paul and wicket-keeper Savory dug Guyana out from the depths of 108-6, a lead of just 36, with a brilliant century partnership that saved the hosts blushes on the final day.

The match was called off at 16:29h when the Guyana innings ended. Guyana copped 8.1 points from the game, while the Leeward Islands had 8.3. Final scores: Guyana 270 and 214; Leeward Islands 342.

Faced with a deficit of 72 on first innings, the

Guyanese lost their first wicket with the score on 23 when Shimron Hetmyer was once again guilty of throwing his wicket away. With three boundaries in 14, the West Indies Under-19 batsman was caught at gully by Theron Bussue, flashing at a wide delivery from Leeward Islands skipper and medium-pacer, Jeremiah Louis.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul and skipper Brian Sattaur then proceeded to rebuild the innings, but just when it seemed they would go to lunch without further loss, Chanderpaul was bowled for 16 by Alzarri Joseph, playing away from his body and chopping on.

A lunch time position of 51-2 soon became 61-4 as the Guyanese were staring down the barrel, still 11 runs away from overhauling the first innings lead established by the visitors.

The left-handed Sattaur played forward to a delivery

from off-spinner Shaquille Martina and was caught at first slip by Joseph for 18, while Balchand Baldeo nicked a lifting delivery from Joseph and was caught at

second slip by Louis for four.

Paul and Sharaz Ramcharran joined forces and wiped off the deficit, but with a lead of just 20 on the board, the latter was caught

211-7.

His dismissal signalled a swift end to the Guyana innings, as Martina, who picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings, snuffed out the last three wickets to dismiss the home team for 214.

He had Savory caught at second slip by Louis for 36, and then followed up by bowling Daimon Waldron for one and removing Keon Morris leg before without scoring the next delivery.

Martina, who will start the next game on a hattrick, finished with 4-49 for match-figures of 9-135, while Archibald had 2-22 and Joseph 2-30.

off the bowling of Archibald for eight at 92-5 to leave the game wide open. It swung further in Leeward Islands’ way when Akshay Homraj was dismissed by Archibald for eight at 108-6, before Paul found an able partner in Savory as they notched up the only century partnership of the match.

While the right-handed Paul mixed caution with aggression, Savory was content on playing the supporting role, biding his time and hitting the bad balls when they were offered.

Paul, who was one of six Under-19 players in the Guyana Amazon Warriors training squad, brought up his 50 off 79 balls, hitting nine sweetly timed boundaries during his 97- minute occupation at the crease.

Both batsmen remained positive throughout the partnership, eliminating risky strokeplay as they batted Guyana to a position of safety, taking the lead beyond 100. During the partnership, they also took the hosts past the 200-run mark, but with a hundred in sight, Paul was bowled by Bussue for 90 (123 balls, 170 minutes, 15x4s) at

GUYANA UNDER-19s 1st Innings 270

LEEWARDS UNDER19s 1st Innings (overnight 300 for eight)

D. Weste c Morris b Baldeo 1

R. Powell c Morris

b Ramcharran 130

S. Martina lbw b Sankar 6

K. Carty b Paul 64

A. Hodge run out 13

+M. Hingorani c Ramcharran

b Sankar 1

*J. Louis c Paul b Baldeo 72

A. Joseph c Hetmyer

b Ramcharran 11

K. Scott run out 1

C. Archibald run out 1

T. Bussue not out 18

Extras:(b10, lb7, nb6) 23

TOTAL:(all out, 126.1 overs) 342

Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-49, 3-146, 4-187, 5-201, 6-254, 7-274, 8-290, 9-306 Bowling: Paul 19-2-75-1, Baldeo 27.1-12-50-2, Waldron 10-3-19-0, Morris 6-2-32-0, Ramcharran 29-6-57-3, Sankar

Earlier, the Leeward Islands, resuming on 300-8, added 42 runs in quick time, before being dismissed 46 minutes into the day’s play. Skipper Louis, who started the day on 49, quickly reached his fifty before being the last man out for a solid 72 (116 minutes, 102 balls, 7x4s, 3x6s). The other wicket to fall was Colin Archibald for one, while Bussue, batting at number 11, finished on a breezy 18 (2x4s, 1x6).

