Guyana Times Daily

CJIA Air Traffic Control drama Officer abandons post with plane in midair

--- GCAA launches investigation

The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has launched an investigation into an incident which occurred on Friday at the Timehri Control Tower which forced a Caribbean Airlines Flight to land three minutes after its scheduled arrival time.

GCAA Director Zulfikar Mohamed on Saturday refuted claims that an Air Traffic Control officer walked off his post while the aircraft was in the process of landing.

Mohamed said he was not in receipt of such information, but was made to understand that the young man was not relieved from duty after working his eighthour shift.

According to information received, the control tower has a staff complement of about 40, including assistants and supervisors, and the facility is under staffed by 10.

A senior official at the facility when prompted for a comment said the young man

went into work on Thursday afternoon at 16:00h and was supposed to be relieved from his post at midnight, but the person who was supposed to take over did not report for work.

He added that at no point in time did the traffic controller inform his superior that he was not comfortable working beyond the call of duty, noting that if this was done, alternative arrangements would have been made.

In an effort to explain what transpired on Friday, he stated that at any given time an aircraft would take about nine minutes on its approach for landing.

The source posited that at the time the aircraft was about to land, the young man left the tower but clearance was subsequently given after a senior staff filled the void.

He said that the three minutes delay was due to the fact that it takes some time to climb the steps leading up

to the control room, noting that the elevator is not in operation. By the time the senior official arrived in the room, he immediately gave clearance for the BW 425 Flight to land.

The young man will have a chance to explain his actions. The official said that

the problem is linked to a lack of coordination, but was happy to report that there was no panic.

Guyana Times understands that getting air traffic controllers to work beyond the call of duty is a major problem in the industry.

Sunday Times Editor: Tajeram Mohabir

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

Mailing address:

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Editorial

Southern Caribbean integration

At the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association (GMSA) Awards and Dinner last week, chief guest, former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Basdeo Panday, and now one of the Caribbean’s elder statesmen, made a bold suggestion:

“My advice would be to consider this suggestion that Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname may well find it beneficial to integrate their own economies more deeply and to jointly pursue arrangements with Brazil, Venezuela and other Latin American countries.”

His proposal came even as he conceded that the regional grouping Caricom was not completely bereft of accomplishments. But when viewed against the status of that organisation and the deteriorating conditions of most of the other members with the exception of Guyana and Suriname, he believed that the new direction would generate greater progress.

As a regional leader, we accept that Mr Panday has to be diplomatic. But when one considers that after 40 years and billions of dollars expended on a top heavy Secretariat, Caricom is officially “on pause”. It should be clear to all and sundry that it might be time for these three nations to “pivot” towards their southern neighbours.

The foundation stone of the international order is: “there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies – just permanent interests” – is presently being exemplified by the U.S. After a period of “isolationism”, for a century, and especially after WWII, the U.S. had looked across the Atlantic to forge partnerships – economic, political and cultural. And the strategy paid off for them.

But as with everything else situations change and the present century has seen the rise of Asia as a powerhouse in economics – which if history is any guide – will soon be translated into political and cultural power: the so called “hard and soft” components that “win friends and influence countries”.

So the U.S. has declared an “Asia Pivot” across the Pacific, much to the discomfiture of its erstwhile allies across the Atlantic. The “pivot” is presently exemplified in the frantic negotiations to conclude the Trans-Pacific Partnership that includes all the nations on both sides of the Pacific – Asian and American – but pointedly excluding China. The U.S. has decided to do what is in its best interest.

And it is within this context that Mr Panday’s proposal makes eminent sense. Brazil is already the fifth largest economy in the world and growing. Add the rest of South America and we are talking about an economic behemoth that can hold its own in any new evolving groupings. But individually, both Guyana and Suriname are coming late to the South American party. We need to solidify our own economies before we can exploit the benefits of the larger blocs like UNASUR, where we are now members.

Suriname’s economy is not surprisingly a mirror image of ours, with a concentration of primary resource extraction, occupying as it does the common Guyana Shield. But it has proven to be somewhat more dynamic and has achieved a higher per capita income than us.

Trinidad, with its oil and gas and the concomitant financial integration with Northern financial centres has both the highest per capita income and developed financial and capital markets. For our future development these characteristics almost demand closer cooperation in economic development.

One project, for instance, that has already been mooted is the supply through an underwater cable for power from a facility in Trinidad that is gathering cobwebs. This could be used for a bauxite smelter here.

But there is another benefit in a closer union with Trinidad and Suriname than the economic ones. This is the projected demonstrator effect on our severely polarised society by similar constituted societies that were able to manage their differences in much more positive and harmonious ways. In both Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname the rivalries that are defined as “inevitable” by some commentators have been shown to be manageable. Can we have a national discussion on Mr Panday’s proposal?

RHTY&SC is not only about cricket and sports

Dear Editor, I proudly laud the work of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC), especially as it relates to the pro-education campaign that its members are actively involved in.

Just recently, approximately 70 students from various schools in the Lower Corentyne and Central Corentyne areas who aren’t as fortunate as others, received school bags from RHTY&SC in aid of promoting the importance of academics.

Those who were given bags were selected based on their performance in school, personal discipline, attitude and involvement in sports.

The actual presentation was done during the final of the RHTY&SC/Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) Inter-Secondary School cricket tournaments for females and under-15 students.

The overall objective was to help students to realise

and internalise the fact that education is the most important asset anyone can attain, since it is the key to opening all doors that are normally closed to the uneducated mind.

I have always wanted to talk about how easily cricketers from other countries take to the microphone after their careers are over. In fact, many of them become quite involved in a variety of media work. I wish I could say the same for the West Indian cricketers. If I must add also, it is important that we understand that sports can only accommodate those extremely gifted athletes –whereas education is available to us all.

In China, sporting celebrities are trying to reshape the traditional State-run sporting culture by establishing their own schools. After fully investing their early years in the country’s State-run system, in which athletes train full time without receiving an education,

many sports stars like tennis champion Li Na and Yao Ming are returning to college. They are seeking to make up for those missed lessons so that they can achieve a smooth transition to new roles in society.

In Guyana particularly, sometimes our greatest sporting icons are bereft of even a primary education and this makes them suffer immensely when ‘press time’ comes around. What makes it even more pressing is that just about all of them are only Creolese speakers and the modern world uses English, our national language.

Ghana is challenging its sports boys and girls in senior high schools to combine sports with high academic performance to ensure a brighter future for themselves. The explanation is that the days are long over, when sportsmen and women could have relegated academic knowledge to the background. I add here that some form of academic qual-

ification will not only make sports participants improve on their performance, but qualify them for marketable positions in their chosen professions. We have to think like this.

Personally, I think that some form of minimum grade point system should be included in our schools for potential athletes of all types. I do not care if they end up failing their subjects, but at least at the younger level, they must be able to conduct themselves in front of gatherings and when they have to answer questions or respond to the receiving of any form of recognition. There is nothing like poor speeches to make people unfairly condemn a man as dumb. We must do all that we can to prepare our athletes for public audiences and the media. So once again kudos to the RHTY&SC for their great work in society!

Sincerely,

Annalisa Ally

The long forgotten Garden City is bound to remain the garbage city

Dear Editor,

A recent article by on an online news site headlined, “Deputy Mayor criticises disparity in litter fines, EPA has no objection to harmonisation”, has only confirmed the mismanagement that is taking place at the Mayor and City Council (M&CC).

The M&CC has been incapable of managing the huge daily piles of garbage and litter across the city, but Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green is now up in arms at efforts being made

to clean up the mess the M&CC has been neglecting over the years.

As a concerned Guyanese, I am appalled at the inefficiencies of the M&CC and would like to state that the difference in fines from $10,000 to $50,000, as stated in the article, does not absolve the M&CC from carrying out its mandate to keep Georgetown clean and bring back the days when the city was known as the Garden City.

The M&CC has a respon-

sibility to the citizens, but sees the increase in fines as an opportunity for more corrupt practices. The officers of the M&CC have been ineffective over the years to penalise offenders with fines of $5000, so how can they now be?

The cry by the Deputy Mayor that the Municipal and Districts Councils Act needs reform is no one’s fault, but the M&CC. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must be commended for updating its reg-

ulations and necessary laws to arrest the growing garbage situation plaguing our capital city.

The long forgotten Garden City is bound to remain the garbage city, as we currently know it, should the M&CC maintain its current status quo of neglecting the city rather than welcoming efforts and initiatives to transform Georgetown.

Sincerely

Erica Smith Retired teacher

Surviving the Economic Recovery Programme

Dear Editor,

How can a nation, deprived of food, man’s basic necessity

Be expected to produce in the name of a recovery

Wasn’t this the ruling policy that triggered a mass migration When people scattered, escaping slavery and starvation

The Economic Recovery Programme (ERP) or Empty Rice Pot

It took brains and sheer guts to survive, I never forgot

People who stayed had no choice, either Produce or Perish

To have a friend or family overseas was everybody’s wish.

It was a time when any kind of food was in high demand

Thus giving rise to the lucrative business, contraband

Because of the very high volume of business, traders got rich

Despite the fact that many times the goods they had to ditch.

All kinds of wheat were banned, including Champion and Robin Hood

The Cabaca said they had too many chemicals and were no good

He said to cut cane your supply of energy and will power

Could be had from 79 or Starbonnet White Rice Flour.

The Agri man agreed and said a very rich source of Vitamin E

Was from sunlight or young and tender eddo leaf bagee

His henchmen swore on their grandmas saying that lime leaf tea Had all the vitamins: A B, C D, E, F and G.

Me, I forgot the taste of real good ground coffee

I had been drinking too much recycled green tea

(To recycle tea, you must first boil it a little

Squeeze it and then dry it til it gets back brittle).

My wife threatened that for the kids contraband I had to seek

That quest sent me navigating the foreshores of Crabwood Creek

I saw men literally run through bush and mud with bags on the heads Because if caught the empty jail cells they would have fed

What about the blade of grass thing and the Venezuelan border? Our soldiers were stationed there to maintain law and order

But when attacked, to the

Venezuelans they surrendered all ammunition

In exchange for cigarettes, aloo, butter, mackerel and onion.

And what about using a rolling pin to flatten a tube of toothpaste

Or cut it open and scoop out everything not a drop to waste?

Yo! Its thirty years since I have left that country

And, despite everything, that bloody habit is still in me.

Recall the Knowledge Sharing Institutes, libraries they should have been

They were the main grocery stores selling from sardine to kerosene Many times I joined their lines unaware of what was selling

Maybe some salt, soap, a loaf of bread to buy I was hoping.

Many times I lined up for hours to reach the counter place “Sorry, Mister, everything done,” you’re told straight in the face

But stay a little, and what couldn’t escape your observation

Were the ladies leaving with bags and bags of ration.

But the ERP brought out

from within us the best of creativity

I mastered the art of making ochro fried rice and kareela curry

And people wanted to know how I did cook rice flour chowmein

Five pounds of it with bora, ripe plantain and one pound of chicken.

Under the ERP, not only humans suffered, animals also had to perish

My cat used to wade in the muddy drains looking for eel and fish

The poor dogs used to climb sucker trees for a half ripe banana

Or sometimes comb the farm for fallen mango or a rotten guava.

It was real bad and some got through well because they were smart They didn’t care if it wasn’t time for them and their children to part

The ERP was the force that drove parents to the contraband area

To look for a savior in the form of a son-in-law or daughter-in-law.

Yours truly, Puran Dyalram

Use the spirit of Lent to undertake some amount of sacrifice

Dear Editor,

Because I make a yearly trip to this country I may be in a better position than most Guyanese to look at what is going on in our society and make an objective evaluation.

