Guyana Times Daily

wednesday, july 2, 2014| guyanatimesgy.com

CAL passengers grounded as pilots strike

BY BHISHAM MOHAMED

Hundreds of Guyanese passengers travelling to and from Georgetown were up to late Tuesday afternoon stranded at the Piarco International Airport, Port of Spain, Trinidad, after a number of Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) pilots staged a sick-out.

All flights departing Port of Spain, were severely affected on Tuesday after the pilots reported sick. This setback would have affected both international and domestic flights. Despite the interruption however, Guyana Times understands that all CAL flights operating out of Guyana left the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) as scheduled on Tuesday. BW662 reportedly departed at 09:56h and the other, BW424 at 14:40h.

For incoming flights to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, BW425 arrived at 08:23h while BW606 which was expected to arrive at 13:40h was delayed as well as BW 483 which was scheduled for arrival at 21:45h.

Airport officials stated that flight BW424 which departed Guyana at 14:40h was delayed in Port of Spain for some time.

Information reaching Guyana Times also revealed that BW661 which was scheduled to arrive on Tuesday night was cancelled. An official at the CJIA explained that these flights would have been on the ground and left the CJIA on time but upon arriving at Piarco International Airport, the possibility exists that they would encounter difficulties.

He added that passengers who had connecting flights

would not have been able to make their connections until the pilots decide to call off the strike. It is unclear the reason for the pilots calling in sick but Guyana Times was reliably told that there has not been a revised compensation package for pilots for a number of years. Another possible reason for the strike is that pilots have been complaining of being overworked. Meanwhile, news coming out of the twin island republic, revealed that passengers with connecting flights were stranded at the Piarco International Airport, but those who are residents of Trinidad would have left the facility and asked to return on Tuesday evening. In a release issued on Tuesday, Chief Executive Officer of CAL, Michael DiLollo related, “We are naturally concerned firstly for the health and welfare of our pilot body since this is an unprecedented occurrence. This unfortunate situ-

ation has disrupted our scheduled services at the beginning of our critical summer season, during which we count most on our operational crews to demonstrate reliability and service for our loyal customers.”

DiLollo also expressed concern about the potential negative impact of the disruptions to its passengers, stating that many families choose this time to travel and have committed hard-earned savings to enjoying this time together.

He said to disappoint them would surely be a serious breach of the airline’s unspoken contract with them, a betrayal far deeper than even their legal commitment to provide the promised service. While the management and the pilots’ recognised majority union – the Trinidad and Tobago Pilot’s Association (TTALPA) – have been in communication, Caribbean Airlines is disappointed with the action of the pilots.

However, the CEO noted that Caribbean Airlines will continue to urge further open and frank discussion in good faith with TTALPA, while exploring all options available. The release added that Caribbean Airlines apologises to its loyal passengers for any and all inconvenience caused by these delays and assured that all will be done to minimise the delays. As such, Caribbean Airlines has requests that passengers confirm their flight times with the Flight Status Tool on the website at www. caribbean-airlines.com prior to arrival at the airport, to avoid any potential further inconvenience. (bhishamm@guyanatimesgy.com)

Commissioning of Forensic Lab set for next week

After much delay, the commissioning of Guyana’s first Forensic Laboratory is set for next week, according to Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.

When contacted by the Guyana Times for an update on the opening of the state-ofthe-art facility, he said the lab will be commissioned in the “second week of July”. This comes some three years after the contract was initially signed for the construction of the lab, which experienced several delays in its completion. In early June, the Minister had informed this newspaper that there were some “small technical work to be done” on the building before it was completed.

The commissioning of the multimillion-dollar laboratory was scheduled to be completed 12 months after the contract was signed in April 2011; however, it was pushed back and delayed on several occasions. A new deadline was set in April 2013, but that additional one-year extension was not sufficient.

The new date for completion could not be achieved since the contractor, Courtney

Benn Contracting Services, had experienced some unforeseeable setbacks. Following this, there were several additional deadlines missed, including four for this year alone. One was in February and another in April. The latter date was announced by the Home Affairs Minister during his presentation of the 2014 Budget Debate. The Minister had stated that due to several technical delays, the lab was not completed by late last year as was expected.

Multiple deadlines missed

Another deadline was given, in May, but again it was not achieved; as such, what was supposed to be the very last deadline for the completion of the lab, June 17 was given. With delays being missed a norm for projects in Guyana, fingers were crossed for the lab to be finally commissioned on the new date given by the Minister.

The equipment and furnishing for the building, which is located in the University of Guyana’s compound at Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, has already been procured and in-

stalled. In December 2012, a US$1.6 million contract was signed between the Home Affairs Ministry and Western Scientific Company for the supply of scientific equipment for the state-of-the-art Forensic Laboratory.

Meanwhile, a director has also been identified and several positions have been filled. Rohee had stated that a few months back that at least 31 applications were received for the 21 positions available and an interview panel was set up to select the best candidates. “The interview panel was set up because the competition is high, because we have received 31 applications and only have 21 positions available…,” the Minister had said. The lab is a project under the Citizen Security Programme (CSP), initiated by the Government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). This programme has three aspects: institutional modernisation of the Home Affairs Ministry, the Community Action Component (CAC), and modernisation of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), which includes strengthening its forensic capability.

4000+ legal migrants to US annually

By Jomo Paul

ith more than 4000

WGuyanese leaving here for the United States permanently every year, the country’s population growth rate has remained stagnant at 0.04 per year since 2002, the just released Census report has said.

Figures released by the US Embassy in Georgetown have revealed that since 2004, it has issued 46,540 immigration visas to Guyanese. According to figures seen by this newspaper, the Embassy has been issuing an average of 4500 immigrant visas per year since 2004, with 4572 issued last year – in excess of 500 more than the previous year’s.

Noting that both applications and issuance of this type of visas has been constant, US Ambassador to Guyana, D Brent Hardt told Guyana Times: “People see good prospects here and most people want to stay, they want to eat the food they like.”

Ambassador Hardt explained that there is a “congressionally mandated” limit on the number of persons that can be grant-

ed US Immigrant Visas. He further related that the limit may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and depend on the bilateral relations between the United States Government and the Government of that jurisdiction.

According to the Census findings, Guyana’s population growth rate had continued to fluctuate. It was estimated at 0.43 per cent per year during 1980-1991, 0.34 per cent between 1991 and 2002. However, this has reversed once again with negative growth for the period 2002-2012. The four Hinterland regions recorded an annual growth rate of 1.44 per cent per year while the coastal regions had a decline at the rate of -0.20.

Tripled

Meanwhile, regarding non-immigrant visas (visitor visas) Ambassador Hardt said the number of Guyanese nationals applying for this type of visas has almost tripled over the last three years. Speaking with Guyana Times in a recent exclusive interview, Hardt said what he has noticed during his tenure as US Ambassador to Guyana is that there has

been a steady increase in the number of persons applying for visas to visit the US, whether for business or personal reasons. He explained that in 2011 at the commencement of his posting to Guyana, there were approximately 13,000 recorded applications for non-immigrant visas. However, he in 2012, that figure increased by over 7000, reaching 20,000 by the end of 2012. However, the increases did not stop at that point, as he further related that in 2013, the 2011 number had almost tripled, reaching 35,000. The Ambassador, however, explained that this number does not reflect the number of persons who

would have successfully applied, since only about 60 per cent of those who would have applied for visas were granted non-immigrant status. These numbers, however, do not necessarily reflect a negative impact in Guyana’s development, since those persons would have just applied for visitor visas which means that they are not travelling to the United States to reside but rather to conduct business, vacate or a host of other similar reasons.

Ambassador Hardt told Guyana Times that US officials are still attempting to determine what caused the significant rise in the number of applications being processed.

However, he noted that contributory factors may include but are not limited to more competitive air fares owing to a number of airlines operating the Georgetown/ New York route and also increased business opportunities. He said too that the increase is a sure sign of enhanced bilateral ties between the US and Guyana which will positively impact both countries.

“It is a sign of closeness between our countries and... you know so many family ties, business ties... I think that it is a very positive thing for bilateral relations... there is a greater degree of prosperity,” Hardt said during the interview.

Editor: Nigel Williams

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

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

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

Editorial

Stagnant population

The skeletal outlines of the Guyana Census were just released in a “preliminary” report. But the milliondollar question in the room remained unanswered: the ethnic breakdown of the populace. We will have to wait until next year for that titbit. In the meantime, what do we make of the released data? As exemplified by the graph in yesterday’s edition, the population of this country has remained statistically unchanged for the last 30 years.

This demands explanation. If a country’s population is static, it will soon not have the requisite number of working-age bodies to fill the labour needs of a growing economy. It is for this reason, for instance, that India is seen as a better prospect for maintaining growth into the next century because of its far larger young population. If Guyana is to ultimately transform itself, it will have to increase its population. The reasons for its population stagnation will have to be explored and addressed.

The first factor that comes to mind is the high rate of migration that started in the 1960s and picked up steam in the following decades. From the end of WWII up to the 1960s, the primary destination for Guyanese migrants was England, but as that country tightened up its policies, the USA loosened theirs.

It is possible that migration to the US would have continued at the low historical rate of that to England, but the internecine ethnic warfare and the collapse of the economy in the 1970s created some desperate push factors. The US system of “sponsorship” of blood relatives ensured that the rate would be maintained in the following decades.

One of the WikiLeaks tapes revealed that between 1992 and 2004, more than 73,000 immigrant visas were issued – an average 0.8 per cent of the population obtained an immigrant visa to the US annually. Combined with migration to Canada, the Caribbean, Suriname and even Venezuela, it is not difficult to accept the recent study that showed there were more persons of Guyanese origin living abroad than in Guyana. The outward migration has continued but at a somewhat slower rate: recently the US Ambassador revealed that from 2004 to the present, some 46,549 immigrant visas were issued – an average of 4654 annually.

What makes this migration even more debilitating is that it is not only the younger Guyanese who are migrating, but the most educated. Statistics reveal that almost 85 per cent of all graduates from the University of Guyana and other tertiary education institutions migrate. Much of the stress and money given to education ends up benefitting foreign destinations.

But there is another, not often-cited factor in the moribund population growth – the fertility rate. A population needs to have all males and females get married and produce at least two children to keep the population constant: they will replace their parents at least. Since there is always a significant percentage of unmarried individuals in the population a fertility rate of above two is required for growth. Up to the 1960s, this was not a problem, since the fertility rate was over five. Since then, however, compounding the increased migration rate, the fertility rate has plummeted and is now at best hovering around two.

What has probably kept the population from dipping more precipitously than it has has been the recent influx of Brazilians into our interior in search of gold, Chinese on the Coast in search of investments in retailing and commerce, and a much smaller number of Amerindians in the interior migrating than coastlanders. When the figures are eventually disaggregated, it will be very interesting to discover the exact numbers of these last three groups.

Because as we stated earlier Guyana’s population must have the motto “Grow or Stagnate”, it is quite possible that the changing demographics might just make the curiosity about the ethnic composition become less urgent.

Mountains of Gold

The advancement of technology has enhanced the power to deceive

Dear Editor,

In the world today, mankind has to grapple with enormous political and social tribulations, mental disorders, post-traumatic stress, poverty, displacement from wars, refugee and concentration camps, food and clean water shortages, alcohol addiction, drug abuse and domestic violence.

The list of tribulations is long with no visible sight of the silver lining at the end of the tunnel and now the world has to deal with the technological ills. The same overrated ‘technologically advanced’ and ‘peak of modern human society’.

This would certainly bring great disaster to our already overburdened planet. The rules governing our personal and social lives should be clearly established and we should not be obsessed with excessiveness.

Today it’s a silicon chip, the stuff of techno-dreams. Also is a glinting grain of sand. Hold it in your hand and you hold tomorrow. Turn away from it, and as sand flows through your fingers, see the entire potentialities slip away. Can we allow ourselves to commit a pitiful abdication of such a heavy technological responsibility?

We cannot absent our-

selves from the moral and social questions raised. To leave it in the hands of the godless.

The advance of technology and science, rather than obliterating the world of myths, has enhanced its power to deceive. We live imaginary, virtual worlds created by persons that profit from our deception.

Humanity belongs to the “cult of distraction” where society is consumed by the vacuous and the vapid, rather than striving for self-awareness, contributions and accomplishment. The godly must take the helm of the technological complexes and be free to make decisions that strip away layers of accumulated dysfunction to arrive at touchstone to a digital life worth living. Let’s reach for the twinkling star on a stairway made of glittering sand.

In the silicon chip of the electronic age, there is hope and there are immense dangers. This is where religion is utterly, absolutely, imperatively needed. The digital earth co-exists with the lost earth.

My four-year-old granddaughter Arya takes the mouse and moves it with lighting speed; elsewhere others sleep with rats, lost people by the millions and among those young

girls and boys, digital porn, games, chatting and Facebook. Say what you want, do what you want, print what you want and waste endless time.

As a result of our advancement, we are now facing several new disorders which devastate our family structure and the existence of the human kind. Among the medial and social challenges are repetitive strain injury, electromagnetic hypersensitivity, and narcissism, phone headaches, hearing loss, Internet addiction and Facebook depression.

Consequently, a young boy drops dead in Japan after gaming for 72 hours; a young man shot and killed innocent people in the USA after spending countless hours practising war games in cyberspace. A young girl posts nude pictures of herself and awaits the feedback blogs. What is really going on with us “humans”; oh what form of mental illness?

Technological communications have improved but basic human communication has deteriorated.

A man, his wife and children sit in the living room and it is absolutely silent, everyone focused on different screens, pushing buttons and listening for a peculiar reoccurring sound for

hours and not a word is said to each other.

People have said and done pretty crude things when they thought that no one would ever know it was them? Beware of firing off nasty postings with venom and hate on the Internet. Think before you type, think before you click on that website link; for every atom weight of evil we do, we will be questioned and every atom weight of good we do, it will stand for us.

The technological advancement of the super highway is phenomenal. Let us use it for the right purposes and stay away from the dirty obscenities, get your degrees, do your trade, send your emails, but establish and keep a limit.

Years ago I read that Winchester; the inventor of guns apologised to the world for their inventions. When they made the gun accessible to the public it was for recreation, hunting and protection from dangerous animals. Today, humans use the gun for indiscriminate killing spree of the human kind. I do hope that Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and the owners of Apple Incorporated would not be compelled to do the same as Winchester.

Respectfully, Nazar Mohamed

The Global Meeting did not attain the goals for which it was convened

Dear Editor,

The Russian Federation having taken an active part in the Global Meeting on the Future of Internet Governance in São Paulo, April 2014, expresses concern with partisan and nontransparent approach to the organisation and conducting of the event.

We have to acknowledge that the Global Meeting did not attain the goals for which it had been convened. The issues of protecting privacy right from eavesdropping on telephone conversations and electronic espionage by intelligence agencies of certain countries remained outside of the documents adopted at the Global Meeting:

Principles and the Roadmap of Internet Governance.

