Guyana Times Daily

LIAT, pilots’ body meet to discuss impasse

Canadian firm to recycle Guyana’s solid waste

Several graduate from govtrun IT programmes Rohee hospitalised

Guyana and Canada pledge to strengthen bilateral relations Granger chides Ramotar for not assenting to key local govt bill

friday, november 8, 2013 |

Demerara Bank reports highest profit of $1.957B

– shareholders earn $2.88 per share

Demerara Bank Limited has reported $1.957 billion in before tax profits for the financial year that ended September 30, an increase of 34.5.1 per cent over the previous year.

In a release, the bank said it performed remarkably well in all areas of performance. Net Profit rose by 24.1 per cent.

These significant improvements are reflected in its deposit base, which is at its highest level, with $41.5 billion, a rise of 18.4 per cent when compared to the past year, while loans and advances grew by 20.5 per cent.

The bank, the only 100 per cent Guyanese owned and the youngest commercial financial institution in the banking sector, has shown great fortitude over its 19 years of existence, the release said.

Ramsaran urges recognition for health workers’ efforts

– as Guyana joins international counterparts in observing Malaria Day of the Americas

Assets for the financial year totalled G$50 billion, compared with G$42 billion at the end of September 2012. Interest earned on income [loans, advances and investments] over the past year totalled $2.7 billion, $300 million more than the $2.4 billion earned during the preceding year.

year, shareholders’ earnings per share increased by 24.1 per cent, to G$2.88 per share.

“The solid performance over the last financial year was also due to the commitment and dedication of the management and staff of the bank. Our major assets are our human resources. We continue to provide training at all levels at the bank, which will take us to greater heights in the future with an expanded network of branches.”

As a consequence of the bank’s solid performance over the past financial

The net worth of the bank has increased from $5.6 billion to $6.5 billion, an increase of 16.1 per cent.

Demerara Bank, which was opened in November, 1994, has six branches across the country and has plans to expand its network, with a new head office in 2014.

Health Minister, Dr Bheri Ramsaran has sounded a call for increased recognition of the contributions of health workers whom he described as “health warriors” in the fight against malaria.

Delivering the keynote address at a ceremony at the Regency Hotel to mark Malaria Day of the Americas on Wednesday, the minister said that their efforts along with those of the ministry’s strategic partners should be lauded. The vector-borne disease has been eliminated from the coast and pushed back in many interior locations.

Despite gains in combating malaria, it was noted that challenges remain due to the porous nature of Guyana’s borders which are difficult to police. The Vector Control Services (VCS), which are now unified, must remain alert, he said.

“We must remain vigilant… whilst we have made great strides, we must continue to give our support to those in the fields.”

The state’s investment to reduce vector-borne diseases, which also include dengue, will continue to be high owing to the fact that many more persons are entering the interior for jobs and other opportunities, the Government Information Agency said.

Minister Ramsaran noted that close to 500 medical doctors have entered the local health sector over the past two years, after being trained in Cuba, and were posted in remote communities which lacked medical personnel.

They should be commended for their efforts, the minister said. He added that they, along with other staffers play key roles in the Vector Control Programme, and are examples to youths who may be considering the

health sector as a career choice. The health minister issued a challenge to the VCS to award accolades to those who have served in the sector for a number of years, before the end of the week. He also called for the event to be a week-long celebration of the gains made in reducing malaria.

Anti-malaria programme

Giving an overview of the anti-malaria effort locally, VCS Director, Dr Reyaud Rahaman said the Health Ministry has been partnering with other ministries and agencies to intensify its campaign. To date, 37,000 longlasting insecticide-treated nets have been distributed in the malaria-endemic regions (one, seven, eight and nine). There have been significant investments in modernising the malaria information system, and epidemiological data is more updated, making it easy to pinpoint the exact locations where there might be a spike in malaria cases and to counter such.

Dr Rahaman disclosed that 60,000 people have had blood smears to test for malaria over the past two years in disease-prone communities. A three-pronged approach to tackle malaria, he added, is being employed. This comprises net distribution, testing via smears and spraying.

The Health Ministry will be moving to increase its efforts to educate persons about the disease. Local partners of the ministry were lauded including the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC); Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA); Guyana Defence Force (GDF); Guyana Women Miners’ Organisation (GWMO) and the Amerindian affairs and natural resources and environment ministries.

WWinds: Easterly at 4.02 to 3.57 metres per second.

High Tide: 07:49h and 20:06h reaching maximum heights of 2.45 metres and 2.50 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 01:17h and 13:37h reaching minimum heights of 0.58 metre and 0.83 metre respectively.

e have found, in the aftermath of the resignation of three of our reporters, that “fear” is not something many of us want to talk about in Guyana today. The reason takes us down a circular path: we do not want to talk about our fears because of the selfsame fears.

And it is against this background that we understand the subsequent denial of the reporters that their action was grounded in their fear of retaliation from the individual mentioned in the news story they refused to read, Mohan “Glenn” Lall, owner and publisher of the Kaieteur News.

In the business community, this fear is particularly high. Applying his newspaper’s yellow journalistic style, Lall, using several of his reporters and columnists, have gone after several businessmen, whom he felt had shared his humble beginnings but had moved past him.

For instance while all businesses enjoy duty-free

PAGE 3 COMMENT

Fear

We must fight fear...

concessions on stipulated kinds of machinery, Lall had attacked these businessmen, while he himself has been the beneficiary of such a regime, intended to encourage investments.

Businessmen are routinely threatened that they will have muckraking stories (as the U.S. embassy termed the practice) written about their businesses unless ads are placed in his Kaieteur News. One particular egregious columnist had his house built by such businessmen.

While these businessmen are willing to share this information, the pervading fear makes them unwilling to have their names mentioned.

All individuals and societies experience a certain level of fear. In fact, such a fear can be healthy, since it can help us avoid situations that would expose us to danger. But when the level of fear rises to such a level that

Man on bail for stealing sheep

Thirty-one-year-old

Orlando Wilson was on Wednesday granted bail after he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charge of larceny of cattle.

Wilson pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on November 3 at Independence Boulevard, La Penitence, Georgetown, he stole one sheep valued $80,000, property of Surendra Mahadeo.

According to Prosecutor Ramsahoye Rambaju, on the day in question around 06:30h, Mahadeo who is a cattle farmer and owns 12 sheep released his flock to graze on a plot of land.

About 10:00h the same day, the complainant’s son, John Mahahdeo went to check on the flock and discovered one male sheep missing. A report was made and the police contacted Wilson who was told of the allegation and admitted to selling the ram for $10,000.

The animal was later recovered and the defendant was subsequently arrested and charged.

Prosecutor Rambaju raised no objections to bail and Magistrate Fabayo Azore granted it in the sum of $150,000. The matter was transferred to Court 10 where it will be heard before the presiding magistrate on November 13.

it forces businessmen to offer ads because of intimidation, then this can only stymie Guyana’s development.

It is this kind of everyday harassment and fear that force many businessmen to migrate.

And even when one

emigrates, one is not free of the fear that Lall and his newspaper create. We have reported before of our survey in New York that shows most overseas Guyanese who do not want to return home make that decision because of the fear caused by the gruesome headlines of the Kaieteur News.

The gory pictures especially of accident and murder victims are obtained illegally from policemen who are paid off by Kaieteur News. Most other media houses, to their credit, refuse to procure such pictures, and certainly not to pay the police for them.

We remind our fellow Guyanese, as we ask them to stand up and be counted in this struggle to rid us of the paralysing fear created by Lall and his minions, of the words of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt: “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Editor: Nigel Williams

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

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

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

Editorial

India elections If you dare!

Last year, China, which is poised to become the largest economy in the world, chose its president in its unique method of selecting political leadership. At the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, the only party permitted in China, Xi Jinping was simply acclaimed by the delegates.

Its neighbour India, also a resurgent economic power, is about to choose its new leader in its quest to take its place as an emerging super power. This, however, will be done through general elections that are constitutionally due to be held by mid-2014.

Unlike the Chinese system, which is carefully managed through selection of delegates from the several layers of the communist party, the Indian democratic system of having the entire adult population go to the polls, can be a comparatively messy affair.

The election itself will be spread over two months and will be done in several phases. The campaign is already in full swing and as part of the “messiness”, candidates are being routinely defamed and maligned as the focus remains on personalities rather than issues.

In fact, this messiness is one of the rationales offered by the Chinese Communist Party, and other communist parties, for sticking with their “selection” method of choosing leaders. The latter are simply supposed to be in charge of executing detailed plans of development, approved by their Congress.

India has maintained the constituency-based parliamentary system it inherited from the British and the prime minister will be chosen from the party that secures a majority of the seats to its Lower House (Lok Sabha). At present, the configuration in the 543-seat Lok Sabha reflects the gradual splintering of the Indian vote away from the once dominant Congress Party, which led the country to independence.

There are now shifting coalitions involving regional and caste-based parties centred on the Congress – United Progressive Alliance (UPA), or its rival – the Bharitiya Janata Party (BJP), which emerged in the 1990s, and the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

The UPA has been in power since 2004 and presently controls 228 seats as opposed to the UDA with 137 seats. But even though the elections are still at least eight months away, there has been a tremendous amount of excitement with the announcement by the BJP that their candidate will be the chief minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi.

Even his opponents concede that Modi is very charismatic, dynamic and articulate – qualities that politicians salivate over – but when tied to his amazing transformation of his home province into an economic juggernaut, he now appears unbeatable.

The Congress has floated the proposal to ban polls in the run-up to the elections because every poll has shown Modi winning the next elections handily. And this is so even though Congress has signalled that its incumbent Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will not be returning, as its candidate, who will almost certainly be the latest scion of the Gandhi dynasty, Rahul Gandhi.

The fly in the ointment on Modi’s automatic occupancy of the prime ministership building in 2014 is the accusation that he is “divisive”. The charge arises from a conflation of two tragedies in Gujarat in 2002 – the immolation of some 58 Hindu pilgrims on a train by alleged Muslim arsonists and a massive reprisal that took 790 Muslim and 254 Hindu lives by official accounts and up to 2000 lives overall, by other estimates.

While Modi had been cleared by the courts of any involvement in the riots, there are accusations that he could have taken a much more vigorous stance to quell them. In the meantime, Modi had worked very hard to build bridges to the Muslim community in Gujarat and has received some support from that quarter recently.

The next few months should decide whether the man they call “Vikash Purush” – the “Development Man” – will lead India, which has recently faltered in its growth trajectory.

There should be appropriate penal sanctioning of persons found guilty of breaching traffic laws

Dear Editor,

My attention has been directed to a report in the newspapers over the weekend that the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) organised the National Road Safety Month emphasising the importance of education and vigorous campaigning toward the reduction of road accidents in the country. It reported that drunkenness and speeding are the major causes of road accidents.

Even a casual observer of drivers on our roadways will form the impression that they, the drivers, are inexperienced and unlicensed. Many new vehicles are daily put out on the roadway –the existing vehicles are still doing their own things on the road – but we do not see any corresponding learner drivers seeking to acquaint themselves with the rules of the road or of driving in a safe manner. Some of the “new” drivers are obviously children and many of them are seen behind the wheels of the new vehicles.

The proximate causes of accidents may be drunkenness and speeding, but these are born out of a culture of ignorance and unconcern –all because they did not go through the necessary training to obtain driving licences. If they did they would have been taught that the road condition and the speed of the vehicles determine the braking distance of the vehicle. How many drivers are conscious of the fact that for every 25 miles per hour he/ she travels he/she is travelling about 30 feet per second.

Can one stop his/her vehicle within the distance based on the speed in case of an emergency?

The Police Traffic Department should have been doing a study/research into the accidents, classifying the drivers between certain age groups and the length of time they held/acquired valid driving licences.

I give Prime Minister Sam Hinds 100 per cent when he noted that the application of the law is needed to change the culture that pervades in Guyana. He added that though laws are present, the application of them is what is truly necessary. The prime minister’s concept of the application of the law is that it should be administered in a duly constituted atmosphere, and not at the roadside which now appears to be a daily public undertaking.

Those who are in breach of the licensing laws should be condignly dealt with, and if members of the police force are held accountable they should not be transferred to another division or station but be summarily dismissed from the force. It cannot be a valid excuse, as seems current, that the salary is in-adequate hence the resort to dishonesty.

If the job which one is called upon to perform does not pay what he considers reasonable the officer should seek alternative employment where he can get his “just deserts”. If this does not find favour with the public then, please, let them stop talking about dishonesty! I wish

to give two instances of what are the prime minister’s concerns.

First, a 19-year-old, driving a heavy duty vehicle laden with sand, was involved in an accident where four persons died. Many weeks have passed but we are not told whether the owner of that vehicle has been prosecuted for permitting the breach of the licensing and insurance laws.

Second, the headline in a newspaper article screamed at us: “Convicted drunk driver freed after paying $3M compensation.” The driver was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and driving under the influence of liquor. He pleaded not guilty but was found guilty on both charges after a trial.

The learned magistrate who heard and decided the matter, according to the news report, “suggested to the defendant that he offer some kind of compensation to the widow of the deceased in place of fine and imprisonment”.

In my books, what the magistrate did was wrong.

The defendant paid over the $3 million and the magistrate, “taking into account that the defendant had lost his job in Canada and the length of time the trial took cautioned him and set him free”. No conviction was recorded against the defendant – he leaves the court a freeman and can always claim that he has no conviction recorded against his name if he applies for a job to drive a vehicle. How magnanimous

and condescending was the learned magistrate!

Why do I say the magistrate was wrong? The law prescribes that when a person is convicted of offences for which the defendant was charged, he is entitled to go to prison, to be fined and to suffer an order for disqualification from holding or obtaining a driving licence for a specified period of time. But that was not to be as the magistrate has “set him free”. The payment of the $3 million is no substitute for the sanctions which the law prescribes. That compensation involves civil liability for the death of the deceased. If the widow had proceeded to the high court for compensation, she most likely would have received a much higher amount than the miniscule amount paid over by the defendant.

I am seeking to urge two things by this letter. One is for the police to conduct investigations to ensure that all persons driving vehicles on the road are issued with driving licences issued by the proper authority and, secondly, the appropriate penal sanctioning of persons found guilty of breaching the traffic laws.

