Trotman
– Welshman tells different story
PSC, PPP/C hold talks on economy, politics
Argentine singer wraps up Guyana tour
More ‘blows’ for Chronicle over sex images publication
NEW GPC donates safety handbills to Fire Service
Georgetown Public Hospital probing death of allegedly misdiagnosed infant
thursdAY, october 9, 2014 | guYAnAtimesgY.com
Weather: Thundery showers can be expected in the morning with heavy to light rain showers in the afternoon. Partly cloudy conditions can be expected in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius.
Winds: Easterly between zero and eight metres per second.
High Tide: 04:47h and 17:00h reaching maximum heights of 2.84 metres and 2.91 metres respectively.
Low Tide: 10:36h and 22:58h reaching minimum heights of 0.41 metre and 0.29 metre respectively.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) remains mum with respect to its investigation of allegations that Kaieteur News Publisher Glenn Lall had threatened Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur.
Over the last few days and up to Wednesday, this newspaper spoke to several officials, including Crime Chief Leslie James, who did not offer any comment on the issue, asking the Guyana Times to return a call.
Returned calls to James and A Division (Georgetown) Commander Clifton Hicken all proved futile with the calls going unanswered.
Lodging of firearm
Guyana Times was told by a senior Police officer that it is customary for the firearm of the accused in such "threatening" matters to be lodged with the Police station where the report is made, which in this case is Brickdam.
However, the officer said
of import duty on two luxury SUVs.
Sattaur told Guyana Times that Lall contacted him in an effort to intimidate him into not pursuing an investigation. But the GRA Head said all the threat did was to strengthen his resolve to get to the bottom of the issue.
“Lall called me from an overseas number and threatened to expose me; he threatened to deal with me in a matter, as if I’m a thief and he’s going to do this thing,
grant couple for allegedly defrauding authorities on import taxes for two vehicles. The tax regulatory body is claiming that remigrants Narootandeo and Gharbassi Brijnanan of Number 61 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, had imported two Lexus LX 570 motor vehicles into Guyana. However, the two vehicles were not kept or used by the remigrants.
This is in breach of the Customs Act and the conditions of the grant of the dutyfree concession. The vehicles are being driven by Lall and his wife.
The Authority has since seized the vehicles and filed six criminal charges against the four persons. The charges are to be read and heard at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on October 13, when the two couples are expected to make an appearance.
The charges allege that between June 18, 2013 and September 20, 2013, at Lot 200-201 Camp Street, Georgetown, Demerara, a place in the Georgetown Magisterial District, they
he was not aware that Lall's firearm was in fact lodged at the station, or whether Lall was instructed by the Police to do so.
"This would be tantamount to the Police showing double standards," he said. "Glenn Lall is not above the law, and if he is supposed to lodge his firearm, then the Police must ensure that this happens."
Sattaur had told this newspaper that Lall had issued grave threats to him on the phone following the publication of a story in which he (Lall) was pinpointed in a scam robbing Government
because I am using my office to deal with the matters I normally deal with.
“He threatened to use his newspaper to expose me; I don’t know what wrong I am doing. If I am trying to do the Government’s work…. I don’t know why people should be upset, if they are doing wrong things, they should be subject to the laws as well,” Sattaur had explained.
GRA has since filed charges against Lall; his wife, Bhena; and a remi-
made and subscribed to false declarations on one Lexus LX 570 motor vehicle with engine capacity 5700 cc, Chassis number JTJHY7AX6 D4096745 (cost US$44,158.00) and one Lexus LX 570 motor vehicle with engine capacity 5700 cc, Chassis number JTJHY7AX6 D4094851 (cost US$44,158.00), contrary to Section 217(1a) of the Customs Act Chapter 82:01.
Blackmail
Ever since the charges were filed, Lall has reportedly threatened to blackmail Cabinet members if Government does not drop the tax fraud case.
Credible reports reaching this newspaper indicate that Lall has been able to obtain various pieces of highly sensitive medical information, either about some Government Ministers or about close members of their family, and has threatened to go public if the Administration does not get off his ‘back’ with the current court case.
Sources say if indeed it is revealed that Lall obtained the medical information in question by bribery, or any other illicit means, the penalties for such offences, if convicted, could be jail time for several years.
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
Exactly one year ago, the Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretariat, Mr Erwin La Rocque delivered an address in Trinidad on "The status of the Regional Integration Process and Vision for the Future of CariCom". As he conceded, the lofty hopes raised in the bosoms of Caribbean peoples by the launch of Caribbean Free Trade Area (CARIFTA) in 1968 and its successor Caricom in 1973 had been dashed in the opinions of most ordinary citizens.
As he noted, the thrust for integration had long preceded these two initiatives and indeed had surfaced as far back as the 1930s with the growth of the trade union movement struggling for equity and justice for sugar workers. The short lived West Indies (WI) Federation (1958-1962) which actually was supposed to integrate 10 of the territories, failed because among other things, the British never devolved sufficient power and authority to the central governing body.
It is more than ironic that in Mr LaRocque's estimation, this shortcoming is still the major impediment in the present to a more successful integration movement in Caricom.
While CARIFTA was just an initiative to further free trade among the territories, it was recognised by the founding fathers that this was simply a starting point towards a much more unified arrangement. The Treaty of Chaguaramas, signed in 1973, sought to formalise this aspiration by deepening the integration arrangements on the basis of three pillars: economic integration, foreign policy coordination and functional cooperation. But beyond all of that, its goal was encapsulated in the name: a Caribbean COMMUNITY.
But the reluctance of the individual territories to concede any substantial diminution of sovereignty which hastened the demise of the WI Federation proved once again a formidable barrier to the first goal of "economic integration". As far back as 1967, the economists Thomas and Brewster had drafted a very credible plan for the Region to execute this goal, but it was never taken seriously. Each territory insisted on pursuing an autarkic system of development – which, because of their minuscule sizes, was always a pipe dream.
The rest of the world in the meantime retooled their economies to deal with what was to be called "globalisation", while the Caribbean remained stuck with their primary production and their "sun and surf" tourism. By 1989, even though they had not made much progress on economic integration – save the imposition of a "Common External Tariff" on defined products from outside the Region – an even deeper form of economic integration was declared.
This was the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME). The Single Market was thought achievable by 1993, yet it was not until 2001 that the Treaty of Chaguramas was actually amended to articulate the goal.
Again, concrete progress on specifics lagged while paper agreements multiplied. In 2006, a "Single Market" was declared with 12 of the 15 territories in Caricom participating.
But from the standpoint of improving the economic performance of the Region, the impact was negligible, because the actual mechanisms to make the declaration real, such as shipping, were never put into place. And once again, declarations and plans continued blithely onwards.
In 2007, a "Single Development Vision" was adopted which projected the completion of the Single Economy by 2015. But once again the leaders of the Caribbean's reach exceeded their grasp. They had signed a contentious "Economic Partnership Agreement" with the European Union in 2008 and were working on one with Canada, when they declared in 2011 that the Single Economy goal was being placed on "pause". This official "pause" is still the operative word as far as the regional integration movement is concerned.
The sad truth is that while from the beginning it was accepted that real integration success depended on having an executive body with teeth to guide Caricom, the individual leaders are unwilling to put their money where their mouths are.
Dear Editor,
I cannot say, 50 years later, that my brain is in any way as good as it was when I was 20 years old, when I felt that I could understand, grasp and learn anything, and everything. Not now! I have recently been reading, with some difficulty and, no doubt, much misunderstanding, articles on potentially amazing Quantum Computers.
Quantum effects are, indeed, mysterious, and out of this world – seems that quantum effects/thinking allow something to be a solid mass/thing, and a wave (no mass) at the same time; and it may be in many places at the same time; and as we try to ‘know’ it, we fix it into one particular thing and place, depending on what we do ‘know’. It is not that things are not what they seem, but that they may be any of the many things that they seem.
I got a feeling of “quantum effects” as I read two letters in the October 7, edition of the Stabroek News newspaper. I do not know how many of you might have noticed the two letters, titled “Examples of the New Society develop in the Old” by Brother Eusi Kwayana, and “Please stay, don’t go” by Brother GHK Lall.
The two letters present and engender two completely different views and at-
titudes about Guyana and Guyanese. Can Guyana and Guyanese be opposite things at one and the same time? GHK Lall speaks about “every segment, every layer, every area in this country, exhibiting a terrible, embedded ‘sickness’ in how we deal with each other”.
Brother Eusi Kwayana writes that “it (the visit to the Doobay Renal Treatment Centre at Annandale) was not the only uplifting visit of my visit. Truly, there were two or three others –.”
Seems like Guyana and Guyanese, at one and the same time, are many possible things, and in knowing and reporting on Guyana and Guyanese, we could be fixed on, or helped to be, one of the many possibilities. Observing and reporting are
not without determinating effect: nothing is without effect!
Both Brothers Lall and Kwayana are “right” in the observations that they report. I would like to urge Brother GHK Lall to warn, but not to lose faith, despite the observed behaviour that he laments. Guyanese are not being anything but human.
A common feature in the dozen, or so, religious holidays that we enjoy each year, is that ‘good’ will prevail over ‘evil’. The yearnings to do good and the yearnings to do evil are ever-present in humans. Evil – the tendency to do evil – in not ever destroyed.
In our small population, still at an early stage of social evolution, all relationships are personal, or expected to be personal: no anonymity for us; we are moved by emotions.
If our spirit takes to the person, we can make miracles of a certain kind happen: things can be made to have happened even years earlier, if needed; and if our spirits do not ‘take’, nothing will happen at any foreseeable time in the future. One can have experiences that are most unhelpful and degrading. Brother Eusi, noting and reporting on an uplifting experience, could contribute to a movement
in that direction, away from what Brother Lall laments as might be prevailing now.
Not all, but many, too many, of our relationships exhibit a ‘sickness’ in how we deal with each other, as Brother Lall laments – we act out to prosper a few, too few, our “fambly” and friends, our group. How to extend our group that we would prosper, to encompass all Guyana? How to get all of us as one “fambly”.
If one were to put an arrow on the thousands of years of human history, I would put the continual efforts to extend and maintain an ever-enlarging sense of the group in which we are members, and which we would prosper.
One may think of the Romans and their idea of Roman citizenship. In Guyana, I think of Cheddi Jagan’s endeavours to establish Guyanese citizenship among our six peoples, positioned in human citizenship, as we would learn in his latter years, in his advocacy for “A New Global Human Order”.
Stay on the scene! Keep your eye on a bright future; and that may well be!
Yours truly, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds Office of the Prime Minister
With the latest death toll from Ebola now at 3,439 in the three worst-affected countries of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, a new economic impact assessment from the World Bank Group says that if the epidemic was to significantly infect people in neighbouring countries, some of which have much larger economies, the twoyear regional financial impact could reach US$32.6 billion by the end of 2015.
The new World Bank Group report notes, “as it is far from certain that the epidemic will be fully contained by December 2014 and in light of the considerable uncertainty about its future trajectory, two alternative scenarios are used to estimate the mediumterm (2015) impact of the epidemic, extending to the end of calendar year 2015.” A “Low Ebola” scenario corresponds to rapid containment within the three most severely affected countries, while “High Ebola” corresponds to slower containment in the three countries, with broader regional con-
tagion.
According to the World Bank Group’s new analysis, the economic impacts of Ebola are already very serious in the core three countries – particularly Liberia and Sierra Leone – and could become catastrophic under a slow-containment, High Ebola scenario. In broader regional terms, the economic impact could be limited if immediate national and international action stop the epidemic and alleviate the “aversion behaviour” or fear factor that is causing neighbouring countries to close their borders, and airlines and other regional and international companies to suspend their commercial activities in the three worst-affected countries. The successful containment of Ebola in Nigeria and Senegal so far is evidence that this is possible, given some existing health system capacity and a resolute policy response.
“With Ebola’s potential to inflict massive economic costs on Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone and the rest of their neighbours
in West Africa, the international community must find ways to get past logistical roadblocks and bring in more doctors and trained medical staff, more hospital beds, and more health and development support to help stop Ebola in its tracks,” says Jim Yong Kim, the President of the World Bank Group.
“The international commu-
nity now must act on the knowledge that weak public health infrastructure, institutions, and systems in many fragile countries are a threat not only to their own citizens but also to their trading partners and the world at large,” says WBG President Kim. “The enormous economic cost of the current outbreak to the affected countries and the world could have been avoided by prudent ongoing investment in health systems-strengthening.’’
The World Bank Group is supporting country responses in line with the WHO Roadmap, and is coordinating assistance closely with the United Nations and other international and country partners. As the new report notes, “effort and memory will be required to sustain and continue strengthening this early warning network and the complementary investments in effective and resilient African health systems after the Ebola outbreak has been contained. Taken together, the containment effort, the fiscal support, the restoration of inves-
Some of the winners at the raffle drawing
tor confidence, and the expanded disease surveillance, diagnostic and treatment capacity promise to first stem the Ebola epidemic, and then help to reverse as quickly as possible the aversion behaviour that is causing so much economic damage.” A key issue looking forward will be to re-establish investor trust so that as the epidemic is contained, domestic and international investment can return. The World Bank Group says urgent policies will be needed to jumpstart the renewed flow of relief and commercial activity (for health, business, and tourism purposes) with the affected countries while also safeguarding other countries from epidemiological contagion. To this end, options should be explored for financing improvements to health security infrastructure and protocols of the seaports and airports of the three core countries and their neighbours. To this end, the World Bank Group is mobilizing US$400 million in emergency financing for the three countries hardest-hit by the crisis.
Dear Editor,
The National Toshaos Council (NTC) is very disturbed by two articles that were issued by the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA).
1) Miners to challenge Amerindian land extension – Stabroek News – 13th September 2014.
2) Miners agitate over ‘unfair’ Amerindian land titling – Kaieteur News –27th September 2014.
As the representative of the Amerindian peoples of Guyana, the NTC would like to advise the GGDMA on a few facts as it pertains to Amerindians and our lands.
Fact #1: Our history shows that we were here before time immemorial. When the first explorers arrived here in 1492, we had already occupied this land; therefore, we are the first owners of the 83,000 sq miles.
ed full ownership to land they settled on and occupied.
Fact #4: Amerindians always have had a close relationship with nature and this includes the forest, rivers, mountains, lands and seas. This connection is embedded in our social, cultural and spiritual lives; therefore, to deny us of our land is a grave violation of our human rights.
Fact #5: Due to the fact that the world has recognised the role that indigenous peoples play in preserving and protecting this world against the global calamity that we all have been faced with presently, and again the MoU between the Kingdom of Norway and Guyana states very clearly that projects that will directly benefit Amerindians MUST not be neglected.
Ticket 7106 – 2nd prize, a four-burner gas stove – Maurice Wesle, 374 Herstelling, EBD. Ticket 3459 – 3rd prize, a microwave – Bibi Bacchus, 247 Third Street, Kaneville, EBD.
Ticket 3437 – 4th prize,
Dear Editor, The Executives of A Division 2 (East Bank Demerara) Community Policing Group (CPG) presented prizes to holders of winning tickets for a raffle drawn on August 1. Following that, a presentation was held on October 4 at 17:00h at the Grove Impact Base, East Bank Demerara (EBD). Winners present to receive their prizes were:
a bicycle, Omraj Rajpat, 107 Belle Vue, New Scheme, WBD.
Prizes remaining to be claimed are:
Ticket 3445 – 1st prize, a flat screen television.
Ticket 3328 – 5th prize, a stand fan.
Tickets 9045, 8277 and 7951 – three consolation prizes of cellphones.
Holders of these tickets are kindly asked to contact the CPG on telephone numbers 622-9589, 6469705 or 677-2340.
Sincerely,
Shirab Sears
Chairman
Division 2 CPG
Fact #2: According to the 1966 Amerindian Lands Commission Report, it was recommended that 128 Amerindian communities be given freehold titles which amounted to 24,000 sq miles of Guyana land mass. These include sub-surface rights to minerals found therein.
Fact #3: When our first leaders were negotiating independence for Guyana with the Throne of England, it was one of the requirements that Amerindians be grant-
In conclusion, we are calling on the GGDMA to reconsider their intention and be mature enough knowing fully that our lands is the only asset we possess. We are always a peaceful people; let us not allow an excessive desire to posses more than what is needed. We will not give up our land rights and we are determined to defend this to the very end!
Derrick John National Toshaos Council
8. Decide for or against the family bed for your family
Most toddlers fall asleep easily if you lie down with them, and many parents do this. Other parents resist, because they too often fall asleep themselves, and lose their evenings. This is an individual call, and there is no shame in waiting till your child is a little older before expecting her to put herself to sleep – it does get easier for children as they get older. Many working moms, particularly, treasure this time with their children, and love being able to go to sleep early, then get up early and rested. One downside of this habit is that if the child is not in your bed, you will need to move, which wakes you up. The other downside is that when he awakens slightly in the middle of the night during normal sleep cycles, he may well miss your presence and come looking for you. If you aren’t willing to let him crawl into your bed at that point, this may not be a sustainable routine for your family.
