The Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry is opposing what it described as arbitrary increases in airfare ticket prices by Caribbean Airlines (CAL), accusing the regional carrier of attempting to rake in profits owing to the high demand in the Guyana market.
Acting Tourism, Industry, and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali lamented, in a statement,
the airline’s high fares. He made reference to the 50-minute flight to Trinidad and Tobago that costs US$ 425.
“We are well acquainted with the fact that the Trinidad market is not required to pay the increases demanded from the Guyanese market, and it has been proven that the Guyanese market is one of the strongest for Caribbean Airlines. In light of this, we believe that we should be treat-
ed as special customers; the least that we would want is to have equal and fair treatment on par with the Trinidad market,” Minister Ali asserted.
The regional carrier had promised to maintain a reasonable fare structure during talks with the Guyana government after its competitors EZjet and Delta exited the market earlier this year.
According to Minister Ali, CAL’s position in
the Guyana market should have been looked at from a corporate responsibility perspective and not as a profit-making opportunity.
The Guyana government is depending on air transport that is free of hindrances to and from Guyana, given the vibrancy in the tourism sector and a promising industry.
Meanwhile, initial approaches have already been made to reputable Asian, North and
South American airlines in the ongoing effort to broaden the range of commercial air services operating the Guyana route. Among them is JetBlue Airways Corporation, an American low-cost airline which is awaiting the completion of the airport runway extension. Recently, Fly Jamaica was given the go-ahead to service the Guyana to North America route.
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The International Labour Organisation (ILO), in one of its recent reports, states that the gap between the rich and poor in most low-and middle-income countries remains wide. The report notes too that what is even more worrying is the fact that many families who have managed to rise above the poverty line are at risk of lapsing back.
Of note also, is that global unemployment is predicted to rise from the current 200 million to nearly 208 million by 2015. In essence, the job crisis worldwide is likely to get worse unless certain urgent measures are taken to remedy the situation. This is enough to cause governments and policy makers to be concerned about what sort of future is being created for our young people.
The report titled, “World of Work Report 2013: Repairing the Economic and Social Fabric”, states that income inequalities rose between 2010 and 2011 in 14 of the 26 advanced economies surveyed, including France, Denmark, Spain, and the United States. Inequality levels in seven of the remaining 12 countries were still higher than before the start of the financial crisis.
The report says that economic inequalities are on the rise, as small firms lag behind their larger counterparts in terms of profits and productive investment. While most large enterprises have regained access to capital markets, start-ups and small enterprises are disproportionately affected by bank credit conditions. This is a problem for job recovery now and affects economic prospects over the longer term.
It is interesting to note too that the report shows that middleincome groups in many advanced economies are shrinking, fuelled in part, by long-term unemployment, weakening job quality, and workers dropping out of the labour market altogether. For example, in Spain, the size of the middle-income groups declined from 50 percent in 2007, to 46 percent by the end of 2010. In the United States, the richest seven percent of the population saw their average net worth increase during the first two years of the recovery from 56 percent in 2009 to 63 percent in 2011. The remaining 93 percent of Americans saw their net worth decline.
That said, the size of the middle-income group in developing and emerging economies has increased from 263 million in 1999 to 694 million in 2010. This is a major achievement of a growing number of Latin American and Asian countries, which spread more recently to some countries in Africa and the Arab region.
In developing countries, the most important challenge is to consolidate recent progress in reducing poverty and inequality. The report shows how productive investment, minimum wages, and social protection have contributed to this endeavour in countries like Brazil, Costa Rica, India, Indonesia, Turkey, and Vietnam.
Among the ILO recommendations to address the job crisis and income inequalities are the need to have an approach that balances macroeconomic and employment goals. This means a sustainable pace of fiscal consolidation measures, where they are necessary; more attention to the employment and social impact of different macroeconomic policies; and moving quickly with yet unresolved inefficiencies in the financial system.
ILO Director General Guy Rider points to the fact that there is need for a global recovery focused on jobs and productive investment, combined with better social protection for the poorest and most vulnerable groups. Hence, the need to pay serious attention to closing the inequality gap that is widening in so many parts of the world.
It was also suggested that the authorities place jobs higher on the reform agenda, as this is not the case presently in some developed and developing countries. What is clear is that countries, including Guyana, would need to put systems in place where more and better jobs could be created so that there can be a more balanced distribution of income.
a world-class
countries to carbon sequestration, ecosystem services and preservation of biodiversity.
Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) President Bharrat Jagdeo believes that a combination of robust analytics, proof of action and an informed and critical mass of countries advocating for systemic, international policy change, can transform global policies into becoming a reality rather than a vision.
Speaking to member countries at the Green Growth Summit in Songdo, South Korea, the former Guyanese head of state acknowledged that these are the very elements which present significant challenges. Jagdeo stressed that the world cannot afford failure at reaching a global climate deal that contains the level of ambition needed to achieve a two-degree pathway or less.
He noted that the agreement must be made by 2015 and implemented by 2020, with climate financing totalling US$100 billion by 2020, as agreed in Cancun.
“If today’s leaders and those who influence them sleepwalk through the next few years, the window to make these things happen will close, and they will be responsible for a catastrophic derogation of responsibility to the generation which follows.”
Valuable work
Jagdeo emphasised that despite the valuable work of climate change advocates and many other enthusiasts, the scale of action to address such challenges is nowhere near what is needed. He called on member countries to deploy their individual and collec-
tive powers to address, what he described as a continued global failure of policy, without which, financing and innovation cannot be properly achieved at the pace required.
According to Jagdeo, US$207 million was invested in green technologies during last year, but he detailed that there is evidently need for up to US$2 trillion in addressing the global policy framework in order to create the impact needed.
The former president emphasised the need to maintain a case for inclusive green growth as the single most important form of growth with societal and economic value and work to develop the tools that allow this form of growth to be implemented.
He also admonished the advocates to support persons who are building examples of inclusive green growth to prove that large-scale, transformative change is possible.
Jagdeo stressed the need to deploy the power and legitimacy of the institute’s entire membership and networks to advocate for the requisite global policy shifts to engender sustained progress.
“… beyond high-level rhetoric, the case for green growth is still not sufficiently accepted or embedded in daily decisions, to make leaders, businesses and citizens fully commit to creating a new economy. In major part, this is because the conversation around green growth is still excessively focused on its costs rather than on its opportunities and benefits such
as wealth creation, jobs and economic growth,” Jagdeo remarked.
He stated that the Global Green Growth Institute and its partners can add value and change the nature of the conversation by utilising worldclass analytics to indicate the capability of green growth strategies.
“Today, the science is clear and the high-level economic argument is made. But more work is needed before green growth is seen as the only rational choice for countries and businesses. And GGGI can move the conversation on especially because there are many policies that can be implemented at little cost, but with real benefits,” Jagdeo stated.
He posited that the institute can popularise the argument for green growth by proving that it is the indispensable element for the achievement of other global priority objectives.
Poverty elimination
The former president underscored that inclusive green growth is essential to reaching the historic target of eliminating extreme poverty by 2030, as well as in the global fight for equity and justice.
“There is no solution to the problems of climate change if a billion people, mainly women, continue to use dirty stoves. There is no solution to food security unless hundreds of millions of small holder farmers are able to participate in a market which pays them a fair price for their food and labour. continued
The young lives of four teenagers, among them twin sisters, were snuffed out in two unrelated accidents which have stunned Trinidad and Tobago and left three families weeping and mourning their losses.
In one incident, three persons including twin sisters Khertima and Khadijah Taylor, 18, and UWI student Kafiya Gill, 19, died when the car they were passengers in, crashed into the steel sides of a bridge in San Fernando during the early morning hours Sunday.
In the other incident, Chris Sookoo, 19, of Lange Park, Chaguanas lost his life when the car he was a passenger in, blew a tyre and crashed into a drain off the Uriah Butler Highway near the Divali Nagar site Sunday.
Twins Khertima and Khadijah — Form Six students of St Joseph’s Convent, San Fernando, Gill, Kenisha Garcia, 18, Akiton Derek, 21, and David Balkissoon had gone to celebrate the birthday of their friend Nicolette Jones at Club Metro in Gulf View Link Road, San Fernando.
At about 4 am, the twins, Gill, Garcia and Derek squeezed themselves into a Mazda 3 car driven by Balkissoon and left the club en route to their respective homes.
According to the police, Balkissoon was driving the car north when, on nearing the Cross Crossing bridge in San Fernando, his car crashed between two pillars near the bridge. The vehicle spun several times before crashing between the pillars of the north and southbound lanes of the bridge where it was lodged in a vertical position. The Taylor
twins, Gill and Garcia were the back seat passengers, while Derek was the front seat passenger. Supt Cecil Santana, Supt Huggins, ASP Jamsheed Mohammed and ASP Gaffar, visited the scene.
The Taylor twins died at the scene while Gill subsequently died at hospital while receiving emergency treatment. Both Garcia and Derek remain warded at the San Fernando General Hospital in a serious condition, while the driver, Balkissoon of Pointea-Pierre was treated for minor injuries and discharged. (TT Newsday)
Preparations are well advanced for this year’s Guyana Independence Festival
slated for June 23 at the Centennial College (Progress Campus). The event is expected to be
very exciting, with the attendance of President Donald Ramotar and a number of business-
above in kurta is dr. Subramanian Swamy, President of the janata Party in india, next to him are mr. rohee Sibadan, and mr. Patanjali rambrich.
Dr. Subramanian Swamy, President of the Janata Party of India, met with Guyanese and other immigrants at the Hall of Lights in Queens, New York recently to discuss various issues relating to the future of the party and the upcoming elections. The meeting kicked off with Mr. Rohee Sibadan giving a warm welcome, and introductory remarks. The chairman of the proceedings was Dr. Ramharch. Mr. Patanjali Rambrich was the main sponsor of the event.
es and entities from Guyana that will be showcasing some of the great products that the country has to offer.
Additionally, some government agencies would be represented to address concerns of Guyanese in Canada, including the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Central Housing and Planning Authority, among others. They will all be a part of the trade and tourism exhibition, which will equally focus on Guyanese businesses in Canada, the festival committee has announced.
Billed as a familyfriendly occasion, the festival is in its 18th year, and the organising committee is working assiduously to ensure that the festivities are a grand success. In an invited comment, Honorary Consul General Sattie Sawh said that the festival is moving “full steam ahead”.
“Our diaspora looks to this event as a way to annually salute our nation. The planning committee is aware of the significance of this event for our national pride, and has been working
extremely hard to make sure that every last detail is considered,” Sawh stated.
She added that “in turn, I’d like to ask every single person that is reading this to come out and support the 2013 Guyana Festival. On June 23rd at Centennial College Progress Campus, let’s celebrate all things Guyanese!”
A press release from the organisers stated that the programme for the day is jam-packed, with some of the feature events being cultural shows, a trade and tourism exhibition, and softball cricket and soccer matches. Also, there will be several food vendors, a car show, and attractions and games for kids. The venue has ample parking facilities, and is also readily accessible by public transit.
The festival, which would run from 10 am to 7 pm with the opening ceremony planned for noon, will be graced by the presence of President Ramotar and Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali, both of whom would bring greetings to the masses and help in conveying the news about developments happen-
ing in Guyana.
Added to the business showcase, tourism would be strongly represented, especially given the fact that Guyana is surging in international circles as a destination for eco-adventures.
In the meantime, one of the feature attractions of this year’s festival would be a series of songs and dances by the Katawau Dance Group, a group of young Amerindians from Guyana. They have been practising hard for their appearances in Canada, and have promised to deliver a wonderful display for the patrons. They will be a part of the grand cultural show that is being organised, which would give a glimpse of Guyana’s beautiful mixture of heritages.
“No Guyanese celebration is truly complete without a sampling of our scrumptious food –vendors of all sorts of goodies will be on site to provide some of the best Guyanese cuisine available,” the release stated. More so, softball cricket and football games would be staged, featuring GuyaneseCanadian players.
Today marks the 33rd anniversary of the assassination of the world-renowned historian Dr Walter Rodney, after he declared that the then entrenched People’s National Congress (PNC) dictatorship had to be removed “by any means necessary”. Dr Rodney had returned in 1974 from Tanzania, where he had taught for several years at its university to work at the University of Guyana (UG)
Apost-mortem examination performed on the body of 23-year-old Police Constable Dorwin Pitman who died last Monday while giving chase to a prisoner gave the cause of death as cardiac arrest. The autopsy was performed on Wednesday by local pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital mortuary.
Stacey Pitman, the mother of the dead constable, said she believes that the heart attack was as a result of the electric shocks her son might have received.
She said that her son never suffered from a heart ailment, as if he did, the police force would not have accepted him two years ago. “He wasn’t suffering from any sickness… my son was strong as ever,” she said.
The aggrieved mother said senior ranks of the police force had told her that her son was electrocuted. The father of two will be laid to rest on Monday.
Pitman, of 23 North Road, Bourda, was found lying on his face in an alleyway in North
Sophia sometime after 07: 00h by one of his colleagues, moments after giving chase to a prisoner.
His body bore no marks of violence, but he was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. At that point in time, it was believed that he might have been electrocuted, since that area where he was found is a haven for electricity theft.
Persons in the area claimed that the constable might have been electrocuted, since there are a number of illegally connected wires that are buried underground.
A few pieces of electrical cords were visible at the scene.
It was reported that on Monday, Constable Pitman went to the lock-ups at the Prashad Nagar Outpost to feed prisoners. Further information revealed that while he was handing meals to another prisoner, Akeem Edwards, who was scheduled for court on Monday, pushed Pitman and ran out of the outpost.
In response, Pitman and another rank gave chase to Edwards.
A few minutes later, Pitman was found motionless in the alleyway. Edwards, who was charged for possession of narcotics, was not recaptured.
Pitman joined the force almost two years ago during which he received training at the Felix Austin Training Centre. After graduation, he was placed at Brickdam Police Station Traffic Department before being transferred to Prashad Nagar Outpost. He was there for the past three weeks.
Pitman is survived by his parents, two children, common-law wife, and one sister.
By Svetlana MarShall
The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) has recorded an aftertax profit of Gy$ 1.814 billion in 2012, representing a 32 per cent increase when compared to the bank’s returns for 2011.
GBTI Chief Executive Officer John Tracey made this disclosure in the bank’s 2012 report. He said the return on equity stood at 20.17 per cent at the end of the year, while the return on average assets stood at 2.23 per cent.
Revenues for 2012 amounted to Gy$ 5524 million, an increase of 21 per cent over that for 2011, due primarily to increased lending. Net interest income increased by 33 per cent while non-interest income increased by 19 per cent due to the increases in commissions and exchanging gains, he revealed.
owns a whopping 22 per cent of the loan portfolio in the banking industry.
The bank’s credit to deposit ratio increased to 45 per cent in 2012 compared to 40 per cent at the end of 2011, Tracey reported.
The growth in the loan portfolio was attributed to the improved and diverse loan system. In an effort to increase its portfolio, GBTI tailored its lending policies based on development in the various economic sectors in Guyana.
Customer service, expansion
and Point of Sale Terminals in critical areas. The relocation of the GBTI branch in Lethem in 2012 was done with the aim of providing a full suite of banking services in a more spacious and convenient environment.
In 2012, the bank upheld its record on supporting community projects and programmes by sponsoring the Children’s Dramatic Poetry Competition which was part of the country’s 42nd Mashramani activities.
By Anu Dev
One of my idiosyncrasies is that I like to keep memorabilia – old papers from school, scrappy artwork drawn during a particularly boring class, miscellaneous stuff. Now, I’m by no means a packrat, anything quite of that (disturbing) magnitude, but I do hold on to enough stuff that my drawers and nooks are quite chock full.
GBTI’s overwhelming success was driven by the growth in its loan portfolio, the CEO said. He explained that loans stood at Gy$ 35 billion at the end of 2013, reflecting a net growth of Gy$ 11.3 billion or 46.8 per cent. Currently, the bank
On the flip side, the bank incurred an expenditure of Gy$ 2.972 billion, an increase of Gy$ 385 million.
Turning his attention to customer service and branch expansion, Tracey said despite minor hiccups during the implementation stage of the software upgrade, GBTI undoubtedly maintains an excellent record of customer service.
As part of its expansion project, GBTI continues to increase the number of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs)
A show of the work of Guyana Women Artists Association was also facilitated by the bank in February. Groups of Early Savers were also treated to sessions of fun, games, and learning at the National Museum in the months of May and July as part of GBTI’s first story-telling and literature venture.
These are just a few of the many initiatives undertaken by the bank in support of civil society.
Looking ahead
As 2013 progresses, the CEO expressed concern over the high levels of uncertainty in some sectors.
“Two of the leading production sectors and significant foreign exchange earners -rice and gold mining are facing uncertain futures,” Tracey pointed out in his report.
According to him, the heavy dependency on the Venezuela market for the sale of rice is also worrying, noting that the loss of this market can cripple the rice sector.
“The sugar industry continues to limp along, but, with favourable weather and improved technical and mechanical competence, it should do no worse than done in 2012.”
Amid the signs of uncertainty, Tracey said bankers were optimistic that the banking industry will continue to flourish. He said that with competition for less lending opportunities, it is anticipated that the trend of the reduction of interest rates will continue this year.
Additionally, the bank will be commissioning another branch this year, while assessing the possibility of greater expansion in the future.
Sifting through some of my miscellanea, I stumbled across (literally stumbled, given the amount of things I have strewn across my floor during CAPE exams – much to my mother’s consternation) my old speech from my primary school graduation. I found the actual copy – not one of those newfangled ‘soft-copies’. It’s the original hand-written one – with all of my scribbles and creases from me nervously folding and unfolding it countless times in the interminable countdown until my name was called.
I’ve never been placed on death row, having never committed any significant sort of crime, but waiting to deliver that speech felt like I was waiting to get my lethal injection. Or at least that’s how my 10-year-old brain interpreted it. I can be ‘slightly’ melodramatic sometimes.
But getting back to the actual speech, re-reading it seven years later, I’m proud to say, it only made me cringe about 10 times. The speech was quite a tell-all, with me revealing such scandalous nuggets of information about myself like the fact that I’m a picky eater and that I used to go to bed at 8: 00 pm in sixth grade. (Gasp) But on as serious note, the things I had emphasised as being crucial to me doing well at SSEE (yes, SSEE, from the dinosaur days – not the NGSA these youngsters are writing now!), were completing the syllabus and the expectations the teachers and headmaster had of us.