On the contrary, the documents practically confirm the right of intelligence agencies of the countries, which possess major Internet exchange hubs, to uncontrolled collection of information on citizens of entire world. We believe that these unbalanced results of the meeting will foster digital inequality between developed and developing countries, as well as will wash out the principle of state sovereignty.

Ignoring and diminishing theroleoftheUN,International Telecommunications Union and other relevant intergovernmental organisations in the final documents raise con-

cerns.

The position regarding the UN runs against the UN GA resolution tabled by Brazil and Germany and adopted in November 2013 as a coordinated response of the international community to the massive violations of human rights by means of national and exterritorial monitoring of messages, their interception and collection of personal data.

Recommendations of the mentioned resolution to the UN member states to work out new principles and standards in this field are not taken into account either.

The Russian Federation deems the character of the Principles and the Roadmap

of the Internet Governance to be non-obligatory.

These documents were adopted in violation of the procedural arrangements, without consensus, and they, per se, ignore remarks of the majority of countries and non-governmental organisations.

The final documents of the Global Meeting cannot be used in the future as internationally approved documents. Any references to the documents by relevant international organisations are inappropriate.

Yours truly,

Denis Kopyl Press-Attaché Russian Embassy

A political ploy to distract from development

Dear Editor, I wish to refer to a letter that was published in another section of the press on June 23 under the headline, “This confounded nonsense has to stop”.

As the senior councillor of the village stated in the letter, I am categorically denying that there is any underaged female Amerindian in my community that was impregnated by any senior official of the Amerindian Affairs Ministry. I view this allegation as a wicked act that is in-

GuySuCo’s staff salaries paid

Dear Editor,

Contrary to the news that carried in other sections of the press that GuySuCo “ran out of cash” and being “illiquid” that caused salaries not to be paid last Friday, the normal pay day for salaried employees, the Corporation wishes to make clear that payments were delayed as a result of the late payment for sugar sales by one of its customers.

The delayed payment was indeed a financial constraint, but certainly not caused by “running out of cash” or “illiquidity”.

The Corporation having realized that payments could not have been made on the normally due day, com-

municated to all affected employees, both senior and junior staffs, that payment of salaries will be delayed and that payments will be made today. Payments of wages were made last Friday to all daily, weekly and piece rated employees.

The Corporation wishes to posit, again contrary to the assertion of some media houses through their “reliable source”, that it is not “illiquid” or “lacks the ability to pay short-term obligations”.

Sincerely,

Curtis Setal Communications Officer GuySuCo

tended to tarnish the reputation of the officers of the Amerindian Affairs Ministry.

The Ministry has been making interventions in all Amerindian communities and is being viewed as a threat to the political relevance of Carl Parker and the political party he represents.

Finally, I am denounc-

ing these spurious allegations as a political ploy to distract from the development that has been taking place across the region and to besmirch the name of the PPP/C Government.

Sincerely, Christopher

Duncan Senior Councillor Shiriri Village Council

APNU’s theatrics – time to be mature

Dear Editor, APNU and their followers have become the very symbol of fuss and fret even when there is not an issue at stake.

These people just have to make some noise. I note that they are now calling on the Guyana Police Force, to cease its crackdown on touts in Georgetown, and instead, to go after drunken drivers. I have a couple of things to say and I hope that these few comments will get APNU’s attention.

First, I inform readers that the Police are not a tool of the Government. It is independent and even now, there are a few matters, in court, dealing with errant officers. The local force is trying its best, and in going after touts, it is really responding to the outcry of good, concerned and orderly citizens.

No one can doubt that the bus parks around Georgetown are in need of some law and order. Touting is illegal, and in suggesting that the Police leave these touts, APNU is really saying that the country must not reflect the rule of law. This is so shameful of people who want to govern Guyana.

Second, the Police are indeed targeting persons driving under the influence. Their presence is most obvious these days, and I have seen them at strategic locations.

To make a hasty generalisation out of a single incident, the young man who

mangled three people, and lay the blame of a reckless youth, on the Government or the Police, is not justified at all. I recall APNU blaming of the Government, when a man from Linden drove into the Demerara River. My point is that APNU is all about some cheap political points scoring.

I am left to wonder how come no one from APNU is yet to come forward to criticise the Georgetown Mayor, for what Georgetown has been allowed to turn into. If I may add, based on APNU’s foolish pro-tout sympathies, Guyana, under the sway of APNU, is likely to be unkempt, underdeveloped and unruly. It is my hope that we continue to keep APNU out and that we expose its members and their practices and tendencies.

By the way, how come this incident in Berbice is a cause for the removal/revoking of Clement Rohee, as Minister of Home Affairs? Clement Rohee was prejudged and found guilty by APNU, during the 2012 Linden Protest.

However, the independent Linden Commission of Inquiry vindicated Rohee’s innocence; this much to the embarrassment and annoyance of APNU. I think that APNU, all of them, are still angry that their trumped-up accusations are being daily rubbished.

Sincerely, Arnold

Sanasie

Page Foundation

wise to:

When was the last time you crawled around your home on your hands and knees? As strange as it sounds, give it a go. Children explore their everyday environments, so it’s crucial to check things out from their perspective to make sure

ries at home are four years old and under. Young children have the highest risk of being injured at home because that’s where they spend most of their time.

Supervision is the best way to prevent injuries, in the home and out, but even the most watchful parents

your home is safe.

And though we often think of babies and toddlers when we hear the words “babyproofing” or “childproofing,” unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in children 14 years old and under, with more than a third of these injuries happening at home.

Household injuries are one of the top reasons children under the age of three visit the emergency room (ER), and nearly 70 per cent of the children who die from unintentional inju-

can’t keep children completely out of harm’s way every second of the day.

Here are some simple ways to help prevent injuries in your own home.

Accidents that can happen at home

The common causes of home-injury deaths are fire and burns, suffocation, drowning, choking, falls, poisoning, and firearms.

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most home accidents happen

where there’s:

water: in the bathroom, kitchen, swimming pools, or hot tubs heat or flames: in the kitchen or at a barbecue grill

toxic substances: under the kitchen sink, in the medicine cabinet, in the garage or garden shed, or even in a purse or other place where medications are stored potential for a fall: on stairs, slippery floors, from high windows, or from tipping furniture

You can take precautions to make these places safer, but the most important thing to remember is to watch young children at all times. Even if your home is childproofed, it only takes an instant for babies and toddlers to fall, run over to a hot stove, or put the wrong thing in their mouths. Your watchfulness is your child’s best defence.

However, accidents will still happen, so it’s important to be prepared. If you’re expecting a baby or have children, it’s

* Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the age-appropriate Heimlich manoeuvre.

* Keep the following near the phone (for yourself and caregivers):

- doctor’s number

- parents’ work and cell phone numbers

- neighbour’s or nearby relative’s number (if you need someone to watch other children in case of an emergency)

* Make a first-aid kit and keep emergency instructions inside.

Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. (Kids Health)

Top Safety tips

• Keep guns, choking hazards, and toxic, hot and sharp items out of reach.

• Use safety gates.

• Install outlets covers.

• Never leave young kids unattended in bath.

• install smoke detectors.

• install knob covers on doors to no-childproofed areas.

• Don't put soft bedding or toys in cribs

• Don't use walkers

Household Safety:

Babies reach, grasp, roll, sit, and eventually crawl, pull up, “cruise” along furniture, and walk. At many stages in the first two years or so, they’re able to move around, tumble over, and get into things in one way or another. And toddlers will try to climb but may not have the coordination to react to certain dangers. They’ll pull themselves up using table legs; they’ll use bureaus and dressers as jungle gyms; they’ll reach for whatever they can see.

So the potential for a dangerous fall or a tumble into a sharp edge can happen in nearly every area of your home. Here are ways to help prevent children from getting hurt in your home.

Walkers

* Don’t use a walker for an infant. Use of baby walkers has fallen dramatically from their peak in the 1990s, but about 3000 walker-related injuries a year are still treated in US hospital emergency rooms. Babies in walkers can fall over objects; roll into hot stoves, pools, and heaters; and roll down stairs. Walkers may give a baby the momentum needed to break through a gate (sometimes with stairs on the other side).

* Instead of a walker, consider a stationary activity saucer.

Windows

* Don’t rely on window screens to keep children from falling out of windows. Open windows from the top or use window guards to prevent your child from falling through screens or open windows (children can fall from windows opened as little as five inches, or 12.7 centimetres).

* Make sure window guards are childproof but easy for adults to open in case of fire. Move chairs, cribs, beds, and other furniture away from windows to prevent children from climbing onto sills.

Stairs

* Never leave a child unattended around stairs – even those that are gated. Babies can climb up the gate at the top of the steps and fall from an even greater height. Properly install a safety gate at the door of your child’s room to prevent the baby from ever even reaching the top of the stairs.

* Keep stairways clear of toys, shoes, loose carpeting, etc.

* Place a guard on banisters and railings if your child can fit through the rails.

* Install hardware-mounted safety gates at the top and bottom of every stairway (pressure-mounted gates aren’t as secure).

* Avoid accordion gates, which can trap a child’s head.

* Teach your toddler how to go down stairs backward –your child’s only example is you going down forward.

Around your home

* Don’t keep loose rugs on the floor. Put specially designed pads under rugs to hold them securely to the floor’s surface.

* Never put babies in child safety seats, infant seats, or bouncer seats on a countertop or atop furniture. The force of the baby’s movements could propel the seat over the side and cause serious injuries.

* Make sure all pieces of furniture a child might climb on – tables, bureaus, cabinets, TV stands, etc – are sturdy and won’t fall over. Be particularly careful of top-heavy pieces like overloaded bookshelves or entertainment centres that can fall on your child. You can also buy “L” brackets to attach furniture to walls to prevent your child from climbing on furniture and having it topple over.

* Attach protective padding or other specially designed covers to corners of coffee tables, furniture, and countertops with sharp edges.

* Clean up any spills around the home immediately.

* Apply non-skid strips to the bottoms of bathtubs. (Kids Health) (To be conTinued)

Westmaas tells Rodney Inquiry:

WPA

never consciously

planned “Civil Rebellion”

The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) never consciously planned the “Civil Rebellion” against the Forbes Burnham Administration in the leadup to the killing of Dr Walter Rodney, executive member Dr Nigel Westmaas said on Tuesday.

He was at the time being cross-examined by People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Lawyer Basil Williams. Westmaas, who had been on the witness stand since Monday, had earlier spoken about the security forces’ role in allegedly harassing citizens, particularly WPA members. Around that time, Burnham had heightened his Government’s surveillance of citizens, especially political opponents and had passed draconian laws, giving lawmen powers to search anyone’s home without war-

rants. Williams, however, questioned Westmaas as to whether the prevailing security conditions at the time, both internally and externally, did not warrant stepped-up policing and he responded in the affirmative.

Williams sought to establish that the WPA had a wellorchestrated plan with the rebellion, and was using similar events occurring at that time in neighbouring Caribbean countries such as Suriname and Grenada to fulfil that plan. He also noted that the security forces had a reason to defend the State, in that regard, since the WPA had become a threat. “It was a period where the security forces were confronted with all kinds of threats,” Williams said.

But Westmaas, while agreeing that the security forces had a responsibility to protect the interest of

the State, said the rebellion was not a conscious plan. He explained that political persons cannot wish a civil rebellion, since it is something that has to be actively “pursued on the ground”. Williams then put it to Westmaas that the WPA had consciously planned the revolt, using a statement made by Dr Rodney stating that “The PNC must go and by any means necessary”.

The Recognition Handbook Williams went on to show Westmaas the Recognition Handbook – a document which was reportedly used by the security forces to identify WPA activists. While there was no indication as to the author of the book, Westmaas said it had to have been put together by the security forces at the time. Williams, however, sought to establish that any other entity could have put to-

gether the book. Westmaas replied that the security forces were representing the State and there was no other organisation that was so actively involved in identifying and following the work of the WPA at that time. According to him, no other political party would have had an interest in identifying WPA operatives.

Williams even tried to establish that the PNC was not the sole oppressor of the WPA, since the relationship between the WPA and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) at that time was also eroding.

In his evidence, Westmaas said that the WPA had undertaken a multiracial challenge, not only to the PNC but the PPP themselves. He said, however, that it was not antagonistic but a broad coalition of opposition parties with

Taxi driver gets bail for allegedly raping teen

Thirty-year-old Kesto

David of Heat Burn Village East Bank Berbice (EBB) was on Tuesday placed on $175,000 bail when he appeared before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs Marcus at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court on a charge of rape.

It is alleged that on March 27th at Bellvue Village, David raped a 15-year-old girl. He was not required to plead to the charge. In presenting the facts of the case Prosecutor Godfrey Playter explained that David, a taxi driver picked up the victim from an internet cafe in

New Amsterdam to take her home. During the journey he picked up another passenger at Edinburgh and drove past the victim’s destination. He allegedly dropped the other passenger at their requested destination and turned back heading towards New Amsterdam. On his way he stopped at Bellvue Village, came out of the car and went in the back seat and allegedly raped the teen. The victim went home and reported the matter to her mother. A report was subsequently made at the Central Police Station. The victim was taken to the hos-

pital for a medical examination which proved that she was sexually assaulted.

The defendant was represented by Attorney Michael Baird, who in his application for bail stated that David is married and the father of an 18-month-old. He told the court also that his client is not a flight risk.

Police Prosecutor Godfrey Playter did not object to bail however asked that if bail is granted the accused should stay approximately 10 feet away from the victim. David is set to make his next court appearance in July 18, 2014.

contradictions around each other. “In terms of ideologies and political practices, there were differences between the political forces. The WPA and the PPP had contradictions in

relation to how to move forward in relation to its members and the active participation of all citizens and the WPA had preferred the multiracial path.” Westmaas had also said the PPP felt threatened, and that former President Janet Jagan had appealed to supporters to stop joining the WPA. Westmaas, whose father was a senior official in the PPP, said the request by the former President was made at a later period when the WPA had begun going to rural communities to seek out membership. “And so it was a reaction of the specific area where that organisation felt threatened. It was around 1983, 1984 when the WPA had expanded its base in Skeldon, Line Path etc.”

Canje businessman accused of raping girl (14)

A47-year-old man of Fort Ordinance Canje was on Tuesday placed on $175,000 when he appeared before at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court to answer to the charge of rape.

Collin Caesar was not required to plead to the charge when he made an appearance before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs Marcus. It is alleged on May 19, the 47 year old man sexually penetrated a 14 year old female. He was represented by Attorney Charrandass Persaud who appealed for bail.

Police Prosecutor Godffery Playter did not object to bail, which was granted. He is to report to the Central Police Station every fortnight. He is expected to return on the July 18th.

Prisoner charged for cannabis in rectum

Forty-eight-year-old Roger Samuels made an appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Judy Latchman on Tuesday after he was charged with the possession of narcotics.

According to the facts of the charge as read by Prosecutor Joel Ricknauth, it is alleged that on June 27 upon returning to the Georgetown Prison from the Police Sports Club, the accused was observed by Police ranks walking in an unusual

manner.

