Guyana Times International

Sattaur's job under review – Harmon

Government is currently reviewing the operations of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) as part of its approach to shake up State entities and weed out alleged corrupt officials.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon, during a postCabinet press briefing on Wednesday, told reporters that GRA’s Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur’s job is currently under review and when the time comes to make a decision on the need for his services in the future, then the Government will do so and the information will be made available to the public.

Currently, audits are ongoing in several State agencies, the GRA included, and when the findings of these probes are revealed, Government will then be in a better position to decide on the way forward.

“This Administration will not preempt what is likely to come out of the audit. If at the end of it, the audit points in a certain direction, then that will be the direction in

which we will go,” he said.

Harmon said once the audit reveals that there is a lack of competence, lack of integrity, evidence of corruption or a proposition of no confidence; then these findings will be factors to take into consideration when these decisions are to be made.

He maintained that the GRA is a major revenue earner agency in the country and therefore the Government will “not treat lightly the structure or the administration of such an entity until you are very sure about what

you want to do.” Sattaur is currently on vacation along with several other middle managers. Finance Minister Winston Jordan explained that Sattaur had requested his leave.

In addition, some 20 staff members were sent on leave; however, theirs were accumulated leave and therefore they were instructed to take them. Although speculation is rife that Sattaur is being let go, Jordan insisted that the GRA Head was not sent on leave but rather requested his leave. Meanwhile, despite maintaining

that Sattaur had requested leave, Guyana Times International was told that the new Government has reportedly identified a replacement for him. This publication was told that the New York-based replacement for Sattaur has already toured the GRA facility and could take up his position as soon as Sattaur’s contract expires.

Sattaur has already reached the age of retirement, but was retained by the former Administration. Sources said the Government will await the expiration of his current contract to replace him. Contacted previously on this issue, Jordan and Junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma both denied having any knowledge of Sattaur’s replacement. “I… don’t know what’s going on,” Jordan told this newspaper recently. “That does not fall under my responsibility so I don’t know,” Sharma insisted.

However, GRA employees told this publication that the “word around the office” is that Sattaur will be replaced.

Public servants’ annual leave: “Use it or lose it” – Minister Harmon

Public servants are being urged to take their leave when it is due or it will be forfeited. This was the message from Minister of State, Joseph Harmon as he explained to media operatives Wednesday morning at his office, that the Government was faced with many challenges in this regard.

“We are saying, as a general statement as from 2015 going forward, that when you are entitled to your leave, you have to take it in the year. If you don’t use it, you are going to lose it,” he said.

Minister Harmon explained that Government was facing significant challenges with regard to public servants and their leave, particularly as it relates to senior officers who have accumulated hundreds of days of leave. It was pointed out that proper records were not being kept by various ministries and semi-autonomous bodies and that some public servants proceeded on leave and were also being paid salary in lieu for the same leave.

The Minister of State made reference to one Ministry where a Permanent Secretary was sent on leave. He was entitled to 195 days’ leave. When the files were checked, there continued on page 5

Nandlall denies any involvement in Crum-Ewing’s murder

- distances self from former bodyguard implicated

Former Attorney General Anil

Nandlall at a press conference on Thursday admitted to hiring a man currently in police custody for the Courtney Crum-Ewing murder as his personal bodyguard, but said he fired the man four days later after being informed that he was giving out information about his whereabouts.

Nandlall insisted that the man, Rajput Narine, who is a former CANU officer and an employee of the Guyana Revenue Authority was hired on March 15, several days after the political activist was gunned down in Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

He denied any involvement in the actually killing or plot to kill the father of three. More so he denied ever threatening the man who had been protesting in front of his office for weeks. Police, he said never made contact with him in relation to the investigation.

Nandall says too that in light of everything that has happened and is happening he no longer feels

safe.

Below is a statement read by Nandlall during the press conference which was held at Sleepin Hotel on Brickdam, before he entertained questions.

PRESS STATEMENT

It has been published in the news that a former body guard of mine has been arrested by members of the Guyana Police Force in connection with the investigations relating to the death of Courtney Crum-Ewing.

Let me say from the outset, that Courtney Crum-Ewing protested for several months in front of the Ministry of Legal Affairs while I was the sitting Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs. During that time, I never once interacted or spoke to this individual. As far as I am aware, no harm befell him while he was conducting his protest actions at that location.

Courtney Crum Ewing was shot on the evening of March, 10th 2015, nearly 2 months after he had stopped protesting at the Ministry. At that time, I was speaking at a politi-

cal public meeting in front of the Kali Mandir at Timehri. Approximately 100 persons were in attendance.

On my way down from that meeting, I was informed of the death of Crum-Ewing.

Immediately, wild allegations begun to be made, implying that the PPP was involved in this killing. I was advised to get security both at my home and body-guards. I contacted the Guyana Police Force and armed security from the Force was provided at my house and I was offered the opportunity to retain a per-

He informed me that he has a brother in Guyana, Rajput Narine, who is a former CANU Officer and who is a licenced firearm holder and who is a person whom I can trust and that I should consider hiring him. He gave me his brother’s cell number. Upon my return to Guyana, I called the person and arranged to meet and met with him.

son of my choice as my body-guard.

However, on the 12th of March, 2015, I left Guyana to accompany President Donald Ramotar to New York, without doing so. In New York, President Donald Ramotar held several meetings with the Guyanese community and at one of those meetings, I met an old acquaintance, Anter Narine. As we were chatting, the Crum E-wing issue came up and I told him that I was advised to hire a personal security upon my return and that I intend to do so.

I never knew him before, never spoke with him before and never saw him before. I met him on the 15th day of March, 2015, for the first time.

I met him in the presence of my driver who knew him from before. I explained to him the task at hand and he was willing to work as my body guard. He informed me that at the time, he was in the employ of the Guyana Revenue Authority and I need to write the Commissioner General and request his secondment. The following day, I did so and he commenced working with me.

However, after about 4 days, I was dissatisfied with his performance, generally. More impor-

tantly, my drivers reported that he was disclosing our whereabouts to persons on his telephone. As a result, I told him that I will no longer require his services and sent him away. I took back a vehicle which was assigned to him as a backup to my vehicle.

I next requested from the Commissioner of Police, two members of the Force as my security details. Two officers of the Force were assigned to me. They were recalled when I demitted office.

After, I sent away Rajput, I wrote to the Commissioner General so informing him.

I hope I have clearly demonstrated that I only came into contact with Rajput Narine after the death of Courtney CrumEwing. I take this opportunity to deny any involvement whatsoever in that incident and to say that there is obviously an attempt to implicate me and the PPP in this horrendous act as part of a political design.

I hope that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.

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The Right to Life

On July 20, the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) published a documentary on their YouTube channel entitled “Thin Slice: embracing the past and moving forward” which details the experience of a male-to-female transgender Guyanese youth who was involved in sex work and almost murdered by her paramour.

The documentary, which is widely available on social media, purports to tell the story of 23-year-old Romario Lovell who is popularly known as “Thin Slice” and the amount of abuse she endured from her partner who committed suicide after brutally hacking to death two other transgender youth, who were Lovell’s friends.

Other documentaries are available from the LGBT human rights advocacy body telling the stories of countless Guyanese and the abuse that they endure at the hands of their families, partners and society as a whole because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Some of these individuals are forced underground because of the fear that they live in and because of the amount of torment that they suffer if they implicitly or explicitly declare that they are homosexual, bisexual or transgender.

While the levels of tolerance in Guyana have increased over the years for the LGBT people, there are sections of the society that refuse to even allow the members of that community the right to enjoy life or peaceful coexistence. As a result, people who have a different sexual orientation or gender identity from what is ‘religiously accepted’ are denied employment at various levels of the public and private sector; treated with scorn and resentment; mocked and beaten; and condemned to a life of unimaginable levels of physical and psychological torment.

The ruling of the US Supreme Court, though a major step in the fight for equal rights and human rights for this global community, has not made it any easier for LGBT people residing in Caribbean countries with similar demographics like Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti.

The truth is, that as sections of the society harden their resolve not to at least end the discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation, the underground LBGT community is flourishing and expanding to the point where it can be argued that every community has a group.

A worrying trend is also developing, which sociologists and behavioural scientists need to pay attention to, if they are to understand how the continued rejection and increasing homophobia in certain parts of this country is undermining the ‘perfect and religiously correct society’ that anti-LGBT activists are seeking to create or maintain.

The LGBT community is fighting back, becoming more visible with more young people between the ages of 14 to 35, claiming that they were either born that way or grew to a level of comfort with themselves despite the constant beating and psychological pain endured to “change”.

The community is also producing more influential blue and white collar persons who are, by their own resilience, breaking barriers in business, media and government to take on serious roles which could alter public policy, opinion and the status quo in the not so distant future.

Guyanese must end the double standards on this issue. It is not acceptable that on one hand, these individuals are used for good entertainment and good laughs because of their flamboyance but are rejected whenever they try to live peacefully and respectfully.

The argument is not being made for anyone to abandon their beliefs, religious or otherwise, or for anyone to accept the LGBT community with open arms. It is however being argued that these individuals must be guaranteed the basic human right of living and expressing themselves without having to worry about being killed, stabbed, beaten, discriminated against and resented.

Just as Guyanese do not murder adulterers, fornicators and others who breach strongly held ‘religious views’, members of the LGBT community who are not guilty of crimes should be allowed to enjoy the benefits of their human rights. If sections of the society understandably prefer not to condone the acts of members of the LGBT community then research, studies and other introspective forms of investigations must be done to solve the ‘problem’. Sending them to an island as one politician and former Government Minister endorsed is certainly not the answer and in any case, it would be interesting to see what yardsticks are used to identify and authenticate LGBT Guyanese.

There is need for more tolerance and a society where discrimination is frowned upon; a society where ignorance gives way to education and informed, intelligent decision-making; a country where to be multi-cultural includes sexual and gender diversity; a society which allows its citizens to live in decency and to tap into all of their productive abilities; a society built on the precepts of respect, equality and justice.

New US Ambassador nominee says will focus on border security, crime

New United States Ambassador nominee Perry L Holloway has pledged to work with Guyana in improving its border security, fighting crime and tackling the dreaded HIV/AIDS virus.

Halloway made the remarks during his confirmation hearing before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 15, 2015. Halloway was nominated some months ago by President Barack Obama to become Guyana’s ambassador, but his confirmation had been delayed.

Halloway in remarks at his hearing said that Guyana was a key partner in bolstering regional security, noting that through the President’s Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, Washington was cooperating to counter the threats of transnational crime and terrorism.

He said improved security for all citizens of the Caribbean was essential to the Region’s future stability and prosperity, as well as to our interests.

“I will work closely with the appropriate agencies of the US Government to strengthen our security cooperation with Guyana. Guyana is one of the poorest countries in the hemisphere. That is why we have historically worked with the Government and Private Sector to support efforts to diversify the economy and create new opportunities in agribusiness, aquaculture, wood products, and ecotourism. If confirmed, I will continue to work with the Government and Private Sector to strengthen Guyana’s market competitiveness, build its trade capacity, improve the investment climate, and promote greater two-way trade with the United States.” Halloway said.

Halloway added that if confirmed, he looked forward to working closely with the Foreign Relations Committee and all members of Congress to advance Washington’s interests in Guyana and the broader Caribbean Region.

Halloway told the Committee that he has had

the honour to serve the US as a Foreign Service Officer for the past 26 years in nine countries. “I have served primarily in countries in the Western Hemisphere, so I am familiar with the types of challenges and opportunities that exist in Guyana. I have worked on programmes dealing with security, drug trafficking, democratic values and human rights, energy and the environment, Trafficking In Persons, corruption, and the exchange of people and ideas. I have extensive experience with interagency partners like USAID; [DoD] Department of Defence; Peace Corps; [DEA] Drug Enforcement Agency; and [DHS] Department of Homeland Security. If confirmed, I believe that my experience in the Region and my work with other agencies has prepared me well to lead the US mission in Guyana.”

He said Guyana was a country with tremendous potential with vast pristine rainforests, fertile agricultural lands, proven mineral resources, potentially large oil reserves, and a close affinity with the US. “It is also a country facing challenges from crime, poverty, corruption, HIV/AIDS, natural resource management, and drug trafficking. If confirmed, I will work with the Government and people of Guyana to confront these challenges and to continue to bolster economic growth, strengthen democracy and gov-

ernance, improve the respect for human rights and rule of law, and promote opportunities for all. These are clearly areas of mutual interest,” Halloway said.

Multi-ethnic

Halloway told the Committee that Guyana recently held national elections and the party that had been in power since the country’s first democratic elections nearly 23 years ago was replaced. “The elections were deemed free and fair by the international community. This is an important indicator that Guyana is continuing to build on progress it has made since emerging as an independent nation in 1966 and instituting multi-party democracy in 1992.”

Halloway added that the new President and his multiethnic coalition Government have embarked on an ambitious transformative agenda for the county that centres on eliminating racial and ethnic exclusion, countering organised crime, combating corruption, developing infrastructure, broadening economic growth, and establishing sustainable management of the country’s natural resources.

Diaspora

Additionally, the US diplomat said Washington has a special link to Guyana through the many Guyanese who live in America. “It is estimated that there are more than 300,000 Guyanese in the United States and maybe another million people here of Guyanese descent. In Guyana itself, estimates are that over 70 per cent of Guyana’s citizens have family living in the United States. If confirmed, I look forward to collaborating with the hard-working diasporas in New York, New Jersey, Florida, and other states to find ways that they can contribute to a more stable and prosperous Guyana.”

Halloway is from South Carolina and is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of MinisterCounsellor.

Public servants’ annual leave...

were documents to show that the same person was paid three -four months’ pay in lieu of leave. This, Harmon said, has resulted from ineffective filing and record keeping.

“So we are having a lot of issues with public servants’ leave. The position that we take is that people must enjoy their leave in the year the leave becomes due. The only time you will find people who don’t want to go on leave at all is when they want to sit on something,” Harmon said, adding that, the Government wanted people to enjoy their leave.

Only this week, Finance Minister Winston Jordan was forced to send some 20 Customs officials on leave. He noted that some of the employees have leave amounting to 300, 280, and 240 days and he thought that they should proceed on leave and return. Nevertheless, he stated that before sending the officers on leave, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Commissioner General was consulted and the Finance Minister was assured that the decision to send the staff on leave would not affect the smooth running of the Authority.

“As the list was perused, I asked the Commissioner General if by sending a particular person on leave, will it affect the operations at the GRA … and once he would have indicated in the negative, we immediately informed the officer to proceed on leave,” Jordan added.

He noted his surprise that members of staff had that amount of leave, and as result, emphasised that it was time for them to recharge their batteries and come back refreshed.

The Minister stated that at no point in time, heads of department should encourage staff members to have accumulative leave owed to them.

“Once the time has come for leave to be taken… it must be taken … we cannot have people working in an organisation for years without taking leave… there are others who can do the same job,” he noted.

Also recently, Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth was sent on 308 days ‘leave commencing on July 5. Wordsworth had headed the NDIA for a number of years.

Exxon oil find worth about US$40 Billion

An ExxonMobil Corp discovery off the coast of Guyana may hold oil and natural gas worth 12 times the nation’s entire economic output, Bloomberg has reported.