And it was much more than expectations – there was a drive to do well. We were motivated – inspired even – to do well. There were perks for excelling at every step of the way. Badges pinned onto you in front of the entire school to reward you for doing well.
You got the literal “round of applause”. There was the promise of your name on the school’s honour board for upcoming generations to see that you made the top 10 at SSEE. It was corny but it worked.
At a very early age, we were made to understand that things like the SSEE exam could determine what kind of lives we would lead for the rest of our lives.
And it was a heavy burden, but being young and altogether not very inquisitive about these things, we took it as a given that we had to work 50+ math problems every night.
That was school. We didn’t question it – we just griped. We didn’t rebel against being trained to become corporate slaves. We did our work, we competed against each other, we flew kites on the field, we thought our lives would be set if we got the school of our dreams.
And then we attended the schools of our dreams –and all of the illusions were shattered. Okay, okay, I’m being melodramatic again.
But in between trying to find a foothold in this new school, this new environment, we lost some of that drive. We entered our secondary schools as first formers and we were treated like first formers, like the ‘babies’ of the school.
There was no longer any sense of urgency pushing us. There wasn’t that life-or-death drive propelling us forward. There was just the promise of another make-or-break set of exams – the mystical CSEC exams that were a whole five years away.
Five years is a long way from now right? We a have a long time before we have to deal with anything massive like SSEE. And importance was always given to the older students, solidifying our feeling that the things we were doing weren’t that important yet.
Gradually, we lost that sense of purpose and some of our discipline. And it’s so much more difficult to regain discipline than to lose it.
Some of us managed to build up back our discipline in time for CSEC, some of us never quite recovered and weren’t functioning at the same level that we were at in sixth grade.
So to the students who’ve just received their results – Congratulations! And I hope you thoroughly enjoy your secondary school life.
Have fun! But at the same time, try to not forget your sense of purpose. Hold onto that desire to do well, to do your best.
And to quote Leonora Primary School’s motto, “Strive ever after excellence”.
Dear Editor, Guyana is to receive an award for cutting extreme poverty and hunger, and this kind of news should really make all of us very proud. But first, I have a very compelling matter to talk about.
I get very perturbed, when I read that globally, one third of all food produced is wasted or lost, while millions of people go hungry. Last year, I went to Canal Numbers One and Two and I was totally taken aback. I saw enough wasted fruits to fill a few barrels.
I was told, quite casually too, that there was no need for me to get flustered in anyway – it happens all the time.
I am talking here about fruits of all types, while some places are so barren and hostile to farming that the people there would love to take and utilise what we are taking for granted.
We have to come up with a plan to make use of all of our fruits. We shop a lot for fruit concentrates and powder and we use them to make all kinds of beverages.
We need to sell these things to outsiders, not buy them.
Guyana is one of 17 countries, out of 189, selected to receive an award in Italy at the end of the month. This is because our country scored big in terms of the achievement of Millennium Development Goal
Number One, which aims to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
This is definitely not a mean achievement. I think of how well rice has been doing. I know that cassava, corn and black-eye peas are being talked about, and I feel very upbeat about enhancing national food security even further.
I urge all Guyanese to be aware of the many good things that are happening in the country. I am a realist and I know that we have our challenges, but we have enough to work with, to make this land even more outstanding than it is at the moment.
Yours sincerely, Faye Harte.
Dear Editor,
Our health sector received a good top-up, as some 19 experts in a number of areas have come from China for a two-year tenure. The Chinese medical education system engenders great confidence. It closely follows the British one, but with a reduced length from six years to five years, in terms of the educational cycle.
Modern medical education in China goes back to the early 20th century. The country’s medical schools offer four or five-year undergraduate programmes,
as well as special two or three-year programmes. Also to control the medical education standard, the Chinese Ministry of Education functions in tandem with a quality control regulation team. So these 11 specialists are coming with a very solid reputation.
These doctors are expected to make a big impact in our medical sector then. They have the requisite training and possess important skills that are quite scarce in Guyana.
Let us take acupuncture for example. According to a World
Health Organisation (WHO) report on the efficacy of acupuncture, studies have shown that acupuncture is effective in inducing analgesia, protecting the body against infections and regulating various physiological functions. It is found that although acupuncture is most often used as a measure to allay symptoms such as pain, it can alter the pathogenesis of the disease to provide relief from the disease as well.
Guyanese have every reason to be upbeat with these doctors.
Yours sincerely, Monique Rogers
Dear Editor,
It has been reported in the media that Hamilton Green, Mayor of Georgetown, former vice president and prime minister, has written President Donald Ramotar, requesting that as a former prime minister, he should be given a pension and facilities analogous to former presidents.
The People’s National Congress (PNC) party, of which Green is a senior and influential member, has been vetoing former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s pension, claiming that such pensions and facilities are a waste of public funds.
Green’s request for an analogous pension does expose the opposition of the PNC/A Partnership for
National Unity (APNU) to Jagdeo’s pension as being either a mock opposition or an opposition which is selective and vindictive and has nothing to do with public funds.
For if it had to do with public funds, Green would not have been permitted by his party to make such a request. After Green’s request, however, the PNC/APNU party cannot convincingly oppose Jagdeo’s pension anymore in Parliament.
President Forbes Burnham felt that he could not appoint Green as prime minister, and indeed never did. It was President Desmond Hoyte who so appointed him. But Green was merely a minister in Hoyte’s office and he had no physical ministry or staff, and he did not re-
Dear Sir, Since around 2005, it has become one of the rites of summer for Guyanese abroad, especially in the United States and Canada, to hold village reunions in the many scenic parks of the city in which they live. Recent years have seen a marked proliferation of these social events, as every village seeks to claim a day for itself. Indeed it is not unusual for there to be two village reunions side by side in different sections of the park. A village reunion is seen as an opportunity for people who identify with a particular village to come together for a day of fun and games, and to recall the memories of life in times gone by in the village they once called home. This year, a bunch of young Guyanese, who met on Facebook, have decided to stage a reunion in Guyana for all Guyanese, including those in the diaspora. The event is called “Guyana Reunion and
Family Fun Day” and is to held on Sunday, July 7th on the grounds of the Port Mourant Community Centre.
The event features the 'Caribbean Hot Shots Band' live on stage, as well as acclaimed singers Terry Gajraj from New York and Anant Hansraj from Orlando, Florida. The 'Credit Comedian Group' is set to make an appearance and is expected to be a crowdpleaser. One of the highlights of this firstever Guyana Reunion will be a limited-over ladies softball match between the 'Karibee Strikers' of Berbice and the 'Trophy Stall Angels' of Demerara.
DJ Dauren and the Crown Vibes Sounds will also add flavour and spice to the entertainment array which includes tassa drumming and performances by several local groups of dancers and singers.
The organisers of the Guyana Reunion have a serious objective beyond the day’s
fun and frolic. They are hoping the event will raise enough funds to give scholarships to high school grads about to enter the University of Guyana, as well as to students attending high school. The scholarships are to be called the 'Cuffy Scholarship' and the 'Ramakhan Scholarship' in recognition of the fact that the year 2013 witnessed the 250th anniversary of the Berbice Slave Rebellion and the 175th anniversary of the arrival of the Indian indentured labourers, not to mention the 160th anniversary of the arrival of the Chinese, and the 60th anniversary of the founding of the University of Guyana.
One would hope that corporate Guyana has taken notice and would step in to support their initiative. Major kudos to the organising committee and may good fortune attend their endeavours.
Yours truly, Rishi Singh
port to the president, but rather to the Head of the Presidential Secretariat Winston Murray.
Green, therefore, had an empty title as prime minister and was certainly not a real prime minister as say Kamla Persaud-Bissessar of Trinidad or Samuel Hinds of Guyana. It would accordingly be very difficult for him to be granted a pension and perks for an empty and meaningless appellation without substance.
My advice to Green is that, as an aged citizen who has spent a lifetime in politics, he should apply for a special state pension in addition to his parliamentary pension and his Old Age Pension.
Yours faithfully, F Gibbs
By: Michael younge
All of the available space for the fourth staging of the International Building Exposition has already been occupied by new and old businesses, as well as exhibitors, even though the event is slated to be staged until next month.
This has forced the Housing and Water Ministry and the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) to resort to make alternative arrangements to accommodate another 20 exhibitors in light of what is being dubbed an “unprecedented wave of interest” in the event compared with previous years.
Housing Minister Irfaan Ali has since confirmed that the Building Exposition Committee is working feverishly to ensure that it identifies other parts of the Guyana National Stadium, which can be utilised to house more exhibitors who are still expressing interest in being part of this year’s event.
“I am heartened by the response from the private sector and several other businesses, both small and large scale that are part of the construction and building sectors,” said Minister Ali. “This unprecedented response, I dare say, is a signal of the confidence that our private sector and corporate partners have in the building exposition, which aims at creating an environment
where new products, innovations and initiatives can take centre stage for businesses in the booming construction sector.”
Value added products
Minister Ali said he has advised the team to ensure that it dedicates a significant amount of its energies toward making provisions for new and existing exhibitors that show high levels of promise and interest in bringing value-added products and services to consumers in the construction sector.
The minister is so far satisfied with the pace at which preparations for the Caribbean’s largest construction expo is progressing, explaining that thus far a lot has been accomplished. He is adamant that the building expo is both “special” and “more promising” this year, when compared with previous years, noting that
Guyanese will undoubtedly benefit from a wide array of deals and partnerships which could result in positive spill-over effects for entire households.
The minister strongly believes that the exposition this year will feature the creativity of key players in the building and construction sectors as far as making the construction of low-income homes affordable is concerned.
Home ownership
Minister Ali said other offers and deals for new and existing homeowners can only be accessed at the exposition, and he encouraged Guyanese to exploit the benefits of an exposition of this magnitude. He said the team is already hard at work on executing the vision of the construction of the new “Silica City”, which is to be the main feature
at Building Expo 4.
Ali said the ministry is involved in futuristic macroeconomic planning, aimed at creating sustainable development, especially where it relates to meeting the growing demand for affordable housing.
Job creation
“The right vision, the will, the commitment of a team, and strong partnerships with the private sector will continue to result in the execution of successful building expos. Our government is humbled by the transformation taking place in our economy and for us, this is our ultimate goal,” Ali concluded.
He said that this year’s international building expo is occurring at a time when expansion was engulfing the construction and building sector, which is responsible for the provision of jobs for thousands of Guyanese and hundreds of youths.
The International Building Expo was officially launched in July 2010 under the presidency of Bharrat Jagdeo, at the Princess International Hotel, Providence, East Bank Demerara. The first expo was held in August that year at the Guyana National Stadium.
The expo was launched as a direct response to the growing demand in the building and construction sectors. It is a unique partnership involving the Housing and Water Ministry, the CHPA and the private sector.
The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has heaped praise on the NEW GPC/ Limacol for its acquisition of the Guyana Caribbean Premier League franchise. The PSC in a statement congratulated the NEW GPC/ Limacol on securing the franchise, noting that the investment by a local company will bring worldwide recognition for the local Limacol product and will also help to put Guyana on the map for sporting fans across the world.
“This will be the first time that a local product achieves such international recognition and the Private Sector
By Svetlana MarShall
Out of a total 145 child abuse cases handed over to the police by the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), only five persons have been charged. A lack of cooperation from victims coupled with difficulty in finding some of the suspects have contributed to the remaining 140 reports being outstanding.
Reports emanating from the CCPA indicate that from a total of 1039 cases of child abuse, 137 are sexual abuse cases with 120 girls being victims. Human Services Minister Jenifer Webster had disclosed that 69 boys were physically abused, 195 neglected and 12 witnessed instances of abuse while 72 girls were physically abused, 30 verbally abused, 211 neglected, 18 abandoned and 15 witnessed abuse.
During an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International, CCPA Director Ann Greene said from 1039 cases reported; 145 were handed over to the police, but only five of those cases have been prosecuted.
She explained that the majority of the cases handed down to the Guyana Police Force were sexual in nature while a few included physical and verbal abuses based on the severity of the matter.
Asked why only five persons have been charged, from a total of 145 cases being investigated by the police, Greene said there are several factors hindering the process.
Instructed silence
Commission is pleased to applaud this venture. The commission looks forward to other local companies following suit.”
On Tuesday, CPL announced that wellknown Guyanese businessman, Dr Ranjisinghi “Bobby” Ramroop, owner of the NEW GPC/ Limacol had won the Guyana franchise. The final agreement with Dr Ramroop was signed on Monday in Guyana with CPL officials.
This announcement comes hot on the heels of the recent selection of the new franchisebased teams that took place on Wednesday, June 5.
ents or adults, the abusers’ strategies to bribe the children may also serve to silence them and sometimes the abusive experience may be all the children receive to respond to their need to be held and cuddled.”
Critical information
For years, the CCPA has been grappling with this situation where victims, parents or relatives are withholding critical information which can result in perpetrators being placed behind bars. In addition to sexual abuse, the issues of verbal and physical abuse, neglect and abandonment continue to capture the attention of the protection agency.
Greene said unlike sexual abuse and severe cases of physical abuse, the agency is working with persons who may have physically and verbally abused children or have neglected or abandoned them in one way or the other.
While the cases have been indentified, Greene said some of the perpetrators are yet to be identified by the victims and other family members while some perpetrators cannot be found, thereby stalling the process. “Lack of cooperation is a major problem,” she lamented.
Victims of abuse, in particular victims of sexual abuse do not speak for several reasons, she added. It was pointed out that some children do not speak out because some of them are threatened by the perpetrators and rejected by their parents, relatives or loved ones. In other cases, “children are taught to obey par-
Through counselling, the protection agency is trying to assist parents in finding alternative ways to punish their children without using corporal punishment, which can lead to injuries. “There is still the culture of beating children and it will take some time before we can get parents to stop, but we are working with them by promoting discipline without beating.”
The director alluded to the “time out” mechanism, whether children are banned from participating in recreational activities they enjoy, such as watching television or playing games. This method, Greene said, has proven to be successful not only in Guyana, but in other parts of the world.
The Housing Ministry, through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), last Friday launched its '1000 homes' project at the Perseverance New Housing Development, targeting single parents and low income earners.
The project was launched with support from the private sector, whose members turned out in their numbers at the event.
Delivering the feature address, President Donald Ramotar said providing easier access to housing to Guyanese remains a core objective of his government.
He underscored that while it is important to have a strong and growing economy; it is also essential to ensure that the people of the country benefit from it. He said government has recognised that access to housing is one of the main ways to make this possible and his administration has been feverishly working towards providing more housing to its people.
“The investment that we have been putting in has been big; last year alone, the investment was some Gy$3.36 billion on the East Bank of Demerara that excludes many other areas,” Ramotar said.
He stated that this is a big jump since from 2004 to 2011; government invested some Gy$ 1.38 billion. Ramotar said the project is yet another initiative by government to fulfil its 2011 manifesto promises.
He highlighted that in the manifesto, the ad-
ministration had promised that it would deliver 30,000 houselots to Guyanese by 2016.
Exceeding target
“Last year in pursuit of that goal, the Central Housing and Planning Authority delivered some 7940 lots… they exceeded their target by 22 per cent... the target for last year was 6500 lots, and they also managed to process 4177, titles, which is a 12 per cent increase of the target of 4000 that they had.”
Ramotar said too that the administration has delivered on its promise to make access to finance affordable, citing government’s support of low-income housing programmes under which tax incentives are given to the banking sector to promote lending for homeowners.
In the same breath, he added that the government will continue to work with stakeholders to further improve access to financing specifically for the construction sector.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh said the national housing programme is an outstanding example of public policy, private sector response and household effort being brought together to develop and transform the country.
He also echoed similar sentiments as the president, stating that the government is on a vertical move to ensure that the financial sector is prepared and enthusiastic about lending for homeownership, as it is important.
Low interest rate
He said due to this, banks are able to offer lower interest rates to borrowers and potential borrowers for low-income housing developments, as a result of which millions of dollars are lent to thousands of Guyanese at subsidised rate, which they then in turn use to build their homes.
He stated that the low-income window alone has seen billions of dollars injected into the Guyanese economy.
“In the first quarter of this year alone, 366 persons accessed this facility and a total of Gy$ 690
million was disbursed under this facility alone… accumulatively at the end of March, there were 3408 borrowers from the financial system… the total amount disbursed by the banking system was Gy$ 9.3 billion,”Dr Singh said.
The finance minister added that building homes does not disappear into thin air but rather it purchases construction materials, from the business community and creates jobs, thus creating a multiplier effect.
The New Perseverance Scheme
is located on East Bank Demerara, five miles from the city and will be available in two designs: low and moderate income. The initiative was launched under the theme “Transforming the dream of homeownership into a reality: Home ownership made easier”. Within six months, the area is expected to be transformed with 1000 homes, adding to the “turn key” initiative which started in 2011, to boost the housing sector. The New Building Society has been a key partner since then.
Guyana’s revolutionary Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) was on Wednesday evening lauded by British High Commissioner to Guyana Andrew Ayre, who described it as a definitive model of what is possible in a densely forested developing country.
The strategy, which seeks to transform the country’s economy on a pathway to sustainable development, has identified hydropower, a biodiversity research centre, Amerindian community development and Information Communication Technology (ICT) among the priorities to be buttressed in the economy, said the Government Information Agency (GINA).
The strategy, pioneered by former President Bharrat Jagdeo who was named one of Time Magazine’s 'Hero of the Environment' and awarded the 2010 'Champion of the Earth' award, is the country’s model for tackling climate change.
The phenomenon is one in which Guyana and the United Kingdom share similar positions, particularly as it relates to addressing manmade causes like greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation.
“I hope that a legally binding post-Kyoto agreement on greenhouse gas emissions can be reached soon,” Ambassador Ayre said at a reception at his
Bel Air Gardens residence on the occasion of the 87th birth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II. The occasion was marked with a toast by President Donald Ramotar, First Lady Deolatchmie Ramotar, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, in the presence of other dignitaries.
Guyana looks forward to partnership with UK Guyana has gained admiration from the British, and the rest of the world for proving that it is possible for developed and developing countries to establish partnerships that promote funding for sustainable development practices.