He was subsequently taken to medical personnel, who examined the defendant, and found a white plastic bag containing cannabis in his rectum.

The cannabis was weighed and it amounted to 65 grams. The father of three pleaded guilty to the offence and was given a fine of $10,000 along with 48 months imprisonment.

Samuels was serving time at the prison for a simple larceny charge.

Accused: Roger Samuels

Chef gets community service for narcotics possession

Christopher Small, a chef, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts be -

fore Magistrate Judy Latchman on Tuesday after he was slapped with a charge of possession of narcotics.

According to the charges read by Prosecutor Joel Ricknauth, it is alleged that on June 29 at Albouystown, Police patrolling the area noticed the accused acting in a suspicious manner and decided to carry out a search on his person.

He was found with Christopher Small

two transparent plastic bags containing leaves and stems which were checked and found to be cannabis. The contents were weighed and amounted to two grams.

The prosecutor further told the court that the accused tried to bribe the officers with a $1000.

He was fined $3000 and sentenced to 32 hours of community service at the Psalms Geriatric Home.

Taxi owner remanded for trafficking in narcotics

Lloyd Allen, 59, of Lot 63 Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Georgetown, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Ann McLennan after he was charged with the possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

Customs Anti-Naroctics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Oswald Massiah told the court that a search was carried out on June 30 at Allen’s Roxanne Burnham Gardens residence and 470 grams of cannabis were found.

However Allen’s Attorney stated that on the day in question, several other persons were at the home of his client watching football and the cannabis was found in an unoccupied room. He said that it was possible that several other persons who had access to the room could have placed the illegal substance there.

The Attorney’s application for bail was denied after Prosecutor Massiah informed the court that Allen admitted to owning the substance. The matter is adjourned to July 11 for reports and fixture.

Eyew tness

Slanted...

...reporting on Rodney CoI

All Guyana knows the MuckrakerKN has a hardon for the PPP/C – especially former President Jagdeo. We even understand why. It’s now been revealed that Mook Lall had brought in a sweetie factory five years ago – when Jagdeo was still President. He obviously wanted some sort of underhand benefit –you know, tax exemptions and such like – to which he wasn’t entitled. After all, even the folks at Wakenaam used to make “long sweetie” to sell at the Primary Schools. No innovative breakthrough there to warrant tax breaks!

So he and “Dem Bais” – who drink cheap rum at Saffon Street – cuss Jagdeo and even his friends from morning till night. Hell hath no fury like a sweetie maker rebuffed!! But it wasn’t just a matter of the MuckrakerKN being “anti-PPP”: there was always the rabidly “pro-PNC” element represented by the house slave Baddam.

In the beginning, when the Mook was still cosying up to Jagdeo – hoping for a squeeze, Baddam was kept on a tight leash. Every now and then when he took a chance to push the PNC’s line, the Mook would bitch-slap him something fierce! But since Jagdeo’s rebuff on the sweetie factory, it was open season to excuse, rehabilitate, and big up the PNC. The house slave would whisper into the master’s ears and lo and behold, everything would be twisted for that purpose.

Take the reports on the Rodney CoI. Rather than use the opportunity to sift sense from nonsense for the Guyanese people – to understand what went down with Guyana’s best and brightest (Rodney), the house slave at the Muckraker has slanted everything for the PNC. Yesterday’s headline described in scare quotes the witness thusly: “Historian” Nigel Westmaas. And in the story: “Westmaas credits himself as a ‘historian’.”

Hey!! Either the fella is a historian or he isn’t... don’t imply the person is claiming to be what he isn’t. What the house slave is doing is to try to put doubts in the minds of readers about the veracity of Westmaas’ testimony. Why didn’t he check the man’s work and publications as a historian? Then the house slave went after Rodney himself. About Rodney not getting to teach at UG, he claimed: “it has been reported that this was prevented”.

“Reported”??? This is like saying it was “reported” that Rodney was killed on June 13, 1980!!! Who the arse has ever contested that after his UG application was accepted, the appointment was rescinded by the UG Council – with PNC’s Hamilton Green taking the lead?

But the house slave was trained well as a propagandist by his old master, to complement the spite and bitterness of the new massa.

...Census

It’s a good thing your Eyewitness hadn’t been holding his breath since 2012, when the census was taken. Two years behind schedule even then. Because what he and everyone else had been looking for – if the truth be told – is what the heck is the present ethnic breakdown of the populace? Because it’s an open secret that when it comes to vox populi (the voice of the people – all the people, not just CNS) in Guyana, you don’t have to wait for the ballot and all that jazz.

Just take a gander at the census and you’re in the money. But all we got was that the population is just about the same as it was 30 years ago. Who cares? We all know that!!! And that Region Six has decreased in absolute numbers?

One drive up to the Corentyne and seeing all those boarded-up homes – will convince you that the Exodus wasn’t only a biblical event!

...skies

Somebody up there doesn’t like Dynamic Airlines. Did anything that could’ve gone wrong, didn’t go wrong on their maiden flight? And flying out of Newark???

Well, look at it this way: things can’t get worse, can they?

EPA urges companies to adhere to its regulations

“There is a complex but direct relationship that exists between developmental activities and the quality of the environment.” This was the thrust of the address delivered to participants of the GMSA’s Environmental Awareness Seminar on Wednesday, June 25 by Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr Indarjit Ramdass.

“Being ‘green’ pays through cost reduction and increased market share,” he posited, noting that the EPA is well aware that local businesses over the years have been operating with strategies largely driven by cost effectiveness and profit. However, with the onset of environmental problems being encountered by business concerns all over the world, there is now a need for them to implement strategies to address environmental pressures.

All companies therefore, must become compliant with national regulations and edicts, and move their business operations in the direction of ‘greener’ production, whether it is in manufacturing, provision of services, wholesale or retail trading, agriculture or other, Dr Ramdass emphasised, stating that “all parties have a responsibility to care for their environment and reduce environmental impacts”.

He gave an overview of the role and functions of the Environmental Protection

Agency, noting that this regulating agency utilises both planned and responsive methods to detect non-compliance, and prioritises enforcement activities according to its capacity to minimise the “biggest risks to the physical environment and the health of citizens”.

The participants who attended the half-day seminar were drawn from the productive, commercial and financial sectors. They had the opportunity to interact one-on-one with EPA Director, Environment Permitting Division, Geeta Singh and with the Senior Environmental Officer Tashana Redmond. The pair of

environmental specialists explained that compliance with environmental standards includes avoidance of all kinds of pollution (noise, dust, odour, effluent) and hazards, along with the obligation to obtain authorisation permits) or notices for specified activities. Compliance creates both public and private value for public health, and ensures fairness while protecting goods and services. The EPA team revealed that many developers and business investors fail to factor their environmental responsibilities into their start-up costs and business plans. They reiterated, however, that the costs for authorisations and permissions have long term benefits for businesses, their employees and host communities.

Sectors

Some sectors, they said, cause more concern than others, citing lumberyards and sawmills, auto-body workshops (spray painting), livestock husbandry and mining. These operations create noise emissions and pollution by the release of toxic waste into waterways which adversely affect the health and way of life of people living in proximity.

The production sectors that require compulsory environmental authorisation include agriculture/forestry, fishing, mining/quarrying, agro-processing, sawmills and other wood processing, water supply, minor and major construction of buildings, roads and other infrastructure, commercial trade, hospitality, healthcare and funeral operations.

They noted that there has been a recent increase in demand from citizens and business owners for protection of goods and services, referring to the spate of counterfeit products currently in the local marketplace. The EPA, in response, has created new compliance regulations and new quality standard procedures, especially for equipment and consumables. The Agency is working in collaboration with such stakeholders as the

Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).

The EPA was invited by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) to share with the business community much needed information about managing their respective environments, the procedures for acquiring permits and remaining compliant with national regulations. GMSA President Clinton Williams said that the workshop could not be more timely, especially in the face of severe climatic consequences from global warming which evolved as a direct consequence of increased industrialisation without adequate measures considered for reduction of carbon gases, and for the sustenance of forest density.

Carbon footprint

“Even though Guyana is still heavily forested (it has been dubbed ‘the lungs of the world’), this country could easily increase our carbon footprint out of economic need,” Williams said. The gold and diamond sub-sector has become the largest foreign exchange earner in recent years and now the Government is compelled to skilfully manage the growth of this industry without adverse impact on the national objective of sustainable forest management. “Gold and diamond mining and the extraction of other mineral resources co-exist within the same forested areas which we have to protect under international fiat,” he stated.

In this context, the GMSA must ensure that the manufacturing sector responds favourably to the regulations set out by local and international watchdogs for acceptable environmental management practices in the production and distribution of goods and services. In fact, it is now a precondition demanded by international lending agencies. He informed the participants that any entrepreneur seeking capital investment is required to append Environmental Impact Assessment and Management Plans to their requests. Williams pointed out that this precondition is enforced throughout the cycle of funded projects, particularly in mining and forest-related industries. Continuous measurements are taken of water and air pollutants, ambient noises, and the use and disposal of hazardous materials among other environmental factors.

While he strongly encouraged business operators to be more cognisant of and careful with their environments, he noted that they require constantly updated information in order to remain EPA compliant, and for their products to be competitive. (GMSA)

Six found with illegal firearms

Four men and two women are expected to be charged with possession of illegal firearms and ammunition after they were allegedly found with two hand guns and matching live rounds in two separate incidents on Monday. According to information, the Police at about 17:30h responded to a report that two men were involved in an alter-

cation at Mc Doom, East Bank Demerara. When the Police arrived on the scene, a search was conducted and a .32 Taurus revolver was found in the possession of one of the men. During interrogation, it was discovered that the weapon was illegally obtained. The two men were immediately taken into custody. Also at about 22:30h, Police said ranks of a mobile Police patrol conducted a

Sooba vs King court case…

– Judge denies Sooba’s application for extension of stay

Acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba will have to remain the de facto Town Clerk after the extension of stay filed in her name was refused on Monday.

The decision was made by Appeal Court judge, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards. Sooba’s Attorney Roysdale Forde had filed a ‘stay of extension’ against acting Chief Justice (CJ) Ian Chang’s ruling which allowed her to act as the de facto Town Clerk, however, the stay would have allowed her to once again become the official Town Clerk, putting a hold on the CJ’s ruling.

The application was filed on April 24 and named Royston King the first respondent along with Attorney General Anil Nandlall as the second respondent. Along with the stay of the CJ’s ruling, Sooba is also asking for any other effects taken as a result of the CJ’s ruling, to be stayed until the hearing and completion of this appeal.

An affidavit in answer to the applicant was filed on May 14 by respective attorneys for the defendants followed by an affidavit in reply on May 21. The presiding judge then heard arguments from the parties on May 22.

During this, Attorney Forde presented three grounds to support his application for the stay. They were: the ‘status quo’ of the situa-

tion at City Hall, ruination and irreparable damage suffered by Sooba, and the appeal being nugatory if the stay is not granted.

Attorney Nigel Hughes, representing Royston King, argued against these grounds. He pointed out that Sooba would not suffer any ruination or damages if the stay is not granted, since she was unlawfully appointed by then Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud. He had stated that if there it is any issue of the loss of remuneration, then Sooba could be repaid retroactively.

However, Forde responded saying that it is not a matter of money but if his client is prevented from functioning

as the Town Clerk, then that would be her ruination.

Hughes went on to say that there is no issue of the appeal against the acting Chief Justice’s decision being nugatory since all that can happen is the assurance of the position. In his counter argument, Forde explained that if the Council, which appointed King as the acting Town Clerk, is allowed to do what they want in the administration of the City Council, then the appeal would be nugatory.

Attorney Hughes had further stressed that there is no basis upon which Sooba applied to the Appeal Court for the stay when the acting CJ’s ruling is in fact allowing her to function as the de facto Town Clerk. Attorney General Anil Nandlall, was represented by Attorney Anderson Smith in this matter.

Justice CummingsEdwards had taken some time to consider the arguments presented on the matter and delivered her ruling on Monday in Chambers at the Appeal Court. In the court document of the decision, which was seen by this newspaper, Justice CummingsEdwards stated that “… upon mature deliberations thereupon had, it is ordered that this application be and is hereby refused.”

It was further ordered that the necessary costs being sought be paid.

search on motor car PJJ 8620 at Hogg and James Streets, Albouystown, during which an unlicensed .32 Taurus revolver with six matching rounds was found. At the time of the discovery, the two men and two women who were occupants of the car were questioned, cautioned, told of the offence and arrested. They are presently in Police custody assisting with investigations.

NICIL says operations fully transparent

The National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) says its operations are fully transparent and are subjected to rigorous scrutiny.

The assessment was contained in a statement on Tuesday responding to criticisms by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). Noting that APNU’s criticisms are calculated, ill-informed and politically motivated, NICIL said these reports have no foundation nor basis in fact, but are made with the clearly deliberate intention of undermining and discrediting the major development projects initiated and lead by the company.

NICIL said it was incorporated under the Companies’ Act in July 1980, but began functioning as a Company in July 1991. In 2002, NICIL and the Privatisation Unit were operationally merged. A Management Cooperation Agreement (MCA) was signed appointing the Privatisation Unit as exclusive manager of NICIL and reaffirming that privatisation of NICIL’s assets would be conducted in accordance with the Privatisation Policy Framework Paper of 1993 (White Paper on privatisation).

NICIL is a holding company owned by the Government of Guyana, and functions as a commercial company which does not benefit from tax concessions and is expected to be and is, in fact, financially

self sufficient. The primary objectives of NICIL are to subscribe or acquire or dispose of Government shares, stocks, debentures or other securities of any company, cooperative societies or corporate bodies.

NICIL’s operations have always been subject to public scrutiny and NICIL is accountable and answerable to the Cabinet for its financial transactions made on behalf of the country. NICIL’s finances are subject to full public disclosure. NICIL is audited by the Audit Office of Guyana. The company has received unqualified audit opinions each year, since 2002 (the year NICIL and the Privatisation Unit were operationally merged), acknowledging the Financial Statements to be a true and fair view in all material respects of the financial position of NICIL up to 31st December, 2012. This unqualified opinion

also endorses that the financial performance and cash flows of the company are in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the IAS Board.

NICIL’s privatisation transactions from 1993 to 2011 have been published in a report released by President Ramotar last year, listing every privatisation in the period and identifying the buyer and the proceeds from the sales.

Parliamentary oversight NICIL’s operations, contrary to the repeated complaints of the parliamentary Opposition, are subject to parliamentary oversight. The Minister of Finance has laid the Annual Report, including the Audited Financial Statements of NCIL for the year 2012, before Parliament. Since 2002, NICIL has successfully endeavoured to bring

its own and the accounts of its subsidiaries up to date. In doing so, the company has filed in Parliament, to date, 149 sets of accounts representing the accounts of its various subsidiaries in the various years since 2002.