Bowling for Guyana, Ramcharran was the most successful with 3-57 from 29 overs, while Baldeo and Sankar had 2-50 and 2-83 respectively.

In results from the other first- round games, Windward Islands defeated Trinidad and Tobago by an innings and 21 runs at the Enmore Community Centre ground, while Jamaica defeated Barbados by six wickets at the Everest ground.

Guyana will next play the Windward Islands from Saturday at the Everest Cricket Club ground, Camp Road; Leeward Islands and Jamaica will clash at the DCC ground, Queenstown; and Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago will collide at the National Stadium, Providence.

31-8-83-2, Chanderpaul 4-1-8-0

GUYANA 2nd Innings

S. Hetmyer c Bussue b Louis 14

T. Chanderpaul b Joseph 16

*B. Sattaur c Joseph b Martina 18

B. Baldeo c Louis b Joseph 4

S. Ramcharran c Carty b Archibald 8

K. Paul b Bussue 90

A. Homraj c Joseph b Archibald 8

+K. Savory c Louis b Martina 36

D. Waldron b Martina 1

S. Sankar not out 0

K. Morris lbw b Martina 0

Extras: (b7, lb4, w3, nb7) 21

TOTAL: (all out, 59.3 overs) 214

Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-51, 3-57, 4-61, 5-92, 6-108, 7-211, 8-211, 9-214

Bowling: Joseph 12-6-30-2, Louis 12-2-50-1, Martina 18.36-49-4, Archibald 7-0-32-2, Bussue 7-0-27-1, Scott 3-0-15-0

Result: Match drawn Points: Leewards Under-19s 8.3, Guyana Under-19s 8.1

Dentures provided in 72 hours from as low as $4500. Contact Dr B Stuart, 209B Charlotte St, Lacytown. Tel: 225-5034

Shalom Enterprise Driving School, Lot 2 Croal Street, Stabroek. Obtain an International Driver’s Permit that covers 123 countries. Call 227-3869 or Like us on Facebook.

Private computer classes for the summer. Monday to Friday, call 6445456 or 226-7935

Need private tutoring or lessons for CXC Mathematics forms 1-5? Call 223-6941/685-9590

Make this summer fun! Learn to play the keyboard, guitar, drums, recorder and get voice training in only two weeks; from July 14-25. Call 225-1151 or 617-4200.

Summer is Fun!!! Register now and learn to play keyboard, guitar, drums and do voice training. Call Foundation 7 on 225-1151/617-4200

Available: Fresh long-stemmed roses, fresh dried and silk floral arrangements, gift items, bridal boutiques and wreaths. Nesha’s Flowerland. 78 Church Street (opposite St George’s Cathedral). Tel: 227-3553/225-3315

YELLOW PAGES

friday, JUly 25, 2014

ECCLES (100FT X 50FT) PRIME RESIDENTIAL AREA $3.5M. 675-7292 GROVE (WITH FOUNDATION) $2.6M, HERSTELLING (110FT X 60FT) 6757292

destroyed such as black magic, witchcraft, voodoo, obeyah etc and give powerful protection. We also do upliftment for clearing of land, dredging operations strictly in the interior. For private and confidential service call 674-2112.

One furnished house at Lamaha Gardens suitable for office and residence in immaculate conditionUS$2,500. Two modern apartments - 3 bedrooms each at CampbellvilleUS$1,300. Contact office on 2194535 (08:00-17:00h) .