On this occasion, I believe that I have encountered an environment that seems to have forgotten to some extent the cultural and religious values with which we Guyanese have been traditionally nurtured. I was pleasantly surprised by all the new buildings, domestic and business, that have been constructed since I was here last, and the apparent larger spending power of people generally.

However, below this superficial progress, I have observed that Guyanese have become absorbed in the rat race which is so manifest in

the metropolitan countries, and this does not bode well for the development of principled living in our society, and the peace and harmony which we all desire for the future of our nation.

It is understandable that people are striving to achieve a good standard of living, and the happiness and significance that this can bring. That is normal, but it seems that they are being duped to believe that material progress will satisfy these needs and forget that this can only be temporary, and not really fulfilling their human aspirations in a real and permanent manner.

This not only drives them to use up their physical and mental resources towards acquiring more and more possessions, but they would also

be tempted to neglect the urgings of their conscience to act morally to achieve this result. This tendency to want to “keep up with the Joneses” can only result in fractured relationships, a materialistic outlook in life and violations of moral and civic laws.

Standard of living must be measured in more than one dimension, and the way we live out the values which we have inherited, and which really contribute to our wellbeing, must figure in this assessment.

May we use the spirit of this season of Lent to undertake some amount of sacrifice which can empower us to recapture the essence of the principles and values we need for real and lasting progress, re-inculcate these in our lives, and so win the race to an ethi-

The Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket programme

Dear Editor, I am thrilled for our children. Why? It is that the Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket Programme is now back on the scene, after a two year no-show. I was lucky to run into a couple of the children who had a taste of this already, and they were so happy.

Already I am thinking of the dual benefit of this competition. First, the Health Ministry is all for promoting a healthy life style for the children. We are being drowned with all kinds of fast food and the school yard snacking is not to quite what we want to promote.

A big part of being healthy is all about diet. So when the children will be involved in competitive cricket, quite naturally the issue of eating right will come up.

tal powers is also related to playing. Research shows us clearly that play supports early brain development in very impressive ways. Through play, children learn about the world around them. They also end up learning to develop ways to make sense of their world, and even learn the words used in different parts of life. In terms of actual sporting competition, children reflect the behaviours that they see modelled elsewhere. So we really cannot lose when we get our children totally immersed in some kind of sporting activity.

cal way of life that really matters.

Yours sincerely, Roy Paul

Let me make a note here, regarding the role of a good diet and actual mental sharpness of students. Eating the right types of foods helps boost brain power. This is common knowledge and where students are involved in sports, right eating naturally comes to the fore. Their masters make a big fuss out of this.

This boosting of men-

Over 2400 students are expected to participate in the Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket preliminary and county festivals, while more than 4000 students will be involved in the coaching education programme. We cannot go wrong with this. It could be that this may be the route to curbing some of the school violence we have been experiencing recently. I am happy for our children and my hope is that we will have more entities thinking along this line.

Sincerely, Annalisa Ally

Page Foundation

Anu Dev

Yesterday, Saturday, March 8, was International Women’s Day, commemorated under the theme, “Inspiring Change”.

And though respect for women has come a long way from the days when women were confined to only domestic duties, it’s still proof that we still have a long way to go if there still needs to be a massive global event to remind the world of the achievements of the women in society. Not to mention the need to treat them equally.

We need to reach the point where we don’t need to have events like International Women’s Day to inspire women that they can achieve greatness. Women should never question or be questioned whether they deserve to be educated, to have jobs, to make their own decisions.

Queen’s College, the premier secondary school in Guyana, has a population of mostly girls. We out-performed the boys at Common Entrance or NGSA, to earn a place at QC. And then went on to excel there.

March 2014

“Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.”-Charlotte Whitton

But even after all of that, when we’re done with school and ready to have jobs, we’ll be working in a ‘man’s world’.

A world where women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts. A world where women have to work doubly hard: first do their job, and simultaneously work to prove to the doubters that they’re good enough to deserve to be where they are.

But we’ve come a long way. Women can vote now. Women attend college. There are female doctors, astrophysicists, astronauts.

The feminists of the 1970’s era made great strides towards shifting society’s attitude in the direction of women’s equality. But unfortunately, now, years later, when many of the big battles have already been won by the feminists of old, younger women take some of the rights that they have now for granted. They truly believe that they owe nothing to feminism.

And we’ve begun to backslide. On TV, in movies, on social networking sites, there’s just so much exposure, so many females dress-

ing ‘provocatively’. I mean sure, you can wear whatever you like, that’s the point, equal rights and all of that. But why do they choose those particular pieces of clothes? Mostly to appeal to males. So the “male gaze” still dictates what females wear, or in most cases, not wear. And what we strive to be.

Women might have the right to vote. They might be elected President. But how many are? Why? They might make brilliant discoveries, like Marie Curie, the only double winner in the Nobel Prizes. But what women really need, and what all the battles have essentially been all about, is respect. Women need to be respected. They deserve to be respected. But first, they need to start respecting themselves.

Dress however you like, you have that freedom, but always think about your reasons for dressing the way you do. Because in the long run, respect is worth a whole lot more than a couple of opportunities to wear skimpy clothes. We have to be seen as more than ‘meat”. This is not trivial because it defines

much of our orientation in other aspects of life.

So until women are accepted for the great things that they do every day, until they are respected every day, we need to march in the streets for International Women’s Day. Women deserve more than one day of the year to be appreciated, so let’s remind the world every other day of the year.

Because women, house babies within them for nine months, they basically create life. Every one of us has a mother, even males, the ones who ‘run the world’.

The all-powerful males with their air of superiority need to remember something – their mothers could’ve had abortions. Their mother – A WOMAN – made the decision to keep them. A woman, decided to keep them in their wombs for nine months, to put up with morning sickness and all the torture of childbirth for them.

So what kind of a repayment to their mothers is it when those same boys grow up to treat women as being lesser to them? Or even beat them like animals?

The wrong crowd: When your child’s friends are a bad influence

By NaNcy Da Silva

Your child will have many influences on his road to adulthood; some good, some bad. We hope, as we raise our children that we are teaching them to be decent, responsible people, but what happens when your child comes in contact with someone whose influence counters yours?

From infancy to their toddler years, a child’s influences are primarily their care givers. You teach them the difference between right and wrong. You guide them away from dangerous places. You do everything you can to keep them safe and happy and for the first few years of their life, they never question that you’re rules are law. Then come the play dates, or school or the next door neighbour’s kid. Suddenly they’re being told things counter to what you taught them. It’s okay to stay out later than you said. It’s okay to steal that chocolate bar. It’s okay to cheat on that test.

We want our children to be social. We want them to have friends and have a fun, happy childhood and fun and happy teen years. We want them to learn independence and to make their own decisions. If something should happen to us, we don’t want our children to be unable to function without us. But what happens if these friends they have made are leading them down the wrong path? What happens if they are teaching our children the exact opposite of the values we try and instil in them? What can you do when you’re starting to feel like the good angel on your child’s shoulder, trying to drown out the devil on his other shoulder?

You can hope that the lessons you’ve taught them thus far will stick with them and they will be strong enough to resist the temptation to deviate from what they know is the right thing. But the truth is, this really depends on the age of the child when the bad

influence comes into play. A teenager who’s grown up consistently on the straight and narrow will be less likely to succumb to a friend’s bad influence than a younger child. Chances are the danger of a bad influence taking hold of your child will be most prevalent between the ages of five and 15. These 10 years are the most turbulent for any child and when social interactions shape their character the most. This isn’t to say that there’s no peer pressure in a child’s later teen years, from 16 to 19. Certainly being invited to parties, out to clubs brings with it its own set of temptations but studies show that if a child is raised with a strong sense of self and a strong moral centre from infancy into his early teen years without being tempted to ‘the dark side’ he will be less likely to sway when faced with the more serious pressures from his friends.

It’s a fact that some people are leaders and others are followers. If your child is a follower, you want to make sure that they are following the right people. While you’re not able to control who they hang out with at school, you can have a say in who they spend their time with outside of school. If you notice that there are certain children who seem to have a negative influence on your child, teaching them to swear, talk back disrespectfully or engage in other disruptive behaviours, you are completely within your rights to refuse to allow your child to spend time with these ‘friends’.

The problem comes when your child decides that the more you forbid something, the more he wants to do it. Rebellion is cool. He sees these children having fun, hears about their exciting adventures at school and he wants to join in. These other children are his friends. He wants to keep them because it’s certainly no fun being the child at school with no friends.

(Justmommies.com)

Corentyne residents urged to recommit to national unity

People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) leader David Granger has called on Corentyne residents to commit themselves to national unity and racial reconciliation and to renounce thoughts of retaliation and recrimination.

Granger, told family members who had assembled for the ceremony in the Auchlyne Presbyterian Churchyard, Corentyne that Edgar Munroe was the first person to be murdered in the ‘Disturbances’. Ramraj Gunraj died later the same day as a result of the same

incident. Both Munroe and Gunraj came from Liverpool village.

It is a historical fact that the Guiana Agricultural Workers’ Union had called a strike in the sugar industry at that time. A bomb was thrown into one of three lorries on the Tain Public Road, about 25 km from New Amsterdam. They were travelling from Manchester Village to Albion Estate carrying 30 sugar workers at about 05:45h on Wednesday, March 4, 1964.

He said that those responsible for orchestrating the bombing are known and

that the incident occurred during a time that was labelled “a hurricane of protest”.

The PNCR leader, who attended the Auchlyne Church of Scotland School in his childhood, said his dream was for Corentyne children to come together as members of a cohesive Guyanese community.

He declared March 4 “Munroe-Gunraj Day” and called for the entire East Berbice-Corentyne region to work towards healing the wounds of distress and the deaths incurred during the ‘Disturbances.’

Trotman lauds women’s contribution to society

People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) MP Shirley Edwards who served for 18 years; PPP/C MP Philomena Sahoye-Shury who served for 15 years; former Deputy Speaker and MP Deborah Backer who served for 14 years; and Parliament staff member Eleanor Coddett who has 30 years of dedicated service to the public service.

Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman said women have made contributions to all spheres of life, as he lauded their contribution to society on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

Trotman in a statement said the National Assembly of the Parliament of Guyana joins women the world over and particularly in Guyana, to commemorate this day.

This year’s theme, “Inspiring Change,” could not have come at a better time, especially when Women are playing pivotal roles in leadership capacities all across Guyana, Trotman said.

“Guyanese women have registered successes, both

at the regional and international level, in achieving gender equality, empowering women and elevating them politically, economically, socially, and culturally. Guyana’s maintenance of a high ranking in the Global Status of Women in Parliament is a testament to this. These outstanding contributions of Guyanese women to the political, social and economic life of the country through the years cannot be ignored.”

The National Assembly he said salutes the services of several long-serving women parliamentarians. These include Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai with 20 years of service;

Pandits’ Council hosts medical outreach

The Guyana Pandits’ Council last Saturday held its second medical outreach at the Nirvana Humanitarian Society, Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara.

The exercise spearheaded by Pandit Rudra Sharma and other members of the Council saw 25 volunteers, comprising of four doctors, pharmacists, lab technicians, nurses and members of the mandir.

The outreach saw more

than 100 persons mostly comprising of senior citizens. Similar to the first outreach held at the Bush Lot Community centres on February 2, persons were registered and numbered and given an opportunity to check their blood pressure and blood sugar tested.

They were then treated for various ailments and given prescription medicine, all of which was provided by the team.

Persons were also treat-

ed for back pain, diarrhoea, eye ailments, high cholesterol, diabetes, thyroid and respiratory tract infection. The doctors reported that most of the ailments were caused by poor lifestyles of citizens.

The team subsequently advised the patients on how they could improve their health. Food hampers were distributed to senior citizens, which they were most grateful for.