9. If you aren’t using the family bed, consciously teach your child to put herself to sleep
Your goal, of course, is to help your child sleep through the night. Children in the family bed often do this automatically since they’re reassured by their parents’ presence, and since sleeping with the mother is certainly a natural state biologically for toddlers. If you don’t want a family bed, your goal is for your toddler to put herself back to sleep when she does wake slightly at night. For most babies and
toddlers, that means helping her learn to fall asleep herself, so she won’t miss you during those slight night wakings, but can roll over and go right back into deep sleep.
10. Teach new sleep habits. If you’ve been helping your child fall asleep with nursing or rocking, then when he wakes slightly during normal sleep cycles, he is likely to look for you, because he needs to be nursed or rocked again to fall back asleep. Unless you want to rock or nurse him to sleep over and over at night, your goal now is to help him fall asleep in his own crib or bed at night. That means putting him into bed when he’s awake, so that he can get used to falling asleep there himself. Breaking his established sleep habit can be challenging – it’s hard for him to understand why you can’t nurse or rock him now. You can expect him to need your close physical proximity to settle down to sleep. If your toddler is still nursing, just avoid letting him nurse to sleep. In fact, you may want to break the association with sleep completely by nursing him in the living room before beginning the bedtime routine. Since nursing is a harder habit to break than rocking, you may want to use a two step process. First, get your child used to falling asleep without nursing, even if you have to rock him. Then, wean him off the rocking.
11. Explain to your child what’s going to happen Act out a little skit with stuffed animals that show a little one resisting bedtime. The parents stay calm
and loving and insist that it’s time for sleeping. Your child should be able to tell that the little one is him and should see that the little one eventually lies down in the crib or bed and goes to sleep. You can make it as funny as you want, and the child as resistant as you want but make sure the parents always reassure the child that they are there, and the ending is always that the little one happily goes to sleep. Use little mantras that you can repeat at night, like “When it’s dark, we sleep.... When it’s light, Mommy comes to get you!”
12. Start slow.
Begin (after your bedtime routine) by holding your child until he falls asleep – not lying down, which puts you in danger of falling asleep. Use the time to meditate, if you can, or listen to music.
Once he’s used to falling asleep this way, the next phase is to touch, but not hold, your child. Eventually, he will be able to fall asleep with you simply holding his hand, or putting your hand on his forehead. (It often helps to give children a large stuffed animal or pillow to hold at this point, to substitute for your holding them. Children often love to curl around a large, cuddly animal.)
When he can fall asleep being touched but not held, begin to sit next to your child while he falls asleep, without actually touching him. In the beginning, you will probably need to sit close enough to him that he can touch you briefly if he wants to reach out. (ahaparenting.com)
BY DR WILLIAM SEARS
Helping a toddler ease into independence is all about helping the child break away from the mother in order to learn about their environment and about themselves; the mother needs to let her child go and learn how to maintain their connection over a longer distance. As with so many aspects of discipline, it’s a question of balance; giving the child enough slack to become independent, yet keeping the connection. A mother does not let her child go off entirely on their own, but she also doesn’t allow them to hang onto her skirt. Throughout the second year, parents may feel they are walking a fine line between being over restrictive and being negligent. One way carries the risk of hindering a baby’s development, and the other allows the baby to hurt themselves or others or damage property. Here are some ways of helping a toddler ease into independence.
Beginning around nine months or sometimes earlier, try playing peek-a-boo and chase each other around the furniture. As you hide your face with your hands or you hide your body on the other side of the couch, your baby has the opportunity to imagine that you exist even though you’re out of sight.
Best odds for a baby developing a healthy sense of self is for the baby to separate from the mother and not the mother from the baby. Discipline problems are less likely to occur when babies separate from their mothers gradually. While the baby characteristics inside the toddler remains connected, the toddler characteristics make the child feel more secure to go off on their own. The connected child takes a bit of their mother with them for comfort and advice during their explorations. It’s like having the best of both worlds – oneness, yet separateness.
The problem with many of the modern theories about discipline is that they focus so much on fostering independence that they lose sight of the necessity for a toddler to continue a healthy dependence. Try to achieve the delicate balance between maintaining the connection and encouraging self-reliance.
Our 18-month-old grandson Andrew has very polite parents. Bob and Cheryl are careful to let him know when one of them plans to “disappear” into the next room. Because Andrew is separation sensitive, he taught them to do this from a very early age. Especially important is saying “Goodbye!,” “See-ya,” and “Daddy’s going to work.” Encouraging the behaviour allows Andrew to handle even his mother leaving because there have never been any rude surprises. Letting your toddler know when you are planning on leaving helps them know what the score is at any given moment. They can trust their parents to keep them in the loop.
Babies will naturally become independent, so it is not your job to make them independent, but rather to provide a secure environment that allows them to become independent. As your child is struggling for a comfortable independence, you become a facilitator. You are like a battery charger when the little dynamo needs emotional refuelling. One moment he is shadowing you, the next moment he is darting away. How much separation can your child tolerate and how much do they need? How much closeness? The child needs to maintain the connection while increasing the distance. Toddlers who behave best are those that find the balance of attaching and exploring as they go from security to novelty. Your job as the facilitator is to help the child achieve that balance. That’s the partnership you and your toddler negotiate. (askdrsears.com)
PUC
By Vahnu Manikchand
Amid its complaints that it was not making profits from its landline service, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company was corrected by a Commissioner of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Wednesday, who pointed out that based on its financial statements, the company has been making consistently above the minimum 15 per cent rate of return on its investments.
The company had applied for an increase in the rates for its landline service, saying that it was an albatross around its neck. On Wednesday during a public hearing on the application, company executives faced a
ing to provide a service below cost, it’s not going to survive; it will eventually go away and somebody else will do the job better,” the ATN official stated.
Audet went on to say that once the local telecommunications market is liberalised, the company will still have to address the issue of operating at a “loss”. His remarks were reiterated by GT&T’s Consultant with Responsibility for Rates, Regulations and Legal Affairs, Gene Evelyn, who explained why the company believes it should be granted permission to raise its rates for landline services. He pointed out that the cost profiles are identical to other countries in the Caribbean Region; however, the bur-
the PUC under the PUC Act to introduced new rates for its landline services; however, the Guyana Consumers Association (GCA) has recommended that the application be denied, stating that the company had adequate revenues to boost its landline service, but used them to invest in mobile services, which cause the former service to deteriorate.
In a memorandum presented by the GCA, it states under the headline “Financial exploitation of the landline and concealing revenues” that the landline service is owed some US$90 million from financing the cellphone services.
“GT&T started out as a landline operator and its later cellular business
barrage of questions about the profitability of the service. PUC Commissioner Maurice Solomon pointed out to Atlantic Tele-Network (ATN) Vice President of Finance, John Audet, that despite its claims of making a loss, financial statements presented show that the company’s rate of returns on the landline services have consistently been above the minimal 15 per cent that is stated in the agreement signed between GT&T and the Government of Guyana. He noted that the financial statements reflect a 19.5 per cent average. While Audet could not explain the discrepancy between the company’s claims and its own financial statements, he assured that his team will clarify the issue at a subsequent session.
During the session, Audet pointed out that GT&T wants to provide better domestic service for its customers; however, it cannot do that if it is operating at a loss. He noted that in a liberalised environment, it would be unprofitable for the company to be operating. According to him, “In a liberalised environment, you can’t expect us to provide it (service) at a loss… that doesn’t mean we want to go away, but we can’t provide the service at a loss. Ultimately, in a liberalised environment, if we are go-
den lies in the high labour costs, causing the company’s domestic service to run at a “loss”. The consultant said that in GT&T’s filings, the company highlighted the “loss-making” services.
“The domestic network, the local network, is where all the capital is going in … that is where the heavy cost is,” Evelyn stated. He clarified that GT&T has consistently been operating within the ambit of the contracts and agreements it signed. Additionally, GT&T said that the proposed rates increase will also see the charges on other service drop, such as the international long-distance calls which will see an average reduction of 50 to 60 per cent.
Landline-funded
The GT&T team was also questioned by Commissioner Badree Persaud about using alternative technology to boost its landline services to customers, who, he noted, have increased by 71,000 over the past years.
Audet disclosed that less than 10,000 of GT&T’s landline customers are using the alternative technology. He noted that the company would have had to withdraw services that were using such alternative technologies since the spectrum was too low.
The local telecommunications giant had applied to
Trotman paedophile allegations: GBA claims lawyers not afraid of Trotman
In the face of widespread reluctance by lawyers to take on the case of Johnny Welshman against Raphael Trotman, President of the Guyana Bar Association (GBA), Ronald Burch-Smith said that there was no 'black wall' being created.
He said attorneys would welcome the opportunity to fight Welshman’s case if approached.
Welshman, however, told Guyana Times a different story. He said that he had approached more than five lawyers, all of whom dismissed him, saying that the case was too political. He said too that one Senior Counsel actually told him to “use the money you receive from the Government and get another lawyer not me”.
Attorney-at-Law Peter Hugh on Tuesday defied the 'black wall' created by his colleagues to take up the case of Welshman who has made shocking allegations of rape against Trotman.
Burch-Smith said had he been approached, he would have made his legal services available to Welshman and the same applies for most other lawyers, had they been approached.
degraded or humiliated in an effort to silence them. I also believe that Counsel must be able to accept any brief and practise law fearlessly without there being threats and/or intimidation.”
Hugh said too that the allegations made by Welshman against Trotman were of a sexual nature which allegedly occurred when the young man was a child. “A child is considered a vulnerable victim and is afforded protection by our laws and our justice system. Sexual violence is often a traumatic and damaging experience.
media and on a social network. He said Trotman sued Welshman alone for damages in excess of $50 million for defamation when he would have a cause of action (the right to sue) against three national newspapers which would have printed and communicated the purported defamatory statements.
“In the very articles published by the three national newspapers, Trotman is quoted extensively as denying the allegations levelled against him. These articles carried by the newspapers are also available on the Internet and can be easily accessed by anyone.
was grafted on to what was then its core landline operations. In this process, GT&T used about US$60 million of funds generated by the landline to invest in the cellular business,” the consumers’ body stated.
It went on to say, “No bank loan was taken; landline money was used. At 15 per cent per annum, the annual interest accruing from this US$60 million is US$9 million and for the last 10 years, it is US$9 million x 10 totalling US$90 million.
These monies must be added to the landline revenues,” the GCA maintained. It further stated that US$1.2 million per annum must be paid to the landline business from the Internet service and so should the undersea cable monies.
The GCA also argued that GT&T’s claims on the impending liberalisation were unjustifiable, since it was not likely that the Telecommunications Bill would be called up in the National Assembly any time soon since the NoConfidence Motion is expected to be given priority. And if the motion is passed, there will be a new Parliament.
GT&T will now have to file a response to the two memoranda presented by the GCA and will then again meet with the Commission in two weeks’ time. (vahnum@guyanatimesgy.com)
He said any statement that the lawyers were afraid of Trotman because of his political influence or social status would be “a bit wild and reckless” as it was accusing the profession as a whole of cowardice”. He noted that Welshman may have only contacted a handful of lawyers and drew the erroneous conclusion. “There are over 400 lawyers in Guyana, I am sure he didn’t contact all of them… I don’t believe that,” said the GBA President.
However, he noted that some lawyers may have declined because of a pre-existing political affiliation or some other form of conflict of interest since the case does not seem to have anything that would affect a person ethically.
“Lawyers take pride in trying cases, big cases and especially cases against other lawyers… this is Trotman, the Speaker we are talking about. Lawyers take cases against big drug dealers, powerful politicians," said Burch-Smith.
Welshman’s counsel, Hugh, in a release to the media on Tuesday, said too that Welshman also informed him that a young lawyer, who he had initially started communicating with told him that she received threats from known and unknown individuals and was no longer in a position to offer him her legal services as she was afraid.
But despite this, Hugh assured the young man that he would represent him. He said: “Quite frankly, I’m disgusted by the manner in which some persons in the social media attacked Mr Welshman who may be a victim of sexual violence.
"I am of the firm belief that no victim of any alleged sexual violence should be intimidated, threatened, vilified,
"No civilised society ought to allow a complainant to be degraded by public chastisement, embarrassment, or humiliation in their quest for justice.
"The public chastisement, embarrassment, or humiliation of a complainant by the alleged perpetrators, their servants, agents, supporters, sympathisers, or anyone in my humble opinion is an attempt to tamper with a witness and in some cases, may amount to an attempt to pervert the course of justice,” Hugh declared.
He said there seemed to be tactical accusations of grand conspiracy theories implicating Welshman in a plot by a political group to bring into disrepute the character and reputation of Trotman by publishing accusations in the print
Mr Trotman never sought to have these articles removed from the online sites of these papers,” Hugh observed. He said Trotman – after obtaining an interim injunction on September 22 restraining Welshman whether by himself, his servants or agents from publishing or attempting to publish, whether in print or any electronic media, any material relating and/or pertaining to allegations of sexual assault by Trotman – continues to speak to the press and cause to be published, both in print and electronically, articles which clearly seek to directly attack the reputation, character, and integrity of Welshman.
Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh is currently attending a series of meetings in Washington DC aimed at addressing the main pressing economic and development issues currently confronting the global community.
According to a release from Dr Singh’s office on Wednesday he participated in the sixth meeting of Finance Ministers of the Americas and the Caribbean, and subsequently in the 2014 Commonwealth Finance Ministers meeting. At the meeting of Finance Ministers of the Americas and the Caribbean, Minister Singh and his colleagues considered an agenda that addressed the macroeconomic challenges faced by the hemisphere along with opportunities to be had through closer regional integration and greater interregional trade. Following the meeting, Minister Singh indicated that he welcomes
the discussion on regional integration, given the opportunities that closer integration offers to the smallest countries of the hemisphere in particular. Resolving the impediments to closer integration, including infrastructural and financing gaps, is a priority worthy of the highest attention, Minister Singh emphasized.
At the Commonwealth meeting, Minister Singh and his colleagues con-
This announcement was made by Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr Roger Luncheon at his postCabinet press briefing on Wednesday. The HPS explained that the wooden edifice was becoming a matter of concern for the staff that it houses, as well as for the heritage conservationists who are passionate about its restoration.
“Government, through its heritage part-
ners and public works, has been working in preparing the bills of quantities and estimates for the work that has to be done and equally, cultivating the interest of domestic, regional and international bodies in contributing to this cause,” Dr Luncheon stated. The Government is hopeful that the pledge of $100 million will inspire other interested parties to make similar such pledges and
sidered the findings of a report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing which explores options for mobilizing resources to achieve sustainable development goals. The Finance Ministers were also briefed on the committee’s ideas for funding social and economic development.
The Ministers also discussed proposals for reform that were designed to improve ways of mobilizing, measuring, and monitoring the effectiveness of Official Development Assistance. They also discussed key areas that require further work and political will for a successful UN Financing for Development Conference, the 3rd of which will convene in Addis Ababa in July 2015. “It is imperative that countries like ours use the opportunity provided by these meetings to advocate our unique interests and,
in particular, to ensure that the peculiar circumstances faced by small states like ours are better understood and are more effectively responded to by the international community,” says Minister Singh.
“We will continue to call for the developed world to deliver on its pending obligations including in such areas as the longstanding 0.7 percent of GNI Official Development Assistance commitment which is still woefully under met.” “Even as the international community considers refining ways to measure and monitor official development assistance, our predominant concern remains the timely and predictable delivery of committed levels of assistance by the developed world to the developing world,” Minister Singh stated. Minister Singh had chaired the Commonwealth Finance Ministers meeting in 2007 in Guyana.
contributions to the restoration of this historic site.
Last year, City Hall was placed on the World Monuments Watch List, a first for Guyana. The building was designed by Architect Reverend Ignatius Scoles in 1887, and was completed in June 1889. Luncheon had in April stated that given the state of the building, the Donald Ramotar Administration was working towards a
comprehensive renovation and had strongly resolved to fast-track interventions to rehabilitate the historic building.
Georgetown’s City Hall is a Gothic Revival building located on the corner of Regent Street and Avenue of the Republic. City Hall is often described as “the most picturesque structure” and “the most handsome building in Georgetown”, as well as “one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the Caribbean”. It houses the offices of the Mayor, the City Council, and the City Engineer.
Planning for the construction of a Town Hall in Georgetown began in 1854, not long after the formation of the Town Council in 1837. On November 22, 1886, the Town Council endorsed proposals for the construction of a Town Hall, and a Committee – led by the Mayor – was formed to supervise the design of the building. Shortly afterwards, Mayor George Anderson Forshaw purchased the site where the present building now stands.
The Committee met on March 17, 1887, and was joined by another famous architect Cesar Castellani to decide on the winning design. They chose a design entitled “Damus Pitimusque Vicissim”; a Latin phrase meaning “we give and we ask in turn” by Reverend Ignatius Scoles – an architect who had designed a number of churches in Europe. Scoles was awarded a prize of $50, which he declined. The building contract was given to Sprostons and Sons of the La Penitence Woodworking Company.
We always figured Henry Jeffrey was a fella who’d blow with the wind. You know...like dry goat sh*t. The man was a staunch defender of everything PPP/C for over 15 years, but after he was thrown out on his ear, suddenly they’ve never done a single good thing. Reprobates all! Even during the “Jeffrey years”. So it’s not surprising he’s found a home in the Opposition Stabber.