The importance of justice and its dispensation is to prevent recurrences of what seem to have become prevalent and acceptable in or society as borne out by the statistics we have today.

Sincerely,

Name withheld by request

You

send your

Rice cultivation in Guyana

Dear Editor, Guyana’s rice industry, with the help of an extensive support programme has managed to produce surplus amounts of rice this year, withstanding bad weather and an intrusion of paddy bugs.

Although an overwhelming production of any crop is seen as a successful achievement to most industries, it also has its negative effects both at a domestic and international level.

Surplus supplies can

mean a decrease in prices for large scale rice importers. Additionally, excessive quantities can remain unused in government warehouses for extensive durations; resulting in the unnecessary incurring of added expenses.

So far for this year, rice farmers have managed to surpass the targeted production of 500,000 tonnes. This remarkable accomplishment should ensure that due recognition is given to the Agriculture

Ministry and other stakeholders within the rice sector for their extensive and commendable efforts.

Guyana’s rice is currently supplying many consumers both locally and internationally. However, should this surplus continue, there may be need to consider other markets and also possibly other uses of rice.

For many years, though rice can surely offer us other by products, it has been used as one of the key

dishes in a main course meal. Many dealers in confectionary are importing snacks to Guyana, rice cakes being one of the common snacks.

I strongly suggest that these sometimes illegally imported confectionary snacks be banned from Guyana and an initiative be taken to utilise our abundant rice supplies and have them made here locally.

Yours faithfully,

Deonarine Jodha

Other aspects of development in the interior

Dear Editor,

After a recent number of visits to the interior, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds opined that national development has indeed progressed country wide and the clear cut evidence of Guyana’s rapid evolution can be seen on a daily basis.

Recently, there has been a strong inclination to promote development in several interior locations. However, I personally believe that development is more than capitalism and infrastructure; I believe that emphasis should also be placed on aspects of literary heritage, culture, communication and transportation.

Many of us wonder what life in the interior is like.

Some of us are fortunate enough to visit these locations, while the majority of us look forward to reading about life in such places.

I urge retired teachers and other people knowledgeable of the area to engage in some form of literary heritage.

Though many have linked the interior to be an uncivilised and lout area, its great remoteness offers many individuals peace of mind, tranquillity and spiritual development.

As it relates to transportation, the Ogle airstrip plays a very important role

in the movement of people and goods in and out of the interior.

Additionally, with modern technology, people have been able to communicate with each other via telephone and private satellites dishes. Many also have access to Internet facilities and television.

The interior has truly developed in many ways, however, it is extremely necessary for the relevant

authorities to treat and address matters of human trafficking, larceny, and illegal possession and use of narcotics seriously in order to positively continue to promote the hinterland area.

Sincerely, Name withheld by request

or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Firecrackers should not be allowed

Dear Editor, The use of firecrackers was once banned and deemed illegal in Guyana, but during the recent Diwali festivities, it was quite evident that the products have resurfaced.

Two young men were arrested in Anna Regina over the weekend for the possession and use of firecrackers. The arrest came about af ter a meeting held in the boardroom of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) was interrupted by the aftermath of the lit firecrackers.

Many people celebrate Diwali both countrywide and worldwide. The festival originated in India and is commonly known as the

Festival of Lights. Firecrackers are loud explosive fireworks that can be considered as a nuisance to many people; and additionally they can be considered as fire hazards and it is for this reason, that they have been banned in several countries. In Guyana, firecrackers are common particularly during Diwali and Christmas festivities. I urge the distributors of these products to desist from acquiring and further selling them. People who continue to engage in the sale and use of firecrackers should be dealt with accordingly by the police.

Yours truly, Delroy Carmichael

Page Foundation

Making the holidays less materialistic

“The gimmes” are all around us during the holiday season. It can be hard for children – and parents – to look beyond all of the productdriven hoopla and remember what the holidays are really about.

It’s not the gifts but what’s behind them that’s important – the spirit of giving. Help your children learn the fun of giving, and how rewarding it can be to look for, make, and wrap something special – or do something special – for peo ple they care about and oth ers who are in need.

Here are five ways to curb materialism in your children and reinforce the real reason for the season:

Teach children to question marketing messages

From the TV commer cials during cartoons to the promos on the backs of ce real boxes, marketing messages target children of all ages. And to them, everything looks ideal, like something they simply have to have. It all sounds so ap pealing – often, so much bet ter than it really is.

gizmos and must-haves.

Explain, when your children ask for products they see advertised, that commercials and other ads are designed to make people want things they don’t necessarily need. And these ads are often meant to make us think that these products will make us happier somehow. Talking to children about what things are like in reality can help put things into perspective.

Ask what they think about the products

the com mercials, and buying or renting children’s videos or DVDs.

Teach children that not everything they want can always be theirs and that a little “want” here and there isn’t all bad. The key is to want things in moderation and to fully appreciate what you’re given. Emphasise that the holidays are a special time, when a lot of love and thought is put into gift giving.

The ads children see around the holidays can help foster unrealistic expectations and lead to disappointment. After imagining their “wish list” items all around them, it’s hard for reality to measure up when they actually open their gifts.

Of course, it’s nearly impossible to eliminate all exposure to marketing messages. You can certainly turn off the TV or at least limit your children’ watching time, but they’ll still see and hear ads for the latest

advertised as you’re watching TV, listening to the radio, reading magazines, or shopping together. Ask thought-provoking questions such as “Do you think that product really looks, tastes, or works the same way as it seems to in the ad?”

To limit exposure to TV commercials, the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) recommends having your children watch public television stations, taping programmes – without

Focus on family traditions

Traditions that focus on ly or friends can be a great way to put meaning back into the holidays. Here are a couple of ideas:

Talk about which family traditions your family loves the most. Then figure out how you can put more emphasis on them. If you love the tradition of lighting the menorah, get together as a group to make your own candles. If you enjoy the family trip to pick out a tree, make it an all-day event and head to a tree farm to choose your own.

Find out what the holidays mean to others

Have your children talk to a grandparent, parent, uncle, or aunt about how they spent the holidays growing up.

Some holiday traditions that used to be strong – such as neighbourhood carolling –

all but lost today. Maybe you’d like to revive some of these as a way to share some holiday spirit with your family, friends, or community.

Build some new traditions. If you don’t have any family traditions, it’s never too late to start. Get together around activities that you all enjoy, such as cooking or decorating. Ask your children what they would enjoy doing every year and make an effort to do it. If you can’t all decide on one thing, make traditions out of several, so that everyone feels like part of the festivities.

Teach children to give of themselves

Volunteerism, especially around the holidays, offers an ideal opportunity for families to have fun and feel closer to each other at the same time. Community service helps to drive home the message that giving is much more than laying down cash for the hot gift of the season or scrambling around to buy mounds of presents.

Volunteerism can show children that giving your time, effort, and kindness is more rewarding than just expecting to receive lots of presents.

Also, if volunteering begins at an early age, it can become part of your children’ lives – something they just want to do. It can teach them:

*That one person can make a difference. A wonderful, empowering message for children is that they are important enough to have an impact on someone or something else. (kids health)

Throwing it all away: when good children make bad choices

BY DEBBIE PINCUS

I want to make it clear that if your child is doing something unsafe, destructive, abusive or risky, like cutting herself, bullying others, or doing drugs, she has crossed a line. You need to respond immediately with very strong interventions. Because you care for your child and love her, you will not sit passively by. If you have evidence that she is doing drugs, for example, you need to do whatever it takes to intervene. If it requires calling other parents, calling the school or authorities or a crisis team, or getting her into counselling and rehab, you will do that. If what is happening is serious enough, then you may have to risk hurting your relationship with your child in order to keep her safe.

Hang in there

your teenager, but whether you can hang in there through the tough times and come back for more the next day. Accept the reality that there is a good chance that your child may throw many opportunities away

I’m not going to sugarcoat it: Some children will have a difficult journey. But no matter what, you should try to hang in there the best you can. You can keep your rules in place even though your teen is constantly breaking them. Always remind him that the rules are for his welfare. He may eventually mature, but there is a chance he will throw a lot away. What ultimately counts is not whether you are able to perfectly control

despite all your good influence. Ultimately, you will need to grieve the losses and the disappointments of your own hopes and dreams. But hang in with your child and continue to move forward together. To quote James Lehman again, “Parent the child you have – not the child you wish you had.”

Enjoy your connection

Enjoy those good moments with your child. Be the adult, maintain your boundaries, be firm and clear about your bottom line and then enjoy your teen. Focus on what is positive between you and don’t define your relationship around the problem. Share your interests, discuss politics or topics outside of your relationship and really get to know your teen. See them through lenses that are not clouded with distrust and negativity. See them for all they are – not just their bad choices. So first, recognise your emotions so that you don’t react by judging yourself or judging your child. Then step back and try to understand what might be going on – and if there’s any part you might play that you can change. And then, take charge instead of trying to control: start closing the fence. Once you put all of that in place, remember that there’s a whole other part of your child’s personality that you can relate to and enjoy. Make sure to do that. And if all fails – because it can –acknowledge and grieve your disappointments about the lost opportunities for your child. Understand that some children remain out of control no matter what. It might take maturity for them to make the necessary changes. Don’t give up on your child: he needs you to be a strong presence in his life even if he’s making bad choices right now.

(empoweringparents)

Opposition sinks anti-money laundering bill

BY MICHAEL YOUNGE

APartnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) on Thursday blocked the passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill in the National Assembly after a period of deadlock and lack of compromise with respect to the process which was used to move the bill from the special select committee, to the full House.

The two opposition political parties withheld their support for the legislation for the second time after they voted first to send it to a special select committee, some six months ago, despite threats of serious sanctions.

Guyana had been given a November 18 deadline by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CAFTF) to make amendments to the existing legislation which was non-compliant with the sweeping reforms taking place regionally and internationally to fight money laundering and terrorism.

Political risks

Despite the serious political risks associated with offering non-support for the legislation, the APNU and AFC made a big gamble since the highly spirited debates kick started hours after the 63rd sitting of the 10th Parliament got underway in Georgetown.

When the division was called after the question was put by the Speaker who had to seek advice from the clerk of the National Assembly, some 28 members of government voted in favour of the legislation while the 33 members of the opposition

voted against the legislative provisions in the bill.

This means that the proposed amendments are dead and come November 18, Guyana will join other countries in this hemisphere which are blacklisted.

It also means that the amount of time to conduct financial transactions will also be increased significant, while banks in other countries outside the jurisdiction of Guyana will clamp down, or cease relations with Guyana, which will be described as an area where there is not enough provisions in place to combat terrorism and money laundering.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall had moved the third reading of the bill and called on the opposition to support the legislation in full, given what was at stake. He argued vehemently when closing the debate that the passage of the bill was also bound by time and was integrally linked to the

need to comply with international provisions. He was convinced that the opposition’s intent from the onset was clear. “They wanted to kill the bill,” he argued.

But A Partnership for National Unity Member of Parliament (MP), Carl Greenidge said the coalition wanted the bill to be recommitted to the special select committee to undergo more scrutiny. He suggested that his team was not given

enough time to make more alterations and amendments to the proposed legislation and was somewhat concerned that there should be more time allotted for public input.

Greenidge argued strongly that the government had acted in bad faith by breaching the agreements made before the final meeting of the committee took place. He expressed surprise that the government would advance the legislation back to the Parliament without taking the concerns expressed by APNU seriously.

“At this point, and therefore, we are not in a position to entertain this report,” Greenidge told the National Assembly as he contended that those in the opposition were “duty-bound to pursue constructive improvements of the bill”.

CFATF also came in for heavy criticisms from APNU. This was evident when Greenidge said that while APNU respects the technical expertise of those who

Ramsaran urges...

The VCS has also had a great partnership with the Pan-American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), through whose support many training programmes have been facilitated.

Reflecting on this, PAHO’s Senior Adviser on Sustainable Development and Environment Adrianus Vlugman said this year’s Malaria Day theme “Invest in the future, defeat malaria” was an apt one.

He said Guyana must increase its investment to combat vector-borne diseases and urged all partners to assist. Vlugman also urged

the health workers to be agents of change.

Desiree Edghill – who represented the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), which oversees the operations and finances of the VCS – also commended the efforts of health workers.

Malaria Day in the Americas has been observed on November 6 in Guyana since 2003, a date which coincided with the day that the malaria parasite was first observed by Nobel Prize winner, Dr Charles Laveran in 1880 during a medical examination at a military hospital in Algeria.

advanced the amendments at the level of CFATF, he was not convinced that they would suit the local circumstances here without more amendments. Greenidge also argued that APNU was concerned about the effective implementation of certain amendments as he advised that CFATF was not “omniscient”. He seemed to be suggesting that CFATF was not fully aware of the local circumstances.

Meanwhile, the Alliance For Change (AFC) leader Khemraj Ramjattan also appeared in support of APNU’s position and saw the conditionality that the government needed to meet was already set out as it lobbied again for the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission. “Ok, let’s do um now,” Ramjattan shouted amid outbursts from the opposition benches as he appeared to be signalling the AFC’s desire to vote on the bill.

Deliberate delay

But Finance Minister Dr Ashni Sigh expressed his disappointment in the statements made by the opposition as he accused it of a lack of commitment and dedication towards advancing the work of the special select committee and the legislation as a whole. He was not convinced that the plea by the opposition for the report and bill to be recommitted to the parliamentary committee could be deemed genuine. Dr Singh expressed the view that the opposition wanted to drag its feet while holding government to ransom.

“So Mr Speaker, the journey of this bill through the special select committee has been one characterised by deliberate efforts to delay, defer, postpone and foot drag

by our colleagues on that side. Let us be clear, that recommittal to this committee is nothing but a transparent fig leaf through which all and sundry can see the true intent of APNU and AFC on this matter, and that intent unmasked itself earlier when callous disregard was made to the petition made by one of the largest and most important stakeholders in this country – the organised private sector.”

Substantive provision

The minister said the substantive provision of the bill did not cause much difference between the two sides of the House. This, he argued, was fundamental to note when one seeks to look at the relevance of Greenidge’s comments before the full Parliament. “I don’t recall a single clause of the bill as presented to the House generating a great division or controversy during the deliberations of the committee,” he said.