Conviasa increasing flights here

The Venezuelan state-owned airline, Conviasa, will be increasing its flights to and from Guyana, Presidential Advisor on Governance Gail Teixeira said.

Speaking at a post-Cabinet briefing on Friday, at the Office of the President, Teixeira disclosed that Cabinet has approved the airline’s request to upgrade its non-scheduled air services on the Puerto OrdazGeorgetown-Puerto Ordaz routes.

The non-scheduled flights are to occur twice a week to Guyana, arrangements for will be worked out by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Presidential Advisor said.

The airline began flights to and from Guyana at the end of 2013, with a once weekly flight between Georgetown and Puerto Ordaz.

The Venezuelan airline on November 24, 2013 made its inaugural flight at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, starting a direct service from Puerto Ordaz to Georgetown, Guyana.

The airline, located at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Venezuela is the largest airline in that country, operating services to domestic destinations and to destinations in the Caribbean and South America.

Women today enjoy better lives – Kopecký

EU Ambassador Robert Kopecký has echoed the sentiments of EU Foreign Affairs high representative Catherine Ashton, who stated that women today

celebrate the real transformation the world has witnessed in women’s rights.

The EU ambassador in a statement said women have made great advances, but there is still a long way to

go to achieve a world free from gender-based discrimination.

Equal access to education and health services and the chance to become a full participant in political

life is everyone’s right and an essential ingredient of democracy. Long-term stability and development can only be achieved if violence and discrimination against women are addressed.

Eyew tness Women’s work...

...is never done

The problem with these “Days” – like yesterday’s “International Women’s Day” – that dot the calendar is there’s the tendency by most to genuflect to the sentiment highlighted, feel very virtuous, and then blithely forget about it for the rest of the year. If this weren’t so, would we be witnessing the daily battering, maiming, chopping, raping murdering – just pick any active verb that is connected with violence – of females that dominate our headlines?

There’s either a war between the sexes going on or women merely exist as punching bags/objects for men to take out their frustrations on. Or both. On the “war” theory, there’s comparable evidence gleaned from other wars. A group’s been oppressed for years, but because of some change in conditions, the oppressors are told they have to quit with the oppressing!

But the oppressors never suddenly become exemplars of equality. Take slavery. When conditions changed (the British found they could have new markets if they abolished slavery), slavery was ended. But that didn’t mean the oppressors accepted the new, articulated dispensation. They simply found new ways to keep the oppression going – invented police to lock up ex-slaves who “broke the law”. And who made the law? Well the oppressor of course!!

It’s the same with women. Was a time (not too long ago) when men could do whatever they wanted with their women. That’s right “their” women. The possessive pronoun “their” was used because it described the existential condition of women. The girl was the property of the father, the woman was property of her husband and in old age she became the property of her eldest son.

So even though conditions have been declared changed, men (most of them at least) have neither accepted the change or are busy inventing new ways to keep up the old oppression. Like even if the woman is working, being “mother”, she’s supposed to take care of the kids and the home. Call her “superwoman”, but don’t even pay her same as a man for the same job. And the taking care of home and hearth? Whoa!!! Women ENJOY that sort of thing! They have a maternal instinct that programmes them for housework.

So happy International Women’s Day to all you women out there. As for the men, it’s probably happy “Men’s International and a Domestic Day” all year long!

...for justice

One woman who’s been working for justice for 33 years is Patricia Rodney, wife of the martyred Dr Walter Rodney. A nurse during her marriage to Walter, she was at his side during his stint at teaching in Africa. When they and their three kids returned to Guyana in 1974, and Burnham through his henchman on the UG Board blocked his appointment as Professor of History, it was this strong woman who became the breadwinner. And Rodney did chores like picking up the kids at school.

Burnham had held his farce of an inquest that “determined” that Walter’s brother Donald was responsible for the bomb that killed the great historian. After Hoyte assumed office, Patricia raised the matter of an Inquiry – which ended as another farce: death by misadventure. Her son Shaka’s vigil in 1993-1994 led to the aborted PPP/C-appointed Doodnauth Singh prosecution.

And finally, she was disappointed in 2006 when the WPA, tasked with working out terms of reference for a COI with her, balked.

Maybe she’ll get justice this time around?

....is sometimes done

After Dr Rodney’s assassination, Patricia Rodney moved to Barbados and then to the U.S.A. where she earned a PhD and was at Morehouse School of Medicine as Assistant Dean for Public Health Education, Director of the Master of Public Health (MPH) Programme, and Professor in the Department of Community Health.

She also, not so incidentally, successfully raised her son Shaka as an Entrepreneur and daughters Kanini, a Medical Professional and Asha, an Attorney.

What a woman!

Persaud promises development without destruction

Natural Resources and Environment

Robert Persaud said the government will continue to pursue development that is free from environmental destruction.

He made the comment at an environment stakeholders’ workshop at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre (Red House), Kingston, Georgetown on Friday.

The forum brought together participants from several state agencies as well as the private sector and was geared towards creating new partnerships for the development and protection of the environment.

Persaud said the government will spare no effort to advance in this regard.

He also touched on the United Nations Development Programme, stating that this agency will be directing the Ministry’s actions for the next five years.

The Minister also highlighted that while there are victories, there are also challenges, and the path to overcoming these challenges is partnerships. “How do we correct those issues in terms of going forward? One is developing the strategic partnerships,” he stated.

Women today enjoy better...

The EU remains committed to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. About 200 projects and initiatives are currently funded by the EU around the world aimed at helping women to benefit from education and healthcare, to work and live free from violence and discrimination and to assume their rightful place in society.

by funding projects with local partners such as Help & Shelter, AGAPE, ChildLink, Merundoi and the Mangrove Reserve Women Agriculture Producers (an association comprised entirely of women entrepreneurs). These are examples of the collaboration between the EU and local organisations which are resulting in the empowerment of Guyanese women.

The rights of all women and girls are a universal priority for the EU, and this is reflected in the current discussions on the post-2015 framework for poverty eradication and sustainable development.

“The EU also remains committed to cooperating closely with the Government of Guyana in implementing international resolutions condemning violence and discrimination against women on all fronts.

Minister Persaud also spoke of working with nongovernmental organisations (NGOs).

“The Ministry has been collaborating with various NGOs at the international and national level to effec-

“The Natural Resources and Environment Sector has been consistently operating within the ambit of existing national policies and strategies. These include the Low Carbon Development Strategy, the Poverty Reduction Paper, the National Development Strategy and the National Competitiveness Strategy. All of these documents profited from extensive consultations and emphasise the importance of protecting the environment to ensure a long-lasting prosperity for the country’s future generations.”

tively carry out its mandate. Collaboration and coordination with international and national environmental stakeholders such as the World Wildlife Fund and the Conservation International is producing unprecedented benefits. There is a renewed focus on striking a balance between natural resources growth and environmental management.”

Comprehensive legislation

The Minister also noted that, “we have one of the more comprehensive legislation in terms of managing the environment” as he made reference to the good work that has been done by the agencies, in terms of creating regulations for the preservation of the natural environment.

The workshop was attended by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Protected Areas Commission (PAC), the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Presentations were also made on several projects being undertaken by these agencies, including on a progress report on the Urban Parks (Three Parks) Initiative, by PAC Commissioner Damian Fernandes.

He appealed for the private sector to come on board and further support the project.

This appeal was responded to by PSC member Kit Nascimento, who acknowledged that the commission would be happy to be onboard with this transformative initiative and proposed a meeting between the PSC and the commission to further discuss the matter.

In Guyana, the EU is working closely with the government and civil society to promote gender equality and the rights of women through programmes such as the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights and the Non State Actors/Local Authorities instrument.

These instruments help to empower women and combat domestic abuse, and end gender discrimination

“Where women prosper, societies prosper; where women suffer, so do the societies they live in. I have had the privilege of meeting many inspiring women who through their hard work and sacrifices have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries. Today, I pay tribute to these women, whose courage and determination pave the way for future generations,” the EU said.

Mahaica residents criticise opposition’s posture on AML Bill

Mahaica residents are calling for snap elections in light of the opposition stalling the passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) (Amendment Bill).

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) report, on Thursday evening, residents met with Minister within the Finance Ministry Juan Edghill, Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Anil Nandlall, and People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Manzoor Nadir, and were brought up to date on the status of the bill.

Having listened to the implications of the bill not being passed, the residents reportedly became fully charged, declaring that they will do all they can to give support to the administration to ensure its passage.

Residents said they were forced to endure too many years of hardship under the People’s National Congress (PNC) administration when food items were banned, and they are not prepared to deal with their hard earned money being treated as “contraband”, GINA reported.

“We had our days of hardship and we will not go back to those days and if the APNU don’t want the bill to pass then we will support the PPP/C in a snap election to get back the majority, because is everybody will suffer if the bill don’t pass,” one resident lamented.

Initially, the coalition had proposed to empower police and customs officers to seize currency and jewellery to the value of over $2 million if they suspect money laundering. Recently, the party amended this proposal, raising this amount to in excess of $10 million.

Unfair

Speaking out against the ANPU’s amendment, residents said they should not be made criminals for carrying around their hard earned cash, since they do not trust the authorities to which the APNU is proposing to give powers of seizure.

“We don’t have banks here. When we done cut rice and we got to go to town to buy fertiliser, we ain’t got plastic cards to walk with, is we own money that we sweat for, we got to walk with,” another resident said.

With the APNU’s amend-

Minister

within the Finance Ministry Juan Edghill

ment, residents said they not only have to worry about being held up by gunmen but by police ranks who will be acting on mere suspicions. Further, it was the residents’ view that under the current administration, Guyana has made numerous positive strides towards growth and development and they are not prepared to sit idly by and see regression.

“We gon do whatever we can even if it mean going to town the next time it got Parliament and protest we will do it until the opposition hear our voices,” said another resident.

In addition, residents said they are prepared to meet with their community leaders to further lobby and see other ways and means to have their views heard. Another resident pointed out to the gathering that all efforts must be made to get the opposition to understand how important the passage of this bill is, and the negative effects it will have on ordinary citizens.

Uncaring

“We are the ones it will affect. They can sit in their office and enjoy their money but why we can’t enjoy what we work hard for?” another asked.

Residents also expressed gratitude to the presenters for reaching out to them with the meeting as they have only been receiving updates on the status of the bill through the media.

Meanwhile, Minister Edghill told the residents that the administration is encouraged by their support for the bill, and will not fail them. “It is the people of this country who placed us at the helm of this country, and we will do everything in our power to secure a brighter future for all, not only for our support, but for every citizen, since every citizen will be affected if this bill is not passed,” Minister Edghill lamented.

Minister Nandlall who dealt with the implications of Guyana being blacklisted and the repercussions of the amendments proposed by the APNU, went into details about some of the laws with which the amendments will contradict.

He told residents that thousands of young professionals are at risk of losing their jobs within the growing telecommunication sector and other sectors that are financed by overseas entities.

As part as government’s effort to keep the ordinary citizen abreast with the status of the bill, several town hall meetings were held in, Linden, Berbice, Lusignan, Anna Regina and Bartica.

The Mole

Satiricus was impressed. These big powers didn’t just plan for one year or two years: they were always prepared for the long haul. And so to make sure they remained “big” they didn’t leave things to chance. “Take the British,” thought Satiricus. “After they were laid low by WWII, they knew things had to change in their Empire on which the “sun never set”. But by Jove!! They just couldn’t let all those natives mess things up, could they?”

But how the heck to keep the facade of “independence” while keeping control? “Hey!!” remembered Satiricus, “One way would be to pay off the fellas who were willing to play the game. Like BurntHam.” Only thing BurntHam had gone to school right there in Britain and had learnt his lessons well. And not only Latin and Greek. Machiavelli wasn’t in the curriculum but it was in the library – and BurntHam made that book his Bible. He soon turned on his erstwhile paymasters. “Ah...What a rogue that BurntHam was,” reminisced Satiricus fondly.