But the man has no shame. This week he has the temerity to write about the maxim of equity: “He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.” How clean were Jeffrey’s hands when he was at the Education Ministry?? Why did he have to leave in the middle of the night?? And likewise with the Labour Ministry?? And Foreign Trade?? And Social Services? Dry goat sh*t.
It’s said that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. It can expose people for the fools they are. And so with Jeffrey. We’re not sure what “doctorate” Jeffrey earned – but from his mangling of the maxims of equity, it sure wasn’t law. No dinners at the Inns of Court!
In strained fashion, Jeffrey tries to argue that the GRA Chief Khurshid Sattaur can’t go after Glenn Lall and Welshman can’t go after Trotman for allegedly buggering him when he was a child.
Well, actually Jeffrey says that the “Government” can’t go after those two hearties, because the Government doesn’t have “clean hands”. So how the hell does the Government obtain locus standi for Sattaur and Welshman?? Well, there’s “a substantial public belief” that they’re behind those charges!!
Well, Jeez!! We wonder why the PPP/C hasn’t been strung up yet after such absolutely conclusive reasons!! And we wonder whether the Stabber will yank the column from Jeffrey because there’s a “substantial public belief” that he’s still livid the PPP/C refused to make him Ambassador to Suriname – as he demanded.
But we’d kinda hoped Jeffrey would’ve checked with his “lawyer-better half” on the maxims of equity before he made a fool of himself. Even if the PPP/C had previously smeared others – the clean hands doctrine wouldn’t apply to them in this case. His better half would know the qualifying maxim: “Equity does not demand that its suitors shall have led blameless lives.”
The doctrine applies only when there’s a nexus between the applicant’s wrongful act and the rights he wishes to enforce. No nexus here!
Finally, “equity follows the law” and doesn’t supersede the extant law. There’s laws in place that’ll nail Lall and Trotman, Jeffrey!!
It’s beyond funny what’s playing out in the AFC’s leadership race. First of all, we’re now finding out THERE’S NO RACE!! Because there’s been no nominations for leader! No...no...no, dear reader. Don’t scratch your head like your humble Eyewitness did when he read that stunning revelation.
You’re thinking about all the nominations that’ve been flying fast and furious for the AFC’s PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE!! Nagamootoo, N Hughes, C Hughes and Ramjattan.
And no, that wasn’t a misprint and you’re not seeing double. Cathy Hughes is going up against her husband Nigel Hughes. And now the headline makes sense, doesn’t it?? These are all ambitious folks. Why would they want to lead a dinky minority of minority party, when they could be President?? Well, you might be saying that the leader of a dinky little party’s never going to be President.
But don’t tell that to these wankers. (Yes, there can be female wankers too. Listen to the Vagina Monologues.) Just the thought of being a “Presidential Candidate” makes them weak kneed!
...and dirty money
Why doesn’t it surprise us that the LEAD-funded and trained Blue Caps joined APNU in protests in front of the Office of the President (OP)?? Not all who cry, “NGO! NGO!!” are not “governmental”. It’s just a foreign government that’s providing the 30 pieces of silver!
Days after its life came to an end on September 30, the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the death of Dr Walter Rodney has been further extended to January 2015.
Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon made the announcement on Wednesday. This second extension, since the start of the Commission in February of this year, was approved by Cabinet, after the recommendation was made by the Commission’s sponsor, President Donald Ramotar.
Dr Luncheon said the Commission has been conducting the public inquiry since April of this year, noting that it was likely that the hearings would continue into 2015. Asked about the nature of the hearing and the concerns raised over the “open endedness” of the investigation, Dr Luncheon said Government has gathered along the way that the Commission would be inclined to accommodate the many witnesses who have indicated their willingness to participate. He added that the Government would not be surprised that in its inclination to take in those witnesses, the Commission was further extended after the January 31 deadline.
According to Dr Luncheon, the Commission has advised that the hearing will recommence on Monday, October 20 and will last some three weeks until November 7.
Dr Luncheon, however, did not say if any addition-
al funding would be allocated to the Commission, which constitutes its Chairman, Barbadian Queen’s Counsel Sir Richard Cheltenham; Jamaican Queen’s Counsel Jacqueline Samuels Brown; and Trinidad-based Guyanese Senior Counsel Seenath Jairam.
President Ramotar had indicated to this publication last month that he would have to once again extend the life of the Commission.
Inquiry must be completed And in response to threats by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to withhold its support for additional funding for the Commission, the President said that should the need arise, his administration will have to pump more money into the Inquiry.
The Head of State had said that the work of the Commission, which is aimed at determining the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr Rodney, must come to completion.
Since the death of Dr
Rodney, WPA Co-Founder and political stalwart, on June 13,1980, fingers have been pointed in the direction of the People’s National Congress (PNC), which is accused of using electronics expert and Army Sergeant William Gregory Smith (now deceased) to plant a bomb in a walkie-talkie, a device that was reportedly of interest to the historian. The then electronics expert, who was using the pseudonym Cyril Johnson, was accused of giving Rodney the walkie-talkie (in which the bomb was concealed) to test on Camp Street, Georgetown outside the metal fence of the Georgetown Prison. It exploded on his lap while he was seated in the car driven by his brother Donald. The Guyana Defence Force had denied that Smith was a serving member of the Army until a local paper published his photograph with him dressed in military clothing. Smith, who then fled to French Guiana, said he would have returned to Guyana for a trial or inqui-
ry only if amnesty had been granted. However, France does not extradite persons to their native country where they possibly face the death penalty if convicted. Smith died 10 years ago.
However, the then Forbes Burnham-led PNC, which Rodney had strongly opposed, denied orchestrating the bomb blast. There have been widespread accusations and finger-pointing over the years, thus the call for the Commission of Inquiry.
The CoI was finally set up by President Ramotar on February 25 earlier this year to examine what may have led to the explosion that caused the death of the WPA leader. At the swearing-in, President Ramotar had mentioned that DR Rodney’s widow, Patricia, had approached him, seeking his assistance in setting up the Inquiry. He had hoped too that the findings from the Inquiry would finally give all Guyanese, especially family members, the much-needed closure.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon said that an additional 10 Closed Circuit Televisions (CCTV) sites will be installed in the capital city as the Joint Services seek to up the ante in the fight against crime.
The Cabinet Secretary, who also sits on the Defence Board, said the Board’s review recognised the need for further development and had, therefore, approved an increase in the number of cameras which cover the main arteries in and around Georgetown.
“The Defence Board in August last reviewed among other things, the state of affairs within the capital city as it regards Closed Circuit Television”, Luncheon told reporters at his post- Cabinet briefing on Thursday.
He said there are about 40 sites where three to four cameras have been installed. He related that the Defence’s Board decision was to allow for at least 10 more sites to be established within Georgetown during the upcoming year.
During discussions at the Board level, a call had been made for advanced software which will allow for the image shown to be heightened and the technical application to be brought to bear on those images that are recovered during the CCTV operation, Luncheon said.
He said most recently, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been linked to the network of CCTV, which is a boost to investigation and prosecution of crimes.
“Independently, the Defence Board
also commends the Joint Services for having live footage now being made available to the other Joint Services entity,” Luncheon said, while relaying that the footage is secured at the National
Intelligence Centre.
Luncheon said from the early days of the CCTV implementation, discussions between the Office of the President, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, and the Joint Services aired the view that criminal investigation and prosecution would be the basis for which the CCTV initiative would be put in place.
“Many of us said if we were going to use CCTV for the purposes of investigation and prosecution, it meant that we would have to reequip the Police and CID with traffic with tools ; vehicles and communication devices to allow them to use that information….. I don’t believe that the verdict is in. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that over the years CCTV has played a significant role in the
Aranch owner, suspected to have been murdered, was on Wednesday morning found floating in a canal close to his farm at Abary Creek, West Coast Berbice.
The dead man has been identified as Vickram “Bouy” Ramnarine, 29, of Lot 56 Benette Dam, Rosignol, East Bank Berbice. According to information received, the man was pulled out of the canal by a group of construction workers about 10:30h with a swollen face.
While information remains sketchy, the Guyana Times understands that the young man was last seen about a week ago at the ranch which is owned by his family.
Workers claimed that as they arrived at the farm on Wednesday morning, there was no sign of Ramnarine and as such, they launched a search party. It was during their search, they found the man floating face-down in the canal some distance from the farmhouse.
Investigators, according to reports, believe that he might have met his demise during the night. A friend of
the family told the Guyana Times that after the body was discovered, the workers contacted the man’s relatives who rushed to the scene.
There, they saw his motionless body lying on the ground. There were no marks of violence except his swollen face, she added. He was taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Ramnarine has been taking care of the ranch for a number of years. Ramnarine’s father, Sasenarine, suspect that his son might have fallen into the canal and hit his head. He confirmed that there were no marks of violence on his son’s body, and t they were awaiting the post-mortem examination, to determine the cause of death. Guyana Times understands that after receiving the news of his son’s death, Sasenarine took ill and was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital where he was treated and sent away. The Police have launched investigation into the man’s death.
6,000 more solar panels for distribution in hinterland
resolution and prosecution of criminal activities,” the Cabinet Secretary said.
The Home Affairs Ministry began the first installation of CCTV cameras in Georgetown some three years ago.
The programme was aimed at reducing the spur in criminal activities since Guyana was preparing for another general election.
Government had hoped that the installation of the cameras would have boosted the security sector’s fight against crime.
The headquarters for the monitoring and storage of the footage gathered is in the National Intelligence Centre. The tower and transmission lines connect the headquarters to other monitoring stations, so that the footage can be easily accessed and serve as a means to prevent crime.
The cameras extend to certain parts of the East Coast of Demerara as well as the East Bank of Demerara.
The introduction of CCTV cameras has been in the pipeline since 2008, when Government announced that it was offering duty-free concessions to the Private Sector for the cameras, and promised to play a vital role in ensuring that they are installed in public areas.
The administration has been placing major emphasis on security. This is evident from the large amount of money being allocated to the sector, and the improved performances of the law enforcement agencies. Government had allocated $15 million in the 2011 national budget to purchase the equipment.
Cabinet’s no objection to a $39.8M contract is likely to see the completion of the solar panel distribution project in the hinterland.
At a post-Cabinet media briefing on Wednesday at the Office of the President, Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) Dr. Roger Luncheon advised that ‘no objection’ was granted to one contract which fell under the Office of the Prime Minister.
The contract catered for the supply of cables, switches and other related items for the Hinterland Electrification Programme.
This supply the HPS noted would see a completion of the distribution of solar panels to households in Regions 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9. The award caters for 6000 solar panels, an addition to the 11,000 already distributed.
Following the distribution of the 11,000 solar panels, the Hinterland Electrification Unit (HEU) continued monitoring of the installation of the systems, a task which has seen residents in the communities trained to carry out. While
Head of the HEU Horace Williams has indicated that serving the hinterland is a geographical nightmare, he has stated that by 2016 all hinterland households will have some sort of electricity “either in the form of solar or grid electricity.”
The process of distributing solar panels which was geared towards hinterland households began in late 2010. Feedback from the project has indicated that persons have been using the systems the way they should be used and are indicating their appreciation for the supply of power in their homes.
The provision enables evening recreational activities, as well as study time for students. It has also led to residents providing themselves with more household electrical equipment and appliances and some are now subsequently asking for bigger systems.
Regarding the sustainability of the systems, arrangements were put in place for persons accessing solar power to pay $500 per month to the Village Council towards its maintenance.
One month after the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region 10 presented a $10.2 million ambulance to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), the vehicle has not been put to use.
Providing an update, Regional Clerk of Works Yolanda Hilliman said the ambulance which was purchased under the RDC’s 2013 budgetary allocation, was handed over to the LHC for use at the Upper Demera Hospital (UDH).
Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon registering his concern recently noted that the ambulance was purchased by the Council and handed over to the health facility with the intention that it will be used at the UDH, Wismar.
However, he stated that to date, it remains untouched. Solomon said the Council only learnt about the situation last week and is now asking who is responsible, adding that over 18,000 residents are being denied ambulatory services. He said the RDC had been long awaiting the arrival of the ambulance, and is dissatisfied that one month later it is not being used.
The Regional Chairman said it was related at one of the Council’s recent Finance Committee meet-
ings that a shed which was expected to be constructed to accommodate the vehicle is yet to be erected.
Solomon, in registering his disappointment, urged Regional Councillors to make representations for the ambulance to be put into use immediately.
“I am very disappointed.... We have made all the noise for a new ambulance and now we are being told at Finance Committee meeting that part of it is because a shed would have not been constructed to accommodate this ambulance. That did not go down well. There are lots of sick people... and we have an ambulance parked... while
the people over at Wismar, at the Upper Demerara Hospital don’t have an ambulance to service them. Even though we made all that noise for a brand new ambulance... it is sad that it is now sitting inside the compound of the Linden Hospital. It’s still an issue that we have to collectively understand why it is not in use. I’m saying that it is our responsibility,” the Regional Chairman said.
Solomon noted that he has received complaints from residents who are in need of the “vital health service”.
“We went through all the hurdles with the contractor not providing us with the
service on time and now this. I was in Blueberry Hill (Wismar) a few weeks ago and residents complained that they had to get taxi to take sick people; they couldn’t get the ambulance to come.”
Regional Health Committee Chairman and Regional Councillor Maurice Butters also expressed concern over the non-use of the vehicle.
“The handing over was done to the Chairman of the Board, who in turn handed it over to the management of the hospital (LHC). It’s very bad that we would have worked so diligently to get the ambulance to the people and it is yet to be used by the hospital,” he said.
Regional Councillor Audwin Rutherford said the matter should not end at the fact that the ambulance was delivered by the Council on behalf of the people, but to ensure that it is functioning in the interest of the people.
Solomon also voiced concerns over the vehicle that was assigned to him, noting that it is an economic burden to the regional administration.
He said the faulty vehicle, which is also not in use, has cost the RDC over $4 million and continues to be tested for mechanical problems.
When a man can’t read he own emails and he start searching people email, yuh know yuh gotta desperate man. When that same man tryin to hack into other people email and read them, yuh know that man is a desperate man.
When that same man finally manage to hack into people email, yuh know that man is a desperate man. When that same man start to bribe people to hack into people email who he ain’t able to hack into, yuh know that man is a desperate man.
When that same man start bribin people as far as Barbados to hack into people email, yuh know that man is a desperate man. When that same man hack into people email and he ain’t see whah he wanna see, so he decide to send the email whah he wanna see, yuh know that man is a desperate man.
And when that same man decide to publish that email whah he had wanna see, and he ain’t see, and he write he self, and tell de world it was there all de time, yuh know that man is a desperate man.
When that same man decide to get people to comment on dem emails what he search, hack, bribe, write, read, send, publish then comment on, yuh know yuh gotta desperate man some where.
When that same man start beggin fuh people to support he and even put a page one comment fuh people to send Letters to de Editor to support he fuh all dem emails whah he hack, yuh know yuh gotta very desperate man.
When that same man don’t wanna pay even de poor S*ity Council de taxes whah he owe, plus don’t wanna pay duty to bring in vehicle whah he wanna drive, plus don’t wanna pay duty to bring in vehicle whah he want other people drive, plus don’t wanna pay duty fuh tings fuh he paper, yuh know that is very, very desperate man.
Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie! And desperate people need desperate help!
The Private Sector Commission (PSC) last Tuesday met with the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to discuss the state of the economy and recent political developments.
The business umbrella body also used the opportunity to introduce its new Executive to the party.
In a short statement, the PSC said during the meeting, it was briefed on the opinions of the PPP/C on the various matters that are now engaging the attention of the country.
“These included both economic and political matters.” The PSC said it has been meeting with all the political parties to obtain their opinions on matters that may have a direct impact on the business community and the country as a whole. “The PSC will also meet with the Guyana Elections Commission in the near future,” the statement concluded.
The PSC back in August had warned about the im-
plications of political instability should a no-confidence motion against the Government be carried though.
“It will be very unfortunate if such a motion is
passed as it would signal political instability to our foreign investors, financiers, customers, and suppliers.
This will further increase the political risk premium added to the cost of capital
when overseas funding is sought by private entities and can negatively impact our economy,” the PSC said in a statement. According to the PSC, for progress to be made in a dis-
pensation where a minority Government and a majority Opposition exist, the political culture should consist of dialogue and compromise on issues of national interest and development.
“This culture has been very much absent since our last General Elections in 2011, as both sides of the House have exposed their limitations in dealing with such a dispensation,” the umbrella business body said.
It added then that the calling for elections prematurely is signalling that only in a “winner-takes-all” environment can progress be made. This does not augur well for a plural society such as Guyana, the PSC contended.
“The PSC is not hopeful that General Elections will automatically resolve many of the problems facing the country. However, if elections are to be called, we hope that they would be conducted efficiently and effectively.”
The PSC had said it is also hoping that whatever the results, that they would be accepted by all and that the country can move forward so that every member of the population can be guaranteed a better life.
Popular Argentine folklore singer, Nestor Basurto on Tuesday evening wrapped a 10-day tour here during which he taught music to students and performed at several concerns across the country.
The Embassy of Argentina in collaboration with the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry had hosted the singer and Tuesday night he completed his tour with a heart-warming concert at the National Library Conference Room.