A model forest carbon services agreement between the government of Guyana and the Kingdom of Norway has to date seen emoluments to the tune of Gy$ 115 million channelled to Guyana through a Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF).
It follows a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Jagdeo and former Norwegian Minister of Environment and International Development Erik Solheim in 2009 for forest-based remuneration of US$ 250 million up to 2015.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been an implementing partner in aspects of the
GRIF funds dedicated to Community Development Programmes (CDPs) designed and approved in Amerindian communities.
President Ramotar, in his remarks, said Guyana will continue to play an integral role in the REDD+ partnership that “provides for the establishment of a global initiative by which countries can be incentivised for reducing emissions through avoided deforestation”.
Support from the UK has been pledged to the efforts to reduce the threat of transnational crimes, which take the form of drugs and arms, trafficking in persons or money laundering, and, defending the country’s territorial integrity from threats, Ambassador Ayre said.
BY MICHAEL YOUNGE
Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)
Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally is expected to seek legal counsel on the way forward regarding the request by Gocool Boodoo to be reappointed as the entity’s chief elections officer, as discussions on the controversial issue yielded little fruit on Tuesday.
Discussions at the level of the statutory meeting came to a premature end after Boodoo’s attorney, Mursalene Bacchus wrote the commission explaining that his client had a “legitimate expectation” in so far as being reappointed to the post was concerned.
The current commissioners are University Registrar Vincent Alexander, Dr Keshav Mangal, Charles Corbin, Attorney Jaya Manickchand (who replaced senior counsel Moen McDoom), Attorney Sandra Jones (who replaced Deputy Mayor Robert Williams) and Mahmood Shaw. Reappointment
The seven-member commission was originally expected to discuss his reappointment as an agenda item, after weeks of deadlock and backand-forth on the issue and several public pronouncements from political parties as to what positions should be taken, but that did not happen when the correspondence was introduced.
GECOM Public Relations Officer Vishnu Persaud, who also serves as secretary to the constitutional body, when contacted by Guyana Times International declined to offer any official comment on the matter, stating that he was “not authorised to do so”.
But sources close to Tuesday’s meeting said the media was informed as regards the actual purpose of the meeting as it was never intended to decide the fate of Boodoo or bring the matter to finality.
The source said that the issue about the former chief executive officer’s reappointment came out as a matter arising from the minutes, and it was expected that commissioners would each offer their position on the issue, having reviewed the relevant information before the body, which would form a wider dis-
cussion.
Alternative action
In the letter, Boodoo’s lawyer allegedly stipulated alternative actions that could be taken if his application was not favourably considered on the grounds of legitimate expectation, fairness and natural justice.
As it is, the commission remains split on his reappointment, with Commissioner Vincent Alexander still expressing concern that Boodoo’s letter of interest was premature and came in advance of the three-month stipulated period which should have elapsed before seeking reappointment.
His position was rejected by other commissioners who said the former chief elections officer is entitled to reappointment on the basis of his performance, track-record and suitability for the post, among other non-political factors.
Boodoo’s fate would ultimately be decided by a majority vote of the complete quorum of commissioners.
Should the pro-government commissioners and the opposition commissioners become deadlocked on the matter, the chairman is entitled to a casting vote. The commissioners are legally mandated, based on a unanimous decision, to deal with all issues relating to employment of senior functionaries of the commission.
According to the Constitution, all appointments and renewal of contract for senior level administration staff must engage the attention of the entire quorum of commissioners for their consideration and must be guided by recommendations from a head of department.
Boodoo’s contract expired at the end of April. At the moment, the position of chief elections officer is being filled by Deputy Chief Elections Officer Calvin Benn.
Ignoring calls by the combined opposition for the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) to hold off on any tariff increases, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds on Monday insisted that the company must be able to go ahead with the hike, saying this was coming after five years of no adjustment during which time oil prices had risen by about 60 per cent.
He said the cost of oil constitutes about 80 per cent of the cost of providing electricity. According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, the power company has been facing dire financial constraints over the past few years as a result of high technical and commercial losses, and this position has been compounded with the slashing of its Gy$ 5.2 billion subsidy by the parliamentary opposition during the consideration of the 2013 national budget.
As such, it has made a proposal to institute a 26.7 per cent tariff increase, which has been
submitted to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The new rates have not yet taken effect, but the GPL board is actively engaged in planning its implementation.
At present, the average price per kilo watt hour is Gy$ 63 and with the 26.7 per cent increase, the new rate will be about Gy$ 80 per kilowatt hour.
Speaking on a programme on the National Communications Network (NCN), Hinds, who has responsibility for the electricity sector, said GPL has been foregoing the increase in tariffs that it ought to have been receiving.
The company has calculated over Gy$ 20 billion of foregone income. The prime minister said that while this increase will be very demanding on people, this adjustment should have been coming in smaller steps of about five per cent per annum.
“This 26.7 per cent is a big step, but it comes after five years of no increases and five years of greatly increased cost,
especially for oil… the alternative for the future is for the annual review to be put into effect, in which case one would probably see increases of no more than five per cent per year,” he said.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds said the annual government subsidy has been meeting a lot of the shortfalls in the income required by the company.
It has been part of the government’s efforts to ensure that customers are not made to bear the burden of the high cost. The prime minister said the utility needs to have enough money to keep its operations running, and if this tariff is suppressed, then ultimately, the level and quality of service will be degraded.
Commercial losses
With regards to commercial losses, the prime minister said that one in every 10 customers is billed for less electricity than they use. At present, the company suffers a technical loss of 31.5 per cent and there have been times when it has been as high as 41 per cent.
“The commercial losses require investments, but most of all it requires a culture change from people… it is essential that we have a culture change in Guyana with respect to paying for less electricity than one uses,” the prime minister said.
He explained that the budget cut that GPL suffered has reinforced the argument that the company should have been charging a tariff each year that is established in its licence.
With regards to the Alliance For Change (AFC) comments that the tariff hike can pro-
voke unrest, the prime minister said that this action could lead to a complete deterioration of the system as it did in 1978 when there was no power in Georgetown for about three days.
“We have been giving great consideration to the issue of electricity tariffs, but costs eventually have to be met… our hope was that we could somehow manage until Amaila came along,” the prime minister said.
The 26.7 per cent is calculated in accordance with the 1999 Electricity Sector Reform Act (ESRA) and its licence. GPL’s 2012 audited accounts showed that the
company suffered a loss of Gy$7.6 billion in 2012. Only two increases have been implemented by the company in the last 10 years.
There is no solution to water shortages unless we are able to create incentives for the stewards of the forests and land that are responsible for our rainfall. All of these objectives are part of a hard-headed argument for green growth – as well as supporting the moral and ethical arguments that nobody should be left behind.”
The greatest greenhouse gas emissions reduction in history happened in Brazil, which since 2005 has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than the entire European Union combined, Jagdeo pointed out.
The former president mentioned Ethiopia, now one of the fastest growing economies in the world, which aims to become a middle income country by 2025 through the achievement of green economy objectives, and Guyana which will cut energy-related emissions by 92 per cent by 2017; more than any country in the developed world; while maintaining 99.5 per cent of its forest, and investing heavily in low carbon social and eco-
nomic opportunities.
Jagdeo warned against misinterpreting the impressive gains as being sufficient to deliver the scale of required change and pointed to the essential outcomes that can be achieved through global agreement.
“Despite all the power in world class analytics to put forward the green growth argument, and all the usefulness of real world examples, we should not get blinded by the fact that these in themselves cannot deliver a solution at the scale required. The stark reality is that the remaining, over-arching obstacle to green growth today remains a policy obstacle.”
Jagdeo explained that while there is an abundance of policy expertise, there is certainly a lack of political will.
He called for climate policies that create public and private incentives to get the world onto a two-degree trajectory, sustainable energy and water policies that enable universal access; forest and land use policies that preserve vi-
from page 4
tal biodiversity and ecosystem services; and sustainable agriculture and mining policies to support universal food security and continued global development without excessive resource depletion.
With just over seven weeks to go until the inaugural Caribbean Premier League bowls off, CPL Limited has announced the signing of its first franchise agreement on behalf of Guyana.
The franchisee is wellknown Guyanese businessman Dr Ranjisinghi “Bobby” Ramroop, owner of the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation Inc (NEW GPC INC). The final agreement with Dr
Ramroop was signed just on Monday in Guyana with CPL officials.
This announcement comes hot on the heels of the recent selection of the new franchise-based teams that took place on Wednesday, June 5 in
Mobay.
Headquartered in Guyana, NEW GPC has been operating for 90 years and is the Caribbean’s oldest and largest pharmaceutical manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter cosmetics preparations and veterinary products of the highest quality.
Dr Ramroop was very excited about what is to come as the new owner of the Guyana franchise.
"The CPL is just what we needed in the Caribbean and in Guyana. This tournament and my companies’ investment will help to develop cricket talent and also stimulate econ-
omies across the region," said Ramroop.
"We are elated to be part of this inaugural year and look forward to the growth and development of CPL, which we believe will be the envy of the cricketing world.”
Guyana’s franchise players are West Indian Sunil Narine and Pakistan player Mohammed Hafeez. They are joined by players drafted last Wednesday – Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lendl Simmons, Denesh Ramdin, James Franklin, Chris Barnwell, Martin Guptill, Krishmar Santokie, William Perkins, Steven Jacobs, Ronsford Beaton, Trevon Griffith,
Narsingh Deonarine and Veerasammy Permaul.
"We are thrilled to have Dr Ramroop and his group of companies as part of the CPL," CPL Chief Executive Officer Damien O'Donohoe said.
"It is clear that he understands our vision and what we want to achieve. We appreciate the enthusiasm he brings and we believe that Team Guyana will benefit greatly from his support."
The inaugural Caribbean Premier League starts on July 30 in Barbados and concludes on August 24 in Trinidad. The matches in Guyana take place July 31 and August 2 and 4.
Almost two years after a Caribbean Airlines 737800 slid off the end of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport runway, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is optimistic that it will be in receipt of the final report within 60 days.
GCAA Director Zulfikar Mohammed told Guyana Times International that the report is presently being reviewed by the investigative team comprising GCAA Aviation Safety Regulations Director Paula McAdam, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and officials of the Trinidad-based aircraft.
The first draft of the
report was completed last November and submitted to the NTSB in Washington, DC, USA for review and advice.
Crash investigators believe excessive speed and other suspected lapses in landing procedures caused the Caribbean Airlines plane to skid off the runway on July 30. Nobody was killed in the accident, but terrified passengers scrambled out of the wreckage to safety.
Preliminary findings by investigators suggested that the pilot might have erred in the mishap, rather than experience mechanical or other system malfunctions. The twin-engine Boeing aircraft was at the time carrying 163
passengers. It landed too fast and too far down the runway. Reports were that the cockpit crew of Flight 523 did not convey to the air traffic controllers on approach that they were experiencing difficulties.
Caribbean Airlines Flight 523 overran runway six at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, and several of the 163 passengers aboard were injured.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-8BK, had flown from the John F Kennedy Airport, New York to Georgetown, with a stopover at the Piarco International Airport, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. After touching down on a rainy day, the plane crashed through
the perimeter fence. The aircraft went over a road before stopping 100 metres and breaking into two.
The majority of the injured were treated at Diamond Diagnostic Hospital and then transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where
35 passengers were treated for leg, back and neck injuries. Trinidad’s Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar flew to Guyana to assess the situation, since the government of Trinidad and Tobago owns Caribbean Airlines.
A passenger later sued the airline seeking damages for her injuries, pain and suffering, medical expenses, and loss of earnings and earning capacity.
There have been a number of other suits filed by Guyanese who were on that flight.
After a rigid screening process, three young ladies; among them being the intelligent, beautiful and charming Christel Mittelholzer, were shortlisted to be a part of a voting process to represent Guyana in this year’s Miss Jamzone International Pageant slated for August 21 at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown.
Originating from the West Coast of Berbice, 22-yearold Christel Mittelholzer has her eyes set on becoming a professional accountant. She is currently pursuing ACCA studies at Cacique Inc.
Sponsored by Limacol, Christel is family oriented, quite personable, ambitious and self driven. Being very free spirited, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and participating in various outdoor activities.
According to a news report by AP, New York City's mayor, Michael Bloomberg has unveiled an "incredibly ambitious" $20bn proposal to transform how America's largest city protects itself from global warming after being jolted by a deadly superstorm last year.
Removable flood walls would be set up for much of lower Manhattan, home of the financial district. A levee up to 20ft high would guard part of Staten Island and dunes would be built to strengthen the city's Atlantic shoreline.
"This is urgent work, and it must begin now," Bloomberg said in a speech on Tuesday. "Piece by piece, over many years and even decades, we can build a city that's capable of preparing better, withstanding more and overcoming anything."
The sweeping proposals are a sizeable step up in scale and urgency for a mayor who has for years emphasised the threat climate change poses to the city, which has 520 miles of coastline. The storm sent a record 4.27-metre (14ft) storm tide gushing into lower Manhattan.
AP says that with Bloomberg's term soon coming to an end, it remains to be seen how the ideas will fare in a future mayoral administration and what kind of support financial and otherwise they might get from the federal government, not to mention from New Yorkers themselves.
AP quotes Bloomberg as acknowledging that some of the ideas could prove controversial, but said: "If we're going to save lives and protect the lives of communities, we're going to have to live with some new realities."
The recommendations draw from
updated predictions from the New York City Panel on Climate Change, a scientists' group convened by the city that estimates an average day in New York will be hotter by the middle of the century. With local waters up to twoand-a-half feet higher than they are today, 8% of the city's coastline could see flooding just from high tides, the group estimates. Most of that coast is in a relatively undeveloped area near a bay. The city has required some new developments in flood zones to be elevated and has restored wetlands as natural barriers, among other steps.
By Vahnu Manikchand and Ruqayyah BoyeR
Eleven-old Salma
Majeed of ISA Islamic School gained 548 marks to cop the top spot in this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), bringing prestige to her school and satisfaction to parents and teachers who worked tirelessly in preparing her for the examinations.
Pile of Mae’s Under 12 scored 547. Several other students from the school made it into the top 100.
Surrounded by family members, teachers and classmates, Majeed said she is happy to have achieved this milestone because she worked really hard and always tried her best.
Ecstatic
The ecstatic 11-year-old pointed out that she does not have any particular weakness, but noted that her two favourite subjects are science and social studies. She thanked her family, friends and teachers for being supportive. Majeed is advising other students aspiring to achieve success, to always try their best and do not back off when faced with difficulties. She noted that she is looking forward with great anticipation to working even harder in her secondary school years.
Meanwhile, her proud and emotional mother was speechless at the news and was still trying to come to grips with it when she was approached to comment about her daughter’s success. She noted, “I didn’t expect this, she always used to do good and tried her best, but this is beyond
our expectations, but we are happy about it.”
Christian Pile, 11, of Mae’s Under 12 copped the second spot in the top 10 and was very happy that all his hard work paid off. The young man scored 547 marks at the examinations.
The young man believes that he deserves the position as he anticipates his future at Queens College, where he will continue to strive for excellence. Pile said in preparing for the exams, he would go home from school and study with the help of his mother and father and was assisted by his teacher, adding that his success could not be possible without the will of Almighty God.
He remarked that he hopes to one day become an astronomer and thanked his teachers for all they have done in preparing him for the exams.
At number three, Navindra Persaud expressed excitement at his achievement, noting that he studied really hard to gain the position he got. The 11-year-old said he prayed a lot and was heavily supported by his teachers. Taking the third spot, the Mae’s Under 12 student disclosed he is aspiring to become a doctor or a cricketer just like his role model, Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Persaud’s advice to other students who want to excel academically is to work hard, never quit and pray.
Tears of joy
Ashtmi Natasha Deo, 11, came in at number four. She broke down in tears of joy when asked to comment about her suc-
cess at the exam, noting that she never expected to perform this well, but was very grateful nevertheless. She said her parents were the driving force behind her success and credited her teachers at Mae’s Under 12. The aspiring doctor/musician noted that her success is somewhat bittersweet because of the fact that some of her friends did not make it. In preparation for exams, Deo recalled the efforts she put into studying and all the hard work she did and sacrifices she made
The fifth position was awarded to another Mae’s Under 12 student, 11-yearold Brandon Chanderban, who described his feelings as euphoric. He noted that he underwent vigorous preparations for the exams and was assisted by his parents and teachers. With aspirations of becoming a lawyer, the lad said he can now relax after months of tedious hard work. Chanderban explained that the assessment was not difficult and he is overwhelmed that he emerged successful.
Hard work
Zane Ramotar, in at number six and also of Mae’s Under 12, expressed his elation at the news. He stated that he worked hard to attain the space and was assisted by his father with his studies. Ramotar disclosed that he worked a lot of past exam papers. The lad thanked his teachers and parents for being supportive, noting that he is looking forward for his tenure at the country’s top secondary school. Ramotar said that he aspires to be a pilot and will work even harder to achieve this.
Exceeding her expectation, Leshanna Bindah from Stella Maris Primary School related that while she knew she would be placed in the top spots, she did not expect to be in the top 10. Bindah was placed seventh in the country. She said that preparations for exams were filled with sleepless nights and tiresome work with hardly any spare time.
Bindah, an aspiring doctor, said the exams were not hard except for English, which she noted, proved to be a little difficult. The young lady added that she is still trying to come to grip with her achievements, noting that she can now relax until school re-opens.
Abdur-Ramhman Sattaur was surrounded by friends and teachers when this publication visited the Al Ghazali Islamic Academy. The lad said he was excited and ecstatic when he received the news of being placed eighth in the country. He added that the exams were “tricky”, noting that the questions were not too hard or too easy, but some of them were “tricky”. Sattaur said he worked hard before the exams and had to study a lot; however, he does not mind it because it helped him to make the country’s top 10. While he does not have any aspirations, the lad noted that he is very fond of science.
Sacrifice
When this newspaper broke the news to 11-year-old Divya Jagroo, who copped the ninth position, she began screaming, her fellow classmates surrounded her outside of the Graham’s Hall
Primary School. Jagroo was placed ninth in top 10 along with three other persons. She told Guyana Times International that the news is very rewarding since all of her hard work has paid off.
“Before exams, it was a bit difficult because I had to go bed late and I had to make sacrifices like stop watching TV and gave up playtime to study.”