But the British had been around for a while and had other cards up their sleeves. One of the most popular would be to insert moles in the society that could steer things their way, if the “bought native” became restless. As an old newshound, Satiricus knew you didn’t just have moles hanging out in street corners. The never-say-die big powers created new centres of power that these fellas could burrow into. One of these was Human Rights Groups.

“This was a master stroke,” marvelled Satiricus. “Imagine denying for hundreds of years some people were even humans when they were ruling, now convincing those same people they had to keep their own leaders on their toes about “human rights”!!!” And who would run these Human Rights groups? “Why people who had human rights to begin with – or were blessed by those people,” Satiricus answered himself.

And so as BurntHam started to act up after reading too much Machiavelli, Satiricus remembered this rat-like fella from Britain who suddenly turned up in Guyana to form a Human Rights Group. He’d originally been posted in Peru where he helped to make sure the copper mines kept sending their precious ores up North. Fella’s name was MookKoomak. Funny name, but then those Scottish names were all funny. While there were also Irish MookKoomaks, Satiricus knew this fella didn’t drink, so he couldn’t possibly be Irish.

Trouble was MookKoomak just couldn’t keep his nose out of politics – and so in the process, blew his cover. It was an open secret to Satiricus and all the other newshounds that the ferret-like, squeaky voiced, MookKoomak was being paid by MI 12. That was the top secret outfit in Piccadilly Circus that handled “assets” who’d made the ultimate sacrifice by going native so deep, they actually picked up native spouses and ate strange things like cassava bread.

Satiricus sighed as he read MookKoomak’s latest missile, sorry missive, against the PPCEE government. “Fidelity to a cause, defined these chaps,” thought Satiricus. “And a stiff upper lip.”

Empower women in agriculture – FAO

Reducing gender inequality is fundamental to eliminating hunger and developing more sustainable food systems, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Director General José Graziano da Silva told international experts and country representatives at an International Women’s Day event in Rome.

“This year we are celebrating Women’s Day against the backdrop of the International Year of Family Farming,” Graziano da Silva said. “Family farmers are the dominant force in global food production. And, at the same time, they are among the world’s most vulnerable people. Much of the future of global food security depends on their realising their untapped potential. Rural women are an important part of this, not just as farmers but also in processing and preparing food, and in local markets,” he added.

Representatives of United Nations and partner organisations were gathered at FAO headquarters for a panel discussion on the theme, “Closing the gender gap in agriculture”. The dialogue was jointly organised by FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Development Law Organisation (IDLO),

the International Food Policy Institute (IFPRI), and the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO).

Participants discussed the challenges faced by rural women in developing countries, who are highly dependent on subsistence agriculture to feed their families, but who often get caught in a cycle of poverty and hunger due to lack of access to adequate land and water, agricultural input, credit, technologies and training.

Court case

The FAO Director General recalled how, in 2003, it took a court case to defend the decision by the Brazilian government to channel the bulk of cash transfers in that country’s Zero Hunger Programme to women recipients, based on the premise that they played a “dominant role in family

Caricom intersessional meeting to focus on human resources

An all encompassing approach towards education will be the perspective from which Human Resource Development (HRD) will be discussed at the 25th intersessional meeting of the Caricom Heads of Government in St Vincent and the Grenadines next week.

At the two-day meeting which begins on Monday, HRD and Information Communication Technology (ICT) will be two of the focal topics for discussion.

The focus on HRD comes following an agreement made at the 34th regular meeting of the Conference of Caricom Heads of Government in July 2013 to devote a special session to this issue.

The decision came out of the heads’ recognition of the integral role played by HRD in the achievement of economic growth and development regionally.

According to Caricom Human and Social Development Unit Director Myrna Bernard, the purpose of the deliberations on HRD is to sensitise the heads about the imperative to transform the region-

al systems for education in order to address the requirements of the current societal and labour market needs.

She explained that all factors influencing the education system needed to correlate for there to be effective HRD.

“You can’t fix Human Resource Development without addressing other areas such as socialisation, employment systems, public sector reform and the needs of the current society,” she said.

The meeting is expected to examine ways of reshaping Caribbean education while highlighting the importance of addressing capacity-building for public sector reform in order to meet the demands of transformation in other sectors.

What will be considered is the transformation, direction and a holistic approach towards education in the Caribbean. This approach would recognise that in order to address the shortcomings and challenges that have been seen in HRD, the entire system, including factors that influence what happens in the education system, would need to be addressed.

food management”.

“Equality for women is progress for all,” Graziano da Silva said.

Keynote speaker Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and currently head of the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice, said problems brought on by gender inequalities and lack of access to resources in agriculture were compounded by the unpredictable consequences of climate change.

“For global development to be sustainable, the issues of climate change, gender equality and food security must all go handin-hand,” said Robinson, who is also a member of IDLO’s International Advisory Council and a former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.”By actively linking human rights, development, climate change and gender equality in your work, you will empower yourselves and your organisations to break out of the ‘boxes’ that constrain policy-making and implementation, and engage in a new model of truly sustainable development.”

“It is vital that at the UN Climate Summit in September, the interlinked issues of gender equality, agriculture, the rule of law, sustainable development and climate justice are addressed in order to achieve an effective framework for the future of our planet,” Robinson added.

MV Malali to resume operations on March 17

Mvessel MV Malali which is currently plying the Parika to Bartica route is expected to be fully operational by March 17.

Currently, the vessel is operating on only one engine, thus it is difficult for her to reach Bartica within the stipulated time period of four hours.

The required parts of the defective engine are expected in the country on March

13 via MACORP and would be fully operational by the date mentioned earlier. Meanwhile, the motor vessel Makouria which is the designated vessel on the Parika to Bartica route, is currently docked at the EC Vieira’s Dry-Dock for its scheduled dry docking rehabilitation repair works. Motor vessel Makouria is expected to resume operation in the first week of April.

All set for Caricom Summit

Heads of Government of 14 member states and two associate members will gather in St Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday at the 25th intersessional meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

Suriname’s President Desiree Bouterse, who is the current President of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), will be attending the inauguration of President Michelle Bachelet in Chile on Tuesday. Suriname will be represented at the ministe-

rial level.

The opening session of the meeting at Buccament Bay Resort will be addressed by Caricom Chairman, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves; immediate past chair, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar; and Caricom Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque.

Major items for discussion at the two-day meeting include human resource development in the community, information and communications technology for development, econom-

ic growth and sustainable development and climate change.

The Heads of Government will receive preliminary reports from a Commission on the Economy and a Transportation Commission, as well as the use of marijuana for medical purposes and on the issue of reparations and native genocide.

The Council for Finance and Planning (COFAP) met on Saturday and had a first look at the report of the Commission on the Economy and forwarded its views to the Heads of Government. On Sunday, the Prime Ministerial subcommittee on the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) will discuss the latest developments on its implementation.

President of the Regional Council of Martinique, Serge Letchimy will meet with the leaders, while Turkey Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will hold discussions with the community’s foreign ministers.

Truth Simply the

Discipline, rum shops, schools

Afriend sent me a “text” a few minutes ago. He asked what I would do about the “increase of violence in schools” if I had a hand in the education system. What would I do to reduce the number of incidents?

He opined that “a root cause is lack of guidance or a need to vent frustration by perpetrators of violence”. My friend is one of those ex-law enforcement officers, the best of whom have this happy pre-occupation with education.

Our readers, maybe, would agree that this is quite a probing question. What would you do to reduce the number of violent incidents in schools? Let me say clearly that for the last six months I have had no hand whatsoever in the formal education system in Guyana, but the question provoked me to think.

My friend went right to what he thought was the “root cause”. Good, cool, logical thinking: find the root of the problem in order to correct the problem. Lack of guidance and the need to vent, however, are connected. Also, we cannot disconnect general social violence from the increasing violence in schools.

The examples set outside of schools do not simply evaporate when we pass the gates of schools. It is no accident that violent behaviour in society at large has almost the same graphic incline as the incidents of violence in schools.

What children see in their homes and neighbourhoods become imitated in their own behaviour in schools. But then the matter becomes much more complicated because what is done at schools feed out back into general society. The poison goes both ways, making both the general society and the school environment progressively

Professor Daizal Samad

sicker.

Violence (self-defence is excluded here) is almost always a consequence of lack of restraint and loss of composure. It takes several forms: verbal violence, loudness, domestic violence, violence against oneself (self-harm or suicide), physical violence, road rage, and murder. There are people who call themselves leaders who unabashedly advocate violence.

The violence in children reflects the violence in adults. When we adults behave in aggressive and violent ways, it sends a clear message to our children that such behaviour is acceptable. In the loud talk I hear from adults many times a day, the “F” word and the “S” word and the word “money” are by far the most frequently used. Much, much more frequently than “Good morning” or “Good afternoon” or “How you doing” combined. It says volumes about us as a people.

The long-term and shortterm solution then is to be more careful about the way we adults behave. We must set examples in our homes and workplaces, in our places of worship and in our places

of entertainment. Our raised voices, filthy language, aggressive behaviour and downright ugly violence take away our dignity as human beings. And dignity, once lost, is never to be regained. And our young are very perceptive and receptive. If a “big” man or “big” woman behaves in vulgar ways, then that must be the way to behave. We underestimate our young. We think that they do not understand, that they forget. They don’t. Oftentimes, they learn without knowing that they are learning. And we teach without realising the things we teach. This is an example of teaching something good without even knowing that a lesson is being taught. Schools in Rose Hall Town were out for the lunch break. A young police constable was on foot patrol. Young fellow in blue and black, white “traffic” sleeves, thin, lanky, neat. He brought together a clutch of about seven children (kids from Rose Hall Primary), arranged them to walk three and four abreast, and he walked on the outside of those children. Under the midday sun, the children walked in safety. This young cop taught by doing that which was right, that which was good. I looked on with admiration. Not too far away, two adults – drunk to the world – were cussing to beat the day. There were children around. Two examples of behaviour. This, then, is how we begin to pull ourselves back from the brink. We condemn the example set by the two drunk, vulgar adults; we hold up the example of the young constable. As to the “educational” environment, the classroom should not be a place where bullying takes the place of teaching. All too often, teachers and lecturers are mere bullies. Stop it.

Small-Sonaram is Designer of the Year again

Guyanese designer Olympia SmallSonaram captured the Designer of the Year title for the fifth time when the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry hosted its annual award ceremony at the Umana Yana, Kingston, Georgetown.

Hard work and determination led to another success for the well known Guyanese designer.

Small-Sonaram was the designer of the Digicel float titled, “Arabian Night” which has also been named best Full Costume Band during Guyana’s 44th Republic Anniversary celebrations.

An elated Small-

Sonaram, who has been eyeing the title from the inception, was excited to have been given the award. She noted that it has been a long road but she kept her focus and was able to complete the costumes and float way ahead of the Mash parade.

She thanked Digicel Guyana Inc for having confidence in her and more so her 12-member staff who have worked tirelessly to get thing on track for the big day.

While it has not been a case of sleepless nights, Small-Sonaram explained that her team started early and had their priority in order.

With a little giggle, the five times designer of the year said that she has already started to plan for Mash 2015, but will not let anything out of the bag, just yet.

Now that less attention is being placed on designing floats, Small-Sonaram will be busy designing evening gowns for the delegates in the Miss World Guyana, Miss Guyana Universe and Miss Guyana Earth pageants slated for later in the year.

On the other hand,

Digicel Communications Manager Vidya Sanchara also reiterated her elatedness to have Small-Sonaram on their team, claiming that since the talented young lady joined the team five years ago, the company has copped the Best Band prize, among others.