Dr Singh said it was more than surprising that the opposition would seek to beg for more time to consider the amendments when it had developed a culture and pattern of delaying the work of the committee since May, while also recording its inability to make itself available.

He said the ruling administration had urged and pleaded the need to get on with the work of the committee while also exhibiting its ability to meet on any day for however long in order to complete the workload.

The finance minister strongly criticised the lack of preparedness to address the work of the committee. He said the economic sabotage was afoot and the opposition wanted to disguise their true intentions.

friday, november 8, 2013| guyanatimesgy.com

Man sentenced to two years for simple larceny

On Thursday, 26-yearold Eion Fraser of Number 41 Village, West Coast Berbice appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to three charges against him.

Fraser pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on November 4 at Regent Street, Georgetown he stole one gold chain valued $100,000, one cellphone valued $25,000 and a quantity of cash totalling $175,000, property of Brian Calendar. However he pleaded not guilty to the other two charges which stated that on November 4, at Regent Street, he stole $300,000, property of Nickal Rodrigues and between November 1 and 4 at New Market Street, Georgetown, he stole one child size gold ring and two cellphones amounting to $99,000.

According to the prosecution’s facts, the defendant and the virtual complainant are cousins and Calendar rents part of a store where he conducts business. On the day in question, he took Fraser to the store to do some carpentry work.

The defendant was then sent out to purchase a bottle of rum after which he did not return. Calendar went to check the security tapes and saw his cousin removing the chain from his bag. A further check was made and the cellphone along with the money was also discovered missing.

A report was made to the police and Fraser was pointed out and a search was conducted on his person, during which they found the gold chain in his pants pocket. A further investigation was carried out and he was charged with the offence.

Fraser who was unrepre-

sented in court stated that he did not steal the chain but had merely borrowed it and when he did not return that night, his cousin assumed that he had taken it. He went on to say that when he visited his aunt, she told him that his cousin was looking for him with the police.

He then asked her to call him so he can return to chain. Fraser alleged that the two were in a taxi when he gave Calendar his chain and told him that the cellphone had been misplaced and that he would compensate him for it. Fraser added that his cousin told him that he had already made a report to the police.

Magistrate McLennnan sentenced Fraser to two years imprisonment for the simple larceny charge and placed him on remand for the other two charges until December 5.

Porter remanded for unlawful wounding

A41-year-old man was on Thursday remanded to prison after he appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charge of wounding.

Sherwin Pindar of Lot 295 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on October 21 at Cross Street, Georgetown, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Carlsdale Aaron with the intent to murder him.

An unrepresented Pindar told the court that he is employed as a porter and lives with his mother.

According to Prosecutor Deniro Jones, the victim is still hospitalised. Pindar is set to make his next court appearance on November 27.

TEyew tness

Going down...

...in connectivity

here are some who might think Guyana’s out of the dark ages. You know....when it took hours to get a call through at the Guyana Telephone Company’s office at the Bank of Guyana, with you standing in line for the entire length of time. As the Virginia Slims ad used to remind us....”You’ve come a long way, baby!” But have we?

The interruption of the Internet service by Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) for more than half-a-day on Wednesday should remind one and all that, while we’re now all connected up to the world and all that – it can all go down the tube with the snip of a fibre optic cable. Which is what we’re told caused the problem. But do we appreciate what happened on Wednesday?

No business that used the Internet to communicate with others could function. It meant that for that time, no money transactions took place between us and the rest of the financial world that keeps us afloat.

And we were worried that not passing the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLCFT) Amendment Bill would do that! It might be that there are several ways to skin a cat? No newspaper could get their data to their print and processing centres – they had to be scurrying around dusting their pre-Internet equipment. Banks? Forget it!

And most of all, none of our young people could get onto their social media. Now the older folks out there might not know how traumatic this was. Just think of how you felt back in 2001 when the Twin Towers were going down in living colour. Multiply that feeling by at least a hundred and you’ll BEGIN to get an idea of how your young’uns felt.

The point of all this harangue, folks, is WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT NOT HAVING THIS HAPPENING AGAIN? This isn’t just the “blackouts” we’ve been whingeing about. This is getting into a black hole out of which no information can emerge. But the government already thought about this, haven’t they?

They brought another fibre optic cable into the country – from Brazil. Many scoffed at the time and asked why we needed so much capacity in communication. The government spoke about “redundancy” and we’re now seeing (and feeling) what they mean.

We know we’ve had some hiccups in getting the cable deployed. (All right, we’ve had a helluva lot of hiccups.) But we hope we’ve learnt our lesson that while we might want to give locals a chance at these contracts – sometimes they’re just not up to it. Let’s get that redundancy in place. Pronto. We want to stay connected.

...in Parliament

While your hard working Eyewitness is tapping away at his keyboard, our even harder working representatives are in Parliament –or, if you want to be pedantic – our National Assembly. Yep, they’re back from their twomonth recess and with another month thrown in for good measure, they’re ready to throw their bodies into the fray.

But of course, those bodies have to be fuelled for the fray (not frolic) and we can expect that they’ll make good use of the $1.7 million worth of food that’ll be served up.

You know about the big topic on the agenda, of course – unless you’ve been living under some rock or other during the past year – is the AMLCFT amendment bill. (One gets tired just repeating the full name.)

We hope the opposition comes to their senses and vote for the amendments. And we’re not even going to invoke the hardships that’ll befall the country if we don’t have the bill.

We’re talking about the hardships that’ll befall the opposition from the irate business community. We’re talking (no) campaign contributions.

...in fear

We’re rather saddened by the obvious fear in the three reporters who resigned from this newspaper. We wish the rest of the journalistic community can investigate the source of this fear.

21 nurses to begin training in burn care

– 24 others being prepped for prenatal care exam

Several nurses will be undergoing training in prenatal and burn care at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation starting on Thursday.

The training will be facilitated by two Guyana-born overseas-based medical professionals, Registered Nurse Vernie Ally, a certified instructor in neonatal resuscitation, and Dr Peter Akai, a specialist in wound care and infectious diseases.

The programme was organised by the Guyana Burns and Health Care Charitable Foundation, which will be celebrating its 12th anniversary on Monday.

Nurse Ally will be conducting classes for 24 nurses in the areas of foetal monitoring and resuscitation programmes, preparing them for the upcoming online examinations via which they will be given Canadian accreditation.

Ally has facilitated a number of training sessions in Guyana through the foundation, but this is Dr Akai’s first visit since his migration. He will be meeting with local doctors and nurses of the GPHC’s Burn Care Unit and also reviewing the needs assessments of the hospital.

Dr Akai will be conduct-

ing three sessions on the “10 commandments” of wound care for 18 nurses from the medicine programme and three from the Burns Care Unit.

Guyana Burns and Health Care Charitable Foundation President Harry Harakh said the benefits of this training make it worthwhile for nurses, since it will enhance their job performances, saving lives and increasing the hospital’s capacity.

Ally has been a regular volunteer at the foundation, and Dr Akai has been pushing to do something for Guyana, Harakh noted.

He said he was satisfied with the performance of the local Burns Care Unit while acknowledging its shortcomings. “Some of it is within our control and some are not. I’m saying this to indicate that even if there is dissatisfaction, we will never discontinue our work… our commitment is not to the institution, but to the patients who are burnt. When we go in there, we have to know what our options are, we either do nothing or get something done,” he stated.

The foundation’s president pointed out that it would have to get things done, since it is aiming , one

day, “be the best that can be done”, noting that they were not quite there yet. “I’m comfortable with what we have done so far and happy that we are continuing with our commitment to have the capacity and service of the Burn Unit to be more effective in the outcomes,” he said.

Enhance skills

GPHC Chief Executive Officer Michael Khan expressed joy at the return of the team, noting that whenever they come, they always engage in work which benefits him and his hospital.

He urged the nurses who will be undergoing the foetal monitoring and resuscitation training to work hard and take advantage of the training.

“The only thing I worry about that is that she (Nurse Ally) is upgrading you and making it easier to get into Canada when the time comes, and that’s my only worry – we can’t afford to lose our nurses to the First World, but, at least, it will enhance your skills which will make you a better nurse,” the GPHC CEO told the nurses.

Khan expressed disappointment that officials from the other regions failed to make arrangements to have their nurses available for the training, with the exception of a nurse from Skeldon Hospital and one from New Amsterdam Hospital.

Friken people does do frikenin tings

When people get friken, dem does do strange tings. In fact, dem does also do frikenin tings.

One reporter was so friken that she didn’t wanna read a certain news story bout Mook Lall de human smuggler, who also happen to be a lotta others tings like drug dealer, embassy pimp, businessman snitcher, G-PEEHell transformer thief, mall owner who hidin from he own buildin, pumpkin man, salipenter man, cash-in-suitcaseman and killer man.

De reporter was so friken that one time she tell people she friken and then turn round and friken fuh tell de people who she friken that she ever seh she was friken. That is very frikenin. But yet, in de email whah she send to she editor, she admit that she was friken. Plus she admit who she friken. And it wasn’t de Pharma man.

Even de reporter friend who confirm that de other reporter was friken was friken to tell de truth to de Mook, who both of dem friken in de first place. De third one was so friken that she run fuh she life till she now lookin fuh a wuk.

But she friken that she might run from de den and run into de lion mouth. And word is out a long time now that de Mook and de headitor both got big mouths to swallow she up, just like how dem does swallow one another among dem boys who seh dem is boys. Although she lil big, de Mook and de headitor ain’t gon friken de size.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! Dr Phil gon have to mek all this frikenin stuff a special study. But then Dr Phil he self might friken de Mook, who is de one frikenin all de reporters, all of who in turn friken fuh tell de Mook that dem friken he. What a bad week fuh press freedom!

Opposition blocks PSC petition on anti-laundering bill

BY MICHAEL YOUNGE

The joint opposition

parliamentary parties used its one seat majority in the National Assembly to block the presentation of a petition from the Private Sector Commission of Guyana which sought to call on them to give support to the anti-money laundering legislation in the interest of avoiding economic hardships and financial blacklisting.

The petition, which would have been presented by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Manzoor Nadir, was surprisingly described as “offensive”, “vexatious”, “malicious” and “inaccurate” by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Carl Greenidge who drew first blood by raising a point of order creating the first challenge to the piloting of the document.

Greenidge argued staunchly that the correct procedures were not followed by the petitioners or Nadir as far as the standing orders had allowed for its presentation to the National Assembly.

“The assembly will not receive any petition which is not properly and respectfully worded… It shall not contain ironical and nonsensical words that would not be used in debate”, he argued while quoting standing orders 40 (A), 15 and 26.

The APNU shadow finance minister also described the document as “ignorant”. He said it sought to lay blame at the feet of the opposition, having accused it of not making its concerns known in written forms to the spe-

cial select committee within the six months it was at that level.

He disputed the premise contained in the petition that some 40 per cent of the remittances to Guyana would be affected, as he advanced the argument that this figure was a mere 17 per cent or 25 per cent the most.

House Speaker Raphael Trotman tried to advance the petition to the next level by cautioning the opposition about the route it was seeking to pursue on Thursday. He reminded the Parliament of the precedence that had been set by other opposition members, including Volda Lawrence who was allowed to bring and present a petition to the Parliament with ease.

“Petitions are the only instruments that the members of the public have to speak to us and so we have to be very careful about the rules we put in place as to how they should speak to us…” Trotman noted.

Trotman also advanced the argument that he did not have the power to stop or rule whether the petition can be placed on the order paper but noted carefully his support for it to be advanced. He nonetheless informed that the clerk of the National Assembly had that prerogative. But even his appeal did not stop Deputy Speaker Deborah Backer from clarifying the APNU’s position on the petition. Backer said that while it is the clerk’s decision to place the petition on the order paper, the National Assembly had to decide on whether it could be presented or received.

Government’s Chief Whip Gail Teixeira expressed her disappointment at attempts by the opposition political parties

Father on bail for stealing paint from daughter

Aman was on Wednesday placed on bail after he was brought before Magistrate Fabayo Azore to answer to the charge of simple larceny.

Orin Vandecruz Chester pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that between October 3 and November 5, at North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he stole three gallons of paint valued $16,500, property of Vanessa Sealy.

According to the facts, the defendant is the complainant’s father and resides in the upper flat of the same building as Sealy. Chester is

in the habit of stealing from his daughter but she always pardons him. Between the dates mentioned in the charge, he stole three gallons of paint which Sealy had secured. When Chester was arrested, he admitted to the offence stating that he stole it to buy food. It is also known to the police that he smokes cocaine.

There were no objections to bail and Magistrate Azore granted it in the sum of $30,000. The matter was transferred to Court Six where it will be heard before the presiding magistrate on November 18.

to muzzle the private sector by seeking to obstruct its presentation to the National Assembly.

She argued buoyantly that the right of all Guyanese to petition their representatives and the Parliament is sacrosanct in any society.

“Whether the Parliament and MPs agree or don’t agree is of little consequence... any attempt to muzzle that is a serious violation…,” she said strongly.

She accused Greenidge of “clutching at straws” as he contended that the ac-

tions of the political opposition must be seen as “a slap in the face of these people”.

Nadir was merely given the opportunity by the speaker who overruled the challenges by the opposition to present the purpose of the petition which presented the views of more than 17 key private sector agencies in Guyana.

The heckling and cross talk on the floor between government and opposition saw some of the legislators of the latter making demeaning comments or suggestions about the private sector and the intent of the petition.

Alliance for Change Leader Khemraj Ramjattan said that parliamentary time was precious as he recorded his concern that were Nadir to be allowed to present his petition in breach of the standing orders then the Parliament

could be bombarded by “any and every petition... from everywhere”.

After a very short presentation, which was marred by interruptions from the floor, some 29 parliamentarians voted in favour of the petition while the 33 opposition legislators voted the motion down to have Nadir proceed.

The two page petition seen by Guyana Times was signed by Chairman of the Private Sector Commission Ronald Webster and Chairman of the Governance and Security Sub Committee of the Commission Gerald Gouveia.

