Guyana Times International

‘Hindu School’ produces Guyana’s top CXC students

…Top student gains 20 Grade Ones

The Ministry of Education in Guyana has released the results of the 2015 Caribbean Secondary Examinations Council (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) which show the Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN), a private school at Cornelia Ida, in Region Three, copping the four top spots and Queens College dominating the CAPE performances.

SVN had more than 10 students in the preliminary results with Victoria Najab [Top Student] receiving 20 grade ones, Vamanad Hiralall with 19 grade ones and one grade two. Two other students of the school also scored 13 grade ones and these were; Parmeshrie Ramprasad and Nashani Nandalal.

Aaliyah Rasheed of Anna Regina Secondary scored 19 Grade Ones. Joshanna Hopksinson and Ashley Anthony of Queen’s College scored 18 and 17 Grade ones, re-

spectively.

Meanwhile, Cecil Cox of Queens College scored six Grade Ones and one Grade Three at CAPE, while Larissa Whiltshire also of Queens College scored 6 Grade ones.

Sandra Woodroffe, also of Queens College, scored 6 Grade Ones, while Shonta Noel of St Roses scored six Grade

ones and one Grade Two, both at CAPE.

Full analysis of individual candidates’ performances is not yet available. However, we have decided to publish a list of candidates who have secured Grade Ones passes in eight or more subjects from the Caribbean Examinations Council.

In response to our request for the list of persons who have secured Grade One passes in eight or more subjects, we received a list of one hundred and seventy two (172) candidates.

Of these forty seven (47) candidates secured eleven (11) Grades Ones or more, these candidates are listed below:

Agri Minister returns to work – after being hospitalised for heart trouble

Following his discharge from the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI), Agriculture Minister Noel Holder has resumed duties at his Ministry.

Guyana Times International understands that Holder had complained of chest pains on Sunday and was rushed to the St Joseph Mercy Hospital and then transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for treatment.

It was reported that the Minister was hospitalised at the CHI after suffering some ailment of the lungs and heart. He was unable to attend the presentation of the 2015 National Budget which was the first budget of his Government because he was hospitalised and kept under observation. Minister Holder had undergone tests and had been monitored for a heart rhythm disorder before his release.

NY-based eight-year-old girl launches book at National Library in Georgetown

An eight-yearold girl Anaya Lee Willabus on Wednesday launched her book, “The Day Mohan Found His Confidence”, at the National Library’s Conference Room in the presence of Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes and Education Minister Rupert Roopnaraine.

Willabus, who was previously recognised by the New York State Assembly Chambers as the area’s youngest published author, was inspired by her vacation in Guyana to write the book. Her book tells the story of a young boy named Mohan and the many difficulties he experiences at home and at school.

The aspiring teacher was born in Brooklyn, New York to Guyanese parents Dimple and Winston Willabus who hail from Georgetown.

On June 9, 2015, the young writer was recognised by Guyaneseborn New York State Assemblywoman Roxanne Persaud, and received a proclamation recognising her work. Willabus has been invited to over 10 different events locally and

internationally for book signings and a bigger initiative, which is to promote reading and giving back. She hosted her first book signing event at the Bergen Beach Youth Organisation in Brooklyn, New York.

The eloquent young woman, in her address to the gathering, thanked

everyone for the support that she has received in her journey as an author. She emphasised that focus needed to be paid to the development of literacy. “I stand before you not only to promote my book, but a greater initiative…reading and giving back. It’s important to read since read-

ing helps in your comprehension skills and opens doors beyond your imagination,” she stressed while addressing the large gathering of children who were present at the activity. She applauded the Education Minister for “sharing her vision to promote reading”.

Minister Hughes, in her address, commended young Willabus on her achievement while encouraging other youths to utilise their ‘gifts’ of independence of thought , integrity, respect and discipline. “You must be the change you wish to see in Guyana,” she stated while urging young

people to develop their ability to choose wisely while shaping their destiny. “Never doubt your ability as a young person to start to change the world…..never doubt your ability to change Guyana,” she implored in closing.

Minister Roopnaraine, in his address to the audience, spoke of the importance of literacy as well as the need for improvements in the education system in Guyana. He has launched a Commission of Inquiry into the education system in the country. He stated that there was still much to be done and as such, he urged all stakeholders involved to be fully cooperative in the process.

He also revealed that he would be making music and sports mandatory subjects in school as he believed that they play a vital part in the development of rounded individuals. He iterated that parents play a vital part in setting the foundation of their children’s education and as such they should pay keen attention in ensuring that their children read and read often.

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EDITORIAL

The intention behind the Government’s negligence

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan remained almost invisible and quiet since the coalition Government took Office.

So quiet that one is led to wonder if he’s being deliberately silenced. His few attempts to address the drastic soar in crime observed over the past three months, appear to be a source of mockery and anger for the public, probably causing him to return to hide in his cocoon away from public criticism.

Could it be that the Security Minister is being dictated a code of conduct and a restricted agenda by others in Government, or is he simply incapable of handling the savagery which currently defines the actions of criminals?

While no one seems to be safe from the crime spree, not even 77 year old grandmothers or immigrants, the measures initiated by the Public Security Minister are a firsthand reflection of his inaptitude in understanding the challenges of and producing the solutions to the issue and nature of crimes in Guyana. It also questions the intention of the PNC-led Government, considering its apparent indifference to the escalation of crime.

Although female officers on horseback parading in Bel Air Park might be an interesting attraction, it most certainly doesn’t impact the reduction of crime. Nor is trying to convince Guyana that all Guyanese will be safe if they stop drinking at 2 am. Here Minister Ramjattan actually incurs the risk of developing underground activities to compensate for the reduction of business income, (probably boosting the “bush rum” industry!), subsequently increasing vulnerability of Guyanese.

Now, Minister Ramjattan has decided to take up the fight against suicide, which, although it is a major socioeconomic issue in our society, doesn’t represent an immediate threat to random Guyanese going about their daily businesses. This is an initiative which could be prioritized simultaneously with policies aimed at reducing crime. Yet, it doesn’t seem to retain the Minister’s attention as one needing immediate action, even though the crimes committed are sometimes tinged with hues of Guyana’s ethnic divide.

While the majority of victims remain Guyanese, immigrants, particularly from the Brazilian and Chinese communities, who contribute heavily to what was a vibrant South American economy up to a few months ago, are also targeted. The brutal massacre of a Chinese national who owned a restaurant on Mandela Avenue is proof that no one is exempt from being targeted. The Government’s laid-back attitude could be interpreted by both the criminals and the wider society as a calculated negligence regarding the exposure of hard working Guyanese, including those of the business community, to crime.

Also, the discriminatory behaviour of public authorities regardless of the country’s cultural diversity or constant flux of foreigners, is overtly visible. For instance, there’s the case of a Canadian woman being assaulted by guards at a popular Regent Road mall. Even more recent is the case of eight Indian nationals who were left on the Tarmac of the CJIA after an Insel Air aircraft refused to transport the men who were initially refused permission to stay in Guyana for different reasons. They were treated no better than criminals, as they were left on the CJIA tarmac until it was decided what the next step would be in dealing with their case.

However, Guyanese who are known to have migrated in countries across the world also face strict, sometimes discriminatory immigration policies, especially in the U.S. In this regard, the Government, and in particular Citizenship Minister Felix, should promote nondiscriminatory policies, especially for immigrants who come to Guyana to invest, and must also ensure that Guyana is perceived as a non-hostile country on the international scene. After all, what message are we sending to our neighbours and the world if our own Government, overseeing a culturally diverse country, cannot treat immigrants with respect?

But what is the point of even investing in a decent immigration policies when the Public Security Ministry is failing at its principal mandate, that of creating a friendly, hospitable and secure society? For although this country needs the human and financial capital offered by immigrants, our Government is failing to create the environment in which they could safely thrive. The negative consequences will befall both Guyanese and investors.

The “Good Life” budget

On Monday, the new A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change coalition Government presented its first budget to the National Assembly under the theme “A Fresh Approach to the Good Life in a Green Economy”.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan used most of his presentation to attack the previous People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government while articulating his Government’s plan to develop the country over the next five years under a new brand of governance that will hopefully agar well for all Guyanese. While boasting about how the new Government responded to three crisis-like situations, Minister Jordan announced Government’s intention to increase public servants pay by five per cent while adjusting the minimum wage to Gy$50,000.

Among the things announced by Jordan were the transfers of billions of dollars to the rice and sugar industries as bailouts to meet the operating costs and debt incurred by those industries, the relaxation of taxes for some mining equipment and commodities, promises to reduce the unnecessary bureaucratic procedures when doing business with the State, and hikes in Old Age Pensions, public assistance along with the return of subventions to trade union bodies.

The Minister also confirmed that the new Government has no intention of continuing to subsidise the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and was certainly not proceeding any further with the Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project as designed by the PPP/C. He also hinted to the Administration’s desire to make “hard” decisions after the completion of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Commission of Inquiry, the scrapping of the NIS Board, reduction of the Berbice Bridge toll and more monies to go into health, education and public works.

Strangely, Minister Jordan’s presentation was premised on ensuring that the country’s wealth is distributed equally so that all can enjoy his Government’s notion of a “good life”. He spoke at lengths about

inclusivity, inquests into this and that, the need to ensure that the country reaches its full developmental potential and the fundamentals governing micro and macroeconomic stability.

Why was the budget so big if the new Administration spent three months axing corruption and pursuing the siphoning off of contracts? Why did the Minister fail to mention his Government’s decision to heavily subside the National Communications Network and the Government Information Agency? Why wasn’t time spent exposing the parallel economy which the new Government claimed existed under the PPP/C?

Minister Jordan said little or nothing about his Government’s plan to improve the lives of Amerindians as this country’s first peoples. They were completely ignored and treated as non-existent apart from a few by-the-way references. Where will the thousands of fired Amerindians find jobs?

The budget was poor on job creation for young people and even poorer when it came to explaining how the new Government plans to boost the potential of youths as far as enabling them to have the socioeconomic power to afford the “good life”. Is not okay to spend Gy$1.7 billion on furnishing teachers with laptops and say absolutely nothing about how the Government plans to use youth as the drivers of its modern Information Communication Technology platform.

The Minister failed to tell the country that the public works proposals that he piloted as his Government’s were conceptualised, designed or about to be implemented by the PPP. For example the road link and expansion projects, deep water harbour, dredging of the Demerara River, building farm to market roads at Parika and elsewhere are all PPP/C initiatives.

Budget 2015 was weak on social reforms for the people. Women and girls again were significantly neglected in the Minister’s presentation. No announcements of short-term empowerment initiatives and benefits for single mothers or abused women were announced. Surely, women must matter and people

should not have to investigate budget documents to see what will be done.

The new Government with all of the security experts at its disposal must understand that providing people with imposed and in some instances paltry salary wages and negotiations because it was a manifesto promise cannot result in them enjoying in a permanent way a good life.

Why wasn’t Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union’s Training College given a subvention too when the Government decided to return the same to Critchlow Labour College which was badly mismanaged and infiltrated by greedy Guyana Trades Union Congress officials?

Citizens cannot enjoy a good life unless the new Government can end their continued and now monotonous rhetoric about fighting crime and literally do so. Scores of innocent people are dying, being robbed and beaten by criminals because the Government’s incompetence in this area.

The Private Sector deserves more than platitude and commitments to do this and that, there should have been a clearer and precise plan as to how the Government proposes to create avenues for its growth, expansion and domestic investment in the country.

Also, for the first time there was no legislative agenda outlined by the Finance Minister in the 2015 Budget. What is clear is that all of these things may be drafted along as the Government matures in office.

Government has to think through some of the fanciful proposals, and the short and longterm socio-economic underpinnings that will follow suit. The budget must make total and complete economic sense and must fall within a local, regional and international framework that is based on Government’s modern philosophy of how to create wealth in the modern economic era.

It seems as though the new Government while in pursuit of the good life, which is from all indications so far a temporary phenomenon, has failed to pursue a competent socio-economic and political philosophy.

Govt withdraws GPL subventions

– Linden to get over Gy$1B in subsidies

The future of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Incorporated is still unclear especially with the most recent setback of no provision of any subventions in Government’s 2015 Budget estimates.

A senior official at GPL told Guyana Times International on Wednesday that this move by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration was not one the company expected.

He stated that GPL will now have to adjust its 2015 budget so as to not reflect any capital works and that any capital works to be done will have to “come from GPL’s savings”.

“Obviously we will have to get advice as to what to do now and prepare a five-year development plan of some sort. There will be need for many discussions based on how we at GPL will now fund our capital projects. We will basically have to determine where the funds will be obtained from,” the GPL employee noted.

On Monday, Finance Minister Winston Jordan

in his Budget speech made no mention of the utility company receiving any subvention, despite the fact that GPL had received billions in past years.

In 2014, under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Government had budgeted for a Gy$3.8 billion subvention for the Stateowned company.

In 2013, a sum of Gy$10.2 billion was budgeted for the power and light company; however, only Gy$5.2 billion of that amount was approved in the National

Assembly by the majority Opposition at that time.

According to former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, over Gy$40 billion has been spent in subventions for GPL since 2003.

This was as a result of the consortium comprising the Electricity Supply Board International (ESBI) of Ireland and the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) of the United Kingdom pulling out of the 50/50 equity deal with the Guyana Government.

However, in spite of

GPL not receiving any subventions in the 2015 national budget, other power companies in the country are being provided for.

The LinMine Electricity Company is listed for a Gy$1 billion subvention even though the previous Government argued that it cannot continue to subsidise the rates at Linden as there was much wastage of electricity and an unwillingness on the part of some residents to pay more feasible rates.

Attempts by the then PPP/C Government to

implement a phased increase of the tariffs led to unrest after APNU and the AFC while in opposition instigated protests within the mining town.

The Moruca Power and Light was awarded a $Gy10 million subvention, and the Mahdia Power and Light is slated for Gy$15 million.

Meanwhile, the Port Kaituma Power and Light and the Matthews Ridge Power Company are both budgeted for Gy$10 million subventions each, coming under the Office of the Prime

Minister, while under the Public Infrastructure Ministry Gy$15 million will be allocated for the Port Kaituma Power and Light.

Under the Infrastructure Ministry, the Lethem Power Company will receive a Gy$35 million subvention while under the Prime Minister’s Office, it is slated for Gy$70 million in subvention.

Also under the Infrastructure Ministry, the Kwakwani Utilities Inc is slated for a Gy$99 million subvention and the Hinterland Electrification Company Inc is listed for Gy$31 million in subvention.

It was reported that Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson has posited that GPL will be able to and can sustain all of its operations using its own revenue.

The Minister explained that this is made possible because of the decreasing costs of fuel on the international market which would result in lower production costs for the power company.

Minister Patterson was quoted as saying “It (GPL) doesn’t require any subsidies; it is sound enough to fund itself”.

Newly-appointed State Boards do not reflect Guyana’s diversity

Dear Editor,

The appointees of the different State Boards in Guyana are not a true reflection of the gender, skilled and ethnic balance in Guyana. This move by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government brings exclusion, lack of recognition and inequality to Guyanese society.

First, exclusion of certain groups of citizens is as a way of bringing about social injustice and as such we must not ignore the conditions that

brought about the injustices in the first place. These are tied to the social structures and institutional context that produce inequalities of power and resources. To overcome such injustices it is important to look behind existing social arrangements and focus on the wider context through which social injustices are perpetrated

Social injustice is not only about the distribution of material goods but also the provision of the means to develop and exercise capacities allow-

GuySuCo can only recover through a motivated workforce

Dear Editor,

Very few corporations in the world can survive in a competitive market under Government control. State apparatus are not equipped or designed to compete in this arena and as such, they normally fail miserably. It is the reason why countries like Russia quickly privatised most or all of their industries to recover their economy and in China you see Alibaba becoming the first private holding to own a bank.

In the case of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), it is no different; anyone with a good pair of lens would see that the sugar industry will not survive on the world market at the high cost of production it is experiencing. And to make matters worse, it is a political football. Some can even say that the AFC was born out of the misery of GuySuCo, especially in the Berbice region.

Apart from the other factors, such as diversification, there are two key factors that give companies a competitive edge, that is, constantly improving efficiency and investing in a highly motivated workforce, none of which GuySuCo seems to possess presently.

The Guyanese mindset towards GuySuCo is that it is a “cash cow” for everyone to grab their share, with no concern for its long term survival.

Management

ing them to participate fully in society.

As such, it’s not just about who has access to resources and opportunities but also relates to whether people are recognised as being of equal worth, and so treated with dignity and respect. Such recognition depends not only on how individuals treat each other, but also on how groups are represented in decision making.

Lack of recognition and respect may create the conditions in which different forms

of discrimination and abuse may flourish, and (re)create a range of social harms. For how long will we suffer this harassment? Lack of recognition or respect for certain people may engender discrimination against them, thus preventing the wider society from benefiting from their capacities, talents and skills.

Exclusion may produce new categories of population issues that become the scapegoats for a range of social ills, and give rise to new lines of social division and potential con-

flict. Poverty, discrimination and inequality, then, produce potential harms for society as a whole as well as for the individuals directly affected.

Our movement wants to encourage the Granger Government to review its criteria used to select persons appointed to the different State Boards. Guyana cannot move forward with half of its population. Both hands need to clap.

Sara Khan, Chairperson

Feminist for Life Network (Guyana)

Public Sector professionals must remain loyal to Guyana

Dear Editor,

will have to quickly learn to stop massaging their egos on the backs of the labourers and remove that negative of “master and servant” relationship. Instead, managers should be measured based on their ability to have a happy and productive workforce that respects management and wants to work for the interest of the company. Efficiency in this context then means that there should be constant review of how to make every process move faster with less cost. From saving stationery to pulling punts through the canals should be subject to new ideas and out of the box thinking.

Kaizans and other pilot projects should be done as much as possible with measurable cost savings and be implemented with speed.

These ideas for process improvement should not only come from the top, but mainly generated from the bottom up. The cane cutter should be encouraged to work side by side with management to help implement and improve processes.

These are concepts that are more effectively done through the Private Sector; however, the Government would still have to ensure that there is sufficient job security for workers. And stop making GuySuCo a political football.

Sincerely, Malcolm Watkins

Recently, work colleagues and friends of mine have informed me that almost daily they have had to come to my defence from negative criticisms stemming from my association with the previous Administration, my health and my decision to stay on and support the new Government. Professional associates, co-workers, and subordinates will attest to the objective, fair and practical manner in which I have always conducted myself at both the organisational and national levels. I have come to realise that a large part of the criticisms I receive stem from the level of bitterness and contempt some sections of the general public feel toward the previous Administration.

It is understandable that in any new Government there will be changes and certain key positions will be affected by this change. However, I still firmly believe that persons appointed by the previous Administration should be given a fair opportunity to serve and especially if they were not part of a/the political party’s machinery. In my situation, I had good jobs with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the United Nations when I was asked to serve within the Public

Sector by the then President – how do you say no – likewise I am sure there are others with similar experiences.

The previous Administration suffered from several management related problems. One such problem was that it became the norm for instructions and directives to be given verbally to senior government functionaries and public servants. I do not think it is necessary to point out the issues involved with same, but in this new dispensation, I would like to suggest that strong attention be given to the bureaucratic process for issuing and carrying out instructions. It should be made Government policy to ensure that written instructions are given to senior public officials. This will allow greater clarity, transparency and accountability.

I now move to the issue of state appointed Boards. I recall during my tenure as a Director at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), many of the issues that the industry faces had evolved long before the time of my appointment. However, all the blame for the failures of the entity were laid squarely at the feet of the Board at the time. It is now critical that Government provides clear objectives and directions for the newly

appointed GuySuCo board, in addition to providing all the resources needed. In fact, the Government, where they are majority shareholder in the organisations should provide clear guidelines so that performance can be measured. And performance should be measured to ensure Boards are held accountable with consequences for non-performance. Importantly, subsequent board appointments should be tailored to meet the changing needs of the entity.

In addition, I have observed that on many occasions, persons are appointed to Boards of organisations in sectors they are not very familiar with. It is essential that a comprehensive orientation package is provided which includes a candid report of issues and challenges the organisation faces.

Finally, my advice to professional persons working in the Public Sector is to ensure that decisions made to push you out do not affect your loyalty to Guyana. I will not let that happen to me. On moving forward, I intend to establish a NGO to assist in educating prospective investors and ensuring that tax payers’ monies are well spent when concessions are granted.

Yours sincerely, Keith Burrowes

Selective prosecution against the PPP and supporters but not against racists

Dear Editor,

Anyone who engages(d) in misconduct or violates the law should and must be dealt with by law.

But I note the following inconsistencies in filing criminal charges for public misbehaviour or public comments.

Dr Bheri Ramsaran was slapped with a criminal charge for threatening a female who violated his space and who uttered what Bheri claimed to be an outlandish outburst at him and who also disrupted an interview he was conducting that promoted his verbal assault on her. No charge was filed against the person who

violated his space.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo was charged for reporting what those from the Opposition camp stated (anti-Indian racist remarks) in campaign stumps. He was also charged but not the campaigners of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) who actually made the racist comments.

A mob burned down a few houses in Sophia because of the owners’ political affiliation with the People’s Progressive Party. No charges were filed against the arsonists and the racists.

Freddie Kissoon made vile and blasphemous comments against

a Hindu religious leader and Hinduism. No charges were filed.

Several young Africans uttered derogatory racial slurs and engaged in constant racial jeering and abuse of a swami at a VreedEn-Hoop. No charges were filed.

The daughter of an APNU Member of Parliament publicly urinated on and set the PPP flag on fire. No charges were filed.

Is this equality before the law and equity in justice? Or are we returning to the era of injustice of post 1964?

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Jimmy Carter reveals he has cancer

According to a BBC report, former US President Jimmy Carter says recent liver surgery revealed that he has cancer and it has spread to other parts of his body.

The 90-year-old statesman underwent surgery to remove a small mass in his liver earlier this month. He said he would reveal more “when facts are known, possibly next week”. Carter will undergo treatment by physicians at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta.

President Barack Obama wished Carter “a full and fast recovery” in a statement released on Wednesday. “Jimmy, you’re as resilient as they come, and along with the rest of America, we are rooting for you,” Obama said.

Leaving the White House in 1981, he has remained active carrying out humanitarian efforts with his Carter Center in recent years.

He founded the Center, which focuses on human-rights efforts and political mediation, soon after he left office. He was later re-

sponsible for negotiating a 1994 nuclear disarmament pact with North Korea and has visited Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in recent years.

A Democrat from Georgia, Carter was elected president in 1976. He won the Nobel Peace prize in 2002 for his commitment to finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts, his work with human rights and democracy initiatives and his promotion of economic and social programmes.

The BBC interviewed Carter in February about his efforts to eradicate guinea worm disease and in the South Sudan and Mali and river blindness in both Africa and Latin America. He said then he was happy to still be travelling and doing work across the globe.

But in May, he returned early from a trip to observe elections in Guyana because he was “not feeling well”.

Carter has been recently promoting his latest book, “A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety”, which was released in July.

PYO calls on Govt to include youth in developmental plans

The Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) on Wednesday was the first youth body in Guyana to call on the new Government to show respect to young people by including them in all levels of decision-making that will affect their livelihoods and the future of the country which youths will inherent.

As Guyana joined in celebrations to mark International Youth Day 2015 under the theme “Youth Civic Engagement”, PYO Chairman Irfaan Ali in a statement to the media, said the organisation was disappointed with the manner in which the new Government was handling the affairs of Guyanese youth since coming into office back in May this year.

He said that it is clear from the levels of youth participation witnessed during the last election that youth wanted to be part of the decision-making processes of their country and wanted to determine, like all other citizens, which path Guyana must follow in order to become more developed over the next five years.

“They participated in these elections in a big way by having their voices heard about issues that affect their overall development while calling on political parties to carve plans and policies, with their involvement, that could serve to eliminate many of the social ills that are acting as barriers to their immediate, short-term and longterm growth”, Ali said in the statement.

He explained that time and time again, promises have been made by socio-political leaders to involve young people when key decisions are being made within the State apparatus that would have redounding negative effects on youths.

Ali, who is a former Government Minister, pointed out that previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Governments worked very hard to ensure that young people were part and parcel of the development of their commu-

nities and country at a macro level.

He explained that that Party while in office had launched scores of youth orientated skills programmes aimed at improving the lives of out of schools youth and those who are less fortunate.

The PYO Chairman said that the new Government appears to be heading down wrong road and disinterested in the affairs of youth.

“The new Government firstly locked youth out of both the Executive and Legislative branch-

es of Government, treating them with disdain and disrespect, even though a large portion of those who voted in favour of the coalition party were from this constituency… Promises made on the campaign trail by the Alliance for Change and A Partnership for National Unity to young people are being now downplayed and abandoned. Key decisions are being made about the future of young people without their involvement and consent”.

Ali also offered that recent announcements about the reintroduction of the National Service and a plan to blacklist UG students who have not repaid study loans are troubling developments that continue to depict this Government’s lack of interest in consultative democracy.

He said that the PYO has even noted the way young people were viewed and treated by the Finance Minister in his budget presentation speech with “just cursory mentions and no proper plan to set aside key projects and plans that could over the next few months benefit this consistency”.

PPP/C will not be intimidated by threats against its leaders – General Secretary

As the public awaits the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the killings which occurred in Guyana between 2000 and 2008, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has emphasised that this inquiry must see the re-introduction of the tape recording which includes two Ministers

of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee on Monday stated that the said tape recording includes the voices of Citizenship Minister Winston Felix and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams.