One furnished house in immaculate condition at Lamaha Gardens suitable for residence and office. US$2,500 (AC, hot & cold, parking etc). One modern 3 bedroom apartment at Campbellville US$1,300 (AC, hot & cold, parking etc). One bond 135,000 square foot at Beterverwagting, ECD US$10,000. Call 219-4535 or 661-7169

IAAF World Junior Championships… Guyana’s run ends with Thompson’s exit

Overseas-based sprinter Brenessa Thompson crashed out of the 15th edition of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Junior Championships in Oregon, USA, after failing to qualify for the semi-final of the girls’ 200 metres on Thursday afternoon.

Seven-room bungalow. Ideal for students, groups, short & long term rental - Triumph, ECD. Phone: 2202130/624-7111/622-7097.

Self contained apartments, fully furnished. Phone: 220-2130/6247111/622-7097.

One two bedroom apartment at Grove, East Bank Demerara. Call 669-1954. l and FOr Sale

Thompson, who missed the final of the female 100 metres by 100th of a second, finished fifth in her heat in a time of 24.61s.

World Junior Silver medallist Kadecia Baird was disqualified after winning her heat in the female 400 metres on Wednesday.

Baird stepped on the inner line of her lane, which caused the disqualification of the promising female athlete.

Hummer H2 SUT model “pre- negotiations sale” equipped with full leather interior, 22” rims triple DVD sound system HID lights, Fogs, Led lighting, lots of extras “MAKE AN OFFER” sale 621-4000

Prescription Plus Pharmacy located at Lot E5 Hadfield Street, Worthmanville between Louisa Row and Winter place. Opening Monday to Saturdays 07:00- 20:00h; Sunday & Holidays 08:30-13:00h. Pharmacist always available. Phone: 227-2973

Da Silva’s Optical. For Your Eyes Only, Look Better See Better. Phillip A Da Silva OD, Shannon L Da Silva OD, Natalie Da Silva OD. 248 South Road, Bourda. Phone: 227-3529, Linden: 444-6376, Corriverton: 339-3536, Meten-Meer-Zorg: 2750322, Grand Cayman Islands: (345) 943-1515 for the perfect trendy touch. FOR SALE 60FT Antenna (Mass) (AVERAGE COST 1 MILLION) for Radio, TV, Cellular, with cables, brackets, sky light “MAKE OFFER” 227-3939, 621-4000 Grey flask mercury 99.9999% purity. Call 219-4535 Six

of 3

Healthworld Holistic Centre offers clinical psychotherapy for suicidal thoughts, attempted suicides, depression, stress, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, homicidal thoughts, hallucinations, loneliness, conflicts, anger management, relationship & sexual problems, paranoia and much more. Call +592-621-0552 and make that appointment now before it’s too late. 12:00-6:00PM. Mondays-Fridays. Email: healthworldhc@gmail.com

Immigration & Visa Services We handle all Canadian, USA and UK immigration and visa matters. Self sponsorships, holiday/ visitor’s visas, work permits, students visas, family, class, immigration forms, embassy enquiries, appeals for refused cases, US green card lottery, business class waivers, pardons, etc. Get your visa approved. High success rate. Balwant Persaud & Associates. Certified Immigration Consultants, 68 Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown (Between Cummings & Lights Sts) Tel: 225-1540, 622-8308, 655-3105. Email: balwantpersaud@yahoo.ca

Key cuttIng

Professional Key Shop, 125 Carmichael Street, Georgetown. Phone: 225-3923, mobile: 6213249. We cut any type of key, service and repair all types of locks. Get your extra key today.

TWO STOREY HOUSE WITH LAND SIZE OF 100FT X 50FT $8.5M NONPARIEL. 675-7292

One two-storey, three bedroom concrete property located at Parfaite Harmonie. Price $16M. Call 6221782 or 658-5803

LIVE IN Domestic (maid), preferably from country area ($32,000 - $40,000) monthly apply Guyana Variety Store 38 Cummings St, Alberttown 227-3939

Mercedes benz S300 bullet proof, (average street value 5 million) leather seats, automatic, CD PLAYER and DVD player 2 screens, lots of extras, 19” CHROME RIMS, BEST OFFER Tel: 621-4000, 227-3939

REDUCED MUST GO :-Mitsubishi 3000GT (average street value 4 million) sports car, 18” rims, leather seats, CD Player, Amp and box, HID lights, excellent condition “MAKE AN OFFER” Tel: 621-4000, 227-3939.