It details the impact of the non-passage of the anti-money laundering bill on the financial operations, economic standing, remittances, insurance companies, among other agencies of the country.

SKYE project, GCCI launch employment initiative

The Skills and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) project in collaboration with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on Thursday launched “SKYE Job Bank;” an initiative designed to enable 1500 youths to gain meaningful employment.

With the primary objective of reducing youth crime and violence through the strengthening of economic participation and civic engagement, the SKYE Job Bank’s online site was launched at Duke Lodge, Kingston in the presence of the U.S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt, SKYE Chief-ofParty Dr Jan Karpowicz and GCCI’s President Clinton Urling among others.

The four year initiative was designed to promote work-ready training and livelihood coaching activities for 1500 youths between the ages of 15 and 24 years in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, Nine and

10. Karpowicz said the initiative is a stepping stone for Guyanese youths. “The project will help young people to basically unlock the potential that they have, to ensure that they realise their ambitions, for earning a honest living, the potential of helping themselves and their families, their parents, their communities, and automatically the country of Guyana,” he told those in attendance at the launch. He said they may not have good writing and reading skills, but they have the willingness to learn, noting that the SKYE initiative will help them along the way.

To date, 891 persons have been enrolled in the programme which got on its way in September 2012. Notably, 649 have completed training, with 253 gaining employment since then. With the launching of the page on GCCI’s website, both parties are hoping to accelerate the process of providing youths with job op-

portunities.

U.S. Ambassador Hardt said the job bank is a new way to link “work ready” young men and women with potential employers.

“The young men and women who will participate in this new job bank have already received extensive training, coaching and mentoring from dedicated USAID SKYE staff and volun-

Canadian firm to recycle Guyana’s solid waste

Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon on Wednesday disclosed that a leading Canadian firm will recycle solid waste in Guyana.

The project will be localised in Region Four with the main activity at the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill Site at the back of Eccles, East Bank Demerara. This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Guyana and the

Canadian firm. He said the MoU was signed even as Cabinet considers the implementation of regulations which will pave the way for the usage of bio-degradable and bio-synthetic materials as an alternative to plastics.

Dr Luncheon added that the Solid Waste Management Bill is currently being considered by Cabinet, positing that before the end of 2013, the bill will be tabled in the National Assembly. Dr

Luncheon added that this is just one of the many steps taken to tackle the issue of solid waste disposal in the country.

“Cabinet had previously approved the region-wide, all 10 regions, solid waste programme in which contractors were, through public tender, given contracts, had contracts executed with the ministry of local government and regional development to provide a fee for service of solid collection from households.”

healthy, productive workers and community members.

He applauded GCCI for its willingness to host the job bank on its website, noting that it can be easily marketed to the private sector.

“This is yet another demonstration of your ongoing commitment to develop the next generation of Guyana’s leaders. Allowing employers to match available, work ready personnel with existing vacancies will produce mutual benefits; both for young people and for the private sector.”

teers. They are eager to put into practice the new life and work skills they have gained,” he posited in his address.

With the help of the SKYE coaches, the enrolled young men and women are receiving the requisite knowledge and skills currently in demand. Ambassador Hardt said such skills will enable the beneficiaries to become

GCCI’s President Clinton Urling said the chamber is more than happy to assist, noting that good reviews have been given on youths who were groomed under the SKYE initiative.

“The reviews coming from my folks are very positive, and we have made a decision, if we are going to hire…we have taken a decision to go to the Skye project to look for persons who are looking for employment.

And that’s part of the genesis for this entire project for us,” he stated.

The work readiness training curriculum includes personal development, interpersonal communication, work habits and conducts, leadership and teamwork, safety and health at work and worker and employer rights and responsibilities.

Additionally, the project include four strategies; Detention Prevention which will allow for the creation and implementation of a system of alternative sentencing and diversion for minor offences.

Welcome Home; another strategy will focus on the designing and implementation of a reintegration system that ensures that youth exiting the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) receive support to re-enter society and to enter the work.

Get Ready to Work and Be Your Own Boss are also strategies in placed.

LIAT, pilots’ body meet to discuss impasse

Representatives of LIAT’s management and the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA) met on Wednesday at LIAT’s headquarters in Antigua to discuss issues relating to the recent industrial action by LIALPA.

The meeting was conducted in a cordial atmosphere with LIALPA’s team led by its Chairman, Captain

Carl Burke, while LIAT’s team was led by Julie ReiferJones, acting chief executive officer (CEO).

The LIAT acting CEO welcomed the LIALPA delegation and it was agreed that the meeting would serve as a forum to listen to LIALPA’s concerns and to determine the way forward.

The company’s management acknowledged that there are legitimate con-

cerns on the part of LIALPA and it was agreed that both sides would continue discussions in an effort to address the issues. LIAT continues to seek to restore normal operations and efforts to get dislocated passengers to their various destinations as quickly as possible. LIAT acknowledges with regret the inconvenience and disruption passengers throughout the region have experienced.

Guyana will stand firm against Venezuela on ship seizure issue – Rodrigues-Birkett

In the wake of the recent territorial issue with Venezuela, government has opted to pursue a course of reasoned dialogue to preserve the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, but “it will not compromise its principles nor sacrifice any of its national patrimony for ephemeral gains displayed on the altar of cooperation”.

This is according to Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, as she updated the National Assembly Thursday on the illegal arrest in Guyana’s waters of the RV Teknik Perdana ship by a Venezuela navy vessel on October 10.

She pointed out that the relationship between Guyana and Venezuela after Guyana’s Independence in 1966, moved from one of threats, acts of intimidation, seizure and attempted seizure of territory by Venezuela to the cordiality enjoyed particularly under the former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.

This relationship has been confirmed by the current Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, when he paid a state visit to Guyana, the minister pointed out. “Do we in light of the October 10 incident return to those darkest days of which I spoke of earlier or to those days of development uncertainties?” the minister asked.

Firm stance

She told the House that the Guyana government was always on top of the RV Teknik Perdana issue. “Mr Speaker, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was informed on the evening of October 10 of the arrest of the RV Teknik Perdana by the Venezuelan navy, the reaction of the government was immediate, decisive and firm. I immediately made efforts to speak with my counterpart in Caracas. The charge d’affaires of the Venezuelan

embassy was summoned to the foreign ministry and a diplomatic note protesting the action by the Venezuelan navy was dispatched. A media release was issued to ensure our population was informed,” she said.

The foreign affairs minister’s communication with her counterpart resulted in a meeting which took place in Trinidad on October 17, and lasted for close to six hours.

Minister RodriguesBirkett said the fact that the meeting took place at all, coupled with the range of issues it covered, is essential to a clearer understanding of the fundamental nature of the relations between Guyana and Venezuela at this time.

Way forward

She said that for Guyana, the principal aim of that engagement was to discuss the incident, to demand the safe release of the vessel and its crew, and to engage in discussions on the way forward. The meeting was fruitful, in that it resulted in all of Guyana’s principal objectives being met; the immediate release of the RV Teknik Perdana and the safe return of its crew; and the establishment of a process for the maritime delimitation of the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.

She noted, however, that Venezuela, throughout the

Woman on bail for shoplifting powdered milk

On Wednesday, a woman appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where she was charged with simple larceny.

Brenda Beaton, 59, of Lot 67 Victoria Street, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on November 2 at Water Street, Georgetown, she stole one tin of Milex milk powder valued $5452, property of Bounty Supermarket.

According to the facts, the defendant is a known shoplifter and on the day in question, about 10:00h, she went to Bounty Supermarket on

Water Street where she took a tin of Milex milk powder and placed it under her skirt.

While she was exiting the supermarket, she was stopped by the security which resulted in the milk tin falling out from under her skirt. The matter was reported and she was subsequently arrested and charged.

There were no objections to bail raised by Prosecutor Ramsahoye Rambaju and Magistrate Fabayo Azore granted it in the sum of $25,000. The matter was transferred to Court 10 for November 20.

Murder accused released on bail after indictment was quashed

Twenty-two-year-old Leon Paul was released on Thursday after spending over five years in prison pending trial for murder.

Paul of Dazzel Housing Scheme, Paradise, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was indicted with the September 2, 2008, murder of Dexroy Dodson, 20, at Paradise, ECD. He was represented by Attorney Sandil Kissoon while the prosecution’s case was presented by State Counsel Natasha Backer.

allegedly given by Paul to the police while in custody.

Presiding judge, Justice James Bovell-Drakes upheld the defence’s submission and quashed the indictment. He then placed Paul on bail in the sum of $250,000 and ordered that he report to the Cove and John Police Station every Monday. The trial judge also ordered the young man to report to the divisional detective officer if or whenever he has to leave the district.

meeting, was unwavering in its position that according to its line of delineation, the vessel was in Venezuelan waters, but the Guyana delegation maintained that the vessel was in Guyana’s waters, using the international law that affect the delimitation of the maritime boundary of adjacent states.

The foreign minister said it was by using the method of equidistance that Guyana has declared its provisional maritime boundaries since 1977 and this was how Guyana knew that the vessel at the time of its interception was in Guyana’s waters.

The minister said she sent letters to the secretaries general of the Caricom, the Organisation of American States, the Commonwealth and the United Nations, as well as to the foreign minister of the Republic of Suriname in that country’s capacity as Pro Tempore Chair of UNASUR, apprising them of the situation and the outcome of the meeting with Venezuela Foreign Minister Elias Jaua.

On Thursday’s date when the matter was called for hearing at the High Court, the defence attorney told the court that the committal was flawed and bad in law, and as such, he requested that the indictment be thrown out. The attorney supported his request, claiming that the magistrate who oversaw the preliminary inquiry (PI) failed to hold a voir dire into a caution statement that was

Paul was charged in January 2009 and placed before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court, where a PI was held, after which he was committed to stand trial at the High Court in 2010. However, the director of public prosecutions subsequently ordered that the PI be reopened to facilitate additional evidence.

After a second PI, Paul was again committed in February

of this year. According to reports, Dodson was reportedly involved with the teenaged sister of the accused, which stirred the misunderstanding, causing the deceased to lose his life. Dodson was reportedly seen talking on the road with Paul’s 15-year-old sister when he approached them and slapped the female several times before reportedly punching Dodson to the stomach. The 20-year-old reportedly ran towards his home but collapsed on the way in some nearby bushes, where he was discovered by his father later that evening with stab wounds in the region of the chest. Paul, who was a teenager at the time, went into hiding after the incident; however, he submitted himself to police in January of the following year and was charged. Paul has reportedly confessed to killing Dodson in anger after he saw him kissing his teenaged sister.

Several graduate from govt-run IT programmes

Hard work and intense focus have ensured that Guyana achieved universal primary education, and is far ahead in its goal of attaining universal secondary education. The government as well, is forging ahead to achieve universal information and communication technology (ICT) literacy, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh told graduating students at several ICT graduations on Wednesday.

About 150 persons graduated from Port Mourant, Region Six, and Golden Grove, Enmore, Buxton and Mon Repos in Region Four, after completing the ICT programme, which was conducted over a seven-week period, by the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) in collaboration with the Board of Industrial Training (BIT).

Persons were exposed to introduction to the computer; Microsoft Office and Word, Microsoft, Power Point, Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Output, computer repairs and networking. They were also educated on work ethics, basic mathematics and English language, and sexual and reproductive health.

During his address to the students at the various locations, Minister Singh stated

that the modern world is increasingly driven by technology, and government is committed to ensuring that every Guyanese citizen throughout the length and breadth of Guyana has access to ICT.

“This programme is not a one off… It is a comprehensive national agenda by government to ensure that persons throughout the length and breadth of Guyana are trained in information and communication technology… we believe that every citizen must be supported in achieving circumstances that will see them becoming gainfully employed,” Minister Singh stressed.

Investment

As a result, government has been providing the necessary infrastructure, making way for private investors, installing fibre-optic cables and equipping ICT labs in and out of the school system, drafting legislation, making Internet access more affordable, and ensuring every citizen has access to ICT in their homes through the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme.

In today’s world, it is impossible for one to survive without basic communication and information technology. Minister Singh rec-

ollected that 10 years ago, no one had a place in ICT, however, today the sector is rapidly creating jobs and over 300 young Guyanese are now able to secure jobs.

Contribution

Minister Singh pointed out that the sector is not confined to only young people, and charged the older folks to get more involved in the programme which could be of tremendous benefit to them.

“Each and every person is contributing to the strength of our economy in

Pandit killed in hit-andrun accident

The villages of Pomona and Riverstown on the Essequibo Coast have been plunged into deep mourning after one of its religious leaders was killed in a road accident late Wednesday evening.

Dead is Narine Singh, 74, of Riverstown Village. Singh met his demise in a car accident whilst walking home from his daughter’s residence Wednesday evening around 18:30h. Singh sustained a broken neck, feet and severe bruises to his body. Meanwhile police on the Essequibo Coast are hunting for the driver who committed the accident.

The driver of HB 4188, after hitting the pandit, immediately switched off his lights and fled the scene.

Neighbours who witnessed the accident said they were unable to identify the driver.

One eyewitness who was on the road at the time of the hit and run said he saw the car hit the pensioner and his bicycle became entangled in the car.

The eyewitness further alleged that the driver then stopped the car, exited and dislodged the bicycle before driving away.

Neighbours, upon hearing the loud impact from the accident, immediately rushed to the scene to rescue the religious leader. Singh apparently died on the spot however, he was rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital where he was examined by a doctor and pronounced dead on arrival.

According to police re-

ports, the car was found aback of Darthmouth Village on the Essequibo Coast. Police impounded the car at the Anna Regina Police station. Sabatri Singh, daughter of the deceased, said her father visited her Wednesday evening before leaving for home.

She said it is hurtful to know how her father died, “daddy is a humble, guy, head of the temple, he never do no wrong, daddy was the best” the daughter related. She said her father has been living alone for over 30 years and described him as a very respectful and caring person.

Distraught family

Family members are most peeved over the actions of the driver. They lamented that the driver acted irresponsibly by hitting their relative, severely injuring him and fleeing the scene.

The dead man’s family members are appealing to the police to do their part of the investigations and bring justice to the family.