“We feel that we can strengthen our bilateral cooperation, especially in the area of culture… when we have different people from different countries visiting Guyana, it helps to enrich our culture,” Culture, Youth and Sports Minister, Dr Frank Anthony said at the event.
Argentina is known mostly for the tango and folklore compositions. At the concert, Basurto performed renditions of his music and of other Argentine composers which kept the audience entertained. He opened with a song by Atahualpa Yupanqui entitled “Los ejes de mi carreta” and ended with “Jazmin otonal”, a song he said is dedicated to the ladies.
Basurto, a self-taught musician compositions cover from the most traditional ensemble of guitars folklore up to
symphonic works and for typical tango orchestras with aptitude in contemporary and various instrumentation.
Basurto, who was on a 10-day visit to Guyana, thanked the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Embassy of Argentina and the authorities of the Government of Guyana who helped him achieve this gratifying trip. During his stay, Basurto visited New Amsterdam, Linden, West Demerara and the University of Guyana to meet with school children and share his knowledge of music with them.
Additionally, Basurto also held workshops in the evenings at the National Music School where he taught the students of new techniques in composing music.
In a brief interview with Guyana Times, the musician said his idea was not only to showcase Argentine music but to use these workshops to transmit knowledge in the different aspects of the Argentine music to local musicians and students. Meanwhile, Christian Sobers, one of the students who attended the workshops told Guyana Times that as a musician, it is excellent to be exposed to different styles of music and that he was delighted for the experience Basurto offered.
“It was really great, we look forward to this kind of stuff, I think we need more of this happening in Guyana.”
Dr Anthony said: “We’ve already agreed, between myself and the Ambassador that we must bring him back.”
Moreover, in May, Jorge Palacious and Jorge Marti, also Argentine guitarists, had visited Guyana to provide workshops for students.
Dr Anthony said he enjoys the Argentine culture. “We want to continue this kind of cultural collaboration.”
Crime Chief Leslie James on Wednesday said Steve Mohamed who was shot by Police on Monday evening at Friendship, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was wanted for questioning in connection with the murder of Joseph Nathaniel Nurse of Mahaica, East Coast Demerara.
The incident occurred at 14 Miles, Issano, Potaro River.
James stated that Mohamed is still under guards at the Georgetown Public Hospital, and once he is discharged, he will be charged.
Nevertheless, Guyana Times understands that the Police are looking for Mohamed’s accomplice who is suspected to be hiding in the interior.
Hospital, a few days later.
His workers, Danesh Rampersaud, 18, of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo and another man who were in the camp at the time also received injuries, but were treated at the Troy’s Resources Medical Centre and sent away.
an alarm. Workers from other camps nearby heard the calls and went to their assistance.
Vandals recently damaged telephone cables belonging to the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company resulting in disruption to telephone service along the East Coast of Demerara.
In a statement, GT&T said on Tuesday it became aware of the damaged 900pair cable on the East Coast Public Road, alongside the bridge separating La Bonne Intention (LBI) and Chateau Margot.
out works on the East Bank Demerara Four-Lane Road to the area and service was restored shortly.
Vandalism and cable theft have been plaguing GT&T over the years resulting in severe negative impacts on the company and its customers, including the diversion of its technical and material resources away from planned expansion programme works and routine installation and maintenance activities. GT&T said it continues to appeal to the general public to be vigilant and immediately report acts of vandalism to 0908.
Mohamed and the other wanted man were accused of terrorising and robbing Nurse and two of his workers at a mining camp at 14 Miles, Issano.
It was reported that Nurse, a father of four and his two workers were attacked and beaten by two men who were armed with a gun and a piece of wood. During the ordeal, the two men demanded gold and money. Nurse reportedly put up a fight and received severe injures about the body.
The 35-year-old miner of Lot 24 Belmonte, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara died while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public
The two men were bound while Nurse was reportedly left to die a short distance from the mining camp. Rampersaud managed to free himself and untie his colleague, after which he raised
They were transported to the medical centre and due to Nurse’s condition; he was airdashed to Georgetown and admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital up to the time of his death.
The Police have been on the lookout for the two men from the inception. They received a tip off that Mohamed was on the East Bank of Demerara and as they approached the area, they were greeted with a hail of gun fire.
According to the Police, ranks went to Friendship, where they saw the wanted man and on seeing the Police, he opened fire on them and they returned fire, hitting him to his left upper leg.
Approximately 70 feet of the cable was cut and removed resulting in a disruption to the voice and data connections of close to 900 customers in Atlantic Gardens, Montrose, Le Ressouvenir and Happy Acres. “GT&T regrets the inconvenience caused and is working to restore service in the shortest possible time.”
Only late last month, telephone and data services along the East Bank of Demerara were disrupted as a result of vandalism and theft of two spans of fibreoptic cable measuring more than 400 feet in Agricola.
The company had said that thousands of its customers in Providence, Mocha, Diamond, Grove, and New Hope were affected by the disruption. According to GT&T, it promptly diverted a team of engineers who were scheduled to carry
Earlier this year, GT&T Chief Executive Officer (CEO) RK Sharma disclosed that for 2013, the company sustained 68 instances of third party damage and 40 incidents of vandalism to its line plant facilities.
The total restoration cost was in the vicinity of $50 million. For this year, there have been numerous instances of third party damage and one incident of vandalism. Sharma noted that the cost mentioned to restore services does not take into consideration revenue foregone due to lines being out of service.
Additionally, he had mentioned that resources have to be diverted to address the damage leading to delays in scheduled works.
thursDAY, october 9, 2014 | guYAnAtimesgY.com
The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has extended solidarity with the Government and people of Cuba on the 33rd anniversary since the bombing of a Cuban airliner in which 11 Guyanese were killed.
The party in a release said six of the Guyanese who perished in the disaster were scholars who were on their way to pursue studies in Cuba.
Cubana Flight 455 never made it to its destination after it was brought down by a terrorist attack on October 6, 1976 in what could be considered the deadliest terrorist act committed in this hemisphere.
A total of 73 persons lost their lives when the airline exploded.
It is now an established fact that the bomb was planted in the airline by two Venezuelan mercenaries during a journey from Trinidad to Barbados.
“The PPP/C has also taken note of the fact that two of the confessed murderers, Luis Posada Carriles and
Orlando Bosch with close links to the CIA continue until this day to walk freely in the streets of Miami.
“The PPP/C calls on the United States authorities to take measures to bring to justice all those who were responsible for this atrocity including the intellectual authors of the crime. Justice delayed is justice denied and it is never too late to dispense justice, especially in the face of overwhelming evidence to implicate those involved,” the release said.
Cubana Flight 455 was a Cuban flight from Barbados to Jamaica that was brought down on October 6, 1976 by a bomb attack. All 73 people on board the Douglas DC-8 aircraft were killed. According to Wikipedia, two time bombs were used, variously described as dynamite or C-4.
Several CIA-linked anti-Castro Cuban exiles and members of the Venezuelan secret Police DISIP were implicated by the evidence. Political complications quickly arose when Cuba accused the US Government of
being an accomplice to the attack. CIA documents released in 2005 indicate that the agency “had concrete advance intelligence, as early as June 1976, of plans by Cuban exile terrorist groups to bomb a Cubana airliner”.
Former CIA Operative Posada Carriles denies involvement but provides many details of the incident in his book Caminos del Guerrero (Way of the Warrior).
Four men were arrested in connection with the bombing, and a trial was held in Venezuela. Freddy Lugo and Hernán Ricardo Lozano were each sentenced to 20year prison terms. Orlando Bosch was acquitted and later moved to Miami, Florida, where he lived until his death on April 27, 2011.
Luis Posada Carriles was held for eight years while awaiting a final sentence but eventually fled. He later entered the US, where he was held on charges of entering the country illegally, but was released on April 19, 2007.
The Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) has announced that the Mahaicony Post Office will be closed on October 13 for a period of three months.
According to a release, the closure is necessary to facilitate construction of a new building to accommodate the post office.
GPOC said in the interim, residents of Mahaicony and its environs are advised that services can be accessed at any other post offices of their choice.
“Customers have the option of transacting
business at the Weldad or Mahaica Post Offices. For the ease of comfort, Government Old Age/National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pensions and Public Assistance payments will be made at the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) on the first two working days of each month.”
However, the GPOC said payments will be made on November 3 and 4, since the NDC office will be closed on Saturday.
“Further, customers of the Mahaicony Post Office are advised that the fol-
lowing pensions and allotments will only be paid at the Weldaad Post Office: Guyana Transport and Harbours, Dependents Pension Fund, the Finance Ministry, Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force.
“The new Mahaicony Post Office will offer secure and convenient services to all members of the public. Residents will be subsequently notified about its re-opening. Management apologises for any inconvenience,” the release concluded.
Livestock farmers in the Caribbean are finding it increasingly difficult and expensive to rear healthy animals because of climate change, a situation that poses a significant threat to a region that is already too dependent on imports to feed its population.
Norman Gibson, a livestock scientist with the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), said the effects of climate change mean that farmers must spend more money on feedstock to produce healthy animals, as well as coping with higher mortality rates among their flocks due to heat stress.
Gibson was part of a panel discussion at the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA)’s Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), being held in Paramaribo,
sea level and sinking further, salt water intrusion is further compromising the feedstock available for ruminants.
“Once salt water gets into pastures, most of the grass that we currently grow is not adapted to high levels of salts. Most of these grasses have low salt tolerance and therefore will not thrive or grow under those conditions. So scientists will now have to find new breeds of grass that are more tolerant,” he said.
He said a breed of grass from International Centre for Tropical Agriculture in Colombia was showing promise in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados and St Kitts.
“A lot of the dairy production in Trinidad and Tobago is based on that particular grass…. In St Kitts, it is now the major grass of choice for small ruminant farmers.”
He also pointed out that
change
Suriname (October 6–12).
The annual event hosted by the CTA focused on promoting policies and practices that will help farmers to adapt to climate change.
Gibson pointed out that decreases in livestock production would have a significant impact on the Caribbean region, where meat forms a major part of the diet. The region imports US$40 million worth of meat annually from New Zealand and Australia, he told the audience, and “imports are growing faster than [local] production”.
At the same time, research has shown that climate change is resulting in higher levels of CO2 in the atmosphere which “leads to changes in the nutritional status of plants”, he told IPS. He said that tropical grasses are not the most nutritious, and with increases in CO2 they become even less so.
Consuming more
“So animals would have to eat even more to get an acceptable level of nutrition. Because that is often impossible, if you want your animals to produce at a certain level you have to supplement with concentrated feed, which in the Caribbean is imported,” he told IPS, and expensive.
He added that in places like Guyana, that are below
cipitous decrease in milk yields, sometimes by as much as 33 per cent, thus reducing the animal’s profitability.
Gibson added that because of the extreme heat the region has been experiencing and the resulting discomfort felt by animals, there were abnormalities in their sperm and a fall-off in vigour, resulting in reduced conception rates.
“A livestock farmer’s success depends on how many animals he can get to the market each year, which is a function of how well his animals reproduce,” he told IPS.
Relying on local breeds
Both Gibson and Lazarus said the impact of climate change meant that farmers would have to rely more on local breeds of ruminants to ensure they have hardy stock that can cope with the Region’s increasingly intense heat, though there has been a tendency over the past 15 to 20 years to bring in foreign breeds to “improve” local livestock. Farmers often see foreign livestock as a chance to improve their herd because it means introducing fresh blood without the problems that traditionally come with inbreeding, said Rommel Parris, a black belly sheep farmer and President of the Barbados Sheep and Goat Farmers Association.
However, Parris said, the benefits of a new genetic pool do not outweigh the disadvantages of the foreign stock in the hot Caribbean climate.
temperatures were for a certainty increasing, though there was less certainty about increased precipitation. These higher temperatures lead to heat stress in animals that reduces their ability to reproduce.
Heat stress is leading to levels of mortality of up to 15 per cent among ruminants, the FAO’s Cedric Lazarus told IPS. Lazarus was also at the CWA and spoke of efforts being made around the Region to reduce the heat stress being suffered by animals.
Investing in ventilation
He explained once an animal’s core body temperature goes above 45 degrees Celsius, its homeostasis is disrupted, eventually leading to death. So Caribbean farmers are now investing in ventilation systems to keep their livestock cooler, he said.
“It’s the only way you can keep those high-producing breeds of cattle and ensure they survive.” He said the use of ventilation systems was seen particularly in Barbados.
Planting more trees was also a viable — and simple — way of providing more shade for animals, he added.
He said studies showed heat stress also led to a pre-
“Your cost goes up because you have to keep them in air-conditioned rooms or use fans to cool them down. You have to feed them with special feeds. You have to adjust to the diet they were receiving before. Caring for these animals is tougher than caring for those animals that are adapted to this Region for years,” he told IPS. He added that foreign stock tend to produce fewer offspring, as well, than the local breeds, and are more susceptible to the parasites in the Region.
Though inbreeding of local stocks does bring a somewhat weaker herd, “farmers know how to treat their own animals. A lot of them are proactive and know what the signs are and how to prevent sickness in advance…. They can pick up on them fairly quickly,” he said, thus reducing mortality rates and losses.
The majority of ruminants in the Region are still the local, creole animals, Lazarus said, but the Caribbean needs to guard against the mistake made in other parts of the world, where the introduction of foreign breeds led to the extinction of local, more sustainable animals.
The Rights of the Child Commission on Wednesday joined the Human Services Ministry in condemning the Guyana Chronicle for publishing in its October 7 issue pictures of school children having sex.
In a statement, the RCC said: “It must be noted that it is not usual that such photos of adults are published. RCC therefore questions why the alacrity to do so in relation to children. Not only is this publication alarming, it demonstrates a blatant disregard for the standard which states that regardless of the circumstances, revelation of children’s identity should not take place since they are minors.”
According to the RCC, it looks forward to a commitment from the Chronicle and all media houses, to honour the boundaries of “tasteful journalism” and moreso respect the sensitive nature of the situation, and not use the apparent lack of judgment of children as a means to further increase subscription.
The RCC reminds that Article 3 of the UNCRC [United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child] emphasises that adults should do what is best for children and that when adults make decisions, they should think how these decisions will affect the children.
The Labour, Human Services and Social Security Ministry on Tuesday had slammed the state-media entity for the publication of the images, saying that it is appalled by the media house and those in charge.
In a statement, the Ministry described the de-
scent by the state newspaper as disgusting. It said too that the acts of the children “…have exposed a tremendous need for more to be done by parents, teachers and our society as a whole to ensure that our children understand and practice moral values that would prevent them from making poor decisions”.
Adding to turmoil
However, the Ministry in condemning the journalistic rascality said “some sections of the media sought to exploit this issue in the press and shared images that have gone viral. The recent media report in the Guyana Chronicle edition of October 7th, 2014, will also serve to unsettle other children. Imagine their sense of diminished pride and the glaring suspicion that everyone around them must be aware of this most sordid affair!”
Additionally, the Ministry said “the racial
identities of the children, the school they attend and the compromising acts being performed are obvious in the images. The lives of these children and their families are certainly in turmoil over this unfortunate situation and now they have been further humiliated by the publication of these images both on the Internet and in the print media. The impact of such an action will affect their self-esteem, and may have serious consequences upon their lives in the future,” the Ministry lamented.
“The Ministry through the Child Care and Protection Agency unequivocally condemns such irresponsible behaviour from media operatives who ought to know better. Media personnel have continuously received training on the ethics of journalism, the legal implications and the importance of safeguarding the identity and integrity of
Ayoung mother is mourning the unfortunate death of her five-month-old child who was initially treated for Chikungunya at the Georgetown Public Hospital instead of pneumonia.
After spending 11 days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the medical institution, little Eimi Patterson of Graham Street, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara took her last breath on Sunday last.
According to information received, Cindy Best took her ailing child to the paediatric section of the hospital for a checkup after she was experiencing respiratory problems, and it was then
the nurses said the child had the Chikungunya virus.
Little Patterson was not eating, had a “chest cough” and was experiencing diarrhea at the time she was taken to the medical facility.
Best claimed that she was given a bottle of Panadol syrup and a packet of salt to help with the diarrhea and subsequently left. About a week after, her daughter was in the same condition; hence, she made a decision to take her to a private medical institution where she was diagnosed with pneumonia.
While at the private hospital, the doctors used oxygen to stabilise the child’s
our children. The Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security and the Child Care and Protection Agency hereby calls on the Guyana Chronicle to publicly apologise for the publication of these images and urge everyone associated with the electronic publication of these obscene images to desist from doing so.”
According to the Ministry, dissemination of these images have negatively impacted upon the efforts and progress made with respect to child protection in Guyana, adding that the upgrading of “our laws to cater for electronic and cyber crime is much needed to address such issues”.
Noting that Guyana is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which clearly addresses the issue of human rights of children, the Ministry cited Article 17 of the Convention which delineates the responsibilities of mass media organisations, including ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of children and adolescents.
Similarly, Article 34 speaks of the need to “protect the child from all forms of sexual exploitation…” It said too that “our local laws also clearly state acceptable standards for media publications of sexual content. It is therefore appalling that these have been blatantly ignored by media personnel, particularly the Guyana Chronicle newspaper. Every Guyanese, including members of the media, have a duty and a responsibility to protect our children. We must take this responsibility seriously”.