“The PPP is of the view that any inquiry into that period must see the re-introduction of the tape recording in which Felix, the former Commissioner of Police and now a Minister and Member of Parliament, and Basil Williams, the now sitting Attorney General and Minister of Justice were in conversation with each

other discussing diverting attention from the PNC [People’s National Congress] with respect to its alleged involvement in the Agricola massacre and the planting of drugs on an outgoing passenger at Timehri,” he said.

It was explained that the Opposition Party welcomes the establishment of any Commission

of Inquiry into the said events provided that its Terms of Reference are broad enough to take into account the involvement of the PNC. Also, how its operatives supported the criminal enterprise resulting in the people and the village of Buxton being put under siege by the criminals; the killings, kidnappings, the disappearances and other sordid events during that period, Rohee further stated.

According to the General Secretary, his Party wishes to remind that several members of the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) who were “directly” and “actively” involved in operations and who led investigations during that period

(2000-2008) are currently serving in the present Administration. They are in Cabinet and in the National Assembly representing the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

“The PPP is keenly and equally interested in exactly what took place in that era … The PPP will not be intimidated by threats against any of its leaders by the de facto Granger Administration. The PPP unlike Granger and the PNC, who chose to shut down the Rodney Commission of Inquiry for fear and exposure, is always committed to full and complete disclosure of any event considered to be of national importance to the Guyanese people,” Rohee added.

Guyana can be a safe haven for yacht harbours – Tourism Minister

With the drastic change in weather conditions in the Caribbean, the little country of Guyana is becoming more and more ideal as a safe haven for yacht marinas. This was expressed by Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes who was the guest speaker during the post-Cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency on Wednesday.

“When it comes to yachting, we have a tremendous advantage that we haven’t explored, we know that it is a small niche market but the reality is, given the challenges of climate change… the locations within Trinidad and Tobago (other Caribbean countries) are finding

that they are dealing with extreme weather conditions and therefore Guyana has the potential to be a safe haven for individuals who have yachts and are looking to park them in a safe location,” the Minister envisioned, noting that this development would transform the tourism sector in the country.

In fact, discussions are already underway regarding the construction of a marina in the Essequibo River.

Minister Hughes will be delivering a presentation to the yachting community in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday and she will use this opportunity to continue discussions with two investors who already expressed interest in developing the marina.

If this project comes on stream, Hughes noted that many opportunities will become available for Guyanese. “We will be able to handle yachts in terms of storage, the cleaning, the refurbishing and all the different services that go with maintaining yachts,” she stated.

Guyana has already been dubbed as an ideal destination for small

cruisers and yachts, having to boast the Majestic Kaieteur Falls, over 850 species of bird and 6000 species of plant among other amazing attractions.

The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) Director Indranauth Haralsingh already expressed that Guyana has enough potential to develop a marina for yachts. Within the next three weeks, another flotilla of yachts will be coming to dock in Guyana.

Meanwhile, Hughes reaffirmed her commitment to continue to enhance the tourism sector.

Already, six individuals from hotels in Guyana have been selected to travel to Barbados where they will stay for three months to be trained in important aspects that relate to hospitality and customer services.

Another initiative on the table is the establishment of a Hospitality Training School in Guyana. Government is currently in the process of designing a structure for the school and is examining different models that exist in the Caribbean. The Caribbean Development Bank, Hughes said, already allocated funds for this project.

Moreover, Hughes said Guyana will continue to pay special attention to the niche markets to develop strategies to aid in its promotion.

“The bird watching is an important niche market we have been successfully exploiting and visitors have been coming to see the wonderful arrays of birds in Guyana,” she noted.

Budget 2015 receives mixed reviews from Private Sector

The long, anticipated wait for the presentation of this year’s budget finally came to an end on Monday when Government made public its plans and programmes for the citizens of Guyana.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) in a press release on Tuesday stated its pleasure that several recommenda-

air and river transport and particularly the rehabilitation of hinterland airstrips will definitely boost the integration of hinterland communities into the economic life of the coastland.

“The PSC is also particularly pleased about the allocation of financing for the dredging of the Demerara Harbour, the siltation of which has

tions were taken on board in the crafting of the budget, especially those which would stimulate the economy.

It said that with the allocations being awarded to the rice and sugar industries, they would be able to “regroup and recover” so as to make significant contributions to the economy.

With regards to assistance being provided to the small- and mediumscale miners, it is hoped that this move will allow the industry which has produced the bulk of Guyana’s exports, to “adjust to the new reality” of lower gold prices.

Guyana Times International understands that the PSC believes that the allocation of funds in this year’s budget for roads, bridges,

for years led to increased shipping costs and therefore impacted the competitiveness of our exports and the final prices of imports,” the statement read.

However, the PSC noted its disappointment with the decision to terminate the Amaila Falls Hydroelectricity Project. The Commission is urging Government to seek alternative renewable energy sources as the high cost of energy continues to be a stumbling block in the way of the production of value-added goods and the growth of the manufacturing sector.

Meanwhile, Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) President Ramroop Rajnauth, stated that it

seems to be a fair budget for the remainder of the year but was disappointed that there was no reduction in the Value Added Tax (VAT) even though there were a few more items added to the ‘zero-rated’ list.

During a telephone interview with this newspaper on Tuesday, he explained that although there were some increases in certain areas he is hopeful that these would be revisited in the upcoming 2016 budget and possibly reviewed every year.

“Although there was an increase in the uniform voucher section I don’t believe that parents are satisfied with it moving from Gy$1500 to Gy$2000. I mean, they have disregarded the Gy$10,000 voucher which parents used to get and many persons would have expected that something more would have been done to replace that or make up for it. I believe that a lot of parents are going to see this as a major setback,” Rajnauth said.

He emphasised the need for Government to review this area, as well as the pension increase that it is going to work with for the remainder of the year.

“The increase in the pension is welcomed of course but it would be even be better if it is revisited especially for the retirement age, when people can no longer work, if they become disabled or physically impaired and such.

Govt to launch CoI into State education system

The A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) Government will be launching another Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the public education system in Guyana to gather data, assess the current delivery of education in the public domain and make recommendations to enhance and improve the sector.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, addressing media operatives during a post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday, at the Ministry of the Presidency, disclosed that Cabinet approved the appointment of a CoI when it met on Tuesday.

He explained that the Commission, like all the other commissions the Government has launched since it as-

sumed Executive Office, will be mandated to enquire into the present state of the sector and provide strategic guidelines for its betterment.

The CoI will comprise one chairperson and two vice chairpersons; however, Harmon did not disclose the identities of these individuals.

He noted, however, that representation will come from nursery schools; primary schools; secondary schools; tertiary institutions; the Teaching Service Commission (TSC); the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU); the Private Sector Commission (PSC); the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C); religious bodies, and youth organisations, among others.

“You would recall that in the Minister

More finances needed to combat mental health issues in Guyana – Minister Norton

In order to effectively battle the prevalent issue of mental health in Guyana, more finances need to be made available to the Public Health Ministry. This is according to Public Health Minster, Dr George Norton, who in a phone interview with Guyana Times International on Wednesday said that the issue of mental health in the country was a major focus for him in the upcoming months.

“Mental health is in trouble in Guyana. We need as much help in terms of personnel, finance and infrastructure. My ministry will try every effort to put plans into action with focus on the suicide prevention strategy, but these things can only be successful if we have enough personnel and finance to execute them properly,”

Minister Norton stated.

He explained that one of his plans was to establish a National Psychiatric Institute which will be run by mental health staff, including a mental health coordinator, and, will of course, have a trained and experienced psychiatrist.

Presently, there is one female volunteer doing the ground-work for this initiative in terms of setting things in place. “In spite of her qualifications she is doing voluntary work and this is a very good thing. We are working along with two psychiatrists and I am anxious to get the programme up and running. While it is being done in stages it will eventually roll out in all the regions in Guyana,” the Health Minister noted.

This publication was told that community involvement is essential to tackling the issue of mental health which has a direct link to the escalation of the suicide rate in the country.

“Right about now we are focusing on trying to train our health care workers so that they can be able to detect persons who are suffering from mental illness and appear suicidal. These workers will be able to refer these persons to the skilled psychiatrists who can help them. They will be able to get counselling and an opportunity to be treated,” Minister Norton emphasised.

For the establishment of such a unit/ institute, the Public Health Ministry is still trying to streamline plans, location, funding and personnel.

“We need to do this because everyone wants to help, to come on board, as mental health is a very, very sensitive area. Because of the nature of the issue, we need as much expertise as possible. While there is no definite time as to when these plans will take off; we are currently working on them,” he further stated.

With regard to the suicide rate in Guyana, Minister Norton posited that it was discovered on many occasions that persons who attempted to commit suicide and those who actually did were never properly counselled.

of Finance’s (Winston Jordan’s) budget presentation, he alluded to the fact that the Government will look very carefully at the delivery of education, the way in which our children are actually educated and whether that education they are receiving from the public system is really preparing them for a future in Guyana,” Harmon explained.

The National Budget 2015 saw the education sector slated to receive Gy$33 billion from the Government. “We must ensure that our children benefit from affordable access to the best learning resources that are available, that our teachers are equipped to teach and inspire them,” Jordan had told the National Assembly on Monday.

Budget 2015: APNU/AFC Govt “duped” Guyana – Jagdeo

BY ALEXIS RODNEY

Amid his claim that the 2015 National Budget is a copycat of the initiatives of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), former President Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday said that the new Government has deceived the Guyanese populace.

A day after the National Budget was presented in the National Assembly, the former President and soon to be Opposition Leader told a media conference that the new Administration’s plans as projected in the Gy$221 billion budget has not really addressed the real issues affecting Guyanese.

He spoke particularly of the proposed increase in salaries for public servants, which he said is nothing spectacular, and is less in comparison to what his Party, while in power, had been offering.

Jagdeo said what

bothers him significantly is the timeline for payment given by Government. Finance Minister Winston Jordan had announced that effective July 1, 2015, all other public servants will receive a five per cent salary increase plus an additional Gy$5000 monthly. This, according to Jordon, will allow for a greater increase in the lower income brackets.

For example, a worker currently earning Gy$50,000 will have a monthly increase of Gy$7500, or 15 per cent; a person currently receiving a salary of Gy$100,000 would get a 10 per cent increase. Jordan said since the bulk of the public servants earns Gy$100,000 and below, these are substantial increases, more than was promised to these categories of workers. These increases are payable to workers who were employed on or before January 1, 2015.

But Jagdeo main-

tained that Guyanese were “duped.” “It’s only effective for six months in the year… So if you look at the 15 per cent ostensibly, people who were making Gy$50,000 are effectively getting 7.5 per cent for the year and if you look at those at Gy$100,000, they are getting five per cent for the year. If you look at the Gy$500,000, they are getting three per cent.

New consumer items to carry zero VAT

Though it failed to implement a radical reform in the tax system or have any significant reductions in taxes like it had promised on the campaign trail, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Government proposed to have over 20 key consumer items added to the list of commodities which attract zero Value Added Tax (VAT).

This move will see Government losing Gy$680 million in total revenues.

The commodity items attracting zero VAT will now include yogurt, fresh carrots, Milo, Ovaltine, Nestum, mustard, mayonnaise, locally-produced fruit juice, locally-made chowmein, vinegar, locally-made uncooked pasta, ketchup, chicken sausages in packets, locally-produced Chinese sauce, baking powder, liquid detergent, household cleaning agents, rolls of paper towels, and computer printers for non commercial use.

“It is our fervent hope that retailers will pass on the benefit from the removal of VAT from these items to the consumer, through the lowering of their prices,” Finance Minister Winston Jordan told the National Assembly during the budget presentation.

Previously, the zerorated items were a supply of ice for fishing purposes; a supply of knotted netting of twine, cordage

or rope, made up fishing nets and other made up nets of textile materials; a supply of fungicide, herbicide, weedicide for agriculture purposes; a supply of harrows, cultivators, scarifiers, ploughs, weeders and hoes; a supply of machinery used for preparing animal feeding stuffs; a supply of locally produced garments; a supply of sewing machines and of spools, cops, bobbins and other similar products used therewith; a supply of sacks and bags of a kind used for the packaging of goods; a supply of the services of transporting passengers or goods by air from one place in Guyana to another place in Guyana, subject to the signing of an agreement between the Government and the supplier of the service; a supply of river or land crossing services subject to the signing of an agreement between the Government and the supplier of the service; a supply of veterinary drugs as determined by the Commissioner, among several others.

Meanwhile, Jordan also proposed amendments to the Customs Act which will see tax exemptions on fishing boats, spare parts, equipment for fishing boats and equipment and supplies for use in the processing plant which the Commissioner General is satisfied are imported for use in the fish/seafood and the aquaculture in-

dustry.

Also, he proposed that Toshaos in approved Amerindian Communities shall be exempt from Customs duties on motor vehicles and All Terrain Vehicles. A proposal was also made for eligible members of the Joint Services to be exempt from the payment of excise tax for motor vehicles.

Moreover, in relation to the Mortgage Interest Relief (MIR), Minister Jordan proposed that in ascertaining the chargeable income of a person who is eligible for Mortgage Interest Relief there shall be allowed a deduction against his chargeable income, the amount of the interest paid to the Financial Institution in the year proceeding the year of assessment.

Also, in ascertaining the amount of the refund payable on the eligible relief, the Commissioner General will ascertain the chargeable income of the taxpayer. If it is determined that the chargeable income is not sufficient and will result in reducing the chargeable income below zero, then the refunds paid on the mortgage interest relief to the taxpayer will be reduced accordingly and he will not be eligible for the full relief. The other change is that lending and licensed financial institutions will not be required to provide a statement of interest paid on the mortgage annually.

multiplied by the 167,000 school children, it would have cost Government some Gy$1.67 billion.

“So what they have done is that they have given Gy$337 million by increasing the uniform allowance and have taken back Gy$1.3 billion from the students” Jagdeo said, while he applauded the increase in pension to the over 47,000 senior citizens.

These are even lower than what the PPP/C gave in the past. So Jordan has played a three card trick on the people”.

The Former President spoke also to the rationale behind the removal of the Gy$10,000 ‘Because We Care’ cash grant and the decision to bump up the school Uniform Voucher by a mere Gy$500. He said if that Gy$10,000 was

The former Head of State said he was still unclear on whether Government was going to continue the utility subsidy for pensioners. He said if Government goes the route of taking back the initiative which started under his Administration, he however could not see how that Gy$4000 increase in their monthly pension would be able to assist them in the payment of their water and electricity bills. According to him, the move will put the 62 per cent who benefit from water in a very

“worst off position”. Added to that, he questioned the Government’s rationale behind the tax exemptions which he said were being done in lieu of the reduction in rates of the Value Added Tax which were promised. Most of the items selected to be zero rated, Jagdeo said, were already not attracting tax. He said too that while he supported the move to offer duty-free concessions to the security sector, that does not provide a stimulant package, neither does it offer any solution to the existing issues, like the cost of living.

Jagdeo said that Jordan’s announcement that Government has some Gy$97 billion to spend for the four remaining months of the year would mean that it would have to spend at least Gy$800 million per day. He said “we will be watching for their procurement practice. Because one

Govt, City Hall in talks about Gy$300M restoration project

Asum of Gy$300 million has been awarded to the restoration programme for the capital city, Georgetown, in this year’s National Budget.

Mayor Hamilton Green, in a telephone interview with Guyana Times International on Tuesday stated that discussions are presently ongoing at the Mayor and City Council as to the disbursement of the funds and about the projects that are to be undertaken as soon as the monies become available to the Council.

In recent years, the public has criticised the Council for the state in which the city of Georgetown has been in, citing various complaints about health and safety hazards in a number of locations. Garbage dumping was the most pressing issue, with citizens regularly voicing their concerns about the issue.

over by large shrubs and bushes, with others being partially and completely obscured by overgrown vegetation. Garbage was also seen at various sections of the burial ground.

Previously, the poor conditions and maintenance of the cemetery

ed by the then People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government as part of its initiative to promote a cleaner and healthier environment. The Le Repentir Cemetery, which was in dire need of restoration, was allocated Gy$100 million and

had citizens in an uproar, especially when persons had difficulties in locating the tombs of their relatives for repainting or paying their respects.

Only a few weeks ago, families and friends who had laid to rest their loved ones at the Le Repentir Cemetery complained about the lack of upkeep of the cemetery, as grass, shrubs and bushes had blocked access to tombs there.

A number of tombs were already being overtaken and towered

Residents living nearby were also upset when the area was used as a dumping site for garbage, citing health hazards and the stench emanating therein before the introduction of the Haags/ Bosch landfill site in Eccles, East Bank Demerara.

Almost one year ago, the city of Georgetown underwent a massive clean-up campaign which was spearhead-

works on Blocks One, Three, Four and Five of the cemetery commenced under the PPP/C Government’s Gy$1 billion “Cleanup My Country” programme.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan, in his budget presentation on Monday told the National Assembly that the money set aside for the restoration programme for Georgetown will enhance the aesthetics of the capital, befitting the unique architecture of colonial buildings, tree lined avenues and canals that are attractive to all.

Govt allocates Gy$33B to education sector this year -

Gy$1.7B

to purchase laptops for teachers

By Ahreefa Bacchus

Finance Minister Winston Jordan, during his Budget

2015 “A fresh start to the good life in a green economy” speech on Monday, announced that of the Gy$33 billion being invested into the education sector this year, Government would be investing Gy$1.7 billion for the procurement of laptop computers for teachers as well as students.

“We must ensure that our children benefit from affordable access to the best learning resources that are available, that our teachers are equipped to teach and inspire them,” Jordan told the National Assembly, “ …Consequently, Gy$1.7 billion has been budgeted for the procurement of 9609 laptops which are to be distributed to educators, students, institutions of learning and community-based organisations.”

This revelation comes after Governance and Patrimony Minister Raphael Trotman announced that the Cabinet had been considering a proposal to rename the One Laptop Per Family Project (OLPF) One Laptop Per Teacher (OLPT), a decision which was taken so that teachers could undergo training to improve their methodology and deliver their curriculum in a faster electronic manner.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Clement Rohee had bashed these plans, stating that it was only a ploy to distribute the laptop computers to the Government’s friends and cronies at the expense of taxpayers.

“These unsubstantiated declarations and unilateral moves by the Granger Administration are deeply suspicious

Guyana to boost cybersecurity, tackle crimes

As the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) continues to be a more integral part of the day to day function of various organisations, the risk of cyber attacks has become more overhanging. Hence, the Government of Guyana is looking to boost cybersecurity awareness and implement initiatives to tackle cyber crimes.

and convey the impression that excuses are being made to secretly hand over laptops to friends and cronies of the [A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance for Change] APNU/AFC Coalition,” Rohee stated.

He also raised several questions, calling for the Government to reveal the methodology it intended to use for distribution of the laptops and the criteria to be used for selecting communities that will benefit from the Programme. The OLPF Project was launched in January 2011 by the PPP/C under the leadership of then President Bharrat Jagdeo.

The Government at the time had planned a distribution of about 90,000 computers to poor families across the country over a three-year period with the aim of enhancing research and learning approaches in academia and general social studies ,and thus far 55,000 laptops have been distributed by the former Government to children throughout the country.

Jordan also announced that the new Government intended to improve the education system in the country as it sees it as “both a means to, and an end, of our sustainable development”. He also stated that plans are in place to strengthen collaboration between the education, health and social protection agencies, which is vital for ensuring a holistic approach to early childhood development.

It was also stated that in order to ensure that youths gain meaningful employment after completing their studies, Government will seek to strengthen the linkages among education delivery, labour administration and the Private Sector.

To this effect, the Public Security Ministry in collaboration with the Guyana National Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT) and the Organisation of American States (OAS) Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE), is hosting a two-day sensitisation workshop that is focused on examining Guyana’s legal framework, as well as the need for a national cybersecurity strategy. The workshop commenced on Wednesday and will conclude today (Thursday).

Addressing the opening ceremony, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan pointed out that ICT is an integral part of the day to day operations of many organisations. Improved efficiency needed

He noted that while the ICT sector has developed in Guyana over the years, with citizens now having access to services such as online banking, there is still more that can be done to improve efficiency for all Guyanese while at the same time, ensuring the security and confidentiality of information.

Ramjattan referred to

a tripartite survey by the OAS, Inter-American Development Bank and the Oxford University done in Guyana, which shows that since 2013, Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean recorded an increase in cyber attacks by malicious attackers. Consequently, he noted that in August 2013, Guyana established its National CIRT, referred to as CIRT.GY to tackle cybersecurity related incidents.

However, he explained that CIRT’s scope is limited as a result of

the absence of a national cybersecurity strategy or cyber defence policy. The Public Security Minister noted that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force probe the incidents of cyber attacks and while they may be successful in catching the perpetrators, prosecutors in the Judiciary are inadequately trained to handle electronic evidence.

On the other hand, Head of the Guyana National Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT), Sandra Khan, stated that while they have had some successes in tackling cyber incidents locally, more work needs to be done to ensure that Guyana is protected against such attacks. She delivered a presentation, informing stakeholders of the key functions and services CIRT.GY offers.

Khan acknowledged that while there cannot be 100 per cent security, she noted that they can at least manage the risk.

The Guyana National CIRT Head said she wants to partner with organisations and individuals to strength infrastructure, improve knowledge and promote safe cybersecurity practices.

The Second Vice President noted that reports outline which state that while legislative drafts are an additional rule of law, Guyana has some procedural laws for dealing with computer evidence but lacks substantive cyber crime laws or legislation relating to privacy and data protection.

Two prisoners break out of New Amsterdam Prison

The Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) Unit was called into action after two men considered to be dangerous criminals broke out of the New Amsterdam Prison in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Wednesday night.

The men have been identified as Lennox Patterson, 26, of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara and Marvin Samaroo of the “Scare Dem Crew” gang from Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam. Patterson was on remand after being charged with committing the recent armed robbery at M Ali and Sons Supermarket in New Amsterdam. The Samaroo brothers are said to be the leaders of the notorious “Scare Dem Crew”, which last year was implicated in a brawl at the prison.

Earlier, prison authorities during routine checks in the prison, discovered a cellular phone in a cell which upon further investigation was used by a prisoner who was awaiting trial for murder to contact the officer who was arrested.

Govt announces audit of Pension Fund – Replaces NIS board, removes subsidy as entity struggles to remain viable

BY ALEXIS RODNEY

ADetails of the jail break remain sketchy. However, members of the SWAT Unit were busy in New Amsterdam late Wednesday night. A six-man team from the Unit had arrived in the town, where several armed robberies have been committed recently, on Sunday night.

Some of the text messages in the phone suggested that the prisoner and the officer had an ongoing arrangement. A Police Officer then sent a text message from the said cellular phone to the Prison Officer asking for another of the previous arrangements to be made. The Prison Officer turned up as arranged and took a sum of marked money from an undercover Police Officer. He was arrested moments later by an Assistant Superintendant of Police (ASP).

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, an officer attached to the New Amsterdam Prisons was arrested in a sting operation shortly after he received a sum of money to make a purchase and take an item to a prisoner unknown to prison authorities.

Prison authorities in New Amsterdam have been battling to keep illegal items out of the prison. Knives, cutlasses, phones, and illegal drugs are just a few of the items found within the New Amsterdam Prison during internal raids.

cting on its strongly held belief that there is something amiss with the Old Age Pension Program, the new David Granger led A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance for Change (AFC) government has announced its plans to carry out a fully fledged investigation into the operations of the program.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan made the announcement during his presentation of this year’s National budget which stands at a whooping Gy$221 billion and which also indicated a 30 percent increase in the monthly pension distribution. The 42,397 beneficiaries will from September 1 this year, receive some Gy$17,000, a significant increase from the Gy$13,175 previously received.

Addressing a full house of Members of the Opposition and Private Sector on Monday, Jordan said Government was of the view that everyone deserves dignity and respect in their old age, and that they should be provided with the support they need. It was not made clear as to how a person could live in “dignity” on Gy$17,000 when the minimum wage was now Gy$50,000.

But the quantum of the payment was not the basis of government’s decision to undertake this massive Inquiry. During the ninth Parliament, former Alliance for Change (AFC) Executive Member the late Sheila Holder said something was amiss with the soaring number of senior citizens who were receiving old age pensions. She had accused the then People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government of diverting the Pension Fund toward public spending, noting that there had at that time been a sharp increase in the number of old age pensioners and a consequent increase in government expenditure in that area. She recorded that there were some 17,640 of what she described as “phantom pensioners”, and said that the monthly hemorrhage from the Old Age Pension fund was over Gy$116M or

Gy$1.3B annually. Then Social Service Minister Priya Manickchand had refuted the claim by Holder, pointing out that there were reasonable causes for the increase in the number of old age pensioners in recent years.

Jordan told the house that Government has now undertaken a forensic audit of the old age pension system, with a view of determining the accuracy of the register of pensioners.

“There is an on-going project to improve the processing, recording and monitoring of pension payments, with the objective of streamlining its operations”, Jordon told the packed National Assembly. NIS Meanwhile, examining the situation of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) Finance Minister Jordan spoke to the situation of the company and its increased financial plight particularly with its multibillion investments into the collapsed Colonial Life Insurance Company (CLICO) According to him that represents more than 20 percent of its assets but it is not earning any income. He said the scheme is in trouble “and something has to be done urgently to address the problem”.

“As this Honourable House is aware, Resolution No. 82 of 2009 was passed by the National Assembly “calling upon the Government to take all possible actions to secure the investments made in CLICO Guyana by the NIS on behalf of contributors and beneficiaries of the Scheme to prevent any consequential loss in benefits to them, Jordan related.