The deceased has left to mourn his wife and children. For this week so far, the Essequibo roadways have claimed two lives –Bhagwandeen Narine, 61, of Lima Housing Scheme and Narine Singh, 74, from Riverstown Village.

a whole… you influence the prosperity of our economy, be it hair dresser, the bank teller, the farmer. You have the future of your country and community in your hands,” Minister Singh told the graduating students. The finance minister committed that the programme will be replicated in other areas, and urged the students to continue to further their studies because “there is no shortcut to success and hard work will never end”.

BNTF Project Manager Michael Singh also extended congratulations to the grad-

uating students. He said the programme will provide opportunities for persons of all age groups. BNTF is a government of Guyana programme and is responsible for implementing projects and providing infrastructure for capacity building.

Gratitude

Compton Reid, 65, a farmer of Port Mourant, who received an award for persevering, expressed gratitude to government for affording him the opportunity to gain knowledge about ICT. Despite some challenges, Reid said that the programme was beneficial, and he was satisfied because he can now market his produce through the Internet, which he could have done before if he had the skills.

Receiving prizes were best graduating students of Mon Repos, Coya Halley; Golden Grove, Ronessa Setal; Enmore, Cranston Richmond; Buxton, Deon David; and Mon Repos, Ramona Persaud. Prizes were also given out for most improved students and for perseverance. Meanwhile, at Golden Grove and Mon Repos, the finance minister officially handed over one fully furnished computer laboratory, each obtained through an intervention by the Caribbean Development Bank.

The project was executed at a cost of $9 million and $7.5 million respectively, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

The students were given certificates of participation which will enable them to secure jobs and further their education and eventually become awarded with the Caribbean Vocational Qualification Certificate. Dr Singh challenged the participants to explore their options because “the sky is the limit”.

Rohee hospitalised

Home Affairs Minister and People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary Clement Rohee was up to late Thursday night hospitalised at the Woodlands Hospital.

The state of his condi-

tion is unclear but sources said he has been confined in a private room, where he is being treated by doctors. Rohee did not attend Parliament on Thursday. Asked for a comment on Thursday, Rohee’s Cabinet colleagues would only confirm that he is hospitalised.

Newly-appointed Dominican ambassador presents credentials

Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque on Thursday said he welcomed steps being taken by Dominica to make the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) its final court of appeal.

The secretary general was speaking during a ceremony at the Caricom Secretariat headquarters, Turkeyen, where Ambassador to Caricom from Dominica, Felix Gregoire presented his credentials.

According to LaRocque, “Dominica’s contributions in advancing the work of the community, particularly in relation to the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) cannot be disputed.” He said he hoped the new ambassador would be at the forefront of endeavours towards the advancement of regional integration.

The secretary general also outlined that the community was engaged in a process of reform that encompassed every facet of its operations and institutions that must result in a change in the way it functions. He said this included the roles of the secretariat and the institutions of the community.

He thanked the new ambassador for his assistance during recent consultations in Dominica, which formed part of the reform process.

“We will be looking to you as change driver to continue as the voice, advocate, enabler and mobiliser for the community change process at the country level, as well as to be engaged in the process within the secretariat and the community organs,” he said.

In his remarks,

Ambassador Gregoire said his country was aware of the importance of the regional integration movement. He said he was pleased to be appointed ambassador to Caricom at a time when there was overwhelming desire to make the organisation more effective and efficient.

The envoy added that he was very impressed with the level of participation from the people of Dominica, who responded to the Caricom team with great enthusiasm during the reform consultations.

The Dominican ambassador commended the secretary general for the emphasis being placed on the youth by the secretariat, and noted that the future of any institution rested with the youth. “I daresay that the future for Caricom looks bright” he said.

Super Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms ever, heads for central Philippines

Thousands of people in vulnerable areas of the Philippines are being relocated as one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever observed spins toward the country. With sustained winds of 315 kph (195 mph) and gusts as strong as 380 kph (235 mph), Super Typhoon Haiyan was churning across

the Western Pacific toward the central Philippines.

Its wind strength makes it equivalent to an exceptionally strong Category Five hurricane. The storm, known as Yolanda in the Philippines, is expected to still be a super typhoon, with winds in excess of 240 kph (149 mph), when it makes landfall Friday morning in the region of Eastern Visayas.

The storm is so large in diameter that clouds from it are affecting two-thirds of the country.

Authorities in the region had moved more than 3800 people to evacuation

centers by late Thursday, Major Reynaldo Balido of the Philippine Office of Civil Defence said.

Most of those relocated live in Tacloban City, which sits on the coast of the island of Leyte and has a population of more than 200,000. In a speech Thursday, President Benigno S Aquino III warned residents of the “calamity our countrymen will face in these coming days.”

“Let me repeat myself: This is a very real danger, and we can mitigate and lessen its effects if we use the information available to prepare,” he said. (Excerpt from CNN)

Government has no mandate to govern, says TT opposition leader

“

Evidence supports Arafat poisoning theory, wider probe needed

The remains of Palestinian leader

Yasser Arafat showed test results consistent with polonium poisoning and should lead to a judicial investigation even if they were not absolute proof that he died that way, Swiss experts said on Thursday.

The two forensic experts were part of an international team that opened Arafat’s grave in the West Bank city of Ramallah last November and took samples from his body to see if there was evidence he was poisoned with the radioactive element. Their report was released on Wednesday.

“Our observations are coherent with a hypothesis of poisoning, in any case more consistent than with the op-

posite hypothesis (of no poisoning),” Patrice Mangin, director of Lausanne University Hospital’s center of legal medicine, told a news conference.

Doubts remained, although they had exhausted all forensic investigations into existing specimens, he said. Biological samples taken from Arafat’s body at the time of his death in a hospital in France in November 2004 have been destroyed.

“The doubt is enough to induce more investigation, but at a judicial level, to open an inquiry to look at other kinds of evidence, not measurements, but contacts between Palestinians and other people,” Mangin told Reuters in an interview.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Minister Kamla PersadBissessar to call general elections now. Rowley made this renewed call after Monday’s by-election with greater vigour than previous such calls against what he says is poor governance and poor management of the country by Persad-Bissessar.

Coming out of four election defeats in an unprecedented year of elections in Trinidad and Tobago, Rowley said, “The PP [People’s Partnership] government has lost its mandate to operate. This has got to be a Guinness Book of Records entry – losing four elections in one year. Call the general election as soon as possible, sooner the bet-

ter!”

The People’s Partnership coalition government lost the Tobago House of Assembly elections in January, the Chaguanas West by-election in July, the local government elections in October and now the November byelection in St Joseph.

With four elections in 2013 alone, however, the concern of voter fatigue has been raised by economist Mary King. The population must be weary with so many elections in one year, “I’m sure there would have been voter fatigue” argued King who was part of a team of analysts on TV6 for the St Joseph by-election.

(Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

J$100M settlement against Jamaica Urban Transit Company

Survivors of a horrific crash in 2010 of a Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) bus on Wednesday moved to have the state-run company wound up and its assets sold off if it is unable to honour a J$100 million settlement for damages as a result of the mishap.

“This is disrespectful that a public transportation system can treat the citizens this way,” attorney Sean Kinghorn, who represents 30 of 32 claimants who are to be awarded from the J$106,650,000 settlement reached with the JUTC in August, told the Jamaica Observer.

“If this is how they are going to treat the citizens

Pakistan Taliban appoints new leader

he Tehreek-e-Taliban

TPakistan (TTP) have elected Maulana Fazlullah as their new chief after the death of the previous leader in a U.S. drone strike, according to a spokesperson for the group.

The spokesman said that Fazlullah’s appointment meant that peace talks with the Pakistan government were now off the table.

Fazlullah led the Taliban’s brutal two-year rule in Pakistan’s northwestern

valley of Swat from 2007 to 2009, before a military operation retook the area. He takes over leadership of the Tehreek-eTaliban Pakistan (TTP) after Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a U.S. drone strike last Friday. TTP spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid confirmed the appointment to Al Jazeera, adding that Khalid Haqqani had been named Fazlullah’s deputy.

“I congratulate all the Muslim brothers that Maulana Fazlullah has been elected as the new chief of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan,” Asmatullah Shaheen, the interim TTP chief, said, according to the AFP news agency.

Regarding the possibility of peace talks, Shahid said: “Holding of peace talks is not even an issue to discuss - this government has no authority, it is not a sovereign government, it is a slave, a slave of America. Holding peace talks is a waste of time.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

PM Persad-Bissessar monitoring Dominican Rep – Haiti situation

Pthey don’t deserve to be operating as a transport system in Jamaica,” Kinghorn added. On Wednesday, Kinghorn served on the JUTC a Statutory Demand for Payment of Debt notice pursuant to Section 221 of the Companies Act.

According to the notice, the JUTC has 21 days to service the J$100-million settlement or face legal action in the Supreme Court to have it wound up.

Also Wednesday, Kinghorn obtained from the Supreme Court an order for the remaining two claimants of the 32 to proceed to assessment of damages against the company for their injuries.

rime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says she will monitor the situation in The Dominican Republic and will consult Caricom’s Secretary General Irwin La Rocque and the Caricom Bureau on the best way forward to finding a resolution to the matter. She made the comment after UWI-based arts group Jouvay Ayiti visited her St Clair office, Port of Spain, on Wednesday to deliver a petition with over 800 signatures from the Caribbean and its diaspora calling for trade and other embargoes to be placed on The Dominican Republic.

The group has added its voice to global calls condemning the September 25 ruling by the Dominican Constitutional Tribunal which rendered many

Dominican Republic nationals of Haitian descent stateless. The group donned J’Ouvert-like costumes, such as moko jumbies, devils and bookmen, during Wednesday’s action and also delivered the petition to the Dominican Embassy at Queen’s Park West, Port of Spain, before ending at the PM’s office.

In a release to the media last evening, the office said the PM acknowledged receipt of the petition “in support of Dominicans of Haitian descent, following the September 2013 ruling of the Constitutional Court of The Dominican Republic, which strips Dominican citizenship from immigrants entering the country since 1929 and that of their offspring. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

TT’s finance minister aims to list new energy company

In saying he wanted to double the number of companies listed on the TT Stock Exchange (TTSE), Finance Minister Larry Howai said government will be playing a leading role in this initiative, starting with the listing of a new company that would hold the National Gas Company’s (NGC) shareholding in Phoenix Park Gas Processors Company Ltd (PPGPL). There are currently 30 companies listed on the TTSE.

In August, NGC paid TT$3.9 billion for a 39 per

cent stake in PPGPL owned by American energy giant ConocoPhillips. Speaking at the Sixth Annual National Services Week 2013 at the Hilton Trinidad hotel, St Ann’s, on the session titled, Financial Services Sector: Creating the Future You Want, Howai said the energybased company is expected to be listed on the TTSE by April 2014.

“Several other state enterprises which require strategic investors, such as the Vehicle Maintenance

Company of TT, the National Helicopter Services Ltd, the National Flour Mills Ltd, and the Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Ltd, have also been identified as possible listings,” Howai said.

“Apart from the listing of state enterprises in the TTSE, we are also considering entering into discussions with some of the energy companies and the major local conglomerates with regard to the possibility of listing more of their subsidiaries on the local stock exchange. (Trinidad Guardian)

Twitter shares soar 92 per cent in frenzied NYSE debut

Twitter Inc soared as much as 92 per cent in its first day of trading on Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange as investors snapped up shares in the popular micro-blogging site in a frenzy that recalled the days of the dot-com bubble.

The shares opened at USA$45.10 a share, up from the initial public offering price

ECB surprises

of US$26 set on Wednesday, then added to those gains, hitting a high of US$50. They were up 73.7 per cent to US$45.15 at midday.

Sources said the flotation drew strong demand, with investors asking for 30 times the number of shares on offer as they bet on potential growth at the money-losing social media company.

The opening price valued the shares at about 22 times forecast 2014 sales, nearly double that multiple at social media rivals Facebook Inc and LinkedIn Corp.

The shares opened 75 per cent above the US$26 initial public offering price set on Wednesday, making it the biggest in a series of huge opening day “pops” for IPOs. (Reuters)

markets by cutting eurozone interest rates to 0.25 per cent

Borrowers across the struggling eurozone economies received an unexpected fillip on Thursday when the European Central Bank cut interest rates to a fresh record low, in a bid to stave off a slide into deflation.

After its monthly policy meeting in Frankfurt, the ECB’s governing council announced that it would reduce its key refinancing rate to 0.25 per cent, from 0.5 per cent.

While the economy of the

18-member single currency area clambered out of recession earlier this year, Mario Draghi, the ECB’s president, warned that the outlook could deteriorate in the coming months.

“The risks surrounding the economic outlook for the euro area continue to be on the downside,” he said.

“Developments in global money and financial market conditions and related uncertainties may have the potential to negatively affect economic condi-

tions. Other downside risks include higher commodity prices, weaker than expected domestic demand and export growth, and slow or insufficient implementation of structural reforms in euro area countries.”

As well as the rate cut, which took financial markets by surprise, Draghi said the ECB would continue making lowcost loans to eurozone banks until at least mid-2015, to try to prevent the financial sector from seizing up. (The Guardian)

Ivory Coast “cocoa barons” jailed for embezzling money

Acourt in Ivory Coast has sentenced 15 former top officials to 20 years each in prison for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the cocoa and coffee industry.

The 15, popularly known as “cocoa barons”, were also ordered to pay fines worth US$138 million (£86 million).

They were convicted of embezzling tax revenues during the rule of former President Laurent Gbagbo. Ivory Coast

Asia

is the world’s largest producer of cocoa.

At least 13 others were acquitted at the trial in the main city of Abidjan. The accused were arrested in 2008 after Gbagbo ordered the investigation into allegations of widespread corruption in the coffee and cocoa sectors.

Gbagbo disputed the result of elections in November 2010, which the UN said he had lost, and refused to leave office resulting in a five-month

stand-off.

Forces loyal to current President Alassane Ouattara, backed by UN and French troops, captured Gbagbo in April 2011. He is now in detention at The Hague awaiting trial on four charges of crimes against humanity, which he denies.The conflict badly affected Ivory Coast’s cocoa industry, which accounts for 40 per cent of global supplies of the natural raw ingredient used in chocolate.