The NEW GPC INC on Wednesday donated a quantity of fire safety pamphlets to the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) as the organisation observes Fire Prevention Week.
The donation was made at the GFS’ Headquarters at Stabroek, Georgetown. At the simple handing over ceremony, NEW GPC Marketing Associate Livasti Bhooplall said the company was pleased to be associated with the event, noting that the pamphlets will aid in educating the general public about fire safety and prevention.
Bhooplall said for the past five years, it has been an annual venture for the NEW GPC to partner with the GFS to distribute pamphlets to schools across the nation as part of their prevention awareness drive. She also added that the NEW GPC believes that “fire loss is a national loss” and, as such, values the partnership with the Fire Service.
NEW GPC further reiterates its call for corporate entities to step up and join the Fire Service in its effort to
bring fire prevention awareness to all Guyanese.
Receiving the pamphlets and giving brief remarks was Fire Prevention Officer Andrew Holder, who used the opportunity to thank the NEW GPC for once again coming on board to ensure that Guyanese were educated about safety and fire prevention. He also noted that the gesture was a timely one since the GFS was soon to start the distribution process in schools.
According to Fire Chief Marlon Gentle, in a recent telephone interview, there will be a number of activities over the next two weeks and for the remainder of the month to conclude Fire Prevention Week 2014.
Gentle told the Guyana Times that from October 19-24, the Caribbean Association Fire Fighters management meeting will be heading to Guyana, followed by a cycle race which will conclude the 2014 fire prevention activities.
Fire Prevention Week is being held under the theme: “Fire Safety, a national priority; get involved”.
condition and then referred her to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further medical attention.
There the child was admitted but her condition took a turn for the worst. The woman is holding out that if a proper prognosis has been carried out on her child, she would have been alive today.
“As soon as you go to see the doctor and you have some cold and cough, it is the ‘gunya’… they don’t do any proper test before they diagnosed you with the virus,” the woman stated.
She is also furious at the royal runaround to get her child’s body so she can be laid to rest. She claimed
that the body cannot be release until a post-mortem examination is conducted.
“The hospital said that it is a policy by the Ministry of Health to perform the postmortem, but all I saying is that the hospital know what the child died from and rather than doing an autopsy, just state that on the Death Certificate.”
As a result of the prolonged wait, she had reasons to visit the office of the Chief Medical Officer, but he was not there and was reportedly advised by his Secretary that the hospital should not have any difficulties in presenting her with the Death Certificate.
After a back and forth,
she said the hospital officials are holding out that a post-mortem examination has to be done.
However, when contacts were made with the hospital administration, Public Relations Officer Mitzy Campbell said the head of the paediatric section is in the process of compiling a report on the matter. The report, she added, is expected to be completed by today and will be presented to Chief Executive Officer Michael Khan. She added that the result of the postmortem examination is vital as it will determine the cause of the infant's death. The post-mortem has been set for today.
Colombia must invest at least 90 trillion pesos (US$44.4 billion) to implement a peace deal with Marxist rebels to end a 50-year conflict, says a senator who backs the current peace talks, adding the amount is much less than the cost of waging war.
The figure is the first estimate of the cost of a peace
accord to end the conflict with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. “The minimum cost for the next 10 years is estimated at 90 trillion pesos,” Senator Roy Barreras, President of the Colombian Congress’s Peace Commission, said late on Tuesday. He said the money would be used to finance
High Court Judge Albert Redhead, who jailed a man for 25 and 15 years, respectively, for the rape and buggery of a 19-year-old woman, said the punishment was to keep him out of society, and send a stern message to others who might be contemplating such heinous crimes.
Thirty-nine-year-old Ronald Samuel of All Saints could have been jailed for the maximum penalty of life for the offences. Instead, the two jail terms are to run concurrently, meaning he will only be imprisoned for 25 years.
But the father of five, through his Attorney Lawrence Daniel, has already indicated intent to appeal what they both believe were the “harsh” sentenc-
es handed down by Justice Redhead.
A jury of three men and nine women unanimously found Samuel guilty after a two-day trial, which included the three hours the jurors spent reviewing the evidence.
At the end of the trial, Justice Redhead reportedly expressed abhorrence over what was done to the young woman. Although the victim was reluctant to testify and said she could not recall what occurred, Crown Counsel Adlai Smith proceeded with the case. He said it was a necessity to protect society.
The woman’s statement to Police was eventually read to the court. The incident occurred in late February 2011. (Excerpt from Antigua Observer)
reintegration programmes for former rebels, victim compensation, the return of displaced populations and land reform.
“The Government must implement structural reforms to guarantee there will be sufficient funds for such post conflict programmes,” Barreras said, echoing analysts who say the Government should reevaluate spending and taxation.
“There will need to be adjustments, modifications, and we need budget reform, a structural tax reform for peace,” he told Reuters after his presentation to Congress.
Barreras, who is a member of President Juan Manuel Santos’ U Party, said the war now costs the country about 100 trillion pesos (US$49.6 billion) a year.
“Peace may cost nine trillion each year, that’s to say that with one year of war we pay for peace and from there on out Colombia will keep growing without the burden of the conflict.” (Excerpt from Reuters)
Criminals on Tuesday sunk to an all-time low when they held up a physically challenged woman and robbed her of
cinity of May Pen Cemetery. Coretta Vincent, a 37-yearold resident of Waltham Park Road, Kingston was travelling in her motorised
her wheelchair, leaving her lying on the sidewalk on Spanish Town Road in the vi-
Acustomer arguing with an employee over chicken which he ordered, had some of the steaming oil used to fry the meat and potato chips, tossed on him by six workers of a fast food outlet in Barataria on Monday afternoon. As a result, the victim Shameek Gonzalves had to be taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital suffering with burns to his upper body. An employee of the food outlet has since been detained by Police and is assisting officers in their enquiries.
The incident was reportedly witnessed by several customers who were at the Barataria branch of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). According to reports, 38-year-old Gonzalves of Sea Lots went to the KFC branch at about 14:00h on Monday to purchase a box of chicken and chips and was attended to by the employee.
Newsday understands
Gonzalves began complaining to the employee about his order which resulted in a heated argument. The employee is said to have gone into the kitchen located at the rear of the building and secured a container used to store the hot oil.
The employee and five other co-workers followed Gonzalves out of the outlet and then doused him with the hot oil while he was about to enter his car at Sixth Avenue, Barataria.
Eyewitnesses claimed after the hot oil was poured on Gonzalves, he turned to the employee and hit her repeatedly before being subdued by several persons who witnessed the attack.
“What really upsets me is that this person was assisted by others. Instead of telling her to calm down and don’t go outside, they supported her in assaulting me,” Gonzalves said. (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)
wheelchair along the busy road, heading to downtown Kingston to buy goods for a
small stall she operates in the commercial hub of the capital city when the armed thugs struck.
“I was going to town to purchase mi sweetie and other items to do my little hustling when a group of men drove up and held me up at gunpoint,” Vincent told the Jamaica Observer.
The disabled woman, who has lost the use of both legs and one of her hands, said she could not even raise her hands above her head when the criminals pointed their guns at her. The frightened mother of one said her life flashed in front of her as she began to brace herself for what was to come next.
She said she was preparing herself to be robbed of the little money she had to purchase the items but was left dumbstruck when the criminals did the unthinkable.
“One of the men come out of the van and him show mi him gun and seh a di wheelchair him want,” said Vincent, tears in her eyes as she related the ordeal. Police say they are investigating the robbery. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)
Barbadians turned out in their numbers on Tuesday for the Sandals Barbados Resort and Spa job fair at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC), as they looked to fill the 600 available positions.
However, as the number of job seekers grew so did the frustration to get in the building, with reports of pushing and persons fainting. In fact, the situation got so out of control that the Police had to be called to restore order, and around 11:00h. the doors were closed and an official of the LESC announced that the event would be stopped due to health and safety concerns.
However, the job fair was quickly restarted as security came up with a revised plan.
Speaking to the media, Sandals General Manager Josef Zellner stated, “It was overwhelming to see the in-
terest of the Barbadian people. We will see close to 1000 Barbadians but we have to close our doors earlier and we do hope based on [yesterday] it would be sufficient for our Rooms Division area.
“[Wednesday] at 9 we will continue with Food and Beverage. However, we will put up more organisation when the people come for the interviews. Despite the few small incidents, I want to commend the applicants for waiting patiently. We want the right people with great attitudes. I have seen bigger crowds for job fairs such as Jamaica and Turks and Caicos but this is a big crowd in Barbados,” he said. CEO of the Barbados Conference Services Limited (BCSL), Charmaine London, was hopeful that Wednesday’s proceeding would go more smoothly.
(Excerpt from Barbados Advocate)
Hundreds of vigilantes have joined the search for 43 students who went missing in the Mexican town of Iguala in Guerrero state on September 26. Members of the so-called self-defence groups said they would conduct a house-byhouse search.
Meanwhile, forensic tests are under way on dozens of
bodies found in shallow graves near the town last week. It is feared the bodies could be those of the students, who clashed with Police during a protest.
Their disappearance and the circumstances surrounding it have caused shock in Mexico.
The students, from a teacher training college in Ayotzinapa, travelled to the nearby town of Iguala to protest against what
they perceived as discriminatory hiring practices for teachers.
After a day of protests and fundraising, they wanted to make their way back to their college. Accounts of what happened next differ. Members of the student union say they hitched a lift aboard three local buses, but the Police says the students seized the buses.
(Excerpt from BBC News)
Hundreds of members of a local self-defence group have driven to Iguala to search for the missing
Thomas Eric Duncan, 42, the patient with the first case of Ebola diagnosed in the United States and the Liberian man at the centre of a widening public health scare, died in isolation at a hospital in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, hospital authorities said.
Duncan died at 07:51h at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, more than a week after the virus was detected in him on September 30. His condition had worsened in recent days to critical from serious as medical personnel worked to support his fluid and electrolyte levels, crucial to recovery in a disease that causes bleeding, vomiting and diarrhoea. Duncan was also treated with an experimental antiviral drug, brincidofovir, after the Food and Drug Administration
approved its use on an emergency basis.
“The past week has been an enormous test of our health system, but for one family it has been far more personal,” Dr David Lakey, the Commissioner
of the Texas Department of State Health Services, said in a statement. “Today they lost a dear member of their family. They have our sincere condolences, and we are keeping them in our thoughts.” (Excerpt from MSN)
Former President Jimmy Carter is criticizing key foreign policy decisions of President Barack Obama, including drone strikes on four Americans abroad and a failure to act promptly to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Obama’s Middle East policy is difficult to determine as “it changes from time to time,” Carter said in an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Tuesday.
“I noticed that two of his Secretaries of Defence, after they got out of office, were very critical of the lack of
positive action on the part of the president,” Carter noted. In a media blitz this past week, former Defence Secretary Leon Panetta blasted Obama, in one interview suggesting the President might have “lost his way.”
Former Defence Secretary Robert Gates also criticised Obama in his memoir, saying the President “doesn’t believe in our own strategy.” Recently, Gates said that Obama would need US ground troops to defeat ISIS, something Obama has repeatedly rejected.
“First of all, we wait-
ed too long,” Carter told the Star-Telegram about Obama’s response to ISIS.
“We let the Islamic State build up its money, capability and strength and weapons while it was still in Syria,” he said. “Then when [ISIS] moved into Iraq, the Sunni Muslims didn’t object to their being there and about a third of the territory in Iraq was abandoned.”
Carter noted there is a “possibility of success” if ground troops follow up US airstrikes in Iraq to combat ISIS, but said it was too early to put ground troops in Syria. (Excerpt from MSN)
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta became the first sitting President to appear before the International Criminal Court in The Hague where he faces charges of crimes against humanity.
The court had ordered Kenyatta to attend the status hearing on Wednesday, denying his request that he participate by video. “The case is at a critical juncture, which is why
Islamic State fighters have renewed their advance in the Syrian border town of Kobane, as the US warned air strikes alone could not save it.
A Kurdish leader inside Kobane told Reuters that IS militants had entered two districts amid heavy fighting. A Pentagon spokesman said it was a reality that “towns and villages – perhaps Kobane – will be taken
by IS”.
Seizing Kobane would give the IS jihadists full control of a long stretch of the Syrian-Turkish border.
The US also appeared to be at odds with allies over a Turkish idea to create a buffer zone or safe haven along the border.
Three weeks of fighting over Kobane has cost the lives of 400 people, and forced more than 160,000
Syrians to flee across the border to Turkey. Asya Abdullah, a coleader of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party representing Syrian Kurds in Kobane, said: “Tonight [Islamic State] has entered two districts with heavy weapons, including tanks. Civilians may have died because there are very intense clashes.” (Excerpt
Five Afghan men convicted of gang-raping four women have been executed in a case that sparked national outrage. Officials say the men were hanged at Pule-Charkhi prison East of Kabul. A sixth man convicted of unrelated crimes was also hanged.
I deemed appropriate to be here in person,” ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said.
Almost 100 Kenyan members of Parliament were present in the various public viewing galleries for the hearing on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Kenyatta invoked a never-before-used article of the Constitution, handing over power temporarily to Deputy President William Ruto.
The temporary measure is Kenyatta’s way of fulfilling the court order to appear, but also insisting that he be a private citizen during the hearing.
Kenyatta faces crimes against humanity charges at The Hague-based court for allegations that he helped instigate violence that followed Kenya’s December 2007 presidential election, when more than 1000 people were killed. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
The authorities ignored last-minute appeals for clemency from rights groups who said the convictions were unsafe. Violence against women in Afghanistan is rife but correspondents say cases rarely attract this much
attention.
Many Afghans had demanded the death penalty. Correspondents say that given public opinion, there was little chance of the sentences not being carried out. “The court’s verdict has been implemented and all the convicts have been executed – five from the Paghman case, plus Habib Istalifi, who was head of a notorious kidnapping gang,” the Attorney General’s Chiefof-Staff Atta Mohammad Noori told AFP news agency.
Former President
Hamid Karzai signed the death warrants on his last day in office. There was no word from new President Ashraf Ghani, who took over in September.
The August 23 rapes took place at night at a popular picnic spot in Paghman district near Kabul as the women were returning to the capital with their families from a wedding.
The attackers – armed and some dressed in Police uniforms – tied up the men in the group and dragged the women from their cars before raping them. (Excerpt from BBC News)
The UK is sending 750 military personnel to Sierra Leone to help deal with the deadly Ebola outbreak, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has confirmed.
The UK will also send medical ship the RFA Argus and three helicopters. The personnel will be deployed next week. It comes as Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said it was “now entirely possible that someone with Ebola will come to the UK either by one route or another”.
The latest figures show
3879 people have died in the West African epidemic.
The vast majority of deaths have been in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, where 879 have died.
There is no cure or vaccine for Ebola, which has so far infected more than 8000 people in the worst outbreak yet. British troops will help to establish treatment centres and a training academy, with the ship and helicopters providing support. Hammond, speaking in Washington with US Secretary of State John Kerry, said military and ci-
vilian teams were already in Sierra Leone, working on constructing five new Ebola treatment facilities with 700 beds.
He said that at a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee in London – which he joined via video link – the decision was made to deploy the RFA Argus to Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital, along with the three Merlin helicopters. It is estimated the measures will help the country treat nearly 8800 patients over six months. (Excerpt from BBC News)
The Government of Guyana has indicated that it will be enlisting the assistance of international personnel in light of the recent email hacking at the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).
This was announced by Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) and Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon, on Wednesday during the post-Cabinet briefing. According to Dr Luncheon, Cabinet had examined and noted the implication such activities have on the security of private communications and more so, national security.
and the misuse of state resources. A series of snippets, of what purports to be an email exchange allegedly between GRA Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur and Nandlall were published the newspaper.
The newspaper made these allegations after the GRA began probing an incident, which saw the abuse and misuse of Government’s Remigrant Scheme Project to avoid paying over $100 million in taxes on the importation of two luxury Lexus vehicles. Two pensioners who are in their seventies are at the centre of the scam after they were allegedly used as
“Cabinet views those discussions, once confirmed, with much trepidation. Calls were made to enlist maximum domestic, maximum regional and maximum international [aid] in helping Guyana to address email hacking,” he stated. The HPS noted that there was some level of scepticism associated with the entire situation of email hacking and referred to the fact that there have been denials as well as explanations in the media regarding the Attorney General aspect of the situation.
Questioned about whether the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, had indicated whether he did receive such emails as was published and whether in fact the reply was his, Dr Luncheon shied away from answering directly, saying that they never descended into any specific example, referencing the purported AG emails. “This was a phenomenon that needed to be acted on and acted on with the greatest alacrity and the feeling was, that needed to be clarified and we needed to get assistance, both locally and internationally in clarifying the issue.”
Gmail hack attempts
Over the last few days, Kaieteur News Publisher Glenn Lall alleged that the Government was plotting to shut down his newspaper because of its continuous reporting on corruption
fronts to import the vehicles under the Scheme by Lall and his wife, Bhena. The latter two have admitted publicly to utilising the vehicles
after they were brought into the country.