The Liza-1 well, which probably holds the equivalent of more than 700 million barrels of oil, may begin pumping crude in as few as five years, Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman, said in an interview Monday. The prospect would be on par with a recent Exxon find at the Hadrian formation in the Gulf of Mexico, and would be worth about US$40 billion at today’s international crude price.

Guyana produces no oil and its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$3.23 billion in 2014 ranked between Burundi and Swaziland, according to the World Bank. Exxon, which has a market value of US$341 billion, has declined to provide an estimate for Liza-1 since describing the discovery as “significant” in a May 20 statement. Guyana has been receiving sustained international attention from huge companies, es-

pecially in the oil sector, after the US Geological Survey said in 2000 that the Guyana-Suriname Basin has the second largest unexplored oil potential in the world after Greenland.

“A find of this magnitude for a country like ours, which sits on the lower end of the scale of countries in this hemisphere, this could be transformational,” Trotman told the news agency. “From my sense, from speaking to experts outside of Exxon, it has to be something excess of 700 million barrels.”

Exxon, which be-

gan drilling the well in March, said it found a 295-foot (90-metre) column of oil- and gassoaked rock in the Stabroek Block off the Essequibo Coast. The well is 120 miles (193 kilometers) offshore and 5,710 feet beneath the sea surface.

The multibillion-dollar oil exploration project, which is expected to be executed over 10 years, got underway in early March.

The scope of operations spans a drillship, with approximately 200 crew and contractors; helicopter support flying

out of Ogle International Airport, as well as a search-and-rescue craft, which is always on standby; four support vessels and two shore bases – Georgetown and Trinidad, as well as a waste treatment facility at the John Fernandes Site at Houston, Greater Georgetown.

ExxonMobil Country Manager Jeff Simmons had stated that work had proceeded without any interference from Venezuela, which has raised concerns about the rig’s operation in the Essequibo basin, to which it has laid claim along with the entire county. The country recently issued two decrees which are designed to allow it to aggressively and illegally patrol Guyana’s waters.

Venezuela has repeatedly laid claim to the area to be explored, ignoring an 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award, which was declared as the full and final settlement of the boundary between the two South American nations. With Venezuela’s insistence on its position, Guyana is pushing for judicial settlement of the boundary.

Guyanese should speak out against the excesses of APNU+AFC Govt

Dear Editor,

The bad thing about the entire situation in Guyana is that nobody is doing anything to correct the wrongs. Most people just sit in their bottom houses, pointing fingers at the PPP/C to act on the situation.

However, the PPP/C cannot take on the burden alone. Their supporters also should become actively involved in the fight, so that for example, there should

be thousands picketing at the GECOM headquarters. The masses should protest in front of Parliament against the removal of the “Because We Care” programme. By remaining silent, supporters only validate the action of the coalition. Guyana is starting to suffer the consequences of poor decision making, and the APNU/ AFC supporters are desperately trying to mask the situation with po-

litical propaganda. In this instance, the saying “Speak a lie as often as possible then it becomes truth to idiots!” is quite relevant. Yet, one cannot help but wonder why 49 per cent of the electorate that voted for the PPP/C remains so quiet. Is it a lack of interest?

President Granger is destroying Guyana’s relationship with Venezuela, but yet the people remain silent.

V Apana

Because they don’t care?

Dear Editor,

The PPP/C Government was criticised severely because it gave parents of children attending school a voucher for Gy$10,000 each last year. But this action was much appreciated by parents like myself, who have three children in primary school. We have a lot of expenses to cover for our children which we struggle to meet, because of our love for them. In my home, I was able for the first time

to buy schoolbooks for all the children. Even though we hear about free schoolbooks this is not always the case. I was also able to buy shoes for my youngest son. I really understood what the government was doing for us poor parents when it distributed the “Because we care” vouchers.

Even though the new Government says it will boost the education sector, it is now reconsidering the voucher. It wants

us to prove that we’re poor to be eligible for the money. This is very shameful for me. With the PPP/C offer, all parents were entitled to the vouchers, so none of us stood out because we are poor and as such I didn’t feel ashamed.

To me, it seems as though this Government is saying they will not give us the voucher “because they don’t care”.

Sincerely

Sabita Devi Persaud

Online human breast milk trade, a new public health challenge

Dear Editor,

It’s hard to believe but human breast milk is now available online. In developed countries human breast milk is a fast growing online business. It started out as milk for babies for mothers who are unable to provide any or enough milk for their babies. But now there is a growing demand for such milk for cancer patients and for body builders.

It is believed among cancer patients and body builders that human milk enhances their immune system. However, there is no evidence that human milk used by cancer patients and by body builders improve their immune systems.

Human milk obtained online is unsafe. Scientific tests of human milk obtained online found the milk to be contaminated with pathogens, such as Hepatitis B and C and other bacteria.

But the HIV community should also be concerned. Breast milk is a reservoir for HIV and the online availability of breast milk could provide a potential risk.

But my concern is the potential for poor families to sell human breast milk as an income earner. In so doing they might deprive their own babies of the best nutrient in the world.

As the online trade in human breast milk grows, there’s the potential spread to developing countries where poor mothers might deprive their babies of nature’s best nutrient in order

to become a provider of this valuable commodity.

It is these concerns that I take into consideration as I warn the public health community around the world that this is a brand new public health challenge. Governments need to recognize that this online business is regulated from a safety perspective. It must also be regulated to ensure that mothers do not deprive their babies of this important natural and most nutritious food that god has provided for our children.

I am flabbergasted that the WHO has been silent on this issue. I urge the WHO to ensure that we bring attention to this problem. I urge UNAIDS to insert this challenge within its global objective. In our Region, PAHO and CARPHA must issue advisory calls to bring to attention to this emerging public health issue.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy

The Marriott Hotel, legacy of strong leadership

Dear Editor, I recall the spate of ugly sensationalism promoted by some of our newspapers about the Marriott Hotel, not excluding the politically vile and callous commentators. The fact remains that despite the badmouthing the Marriott received from the present Government when it was in the opposition, Guyana can now boast that it has a five-star hotel like the developed and developing countries of our world.

The US embassy in Guyana recently celebrated the 239th Independence Anniversary of the USA.

It is not surprising that the Mariott was chosen as the venue for this anniversary celebration. What is important to note, is that many of those who criticised the Marriott establishment and its construction since the inception phase, were present at the celebration. Isn’t this a bit… hypocritical?

The PPP/C left behind a significant achievement: the construction of a five-star hotel in Guyana, in a booming and healthy economy. Sadly the Guyanese people have not attained the 100th day of the APNU/ AFC action plan, and Guyana is already head-

ed towards social and economic collapse. This is why over two hundred thousand Guyanese people are happy and excited that Dr Bharat Jagdeo and the PPP/C will be returning to Parliament to once again save Guyana from economic destruction. They have renewed hope for the future. The de facto Government should be afraid of this energetic and brilliant political team in Parliament since it has proven through its track record that it is worth the trust of the Guyanese people.

Sincerely

Martin Luke

NACTA: Opposition has edge in Trinidad Elections

Dear Editor,

In Trinidad, neither the ruling Peoples Partnership nor United National Congress and opposition PNM enjoys a significant advantage over the other in terms of popular political support or seats projected to win, according to the findings of an ongoing tracking opinion poll being conducted by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association.

The election (based on NACTA intercept contact polling thru July 10), is very tight and can swing either way in a narrow victory by one or two seats.

The minority parties are polling small amounts of support and not projected to win a single seat but could impact the outcome of the elections in all the marginal constituencies as they dent into the traditional support base of the two major parties.

The latest poll of 400

voters nationally (40% Indians, 38% Africans, 20% Mixed, and 2% Others) and 100 voters (reflecting the demographics) in each of several marginal seats over the last week, and based on trends in several NACTA polls over the last two months, show both major contenders winning eighteen seats each, and five very tight that could go either way.

Some seats among the 18 projected for each party are competitive and could change hands depending on candidate selection and the swing in support as the campaign gears up.

Some quarter of the likely voters are undecided with many saying the PP’s candidate will determine how they vote; the PNM has already selected its 41 candidates. If the election were held right now, the PNM will eke out a 21-20 victory.

However, the UNC has not announced candi-

dates as yet whereas the PNM has announced candidates. Once the right candidates are chosen, the PP/UNC could win a minimum 21 seats. All the polls have a closely contested race, though other polls have either the UNC or PNM in the lead.

Voters are displeased with representation in several marginal seats (all controlled by the UNC) but most of them are trending PP except for three that will give the PNM the 21 seats it needs.

In terms of popular support nationally, the PNM is polling 34%, PP 34%, ILP 4%, TFM 2%, MSJ 2%, and Undecided 24%. Based on these numbers, it would seem that whatever alliance is formed among the various parties could determine the outcome of the elections especially in the critical marginal ones.

Yours truly Vishnu Bisram

The US exerting power on the Guyana Government

Dear Editor, Bryan Hunt seems to have a lot of influence on the new Government. One wonders why. The question is to figure out what role Hunt plays in Guyana, and if the U.S. is manipulating our Government to do its bidding.

Hunt is lauding a program which aims to transform criminals into functional persons, and seems willing to assist in the rice trade.

The reintegration is comparable to a welfare program. Although nothing is wrong with giving jobs to people, in a very

small society like Guyana, the economy is not solid enough to provide such jobs. Where the funding comes from is another question worth asking.

According to the new Government, the Guyanese people were robbed by the previous administration and there’s not enough left to run the country. Yet, it has found the means to fund this scheme which is not a priority for the country at the moment. I would say that the US must have had a role to play in implementing this.

The US is a very pow-

erful country with the possibility to coerce the weak into carrying out policies which match its agenda. Venezuela is an example of US interference, such as the failed coup on Chavez, a fruitless attempt to replace the leader by a pro American government. Trying to resist the superpower renders governments vulnerable to constant pressure. It seems as though Mr. Hunt is exerting that pressure on the new Government, which in turn seems all too willing to abide.

V. Apana

CPL underlines tremendous socioeconomic benefits for region’s economies – Govt involvement critical to survival

By Michael younge

High-ranking officials of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) have underscored the important role that regional Governments can play in boosting the tournament while deriving positive socio-economic benefits that could have long term impacts on their developing economies.

Speaking during an interview with the Guyana Times International on Saturday, the Chief Financial Officer of the Caribbean Primer League, Barrie Corcoran, said that it takes a huge amount of investment to stage the tournament each year and to deliver on the exceptional standards associated with international cricket.

Corcoran stated that each year some US$25 million is invested into CPL just to ensure that it is hosted successfully as he explained that, if all Governments in the region were to get on board where necessary, the event could grow at an un-

precedented rate, which in turn would see massive gains being derived by their economies.

“We offer a lot”, he said before listing that over the last three years, countries who have stakes in the tournament have managed to tap into the direct benefits associated from sports tourism, increased tourist arrivals and the promotion of their

eco-tourism products to an international audience.

He reasoned that Governments also benefit from the fact that over 66 million people view the tournament around the world. “It is important that Governments hold hands with us and build this together…it is a partnership”, he insisted explaining that the venture will achieve all of its objec-

New State Boards’ members still to be named

Almost a month after declaring that it would be shaking up State Boards across the country, Government is still to announce those changes. Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman had said last week that the announcement about the changes in the structure of the boards would be made by the end of that week. However, no announcement was made.

In June, Government said that it was conducting a major shakeup of boards which overlooked Government agencies. These include the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), and the Guyana Oil Company (Guyoil).

So far, head of GRDB Jagnarine Singh has already resigned his post and Trotman had indicated that head of the NIS board, Dr Roger Luncheon was also slated to be sent packing. Also to be removed from his post is head of the Guyana Power and Light Winston Brassington; who is also head of the National Industrial and

Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). Currently, Government is carrying out investigations into that entity.

Since the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition assumed office, there have been massive changes in the various state boards aimed at what the Government said was bringing back confidence over the operations of the various agencies.

It noted that Guyoil’s General Manager Badree Persaud did not enjoy the confidence of Government and would definitely have to go.

Former President Donald Ramotar’s son

Alexei Ramotar, who headed the E-Governance Project, was recently sent on leave to facilitate investigations into the financial operation of the project which has missed its deadline by some two years.

Government has also shaken up the entire Board of Directors of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and has replaced it with an Interim Management Committee (IMC). Its Chief Executive Officer, Dr Raj Singh was fired and the other Board Members were forced to resign. A Commission of Inquiry (CoI) is currently being conducted into its operations.

Other boards up for review include the Board of Directors for the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board and the Board of Directors of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest). Minister of State Joseph Harmon had said that Government has decided to send the heads packing because of their “inadequacy to effectively manage their respective agency”.

Russell said this was far from the truth.

He explained that CPL is a private/public partnership initiative that is owned by several stakeholders. “The league is probably owned, in collaboration with the WICB (West Indian Cricket Board), Digicel are the majority owners of CPL… there are one or two minority stakeholders who are individuals….the WICB also has its stakes,” he explained as he attempted to clarify a misleading report which emanated in a section of the Guyanese press recently.

CPL’s Chief Operations Officer, Pete Russell, also explained that Governments who are supportive of the venture stand to gain more than to lose in any instant.

Dispelling rumors that the local franchise holders reap enormous personal benefits or returns from CPL when Governments pay fees as part of established agreements,

“I have heard reports that Bobby Ramroop is the owner of CPL, but that is not the case. Bobby Ramroop is the owner of the Amazon Warriors. He owns the franchise down here…all his investment goes into the team, so there is no money that comes or that he gets from CPL,” he further clarified.

He said that CPL sees the role of the Government of Guyana as crucial because of the axiomatic relationship that exists between the sport and the interest of its citizens, as

well as the direct benefits that are procured in the end.

He said that discussions between CPL and the current Government of Guyana was ongoing and cordial, while noting that the Government is doing the right thing to ensure that they are reaping the benefits that they should from existing agreements. “I think they have done the right thing. They have done their due diligence in full…They wanted to make sure that those agreements were delivered by CPL…We are obviously debating and discussing the long term future…For us it is very important that CPL is a major factor in Guyana,” Russell noted.

He said that the new Governments in St Kitts and Antigua also ensured that they were getting value for money expended as part of their agreements with CPL, which predated their entrance into Government. “It’s a learning curve for everyone,” he insisted before noting that Government remains a key part of the partnership.

GPL Deputy CEO sent on leave

– for allegedly paying himself

The forensic audit being carried out into the PetroCaribe Fund has revealed that officials at the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) have been allegedly siphoning off funds into their personal accounts.

The revelation was made on Wednesday by Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson.

The discovery has seen Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) of GPL, Aeshwar Deonarine being sent on immediate administrative leave. He has been accused of transferring some Gy$27.8 million to his personal account. He also paid board member Carvil Duncan a sum of Gy$948,000, which was not authorised.

Gy$27.8M

Government had found that close to Gy$142 million of the PetroCaribe Fund was plugged into the operations of the state-owned GPL. This was realised after Government said it had found an empty PetroCaribe fund when it took office and later launched an investigation.

Based on information, Patterson explained, the

power company has two DCEOs – one for operations and the other for administration. Patterson said apparently the operations DCEO was receiving a higher salary than the administration DCEO and the operations DCEO had been making representations to the Board for there to be parity in the salaries of the two. This, he explained, was reportedly disapproved by the previous Board. In June of this year, with the signature of Director Duncan, Deonarine made the payment to himself retroactive from January 2013 to June 2015.