He said it was unfortunate that the PPP/C Government did nothing on that Resolution, resulting in a persistent deterioration in the Scheme’s financial position. According to him, a new Board of Directors has been appointed and he will be meeting with that Board and charging them with the responsibility, after consultation with the Actuary, to come up with solutions to address the underlying problems of the Scheme.

Govt finally pays Gy$23B debt to rice farmers –

crisis continues as new markets not secured

Over 7000 disgruntled rice farmers will finally be receiving their longoverdue payments for paddy supplies to millers as Government intends to release Gy$23 billion to assist the millers in settling their debts. However, there were no announcements of Government securing new markets to relieve the present crisis in the industry.

During the budget presentation in Parliament on Monday, Finance Minister Winston Jordan announced that Gy$23 billion will be allocated to support payments to the rice farmers who were owed billions of dollars altogether for the supplies made to the millers throughout the years.

It was reported that millers experienced extreme difficulties in paying the rice farmers for the supplies received, owing to Government’s own default.

Government needed to disburse some US$15 million to the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) so it can pay off millers who needed to settle their debts with the rice farmers. Jordan reported that rice farmers were owed in excess of US$17 million.

For years now, many have complained about rice farmers being squeezed by payment delays, which they blamed on the lax enforcement of the Rice Factory Act.

The Act stipulates that in the event a rice miller pays half of the monies owed for paddy on receipt of the rice and fails to complete payment within the required 42-day timeframe, the miller is bound by law to pay farmers interest that is two per cent higher than the going interest rate of the Bank of Guyana.

Owing to the millers’ constant failure to pay rice farmers over the years, the amounts owed to them have now accumulated and will continue to accumulate if more stringent enforcement measures are not put in place.

With another harvesting season about to begin, rice farmers were growing frustrated over the fact that they are still owed. Many of them expressed grave concern over the situation, particularly with regard to how they would stand their expenses for this next crop.

Many farmers were suffering from paddy bug infestation, while another fraction had heavy loans to take care of at the banks and labour to pay. But this situation is nothing strange as it has been happening for years and rice farmers have grown tired of the noncompliance with the laws.

Jordan, during his presentation, underscored the importance of the rice sector and Government’s critical role in helping it stay afloat.

He pointed out that the industry has recorded consistently higher levels of output, breaking the 400,000 tonne barrier, in 2011, and the 500,000-tonne bar, in 2013. For 2014, rice output attained an impres-

sive 635,238 tonnes, an increase of 18.6 per cent.

“As buoyant as this new record-breaking output appeared, however, the warning bells were being rung of the industry’s inability to align output with domestic and external demand, resulting in the build-up of significant paddy stocks in the system – a situation that was compounded by unresolved issues such as outstanding payments to rice farmers,” the Minister said, noting that Government’s intervention was imperative.

The Minister did not offer any hope to the beleaguered farmers and millers that the Government was making efforts to secure new markets.

Meanwhile, millers’ representation bodies were calling on the GRDB to assist in compensating millers who had rice/paddy shipments stranded at the wharves due to Venezuela’s cancellation of their shipments to their country.

The Millers Association and the Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA) had called on the GRDB to play a greater role during the ‘rice industry crisis’ and assist in some way to compensate for the estimated US$2 million the millers stood to lose as a result of the stalled rice shipments.

Budget 2015: APNU/AFC Govt...

thing he did not say, when we left office that there was no procurement law”.

Further, he said the Party will be fiercely debating every issue raised in the budget presentation including the elections, corruption and the budget itself, which he said will give his Party latitude. He said that while the debate is generally based in economics, anything the Minister says during his presentation is up for debate.

Minister Jordan on Monday presented a whopping Gy$221 billion budget for 2015 as the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Chance Government seeks to fulfil its 20/20 vision for the development of Guyana and its people. This sum is in comparison to the Gy$220 billion budget for the entire year of 2014.

During the coalition’s inaugural budget presentation before

Narine still under investigation for Crum-Ewing’s murder

Days after Regan Rodrigues was arraigned for the murder of exsoldier Courtney Crum-Ewing, the former bodyguard of ex-Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, Rajput Narine, is still being questioned in relation to the murder.

This was according to Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum who stated that the former bodyguard was placed on bail and was instructed to report to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at Eve Leary, Georgetown. While Blanhum refused to comment further on the issue, Guyana Times International was told that Narine only visited the CID headquarters on Tuesday.

This newspaper was also reliably informed that the file which was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on the Crum-Ewing execution has to be resent with additional information requested by the DPP.

A source told this newspaper that the additional information requested by the DPP is expected to be included into the file by the end of next week.

After his release from detention, the bodyguard said that he never participated in the planning, organisation or execution of Crum-Ewing who was cut down in a hail of bullets at Diamond, East Bank Demerara back in March.

The main suspect, Rodrigues, also called “Grey Boy”, who was arrested and then charged for Crum-Ewing’s murder after Police conducted a raid at his home and apparently found a pistol which matched the one used to kill the activist, has recently alleged that Narine contracted him to do a “hit” on social and political activist Mark Benschop.

But Narine recounted a totally different story explaining that he never knew “Grey Boy” personally and was never part of any plot to assassinate Benschop

or Crum-Ewing.

“I am surprised at these allegations,” he stated before saying that he never participated in any criminal activity in his past as he “is not a person like that”.

Asked whether he knew CrumEwing before his death, Narine responded, “I never knew him. I never saw him. I never met him before.” He maintained that the allegations made by “Grey Boy” were false and an attempt on the part of the known criminal to frame him and implicate him in the mix of things with the hope of securing some plea deal with the Police and Government.

Crum-Ewing was gunned down on March 10 while encouraging residents of Diamond New Housing Scheme, to cast their vote in the May 11 General and Regional Elections for the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change coalition.

As Police continue their investigation into the murder of the political activist, they are hoping to discover the “intellectual authors” behind the execution.

the National Assembly, Minister Jordan stated that the 2015 Budget will see a citizenry that is better educated, healthier, financially and physically secure, socially cohesive, and environmentally responsible.

The Finance Minister added that the vision will be realised against a backdrop of inclusionary democracy, enhanced accountability and performance improvement and macroeconomic stability.

Jagdeo turns down Opposition Leader’s salary

– will run Office of Opposition Leader gratis

Soon to be

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday said he will not be accepting his Gy$500,000 salary in that capacity, but will instead remain comfortable with the pension he is currently receiving as a former President.

Jagdeo made the statement in passing while speaking to Journalists on Tuesday, and when pressed further, disclosed that he was comfortable enough with his current financial staus quo.

As Opposition Leader, Jagdeo would have received a salary above Gy$500,000. Additionally, the Office of Opposition Leader includes access to a fully staffed office, a vehicle and personal bodyguard.

In this year’s budget, Government has allocated some Gy$15 million towards the Opposition Leader’s Office. Asked about this, whether he was satisfied with the amount, Jagdeo said he will most certainly have to make do.

The A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change

Government recently slashed the benefits enjoyed by former Presidents.

The Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Bill 2015 provides a capped allowance of Gy$75,000 for water, electricity and telephone expenses each month altogether, and limits personal household staff of former Presidents to three and clerical and technical staff to three.

Former Presidents and their children will also be subject to a financial limit of

Gy$200,000 per annum in free medical attention and treatment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by a former President himself and his children below the age of 18 years. In addition, the former President will not be allowed more than two motor vehicles owned and maintained by the State.

In addition, their security detail cannot exceed two persons, including the services of the Presidential Guard Service at the residence.

The former Guyanese leaders will now only receive an annual vacation allowance equivalent to the cost of two first-class return tickets provided on the same conditions applicable to the Judges of the Supreme Court of Judicature. The benefits will not be subjected to any tax exemptions, concessions or privileges.

Minister of Governance and Patrimony Raphael Trotman had indicated last week that the Bill was not retroactive and that Government was not interested in what was already spent.

Police probing overseas Guyanese death

Afather of four was on Monday morning found dead along the Yakusari, Black Bush Polder road suspected to have been involved in an accident, since his wrecked motor car was fished out of a nearby canal.

The dead man has been identified as Ramdas Soman, 51 of Queens, New York, US, formerly of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice.

According to reports received, Soman was found by his brother Lionel about 06:30h during a search operation after he went missing. His body bore minor bruises consistent with a vehicular accident.

Soman reportedly arrived in Guyana on August 6 to attend his mother-in-law’s funeral which was held on Sunday at Number 72 Village, Corentyne. He was due to return home shortly.

Lionel Soman told Guyana Times International that after the funeral, his brother called and informed him about 19:30h that he was at the Yakusari Entrance heading to his home.

At 20:00h, Lionel

claimed that his brother did not show up and his sister who was with him suggested that they wait another 15 minutes. After that time elapsed and the man did not show up, he drove to the Number 51 and Springlands Police Stations to enquire whether or not there were any reports of an accident, but Police ranks confirmed there were no such reports.

He then went to a few guesthouses in the area to look for his brother, but there were no signs of him. The worried brother claimed that on his way home,

he did not see any vehicle along the Black Bush Polder road.

However, he ventured out early Monday morning in his boat with three others in search of his brother. As they travelled along the waterway, they saw the man lying on the parapet in a motionless state.

At the same time, he saw a Police vehicle passing and stopped them. As they searched further, they came into contact with the motor car bearing registration number PTT 1933 belonging to BB Exotic Gardens submerged in the water. The car was completely wrecked. Lionel believes that his brother might have been under the influence of alcohol and as such, lost control of the vehicle and ended up in the canal.

From all indications, the man received injures and managed to get out of the wreckage, but subsequently died. The access road, the brother stated, is in a deplorable state. The Police in a release stated that they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.

Govt admits crime the most pressing issue in Guyana

BY VAHNU MANICKCHAND

As the country continues to grapple with the increasing number of criminal activities, Government is still in the process of “fine-tuning” a comprehensive plan for the security sector to boost crime prevention initiatives.

Delivering his maiden budget presentation, Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Monday pointed out that the crime situation is the most “pressing and most depressing” problem that Guyana is facing, highlighting the need to address it.

“The Government is fine-tuning a comprehensive public security plan, in which emphasis is to be placed on combating crime; regaining trust of the Police Force; improving Police investigative capabilities, by rebuilding an efficient and effective criminal intelligence system and the Criminal Investigation Department; improving recruitment standards and training by revitalising the Cadetship Scheme; counteracting human, drugs and arms trafficking; and acquir-

ing vehicles and equipment for modern policing to fight banditry, piracy, terrorism and other violent crimes,” the Minister remarked.

Serious crimes on the rise

His comments were made in light of cries by Guyanese in the past few months, over the apparent rise in criminal activities in the country, with more murders and armed robberies occurring daily. After a 12 per cent and four per cent decline in serious crime in January and February respectively, Guyana has since experienced a spike in the number of serious crimes over the past few months, according to statistics released by the Police Force.

In March, the Police reported a six per cent hike in serious crimes while in April a seven per cent increase was also recorded. At the end of May, serious crime in the country had gone up to 10 per cent; however in the following month, it had dropped to nine per cent.

Records relating to the month of July are yet to be released.

Gy$21B to strengthen security

On this note,

Jordan disclosed that Government has allocated a whopping Gy$21 billion to strengthen and improve the country’s various national security services. The Finance Minister noted some Gy$11.9 billion will be plugged into supporting the operations of the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Prison Service, Guyana Fire Service, and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit. Meanwhile, he added that the remaining Gy$9.1 billion will be directed towards the operations of the Guyana Defence Force.

According to Jordan, these allocations will be injected into improving

the physical infrastructure, upgrade of the security fleet, and acquisition of tools and equipment within these security services. Additionally, the money will also be used to upgrade the security features of the machine readable passports, while another Gy$9.7 million was budgeted for the acquisition of specialised equipment for the production of machine readable passports. Moreover, Jordan disclosed that his Administration intends to implement all of the recommendations that were made by the Disciplined Forces Commission. He added that they will also be approaching friendly

nations and international crime-fighting agencies.

The Finance Minister underscored the need to have a radical action that will reform the country’s criminal justice system. He further noted that the Police Force needs to be more accountable to the general public and be better able to deal with crime as well as anti-social behaviour.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister went on to reveal that Government will roll out the implementation of several activities to support the security sector under the Citizens Security Programme. He noted that a key aspect of this Programme

is the implementation of evidence-based interventions associated with interpersonal violence, such as parenting, gender values and norms and conflict resolution.

According to the Minister, “Training of selected community members to support economic inclusion, through vocational and remedial training; literacy programmes; job readiness; job seeking and job placement actions; entrepreneurship; mentoring; counselling and psychological skills training will aid communities in identifying community problems and developing bottom-up solutions to crime and violence”.

Command centre to be established

In addition, the Minister pointed out that his Government will establish a command centre to enhance crime response capabilities. He added that other intervention adopted by this Administration includes resuscitation of Close Circuit Television (CCTV) feeds within the Georgetown to Timehri environs and the improvement in 911 services countrywide.

Ramayya part ways with AFC

– says party has no respect for him

Alliance For Change (AFC) General Secretary David Patterson said he is unaware of the impending resignation of Dr Veerasammy Ramayya from the party.

Hailing from Whim, like Moses Nagamootoo, Ramayya had single handedly campaigned for the AFC in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), which resulted in the party earning 12,000 votes at the 2011 polls. The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) 2015 rally was held in front of his home.

But following the 2015 General and Regional Elections, Ramayya indicated that he no longer wanted to be a part of the party which he was once deeply devoted to.

“Had it not been for

me, the Opposition would not have had the majority to file a No-confidence Motion… and the PPP would have still been in power today because we would not have had elections this year,” Ramayya said.

During an interview with this newspaper at his Berbice home, Ramayya said the APNU/AFC coalition Government has no respect for him.

“They offer me Gy$180,000 to sit in an office in Georgetown and take complaints from people and report to Khemraj. I want to work for the people of Berbice and serve them,” the politician said, noting that all he wanted to do was to serve the people of Berbice but the coalition is not allowing him to do so.

“What I wanted to do

is to be able to fix all of the sports grounds in Berbice and to clean up the hospital compounds, but I have to have the authority and power to be able to do so,” he asserted.

Ramayya has not yet tendered his resignation to the party, nor has he internally expressed his dissatisfaction but instead, resorted to the media to signal his intentions to AFC officials.

Ramayya continued to lash out at the AFC, contending that the coalition simply used him and dumped him after it won the election; after he worked tirelessly to help the coalition to win the election.

“They did not even invite me to the Inauguration ceremony of President David Granger held at the National Stadium. I spent

my money to organise meetings in Berbice during the campaign period. Now when I go to the office in Georgetown, the office is empty because all the boys get Minister jobs and big positions with some Ministry,” he said, expressing anger at the perceived disrespect.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Ramotar telephoned Ramayya on Monday evening to speak about his concerns. Ramayya was heard by this publication telling the former President that he will be restarting his television programme to fight for justice for Berbicians.

Asked about his future plans, the herbal doctor told Guyana Times International that he plans on forming his own movement and continue to fight for Berbicians.

He noted that most of the senior positions in Government have gone to persons of one particular ethnic group which he thinks is unfair considering the way things were under the PPP/C.

Meanwhile, in one section of the media, AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan is quoted as saying that, “It is about serving the people rather than looking for money… I thought that he wanted to serve and all the indications were that he was going to serve but we are not going to simply condemn him; he is a very hard working fellow.”

Ramayya was the only party executive who did not vote in favour of the coalition when it was proposed and had voiced his disappointment to both Ramjattan and

Nagamootoo because they had earlier claimed that they will never coalesce with APNU. Ramjattan, the party’s Leader had declared that if the AFC were to coalesce with APNU, they would be “dead meat”. Ramayya’s departure from the AFC is being seen as a big blow to the coalition and is expected to throw a wrench in the wheel of the APNU/AFC forward movement in Region Six.

Tuschen shopkeeper brutalised by armed bandits

Amother of two is now a pa-

tient at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) nursing severe injuries following a beating she received from three armed men who stormed her Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo home on Sunday evening.

Jasaline “Usha” Zaman, 31, a businesswoman of Black Water, Phase Two, Tuschen Housing Scheme, was brutally beaten with guns by the three men who escaped with an undisclosed sum of money, jewellery and a quantity of phone cards.

Guyana Times International understands that one of the bandits was subsequently arrested on Monday morning and was at the Leonora Police Station assisting with investigations.

According to information received, Zaman operates a grocery shop in the area and about 19:30h on Sunday, she closed her business for the day, but before going into the upper flat of the house, she went to use the washroom located at the back of the house.

The three armed men reportedly subsequently scaled the fence, pulled her out of the washroom and started to assault her while demanding money. Suresh, an uncle of the businesswoman, disclosed that at the time of the incident, the woman’s two children were at home.

He explained that after the men pulled her out of the washroom, they duct-taped her hands and

mouth and took her to the upper flat of the house where they continuously asked for money and jewellery. While upstairs, they locked the woman’s five year-old daughter in a room and also gagged and bound her eight-yearold son.

Out of fear, the woman reportedly handed over a quantity of money and jewellery to the men but that was not enough. They continued to assault the woman and asked for the day’s earnings from the shop.

Again, she cooperated and told them that that money was in a black plastic bag in the shop. They demanded the keys to the business which were handed over. However, the door was not locked, so two of the men then went into the shop and collected the money and a quantity of phone cards.

During the ordeal, the woman’s son managed to free himself, jump over the fence and raise an alarm which saw residents running to render

assistance. Upon seeing this, the three men scaled the fence and ran towards the bushes.

Suresh further explained that residents picked up the woman who was covered in blood and immediately contacted her husband, Ramesh Narine Sammy and informed him of the incident. He, in turn, contacted the Police and reported the matter.

About 10 minutes later, the husband arrived at the home only to see his wife bleeding about the body. He collected her and rushed her to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where she was treated and subsequently transferred to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where she was admitted.

This newspaper was told that the three men were taken into the area in a white motor car which was parked some distance from the house, but after the driver heard the child screaming, he reportedly drove away.

Persons in the neigh-

bourhood saw the car, but did not realise it was involved in the robbery. Nevertheless, the three men were left behind. They reportedly hid in the bushes and as

the place got brighter on Monday morning, they were seen making their way out.

The Police were contacted and one of the men arrested while the

remaining two escaped. The suspect in custody had a quantity of phone cards that were taken during the robbery. The Police are on the lookout for the other men.

Linden to get TV frequency by year-end

The long awaited television station for Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice), is expected to come on stream before next year, as moves are currently afoot to assign a frequency to the Region 10 Broadcasting Incorporated.

Company representative Sharma Solomon, who is also the former Region 10 Regional Chairman, said most of the works are already completed and the administration is waiting on the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) to assign a frequency to the station so it can commence its operations.

International artistes confirmed for Rupununi Festival

The necessary equipment to man the station was already purchased since 2012.

Director of Public Information Imran Khan explained that the NFMU already assessed the equipment to determine the “specifications” and is now in the process of providing a report for the allocation of a frequency to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, whose portfolio covers public information.

Subsequently, a

stakeholders meeting will be held in Linden where the Prime Minister will inform stakeholders on the situation. Khan noted that arrangements are already being made to host this meeting.

“This is high on the Prime Minister’s priority list and the Prime Minister is committed to ensuring the people of Linden get the television station in the shortest time possible,” Khan indicated.

When asked how soon the NFMU will assign a frequency, Khan explained that it would be difficult to make that determination at the moment, particularly considering that offi-

cials want to ensure the best frequency is provided so as to deliver high quality broadcasts. Nonetheless, he assured that Lindeners will get it before the new year.

Meanwhile, Solomon explained that as soon as the NFMU announces a frequency, the company will then begin to make the necessary arrangements to commence the operations at the station.

As it is now, discussions are continuously ongoing between the NFMU and the representatives of the Region 10 Broadcasting Inc.

The structure which will house the television station is situated at Richmond Hill, in Linden.

The second Rupununi Music and Arts Festival is roughly five weeks away from the opening night at Rock View, Annai, Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper TakatuUpper Essequibo) and the excitement is building, as plans move forward. This is according to the Festival’s Director

The Festival Director mentioned that the festival site is taking shape as showers, benabs and other facilities are being tested. He mentioned that caterers are currently sorting out menus so that there will be a variety to choose from and promises that this year’s festival will be bigger

and better than the last. Ramdhanie has shared that many artistes have already been confirmed, such as J J Kent from the United States America, who is known throughout the world as a player of the indigenous Northern Plains flute, and as a traditional storyteller, cul-

continued on page 24

Venezuelan officials meet Caribbean leaders on Essequibo controversy

As part of his tour of the Caribbean to gain support for his country’s claim to almost twothirds of Guyana’s territory, Venezuelan Vice President Jorge Arreaza paid a visit to Cuban President Raul Castro.

Arreaza said they had a “broad and fruitful” exchange of views on bilateral and regional issues including the ongoing border controversy between Venezuela and Guyana.

The meeting was held on Saturday last at the Palace of the Revolution in Havana. According to the release from the Venezuelan Ministry of Popular Power for Foreign Affairs, “At the meeting, both officials agreed on the importance of achieving through peaceful diplomacy and routes of international law, … [resolution of] differences between Venezuela and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.” It also mentioned that they underscored ending the con-

troversy between the neighbouring countries through the pathways of international law.

Venezuela has been the main political and commercial ally of Cuba for the past 15 years.

The two Latin American Governments has maintained good communication and make frequent pronouncements of mutual support.

The Venezuelan Vice President arrived in the Cuban capital Friday night, when he was received by the country’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez and Ambassador Ali Rodriguez Araque. This was the fifth meeting held as part of the planned agenda for the Caribbean countries to explain what Venezuela says are the historical reasons and legitimate activities in defence of the Essequibo. Arreaza and Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Delcy Rodríguez’s diplomatic tour included visits to Grenada, Dominica,

Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Cuba and will conclude in St Lucia. Prior to his stop in Cuba, Arreaza was in Barbados on Friday. The Venezuela Vice President met with Barbadian Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, who reiterated the position adopted by Caricom at the 36th Regular Meeting of Heads of Government, and extended total support for the integrity of Guyana’s territory and maritime space.

Arreaza also visited Dominica and Grenada, while Foreign Affairs Minister Rodríguez stopped in Trinidad and Tobago.

Caracas remains fixed in its claims that Essequibo belongs to it even after an international arbitration panel some 116 years ago unanimously determined the current border. It has recently intensified its pressure on Guyana, particularly after the discovery of oil by US-based oil giant ExxonMobil.

PNC GS calls for reintroduction of Guyana National Service

The General Secretary of the People’s National Congress Reform Oscar Clarke, during his address to special invitees at a Commemoration Service hosted in honour of the 30th anniversary of the death of Guyana’s first executive President, the late Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham called for the reinstatement of the Guyana National Service (GNS).

Clarke was at the time making a feature address on behalf of President Granger. He added that many persons above the age of 45 would remember how great the National Service experience was for them.

He added that the

late President wanted persons to inhabit interior locations and as a result of this the “jungle” training aspect was added to the list of courses offered by the programme. In the decade and a half during which the programme was pushed by the state, there was no noticeable settlement of GNS graduates in the hinterland.

However, Clarke believes that the new Granger-led Administration may be reinstating the programme soon. The National Service was introduced in 1974 and its rationale was offered by Burnham in a speech to the National Assembly in 1973: “National Service, when introduced, will be

used as a vehicle for the national orientation of large sections of our population; it will also give the opportunity to various sections of the community, in terms of categories and ethnicity to meet on common ground

and to share common experiences.

“It is an operation which so far as its concept is concerned carries in it the seed of bringing about a more cohesive nation.”

Burnham thus saw the GNS as a vehicle to bring Guyanese together. However, later in 1973, in a speech at the University of Guyana, he introduced one of the most objectionable features of the GNS –compulsorily service for UG graduates. “If I have my way, and subject to the approval of Parliament, aspirants for a degree at the local University would be required to enter into a period of National Service after leaving second-

ary school.” Many persons felt that when he saw the mix of graduating students, he insisted that they have to join the GNS.

Burnham did have his way and UG graduates had to serve between 12 and 18 months in the GNS in the interior. Of the 63 students compulsorily inducted into the GNS in the first year, 53 were Indians and of those 25 were female (90 per cent of the women). Most of the Indian women dropped out of UG rather than serve in the interior camps.

The GNS otherwise consisted mainly of outof-school boys and later girls, between the ages of 15 and 20 years. After

three months of military training by Guyana Defence Force instructors, the first batch of 68 young men was sent to a training centre at Tumatumari, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni). However, the National Service was eventually discontinued by the previous Administration, the main reason for this was because “the project lost its importance in the 1980s”. This explanation was given by then Government Chief Whip Gail Teixeira in a 2008 interview with sections of the media. There have been periodic calls since then for a revival of the GNS against the background of high youth unemployment.

250th anniversary of Berbice Slave Rebellion

…strong village economies will make a strong national economy – President

President David Granger on Sunday attended a ceremony organised by the Cuffy 250 Committee in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Berbice Slave Rebellion. The event, which saw the attendance of over 100 people, was held at the Critchlow Labour College, Woolford Avenue, Georgetown.

The President in his remarks spoke at length of the need for an economic change and the rebirth of village economies in Guyana. He said this change requires a cultural revolution which would allow citizens to think of the consequences of the economic decisions they make on a daily basis.

He said too many young people today are focused on seeking salaried employment rather than wanting to venture out into the world of manufacturing and exporting and maximising their productive potentials.

“If we are going to construct a new economy, we have to make economic decisions… If we are to revive those village economies, we have to make use of those lands which were bought 177 years ago and which

are still available for production and development. If you are going to solve the employment, do not expect some magical Government to give you jobs in the Police Force and the Army, you are going to have to create jobs within your communities,” the Head of State said.