Thompson’s exit in the 200 metres brings to an end a disappointing participation for Guyana in the event, especially after

Basketball returns to Burnham court

The Guyana Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) will be hosting a three-on-three floodlight basketball tournament this weekend, dubbed the Trifecta Basketball Tournament at the Burnham Hard Court.

The quarter-final round will be held on Saturday with

four games, while Sunday will see the semi-final of the tournament.

Exhibition games with some of the top first- division teams are also on the cards for Sunday before the two semi-final games. The event is set to start on Saturday from 18:00h with Colts taking on Nets, while Buxton heat will do battle with Guardians from 19:30h.

At 21:00h, Sonics will aim to defeat Eagles, while Pacesetters will battle Melanie Patriots in the final game of the evening, set for a 10:30h start.

COLD STORAGE FACILITY. Freezing and cold storage facilities available. Affordable prices offered. BM Enterprise Inc, Houston GFL Wharf. Tel: 27-8176/77

Business Support Services: Staff Training, Market Research, PR, Typing, Data Entry, etc. Call 611-6408 SerVIceS

Dutch spiritual healing in removing evil spirit; bad luck; evil sickness; spells; reuniting lovers and prosperity to business etc, Call 612-6417, 220-0708, 687-5633.

Cleansing of spiritual problems of all kinds. Powerful Ifá protection against evil. Get help to overcome problems with love, relationships, legal, sexual, pregnancy, business, sickness, jobs, enemies, work, money. Call 592-6901824 from 10:00-16:00h Email:anewlife@live.com

HEPHZIBAH MINISTRIES. 24hrs miracle line 322-5081/337-4510/3374259/337-4021/337-3070/337-5103 For healing, deliverance, financial difficulties, marriage issues. Call now. Jesus cares.

Suriname Astrology Palmist and Djuka Healing, the most powerful spiritualist in the world, are you suffering from the following problems (any religion) love, marriage, family, health business, husband and wife relationship, property, court, children, promotion, visa, pregnancy, education, depression, job, sexual, jealousy, enemy, money, drinking ? Also you can have all evil forces

2 LEROY TRIDENT cars, 250 CC, less than 200 km on clock, 5 speed, 4 doors, Power Window, keyless entry, CD Player, Sunroof, PRR Series average landed COST $1.5 million, SELLING NOW FOR $900,000 CASH or 25 % DOWN $225,000 and pay in 2 years (BANK).Great on fuel. TEL: 227-3939, 621-4000 JUST ARRIVED: TOP QUALITY RECONDITIONED VEHICLES; TOYOTA NOAH; TOYOTA VOXY; TOYOTA IST (NEW SHAPE); SUZUKI SWIFT; DAIHATSU MOVE (660CC); MERCEDES BENZ C200 KOMPRESSOR; COROLLA AE100

WAGON; TOYOTA HIACE MINIBUS RZ; PITBULL-STYLE FREEZER VAN; LAND CRUISER (FULLY LOADED); MAZDA PROCEED 4WD EXTRA-CAB PICK-UP; TOYOTA HILUX 4WD EXTRA CAB PICKUPS - 3RZ, 5L, 3L SOLID

DEFFERNTIAL; MITSUBISHI CANTER TRUCKS 4 TONS FREEZER; 3 TONS OPEN TRAY; 2 TONS 4WD; NISSAN ATLAS 2 TONS OPEN TRAY TRUCK. PRE-ORDER YOUR UNITS EARLY AND GET THE BEST PRICES. FULL AFTER SALES SERVICES AND FINANCING AVAILABLE. DEO MARAJ AUTO SALES, 2 CHIMNEY ROAD, CHATEAU MARGOT, ECD. 624-0762, 220-5177. A NAME AND SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST

4x4 Nissan Titan fully powered

Immaculate condition $3.5M. No reasonable offer refused. 622-7740

2 ERF dump trucks (2001 model), unregistered; $6.5M. 1 man side curting hydraulic lift (2005 model), unregistered; $6.8M negotiable. 1-side action 3-side dump (2001 model); $6.5M negotiable. Call: 6620701,629-0661.