NICIL owns a number of subsidiaries, including Guyana National Printers Limited; the National Communications Network; Guyana National Newspapers Limited; Guyana Oil Company Limited; Guyana National Shipping Corporation Limited, Property Holdings Inc., Kwakwani Utilities Inc., and Lethem Power Company Inc. NICIL also holds minority investments in a number of companies.

NICIL’s subsidiary companies are managed and operated by independent Boards and are financially independent, excepting the National Communications Network, which provides a combination of commercial and public programming and its satellite electricity utilities, where subsidies are used to compensate for lower tariffs in the communities in which they serve.

The NICIL Group of Companies employs a substantial number of persons, between them, making a considerable contribution in company and employee taxes to the economy of the country. NICIL has, from 2002 to 2013, paid into the Consolidated Fund $11.9 billion in dividends from the profits of its operations and its various and ongoing investments. The company is a net contributor to the Treasury and, its operations remains fully accountable and transparent.

UG lecturers must have

a

Master’s Degree – Opadeyi

University of Guyana Vice Chancellor, Professor Jacob Opadeyi has said that the institution will not be hiring any lecturer without a Master’s Degree in the area they wish to teach.

The Vice Chancellor, who was at the time speaking at the series of consultations which was hosted by Guyana’s premier tertiary institution last week over a proposed tuition fee increase, related that there were presently 87 lecturers, both part-time and fulltime, who were teaching at the institution but were only in possession of first degrees in their area of knowledge.

Opadeyi noted that such a reality was highly unacceptable and ‘ridiculous’ given the fact that these were the individuals who have been tasked with educating and moulding the minds of the nation’s children.

It was on this note that he disclosed that the University’s administration took the decision about the Master’s Degrees, since they believe that the standard of the education being offered can be immensely

improved if this is done.

“We don’t want persons with only first degrees teaching here. You have to be properly qualified to educate and mould the minds of those you are teaching. Which university has people with first degrees teaching? We want to improve the services and the quality of education currently being offered at the University and we think this is the best move in that direction. No person will be hired without their Masters from September,” Opadeyi said.

Lecturers with first degrees to further studies

As it relates to those who are without their Master’s Degree and currently in the employ of the University, the Vice Chancellor related that they will not relieved of their duties, since the University will be putting several measures and programmes in place to address this.

“We will be scheduling some programmes and putting systems in place for those lecturers to further their studies, to advance their education while teaching here at the University. We will not ask them to leave; we won’t throw them out,” Opadeyi assured the gathering at the consultation.

The five days of consultations were held last week to address the proposal which was made by the administration to hike tuition fees. Dr Opadeyi said he has signed a three-year contract with the Government of Guyana, and the institution will be undergoing transformation. He maintained his position that if the institution is to rise to the occasion and continue to function, investments must be made and, as such, the tuition increase was necessary.

No arrest for Beharry salesman’s shooting

No arrests have so far been made in connection with the shooting and robbery of Edward B Beharry Salesman, Mahindra Persaud.

According to Crime Chief Leslie James, investigators have visited the location and have taken statements. He noted too that they are reviewing video footage from a nearby shop to assist in the investigation.

Persaud, 49, a Senior Salesman attached to Edward B Beharry and Company Limited, was shot last Thursday to his knee and twice to his head during a robbery. The perpetra-

tor managed to escape with $100,000.

According to information received by Guyana Times, around 09:30h last Thursday, Persaud made a stop at a shop located in Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, to deliver chowmein when an unidentified man ran into the shop behind him, shooting at the ground.

The shooter then turned to Persaud and shot him to his knee. Despite being injured, Persaud tried to make his way back to the delivery bus, but was pursued by the shooter who shot him to his head. The

shooter then made his escape on a bicycle. Persaud was in the company of a porter who ran away after hearing gunshots. The man is currently recuperating at a city hospital where he underwent surgery to remove the bullets. Relatives told Guyana Times that Persaud was previously robbed; however, he did not receive any major injuries during that incident. One relative related that Persaud was featured in a Sunday paper for being one of Beharry’s top salesmen and posited that this could have precipitated the robbery.

Guyana, US still working out remaining components of LEAD

With just six days to go before US Ambassador

D Brent Hardt’s term in office ends, the United States and Guyana are yet to complete negotiations on the remaining components of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) Project.

Last week, the Guyana Government approved two of the four components within the Project which will focus on fortifying the National Assembly by encouraging consensus building and the promotion of civic education on Local Government Elections.

On Tuesday, a US official told Guyana Times that the countries were still discussing the remaining components which involve working with all parties

to support the legislature’s role as an effective deliberative body and the promotion of women and youth involvement in the democratic system.

In a recent interview with Guyana Times, the US Ambassador said he remained optimistic that negotiations would be completed before he demitted office. In May, the Donald Ramotar Administration withdrew its non-approval for the LEAD Project. The initiative took a controversial turn late in 2013 when the Government rejected the Project, stating that it did not mirror consultations that occurred between the countries.

But Hardt, in an exclusive interview with this newspaper, said there was nothing “terribly controversial” with the original USAID LEAD Project. “I think there might have been some misunderstanding, in terms of what our goals and purposes were of the programme,” he said.

Explaining the conceptualisation of the Project, Ambassador Hardt said with the 2011 General Elections giving rise to a new dispensation, with a minority Government and an Opposition-controlled legislature, the US thought to initiate a project that would build consensus among parties. Though the National Election has set the stage for all parties to play a more leading role in the National Assembly, the current challenges were foreseen.

Additionally, with Local Government Elections not being held in 20 years, though they were highly touted by all polit-

ical parties during the General Election, Hardt said the Project was designed to promote civic education on Local Government Elections and simultaneously foster youth and women’s engagement. “These seem all to be admirable goals and goals we thought that the people and Government would be able to

support,” he said, stating that the LEAD Project was “well within the framework of longstanding US engagement on democracy and governance in Guyana”, dating back to 1992. However, the US agreed to halt implementation on the Project until Government’s concerns were addressed.

Ambassador Hardt and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon continue to work to address the issues.

Dynamic Airways still to iron out airport woes

More than 150 passengers are crying foul about the services of US Carrier Dynamic Airways, but the airline saying it is making every effort to take them to their destinations.

The airline, upon its entry into the Guyanese market, has come in for some criticism following a number of delayed flights out of Georgetown, Guyana and the United States. Several passengers reportedly turned up at the John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport, on Tuesday morning only to be told that the flight will be boarded at another airport facility.

Some claimed that they were put on a shuttle bus and transported some five and a half miles to their boarding area. When Guyana Times contacted local handling agent Roraima Airways Chief Executive Officer, Captain Gerry Gouveia, he admitted that the aircraft arrived at the Stewart International Airport, New Jersey, and the passengers were shuttled by buses to New York City. He said the situation remains the same at the JFK International Airport, but they were working diligently to remedy the problem. “ Once this situation is rectified, we will be landing at JFK as was originally planned… while there are challenges with the arrival of the aircraft at US airports,

we have never left our passengers stranded… we make sure that our passengers are transported to their destinations,” he stressed.

In defending the airline, he mentioned that presently, hundreds of passengers booked to travel with Fly Jamaica are stranded after the airline encountered mechanical problems. This situation, he noted, is not blown out of context and more so, he made reference to the Caribbean Airlines passengers stranded on Tuesday after the pilots went on strike.

“At least, we did not have our passengers stranded… we will continue to do our best to make sure our passengers are comfortable,” he reiterated. As recent as Sunday evening, more than 100 passengers were transported to Atlantic City following issues at the JFK International Airport. The passengers who were scheduled to arrive at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at 20:00h were shuttled by buses to Atlantic City where they boarded the Dynamic Airways flight. The flight was delayed by two hours which saw some unhappy customers who vented their frustration.

Some, on the other hand, told the media that while they were upset, they thought that the Dynamic team did everything in their power to make them comfortable.

wednesday, july 2, 2014

Tailor robbed, stabbed to death

A26-year-old, Grove, East Bank Demerara man was stabbed to death during a robbery on Tuesday evening while on his way home from work.

Dead is Bharat Pitamber, called Vickey and Tailor of Lot 1401 Section C Block Y, Golden Grove.

According to information reaching the Guyana Times , Pitamber was on his way home when he was reportedly attacked by several persons. The incident occurred around 19:30h; however, his body was discovered a while later.

This newspaper was told that the father of one had

sold a bird earlier in the day for $45,000 and had the money on him while he was returning home.

The man was riding along the Grove New Scheme main road just after crossing the ‘Achieduck’ when he was confronted by several persons at a dark spot.

The men proceeded to rob him, but he fought back resulting in him sustaining cut wounds, on his hands. His body also bore stab wounds including the fatal one to his heart. Reports indicated that no one saw the ordeal and Pitamber was left at the corner of the road where he died.

His body was discovered sometime later by a passerby who immediately summoned the Police.

The distraught mother of the man related that they were at home when two of her son’s friends went to their house around 20:30h and informed her that he was dead.

The woman said that she did not believe at first but the men told her that they saw his body.

The family was then escorted to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where Pitamber was already pronounced dead on arrival.

Pitamber was almost attacked two nights ago when

he was on his way home using a different route. Friends and relatives of the deceased are suspicious of the person whom he sold the bird to.

His distraught mother cried that the perpetrators could have taken the money and left him alive.

“Why they had to kill my son, they coulda take the money and break he hand or foot or something at least he woulda come back to us,” she cried. The 26-year-old man, who owns a tailor shop in Grove, leaves to mourn his six month-old daughter, wife Menadai Persaud, two brothers, a sister, and his parents.

ACDA launches Emancipation programme Caricom leaders open 35th Summit in Antigua

The African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) on Tuesday launched its annual Emancipation Day Festival to be held at the National Park on August 1.

The theme for Emancipation 2014 is: “Reparations: Broken Chains, Golden Dreams”, in recognition of the indomitable spirit of African ancestors to demand justice and their rights, and the promise of recapturing a great past while transforming that into a golden future.

In a statement, ACDA promised that this year’s festivities will be better than ever as they plan to celebrate the African culture like never before. This year’s activities include a children’s Emancipation Day parade and a freedom race, commencing from the 1763 Monument and concluding at the National Park. A wide variety of cultural performances will also be featured on this day and a showcase of African foods, fashion and history.

As part of the tradition, ACDA honours an African country every Emancipation Festival by building an educational booth for that coun-

try. For 2014, the country to be honoured is Angola. ACDA says it celebrates an African country annually because most Guyanese of African descent, cannot retrace their ancestral roots to a particular African nation. “That’s why we choose one country every year to educate young and old about their groundings and roots.”

One of the greatest entrepreneurial acts by freed Africans in World History was the village movement, which started in 1839. Freed Africans combined their resources to buy villages so they did not have to return to the Plantation life and cheap, punitive labour.

Queenstown Village honoured For Emancipation 2014, ACDA will honour Queenstown Village on the Essequibo Coast. In 1840, Mr Carberry, a planter, purchased three adjoining estates on the Essequibo Coast, Dageraad, Mocha and Westfield, creating a small town.

He put in streets, and divided the front lands into half- acre lots which he sold for $100, $150 and $220 each, depending on their lo-

cation in the town.

On September 1841, at the request of the villagers, Governor Henry Light christened it, Queenstown. This was the beginning of the proprietary village systems under which each villager held title to his individual plot of land. This initial success led other planters to follow suit. By the end of 1841, about 18 plantations were offering land for sale or lease on the Essequibo Coast and the practice soon spread to the counties of Demerara and Berbice.

Not all of the planters agreed with that policy. The shrewder amongst them recognised that if the ex- apprentices could live on land on or near the plantation , enough to satisfy their desire for a home, but not enough to grow food to support their families , then they would have to continue to work on the nearby plantation. By the end of the first year after apprenticeship, about 267 cottages had been constructed on plots half to one third of an acre in size.

As expected, the ex-apprentices continued to work on the nearby estates.

Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders began their 35th annual summit in Antigua and Barbuda on Tuesday night with a reminder that the individual member countries of the regional integration grouping are too small and too vulnerable to sustain themselves in a changing global environment.

Newly elected Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, the incoming chairman of the 15-member grouping, told the ceremony that unity was required to deal with an international community in which the rich and powerful achieve national advantage “even at the expense of the poor and weak”.

“The prospects for our salvation lie today in that same practical principle that inspired it 49 years ago when three leaders set afloat the idea of integration into the Caribbean Sea that has washed up mightily on all our shores to create our Caribbean Community of today,” Browne told the audience.

The opening ceremony of the meeting also saw outgoing Chairman Dr Ralph Gonsalves, outlining several issues affecting the Region that will be discussed over the next three

days. These include climate change, economic and immigration issues and challenges affecting the Region, all of which will be addressed via Caricom’s Strategic Plan. Addressing fellow Heads of Government and regional officials, the St Vincent Prime Minister, who formally handed over the grouping’s chairmanship to Prime Minister Browne, called for hard, smart and productive work to overcome the challenges facing the Region.

Dr Gonsalves noted that a large portion of the region’s populace is facing economic hardship and this cannot be denied.

The solution, he said, was not one to be addressed by individual members, but by a combined effort from the Caricom group.

“There is no magic wand” to fix these challenges, Dr Gonsalves noted.

The task ahead for Caricom over the next five years, according to Dr Gonsalves, is not easy, but they could be overcome.

“Our fore-parents faced far more serious challenges and overcame them so we can do the same.”

Meanwhile, in accepting the Caricom chairmanship, Prime Minister Browne declared that his Government and country was fully com-

mitted to regional integration as a vital component to regional development. Challenges such as unfair trading practice, reduced foreign aid, the insistence of the opening of local markets by developed nations must be addressed. He reiterated the growing call for reparation for the scourge of slavery, and resultant stymied development, and the need to harmonise efforts to achieve maximum benefit for all of the Caricom member states.

The changes in the global economy, the incoming Caricom chairman added, strengthen the need for regional integration and the firm establishment of the single market and economy which he described as “a work unfinished”.

He also pledged his support for the Caribbean Court of Justice and added that he will hold a referendum in his country to determine the way forward, as it was unfair that the final appellate court, based in Britain, should be governed by those who were their former colonial masters.

He called for the strengthening of the Caricom Secretariat and removal of barriers to integration such as work permit requirements, and said it was time for “a coalition of the willing” to achieve the stated goals and overcome the challenges facing the region.

During the meeting, President Ramotar, the holder of Caricom’s agricultural portfolio, will lead discussions of the Region’s need for better food security, climate change preparations and joint ventures in the agricultural sector. Guyana’s Head of State has explained that, with the regional food import bill averaging US$3 billion, the need for the Region to enhance its food security cannot be over-emphasised.

(GINA)

Population in Berbice continues to plummet

… but steady rise seen in the interior

BY SVETLANA MARSHALL

Regions Five and Six have experienced a sharp decline in their populations by 16,969 persons, while there has been a steady rise in the hinterland, preliminary findings of the Guyana Population and Housing Census 2012 have revealed.