India eases rules for foreign banks

India’s central bank has unveiled new rules that will allow foreign banks to expand their presence in the country. Foreign banks will now be allowed to set up “wholly owned subsidiaries” in India, which will enable them to open branches anywhere in the country.

The subsidiaries will need a minimum capital of five billion rupees (US$80 million; £50 million). The changes are a part of the push by the central bank’s new governor, Raghuram

Middle East

Rajan, to liberalise the sector as he looks to boost growth.

Foreign banks have long wanted to boost their presence in the country – home to nearly 1.2 billion people. However, so far they have had to face tight regulations, especially over the number of branches they can open.

The Reserve Bank of India said the new rules would allow them to open branches “at par with Indian banks”. However, they will need permission to open

branches in “certain locations that are sensitive from the perspective of national security”.

The RBI said it would also consider introducing takeover rules that would allow foreign companies to own as much as 74 per cent of a domestic bank.

But it said any such decision will be taken after a review relating to “the extent of penetration of foreign investment in Indian banks and functioning of foreign banks”. (BBC News)

UAE’s Etihad eyes partnerships in South America – CEO

Etihad Airways is looking to South America as its new focus for potential partnerships, part of the Abu Dhabi-based airline’s wider bid to boost its presence in the Americas, CEO James Hogan told Arabian Business.

The UAE flag carrier’s only South American route at present is Sao Paulo in Brazil, but Hogan is looking to rectify this in the near future. “South America is a huge continent and we will continue step by

step to develop our presence,” he said.

While Hogan has not ruled out seeking a possible equity partner in Latin America, a code sharing agreement seems the most likely avenue at present: “As I have always said, we look at equity partnership as a commercial opportunity and an investment opportunity. [What] we are certainly looking at in South America is code sharing relationships.”

Should Etihad decide to go

down the equity route in South America, Saj Ahmad, an aviation analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research, said loss-making carriers such as Brazil’s Gol and Buenos Airesbased Aerolineas Argentina would be the most likely possible candidates. Last month, Etihad announced plans to start direct daily flights to Los Angeles, which will be the carrier’s fourth U.S. destination when the service starts in June 2014. (Arabianbusiness)

Starting a home business (conclusion)

A low-margin, high-volume approach, like the example mentioned above, is bound to be more successful than a high-margin, low-volume approach, which many home businesses attempt. For example, if you are able to produce homemade pottery for US$10 each and customers are willing to pay US$100 for each piece, but you are only able to produce one per week, then you would only make less than US$360 monthly, or US$4320 annually, which

would be impossible to live on. This is a huge obstacle for many entrepreneurs attempting to start an art-based home business such as sculpture, painting or photography, since your choice of helpers would be limited by skill and their impact on your product’s signature style. If your home business is meant to supplement your primary income, it may be a much less stressful venture; after all, if it falls through you still have your regular job.

However, if you plan to devote all your time to your home business, you have to make sure you have enough savings to make it through some rough patches, especially at the beginning, when initial setup costs, especially advertising, can be staggering and send your monthly balances deep into the red. While there are no shortcuts in home businesses, as many advertisers claim, hard work and persistence can pay off big in the long run. (Business Dictionary)

Guyana and Canada pledge to strengthen bilateral relations

The relationship between the governments of Guyana and Canada was highlighted on Wednesday evening during a welcome reception for the new Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr Nicole Giles at her Bel Air residence.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, after extending greetings from President Donald Ramotar, wished the new high commissioner well during her sojourn in Guyana.

He spoke of the thousands of Guyanese and their children who are happy to make Canada their home. “I can sense your eagerness to maintain the momentum of our programme of cooperation, and to seek out new initiatives upon which we can embark.

There will be many more opportunities for us to elaborate on these, and so I just like to reiterate, on this occasion, the importance with which we view our relations with Canada, as well as the commitment of the government of Guyana to work with you to strengthen these, during your tour of duty,” the prime minister said.

People-to-people links

Dr Giles said the Canada-Guyana bilateral relationship is grounded in robust people-to-people links, shared economic and trade interests, and strong diplomatic and development cooperation, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

Flashback: President Donald Ramotar welcomes newly-appointed Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr Nicole Giles. In September, Giles presented her letters of credence to Ramotar at the Office of the President

“Guyana has incredible potential and is one of the strongest economies in the Caribbean. This is especially true given the rich mineral deposits and prospective discovery of oil.

Canada has sought to develop a partnership with Guyana to support the maximisation of its potential.

I intend to build on the successful collaboration that Canada and Guyana have already established and to seek new areas that are mutually beneficial to our countries,” she stated.

The high commissioner explained that Canada is keen on sharing its experiences in the development of the extractive sector.

“I believe that given Canada’s experience and investments in this sector, it is critical that we continue to support capacity

building, and to offer solutions for challenges that we both face.

A key example is the area of training for the mining sector, where we support two distinct partnerships involving the Canadian College of North Atlantic: one is with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment to establish the “mining school” in Guyana, the other is with the TVET Council and the Linden Technical Institute to strengthen training for heavy equipment operation and maintenance.”

Dr Giles added that the intention was to build on the successful collaboration that Canada and Guyana have already established, and to seek new areas that are mutually beneficial to both countries.

President Donald Ramotar came in for criticism on Thursday owing to his decision to enact only three of the four local government reform bills unanimously passed in the National Assembly exactly three months ago.

The Fiscal Transfer Act, the Municipal and District Council Amendment Act, and the Local Government Commission Act were enacted by President Ramotar on Wednesday. However the contentious Local Government (Amendment) Bill is still sitting before the president.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C); A Partnership for National Unity (APNU); and the Alliance For Change (AFC) had engaged in a heated debate over the power and author-

ity that would be vested in the Local Government Commission under the Local Government (Amendment) Bill. Opposition Leader David Granger claimed, “The Ramotar PPP administration is determined to frustrate the holding of local government elections under the reformed local government system.”

The opposition had used its one-seat majority to decentralise financial and administrative powers, transferring them from the Local Government and Regional Development Minister to the Local Government Commission under the bill. The PPP/C parliamentarians had signalled their dissatisfaction at that move.

“The Local Government (Amendment) Bill asserts the autonomy of lo-

ECLAC calls for improvement in quality of statistics

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena, on Thursday advocated for a boost in the region’s national offices of statistics, with a view to improving statistical quality so that progress can be made towards development for equality.

She was speaking at the opening of the seventh meeting of the Statistical Conference of the Americas (SCA). Bárcena stated “ECLAC is thinking of building political and social covenants for equality and these will urgently require clear information, access to information and a broad and participatory discussion among various actors”.

The senior United Nations official underscored the importance of the region participating in the post-2015 agenda, which marks the deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The meeting is organised by the Statistical Conference of the Americas, which is a subsidiary body of the commission that contributes to the progress of statistical policies and activities in the region. It will be attended by experts from the United Nations and other international agencies, as well

as the heads of institutes of statistics of the region’s countries.

The meeting will be attended by delegates from 35 countries, including many representatives from Caribbean nations. Bárcena stated that the basis for social covenants for equality is “recognising individuals as autonomous subjects with rights”. She pointed out that the challenge was to ensure that all social actors have access to certain social goods, including statistical data and systems.

The senior United Nations official declared that “statistics establish the factual boundaries for policy expectations”, and defended the importance of moving towards achieving autonomy for the statistical institutes of the region’s countries.

The executive secretary affirmed “We are convinced that institutes of statistics should be independent, like central banks, and should be the guarantors of state policies. They should not keep up with political circumstance, but instead should be legitimate instruments trusted by citizens.”

ECLAC Division of Statistics Director Pascual Gerstenfeld, restated the need to “maintain an unwavering commitment to quality control, as it has always been done with

honesty and transparency in the production and dissemination process, in order to maintain the image of statistics as the main public good for democratic co-existence and development with equality”.

Paraguay’s General Directorate of Statistics, Surveys and Censuses (DGEEC) Director and SCA Executive Committee President Elizabeth Barrios, emphasised the relevance of statistics for formulating public policy programmes and for decision-making on the part of citizens.

The meeting will also involve four seminars on topics including the pro-quality institutional strengthening of national statistical offices and systems and the post-2015 development agenda and challenges for national statistical systems (including the transition from Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development Goals).

The seminars will also analyse gender mainstreaming in producing statistics, and the development of basic economic statistics in the framework of the System of National Accounts (SNA 2008), which defines the rules for national accounting.

cal democratic organs and, as such, addresses the very essence of local democracy. The PPP’s intention to impose regional executive officers into the principal act (28: 02) was rejected in committee. The party’s further attempts to alter this act were also defeated by a majority vote in the National Assembly,” Granger stated.

He put forward the theory that the president’s refusal to assent to the Local Government (Amendment) Bill is the promotion of “archaic colonial powers”.

“This is an unacceptable travesty and does violence to the constitutional stipulation for ensuring the autonomy of the local democratic organs. Once again, the administration is displaying its contempt for the decisions of the National Assembly.”

SUDOKU

thursday's solution

Put on a happy face, and you’ll charm even your most difficult opponent. Your knowledge and innovative approach to matters will capture attention in powerful quarters.

By Bernice Bede Osol

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

Keep your goals in view. The less you discuss your plans, the easier it will be to avoid interference. Your perspective on things is sound, and you should trust it. A change in the way you feel about someone is likely.

Relationships will play a major role in the near future. Nurture the connections that you feel have the most to offer. It’s time to weed out those who hold you back. Romance is highlighted.

Keep a watchful eye on the people most likely to take advantage of you. Problems at home will require you to make a much-needed change.

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

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

You’ll be tempted to use unusual tactics to get what you want, but you need to be sure of things before you do so. Your intuition will help you figure out what to do and who to trust. A financial dispute will be settled in your favour.

(March 21-April 19)

Listen carefully to what others are saying and observe the way people react to you. Don’t make abrupt changes that could cause an emotional situation to spin out of control.

(April 20-May 20)

Contribute to a group or organisation that can help further your position. Networking and sharing information will lead to a collaborative relationship with someone special.

(May 21June 20)

You should pursue your personal needs without forcing your will on others. Keeping the peace will allow you the freedom to reach your goals. Take care of a debt that may hamper your success.

Show everyone how much fun you can have. Participate in activities that will help you form closer bonds. Social plans that focus on exploring new interests should be put in motion.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Do what’s expected of you and keep moving. Making a fuss or letting your emotions affect your productivity will be your downfall. Adjust to whatever situation you face with good-natured grace.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

You’ll have an idea for a cultural or philosophical change while travelling or dealing with people from different backgrounds. Share your thoughts with others, and the insight you get will alter your future.

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

It’s a good time to make personal changes, but don’t try to get others to follow suit. Leave well enough alone when dealing with friends or family. Interfering in other people’s lives will backfire.

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Food commodity markets are becoming more balanced and less price volatile than in recent years thanks to improved supplies and a recovery in global inventories of cereals, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) “Food Outlook” report published Thursday.

“The prices for most basic food commodities have declined over the past few months. This relates to production increases and the expectation that in the current season, we will have more abundant supplies, more export availabilities and higher stocks,” said FAO’s Trade and Markets Division Director David Hallam. The sharp increase in 2013 cereal production mostly stems from a recovery of maize crops in the United States and record wheat harvests in Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries – former members of the Soviet Union. World rice production in 2013 is expected to grow only modestly.

Cereal stocks

Global stocks, ending in 2014, are also anticipated to increase, by 13 per cent, to 564 million tonnes, with coarse grains alone up by 30 per cent, mostly in the U.S. Wheat and rice stocks are also projected to rise, by seven per cent and three per cent respectively. The expansion in world cereal stocks would result in the global cereal stocks-to-use ratio reaching 23 per cent, well above the historical low of 18.4 per cent in 2007/08.

In 2013, the world food import bill is set to decline by three per cent to US$1.15 trillion, with import costs of cereals, sugar, vegetable oils and tropical beverages falling, but dairy, meat and fish remaining firm, according to the “Food Outlook”.

Food prices rise slightly

The FAO Food Price Index, also published in this report, rose slightly in October, averaging 205.8 points. This was 2.7 points, or 1.3 per cent above September, but still 11 points, or 5.3 per cent below its October 2012 value. The slight increase was largely driven by a surge in sugar prices, although prices of the other commodity groups were also up. The index, which is a measure of the monthly change in international prices of five major food commod-

ity groups (including 73 price quotations), has undergone some changes in the way it is calculated, although the new approach did not significantly alter the values in the series. The revised index has also been extended back to 1961. The revisions are discussed in the Special Feature section of “Food Outlook”.

Forecasts for other commodities include:

Cassava. World cassava output is expected to increase for the fifth consecutive year and to reach 256 million tonnes in 2013. The expansion is being fuelled by rising demand for food in the African continent and increasing industrial applications of cassava in East and Southeast Asia, especially for ethanol and starch. Sugar. World sugar production is forecast to increase only slightly in 2013/14. The rise is likely to be limited in Brazil, the world’s largest sugar producer and exporter, where unfavourable weather conditions have hampered harvesting operations. World sugar consumption is set to grow by about two per cent in 2013/14.

Oilseeds. World oilcrop production could climb to an all-time high in 2013/14, supported by record soybean crops in South America. Global output of oilseed products should match world utilisation for the second consecutive year, although a sizeable surplus is possible in the case of meals/cakes.

Meat. World meat production is anticipated to grow by 1.4 per cent in 2013. Prices have remained at historically high levels since the beginning of 2011. There is no sign of overall price decreases, despite reduced feed costs.

Dairy. World milk production in 2013 is forecast to grow by 1.9 per cent. Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean are expected to account for most of the increase, with only limited growth elsewhere. International dairy products prices have declined from their April peak, but still remain at historically high levels.

Fisheries. Aquaculture continues to boost overall fish supply, pushing quotations down from earlier levels. Fish consumption per capita keeps growing, with aquaculture in the process of overtaking capture fisheries as the main source of supply for direct human consumption.

Perfect Pacers pull away late from Bulls 97-80

– Durant, Westbrook lead OKC past Dallas 107-93

INDIANAPOLISIndiana spent the offseason investing heavily in its bench. On Wednesday night, the Pacers got the payoff.