Sanchara said Digicel always contributes to the Guyanese culture and will continue to do so. She added that for the last five years, they have gone all out to please Guyanese as they take to the streets. She reiterated that the concept of Arabian Night was all SmallSonaram idea and immediately after reviewing the proposal, they quickly got on board.

The official said it was a great accomplishment for her company to have been named Best Full Costume Band for yet another year, and hopes that the winning streak can continue.

Digicel Guyana Inc also copped the prize for SemiCostume Medium and Male Individual, and according to the Communications Manager; there is no way that they are letting go of Olympia Small-Sonaram.

Govt’s commitment to improving Justice Sector unquestionable – Nandlall

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister

Anil Nandlall said the administration’s continuous investments in the justice sector represent its unquestionable commitment to adequately resource and improve efficiency in the Judiciary.

Government has reportedly spent US$25 million on the modernisation of the justice sector over the past five years.

Nandlall made the comment at the recent re-commissioning of the Wales Magistrate’s Court.

The funds, which were made available through an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan, saw the implementation of the Justice Modernisation Project, a project which has formally come to an end with the re-commissioning of the Wales Magistrate’s Court, Region Three.

Minister Nandlall, in highlighting the improvements, said, “Almost every court building in Guyana stretching from Crabwood Creek to Charity, and Lethem to Linden, has been refurbished, repaired, expanded or rehabilitated. In most instances, new buildings were erected as in this case. Indeed at Linden and Lethem works are being completed and they shall be opening soon.”

New legislation

Addressing senior members of the Judiciary and members of the public, the Minister said that more than 100 pieces of new legislation were drafted and passed, “all designed to modernise the justice sector”. He mentioned that 12 volumes of the Law Reports of Guyana were revised and published, dating from 1977 to 2007.

The Laws of Guyana have also been revised after a 34year hiatus and are at present available for purchase. He added that every effort is being made to accommodate

the judiciary is subject to the Executive, to the Legislature, it is not so, and it is my responsibility to reject that notion whenever it presents itself at least on behalf of this government, and I give that commitment to the people of this country on behalf of this government, the independence of the Judiciary will be assured so long as the PPP/C administration holds the reins of government of this country.”

In closing, Minister Nandlall implored those charged with utilising the new court, to ensure it is used for the benefit of the people of the country. “We believe that justice must be equal and accessible to all, irrespective of economic standing or economic location.”

Equality

The building was described by acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Carl Singh as “a place where all are treated equally, and all are equal in the eyes of the law”.

new judges who will be sworn in shortly. Mention was also made of the Family Court which will also be launched soon.

Specialised courts such as the Constitutional and Commercial Courts have also been established, Minister Nandlall noted and an automatic voice recording system will be established in the High Court, along with the Court of Appeal. These improvements, he said, represent government’s commitment to justice, freedom and the rule of law.

“We believe in the government that there is a strong connection between economic advancement and the justice system. In fact, I’m of the firm view that intellectual paralysis, social stagnation and economic degradation will befall any society that in any subtle form attempts to deny its people freedom and justice, and I’m fortified in that view, by looking at the human experiences itself”.

Opposition claims

Minister Nandlall refuted claims by some members of the political opposition that the Judiciary was subservient to the Executive.

“When we want to make these statements we must put them in a context, and we must reflect on our own history because it is important that when we occupy certain positions for the benefit of all the people, we must be taken seriously when we make pronouncements.”

He said that at no time in the independent history of this country has the judiciary been more secured, more resourced and more independent than it is today.

“… but one cannot condemn our system, condemn the integrity of our judges, condemn the integrity of our magistrates by making irresponsible statements that

Younge’s take The City Hall’s 2014 Budget: Same script,

different cast

The 2014 $2.5 billion budget which was presented on Monday last by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is uninspiring humdrum and is void of any serious attempt to address the issues affecting the city of Georgetown.

For the most part, the budget presentation exercise was yet another occasion for the political directorate of the City Council to “cuss down” the central government for its alleged transgressions against the City.

It is a shame that the council was forced whether “deliberate” or not to present a budget with a $246.7 million dollar deficit to the citizens of Georgetown.

He said the new facility will only be effective if those providing services in the justice sector demonstrate a work ethic and outlook that will result in a general change of attitudes. He urged those present at the ceremony, particularly students, to desist from wrong doing and called for the support of magistrates by the general public.

The Chancellor stated that the magistracy is not designed to inflict or perpetuate wrong doings and where that happens he offered the assurance that such cases will be dealt with in as forcible a manner as can be mustered.

Persons who feel wronged, he stressed, always have recourse to the Court of Appeal and his office as he is accessible to the public.

At the presentation ceremony, there was no physical budget available so that citizens could be able to peruse its content and make critiques. The City’s budget is no clandestine or secret service document and, therefore, as is expected with the Central Government, it must be accessible and widely disseminated.

The Finance Committee Chairman’s presentation was humdrum and lacklustre. His budget speech lacked vision and was marred by the fact that he was reporting merely on monies spent and earned in one instance and a projection for the next year in another.

Sadly, at no time did he give a clear indication on what were the major projects that the council plans to execute in each area that it has core responsibility for in 2014. He did not mention a word about how the council plans to deal with the solid waste crisis in the Capital City.

Surprisingly, mention was made of the revaluation of buildings and properties in the Capital but not in any

substantive way. There was no analysis as to how much tax was lost as a result of the Council’s amnesty programme neither was there any list produced of tax defaulters for the year 2013. The Budget had no theme and lacked any intellectual aptitude. What were the goodies in this year’s budget?

Additionally, a distasteful act occurred when the Mayor Hamilton Green went after Prime Minister Sam Hinds with no civility, accusing him of lacking integrity and spreading mistruths and propaganda against the opposition.

Green wasted no time in turning the budget presentation into a battle field, as he took on Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker and Town Clerk Carl Sooba, as all of the councillors sat in resounding silence.

No one will take the City Council seriously if there is no urgent change in the status quo there. It can’t be business as usual even if there is anticipation that Local Government Elections will be held this year.

Whether the political directorate accepts Sooba or not as Town Clerk, it should allow her to do her work without hindrance. If she fails to create change and run the administration effectively, then she fails full stop.

This year should have given way to the birth of a new culture at the Georgetown Municipality, but sadly, old habits die hard. The stubborn status quo remains and it appears to be déjà vu all over again.

The City Council is like a soap opera and their actions fall into the famous song sung by Whitney Huston and Monica: “Same script, different cast”.

Venezuela expels Panama ambassador over ‘conspiracy’

Venezuela has expelled Panama’s ambassador and three other diplomats amid growing tensions over opposition protests. The officials were given 48 hours to leave the country. It comes a day after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro broke diplomatic relations and froze economic ties with Panama. At least 20 people have died in anti-government protests in Venezuela in the last month. Maduro has accused Panama of conspiring to bring down his government.

The latest fallout comes after the Central American

nation requested a meeting at the Organisation of American States (OAS) to

discuss Venezuela’s crisis.

“There are moves by the United States government in accord with a lackey government of a right-wing president which has been creating the conditions for the OAS and other bodies to step towards an intervention in our country,” Maduro said earlier this week.

Barricades

Four diplomats working at Panama’s embassy, including Ambassador Pedro Pereira, were declared “persona non grata” on Thursday, according to Panama’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mayra Arosemena. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said Venezuela also had suspended debt negotiations over US$1 billion owed to Panamanian exporters, according to reports.

Meanwhile a member of Venezuela’s National Guard and a motorcyclist became the latest victims of the unrest in the country on Thursday. The pair was shot dead during clashes that broke out when a group of men of motorcycles tried to clear opposition barricades in a street in Caracas. The opposition accuses the government of using armed civilian groups on motorcycles to break up demonstrations. Thousands of government supporters and troops took part in a huge parade through the centre of the capital, commemorating the first anniversary of former President Hugo Chavez’s death on March 5. In other parts of the city, anti-government protesters kept up their barricades, despite an appeal made by opposition leaders to “respect” the anniversary.

Venezuelans have long been complaining about high levels of crime, record inflation and shortages of some staple items. But in the last three weeks marches initially started by disgruntled students in the western states of Tachira and Merida spread to other areas and gained support. Panama said it was “astonished” by Venezuela’s decision to break diplomatic relations and called Maduro’s words “unacceptable”. (BBC News)

Digital opportunities open as St Lucia launches Internet exchange point

Saint Lucia celebrated its 35th year of independence with a bold step toward improving the quality of Internet services for its citizens. On February 28, the island joined the growing list of Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries reaping the benefits of a local Internet exchange point, or IXP.

The Saint Lucia exchange, called SLiX, was launched under the umbrella of a broader World Bank-funded Caribbean Communications Infrastructure Programme (CARCIP), coordinated by the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU). The IXP is a critical component of the overall project, which seeks to increase region-wide access to and uptake of broadband Internet service. The CTU has been engaged to coordinate CARCIP, which is a partnership between the World Bank and the governments of Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada. The programme aims, ultimately, to improve the efficiency of telecommunications infrastructure development and technology-driven service delivery throughout the wider Caribbean. Through the World Bank’s International Development Association, CARCIP was allocated a total disbursement of US$25 million, including loans to the three countries and a grant to the CTU to execute a number of regional ICT-related development projects. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

U.S. warship in Black Sea as Ukraine’s Crimea readies for referendum

U.S. Navy destroyer, the USS Truxtun, has crossed Turkey’s Bosphorus and entered the Black Sea. With the Crimea Peninsula getting ready to hold a referendum on independence from Ukraine in a week, the U.S. is ramping up its military presence in the region.

USS Truxton is heading to “previously planned” training exercises with the Bulgarian and Romanian navies, AFP reported earlier. At the same time, Fox News declared that NATO’s bolstering presence in the Black Sea is a “defensive” measure to counter “Russian military aggression” in Ukraine.

The situation in Ukraine is close to financial and humanitarian catastrophe, urging mass protests in eastern regional centres against self-proclaimed government in Kiev. The autonomous Crimea region is preparing

to hold a March 16 referendum on whether it wants to remain part of Ukraine or join Russia, after ousted President Viktor Yanukovich fled the country and the opposition imposed a central government.

Subsequently, Russia’s upper chamber of the parliament approved the possibility of Moscow deploying troops to Ukraine and particularly to Crimea – but only to protect ethnic Russians in Crimea. On Friday night, Vladimir Putin’s Press Secretary, Dmitry Peskov, warned of possible ethnic cleansing of the Russians in Crimea if the people who seized power in Kiev also grasp autonomy.

Peskov stressed that Russians in Crimea and eastern Ukraine are “scared and are asking for help from Russia”. “We fully understand the fears that now prevail in the East [of

Ukraine,” Peskov acknowledged.

However, the U.S. State Department doesn’t see any possible danger to millions of ethnic Russians. Russians make up well over 17 per cent of Ukraine’s 45 million population, whereas in Crimea Russians are over 58 per cent of the autonomy’s nearly two million population.

“There are no confirmed reports of threats to ethnic Russians,” Eric Rubin said, testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Rubin is a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.

USS Truxton, with a crew of about 300, is an Arleigh Burke class destroyer equipped with the Aegis combat system, which integrates the ship’s radar, sensors and missile weapons to engage anti-ship missile threats.

The warship is part of the USS George W Bush Carrier Strike Group currently stationed in Greece. The carrier is not expected to move into the Black Sea in respect of the Montreux Convention of 1936, which closed Turkish Bosphorus and Dardanelles for ships with deadweight over 45,000 tons. With its 97,000 tons, the USS George W Bush is the world’s largest warship. (Excerpt from RT News)

Around the World

Malaysia Airlines flight ‘presumed crashed’

AMalaysia Airlines flight carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew has gone missing over the South China Sea is presumed crashed.