On the issue of national unity, the President said that Guyana was born broken and there are people with a vested interest to keep the country broken and divided. He noted that the country cannot move forward as a nation with sections of society preaching disunity.

“We need to reinforce the political party system in which all Guyanese can sit at the table and resolve their problems in an inclusionary manner. That is why have been

advocating shared governance and inclusionary democracy,” he said.

He noted that while Guyana’s six peoples can and must be proud of their respective ethnic origins, there is need for citizens to rediscover themselves as Guyanese. He said that a greater sense of national identity needed to be developed and stated that no group or individual should feel marginalised or discriminated against.

On the issue of national security, the President spoke of transnational crimes such as drug trafficking, human trafficking and gun running, which have permeated the society because of the country’s porous borders. He explained that many of the dealers of the narco-trade have become very rich but that wealth came at the

price of many innocent lives.

“Unless we make this country safe for our women and children, we will always have an unstable environment. Investors will not come if they feel that their fishing boats will be raided by pirates. Investors will not come if they feel that their gold mining opera-

tions will be attacked by bandits… this is another matter that we have to put on the table in our discussions today as we go forward to our 50th Independence anniversary,” President Granger said.

The Cuffy 250 Committee is made up of a group of Guyanese in the United States and

Guyana who came together in 2013 to observe the 250th anniversary of the Berbice Revolt, led by Cuffy, against the slave system. It is dedicated to encouraging socio-economic and cultural revitalisation within the African Guyanese community and the fostering of ethnic and racial equality in Guyana.

Preparations for Small Business Expo going smoothly

Plans for the Small Business Expo that is to take the place of GuyExpo for the year 2015 is running fairly well according to Business Minister Dominic Gaskin.

Gaskin told Guyana Times International that with this initiative, they will be able to re-enhance small businesses. He shared that while the event is not specifically targeted just at small businesses, he hopes that they will take the opportunity to be reinvented.

He mentioned that this event is not a permanent replacement for Guyana’s biggest Trade Fair and Exhibition, but an opportunity to take the event back into its former glory.

Minister Gaskin had shared that he would like the focus of the event to be the promotion of Guyanese businesses and not a crowd of foreigners making the works of Guyanese appear inferior. The Business Minister mentioned that the Government would like to be sure that if it chose to carry on this event, that the model and format used was aligned with its vision.

The Minister said he believed that GuyExpo was designed to be a trade fair to promote Guyanese businesses and the Government of Guyana would like to ensure that the priorities of the grand event were so aligned. He noted that he is aware that many businesses, both large and small, do rely on GuyExpo as a money-making venture and it was, therefore, important to them.

Gaskin added that if the event was only seen as a money-making venture or an entertainment event, while he has no problem with money making or entertainment, these were not the priorities of the Business Ministry.

Several Caricom States oppose increase in Hugh Wooding fees

Several Heads of States across the Caribbean have taken a stance against the sudden rise in the tuition fees at the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS) in Trinidad and Tobago and will soon be approaching the school’s administration and the Council of Legal Education to explore the possibility of putting a hold on the increases for now.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon, during a post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday at the Ministry of the Presidency, announced that Guyana, among other Caribbean Heads of Government, believe that the sudden increase in tuition fees is arbitrary, and as such, will soon be taking a diplomatic approach to correct the situation.

“The Cabinet felt that this increase without notice was not one which can be supported, having regard to the fact that when students enter an institution, they would have an expectation of what fees they will be paying and they would have budgeted for that… Cabinet was advised by Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister

Basil Williams that several other countries have taken the position that the increase was arbitrary and ought to be put on hold,” Harmon told media operatives.

He added that the Guyana Government is already in receipt of a letter from the Prime Minister of Dominica and is currently engaging other Prime Ministers in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) regarding this situation. He further added that the Governments will soon take a common approach to the HWLS’ Board and the Council of Legal Education to request that the increase be put on a hold until careful evaluation is done.

In July, the HWLS announced that fees will be increased by some 30 per cent. This applies to students pursuing the twoyear Legal Education Certificate programme.

Students graduating from the University of Guyana (UG) and looking to further their studies at the Law School will now be required to pay an increase of some TT$50,000. This is equivalent to some Gy$1.6 million.

Reports also indicate that students are now required to pay the full tuition at the beginning of the September semester each year, as opposed to 50 per cent in September and 50 per cent in January of the following year as previously obtained.

In addition, students will also need to factor in another Gy$3 million for accommodation, food and other expenses for the two-year period. With a new semester slated to commence in mid September, many are hopeful that the regional heads succeed in getting

the administration to put a hold on the increase.

As part of a longstanding agreement between the Council and UG, every year, 25 automatic places are reserved for Guyanese students at the Law School.

It was understood by this publication that the original agreement had initially expired in November 2012, but at the request of the Government of Guyana, it was extended until 2013. Negotiations were scheduled to take place to facilitate the 2014 batch of students. However, this discussion never took place until the matter arose last year. Although provisions have been made for 2015, current UG law students remain concerned over the future relationship between the University of Guyana and the Hugh Wooding Law School.

Better gold production forecasted in 2016

– despite GGDMA’s concern about falling prices

Even though the gold industry has hit a detrimental spate, Government remains optimistic that the sector will quickly rebound. Finance Minister Winston Jordan, as he presented Budget 2015 to the National Assembly on Monday, related that gold production is posed to improve significantly in 2015/2016, in spite of the relatively low worldmarket prices.

He noted that the Canadian-based Guyana Goldfields Inc Mining Company is already performing considerably well, despite the current state of the world market, having produced its first quantity of gold from its Aurora Gold Mine earlier this month.

The Company expects to produce between 30,000 ounces and 50,000 ounces of gold in 2015. For the year 2016, it expects to produce between 120,000 ounces and 140,000 ounces of gold. Jordan highlighted that another major mining company, Troy Resources Limited is also expected to commence its operations soon and this will contribute significantly to the overall gold production of the country in the year 2015/2016.

Small miners affected

But the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) were particularly worried about the impact of the falling prices on the small- and mediumscale miners in Guyana and the devastating ef-

fect it will have on the economy.

With this in mind, the organisation had approached the Government, seeking the necessary assistance to ensure the industry survives during these troubling times.

Minister of Governance and Patrimony Raphael Trotman, who has direct responsibility for the natural resources sector of the country, had announced that Government will only be granting concessions on some of the items recommended by the GGDMA.

In Parliament, Minister Jordan announced that only “eligible” miners will be exempted from the payment of custom duties on fuel, matting, All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), jack hammer drills, flex hoses, expanding metals, pumps, pump housing, impellers, shaft and engines. He did not specify on the criteria which needs to be met for one to become “eligible” for these concessions. “Pursuant to the Customs Duties (Amendment) (No 1) Order 2004, the Government will enter into a new agreement with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association to give effect to the grant of these tax exemptions,” Jordan stated.

Jordan explained that the waiver of the custom duties will aid in the reduction of the production cost for smalland medium-scale miners which will result in their sustainability which will in turn contribute to overall gold production projection for 2015/2016.

Two minors remanded in T&T over killing of 11-year-old

Trinidad and TobagoTwo minors were remanded into prison custody on Wednesday after they appeared in court charged with the unlawful killing of an 11-year-old boy who was shot dead while they were playing with a loaded shotgun. The court appearance of the brothers—ages 13 and 11—took place around the same time of the funeral service of 11-yearold Ruben Reid who was shot dead.

Members of the media were not allowed into the courtroom when the brothers appeared before Chief Magistrate Marcia AyersCaesar in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court charged with manslaughter and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. They were remanded to the Youth Training Centre, Arouca, until their re-appearance (tomorrow) when the magistrate will determine if bail would be

granted.

Spectators were also blocked from entering the court and only their counsel and immediate family members were allowed to enter. The two boys arrived separately at the court in an unmarked Toyota Corolla and an unmarked Nissan X-Trail around 2 pm. Their upper bodies were concealed with a grey jacket by police officers who escorted them into the court building.

The boys were represented by attorneys Saeed Trotter and Russel Warner. Reid was killed in the hills of Upper Richplain, Diego Martin, last week Thursday. He was shot in the face with a shotgun. The two brothers had been in police custody since the incident occurred. Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard advised police to charge them on Tuesday.

Cpl Courtney Phillips of the Homicide Bureau laid the

charges. A man, who is said to be the owner of the shotgun, and is reported to be a relative of the children, remains warded at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. He is under police guard at the hospital. Police said the 48-yearold suspect had “ulcers” and was taken to the hospital for medical treatment. He is expected to be charged with possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition. (Trinidad Guardian)

Region 2 Administration holds conversation on suicide

69 registered cases in region from January to June

By IndrawattIe natram

In an effort to curb the issue of suicide and to implement programmes and strategies to deal with the social issue, the Region Two (Pomeroon Supenaam) Administration, under the stewardship of Region Two Chairman Daveanand Ramdatt, hosted a Regional Conversation.

The Conversation was held on Friday in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC). The interactive session drew persons from various religious organisations, Amerindians village Councils, representatives from the Neighbourhood Democratic Council, religious leaders and Regional Democratic Councillors.

PowerPoint presentations were made by Psychologist and Social Worker Haimraj Hamandeo after which persons were assigned to groups to brainstorm new ideas.

Thus far, regional statistics presented by the Suddie

Public Hospital’s Statistical Department revealed that from January to June 2015, they were 69 reported cases of suicide attempts; 52 persons were treated, while 17 lost their lives (13 males, 4 females). Of those attempts made, 37 persons ingested a poisonous substance, 16 overdosed on pills, five used kerosene, five hung themselves, while the remaining six vic-

tims used other substances. Choose life over death

At the opening of the Conversation, the Regional Chairman called upon persons to help in the spread of the message, “Choose life over death”. He called on the various stakeholders present to come on board to make a change and to impart valid knowledge on the prevention of suicide.

Ramdatt told the gathering that suicide is not an individual problem and should be addressed at all levels, with every person contributing in a meaningful way. The Chairman said he strongly believes that the implementation of strong suicide prevention programmes must be established in every village to tackle the issue.

Ramdatt said he saw a need for the Regional Conversation, as statistics have shown that suicide is on the increase in Region Two.

He said according to statistics provided by the American Research Centre of Peace University, in Region Two, 92 persons within the ages of 15 and 29 years died as a result of suicide and 498 attempted to take their own lives from 2009-2013.

The Regional Chairman said he is committed to working with Non Governmental Organisations and genuine agencies to stop the increase of suicide. It is his wish to establish more initiatives that will spark growing public aware-

ness in groups from all of society within Region Two.

Meanwhile, Haimraj Hamandeom who has a Masters in Psychology said suicide is very prevalent in Region Two and education is a critical element in its prevention. He described suicide as a deliberate attempt to end one’s life, and noted not everyone who thinks about suicide follows through with the act.

Hamandeo also questioned what happened to the 52 persons who were treated and sent home and what mechanism is being used to help in their healing process. He further explained stress factors such as social pressures, environment, and family are considered as possible event triggers that influence persons’ decisions to end their lives. As these stress factors outweigh the person’s resources to deal with them, they can begin to feel overwhelmed and some of these overwhelmed persons may begin to think about suicide as opposed to solutions, the Psychologist said.

Ministers urge CanadianGuyanese to invest “back home”

Major concerns were recently raised by an overseas-based Guyanese residing in Canada as to the state of affairs in Guyana which has been preventing them from investing in businesses “back home”.

These concerns and related questions were aired to Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Tourism Minister Catherine Hughes upon their visit to Canada last week, where they sought to update the Canadian Diaspora on the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change Government’s plans and objectives for the country.

Both Ministers were present at the meeting with business persons held at the Crown Plaza in Toronto, where they were faced with the business community’s interest in the new Government’s approach to stem various issues which concern the Canadian Guyanese with regards to them investing in Guyana.

The attendees at the meeting expressed grave concern over the crime rate in Guyana and were told by the Tourism Minister of the Government’s commitment to reduce such as she outlined steps that

are currently being taken in her sector.

Minister Hughes placed emphasis on the Administration’s confidence in Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, as she told the group that “every effort” was being made to curb the current crime situation in Guyana.

The National Security Minister has already made two innovations- a 2am curfew on bars and a proposal to decriminalise suicides.

Meanwhile, Minister Harmon, told the gathering of his Government’s focus on creating a level playing field for all prospective and current investors as he extended an invitation for interested parties to visit Guyana and meet with the appropriate authorities within the specific

areas of their interests.

It was reported that he stated that while this new Administration is only a few months old in office, systems were already being put in place to ensure transparency and accountability in every sector.

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, Minister Harmon emphasised that while the “Opposition may be uttering instances of victimisation and character assassination of former Government officials and operatives, there is clear evidence of mismanagement and abuse of the treasury” by a number of former officials.

It was stated that in response to the question of “witch hunting” by attendees, Minister Harmon assured that his

18 Cuban trained Guyanese doctors complete internship at Suddie Public Hospital

By IndrawattIe natram

Eighteen qualified Cuban-trained doctors have successfully completed their one-year internship programme at the Suddie Public Hospital in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).

The eighteen persons are now qualified medical practitioners, who will add to the health care in Region Two. They are expected to serve the Guyanese Government for the next five years, after which they can move on to specialise in a field of their choice.

A simple graduation ceremony on Thursday, courtesy of the Cuban Medical Brigade in Guyana and the Region Two Administration, at the hospital marked the culmination of the medical apprenticeship of the doctors who were trained in Cuba for six years before embarking on the internship in Guyana.

Giving the feature

address was Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt, who commended the Cuban Government and its people, with whom Guyana enjoys a good bilateral relationship, for training the Guyanese doctors.

The Chairman congratulated the eighteen new doctors, stating that they will provide a significant boost to the health sector in offering their full-time services at health centres and hospitals on the Essequibo Coast.

Be the change you want to see

Pledging the Region Two Administration support, the Chairman said he must recognise the sacrifices made by the young medical professionals, and their determination to make Guyana, and the health sector, a better place.

He urged the graduates to “be the change you want to see” and urged them that they have a civic responsibility towards human devel-

opment.

“Our people’s wealth is our country’s wealth; I called on you young professional to ensure you serve with humility. The public is increasing and, as such, have expectations. The Regional Democratic Council expects a lot from you to enhance the lives of people,” Ramdatt said.

Cuban Director, Dr Midalis Otero Fernandez, during her address said that the efforts were made possible through the partnership of Cuban Government and Guyana since 1970. To date, over 500 medical practitioners were trained in Cuba. Fernandez urged the doctors to display their studies in their practice. She urged them to be specialised in whatever field they would like to operate in.

Delivering the charge was Dr Regla Segundo, who said that, out of 20 students, only eighteen were successful at the medical examina-

Patterson wants to review GEA polygraph testing policy

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson has indicated that he would like to review the use of polygraph testing being conducted on field staff of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) to determine their trustworthiness.

Government was “not out to put anyone in any particular embarrassing situation”.

He, however, stressed that once the State Assets Recovery Unit found that there was abuse in the disbursement of public equipment and assets, the perpetrators will be challenged and if found guilty, will face the full brunt of the law.

While the Ministers were in Canada a firestorm erupted in Guyana over revelations that their per diem allowances were being increased exponentially. In previous trips by these Ministers it was claimed that expenses were paid by private sources. Observers, however pointed out that in politics, “there are no free lunches”.

To this effect, the Minister said he will be approaching Cabinet at the soonest possible time on the policy of polygraph testing. Patterson told media operatives at a press briefing on Saturday that he has had discussions with the staff of the Agency and has decided to approach Cabinet to ascertain its position of polygraph tests.

Patterson noted that that Agency has indicated that the polygraph testing is necessary and helpful. He added that while the GEA could not provide any empirical data, they have found since the implementation of the tests that there has been a reduced number of complaints and evidence of fraud within the Agency.

On the other hand, the Minister said staff have complained that failing the test has left a permanent scar on their records. “When they go for jobs and the previous employer is the GEA and they are asked why they are no longer working there, the question of their integrity

comes into play. They also complain that they never see results of the test. The test results went directly to the former HPS and then forwarded on to CEO of GEA with recommendations.

They also advised me that during this polygraph test, they were only asked six questions and none of these questions appeared related to their work as inspectors in the field. The questions were general such as are you a trustworthy person,” the Minister stated.

Furthermore, Minister Patterson opined that while the Energy Agency may have come up with the idea of polygraph testing because of the lack of options, he does not believe it is an assertive way to determine a person’s credibility.

“The inducements for persons are great. What you have to do probably is staff rotation, the persons are there all the time so you need to move them around… and you also need greater monitoring,” he outlined.

Additionally, the Public Infrastructure Minister suggested that annual incentives should be given to employees if they make apprehensions. This, he noted, will be more conducive for staff and may act as a deterrent from wanting to engage in illegal practices.

tions. Dr Segundo, who is a Pediatric Specialist and one of the professors for the students, said that the two students failed due to family issues, however they will be given another chance to re-sit the exam for the second time. The specialist said she was very impressed with the performances of the 18 students, outlining that six attained over 50 per cent and 11 were in the 80-89 per cent range. She told the students that they are now trained doctors and urged them to prepare to work and study daily.

Proud parent

Parent of Haimant Haimraj, Nandranie Chadrawattie, said she is very proud of her son’s performance in becoming a doctor. The mother, who is a teacher, said she sacrificed many things for her son to become a doctor. She would like to thank the Government for the support given to her child during his time studying.

According to the now qualified doctor, his time in Cuba was a very wonderful and challenging one. He said he would like to thank both the Cuban and Guyanese Governments for giving

him a scholarship. He said it is his aim to specialise in Orthopaedic in the near future.

Graduating as doctors were Haimant Haimraj, Delana Alissa Hicks, Joeanna Romena Harris, Kennel Allison Fingal, Kirtis Steve Noble, Kojo Omotayo, Natasha Andrea Barton, Renita Albert, Susannah Natrasha Issacs, Gerald Anthony Thompson, Chanddrawattie Bisson, Ivor Carlton Semple, Junita Holmes, Marles Wilsosn, Razia Fazana Kasim, Sarrajanie Doodnauth, Rose Mc Garrel and Thameshhwar Kharan.

PPP to push for major reforms at GECOM …but maintains Surujbally must go

By Michael younge

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo says that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has failed the country because of its inability to deliver free, fair and transparent elections in 2015 explaining that it is time for a spate of reforms to be piloted to strengthen the entity and exclude undue political interference.

Jagdeo, speaking during an exclusive interview on Television Guyana Channel 28’s (TVG 28) Under the Microscope Show, said that GECOM still has a lot of burning questions to answer following what he described as the fraudulent and rigged May 11 General and Regional Elections which saw the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) coalition forming the new Government with a one-seat majority. They ousted the Peoples Progressive Party Civic into the opposition benches after 23 years in office.

“We are hoping to get

some of these answers from the elections petition that we filed which has outlined the many deficiencies associated with those elections and how we thought that the results do not reflect the will of the people”, Jagdeo said during the 90-minute unedited interview which was aired on Friday evening for the first time.

Jagdeo said that the petition will give Guyanese an insight as to the inner workings of all those bodies with the GECOM infrastructure that were set up to safeguard a free and fair elections process but which were inefficient, compromised and politically skewed.

He said even with all of the manipulation of votes that took place, the PPP/C still managed to clinch over 49 per cent of the votes which means that it remains the single largest political organism in the country.

That aside, Jagdeo maintained that the 2015 elections experience has left a sour taste in the mouths of the PPP supporters and leaders because of the manner in which the elections was

conducted by officials at GECOM.

Reforms

He said that the PPP had arrived at a plan of action to remedy some of the deficiencies encountered during the last elections.

Firstly, he made it clear that GECOM’s Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally has to go and the PPP/C is not willing to compromise on this aspect of the reforms it will pursue over the coming months.

“We believe that Surujbally does not have what it takes to deliver free and fair elections since the last elections… he has succumbed to

pressure and has allowed himself to act in a partisan manner”, Jagdeo said firmly during the interview.

The former President said he found it unacceptable that Surujbally was making attempts to shift blame for the conduct of the elections to the Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield following the PPP/C’s calls for him to resign.

Jagdeo insisted that “…he cannot put the blame on the CEO. He’s in charge”

Secondly, he said that the PPP/C was going to focus its efforts to advocating for a clean and sterilized Official List

of Electors (OLE) with higher levels of accuracy. He argued that this was important as many of the concerns the party raised about the need to sanitize the voters list fell on deaf ears or were ignored by GECOM ahead of the May 11 elections.

He spoke about the need for GECOM to look closely at the appointment of Senior Staff including Presiding and Deputy Presiding Officers as some of them acted unlawfully during the last elections.

Introduction of Biometrics, electronic voting Jagdeo, who is poised to become Guyana’s next Opposition Leader after he takes up his seat in Parliament, said that the PPP would push for the introduction of biometrics as part of the process of reforming the electoral process.

He believes that if you have enhanced biometrics outside of just a photo ID, then it would be difficult for the electoral process to be manipulated.

Jagdeo also disclosed that the party would be pushing for the introduction of electronic voting as well as a means of

strengthening the system.

“You have a system that can do both. You can vote in the machine which has enhanced biometrics and it will issue a small paper which is a ballot which shows how you have voted…”, he suggested.

The Former President also called for an overhauling of the system and processes used to hire electoral staff and permanent workers for far flung areas arguing that the system needed to become more “fair”.

He admitted that over the last two months, he has been talking to the party’s supporters and other stakeholders who have not fully recovered from GECOM’s announcement that the PPP lost the elections and its offensive postelections posture.

“We have to hold together…it will be five years of difficult times for the country if the elections petition does not succeed….the country will have to go through a bit of trauma….I have this sense that our base is strong and waiting for our chance to go back in Government”.

Ramjattan deploys SWAT team to Berbice to tackle rampant criminality

By Andrew CArmiChAel

In the wake of several armed robberies in Berbice over the past three weeks, a unit of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) has been sent to the to the area.

The Police Public Relations Office, in a release issued on Saturday afternoon, said that a team of ranks from the SWAT Unit has been dispatched to B Division (Berbice) to support the Division in its policing strategy.

SWAT is a unit within the Police Force that is trained to deal with situations of unusual danger, especially when requiring aggressive tactics or enhanced firepower, as in rescuing hostages, thwarting terrorist attacks or assassinations, and subduing heavily armed suspects.

According to a source close to the Police, the unit will be in Berbice to assist with the high number of armed robberies in the county which have been making headlines over the past six weeks. The source noted that the Corentyne and New Amsterdam are two areas that criminals have been targeting.

Recently armed bandits have been able to elude local Police efforts to counter crime along the Corentyne and in Berbice. Most recently eight heavily armed men chained sawed a hole in a wall to gain access to a home where National Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan was born and raised in Number 48 Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

On June 19, two armed bandits relieved a Port Mourant business-

man of several million of dollars worth in jewellery, foreign and local currency, and other articles in a high day-time robbery. The following Friday, two armed bandits held up a salesman attached to Sanichar Auto Workshop at D’Edward Village, and carted off in excess of Gy$1 million in cash before escaping from Police at a road block at Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice).

On July 1, Albion businessman Subramanie Mangalie was robbed at gun point of more than Gy$12 million by two armed men. On July 5, two Corentyne families were robbed at gunpoint by a group of armed bandits who shot a teenager before escaping with about Gy$2 million in local and foreign currency, and jewellery at Bush Lot Village, Corentyne.

On July 7, businesswoman Angela Hussain was shot in the head when five armed thieves entered her place of business and took away cash and jewellery.

On July 13, armed bandits escaped with a bag containing Gy$4 million in cash from a clerk attached to A Ally and Sons General Store, who was about to make a deposit at a commercial bank in the town. Two shots were fired before a gun was placed to the head of the clerk before she was advised to let go of the bag.

On July 16, M Ali and Son Supermarket at Main and Pope Streets was the focus of four armed men, two of whom went into the supermarket, carried out a robbery, and in the process also stole a fire arm. On July 29, a man was shot and killed by Police after he and another robbed a couple at the Number 63 beach.

These are only a few of the headlines which recently made the news coming out of Berbice. Several other robberies were perpetrated on schools; persons were raped during robberies while scores have appeared in the court to answer robbery related charges.

International artistes confirmed for ...

tural educator, speaker, dancer and recording artiste.

From Brazil, there is RegioJazz, a group that re-examines music of composers of Roraima among others in the North, through a jazz regional reference and peppered with Latin influences. The band of young persons from different areas is a strong feature of the state of Roraima.

The festival, scheduled for September 1820, is the second of its

kind in Guyana and is fêted in Rock View Lodge, Annai, Rupununi.

At the launch of the event at the Tourism Ministry on June 19, Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes had shared that the Tourism Ministry is “throwing its weight” behind the promotion of this festival and thinks that this time around, it will be bigger and better than it was last year. She stated this festival will highlight and strengthen a very impor-

House lot application process to see some changes – qualifications for allocation under review

By Kristen mACKlingAm

The houselot application process is currently under review as the present Administration sees it essential to make some necessary changes to allow more Guyanese the opportunity to secure lands. This is according to Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Keith Scott, who told this publication on Friday that the main focus of the new procedure would be a total review of the qualifications necessary to obtain a houselot from his Ministry.

“We are conscious of the fact that some people may never be able to obtain houselots under the present requirement stages and thus have set out to review the necessary qualifications that they would need in order to obtain one. We are concerned about the welfare of our people and want to be able to cushion them. We have to do some changes in order to meet the needs of more people,” said the Minister.

He explained that the major focus would be on reviewing the qualifica-

tions necessary for those who require low, middle and high income lands.