Trike Can- Am style Motorcycle, 200cc “BRAND NEW”, REVERSE GEAR, Projection and Led lights, Digital Dash board, UNREGISTERED, average landed COST, $800,000 SELLING PRICE NOW $595,000 CASH or 10% down $59,500 and 3 YEARS TO PAY,”DEALS ON WHEELS” TEL: 227-3939, 621-4000

Digicel Schools Football…

Bush Lot Secondary confident of upsetting defending champs CWSS

Region Five champions

Bush Lot Secondary are confident of pulling off a major upset when they face defending champions Christianburg Wismar Secondary School (CWSS) in semi-final one of the Digicel Schools Football Tournament at Burnham Park, New Amsterdam, today.

The Berbice boys reached the final four following a 3-2 win over Annai Secondary in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

According to the Team Manager, Cascee Ward, Bush Lot Secondary are confident of securing a spot in the final. “We have very high hopes and while we have not seen Christianburg play as yet, we have heard a lot about them, but we are very confident.”

Ward also noted that the team reaching the semi-finals came as no surprise.

The team’s captain is Marlon Nicholson, who has been one of the team’s leading goal-scorers, netting sev-

en goals from four games. Nicholson has been receiving good support from fellow striker Adrian Price, who also has seven goals from five games in this year’s competition.

While Bush Lot were able to get past Mahaicony Secondary 5-1 in their opening match of this year’s competition, goal-scoring was not their only focus. A solid defence has got them this far, with Collide Miller controlling the centre while

Calvin Dorris and Royen Shultz take care of the flanks.

The formidability of the Bush Lot Secondary defence is highlighted on the score sheets, as they beat Rosignol Secondary 2-nil in their second game. In fact, only on a few occasions were players successful in getting past their defence and that was only part of the job done as goal-keeper Shane James could be regarded as one of the better ‘keepers’ coming

out of the 2014 tournament. James is now playing in his second year of the tournament.

According to Ward, Bush Lot Secondary is a wellrounded team.

On their way to becoming regional champions, Bush Lot had to get past pre-tournament favourites Mahaicony Technical Institute and did so in a tough battle that ended 4-3.

They then went on to whip Region One champs

Port Kaituma Secondary 3-1 in their playoff match and then Region Nine champs Annai Secondary 3-2 in the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, the second semi-final will be contested today between Beterverwagting Secondary and Waramadong Secondary at the Beterverwagting Community Centre, East Coast Demerara. Both games today will kick off at 15:30h. (Andrew Carmichael)

Young cricketers learning the trade at GCC

By Avenash Ramzan

Known for producing cricketers of the calibre of Carl Hooper, Reon King, Neil McGarrell, Shivnarine

Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Leon Johnson, the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) is keen on continuing its proud tradition, investing in the youth population of its membership by hosting its annual cricket camp.

Under the expert guidance of England Cricket

Board (ECB) Level Three Coach, the former England, Guyana, Surrey and Gloucestershire batsman Monty Lynch, scores of youngsters attached to the club are being tutored on the fundamentals of the game at the GCC ground, Bourda.

When Guyana Times Sport visited the camp on Thursday, the 55-year-old Lynch, who played three One-Day Internationals for England against the West Indies in 1988, was observed taking the young players through some highenergy fielding drills.

In giving an update on the camp, which started on Monday, Lynch said the whole focus is to get the youths to “enjoy themselves doing the right thing.”