Patterson said Board Members had made several representations to have board fees increase from Gy$5000 to Gy$20,000. He said while the Board had discussed the recommendation, no final decision was made in that regard. However, Duncan later

GPL Deputy cEo aeshwar Deonarine

went ahead and approved payment to the tune of Gy$948,000 for himself, representing “back pay” for the 48 months that he has been a board member of GPL.

Duncan, who sits on several other Boards and Commissions, including the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Judicial Service Commission, is reportedly the only director who received a retroactive payment from GPL.

Aquartet walked out of Court Two of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday morning after a question of possession was raised by their Attorney James Bond.

Delson Wayne, 25, of Lot 27 Caneville Housing Scheme, Georgetown; Kevin Ashley, 20, of 452 Section B Sophia, Greater Georgetown; Ruel Garner, 24, of 435 North East La Penitence, Georgetown; and 22-yearold Roxel Neopaul, were brought to court to answer to two counts of unlicensed gun and ammunition possession.

The charges state that on July 18, they

Chairman Winston Brassington was contacted and denied ever giving such permission. Patterson said when he was further questioned, Duncan disclosed that former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds had given the go-ahead. The former PM, when contacted, denied such and when later confronted again, Duncan reportedly said that it “had to be President Ramotar”.

The information, Patterson informed would be forwarded to the Police to assist them in the criminal investigation. The life of the current Board comes to an end this month. Efforts by this newspaper to contact both Deonarine and Duncan were futile.

Patterson said when clarification was sought, Duncan had given conflicting reports. He had said that the Board had given him the authority to take the money. When he was later confronted, he said the Chairman had given him permission.

Quartet on bail for alleged gun and ammo possession

were found in Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, Georgetown, with an unlicensed .22 revolver and corresponding ammunition for the revolver. The defendants are not holders of gun licenses.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones told the court that Police had received information about the gun and ammunition and had intercepted a motor car bearing registration plates PPP 3594 at Sandy Babb Street with the four defendants inside the car.

He continued that the Police told the vehicle’s occupants of their suspicions and a search was conducted. The gun and ammunition was found under the driver’s seat. It was sent to be tested and dusted for fingerprints. However, Prosecutor Jones said investigations continue.

He objected to bail, stating that unlicensed guns have become too prevalent in society.

However, Garner’s Attorney (James Bond) told the court that the prosecution will be unable to prove a case against his client or anyone of the other accused as they must prove a case of possession and control for the unlicensed firearm.

He explained that Garner was offered a drop in the car which had numerous other occupants. This, he said, would make it difficult for the prosecution to prove who had actual ownership of the firearm. The Attorney said it is strange that the prosecution is unable to state

who owned the car.

Bond asked the court to grant bail for his client, stating that the gun was not found on him nor is he the owner of the car. He said Garner is a committed Muslim and a Teacher at a local Masjid.

Wayne told the court his age and address, stating that he is presently working on a house in Mocha and has not been in trouble with the law since he was brought before the court for robbery on a prior occasion. He said he is a father of two and assists his wife with her two children.

Magistrate Ann McLennan asked about the owner of the car and who was driving as she listened to the applications for bail, however, she learnt the investigation is still ongoing.

She granted each of the defendants Gy$125,000 bail. However, she stated this is on condition that they report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) every Friday. The men are expected back in court on August 3.

Guyanese nationals admitted to Bar in Fiji

Two Guyanese nationals were admitted to the Bar at a ceremony at the High Court in Suva, Fiji around midday on Tuesday.

According to an online report, Andrew Liverpool, 25, and Shinella Andrea Ghent, 27, both graduated with a law degree from the University of Guyana and attained their Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the University of Fiji.

The admission ceremony was presided over by Chief Justice Anthony Gates, who wished the duo well and reminded them of the oaths that they took to see that right and justice are done.

Families and friends were present during the ceremony to witness

andrew Liverpool and Shinella andrea Ghent were admitted to the Fiji Bar on tuesday

the two take their solemn oaths, one of allegiance to the profession and the other to uphold the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji Islands.

Top sugar experts testify in first round of GuySuCo probe

The first round of the Commission of Inquiry set up by Government to probe the operations of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) was completed on Tuesday, with several experts testifying and members of the Commission visiting the Uitvulgt Factory, West Coast Demerara (WCD). Commission Chairman Vibert Parvatan told Guyana Times International on Tuesday that among those who testified and made recommendation on the way forward for the crumbling industry are: former Factory Manager Sydney Robinson, former GuySuCo Chairman Vickram Oditt, former Houston/Versailles

Estates shareholder and Manager Anthony Vieira, former GuySuCo Human Resources Director Earl John, and GuySuCo Agriculture Services General Manager Raymond Sangster.

Discussions are ongoing with Paul Bhim, who along with Errol Hanoman, currently heads GuySuCo. When Hanoman, a former Chief Executive Officer of GuySuCo, returns shortly, he too will join the talks, Parvatan informed.

Commissioners have also met with staff members of various levels.

Those responsible for field and factory operations and human resources held meetings

commission

with general managers, departmental managers and several workers as they examined the preparatory work for the next crop in this, the out-of-crop season. Teams will be revisiting the estates at various periods to follow up.

Other interested parties have been invited by the Commission to participate in the investigation. Persons who have signalled their intention to make submissions include former GuySuCo General Manager Vishnu Panday, former Factory Manager and Chief Electrical Engineer Lance Tyrell, and former employee George Alleyne. The National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), and the National Cane Farming Association have also indicated that

Police hope footage can lead to arrest of gay sex worker's killer

BY BHISHAM MOHAMED

Amale sex worker was gunned down in the wee hours of Wednesday morning in the vicinity of Carmichael and Quamina Streets, Georgetown during a confrontation with a client and another man who accused him of robbery.

The dead commercial sex worker has been identified as Nephi Noel Wilson Luthers, age 20, of ZZ Durban Street, Worthmanville, Georgetown. He was reportedly shot once to his chest by a man who fled the scene in a Honda CRV Motor vehicle.

they would be participating in the Inquiry.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) said it was considering the request made by the Commission for it to make submissions about the operations at the Corporation.

GAWU President Komal Chand told this publication that the organisation would make a decision as soon as possible. GAWU has been at the forefront of the sugar industry, fighting for the rights of the industry and thousands of workers who benefit.

Government said the objective was to develop a plan which would bring the state-owned enterprise, which has been operating since 1976, back to profitability, and assure its longterm environmental and economic sustainability.

The commissioners, who are tasked with development planning for this purpose, are mandated to “investigate and inquire into the current state of cane cultivation, production, and marketing of sugar, molasses and other by-products including power”.

The consultants will work closely with the Interim Management Team and other GuySuCo officials to realise the objective. They will also liaise with cane farmers as required. The Commission of Inquiry is expected to complete its work by September 30.

According to information received, the shooting might have stemmed from a robbery committed on a client. Guyana Times International understands that on Tuesday evening, a client turned up at Church and Carmichael Streets and paid a sex worker Gy$5000 to perform a sex act. During the excitement, he was reportedly relieved of his personal belongings. After the act was completed, he left in his motorcar but subsequently realised that his phone and cash were missing.

The “client”, from reports received, collect-

ed one of his friends and went back to the location where they confronted Luthers but he denied doing business with the man, which resulted in an argument.

During the argument the client reportedly told Luther’s “You have to give back the thing”, but in response, the commercial sex worker said “me ain’t been with you”. At this time, the friend pulled out the gun and pulled the trigger, shooting Luthers to his chest. The sex worker fell onto the roadway and the two men fled the scene. Luthers colleagues picked him up and rushed him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told this newspaper that the incident occurred at about 02:30h in

the vicinity of the Bishop’s High School. He noted that the Police have received an image of the two men and are presently in pursuit of them. He also noted that during investigations, it was revealed that indeed, Luthers did not conduct business with the man who had accused him of theft. It was another commercial sex worker, who is also maintaining that he did not steal from the man. The Police are continuing their investigations into the matter. However, at the home of the dead man, his mother, Joy Luthers was surrounded by family members as she tried to come to grips with the murder of her son. She added that at about 04:00h on Wednesday, she recontinued on page 23

Mc Lean says high level of unskilled labour is a turnoff for investors

Recently-appointed Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) President and Private Sector Commission Chairman, retired Major General Norman Mc Lean, has highlighted that the high level of unskilled labour in the country is a major turnoff for investors.

He was at the time speaking at the GMSA’s mid-year business luncheon held at the Pegasus Hotel on Monday, when he updated the business community on current affairs and other social matters that will help entrepreneurs develop their businesses.

The GMSA Head said:

“We agree that there is a pool of vocational and advanced skills in Guyana, but that is a very limited skill and we need to ensure that the Private Sector is able to attract huge foreign investments and apart from our limited labour force, the high cost of doing business in Guyana also keeps investors doubtful about investing in Guyana.”

He was referring to

energy costs, Customs charges and the long undue delays in the import and export procedures.

According to the GMSA President, the Private Sector is even more committed now than ever to change the local business landscape, from relying on the sale of raw products to promoting new businesses that will see processing of rice, fruits and vegetables, meat and milk. He noted that the frequent wastage at markets proves that there is a dire need to process those produce in order to ensure that

the country truly becomes the food basket of the Caribbean.

Mc Lean spoke about the services sector which has proven to be a growing industry in the Caribbean and accounted for more that 60 per cent of accumulated revenues in the Region. However, he pointed out that Guyana has been “lapsing” in this regard.

“Although CEDA (Caribbean Export Development Agency) has taken the next logical step towards consolidating this growing area of the economy, we are

Guyana /Venezuela border controVersy

not doing as we should do. This is an area of weakness for us,” he stated.

Technical support

The GMSA head explained that the organisation was hoping to secure membership in the Caribbean Network, which will enable Guyana to be eligible for funding for technical support to develop the music industry, specialty health care, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and a wide range of other industrial and social services.

Additionally, Mc Lean underscored that Guyana’s position on the Atlantic Ocean was both a curse as well as a blessing. He explained that with the Atlantic off its shores, Guyana has easy access to Caribbean markets, but was unable to effectively tap into them because of inadequate harbour facilities.

He pointed out that this must be a major priority for the country, since it mostly pays for deadweight, as the vessels were unable to carry their maximum capacity. “We do agree unconditionally that Guyana, positioned as it is on the

Atlantic Coast gives us a distinct advantage in terms of access to foreign markets … So a serious priority for us here in Guyana is ensure that we install facilities similar to the one that is at the Berbice River mouth … The time has come for us to ensure that the Georgetown Harbour, receive larger vessels through a similar facility, either by dredging or opening a channel through the bar and ensuring that we have a loading facility where we can bring in large vessels and take out large vessels as well,” he emphasized.

Guyana received no formal invite for Mercosur talks – Greenidge

Foreign Affairs

Minister Carl Greenidge has indicated that Guyana was never formally invited to a meeting with neighbouring Venezuela to discuss the ongoing controversy between the two countries.

Greenidge said “Our colleagues in Latin America claim we have been invited to a meeting in August, but didn’t

see it fit to ask us whether we’d be available, whether the time would be convenient, whether we’d be interested and so forth.”

Further pressed on whether Guyana was interested in attending the meeting, the Foreign Affairs Minister said they did not attend meetings on the basis of information from other sources. He likened

the situation to that of a “town crier”.

“I don’t think international diplomacy should work on that basis … I don’t even know which grouping has taken that decision,” he disclosed.

During the recent Summit of the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) held in Brazil, Venezuelan President Nicolás

Maduro on Friday last announced that a special meeting will be held under the umbrella of the regional body to address the ongoing border controversy between neighbours, Guyana and Venezuela.

In his address to the presidential summit, Maduro had said: “I would like to thank you all for agreeing to call a special meeting of Mercosur in Asunción, Paraguay, at the end of August”. However no other details of this special meeting, such as the date, were given.

Further commenting on the handling of the Guyana/Venezuela controversy at the level of the Mercosur meeting, the Minister explained that views were aired

by the Spanish-speaking neighbour. He added too that even the President of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, also took the opportunity to voice her concerns.

According to Greenidge, it is important to understand that members of Mercosur have not only met at last week’s summit. He pointed out that Guyana has been meeting and talking to most of them prior to the meeting.

“Some of whom are close to Venezuela, some are not so close but we speak to them nonetheless, trying to draw to their attention the moral and legal basis of our case. That you have had borders defined and marked by persons, including Venezuela and we can

no longer afford to have a situation in which tension is escalating on the basis of an allegation of a deceased person (Severo Mallet-Prevost) who wasn’t brave enough to have his views exposed before he died,” he outlined.

The Foreign Affairs Minister mentioned that they have alerted all the countries that were at risk from the Venezuelan Decrees and have asked those countries whether they are proposing to do anything about the arbitrary claim by Venezuela, highlighting that inaction and silence can be assumed to be a sign of agreement.

Asked specifically whether Guyana was in talks with France given the fact that the maritime boundary being claimed by Venezuela infringed on French Guiana’s space, Greenidge declared that although the French Guiana’s Ambassador was in Guyana recently they were unable to meet as scheduled.

Nevertheless, the Minister posited that the French-speaking country was aware of the issue and submitted that it was likely waiting on further explanations from Venezuela before responding.

Guyana courts France for development assistance

Prime minister, First Vice-President and President (acting) moses Nagamootoo addressing the reception to commemorate France’s National Day (Bastille Day) at cara Lodge, Quamina Street

Though challenged by natural disasters and limited resources, the Government of Guyana is determined to ensure the safety of its people and to improve their lives.

In this regard, it will continue to count on the support of its developmental partners, including the Government and people of France, says First Vice President and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo who was performing the duties of the president while President Granger was in Brazil last week. The Prime Minister was at the time addressing the commemoration of the National Day of the Republic of France (Bastillle Day) which was held Friday evening at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown.

In his address, the Prime Minister expressed Guyana’s appreciation to the Government of France for its support over the years, especially in providing for debt-relief and for offering economic and technical cooperation in several areas. He noted that all of these meaningful efforts have contributed significantly to Guyana’s well being.

“We hope that in the near future, we could secure opportunities for training in ‘weather forecasting’, as well as humanitarian assistance for flood victims,” he said. He also stated that the Government is also looking forward to further enhancing cooperation with France, particularly in the areas of trade, foreign economic investment and crime fighting. He expressed the hope that the formalization of the Guyana’s Honorary Consulate in Cayenne, French Guiana, would help to boost these efforts.

The acting President reiterated the

Government of Guyana’s support in the fight against climate change, both domestic and internationally while acknowledging the crucial role that France has played in the global process. “Our future depends on a comprehensive, holistic approach to global warming and climate change,” the Prime Minister said. “If we are to leave behind a world for the benefit of future generations, we must ensure its sustainable existence, and this should remain the primary goal of the international community,” he said.

To this end, the Prime Minister expressed the hope that the 21st Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNCCC), scheduled for Paris, France in December, results in “a balanced outcome representing the concerns of both the developed and developing countries.” The Prime Minister also stressed that Guyana will count on the friendship of France and the French people, “as we stand up resolutely against coercive attempts to frustrate our development and to threaten our territorial integrity.”