In a statement on Friday, the GRA said on Tuesday at 19:20h, it was notified by the site administrator of Google mail that there were unusual attempts to access the GRA Public Relations Account, grapublicrelations@gmail. com. According to Google, GRA said, two attempts were made originating out of Bridgetown, Barbados and another in Georgetown, Guyana. These attempts were unsuccessful since the person or persons seeking access to the account could not verify the requisite information. The GRA pointed out that fortuitously, the increased security measures and infrastructure thwarted these unlawful attempts. However, “what is extremely disturbing is that, were these attempts successful, persons unknown could have accessed GRA information and perpetrate sinister plans or motives,” the Authority said.
The GRA added that Police should launch a thorough investigation into the breaches, illegal disclosures and attempts to attack GRA’s IT infrastructure. “It is evident that Glenn Lall and the Kaieteur News have been able to obtain and have been publishing confidential taxpayer and GRA information which leads one to suspect that these further attempts may be orchestrated to unlawfully access additional information of this nature.
continues on page 17
Azerbaijan’s first ambassador to Guyana was accredited on Wednesday. Ambassador Elnur Sulpanov presented his Letters of Credence to President Donald Ramotar and vowed, on behalf of his President Ilham Aliyev, to strengthen the bilateral relationship based on mutual confidence, respect and understanding.
Receiving the ambassador, President Ramotar said that much has changed since the establishment of relations between the two countries, on September 1, 1995. He said that with developments in communication, transportation and technology, doors have been opened for a much more focused and dynamic engagement.
The president said that he anticipates the exploration of a wide variety of areas for possible cooperation.
“Some that come immediately to mind are trade, agriculture, food production,
and technology - particularly those that relate to the oil industry, medicine, science, scholarships and renewable energy resources”.
There can be positive benefits and mutual outcomes for both countries, the president stated as he assured of government’s full support. Guyana will be looking for the support of likeminded countries as it works to help develop the post - 2015 developmental agenda for United Nations member states, President Ramotar said.
The two countries have much in common and great potential for fruitful cooperation on a wide range of issues, the ambassador said.
“My country is committed to the fundamental principles and norms of international law, particularly respect for sovereignty, territorial, integrity…principles of democracy, market economy, respect for human rights and the promotion of devel-
opment”.
Ambassador Sulpanov added that Azerbaijan believes that cooperation between the two countries will promote, on a longterm basis, bilateral and multilateral relations, economic trade and in the education, cultural and youth areas. Visits between high level official of the nations will promote this agenda, he added. The Republic of Azerbaijan is a contiguous trans-continental presidential republic in the Caucasus region, situated at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west and Iran to the south. The exclave of Nakhchivan is bounded by Armenia to the north and east, Iran to the south and west, while having a short border with Turkey in the northwest. (GINA)
Caribbean Week of Agriculture hears Climate change has serious implications for fishers, livestock
The need for robust information and evidence-based policies to combat climate change was underscored during the week as participants at the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) focused their attention on the effects climate change was having on livestock and marine resources.
While the damage climate change is having on crops is widely observed and reported, stakeholders are moving to bring the effects of climate change on livestock and fisheries to the fore, pointing to the need for climate-smart policies for the two sub-sectors. In a release the Caricom Secretariat said, Climate-smart agriculture refers to practices which help to achieve productivity in the sector, adapt to changing climate and help, as far as possible, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Livestock and fish, important sources of protein, are just as susceptible to the vagaries of climate change, the experts said. With respect to the effects of climate change on livestock, recognition has been given to the
need for the development of livestock climate models. Increases in temperatures Region-wide have resulted in heat stress for small ruminants such as goats and sheep, the CWA heard, and modifications on the accommodations for them had to be made in consideration of their health and comfort. It was very important, participants pointed out, to understand the stresses climate change placed on livestock. High mortality among poultry could be blamed on elevated temperatures.
There was consensus that climate resistant technologies also needed to be developed and implemented immediately. Participants also recognized the utility of knowledge-sharing and cross-learning opportunities that exist between farmer and fisher.
The fisheries and aquaculture sector was a very important source of food and nutrition security, foreign exchange earnings, employment and livelihood opportunities, particularly for the poor and
vulnerable members of society, Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Director Milton Haughton said. About 338, 000 people are directly employed in fisheries sub-sector in the Region. The sub-sector accounted for some $250 million of exports in 2012, according to Dr Leslie Simpson, Natural Resource Management Specialist of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI).
But numerous problems threaten that source of food and livelihood. Among them are marine pollution and habitat degradation; overexploitation and irresponsible fishing practices; and those associated with climate change, sea level rise, and warming oceans.
Experts pointed to other “stressors” such as changes in ocean currents and ocean acidification. The latter occurs because of the increasing amounts of carbon dioxide which is being absorbed into the water from the atmosphere. Ocean acidification may have many negative effects on a variety of
marine species and ecosystems, such as coral reefs, which would have rippling consequences throughout the entire food webs in the seas and oceans dynamics. According to Haughton, it was critical to improve the understanding of how marine ecosystems and fish populations might change in response to ocean acidification and the other stressors, so that preparation could be made for the changes.
Robust evidence
This is the same line of reasoning proffered by Dr Olu Ajayi, Senior Programme Coordinator, Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA).
“Every time we talk about climate smart agriculture, a lot of people tend to focus more on the crops, but it’s also important that we also include and start to talk about climate-smart livestock and … climate-smart fisheries as well…
“For us to take action and address these issues, there is need for robust evidence… We need not make climate change a buzz word; that everything that happens is due to climate change. Let us be sure that we are able to take positions based on studies and robust evidence. For example, what is it we know about climate change and its impact on agriculture in the Caribbean, and what is it we do not know about climate change and what is the extent of the gap between, and what is the partnership required to fill in this gap? Every time we hear about climate change, it is always something that is apocalyptic… but are there opportunities? …What the CTA is trying to do is to scout for and find solutions and policies that have worked…” he said.
Inclusiveness and strong collaboration among stakeholders, especially farmers’ organisations, was critical, he pointed out. The time to act is now, he told representatives of the media. Further delays in taking action will be more costly, he warned. As highly dependent as Caribbean countries are on their coastal marine resources and livestock for social and economic development, they cannot afford to be complacent with climate change.
Large sections of Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara, were under water up to press time Wednesday night after strong tides broke rotten koker boards and water from the Demerara River poured into the community.
While residents were either coming home from work or preparing for the night, they heard a crashing noise from the koker’s direction, which signalled the breach.
Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker assured residents during a visit to the area that the situation will be addressed immediately, noting that he was in contact with contractors to ready plans for the koker.
However, he expressed that nothing can be done until the tide recedes, when the water level has dropped somewhat. He stated that the contractors have been authorised to work through the night to resolve the problem. Residents were quite happy to hear this as they had to wait days before anything was done in 2008 when there was a similar incident with the koker.
Terry Ramjohn, a resident of the area, stated that it was customary to look to the koker whenever a noise out of the ordinary was heard as they always seem to expect something of the sort (flooding) to happen. Ramjohn indicated that the community has “a man that maintains the koker”. This person, he said, had reported the deterioration of the structure many times; however, nothing was done about those reports.
The resident showed Guyana Times the edge of his yard where the water could be seen steadily rising. He remarked that he has already made preparations for his furniture and other materials to be moved
so they could be saved. “This koker been burst and the water flood the entire area in 2008; there was no land to be seen, no distinction between the dam and the road,” Ramjohn recalled.
Mrs Ramjohn spoke
showed her inundated yard to the media. Haniff remarked to Guyana Times that she was afraid to sleep in her own downstairs flat as she was there alone and the water was a concern. In the area where Haniff resides scores of children
He lamented that his children would have to walk through the water to get to school today.
Residents with poultry has a difficult task, preserving their livestock. One of them, Ishwar Singh shared that he had to place
about the health risks associated with floods. “This water rising and it nah smell good… this nah good for we health,” the woman remarked.
Poultry in trouble
Residents further aback of Peters Hall felt the brunt of the flooding. Bibi Haniff
could be seen running in the water, some fortunately in protective boots. One man informed this newspaper that he was fixing his front steps when the water started to seep into his yard. He had to abandon that task to protect the wood he was using and other things within his yard.
his chickens and ducks a bit higher from the ground. He put his dog on top of a shed in his home to prevent him from running in the water. Singh posited that if the water rises further in his yard, he may have to put his livestock on the road to ensure that they remain alive.
Twenty-nine-year-old
Parsaram Tirbini was on Wednesday morning remanded on a break and enter charge.
The defendant appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
It was alleged that between September 14 and September 30 at Industrial Site, Eccles, East Bank Demerara, he broke and entered the storage bond of Seeram Debicharran and stole 554 bags of milk powder valued $13,850,000. The unrepresented defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
According to the facts, on Sunday, September 14 at 16:20h, Debicharran secured his storage bond, leaving his articles intact and went home. Upon his return, he discovered the
door to his storage bond was open and the articles missing.
The matter was reported to the Police and their investigation led to the defendant, who took ranks to the persons to whom he had sold the milk powder. Forty bags of the milk powder (valued $1 million) were recovered.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Michael Grant objected to bail on the grounds of the offence’s nature, gravity and prevalence. He also mentioned the quantum of money involved and some persons who had bought the milk powder from the defendant implicated him in their statements to Police.
However, the prosecution’s objections were overruled and bail was granted. The matter was transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for October 10.
Sixty-one-year-old
Colleen Easton was on Wednesday sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit a felony offence when she appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
On Wednesday, December 22, 2010 at Georgetown, she conspired with persons to commit a felony to obtain by false pretence the sum of
This unlawful access to and disclosure of confidential taxpayer information by Lall are likely to erode public and taxpayers’ confidence in the Authority.
This may lead to hesitancy on the part of the taxpayers to submit information to the GRA for fear that this information may be accessed by Lall and similarly disclosed and/or manipulated to their detriment. The GRA is in possession of and will provide the IP addresses of the failed attempts to hack the GRA’s email server,” the statement read.
The Revenue Authority contends that the Kaieteur
News would attempt by any measures to stultify efforts by the Authority to audit the company, to disparage the image of the authority and Commissioner General thereby, and in the process eroding the public’s trust and confidence in its mandate.
It is imperative that Lall and all others involved be thoroughly investigated and if found culpable be subject to criminal charges.
The Commissioner General stated: “The GRA wishes to assure the public that in light of those breaches, significant efforts have been made to bolster information security and to pre-
$2,892,000 by virtue of Bank of Guyana cheque number 04/062408 from the Accounting General Department of the Finance Ministry, property of the Guyana Government.
This charge was first read to her on her first appearance on July 21,2011 before Magistrate Hazel OctiveHamilton. The first-time offender, who was an ex-typist clerk for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)and currently secretary for a
vent any further occurrences. The GRA is calling on all civil-minded persons and political parties to condemn these unlawful disclosures by Lall, the illegal and illicit means by which he obtains confidential GRA information and to publicly call for and support the investigation of Glenn Lall and prosecution if necessary. All persons, political parties, private and public sector organisations should publicly demean Glenn Lall and call for the Kaieteur News to disclose the source of this illegally obtained information and that they desist from this unbecoming and unlawful conduct.”
Customs Broker, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was placed on $125,000 bail. The matter was then transferred to Magistrate Judy Latchman.
The court was told that on the day in question, Nigel Adams (the defendant’s sonin-law who was also charged in connection with this matter) took her to the Finance Ministry and caused her to uplift a cheque for $2,892,000 which she took from the Bank of Guyana
and gave to Adams afterwards. She was then arrested and charged. The case was prosecuted by Sergeant Vishnu Hunt and saw the testimony of eight witnesses –three of whom were Police Officers, two persons from the Finance Ministry, and another two from the Bank of Guyana and one from the Auditor General’s Office. Easton was represented by Attorney-at-Law George Thomas.
Twenty-one-year-old Akeen Vyphuis was on Wednesday afternoon sentenced to 56 months’ imprisonment for trafficking narcotics.
The former Prisons Officer appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Judy Latchman. Vyphuis, who reportedly had been a Prison Officer for three years, was also fined $418,500 after being found guilty of the offence. The court was told that on July
14 at Camp Street Prison, Georgetown, he had in his possession 279 grams of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.
The facts stated that Vyphuis went to the main entrance of the Camp Street Prison and unknown to him, was followed by a Cadet Officer, who saw him take the parcel containing the cannabis and throw it to the ground.
Defence Counsel Pamela DeSantos contradicted the facts and noted that the ille-
gal substance was not found on her client, but in his room in the Bachelors Quarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, where he resides.
Before handing down her verdict, Magistrate Latchman listed the factors which she took into consideration: the quantum of drug involved, the fact that the defendant was a rehabilitation officer with no prior convictions, the seriousness of the offence, and the need to deter others from committing similar offences.
ARIES (March 21April 19)
TAURUS (April 20May 20)
(May 21June 20)
LEO (July 23Aug. 22)
VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)
LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)
SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)
SAGITTARIUS
(Nov. 23Dec. 21)
CAPRICORN (June 21July 22)
(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)
PISCES
(Feb. 20March 20)
Keep a low profile. Dealing with relatives or friends will be troublesome. Find a worthwhile project to work on alone. Reorganise your closet or clear up some personal papers.
Step up your physical activity. Games or sports with younger people will be rewarding and fun, and will help to burn off some extra calories. Welcome any challenge that comes your way.
Don’t say the first thing that comes to mind. Those around you may be oversensitive, so choose your words carefully in order to avoid an unwanted argument.
Mixing business with pleasure is not a good idea. Revealing too much personal information to colleagues or friends will lead to an embarrassing or uncomfortable situation that will be difficult to reverse.
A joint financial venture will lead to problems. A more effective way to hold on to your money is to keep it in a safe place that pays interest. You will be bogged down with family duties. Let everyone know that you expect hands-on support, or you will end up tired and frustrated. It will be necessary to look out for your interests.
Discord and disappointment will lead to minor mishaps. Face relationship issues that are causing you stress in order to sleep better. If you feel more at peace, you will be less likely to get sick.
Don’t be in such a rush. If your schedule is too full, it’s time to slow things down. Minor accidents are more likely to occur if you are distracted or preoccupied.
Tension and stress can be averted with some form of physical exercise. Sports, a gym membership or lessstrenuous pastimes such as yoga will provide an outlet and help you relax.
If someone disagrees with your opinion, don’t take it personally. Letting your emotions dictate your actions will cost you spiritually, physically and financially if you aren’t careful.
You will receive a tempting offer. Make sure to get all of the requirements and expectations in writing before you make a verbal commitment. Romance is on the rise.
Don’t let others take credit for your work. Make sure that your employer knows what and how much you contribute so that your talents will be recognised and advancement will be yours.
The 2014 Carib Beer
First Division T20 cricket competition continued recently in Berbice with D’Edward opening batsman Lakeraj Sookra blasting 85 to steer his team to a relatively easy win over Blairmont Community Centre.
The victory guaranteed D’Edward a place in the last six playoffs of the competition, having won both of their Zone A (West Berbice) preliminary matches, with only one game to play.
Sookra’s knock, which is now the highest score in the competition, included 10 fours and six sixes. The innings ensured D’Edward overtook the fairly challenging 142-4 made by Blairmont with 4.1 overs to spare. Nick Ramsaroop had made 46 for Blairmont.
West Berbice became the other team from that Zone to be assured of a place in the
playoff after they beat Bush Lot rising Star in their second consecutive victory.
In Zone B (Canje, New Amsterdam, East Bank), Young Warriors also registered a second successive win, but would have to await the outcome of third preliminary round to know if they would be able to go forward.
Spearheading them to the win was former Guyana Under-19 off-spinner Linden Austin, who took 3-4 from two overs to restrict Police to 1029 in 20 overs, before national opening batsman Shimron Hetmyer blasted 54 not out from 31 balls, inclusive of five fours and a six.
Seon Hetmyer, who made 36 not out off 22 balls, put on 103 with Shimron in 12.4 overs after Warriors lost an early wicket at 2-1 to give them an easy nine-wicket win.
Meanwhile, after Guyana Under-19 pacer Nial Smith
took 3-15 from three overs to help Universal Solutions Bermine restrict Edinburg to 111-6 in 20 overs, former Guyana Under-15 batsman Leon Williams steered Bermine to an eight-wicket victory with 57 not out off 40 balls, including 10 fours. Essequibo batsman Kevon Boodie supported with 31.
Skeldon Community Centre also registered an eight-wicket victory after
they firstly restricted Guytrac Upper Corentyne to 117-7 in 20 overs and then led by 58 (9x4s, 1x6) from Trishan Ramdass, reached 118-2 in 13.4 overs.
Below are the summarised scores from the games played.
At D’Edward: D’Edward beat Blairmont Community Centre by five wickets. Blairmont Community Centre 142-4 in 20 overs (Nick Ramsaroop 46, Shabeer
Baksh 32, Chris Patadin 29, Avinash Sewkarran 21) D’Edward 143-5 in 15.5 overs (Lakeraj Sookra 85, Devendra Lalsa 28, Deveshwari Prashad 2-13).
At Cumberland: Young Warriors beat Police by eight wickets. Police 102-9 in 20 overs (Linden Austin 3-4, Vishal Mohabir 2-22) Young Warriors 105-1 in 13 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 54*, Seon Hetmyer 36*).