The airline on Saturday said search and rescue teams from countries closest to the missing plane’s flight path had been sent to scour a large area near its last known location. The search efforts by flight have been stopped until morning, while efforts by sea still continue, according to authorities. A crash, if con-

firmed, would mark the United States-built Boeing 777-200ER airliner’s deadliest incident since entering service 19 years ago.

Malaysia’s flag carrier said flight MH370 disappeared, without giving a distress signal, at 02:40h local time on Saturday (18:40h GMT Friday), about two hours after leaving Kuala Lumpur International Airport. It had been due to arrive in Beijing at 06:30h local time on Saturday (22:30h GMT Friday).

Vietnam said its rescue

planes spotted two large oil slicks in the sea and it was sending boats to the area. “Two of our aircraft sighted two oil slicks around 15 to 20 kilometres long, running parallel, around 500 metres apart from each other,” the army’s deputy chief of staff, Vo Van Tuan, told state-run VTV. The flight was carrying 154 people from China or Taiwan, 38 Malaysians, seven Indonesians, six Australians and five Indians, the airline said. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Woman still in custody for probe into husband’s death World Glaucoma Week begins today

Yonette Gumbs of 1525 Onderneeming, Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara remains in custody at the Den Amstel Police Station for the death of her common-law husband Dennis Harris.

Harris died minutes after punching a glass window on Thursday evening.

Sabrina Wray, the woman’s daughter told Guyana Times on Saturday that investigators visited the mortuary on Friday along with her mother where she identified his body.

The young woman stated that while inspecting Harris’s body, the police discovered a puncture to his elbow and several other scratches on his hand.

The scratches and puncture are consistent with the statement that was provided to the police by Gumbs, which stated that the man sustained injuries after he punched a glass window. She also stated that investigators are awaiting the post- mortem results and advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) before her mother is released.

Wray said that while the police have to do their job, they have no doubts about her mother’s statement. A senior rank of the Guyana

Police Force told Guyana Times that investigators are not treating the man’s death as a murder.

He said confirmed that the couple had a domestic dispute and the man was reportedly locked out of the house but in retaliation, he punched a window causing injuries to his hand. The possibility exists that the man might have bled to death.

Harris, 44, died on Friday morning about 01:00h while receiving treatment at the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

The circumstances surrounding his death are sketchy, but his commonlaw wife for seven years has been arrested and is assisting with investigations.

Based on reports received, the couple had a heated argument at their rented home when he reportedly punched a window after he was put out of the house. This would have resulted in him receiving injuries to the hand.

After calling out for Gumbs in an attempt to tell her that he was injured and there was no response, he reportedly walked to his cousin’s home a short distance away but collapsed. He was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he succumbed.

While at the hospital, Guyana Times understands that he was reluctant in receiving treatment for his wound. However, he eventually got himself settled but died while receiving treatment.

Harris and Gumbs have been living together for the past seven years and despite being constantly verbally and physically abused; she never made a report against him.

The man’s body was taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home and is awaiting a post-mortem examination. He leaves to mourn his only son and a number of siblings.

By Dr ShailenDra Sugrim

The World Glaucoma Association and World Glaucoma Patient Association has designated March 9 to 15 World Glaucoma Week. The theme for this year’s campaign is ‘BIG’ (Beat Invisible Glaucoma) campaign.

This campaign was chosen because of the fact that many people suffer with glaucoma and they still do not know it! It is called “invisible” glaucoma because the disease acts silently by causing damage to the optic nerve (the eye nerve which allows us to see the world) without the patient having any noticiable symptoms.

Hence, bit-by-bit, over the years, this damage continues, unknown to the patient, until the entire nerve is destroyed. This nerve damage (called glaucomatous optic neuropathy) is permanent and cannot be reversed. Hence, at that time when the patient begins to start experiencing visual symptoms, they would already have had significant nerve damage.

Thus, there is need for early screening of the disease. Once glaucoma is diagnosed in the early stage, treatment can commence, and thereby prevent persons from becoming blind unnecessarily. Glaucoma can be controlled with treatment so that patients can enjoy comfortable vision throughout their life.

Public awareness

This is the reason public awareness and education is of utmost importance.

Every year, in the month of March, an entire week is designated to raise awareness about this blinding disease.

Some 60.5 million persons had glaucoma globally in 2010 and given the aging of the worlds’ population, this number may increase to almost 80 million by 2020. In the Englishspeaking Caribbean, the 1990s

Barbados Eye Studies found prevalent rates of Open Angle Glaucoma (OAG) by self-reported race to be seven per cent in the black population aged 50 years and over.

Over 50 per cent of the Barbados Eye Study population were unaware they had the disease. Hence, there is need for constant public education to increase awareness of the disease.

In Guyanese patients, Open Angle Glaucoma is the most common form of this disease. Patients of AfroGuyanese origin are more prone to develop open angle glaucoma and are more likely to have family members suffering from glaucoma. It has also been found that glaucoma in Afro-Guyanese patients is usually very severe and more difficult to treat.

Treatment

Patients need to understand the importance of using their medication on time and in the correct manner. At GPHC, the most common surgery that is offered for glaucoma is called Trabeculectomy

At the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), the Department of Ophthalmology offers services for diagnosing and treating glaucoma. These services are now boosted with the presence of a Guyanese Consultant Ophthalmologist, who is also a Glaucoma Specialist. The hospital offers daily eye clinics on weekdays where patients can be given eye examinations for the detection of glaucoma. Patients need to be referred to the hospital before they can obtain an appointment for any service. These referrals can be obtained from their general physicians. Patients who suffer from closed-angle glaucoma and other secondary glaucoma may or may not have eye pain and other symptoms, but in general open angle glaucoma does not routinely cause eye pain. There are many ways to treat open angle glaucoma. Treatment of glaucoma includes anti-glaucoma eye drops, laser treatment and glaucoma surgery. The usual pattern is to start patients on anti-glaucoma eye drops and some patients can be prescribed as much as four different eye drops. If eye drops fail to control glaucoma, patients can then be given the option of having laser treatment or glaucoma surgery. Management of glaucoma at GPHC includes constant follow-up visits to the eye clinic to have the eye pressures checked and for the ophthalmologist to evaluate whether the eye drops are controlling the glaucoma. The visual field examination results of patients are evaluated on a regular basis to ensure that the patients’ optic nerve is being protected from further damage.

Unfortunately, once a patient has lost all function of their optic nerve there is not any option available currently to regenerate the nerve. Damage to the optic nerve is permanent; thus loss of vision is permanent.

This year, in observance of World Glaucoma Week, the Health Ministry in collaboration with the Georgetown Public Hospital has created an information pamphlet on glaucoma that will be distributed at regional hospitals and health centres.

The pamphlet, created by Glaucoma Specialist, Dr Shailendra Sugrim, has simple language for easy comprehension by the general public. It carries basic information about glaucoma and how to get your eyes screened.

During World Glaucoma Week, articles on Glaucoma will also be published in the media, along with radio and TV interviews. (Dr Shailendra Sugrim is a Consultant Ophthalmologist and Glaucoma Specialist at the GPHC.)

Fyrish woman gunned down, sister critically injured

Police are hunting for a gunman who fatally shot a woman in the head and critically wounded her sister about 23:00h on Friday night at a Lot 10 Fyrish Road, Corentyne, Berbice home.

Dead is Patricia Samaroo, 64. Her sister Anette Samaroo, 48, is critically injured.

Veronica Samaroo, 37, of Bristol Street, Number Two Village, East Canje, a daughter of the deceased woman, described the event as “tragic” and “un-

fortunate”.

She told Guyana Times that her father passed away about four months ago, and since then she has been taking care of her mother who resided with her.

However, the late widow went to visit her sister in Fyrish where she indicated she would spend the night, but around 23:00h, Veronica said she received a call informing her about the incident.

“I hear that she went sid down by me aunty deh and two bandits come in and dem just shot my modda and then when me antie called, one ah dem shoot she too,” Patricia said.

Veronica is of the view that her mother was the target, pointing out that when the bandits entered the home, they focused on her mother. Patricia was shot to the head at point blank range.

“Dem shot she directly pon she head fa she die like yo know, but like dem-

na really go fa me antie dem… when me reach ah hospital me see me mudda dead, bai… she lay down on de stretcher fresh, fresh dead… blood running out all she eyes and ears, bai,” she wept.

Peaceful woman

Veronica said her mother never had a problem with anyone and was dependent on her to survive since the death of her father.

She also disclosed that her family comes from a

poor background and her father died without leaving a cent for them.

Two of her brothers are currently in jail for various offences.

Asked why she thinks her mother was the target and not her aunt who is alleged to be involved in an illicit activity, Veronica said she is clueless.

“To be honest, me mammy does all time be home, she don’t go no way but me get two broda, dem, kinda bad right now dem two in lock up deh, one fa thief car and the oda wan dem catch he with drugs, me buddie demna really bandits but me na know wha happen, one name Marvin and Ravin, all ah we ah Samaroo,” she said.

One of her brothers was implicated for hijacking a car while the other was charged for possession of narcotics.

Patricia said is of the view that her aunt may have been aware of the motive for the shooting but her mother did not deserve to die in a gruesome manner.

The distraught woman said she does not have money to bury her mother, and is appealing for help.

Guyana Times also spoke to Elizabeth Simon, a daughter of the critically injured woman, who at the

time of the shooting was sitting next to her mother. Simon, 16, said on the night in question, her mother (Anette), her late aunt (Patricia) and about 10 others were having a conversation when suddenly they heard a loud noise.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22Jan. 19)

To move in a new direction, you need to determine what’s required. Self-improvements should be made before tackling the professional challenges that you want to conquer.

(Jan. 20Feb. 19)

(Feb.20March 20)

You are admired for your ability to be comfortable in unusual situations. Your adaptability has made a very positive impression, leading to interest and invitations that can improve your future. Don’t feel dissatisfied with your current routine. Make a list of the things you want to change and form a concrete plan that will help you achieve your goals. Initiate positive choices.

(March 21-April 19)

Socialise or take on a physical challenge in order to avoid boredom and lethargy. New acquaintances can make an impact by playing a significant role in your future.

(April 20May 20)

Money matters should take top priority. Seek out a financial adviser and find out all you can about budgeting and investing your hard-earned cash. It’s time to capitalise on your assets.

(May 21June 20)

Don’t let your temper get the better of you. The less you interact with others, the easier it will be to get things done and avoid an unpleasant scene.

By Bernice Bede Osol

(June 21July 22)

You need to step back and re-evaluate a situation that has the potential to go bad. Clinging to someone or something could lead to an awkward dilemma or an outright loss.

(July 23Aug. 22)

You have the ability to influence others in a positive way. Use your talents to benefit causes that you care about. You will be held in high regard for your contributions.

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

You can accomplish a great deal if you focus on activities that you enjoy and sidestep petty squabbles that you can’t win. Don’t let ulterior motives cause a costly battle.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Your career concerns are overshadowing your personal life. Lighten up and enjoy your family and friends. A chance meeting at a community event will be eye-opening.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

A friend or relative will need your help. If you answer the call, you’ll learn something about your cultural background that will influence your future in a positive manner.

(Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Do your best to encourage the people around you. Positive affirmation will help boost others’ confidence and ensure that you get help when you need it.

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The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is demanding a complete re-evaluation of nurse training in order to improve patient care.

The coalition in a release said public concerns have been expressed over recent and repeated reports of mismanagement in hospital wards, mis-treatment of patients and mistakes leading to maternal deaths.

The Guyana Nurses Association (GNA) has pointed out, however, that the problems facing the health care system are chronic, and the most serious being the conditions and quality of nurse training.

The Health Ministry manages three nursing schools – the Georgetown School of Nursing, the

New Amsterdam School of Nursing and the Charles Roza Nursing School – all of which have experienced major problems.