Meanwhile, France’s Ambassador to Guyana Michel Prom assured that Guyana’s contribution at the UNCCC summit will be, “important to the success of the conference.” He took the opportunity to thank the authorities and the people of Guyana for the solidarity shown earlier in the year with regards to the Paris bombing and to this end, reiterated cooperation in the field of security. Noting the attention that President Granger has been giving to the opening of the Guyana Consulate in Cayenne, the French Ambassador said this

Amerindians speak out against postponement of Toshaos’ elections

BY DEVINASAMAROO

Amove will provide for greater regional integration.

Also present were, Minister of Governance and acting Foreign Affairs Minister Raphael Trotman, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan and Minister of Business and Investment Dominic Gaskin.

Bastille Day, the annual celebration, known to the French as “La Fête Nationale” is a nationwide holiday that commemorates the anniversary of the liberation of France marked by the storming of Bastille. The medieval prison called Bastille, was where political prisoners were held for capricious reasons and had no chance of appeal at the hands of Louis XVI’s royal government. Bastille became a symbol of the monarchy and was targeted by the people of Paris, when they stormed the fortress on July 14, 1789.

(GINA)

merindians are complaining about the last minute postponement of the highly anticipated Toshaos elections in several Amerindian communities across Guyana, and are questioning the Government’s sincerity in promoting indigenous peoples development.

For months now, those residing in the hinterland communities have been in intense preparation for this important occasion, which is part and parcel of the entire democratic system of the country and reflective of the governing Administration’s respect for Amerindian rights.

However, while the village leaders and people were highly annoyed and irritated over the postponement, their infuriation and frustration comes in light of the manner in which the postponement was done.

The community of Four Miles, located in Region One (BarimaWaini) was confirmed to host the Toshaos Elections on Tuesday,

July 21 at 09:00h. However, as the officials were just about to commence the process, they were informed, without reason, that the election must be stopped.

Chairman of the Four Miles Community Development Council (CDC) Ellis James, explained that the Amerindian Regional Executive Officer (AREO) Susan Sawack, informed them that instructions were given from the Indigenous People’s Affairs Ministry that the election will be postponed until further notice.

James said that the AREO was informed by A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC)

Member of Parliament Richard Allen and confirmation was later verified by Indigenous People’s Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock.

A similar incident occurred in the nearby village of Eclipse Falls Top, where residents and officials were forced to halt the activities of the day in relation to these crucial elections, notably much to the annoyance

of many.

“We received a confirmation letter from the Ministry saying that elections are to be conducted today (Tuesday) and just before we were about to start, they cancelled it until further notice. People made lots of investment into this, we had to get transportation to bring people in from far-reaching areas and I do not understand why they called it off last minute,” vented village Toshao Emanuel Henry. Violation of the Amerindian Act

The villagers and their leaders are even more upset about the fact that the entire position taken by the Government is in blatant violation of the Amerindian Act 2006.

The Act, which was dubbed a modern piece of legislation that is ideally crafted to represent the rights of Amerindians, embodies the principle of self-determination and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and is consistent with Articles 3 and 4 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Govt could tap Harper for top diplomatic post

The 2015 People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Prime Ministerial Candidate Elisabeth Harper is being considered by the new Government for an overseas ambassadorial position.

Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge on Monday revealed to media operatives that the Administration has been in talks about the Ambassador. “I, myself, spoke to Ambassador Harper a few weeks ago on a variety of matters, including Venezuela,” he told reporters. Asked subsequently whether Harper was being considered for the position of Guyana’s Ambassador to Venezuela, the Foreign Affairs Minister said: “I’m neither denying nor concurring”.

He added that “ev-

erybody is being considered … I don’t want to say more than that”. Guyana’s current Ambassador to Venezuela is Geoffrey Da Silva, who is still stationed in the neighbouring country even amid rising tension between the two neighbours. Venezuela has recently renewed its claim to Guyana’s territory.

Prior to her entering the political arena, Ambassador Harper served as the Director General of the Foreign Affairs Ministry – a position she held since 2001. She was also Guyana’s Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (Caricom) at her time of retirement.

Harper, who was conferred with the Golden Achievement Award, began her career at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in 1976 as a Registry

Clerk. She has previously served as Director of the Department of the Americas and Asia at the Ministry from 1996 to 2001; a Consular at the Guyana High Commission, London 1991-1995, and Head of the Frontier Division, 1990-1991. Described as a distinguished public servant, Harper has been a member of Guyana’s delegation to various meet-

ings of Caricom, the Latin American Economic System, the Association of Caribbean States, United Nations, the Commonwealth and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), among others.

Harper has served in several other positions as Ambassador to Caricom (2003 to present), Non-resident High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago (2003-present), Non-resident High Commissioner to Barbados (2004-present), Non-resident High Commissioner to Grenada (2006-present) and Non-resident High Commissioner to St Kitts and Nevis.

Minister Greenidge was also questioned about the report on the one man-led High Commission in India, to which he declined to com-

ment. Nevertheless, the Foreign Affairs Minister assured that the names of ambassadors to be posted at the various overseas missions will be done by the end of August. The Minister had previously stated that Guyana’s Ambassador to Suriname, Keith George, and the Permanent Representative to the United Nations, George

Talbot, will be retained. As is protocol in the change of Governments, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Administration had recalled the Heads of Mission and was slated to make new appointments to United States, Canada, and United Kingdom among several other overseas missions.

National Security Adviser meets Berbice stakeholders on crime

Presidential Adviser on National Security, retired Brigadier Edward Collins last Saturday kicked off a four-day outreach to law enforcement agencies in Berbice, encouraging ranks to put a lid on criminals and pledging Government’s full support.

This is the first of a series of such outreaches to be carried out across the country with the aim of interacting with Police Officers, giving them the opportunity to highlight their challenges and make recommendations on the way forward, the Ministry of the Presidency said in a statement.

Berbice has been hard hit by the recent flare-up in criminal violence and despite assurances from Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, bandits continue to be on the prowl.

Only last week in lamenting the escalating crime rate, the West Berbice Chamber of Commerce said that the situation was greatly interfering with the development of the business sector, particularly in Berbice.

At the Chamber’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on July 1, incoming President Imram Sacoor highlighted that crime continued to be a hindrance to businesses in the community. The Chamber, which is mandated to oversee business operations in the county of Berbice, recognised

the vast potential of the business sector there. “This scourge must be addressed if we are to enhance our community and to make our businesses safer,” he said. Ramjattan had promised to take every step available to reduce the crime rate as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, according to the Ministry, following a report from Berbice Division Commander Christopher Griffith, Brigadier Collins urged the Division to continue to deal strictly with rogue officers, especially those who are responsible for the destruction of Police vehicles. Commander Griffith reported that 29 complaints were received about ranks of B Division. As a result, seven ranks have been placed before the court, while departmental actions have been taken against the others.

Brigadier Collins also called on the B Division Commander and senior ranks to develop a closer relationship with community members. In this regard, the B Division is currently working closely with the Community Policing Groups (CPGs) in the region.

Brigadier Collins was briefed on the overall operations of the Police in B Division by the Commander who indicated that there were currently 385 ranks attached to the Division, a number which falls woefully short of the recommended 928, given the vastness of the region.

Commander Griffith said that this shortage was largely owed to the fact that the Force has been unable to attract recruits because of the current salaries and allowances being offered. He said that if Police Officers were offered more attractive salary packages, more people will be encouraged to join and even trained ranks who have left the Force to seek more lucrative options will return to serve.

Roadmap for developing ganja industry in J’ca needed, says Seiveright

Delano Seiveright (Jamaica Observer file photo)

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

Communications

consultant Delano Seiveright says there is a need for a clear roadmap for the overarching development of the local ganja/cannabis industry.

“We need now a clear roadmap for its overarching development, further reforms, immediate enactment of a simple, efficient and transparent regulatory structure that favours traditional farmers, investors, new businesses, and increasing tax revenue, and the clearing away of bureaucratic obstacles and antiganja impulses by hostile forces,” says Seiveright.

Speaking at the the Re-Imagine Jamaica: Unlimited Possibilities

A Brand Jamaica symposium at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona on Friday, he argued that Jamaica is ripe for an “amazing, mindboggling economic windfall” from ganja.

However, according to him, “as it stands now, Jamaica and Brand Jamaica are losing out on millions in potential investment (here) and overseas, jobs and economic growth, because of stupidity”.

The programme included issues such as Jamaica's national identity and global competitiveness and examined how to protect Brand Jamaica from dilution, contamination and exploitation. (Jamaica Observer)

Former Presidents to challenge bill capping benefits

Former Presidents Donald Ramotar, Bharrat Jagdeo and Samuel Hinds are set to challenge the Former Presidents’ Bill which sought to cap their benefits, and was recently passed in the National Assembly.

A source close to the former Heads of State told Guyana Times International on Monday that the leaders will challenge “any attempt to interfere with their benefits”.

The source could not say, however, how soon the former Presidents will move ahead with the challenge, but maintained that it was under active consideration.

The Former Presidents’ Bill tabled in the National Assembly by Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams is set to affect the benefits enjoyed by the former Presidents.

Government had last week related that the intention of the Bill when it was presented in the National Assembly was to cap the “exorbitant” benefits being enjoyed by the

former Heads of State.

The Bill sees 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.

Prior to the new Bill, former Heads of State were allowed to use basic services at the expense of the State.

These included water, electricity and telephone services.

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

Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who tabled the Bill last Thursday, said its purpose was to repeal the Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Act, Chapter 27:17, Act 12 of 2009, to provide greater specificity, especially if account is taken of the fact that the former President is eligible for a pension which is seven eighths the salary of the President in office.

Govt suspends works on CJIA expansion project

…cites “irregularity” in contract documents

Work on the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project has been suspended, pending reviews of several irregularities in the contract between the Chinese state company and the Government of Guyana, according to Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson.

Public Infrastructure Minister Patterson on Wednesday stated that he has ordered the company to cease work on CJIA until all disputes are resolved. He told this newspaper that China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Ltd and the Government intended to sort through these issues by July 27.

It was also reported that the Government had complained about missed deadlines and failure to do proper engineering studies. Additionally, Government officials also stated that the company did not perform proper soil tests on the land targeted for the extended runway and tons of sand dumped as foundation has been getting absorbed by nearby marsh.

In 2011, Guyana signed a US$138 million

agreement with CHEC to extend the main airport’s runway by about 3200 feet (1000 metres). The work was expected to be finished by September 2015, but officials now say that the Project would not be complete until 2017.

Only late last month, Government announced that the US$150 million budgeted was not enough to complete the Project and as such, adjustments to the designs have to be made. Under the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration, the Project budget amounted to some US$150 million. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, during a post-Cabinet press briefing on June 24, announced

that the US$150 million identified for the project was far below what was required to complete it. Since the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Administration came into office, one of the first tasks undertaken was an extensive investigation into the project.

Patterson had requested from CJIA management a comprehensive report on the Project. At the post-Cabinet press briefing, Harmon disclosed that Patterson reported to Cabinet that there were several areas of expenditure that were not included in the US$150 million. These include: a car park estimated at US$2.7 million, equipment for the terminal at US$16 million, navigational aids that needed to be changed and upgraded at a cost of US$1.3 million, a generator building and pump house valued at US$60,000, perimeter fence and security lights at US$565,000, relocation of the electrical and mechanical engineering department valued US$250,000 and relocation of airport operators which would cost US$510,000. There were other areas of expen-

diture that were not accounted for.

Generally, Harmon disclosed that an estimated US$65 million was needed to complete the CJIA Expansion Project in the form it was initially presented.

Further, Harmon had reported that some 32 per cent of the money was already utilised, but only six per cent of the work was done. As a result, Cabinet took a decision to review the Project and have a different model designed which will see the project being completed with the funds that were left.

Key components of the initial project included: the extension of the runway from 7500 to 10,800 feet – to accommodate Boeing 747-400 aircraft; doubling of aircraft positions from four to eight; installation of eight passenger boarding bridges; and the fortification of the CCTV system with approximately 300 cameras.

Harmon said with the new model, there will still be the expansion of the runway and a modified airport terminal. He assured that the new project will still aim to make the CJIA up to par with international standards.

PPP/C rejects links to Crum-Ewing’s murder

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has rejected allegations that it had a part to play in the killing of ex-solder, Courtney Crum-Ewing.

In a statement, the Party said that Freedom House is available to all who seek help. “It is a political office,” the Party insisted. According to the PPP characteristically, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) has already determined the outcome prejudicing the results with their hostile anti-PPP statements.

“Leader of the AFC and Ministers of the APNU/AFC Government have already discovered PPP/C involvement from the very evening of the execution of Crum-Ewing and publicly proclaimed the direction that the investigation must take in establishing the political connection, the political intellectual authors, the PPP of his murder. The PPP/C exposes this entire effort as a plot by the APNU/AFC Government. It is apposite to note that at no time did Shawn Hinds mention Ministerial involvement.”

According to the PPP, their entire campaign in Opposition was about the high level of PPP corruption in office. “The

APNU/AFC Government is ashamed to admit their failure to uncover those levels of corruption and accept the conclusion that they misled the Guyanese people. The plot involving Shawn Hinds incriminating PPP/C Ministers and members must be exposed for what it is, designed by the Granger-Government to tarnish the image of the PPP with accusations of murder and directing the investigations to prove PPP/C involvement.”

“The PPP/C rejects any involvement in Crum-Ewing’s murder. The PPP/C rejects the vile attempts by the Government to link it with the killing. The PPP/C calls on the Guyana Police Force to disclose the results of their investigations into the murder. The PPP is confident that this disclosure will exonerate the PPP/C fully.”

Stimulus package possible in budget

… PPP/C urges increased Govt spending, clearer policy directions

Government is likely to include in its upcoming budget stimulus measures that could help jumpstart the economy which has become stagnated ever since the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) Government took office, but the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Opposition believes clearer policy directions and an early move on the various transformational projects started under the PPP/C would be the right fillips at this time.

At least two Government Ministers have given hints of such a move. The Administration has been under pressure to come up with measures that can help drive the economy and a stimulus package is one of the things that the Private Sector Commission (PSC) – the main umbrella body of the business community has proposed.

In addressing the slowdown in business at a recent meeting with Finance Minister Winston Jordan, the PSC urged the Government to consider a stimulus to boost the economy and the Minister committed to reviewing this proposal. He also committed to ensuring stability of the currency, through appropriate monetary policies.

The Finance Minister at the meeting assured the Commission that its proposals would be given consideration in the formulation of either the budget, and said that Government’s current priority was the imple-

mentation of its 100-day plan with an attendant focus on increasing pensions and salaries.

In addition to calling for a stimulus package, the PSC has recommended reform of the tax system and the Minister informed that the Government was about to commission a tax study which would be utilised, along with a study conducted by Duke University, to develop a comprehensive taxation system for the country. The Minister also shared with the Commission Government’s intention to examine the Value Added Tax rate with a view to its amendment, and the Private Sector body urged that a reduction in the rate of corporate taxes be mulled as well, since this could increase Government revenues. Further, Minister Jordan shared the Commission’s view that property taxes need to be revisited.

No pre-empting

Asked to comment on a possible stimulus package, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge – who served the nation

as Finance Minister under the People’s National Congress Administration – said he did not want to pre-empt Jordan’s budget announcements. Similar sentiments were expressed by Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman last week when asked about the same issue.