Luis Scola, Donald Sloan and Lance Stephenson combined for all 12 points in a decisive fourth-quarter run, sending the still unbeaten Pacers past division rival Chicago 97-80 and to its best start since 1971-72.

‘’They brought all of us in to make the bench a little deeper than it was last year, and I think the guys on the bench know their role,’’ Sloan said. ‘’So it just fits.’’

The NBA’s last unbeaten team is 5-0 for the first time in Indiana’s NBA history. Indiana can tie its franchise record, 6-0 set by the 1970-71 ABA powerhouse, when Toronto visits tonight. Wednesday’s victory may have been the most impressive yet.

Again, the Pacers played

short-handed. Starting point guard George Hill missed his third straight game with a sore left hip, and swingman Danny Granger still has not played because of a strained left calf.

Again, they had to rally from a halftime deficit. And again, they found a way to close it out.

Paul George, the league’s second-leading scorer, finished with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists.

David West had 17 points and 13 rebounds, both season-highs. Roy Hibbert had eight points, 10 rebounds and added five more blocks to his league-leading total.

But Scola, Sloan and Stephenson changed the script.

After missing his first seven shots and scoring just three points in the first three quarters, Stephenson had 12 points in the final 12 minutes including two big

3-pointers during the decisive stretch. He finished with 15 points. Scola added 12, none more critical than the consecutive baskets he made midway through the fourth. Sloan scored nine points including the 17-footer that tied the score midway through the fourth.

‘’We just play hard. We feel like that we going to bring it every night on the defensive end, offensive end and we going to find a way to get that ‘W,’’’ Stephenson said. ‘’And we did that tonight.’’

It sure wasn’t easy against their fiercest division rival.

Derrick Rose and Luol Deng scored 17 points each to lead the Bulls (13), though Rose scored only three points in 12 minutes in the second half and he spent the first half of the fourth quarter on the bench.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma

City, Kevin Durant had 23 points and 10 assists, and Russell Westbrook scored 22 points as Oklahoma City pulled away in the second half for a 107-93 victory over Dallas on Wednesday night.

Serge Ibaka added 17 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder (3-1), who won their second straight game following Westbrook’s return from two offseason knee surgeries.

Jeremy Lamb added 13 points for Oklahoma City, which has won 11 straight games against the Mavericks, including the playoffs. The last loss for the Thunder against Dallas was on Jan. 2, 2012.

Monta Ellis led the Mavericks (3-2), who were playing their second game in two nights, with 20 points.

Jae Crowder and Shawn Marion added 17 each, while Dirk Nowitzki finished with 16. (AP)

Federer beats Gasquet at ATP Tour Finals

Roger Federer got his ATP World Tour Finals campaign back on track with a straight-sets win over Richard Gasquet on Thursday.

The Swiss star won 6-4 6-3 and will play Juan Martin Del Potro in his final Group B match on Saturday, with a semi-final place still up for grabs. Federer, who lost to Novak Djokovic on Tuesday, needed six match points to see off Gasquet in a tense finish.

Djokovic and Del Potro meet at 20:00 GMT, with a straight-sets win good enough for either to progress.

Federer, 32, is playing in the season finale for the 12th consecutive year and has only once failed to make it out of the group stage, but that danger loomed large after his defeat by Djokovic.

It remains a considerable task for the six-time champion to progress, with Del Potro likely to pose a sterner test than Gasquet.

“It is a big win for me and hopefully I can keep it up in the next match against Juan Martin,” said Federer. “There is a lot to play for. There are a lot of calculations going on in a three-way race, so hopefully it won’t be that close this time.”

The errors that have crept into Federer’s game in recent years remained against Gasquet, but he had the advantage in both power and athleticism.

The Frenchman, 27, won the first six points but a couple of fizzing forehand winners got Federer out of trouble from 0-30 in game two, and a sweeping cross-court backhand helped him to break in game three.

All was going according to

plan for the 17-time Grand Slam champion but an edgy service game at 4-3 allowed Gasquet back into the set, with Federer’s backhand breaking down under pressure and flying wide.

The Swiss regrouped quickly, however, playing a fine return game to regain the initiative after Gasquet framed a forehand high into the O2 Arena stands on break point.

Federer was in control once again and began to produce the moments of brilliance that have marked his whole career, easing into a 2-0 lead in the second set with some sharp attacking play at the net.

It did not signal an acceleration to the finish line, however.

Federer had to fend off break points in the next three service games, and Gasquet had his man well and truly rocking with a rasping backhand down the line and a flashing forehand return in game eight.

It proved to be Gasquet’s final flourish of the afternoon, as Federer caught him out with a lob on break point and eventually brought an edgy encounter to a close at the sixth time of asking.

While Gasquet can no longer reach the semi-finals, Federer is likely to need a repeat of his win over Del Potro in Paris last week.

“I think that win for me in Paris psychologically was very important,” said Federer. “I could beat top-10 guys; I beat Richard, I beat Juan Martin last week.

“I truly believe my confidence is higher, and that’s what I need to beat the best, and Juan Martin is part of that group.” (BBC Sport)

WADA to study report on Jamaica’s drug testing programme

MONTREAL, Canada - A report on the state of Jamaica’s drug testing programme is expected to be examined next week during a meeting of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in South Africa.

WADA’s Director General David Howman made the announcement saying the executive committee is expected to study the report from a

two-day inspection trip to Jamaica.

Howman said the report on gaps in Jamaica’s testing of its star athletes in the build-up to the London Olympics will likely be presented to WADA’s board when it meets on the first day of its conference in South Africa on Tuesday.

“We’ve been able to have a process, so from that point of view I’m content that the process has

been followed,” Howman said by telephone from WADA headquarters in Montreal.

“We’ll get a report shortly and we will deal with the report in the same way as we deal with any audit report from a stakeholder.”

Howman said he was satisfied with the process that was followed with WADA’s inspection of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission last week.

The inspection was prompted by revelations of a breakdown in the testing of the Caribbean island’s high-profile sprinters in the six months leading up to the London Olympics.

Eight Jamaican athletes, including former 100-metre world record holder Asafa Powell and Olympic 400 relay gold and silver medallist Sherone Simpson, have tested positive this year.

Sharma’s debut ton, Ashwin fifty lift India

In his first Test, Rohit Sharma walked in at the early exit of Sachin Tendulkar, playing his penultimate and 199th Test. Two overs later, 82 for 4 became 83 for 5, with offspinner Shane Shillingford on a roll on Wednesday.

Rohit, who five days ago made a double-century in an ODI against Australia, buckled down to become the 14th Indian to make a century on Test debut. He put on 73 first with his captain MS Dhoni, but it was his association with R Ashwin that transformed the game completely. India ended the day with a lead of 120, the unbroken seventh-wicket stand worth 198, and No. 8 Ashwin eight short of his second Test hundred.

This was a different version of Rohit from what has been on display over 108 ODIs. There were no cute strokes, there was no hitting his way out of pressure, there was plenty of leaving outside off. This was sensible batting, respecting the demands of the situation India had landed in against Shillingford. Ashwin, who came in at 156 for 6, matched his specialist batting partner on every count, be it solidity, strokeplay or elegance. The partnership visibly deflated West Indies, who would have rightfully eyed a sizeable lead in the morning.

Rohit took 13 deliveries to get his first runs in Test cricket, and they came via a pull to the long-leg boundary off a 145kph short ball from fellow debutant Sheldon Cottrell. As he grew in confidence, there were glimpses of the touch he possesses. A back-foot drive against the pace of Tino Best, a cover drive against the turn of Shillingford.

But what stood out was his back-foot defence against the spinners. The preceding India batsman had found dealing with spin tough, but Rohit had time to adjust. Shillingford’s doosra, which had claimed Tendulkar and M Vijay, was dealt with calmly from deep in the crease, and barring an over after tea, Rohit was hardly bothered by the offspinner.

Barring the sweep against Shillingford, Rohit was unwilling to be too aggressive, and a nervous stay in the 90s beckoned. But Cottrell offered him a freebie on the pad, which was flicked for four. On 98 now, Rohit had some luck on the next ball to reach the landmark - a thick edge of an attempted drive flying to the third man boundary between slip and gully. There was no change in his ap-

proach after reaching the milestone as he batted safely till stumps.

Ashwin once again showed why he has such a high Test batting average for a No. 8. His shots would have done specialist batsmen proud. He was also absolutely certain about his defence, whether forward or back. He drove confidently against the spin without fuss, and used pace to steer and cut. He whipped the fast bowlers effortlessly through square leg, and towards the end, even walked down the pitch to casually slap Darren Sammy down the ground.

Before this partnership, Dhoni’s 42 was crucial in breaking the hold Shillingford had gained. He drove the offspinner for successive fours before lunch the over after being put down on 12 by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin off Sammy. Dhoni hustled between the wickets like he does in ODIs, converting ones into twos and racing back for an overthrow. Sammy chose to give himself a few overs immediately after lunch instead of one of his quick bowlers, and West Indies, despite having sent back half the side, were not able to tie India down. Dhoni fell as soon Best was brought back on in the 52nd over with the changed ball, edging a clumsy drive to the

Sub-19 would be bigger success than more Olympic medals, says Bolt

What’s tougher — eating 1,000 chicken McNuggets or breaking 20 seconds in the 200m?

Bolt addressed both in his recently released autobiography, “Faster Than Lightning.” We know about the McNuggets story from the Beijing Olympics.

In another excerpt, Bolt said he could break his world record in the 200m (19.19) and run sub-19 as early as 2014. That’s a daunting task, given Bolt’s quickest time since his 19.19 world record in 2009 is a 19.32 at the 2012 Olympics.

“Supposing I don’t make any quicker times in the 100, I would love to be able to run 18-something seconds in the 200, even if it was an 18.99 race,” Bolt wrote, according to the International Sports Press Association. “Forget making the next Olympics and the medals, breaking that time would be an ever bigger success. I’d love to crack it, knowing that people were sitting in their homes and losing their minds at my achievement.

“To reach that landmark pace, I would need to have

the perfect season, like the one I had in ’08. I think next year could be my shot at it, though the window of opportunity is getting smaller with every campaign. The older I get, the narrower that window becomes; the harder it is form me to reach peak fitness in time for a major race.

“I don’t think it’s totally out of reach in the next season or so. Seriously, who would be surprised if I did it? Who’s going to stop me from going fast? The only man who can bring an end to my status as a star of track and field in the next couple of years is me, and I’m a

phenomenon, a serious competitor — a legend for my generation. Believe me, my time isn’t’ up just yet.” Bolt is 27. Michael Johnson set his 200m world record of 19.32 at the 1996 Olympics when he was 28. Bolt previously announced his goal of breaking the 200m world record next year in a press conference in September.

“I have learned, I have mastered the art of running the turn,” Bolt said. “So if I can stay injury free and be in good shape, then it’s possible for me to definitely go after the world record.” (NBC Sports)

AP McCoy claims historic 4,000th career winner

keeper.

For a side that still had the upper hand, West Indies went flat quite soon, with the ball and in the field. Shillingford, who sent down 37 overs in the day, kept pegging away despite his workload, but the other spinner, Veerasammy Permaul, could not remotely trouble the batsmen. The replacement ball, a rather shiny one, also did not reverse as much as Mohammed Shami had managed with the changed ball when West Indies batted. The second new ball, taken after 87 overs, only came on better. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

India 1st innings s dhawan b shillingford 23 m vijay st †ramdin

b shillingford 26

c Pujara c †ramdin b cottrell 17

s tendulkar lbw

b shillingford 10 v Kohli c Powell

b shillingford 3

r sharma not out 127

ms dhoni*† c †ramdin

: (6 wkts, 102 overs)

Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-57, 3-79, 4-82, 5-83, 6-156 Bowling: t best 14-0-531, s cottrell 15-3-53-1, s shillingford 41-8-1304, v Permaul 20-1-540, d sammy 12-1-52-0

AP McCoy became the first jump jockey to ride 4,000 winners when he triumphed with the second of two rides at Towcester on Thursday.

The 18-time champion reached the unprecedented milestone on Mountain Tunes in the 15:10 GMT race. “It was just amazing, it couldn’t have worked out any better,” said McCoy, 39. “Racing people are fantastic, they are so pleased for me.”

McCoy was fifth on Church Fields in the earlier 14:10 GMT handicap hurdle. He was particularly delighted to have secured the victory on a horse trained by Jonjo O’Neill and owned by JP McManus, both long-time friends in the racing industry.

“To do it for Jonjo and the McManus’s is brilliant as they’ve been so good to me,” he said. “It was always, hopefully, going to be in JP’s colours.

“I’ve had the same agent, Dave Roberts, from day one and his dad sadly passed away yesterday so I’d like to dedicate this to him.

“To have Chanelle (wife), Eve and Archie (children) here is great, and to do it in the McManus silks means a lot - Eve thinks they belong to me!”

McManus immediately embraced McCoy when he dismounted and said: “What a man and what a ride. I

AP McCoy

think he was more pleased because when he came in he said it was a nice horse!

“That ride sums him up. I remember when he first came to the UK. Christy Roche brought him to my attention and he said ‘you know this AP, he’s getting 7lb and he should be giving weight away’.

“Little did we think that day that he’d ride 4,000 winners but full marks to him, he’s dedicated to the game and he’s a pleasure to have around, every day you deal with him is a joy.”

McManus, who like many in racing was hit very hard earlier this year when jockey JT McNamara was hurt in a fall at Cheltenham that left him paralysed, added: “I think racing is a close-knit community, as evidenced by recent events, and AP is behind everything that is good.

“I’m so proud and pleased that I know him and his family, long may he carry on. It

was nice that he wanted it to be in my colours, I’m choked that he did.”

Rod Street, chief executive of Great British Racing, paid tribute to McCoy after his historic triumph and claimed he belonged in “sport’s pantheon of greats”.

“After all he’s achieved in racing, AP was already a legend and this latest incredible achievement just confirms his position amongst sport’s pantheon of greats,” he said.

“If you were going to imagine the perfect ambassador for the sport, you would, only in your wildest dreams, dare to come up with AP - a man whose incredible talent is matched only by his unrelenting will to win and his phenomenal mental and physical toughness.