The aspiring doctor pointed out that she always wanted to go to Queens College and can do so now while adding that the most difficult subject during the exam was mathematics. The elated girl quickly called home and related the news to her parents.
Daniel Baldeo-Thorne, 10, said preparing for exams was tough, especially for the subjects that he does not like, nevertheless he studied and it proved beneficial for him as he was placed 10th among the country’s top performers. The aspiring astronaut thanked God, his teachers and parents, more so his father for their support. The New Guyana School student noted that his father was the one who pushed him, even though he would not want to study.
Topping Region Six and also placing ninth is Renee Bisnauth of Cropper Primary.
Her father, who is a high school teacher, said he expected his daughter to do well and getting 540 marks at this year’s examinations came as no surprise to him. Bisnauth got the news of her success, but did not believe until her teachers confirmed the information.
“I was surprised and
excited when belief started to step in,” the youngster said.
Serious study
According to her father, it was only about a month before the exams that Renee started to study seriously. “But before that she was always doing well in class.” Renee copped the first place at the National Spelling B Competition in 2011 and went on to represent Guyana in St Kitts where she finished fourth. She said apart from school, she attended lessons conducted by her class teacher for one hour on school days. The free lesson, she said, focused on revising most on the work that was done in class during regular school time. Her biggest thanks however go to her former Headteacher Leroy King, who according to her took a special interest in her educational development. According to Renee’s father, King lent him some old exam papers to help Renee with her studies when he retired in January. “That certainly did help,” he said.
During the last month for the examinations, the top student said she got up at 5:30h and studied for one hour. The evening was used to do home work. One of the first family members to learn of Renee’s achievement was her mother Dian, who told Guyana Times International after learning that the results were going to be out the day, was on the Internet waiting on the results, and at 14:15h, her wait was over.
“I am proud at my daughter’s achievement,” she said.
By IndrawattIe natram
Members of the Guyana Police Force, students from various secondary schools on the Essequibo Coast and civilians will soon be benefiting from free Information Technology (IT) training at the Richard Faikall Training College at Suddie on the Essequibo Coast. The move was made possible through the kind donation of a computer centre and library by overseas-based Guyanese company Zara Reality Holdings.
According to Zara Reality Holdings Vice President Jay Sobhraj, the company has invested US$ 100,000 in the IT project on the Essequibo Coast. He said the aim of the project is to bridge the communication gap that exists in today’s society and to equip all Essequibians with knowledge of how to use a computer.
He said the donation was a way the company could give back to the people.
“We want everyone on the Essequibo Coast to make the maximum use of this opportunity, what you are getting here is a valuable opportunity.”
Sobhraj said thus far the company has managed to build and install 11 centres of similar nature, outlining that six were built in Guyana and five in North America, where the company operates.
These days it look like everybody blamin somebody fuh sum ting, and no body ain’t tekkin blame fuh any ting. De opposition always blamin de guvament and de guvament always blamin de opposition. From de budget cuts, to the bills that not gettin pass in Parliament, to de bills that de prezzi not signin, to de local guvament elections, de blame game just keep goin on.
So de guvament and de opposition should start sayin “believe it or leave it” before either of dem seh any ting to de public and to de media. Or dem should start playin one fuh- one wid one another – blame me this week and I gon blame yuh next week.
Now Rum Jhaat seh he want more “teeth” to de laws in Guyana on financial crimes and he blame de guvament fuh refusin to accept de recommendations from a financial expert. Well, judgin from all dem teeth that Rum Jhaat does be showin when he talkin, all he got to do is give de laws some of he teeth.
A new report seh that, in all, they have 140,000 Guyanese livin in New York City. But a local newspaper man seh that figure could never be right, because he alone send more than that back track to New York, and dem never come back.
And de biggest joke of de week is that Freddie Kissmansoon write in de Kocheur News and seh he friken to be out after 21: 00h. Well in de first place if de Man Kisser come out after dark, it gon be hard fuh people see he. And, secondly, if people see he, is dem who gon friken!
Ting-a-ling-a-ling… friend tell friend… mattie tell mattie! And look out this week fuh de biggest joker in town, de mayor fuh life Green Ham, who want to collect money from de guvament to pay off he wife taxes!
the Internet and has a DELL server.
The centre also will facilitate a pilot project which will cater for five students from various secondary schools. He said a special trainer has been selected to manage the class and will prepare the students for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) IT examinations.
ing but unfortunately, it was only able to acquire Gy$ 50 million. Brumell noted the donation from Zara Reality Holdings is timely since it comes when the force is modernising.
build strong ties between the Guyana Police Force and the community.
“We cannot prepare the future for you, however, we can prepare you for the future,” Sobhraj said.
Meanwhile, Nardeo Singh, a computer consultant attached to Zara Reality Holdings for the past 25 years, said the project aims to create a society that is computer literate.
He said the 36 computers are connected to
Delivering the feature address at the commissioning of the Guyana Police Force/ Zara Computer Centre was acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell, who said the donation of the computers and library at the college is a classic example of partnership.
Brumell said IT is no longer a skill, rather it has become a culture for the Guyana Police Force.
Top priority
Brumell said the Guyana Police Force is developing rapidly in terms of IT, noting that it is a top priority for all officers. He said the force had budgeted Gy$ 200 million for train-
He said the focus is on officers becoming computer literate and for information to be linked station to station, electronically via the Internet.
The acting police commissioner said the move to utilise the centre to train civilians was also a prudent one, noting that it will help to
The unveiling of the plaque and cutting of the ribbon were done by executive members of the Zara Reality Holdings, Jay Sohbraj, Nardeo Singh and Sarvan Budhu.
Zara Reality Holdings had earlier supported the police force with the establishment of a similar computer training centre in Berbice, where the training has been extended to schools and members of the community.
The two engines from the Piper Aztec aircraft with American registration number N27-FT, which crashed minutes after takeoff from the Ogle International Airport on April 14, are with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and are due to be examined shortly.
This was according to Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Director Zulfikar Mohammed during a telephone interview with Guyana Times International on Friday.
Mohammed noted that the engines were sent to the manufacturers where they are to be thoroughly examined to determine the reason for the crash.
The director further stated that the reports can take a while to be complied.
When completed, it will be handed over to the GCAA. The report on the Caribbean Airlines plane crash almost two years ago is still outstanding.
He added that currently Sithe Global, the contracting company, is
meeting with the various insurance companies under which the twinengine aircraft was insured. Mohammed stated that those discussions are out of the league of the GCAA and is solely up to the parties to pronounce on compensations with respect to liabilities caused by the twin-engine Piper Aztec aircraft.
The aircraft was on a technical survey mission of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, and from all indications, Sithe Global was responsible for managing the construction of the proj-
ect, but subcontracted Digital World Mapping to conduct survey.
According to a recent release from the GCAA, approval was given to Digital World Mapping to operate the specific aircraft to conduct a survey of the Amaila Hydropower Project. In that approval, the operator was advised that the aircraft must be insured against third party risk, the release added.
Reports further revealed that based on information provided by the NTSB, the insurance coverage for the aircraft did not include coverage for operations in South America. The aircraft had just taken off from the Ogle International Airport when it crashed into Florence Tyndall’s house, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara.
Seconds after the crash, the piper Aztec aircraft exploded, reducing the house to ashes. It also burnt a section of another house, which is owned by Michelle Belle. Tyndall escaped unharmed but the twomember crewman, Pierre Angiel and Canadian Scientist Nick Dmitriev perished.
Alotta changes tekkin place in Guyana these last few days and weeks. De guvament start to scale down plenty projects because of de budget cuts, and GPL planning to increase electricity rates, also because of de budget cuts.
Soon de guvament might start fuh claim that is de budget cuts that mek dem can’t hold local guvament elections fuh de last 19 years, because any time sum ting can’t get done, de budget cuts gettin all de blame.
De FLAPNU leader Green Jah on de other hand, seh de country ain’t feelin no effects yet from de budget cuts, while de man who seh he runnin tings at de KFC, Rum Jhaat seh de pressure building pun de guvament and de country.
And talkin bout pressure, that is exactly what de workers at GWI lookin to deliver in de water pipelines to people nowadays. But it look like de only water pressure that comin is in de rain from de skies. So de GWI workers prayin fuh more rain so dem don’t have to go to wuk.
Plus de people seh that de rain water cleaner than de GWI red and black water. In de country side, people getting red water and in de city, people getting black water. But de more people use de rain water is de more de water bills goin up. So de people not sure if GWI chargin customers fuh usin rain water too.
Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! Then de mayor fuh life Green Ham decide again that he still ain’t got time wid lookin after de **ity. Now he want to debate de local guvament minister. So look out fuh more garbage in de Garbage Town (GT).
United Statesbased Guyanese journalist, Felicia Persaud is encouraging Caribbean governments to do more to market the diverse investment stories of the region to the right people since the region is relevant despite proclamations by naysayers.
Persaud, who is the founder of Invest Caribbean Now (ICN) and chief marketing officer (CMO) of Hard Beat Communications, was addressing delegates at the opening of an ICN forum in New York.
She stated that the Caribbean region remains relevant since 11 nations have been listed in the top 100 “ease of doing business” survey when there were only seven for Latin America and eight for Africa. Fastest growing economies
“We are relevant when eight nations in the Caribbean are ranked in the top 100 fastest growing economies globally compared to 10 for Latin America as of 2012 … a difference of two… and we are relevant when the world’s richest man invests in the Caribbean.”
At the end of the forum, Caribbean governments were invited to participate in a trip to China aimed at promoting investment and business development opportunities during the latter part of this year.
The invitation was extended by ChineseAmerican Business Development Centre Managing Director Li Li and echoed by China’s
Consulate General in New York Xiaoguang Liu and American-Chinese Commerce Development Association representative Johnny Liu at the recent Avalon Invest Caribbean Now Forum in New York City.
The invitation came on the heels of the first visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Trinidad on May 31 and his pledge of more than US$ 3 billion in loans to 10 Caribbean nations.
“The Chinese private sectors are seeking opportunities in the Caribbean such as hospitality, real estate, healthcare and education industry because they are easy to operate, are transparent and create jobs,” Li said.
Easy market access
She noted that the advantageous location of the Caribbean in the centre of the Americas provides the advantage of easy access to markets
in the North, South and Central America and serves as a bridge to the markets in Europe.
Citing statistics that said up to 100 million Chinese will be travelling abroad by 2015, Li said the time was ripe for the Caribbean to tap into this key demographic, especially since the Chinese consumer is industrious and has spending power and “the Caribbean has garnered critical acclaim as a Mecca for tourism with significant investments in that and related sectors”.
Li also pointed to figures that showed the Chinese outbound travel market will be US$ 590 billion by 2020.
Economic partnership
Meanwhile, Caribbean Affairs Office of the Western Hemisphere Division in the U. S. State Department representative Anthony Eterno,
presenting his country’s view on investing in the Caribbean, emphasised that the Obama-led administration remains committed to an economic partnership with the region that stimulates growth.
Over 12 dozen Caribbean delegates attended the forum including Turks and Caicos Islands Prime Minister Dr Rufus Ewing; St Lucia Tourism Industry and Commerce Minister Ricky Skerritt; St Lucia Tourism, Heritage and Creative Industries Minister Lorne Theophilus; Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Minister Mark Brantley; Nevis Tourism Minister John Maginley; St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism, Sports and Culture Minister Cecil McKie; Bahamas Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe; and Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Chairman and United States Virgin Islands Commissioner Beverly Nicholson Doty. The “ICN 2013 Corporate Leadership Award” was presented to Royal Caribbean International.
Invest Caribbean Now is organised annually by The Caribbean Tourism Organisation and digital media solutions company, Hard Beat Communications, during Caribbean Week in New York.
The event is the brainchild of Persaud and is now in its third year.
By IndrawattIe natram
Scores of rice farmers on the Essequibo Coast who have benefited from a Gy$ 2.5 billion government support said the intervention has given them renewed hope as they return to their fields.
The farmers said despite the various challenges such as bug infestation and snail invasion, they have managed to overcome them, and are optimistic that the present autumn crop will be a bumper harvest.
The farmers also thanked the major stakeholders who worked assiduously in drafting the plan to alleviate their plight. Wazeer Hussain, a miller and farmer from Vilvoorden expressed his gratitude to the government in responding to the challenges of farmers at a time of much need. Hussain, who cultivates 150 acres of rice, said the intervention/ assistance package came at a timely manner as it
allowed him to return to his field.
The miller explained that with the assistance given to him by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), he was able to make payments to approximately 1000 farmers who sold paddy to his mill. He said without the timely intervention, he would have had to take an overdraft from the bank, and the interest rate would have been high.
He said he is also thankful to the GRDB officers for working in the interest of farmers and millers.
Hussain noted that the assistance package was calculated according to the amount of paddy sold to his mill and
the percentage that is scheduled to be shipped to Venezuela.
The miller said with the assistance, he was able to pay off the farmers, purchase seed paddy, prepare his lands and move on with the crop.
Blooming crop
Hussain is finished sowing and his crop is blooming.
He is in the process of shipping paddy to Georgetown, which will later be transported to Venezuela.
Hussain did not suffer from the snail invasion, but noted that he will be keeping a keen eye on his rice crop.
Despite the major attack by paddy bugs in the first crop which triggered low prices, farmers have shown determi-
nation to cultivate their fields for the autumn crop.
Chate Narine, another farmer, from Paradise Village was also in high praise for the intervention.
“I’m thankful because I’ve been waiting a long time for the millers to accept my paddy then the delay of payment
had me frustrated; however, I am happy with the intervention.”
Narine noted that although the quality of his paddy was low due to the high infestation of bugs; he is satisfied with the move by the government. The owner of 60 acres of land said he received 35 per cent of his payment from his miller.
An Irish teenager expressed regret and relief following the dismissal of criminal charges against him for making a drunken threat against Guyana’s president. Cillian James Crossan said he was eager to move past the incident.
“I am happy it’s all over,” 17- year-old Cillian, from Co Louth, Ireland said. “If I could do anything to change what happened I would,” the Irish Independent reported him as saying.
Cillian is spending a year in Guyana as a volunteer teacher. He was arrested in April after a conversation with two bodyguards of President Donald Ramotar, in which he said he would shoot the leader.
Crossan was accused of threatening to shoot the Guyanese leader at City Boy Club, Tabatinga, Lethem. He had appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on April 2.
According to the police, on March 29 at Central Rupununi, Crossan said he would shoot the president who
was not present at the time, but Amerindian Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary Nigel Dharamlall overheard the comment and approached the young man, asking him what he said and he repeated that he would shoot the president in his head.
The matter was then reported.
The director of public prosecutions (DPP) last week dropped charges against the teenager.
Crossan’s lawyer, Glenn Hanoman had said the teen was hav-
ing an alcohol-fuelled conversation with two bodyguards of the president at an international rodeo event in April and was joking when he said he would shoot and kill Ramotar – saying it because he did not believe the two men were really the president’s bodyguards.
The president was not there at the time.
“He had been drinking beer since early the morning and had even mixed rum and beer and had them at the same time,” Hanoman
said. “I think that was the main factor at play when he argued with two of the guards.” Prosecutor Vishnu Hunte had objected to bail, stating that the threat was aimed at the president of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, and that the defendant is also a flight risk. Crossan gave a caution statement, admitting to what he did. However, Crossan pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released on Gy$ 60,000 bail.
ANew Amsterdam taxi driver has been set free on a murder charge for the second time. Following a no-case submission by Attorney Marceline Bacchus, murder accused Sevak Rampersaud had his case dismissed by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo when he appeared before her on Friday at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court.
Rampersaud, called Suresh Persaud, 37, of 54 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, Berbice, was charged in September 2011 with the murder of his paramour, Verone Patoir, on May 20, 2011.
The matter was again before the magistrate after she discharged it on May 7, 2012. By
way of letter dated July 13, 2012, Magistrate Nagamootoo was ordered to reopen the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) and to take additional evidence from two neighbours, Nicola Alexander and Juliet Agard.
That was done of May 3, following which Bacchus presented written submissions, arguing that the evidence of
the two additional witnesses did not enhance the prosecution’s case in any way and that there was still no prima facie case to call on the defence to answer the charge.
Police Prosecutor Phillip Sheriff said there was enough evidence but could not convince the magistrate, who dismissed the case on the
grounds that the prosecution failed to present a case to the court.
Patoir, 40, a mother of three of Lot 42, Mudflat, Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, was allegedly involved in an abusive relationship and was allegedly brutally murdered by her paramour at her residence.
She was originally from an Amerindian settlement in Region 10. Over a dozen persons testified on behalf of the prosecution, including the daughters of the accused.
It was understood that either a heavy or sharp object was used to bludgeon the woman’s head and slit her throat. Investigators had reportedly recovered some implements, including a bloodied knife from the
crime scene.
A post-mortem by Dr Vivekananda Brijmohan at the New Amsterdam Hospital gave the cause of death as shock and haemorrhage due to multiple injuries and a fractured skull.
Rampersaud was arrested and locked up for a number of days soon after the crime was committed. A motion of Habeas Corpus was filed by Bacchus in the High Court, and the man was released soon after on Gy$ 200,000 station bail.
A file was subsequently prepared and sent to the office of the DPP, which advised that the man be charged with the capital offence. He was charged almost four months after.
One of Patoir’s daughters had returned
home from school and discovered the bloodied body of her mother in the hallway of their home at 42 Mudflat, Stanleytown, New Amsterdam.
She had told the media then that upon leaving home on the day in question, she saw the accused in his hire car with some other persons inside, parked a short distance away.
The girl had returned home around 14: 55h, to find the back door ajar and on entering the house, she saw her mother’s bloodied body. Her face was battered, the hair from her head was uprooted, revealing the scalp, and her throat was slit.
A bloodied rolling pin was also removed from the scene.
More than 1000 additional Guyanese are recipients of laptops through the government’s One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) initiative.
On Friday, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds joined the OLPF team to distribute the laptops to residents at Hope, Mahaica, Enterprise, Plaisance, Goedverwagting/ Liliendaal and Bourda, Region Four.
At Mahaica, 90 laptops were presented, followed by 126 at Enterprise, 185 at Plaisance, 493 at Goedverwagting/ Liliendaal, and 158 at Bourda in Georgetown.