However, Trotman went a bit further in relating that an increase in wages for public servants could be an answer to reports of a dip in the country’s economy. He said salary increases are one of the known ways of stimulating economic growth and fighting inflation.

He said, however, that the Finance Minister would be better able to address that question. “When we go Cabinet, some members will urge a significant wage increase for the public servants in particular, and hopefully the Private Sector will follow suit by raising salaries as well.” This determination will be made when the National Budget is presented early next month.

As it relates to the recent reports of a failing economy, the Minister said Government has taken the reports into account, but would prefer to sit with members of the business community to work out how the economy could be stimulated. He said prior to elections, there were normal electoral jitters. These continued afterwards to some extent. That, coupled with the rattling with Venezuela, has not necessarily helped the economy, he added.

Trotman said the country is not in bad shape and while there are some jitters, Government prefers to have meetings with the business sector to see how things could be moved at a faster rate.

“We do not offer prescription before first hearing from them where they feel things have slowed down and why, and of course we are prepared to work out any stimulus package where we believe they are warranted”.

Clear policy

Meanwhile, PPP’s Irfaan Ali in an invited comment insisted that the economy needs to create opportunities for the people. He said

Government must be able to spend in a way that will enhance economic prospects. He used the example of the housing sector, noting that “It is important to have private capital trickling here.

Spending in this sector triggers construction, it triggers spending and also creates employment,” the former Housing Minister said. He said under his tenure when the then PPP Government embarked on the 1000 home projects, close to 300 people were employed. “They had to spend, contractors had to buy materials and all of these trickled down into a more vibrant econ-

omy.” He emphasised that while a stimulus package could be useful, Government expenditures would be critical in lifting the economy out of its present stagnation. “Government expenditure is crucial and the fact that we have not had a budget is also creating uncertainty.”

Additionally, Ali told Guyana Times that the economy needs to be expanded, and to this end, he mentioned that the various transformational projects which the PPP Government had embarked on should be revived. “The Hydro project, the CJIA expansion, the Specialty Hospital; all these are projects that will ignite new opportunities and will spur consumer confidence and spending.”

He said with a new airport there will be opportunities in the tourism sector. “The PPP had investors registering interest in building boat yards and other facilities to take advantage of the airport expansion,” Ali said, insisting that the new Administration needs to move ahead with these projects.

Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry concludes 7-day outreach in Region 9

Over the past seven days, a highlevel ministerial team visited Region Nine (Upper Essequibo-Upper Takutu) where they met and interacted with residents from about 45 villages.

The team was led by Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister, Vice President Sydney Allicock and included Minister within the Ministry, Valerie GarridoLowe and Minister within the Communities Ministry, Dawn HastingsWilliams. Other members included Legal Adviser David James; Adviser on Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Mervyn Williams; Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Technical Director Claude Bolton, newly sworn-in Regional Chairman Bryan Allicock, and Regional Executive Officer (REO), Carl Parker.

Meetings were held at Aishalton, Sand Creek, Shulinab, St Ignatius, Nappi, Yupukari, Toka, Aranaputa, Karasabai and Annai, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported. Among the issues raised by residents of the respective villages were access to quality health and education services and the need for support in the areas of agriculture, communication, security and water and land rights. The issue of land titling and demarcation was the most common one, since the communities’ developmental agenda is dependent on the regularisation of land.

According to James, the issue of lands rights will be prioritised. He said the Ministry was currently reviewing the Amerindian Land Titling and Demarcation Project which began about two years ago under the previous Administration. It is expected that very shortly, investigations will continue, which will see a team spreading out to communities earmarked for titling and demarcation.

James further ex-

plained that once the investigation was completed, a report would be prepared and reviewed and recommendations made would be acted upon. One of the requests from the villagers was that they be made privy to some of the information coming out of the investigation so that they can validate it. “It should be an exercise that brings satisfaction to the villagers and, of course, Government,” James stressed.

The Amerindian Land Titling Project in partnership with the UNDP, came to a halt when the new Administration took Office in May. On June 15, the Project staff was sent home . The Project since then has been under review.

More structured approach

There was also a clarion call by the youths for a more structured approach to the development of sports within the communities. Recognising that hinterland communities have not been benefiting from a structured sports programme, Williams announced that the Ministry was in the process of meeting the needs of the community in this regard.

“There is naturally rich talent in the hinterland. The discipline is there, the capacity is there, the desire is there, but there is need for a structured approach,” Williams noted. He said one aspect of that programme has to do with football and the Ministry was working on a three-year plan beginning January 2016, to ensure that there was a significant presence of Indigenous footballers (both men and women), on the national football teams.

Further, the impressed GFF Technical Director Bolton has committed to partnering with the Ministry in designing a programme in this regard. The Ministry, in collaboration with the GFF, was in the process of identifying individuals in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine

Granger off to US for State Department meeting

President David Granger has left Guyana on Thursday for the United States of America where he will hold discussions with Department of State officials and also deliver the keynote address to the graduating class of the Caribbean Defence and Security Course (CDSC) at Fort Lesley J McNair on Friday.

to participate in a coaching programme during the month of August. The GFF will ultimately design a programme that takes coaching into hinterland communities and those persons will be involved in that villagebased programme.

President Granger, an alumnus and former adjunct professor of the Perry Centre, will be accompanied to the event by Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips.

“The Perry Centre is proud to recognise the hard work done by these security and defence professionals over the past six weeks. Moreover, the Perry Centre is hon-

oured to welcome His Excellency, David Arthur Granger, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, as the commencement speaker for Friday’s ceremony,” a release on the Centre’s website read.

The graduation ceremony will take place between 14:00h and 15:00h EST, and will be broadcast live at http://original.livestream.com/chds.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon told media operatives on Wednesday, the President will also meet with officials of the US State Department while on his visit to Washington. Since his inauguration, President Granger has made several overseas visits. Just about two weeks into his presidency, he travelled to the US on a private trip. He then attended the Caricom Heads of Government meeting in Barbados earlier this month, then later a United Nations meeting on Sustainable Development in Ethiopia. Just last week, he attended the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) conference for South American leaders in Brazil.

Rugby player crushed by truck at Agricola

Aformer Under-19 rugby player was crushed to death by a truck after disembarking a minibus in the vicinity of Flour Mill Road, Agricola, Greater Georgetown on Wednesday.

Dead is Dustin Crawford, 19, of Lot 39 Public Road, Friendship, East Bank Demerara.

According to information reaching this publication, the father of one, exited a Route 42 minibus at Agricola to join his colleagues at the Namilco Flour Mill for a tour of the facility. As he made his way to the head of the road, he was reportedly struck down by a lorry, which crushed his head. The Massy Group of Companies truck reportedly drove off the scene leaving the man on the roadway.

Guyana Times International understands that the driver of the motor lorry was not aware that he had struck down someone as he made the turn onto the East Bank Highway. He was subsequently

taken into Police custody and was assisting with investigations.

Troy Yipp, an official of the National Rugby Team, when contacted, told this publication that Crawford was part of the Summer Camp which ended last week. As part of the training camp, a tour to the Flour Mill was scheduled. He noted that members of the team were asked to be at the facility for a certain time, but Crawford was surprisingly late.

He stated that while at the facility, they received news of an accident but did not pay much attention to it until one of the members dialed Crawford’s number. The person on the other line related that the owner of the phone had just met in an accident and died, he related.

He and the members of the team rushed to the scene where they saw the young man lying on the roadway. He explained that the young man started to play with the team five years ago.

Condolences

Yipp said Crawford played a major role in the team. He described the teenager as a dedicated player who was very disciplined. He recalled that he wanted to be like his bother Allen Crawford who is a member of the national team. Yipp expressed his condolences to the relatives and friends of Crawford.

Crawford’s body was taken to the Lyken Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination. He leaves to mourn his one-yearold daughter, parents and four siblings. Police are continuing their investigation.

Govt, RUDISA enter pact to reduce US$7.72M settlement

Surinamese beverage company Rudisa International NV has agreed to “significantly” reduce the whopping US$7.7 million owed by the Government of Guyana for taxes imposed on the company.

The agreement was made during an early morning meeting between President David Granger and the owner of the company, Rudi Sardjoe, on Wednesday to iron out a settlement of some Gy$1.2 billion that Guyana was ordered by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to repay the company for taxes charged on imported beverage bottles.

Government’s failure to repay the money in a timely manner has resulted in the cost being increased by an additional Gy$4 million, to a total of Gy$1.6 billion. However, the engagement between President Granger and the beverage company’s boss has resulted in Sardjoe agreeing to Government repaying a reduced sum.

Sardjoe commented that his decision was based on the fact that he wanted to maintain good relations with Guyana. He said: “It is not about the money … We are a company working in Guyana

a lot and we want to maintain the close relations that we have with the people of Guyana.”

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon was also part of the meeting, and pointed out that it was important for there to be good cooperation between investors and the Government of Guyana. He added too that the agreement bodes well for the relationship between Guyana and the company.

“When Guyana has to fork out money to pay for anything, it is the people of the country that actually have to do without and so Mr Sarjoe’s generosity is something we really appreciate. He has actually given us a package which gives us some breathing room,” the Minister of State said.

Further, Harmon, while speaking on the matter at the post-Cabinet press briefing later in the day, disclosed that the total of US$7.72 million also included interest to the tune of US$338,000 as well as legal cost of some US$120,000. While he did not disclose the reduced figure, the Minister of State stated that it was “reasonably significant”.

Extension

Also as part of the preliminary agreement, Government

was able to obtain an extension to the period of time within which the judgement is to be paid. The case is scheduled to be heard by the CCJ today (Thursday) for reports.

Nevertheless, Harmon posited that Government was committed to abiding by the court ruling. “We respect judgments of courts and once they are final judgments, we accept also the consequences … This is why we have been in consultation and talks with the person who has the judgement in his favour, for us to basically work it out. These are things that have been thrown into our laps by the previous Administration and we have to now clean up that mess,” he declared.

In May last year, the CCJ ordered Guyana to pay the Surinamese beverage company some Gy$1.2 billion, for imposing the controversial “environmental tax” on each non-returnable bottle imported into the country. Rudisa, along with its local distributor, Caribbean International Distributors Inc, claimed that the tax was against the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC), a view which the court upheld and subsequently ordered the repayment.

Fans believe CPL is “best for business”

By TreisTon Joseph

There is no doubt that the atmosphere at the Guyana Amazon Warriors home games during this year’s edition of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is second to none.

The drums, horns, flag waving and soldout stadium games are significant indicators of the love for cricket held by the Guyanese fans. However, with the Warriors set to play their final match against the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel today (Tuesday), some of the fans at Saturday’s game weighed in with their thoughts on the CPL.

Guyana Times International Sport

was lucky enough to have a chat with Mallie Jackman who was enjoying the game on Saturday in the Red Stand as she related that she recently opened her own women’s store and with the CPL season in progress, business is booming.

“The atmosphere is amazing. I can’t say enough about the Guyanese people and their love for cricket. I recently opened my own store and all women are coming for is clothes for cricket, so I believe CPL is best for business and maybe we should have more tournaments like it in the Caribbean just so businesses like mine can get the support … CPL really benefits the country all-round especially economic wise,”

Jackman highlighted.

Another fan giving his name as Allan stressed that CPL brought cricket back to a foundation nation of sport in the Caribbean.

“As an ardent fan of the game, having seen Guyana produce the likes of Lance Gibbs, Rohan Kanhai and Clive Lloyd and seeing how the West Indies has struggled and Guyana has fallen in terms of producing constant talent, it’s amazing how much the CPL can spot talent and I believe the CPL has brought that love for the game back to a nation proud of its cricketing history and hopefully it ignites a fire in the youngsters”, the fan, who had his face painted, stressed.

Sophia murder suspect beaten to death

While two men were taken into Police custody for the beating to death of Sophia murder suspect Jerry Dalrymple, who reportedly stabbed shopkeeper Janice Paul to death on Wednesday evening, the Police are still hunting for a few other suspects.

According to reports received, the suspect was spotted in the area on Friday evening and was corned by residents who brutally beat him in connection with the murder of the woman. The man was then taken to the Turkeyen Police Station and was subsequently rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

A senior Police Officer told Guyana Times International that the man was viciously beaten by a group of men who claimed that he deserved to die. The Police Officer stated that the man was handed over to the Police in a bloodied state while noting that he was reportedly beaten with pieces of wood.

He would have suffered severe head and bodily injuries. He confirmed that one man was arrested on Friday evening and another was

arrested early Saturday morning. The Police, he added, questioned several other people who might have committed the act.

Forty-year-old Janice Paul of Lot 38 D Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was stabbed to death by Dalrymple, while her husband was injured during the attack. The woman was stabbed 18 times to her body and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital while her husband, Eusi Paul, 40, received two stab wounds to his face and hand and was treated and sent away.

According to information received, at about 20:05h, the couple returned home in a taxi and due to the heavy rainfall, the husband exited the car and went to the house to collect an umbrella

while his wife waited in the car.

After he returned to the car and his wife had exited, they proceeded to walk through the dark track to their home. It was at this point that the suspect confronted them and an argument ensured.

During the argument, the suspected reportedly pulled out a dagger and dealt the man two blows after which he turned his attention to the woman. Although the injured man screamed for the now dead woman to run, Dalrymple pursued her and dealt her several blows. The argument reportedly stemmed from the woman not answering her phone when the suspect was attempting to contact her.

Guyana Times International understands that the stabbing incident occurred during the heavy down pour on Wednesday evening; hence persons in the area were unable to hear the dead woman’s screams. After committing the act, the suspect reportedly fled the scene. Reports received revealed that the injured man left his wife lying on the ground as he ran to the Turkeyen Police Station to get help.

Police are continuing their investigations.

18 Caribbean students arrive in Barbados for 4th SPISE

Some 18 students from various countries across the Region arrived at the University of West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus in Barbados on Saturday for the fourth annual Student Programme for Innovation in Science and Engineering (SPISE).

SPISE is an intensive fourweek residential summer programme in Barbados for gifted Caribbean high school students who are interested in studying and exploring careers in the fields of Science and Engineering.

Through this programme, the Caribbean Science Foundation (CFS) is aiming to help address the low numbers of Caribbean students pursuing advanced degrees in Science and Engineering, while at the same time grooming the next generation of Science, Engineering Technology and business leaders in the Region.

Those who are accepted for the programme are said to be among the top scholars in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Under the programme, students were afforded the opportunity to attend classes, which were taught by leading Professors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

The programme commenced on July 18 and will run until August 15, at UWI Cave Hill Campus. The participating students are from 10 Caribbean countries: Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and Trinidad and Tobago.

Last year, three Guyanese students; Cecil Cox, Benedict Sukra and Lawrence Faria, attended the four-week residential programme.

The SPISE programme will see university-level courses in calculus, physics, biochemistry and entrepreneurship taught by eminent academic and industry Scientists

and Engineers from the Caribbean and the US.

The SPISE environment discourages rote learning, and teaches students how to focus on understanding and applying the fundamentals, so as to achieve mastery of the material, critical for solving new and complex problems.

In SPISE, students also practise teamwork as they participate in hands-on projects to design, build and test systems in the areas of robotics and electronics (with a renewable energy theme this year).