The regions’ population fell from 176,123 persons in 2002 to 159,154 in 2012. Regions Five and Six form part of the coastland regions which also include Regions Two, Three, Four and 10. Collectively, the six regions recorded a population of 666,261 persons when the last census was conducted on September 15, 2012 while the overall population was recorded at 747,884. This count shows that the greater proportion of Guyana’s population is still concentrated within the coastland regions, but it has been gradually decreasing since the highest peak was recorded during the 1980 census.

Decrease in growth

“The coastland population shows variation in the growth rates for the three intercensal periods. There was a decrease in the growth rate in 1991 followed by a marginal increase in 2002 and now another decrease in 2012,” the report stated.

The decline is greatly seen in Region Six. The 1980 Census recorded a population of 152,673 persons; however, by the 1991 Census, the population had dropped to 142,496. In 2002, 123,695 persons were said to be living in the district but by the 2012 Census, it experienced a further decline in population. At the time of the last census, the population stood at 109,431 persons.

Similarly, Region Five’s population has also dipped since the 2002 Census. In 2002, 52,428 persons resided in that region, however, by the last census in 2012, there were just 49,723 persons. Unlike

Regions Three and Four, Regions Two and 10 experienced a downward trend. In Region Two, 46,810 were recorded during the last census compared to 49,253 during the previous census, while in Region 10, the population dropped from 41,112 to 39,452. Upper DemeraraBerbice (Region 10) is the least populated area within the bloc.

However, Demerara-Mahaica (Region Four) has remained the district with the largest proportion of the population among the six administrative regions within the coastland bloc. In addition to having the largest population, the district recorded an increase in population since the 2002 Census. At that time, the region had a population of 310,320, however it increase to 313,429 persons.

Hinterland rises

Meanwhile, hinterland districts, namely Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine have a population of 81,623, although they collectively make up two-thirds of the country’s landmass. Owing to increasing economic activities within the hinterland, the regions’ population continues to increase with Region One (Barima-Waini) having the highest population followed by Region Nine. Based on the preliminary report, BarimaWaini has a population of 26,941 persons followed by Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) with 24,212 persons. The CuyuniMazaruni (Region Seven) district had a population of 20,280 persons during the last census while the Potaro-Siparuni district (Region Eight) had a population of 10,190 persons. While all the hinterland regions experienced an increase in their populations, Region Nine recorded the highest increase, moving from 19,387 persons in 2002 to 24,212 persons in 2012.

Increased significantly

“For the census year 2012, the population has increased significantly in all of the regions, when compared to the previous censuses dating back from 1980. This may perhaps be the result of the increase in mining activities in the hinterland regions, to which migrant workers from other regions in Guyana have relocated for economic gains, and in particular, due to an alleged increase in the number of migrants workers from the neighbouring country Brazil,” the report stated. The Census Preliminary Report of 2012 also confirmed that there is a higher percentage of females than males in the country. On September 15, 2012, there were 372,547 males when compared to 375,337 females, thus giving an estimated sex ratio of 99 males per every 100 females in the 2012 census. However in the hinterland regions, the sex ratio for males exceeded 100 while it

was low in the coastal regions, particularly in Region Four, with an estimate of 96 males to every 100 females. According to the Guyana Bureau of Statistics, the increase in mining activities within the hinterland may account for the increased in male presence.

Building blocs Meanwhile, the country’s Building Stocks increased by 16.9 per cent, moving from 187,696 in 2002 to 219,509 in 2012. Regions Three and Four topped the chart, recording the highest increase in building stocks. According to the report, 13,120 new buildings were erected in Region Four since the 2002 Housing Census was conducted, increasing from 73,390 to 86,510 buildings. Region Three came in second with an increase of 8972 buildings. At the time of the 2002 census, the coastal region’s building stock stood at 26,516 but jumped to 35,488 buildings by 2012.

Former Curaçao PM accuses Central Bank President of bribery

According to a press release from the leader of the Opposition party in Curaçao, former Prime Minister Gerrit Schotte, there are shady transactions that, for many years, have been validated by the Central Bank. There are also wrongful actions that cannot see the light of the day at the financial institution, he claimed. Among these, he said, there are the reports by the audit department and PricewaterhouseCoopers on the mismanagement of Central Bank President Emsley Tromp.

“Shady financial transactions that supposedly must be monitored and inspected by the Central Bank are being covered up and hidden by the current management of the highest financial institution of the island. Even though they have banned the

audit department (AD) from entering the Central Bank, the AD, in its report, indicated various irregularities. There was also an investigation which has resulted in a report from the Dutch PricewaterhouseCoopers that is being held by the current government of St Maarten. Prime Minister Ivar Asjes and the current coalition have also made a deal with the Central Bank for personal gain,” Schotte indicated in his press release.

Schotte also said that everything indicates that, every two weeks, politicians from St Maarten and the President of the Central Bank meet each other in Miami to talk about the businesses that are being conducted between them.

(Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

CCJ President pleased with Dominica debate on court

President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Sir Dennis Byron on Tuesday welcomed the debate in the Dominica Parliament with regards to the island joining the Trinidad-based regional court as its final court.

“It is very important news and I am very happy that Dominica has taken its pledge to make the CCJ its final court of appeal through the constitutional procedures,” Sir Dennis told the Caribbean Media

Corporation (CMC).

“Today is a very important landmark in the move forward. It is a mature and responsible move and I trust that it will bring satisfaction to the people of Dominica,” he said.

The Dominica Parliament is debating the second and third reading of the act to amend the Constitution to facilitate the establishment of the CCJ as its final court.

The first reading took place on March 19, following

the January announcement by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit that Dominica had received no objection from the United Kingdom on the move away from the Privy Council.

The CCJ was established regional governments in 2001 to replace the Privy Council. It also acts as an international Tribunal interpreting the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that governs the regional integration movement. (Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago to establish joint commission to improve bilateral relations

Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago have agreed to the urgent formation of a joint commission “or a similar entity” to advance the issue of enhanced functional cooperation between them.

A joint communiqué following the second round of bilateral talks between the two Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries also reaffirmed “the importance of the consultations as a mechanism for strengthening political dialogue, reviewing bilateral cooperation and exchanging views on a range of pertinent issues”.

The first round of bilateral consultations on free movement in the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) was held here in December last year following the controversy that erupted when Port of Spain deported a number of Jamaican nationals. The move result-

ed in calls for a boycott of Trinidad and Tobago products in Jamaica.

Foreign Minister AJ Nicholson and his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart, Winston Dookeran met in Port of Spain last week and according to the communiqué released on Monday,

both ministers said they were cognisant of the fact that the Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica’s bilateral relationship is based on a history of shared values, respect, friendship and a tradition of cooperation at all levels of Government, business and civil society.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

TT: Man found not guilty for illegally obtaining CXC papers

A26-year-old man has been found not guilty of two charges of illegally obtaining examination papers of the Barbados-based Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

Magistrate Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds, sitting in the San Fernando Magistrate Court, on Monday dismissed the charges against Mikquel Torres, who had been charged with unlawfully procuring the May/June

2008 CXC Mathematics and English examination papers.

Torres, who did not testify in a trial, had earlier pleaded not guilty. He had been on TT$1,000,000 bail after he was charged with the offences on May 22, 2008.

Torres was among several people charged with procuring examination papers relating to the 2008 CXC examinations. These matters were all dismissed last year.

In 2008, more than

20,000 pupils had to re-sit the Mathematics and English examination which were rescheduled because of the leaked papers. Witnesses from the CXC and the Education Ministry as well as two Police officers testified during the trial.

Torres’s attorney had made a no case submission but the Magistrate overruled the submission. However she said the prosecution had failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Cuban Editors, pressured to leave magazine, announce new venture

Two editors who helped turn a Roman Catholic magazine into a rare forum for open debate in Communist-ruled Cuba, then resigned under pressure this spring, announced on Tuesday that they will launch a new forum to air a broad range of views.

Roberto Veiga and Lenier Gonzalez said their new project would be called Cuba Posible. No start date was given for the venture, which they said would be primarily online.

The editors resigned from the church magazine Espacio Laical this spring, citing pressure from inside the church and raising concerns about one of the most dynamic, non-official areas of public discourse in a country where authorities monopolise the media, leaving little space for critical voices.

Besides the printed mag-

azine, Espacio Laical published on the Internet and sponsored forums for public debate. The church said it will become less political and put more emphasis on culture and the arts.

Veiga and Gonzalez said they intend to create “a project of transitional change for our country,” citing the words of a priest who inspired them, the late Monsignor Carlos Manuel de Cespedes.

It would not be a political party or platform, but rather open to a wide range of viewpoints, Gonzalez said in a separate statement. They also promised to promote “the responsible exercise of freedom” and “the continuous design of a democracy that is each day more complete,” in addition to education, the arts and better Cuban relations with the United States, Europe and Latin America. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Mexican security forces kill 22 ‘drug gang members’

At least 22 alleged gang members were killed in a shootout with security forces in the South-west of the country. The incident took place early on Monday when soldiers patrolling the area came under fire from suspected gang members, prosecutors said.

Criminal organisations are known to operate in the area, in the southern part of Mexico state. This is one of the most violent clashes with drug cartels since President

Enrique Pena Nieto took office in 2012.

Monday’s shootout took place in the municipality of Tlatlaya. Mexican authorities said that the 22 victims were probably members of La Familia Michoacana drug cartel. The criminal gang is active in neighbouring Michoacan and Guerrero states.

No soldier is reported to have been injured in the incident. When Pena Nieto was sworn in 19 months ago, he promised to review the war

on drugs policy of his predecessor, Felipe Calderon.

Critics say Calderon’s decision to deploy the armed forces to combat the powerful drug cartels in December 2006 led to a sharp increase in violence. At least 60,000 people are estimated to have been killed in drug-related violence during his six-year term.

Despite the criticism, Pena Nieto’s Government has continued to fight the gangs. (Excerpt from BBC News)

IMF head expresses confidence in regional economies

Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, says she is confident in Jamaica’s ability to sustain and enhance economic stability, through Government’s implementation of the Economic Reform Programme (ERP). She also expressed similar confidence for other Caribbean islands, which she says are also undertak-

ing similar programmes. The IMF chief made her remarks while delivering a special lecture at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus, on the theme: ‘The Caribbean and the IMF’.

Lagarde noted that while Jamaica has not overcome all of its economic challenges, “we can already see signs of calm seas ahead”, due to the implementation of the ERP. These, she reiterated, includes: a seven per cent reduc-

tion in public debt; restoration of economic growth; improvements in the public purse; and reduction in inflation, and external account deficits.

“The economy (grew) at a rate of 1.6 per cent, year over year, in the first quarter of 2014. If you look at (several) other countries in the (Region, their performance is) certainly not as good as that number that you have turned up,” she stated. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

Israel holds murdered teenagers’ funerals

The funerals of three teenagers who were abducted and murdered while hitch-hiking in the occupied West Bank have been held in Israel. Addressing thousands of mourners, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described their killers as “heinous murderers”.

Israel has blamed the Palestinian militant group Hamas for the deaths.

Hamas has denied any involvement. The youths’ bodies were found on

Monday evening, more than two weeks after the trio went missing.

Netanyahu has said Hamas will be made to pay a price for the killings.

Speaking at the joint funeral held for Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach in central Israel, Netanyahu said “a broad moral gulf separates us from our enemy. They sanctify death, we sanctify life”.

The funeral took place at Modein cemetery in central Israel. Modein,

which is between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, is close to the boys’ families.

The teenagers’ bodies were found under a pile of rocks near the Palestinian town of Halhul. An Israeli official said it appeared the youths had been shot soon after their abduction. Israeli troops flooded into Halhul after the discovery.

The disappearance of the teenagers on June 12 sparked a huge search operation in Palestinian towns and cities across the West Bank. More than 400 Palestinians were arrested, while five were killed in fighting with Israeli troops.

Netanyahu has said the incident is a consequence of “the partnership” between Hamas, which rejects Israel’s right to exist, and the Fatah movement of Abbas.

The two signed a reconciliation deal in April after years of division and formed a unity Government last month.

Overnight, Israel launched more than 30 air strikes on facilities linked to militant groups in the Gaza Strip after 18 rockets had been fired into Israel since Sunday night, the Israeli military reported. (Excerpt from BBC News)

India outraged over MP Tapas Pal’s rape threat

There is growing outrage in India after an MP threatened to kill Opposition workers and have women raped.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) party MP Tapas Pal made the controversial comments warning the rival Communist party while addressing his party supporters. His wife has apologised

for his remarks and his party has asked him to explain his comments within 48 hours. Several Opposition parties and the National Commission for Women have also condemned his comments.

Pal made the threat weeks ago, but a video clip of his comments emerged for the first time on Monday when it was aired on Bengali

news channels. Pal later denied using the word rape. “What I said was I will tell my workers to raid,” the Press Trust of India quoted him as saying.

But in the video, he is clearly heard using the word rape while assuring TMC workers that their political rivals will not be able to harm them. “If any CPM [Communist Party of India

Ebola death toll in West Africa rise to 467, WHO says

The number of people killed by the deadly Ebola virus in West Africa has risen to 467, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said. Sixty-eight of the deaths had been recorded since June 23, the WHO said.

The number of cases had risen from 635 on June 23 to 759, a 20 per cent increase, the WHO added. It is the largest outbreak – in terms of cases, deaths and geo-

graphical spread – to affect Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Ebola, a haemorrhagic fever, has no cure and is spread by contact with the fluids of infected people or animals, such as urine, sweat and blood. Most of the deaths have been centred in the southern Guekedou region of Guinea, where the outbreak was first reported in February.

The rise in infections will

increase pressure on the health ministers of 11 West African countries when they meet in Ghana today and on Thursday to discuss the growing crisis, correspondents say.

The WHO has called for “drastic action” to tackle the outbreak. “Containment of this outbreak requires a strong response in the countries and especially along their shared border areas,” it said in a statement. (BBC News)

European rights court upholds French ‘burqa ban’

France’s law banning women from wearing face-covering veils in public is not discriminatory, the European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday.

The court’s decision follows a case brought by a 24-year-old French woman of Pakistani origin, described as a “perfect French citizen”, argued that the ban violated her rights to freedom of religion, expression and assembly, and was discriminatory.

The woman, identified

only by her initials SAS, said that being forced to take off her veil in public constituted “degrading treatment” and also was an attack on her private and family life.

In written evidence, SAS – who did not appear – testified that she was not forced to wear a burqa and that she was willing to remove it whenever required for security reasons, directly addressing the French authorities’ two main arguments in favour of the ban.

Her appeal to the court was supported by international human rights group Amnesty International, which told FRANCE24 before the ruling that France’s law “only served to stigmatise women and Muslim women in particular”.

“The argument that the law protects women has no foundation,” said Amnesty’s President Geneviève Garrigos. “Many [Muslim] women wear veils of their own free will. (Excerpt from France24)

Sunnis, Kurds shun Iraq parliament after no Maliki replacement named

Sunnis and Kurds walked out of the first session of Iraq’s new Parliament on Tuesday after Shi’ites failed to name a Prime Minister to replace Nuri al-Maliki, dimming any prospect of an early national unity Government to save Iraq from collapse.