The results of the most recent professional nursing examination were evidence of deep-rooted difficulties and deficiencies in training.

Results of nursing students who participated in final examinations in October 2013 were released last month. Reports indicated that, of 120 student nurses from the Georgetown School of Nursing, only 19 were successful. A total of 255 student nurses entered the three-year Professional Nursing Programme in April 2010 but just over 120 persevered to write the final examinations.

Senior officials from

the Georgetown Public Hospital and Guyana Nurses Association executives expressed alarm at the high failure rate of the last cohort of student nurses from Georgetown, Linden and New Amsterdam. The main problems cited in the three schools were overcrowding, understaffing, insufficient training materials, inadequate infrastructure and indiscipline.

APNU pointed out that Guyana spends about $600 million on nurses’ education annually but is losing too many graduates through migration to foreign countries. APNU demands an immediate and intense investigation into nurse training in order to stop the haemorrhaging and rectify the problems in the health care system.

Fyrish woman gunned down...

“Ah set ah we bin deh sit down in the hall ah gyaf when we see the door fly open and two ah dem come in… dem say we ah police, no badie f… ..g move and dem start fiya shot, dem aim to me mammie sista fust,” the 16-year-old recalled.

Fight

She said one of her brothers who was in the house at the time scrambled the gunman they identified as “Popcorn” and a scuffle ensued; however, the shooter

managed to escape.

The teen said the men ran through School Road and made good their escape in a waiting white car.

“Dem police come last night and find dem gun shell and tekdem ah station, is Papcan is the one dat shot me mammie because she halla on he, he shot she…we know he fan Canje, and me uncle see he too, me know he too, he fine and he hair lang, is an Indian bai. He had on mask but I know he plus I know he voice,” she revealed, while

disclosing that the alleged perpetrator visits their home occasionally.

Simon also said one of the shots narrowly missed her, and as Popcorn was about to discharge another round; the gun malfunctioned. The late Patricia also known as “Aunty Patsy” leaves to mourn her three sons, one daughter and several grandchildren.

One of the attackers Solomon Milton, 23, of Nigg Settlement and another man is in police custody while the hunt continues for Popcorn.

Sri Lanka beat holders Pakistan in final

Sri Lanka cruised to a five-wicket win over holders Pakistan to lift the Asia Cup in Dhaka.

Pakistan made 260-5 from their 50 overs thanks to Fawad Alam’s 114, before opener Lahiru Thirimanne hit 101 to help Sri Lanka seal victory with 22 balls remaining.

Fast bowler Lasith Malinga’s 5-56 restricted Pakistan after they had recovered well from 18-3.

It is the first time Sri Lanka have won the trophy since 2008.

Having won the toss and decided to bat, Pakistan needed more heroics from Fawad, who hit 74 off 70 balls against Bangladesh to seal their place in the final.

He shared in a third-wicket partnership of 122 in 32.1 overs with Misbah-ul-Haq and then helped Pakistan accelerate by adding 115 in only 13 overs with wicketkeeper Umar Akmal, who hit 59 off 42 balls.

He finally reached his first one-day international century

off 134 balls, including eight fours and three sixes.

Sir Lanka also struggled in reply, spinner Saeed Ajmal dismissing opener Kusal Perera and Kumar Sangakkara with successive balls to leave them struggling on 56 for two.

But Thirimanne teamed up with former captain

Mahela Jayawardene and forged a 156-run third-wicket stand spanning 27 overs to put them back on course.

Jayawardene fell for 75his highest score in 15 one-day internationals since scoring

107 against India in Kingston last July - but Thirimanne continued to reach his century and all but secure Sri Lanka’s triumph. It is their fifth Asia Cup success, equalling the record of India. (BBC Sport)

SCOREBOARD

Pakistan innings

Khan c T Perera b Malinga 8

Shehzad c Sangakkara b Malinga 5 Hafeez c Sangakkara b Malinga 3

Misbah-ul-Haq c K Perera b Malinga 65

Fawad not out 114

U Akmal c Priyanjan b Malinga 59

Shahid Afridi not out 0

Extras (5-w, 1-lb) 6

Total (for 5 wickets; 50 overs) 260

Bowling: Malinga 10-056-5, Lakmal 10-2-41-0, Senanayake 9-0-54-0, T Perera 10-1-66-0, Mathews 7-123-0, de Silva 4-0-19-0

Fall of wickets: 8 (Khan), 17 (Shehzad), 18 (Hafeez), 140 (Misbah-ul-Haq), 255 (U Akmal)

Sri Lanka innings K Perera st U Akmal b Ajmal 42 Thirimanne b Ajmal 101 Sangakkara lbw b Ajmal 0 M Jayawardene c Khan b Talha 75 Priyanjan c U Akmal b Junaid Khan 13

Mathews not out 16 de Silva not out 6

Extras (1-nb, 5-w, 1-b, 1-lb) 8

Total (for 5 wickets; 46.2 overs) 261

Bowling: Hafeez 9-0-42-0, Gul 6-0-44-0, Junaid Khan 9-0-561, Ajmal 10-2-26-3, Talha 6.20-56-1, Shahid Afridi 6-0-35-0

Fall of wickets: 56 (K Perera), 56 (Sangakkara), 212 (M Jayawardene), 233 (Priyanjan), 247 (Thirimanne)

GFF shortlists provisional squad for CFU Championship Cup

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has shortlisted dozens of footballers as part of a provisional squad to compete in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Championship Cup in May.

The first Physical Evaluation of players selected by the Technical Committee of the GFF will commence on Tuesday at 17:00h at the Camp Ayangana (GDF) ground, Georgetown.

The following players are required to attend this evaluation: Les Charles Critchlow (Slingerz), Delroy Ferdinand (Rosignol), Sheldon Holder (Alpha), Anthony Belfield (Alpha), Daniel Wilson (Alpha), Joshua Brown (Slingerz), Trevon Lythcott (Western), Andre Hector (Den Amstel), Jamal Harvey (Uitvulgt), Nickel Fraser (BV), Delwyn Fraser (GDF), Denvor Dennis (Buxton), Clive Andries (Alpha), Delon Lanferman (Den Amstel), Quacy McAulay (Slingerz), Clive Nobrega (Slingerz), Michael Pedro (Western), Clarence Huggins (Milerock), Jermaine Grandison (Milerock), Eon Alleyne (Alpha), Rondell Hutson (Slingerz), Errol Davis (Net Rockers), Delon Charter (Eagles), Jahal Greaves (Camptown), Dwayne Lawrence, Colin Nelson (Slingerz), Andre Hector, Hubert Pedro (Western Tigers), Vurlon Mills (Slingerz), Keoma Sullivan (Buxton United), Keon Norville (Buxton United), Amos Ramsey (Riddim Squad), Llyton Ramsey (Riddim Squad), Leonaldo Adams (NA United), Kester Jacobs (Alpha), Dwaine Jacobs (Alpha), Richie Richards (Alpha), Jason Cromwell (Buxton United), Colwyn David (Silver Shattas), D. McDonald, Gregory Richardson (Alpha), Andrew Murray (Alpha), Kris Camacho (Alpha), Manasseh Primo (Alpha), Dwight Peters (Alpha) and Anthony Abrams (Alpha).

Multi-million dollar race meet at Rising Sun today

Flashback! Part of the action in a previous meet held at the Rising Sun Turf Club

More than 100 horses will vie for over $8 million in prizes when the Rising Sun Turf Club (RSTC) stages the club’s inaugural meet of the year today at the club’s race track at Arima Park, West Coast Berbice.

The race meet is held in collaboration with the Shariff Business Enterprise and Racing Stable and the organisers have put together an impressive seven-race programme with all the big names set to be on show for what should be a day of scintillating rivalry.

The feature race is classified for horses in the C class category. That event has close to $2 million in prize monies, with the winner set to cart off with $1 million and a trophy, compliments of Banks DIH Limited, over 1400 meters.

The other events listed on the day’s card are the Four-year-old race for West Indies Maiden and Guyana

bred horses for a $400,000 first prize.

The F Class event has a similar winner’s prize, while the Three-year-old race is for West Indies and Guyana bred and born horses and the G3 and Lower race, both with a winning prize set at $300,000. There is a race for I Class horses, with the pole position takings set at $250,000.

The other event on the programme is for horses classified J and Lower and will see the winner receiving $180,000.

Meanwhile, the club president, Fazal Habibulla, told this publication on Saturday via telephone that all preparations are in place for today’s event.

The races will be conducted under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority. Race time is 12:30h and admission to the venue is $1,000. (Rajiv Bisnauth)

WI look for T20 feelgood factor

Now the serious World T20 preparations can begin. The week ahead provides a valuable opportunity for the teams to fine-tune their plans ahead of Bangladesh.

Chris Gayle’s return is crucial for West Indies although there will be plenty of crossed fingers that he is over his injury problems. Their top order did not pack anything like the same fear-factor without him in the ODIs and the stagnant starts were a major reason England were able to rebound and take the series.

For England the whole trip has been geared towards the World T20, with a bespoke squad given a longer time to work together, and these three matches will provide a clearer idea of what Ashley Giles and Stuart Broad have in store. Their plans have taken a hit, however, with the injury to Joe Root although Alex Hales should be fit to resume his role at the top of the order.

Balance

There will be a balance to strike for the captains and coaches: there is a series at stake, and professional pride will want to win it, but there may also be a temptation to ensure every player who is boarding a plane

to Bangladesh gets at least one run out over these three matches.

He’s back. And West Indies will hope that Chris Gayle’s return is not a false start this time. He can win Twenty20 matches in 10 overs; few players hit the ball harder or further. His comeback against Irelandfollowing the hamstring injury suffered against India last November - was a brief

affair as a cautious approach was taken with a view to this format. A lack of cricket may hinder him, but then again Gayle could still swagger in and club the ball all over Kensington Oval.

Eoin Morgan has had a stop-start tour so far, struck by a knee injury during the warm-up match and playing just one of the ODIs where he was bowled third ball by Sunil Narine. Therefore, this series is especially important for him to find his stride before reaching Bangladesh. In the absence of Kevin Pietersen, the onus will be on Morgan to bring that sprinkle of something special to the middle-order and it will be interesting to watch how high he bats and how flexible the strategy with him is.

Team news

Having stuck with their main ODI squad in Antigua, West Indies now bring in their T20 specialists. Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher are batting options, Samuel Badree provides a rolling leg-spinner, Andre Russell adds to the lower-order hitting, while Krishmar Santokie and Sheldon Cottrell provided the much sought-after left-arm angle.

West Indies (possible)

1 Chris Gayle, 2 Dwayne Smith, 3 Johnson Charles, 4

Marlon Samuels, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 7 Darren Sammy (capt), 8 Andre Russell, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Ravi Rampaul, 11 Samuel Badree Alex Hales will return to partner Michael Lumb after missing his one-day chance through injury so Moeen Ali could slip down a spot to cover for the absent Joe Root. Spin was a major success in the ODIs, but the Kensington Oval surface is unlikely to offer as much assistance so room may need to be found for an extra paceman, either Chris Jordan or Jade Dernbach. The latter will cause consternation among many England supporters.

England (possible) 1 Alex Hales, 2 Michael Lumb, 3 Moeen Ali, 4 Eoin Morgan, 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Ravi Bopara, 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Stuart Broad (capt), 10 James Tredwell, 11 Chris Jordan. (Cricinfo)

Telenec U-15 Club Cricket Competition in Berbice… Sinclair slams 100 and takes 7-4 for Police

he 2014 Telenec Inc.