The underwater robotic kits are a generous gift from the MIT Sea Grant Programme, made possible through the assistance of Tim Downes. In addition, SPISE 2014 included a biochemistry laboratory, an introduction to Mandarin, a course on Caribbean Unity, a career seminar series featuring technology role models from the Diaspora and the Region, and

workshops on optimising CVs and strategies for maximising chances of admission to US universities.

At the end of the programme, students will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their handson projects, and present their business plans along with performing Mandarin skits at public forum at the Barbados Campus.

The participating students will also get assistance from CSF with their university applications. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to participate in research internships, organised by the CSF and Caribbean Diaspora for Science, Technology and Innovation (CADSTI).

The cost of sponsorship for each student is US$6000 plus airfare. All students are attending the programme free of cost as a result of the generous donations from the 2015 sponsors. SPISE’s key collaborators are UWI Barbados, the Caribbean Examinations Council and CADSTI.

PPP/C warns against creeping attempts to politicise GDF

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) said it has taken note of the visible presence of emblems, flags and other paraphernalia related to the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition displayed during recent birthday celebrations of President David Granger Guyana at the Defence Force’s Base Camp Ayangana, Georgetown.

The Party said it views this as a clear sign of the creeping attempts by the APNU+AFC to politicise the military, as was done in the past under the Burnham dictatorship. “The PPP wishes to register its total rejection to this and any attempt to politicise the military reminiscent of the Burnham era.”

The PPP said it has also noted the public declaration by Government spokespersons that the Commander-in-Chief’s birthday party was financed by “Friends of David Granger.” These “friends”, many of whom were present, included well known con-

tractors who thrive on Government and foreign-funded contracts. “It would be of interest to see in the not too distant future whether these contractors will expect quid pro quos in exchange for the handsome contributions they made to the birthday extravaganza.”

Additionally, the PPP wishes to remind the President that since expensive and valuable gifts were presented to him as the Nation’s Head of State, he is expected and indeed obligated to now declare to the Integrity Commission, all gifts he receives in that capacity including those he received at Camp Ayangana.

International rice prices not profitable - DeGroot – says Govt trying to salvage Venezuela rice deal

With the collapse of the PetroCaribe Agreement between the rivaling states of Venezuela and Guyana, the latter is now left to seek alternative markets for its bumper harvest.

Chairman of the Guyana Millers and Exporters Marketing Association Dr Peter De Groot however, asserted that the international prices for rice is almost half the price Venezuela was offering Guyana and, therefore, if Guyana is forced to depend on alternative markets, then the rice industry may very well suffer.

The PetroCaribe deal, which was sealed by the previous People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela several years ago, saw Guyana receiving oil in exchange for rice.

The agreement was schedule to come to an end in November 2015 and the Guyana Government was try-

ing to have the arrangement extended, however to no avail.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan, after returning from a PetroCaribe Ministerial Council Meeting, reported that Venezuelan authorities indicated that the contract will not be reviewed. He noted that this was as a result of the fact that Venezuela would

be taking rice from Suriname and as such, did not require the large amount which was currently being sent from Guyana.

Though the tension between the two nations is progressively intensifying, DeGroot disclosed that officials from Guyana are currently engaging those in

Venezuela with the hopes of salvaging the rice deal so that farmers and millers can continue to benefit.

However, Guyana and Venezuela are presently involved in a century-old border dispute that is getting worse as the day goes by. Already, it is reported that oil-rich country intends to pass a legislation to make Essequibo into a State of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

While very cognisant of this, DeGroot maintained that Venezuela offered a price that was no match to the world’s market and it is against this backdrop that the Government will continue to negotiate with Venezuela to renew the PetroCaribe Agreement.

Businessman Beni Sankar had explained that Guyana only exports roughly 75 per cent of its rice production, while the rest is being locally utilised. Of that 75 per cent exported, only some 40 per cent is going to Venezuela.

Sankar pointed out that

the problem with some farmers is that they are asking for prices based on Venezuelan price, which is not possible because Venezuela offers an exceedingly higher price than other countries.

Meanwhile, when asked what will be the fate of the rice industry should the rice deal with Venezuela fail to be restored, DeGroot assured that the association is currently trying to secure other markets in Europe and within the Caribbean. He noted that Guyana already exports rice to Jamaica and Panama and will continue to do so when the second crop is harvested.

Moreover, it was previously reported that a high-level team, inclusive of representatives from the Guyana Millers and Exporters Marketing Association, is expected to visit the Spanish-speaking country shortly to discuss the way forward for the supply of commodities in exchange for oil under the PetroCaribe Agreement.

“I have nothing to fear” – Alexei Ramotar – says decision to send him on leave was “political”

By Michael younge

Government’s E-Governance

Project Manager

Alexei Ramotar says that he has nothing to fear following a decision by the Ministry of the Presidency to send him on administrative leave to facilitate an audit into the operations of his department.

Ramotar, speaking with the Guyana Times International during an exclusive interview on Saturday, said that the operations of his department were above board and can withstand any amount of scrutiny. “They could look all they want…we had good controls over how money was spent…it was not done illegally…I do not have any fears…,” he insisted. He believes that the decision to immediately send him on administrative leave was political in nature as the new A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change Government had spent a lot of time

attacking him personally and the projects he has spearheaded while on the campaign trail. “When I met with Minister Harmon he did not give me any indication that this would happen. I was told to work along with the advisor, Mr Levi, and this is what I have been doing. I believe the decision to send me on leave was politically motivated,” Ramotar told this newspaper.

Minister Harmon, in a media release on Friday, said that the decision to send Ramotar on leave was premised on the fact it would facilitate the commencement of audit of his project under his management.

But Ramotar told this publication that the audit had begun even while

he was still heading the projects and present on the job. He therefore dismissed the reasons proffered by the Government for sending him on leave.

He maintained the during the interview that no one is left to answer questions about the project that may arise during the auditing process as only technical staff are on the job. “I have all of the answers to their questions and now that they have sent on leave there is no one that could guide them from the project’s conceptualisation, execution to its completion,” he remarked.

He also denied that the E-Governance Project was in shambles and poorly managed explaining that it was delivered to the Government

within timeline and budget after work started on it back in 2009. “It is operational now. We had to design the project and build the infrastructure to accommodate it. We worked with Huawei Technologies Inc to deliver the project which literally started in 2012 and ended in 2014,” Ramotar, who is the son of former President Donald Ramotar, explained.

He also expressed concerns that persons, and the media in particular, was confusing the Government’s E-Governance Project with another aspect of the project dedicated to the laying of the fiber optic cable from Lethem to Georgetown, which was known as the Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) Project.

Ramotar said that this aspect of the project suffered some setbacks and delays, but the information was available to the new Government

so that it can determine what the underlying causes for the problems encountered were.

In fact, the minor setbacks faced by the Gy$32 million E-government Project have resulted in Guyanese being able to benefit from a highly technological and advanced e-governance project that will revolutionise the manner in which the Government offers critical services to the public, while reducing tremendously the time associated in accessing information and doing business with the Government.

Ramotar had told this newspaper back in January last year that the delays in the project did not cost Guyanese additional monies. He opined then that there appears to be a lack of understanding about the project, its design and the overall complexities that implementing such a diverse project would entail, on the part of some critics.

No decision yet on GuyExpo

Business and Investment

Minister Dominic Gaskin said he can neither confirm nor deny that there will be a GuyExpo for the year 2015.

Gaskin stated that discussions were being held within the Ministry about GuyExpo 2015 and as soon as those discussions were concluded, presumably at the end of July, Guyanese will know whether or not the trade fair will take place this year. He mentioned that if there is a GuyExpo 2015, various changes have to be made to bring this event back to what it was truly meant to be.

Minister Gaskin 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

2015

carry on this event, that the model and format that used was aligned with its vision.

He 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.

GuyExpo began in Guyana in 1995 and has since evolved, with 2015 marking 20 years of the premier event in Guyana. It began as an activity that attracted almost 200 exhibitors and was now Guyana’s biggest trade fair with almost 500 local and international businesses participating yearly with the chance to display their goods and services. GuyExpo became an annual event in 2004 under the Chairmanship of Keith Burrowes. It is now recognised as the longest sustained exhibition in the Caribbean.

Police hope footage...

ceived a call from a relative informing her that her son was shot and requested that she visited the Georgetown Public Hospital.

When she arrived at the hospital, his body was in the mortuary and she was told that she cannot see him unless she is accompanied by a Police rank. She subsequently visited the Police station where the ranks took a statement and promised to contact her but up to midday on Wednesday; she was still waiting on the telephone call.

In tears, she stated that from reports received, her son was shot and thrown out of a car. She last saw her son on Tuesday afternoon and he was in good spirits. She admitted that she is aware that her son was involved in sex work and would leave home at about 23:00h each night to go on the road.

The woman also admitted that her son got into the trade about a year ago to assist his family during a difficult period. The distressed mother told this publication that although she spoke to her son about getting out of the business, he never heeded her pleas. She recalled getting him enrolled at Carnegie School of Home Economics to pursue a course in cook-

ing but at the last minute, he changed his mind.

“I pay down for the course and everything and was going to buy his clothes when he told me that he didn’t want to go… I went back to the school but they told me that I couldn’t get back the money”, she stated. She even set up an interview with Banks DIH in an effort for her son to acquire a respectable job, but he even refused that, claiming that he was happy working on the streets. Working in the streets, he claimed, gave him the ability to make more money.

The shooting to death of Luthers came days after a candle light vigil was held to mark the first death anniversary of two sex workers who were stabbed to death while conducting business on High Street, Georgetown. On July 20, 2014, Carlyle Sinclair, 24, also known as “Tyra Banks” of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo and Jason John, 23, also known as “Jada” of Lamaha Street, Alberttown, Georgetown, were knifed to death by a man who was spurned by his lover.

The suspect, Samuel Bristol, 31, of 16 Section C Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara, subsequently set himself on fire along Regent Street,

Georgetown.

Bristol reportedly attacked and stabbed Sinclair and John on Leopold Street. Sinclair, however, ran a few blocks away to Lombard Street, in the vicinity of ARK Enterprises, where he succumbed to his injuries while John died on the spot.

In November of that year, the battered body of Nandkumar Poonwassie, also called “Darshanie” of Port Mourant, Corentyne, Beribce, was discovered on a street in the vicinity of the Day Clean Bar, Port Mourant, hours after he left a party at a friend’s house. Poonwassie at the time of his discovery was clad in a plaid short pants and a white T-shirt, bracing a metal pipe on the roadside. A piece of wood with blood stains suspected to be the murder weapon was retrieved from the scene. A post-mortem performed on the body proved that he was strangled to death.

Earlier in that year, Wesley Holder, age 19, called “Oraysha” or “Tiffany” of 65 Cross Street, Werk-en-Rust was found dead in the compound of St Phillips Green, High Street, Georgetown. He was found with a gash to the back of the neck, one to his throat and cuts to his wrists.

Harmon claims “progress” made in State Assets recovery

– fails to disclose type, quantum recovered

Minister of State Joseph Harmon says the Government’s State Asset Recovery Unit is making significant progress in recovering assets of the state.

Harmon explained that the unit, headed by Presidential Advisor Professor Clive Thomas, was engaged in a lot of “behind the scenes” work. This, he said, has resulted in the recovery of several assets that were held by individuals.

He did not state the amount or type of assets recovered to date, and from whom exactly, when he made the statement.

“The important thing is that we recover those assets. We are going to go after those persons who have them but I am advised that it is better that we take certain steps before you actually publicise the names and the companies that are involved,” Minster Harmon said.

He, however, added that there are certain individuals and a company that have been written to about the actual collecting of fuel by vehicles that did not be-

long to the state. Harmon said, “There is one company that we attempted to serve documentation to, only to discover that the company had shut up shops. By the time we got to the registered office of the company, they had moved to some other location.”

According to the Minister, the Government’s resolve to recover state assets and to penalise those found guilty remains sharp, and its operations have widened. “But now we are more fortified, in fact we are now operating on a wider scale…in relation to the inter-agency collaboration on crime, we are having a greater level of

coordination by agencies of the state in this regard. We are now in office; it’s the middle of July and you would recall that our election was only in May but in that short space of time we have benefitted from a wide level, a wide degree of consultation and information from agencies that we have not initially had access to,” he said. The Minister explained that things are now much clearer to the administration, and it is in a better position to take public action. “The work which we are doing to recover these assets is not just collecting it, but strengthening the institutional arrangements.”

Mother seeks justice for son killed in road accident

Adistraught mother is pleading for justice to be served for her son who was killed recently in a motor vehicle accident. She is asking that the Police do their job as she feels her son’s case is being neglected.

Joan Allison, mother of Beau Allison, 27, of Lot 49 Louisa Row, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, who was killed in a car accident while his friend was seriously injured, told Guyana Times International that she seriously believes that the ranks at the Beterverwagting Police Station (BV) are withholding information that may lead to the truth surrounding her son’s death.

The mother is accusing ranks of the Beterverwagting Police Station of being lackadaisical in their investigations since her son’s death, adding that she, along with other family members, believe that the family of the person who her son collided with, resulting in his untimely death, may have close relations within the Police station in BV.

She added that no arrest has been made against the alleged driver of the vehicle her son collided with. She also alleges that several eyewitnesses shared their sides of what transpired that fateful day with the Police, but they paid no heed.

The mother stated that she was contacted by several persons, including a taxi driver, who claimed that the driver of the vehicle was in fact a woman who was apparently driving under the influence.

He further related that the driver made a sudden turn which caused Beau to slam into the vehicle. However, the Police had taken into custody a young man who adamantly claimed that he was the driver and did not see anyone in front or behind him when he made the turn.

However, she believes that he

may be taking the wrap for someone else as the eyewitnesses stories differ.

She shared that the Police had taken her to the accident scene and showed her the marked road, indicating the spot where her son lay, where the vehicle was and where his motorbike was. However, following pictures her family members found on the Internet that were taken immediately after the incident, she noted that the Police markings contradict the online photos. In the photos, it was clearly seen that the car was not in the picture.

The frustrated mother also alleges that she shared this information with a Police Officer at the Beterverwagting Police Station who kept changing his story.

She also added that it was very strange that a Police vehicle from Sparendaam showed up to the scene to remove her son’s body when the BV Police Station was roughly two minutes away from the location of the accident. Her son’s body remained on the road for almost 45 minutes before he was moved.

Additionally, she shared that the Police did not even bother to check the nearby gas station for security footage that may have caught the accident on film, in an effort to find out the truth.

She had contacted the Manager of the gas station a week after the incident to try to obtain the footage. Unfortunately the man informed her that she should have showed up a week earlier as video footage is only stored one week at a time.

She added that the final clue that really aroused her suspicion was that the vehicle that her son collided with was returned to the owner later on the very day of the accident and the young man detained was never charged.

Joan Allison told Guyana Times International that she just

wants to know the truth surrounding her son’s death to put her mind at ease. She shared that she spends many sleepless nights thinking about the incident and nothing adds up. She contends that the Police have not been of much help.

In her attempts to contact the family of the alleged driver, the mother said she was told by one of the family members that “if you son di good, he wouldn’t ah dead”. She is pleading with the Police to help her find the truth so her mind and her son’s soul can be put to rest.

The 27-year-old laboratory technician attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital was killed in the wee hours of the morning of June 20, leaving his friend Akeem Constancelly, age 25; in critical condition after the motorcycle they were riding crashed into a car along the La Bonne Intention Public Road on the East Coast of Demerara.