– Marxist] man is present here, listen to me. If you ever touch any Trinamool Congress worker or their families, you have to pay for this...

“If any rival touches any Trinamool woman, father or child, then I will ruin their generations. I will let loose my boys, they will commit rape. Yes, they will commit rape,” the MP warned. (Excerpt from BBC News)

The United States, United Nations, Iran and Iraq’s own Shi’ite clergy have pushed hard for politicians to come up with an inclusive Government to hold the fragmenting country together as Sunni insurgents bear down on Baghdad.

The leader of the al Qaeda offshoot spearheading the insurgency, the Islamic State, has declared a “caliphate” in the lands it has seized in Iraq and Syria. Its leader vowed on Tuesday to avenge what he said were

wrongs committed against Muslims worldwide.

Despite the urgency, the Iraqi Parliament’s first session since its election in April collapsed when Sunnis and Kurds refused to return from a recess to the parliamentary chamber after Shi’ites failed to name a Prime Minister. Parliament is not likely to meet again for at least a week, leaving Iraq in political limbo and Maliki clinging to power as a caretaker, rejected by Sunnis and Kurds.

Under a governing system put in place after the removal of Saddam Hussein, the Prime Minister has always been a member of the Shi’ite majority, the speaker of Parliament a Sunni and the largely ceremonial President a Kurd. (Excerpt from Reuters)

No fast way to get people to buy-in on LGBT rights – Teixeira

B y V ahnu M anikchand

The Criminal Law Offences Act which criminalises same sex relations here speaks to the issue of male-male relations only and does not address relationships between consenting adult females, Presidential Adviser on Governance, Gail Teixeira has said.

As a result, she said, lesbianism is not illegal, but she urged a Parliamentary Select Committee reviewing the recommendations out of the 2010 Universal Periodic Review on same-sex relations here to speed up its work. Teixeira made the observation while addressing a forum in observance of World Pride Month which concluded on Monday.

According to the

and liable to imprisonment for two years.

Section 353 states: Everyone who (a) attempts to commit buggery; or (b) assaults any person with intent to commit buggery; or

Criminal Law (Offences) Act of Guyana: Section 352: Any male person who, in public or private, commits, or is a party to the commission, or procures or attempts to procure the commission, by any male person, of any act of gross indecency with any other male person shall be guilty of a misdemeanour

(c) being a male, indecently assaults any other male person, shall be guilty of felony and liable to imprisonment for 10 years.

Section 354 and 355 further states: Everyone who commits buggery... shall be guilty of felony and liable to imprisonment for life.

Everyone who (a) does any indecent act in any

place to which the public have or are permitted to have access; or (b) does any indecent act in any place, intending thereby to insult or offend any person, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and liable to imprisonment for two years.

Teixeira, noted that the first Gay Pride March held in Toronto, Canada over 30 years ago caused great consternation and even led to violence. However, that era has passed in a changing world; one that is slowly learning to accept LGBT persons. “The Government [of Guyana] will continue to use the model it developed over the last 20 years to bring controversial issues, including that of gay rights to the National Assembly with the hope of winning consensus and forward movement wherever possible,” she stated. Teixeira pointed out that there is no fast-track way in convincing people to see these changes and support these rights for LGBT persons. “Each society goes through its own democracy and evolution, and rights emerge from people’s

Region Six official charged for indecent exposure

Regional Co-ops Officer, Region Six, Narine Chattergoon, was on Monday placed on $75,000 bail when he appeared in a New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court on a charge of exposing his genitals.

The court was told that the 49-year-old committed the act at his office in the compound of the Regional Democratic Council on March 13. Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Godfrey Platter, told the court that Chattergoon intentionally exposed himself to a woman in March, but the report was not made until June 18.

He said Chattergoon of Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, was initially placed on $50,000 station bail after being invited to the station after the report was made. It is alleged that Chattergoon was in East Canje on the day in question when he approached the woman who was under a house and enquired of the directions to a school. The two started a conversation which led to Chattergoon making it known that he was the Regional Co-ops Officer.

The woman then related that she needed a job and

was trying to get into the Community Policing Group. Chattergoon then told the woman that he could assist and invited her to his office. The woman said she could not have made it to his office on that day because of financial constraints. It is alleged that Chattergoon gave her $300 and told her to use the money to travel.

When the woman eventually arrived at the Regional Democratic Council compound, she asked for Narine,

but was told that there was no one with that name there. According to the court, around the same time, the accused rode in on a motorcycle and invited the woman to his office. It is there it is alleged that Chattergoon placed his hands around her neck and tried to kiss her on the lips, and she mentioned that her daughter was in her company.

Chattergoon later allegedly told the woman to look down where he showed her his exposed penis, and tried to coerce the woman into performing oral sex. The woman did not report the incident until after meeting with an aunt who allegedly reported a similar story, when see was invited to the office of the Regional Democratic Council with the promise of getting a job. Chattergoon will have to return to court on July 18.

Chattergoon is also the Chairman of B Division Community Policing groups and in 2010 was responsible for the cooking of food when more than 100 Community Policing Groups, Neighbourhood Police and the Standard Police officers suffered food poisoning.

ing around lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) persons. Addressing the gathering, Dr Giles noted that the observance of Pride Month is a platform for change and for LGBT persons to be accepted.

own consciousness and conditions. Slow sometimes with many ups and downs, reversals and forward movement, but each was fought by slow pace-taking, many times frustrating, long hours of convincing and persuading those who didn’t believe,” she said.

Empowerment of LGBTs

Co-chair of the Diverse Youth Movement, Lashawn Devoroy, briefly stated that Pride Month is a time when members of the LGBT community liberate themselves through various movements and use it to host events which will see the empowerment of LGBTs. Unfortunately, Devoroy noted, Guyana does not have the force that is present in other countries to support LGBTs, however, they are fostering relations to change this and allow the observance of Pride Month to blossom in Guyana.

Meanwhile, Canadian High Commissioner, Dr Nicole Giles, called for Guyanese to be more tolerant of the change revolv -

She noted that promoting the human rights of LGBT persons plays an integral role in Canada’s foreign policy and priority. “Canada stands up for human rights and takes principled positions on important issues to promote freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law around the world. Canada seeks to protect and promote human rights for minorities such as

view the recommendations made at the 2010 Universal Periodic Review process which includes the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Dr Giles urged other countries not to use sexual orientation as the basis for criminal penalties or other ill treatment of LGBT persons. She highlighted the importance of everyone working together to promote the safety, legal protection and safeguarding the freedom of expression of LGBT persons in Guyana.

“We cannot shy away from our international and human responsibility to address the challenge of growing inequalities that the

LGBT persons. Canada believes that human rights apply to all people – regardless of nationality, race, gender or sexual orientation,” she pointed out.

The Canadian High Commissioner noted that the criminalisation of samesex relationships between consenting adults portrays discriminatory practices as she commended the Guyana Government for taking a stand against such practices by establishing a Special Select Committee to re -

LGBT community faces daily around the world. The struggles of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons have become a public issue in recent years, as have the challenges they face because of their sexual orientation, ascribed or actual,” the Canadian High Commissioner said. She went on to encourage the use of new media technology to build more platforms that will encourage people’s attitudes. (vahnumanikchand@ guyanatimesgy.com)

Pathologist Bridgemohan appointed CEO of Mercy Hospital

The Board of Directors of St Joseph Mercy Hospital (SJMH) has announced that Dr Vivakeanand Bridgemohan has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of St Joseph Mercy Hospital effective July 1.

Bridgemohan has served as Medical Director since January 1, a role that he will continue to perform, the hospital said in a release. Dr Bridgemohan first joined the medical staff of St Joseph Mercy Hospital in August 2012. He earned his medical degree from the Latin American School of Medicine

in Cuba in June 2010. Before joining the medical staff at SJMH, Dr Bridgemohan was Medical Superintendent at the West Demerara Regional Hospital and served in various medical administrative roles throughout Guyana in Regions Three, Four, Seven and Eight. Dr Bridgemohan has a passion for serving humanity and this is reflected in the work he has done in Guyana.

The Board of Directors has also announced that Helen Browman, currently Associate Administrator, has been appointed to the newly created position of Chief

Operating Officer, also effective July 1. Browman has served the medical institution for the past six years and continues to bring her experience and commitment to the new administrative structure. Adrian Anderson who served as Associate Administrator for Clinical Services for the past year will be returning to the United States in July.

With these appointments, the Board of St Joseph Hospital said it is looking forward to the next phase of development envisaged for the hospital and a positive impact on those it serves in the name of mercy.

PPP says GECOM ill-prepared for Local Government Elections

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is of the view that the go-slow on long overdue local government elections may be linked to the major glitches being experienced by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

PPP’s General Secretary Clement Rohee told members of the media on Monday that there are a number of problems that may be affecting the holding of local government elections. Rohee noted that thousands of persons are yet to be placed on the National Register of Registrants. This may have failed to happen because of individuals moving to new addresses without any notice.

“We are concerned that the huge housing schemes that have been established and the removal of people from their homes to these new places. The question of transfer is important. Thousands of persons are yet to be brought into the National Register of Registrants (NRR) and this is something we intend to pick up aggressively with GECOM”, the party’s General Secretary told the media.

He said his party maintains a policy whereby no person should be disenfranchised. In that regard, GECOM needs to step up its game in the registration process, the PPP said. Rohee spoke of the extension on the sixth cycle of registration that the party has sought, pointing out that it is an attempt to get every voter in line. He also called on the

electoral body to better organise the mobile registration service. “We’ve seen in some places where GECOM mobile registration has not been in satisfaction with the party. GECOM has not spent enough time in some of the places where the mobile service was offered so that people could be registered to vote”.

Topping the list, Rohee pointed out may be the issue of constituency boundaries.

GECOM, he said, is yet to settle on a number of technical details with respect to the boundaries of the constituencies that people will be situated in order for them to vote during the local government election. The General Secretary added that the party will have to await the preliminary results of the current 2012 census to determine whether or not that survey will have any impact on the electoral fortunes of any one political party. He said every political party will undoubtedly use the information to see what it means

for them individually, as well as their political opponents.

Asked whether demographic shifts had been a consideration in the results of the 2011 general election, the party representative said that based on its findings (the party has been going from “house to house”), it has found that a number of people have migrated from the country. He said that is one of the reasons there had been a call for an extension of the sixth cycle of continuous registration.

“Our position is that not a single person should be disenfranchised and we are focusing particularly on support areas that the PPP [have] traditionally drawn its support. “The same way we called for an extension of the registration cycle, we expect to take up the issue with transfers and mobile registration”. Rohee said GECOM may very well be aware of all the challenges which confront them and that is why the whole question of whether local government elections could be held with those matters yet unsettled, has been rearing its head, the General Secretary explained.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic, Rohee conveyed, is a political body that always continues to analyse the political events in the country. Prognosis is made on the basis of analyses, and action is taken, he declared. He said too that although the party has written the electoral body, he has not yet received any formal response from GECOM, since the Chairman is out of the country.

Southland International Incorporated on Saturday awarded the $1 million grand prize to the winner of the ‘Moussy, Colour Your Dreams Promotion’ after 11 weeks of the promotional competition.

The new millionaire, Pere Deroy, stated that she is very happy about her win and said the money will go towards furthering her studies, which is something she has been looking forward to doing for a while. Deroy stated that she had submitted her name only

once to the drawing and had never dreamed of winning the grand prize, but was extremely grateful that she did.

The Moussy Colour Your Dreams Promotion had been ongoing for the past 11 weeks and produced 38 winners. At Saturday’s final drawing, five consolation prizes of Moussy drink hampers were awarded to Cornell Simon, Nicola Forbes, Venice Drake, Coleen Smith and Elisha Dornelius, who had only submitted their entries just that day. Prizes

The Anna Catherina Islamic Complex (ACIC) and The Guyana United Sadr Islamic Anjuman (and the Shaheed Orphanages) will host a special daily radio programme during the month of Ramadan under the name “The Essence of Ramadan”.

The programme will feature mostly Islamic songs. The organisations are aiming to recreate the atmosphere

The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) – Al Ghazali and Meten-Meer-Zorg Islamic academies – secured a 100 per cent pass rate at the recent National Grade Six Assessment Examinations (NGSA).

The Al Ghazali and MetenMeer-Zorg Islamic Academies have been recognised for their commitment to quality education for the past years, the CIOG said, adding that the schools offer religious and secular education at the nursery,

for commencing fasting in the morning usually associated with the past, when the popular songs of Ramadan used to flow from the airwaves.

The programme will be aired from 04:00h (04:00 am) to 04:30h (04:30 am). Persons, especially those outside of Guyana, can also hear a live stream of the programme.

ACIC has served as the hub for the International cooperation of Muslims in

Guyana with those overseas, since in the early 2000s and provides the programmes and facilities to allow such cooperation.

The Sadr Anjuman is the oldest existing Islamic organisation in Guyana, enacted by an Act of Parliament in the 1960s. It was formed in the 1940s and provided leadership to the Muslim community over many decades.

were also handed out to representatives from the various locations, who allowed entry boxes to be made available in their businesses.

CEO of Southland International Irzad Zamal expressed congratulations to all the winners of the promotion and advised them to look out for more from the Southland family. He mentioned that Southland Inc is a fairly new company and he is grateful for all of the support that they have received so far.

primary and secondary levels.

The CIOG said that Sir Johnny and Sister Roshanie lead the primary division and are supported by experienced staff, who are committed to excellence in the education of the future generation. Al Ghazali Islamic Academy has produced students for the top schools in Georgetown and in the regions.

“These achievements demonstrate the determination and commitment to quality service. Particular mention must be made of Sir Johnny, Ms Roshanie and Sir Omadat

Singh, who tirelessly prepared the students for the exams and are now reaping the rewards of their efforts.”

The CIOG reiterated its commitment in ensuring that all are provided with the opportunity to access a proper education regardless of race or religion, hence its motto ‘Reaching the Unreached’. “We see our role as complementing that of the Ministry [of Education],” said Sheik Moen-ul-Hack, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the schools.

Newly accredited Brazilian Ambassador to Guyana, Lineu Pupo de Paula, on Monday paid a courtesy call on Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, during which several areas of cooperation were discussed with a possibility of building capacity.

Minister Persaud told the Ambassador that he was pleased with the bilateral relations between the two countries, but he is hoping that there would be greater cooperation. The Minister informed the Brazilian Ambassador that over recent years, there has been an overwhelming increase in the number of Brazilians coming to Guyana.

Given that his Ministry has direct responsibility for mining and the environment, he would be looking forward to working with the Brazilians on strengthening those areas. Speaking on the contribution of Brazilians in the mining sector, the Minister said they

have played a very significant role. “We have always valued the investment and the technology transfer of Brazilians to the mining sector. In fact, we say that the modernisation of our own gold-mining sector came about when we had the introduction of Brazilian technology and Guyanese were able to develop those and look at other alternatives.”