“He is the ultimate sportsman but also just an incredibly nice, funny and modest bloke. As a sport, we are incredibly lucky to have him.” (BBC Sport)

Giftland continues support of for “Nationals”

Giftland OfficeMax continued its support for the National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships, scheduled for November 19-22 with swimming at the Castellani pool and cycling and athletics at the Guyana National Stadium.

Public Relations Manager of Giftland OfficeMax, Compton Babb, stated that the company has contributed stationery supplies to the secretariat for the championships to help them effectively administer the event.

“As always, the number one department store in Guyana has contributed a handsome amount of Stationery Supplies for the smooth flow of the administration process of the championships. We welcome the

53rd mega sport event with open arms providing innovative ideas for all athletes and participants,” Babb said after the presentation yesterday.

Gifltand OfficeMax will also be providing trophies and vouchers for the outstanding athletes in their respective categories. In addition, they will be selecting two athletes to join their Giftland dynamic Ambassador team. He thanked “Nationals” Marketing and Public Relations Officer, Edison Jefford for facilitating their involvement.

“Hence, we are urging all athletes to put their best foot forward for becoming the champ. The outstanding male and female will receive a personalised discount card, three branded outfits with footwear and accessories, assistance with trav-

el costs for overseas competitions and back-to-school supplies for one year,” Babb revealed.

Competitions Director of the National Schools Championships, Ceon Bristol, thanked Giftland for their support, stating that the company has always been innovative and supportive with sports and their contribution is just another example of that vision.

Bristol informed that the stationery came at the opportune time when they are busy compiling the entries from the various Districts ahead of the nationwide competition that usually attracts 1600-plus athletes from 16 Districts. Bristol said the work to administer the meet is always challenging and it is refreshing to know that companies like Giftland are in their corner.

Namilco/Bakewell 20/20 Cricket

Tournament...

Semi-finals to be contested on Sunday

The historic Albion Community Centre CC will come alive on Sunday when the top cricket clubs in Berbice clash for a spot in the Namilco/Bakewell 20/20 knockout cricket tournament.

The semi-finals of the tournament will feature West Berbice, Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets, Universal Solutions Bermine and Albion Community Centre with several West Indies and national players involved.

Powerhouse Albion Community Centre will play defending champions of the Universal DVD 20/20 tournament, Universal Solutions Bermine in the first match at 09:00h while West Berbice and Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets play at 13:30h.

Albion will be spearheaded by the former West Indies duo of opener Sewnarine Chattergoon and all-rounder Devendra Bishoo and

would be supported by national players Jonathan Foo and Anthony Bramble. West Indies Under-19 player Gudakesh Motie, Kandasammy Surujnarine, Sharaz Ramcharran, David Latchaya and Veerapen Permaul are all recognised first division players in Berbice and will add strength to the Albion team that will be missing Narsingh Deonarine and Veerasammy Permaul. Bermine’s efforts will be led by national opener Shemroy Barrington, former national junior player Devon Clements, Eugene La Fleur, Joemal La Fleur, Romario Shepherd and Anthony D’Andrade. The supporting cast includes wicketkeeper Hakeem Hinds, Damon Vantull, Nial Smith and Keon DeJesus. West Berbice should be banking on a trio of pace bowlers to undermine the batting strength of Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets.

Former West Indies Test player Brendon Bess, national pacer Keon Joseph and the exciting Roun Johnson have created problems for batsmen lately and with support from Arthley Bailey, Krisndat Ramoo, Keith Fraser and Raffiel Estriado. West Berbice recently reached the finals of the Universal DVD 20/20 cricket tournament where they lost to Bermine and will have to bring their A-game to defeat a Rose Hall town Gizmos & Gadgets that consist of West Indies Test player Assad Fudadin, ODI player Royston Crandon and national player Rajiv Ivan. Dominic Rikhi, Eon Hooper, Jason Sinclair, Shawn Pereira, Clinton Pestano and Shailendra Shameer have all experienced either the Inter-County or national level and can be match winners also.

The final of the tournament is scheduled for November 17.

Portion of synthetic track laid

By Treiston Joseph

The laying of the rubberised surface for Guyana’s first synthetic track has started and seems on schedule for its December timeline as was noted during the last visit to the track in September.

The construction of the track, which started in 2010 and had a number of delays over the years, finally seems to be making progress that will excite track and field enthusiasts since it was promised by

the Sport Ministry that the track would be laid by year end.

Guyana Times Sport visited the site on Thursday and close to half of the track has been laid with the rubber which is being provided by German company BSW

Regupol. The far side of the straight which is closer to the seawall is completely covered with the synthetic surface while half of a turn is completed as well.

The surface, at this time, has black a rubber surface and once completely laid should be sprayed and the lanes marked. It was also noticed by Guyana Times Sport that the shot put area has been installed while some other field events areas are currently in the process of being completed.

However, while it also seems that a bit of rainfall has halted the continuation of the laying of the rubberised surface, the contractors’ seem on schedule to complete that aspect of the track by it designed timeline.

Guyana Softball Cup III…

Teams urged to exercise fair play as action bowls off today

By Avenash Ramzan

Twenty-six (26) local and foreign teams will commence the battle for supremacy in the Guyana Softball Cup III at various venues in the city, cognisant that a herculean task is ahead if they are to take the top podium spots in the Open 20/20 and Masters 20/20 segments on Sunday.

At the opening ceremony on Thursday evening at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda- the venue for Sunday’s grand finale- representatives of the various teams were reminded of the importance of fair play and good sportsmanship, even as they engage in battle for the prestigious titles on offer.

Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony, delivering feature remarks, told the representatives that exercising the virtues of the game is crucial to the success of the competition.

“I would urge you to exercise good sportsmanship and fair play at all times. After all, it’s just a game. In the end you can celebrate with the winners and continue the friendship that has brought you here in the first place,” Anthony outlined.

The minister also lauded the organisers for putting together the third edition of the tournament, noting that plans are on stream to have the finals hosted under lights at the Guyana National Stadium in the not too distant future.

He also mooted the idea of having matches hosted at the Albion Community Centre ground in East Berbice when the floodlights are erected at that facility.

Chief coordinator and Vice-president of the organising body, Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association, Ricky Deonarain, welcomed the overseas contingent and wished them well during the three-day tourney.

“Welcome once again to Guyana. We want to wish you and the local teams the very best and may the best team win,” Deonarain said, adding that all systems are in place for a prompt start this morning, when the teams will assemble at the GCC ground for a photo shoot at 08:00 hours.

Format

Preliminary action in the competition will take place on today and Saturday with the grand finals of the two categories- the Open 20/20 and the Masters 20/20set for Sunday at the GCC ground, Bourda.

During the two days of preliminary action, which will comprise 36 games, the venues will be the GCC, Police, Sport Ministry, Demerara Cricket Club, YMCA and Education Ministry grounds.

In the Open 20/20 competition, which was won last year by New York Softball Cricket League All Stars, the teams will battle for a first prize of $800,000 and a massive trophy, with the

runner-up team carting off $200,000 and a trophy.

The Man-of-the-Match in the final will be the recipient of a trophy, while the player of the tournament will receive a gold bracelet, compliments of Steve’s Jewellery.

In the Masters 20/20 segment, of which Savage XI of Guyana are the defending champions, the participating teams will vie for the coveted prize of $600,000 and a trophy, with the losing finalist having to settle for $150,000 and a trophy. Like the Open category, the Manof-the-Match in the championship game and the player of the tournament will receive a trophy and a gold bracelet respectively.

On Sunday, prior to the two category finals, there will be three female exhibition games, featuring four of the leading teams on the distaff side- Trophy Stall Angels, 4R Lioness, Karibee Girls and Mike’s Wellwoman.

Two semi-finals will be followed by a grand final, with the winner pocketing $50,000 and the loser $25,000. The MVP will collect $5,000 and a trophy.

While admission to the venue for the first two days is free, a fee of $500 will be charged per patron on the final day, with the first ball set to be bowled at 10:00 hours.

Zones

For the Open 20/20 competition, the 12 teams have been placed into three zones.

Zone A comprises South Florida Softball Cricket League, Regal XI, Wolf’s Warriors and Smith’s XI; Zone B consists of defending champions New York Softball Cricket League All Stars, 2011 winners Cotton Field Wild Oats, Corriverton and Farm XI; while Zone C is made up of Ontario Softball Cricket League, Berbice Titans, Karibee Boys and Trophy Stall.

The 14 teams in the Masters 20/20 segment have been divided into four zones. New York Better Hope, Brooklyn Legends, reigning champions Savage XI and Floodlight make up Zone A; Zone B comprises SCI Miami, New York President’s XI, 2011 champions Regal Masters and Industry Super Kings; Zone C will see rivalry amongst New York Seaview, Ontario Masters Softball International and Wellman XI; while New York Softball Cricket League Legends, Parika Defenders and Superior Woods Success Masters have been placed in Zone D.

The event has attracted corporate support from Top Brandz Distributors, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, Trophy Stall, Survival Supermarket, Mike’s Pharmacy, Nauth’s Motor Spares, Rohan Auto Spares, Clear Waters, Steve’s Jewellery, Guyana Beverage Company, Rubis (Bel Air), Metro Office and Computer Supplies and Motor Trend.

Ramcharitar Construction Services first division cricket competition starts Saturday

The Ramcharitar

Construction Services

First Division 50Over Knockout Cricket Competition, organised by the Berbice Cricket Board, gets started on Saturday with four of six first round matches.

According to a press release from the BCB, 13 teams will be competing and defending champions

of this year’s Berbice Bridge Company knockout finalist Young Warriors Universal DVD have drawn a first round bye.

All of the matches are scheduled to start at 09:30h. Also in the release, the board will be fining clubs that are responsible for matches starting late due to late pitch preparations or the visiting team

turning up late. The officiating umpires are expected to submit reports on such occurrences.

Meanwhile, the other two matches Blairmont Community Centre against Albion Community Centre at Blairmont and Bush Lot

Rising Star versus Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets at Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice, are scheduled to be

MACORP renews support for golf

– Medal Play, Caddies tournaments on this weekend

Riding high on a successful Digicel Guyana Open last weekend, local and foreign golfers will participate in the annual MACORP Open tournament this weekend at the Lusignan Golf Course, East Coast Demerara.

The Medal Play tournament will tee off at 09:00h on Saturday with over 50 players competing for top honours. On Sunday, there will be a Caddies’ tournament at the same venue, also sponsored by MACORP.

At the launch on Thursday at the MACORP headquarters at Providence, East Bank Demerara, Vicepresident of the Lusignan Golf Club, David Mohamed, said a keenly contested competition is envisaged.

He stated that a few overseas players who participated in the Guyana Open, including C Flight champion Esau Shamshudin, are expected to tee off on Saturday.

Guyana Open Men’s winner Avinda Kishore and

Ladies champion Christine Sukhram, along with former Guyana Open champions Avinash Persaud, Imran Khan, Mike Mangal, Alfred Mentore and Mohanlall Dinanauth, are slated to vie for top honours.

Sukhram should again face competition from Joann Deo, the ever-improving Shanella Webster and Juliet Prince.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of MACORP, Jorge Medina, said sponsoring the tournament is part of the company’s corporate and social responsibility to Guyana. He noted that MACORP is celebrating a significant milestone this year- 20 years in operation in Guyana- and the company is pleased to partner with the Lusignan Golf Club to share the occasion.

Medina wished the players well, adding that apart from the beautiful trophies up for grabs for the top performers, every participant will be presented with a token.

century propels Port Mourant into semi-finals

The Raffik & Sons

Construction Services Second Division 20-Over Knockout cricket competition for teams in the Central and Lower Corentyne area continued recently with Port Mourant, Albion Community Centre and Courtland All Stars winning their third round matches to advance to the semi-finals of the competition.

Performing outstandingly was Parasram Tilkuram who slammed the highest individual score of the competition so far when he hit 101 not out for Port Mourant. His knock, which included 12 fours and five sixes enabled his team to post 182 for 4 in 20 overs against Jai Hind.

Khemraj Sumair scored 55 (5x4, 4x6) but Jaipersaud Rawana took 4 for 33 and Tilkuram, 3 for 20, for Port Mourant to ensure their opponents fell short by 11 runs.

played on November 16.

Saturday’s four matches: Port Mourant Karibee Rice vs Skeldon Community Centre at Port Mourant. D’Edward vs West Berbice at D’Edward.

Edinburgh vs Universal Solutions Bermine at Edinburgh. Guytrac Upper Corentyne vs Police at No. 69.

Former Guyana Under-19 batsman Surujnarine Kandasammy propped up Albion Community Centre’s batting when out of their 129 for 8 in 20 overs, he contributed 83 against Tamarind Root. He then came back with the ball and took 3 for 7 from two overs to help bowl out Tamarind Root for 74.

After Courtland All Star posted 171 in their 20 overs against Albion Front Travellers,

Troy Mathieson took 4 for 17 and John Percival 3 for 13 to restrict Travellers to 79 all out. In scores from the matches played:

At Albion Front, Port Mourant beat Jai Hind by 11 runs. Port Mourant 182 for 4 in 20 Overs with Parasram Tilkuram 101 N.O, Steve Kistasammy 37, Ravi Mangali 2 for 29. Jai Hind 171 in 20 Overs with Khemraj Sumair 55, Mahendra Lallbeharry 35, Vickey Veerasammy 32, Jaipersaud Rawana 4 for 33, Parasram Tilkuram 3 for 20. At Albion, Albion Community Centre beat Tamarind Root by 55 runs. Albion Community Centre 129 for 8 in 20 Overs with Surujnarine Kandasammy 83, Rafiq Khan 2 for 10, Akash Singh 2 for 16. Tamarind Root 74 in 14.4 Overs with Kandasammy Surujnarine 3 for 7, Suruj Dookna 2 for 19. At Albion Front, Courtland All Stars beat Albion Front Travellers by 92 runs. Courtland All Stars 171 in 20 overs with Michael Cummings 37, Keon Sinclair 38, Troy Mathieson 32, Nirvan Matadin 2 for 21. Bhupendra Matadin 2 for 36. Albion Front Travellers 79 in 17 overs with Troy Mathieson 4 for 17, John Percival 3 for 13.