At Edinburg: Universal Solutions Bermine beat Edinburg by eight wickets. Edinburgh 111-6 in 20 overs (Zaheer Hussain 32*, Nial Smith 3-15) Universal Solutions Bermine 112-2 in 13.2 overs (Leon Williams 57*, Kevon Boodie 31).
At Skeldon: Skeldon Community Centre beat Guytrac Upper Corentyne by eight wickets. Guytrac Upper Corentyne 117-7 in 20 overs (Latchman Roopchand 36, Clavern Beresford 2-17, Parmanand Narine 2-29) Skeldon Community Centre 118-2 in 13.4 overs (Trishan Ramdass 58, Parmanand Narine 27).
At Bush Lot: West Berbice beat Bush Lot Rising Star by 58 runs. West Berbice 1285 in 20 overs (Krishendat Ramoo 22, Dillon Joseph 2-24, Keyron Fraser 2-27) Bush Lot Rising Star 70-9 in 20 overs (Raun Johnson 2-8, Krishendat Ramoo 2-7).
The new Guyana Franchise Company, Cricket Guy Inc (CGI) wishes to correct some very misleading and inaccurate statements emanating from former West Indies Test player, Ramnaresh Sarwan. These statements were made during an interview on Sportsmax – Monday following the WICB Professional Cricket League players draft held in Barbados and was also published in the T&T Newsday yesterday.
Firstly, CGI would like to congratulate both Mr Sarwan and the T&T Red Force franchise for their new partnership which undoubtedly we trust would rebound to the best interest and future of West Indies cricket. For T&T Red Force, they have selected one of the most talented players in the West Indies and for Mr Sarwan, has joined one of the most professional entities in the West Indies. Our wholehearted felicitations to both parties!
The WICB has embarked on a new journey with this Franchise system which is aimed at professionalizing
the game throughout the Caribbean with the specific aim of having the best players on show right throughout the extended season of 5 months.
This is a brand new innovation to us in the West Indies and would take time for everyone to get accustomed to its operations. Through this system, it is hoped that the good to excellent players will shine through whilst the noncommitted ones will be weeded out by themselves. In other words, the success of the players all would be measured by their hard work, attitude, discipline and dedication that they make to their chosen career and profession.
Cricketers now can truly say that they have a profession with the implementation of this system and 105 players throughout the Caribbean are now being paid to toil their trade rather than just 15 that the WICB would normally contract. There are several other benefits to this new franchise system which will slowly evolve and eventually be appreciated by everyone.
It was indeed sad to see and hear one of greatest
cricketers in the WI publicly launch such a vicious assault on an unnamed official of CGI without any evidence whatsoever to support his wild assertions. It should be noted that CGI had a public launching of the new Franchise sys-
CGI Selection Committee selected its original 10 teammembers from the players they had available. Mr Sarwan had called the Board about 2 weeks ago to say that he was not fit to participate in both the Inter-County 50
tem on Tuesday, September 23rd at the Everest Cricket Club Pavilion at which event almost 100% of the Intercounty players attended the seminar with the notable exception of Mr Sarwan. The
Overs and the 4-day format administered by the Guyana Cricket Board in August and September. He further stated that he would have been fit in a month’s time which would have coincided with the start
of the Regional WICB season. Mr Sarwan last represented Guyana in Trinidad at the Nagico Super50 tournament in TT during the month of February 2014, then travelled to Jamaica with the 4-day team and declared himself unfit just prior to the start of our first Regional 4 day match against Jamaica.
Be that as it may, the selectors of the CGI thought it wise to include Mr Sarwan in the draft with the hope that he would have proven his fitness as stated above. By this very action, the selectors had Mr Sarwan within their radar. It was indeed unfortunate for CGI not to have had the chance to select Mr Sarwan prior to the Red Force and it is most regrettable that he should make such a remark.
For the knowledge of everyone, the WICB has indicated that all 15 players for each franchise will be drafted from the pool next year. This was discussed at length at the franchise launching at Everest.
The CGI would like to start its operations on a sound and
professional footing and urge players not to get too personal and emotional in their outbursts as only 15 players can be selected by each franchise and not everyone can be selected but the WICB has ensured that more players are now being contracted as professional cricketers.
We are all aware that, unfortunately, Mr Sarwan had previously lost/cut short his contracts with the Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, his CPL contract with the Amazon Warriors and more recently with the English county team, Leicestershire. He was also not awarded a WICB retainer contract this year. We wish the 15 retained players for the GUYANA JAGUARS all the best in the forthcoming Regional tournaments and trust that they will rise to the occasion as West Indies cricket is poised for very interesting times. In addition, players not retained are still eligible to be selected to play in matches on a Pay for Play basis.
Respectfully, Cricket Guyana Inc
By AvenAsh RAmzAn
Known for its shrewd management, tactical nous and proven track record of hosting successful tournaments, the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) will once again embark on its biggest project of the year when it stages the Guyana Softball Club for the fourth year in succession.
Undoubtedly the country’s most prestigious softball tournament, attracting teams from all corners of Guyana and North America, the highly anticipated event is slated for October 31 to November 2 at several venues across the country.
The Guyana Softball Cup commenced in 2011 and instantly became a hit with players and fans alike, attracting massive crowds and also putting some hard earned cash in the pockets of those who entertain with bat and ball on the field.
This year promises to be even better, as the GFSCA is aiming to surpass the achievements of the previous three years in terms of spectators’ involvement and the handsome rewards at stake for the players.
As was the case in previous editions of the tournament, there will be two categories- one for teams
contesting the Men’s Open and the other for the Masters players, aged 45 and over.
The champion team in the Men’s Open is guaranteed a whopping $800,000 first prize and a huge trophy, while the losing finalist will have to settle for $200,000 and a trophy. In
a softball bracelet, made of gold and diamond studs, compliments of Steve’s Jewellery.
On the day of the final, there will be lots of hampers and giveaways for spectators. Additionally, two spectators can win return tickets from Survival Travel Agency
en from New York, three from Florida and two from Canada. During the threeday championship, there will be a total of 36 preliminary games, followed by four semi-finals and two finals.
In an effort to expand the reach of the competition and ensure maximum participa-
Enmore Community Centre and Enterprise Busta Sports Club.
Trophy Stall and New York Better are the defending champions of the Open and Masters categories respectively, while the previous champions were NYSCL New York (Open)
the Masters’ division, the winning team will pocket $600,000 with the runnerup assured of $150,000. The Man-of-the-Match in both finals will receive a trophy.
As has been the case in the past, the Most Valuable Player of each category will become the proud owner of
to the beautiful island of Aruba. All the spectators need to do is retain their half tickets and listen for their numbers to be called over the Public Address system during the final.
Two dozen teams will compete in this year’s event, with 12 from Guyana, sev-
tion from spectators, the organisers have increased the number of venues this year. Grounds earmarked to host games are Police Sports Club, Everest Cricket Club, Georgetown Cricket Club, Demerara Cricket Club, Ghandi Youth Organisation, Muslim Youth Organisation,
By RAvendRA mAdholAll
in ToRonTo
Skipper of the Ontario Masters Softball International (OMSI) team Shiv Seeram is very optimistic his team will make a good impression in this year’s Guyana Softball Cup 4.
The side is scheduled to participate for the second successive year when the action gets cracking from October 31 to November 2.
The tournament will again be run under the auspices of the Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association and other teams from New York, Florida, Canada and the host nation are expected to compete in both the Veteran category and Open division.
Seeram, the former Guyana Under-19 batsman who also represented Canada at the senior level, expressed confidence that his side can be the champion since their preparations are progressing nicely. He made this declaration on Saturday evening when the side held a farewell and fund-raising dinner at the Tropical Restaurant and Bar in Scarborough.
“I [am] highly confident we can do well in Guyana this year; I think last year was just great despite we only won two matches, but I think the
guys are better prepared and looking forward to the challenge,” the 51-year-old batsman related.
Seeram is banking heavily on the experienced players to perform and the likes of Sunil Dhaniram, Jaimini Singh and Desmond Chumney are expected to churn out good performances, given the fact they have a wealth of experience on the softball scene.
“Obviously, when you have players like these among others, you have reason to be confident and optimistic; they are good softball players and as I said we can come out good this year,” Seeram mentioned.
Manager of the team, Azeem Khan, also strongly feels the side is capable of dominating because they
have got a bunch of quality players to match their skills against the other participating sides.
“I think the players want to do well in Guyana; the exposure will be great again and no doubt we can expect great results as well,” Khan commented.
A former Ontario Masters Cricket League president, Khan is very thankful to those who help making their trip to Guyana possible.
He said Naseer Baksh and Teddy Hussain are two of the many names. Baksh is the assistant Manager/ Player now, while Hussain is ‘Ours Own Sports Club’ manager. His team recently won the Ontario Masters League 20-over championship for the
third consecutive year. Meanwhile, Seeram also stated that his elder brother Rabindranauth Seeram will be part of Canada’s line-up as a guest player. Rabindranauth represented Guyana at the First-Class level, while he played for West Indies B team, and coached Guyana in the West Indies Cricket Board senior regional competition.
The full side reads: Shiv Seeram (Captain), Mohan Harihar, Desmond Chumney, Sunil Dhaniram, Jesh Parasnauth, Jaimini Singh, Mark Luke, Naseer Baksh, Mohan Singh, Shivo Rhagunandon, Arjune Harihar, Rabindranauth Seeram, Ricky Persaud, Tony Singh and Eon Abel.
and Savage Masters in 2012 and Cotton Field Wild Oats (Open) and Regal Seniors (Masters) in 2011.
According to information emanating from the GFSCA, this year’s tournament has an estimated budget of around $10 million.
It added, “The money, which we made so far; where it is? Just look at the six permanent light towers at the DCC ground. You can see it, plus members had to also dig deep into their own pockets to get it completed. It is 90 percent done and before the start of Guyana Softball Cup Four it will be finished.” With a few weeks to go before the start of the competition, the GFSCA is working feverishly to tie up the loose ends and deliver another tournament of the highest standard. Given the tremendous success of the past, that shouldn’t be much of a bugbear.
It is now up to the players to give the fans their worth in what is anticipated to be three days of exciting softball action.
“On all three previous Guyana Softball Cups, we managed to clear all expenses and were in the positive. Guyana Softball Cup Four, we are hoping for the same, which is very important for the tournament’s future. With the efforts of our hardworking and dedicated GFSCA members, this tournament will be successful again and is here to stay. Our sponsors- present and past- are the other main reasons for Guyana Softball Cup success and its future,” the GFSCA said in a statement.
– all systems in place, says DeRoop
Eighty-one entries are confirmed for Sunday’s People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) horse race meet, according to coordinator Dennis DeRoop on Wednesday.
The one-day event is billed for the Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club (KMTC), Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne.
DeRoop also indicated that all systems are in place for what is expected to be a competitive day of racing.
Organisers have added a race for K and L Class animals to the programme for a winning purse of $140,000 over a distance of 1000 metres, according to coordinator Dennis DeRoop.
With the inclusion of that race, the event will now be a ten-race meet, with over $8 million in cash and prizes up for the taking.
DeRoop also indicated that the third and fourth prizes for the feature race have been increased to $400,000 and $200,000 respectively.
The feature race will be for horses classified A and Lower and they will run a mile for $1.5 million and the President’s Cup.
Other events billed for the day are the D3 non-winners in 2014 and the E and
Dennis DeRoop
Lower for $600,000, over a distance of 1400 metres; the F3 and Lower race also carry a price tag of $600,000 and will run also 1400 metres. Other 1400 metres races are for animals G3 non-winners in 2014 and the H and Lower and I1 and Lower. The winning tag for those two races is set at $300,000 and $220,000 respectively. There are four 1000 metres races and there are for animals classified J3 and Lower, Two-year-old race for Guyana bred horses, J1 and Lower and Two-yearold race for West Indies bred horses. The winning tags for those races are $180,000 and $200,000, $200,000 and $300,000 respectively. Race time is 12:30 houars. (Rajiv Bisnauth)
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The nation’s top softball teams are expected to be on show once again when the Rafman Ali 15/15 softball tournament commences on October 26 at various venues on the East Coast of Demerara and Georgetown.
Entrance fee is $10,000. The competition will be played in the open and Over35 categories with the winner of the open division taking home a trophy and $100,000 and the runner a trophy and $50,000.
The winning team in the Over-35 segment will pocket a trophy and $50,000 and the second place a trophy and $25,000. Teams can contact Rafman Ali on 680-1805 or 654-2233 for more information.
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ormer West Indies captain Viv Richards has said the ICC's crackdown on bowlers with suspect actions has not come at the correct time and it should have been done a while ago.
"In my opinion such action should have been taken some time ago and on a wider basis because these guys have been there for quite some time," Richards said in Colombo, where he is with the West Indies A team as technical director.
"I am not sure because West Indies are touring India, there is going to be a World Cup next year, whether all this has something to do with it, I just believe the timing has to be good. With the next World Cup around the corner this is not the correct time to take such measures."
West Indies spinner Sunil Narine was reported twice for a suspect action during the recent Champions League T20 and was barred from bowling in the final and other tournaments organised by the BCCI. The West Indies Cricket Board took a precautionary measure of withdrawing him from the India tour "to have
his action assessed."
"Sunil Narine is a mystery man like Murali [Muttiah Muralitharan], it's going to hurt West Indies cricket more than any other team," Richards said.
Apart from Narine, Sri Lanka offspinner Sachithra Senanayake, Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal and a number of other spinners were reported for suspect actions and banned from bowling in the last year.
Speaking of West Indies'
chances in the 2015 World Cup, Richards said, "West Indies have a magnificent team and I think if they can gel well they can accomplish victory. They are a multi-talented team when you look at the Bravos, the Andre Russells, the Pollards. We can beat anyone on any given day and if we do that we will be pretty much in the picture."
With the West Indies team touring India, Richards said there was a possibility of some of the players from the A team joining the seniors for the Test series.
"We hope that when we [West Indies A] leave here [Sri Lanka] we have some exciting players who would do justice to West Indies cricket in the future. The challenge for the future is for the present individuals to try and emulate how well West Indies did in the past. It's a huge task but you should never ever say 'never' because all things are possible."
West Indies A play three four-day matches and three one-dayers against Sri Lanka A, with the first match starting on October 11 in Hambantota. (Cricinfo)
Bangladesh off-spinner Sohag Gazi has been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect after his action was found to violate the ICC's 15-degree limit. He was reported for a suspect action by ICC match officials in August, when on tour in West Indies, and subsequent independent testing at an accredited facility revealed all of his deliveries were over the limit.
"He has been suspended by the ICC," BCB cricket operations committee chairman Akram Khan told ESPNcricinfo. "The CEO just told me that his action is over the 15-degree mark."
BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said the board would support Gazi by bringing him to work on his action within the next few days. Though ICC regulations say Gazi can play domestic cricket with the BCB's permission, Chowdhury said the sensible thing to do would be to keep him away from domestic cricket until he has worked on his action with the bowling review group.
"We will do everything that is necessary since he is an important player," Chowdhury said. "The first
after his remedied action passes another test
step would be to get him working with a bowling review group, which has to be formed as soon as possible. How long it would take for him to be ready for the final testing would depend on him as well as the coaches he will work with.
"The board would have to allow him to play domestic cricket but since he was suspected and then proved, not allowing him to play would be the logical and standard practice. He should only come back to domestic cricket after the BRG is satisfied with his action. We will definitely give him competitive
cricket before his final test."
Gazi had been reported after the second ODI at St George's on August 22, but he did play the next game and that was where his tour ended. He was pulled out of the Test squad so that he could undergo testing on his action in Cardiff.
Gazi had been hopeful of a favourable result and was looking forward to returning for the Zimbabwe series that begins on October 25. Now, however, he will have to undergo remedial measures to bring his action within legal limits and can contact the ICC about re-testing at any time.
The ICC's officials have been strict with identifying illegal actions in recent months and bans were handed out to Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal and Sri Lanka's Sachithra Senanayake among others, after both were found guilty of breaking the 15-degree flex rule.
A similar drive was undertaken in the recent Champions League T20, during which West Indies spinner Sunil Narine was banned from bowling in the final and other BCCIorganised tournaments like the IPL.
peeved, says personal vendetta against one of Guyana’s best players should not be condoned
By Rajiv Bisnauth
The player draft ahead of the inaugural West Indies Professional Cricket League is done and dusted. The make-up of each franchise team is known, but for the local franchise, a particularly raw nerve has been touched among the cricket fraternity.
Cricket Guy Inc (CGI), the company formed to take charge of the Guyana franchise, has omitted former Guyana and out-of-favour West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan from their line-up, a decision that led to former Guyana middle-order batsman Ravindranauth Seeram criticising the move.
Seeram believes Sarwan deserves more respect, adding that Guyana’s cricket cannot afford to ignore a player of Sarwan’s calibre.
While the majority of people in almost any part of Guyana feel that Sarwan has been wronged, CGI has a different position.
During an interview on the Sportsmax Zone on Monday Sarwan, a former
Guyana and West Indies captain, the right-hander has played 87 Tests, 181 Oneday Internationals and 18 Twenty20 Internationals said, “I knew they were not going to pick me because there is a lot of feud. There is one individual who doesn’t really like me.
“Obviously I knew that was going to happen, I was prepared for it so it wasn’t a situation where I wasn’t surprised or anything like that."