Speaking on the issue of pollution in mining areas, Minister Persaud reassured the Ambassador that Government is making every move to address this issue. “We are committed to the Minamata Convention which deals with the eventual removal of mercury from the mining sector and through the GGMC and the Environmental Protection Agency, we have developed a Code of Practice, we have the necessary regulations in place so as to manage and detect, and to deal with those issues when they come up.”

In addition, the Minister

told the Ambassador that the Natural Resources Ministry has been monitoring the mining sector very closely to ensure environmental and other forms of compliance. Meanwhile, both the Minister and the Ambassador expressed similar sentiments about working closely in the area of capacity building in the mining, environmental and forestry sectors in terms of sharing satellite imagery.

The Brazilian Ambassador pledged his Government’s support for these and other mutually beneficial projects in the mining sector. Other issues discussed included the timely availability of work permits for Brazilian nationals and the increasing number of Guyanese who are showing interest in learning Portuguese. However, there remains the issue of a shortage of teachers for the Portuguese course at the Brazilian Institute, but that issue is being addressed, the Brazilian Ambassador reassured.

SUDOKU

Your appeal has never been stronger. You will silence your critics and dazzle your colleagues if you promote your ideas today. You can make a difference, so speak up.

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Business and personal relationships will be on shaky ground. Keep your distance from partners or co-workers if you want to meet your deadlines and avoid being drawn into gossip.

“We never gave up”-

Gonsalves

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

Driven by a desire to win at all cost, skipper

Ryan Gonsalves said the National Men’s 15s rugby team, the Guyana Jaguars, ‘never gave up’ despite trailing hosts USA South Panthers at half-time in the final of the North America and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) 15s final last Saturday in Atlanta.

The Guyanese, faced with numerous off-field challenges, key among them financing, stormed back in emphatic fashion to defeat the Panthers 30-27 in over-time to claim their first NACRA 15s title in 43 years.

Coincidentally, it was Gonsalves who scored the decisive penalty in over-time after the two teams were locked at 27-27 at the end of full-time. The final score represented a remarkable rearguard effort after the Guyanese found themselves in a deep hole at 8-24 at the break.

“It was a hard game, not the easiest. In fact, all of us have conceded that it was the toughest game we have ever played. Not everyday a 15s game goes to over-time, but we never gave up, we always applied pressure,” Gonsalves, who has been national captain since 2011, said at a press briefing at the Guyana Olympic Association headquarters on Tuesday.

He added, “They didn’t want to play us in the backline because of our speed and I must recognise the efforts of the senior players like Theodore Henry, Claudius Butts, Richard Staglon and Ronald Mayers, as well as the

junior players who came to the fore. No one downed their heads when we were down in the first half and once we got that first set of points in the second half it all fell into place.”

Now that the NACRA 15s title is in Guyana’s possession, to go along with six consecutive NACRA Sevens trophies from 2007-2012, Guyana Times enquired about what is needed to sustain the country’s outstanding performance going forward.

“Definitely we need more international matches,” Gonsalves quickly responded. “We have the NACRA Sevens in Mexico in December and the only way we can regain that trophy is being exposed to more international games. That’s the only way we can gauge our progress and also come up with the right combination of players.”

Guyana did not compete at the NACRA Sevens last year due to circumstances beyond the control of the GRFU.

Government support President of the GRFU, Peter Green, thanked all those who supported the Union in garnering the required $8 million to send the team to Atlanta, including “members of the public who ducked their hands in their pockets and gave us a $1000.”

While underlining that the success of the ruggers was a direct result of “forward planning” by the GRFU, since the players were together since January, Green appealed to the government to recognise the achievements of the ruggers.

Green pointed out that the government could not be blamed for not coming on board to assist the team to Atlanta, given the short time the GRFU had to garner the necessary funds and the procedure involved.

The GRFU had two weeks before Saturday’s game to come up with the budget and even required the intervention of NACRA to offset the expenses related to airfare, visas and part of the accomodation.

This scenario arose after USA South Panthers had defeated the Cayman Islands on June 14 to determine Guyana’s opponent in the final, which was originally scheduled for June 22, but had to be shifted last weekend on request of the GRFU due to the Union being “in the red”, according to Treasurer Roger Perreira.

Now that the game is over, the GRFU has found itself with a debt of $1.5 million.

Best team

Meanwhile, former national player, Kenneth GrantStuart, who played in the NACRA 15s for Guyana in 2000, was appointed Manager of the Guyana Jaguars for the first time.

Reflecting on the performance of the team, GrantStuart said it was all “a miracle” that the Guyanese eventually emerged victorious, especially since there was the possibility of the match not being played at all. He lauded the players for their efforts, adding “it was the best team to work with.”

‘Ganguly’ wins Wartsila golf tourney

Reigning Digicel Guyana Open champion, Avinda ‘Ganguly’ Kishore, continued his phenomenal rise in local golf by copping the top podium spot in the Wartsila (Guyana) Inc. sponsored golf tournament on Saturday last.

Playing amongst a field of 47 golfers at the Lusignan Golf Course, the 19-year-old and younger brother of multiple Guyana Open champion Avinash Persaud produced a scintillating gross 71 and net 67 to lift the first prize.

Play commenced at 12:30h, despite the threat of rain with all the golfers expressing enthusiasm of completing the course.

Three downpours did not damper the spirits of the golfers, and although some receded to the comfort of the Club House during the passing showers, others continued and yet the game finished in relatively good time- at 17:00h.

While Kishore’s gross was fantastic, his net was rivalled by Mattie

Wesslin, the Finland representative from Wartsila, who is also an avid golfer. Wesslin, with a handicap of 21, had a gross 88, thereby also ending with a net 67. However, ‘Ganguly’ turned in a much better 35 as against Mattie’s 46, on the ‘back nine’ holes.

“I think my play was excellent. In all, though I did five bogeys, I still

managed two birdies and one eagle. Despite the fact the rain fell about three times I played through the rain. I just continued playing and enjoyed the game,” Kishore said after the win.

Wartsila’s representative and second place finisher, Wesslin, referring to the day’s winner as “Guyana’s best golfer”, conceded that if his own play on the back nine holes was one stroke less, he would have won the tournament. However, he was happy that he was involved in the game and that Wartsila was making a positive contribution to the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC). Pointing out that this was the third tournament Wartsila had sponsor, Wesslin said he looks forward to a continued partnership with the LGC. Other top performers on the day were Fazil Haniff (gross 80, net 68), David Harry (gross 83, net 69), Ayube Ali (gross 91, net 69), and HareshTewari (gross 88 net 70).

Yaw not attending World Juniors

AAG still to select full IGG squad

Quarter miler Jason Yaw will not be attending the World Junior Championships despite being in receipt of a ticket by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF). The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has opted not to send the talented athlete due to other meets

being around the same time. AAG President Aubrey Hutson revealed to Guyana Times Sport that due to Yaw having to attend the Youth Olympics he will not be in “possession” of his passport around the time World Juniors is in progress. Yaw will be without his passport because of the

processing period his passport will have to go through in order to attain his visa to head to China for the Youth Olympics.

Meanwhile, Hutson also revealed that the Inter Guiana Games (IGG) athletics team is still pending because they are looking at the best combination of athletes for the team. While it is two persons per event it does not necessarily mean that first and second for every event will make the cut.

“The team does have a number of constraints and because some athletes did not turn up we have to look at athletes who can run a good 400 and throw the javelin or vice versa,” Hutson mentioned.

However, Hutson assured that the AAG is assiduously working to come up with the best possible team to represent Guyana at the IGG which is set to run off the first weekend in August in Guyana. (Treiston Joseph)

Digicel

Schools Football Tournament…

Defending champions CWSS win Linden zone

–

St. George’s advance past second round

By tReiston joseph

Defending cham-

pions Wismar

Christianburg Secondary School (CWSS) have won the Linden zone of the Digicel Schools Football Tournament following a 4-2 defeat of Mackenzie High School (MHS) on Tuesday.

MHS would start in the harshest of fashions, gifting CWSS the lead in the 13th minute with an own goal. The second half would prove to be much more exciting as MHS made up for their earlier mistake with an equaliser in the 52nd minute from Kelon Primo.

Christianburg did not stay quiet and answered with two quick goals in the 62nd and 68th minutes by Anthony Layne and Shane Luckie respectively to make the score 3-1.

Taffon Alexander then made it a close game for MHS in the 86th minute when he netted to make the score 3-2 before Donovan Francis drove the nail in the coffin in 88th minute for CWSS’ 4-2 win.

At Camp Ayanganna, ten goals were shared between

St Mary’s Secondary School and Queenstown Secondary School with St. Mary’s walking away with a 6-4 victory.

Raphael Charles, Andell Smith, Andrew Freeman, Lennox Cort, Akiel Forde and Curtez Kellman scored in the 6th, 10th, 18th, 20th, 54th and 90th minutes respectively to win the game for St. Mary’s while Kelsie Benjamin 74th and 88th, Jason Williams 57th and Williamson Dos Santos 73rd scored the goals for Queenstown.

St. George’s Secondary School displayed some top

class long distance shooting to defeat South Ruimveldt Secondary School 2-0 at the Ministry of Education Ground, Carifesta Avenue.

In the midst of one of the best first halves in Georgetown, both teams displayed excellent skill and passing to dazzle the crowd. With both teams exchanging possession and legs becoming a little tired, the first ended in a nil-all stalemate.

After resumption of the second half, St. George’s kept the pressure on with their attacking style of play, handling most of the posses-

sion during the early minutes.

Ball possession would prove crucial as Orin Moore of St. George’s spotted South Ruimveldt’s keeper trying to fix his gloves and blasted a ball in the back of the net from approximately 40 yards out in the 39th minute.

Three minutes later, Adolph George would blast another goal in the top right hand corner of the net, this time from approximately 35 yards out to give St. George’s a 2-nil advantage in the second half.

PMTC releases provisional programme for July 27 horse-race meet

By Rajiv Bisnauth

The Port Mourant Turf

Club (PMTC) has released a provisional programme for its horse race meet slated for July 27.

The club was left with no alternative but to release another programme after communication giant Digicel pulled the plug on its sponsorship deal with the club, forcing the organisers to squash the original programme.

Both the PMTC and Budhan’s Memorial Sports Complex and Race Track had planned separate horse -race meets but Digicel ended the partnership after claiming that the company wished to stay clear of conflicts.

Seven races are confirmed for race day with the ‘D’ Class event being the feature race. It will be contested over one mile and will see the horses galloping for a first prize of $1M.

The Three-Year-Old Guyana and West Indies bred horses will gallop over 1500 metres for the $500,000

first prize on offer.

The G3 and Lower horses will also run over six furlongs and will see the champion horse taking home a winners’ purse of $500,000. The race for G1 and Lower horses has a winning purse of $400,000 and will be contested over 1200 metres.

The I and Lower 1200 metres event has a winning prize of $250,000, while the other 1200 metres event is for animals classified J and Lower, which will see the winner pocketing $200,000.

The race for Two-YearOld Guyana and West Indies bred horses will be run over 1000 metres and the winning purse is set at $300,000.

The deadline for registration is July 20, 2014.

Meanwhile, the Budhan’s Memorial Sports Complex and Race Track has decided to make way for the bigger Port Mourant Turf Club race meet.

A new date for the Budhan’s Memorial Sports Complex and Race Track meet is yet to be announced.

Argentina reach World Cup quarterfinals Belgium hang on to beat Usa

Angel Di Maria’s extra-time winner carried Argentina into the World Cup quarter-finals after an unconvincing display against Switzerland. The twotime champions dominated possession in a turgid last-16 tie, but were unable to break through until Di Maria swept in Lionel Messi’s pass.

Switzerland defender Blerim Dzemaili headed against the Argentina post then prodded wide after Di Maria’s winner.

Argentina will face Belgium, who beat the USA, in the last eight on Saturday.

It was a remarkable conclusion to a match that saw Argentina, rated among the favourites to win the World Cup, produce another distinctly average performance in neighbouring Brazil.

Real Madrid winger Di Maria was wasteful in promising positions throughout but kept his composure when it mattered most, coolly sweeping an angled shot into the bottom corner after Messi’s pass found him advancing into the area.

About 40,000 Argentina fans were estimated to be inside the Arena de Sao Paulo and Di Maria’s late intervention sparked wild celebrations between players and fans.

But it was a heartbreaking end for Switzerland and particularly their veteran coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, whose 31-year

managerial career ended in cruel fashion.

The 65-year-old German, who was twice voted World Coach of the Year, retires after winning 19 major club trophies for Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Grasshoppers.

Argentina failed to find top form during the group stage as Messi’s brilliance inspired them to three narrow victories against Bosnia-Hercegovina, Iran and Nigeria.

And they failed to impress again as Switzerland, who progressed as Group E runners-up with wins against Ecuador and Honduras, frustrated them for long periods.

Hitzfeld appeared to have instructed his defence to sit deep and crowd out Argentina’s attacking players, which worked perfectly as the South Americans dominated possession but had few clear-cut chances to show for it. Messi was regularly deprived of space in the first half by a host of red shirts.

The Swiss offered little forward threat themselves, focusing more on keeping their shape.

But just before the half-hour mark, it was Hitzfeld’s side who created the best chances of the opening 45 minutes.

Xherdan Shaqiri’s cute cutback found Granit Xhaka, whose drilled shot was palmed clear by Sergio Romero. And the Argentina keeper then

sprang quickly to his feet to block Stephan Lichtsteiner’s long-range shot seconds later.

It might have served as a warning for Argentina - but they failed to take notice.

Shaqiri pinched possession to pick out Josip Drmic but, as an indecisive Romero decided to stay close to his goalline, the Swiss striker’s attempted chip was easily gathered by the Argentine.

Although the South Americans began to move the ball more quickly after the interval, only Messi looked capable of unlocking Switzerland’s sturdy defence.

The Barcelona star sent a vicious volley dipping over the crossbar before jinking into the penalty area shortly after, forcing Diego Benaglio to push out his low shot.

Switzerland barely moved the ball out of their own half in the final 20 minutes as Messi continued to orchestrate Argentina’s best attacking moves.

But neither side could find a late winner as the match went into extra time - the fourth of seven second-round ties to do so.

The European side stuck rigidly to their game plan in the additional half-hour, refusing to become more adventurous as penalties approachedbefore Di Maria finally netted with Argentina’s 28th effort at goal. (BBC.com)

Belgium’s golden generation earned the chance to live up to their billing as they reached a first World Cup quarter-final for 28 years with an extra-time win over the USA in Salvador.

This was another brilliant and breathless occasion. Belgium walk away deserving winners but only after a performance of incredible spirit and bravery from the US.

As it was, Kevin de Bruyne scored the goal that finally broke USA resistance in the second minute of extra time at Arena Fonte Nova. Substitute Romelu Lukaku fired in a second 11 minutes later to apparently end the contest.

The US would not go quietly, though. From nowhere they rose up to find hope and with it a goal from substitute Julian Green, who volleyed brilliantly past Thibaut Courtois. Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey both had chances to take the match to penalties but neither was able to take the chance to extend the USA’s dream.