During his interactions with the recipients, the prime minister said that the government was pleased that it could bring this programme to Guyanese to ensure that they have an opportunity to become
computer literate and familiar with Information Communication Technology (ICT). Bridging the digital divide
The prime minister attributed the OLPF project to former President Bharrat Jagdeo, who, during his tenure, recognised the need and importance of exposing the Guyanese population to ICT.
“These days, almost everything has some IT aspect to it, and it also prepares the way for a
programme of egovernment where all citizens could be able to get into a government system and do much of the work/ interactions they need with government offices via the computer and the Internet,” the PM said.
PM Hinds recalled that over the last 25-30 years, ICT has developed rapidly, and in this regard the government has commenced the installation of a fibre optic cable that would allow for more accessibility to the
Internet.
In recognition of the attainable changes ICT can bring, the prime minister said that “the life we live is a reflection or indication of one’s ability to provide goods and services and the ability to share it with others”.
Apart from urging the recipients to care for the laptops, Prime Minister Hinds encouraged them to do their best in their classes, particularly since being competent in ICT offers many opportunities for both adults and youths.
Several of the recipients praised the government for the initiative, noting that the device will better their lives and enable them to stay in touch with their relatives and friends, and most importantly, assist their children in their learning process.
The OLPF is a national initiative aimed at bridging the digital di-
vide, by providing access to information technology, the Internet, training and skills development to families across Guyana that will enable them to become part of the global information and knowledge highway, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said.
Come September 2013, government will complete installing the infrastructure network, inclusive of fibre-optic, cables that will realise free Internet access,
along with high-speed delivery of e-government content to all. This has the potential to facilitate dramatic increases in social and economic welfare, and to catalyse major transformative changes in Guyana.
In May, this current phase of distribution commenced with a target total of 6000, and during the ensuing weeks, the OLPF secretariat staff members have been out in various areas in Region Four distributing laptops to recipients.
Subrina Kryshundayal, an aspiring paediatric cardiologist recently acquired her second degree, a B.S. in Biology from Hofstra University in New York. This young and talented professional of Guyanese parentage has a strong interest in naturopathic medicine and is currently employed as an office coordinator at a private cardiology company in New York.
Subrina is also involved in quite a number of volunteer projects in New York City since she considers herself as having a passion for helping those in need. Most notably, she serves as a volunteer at a domestic violence shelter for women and children in N.Y.
Her desire is to one day establish her own charitable organisation dedicated to helping children, young women and others who are vulnerable in the society.
Among the many things she enjoys doing are; trying out new cuisines, exploring other cultures, meeting new and interesting people, learning to speak new languages, reading, meditation and spending quality time with family and loved ones.
week ending june 16, 2013 |
The Guyana Consulate and The Guyana Tri-State Alliance, Inc. and The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Guyana to the United Nations extend a special invitation to all Guyanese and friends of Guyana to attend the commemoration of Guyana’s 47th Independence.
The celebration is scheduled for Friday, June 21, 2013 at 5:30 pm under the patronage of The Brooklyn Borough President, The Honourable Marty Markowitz, and New York City Council member, The Honourable Dr. Mathieu Eugene at Brooklyn Borough, Hall, 209, Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, N.Y.
There will be a cultural evening and a "Taste of Guyana"reception with “back Home” food, music and drinks in the rotunda.
The Golden Arrowhead Award of Distinction will be awarded by The Guyana Missions, Consulate and The Guyana Tri-State Alliance, Inc., along with a presentation of a proclamation from the City Council of the City of New York, and a Citation from The Office of the President of the Borough of Brooklyn, City of New York to the notable Honourees, in recognition of their accomplishments, commitment and contributions, and for being ambassadors at large for Guyana.
The distinguished Honorees are: -
Sandra Chapman Deputy Brooklyn Borough President
Ramesh D. Kallicharan Philanthropist, Humanitarian and CEO of KT&T),
Holly Persaud Humanitarian, community activist
Beverley Drake Aviation pilot, educator and mentor
Muriel Glasgow U.N. Ambassador of Peace, humanitarian and Mentor
Henry D. Muttoo OC , MBE, scholar, theatre director and designer
Glen Khan Philanthropist and CEO and chairman of Laparkan
Allison Skeete Journalist, mentor, and community collaborator
Rozanna Beaumont Philanthropist, radio personality and entrepreneur
Special Awards
Kenton Kirby Editor, Caribbean Life
Jared Mc Callister- Journalist, Daily News
For further information please call The Guyana Consulate 212 –947-5114 or 917-541-4101, 718-342-0842
By Bhisham mohamed
A17-year-old girl was chopped to death Wednesday afternoon after she reportedly walked into the propeller of a single-engine Cessna 171 aircraft at Ekereku Airstrip, Region Seven.
The teenager, Raquel Whitney Joseph of Guyana Airways Corporation (GAC), Old Road Timehri, East Bank Demerara had left her home in mid-May for Bartica. Information reaching this newspaper revealed that the privately-owned aircraft had just landed at the airstrip when Joseph ended up in the path of the plane.
Probes
Information remains sketchy but the police and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCCI) have launched separate probes into the incident. Guyana Times International understands that the teenager’s body was severely damaged with most of the injuries concentrated around her head. She reportedly died on the spot.
In a statement, police said that about 17: 40h, Joseph was killed when she ended up in the path of the propeller of a single-engine Cessna 172 aircraft that had just landed at the Ekereku Airstrip. “The circumstances are not yet clear and investigations are in progress.”
Meanwhile, relatives were unaware of the young lady’s demise until this newspaper contacted them late Wednesday evening. Upon receiving the news, family members were inconsolable, stating their disbelief.
Celene Sampson, an aunt of the dead teen-
ager explained that her niece telephoned them on June 3 to ask why they did not call to wish her happy birthday, the previous day. At that time, Joseph claimed that she was in Bartica working at a Chinese restaurant and was okay.
Working in the interior
The aunt explained that the teenager would normally lie about her age, claiming to be 22. That is the only way she can get work in the interior, she told her relatives. She has been working in the interior for at least two years with the intention of earning a few dollars to take care of her nine other siblings.
The teen’s mother is said to be mentally unstable, an illness she incurred after her children’s father walked out on her a few years ago. The mother would walk the roads, performing odd jobs to get by.
The aunt further stated that Joseph attended the Timehri Primary School, but after completing her primary education, she went to Venezuela with a woman and returned after a few years. Upon her return, she stayed with her father in Berbice and would visit from time to time.
The aunt posited that it was out of financial pressure that the teenager resorted to working in the interior, and more so, she did not have a secondary education to get a job anywhere else. While the teenager had her own way, she described her as a hustler; someone who is willing to go the extra mile to look after her siblings. The teen leaves to mourn her parents, nine siblings and other relatives.
By Bhisham mohamed
Guyanese were on Sunday eve-
ning treated to an evening of melodious Qawwali and Sufi music by Bollywood playback singer Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara.
The evening can be described as sensational as Ali Khan and his 22 band members left their fans spellbound after dishing out some top class tunes from yesteryear and present.
The band members appeared on stage about 21: 15h and performed an instrumental rendition.
Ali Khan was given a standing ovation after which he took his place on the stage; plaited his legs and thanked his Guyanese fans for their tremendous hospitality. His voice undoubtedly created a stir, leaving fans no alternative but to dance to his songs.
He dished out some splendid tunes such as “Ishq Junoon Deewangi”, “Sajda”, “Teri Meri”, “Teri Ore”, “Kuch Pyar Ka Pagal” and oth-
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that causes brain damage. Dementia is caused by brain damage or brain changes and consists of the loss of mental skills. The Alzheimer’s Association defines Alzheimer’s disease as consisting of memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to affect daily life functions. However, just because someone experiences memory loss that does not mean that he/she has Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, there is no cure to Alzheimer’s but there are medications available which have been successful in reducing the symptoms of the disease. Understanding Alzheimer’s along with its symptoms and causes can allow one to become aware of the dangers associated with Alzheimer’s especially if untreated.
Currently, there are roughly 35 million people worldwide affected by Alzheimer’s and related dementia. Alzheimer’s disease causes damage to nerve cells and brain tissue. This damage results in the death of nerve cells and the loss of brain tissue and leads to the shrinkage of brain size. The nerve cells of the hippocampus, the part of the brain in which short-term memories are formed, are among the first destroyed. As the nerve cells throughout different regions of the brain die, the abilities associated with the regions such as language and cognitive (thinking) skills become difficult and are eventually are halted as the disease worsens. The
ers. He also performed songs from the movies “Dabaang”, “My Name is Khan”, “Bodyguard”, “Dabaang 2”, and “Singh is King”. After every performance, he was given a loud applause from the audience.
His second segment even saucier than the first and literally had everyone on their feet, dancing to the rhythms. Keeping everyone in suspense, Ali Khan did not sing a popular tune, and as fans were walking out of the arena, he switched gear, deliver-
ing “Tere Mast Mast Do Nain” which had them scampering back to their seats and having a grand time as he reeled out hit after hit.
The show culminated just after midnight, but some thought they had their money’s worth after the singer would have performed in his first appearance on stage. It was indeed a magical night with patrons humming to Ali’s tunes as they left the national stadium.
The audience loved him as he sported a cream and burgundy
kurta suitwith his makeup elegantly done.
After a while, he gave a little “shake” and introduced, Neil Maraj, a young talented singer who is a finalist in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited Jingle and Song Competition.
Maraj sang a tune from the popular Indian movie “Dhadkan” and one from the movie “Dosti”, a tune that was first sung by the legendary Mohammed Rafi.
Soon after, the Ishara Dancers performed an
energetic medley dance that was enjoyed by the audience.
Each performance had a storyline. It was colourful and beautifully presented.
The show continued with Purnash Durgaprasad, a Guyanese who participated in the ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ contest in India. He left Guyana at the age of 10 and this was his third time he returned to perform before the home crowd. He performed “Tu Jaane Nah”, “Mitawah” and an English number, “Stand by Me”. Durgaprasad left the stage after his first segment, but was forced to return a since the feature performer was running late. On his return, he dished out a few hits that were enjoyed by the audience.
The Ishara dancers also spiced up the evening with a few other dances before the man of the night made his grand appearance.
A number of government ministers, members of the diplomatic community, the Indian Arrival Committee and businessmen were present for the night of musical extravaganza.
causes of Alzheimer’s are not yet fully understood but plaques and tangles are believed to cause this disease. Plaques are made up of proteins that come from the membrane surrounding nerve cells and when these nerve cells die, the plaque accumulates; the buildup of pieces of plaque blocks cell signaling and may activate an immune response that causes inflammation. Tangles are present in dead and dying nerve cells and consist of
nerve cells.
The majority of the people affected with Alzheimer’s are 65 years old and above. But, there are some people who have Alzheimer’s and are much younger. The risk of developing Alzheimer’s may also depend on genetics and family history. Also, high blood pressure and high cholesterol may contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s.
The following are 10 warning signs listed by the Alzheimer’s Association: 1. Memory loss
that disrupts daily life, especially recently learned information.
2. Challenges in planning or solving problems.
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or at leisure.
4. Confusion with time or place.
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. Some examples include: having difficulty seeing, reading, or judging distance.
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing. Examples include trouble joining a conversation or struggle with vocabulary.
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.
8. Decreased or poor judgment.
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities.
Alzheimer’s disease is fatal and should be taken very seriously. Alzheimer’s can impair numerous functions of the brain such as emotional behavior, memory, language, perception and other intellectual skills. People with severe Alzheimer’s are not able to understand language, recognize their family members and lose the ability to perform normal daily functions such as eating and bathing. There are multiple tests that are used to determine if one has Alzheimer’s such as physical and neurological exams and tests regarding mental status. Consult with a doctor if any of the above-mentioned warning signs are experienced or noticed in a loved one.
By PetamBer Persaud
Martin Carter initiated a number of issues, and started an ongoing dialogue by way of his prose and poetry in the manner and with a purpose of a consummate artist, going further than most writers of merely acting as a mirror or barometer of the society.
In a letter introducing the first issue of the New World Quarterly, Carter harped on the need for ‘serious examination of ideas’ and objectivity, going on to declare, “…I do not know why only so few revolt, either by word or by deed against …acute spiritual discomfort.”
Many of those sociopolitical issues relevant locally and universally revolved around a central theme: ‘all are involved’. This ‘all are involved’ theme is married to the essential Martin Carter - his conjunctions.
In an interview with Professor Frank Birbalsingh, Carter had said, “the word “and” is very important to my way of thinking, that is to say, something and something, not something and then something else”, referring to his poem, ‘Conjunction’, with its opening line ‘very sudden is the sought conjunction’.
There are many other conjunctions in the thought processes of Carter including “the middle where we meet is not the place to stop”. This ‘all are involved’ theme has engaged the attention of a number of thinkers, scholars and writers who have booked their thoughts in useful publications on Martin Carter.
“Martin Carter: University Of Hunger Collected Poems & Selected Prose”, edited by Gemma Robinson and published by Bloodaxe Books, is the most recent
addition to the growing scholarship on the leading poet of Guyana and foremost Caribbean writer of the second half of 20th century.
This extensive work contains a 36-page introduction by Robinson and more than 70 pages of notes that “provide bibliographic details and commentaries relating to the specific phrases in the poetry and prose. Collations of lexical differences are given when there are multiply versions of a poem.”
Gemma Robinson, a lecturer in the Department of English Studies at the University of Stirling, whose research focuses on Guyanese writing, is a leading authority on the work of Carter.
“Poems by Martin Carter” edited by Ian McDonald and Stewart Brown, published by Macmillan, (2006) is another recent addition to growing and glowing tributes to Carter. This book is an insightful reworking of the prizewinning book, “Selected Poems”.
It is not McDonald’s first public appreciation of Carter. In 1989, McDonald as chairman of Demerara Publishers
amaican reggae singer Duane Stephenson believes the inaugural Greater August Town Film Festival (GATFFEST), scheduled for June 20-23, is an opportunity for the community he grew up in, to shed its violent image.
"There is so much of this culture to tell. I hope it will highlight August Town as a cultural destination," said Stephenson.
The singer/songwriter paid homeage to the St Andrew community on his debut al-
Ltd., was instrumental in publishing Carter’s “Selected Poems”, which won the Guyana Prize for Literature in same year of publication. McDonald was also involved along with others, including Vanda Radzik, in the publication of the revised edition of that title by Red Thread Press (1997).
McDonald as editor of Kyk-Over-Al, in June 2002 devoted a combined 49/50 issue of the journal to the life and work of Carter. Titled Martin Carter Tribute, this 400page publication is exciting and informative.
“All Are Involved: The Art Of Martin Carter” edited by Stewart Brown, published by Peepal Tree Press, 2000, is a massive book of essays on Carter by leading scholars, colleagues and writers, including Edward Baugh, Ken Ramchand, Gordon Rohlehr, Kamau Brathwaite, Stewart Brown, David Dabydeen, Fred D'Aguiar, Kwame Dawes, Michael Gilkes, Stanley Greaves, Wilson Harris, Roy Heath, Kendel Hippolyte, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Eusi Kwayana, George Lamming, Ian McDonald, Mervyn Morris, Grace Nichols,
Rupert Roopnaraine, and Andrew Salkey.
“This book sets out to celebrate Martin Carter's life and work, and to establish a context for reading his poetry. It locates the several facets of Carter's work in the historical and cultural circumstances of his time, in Guyana, in the Caribbean.”
Stewart Brown lectures at the Centre for West African Studies at the University of Birmingham. He has edited several anthologies of Caribbean writing and published many books and essays on aspects of West Indian culture.
“Web Of October: Rereading Martin Carter” by Rupert Roopnaraine, published by Peepal Tree Press (1988) and copyrighted to the author(1986), is one the first published studies on the work of Carter. The blurb reads, “the essay’s functions are multiple: to draw attention to Carter’s poetic art, to rescue his work from too narrowly political readings and to explore the relationships between language, art, politics and philosophy.”
Two of the abovementioned books were published by Peepal Tree
Press, whose founder, Jeremy Poynting, is responsible for promoting and enhancing Guyanese literature in recent times.
The above publications offer varied and various insights into the work and life of a national poet whose writings traced the struggles and triumphs of Guyana from colonialism to independence and post-independence. What is important however is that his work has already included you into the ongoing dialogue of ‘all are involved’.
Martin Carter was born June 7, 1927, in Georgetown, British Guiana. His father, Victor Emmanuel, was
would disturb their sleep because he found a right word or phrase to insert in his writing.
His “Poems of Resistance” (1954), some pieces which he wrote while incarcerated by the British for his radical political affiliation, established his Caribbean and international reputation.
In 1989, “Selected Poems” won the Guyana Prize for Literature in the category of best book of poetry.
Twice he was honoured by the government of the day: in 1970 he received the Cacique Crown of Honour and in 1994 the Order of Roraima.
Martin Wylde Carter died at his home
an avid reader, and his mother, Violet Eugene Wylde, loved books and enjoyed reciting verses.
In 1953, he married Phyllis Howard, a union lasting some four decades, even though many times during a night he
bum, ‘From August Town’, which was released by VP Records in 2007. He says it is important GATFFEST highlight the area's diversity.
An initiative of the University of the West Indies Centre and Mona Social Services/University Township Project, GATFFEST will showcase films from local and overseas producers.
The local 'delegation' includes August Town residents who graduated from the UWI's film-making and video production courses.
in Lamaha Street on December 13, 1997, amidst political turmoil. Responses to this author telephone (592) 2260065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
Their submissions cover topics such as homelessness, relationships, peer pressure, drugs, culture, music, dance, slavery, fear, romance and passion.
"Our programme encourages the trainees to use this medium as a vehicle to document and give passionate voices to their communities, even as they educate, inspire and entertain. We work with local film-makers and industry professionals to teach the trainees how media projects can effec-
Essequibo
By IndrawattIe natram
The "news" that he would be permanently disabled due to a diagnosed spinal compression after being the victim of an accident has not destroyed the hope Uttamkumar Isurdeen of Pomona Housing Scheme has that he will be given the power to walk again. A hope fuelled by positive thoughts, manifested in his dreams at nights, and the constant support of family and friends.
Speaking to Guyana Times Sunday Magazine from his bed, 28-yearold Isurdeen, a father of a four-year-old boy, revealed what hurts him most is not being able to fulfil his obligations as a father, husband to his wife Komawattie and son to his mother Indera Ramlall.