This has not been the first time Sarwan was omitted from the Guyana lineup. Back in 2011, Sarwan was overlooked by Guyana for the then Caribbean T20 Championship.
Sarwan’s omission then was based on fitness, according to the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB).
However, CGI in a Letter to the Editor on Tuesday indicated that it was indeed unfortunate for CGI not to have had the chance to select Sarwan prior to the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and it is most regrettable that he should make such a remark.
But the selection order
Berbice wheelers will be on their wheels on Sunday as they prepare for the National Five Stage race starting less than a week later.
The riders are expected to participate in the Homeline Furnishing 50-miler race.
The race, which was launched on Tuesday, was initially part of the Rose Hall Town day list of activities, but was rescheduled.
Manager of Homeline Furnishing Fareena Hamid, speaking at the launch of the race said that it is being sponsored by the business entity to observe its 25th anniversary in business and also its
third year of doing business in Rose Hall Town.
“We wanted to show the people of Rose Hall Town that we appreciate the business that they have given to us over the past three years. This is one way in giving back to the community,” Hamid said.
The race rolls off from in front on Homeline Furnishing at Rose Hall and goes to the Number 62 Police Out-post before returning to the point of origin for the finish.
The first six finishers will receive prizes. During the event eight sprint point prizes will be up for grabs. The first three juniors to com-
plete the distance will also be awarded.
Meanwhile, female cyclists will race from Adventure to the finish line with the top three receiving prizes.
A special BMX race has also been arranged as part of the programme. This will take the course from the Tain Berbice Campus to Rose Hall and the first three to arrive there will be awarded.
The event has been organized by the Flying Ace Cycle Club .
The race will only be open for cyclists from Regions Five and Six. Peddle off time is set at 10:00h.
for the draft was according to the final league position in the 2013-14 WICB regional four-day competition. Hence the following sequence was followed for each of the five rounds: 1. Guyana franchise, 2. Leeward Islands franchise, 3. Jamaica franchise, 4. Windward Islands Volcanoes, 5. Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, 6. Barbados franchise.
The CGI statement said all-rounder Raymon Reifer and Guyanese batsman Rajendra Chandrika were chosen by the Guyana franchise as first and second round picks instead of Sarwan.
Sarwan was selected by Trinidad and Tobago Red Force during Monday’s draft as a second round pick.
More so, the CGI release further indicated that “Sarwan had called the Board about two weeks ago to say that he was not fit to participate in both the Inter-County 50-Over and the four-day format administered by the GCB in August and September.
However, the senior InterCounty one-day competition was played from September 4
to13, while the four-day was held from September 18 to October 3.
Many cricket fans are calling for the local officials to come clean on the real reasons for Sarwan’s omission, since from all indications, there seems to be a personal grudge lingering between one official and the out-of-favour West Indies batsman.
Meanwhile, the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) n a release on Wednesday expressed shock at Sarwan’s omission.
According to the release, the BCB strongly condemned any personal vendetta against Sarwan.
“Once fit, Sarwan is one of the better batsmen in Guyana and the Caribbean. With the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force buying him, it means that fitness is not the issue.
"When the selectors reflect on the pervious poor showing of the National senior team, then Sarwan's experience would be an asset to help better and improve their performances this time around,” the release concluded.
Led by a fine all-round performance by Shaheed Mohamed host Everest Masters defeated the Guyana Media XI by 35 runs in a T20 match played on Monday last.
Mohamed slammed six fours and two sixes in his 32 to guide Everest Masters to 131-8 off their allotted overs, batting first before re-
turning with the ball to grab 5-11 as the Media XI were sent packing for 96 in reply.
Mohamed shared in a third wicket stand of 32 with Hemraj Garbaran to steady their innings after they were reduced to 9-2 on a difficult pitch in hazy conditions.
Garbarran counted two fours and one six in scoring 30 while Ronald Jaisingh
chipped in with 15. Pacer Jermaine Neblette was the pick of the bowlers with 3-13 from four overs while Ravi Persaud claimed 2-18 and Isiah Jackman 2-33.
The Media XI, despite losing the early wicket of John Ramsingh (06), threatened somewhat, but lost wickets at regular intervals in their chase.
Jackman who added 26 for the eight wicket with Keon Blades, cracked three fours in a top score of 32; Blades scored 16 (1x4), Neblette made 12 (1x6) and Persaud 11 (2x4). Jaisingh supported Mohamed with 2-21 while Johnny Azeez took 1-23.
Mohamed was given the man of the match award while Everest received a trophy.
The club was presented with $100,000 by Truck Masters for their 100th anniversary.
The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB has congratulated and thanked the members of the West Indies cricket team for their professionalism and sterling performance in the First One Day International against India resulting in a win for the regional team by a comprehensive 124 runs.
As is known, the match was under a cloud of possible disruption through withdrawal of player services, and the WICB, the BCCI and all our partners and stakeholders and especially cricket fans are no doubt delighted that a reasoned approach was taken in ensuring that the match was played. West Indies
fans and the WICB are equally pleased with the result which was achieved through an obvious total team effort.
The WICB looks forward to the successful staging of the following four ODIs and the full tour of India as the team continues to prepare for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
“that’s the only thing on my mind”
By AvenAsh RAmzAn
Raynauth Jeffrey is oozing with confidence ahead of the eighth annual ‘Ride for Life’ FiveStage cycling meet, set to hit the country’s roadways next week.
Fresh off a double victory in the final weekend of September, the Team Coco’s rider, who is currently training in Trinidad and Tobago ahead of this weekend’s Caribbean Championship in Puerto Rico, has expressed self-belief that he can cop the Five-Stage title for the second year in a row.
No one has managed to win back-to-back Five-Stage titles, but Jeffrey is not daunted by that prospect, especially with the knowledge of what it takes to be a champion fully entrenched in his psyche.
“I’m very confident that I can win it again. In fact, that’s the only thing on my mind. I’m not looking for anything less because I have been training for this race for the past two months and right now I’m feeling in great shape,” Jeffrey, popularly known as ‘Obeah Man’, told this publication from Trinidad on Wednesday.
The East Coast Demerara rider clocked 10 hours, 05 minutes, 33 seconds to win the overall title last year, and despite being relatively quiet by his standard during 2014, he served his adversaries a timely reminder of the imminent danger he poses with a double win a fortnight ago.
Jeffrey clocked one hour, 16 minutes, 20 seconds to win the feature 35-lap School Boys and Invitational at the
14th annual DeSinco Trading 11-race programme at the inner circuit of the National Park, before returning the following day to capture the feature 30-lap race sponsored by cyclist Alanzo Greaves as part of his birthday celebrations.
He won that race in one hour, 03 minutes, 31 seconds to crown an excellent weekend where a usually weak aspect of his game came to the fore- sprinting.
Jeffrey is not known to be a strong sprinter- something that he himself has admitted in the past- but it seems that he has been making a concerted effort to correct that deficiency.
During the past weeks, the talented riders has been “putting in the miles”, since according to him, the FiveStage “is a difficult race.” While he is adamant his training has been spot-on and confidence sky high, Jeffrey is also wary of the challenges the other riders can and will post.
With this in mind, the determined rider is leaving no stone unturned in his effort to ensure he is in peak condition for the country’s premier cycling event.
Race route
After cyclists and officials travel to the Ancient County on October 15, the opening stage will be held the following day from Corriverton to New Amsterdam (46.6 miles) from 07:30 hours; while Stage Two will be on the same day from Rosignol to Georgetown (60.4 miles) from 14:00 hours.
Stage Three will take place on October 17 from
Wales to Parika (35 miles) from 09:00 hours, while the penultimate stage will be contested from 07:30 hours the following day from Supenaam to Suddie, covering a distance of 62 miles.
The fifth and final stage will commence in Linden at 08:30 hours and finish in Georgetown on October 19, covering a distance of 62 miles.
As was the case in previous years, the event will be held with the objectives of increasing awareness and knowledge about HIV/Aids among participants and the general public, and increas-
ing HIV/Aids activism and volunteerism among the participants and inspiring them to become ambassadors in the fight against HIV/Aids.
The deadline for registration is October 13 and those riders interested in participating are advised to contact Mohamed at his office, located in the Help and Shelter building on Homestretch Avenue, during regular working hours.
Apart from Jeffrey, the other winners of 2013 were Hamzah Eastman in the Junior category and Raymond Newton in the Veterans.
Ramdin took over from Samuels during the batting Powerplay, smashing a Shami full-toss over the cover boundary and helping West Indies swell their score by 16 in that over. At the other end, fielders watched as Samuels' powerful cuts pinged the boundary. That India's bowlers were losing control became apparent in the 40th over as Jadeja gave away 10 extra runs through leg-side wides. Fiftytwo runs came in the Powerplay and by the end of it, West Indies' run rate had moved to six an over. Samuels reached his century with a calm dab down the ground and although West Indies lost a bit of momentum due to quick wickets, Samuels carried on with precision violence to finish unbeaten on 126.
The target of 322 would not have affected India at the outset of the chase; they have been the most successful side chasing anything above 300. The home side started confidently with Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane finding the boundary. As the team approached 50, Dhawan was guilty of not respond -
ing to Rahane's call for a second and both batsmen ended up at the same
– “it is a critical phase of my career and I am looking to the challenge”
By RAjiv BisnAuth
Fast bowler Keon Joseph is determined to cement his place in the national team now that he is likely to get an extended run in the side.
Joseph along with Barbadian all-rounder Raymond Reifer, Guyanese opening batsman Rajendra Chandrika, middle-order batsman Vishaul Singh and fast bowlers Paul Wintz completed the Guyana Franchise for the upcoming West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional Cricket League’s (PCL) Regional Four-Day and NAGICO Super50 Tournaments.
The five players were chosen at Monday’s inaugural Player Draft of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League, staged at Accra Beach Hotel in Barbados.
“It’s pretty exciting to be in the team. I want to cement myself in the Guyana side and play as much cricket for Guyana in all formats.
Keon Joseph
Chanderpaul Hemraj, Steven Jacobs, Raun Johnson, Amir Khan and Zaheer Mohamed were the additional pool of 15 players provided by the local franchise for the player draft nominees were not successful at the player draft.
from back page
end, resulting in Rahane's dismissal. Virat Kohli followed in the next over, edging to first slip in a manner reminiscent of his days in England. But the slide was confirmed when Raina, who stroked an unbeaten century in the Champions League T20 final last week, played on against his Chennai Super Kings team-mate Dwayne Bravo.
The West Indies bowlers had been wayward to start with, but gathered themselves as the pitch quickened up. Taylor found pace, the medium pacers found movement and the spinners found the right lengths. India's batsmen appeared all at sea, a bit like their spinners and fielders in the first innings. At the toss, Dhoni had said he was clear on the spinners for the World Cup, but wanted the seamers to settle. However, it was the spinners who failed to apply pressure today and ended up with a combined tally of 22-0-144-2. With a maximum of nine games remaining before the World Cup, India, the defending champions, have a few chinks to mend. (Cricinfo)
“My main goal at the moment is to be consistent,”Bramble said during an exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport on Wednesday.
He added, “I am not getting too far ahead of myself. I want to keep putting in the hard work and I’m looking to cement a place in the team.”
The 22-year-old has been in and out of the national squad in recent years. Since his senior First-class debut on February 26, 2010, he has only managed nine FirstClass matches and three List A games after making his debut in that format in 2009.
“It is a critical phase of my career and I am looking to the challenge,” he reckoned.
Joseph was among the additional pool of 15 players provided by the local franchise for the player draft nominees.
Anthony Adams, Ricardo Adams, Robin Bacchus, Kevon Boodie, Royston Crandon,
The Professional First Class Franchise System will be engaged in a professional cricket structure on a day-to-day basis, year round, under a Head Coach and support staff.
All six franchises will be given US$45,000 per month to fund their operations, but will be required to raise revenue as well.
More so, under this new initiative, player will be categories into three levels, A, B and C with the first carrying a price tag of USD $2,500, the second USD $1,700 and third USD $1,250, based on the category the player may fall within.
Joseph, Reifer, Chandrika, Singh and Wintz joined the 10 retrained players: West Indies players Devendra Bishoo, Narsingh Deonarine, Assad Fudadin, Leon Johnson, Veerasammy Permaul and Christopher Barnwell, West Indies A team fast bowler Ronsford Beaton and First-Class players Anthony Bramble, Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Trevon Griffith. The Regional four-day tournament bowls off next month.
Mohammed Shami prevented that.
Both Samuels and Ramdin had scored runs in the two practice games, but what they did not have in those fixtures was a strong start. Today, when the two got together, the scoreboard read 120 for 3. The Indian spinners could not get any purchase nor did they exert any control, and the batsmen built slowly, finding the odd boundary and rotating the strike to keep the run rate above five at the 30-over mark.
It only got better from there. Samuels welcomed Amit Mishra, who struggled with his lines throughout the innings, with a couple of straight sixes in the 31st over, then reached his halfcentury in the 34th with another straight six, off Suresh Raina. Power was never an issue; Samuels found the distance when he wanted. What was noticeable was the number of singles he took to keep his strike-rate around 100 through his innings.
West Indies innings
D Smith b Jadeja 46
*DJ Bravo c Dhawan b Mohammed Shami 17
DM Bravo c Dhawan b Mishra 28
M Samuels not out 126
+D Ramdin c Jadeja b Mohammed Shami 61
No Sunil Narine, no Chris Gayle, losses in the two practice games followed by a dispute between players and the board on the eve of the first match. When Dwayne Bravo's letter to WICB mentioned the West Indies team morale was at "an all-time low", no one would have doubted it. Still, the visitors somehow found a way to galvanise.
Marlon Samuels, playing his first ODI in seven months, led a strong West Indies batting effort in the series opener, scor-
ing his sixth century - his second against India - to pose a tough challenge for the hosts. With Denesh Ramdin, who scored 61, Samuels added 165 in 23.1 overs for the fourth wicketa West Indies record against India - to convert a solid start into an imposing total. The bowlers then extracted enough help from the pitch to dismantle India's batting line-up ruthlessly. It could have been West Indies' biggest win against India in terms of runs, but a vexing last-wicket stand of 42 between Ravindra Jadeja and
K Pollard b Mohammed Shami 2
A Russell c Kohli b Mohammed Shami 1
D Sammy not out 10
Extras (b-7, lb-5, w-17, nb-1) 30
TOTAL (6 wkts, 50 overs) 321
Fall of wickets: 1-34 (DJ Bravo, 7.1 overs), 2-98 (Smith, 17.2), 3-120 (DM Bravo, 22.3), 4-285 (Ramdin, 45.4), 5-296 (Pollard, 47.3), 6-298 (Russell, 48)
Bowling: Kumar 10-1-38-0 (w1), Sharma 9-0-61-0 (w-1), Mohammed Shami 9-1-664 (w-3, nb-1), Jadeja 10-058-1 (w-2), Mishra 10-0-721 (w-1), Raina 2-0-14-0
India innings A Rahane run out 24
S Dhawan b Samuels 68
V Kohli c Sammy b Taylor 2
A Rayuduc Benn b Russell 13
S Raina b DJ Bravo 0
*+MS Dhoni b Sammy 8 R Jadeja not out 33
B Kumar c Sammy b Samuels 2 A Mishra lbw b DJ Bravo 5 M Sharma c Taylor b Rampaul 8 Mohammed Shami b Rampaul 19
Extras (lb-1, w-14) 15
TOTAL (all out, 41 overs) 197
Fall of wickets: 1-49 (Rahane, 8.4 overs), 2-55 (Kohli, 9.5), 3-82 (Rayudu, 15.5), 4-83 (Raina, 16.2), 5-114 (Dhoni, 25.1), 6-134 (Dhawan, 28.4), 7-138 (Kumar, 30.4), 8-146 (Mishra, 34.3), 9-155 (Sharma, 36), 10-197 (Mohammed Shami, 41)
Bowling: Rampaul 8-0-48-2 (w-2), Taylor 10-1-50-1 (w2), DJ Bravo 6-0-28-2 (w5), Russell 4-0-21-1 (w-3), Benn 5-0-16-0, Sammy 5-023-1, Samuels 3-0-10-2
Prosper Utseya won't be able to bowl in international cricket until he rectifies his action
Zimbabwe off-spinner Prosper Utseya has been banned from bowling in international cricket after his action was found to exceed the ICC's 15-degree limit. Utseya was tested at an accredited facility in Cardiff and all of his deliveries were deemed illegal.
Utseya must now undergo remedial work on his action and apply for retesting. A Zimbabwe Cricket release said they were looking for "relevant technical expertise to work with Utseya to modify his action in the shortest possible time, after which an application will be made to the ICC for his re-assessment."
Utseya can resume bowling in international cricket only after remedied action is cleared, but can play at domestic level at the Zimbabwe Cricket's discretion.
Utseya was reported by the ICC's match officials following the third ODI against South Africa in Bulawayo in August. The ICC umpires have been strict with identifying illegal actions in recent months and bans have been handed out to Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal and Sri Lanka's Sachithra Senanayake among others, after both were found guilty of breaking the 15-degree flex rule.
A similar drive was undertaken in the recent Champions League T20, during which West Indies spinner Sunil Narine was banned from bowling in the final and other BCCIorganised tournaments like the IPL. (Cricinfo)