“We have about 16 [youngsters] and it’s been fun. Most of it has been about coordination work and thinking the game. By the time they get to 16-17, they must be able to analyse the game. All of them are being taught to captain a side, so when they’re on the field it’s not left to one person to know where they

GSCL to honour Ramsarran with T20 game

The Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Inc will on Saturday host a special T20 softball game at Banks DIH, Thirst Park, in honour of Royston Ramsarran, a foundermember of the Guyana Softball Association.

The game will commence at 17:00h and will be played between Mike’s XI and Don’s XI and is expected to be followed by two exhibition matches, which will be played as 10-over affairs. The first will be contested between Regal XI and Speed Boat XI, while the second will be played between Trophy Stall and Omesh XI.

Meanwhile, Mike’s XI will be led by Rickey Deonarine and includes Mike Singh, Richard Persaud, Ramesh Sunich and Khalid Baldeo, while Mahendra Hardyal will captain Don’s XI, which will consist of Mahendra Arjune, Longsford Klass, Mahase Chunilall, Mohamed Rafeek and Troy Kippins. Trophies for all the games have been donated by Trophy Stall of Bourda Market, Hadi’s City Mall and South Road, Bourda.

must field and what positions they must take, so it’s really a whole portfolio of fielding, batting, bowling and more sporting knowledge,” Lynch, who played 359 First-Class and 378 List ‘A’ games between 1977 and 1997, explained.

According to Lynch, the current session will wrap up next Friday, but another two-week camp will com-

mence on August 14 at the same venue on weekdays.

While most of the players have a solid grasp of the basics of the game, they are being edified on the technical aspect as well, Lynch pointed out.

“They are learning at a young age and learning the vocabulary of the game and if they’re watching and somebody has moved from

mid-on to mid-off, they would know what the purpose of moving is, but mostly this is about skills, movement and balance, how to throw, how to balance yourself when you throw and so on,” he said.

Lynch continued, “The more you do that the more remains with them and it becomes part of their muscle memory, that’s what

we’re doing really, building muscle memory, for especially the younger ones because bad habits are easy to get and really difficult to get rid of.” At the end of it all, Lynch hopes to produce more players who can warrant places in the Guyana team and ultimately don West Indies uniform at the highest level.

Bravo brothers quell Ramdin’s rampage

By Reuben Stoby

In what could be considered one of the most entertaining matches of the 2nd edition of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL) so far, the Guyana Amazon Warriors saw victory snatched from their grasp at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad as the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel, needing six runs off the last ball of the game, unbelievably got it from Man of the Match Darren Bravo.

Trinidad and Tobago won the battle, revenge for

their Super Over defeat in Guyana a week ago, by 4 wickets. Earlier, Guyana Amazon Warriors, sent to bat, stumbled early but recovered thanks to a super innings from Denesh Ramdin (84) to end on 179 for 5. Ramdin’s onslaught was, however, overshadowed by Darren and Dwayne Bravo, who shouldered the Red Steel innings out of early trouble against a bowling attack that was missing mystery spinner Sunil Narine who was said to be unwell and had to sit out of

the game.

Bravo scored 69 not out and was involved in a 131 run partnership with his brother Dwayne for the 4th wicket. The pair came together when the Red Steel were 13 for 3 after 3.4 overs. Dwayne was dismissed when on 69, caught Christopher Barnwell bowled Jimmy Neesham.

The wicket of Bravo gave much hope for the Amazon Warriors who were miserable in the bowling department, throwing down 15 wides. Steven Jacobs being hit for 28 runs in two overs

did not help matters either.

But once Dwayne departed, Guyana Amazon Warriors suddenly clawed their way back into the game and had the hosts needing 9 runs from 6 balls. Ramdin entrusted the ball into the hands of Ronsford Beaton who was going at 10 runs per over at the time.