TUnder-15 Inter-club cricket competition started recently across the Ancient County of Berbice. Highlighting the matches played was the outstanding all-rounder performance of Police’s Kevin Sinclair, who bowling off-spin, took seven wickets for four runs from four overs to help skittle out Rose Hall Community Centre for a paltry 13 in their first innings.

He then opened the batting and slammed an even hundred after which he retired after being involved in a stand of 186 with Ravindra Beharry, who made 42. Police went on to make 217-8 declared in their first innings, not giving themselves a chance to push for an outright win as Rose Hall held out for a draw with 19-2 in their second innings.

Off-spinner Seon Glasgow, Jr took 4-31 and leg-spinner Sachin Veerasammy snared 3-3 to help Blairmont Community Centre bowl out Bush Lot New Generation

for 79 in their first innings. Blairmont then led by 65 from Sachin Veerasammy replied with 166-6 declared. Bush Lot in their second innings made 112 with Kris Ramnarine, a Berbice Under-15 Inter-county player, slamming 82, while Glasgow took 6-24 to end with match figures of 10-55. Rose Hall Town Farfan and Mendes’ outright victory over Big Star was set up by 62 from Kevon Anderson and an eight-wicket match haul from left-arm spinner, Emanuel Seecharran.

Eastman comes up trump in CIDI cycling race

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

The youthful exuberance of Linden’s cycling sensation Hamzah Eastman outgunned the experience of Paul Choo Wee Nam on Saturday afternoon when beverage company Caribbean International Distributors Inc (CIDI) staged its first cycling event, an 11-race programme on the inner circuit of the National Park.

Eastman emerged a comfortable winner after the race became a two-fight between himself and Choo Wee Nam, who pulled away from a breakaway pack on lap 21.

They two rode together for the remaining 14 laps of the feature School Boys and Invitational 35-lap race, constantly increasing their lead over the other riders, who formed a large bunch, and were left with no choice but to tussle for positions three to six.

When race official Joseph Britton rang the bell to signal the start of the final lap, Eastman and Choo Wee Nam promised the few spectators on hand a heated sprint finish.

One-sided affair

However, Eastman made it a one-sided affair, sprinting away from his closest rival on the final 800m of the race to seal what turned out to be a comfortable win.

Britton stopped the timer at one hour, 18 minutes, 03 seconds (01h: 18m: 03s) when Eastman crossed the line unchallenged, leaving Choo Wee Nam to settle for second.

In a spirited battle for the remaining positions, Orville Hinds emerged with third sport, followed by Robin Persaud, Alonzo Ambrose and Paul deNobrega in that order.

Earlier in the day, Sherwin Sampson continued his dominance in the BMX races, cart-

ing off top honours in both events he entered.

He won the BMX 6-9 and BMX 9-12 races. Alexander Leung and Esau Jaisingh were second and third respectively in the BMX 6-9, while Thuran Garbarran was the other rider in the BMX 9-12.

Adrian Sharma and Rawle Small tasted victory in the BMX Open and BMX 1214 (Boys) respectively, while Jamal John, Raphael Leung and Toshanna Doris were 1-2-3 in the 12-14 (Boys and Girls).

Michael Anthony took the Juveniles race ahead of Stephano Husbands and Cleveland King, while Clyde Jacobs, Nigel Jacobs and Emmanuel Gayari were the leading performers in that order in the Mountain Bike race.

The Veterans Under-50 race was won by Junior Niles, with Ralph Williams and Kennard Lovell finishing second and third respectively, while Linden Blackman got the better of Virgil Jones in the Veterans Over50.

In a clash of two stalwats of the sport, Maurice Fagundes crossed the finish line ahead of his friend and rival Anthony Fariah in the Veterans Over-60 race.

The race was organised by national cycling coach Hassan Mohamed and sponsored for the first time by CIDI, under its Thrill soft drink and Blue Life Water products.

Officials of the company, present to witness the race and assist in the presentation ceremony, expressed their pleasure at being part of the activity, noting that the sponsorship will continue in the future.

The company has also committed to being part of the annual Teach Them Young cycling programme, which has been conducted by Mohamed for over three decades during the July/August period.

Trophy Stall/EBFA U-15 League…

Grove Hi Tech, Diamond United complete contrasting wins

When play in the Trophy Stall sponsored East Bank Football Association (EBFA) Under-15 League continued on Saturday at the Grove Playfield, Grove Hi Tech maintained their unbeaten record with a comfortable 3-0 win over Soesdyke, while Diamond United recorded their first win by a 2-1 margin over a stout Herstelling FC.

Grove, playing in the feature game against Soesdyke Falcons, who won their first game one week before by a whopping 10-1 margin, failed this time around to trouble the goal despite creating quite a number of opportunities.

Grove did not make that mistake as they capitalised on most of the chances they created. They opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Kevin Padmore put his shot away. Soesdyke just couldn’t get it

right in the final third.

The advantage was doubled by Grove 28 minutes on; Randy Smartt it was who nailed his shot past the Soesdyke goalie. The game was put beyond the reach of the visitors from Timehri three minutes to full time, compliments of a Threvon Pluck goal.

The opening game was an exciting affair between Diamond and Herstelling, two teams that are still in the learning curve as regards competitive football.

Supporters from both sides were kept cheering throughout the exciting encounter. Diamond and Herstelling both lost their opening encounters and were eager to taste victory. Diamond it was that took the early lead through a Daniel Melville goal and they held that advantage for the entire first half.

Herstelling enjoyed quite

Milo U-20 Schools Football…

David Rose trounce Richard Ishmael 5-1

By TReisTon Joseph

David Rose Secondary put on their finest performance yet when the 2014 edition of the Milo Under-20 schools football tournament continued on Saturday at the Education Ministry ground.

David Rose started off without rhythm against Richard Ishmael Secondary, who looked on the verge of scoring.

However, David Rose would find the back of the net in the 24th minute from the boot of Stephon Green that opened up the defense of Ishmael.

Sherwin Charles would then add to David Rose’s tally with a drilling kick in the 33rd minute to put the school up 2-0.

David Rose’s onslaught would continue with the three straight goals from

Akeem Giddings in the 43rd, Adrian Wong in the 44th and Sherwin Joe in 58th minute.

Ishmael ensured all was not lost as Richardo King capitalised in the 68th minute for a consolation goal. The game ended 5-1 in favour of David Rose.

The lads from Queens College had to tough it out against a strong Tutorial High team for a 2-1 victory.

Tutorial showed great intent early in the game with a goal in the third minute from David Coates as the team looked threatening from the blast of the whistle.

However, Queens College defense would play a major role in their comeback by starting the counter attacks as the first one paid off in the ninth minute with a goal from Jay Devmonay

as the game played out to a stalemate until half-time.

Ashmar Angel then capitalised for Queens with a goal in the 42nd minute that put them ahead for good, giving them the three points in their group.

Meanwhile, Kingston High School won their third consecutive game against Carmel Secondary 3-1.

Levi Williams opened the scoring for Kingston with a goal in the seventh minute before Marlon Need equalised in the 14th minute for Carmel Secondary.

Alister Holder ensured Kingston went to half-time ahead with a goal in the 31st minute, eventually handing his team a 2-1 advantage.

On resumption, Shawn Greavesande scored in the 45th minute to sink the ship of Carmel.

Colours Boutique chips in with sponsorship

a bit of the possession on resumption and it was no surprise when they equalised with a well taken shot off the boot of James Walcott. The exchanges continued between the two sides at an even exchange and when it seemed like the game was heading for a draw, skillful work from Teon Forde brought the winning goal for Diamond.

Forde collected a loose ball just in the Herstelling half with most of the opposing players in the Diamond half in offensive mode, and weaved his way past two Herstelling players before slotting the ball past the goal keeper in style.

Soon after, the final whistle was sounded, handing Diamond their first points of the league, while Herstelling remains without a point but can tap themselves on the shoulders for a fine and very improved performance.

Colours Boutique, located on Robb Street, Georgetown, is the latest corporate entity to lend support the fourth Hugh Rioss Classic and Bodybuilding Show, which is slated for March 29 at the National Cultural Centre.

Customer Service Representative, Allicon Blackman, handed over the entity’s contribution to Hugh Ross Classic Sponsorship Officer, Dexter Garnett, in the presence of Hugh Ross recently.

Blackman noted that

Colours Boutique has been a part of the show from its inception and feels vindicated to its continued participation since the show brings together the best athletes in Guyana and it also contributes towards the development of the sport.

Ross in response expressed gratitude to Blackman and the management of Colours Boutique for the confidence they continue to display in the show which will have as its guest poser, IFBB Pro athlete, Jeff “Classic” Beckham.

Three female categories will be contested on the night, which includes Female Bodybuilding, Miss Figure and Miss Bikini. The male categories are: Bantamweight- up to 65kgs (143lbs), Lightweightup to 70kgs (144-154lbs), Welterweight- up to 75kgs (155-165lbs), Light Middleweight- up to 80kgs (166-176lbs), Heavyweight (176 and over). The respective category winners will then compete in the overall when the winner will be crowned Mr HRC 2014.

Regional Four-Day Tournament Benn, Nurse put Barbados in control

By Rajiv Bisnauth

Barbados spinners

Sulieman Benn and Ashley Nurse took eight wickets between them to put defending champions Barbados in a strong position against Guyana on the second day of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-Day game on Saturday.

Guyana squandered a 92-run first wicket partnership as its batsmen struggled against the wizardry of Nurse and Benn, eventually folding for 140, 43 minutes into the second session.

With a lead of 44 runs, Barbados rallied to 116 for four at the close, an overall lead of160 runs under lights at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Kevin Stoute and Shane Dowrich are the not out batsmen on 15 and nine respectively.

The batsmen dismissed in Barbados’ second innings were openers Kraigg Brathwaite (five), Rashidi Boucher (36), Roston Chase (30) and Jonathan Carter (19).

Resuming on the overnight total of 35 without loss, after bamboozling the visitors for 184 within the first hour of play during the final session on Friday evening, former Test opener Sewnarine Chattergoon and young Taignarine Chanderpaul saw through the tricky opening hour, scoring just 35 runs.

They did so with great confidence, after Barbados attacked relentlessly with their three pacers for the better part of first hour, cutting off the run-supply and keeping the pressure on.

However, after Guyana’s 50 came up in 25.5 overs, Chattergoon, who represented the regional side in four Tests and 18 ODIs, stepped up the momentum.

He smashed seven boundaries and hammered Tino Best

over the square leg boundary to register his 22 First Class half-century.

Chanderpaul, meanwhile, continued his watchful vigil, flexing his muscles only when a loose ball came along.

However, Chattergoon’s impatience caused him his demise. He was dismissed by off spinner Ashley Nurse for an even 50. With his dismissal, Guyana folded like a pack of cards.

Assad Fudadin went for a first ball duck to Nurse, after which Narsingh Deonarine was run out without adding to the score while skipper Christopher Barnwell (2), was also dismissed by Nurse, who finished with three for 51.

Chanderpaul, who was dropped on 29 and the diminutive Vishual Singh, took Guyana to lunch at 107-4, still 77 runs behind Barbados’ first innings total.

Upon resumption, the 17-year-old Chanderpaul, who had got into his strides, was run out for 41.

Guyana’s last five batsmen then faltered in the face of incisive bowling from left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, who claimed five for 28.

Barbados’ second innings was off to an equally terrible start with Kraigg Brathwaite (5) going leg before to Keon Joseph and at tea, Barbados were 18-1.

After the break, Guyana put down a number of catches, allowing Rashidi Boucher and Roston Chase to forge a 49-run second wicket partnership.

However, Raun Johnson got the crucial breakthrough of Boucher, before Devendra Bishoo and Narsingh Deonarine accounted for Jonathan Carter and Chase.

Dowrich joined Stoute and safely guided the visitors to the close. Play continues from 15:00h this afternoon. Admission is free.