“Maybe those who earn Gy$75,000 or less per month will be able to qualify for low income house lots after we are finished revamping the cut-off stages. For those earning, let’s say, Gy$200,000 or more per month will most likely be in the high income level, and between those two would be categorised as middle income. We are aware that the cost for infrastructure is very high for many Guyanese, and hence we want to ensure that as many people as possible get the opportunity of owning their own lands and houses,” posited Minister Scott.

This publication was told that the cost of

land and owning homes presently is “too high” and that the present Administration is seeking ways and means to “lower” the costs.

This publication was further told that the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), which falls under the Ministry of Communities, is looking to make adjustments to the house lot application forms, where persons will be able to identify their desires more accurately.

“Instead of saying which region they desire or want their house lots to be in, we would have an extra column to state which housing scheme in the desired regions they would want. This would make it easier for us and for them. We have had a lot of cases where people are allocated lands at certain places but they keep coming into the Ministry because they don’t want the spots allocated for various reasons and by having this column there it would help them and us to determine exactly where to place them while taking in their preference of course,” Minister Scott explained.

CJIA project gets green light

Ffrom page 18

tant branch of Guyana’s tourism industry and that is the ‘Rupununi brand’.

She mentioned that the Rupununi brand is complemented by events such as the Rupununi Rodeo, Wildlife Festival, the South Rupununi Safari, among others, and as Guyanese, we should strive to maintain and strengthen our own country and realise its potential and all it has to offer and not take it for granted.

ollowing consultations with the contracting firm, the Government of Guyana has decided to continue with the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project. This decision comes some two weeks after works on the expansion project was been suspended as a result of several irregularities in the contract between the Chinese state company, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Ltd, and the Guyana Government. It was also reported that the Government had complained about missed deadlines and failure to do proper engineering studies.

However, on Saturday, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson told media operatives there was a week-long consultation between the contractor and Government, after which Cabinet on Tuesday last gave provisional approval for the continuation of the controversial airport expansion project.

He explained that provisional approval was given because a new pro-

Public Infrastructure

minister David Patterson

posal has to be designed for the renovation of the terminal building and they were given two week’s time to do so.

Patterson further disclosed that the contracting company had submitted a claim for US$46.8 million, however this amount was reduced and capped at US$23.6 million. “This cap includes all claims to date, all variations, all design phases – now and future. Cabinet has given provisional approval under this revised scope of works. We shall now construct the extended runway – all 35,000 feet, and we shall now extend, expand and renovate the existing terminal building,” he noted. As it relates to the

terminal building, expansion works will be done to both the arrival and departure departments with the possibility of going two stories higher, the Minister pointed out while adding there is adequate space to also consider air bridges.

In addition, some of the other works to be done as part of the airport expansion project include new driveways and extended parking facilities as well as a commercial mall. Patterson outlined that the vendors along the airport’s access road will have to be removed and placed into the mall. He noted that they will be given first priority. According to the Public Infrastructure Minister, the project is expected to recommence in a week’s time and has a final extended deadline to be completed by the second quarter of 2017. He adamantly maintained that the completion of the entire project will not exceed the budgeted US$150 million. The Exim Bank of China had granted US$138 million for the project while the Guyana Government put up US$12 million.

Gy$38M training centre and counselling facility commissioned in Berbice

– Minister Lawrence, US Chargé d’affaires commit to partner with Private Sector for improved social services

AGy$38 million skills training centre and counselling facility was officially opened on Sunday by Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence and US Chargé d’affaires Bryan Hunt, at Area Q, Ankerville, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

Both Chargé d’affaires Hunt and Minister Lawrence promised to work with agencies that are committed to breaking the cycle of poverty through education.

The multimilliondollar New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir (NJASM) Humanitarian Mission Skills Training and Counselling Centre will be equipped with facilities for a welding and wood joinery shop, a skills training centre which aims at creating jobs in the commu-

nity, along with a skills training centre that will empower young minds.

Phase Two of the project will see a home for the elderly being established in a second building which is still to be constructed.

Speaking at the commissioning of the project, Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence commended the NJASM Humanitarian Mission for taking the initiative and said that she was delighted to learn that one of the main goals of the project was to alleviate poverty through the provision of social services and the promotion of education and empowering vulnerable groups.

However, she noted that her Ministry sees the difficulty people face and recognise the importance of partnerships in helping to address those

continued on page 26

Venezuelan border controVersy

Remain firm in defence of territorial integrity

…but remain engaged in diplomatic dialogue – Jagdeo

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) said while it remained steadfast in its support to the A Partnership for National Unity /Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government against the claims being made by Venezuela over Guyana’s territorial boundary, the new Administration might be mishandling the situation particularly as it relates to the maintenance of economic diplomacy.

PPP/C leader and Former President Bharrat Jagdeo on Friday said his concern now over the pursuit of Guyana’s foreign policy in the future was the “belligerent, pugnacious language used by our chief diplomat”. Statements such as “Go talk to Caricom, you are barking up the wrong tree, and they are like monkeys on our backs”. According to Jagdeo, such language does not lend itself to dialogue.

“You do not reject outright offers to talk and to meet…Never. You always have to keep talking and meeting. Venezuela will always be our neighbour, we cannot change that. That is a fact of life,” the former President said.

Since 1962, with varying levels of intensity and belligerence, the Bolivarian Republic continued to perpetuate the controversy it precipitated over our western border. Most recently it has begun seeking external support on its claims that it is the true owner of the Essequibo, after an ExxonMobil rig

recently struck oil. The border had been demarcated and unanimously agreed to, some 116 years ago through international arbitration, which Venezuela had agreed to accept as a final settlement.

The Spanish-speaking nation has, for the last six years been exchanging its oil for Guyana’s rice through the PetroCaribe Initiative, and has had several other economic relationships with Guyana. It was against this backdrop that the former President, under whose purview the oil-for-rice pact was negotiated and signed, related that the situation was being mishandled by the David Granger led Administration.

Jagdeo said both the PPP/C and the APNU/ AFC have always had strong support and similar views on the issue involving Venezuela. He said many countries have border problems, but also have a great deal of functional cooperation towards economic diplomacy.

“They need not allow their pursuit of their rights and national pat-

rimony be at the expense of functional cooperation. There must be a tone in the diplomacy that lends itself to dialogue,” Jagdeo stated. He noted that the dominant issue in relations should not be the border conflict, but should be focused on other things that will bring benefits to the Guyanese people.

He said Guyana should not put “all our faith in a single country that they will defend us, because of various points in time, those countries’ interest has changed too”.

He was alluding to the dominant maxim in international relations that proposes, “There are no permanent friends or permanent enemies; just permanent interests”. According to Jagdeo, the country’s faith in the pursuit of its wholeness of territorial integrity should be placed in more collective bodies such as Caricom, the United Nation and Commonwealth etc. Venezuela has begun a series of diplomatic tours to several Caribbean nations seeking out their support over

its claims on Guyana’s waters. However, in its most recent meeting with Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, the regional leader restated Caricom’s total support for the integrity of Guyana’s territory and maritime space, as well as that of all Caricom states.

Stuart said Barbados stood by Guyana and was looking for the best means to address the issue. “We are committed to assisting Venezuela and Guyana in this dispute, preferring at all times a peaceful solution. But as of now, having regard to the fact that there was an arbitral award in 1899 and having regard to the fact that the Geneva Agreement of 1966 has not yielded the kind of results that either Venezuela or Guyana expected, Caricom’s formal position has to be a commitment to the territorial integrity of Guyana.”

Acknowledging that both countries had been trying to pursue a peaceful settlement for many years, Stuart expressed the view that the time had come for the issue to be concluded.

Indian High Commissioner wasn’t aware of illegal nationals

Indian High Commissioner

to Guyana Venkatachalam

Mahalingam said that he was not aware of the eight Indian nationals who were detained for almost two weeks after being denied entry into Guyana.

Speaking exclusively to Guyana Times International, Mahalingam said that they were “completely unaware” of the incident until it was reported in the local media. He added that neither him nor the High Commission were contacted or informed of the matter by any local authorities; hence, they could not have met with the stranded nationals.

The High Commissioner disclosed that he has conveyed to the Foreign Indian Office that the nationals were in Guyana for two weeks without their knowledge. He further stated that a message has been sent to the Indian Embassy in Venezuela which oversees operations in Curaçao to find out the purpose of the eight nationals’ visit to Guyana and about their immigration documents.

Mahalingam said, however, that they have not received any feedback from their counterparts in the neighbouring country and was not sure if the authorities were able to meet with the nationals in Curaçao. “I doubt they were able to meet them,” he stated.

The High Commissioner went on to point out that the nationals were in Brazil and a host of other countries so there is a chain of

destinations they have travelled to and he did not believe Guyana was their final destination.

“This is the first time we have come across an incident where such a large number of people have come and were sent back, and to my mind it does not appear Guyana was the final destination for them, they were going somewhere else, but we don’t have any information about why they came to Guyana,” he said.

Asked whether Indian nationals usually seek the High Commission’s assistance in regularising immigration papers after arriving in Guyana illegally, Mahalingam noted that they never have had such cases. He further disclosed that he was not in possession of any reports

from the formerly Home Affairs Ministry or the Citizenship Ministry to say otherwise.

The Indian High Commissioner disclosed that they are awaiting information from the Embassy in Venezuela on the matter to be more updated on the incident, since efforts to acquire details from the Immigration Office proved futile.

Review

However, Citizenship Minister Winston Felix subsequently told this newspaper that he was not informed of the matter until August 4 after he received a lawyer’s letter requesting him to release the Indian nationals or have them deported at the soonest time possible.

Nevertheless, the Minister said that a report was sent by the Police Commissioner to the Public Security Ministry and is expected to be forwarded to the Foreign Affairs Ministry and then to the Indian High Commissioner.

While he was not involved in the matter from the inception and the procedures followed, Felix explained that he intended to have the system changed regarding the handling of such matters. He noted that while they were in the process of formulating the changes and exploring options, one of the things he would be looking into is the speediness in which the matter is reported to the authorities including the local office of the countries the detained nationals are from.

Gy$38M training centre and counselling...

challenges. “I urge you to continue your work of reaching out to those who are less fortunate, those who have been overcome by social ills, tragedy or ill health… We need your help to restore families, to sensitise and educate our men about the way to treat women and about the need to embrace woman’s changing roles,” Lawrence noted.

She said the provision of social services is a great challenge, because often, the results are not quantifiable or easy to measure and added that it requires diligent, committed and consistent efforts in order to ensure success. “As a Government we will continue to strive for the improvement in the quality of social services and greater social protection. I wish to extend a hand to all those who are willing to partner with us for human development and to take this opportunity to remind us all that everyone has a role to play in achieving the desirable society we wish to see.”

US Chargé d’affaires

Bryan Hunt also committed the United States’ support towards efforts being made to break the cycle of poverty

through empowerment and education. He said Governments cannot do it alone and civil society has a critical role to play in addressing social ills plaguing our society. “We support the outstanding work by organisations like the Humanitarian Mission of New Jersey in trying to bring about grass roots involvement by citizens in the United States and in Guyana in order to make a difference at the community level.”

Hunt underscored the importance of investing in education which he said is the driving force of all social and economic development.

Also attending the commissioning were Junior Minister within the Ministry of Finance Jaipaul Sharma, Chairperson of the Teaching Service Commission Leila Ramson and former Chairman of Demerara Distillers Ltd (DDL) Yesu Persaud.

The New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir Humanitarian Mission’s Skills Training and Counselling Centre is the brain child of Pandit Surish Sugrim who is the Chief Executive Officer of the organisation.

An interest in old Guyana becomes a hobby

John Sargent, of Yorkshire, England, often shares some of his most valuable postcards and photos of British Guiana, when Georgetown was known as a “Garden City”, online.

Sargent’s interest in Guyana and collecting old photos of the country were prompted by 19th century British naturalist, Charles Waterton.

“I have no connection with the Watertons apart from the fact that I live in the village of Walton in Yorkshire, England,” Sargent told Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, “the village was once the home of Squire Charles Waterton (1782 - 1865) of Walton Hall. Waterton was a pioneer-

Creek, Fort Island, the coastal strip across the Demerara, and Kaieteur Falls. A short stay, but very enjoyable,” Sargent recalled.

The pictures he shares with Sunday Magazine were either bought online, in auction houses in Britain, or are from photos other persons have shared with him.

Who was Charles Waterton?

Charles Waterton arrived in Georgetown in 1804 to manage the plantations of his father (Walton Hall) and his uncle, Christopher Waterton (La Jalousie and Fellowship), who had returned to England. One of his uncle's es-

tation in the colony:

“This fine property formerly consisted of four separate sugar estates, viz., Walton Hall, Devonshire Castle, Hampton Court and Windsor Castle. The three latter were vacuum-pan estates in a small way, but from want of labourers to carry on the proper cultivation of the soil, one by one ceased to have an independent existence; and in the course of time the Colonial Company became sole owners of this fine block of land.”

Such spare time as he had, Charles spent with his paternal aunt Anne Daly and her husband Michael at their estate, Bellevue. This became his second home. He also

ing naturalist, and created the world's first nature reserve at his home, Walton Hall in England. He spent some time in Guyana, and I thought that it would be interesting to visit the country itself,”

Sargent has visited Guyana once, in 2012, as a tourist.

“I stayed in Georgetown and had a very enjoyable time with a number of excursions to places such as Mibiri

tates, of which the principal crop was coffee, had no less than 500 slaves working on it. The other estate produced sugar and cotton, worked by 300 slaves.

Walton Hall is near The Jib and Hampton Court, north of Anna Regina on the road to Charity.

In The Argosy, published in 1883, Walton Hall is recorded as being part of Hampton Court, the most northerly plan-

had connections with Guyana.

Waterton eventually married Anne Mary, Edmonstone's second daughter. He had attended Anne's christening in 1812, on his return from his first wandering; 17 years later, this infant became the wife of the Squire.

Edmonstone had originally been a timbercutter and merchant, in partnership with William Reid (a fellow Scot).

Reid had married an Arawak named Princess Miranda, daughter of a chief. Their daughter, Helen, married Edmonstone.

William Reid lived on

Kamuni Creek. Charles Edmonstone lived at Warrows Place, Mibiri Creek, a tributary of Demerara River, not far from Santa Mission. For more information and photos of British Guiana, visit http://overtown.org.uk (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

met Charles Edmonstone who lived at Mibiri creek; the friendship endured the test of time.

Waterton’s family owned plantations at La Jalousie, Walton Hall and Fellowship and he managed them for a while. When he inherited them from his father, he disposed of them.

Later, Waterton wrote his "Wanderings in South America" about his journeys in South America. His wife also

Shinella Andrea Ghent tells her story

Formally from Wales, West Bank Demerara, but now residing at Onderneeming Housing scheme West Bank Demerara, I was born Aug. 23, 1988 to Meolene Munroe and Joseph Ghent.

My formal education began at Wales Community High School, which at that time housed primary and community level students. The school’s motto was: ‘To Strive for Excellence’.

I wrote the Secondary School Entrance Examination and gained a place at the West

Demerara Secondary School. Again I was reminded through the motto: “Self- Discipline Is the Key to Success.”

These fuelled my motivation for both excellence and to be successful in whatever I put my hands and mind to do.

It was at the secondary level that I wrote the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination in 2005 and was successful. In that same year, having received my results, I commenced studies at the University of Guyana. I successfully pursued studies in a

Diploma in Social Work in 2007. During this period, I commenced teaching at the Wales Community High School, which was a wonderful experience of giving back to my community.

After attending the Wesleyan Young Adults Camp in 2008, my life was transformed by the message delivered by Rev. Marlon Hestick. I was encouraged not to place limitations on my life. It was with this in mind and my deep passion to enter the field of law that propelled me to commence studies and read for the Bachelor of Laws Degree.

In 2012, this was made a reality when I was successfully awarded a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB).

Since then I embarked on a fruitless and frustrating journey of job hunting in order to acquire some experience.

As a qualified person, being unable to find a job was disheartening. But I thank God for my

mother, Meolene, who I worked with selling at our stall in Vreed-enHoop opposite Republic Bank. On numerous occasions, the Regional Democratic Council issued notices for us to vacate the area, with no interest that it was our main source of income. Many looked at me in despise [sic], viewing me as a market vendor, but they did not know that I was just a qualified person who was unable to secure a job.

I nonetheless did not give up on my ambitions, and through those challenges I became stronger in my pursuit for higher achievements.

I applied to the Hugh Wooding Law School and wrote the entrance examination in 2013, but was not awarded a place. These placements I was told were subject to the availability of spaces.

I subsequently applied in 2014 to the University of Fiji, following the guidance of one of my former profes-

sors at the University of Guyana, and was accepted into the graduate diploma in legal practice program. This was a long awaited breakthrough that I had earnestly prayed for as I believed it was another step in my long journey to pursuing and fulfilling my dream.

This journey was not an easy one as it took me thousands of miles away from everything that was familiar. My faith in God and His word was a constant reminder and comfort that the latter is sweeter than the former.

I was also reminded by Ms Nicola Samuels Smith and other members of the Mountain Heights Wesleyan Church that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, and this is my encouragement to others.

It was with pride and hard work that I received the graduate diploma in legal practice from the University of Fiji and subsequently admitted to the legal bar as a barrister and solicitor at law (attorney- atlaw) on July 21, 2015.

I will be returning home to Guyana with a wealth of experience and new friends from Fiji and the Caribbean who were all my family away

from home. I am also cognizant of the task and challenges set before me, but I am optimistic that He (God) who had begun a good work is faithful to complete it.

As I set my eyes on finding a job in the legal sector in my beloved country, Guyana, I am more confident now that one will be waiting for me. My future endeavour is to read for a masters in Legal Drafting and to continue to strive for excellence, while I serve my country.

I would like to express heart filled gratitude to all those who supported me throughout my journey especially my parents, my uncle Deputy Fire Chief Winston Mc Gregor and his wife Mary Mc Gregor, and the other members of my family; Mr Adolphus Rogers and the members of the Mountain Heights Wesleyan Church, especially Pastor Bunny Mark Samuels and family.

A special thank you is also extended to Donna Keiller-Mckinnon, lecturer at the University of Guyana, who acted as an ambassador for the Guyanese and Caribbean students in Fiji. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

By PetamBer Persaud

From time to time, our writers, mainly but not exclusively biographers and

John Smith, and Revs. Wray and Davies; Van Hoogenheim, Hugh Lyle Carmichael, James CarmichaelSmith, Rev. William Henry Brett, Egbert Martin, Sir Francis

historians, would exhibit tangible forms of recognition on Guyanese men and women who have made or continue to make outstanding contribution to the development of Guyana.

P. H. Daly was one such person who “made historical biography literally his one, true, and only love” (Seymour). There are many other writers who have done similar work but this series starts with Daly mainly because of a prompt from recent articles in ‘History Today’, the UK monthly magazine, on the style of writing history: “a general set of principles for practitioners of public history”; engagement of the quasi historian with the academic historian, highlighting the “ordinary” and the “elite”, and to “return history to its mission as a critical social science.”

In his series of three volumes “Stories of the Heroes”, Daly highlighted some forty men who contributed in one way or the other to shape aGuyana in which we now live. Those names include Laurens Storm Van Gravesande, Rev.

Galton, John Joseph Purcell, Oswald Hutton Parry, Edward Alfred Luckhoo, Joseph Alexander Luckhoo, and Alfred Athiel Thorne.

Many of these men entertained visions of an independent Guyana (the books were published in the early 1940s). Some bore the distinction of laying the foundation of a modern Guyana, introducing English as the official language of court, starting and editing newspapers, banning the word “colonist” from public use, and fighting racism. Two reverends broke the power of the planters. One reverend was martyred, resulting in the end of the slave trade in British colonies.

Of that large number, only five were born in Guyana, although many more than the five have lived for a lifetimein this country, some died and buried here. The five men born in Guyana were Egbert Martin, Isaacs Edward Adrian Patoir, William Alfred Douglas, Edward AlfredLuckhoo and Joseph Alexander Luckhoo. Two of the five men had trust funds set up in order to help the less fortunate; those funds were name in their honour.

Hincks, Patrick Dargan, Count De Kersaint, Van Batenburg, Joseph Bourda, Henry Light, Philip Wodehouse, Lord Gormanston, Frederic Mitchell Hodgson, William Piercy Austin, Anthony Butler, captains Lawrence and Peake, John Murray, Louis De Souza, James Alexander Swettenham, A. R. F. Webber, Gordon Guggisberg, Edward Brands Denham, Compton Theodore

Before Daly started on that substantial work, he had to battle with himself on a number of questions like who is a hero, who sets the criteria, why there are so few biographical histories, why is biographical history glossed over in general history–“I had to do a great deal of examination of conscience on the reasons for the existence of this book. Is a knowledge of history of any practical use? What are the functions of history in civic education and public life?”

J. I. Ramphal,

principal of Modern Educational Institute, writing the preface to book two in 1941, declared the “Authorship in British Guiana is a selfless task and attempted at considerable personal sacrifice. That this is so is no surprise, for as yet our financial magnates have displayed neither a sense of oneness with

this country nor a desire to patronize art and literature. To them, as to most of us in Guiana, literature and art are foreign products that must be imported. To them local efforts are mere imitations unworthy and unnecessary.”

Leaving the author to confess, “I ought to point out…that the inclusion

of commercial literature [advertisements] in this book is not a measure in conformity with my literary ideals…but it conforms with those inexorable financial laws which even Mr Micawber understood so well…the publishing of this was greatly simplified by the generosity of Mr C. N. Delph, manager of the Daily Chronicle, whose concessions transformed what might have been an extraordinary feat of financial heroism to one of daring, dexterity and determination.”

And there are many more stories of heroism in the fields of art and literature, and there are many more unsung Guyanese heroes;both men and women whom we will encounter as the series unfolds.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 2260065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com

What’s happening: The Guyana Annual Magazine 2014-2015 issue in now available at Guyenterprise Ltd., Lance Gibbs and Irving Streets, Tel # 226-9874 and from yours truly.

Kato is located in Region Eight, known for its natural beauty and its stunning nature scenes, all vital aspects of village life. Made up of a close-knit, self-sufficient community that cherishes its indigenous heritage, the village of Kato includes government buildings such as the nursery and primary schools, a guest house, a police outpost, medical facilities and school dormitories. Neighbouring is Paramakatoi. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

Jeffrey Dujon, Malcolm Marshall and Vivian Richards were among a plethora of players who donned the maroon West Indies cap when the region dominated world cricket, firmly etching their names in the golden era of Caribbean cricket.

The trio featured in many famous victories, and established outstanding personal records along the way. They came from different territories, but they had many things in common, none more pronounced than winning at all costs.

They also ended their Test careers on the same day, 24 years ago. To be precise, the humble servants of West Indies cricket bowed out of international career on August 12, 1991, at The Oval.

For all the success

only 20.94 each, and Viv Richards hit 60 in his final Test to keep his batting average over 50.

Dujon - the gymnastic hub

Peter Jeffrey Leroy Dujon was born on May 28, 1956, in Kingston, Jamaica. He started out as an all-rounder- a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pacer- before developing into a brilliant wicketkeeper/batsman.

Described by ESPNCricinfo as a “gymnastic hub”, Dujon collected 267 catches and five stumpings in Test cricket and 183 catches and 21 stumpings in One Day Internationals (ODIs).

For good measure, the Jamaican, who has now evolved into a very forthright cricket commentator, accumulated 3,322 runs from 81 Tests, including five hundreds at an average

they enjoyed in their careers, their final day in Test cricket was an anticlimax: England won the match to ensure the series ended in a draw. On the anniversary of their farewell to international cricket, let’s take a brief look at the contribution of these three famous gentlemen.

In a nutshell, Dujon finished with 272 dismissals, the record for a West Indies wicketkeeper, Malcolm Marshall bagged 376 wickets at

a man who never participated in a losing series. If his keeping was never adequately tested against spin bowling (just five of his 270 victims were stumped) then there was scant opportunity. No one could have been more riveting to watch standing back. He could bat too, elegantly, sufficiently well to make five Test centuries. The largest of them, 139, came in the opening match against Australia at Perth in 1984-85, and helped rescue his side from 186-6.”

Miserly Marshall

Malcolm Denzil Marshall was born in Bridgetown, Barbados, on April 18, 1958. He died of cancer on November 4, 1999. In his prime, he was a destructive force, despite his obvious diminutive stature as a fast bowler.

“Only in inches was he lacking – but he even turned that to his advantage with a bouncer as malicious as they come, skidding on to the batsman. Later in his career, he developed a devastating leg-cutter which he used on dusty pitches. Allied to a massive cricket intelligence, stamina and courage, Marshall had all the toys and he knew how and when to play with them. His strike rate of 46.22 was phenomenal, his average of 20.94 equally so. He may well have been the finest fast bowler of them all,” Marshall’s profile on ESPNCricinfo reads.

In 81 Tests, Marshall devastated batsmen the world over, raking in 376 wickets with a career-best of 7-22 against England at Old Trafford. He captured 22 fivewicket hauls and four 10-wicket match-hauls, while in ODIs; the little Bajan took 157 wickets from 136 matches with a best of 4-18.

take 7-53.

Vicious Viv Born on March 7, 1952, in St John’s, Antigua, Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards is undoubtedly one of the most menacing cricketers to ever wield a cricket bat.

Over 15,000 runs across Tests and ODIs, with a total of 35 international hundreds, Richards, who was knighted post-retirement, certainly has a place among the greatest batsmen to have played the game.

His 121 Tests yielded 8,540 runs at an average of 50.23 with 24 hundreds, while his 187-match ODI career produced 6,721 runs at an average of 47 with 11 centuries.