Ordeal
Recalling that fateful Saturday, February 27, 2010 when his dreams and hopes for the future were snatched away, an emotional Isurdeen believes he had received numerous signs during the day of the impending tragedy.
He said first of all, he was offered a drop with his friend, but the bus in which the accident occurred honked its horn and stopped for him. Despite his initial refusal to go with the bus, they waited on him, and, not wanting to disappoint the driver, he took the bus instead. In addition, that was the first time he would sit in the front seat of a bus. And even more signs, he said, were
isurdeen
his son was crying all the time that day and his wife didn't want him to go to work.
But Isurdeen recalled that he was determined to go home to Essequibo for the holiday weekend to spend it with his father, so that Saturday he went to work; at that time he was employed with Victoria, an East Coast construction company. It was pay day for him and he had gone to collect his money so that he and his wife of two years could make the Essequibo trip home.
On his way back from his work he caught a bus and was heading to his Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara home when he became involved in an accident. He said the bus had hit a car and
his knees down to his feet, and is also experiencing numbness.
During his hospitalization, he said, he had given up hope and thought that his life would have ended. However, later, with a glimmer of hope he said he began recuperating with therapy he received from the Palms.
Optimism despite the odds
Isurdeen said that he went to a few doctors who stated that he won't be able to ever walk again. He also underwent a few surgeries, and a few spinal specialists were consulted on his condition.
However his prognosis hasn’t changed.
again. I dream that I am going for interviews for jobs," he insists.
New hope for surgery
Isurdeen disclosed that he has to undergo a comprehensive rehabilitation package available in India, which is his only hope of walking again. He is certain that the package will make him walk again.
"I will have to go for three months to do this course. I know I will walk," he declared.
ing able to provide for his family any more. His only hope, he said, is the comprehensive rehabilitation package programme that he believes would change his present existence.
toppled several times. He vividly remembers being pinned down by the accident.
He later awoke at the Georgetown Public Hospital with severe pains, and had attempted to get up and walk but was unable to. Desolately, he said that was the moment reality hit him and he knew something was definitely wrong with him, and he was going through a change in his life.
After spending 11 days in the hospital, Isurdeen was unable to move or do anything for himself, and remained bed-ridden.
After several examinations by doctors, he was diagnosed with a ‘clinical history of blunt trauma to his back’. He is now unable to feel from
from page 34
tively bring about social change," said professor Ian Boxill, director of the UWI Centre.
Among the local films to be shown are ‘Homelessness Two Pay Checks Away’, ‘Fast Lane’ and ‘August Town Tells A Story’. Overseas flicks include ‘The Guy Who Knows Everything’ and ‘A Finger, Two Dots Then Me’.
August Town has made headlines in the past because of internal gang feuds that has resulted in a number of homicides.
The area has a rich cultural heritage. It was the home to spiritual leader Alexander Bedward, who proclaimed he would ascend to Heaven on December 31, 1920. Bedwardites still live in the area. During the 1970s, August Town had a large Rastafarian community. They included current finance minister Dr Peter Phillips and roots-reggae group ‘Israel Vibration’.
In recent years, singer Sizzla has established his Judgement Yard camp there. (Jamaica Observer)
But Isurdeen remains undaunted. He said he still has that strong belief within him that he can walk again. He is no longer bed-ridden, able to an extent to use the washroom on his own, and now moves around with a walker.
He wants to walk again and be the father he always wanted to be, and the best husband.
"I must walk. I dream every night I can walk
The course requires some $16,500 US dollars (approx 3.4 million GYD) exclusive of air fares. Isurdeen noted that as it is, he does not have sufficient funds, and is soliciting help from individuals or companies willing to help him.
The young and ambitious father repeatedly states that he wants to walk and earn again, to provide for his wife, children and parents, as any other man his age would do.
Isurdeen, a former teacher at Western Hogg Island School, is now always in despair at not be-
A normal day for him, he lamented, is boring: just lying on his bed most of the time. A visibly distressed Isurdeen said he silently sits and prays for a change in his future. He stated that he was good in his past, and would have never imagined that his future could change in the blink of an eye.
He said his wife takes care of him before she leaves for work, and he admires the courage and determination of both his wife and mother. His mother Indeera said she admires her son's enthusiasm and cheerful spirit. She said she will try everything –and it is also her dream – to make her son walk again and make him relive his normal life. She is also appealing to the general public to help her financially to assist her son in living his life. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
A professor was one day walking along a very narrow path when he came face to face with a rival. The path was too narrow for two to pass. The rival, pulling himself up to his full height, said haughtily, "I never make way for fools!"
Smiling, the professor stepped aside and said, "I always do."
A quick test of intelligence. Don't cheat! Because if you did, the test would be no fun. There are no tricks to the test.
Read this sentence:
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS.
Now count the F's in that sentence. Count them ONLY ONCE: do not go back and count them again. See bottom of page...
A man was attempting to ride his bicycle from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon. He made it across the desert without incident, but when he reached the mountains, the steep grade wore him down. So, he decides to hitchhike.
Sometime later, a car approaches and offers the cyclist a ride, but admits, "Your bicycle won't fit in the car."
So, he opens his trunk and takes out a piece of rope. Then, he ties one end of the rope to the bicycle and the other end to his bumper.
"You've got a horn on your bike... If I go too fast, honk your horn and I'll slow down."
This scheme worked well for several miles, until another car zooms past. Not to be outdone, the driver takes off in pursuit with the bicycle in tow. Both cars fly through a speed zone and a trooper's radar gun clocks them travelling at 120 mph. The trooper radios ahead to another officer and says, "You've got two vehicles headed your way and they're both doing over 120 mph."
"10-4 good buddy," replies the fellow trooper.
The first trooper hesitates a moment, then adds, "And, you're not going to believe this... there's a guy following on a bicycle and he's honking to pass!"
An anthropologist was assigned to Borneo, where he found a guide with a canoe to take him up the river to the remote site where he would make his collections.
At noon on the second day of travel up the river they began to hear drums."What are those drums?" asked the anthropologist, knowing he was in cannibal country.
The guide turned to him and said "No worry. Drums OK, but very bad when they stop."
They both went ghostly pale when the drums suddenly stopped.
The guide crouched in the belly of the canoe and covered his ears.
"Do as I do! Very important!" intoned the guide with great urgency.
"Why? What does this mean?" asked the panicked anthropologist.
"Drums stop! Next come guitar solo!"
Two boys from the city were on a camping trip. The mosquitoes were so fierce the boys had to hide under their blankets to keep from being bitten.
Then one of them saw some lightning bugs, and said to his friend: "We might as well give up; they're coming after us with flashlights!"
to
ANSWER: There are six F's in the sentence.
Formally trained in the culinary arts in the U.S. and having to put aside her passion for cooking for a while because of family responsibilities, Guyanese culinary expert Nisa Walker has returned to a burning stove to create delectable dishes and bring contented smiles to those who indulge regularly at her café called Oasis Cafe, nestled along Carmichael Street in the city.
Nisa left Guyana when she was 19 for Europe where she spent about five years. She then migrated to the U.S. and resided there for about nine years, where she married her British husband.
“I went to culinary school in the U.S. about 22 years ago but didn’t work because I spent the first few years taking care of my family,” the mother of two disclosed.
“But when the children got older I got restless. My passion is cooking and creating dishes that will make people happy.
I had my own catering business in New York. It wasn’t very advertised, only through word of mouth would people find out about it. At events that I catered for I would put out my cards and that’s how people came to know about my company,” she recalled.
Nisa’s love for cooking was instilled by her mother who taught her how to cook. This passion helped Nisa to excel at Home Economics in school and so her journey with the culinary arts began.
The chef knew that she would one day return to her homeland. When her husband, William Walker, visited Guyana for the first time, Nisa said he immediately fell in love with the country. He approached her about living in Guyana but Nisa was slightly hesitant at first. After a few visits and seeing how her children love being here, Nisa decided it was time to return.
Upon returning, they spotted the cafe’s Carmichael Street loca-
tion, once an Internet café, and decided to open a place where persons can relax and read a book while enjoying a high-quality cup of coffee.
“When we returned to Guyana we couldn’t find a good cup of coffee. We’re big fans of coffee, and that’s when we decided we’ll open Oasis Café and offer something new and fresh to the Guyanese public. It was
difficult at first when we came back here to start the café. Sourcing certain ingredients and trying to find out what people wanted were a bit challenging. From day one I plunged right into the kitchen. My days initially started at 4 in the morning at the café. I would then leave the café and rush to the market. I would come back and start cooking again. Sometime I would even
help out at the register. We started off small but it became bigger than what we anticipated. It showed us how people craved for something new and fresh and we were happy to have offered that service,” she noted.
Although faced with certain challenges, Nisa’s love for cooking motivated her to keep succeeding. Recalling the challenge at first to
source certain ingredients here, she remembered when she tried to make her croissants – after 13 attempts she was finally able to perfect them.
In developing her expertise, Nisa reads a lot on the internet and researches successful restaurants around the world. She also spends much of her time experimenting with recipes at home and at work. Nisa enjoys creating different things and coming up with her own concoctions.
Another highlight of Nisa’s life was returning to buy the home she grew up in at Vreeden-Hoop, West Bank Demerara. It was a great feeling, she noted, to live at that home once again. But among the happiness came sadness when she saw the plight of some women living in her area. Nisa stated that she saw the depression some women were experiencing continued on page 40
because of domestic abuse. Most of them were young mothers who looked very aged because, she believes, they were living in abusive relationships. This prompted Nisa to start a women’s group called ‘WINNERS’ (Women in Neighbourhoods Needing Every Reasonable Support).
She welcomed the women at her home and taught them how to bake, cook, and make craft. She worked with some 22 women, training them for free and even invited motivational speakers, gynaecologists, and nutritionists to speak to them regularly.
“It was all funded by my husband and I. Unfortunately it’s not active now because it was an impossible task to juggle the group and café. Also, I didn’t get anyone who wanted to head the group so it just fell through. However I’m hoping that I can start back this group because I’m very passionate about it. Although I don’t head any group now I’m still involved in the charitable work of the United Women for Special Children,” explained Nisa.
Through Oasis, Nisa has also been promoting the local arts. She has welcomed artists to display their artwork on the café’s walls and has also invited local bands to play on various nights. She and her husband also sponsor various sports events.
“We like to encourage young ones to pursue their dreams and help in whatever way we can. So we’re hoping to expand our efforts in this area. Also, I’m planning to offer cooking classes –but this is in its planning stage. I have been approached about doing a cooking show so I’m also thinking about that,” the culinary expert outlined.
At present, the culinary pro is working on restructuring some of her
recipes, making them healthier. She observed that Guyanese are becoming health conscious and she would like to contribute to their healthy lifestyle.
“Seeing how happy I make people with my cooking really motivates me. Also, the positive feedback we get from persons who come from overseas to enjoy our products is also very motivating. It doesn’t feel like work because I love doing it. I also have a very supportive staff that share a similar passion for cooking and are very coordinated, which makes my work somewhat less stressful. On Fridays I work like 18 hours because I’m in the kitchen cooking everything from scratch for our Oasis Paradiso nights which was started a year ago. It’s an elegant evening of dining and has been a hit so far. Although it’s a lot of work, I’m not deterred but rather determined because I love making people happy,” she declared.
Nisa urges women to pursue something they are passionate about. She pointed out that if they love what they are doing, they will want to continue to better themselves, and this will ultimately lead to successful careers.
The committee of the Moruca Expo
2013 is inviting tourists, locally and internationally, to join in celebrating the rich heritage of the indigenous people of the Moruca village.
The festivities this year will commence on July 27 and will be filled with new games and entertainment. Many can also take the opportunity to visit the various communities in the area and surrounding villages, and soak in the colourful culture of the people.
Some features which will be highlights of the event are the upright bicycle race, road run competition, archery, slingshot, paddle and craft making, face painting, viewing the Piaiman Pot, strong man competition, strong woman competition, fish trap demonstrations, H’aichisiro (pepper sauce eating) competition and the widely anticipated Miss Moruca Pageant. The village of Moruca, in Region One, is a centre of dazzling beauty and community cohesion. It maintains a police station, hospital, post office and a cluster of shops, and speed boat services.
The village is home to a number of Guyana’s fascinating ecotourism wonders: numerous
bird species, endangered turtles, glimpses of other wildlife species native to the collection of communities that constitute the Moruca sub-region, and meandering waterways that harbour little marvels of their own.
An ideal location to visit after the expo is Santa Rosa. It is located in Moruca and is a collection of small islands that are distinct in the rainy season when the savannah floods, but linked by paths and bridges in the dry season.
The boat ride into Santa Rosa from Charity is comfortable and well worth the time. Sail up the mouth of the Pomeroon, up the coast, then back inland up the Moruca river through a tunnel of trees with immense roots later opening into savannah with floating reed beds and trees where the boatmen speed over vegetation mats.
The beautiful village of Moruca is quiet and peaceful and ideal for nature walks, swimming, canoeing and boat rides. Breathtaking boat rides in and around Moruca would help you connect with the people and nature. The people are welcoming and nature is lush so mark your calendar for the upcoming Moruca Expo.
Artist Derek Browne
Through his art, U.S.-based Guyanese artist Derek Browne wants to spread messages of hope, and show that unity and order can be attained in this world torn by chaos.
In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, the artist said he was born in the village of Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara,
Recalling his initial interests in the arts, Browne stated, “As far back as I can remember being an infant, I had begun showing interest in drawing and playing musical instruments. During the course of going to primary and secondary schools to be educated, all I ever thought about was becoming an artist and musician. So I guess by na-
but grew up in Georgetown where he attended Smith Church Congregational and Bedford Methodist Primary schools. Browne also attended Central High School where he had begun his formal education in art, and from there went on to the Burrowes School of Art, situated in Eccles, East Bank Demerara at that time. He later migrated to the U.S. and is currently residing in Queens, New York.
ture, I was born an artist.”
The artist’s first major painting was titled “Carambola in Season”. It was a picturesque painting featuring a few bunches of ripe fivefinger fruits with leaves hanging from branches. It was an image captured from a tree growing in his backyard. This artwork was one of two that shared the first prize in painting at the National Exhibition of Visual Art held at the Umana
Yana in 1981. This painting is now part of the National Collection at Castellani House.
Another notable work is “Market Splendour” which was the sole first prize winner at the National Exhibition of Visual Art in 1982. That painting is also now part of the National Collection.
“Much of my artworks I like to term ‘pictorial designs’ – they maybe floral, abstract, posters, things from nature... I also like landscapes. I am not really a figure painter. I have gotten a few commissions for these and have sold some of my art,” he explained.
Browne declared that through his art he would like to “show humanity that unity and order can be attained in this chaotic world that we live in...” adding that, “aesthetic order is the objective” in all his art.
Browne views himself more as a designer. When executing an artwork, he allows himself to be guided by the principles of design.
Other than art, Browne also loves music. His main instrument is the guitar. Additionally, he is an avid gardener and creates scenic landscapes. Browne is an artist of different dimensions.
When asked about his inspiration, Browne noted that in “the Fine Arts he is not inspired by humans, but feels divine inspiration.”
Currently, the artist is gearing up to throw a grand one-man exhibition of his art. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
though crumbling, the house of 99 windows stood as a symbol of status more than 100 years ago
In the 1800s and early 1900s, to construct a house with 100 windows and furnish it with a more than 14foot dining table were ways of showing to society one’s high status.
This was true of the Hicken family of Berbice. They built a massive house with 100 windows and furnished it with a dining table stretching over 14 feet in length.
David Fraser, 76, and heir of the house, said in an interview that he had read a bit on the building from some aged records that are totally destroyed now. He was unable to learn all the details about the history of the house, but whatever information he was able to gather he shared with Sunday Magazine
“My father worked with the Hicken family for many years. Edgar later married my father’s sister. The Hicken family also had a company I worked with in 1958. Our family was close to the Hickens and so they gave me the house out of goodwill,” Fraser said, in outlining how he inherited the house.
The house has 3 bedrooms, a dressing room, and a magnificent dining hall where gover-
nors would dine regularly.
Fraser disclosed that he found out the owner of the house, Edgar Hicken, was a non-Guyanese businessman who was involved in cattle rearing and cotton farming.
The house was constructed more than 102 years ago and took about two years to construct. Fraser pointed out that it took so long to build because the road where it is located in East Lothian, Berbice, was in a deplorable condition especially during the rainy season.
The edifice, he recalled from the records, was designed by a French architect.
The house was originally built with 100 windows, but that would later become 99, which remains the same today. Fraser noted that he would like to dispel the popular misconception that Guyana’s former president Burnham was the one who ordered the window to be blocked.
Fraser said from what he could remember from the records, the governor of that time visited the area and saw the house. While the governor apparently had no problem with the huge house, the number of windows the house had was an issue. The gover-
nor's house also had one hundred windows. As the story goes, the governor ordered the Hicken family to board up one window in the house. Fraser does not know the reason for the governor to have demanded such an action, but assumed that he may have wanted his house to be the most majestic one at that time.
The house is now deteriorating and since Fraser is afraid of the crime situation
where he is living, he is hesitant to have it restored. Fraser does not live in the house anymore but resides in a home adjacent to it. Many have approached him to purchase and restore the house but he has politely refused for personal reasons. Fraser is still contemplating though what should be done with the historical landmark, and welcomes anyone who would like a tour of the
house with 99 windows.
There are other surviving houses built in the 1800s that also have 100 windows. One such is State House, which was built during the 1820s. It was built on land belonging to the Anglican Church in British Guiana. Several governors, including Governor Lyght and Governor Barclay, resided there. (Photo by John Greene) (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
Plantation Highbury is now the site of a monument commemorating the arrival of the first group of Indian indentured labourers to Berbice, British Guiana. Two hundred and fifty labourers had sailed from Kolkata (then Calcutta) India on The Whitby to arrive in the colony on May 5, 1838. Four had died along the 96-day journey.
According to some accounts, many of those who returned to India after their indentureship period at Highbury had ended, returned with substantial wealth; paving the way for the Indian indentureship era in Guyanese history, and, according to most scholars, saving the colony from ruin and abandonment.