Both men sustained severe injuries and were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where Allison was pronounced dead on arrival and Constancelly was admitted. To date, Constancelly does not remember the incident and now suffers from short-term memory loss brought on by his head injury.

PPP could enter Parliament on July 30

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) could attend the July 30 sitting of the National Assembly, taking up its allotted 32 seats as the parliamentary Opposition.

This was disclosed by Executive Member of the Party, Dr Roger Luncheon, at a press briefing last Saturday, during which he explained that the Party has resolved to take up its seats and has even identified their Members of Parliament (MPs).

Dr Luncheon told media operatives that while he is uncertain about when the party will attend Parliament, the scheduled July 30 sitting of the National Assembly is the soonest time possible that they can do so.

“The when is a little bit different but it has a lot to do with the National Assembly’s routine. The 30th is the next sitting so (that is) the earliest that People’s Progressive Party could return to Parliament… (However) I wouldn’t be able to be definitive,” he stated.

On the other hand, the Party’s Executive Member disclosed that they are yet to decide on a nom-

inee for the Deputy Speaker position, given to them by the ruling Administration. “If indeed, the People’s Progressive Party would be supporting the appointment from within their ranks or the Governing party will do the same, that has not been decided as yet,” Dr Luncheon added.

The PPP/C had won 32 seats in the 65-seat Chamber following the May 11 General and Regional Elections. Former President Bharrat Jagdeo is leading the list of members of Parliament, which includes eight new com-

Govt disbands BASS …says smuggling still

high, performance below par

Two weeks after one of its members shot dead an alleged goods smuggler, the controversial Berbice Anti Smuggling Squad (BASS) was disbanded by Government, and its operations merged with that of the Guyana Revenue Authority’s Law Enforcement and Investigations Division (LEID).

In a statement, the GRA said after careful consideration, a decision was taken to disband BASS. The unit was established in November 2000 with the objective of curbing smuggling activities within the Corentyne-Berbice area.

An examination of the effectiveness of BASS revealed that the unit was performing below expectation, with a rapid decrease in revenue collection over the period 2012-2015, and as such, it was deemed not feasible to continue operations. “Based on the foregoing and the closeness in nature of BASS’ operations with that of the Guyana Revenue Authority’s Law Enforcement & Investigations Division (LEID), a decision was made to fully integrate BASS’ operations into the Regional Operations of LEID,” the GRA said.

ers, such as Africo Sleman, Nigel Dharamlall and Collin Croal.

Former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett already gave explanations for their absence from the list of MPs, citing that it is time for them to stay away for now.

Meanwhile, the national top up list includes Adrian Anamayah, Frank Anthony, Indraine Chandarpaul, Nigel Dharamlall, Juan Edghill, Joseph Hamilton, Clive Jagan, Bharrat Jagdeo, Odinga Lumbumba, Ganga Persaud, Vindhya Persaud, Bheri Ramsaran, Charles Ramson Jr, Clement Rohee, Dharamkumar Seeraj, Africo Selman, Pauline Sukhai, and Gail Teixeira.

The Party had announced that Dr Leslie Ramsammy will no longer be returning as a MP because of his ill health. Meanwhile, on the geographical constituency, the MPs include Colin Croal, Carnel Damon, Irfaan Ali, Komal Chand, Anil Nandlall, Neil Kumar, Gillian Persaud, Priya Manickchand, Vishwa Mahadeo, Zulfikar Mustapha, Jennifer Westford, and Alister Charlie.

According to GRA, “it should be noted that prior to the implementation of BASS in 2000, LEID was responsible for the function performed by BASS. These functions included the patrolling of waterways and roadways to suppress smuggling activities. Moreover, persons currently employed in the BASS Unit will be paid their full benefits owed to them once the unit is disbanded.”

On July 9, BASS member Shafraz Khan, 40, of Lot 35 Hassim Street, Corriverton, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) appeared at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh on a charge of manslaughter. He was granted bail in the sum of Gy$250,000. He is alleged to have killed Charles Caesar on July 3, 2015.

According to the charge, which was read to Khan, on July 3, at the Number 67 Village, Corentyne Foreshore,

he discharged a loaded firearm thereby causing the death of Caesar. Attorney-at-Law Adrian Anamayah, in a bail application, said Khan was a first-time offender and a father of two.

“He has been employed with BASS for over 19 years as a Customs Monitoring Officer.”

According to Anamayah, at the time of the incident, Khan was carrying out his duties. He asked for reasonable bail. The lawyer said since the investigation started, Khan had been cooperating with Police and after 72 hours in custody, he was released into the custody of BASS. Police Prosecutor, Inspector Godfrey Playter had no objection to bail. Khan was granted bail and released into the custody of BASS. He will have to return to court on August 27 for a Police report.

BASS gained notoriety back in August 2001 when ranks of the unit shot and killed eight persons and left a number of persons hospitalised with bullet wounds. On August 14, 2001, Azad Bacchus, his son Shaazad Bacchus, and nephew Fadil Ally were killed in the early morning during a confrontation with members of BASS following events that included a civilian raid on the Skeldon hospital.

Post-mortem examinations conducted on the bodies by a Government Pathologist revealed that gunshot wounds were the cause of death. It was originally believed that neither of the two youths had sustained gunshot wounds but had been beaten to death. The family of the deceased received permission for an overseas pathologist to do a second post-mortem examination, which was conducted in August and reportedly confirmed that the three men died of gunshot wounds. At year’s end, an inquest was pending. The incident triggered three days of protests, and on August 16, 2001, BASS personnel, confined to their office, started to shoot when demonstrators attacked the BASS office in the Corentyne. Two men, Stephen Angel and Sais Ghani, were shot dead.

Sharing of ideas can boost regional education standards – Education Minister

Acall was made by Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine for more efficient sharing of information and ideas on the challenges facing the education systems across the Caribbean.

Minister Roopnaraine, addressing the opening of the 27th Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) at the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretariat noted that despite its relative success in specific areas such as health and sport, functional cooperation in education at the regional level has had severe limitations.

He said that this has to do with how Member States effectively manage development related research at the national and regional levels. He noted that as a consequence, the effective development of the Region’s human resource has been severely hampered.

Giving an example, the Minister explained that the lessons of the reformed Trinidadian and Jamaican educa-

tion systems would no doubt be invaluable, as Guyana undertakes planned reform of its education system. “Yet there is no established regional mechanism via which my research development and planning personnel can readily access those findings,” Minister Roopnaraine stated.

Shortly after his assumption to office, Minister Roopnaraine commenced a comprehensive audit of the school system. This is a precursor of what is to be an extensive Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the state of education locally.

Roopnarine noted too that Information Communication Technology (ICT) development is an inexorable link to the concept of regional research integration. He pointed out that the nature of ICT at present, represents a tremendous opportunity for Caricom, but, challenges such as the wide disparity in bandwidth availability still exist. He said that this is one hurdle that the Region must seek to overcome

with some urgency.

The Minister also addressed the need for human resource development. “We have so far failed to develop a holistic regional mechanism incorporating the human resource talent of the Diasporas in any sustainable meaningful way,” the Minister pointed out. He said that “while as a Region we might not be able to immediately offer competitive remuneration, there is room for innovatively engaging our Diasporas either by new initiatives, or the restructuring of existing systems.” He listed the US Full Bright Scholarship and the Peace Corps among others as examples of bilateral and multilateral initiatives that perhaps could be guided by a coordinated policy of Diaspora involvement.

Dr Roopnaraine also expressed his disappointment at the absence of culture as a specific related agenda for the meeting. “It is time we seek to truly mainstream cultural development as against being relegated to a mere afterthought,” he urged.

Grenada wants EU visa waiver for all Caricom states

As the two regions continue to forge stronger bilateral ties, Grenada’s Trade Minister Oliver Joseph urged the European Union (EU) to continue to grant visa exemptions to Caribbean countries, particularly those who are Member States of the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) which is a subgroup of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP).

Thus far, only five CARIFORUM countries have benefited from the visa waiver. Those are St Lucia, Dominica,

Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.

“I want to encourage you to consider the remaining members, the outstanding members for inclusion so that when we meet the next time, we can be happy that all of our members are on the visa agreement,” the Minister said, noting that the visa exemption would certainly make it easier for “our people” to visit theirs.

On May 28, the EU signed short-stay visa waiver agreements at a ceremony which was held in Brussels,

“Killer

gang” members charged

… for Ramlall’s murder, robbery of Judge

Five out of the six men who were arrested and reportedly later confessed to the murder of Businessman Ganesh Ramlall and the attack on Land Court Judge Nicole Pierre were charged and remanded to prison on Monday. Taxi Drivers, 32-year-old Lennox Roberts and 21-year old Fazeel Bacchus appeared for the first time at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where they both were not required to plead to the indictable charge.

The men purportedly killed Regent Street Multiplex Mall owner Ganesh Ramlall, also known as “Boyo” on July 5 at his La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara home.

Robert’s Attorney told the court that his client is guilty of the charge but at the same time requested for him to seek medical attention. The father of three has no pending matters before the courts. On the other hand, Bacchus told the court that he was not married and has no children.

Both men reportedly confessed to the murder of the businessman moments after they were arrested. They gave a detailed account of the execution which they claimed was

planned more than two months prior to the hit.

Ramlall, age 48, was out with his friends at a BBQ in a neighbouring village and upon his return home at about 00:30h, he went to collect a plate as well as use the outside washroom.

While doing so, Ramlall was attacked by gunmen who discharged a round, hitting the washroom door.

Guyana Times International understands that the businessman might have attempted to run into the bottom flat of the house from which he had emerged and was riddled with bullets. He dropped a few metres from his back door where he was left to die. He is believed to have been shot at least seven times, including once to his head.

Both Roberts and

Bacchus were remanded and will make their next court appearance on August 3 at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court.

Meanwhile, Damian Benington and Nicholas Narine of Caesar Street, Agricola Greater Georgetown and 28-yearold Anthony David were arraigned for armed robbery on Land Court Judge Nicole Pierre on July 9 at Felicity, East Coast Demerara. They were accused of stealing a quantity of watches, a Samsung Note Tablet, a Sony Playstation, 3 Video Games, a Samsung S5, two Nintendo DS Lite handheld consoles and a HP laptop from the Judge after they launched a brutal attack against the Judge and her husband. An estimated Gy$1 million was in items was taken.

Belgium.

The Republic of Vanuatu and the independent State of Samoa were the other two nations that benefited from this agreement. The visa regime provides for visa-free travel for EU citizens when travelling to the territory of these countries and for citizens of these countries when travelling to the EU, for a period of stay of 90 days in any 180day period.

The aim for this was to boost tourism and invigorate business between the EU and the CARIFORUM countries.

Poor people will suffer if cash grant scrapped – Manickchand – takes on Roopnaraine

on mismanagement claims

Former Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, has expressed her disappointment over Government’s decision to scrap the “Because We Care” Cash Grant, noting that a lot of poor families will suffer since the Gy$10,000 monetary assistance has helped many families in different ways.

Manickchand took to her Face book page last week to say that she is truly saddened at the fact that the programme will be terminated. She pointed out that Cash Grant was initiated by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, which saw all public school children being entitled to Gy$10,000.

According to the former Education Minister, the grant was meant to assist parents to send their children to school by helping with transportation expenses and so on. She noted that it had complimented similar programmes implemented by the previous Government such as the uniform assistance programme and the school snack programme.

“Parents from all over Guyana said how beneficial and welcoming the ‘Because We Care’ programme was to

their families. The PPP/C fully intended to continue this program and said so in its 2015 election manifesto.

Here’s hoping that the new Government who promised positive change will revisit its harsh decision and reinstate this programme,” she commented.

The former Minister added that when the Education Ministry finally announced the discontinuation of the cash grant programme, they immediately launched an ad hominem attack against her. This, she noted, was done to distract from the resentment of the real people of Guyana regarding “the clumsy and cruel” breach of promise that the termination of this grant causes. Reasons are offered in that statement for the discon-

tinuation.

“The reasons are nothing but spurious at best. For example, one of the reasons given for the discontinuation is that it is given to everyone and not only poor people. Another is that to administer it has administration costs such as security. Yet another reason is that nothing is built into the programme to show improved attendance and/or enrollment. Other reasons are that photo ops were enjoyed by the then Government during the period of distribution and that too many Ministry personnel were involved.

The happy announcement is made, however, that the uniform grant and school feeding, both programmes started under the PPP/C, will continue and even expand,” she outlined.

According to Manickchand, these justifications given by the Ministry has proven to be of no help to its argument.

In fact, she explained that this position has actually exposed Government’s position on the matter, that is, a disregard for the needs of the people of Guyana and recklessness as it relates to fulfilling promises made only three months ago.

Bread Box opens its doors to the public

Fernandes Enterprise Inc officially opened their first physical location in Guyana on Saturday at the Bread Box on Middle Street opposite Hibiscus Restaurant in Georgetown. The Suriname franchise will be conducting business on a retail level, and they are also the wholesale distributors of many specialised items in Guyana. Some of these include peanut butter, jams, juices, breads, pastry products and a few other items from Suriname.

The Bread Box is just a small branch of the entire franchise.

The Managing Director, Rochelle Parasram, explained that the new business is open from 8:00h to 21:00h from Monday to Saturday, and from 4:00h to 9:00h on Sundays. The twelve-member staff attached to the entity consists of young Guyanese individuals, and the company wants to keep pro-

viding employment for many more Guyanese to come.

Parasram encourages people to come out and support the business “because of the great quality of bread and the affordability and availability”. She highlighted the fact that there are many products available to the public at a very affordable price and the products are fresh and healthy.

Alisia Katideen-Singh, who is the Commercial Manager for Fernandes Guyana Inc, spoke about what the franchise has to offer the Guyanese people. She explained that they supply bread, snacks, jams, peanut butter, juices and other items at a wholesale price and she is encouraging retailers to cease this opportunity. She further added that the company provides delivery services for all persons who want to buy their wholesale products.

Avenue in U.S. named after notable Guyanese

Asection of Schenectady Avenue, Brooklyn, US, was, in 1995, renamed Dr. Wesley McDonald Holder Avenue in honour of the celebrated Guyanese immigrant.

The legislation of the name change was signed by former US Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 1995. Schenectady Avenue, between Lincoln Place and Park Place in BedfordStuyvesant, was renamed Dr. Wesley McDonald Holder Ave.

Born June 24, 1898 in Buxton, British Guiana, Dr. Wesley McDonald Holder was known endearingly to family and friends as “Mc Holder”. He migrated to the United States in the 1920s, where he dedicated his life to addressing the injustices experienced by the disenfranchised.

He represented an

exceptional cadre of Caribbean immigrants of the 20th century, working tirelessly, through community organizing and politics, advocating for civil rights while promoting black social consciousness. He was a pioneer in the struggle for civil rights, human rights and inclusion.

Known as “the Dean

Keisha Scarville is an accomplished and talented fine arts photographer. Born in 1975 to a Guyanese father and mother, she self-defines as GuyaneseAmerican.

She spent her childhood in Brooklyn after her parent migrated to the United States in the late 1960s. She will be the first to admit that within the walls of her childhood home, her experience was still a Guyanese-centred one.

Keisha earned her degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in 1998. Her passion for the arts is evident in her work as she blends themes dealing with memory and transformation, often from photographing her family, and common everyday objects in a very conceptual and poetic way.