Richards’ FirstClass career spanned 507 games, in which he piled up 36,212 runs at an average of 49 with 114 hundreds. He is one of a select bunch of West Indians to have scored a triple hundred in FirstClass cricket.

Richards also holds the joint-record with Pakistan’s Misbah-ulHaq for the fastest hundred in Test cricket- 56 balls.

of 31.94. That average was more than handy in an era where the general standard was wicketkeepers who could offer a bit down the order.

In 169 ODIs, Dujon tallied 1,945 runs at an average of 23.15 with six fifties and a highest score of 82 not out. A total of 21 First-Class hundreds and 469 dismissals says it all.

ESPNCricinfo, in its profile, mentions, “Jeff Dujon was the gymnastic hub of those all-conquering Windies sides,

Marshall was no rabbit with the bat either, as 10 Test and two ODI fifties would confirm. He was destructive with both bat and ball on the First-Class circuit, collecting 1,651 wickets from 408 games, and scoring seven hundreds.

Marshall was also a courageous character, regularly defying to odds to prove his undoubted skills.

ESPNCricinfo writes, “In 1984, he broke his left thumb while fielding early in the match, but first of all batted one-handed, hitting a boundary and allowing Larry Gomes to complete a century, and then, with his left hand encased in plaster, he shrugged off the pain to

Suriname’s Bouterse sworn in for second presidential term

PARAMARIBO –

Desi Bouterse,

a former military ruler convicted of drug trafficking in the Netherlands, was sworn in for a second five-year term as president of Suriname on Wednesday.

Bouterse’s National Democratic Party (NDP) in May won a slim majority in the small South American country’s National Assembly. The country’s parliament then automatically ratified the 69-year-old’s presidency, with no other candidates, in July.

“For the first time in the history of Suriname, we as a people can try to seize the opportunity to .. bring this nation to

unprecedented prosperity,” said Bouterse in his inauguration speech, after which he sang Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” with

a local singer.

Bouterse stressed Suriname should diversify its economy, which is heavily reliant on baux-

ite and gold and has a nascent oil industry, to protect against sudden commodity price swings.

The leader is expect-

ed to increase the price of water, electricity and perhaps gasoline in coming months.

Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang, neighboring Guyana’s newly elected President David Granger and Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa were present at the ceremony.

Suriname, sandwiched between Guyana and French Guiana on the northeastern shoulder of South America, won independence from the Netherlands in 1975.

Bouterse assumed office in 2010 though previously led Suriname through the 1980s as a military ruler after he and other soldiers led a coup in 1980. Bouterse

took part in another coup a decade later.

In 1999, he was convicted in absentia of drug trafficking by a court in the Netherlands. He has always denied any wrongdoing.

Bouterse also faced prosecution for the execution of 15 opponents in 1982 but the National Assembly passed an amnesty law giving him immunity in 2012.

Opponents accuse the president of cronyism and corruption.

A U.S. judge in March sentenced Bouterse’s son to 16 years in prison after he pled guilty to charges of offering a bribe to Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah. (Reuters)

Brazil’s president says not resigning despite calls for impeachment

SAO PAULO – A

Reuters report quoted Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff as saying that she would not consider quitting despite calls for her impeachment from opponents in Congress as the economy sinks and her popularity hits record lows.

In an interview with SBT channel, Rousseff

said the ongoing political crisis should not weigh down efforts to revive Brazil’s flagging economy that she believes will improve by year-end.

“I would never consider quitting,” Rousseff said. “The coup-mongering culture exists, but there are no conditions for that to happen.”

Rousseff, a technocrat who had never run

for public office before ascending to the presidency in 2011, is struggling to contain a rebellion in Congress that threatens her hold on office.

With only seven months into her second term, Rousseff has suffered a rash of defeats in Congress that has complicated efforts to rebalance public accounts to avoid losing Brazil’s in-

vestment-grade rating.

will lose its investment grade and that the country’s debt burden will not surpass the 70 percent of GDP mark. Brazil’s gross debt has jumped to 63 percent of GDP in June from 59 percent just six months prior.

Facing a rapidly deteriorating economy, Rousseff succeeded in striking a deal with the Senate this week to seek a market-friendly agenda to counter an open rebellion in the Lower House of Congress.

The

In the interview, Rousseff said she does not believe the country

Some of her opponents have said Rousseff should step down due to allegations of illegal campaign financing and attempts to doctor the national budget last year.

Despite the easing political tensions her administration is bracing for a nationwide demonstration on Sunday calling for her impeachment. (Reuters)

“You knew when he was coming. The outgoing batsman would already have disappeared into the pavillion, and the expectation of what was to follow filled the air. Viv kept you waiting… time to ponder.

Then he appeared, sauntering, swaggering, arms windmilling slowly. He would take guard, and then, head tilted back slightly and cudding gum, he would walk a few paces down the pitch to tap it while looking the bowler in the eye. It was calculated menace and magnificent theatre from arguably the most devastating batsman of all time,” ESPNCricinfo could not have said it better.

By Anu Dev

“Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do”.- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

With the change in administration, there’s inevitably been announcements to change both the content and method of teaching in our schools. “Inevitably”, because one has to justify “change”, if nothing else.

I’ve been in school for the past 15 years of my life and having been in school for that length of time (I’m beginning to see a faint light at the end of the tunnel!!), I’m also beginning to see teachers falling into two broad categories. Some go about their jobs like they truly love what they’re doing – teaching is a “vocation”, while others seem to just go through the day – teaching is an “obligation”.

But no matter what their teaching attitudes or stance, we do learn a lot from our teachers – and not just the curriculum. Teachers teach more than just Science and Math and all the other “subjects” – they teach ethics as well. While you may have the weekly one hour of “Pastoral Care” as I did at Queens, where ethics is taught explicitly, they also do so via a more powerful medium - their actions. Their behaviour impacts their students strongly. And of course, it’s always best to lead by example, so we’re most likely to do as our teachers do, rather than as they say. How will the new administration get teachers to change their habits?

On reflection, my current value system is a melange of what I’ve been taught at home and whatever modifications my experiences have forced me to make – with me spending a third of my time every day in school learning from teachers and peers. And I realised how damaging it could’ve been if I had no countervalues to teachers whose values and ethics standards that were not solid.

What about teachers who throw things and scream at their students, calling them names, belittling them? If a student didn’t have a strong personal value system or positive role models, they could easily accept that sort of behaviour as being okay, or acceptable. And they might carry over that type of behaviour into adulthood in their professions and personal lives. Nowadays, the whole field of ethics has been turned on its head by a school of thought that says the validity of our knowledge (epistemology) is contingent on the ethical framework in which it is imparted.

Our teachers as a consequence have great power; they have the most interaction with us, especially during our young, impressionable years, when we’re still forming our opinions of the things around us and deciding how we want to fit into society.

The new Minister of Education should therefore place more emphasis on training teachers in their role in moulding the values of their students through their actions.

Values like the importance of confidentiality and the importance of privacy could be emphasized by the teachers so that when the students leave the school system, they’ll be able to function like adults that are capable of respecting the persons they interact with.

Other values like the importance of accountability, punctuality should all be established as being important from a young age. Teachers that violate these tenets in their classes do damage beyond the details of the “subject” not being covered.

Our teachers can hold great sway over how we might turn out at the end of our tenure at school; they could be the difference between whether we become successful professionals, or whether we go about our jobs in a very unprofessional manner. We need a solid foundation in professionalism, and our teachers can give us that, hopefully by their actions and not just their words.

Caribbean needs debt aid, not studies or scorn

- Barbados minister tells international community

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados –Barbados’ Finance Minister Chris Sinckler on Wednesday sent a strong message to the international community as the region continues a plea for debt relief: Don’t just “study the situation” of developing states in economic crises; actually do something to help.

Sinckler spoke frankly about the lip service being paid to developing nations, like those in the Caribbean, as he addressed the 11th Annual Meeting Group of Latin American and the Caribbean Debt Management Specialists.

“For us small states, it is not enough to just speak almost despairingly about our negative debt matrices as if pouring scorn on us for daring to pursue the de-

Hosting Caricom summit cost

Barbados Bds$800,000

Barbados - The Barbados government has been left with a more than Bds$800 000 bill from its hosting of the threeday Caricom Heads of Government meeting last month.

That disclosure was made last night by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, who went before the House of Assembly seeking approval of Bds$650 000 to supplement the 2015-2016 Estimates.

Comparatively, he said the hosting of a similar Caricom conference back in 2007 cost the administration over Bds$917, 000.

All but two Caricom leaders attended the July 2 to 4 meeting at the Hilton Barbados Resort. (Barbados Nation)

velopment of our people and societies. And it is certainly not enough to keep sending missions of sterilized technocrats and academics to study the situation and, if we are lucky, publish a book to which we get entitled to a free copy. No! That is not what the Caribbean needs,” he told the gathering at the Hilton Barbados Resort.

“What we need is for the hemispheric and global community to act in a way demonstrative of their often exclaimed but yet to be realized desire to help the region’s countries deal with the elephant in the room.

“Don’t just throw the zoo keeper to the wolves of international financial capital such as the IMF for yet another vi-

sionless and impractical adjustment programme. Rather, grant us no less favour than that which was given to the heavily indebted poor countries during the 1990s,” Sinckler added, declaring that “anything less would be considered by us as abandonment by the international community of small and vulnerable states”.

Pointing out that the Caribbean was heavily indebted, with six of 13 countries among the 10 most indebted middleincome countries in the world, Sinckler said a CARICOM Commission on the Economy is focusing on devising a coordinated regional response to seeking debt relief from domestic, regional and international credi-

tors. He noted that as recently as last month, regional financial leaders and technocrats attending the UN Financing for Development Conference in Addis Abba, Ethiopia, were “evangelical” in their insistence that there must be a serious, workable and timely international debt relief programme to assist small vulnerable economies.

Addressing the economy at the local level, the Barbados minister pointed out that government had made steps toward improving its debt management process, and was committed to embarking on its own set of public debt management reforms.

Sinckler said that with the assistance of development partners like the Commonwealth Secretariat, Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre and the Inter-American Development Bank, the administration had critically evaluated Barbados’ debt management system, with a view to making much needed improvements.

(Caribbean 360)

This week's Crossword

Finally exhaling…

…on oil

With the announcement that ExxonMobil struck oil just before the elections, the new Government thought they’d be able to get away with all the wild promises they’d made on the campaign trail. Why else would they promise to bring in LESS money (cut VAT, reduce corporate taxes etc.) while spending MORE (raise salaries of Government workers, pensioners etc.) and not plunge the country into bankruptcy?

So yesterday, in chastened tones, the APNU/ AFC Finance Minister fessed-up that they “can’t suck cane and blow whistle at the same time”. Presenting the Budget for the next four months, he admitted that most of their promises had to be deferred. What he couldn’t say was that they’re gone for channa. They’d sworn up and down that they would fund the promises from “savings” they’d generate after cutting “PPP’s waste”. Now, either they’re even more wasteful than the PPP – or there was no waste to begin with. But don’t expect them to admit either.

After being flown by helicopters to the ExxonMobil oil rig in the ocean (feeling like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible!) there were hopes of a respite. But those were dashed pretty early when the Government (via Minister of National Patrimony, Raphael Trotman) conceded that the ExxonMobil rig had departed our waters just a couple of weeks after their oil strike.

They would’ve been told by ExxonMobil that there was no deus ex machina in the form of oil, to save them. Right off the bat, drilling for the black gold more than a mile under the sea water and then going another three miles into the Earth’s crust ain’t cheap. Costs at least US$170M annually… and it takes a heck of oil to just cover your costs. And when oil has plunged below US $40 per barrel, you’re talking about a whole new ballgame.

This

week's Puzzle

With ExxonMobil… they’d have to also factor in the “political risk” of taking on the Venezuelans – with whom they’ve already had a run-in or two. This political risk adds huge insurance costs onto the underwater production costs and makes it difficult to compete with shale oil that’s being squeezed out right in the heart of America. The way things are going in the oil industry, oil’s not going to be contributing any greenbacks to finance our budget for at least a decade.

So in the meantime, let’s see where the APNU/ AFC Government’s going to source funds to bring Christmas to Guyana in August.

As they promised!!

…in Berbice

Well… looks like the AFC’s “man in Berbice” Ramayyah decided he couldn’t hold his breath any longer. The fellow had taken so much stick from all around – especially his local nemesis in the form of some chap named Haseef Yussuf – you can’t blame him for thinking he would’ve gotten some sinecure once APNU/AFC snucked in. Not nepotism or cronyism or anything like that, of course.

While some think he’s a mere “Herbal” doctor – or “bush doctor” in the local patois – according to the SN, (via which medium he announced he was quitting the AFC) Ramayya, actually has two Bachelor’s – one in third world politics and the other in international politics, not to mention a master’s degree and a PhD in psychology. Your Eyewitness feels the fella SHOULD be teed off. What else but rank discrimination against Berbicians would stop the AFC from finding a job for a man of the people, with those qualifications?

As Ramayya said, “Nobody in Berbice did not get a job.”

…on Ministerial appointments

The PPP’s making heavy weather of Ramjattan, the National Security Minister, for not making a squeak about the new Finance Minister being made Chair of NICIL. When he’d raised all kinds of hell about Ashni Singh doing the same.

Doesn’t the PPP realise that Ramjattan’s an extraordinary mind and “a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds”??

Look how he reversed himself about being “dead meat”!!

Guyana, TT sign MoU for hassle free transiting of passengers

Guyana and its Caribbean counterpart, Trinidad and Tobago, has sought to strengthen bilateral relations between the two Caribbean Community countries with the signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate hassle free travel for passengers from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) who are transiting in the twin island republic.

The MoU took effect from August 5. According a release from the Public Infrastructure Ministry, arrangements captured in the MoU is commonly referred to as the “One-Stop” security arrangement for screening of transit and transfer passengers. It is one of the mechanisms that are being encouraged by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

The document was signed by Junior Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry Annette Ferguson, who explained that the general intent is to significantly improve the efficiency of air travel and place less burden on security screening checkpoints.

“The One-Stop Security Screening will allow for transfer and transit passengers to deplane at Piarco International (or CJIA) be directed to the departure lounge and await boarding of their connecting flights without being subjected to further security screening at the main security check-points. It will also eliminate or avoid the inconvenience of remaining on board an aircraft for a lengthy period before its departure,” she stated.

Ferguson indicated that this is one of many initiatives that will seek to strengthen the relationship between Guyana and Trinidad; a nation she deemed has made significant strides in aviation. The Government of Guyana will also seek to engage similar arrangements with other regional counterparts such as Barbados and Suriname, she noted. However, in order to ensure the sustainability of this initiative, Minister Ferguson emphasised that the se-

curity systems and standards at both airports must function at the highest level.

US-TSA/CASSOS Seminar

Meanwhile in late July, Minister Ferguson headed a small delegation to Trinidad for a two-day “Insider Threat” seminar hosted by the Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS) and the US-Transportation Security Administration (US-TSA).

The seminar saw the attendance of several high-level officials which

included Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Director Generals, and aviation professionals from countries within the Caribbean, such as Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, Suriname, Curacao, and Haiti; and the North and South American region, such as the United States. Also in attendance were representatives of key stakeholders such as Liat, Caribbean Airlines Ltd, JetBlue, and Piarco International Airport.

Participants of the

seminar were introduced and sensitised to new and emerging threats which can adversely affect civil international aviation operations within the Region. Of particular interest were insider threats which can evolve from among persons or employees within the various organisations operating within the aviation sector, particularly within the environments of the international airports; and which can challenge current aviation security systems.

CAL admits to reviewing London route

Caribbean Airlines on Wednesday remained non-committal on whether it was withdrawing its London service from next year. However, it admitted to reviewing its options on the type of aircraft being used to fly the route.

In a press release, in response to recent media reports, the airline will pull out of London and return its Boeing 767 fleet to its lessor early next year in a cost-cutting measure, the airline assured its customers that as of now, it continued to service the route.

It added, however, that it had been conducting a detailed review of its network profitability and after intense consultations with Lufthansa Consulting and ICF International (formerly SH&E), two of the world’s leading aviation consultants, certain strategic initiatives were recommended consistent with the current compet-

itive environment.

CAL said the issue was not primarily the profitability of the London route but the operations cost of the Boeing 767 aircraft, which affected other prime routes. It said any decision to stop using the Boeing 767s would favourably impact its profitability in direct and overhead costs by reducing the number of fleet types and the unique support resources required for each. However, it said, arrangements were still in the process of being finalised.

CAL said whatever the outcome of the deliberations, its intention would be to implement alternative network solutions to ensure connectivity to/from London for customers. In this regard, CAL said it would communicate the final decision on the route in a timely fashion to the public. (Trinidad Guardian)

Antigua and Barbuda diplomat calls for strengthening of OAS to keep it relevant

WASHINGTON DC, United States –Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), Sir Ronald Sanders, has told high ranking representatives of Western governments that they have to strengthen the organization to make it relevant and meaningful.

Ambassador Sanders made the remarks as he presented credentials to Secretary-General Luis Almargo Lemes at the OAS headquarters in Washington on Monday.

At a ceremony attended by Ambassadors of Canada, the United States of America and Latin American and Caribbean states, Sir Ronald declared: “There has never been a time in mankind’s history when our planet has been faced with common challenges of greater magnitude than now.”

He identified those challenges as climate change and threats to the existence of island states; terrorism, both within and across bor-

ders; communicable diseases; drug trafficking; organized crime; and high youth unemployment.

Saying that the OAS could contribute to solving these problems in collaboration and cooperation with other multilateral and international organizations, the Caribbean diplomat called on member states to “commit to strengthening the organization to play its fullest role in our hemisphere and in

the wider global community”.

“Notwithstanding that the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean has projected that for 2015 Antigua and Barbuda will have the highest growth rate of all Caribbean countries at 5.3 per cent, my government welcomes the priority being given in the OAS to mitigation of natural disasters, facilitation of foreign investment and wealth dis-

tribution, and inter-connectivity in transport and information technology,” Sir Ronald said.

In welcoming Sir Ronald to the councils of the OAS, SecretaryGeneral Lemes recalled the vast experience of the Antigua and Barbuda diplomat in the international community.

He said that he was confident that the organization will benefit from his practical knowledge and skills. (Caribbean 360)

In 1803, during the European Napoleonic Wars, the British government conquered the colony of Berbice –then under Dutch rule – and took control of a number of presumed

government slaves.

These slaves were mainly artisans from New Amsterdam, Berbice estates, and were referred to as winkel slaves (Dutch for “shop”).

At the end of the war the British government conceded that some of the slaves were the property of a private shareholding company called the Berbice Association, but the winkel slaves were not since they were considered “public” slaves as they worked in the colony’s public works department.

In 1812, the Winkel

Department was established to manage all repair works needed by the residents, and the winkle slaves were required to execute these works.

The winkel slaves remained the property of the British government until 1831 when they were given their freedom, three years before

the 1834 Emancipation, and seven years before the 1838 end of the Apprenticeship period, where the freed slaves were compelled by law to serve their old masters just as they had done when they were slaves.

The free Winkel people, who were, since 1790, living in their own vil-

lage behind Queenstown in New Amsterdam today, were allowed to keep their residences. It wasn’t until 1890 however that their descendants, via a court appeal, were awarded ownership of their colonial ancestral homes in Winkel Village.

(Source: National Trust of Guyana)

When the Slave Trade developed, supported by slave agents and slave masters, once free African men, women and children were captured and distributed over much of the world as slaves.

Many arrived in Guyana, then known as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice and later British Guiana.

Each had their quota of Africans enslaved on the various sugar and cotton plantations. Essequibo, whose roadways extended from Plantation Aurora to Plantation Chandler, had 34 sugar mills, some of which shut down before 1800.

Danielstown, a small village sandwiched between Plantation Fear Not and Coffee Grove, was also abandoned by slave owners before the British took over in 1810. By 1833, news of freedom from slavery as proclaimed by the British parliament to end slavery in all colonial territories was well received by slaves in the colonies.

In Essequibo, a march from Devonshire Castle to La Belle Alliance resulted in the death of

Damon in 1834. Between the period 1834-1838, like Victoria and other plantations, free slaves saved their hard-earned monies and bought over the plantation now known as Danielstown.

Danielstown after Emancipation By 1838 the community of Danielstown was already organized into a committee to manage the sustainability and development of the village, where the name Daniels was taken from a village “father” by the colonial agent. It was finally renamed Danielstown village.

Both Plantations Fear Not and Coffee Grove were desolate, covered in dense forest and lowlands; Danielstown then preferred to use the facilities of Coffee Grove koker for drainage. There was also an agreement by the Dutch where the ‘Sea Signal’ for ocean- going punts was erected on the northern side of Coffee Grove: a huge iron structure visible from sea.

Unfortunately, after a while, the need for wood caused the Danielstown foreshore to become deforested. It was said that

the sea sand kept the beach intact.

The stability and leadership role in Danielstown caused the colonial governor to install a police outpost in Danielstown, though this no longer exists. The village also had a famous ‘Kaiteur Hall’, which was used by the remaining plantocracy at weekends for socializing. The village development included a local foundry that made metal bars and car wheels; it also included an abattoir, and many artisans.

Even though the end of slavery came in 1838, many semi-skilled villagers were already employed in existing sugar plantations as boiler-men, sugar boilers, captains, carpenters and security.

During the century, many prominent families made the village their residence; they include the Gomes, Reberios, Creavalles, Evans, Bunburys, Draydons, Brittons, Johns, Williams, Khans, Ally, Sandae, Verwaynes, Stoblys, Johnsons, Grosvenors, Barkers, and many more. Some of these families’ names continue to live on.

A village purchased by freed Africans

Danielstown was also a rescue raft for the few inhabitants who lived between Bush Lot and Dartmouth since the collapse of several small sugar plantations in early 1850. There was no road from Dartmouth to the Pomeroon River prior to 1908, and the areas between Perth and Walton Hall were not inhabited. The villagers of Danielstown were therefore the main vendors for the Hampton Court Estate traditional Friday market.

Most Africans believed in cultivating their lands, reaping their crops, and selling

them at the markets. Africans were the first rice planters in Guyana. The traditional items for sale would include cassava bread, starch, tamarind, sugar cake, mauby, ginger, beer pepper pot, black pudding, pumpkin pone, corn bread, handicraft, straw hats etc.

With the local government system promoted in 1847, the village become prominent and was affiliated to the Essequibo Union of Local Authority and has representation on the Guyana Association of Local Authority.

The closure of Hampton Court Sugar

estate and Anna Regina in the late 1920s did not impact on the village when it rose to more leadership level, giving support to other depressed communities. Today many of the Africans who came out of slavery have left a rich legacy since they bought several villages on the Essequibo Coast.

As a result, all Essequibians salute their hard work and struggle – not only on Emancipation Day, but also every day, as we pass the various villages purchased by former slaves. (Indrawattie Natram)

Significantly contributing to Guyana’s entertainment industry, Hashim Alli is a man of many talents. He made his debut in the dance arena when he joined the-then Sitare Dance Troupe. Travelling across the country and the Caribbean performing with the group was just not enough however, for this multitalented individual. In 2004 he decided to produce his own television shows:“The Blue Jeans Unit” and “Rhythm Blast”, designed to highlight and promote local talent. Then in 2007 he made his acting debut in the local dance drama, “Not just another Indian movie Prem & I”. His most recent acting gigs were in “Murder at Giuseppe’s” and “The Parika Market star boy”. Now, Alli is more focused on his television show “Entertainers Platform” - a programme presenting local talents. He is also an active member of the Apsara Group, a local dance company. Apart from dancing, choreography, managing pageant contestants and being a host, Alli is passionate about fashion. He is the co-founder of Nachle Designs, designing the male collection, ‘Yours’, along with his fiancé, Melicia Partab, who designs the label’s female collection, ‘Hers’. Knowing first-hand the value of determination, Alli’s advice to youths is: “You can achieve anything your heart desires once you have seriously thought about it, rationalize it, believe it and work towards it. Always remember life is like a ball: no matter the direction you spin it, it will always come right back to you and success will follow.”

Trinidad dominates first ever International Panorama competition

PORT OF SPAIN,

Trinidad –

Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra has taken the inaugural International Panorama title, beating out 23 other bands from neighbouring Caribbean countries, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Japan over the weekend to take the top prize.

An impressive performance of The Mighty Trini’s Curry Tabanca earned the twin-is-

land republic’s reigning national champion a US$250,000 first place prize and the World Steel Pan trophy at the competition that took place at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain on Saturday.

The Brooklyn Steel Orchestra out of the US and Trinidad and Tobago’s Phase II Pan Groove tied for fourth spot, each getting US$125,000.

The competition organized by Pan Trinbago coincided with an International Steel Band Conference in Trinidad from August 4 to 9. (Caribbean 360)

Two other Trini bands – Supernovas Steel Orchestra, playing Dr. Samaroo, and Renegades Steel Orchestra which performed Ah Feeling –took the second and third place spots. They each walked away with US$200,000 and US$150,000, respectively.

United Airlines to begin flights to St. Kitts and Nevis in December

BASSETERRE, St.

Kitts – United Airlines will launch a non-stop service from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport to St. Kitts on December 19.

Flights will operate every Saturday until April 30 next year, complementing the existing non-stop service into St. Kitts from North America, and providing more options for travelers to get to the twin-is-

land federation during the peak winter travel season.