After the labour vacuum left by freed slaves began to have a disastrous effect on colonial industry particularly the sugar industry, the owners of Plantation Highbury along with a few others including John Gladstone, from Liverpool, England, sent to India for workers to tend their investments.
Henry Davidson, Aeneas Barkly, whose only surviving son Henry Barkly would become the 4th governor of British Guiana (1849-1853), and D.C. Cameron, were the British own-
ers of the plantation. Aeneas Barkly died during the apprenticeship period, and his son Henry took over his father’s affairs.
One hundred and seventeen labourers, including 11 females, arrived at Plantation Highbury on the East bank of the Berbice River to begin their period of indenture on the colony. Their indentures were dated from Dec. 29, 1837.
According to some accounts, by January 1839, a visit by a Justice Macleod to Plantation Highbury found that 15 males and two females had since died, and some 10-15 were on the “sick list”. The surviving labourers were described as “cheerful and contented”. By November 1839, mortality rates at the plantation included 17 males and one female, with 12 on the sick list. Others had run away several times, despite reports of the good treatment of coolies on the plantation.
Official colony records stated that 22 persons from the original first batch had died on Plantation Highbury, either from drowning, excessive drinking, dysentery or gangrene, to name a few, while two had run away. Colony records also note that the Highbury Pln labourers reared the most livestock
than anywhere else on the colony; both for their own food and to sell.
In January 1843, Davidson wrote to Lord Stanley that “the first-class ship “Louisa Baille”” was returning to India with a batch of former indentured workers from Highbury estate. This was after a flurry of letters from colony governor Henry Light to Lord Stanley in England, conveying the increasing uneasiness of the workers who were still in the colony awaiting their journey back home after serving out their contracts.
Colony records estimate that 81 Highbury labourers returned to India on the “Louisa Baille”, while nine chose to remain on the colony. There were also eight women, seven boys and two girls on the return trip, of which all but two children were born on the colony. Between the 81 labourers, the group was returning with some $8,536, while four of the nine remaining had no savings at the time.
called “model estates”. These model estates, known as “Society’s ground” or “Society’s Plantations”, are also referred to as “Colony Estates” on some maps.
When the colony was captured by the British, there were four such estates under the association, and an agreement was made between the two sides that these were to be treated as private rather than government property.
These four estates were called Dageraad, St Jan, Dankbaarheid and Sandvoort, and remained association property until November 1818 when they were sold to Cameron, Davidson and Barkly, partners of the English company Davidson’s, Barkly & Co.
The partners in this purchase then divided the properties among themselves. Cameron, along with a friend, took Sandvoort, then a large coffee estate in Canje. Sandvoort would later be divided into two; of which one half was converted into a sugar estate named “Lochaber” after the Scottish headquarters of the Camerons.
But Plantation Highbury was not the original name of the estate, nor were its British owners its original landlords. The estate initially belonged to the Berbice Association, a Dutch association formed in 1720 similar to the East India Company (of Hindustan) to expand cultivation within the colony and which was a substantial slave owner on the colony.
The Berbice Association, though with allegiance to Holland, were proprietors who governed the territory and could sell lands, described as lots or grants, to private owners willing to establish plantations. The association also retained lands on which they established what they
The other three plantations remained with Barkly and Davidson, though Dageraad, a sugar plantation, after a period was handed over to the government as a leper asylum or colony.
St Jan, originally a coffee plantation, and Dankbaarheid , a sugar estate, were united and renamed Highbury, after Barkly’s place, Highbury Grove, in Middlesex (then an English county) near London.
In addition, according to the book “Frustrated Peasants, Marginalized Workers: Free African Villages in Guyana” by Wazir Mohamed, sometime between 1847 -1848, 100 acres of Crown Land in Highbury were communally purchased by former slaves. Between 1853 and 1880, writes Walton Look Lai in his book “The Chinese in the West Indies, 1806-1995: A Documentary History”, Highbury Plantation also indentured Chinese workers.
Today Highbury is a small village at the culmination of an annual trek by those commemorating the arrival of East Indians in Guyana. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
Justin Bieber could have a lawsuit on his hands after the singer allegedly ordered one of his bodyguards to attack a fan taking photographs of the singer and steal his camera's memory card.
The alleged victim, Jeffrey Binion, claims that he was taking snaps of the singer as he left a recording session at the Hit Factory studios in Miami,
Florida, at the beginning of last week, only to be attacked by the teen singer's bodyguard. According to the police statement filed by Binion and acquired by TMZ - filed on June 5 - Bieber ordered his bodyguard to attack the photographer and steal his memory card, when Hesny pulled out a gun and proceeded to threaten Binion until he handed over the memory card.
In his case against Bieber and bodyguard Hugo, Binion says that Hesny followed out Bieber's requests; that included him being thrown against a wall, grabbed by the throat, and having a gun holstered under Hesny's shirt shown to him, whilst his memory card was stolen by some of Justin's other bodyguards.
Binion insists that he is a professional photographer, not paparazzi, and was simply at the right place at the right time to steal a picture of Bieber.
The unhappy fan is claiming that the ordeal caused him to suffer bodily injury and both physical and mental pain. He has also demanded compensation for his medical expenses incurred as a result of the attack. (Contactmusic. com)
Oprah Winfrey is no stranger to a philanthropic deed or two, in fact, her US$12m donation to the Smithsonian brings her total donation to US$13m – the highest single source for a donation the museum has ever received.
“I am so proud of African American history and its contributions to our nation as a whole,” Winfrey said in a statement, explaining the reasoning behind her huge donation. “I am deeply appreciative of those who paved the path for me and all who follow in their footsteps. By investing in this museum, I want to help ensure that we both honour and preserve our culture and history, so that the stories of who we are will live on for generations to come.”
In 2004, Winfrey became the first black person to rank among the 50 most generous Americans, and by 2012, the talk show host-cum-media mogul had donated over US$400m to educational causes. The recipient of the first Bob Hope Humanitarian Award also handed out over 400 scholarships to Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s not just charitable causes that benefit from her generosity, either; she took her whole staff on holiday in 2006 to celebrate 20 years of being on TV.
“Every donation, whether $25 or a
$10 million corporate donation, is important. But truly, there’s only one Oprah Winfrey,” said the museum’s founding director, Lonnie G. Bunch, lauding Oprah’s contribution. “In essence, she’s put her imprimatur on it. Part of getting a museum built is tied to visibility helping all people see how important it is. Oprah Winfrey is someone so many people in America admire, and I think this is an important moment to the museum." (Contactmusic. com)
Actor Denzel
Washington has entered negotiations with Warner Bros to headline its film adaptation of Adam Sternbergh's sci-fi novel, ‘Shovel Ready’. The award-winning actor and father of four has been offered to lead the film, the feature adaptation of a forthcoming sci-fi novel by New York Times Magazine culture editor Adam Sternbergh, reported Ace Showbiz.
In a way similar to Washington's ‘Man on Fire’, the plot of the up- coming movie centres on a garbage man-turned-
AU.S. tourist says actor John Malkovich played a starring role in coming to his rescue when he fell and gashed his throat on scaffolding in Canada, according to reports by Associated Press.
Seventy-seven-year-old Jim Walpole fell Thursday in Toronto while on a trans-Canadian trip.
Walpole tells the Toronto Star that Malkovich, who was appearing at a local theatre, applied pressure to slow the bleeding until medics arrived. The
injury required 10 stitches.
Ben Quinn, whose family owns a restaurant nearby, held Walpole's head. He said by phone Monday that Malkovich "had everything under control" quickly, didn't want attention and called later to check on Walpole.
A message seeking an update was left for Walpole on Monday. Representatives for Malkovich did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment, according to the reports by AP. (Times of India)
Emma Watson has revealed that she will be returning to Brown University this fall to complete her degree. The 23-year-old actress told Rookiemag. com that she has been in charge of her own education since she started out on ‘Potter’ when she was just 9 or 10, the New York Daily News
reported.
The star said, referring to her university studies, that she liked the fact that she could design her own major and could even take independent studies if she wanted to, on subjects that weren’t necessarily in the curriculum. (Hindustan Times)
Actor Johnny Depp visited a children's hospital unannounced dressed as his famous character ‘Captain Jack Sparrow’. According to franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer, the actor regularly travels with his famous costume from the fantasy adventure film series ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, so that he can surprise ailing kids, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
Bruckheimer said: “He knows he is a very fortunate person and he wants to give back.”
The 50-year-old actor has appeared in the first four part of the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ series and will be seen in the fifth one as well.
In 2010, the actor had accepted an invitation from a nine-year-old girl, who had asked the actor to visit her school in London after she discovered he was filming for ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ at the
hitman, who is hired to kill the daughter of a powerful, maniacal evangelist. Ultimately, the killer becomes the girl's protector. It is set in a dystopian future of New York City, according to the reports.
As of now, the project already gets Erwin Stoff on board to be the producer.
The actor himself is already committed to, ‘The Equalizer’, which unites him and young Hollywood star Chloe Moretz. (Hindustan Times)
National awardwinning actress Shabana Azmi has gotten her fourth doctorate from the Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, reports PTI. Azmi, 61, who is one of the prominent faces of Indian cinema, had earlier received doctorates from Jadavpur University (2003), Leeds Metropolitan University in Yorkshire (2007) and Jamia Milia University
(2008).
"Off to USA. I will receive Doctorate from Simon Fraser University Vancouver on June 12," she posted on Twitter a few days before the convocation ceremony.
The 'Godmother' star, who will be accompanied by husband Javed Akhtar, will also speak on the topic of '100 years of Indian cinema' at Drury Lane Theatre. (Times of India)
John Abraham is set to take his love affair with motorbikes to the next gear with a special film. To be made under his production company, JA Entertainment, the yetuntitled venture — with John in the lead — will hit the floors next year.
Almost 80 per cent of the film will be shot in the Isle of Man, famous for hosting one of the most prestigious and dangerous motorcycle races in the world (last month, Japanese rider Yoshinari Matsushita died in an accident there; since 2000, 21 riders have died at the races).
The film “will showcase the relationship be-
tween three to four bikers, have a romantic angle and lots of bonhomie. John plans to package it in a way that even
those who aren’t interested in bikes will like it. Through the film, he will focus on riding safely as well,” says an insider.
John plans to travel to the Isle of Man prior to the shoot to practice biking on the rough terrain, according to the insider.
“He feels that, after ‘Dhoom’ (2004), Bollywood needs to come up with a bike-racing film, since India is one of the biggest markets for motorcycles. That’s why it’s going to be a highbudget venture, with costs running into tens of crores,” adds the insider. This is likely to be John’s most expensive film. (Hindustan Times)
AFacebook page has been created to fight for justice for Bollywood actress Nafisa alias Jiah Khan, who committed suicide by hanging herself in her Juhu apartment. It was reported that she was depressed due to her failing career and crumbling personal life.
Titled "Justice for Jiah Khan", it was launched Monday on the social networking site (URL: https://www.facebook.com/Justice.For. Jiah.Khan). An initiative by a news and content website, it is reportedly supported by several Bollywood artistes and media professionals.
The page states that: Jiah's suicide was completely sudden, unexpected and uncalled for. She was a strong, determined person and it is
obvious there is much more than what meets the eye. LIKE this page and leave your comments to ensure that the truth prevails.
Jiah's mother Rabiya Khan has alleged her late daughter was in a live-in relationship with Suraj Pancholi, son of actor Aditya Pancholi and unrequited love killed her.
On June 10 Suraj
had
The Britain-born actress, who debuted opposite Amitabh Bachchan in ‘Nishabd’, was found hanging at her flat in Sagar Sangeet Building in the posh Juhu area of northwest Mumbai June 3. She was 25. (IANS)
Acclaimed writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar’s three-year long battle to secure copyright benefits for writers and musicians in India, has now gone global.
In what must be regarded as a singular honour for an Indian artist, he has been appointed the vice president of the International Confederation Of Authors and Composers Society (CISAC).
It was officially announced on Monday that Priyanka Chopra’s father, Dr. Ashok Chopra, has passed away, after suffering from cancer for a prolonged period. He was in the Kokilaben Dhirubai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai.
CISAC monitors, guards and checks copyright laws all over the world for every form of creative pursuit.
In principle, Akhtar will now be fighting for copyright laws for artists all over the world.
Talking from Washington, he said he was “pleasantly surprised by this honour”.
“I guess my battle for copyright and royalty for Indian musicians reached this very prestigious global forum. As you might be aware, the CISAC comprises 121 countries. The apex body looks out for copyright issues in all these countries. So I’d say it’s a very big responsibility,” he said.
The renowned musician reportedly got selected for the role after he spoke at the CISAC headquarters in Brussels in 2011.
“There, I spoke about my fight against copyright violation in India. I think they were impressed enough to follow my fight in India. And when the Indian parliament passed a copyright bill in favour of writers and musicians, the CISAC must have taken a decision to invite me on board as vice president,” he said. (Bollywood Celebden)
A few days earlier, on May 23, Priyanka was seen barefooted at Vaishnodevi Temple, where she participated in a ‘yajna’ in an effort to pray for her father’s health. She had kept all her projects on hold to be by her father’s side. He was suffering from cancer since 2005. His death has come as a shock to the entire Chopra family and the entire Bollywood community as well.
The funeral service was attended by many famed Bollywood actors and directors, in addition to family and close friends of Dr. Chopra. Priyanka has on many occasions revealed the immense bond she has shared with her father and there is no doubt that she will miss him terribly. (Excerpt from Bollywood Celebden)
Actor Neha Dhupia, who made her Bollywood debut in 2003 with ‘Qayamat: City Under Threat’, says everyone is constantly struggling in Bollywood.
“It’s a constant struggle. You get up every day and you are struggling. The guy sitting at the bottom is struggling to be at number one. The girl, who hasn’t got her first job, is struggling to get her first job,” says the
32-year-old actor.
“I don’t want to give anybody else’s example. People like me. I have got my first job, I am not at number one, but I am struggling to make my way up every day. Everybody is struggling,” she says.
Neha has worked in several films, like, ‘Ek Chalis Ki Last Local’, ‘Singh Is King’ and ‘Rush’. (Hindustan Times)
Producer Krishika Lulla claims that established stars know their job, but at the end talent is very important for newcomers.
On being asked about her take on newcomers, Krishika said, "There are few newcomers in the industry whom I would like to tell that work hard and don't give attitude without establishing yourself."
"Varun Dhawan seems a very promising newcomer in Bollywood. The kind of success es-
tablished stars get is only because they have worked hard. Salman's success is believable be-
Credits: Times of India website photo
cause he worked so hard in his initial years," added Krishika
When asked about
the difference between established stars and newcomers, Krishika said, "Established stars know their job and some of them never look at the computer. They have immense confidence and with new people it takes time."
Krishika Lulla is excited and confident about upcoming film Raanjhanaa which will have Sonam Kapoor and South actor and Kolaveri Di fame Dhanush, who is new to Bollywood. (Times of India)
Actress Anushka Sharma confesses to be completely in love with backless dresses, saying for her it is “synonymous with confidence”.
“Backless signifies confidence and that’s always in fashion, always in vogue. Backless in my head is synonymous to confidence and hence extremely important,” Anushka told IANS reporters during the making of her latest Nivea advertisement.
“It’s something you should not be thinking about, you should be able
Indo-Canadian porn actress Sunny Leone wishes she can someday dance like Bollywood's dancing diva Madhuri Dixit. While shooting an episode of reality show ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 6’, where Madhuri is one of the judges, Sunny shared her desire, according to reports from IANS.
"I love dancing on Bollywood songs and I love Madhuri-ji's ‘Dola re dola’ (from ‘Devdas’). I wish I can dance like Madhuri one day," Sunny said.
On the big screen, she was last seen in item number, ‘O Laila’, in Sanjay Gupta's, ‘Shootout At Wadala’. Sunny made her Bollywood debut with ‘Jism 2’ and she will next be seen in Ekta Kapoor's production, ‘Ragini MMS 2’. (Hindustan Times)
Assuring fans that his role as a CID officer in the forthcoming action thriller ‘Enemmy’ will provide adequate humour, popular Bollywood comedian Johnny Lever said he cannot stay away from comedy, according to reports by IANS.
“Yes, you will see me doing adequate comedy in the action thriller. This role will show that even a person who makes others laugh can get angry,” Lever told reporters at a promotion for ‘Enemmy’.
Credits: Santabanta.com photo
Directed by Ashu Trikha, ‘Enemmy’ is a cop action drama, which features Mithun Chakraborty and actor Suneil Shetty in lead roles. Also, Mithun’s son
Mahaakshay plays a CID officer in the film.
Lever has played endearing characters providing comic relief in films like ‘Kaho Naa Pyar Hai’, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, ‘Golmaal 3’ and ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana’, among others.
“I definitely want to work in comedy films, as you see I look more like a comedian. The audience also likes me in that way and even if I am not delivering any dialogue, my face makes them laugh,” said Lever. (Bollywood Celebden)
Credits: Bollywood Celebden website photo
to wear a backless top when you want to, there should not be a thought before that,” added the model-turned-actress who made her debut in films as a salwar-kameez clad conventional girl in 2008 release ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’. She went on to do glamorous roles in ‘Ladies vs Ricky Bahl’, ‘Badmaash Company’ and ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’. Currently, the 25 year old is shooting for Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘P.K.’ and Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Bombay Velvet’. (Bollywood Celebden)
Guyanese cyclist, Alonzo Greaves, currently in the United States of America on a one- month training stint, on Thursday emerged with a first place finish in the WS United Category One race. It was Greaves best performance since journeying to the USA at the conclusion of the National Sports Commission’s Independence ThreeStage last month.
Greaves, speaking to this publication from his location in the USA, said he was elated with the victory, noting that he was confident of coming out victorious.
Apart from the top podium spot on Thursday, Greaves also copped fourth in the CRCA Open Category 1-3; 12th in the Floyd Bennette Category 1-3; 18th in the Bound Brook Criterium Pro1 and 52nd in the Tour of Somerville Category Pro-1.
The 23-year-old Roraima Bikers Club representative, who finished fourth overall in this year’s Three-Stage, will be action again this weekend, as he is slated to participate in another two races.
Greaves said he is enjoying the experience so far, and is eager to develop on what he has learnt when he returns to Guyana next weekend. This is Greaves’ third visit to the USA to participate in cycling training/ competition.