Heroics

Ronsford did well enough to restrict Kevon Cooper and Darren Bravo to three runs from 5 balls and it seemed the young man from Reliance was going to pull of some heroics when he missed his length and Bravo struck him for a big six to end the match in emphatic fashion.

Krishmar Santokie was the best bowler for the Amazon Warriors, although he was guilty of some wayward bowling at times.

Santokie finished with figures of 3 wickets for 36 runs off 4 overs. Veerasammy Permaul, Mohammad Hafeez and Jimmy Neesham took a wicket each.

Guyana Amazon Warriors lost their first

SCOREBOARD

Guyana Amazon Warriors 179/5 (20/20 ov)

LMP Simmons st †Pooran b Badree 24

MJ Guptill c DJ Bravo b Badree 1 Mohammad Hafeez c O’Brien b Badree 1

D Ramdin*† c Badree

b Edwards 84 JDS Neesham not out 33

CD Barnwell run out (Cooper) 23 V Permaul not out 0

Extras: (lb 5, w 8) 13

Total:(5 wickets; 20 overs) 179

Did not bat:LR Johnson, SA Jacobs, K Santokie, RR Beaton

Fall of wickets 1-3 (Guptill, 1.6 ov), 2-23 (Mohammad Hafeez, 5.1 ov), 3-27 (Simmons, 5.5 ov), 4-149 (Ramdin, 17.5 ov), 5-175 (Barnwell, 19.5 ov)

runs from 20 overs) K Lewis c Barnwell b Mohammad Hafeez 3 KJ O’Brien b Santokie 4 LRPL Taylor lbw

Bowling: FH Edwards 4-0-38-1 , S Badree 4-0-13-3, SJ Benn 3-0- 3-0, DJ Bravo 4-0-54-0, KK Cooper 4-0-32- 0, KJ O’Brien 1 -0-14- 0 Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel innings (target: 180

three batsmen cheaply and were in a precarious position at 27 for 3 after 5 overs before Ramdin and Jimmy Neesham began to gradually repair the visitors’ innings before Ramdin went on the rampage.

The skipper, batting on his home ground, began to attack all comers, lighting up the Queen’s Park Oval with some clean hitting and powerful sixes, six of them,

(O’Brien, 0.6 ov), 2-6 (Taylor, 1.5 ov), 3-13 (Lewis, 3.4 ov),

as the Amazon Warriors were back in the driver’s seat.

He brought up his 50 and continued his entertainment, which included paddle scoops, a huge six off the bowling of Dwayne Bravo and a six over the head of Fidel Edwards as Neesham was left a mere spectator at the other end.

Limacol CPL in full stride

… as tickets for games being sold out

The Limacol

Caribbean Premier League has really hit its stride with all matches in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago sold out, it was announced on Thursday.

And with tickets for the matches in Barbados this week and Jamaica and St Lucia next week going fast, cricket fans and party people alike are being encouraged to come out and secure their tickets early to be sure of being in on “The Biggest Party in Sport”.

The Limacol CPL moves next week to Sabina Park in Jamaica where reigning tournament champions, the

Jamaica Tallawahs, will be on home turf and hoping to continue their winning streak with matches against the Antigua Hawksbills, the Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Barbados Tridents on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday respectively. Meanwhile, the St Lucia Zouks will be at home to face the Barbados Tridents, the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel and the Antigua Hawksbills next week at the Beausejour Stadium.

Pete Russell, Chief Operating Officer of the Caribbean Premier League, comments; “Guyana last

week was just rocking and we would like to thank the fans for coming out in full force. I’m delighted to say that Trinidad is set to be the same with all matches taking place this week already sold out which is a fantastic achievement.”

He continues; “The CPL is all about showcasing brilliant cricket and the beauty, excitement and party atmosphere of the Caribbean so we are encouraging fans in Barbados, Jamaica, St Kitts and St Lucia to get their tickets right away to make sure they don’t miss out on the biggest party in sport.”