The new route provides additional connections from St. Kitts’ top feeder gateways, including Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, and Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

“The launch of this

new service from United is very significant for St. Kitts, particularly as many of our new hotel developments, including Belle Mont Farm at Kittitian Hill, Park Hyatt St. Kitts at Christophe Harbour, Koi Resort & Residences and Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Kitts, are open or opening within the next few years,” said Minister of Tourism, International Trade, Industry and Commerce Lindsay Grant.

“To support the growth in available room stock, a simultaneous growth of our airlift is required. The northeastern US has historically been our largest source market for visitors, and these new flights also allow for more connections from key gateways in and near this region.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Aviation for St. Kitts and Nevis and Deputy Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley said the United Airlines service

would be an integral component of the country’s strategy to provide nonstop airlift from its key international gateways.

He said visitor research and stakeholder input had indicated that New Jersey was a very strong market for the federation, and for Nevis in particular.

Director of Leisure

United

Media flip-flops

Satiricus is convinced that the Kranacle is a perfect paper – even though he works at the paper you’re reading now. Satiricus was a back-bencher all through his school years – and didn’t pick up many (if any) pearls of wisdom from that vantage point. But he still remembered the quote from Churchill, pasted on the wall behind him. “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”

“Look how the Kranacle change,” he exclaimed to his friend, Cappo the canecutter. “You remember when we were lil boys, how they used to praise everything the Pee-an-See do?”

“An’ cuss down de PeePeeCee!!” Cappo exclaimed. “Deh use to cuss down de PeePeeCee real stink, Budday!”

“And that went on for 28 years, chap!” exclaimed Satiricus. “That is a whole lotta cussin!”

“A rememba de referendum when de Pee-an-See put a “house” fuh yes…an a “mouse” fuh no!” reminisced Cappo.

“And the Kranicle had a big headline, “Vote for the House and Kill the Mouse!” said Satiricus.

“But as soon as government change in 1992 de Kranacle change!” chuckled Cappo. “Man, me had fuh rub me eye fuh see if me a see prapa!!”

“And look what happened now,” said Satiricus, “PeePeeCee get throw out, and the Kranacle change immediately. Pee-an-See good…PeePeeCee bad!”

“But tell me, Sato, old friend,” said Cappo leaning forward, “is de same set a fellas at the Chranacle. How deh could change like dat? Wat was right yesterday… now wraang today?”

“Bai, Cappo, those journalists at Kranacle are a special breed,” confided Satiricus. “They are the real professionals.”

“Ah wha yuh mean, Sato?” asked a quizzical Cappo.

“Well some people think that professional journalists have principles,” explained Satiricus, “but that is wrong. A real professional journalist like the ones at Kranacle, will write what their new bosses tell them to write.”

“But dat is just like dem fellas who sell dem services by de Cathedral!” pointed out Cappo.

“Well, they are professionals too, you know,” concluded Satiricus with a smirk. “Kranacle reporters will change with the tide! They are perfect journalists.”

Times Notebook Double standards and hypocrisy

The Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) factory operation has not begun on four estates. Three others are not ready to begin operation. Operations of the factories were supposed to have started in early July, but bad weather deferred the start, according to management.

For most of Dr Leslie Ramsammy’s time as Agriculture Minister, the same management team, led by Paul Bhim, was in charge. Virtually every crop was started late and the reasons given were related to the weather. Ramsammy as Agriculture Minister had no reason to doubt those explanations. Indeed, he engaged the Cabinet, Parliament, the public and the media with this weather-related explanation for the delays in the start of the grinding season. Often, too, the grinding seasons came to a premature halt and the reason was also weather

related.

At that time, the Opposition in Parliament – the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) – and the media were brutal in rejecting management’s explanation. There was a call made for the Minister to fire Bhim and other senior management for the frequent delays and premature ending of the grinding seasons. Bhim was called incompetent by the Opposition and the media. At least two of the new members of the GuySuCo Board rejected the weather-related explanations.

When Dr Rajendra Singh assumed the position of CEO and the same situation arose, he too was deemed incompetent and the call to fire him was loud and vulgar. Bhim is back in management, brought back by the same Opposition that condemned him and that called him incom-

petent and a puppet of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

The weather problem continues to be a major issue that GuySuCo must confront. Bhim has again explained, as he did during the PPP/C regime that the weather is the reason for the delay in the grinding season.

As before, Ramsammy had no reason to doubt Bhim. He continues to have confidence in Bhim, as he did when he was Agriculture Minister and is certain that he would have wanted an early start of the grinding season and to have a full grinding season. The problem now is the double standard of APNU/AFC and the media and some of the new Board members. Now that they are in charge and now that the people the media wanted to be in charge of the Government are there, everyone now finds the weather-related explanation justifiable.

When the PPP/C was in office, Bhim was an incompetent puppet. Now that APNU/ AFC is in power, Bhim is managing prudently and we must be sympathetic to his plight. The APNU+AFC accepts that the weather is the enemy and the reason why grinding is starting late. The media is aggressive in giving the public the weather-related explanation for the late start.

When the same situation existed during the PPP/C time in Government, these same players found it all as mismanagement. Among the players who condemned then and now endorse were Dr Clive Thomas and Tony Viera, senior members of the GuySuCo Board.

This is double standards and hypocrisy.

Readers are invited to send their comments by email or Facebook to times.notebook@gmail. com.

Suriname drug accused extradited from T&T to US

Surinamese national Edmund Quincy Muntslag, who was wanted in the United States, was extradited to that country from Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday, to face char¬ges of narcotics trafficking.

He was wanted by the US government after he, along with Dino Bouterse, the son of Suriname President Desi Bouterse, allegedly conspired to smuggle ten kilogrammes of cocaine into that country between 2011 and 2013.

A release from the Office of the Attorney General stated that Muntslag, who was ar-

rested in this country in August 2013, was handed over by local authorities to US marshals at Piarco International Airport early yesterday (Wednesday) morning

No government plot to kill opposition leader, says Trinidad PM

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar stated on Tuesday night that no one in her People’s Partnership government was involved in any plot to kill opposition leader Keith Rowley.

Speaking on local television when she was screening candidates for the September 7 general election, Persad Bissessar said the claim by Rowley was irresponsible.

The PM also said her government has not

paid anyone to write about Rowley. She said if Rowley has any evidence to support his wild claims he should take it to police.

She also said, while she and her People’s Partnership coalition have presented a plan to take Trinidad and Tobago forward, the opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) has yet to show that it has a plan.

Persad Bissessar added that all 41 People’s Partnership candidates will be presented on Sunday at a mass rally.

and placed on a flight to New York.

In 2013, Bouterse was extradited to the United States after being arrested in Panama. He pleaded guilty to the

joint drug-trafficking indictment and terrorism charges last year in a United States Federal Court and was subsequently sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment.

The terrorism charges were he received US$2 million to help Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah establish a South American outpost in Suriname to attack the United States, and to also provide it with weapons, including surface-to-air missiles.

AG committed to working with law enforcement

On January 8, Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar committed

Muntslag to be extradited to the United States to face trial.

Her decision, however, was challenged at both the High Court and Court of Appeal in Port of Spain. On both occasions, the court ruled against Muntslag.

On July 29, AG Garvin Nicholas signed the warrant of return for his extradition after the dismissal of the matter at the Appeal Court.

The release issued by the AG’s Office stated: “This stands as another achievement for the Attorney General and the Central Authority, in the co-ordination of efforts with their inter-

national counterparts in the fight against crime.

The Attorney General is committed to working with law enforcement agencies in the Caribbean and other international bodies to confront and fight the scourge of crime.”

Representing Muntslag during the extradition hearings were attorneys Keith Scot¬land and Asha Watkins- Montserin while Israel Khan, Jagdeo Singh, head of the Central Authority Unit Netram Kowlessar and Kylene Deosingh represented the requesting state. (Trinidad Express)

Hi-tech weapons for T&T cops

Trinidad and Tobago - The T&T Police Service (TTPS) has signed a multi-million dollar deal with a firm to equip all police officers with some of the latest and hi-tech guns to even the playing field against the criminal element.

Two of the main guns to be purchased include the SIG PRO and the SIG Sauer P226 Pistol. The latter—SIG Sauer P226 Pistol—will be assigned to every “ordinary” police officer in the TTPS, while the SIG PRO will be assigned to officers in the Special Branch Unit, the T&T Guardian has been told.

According to a source who wished not to be identified, the new guns will replace the present ones being used in the service, which include the Smith and Wesson and M&P 9mm, which is similar to the Glock pistol.

The source added that Special Branch had already been issued with the new SIG PRO firearms.

“That particular weapon is used by counter-terrorism specialist firearms officers, hence the reason it was assigned to the Special Branch Unit,” the source said.

Contacted for comment on the matter yesterday, Social and Welfare Association president Anand Ramesar said the acquisition of new guns for officers was long overdue.

“The association has been clamoring for this change long time now and I am giving my total endorsement and support to the Commissioner of Police on this move,” Ramesar said.

Ramesar said he was part of a team that attended a demonstration and exhibition on the use of the guns last month.

“I believe it was from

there everything may have happened. The firearms we have now are very much outdated and what you find is that when it goes defective it has to remain defective because the parts of the firearms are not accessible,” he added.

Ramesar said some of the guns being used by the TTPS date as far back as the early 1970s.

“These new firearms appear to be superior to what we have now but in the long term the cost of it will be worth it,” he said.

Asked if there were any concerns about the disposal of the firearms which will be replaced, Ramesar replied: “There are no concerns because we believe that there are sufficient mechanisms in place to discard our firearms.”

Asked if there were concerns that the “old” firearms would end up on the streets and in the hands of gang members, he replied: “We are not concerned of this either because we never had a problem with our firearms ending up in the

wrong hands out there. They all will be destroyed properly.”

Contacted yesterday, acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams laughed as he said: “I cannot comment on such information for the public out there.”

However, Minister of National Security Carl Alfonso said purchasing the new guns was deemed necessary to enhance the service. “It is all for obvious reasons… new assets, whether it be arms and vehicles, it is all in the effort to enhance the TTPS,” Alfonso said. He pledged his continued support to the TTPS and promised if given a second term in office he would ensure his ministry gave whatever was needed to the TTPS. “Whatever they think they need or want to improve the service they will have my full support,” he said. (Trinidad Guardian)

Angelina Jolie to produce animated film on Afghan girl

Actress-filmmak -

er Angelina Jolie is set to executive produce “The Breadwinner”, an animated film centering on a young girl living under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

The film is an adaptation of Deborah Ellis’ young adult novel of the same name, said The Hollywood Reporter. It will be directed by Nora Twomey from a screen story by Ellis and screenplay by Anita Doron. The story revolves around Parvana, who disguises herself as a boy to become the breadwinner of the family when her father is unfairly imprisoned.

“The Breadwinner” also showcases culture, history and beauty of Afghanistan. A version of the film will be produced in Dari (one of the official languages of Afghanistan) in addition to the English-language

version.

“Millions of young girls like Parvana are growing up today under oppression or conflict, and helping their families to survive in those conditions. This story is a reminder of the immense value of their contribution,” Jolie Pitt said in a statement. “I am delighted to be working with a talented team of artists who I know will do justice to the richness, creativity and strength of Afghan culture and to little girls like Parvana.”

The project is slated to begin production in August, and due for completion in early 2017.

(Indian Express)

Keanu Reeves to be honoured at Deauville Film Festival

Actor Keanu Reeves will be honoured at the Deauville Film Festival in September with a career tribute.

The 50-year-old “The Matrix” star will join “The Tree of Life” director Terrence Malick, who will also receive an homage during the week, said The Hollywood Reporter.

“Forever Neo from ‘Matrix,’ Jonathan Harker in ‘Dracula’ or Le Chevalier Danceny in ‘Dangerous Liaisons,’ Keanu Reeves has demonstrated his ability to take on extremely varied roles during his long and impressive

movie career. He has worked with directors such as Gus Van Sant, Francis Ford Coppola, Bernardo Bertolucci and more recently Richard Linklater,” the organizer said in the announcement.

Festival organisers also quoted his work as a director, with 2013’s “Man of Tai Chi” and producer with 2012’s documentary “Side by Side”.

As part of the tribute, Deauville will host a retrospective of Reeves’s most popular movies.

The festival is scheduled to take place from September 4 to 14 with French helmer Benoit Jacquot heading the jury.

Director Balthasar Kormakur’s “Everest” will be the opening film and Denis Villeneuve’s “Sicario” will bring down the curtains. (Indian Express)

Harrison Ford flying again, wife supports his decision

‘Indiana Jones’ star Harrison Ford has started flying again following his serious crash earlier in the year, where he suffered injuries including a large laceration to his head, as well as broken bones.

Five months on from his plane accident when he crash-landed on a golf course in Los Angeles –due to engine failure related to a loose part – the 72-year-old actor’s wife Calista Flockhart has revealed her husband still loves his aviation hobby.

The TV actress said although it was “really hard” she supports his decision “100 percent” to get back to what he loves most, reported People magazine.

“He loves it, so I love it, and I support him 100

percent,” Flockhart said.

However, it was a “scary time” for Flockhart and the ‘Star Wars’ star’s son Liam Flockhart and also Ford’s children from his previous marriages with Melissa Mathison Georgia Ford and Malcolm Ford and Willard Ford and Ben Ford with Mary Marquardt.

“It was a really hard, scary time for our family. I think it just makes you

realise, once again, that life can turn on a dime. We just have to appreciate every second we’re here, because you never know,” Flockhart said.

The accident hasn’t stopped Ford’s wife from being a passenger in his aircraft and she confirmed that she goes along on his journeys, but she doesn’t fly herself.

“I don’t fly. I’m the passenger in the plane.”

(Indian Express)

Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner hire two

new

nannies for kids

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner have hired two new nannies to look after their three children, Violet, Seraphina and Samuel, amidst the “Gone Girl” star’s cheating scandal with for-

I wish I had met Keith Urban earlier: Nicole Kidman

Actress Nicole Kidman says she wished she had met her husband Keith urban “much earlier” and had more kids with him.

The 48-year-old actress has two daughters, Sunday Rose, seven and four-year-old Faith, with her country music star husband, who she married in 2006.

Kidman said if she had two more children with Urban, 47, it would have been “glorious,” reported Female First.

“I wish I could have met him much earlier and had way more children with him. But I

Love the idea of exploring the world: Hugh Jackman

‘Wolverine’ star Hugh Jackman says he enjoys the “romance and adventure” of visiting new places and having different experiences. Jackman, 46, said as a child Captain James Cook was his hero as he explored the oceans, reported Female First.

“As a child, one of my heroes was Captain James Cook, who explored the oceans and another historical figure who fascinated me was Lawrence of Arabia. I’ve always loved the idea of exploring the world and going on great journeys of my own.

“For me, the idea of travel is a great meta-

didn’t. I mean, if I could have had two more children with him, that would have been just glorious. But as Keith says, ‘The wanting mind, Nicole. Shut it down.'”

Kidman also has two adopted children, Connor and Isabella, with her former husband Tom Cruise.

The children have been raised as Scientologists like their father and she is believed to have little contact with them. (Indian Express)

phor for enjoying the romance and adventure that comes with visiting exotic places. You never know what new kinds of things you’re going

to discover and I think my wife and children have always enjoyed the idea of taking exotic trips with me.” (Indian Express)

mer nanny Christine Ouzonian.

Two brunette girls were spotted with the kids in Atlanta, where Garner, 43, is filming her new movie “Miracles from Heaven”, reported Entertainment Tonight.

Christine broke her silence on social media on Sunday following her scandal with Affleck. The former nanny posted on Instagram a paparazzi photo of herself wearing sunglasses, blue tee and print skirt. She wrote alongside the picture, “‘She’s just a girl and she’s on fire’ — Alicia Keys.”

Christine’s posting came after Affleck and Garner were spotted together with their children in Atlanta. The former couple took their kids to see “Inside Out (2015)” in theatre.

Women who worry about ageing are annoying: Jerry Hall

Former model and actress Jerry Hall says she is not worried about ageing and cannot understand why it bothers so many women.

Hall, who will turn 60 next year, said she is not worried about reaching the milestone because with age comes “beauty and respect”, reported Female First.

“So many women are being weak about ageing. I find it annoying. It’s ridiculous to imagine you can stay young forever and live forever.

“It’s taking away from young people. There’s a beauty and respect in age,” she said.

Hall, who has four

children with her ex Sir Mick Jagger, said she would rather age naturally than undergo cosmetic surgery.

“I haven’t done a single thing to my face. I do have lines, I laugh a lot… Never in a million years (would I have work done). Some women take fat from their bottom and put it in their upper lip… I do yoga, I do exercise, and I put on face cream.

“I smoke, I drink, I have fun. Laughing a lot is really good for you, embracing your children’s future and embracing your grandchildren and not having regrets and not being bitter and not being angry,” she said. (Indian Express)

A pleasant dream to do films where you can romance beautiful women: Kunal Khemmu

Kunal Khemmu, who hasn’t had a release in the last two years, will finally be seen on the silver screen this year in Shivam Nair’s thriller Bhaag Johnny. The movie has Kunal romancing three stunning beauties namely Zoa Morani, Mandana Karimi and Manasi Scott. And quite obviously the actor enjoyed romancing the girls on screen.

At the trailer launch of the movie, Kunal Khemmu told us: “It’s always great to do films where you can romance beautiful women. I can’t remember working with

so many women ever. It was like a pleasant dream.”

When asked about wife Soha’s reaction, Kunal quipped: “That’s why I said it’s like pleasant dream. It’s something that I can only dream about.”

While Kunal was brimming with happiness at playing the lead role in a movie after long, the actor also admitted that there’s pressure on him to deliver this time. “There is added pressure this time more so because my last release was almost two years back.”

The film will see

Kunal essaying a character replete with both positive and negative traits. Talking about his role, the actor said: “There is both Ram and Ravan in the same person. I enjoyed playing the darker side because I have never done that before in my career.”

Kunal, who was once prolific as a child actor, is no longer seen doing movies by the dozen. When quizzed if he had turned choosy, the ‘Zakhm’ actor said: “I get offered a lot of roles. But I have to get a role that I like. I have to be responsible to my audience.”

(Indian Express)

Dad was jealous when I was talking to Alia, says Shahid Kapoor

Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor says his father Pankaj Kapoor was jealous when he was interacting with co-star Alia Bhatt.

Director Vikas Bahl’s ‘Shaandaar’ will for the first time bring together father-son pair – Pankaj Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor – on the screen, where Pankaj plays the role of Alia’s father.

“While shooting we both got along well. I had a great time and it is because of Shaandaar that I got to work with my dad. Even my sister Sana is there in the film,” the ‘Jab We Met’ star said.

The story of ‘Shaandaar’ revolves around the wedding of Alia’s elder sister, where Shahid plays the wedding planner.

The trailer shows great chemistry between Alia and Shahid, and more so between Shahid

and Pankaj Kapoor.

“Alia and my father had some connection. They used to have long conversation and they bonded over food. My father was jealous when I was talking to Alia…he was in relationship with the format of the film. As in the film he plays Alia’s father and thinks no one is good for his daughter,” the 34-year-old actor said.

The ‘Haider’ star had a great time shooting some scenes with his father. “There was a scene where we are doing bungee jumping and I got

Parineeti Chopra to attend India Day parade in New York

Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra will attend the India Day parade in New York on Sunday.

Parineeti, who has starred in films like “Ladies vs Ricky Bahl”, “Ishaqzaade”, “Shuddh Desi Romance” and “Hasee Toh Phasee”, on Wednesday shared the news with her fans on Twitter.

“Representing India at the India Day Parade on the 16th of August at Madison Avenue at 11 a.m.!!! Come meet me New York,” the 26-year-old said.

The “Kill Dil” actress left for New York on Tuesday. (Indian Express)

Kangana Ranaut, Imran Khan bonded over tattoos

“Katti Batti” actors Imran Khan and Kangana Ranaut bonded over tattoos while filming the Nikhil Advani directorial.

When Kangana and Imran were to meet for the first time, the perfect

tired waiting for long… putting that harness. But my dad did not remove it even once …I removed it twice,” he added.

The ‘Vivah’ actor has earlier been directed by his father in ‘Mausam’ (2011).

“He is a natural actor. When I first shot with dad there were three, four retakes. I felt I was overacting. The most beautiful moment was that I got an opportunity to act with my dad… standing in the same frame with him,” Shahid said. (Indian Express)

Sanjay Gupta to release Aishwarya Rai’s ‘Jazbaa’ trailer on August 27

Ever since Sanjay Gupta announced his film ‘Jazbaa’, it has been making news for all the right reasons. While on one hand, this film is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s much awaited come back, on the other, it has a very unusual pairing of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan with Irrfan Khan. All of this made everyone curious and eager to see the film’s trailer.

Yesterday, Sanjay Gupta ended the

‘trailer’ suspense via Twitter when he tweeted, “After the tremendous response from Cast, Crew & the Zee team to the Theatrical Trailer we have taken a call to release that first. Aug 27th”. He also added, “JAZBAA Theatrical Trailer has a running length of 2-45. Is being mixed in Dolby Atmos. The team at Future Works is busy with its vast VFX.

Team JAZBAA’s intention is never to delay & disappoint but to strive & deliver a kick ass product. The intention of Team JAZBAA is to simply & humbly live up to all your expectations. We are leaving no stone unturned to give you our best.”

Besides Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Irrfan Khan, ‘Jazbaa’ also stars Shabana Azmi, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Jackie Shroff and Atul Kulkarni in prominent roles. (Indian Express)

ice-breaker moment ensued. They started talking to each other about tattoos.

Kangana is also seen flashing a ‘Bijli’ tattoo in the trailers and her love for tattoos gave birth to the thought of Payal (character played by Kangana

in the film) sporting a tattoo throughout the film.

Also, while the makeup artist would take an hour to draw Kangana’s tattoo, the same time was used up by Imran’s makeup expert to hide his permanent inking.

“It was ironical… we both used to spend around one hour everyday before the shoot. She trying to get her tattoos done and me trying to hide my tattoos,” Imran said in a statement.

“Katti Batti”, produced by UTV Motion Pictures, is set to release on September 18. (Indian Express)

Salman Khan is a friend and I trust him: Kangana Ranaut

Gone are the days when Kangana Ranaut lived a life bereft of friends. Post the super success of ‘Queen’ and ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’, Kangana counts the high and mighty of Bollywood from Amitabh Bachchan to Aamir Khan as her friends. And the latest addition to this Bollywood diva’s growing list of A-list friends happens to be none other than Salman Khan and it was at the latter’s insistence Kangana ended up giving the script of ‘Katti Batti’ a hearing.

“Salman called me to tell me about the script and I am glad that he did

that. I was in New York then and after ‘Queen’ and ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’ I was flooded with women-centric scripts and that became my priority. So under normal circumstances I wouldn’t have given anything else much of a thought,” revealed Kangana.

Salman Khan’s call finally made the difference. “Salman told me that I had to do this film. He is a friend and I trust him. So, when he asked me to hear the script, I agreed. And I absolutely loved the script and ended up doing the film,” said Kangana. (Indian Express)

Genelia D’Souza returns to acting, Riteish Deshmukh excited

Genelia D’Souza is excited to be back in front of the cameras after taking a break from acting post her marriage to Riteish Deshmukh in 2012. Her husband is happy about her comeback and says Genelia is “born for this”.

“On my way to shoot…excited as hell.. Been 3 yrs since I last shot but I have a feeling it’s going to be a Good Good Day,” the actress, who has starred in movies like “Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na” and “Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya” in the past, tweeted.

Riteish shared his wife’s tweet, and

(Indian Express)

James to lead a threemember Grenada team in China

SWorld Championships in Beijing, China later this month. The World Championships takes place from August 22-

30 at the famous "Bird's Nest" stadium, which was also the venue for track and field at the 2008 Olympic Games.

James, who won the event in Daegu, South Korea in 2011, is among the leading favourites for the highly anticipated 400m title. He will be joined by another quarter-mil-

er Bralon Taplin and Commonwealth and Pan American Game's medallist Kurt Felix, who will compete in the Decathlon.

James, who also holds the Commonwealth Games record, has clocked the second-fastest 400m time this year of 43.95, bettered only by Isaac Makwala of Botswana who clocked 43.72.

The Grenadian has lost only once since May 2014 when he was beaten by South African Wayde van Niekerk at the IAAF Diamond League in Paris on July 4.

Taplin, who has been plagued by a sore back, clocked a sub-45 this year when he finished second to James in 44.89 at the Sun Angel Classic in Arizona in April.

Felix, the national record holder in the multievents, won bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014, and added a silver medal at the Pan American Games in Toronto last month with a personal best of 8269 points. (CMC)

DCC camp geared to nurture talent, says Nedd

some of the participants going through some catching practice during Wednesday’s session

By Rajiv Bisnauth

National cricket coach Garvin Nedd on Wednesday said this year’s Demerara Cricket Club’s (DCC) cricket camp will be used to nurture talent and at the same time mould them into disciplined players.

The camp, which began on Monday, has catered for over 70 children from ages 4-17, participating in various aspects of cricket, and benefitting from lecture on self-esteem, etiquette and teamwork.

The camp is scheduled for two weeks and Nedd, who took 29 wickets from 14 First-Class matches between 1994 and 1999, stated that he will be seeking to focus on the technical aspects of cricket for the first

week, while turning attention to the social aspect in the second week.

“Basically, I am looking to strengthen the fundamentals of the game as much [as we can]; we have a lot of talents here we still want to ensure we strengthen the fundamentals in terms of batting, bowling and also the fielding aspect,” Nedd, who is also the national Under-17 Coach, pointed out.

He added, “Also the main objective here is to start looking at talents and start nurturing them. We also will be looking at various topics of interest so that the participants can become better rounded individuals.”