He informed that he would be back in time to challenge local counterparts in the Guyana Cycling Federation’s National Championship, which is billed for the end of June.
Greaves has been in tremendous form this season, winning an unprecedented eight races so far in 2013.
His trip was made possible by Digicel, Bounty Farm, Spads Inc., Toucan Industries, Kevin Jeffrey and family, Café Sol, Compton Persaud, Roraima Bikers Club, Linden Dowridge and George Humphrey.
“cricket
Paul Marsh believes international cricket must be more accommodating to players’ associations if the sport is serious about eliminating the threat of corruption.
Marsh was announced the new executive chairman of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) this week and takes charge of the organisation at a challenging time. Last month its departing Chief Executive Tim May lost his position on the ICC cricket committee resulting from a voting process FICA has questioned.
Corruption scandals
Since that vote, both the IPL and the Bangladesh Premier League have been plunged into corruption scandals and the sport’s image has taken a serious hit. Marsh said it was unfortunate that FICA, which represents players’ associations in all Test-playing countries except India, Pakistan and Zimbabwe, no longer had an official voice within the ICC at a time when administrators and players needed to build stronger links than ever.
Role of FICA
“FICA potentially has a very, very important role in educating the players and individual players’ associations already take on that role. But we can take a far greater role there. Lord Condon in his report identified that many years ago and if you talk to the ICC’s anticorruption and security unit they say the same thing, that players’ associations are important to this. Players are increasingly coming to us and reporting things they have seen or approaches that have been made to them.”
The lack of players’ associations in India and Pakistan has limited FICA’s ability to have a truly worldwide influence and that is not a situation Marsh expects will change any time soon. Instead, he believes the organisation must focus its attention on strengthen-
ing some of the smaller and less robust players’ associations that already come under its banner.
“To get associations in India and Pakistan has been on the FICA agenda for as long as I have been involved,” Marsh said. “But the reality is you’re not going to get a players’ association up unless the players want it and they’re going to be prepared to fight for it. Unfortunately the Indian and Pakistan players don’t want it, so we’re wasting our time trying to get them to want something they don’t want.
Marsh will take on the FICA position effectively as the group’s figurehead and spokesperson, while also retaining his existing job as chief executive of the Australian Cricketers’ Association. Ian Smith, who has served as legal director of England’s Professional Cricketers’ Association, will become FICA’s chief operating officer. (Cricinfo)
K(Jamaica) , The Jamaican government has signalled its commitment to the world- wide fight against doping in sports by announcing a 16 million Jamaican dollar budget for drug testing of athletes and says the figure represents a significant increase.
The money, a 14 percent hike, will be used by the Jamaica Anti-doping Commission (JADCO) to conduct in- and out-ofcompetition testing and public education programmes, Natalie Neita Headley, minister with responsibility for sports said.
“We will continue to implement measures, through JADCO and other related agencies, that will foster dopefree sport at all levels,” said Headley while making her contribution to the 2013/ 14 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives last week.
The sport minister
said that since last year, the government has almost tripled the budgetary support to JADCO to guarantee the integrity of Jamaica’s anti-doping system.
The increase in allocation allowed the commission to increase the number of tests conducted in the 2012/ 13 financial year by 110 percent over the previous year,
the Minister said.
“The government supports the principle that sport is the expression of one’s true self and the realisation of one’s own unique natural potential,” said Neita Headley. “Being successful in sport requires the right attitude, practice, time and effort. The giving of one’s best is good enough.” (IANS/CMC)
The Guyana Wado Ryu Karate Association hosted its annual junior karate championships last Sunday at Banks DIH Sports Club at Thirst Park with participants coming from karate schools at
and
Park.
Sierra Evans won the 6-8 year mixed ‘A’ squad division, beating into second position Jeremiah Headley, while Armand Khan placed third and Towana Success, fourth. The 6-8 mixed ‘B’ squad was won by Kaleem Majeed, with Matthew Beharry securing the second posi-
tion, Shamar Prince finished third and Sadelle Britton, fourth.
Joshua Campbell placed first in the 9-11 Boys’ ‘A’ squad, with Shay Britton occupying second place, Leonard Garraway, third, and O’Neal Lawrence, fourth.
Shamar DeGroot
was the winner of the Boys 9-11 ‘B’ squad with Kristoff Persaud finishing second, Darren Babb, third, and Amir Majeed, fourth.
The Girls 9-11 division was won by Shania DeGroot from Jamaicy McAllister and Alicia Benjamin, while the 1215 mixed division saw
Lennox Brummell taking first position with Godfrey Lawrence coming second; Samela Britton was third and Simeon Campbell, fourth.
Chief Instructor, Sensei Winson Dunbar, and president of the Guyana Wado Ryu Karate Association,
Darren Nurse, supervised the tournament.
Over 40 students participated in the championship, sponsored by Banks DIH Limited whose Communications Manager, Troy Peters, congratulated the participants for displaying excellent skills during the one-day competition.
By TreisTon Joseph
Olympian
Winston
George is making the most of his training stint in the United States of America (USA), qualifying for the World Championships to be held in Moscow, Russia, from August 10. Running his second 200m since his training in the USA began, the 400 metres specialist clocked 20.59s on Saturday at the New Jersey International meet to make the B standard qualifying time. The B standard time is 20.60s while the A standard is 20.52s.
George, who also ran a season best 400m of 46.12s, is now ranked 50th this season in 200m time in the world and believes his work ethic is the main reason for him being able to run as fast as he can.
“I’m not really doing anything different, it’s just that I am putting in the work, and I was sent here for a reason so I am working to get it done within the time span that I have here,” George told Guyana Times International Sport.
George’s coach in USA, Joseph Ryan, who coached retired 400m Guyanese icon Aliann Pompey, believes that George has tremendous potential.
“I want to acknowledge the work Lyndon Wilson (George’s coach in Guyana) has done with him over the years. Winston is a great talent; he’s only scratching the surface. He’s shown a lot of discipline and dedication in his training,” Ryan stated.
The 2008 Olympic coach also believes that George’s true potential lies with his 200 metres instead of the 400m, which he dominates locally.
“He’s not being coached in the same way Aliann (Pompey) was being coached because he’s more of a 200-400 runner, he has tremendous
speed and there’s a lot of potential in his 200m. A lot of people talk about his 400m, but his speed is phenomenal… I gave him some speed tests and they all indicate that he’s going to have a tremendous breakthrough in the 200m.
“I think there is a lot of room for improvement before he can compete at the highest level at major competitions, but he’s well on his way. My experience with Guyanese athletes has been very, very positive. Winston has reinforced those experiences,” Ryan told this publication.
Meanwhile, U.S.based sprinter Adam
Harris was also in the thick of things, clocking 10.15s to win the 100m at the event. The 10.15s run by Harris put the sprinter on point for an A standard qualifying time while giving him a rank of 35th for 2013.
However, Harris believes that he can go faster as he expressed his motivation to be bet-
ter, especially since he had considered retiring at one point. He gave some insight into his turnaround to produce fast times.
“For this year I think I can honestly run sub10 seconds, the way I am progressing and how my season is going I think it’s in reach. I think my body is in 10 flat shape
and I just need to run on a fast track. I also have some things to work on before world champs so if everything falls into place, it should be within reach.
“A lot of my friends were going and it made me realise that I needed to step my game up and change some things.” Harris revealed.
Shikhar Dhawan hit his second century in a row as India crushed West Indies by eight wickets on Tuesday to book their place in the Champions Trophy semifinals. Ravindra Jadeja took 5-36 as the Windies were restricted to 233-9 despite Darren Sammy’s 56 not out.
Dhawan led the reply with a superb unbeaten 102, bringing up his hundred with a six as India reached their target in just 39.1 overs. India’s victory at The Oval eliminates Pakistan from the tournament.
South Africa and the Windies, meanwhile, will go head to head on Friday for the second semi-final place.
India’s commanding win followed on from an equally impressive triumph over the Proteas and established the World Cup holders as early front-runners in a tournament featuring the world’s top eight sides.
In Jadeja and Ravinchandran Ashwin, they have two spinners who have exploited dry pitches to excellent effect and, in Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, who put on 100 for the second
game in succession; they have an opening pair in scintillating form. Ironically, given their board’s opposition to its use, India also made shrewd use of the Decision Review System
as Jadeja overturned the umpire’s original notout decision to remove Marlon Samuels lbw and Dinesh Karthik successfully referred a dismissal for caught behind before teaming up with
Dhawan to ease India home.
“It’s one of our most pleasing performances in the last two years,” Ashwin told BBC Sport.
“We just controlled the game, broke the partnerships at crucial times and the batting performance from Rohit and Shikhar was brilliant.”
Recalled to the India one-day side for the tournament after a two-year absence following the fastest debut Test century against Australia in March, Dhawan struck 114 off 94 balls in their opening game against South Africa in Cardiff and produced another batting exhibition here.
The left-hander cut and pulled powerfully and drove anything overpitched down the ground.
He was handed a lifeline on 41 when he topedged a pull shot off Dwayne Bravo on 41 and was dropped by Kemar Roach at fine leg.
Sharma was almost as fluent as the other end as he breezed to a halfcentury with seven fours. And it came as a surprise when he fell in tame fashion, caught down the leg side off Sunil Narine.
Virat Kohli looked in sparkling touch before he
was bowled by a quicker ball from Narine.
There was no danger of a wobble, however, as Karthik helped Dhawan steer India over the line, a brief rain delay at 2042 proving little more than an inconvenience.
Dhawan reached three figures with a flourish by lifting Dwayne Bravo over third man for six before Karthik finished the job – and reached his half-century – with a cover drive to the fence in the following over.
The Windies, returning to the scene of their victory over
England in the 2004 Champions Trophy final, had made a promising start with the batreaching 100-1 inside 20 overs - but faltered badly after the dismissal of Johnson Charles, who was trapped leg before by Jadeja’s quicker ball for 60.
Marlon Samuels and Ramnaresh Sarwan followed in quick succession to Jadeja and the innings lost all its momentum as Darren Bravo ground out a painstaking 35 from 83 balls before he was stumped off Ashwin.
(BBC Sport)
By RavendRa Madholall in ToRonTo
Former Guyana Under-19 captain
Eugene LaFleur is aiming to be successful by the conclusion of this year’s Toronto and District Cricket Association Elite and Premier Leagues with Victoria Park Cricket Club in his first year.
The left-handed batsman and left-arm orthodox spinner played his first game recently but the inclement weather halted proceedings just after the beginning and several games were also abandoned.
However, LaFleur was willing to share his anxiety, having made his debut. He promised to make a great impact in both departments of the game.
He stated that he wants to score heavily and take wickets on a regular basis.
The Berbician, who represented Guyana at both the under-15 and under-19 levels, feels that playing in North America will ultimately lift the standard of his game as he harbours thoughts of playing for
Eugene LaFleur
West Indies in the near future.
“I [am] indeed grateful to get the opportunity to represent a club up here and I promised to do my best; I haven’t got a full match as yet after arriving only few days ago but I am feeling really excited and ready to go; this part of the world I think can be very competitive and that is one of the reasons to come and play here and so far I am comfortable,” the 22-year old athlete related.
LaFleur led Guyana’s youth team in 2008 when the tournament was hosted in Barbados. Guyana were the runner-up that year but his performance was impressive.
“Playing at home, representing your coun-
try at any level is always is remarkable; my aim now is to win a spot on the Guyana’s senior team and then try to wear the prestigious maroon colour but I know you have got to make runs consistently to impress the selectors,” LaFleur declared.
Last Sunday, LaFleur proved his ability with the ball, grabbing two wickets before the rain interrupted.
“Well, I went out there and got a good feel; my captain gave me the ball early and fortunately I had two early wickets which boosted my confidence tremendously so I am anxious to go out there again and perform with both bat and ball for Victoria Park,” LaFleur, who plays for Bermine in Berbice, divulged.
Recently LafLeur was named one of the five cricketers-of-the-year for Trinidad and Tobago’s Preysal Cricket Club after his all-round performance. He dominated with bat, scoring over 500 runs and taking 41 wickets. He revealed it was also great to play cricket in TT and come out with such statistics.
Carwyn Holland successfully completed the international certification course for sport and combat SAMBO Instructors administered by the International Amateur SAMBO Federation in Switzerland.
For the last three years Holland has been honing his skills in other forms of combat sports such as wado-ryu karate and most recently combat SAMBO, which is a modern martial art and self-defence system developed in the Soviet Union.
SAMBO, which means self-defence without a weapon in Russian, harmoniously incorporates elements of Japanese judo, jiu-
jitsu, Armenian Koch, Georgian Chidaoba, Moldovan Trinta, Tatar Koras, Uzbek Kurash, Mongolian Khapsagay and Azerbaijani Gulesh. Head of Development for Federation International Amateur de Sambo (FIAS), Dr Andrew Moshanov, conducted the workshop with the purpose of developing the sport worldwide with particular interest in the Caribbean.
According to a release, Holland said he intends to develop a fiveyear plan to see the sport introduced and spread across Guyana. He added that SAMBO is the ideal self- defence art for those working in the protective services, particularly the police force.
SAMBO, he said, is also geared toward the
overall development of a person and is not only
useful in self-defence but also in situations where
a person may need to brace themselves from falling.
He added that over the next few months SAMBO will be introduced to martial arts clubs and he will be paying much emphasis on the FIAS-bases programme “How to Fall Safely”.
Holland recently qualified to represent Guyana at the upcoming Pan American Games in Panama but subsequently injured his back and will not be able to compete. He is however expected to be at the Pan American Games in an official capacity and has since selected Paul Ignatius of the Harpy Eagles Club to take his place.
Martinborough, Insaaf Dindyal, Nathan Persaud and Miguel Jones. The coach is Andy Ramnarine and the manager is Nazeer Mohamed.
Berbice full squad reads: Shimron Hetmeyer (Captain), Balchand Baldeo, Leon Andrews, Brandon Persaud, Deon Esau, Adrian
Singh, Parmanand Ramdhan, Ritesh Omroa, Daniel Lewis, Jason Anderson, Narendra Permaul, Suraj Dookhana, Kassim Khan, Grisean Grant and Kevindra Persaud. The coach is Leslie Solomon while Andrea Percival will serve as manager.
On Friday, Essequibo will
play Demerara in the opening round at the Everest Cricket Club, ground. Round two will be played on Saturday between Berbice and Essequibo at Everest Cricket Club ground or the Georgetown Cricket Club ground.
The final round will see Berbice playing Demerara
at the Everest Cricket Club, ground on Sunday.
The tournament will be used as a benchmark for the national junior selectors in order to select a national Under-17 team for the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) regional tournament scheduled to be played from June
29 to July 8 in Trinidad and Tobago.
Jamaica are the defending champions after winning the inaugural tournament last year and will be looking to defend their title against Barbados, Guyana, Leeward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago and Windward Islands.
New Zealand and Australia took a point apiece as their Champions Trophy Group A match was abandoned because of rain on Wednesday. Having left out David Warner because of an incident in the early hours of Sunday, Australia made 243-8 as Adam Voges struck 71 and George Bailey 55.
New Zealand were 51-2 when rain arrived after 15 overs, five overs short of the amount needed for a result.
It means England will qualify for the semifinals if they beat Sri Lanka at The Oval today (Thursday).
The abandonment favours New Zealand, who beat Sri Lanka on Sunday, rather more than Australia, who were well placed in this contest after losing their opening Group A match to England.
It was yet another difficult day for Mickey Arthur’s team ahead of the Ashes series which begins on 10 July.
Captain Michael Clarke remained in London having treatment on a long-standing back injury, and there was further disruption to the squad - this time self-inflicted - as details emerged of Warner’s alleged “unprovoked at-
tack” on England batsman Joe Root in a Birmingham bar, which resulted in the Australia opener being placed on 12th-man duties.
This followed the 26-year-old’s recent fine for comments made on Twitter, and four members of the squad being disciplined over “Homework-gate” during the 4-0 whitewash in India this year.
Their run of ill for tune briefly abated when Australia won the toss but soon returned as two wickets fell in the first 19 balls.
Shane Watson edged to wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi, the New Zealand-
born former Australia player, to give Mitchell McClenaghan the first of four wickets.
Phil Hughes was run out for a duck by a Martin Guptill direct hit after hesitation between the batsmen, and Daniel Vettori bowled tidily with great variations of flight and pace to concede just 23 runs in 10 overs, despite a troublesome Achilles that left him hobbling in the field.
Stand-in Australia skipper Bailey played with an effectiveness that was particularly commendable given the trying circumstances surrounding his team.
Unspectacular both
The junior selection panels of the Essequibo and Berbice cricket boards named their respective squads for the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) 50 overs Inter- County Under-17 competition, which is scheduled to bowl off on Friday.
Former national Under-15 captain Kemo Paul has been named captain of the Essequibo team while the talented Shimron Hetmeyer will lead the ancient county side. Parmesh Parasotam will serve as Paul’s deputy while Daniel Lewis will be Berbice vice captain.
Essequibo full squad reads: Kemo Paul (Captain), Parmesh Parasotam, Ryan Adams (wk), Travis Drakes, Keano Harry, David Williams, Mahindra Balabdar, Akini Adams, Latchman Dindyal, Newland Cadogan, Kevin
continued on page 55
in shot selection and demeanour, Bailey calmly restored order in a partnership of 64 with Matthew Wade and then 77 in 16 overs with the purposeful Voges.
In his 18th ODI, 33-year-old Voges – yet to play a Test and not part of the Ashes squad – struck the ball crisply in a 76- ball innings that ended in the 44th over when he drove a McClenaghan full toss to short extra-cover.
Glenn Maxwell added an enterprising unbeaten 29, featuring the only two sixes of the innings, both of which came in the penultimate over, bowled by spinner Kane Williamson.
It took Australia to a total that had been over-
hauled only three times in 20 previous ODIs at the ground.
With the floodlights on in the increasing gloom, New Zealand’s task became more difficult when Guptill sliced Clint McKay to point in the fourth over and Ronchi - who played two ODIs for Australia in 2008 but who now has only 45 runs in five innings for the Kiwissteered the same bowler to gully.
But rain intervened and the match was finally called off at 18: 23 BST, meaning reigning champions Australia must beat Sri Lanka in their final match on Monday to have any chance of continuing their defence of the trophy. (BBC Sport)