That Jurgen Klinsmann’s men survived so long owed everything to an outstanding goalkeeping performance by Tim Howard, who made a record number of saves in a World Cup match. In front of him, his team-mates were simply outclassed.

Belgium will now play Argentina in a mouth-watering quarter-final in Brasilia on Saturday. On this evidence, they will take some beating.

This was a battle of flair against function. Belgium, with their jet-heeled forwards and unquestioned technical superiority, against the organisation and energy of the United States.

Eden Hazard and Divock Origi were a pair of nuisances and their willingness to run at their opponents, and sheer athletic ability, caused the US problems throughout the 120 minutes.

Kevin De Bruyne scuffed two chances wide and sent a third straight at Howard as Jurgen Klinsmann’s side too often left themselves open to the counter-attack - Hazard, De Bruyne, Origi and Jan Vertonghen rampaged into wide open spaces in the US half.

DaMarcus Beasley’s vital interception then denied Marouane Felliani at the back post as Belgium took the game by the scruff of the neck. The US were reliant on Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey to create their best moments and the pair combined to test Courtois just before half-time.

If the US had been second best in the first half, they hung on in the second.

Belgium monopolised possession as the US dropped deeper and deeper.

Toby Alderweireld was finding space down the right from where he delivered a cross that Origi headed onto the top of Howard’s crossbar. Hazard went close with flick soon after, and the introduction of substitute Kevin Mirallas only reinforced Belgium’s dominance. He scythed through the US defence, the ball running to Origi, whose shot was beaten away by Howard.

Moments later, Howard was sprawling low to flick a shot away from Mirallas, his Everton team-mate, before Hazard drew another brilliant save. The veteran keeper was at it again soon after, tipping Origi’s fierce shot over. Somehow, the US got over the line and into extra timebut the respite was brief. The introduction of Lukaku had an immediate impact. He burst down the right and although his crossshot was blocked by Matt Besler, De Bruyne pounced on the loose ball, found a yard of space and shot unerringly into the far corner.

De Bruyne then turned provider to find Chelsea striker, who turned the ball into the net with a brilliant finish at the near post. (BBC.com)

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Malta Supreme 11-race cycling on this Saturday

Grant and “Wheat Up” races to follow this weekend

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

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Following the successful hosting of the Guyana Cycling Federation’s National Cycling Championships last weekend, local riders will head to the inner circuit of the National Park this weekend as the 2014 season continues.

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Saturday’s event will take the form of an 11-race programme sponsored by Banks DIH Limited under its Malta Supreme brand for the third year in succession. Action will get underway at 09:00h with the BMX riders and will conclude with the senior cyclists competing in the feature 35-lap School Boys and Invitational race.

Alanzo Greaves, currently campaigning in the

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respective categories.

Banks DIH Limited’s Non-Alcoholic Brand Manager, Clayton McKenzie, and Outdoor Events Manager, Mortimer Stewart, are expected to witness the day’s activities and also assist in the presentation of prizes at the conclusion.

On Sunday, the cyclists will switch focus to the West Demerara roadways for the fifth annual 50-mile Caricom Day road race, sponsored by Geddes Grant (Guyana) Limited, under its Seven Seas Multivitamin and Dr. Chase Nerve Food products.

The race will start in front of the Wales Police Station at 08:00 hours, proceed to Bushy Park, Parika, before retuning to Schoonard for the finish.

While the Senior and Junior riders will complete that course, the Veterans, Mountain Bikers and Females will start at Wales, but turn at the Uitvlugt Community Centre on the upward journey and return to Schoonard.

respective categories.

The first six finishers in the Senior division, as well as the top three Juniors, Veterans, Mountain Bikers and Females will be rewarded. The first Veterans Over60 rider will also receive a prize, while a total of eight prime prizes will be on offer during the course of the race.

Representatives of Geddes Grant (Guyana) Limited, including Karen Cornell, the Products Specialist for Seven Seas and Joint Care, and Mahesh Etwaru, the Pharmacy and Product Specialist for Dr. Chase Nerve Food, are expected to grace the presentation ceremony after the race.

Meanwhile, the riders will be in action again on Monday (a national holiday) when the Roraima Bikers Club (RBC) stages its annual Caricom “Wheat Up” race sponsored by the National Milling Company (NaMilCo).

Jeban Crawford (Juveniles), Junior Niles (Veterans), Ozia McUally (Mountain Bikes) and Romello Crawford (12-14 Boys and Girls) are the defending champions of their

In 2013, the Senior category was won by Robin Persaud in a time of one hour, 55 minutes, 04 seconds (01h: 55m: 04s), while Mario King (Juniors), Kennard Lovell (Veterans), Stephano Husbands (Mountain Bikes) and Walter Isaacs (Veterans Over-60) also topped their

According to president of the RBC and chief coordinator of the event, Brian Allen, a total of 12 races are carded for the day, with the first event set to roll off at 09:00 hours.

The event, which has seen riders receiving lucratives prizes for their efforts, will be officially launched at the sponsor’s location today.

Bolt will race at Glasgow 2014

Six-time Olympic champion Usain

Bolt has been selected in the Jamaica team for this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Bolt is expected to be named in the 4x100m relay squad when the official announcement is made on Wednesday.

He had previously ruled himself out of the 100m and 200m individual races as he was recovering from a foot injury. The 27-year-old won gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

Bolt announced last

week that he intended to make himself available for the Games despite an injury-disrupted season. “I am available for selection for the Commonwealth Games and have submitted the relevant documentation,” he said in a statement on his website.

“I do not wish to take the place of anyone who qualifies in an individual event, but am available for relay duty if the selectors feel I can be an asset to the Jamaican team in Glasgow,” Bolt added.

“I have received lots of requests, invitations and messages of support from

my fans in Scotland who are looking forward to a great event.”

Bolt did not attempt to qualify in the 100m and 200m at the Jamaican Championships, which took place last weekend, as he has not yet returned to full fitness. He has never raced in the Commonwealth Games, having missed the events in Melbourne in 2006 and Delhi four years ago.

However, speaking at the IAAF Centenary Gala in Barcelona last November, he declared his interest in competing in Glasgow.

Britton siblings dominate at GWRKA Jr Championships

The Britton siblings copped three first places at the Banks Malta Supreme sponsored Junior Karate Championships organised by the Guyana Wado Ryu Karate Association (GWRKA) at Banks DIH Sports Club, Thirst Park on Sunday.

Sadelle Britton won in the Girls 6-8 category, winning from Mandy Moe and Farida Sultan, who placed second and third respectively.

Shay Britton secured first place in the Boys 9-11 (Category ‘A’) with Shaun Jemott claiming the second position and Leonard Garraway third. The 12-14 Girls division was won by

Samela Britton, who overcame Shania DeGroot.

Emmanuel Campbell was the winner of the Boys 6-8 (Category ‘B’) with Trevaun Smartt securing second and Brandon Rutherford third.

The Boys 6-8 (Category ‘A’) was won by Stephon Prince who came out ahead of Akeino Abrams and Dakari Jones.

Nandanie Kuldip won the Girls 9-11 division from Alicia Benjamin and Towanna Success, while the Boys 9-11 division (Category ‘B’) saw Lakeram Persaud coming out ahead of Shamar Michael and Kensell Davis.

Simeon Campbell triumphed in the Boys 12-14 with Dwight Peters finishing

second and Shaun Campbell third. Students of Mae’s School, Eccles Primary, East Bank Essequibo and Banks Dojos participated in the tournament.

Banks DIH Communications Manager Troy Peters, who declared the championships open, encouraged the students to be disciplined and focused in their pursuit of excellence. He urged the young karatekas to balance karate with a sound education.

Prizes were presented by Chief Instructor, Sensei Winston Dunbar, President of the GWRKA Darren Nurse, parents and wellwishers, who witnessed the championships.

nicolette remains at 19 in unchanged top 20

The Caribbean premier squash player

Nicolette Fernandes has remained at a careerbest number 19 in the July 1 rankings issued by the Women International Squash Players Association (WISPA).

The Top 20 has remained unchanged from the June 1 rankings, with Malaysia’s Nicol David maintaining her position as word number one.

The constant rise up the ranking is a remarkable turnaround for Fernandes, who only at the start of 2009 was rated a lowly 249 after a recurring knee injury had keep her out of competition for a protracted period of

time.

Since returning from injury, Guyana’s most decorated squash player has been on the rise and has significantly moved up the ranking with each passing competition. Such was her outstanding performance that at the end of 2009 Fernandes, who is based in England and is under the expert guidance of award-winning coach Carl Ince, had taken her ranking below 100, ending the year at 88.

Ever since then, it has been a steady climb up the ladder for the multiple Sportswoman-of-the-Year, consistently racking up points and making her way

up the WISPA leaderboard.

Meanwhile, David is within touching distance of her 100th month at the top of the Women’s World Squash Rankings after establishing her 96th month in a row and her 99th of all-time.

The 30-year-old from Penang, who first reached number one in January 2006, maintains a healthy lead of more than 1,000 points ahead of England’s Laura Massaro, the reigning World Champion, who is celebrating her 16th successive month as the world number two.

Egypt’s Raneem El Welily is in third place, while New Zealander Joelle King is at number four.

The highest ranking to change in the new list is number 40- the new incumbent being Egypt’s Habiba Mohamed Ahmed Alymohmed, the 15-yearold from Alexandria, who in November became the youngest ever WSA World Tour title winner (at 14 years, five months) and last month won her third successive Tour final at the inaugural Paderborn Open in Germany.

GAWA takes sport to the people

As part of its efforts to promote the sport of weightlifting and the benefits that come with it, the Guyana Amateur Weightlifting Association (GAWA) on Saturday last staged another weightlifting exhibition in front of the Demico outlet at Stabroek Market.

The exhibition is just one in a series the GAWA has undertaken to help bring awareness to the populace about the importance of weightlifting. Other exhbitions have been held at the Seawall Bandstand.

“The sizeable crowed was very appreciative of the opportunity to see some very good demonstration of the clean and jerks, conducted by some member of the GAWA, including young female lifter Sheriah Melville. The GAWA also took the opportunity to showcase its latest donation from the Pan American Weightlifting Federation,” a release from

the association read.

The local body recently became the recipient of two brand new weightlifting sets from the Pan American Federation. The donation formed part of the Pan American Federation’s development assistance to needy member federations.

“The President and members of the GAWA would like to praise the regional body for all the assistance received in the past and are looking forward to keeping the sport in the public’s eyes locally,” the GAWA release concluded.

New Zealander James Neesham joins Guyana Amazon Warriors

– Warriors begin training camp

By Rajiv Bisnauth

The Guyana Amazon Warriors yesterday began an eight-day training programme as part of preparations for the July 11 start of the much-anticipated Limacol Caribbean Premier League (LCPL) T20 tournament.

Six of the 15 members, along with the six Under-19 players, started the training camp on Tuesday at the Guyana National Stadium under coach Roger Harper.

New Zealander Martin Guptill, Pakistani Mohammad Hafeez and Guyanese Leon Johnson were missing on Tuesday but are expected to join the squad during this phase of preparation. Also, captain Denesh Ramdin, Lendl Simmons, Krishmar Santokie and Sunil Narine, along with local star Christopher Barnwell, will unite with the squad at the end of the West Indies/New Zealand T20 series.

New Zealand and West Indies will play two T20 internationals on July 5 and 6 and those players are expected to feature in that series.

In an invited comment, Harper, the former West Indies vice-captain, said the camp is vital for the continued development of each player and he wants to focus on the basics.

“The purpose of this camp is to get the players together, to get them in the best possible shape physically, technically, tactically and mentally ahead of the CPL. We wanted to get the players together so we could do remedial work on their game and continue to set plans going forward and what is expected of them,” said Harper.

Speaking on the specific areas of target during the

various sessions with the respective cricketers, Harper explained that “With individual players they will be areas that we will naturally look to zoom in on but generally we want to gear the players and the squad as a whole for T20

cricket. We want to ensure that we do the basic things pertaining to T20 cricket as efficiently as possible and then they are some key areas as well that we think we need to take to a different level”.

Further, Harper is optimistic for a smooth transition where the squad can build from last year’s team spirit and team work.

The Warriors have retained 10 players from last year’s edition and have already become a force to be reckoned with. “I know what to expect and what we have to look for from certain players. Since last year everyone gelled well and showed good team spirit so we are expecting a good transition this year”, he concluded.

Replacement

Meanwhile, Guyana Times Sport was informed late Tuesday afternoon that International Franchise Player New Zealander Cory Anderson was replaced by fellow New Zealand all rounder James Neesham in the Warriors squad.

Neesham was one of New Zealand’s best batsmen on show during their 2-1 test series win over the West Indies, scoring 278 runs, including a century in the first test and two half-centuries in the third and final test.

His medium-pace earned him just three wickets in the series from 32 overs.

It is unclear why Anderson has decided to pulled out from the tournament.

The training camp runs until July 8 before the squad moves on to Grenada for their first game against Antigua Hawksbills on July 11.

Fung-A-fat favourite to lift Senior Squash title

– Nicolette

The Guyana Squash Association (GSA) in conjunction with Digicel will host its 2014 National Senior Squash Championships at the Georgetown Club from 18:00hrs today.

Four categories will be contested at the event, including the Men and Women’s categories as well as the men’s 39-45 veterans, which will be contested for the first time, and the men’s veterans’ Over-50.

Defending champion Nicolette Fernandes, who is ranked 19 in the world, will be unable to defend her title due to training obligations overseas in preparation for the Commonwealth Games later this month.

However, Mary Fung-AFat is touted to lift the ti-

tle ahead of her competition but will face tough obstacles in the likes of Ashley De Groot, Victoria Arjoon, Akeila Wiltshire and Kathy Shuffler.

Meanwhile, defending Men’s champion Alex Arjoon will have a tenacious Jason Ray Khalil to deal with as well as Regan Pollard, Nyron Joseph and Ben Mekdeci.

Jo Jo Mekdeci is seen as the number one candidate to win the Men’s 35 - 49 category while Alwyn Callender is the number one contender for the Veteran Men’s Over 50.

Action in the tournament will kick off with the Veterans and the Men’s while all the finals will be held on July 6.

george, sampson and yaw set for Jr cac c/ships

Athree member team

been selected to represent Guyana at the Junior Central American Caribbean (CAC) Athletics Championships this weekend in Mexico.

Guyana will go with strictly an under-17 team that will feature three time 1500 metres Carifta gold medalist Cassey George, Carifta

Jason

and Inter Guiana Games (IGG) 400 metres gold medalist Jevina Sampson.

According to a source within the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), the visas for the three athletes are currently being processed and they (athletes) are expected to leave for Mexico by Thursday for

the competition that begins of July 4.

Yaw is expected to compete in the under-17 Male’s 200 and 400 metres while George should be featuring in the Girl’s 1500 metres. Sampson is expected to take the track in the Girl’s under-17 200 and 400 metres. The team is expected to return to Guyana on July 8.