The camp, which began in 2009, is part of the club’s developmen-

tal programme, and over the years the club had benefitted tremendously with a number of players going on to represent Guyana at various levels.

Further, Nedd stated that upon completion of the camp, an Under-13 team will be selected to play against a Tobago Cricket Association Under-13 side, which will tour Guyana later this month.

Former West Indies, Guyana and DCC batsman Travis Dowlin, who played six Tests, 11 ODIs and 85 First-Class matches, is providing assistance to Nedd during the two-week camp. Nedd also noted that some past stalwarts of the game are expected to grace the camp and speak to the youngsters from time to time.

Bahamian McDonald in Guyana for Boyce/Jefford Classic

Petra McDonald of the Bahamas has arrived in Guyana for this weekend’s Boyce and Jefford Track and Field Classic, slated for the Mackenzie Sports Club ground in Linden.

The Bahamian sprinter, who trains regularly for 100m hurdles, will compete in the Women’s 100 and 200m events at the sixth edition of Guyana’s most prestigious athletics meet.

McDonald while at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary on Tuesday afternoon for a light workout, noted that she is here to “race and have a good time.”

“I’m just here to run. Everyone is a winner regardless of what place they get. I’m very optimistic because I have been running long enough,” McDonald mentioned.

McDonald, who has competed in every major event except the World Championships and Olympics for the Bahamas, will challenge some of Guyana’s top female sprinters over the

100 and 200m events, which have attracted 36 entries, according to the organisers of the event.

McDonald, who last represented the Bahamas at the Central

American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Mexico last year, will be one of the biggest challenges to the local females in the 200m that is dubbed an international event.

GFF Elite League to kick off in September

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

The highly anticipated Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Elite League is set for a September kick-off, providing the necessary framework falls into place, says Technical Director Claude Bolton.

Bolton, in giving an update on the League on Wednesday, said the federation is aiming to commence the eightteam tournament in the new month once they can tick all the boxes in the coming weeks.

Bolton, who was appointed this year by the FIFA-installed Normalisation Committee on a four-year contract, said the GFF is currently in negotiation with a prospective title sponsor. While preparations have been generally smooth, Bolton pointed out that he is a bit disappointed that they are yet to secure corporate commitment for the League.

He added that the GFF has been meeting almost on a weekly basis with the general managers of the teams to finalise the finer details of the League, which is intended to transform Guyana’s football landscape.

Earlier this year, the GFF, in keeping with the new mandate issued by the regional governing body, CONCACAF, invited applications for Elite Club License from all member associations to be submitted by May 12.

According to the GFF, as per CONCACAF guidelines, a First Instance Decision Making Body was established to review and pronounce on these applications. It was agreed that

no Normalisation Committee Members of the GFF would sit on the body.

Following the review process, all 11 applications were approved for Elite Club License. The Competitions Committee of the GFF then met with the view of choosing eight of the 11 clubs to participate in the Elite League.

The selection process was guided by four criteria that were established long before applications were received. These criteria were (1) Elite League License (which all 11 clubs satisfied); (2) Budget and Financial standing; (3) Competitive results over a 3-5 year period; and (4) Geographic proximity of the club.

Following a thorough review based on the criteria outlined, the following eight clubs were invited to participate in the inaugural GFF Elite League: Alpha United, Guyana Defence Force, Slingerz FC, Pele, Fruta Conquerors, Georgetown Football Club, Buxton United and Monedderlust FC.

South Windwards beat Guyana by seven wickets

South Windward Islands defeated Guyana by seven wickets on Wednesday in the fourth round of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Women’s Super50 at Gilbert Park, California, Trinidad.

Shemaine Campbelle stroked 49 not out in Guyana’s inadequate 158-7 off the allotted 50 overs with Stacy-ann Adams and Afy Fletcher claiming two wickets each.

Cordel Jack then stuck 83 not out as South Windward Islands responded with 159-3 from 47 overs. Rachael Cyrus chipped in with 30.

Below are the summarised scores from the other two games.

Barbados defeated North Windwards by 181 runs in Couva. Barbados 201 all out off 44.2 overs (Kyshona Knight 65, Malissa Howard 62; Roylyn Cooper 5-31) North Windwards 20 all out of 12.1 overs (Shakera Selman 6-10, Shamilia Connell 4-8).

Jamaica defeated Trinidad and Tobago by 19 at the National Cricket Centre in Couva. Jamaica 181-4 off 50 overs (Stafanie Taylor 67, Chedean Nation 58; Stacy-ann King 2-37)

NETBALL WORLD CUP 2015: ‘Sunshine Girls’ pressed by low-ranking Uganda

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Sunshine Girls defeated the Ugandans 59-47, in a curious encounter – which saw the Africans take the fight to the world number four, even stealing a quarter.

The world number-14 ranked Ugandans kept the Sunshine Girls on their toes throughout the first half of their qualification-round Pool E match. Despite a combined 28 goals from Jhaniele FowlerReid and Anna Kay

Griffiths, the Sunshine Girls went into the halftime break with a mere one-point lead. The Ugandan shooting pair of Proscovia Peace and Racheal Nanyonga held their wits and managed to outscore the Sunshine Girls 15-12 in the second quarter.

This prompted a shake up by the Sunshine Girls’ technical staff.

At the beginning of the third, Romelda Aiken, Shanice Beckford, Sasher-Gaye Henry, and Vangelee Williams

came off the bench. This brought the number of substitutions to five, since Stacian Facey had earlier replaced Nicole Aiken-Pinnock as goal defence. One key change was Henry taking over the wing defence bib. This allowed Paula Thompson to move to, arguably, her best-suited position – centre.

The results were immediate and favourable.

The girls blew out the Ugandans 16-8 in the third to give themselves a nine-goal buffer. In response, the Africans replaced goalkeeper Florence Nanyonga with Alice Nanteza to regroup. The Ugandans were narrowly outscored by three goals in the final fourth. They came close, but it was too little too late to erase the thirdquarter damage inflicted by the Sunshine Girls. At the final whistle, Uganda’s Peace and R Nanyonga netted 18/24 and 29/34, respectively. Aiken, who shot at 100 per cent with 16 goals from as many attempts, was ably supported by Beckford’s 15/16.

In their final qualification-round fixture tomorrow (Friday), the Sunshine Girls will face another African nation, Malawi – who previously beat Uganda 59-53. The play-off and semi-final rounds are next.

Walcott, Gordon to lead

T&T

campaign in Beijing

Trinidad and Tobago 162 all out in 45.1 overs (Felecia Walters 40, Britney Cooper 39, Leeann Kirby 21; Vanessa Watts 3-24, Chedean Nation 2-37).

The final preliminary round will take place on Friday with Guyana playing Jamaica at Gilbert Park, South Windwards coming up against North Windwards at Exchange and Trinidad and Tobago tackling Barbados at the National Cricket Centre.

The top two teams at the end of Friday’s games will clash in Sunday’s final at the National Cricket Centre.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad— Olympic javelin gold medallist Keshorn Walcott and defending 400 metres hurdles champion Jehue Gordon are among 21 athletes selected to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the World Championships in Beijing, China later this month.

Gordon is also part

of the 4x400 m squad, while Walcott recently added the Pan Am title to his list of accomplishments.

Keston Bledman will lead the charge for T&T in the men's 100m dash after triple Olympic silver medallist Richard Thompson was ruled out for the rest of the season with an injury.

T&T is expected to have strong representa-

tion in the men's 400m with four quarter-milers posting sub-45 seconds. times this season-Machel Cedenio, Deon Lendore, Lalonde Gordon and Renny Quow, Kelly-Ann Baptiste and MichelleLee Ahye will lead T&T's campaign in the women's 100m. Quadruple Olympic medallist Ato Boldon will be part of the T&T coaching staff in Beijing.

Ashwin spins India to box seat in Galle test

GALLE, Sri Lanka

– Ravichandran

Ashwin claimed six for 46 in a fine display of spin bowling as India skittled out Sri Lanka for 183 in two sessions on the opening day to take upper hand in the first test at Galle yesterday (Wednesday).

In reply, the visitors lost two early wickets but recovered to reach 128-2 at stumps, trailing Sri Lanka by 55 runs.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan (53) and captain Virat Kohli (45) were unbeaten at the crease, having added 100 runs for the third wicket.

Lokesh Rahul (seven) and Rohit Sharma (nine) were both out leg before as India were reduced to 28-2 but Dhawan, dropped on 28 by home captain Angelo Mathews off Tharindu Kaushal, and Kohli steadied the innings to keep the tourists on course for a big first innings lead.

Earlier, Mathews (64)

was the top-scorer for Sri Lanka while wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal contributed 59 after the hosts’ decision to bat in the first match of the three-test series backfired.

Off-spinner Ashwin finished with his 11th five-wicket haul in tests, while leg-spinner Amit Mishra picked up two wickets in successive balls in his return to test cricket after four years.

The pacers gave India early breakthroughs with Ishant Sharma removing Dimuth Karunarante (nine) with a short delivery while Varun Aaron dismissed the other opener Kaushal Silva (five) two balls later with another bouncer.

Dhawan made amends for dropping Silva in Aaron’s previous over with a diving catch though replays suggested the ball came off the batsman’s arm guard when he attempted a

hook shot.

Retiring batting stalwart Kumar Sangakkara did not last long either in his penultimate test and fell to Ashwin’s third delivery of the morning.

The lanky off-spinner extracted enough turn and bounce from the surface to fox Sangakkara and Lokesh Rahul pouched a sharp catch at silly point.

Ashwin also claimed the wickets of Lahiru Thirimanne (13) and Jehan Mubarak (zero) in successive overs as Sri Lanka slumped to 65-5 at lunch.

The hosts fought back with a 79-run stand for the sixth wicket between Mathews and Chandimal, who was dropped by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha on five off Ishant.

Mathews became Ashwin’s fourth victim and the spinner completed his five-wicket haul with the lbw dismissal of Dhammika Prasad.

Mishra added to Sri Lanka’s woes by dismissing Chandimal and Tharindu Kaushal off successive deliveries but sent his hat-trick delivery down the leg side against Nuwan Pradeep.

Kohli, leading the side for the first time in a full series, went in with five bowlers, including three spinners while the hosts also included an extra spinner in Rangana Herath. (Reuters)

Athletes must not feel obliged to reveal personal history, says Coe

LONDON –International athletes should not feel they have to reveal their personal and private medical details to prove they are clean and have not been blooddoping, Britain’s IAAF presidential candidate Sebastian Coe said yesterday.

According to a Reuters report, in a telephone interview with international media, Coe also said he still wanted to see the sport set up its own independent anti-doping agency to help combat allegations that the sport’s governing body is not doing enough to weed out drug cheats and is complicit in the sport’s doping problems.

He said he wanted such a body to work closely with WADA, the world anti-doping agency. Coe, standing against Sergey Bubka of Ukraine in next week’s IAAF presidential election in Beijing, was

speaking the day after the federation announced historic bans on 28 athletes following the re-testing of samples from the 2005 and 2007 world championships.

This follows allegations made by British newspaper the Sunday Times and German broadcaster ARD about widespread cheating at Olympics and world championships.

In the wake of the controversies, some athletes, including Britain’s

Former Soca Warrior Nakhid wants FIFA's top job

ST JOHN'S, Antigua — Former Trinidad and Tobago international David Nakhid has announced his candidacy for the position of president of football's world governing body FIFA.

Nakhid, who played 35 times for Trinidad and Tobago, made the announcement in a radio interview in Antigua on Tuesday.

He is on a swing through the region seeking to drum-up support for his campaign ahead of the elections carded for February 26, 2016 at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

"I've played in all the confederations that you can think off. I speak five or six languages. I have the academic background that is needed for FIFA, more so than any of the others that have put themselves forward," said Nakhid, who needs the support of at least five FIFA member associations to contest the elections.

"It's about votes. It's about securing nominations, the official nominations which require five federations. We sincerely hope that we can really put someone from the Caribbean forward."

Nakhid, 51, a

Trinidad and Tobago native, was the first from his country to play in Europe, having done so in Switzerland, Belgium and Greece between 1988 and 1995.

He scored 20 goals over the span of four seasons with FC Grasshopper (Switzerland) and 12 goals in two years with Waregem (Belgium), where he was twice named Most Valuable Player for the club.

His campaign team includes veteran Trinidad and Tobago journalist Josanne Leonard.

"We are looking at the Caribbean and we're seeing a certain vacuum in leadership, especially with the turmoil that is taking place within FIFA, within CONCACAF and, by extension CFU," said Nakhid, who returned to the United States in the late 1990s where he played professionally for MLS outfit New England Revolution.

"We've been looking at that over the last few months and we feel now is the time for someone to step up from this part of the world, in a positive light, very much different to what it has been before, and take us forward."

Nakhid is seeking to replace the 79-yearold Sepp Blatter of Switzerland, who resigned amidst the recent FIFA corruption scandal, which saw various officials, including exTT football honcho Jack Warner, accused by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering.

"I need to really try and solidify the Caribbean membership. We've been underdeveloped, when you look at the infrastructure throughout the Caribbean, it's still as it was 25-30 years ago," he said.

"We have to try to change that mentality that has prevailed, whereby we cede to somebody from outside."

The Caribbean man aspiring for football's most powerful position will be coming up against midfield trio Michel Platini of France (the current UEFA president), Diego Maradona of Argentina and Zico of Brazil.

"When you look at the candidates mentioned, for a global position, there is no one mentioned from the Caribbean region because we don't see ourselves in that light," he said

"We thought that we sat at the table with the past leadership, and then realised we never sat at the table. Someone sat at the table and pursued his own agenda, not the agenda of the Caribbean as a whole".

Nakhid was referring to Jack Warner's lengthy stay as former FIFA vice-president and former CONCACAF president, which lasted for three decades. (CMC)

Haddin leaves tour early to be with family

Bdouble Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah, have said they will reveal details of their testing histories but Coe says he does not want them to do that.

“I would not want athletes to feel that they were being pressurised or bullied into putting out private medical background and data that could be misinterpreted as one-off readings. There is no onus on them to do that,” he said.

rad Haddin flew home to Australia on Tuesday evening for family reasons, ending an unhappy Ashes tour early to be with his wife, Karina, and children.

After a poor display in the first Test of the Ashes series in Cardiff, Haddin withdrew from the team for the Lord’s match to spend time in hospital with his ill daughter Mia, and was then not re-selected for the third Test at Edgbaston – a decision that not all members of the touring party agreed with.

Haddin took the decision with good grace,

and provided plentiful support to Peter Nevill, the gloveman who replaced him, while playing a more peripheral role around the squad.

There have been signs that Haddin’s mind has been on other things the longer the tour has gone on, as his net sessions in

particular became more perfunctory. He was unlikely to be chosen for the final Test of the series at The Oval, and a Cricket Australia spokesperson confirmed he had now flown home while also asking that the family’s privacy be respected. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Sandiford’s remains returns home

The remains of Guyanese blind cricketer Gordon Sandiford, who passed away in St Lucia last week, returned home on Tuesday evening. Sandiford, who went to St Lucia as part of the Guyana team for the Regional blind tournament, passed away in an ambulance, hospitalbound, after he had to be helped out of the water during a beach outing.

The outing came about after the match between Guyana and the Windward Islands was called off on account of heavy rains. The players were then invited out.

Receiving the body that came aboard a Caribbean Airlines flight, Sport Director

Christopher Jones quickly draped the remains of Sandiford in the Golden Arrowhead, adding that “This is a demonstration of our commitment to our athletes and of course as you know, Gordon Sandiford left Guyana a few weeks ago with members of the blind cricketers association to represent Guyana.

“Essentially himself and his colleagues left as ambassadors and he has fallen. This is our way of demonstrating to all and sundry that the Government of Guyana recognises Gordon as an ambassador.”

The Government had absorbed the cost of returning Sandiford’s body to Guyana and Jones indicated that they recog-

nise the importance of athletes that represent Guyana, adding that they are looking to move the sport to a new standard.

Reports from the Island indicated that Sandiford “encountered difficulty” at the beach and had to be helped out of the water. He was frothing through his mouth and nose; he was not talking and breathing.

The paramedics after performing on him felt a pulse and immediately transferred him to the ambulance which left for the hospital.

A later post-mortem indicated that Sandiford died as a result of an earlier meal being stuck in his throat.

National Men’s Hockey squad reduced to 22

Guyana’s national men’s hockey squad, at present preparing for the Pan American Challenge in Chicklayo, Peru from October 3 to 11, 2015, has been reduced to 22 players ahead of final selection in the first week of September, when they will be reduced to 16.

The squad has been in training since the beginning of April, with strength and agility sessions conducted thrice weekly by physical trainer Rudolph Blackman, in addition to field sessions, four times per week.

The players spent the first two months improving their individual techniques and one-on-one attacking and defensive skills, before moving on to small unit play and will spend the next three weeks focusing on positional play and situation, specific systems and tactics.

Goalkeepers Anthony Cole and Timothy Baker have been brought back into the squad to increase position competition with only one keeper expected to make the cut.

Also vying for spots

on the final sixteen will be England-based Marvin Dannett and Matthew Taylor both of whom were in Guyana recently to be assessed by the coaching staff as they also played matches with the local players.

Nine of the 22 players named were also part of Guyana’s national Under-21 squad that placed second at the Players Tournament in Trinidad and Tobago over the weekend.

Guyana are scheduled to play their preliminary matches against Uruguay on October 3 and against Venezuela on October 4, with countries like Barbados, Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Puerto Rico also in the tournament.

The top two teams in the competition will qualify for the Pan American Cup scheduled

WICB to meet with heads of PCL Franchises

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Michael Muirhead said plans to improve the Regional Professional Cricket League (PCL) will be revealed within the next two weeks.

Speaking on OBSERVER Radio’s Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, Muirhead said that the WICB has asked the regional franchises to ensure certain measures are in place ahead of the new season and he is awaiting the outcome.

“We have made some demands of the PCL, of the franchises, and we are insisting that when those things are accomplished, within the next week or two, that they be made public,” he said.

“We think that it is part of the fabric and it belongs to us, and when I say us, I mean us the WICB; us the region. We need to be clear on what their plans are, because it is WICB who is, in large part, funding what is going forward. It is in their hands to make sure they deliver to the WICB the good cricketers so that we can have a pool of cricketers to choose from to improve our own standings in the rankings,” he added.

The Barbados Pride, Guyana Jaguars,

Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and Windward Islands Volcanoes, Jamaica and Leeward Islands were all represented in the inaugural PCL.

Muirhead also spoke on the ongoing dialogue between the WICB and the Guyana government concerning the issues plaguing the Guyana Cricket Board.

“Nothing has been formalised with the new government as yet, but they will be looking at revising the position or taking a re-look at the position that was taken by the former government.

“You must remember that when this bill was passed, we had the support of the opposition at the time — the current government now. So I think it’s only right they would go back and

look and see to right the wrong or correct what was past or make some amendments (but) that has not yet been done,” the CEO said.

The Guyana government, in February of 2012, locked the Guyana Cricket Board out of its offices at Bourda Ground and appointed its own interim management committee headed by the great Clive Lloyd.

The moves followed the Guyana High Court ruling the GCB a legal nonentity, because it had been in a long dispute over the results of an election in mid-2011. The government said it wanted to administer cricket in the former British colony to fight corruption and help end years of bickering between rival factions. (First published in The Antigua Observer).

Chunilall spins Ogle to victory over Paradise

Diminutive spinner Alex Chunilall spun webs around Paradise Sports and Cultural Club of Trinidad and Tobago to lead Ogle to a comfortable 22-run victory in a feature T20-match last weekend at the Ogle ground.

for 2017 in the USA.

This will be the first time Guyana’s National Men’s team will be competing in an international outdoor tournament since 2007, when they won silver and bronze medals at the ALBA Games and the Caribbean Cup respectively.

The squad is as follows: Field Players –Orland Semple, Stuart Gonsalves, Andrew Xavier, Mark Sargeant, Kareem McKenzie, Daniel Hooper, Shane Samuels, Robert France, Devin Munroe, Randy Hope, Colonel Heywood, Rayon Branford, Jamarj Assanah, Aroydy Branford, Andrew Stewart, Leon Bacchus, Hilton Chester and Ato Greene. Goalkeepers –Medroy Scotland, Jason Hoyte, Anthony Cole and Timothy Baker.

The match, the final of the Paradise tour of Guyana, was hosted in memory of the late Hajji SM Yaseen, a former manager of the Ogle club.

Man-of-the-Match Chunilall bagged 5-12 from three testing overs as the visitors were dismissed for 83 in 18.4 overs after being set a target of 106. For the win, Ogle lifted the Hajji SM Yaseen memorial trophy.

Paradise’s reply got off to a terrible start when Romain Mangra dismissed the opening pair Nathaniel Ramcharitar (04) and Steve Sookdeo at 6-2. Kevon Charles (13) and Daniel Hampton (09) kept the Ogle bowlers at bay with a third wicket stand of 40 before they were both removed by Chunilall.

Skipper Fareed Ramjohn then struck three fours in a top score of 26, but his efforts were not supported down the order as Mangra and David Harper finished with two wickets each.

Earlier, Ogle decided to bat and openers Soopaul Sanichar and former first class batsman Azeemul Haniff added 26 for the first wicket before Sanichar was taken off Hampton for 13. Haniff and Khemraj Dindyal then took the score to 43, but in an effort to in-

Alex chunilall bagged splendid figures of 5-12

crease the run rate, Haniff was caught at mid-wicket off Kawall Dhanraj for 19 who later trapped Dindyal lbw for 10.

Ogle was never allowed to score freely as former national all-rounder Harper followed shortly for 10. But Devraj Chunilall propped up the total in the latter stage by slamming two fours and one six in scoring 26, while Ashmul Ali was left not out on 10.

Paradise’s MVP Ramjohn claimed 2-13 and Dhanraj 2-26, while there was one each for Hampton and Anand Ramlochan.

At the presentation ceremony, which was attended by Hajjin Nazmoon Yaseen, both teams received trophies and exchanged plaques, while each young player who took part in the game was given a medal, compliments of the touring team.

No date confirm for Digicel Classic

By Rajiv Bisnauth

No date has yet been confirmed for the return of the Digicel Classic horse race meet in Guyana, according to Digicel Events and Sponsorship Manager, Gavin Hope.

Hope revealed that the communication giant is working feverishly in putting all arrangements in place for the return of the one-day event in the near future.

“We are yet to fix a date. Like I said, we know the importance of the event and we know the importance to be a part of horse racing fraternity. We know the benefits towards the horse racing fraternity and we want to be a part of the development of horse racing, so you can look forward

for the return of Digicel Classic,” Hope said.

The Port Mourant Turf Club (PMTC) was expected to host last year’s fourth Digicel Classic, but separate horse-race meets between the PMTC and Budhan’s Memorial Sports Complex and Race Track had forced the telecommunication company to pull the plug on its sponsorship deal with the PMTC.

Both the PMTC and Budhan’s Memorial Sports Complex and Race Track had planned separate horse race meets for July 27, but Digicel ended the partnership, claiming that as a corporate entity, the company wishes to stay clear of conflicts.

The Digicel Classic was first held in 2011, and the Norman Singh Memorial Turf Club, located on the West Coast of Berbice, had played host to the telecommunication service provider for that year, as well as 2012.

In 2013, the Bush Lot Corentyne-based Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC), which is Guyana’s oldest horse racing club, hosted the third edition.

Australia’s Smith to lead newlook one-day squad in Britain

LONDON, England – All-rounder

Marcus Stoinis, spinner Ashton Agar and batsman Joe Burns are set to make their oneday international debuts for Australia in Britain as the world champions seek to regenerate following their fifth World Cup triumph.

Steven Smith will lead a youthful 15-man squad shorn of fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood for a onedayer against Ireland in Belfast on August 27, followed by five ODIs and a Twenty20 match against England.

Johnson and Hazlewood will be rested following the conclusion of the Ashes, which Australia have lost 3-1 with a match in hand, Cricket Australia said in a media release yesterday.

All-rounder James Faulkner was not considered as he serves a team suspension for being convicted last month in England of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Western Australian Stoinis, a medium pace bowler, is the chief beneficiary of Faulkner’s omission and has recently played on Australia

A’s tour of India.

“Marcus has performed very well in India during the four-day Series and we have always liked that option of the extra all-rounder in our side, so with James Faulkner’s unavailability, this is a great opportunity for Marcus,” chairman of selectors Rod Marsh said of the 25-year-old.

Matthew Wade has taken the gloves in place of wicketkeeper Brad

Haddin, who along with former captain Michael Clarke, retired from the format after the World Cup final in Melbourne in March.

The squad also sees the return of proven Test and one-day bowler James Pattinson, who joined Australia A in India after recovering from a string of injuries.

“The squad we have selected has a few fresh faces in it as well as some experienced play-

ers that will provide us with the right balance,” Marsh said.

Highly-fancied 25-year-old Burns made his Test debut against India in Australia’s home summer and scored two half-centuries in his second match against the tourists in Sydney but missed out on a spot in the Ashes squad.

Agar has returned to international cricket for the first time since his memorable Test debut against England in the 2013 Ashes when he scored a record 98 as a 19-year-old number 11 batsman.

He has been chosen as the lone spinner in the squad, meaning no place for Pakistan-born legspinner Fawad Ahmed.

T20 captain Aaron Finch was not available after breaking his foot for English county side Yorkshire.

Squad: Steve Smith (capt.), Ashton Agar, George Bailey, Joe Burns, Nathan CoulterNile, Patrick Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Shane Watson, David Warner, Cameron Boyce (T20 only).