Keisha’s work has been shown in many group and solo exhibitions nationally, including at the Ty Stokes Gallery (Atlanta, GA) and in New York City at the Latin Art Collector Gallery, the African American Museum in Long Island, Ken Keleba Gallery, Hunter College, Museum of African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) in Brooklyn, the BRIC Arts Media House, the Studio Museum of Harlem, Soho Photo Gallery, and the Brooklyn Museum of Art. In 2006, she was award-

of Black Politics” during the early phase of his residency in the U.S., he became an active member of the Marcus Garvey Black Nationalist Movement, representing that organization in southern states to promote black pride and independence. This resulted in his arrest and jail for protesting and denouncing the prejudice of the Ku Klux Klan, among other activities.

These experiences only strengthened his resolve to continue his mission. He worked for many years as a news investigator for the Amsterdam News, a popular NY publication that focuses on African American issues. In addition, this versatile professional, politician and highly respected citizen, was a trained mathematician drawn to politics with a nationalist orientation. Perhaps

his Buxtonian roots explain such attributions. He was a researcher in the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and founded a literary society and debating club for young people and black intellectuals.

As a “street smart” progressive democratic politician, he helped to launch the careers of many Brooklyn politicians. Other accomplishments include: organizing the campaign of Shirley Chisholm (also of Guyanese heritage), the nation’s first Black Congress woman; advised a number of black elected officials to the City Council, State Legislator, Congress and the Courts; in 1985, he was instrumental in rallying the Black Assembly district in Brooklyn in the election of Mayor Ed Koch; as a mentor to

ed a grant through the Brooklyn Arts Council’s Community Arts Program to help fund her art projects.

Her photographs have also been displayed in various public and private collections including the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC and the Center for Photography at Woodstock. In addition, Keisha’s images have appeared in Camera Arts Magazine, Time, Vibe, Nylon, and The New York Times where her work has also received critical review. Her work was published in ARC Magazine (2010), Transition Magazine (2012), The Bearden Project (2012) and Nueva Luz Photographic Journal (2013).

Keisha was awarded Artist-In-Residence

Fellowships from the Center for Photography at Woodstock in 2003, the Lighthouse Works in 2014 and the Vermont Studio Center in 2015. She has also presented lectures at the International Center for Photography (ICP), Bard Early College, The Studio Museum of Harlem, The New Museum of Contemporary Art, Arts in Motion Africa, The Children’s Art Carnival, Sioux YMCA (South Dakota), Young Audiences, and Dream Yard Project.

The professional photographer is currently one of five of Brooklynbased artists presenting their collections at the “Inherited” exhibition running from July 9 to August 16, 2015 in the Project Room at BRIC Arts Media House in Brooklyn, New York.

Mayor David Dinkins’ campaign, he played a key role in breaking the racial barriers to elective office; he was the engine behind the election campaigns of many Brooklyn Democrats including Una Clarke, Roger Green, Priscilla Wooten and Ed Towns.

His niece, Dr. Violet Stephenson, whom he mentored throughout her career, was the Medical Director of Bedford Stuyvesant Community Mental Health Center

in Brooklyn, where she served the Caribbean American community.

Dr. Holder transitioned in 1993 and was memorialized by a number of public officials as a “giant among men… an icon to whom all of New York black officials owe a debt of gratitude”.

He truly exemplifies the heights of achievement in the Caribbean diaspora. (Extracted from the Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. online magazine)

(http://guyanesegirlsrock.com)

Eight-year-old,

of Guyanese heritage, hailed as youngest child to write a chapter book

Anaya Lee Willabus is today an eightyear-old author and visionary who enjoys reading and playing sports.

Anaya was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, where she resides with her Guyanese parents and two siblings.

Speaking with

“Rhythm Nation”, said that her Guyanese roots are entwined in her veins and the values instilled in her from her Guyanese parents are what she passes on to her children.

Her husband shared his childhood between Berbice and Georgetown, and Dimple was born and raised in Lodge,

Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Anaya’s mother, Dimple Willabus, known in Guyana by her maiden name Singh, who pioneered the first live TV late night music show

Georgetown. At the age of two, Anaya was taught to read by her father. Thereafter, she began to memorize books, demonstrating an acutely photographic

in US history

memory. Anaya immerses herself in reading books of all genres throughout the year.

During the summer, she grew very fond of the summer reading initiative promoted by then Assemblyman, Alan Maisel. Maisel's “Summer Reading Program”, which her school supports, proved to be a motivational challenge, as each year she sought to surpass the previous year's book total.

Anaya reads in excess of 40 books during the summer. To maintain her comprehension skills, her parents challenged her to write detailed essays on many of the books she enjoyed and to illustrate her favourite part. With such development, Anaya enjoyed writing and expressing her opinion of her findings and further build on her literacy skills.

“My upbringing was by well-rounded parents who were extremely serious about education and believe strongly in working hard. Those values were instilled in me and passed on to my children. As a parent, it is important to set a strong foundation for your children.

My three children started off learning to read at around the age of two. This practice is contagious since a child will continue to follow whatever you teach. Anaya is and has always been an avid reader. She reads more than four hours a day and will read more if given an opportunity,” Dimple revealed.

Although Anaya thoroughly enjoys reading, she believes that it is incredibly important to have a balanced and fit lifestyle. She enjoys spending time playing her favourite sport, soccer (football). She also practices Shotokan Karate. In her free time, she plays with her dolls, goes to the park and spends time with her family. Anaya aspires to

running. Hence, when she was nine months old, she started to run and never stopped! Anaya does all the things little girls love to do: play with their dolls, eat ice cream and compete with her siblings on board games, and so on. Anaya is very competitive in everything that she does.

be a well-known author and teacher when she grows up.

Anaya's book, "The Day Mohan Found His Confidence", was written after her inaugural trip to her parents’ homeland, Guyana in April 2014. Upon her return, she started jotting notes from her visit, documenting cultural differences. Her composition of writings seemed worthy of her parents attention and was thereafter drafted on the computer.

For more than a year, Anaya's “writer's flow”, which happened at any time, continually developed into her first published chapter book.

When speaking with Anaya, Dimple emphasizes to her that this generation, while seemingly overwhelmed by technology, is full of children like her who still believe in the traditional ways of learning and entertainmentthe reading and writing of a good book.

“Anaya is an exceptional child. She literally never walked, she ran! Meaning, when my husband was teaching her to walk at eight months old, she never wanted to walk she would try to take off

She is also in the Gifted & Talented class in her school. Anaya loves to share and give back to others. She cannot wait to raise money to take books back to Guyana. Upon her visit last year, she saw how children live differently and she wants to donate books so that other children can create that passion for reading. She also raised money two years in a row for her school towards a donation for St Jude's Children's Hospital. She was one of the five children that donated the most, she raised US$1, 010,” the devoted mother recalled of her daughter.

Anaya's book was published on May 30, 2015,

and on June 9, 2015, she was recognized by the New York State Assembly for being the youngest child to write a chapter book in US history. She is also nominated for the youth cultural award in August 2015.

The young author has met the who’s who of New York’s state officials: council member from the 46th district, US, Alan Maisel, Roxanne Persaud, assemblywoman from the 59th district, US and Brooklyn Borough president, Eric Adams.

She has also met New York State Senator John Sampson;Frank Seddio, president of the Democratic Club of Brooklyn; Civic Association president Paul Curale, and the New York State Assembly people upon her visit, and others. Most of these meetings were to commend or recognize Anaya for her achievement.

Anaya plans to be a fulltime teacher and an author. Her mottos are “reading and writing will always be a part of life” and “continue to dream big!”

The eight-year-old author has a sister, Chantelle, who is 21 years old and a younger brother, Brandon, five years old, who appears on the front cover of her book.

In August 2015, Anaya will be hosting a press conference in Guyana, as well as making several public appearances in Berbice, Linden and Georgetown. Visit Anaya The Author on Facebook for more information.

First Guyana-born female representative for 59th Assembly District in Brooklyn

Roxanne Jacqueline Persaud was elected to the New York State Assembly in November 2014. In January 2015 she was sworn in as the first female, first black, first Guyanese to hold the position of Assembly

member for the 59th Assembly District in Brooklyn, New York. Persaud is a longtime advocate for her community, and an avid volunteer. Her dedication to serving her community has motivated her to serve in various capacities. She was presi-

dent of the 69th Precinct Community Council in Canarsie, member of Community Board 18 and Commissioner on the New York City Districting Commission. In addition, she is a graduate of the NYPD Citizens Police Academy as well as the New York

City Office of Emergency ManagementCommunity Emergency Response Team, member of Community Action Board of the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development and Chairperson of the Neighborhood Advisory Board – District 18.

Additionally, she serves on organizations fighting domestic violence and cancer awareness. Her dedication to community involvement and her interest in helping others stretches beyond Brooklyn. Persaud has traveled overseas

on several occasions as a volunteer on medical and social outreach programs. She encourages everyone to be actively involved in their communities.

Born in Guyana, Persaud migrated to the United States with her parents and siblings. She is a graduate of Pace University, from which she holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Education Administration. She has spent her entire career working in higher education institutions and works tirelessly encouraging urban youth

to attend college. Her district legislative priorities include funding for schools, youth and senior support services, libraries and parks. She intends to works with her colleagues in government to ensure that the 59th AD receives the resources that it should.

Assemblywoman Persaud said she is happy to serve the constituents of the 59th Assembly District. Currently, she resides in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn. (http://guyanesegirlsrock.com)

Motivated by love for people, mortician Robin Moses finds satisfaction in helping prepare the dead for their final resting place, and is passing on his knowledge to other generations in his family.

“I was enticed to get into the mortician work by working at Guyana Funeral Parlour in 1985. I started off working as a carpenter,” 65-yearold Moses reminisced in an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine

“One day the guys there asked me to assist them to lift the dead and put them into boxes. This started my interest in caring for the dead. At first I was scared, but the guys urged me to continue to learn about caring for the dead, and as I continued to work at the parlour I was taught what to do. As a result, I began to help out in that area. I then started off as a porter, transporting the bodies, and later to dressing the dead and the coffin. When Guyana Funeral Parlour closed, I got to know Mr. Sandy’s father who started Sandy’s Funeral Parlour and started working for him.”

Moses, who has been working for more than 36 years to help prepare the dead, recalled that he learnt a lot about his work from a mortician named June who worked with Sandy’s. He assisted her with dressing the dead and took every opportunity to learn what he could from her.

“I continued to work along with her and she encouraged me to take on the job seriously. She showed me how to treat the bodies and to prepare them. I started to work my way up to become a mortician. It was not easy because she was a strict teacher and would quickly correct me if I went wrong. Although she has resigned from Sandy’s I have to give her the credit; she was a good teacher. I am now the senior mortician at the parlour,” Moses stated.

A family occupation

The mortician said he is now passing on his knowledge to his daughter, Oslyn Richards and his 16-year-old granddaughter, Seneva Moses. Speaking with his granddaughter, Seneva said she has been working with her grandfather

for two years. It started when she was encouraged by her father to try something new during her August school holiday.

“My father suggested I join my grandfather to learn what he was doing. So I came a day at Sandy’s and I observed how he

they know I help my grandfather. But it never bothers me because I love doing it. It has helped me to realise a lot about myself too: that I’m brave. I’m proud of myself and I hope one day I can get to pursue studies in this area. When I love some-

worked with the bodies and I became very much interested. Then I came back the next day and the next, and now I’m totally passionate about it. My friends would tell me to not touch them because

ship to study overseas to become a mortician or pathologist, and eventually return to her home country to work.

“I really love this line of work. My grandfather amazes me with what he can do; I look up to him as my role model. This is something you have to love because if you don’t you won’t have the courage to do it. I don’t get any bad dreams or get certain images stuck in my dead. When I leave the parlour – that’s it I don’t remember anything; I just go on with my life. When persons thank us for what we have done for their loved ones it makes me feel accomplished,” she declared.

Satisfaction with his work

When asked the inevitable question if he had ever encounters anything spooky while working with the dead, Moses said he has “never witnessed any dead coming back to life, or getting bad dreams”.

thing I go for it, and I love doing this. I like dressing the dead, making them look good. I learnt a lot from my grandfather: how to do makeup, dressing the bodies and repairing the bodies to make them look good,” Seneva related.

She remembers her first experience, which she thought would have been “nasty”, but when her grandfather opened up the body Seneva said it was “normal” and that she “did not feel anyway different”.

Seneva, who recently wrote CSEC and is awaiting her results, plans to go on to sixth form and hopefully get a scholar-

He believes, however, that those dead individuals are there with him in spirit and so he treats them with respect and invests his time in making them look good.

The work he does on the bodies is applauded by many relatives who usually thank him for doing a job well done for their loved ones’ final goodbyes.

“When I see families’ reaction to their loved ones looking good that makes me happy. I always say not because they are dead means they got to look like they dead, they must look pleasant like they are still alive. Even the decomposed I try to bring them back

and make them look good.

"People would ask me how I can eat after dealing with the dead or if I sleep well. I don’t have any problems in those areas. All I have to do is ensure I’m properly clean before I eat," he remarked.

Moses declared that he will continue to be a mortician for as long as he can. He loves what he does and that is why he is motivated to train younger persons so that they can take over when he has “gone to his final resting place”.

“I don’t know how long more I have on this earth so that’s why I’m teaching them all I know. I also try to pass on my knowledge to the porters at the parlour so that they can learn something different and not remain porters for the rest of their lives,” he mused.

“I started off as a porter, carrying the dead, and today I’m a mortician and I’m proud of it, thanks to the many elders who taught me. It’s an enjoyable job because you get to meet a lot of nice people and make a lot of friends. I also get to prepare these beloved ones for their final resting place. I treat them with love and respect, and take my time making them look good.”

Regulations

Being a mortician means upholding strict regulations in dealing with the dead. Moses pointed out that he has a list of regulations he follows consistently when he is handling the dead. He said the Ministry of Health conducts regular inspections so

– dancing with Style

KINGSTON, JAMAICA : Taking Jamaican culture to the world. That is what dancer Latonya Style and her team at Dance Jamaica have been doing since 2006.

A former member of the Ashe creative dance troupe, she is one of the country’s in-demand teachers of Jamaican popular culture through dance.

“It first started out as a means of documenting and publicising the work of dancers here. I was really acting in an administrative way, using the Internet and social media such as MySpace and YouTube to get the word out about dance and dancers in Jamaica. We grew and then created a database of dance moves -- The A-Z of Dance Moves, where persons all over the world could go on YouTube and learn dance moves. It was just

my little way of sharing our dance with people all over the world,” she told Splash.

However, little did she know that that ‘little’ move would pay off in a big way.

In 2006, Latonya Style, whose given name is Latonya Dillon, got word of a summer camp in St Petersburg, Russia, which was teaching reggae/dancehall classes. She thought, ‘Why are Europeans teaching our culture and not us?’

Style was later contacted by a dissatisfied Russian who had attended the camp but was not pleased.

So, in July of that year she left Jamaica for Russia, on what she terms a cultural exchange. She was going there to share Jamaica with Russia and see what she could learn from them.

This one-week exchange opened doors for

Stacia Fya is also part of the

Latonya Style and her dancers. By the following year, she was taking her workshops across Europe. These trips influenced her to take the (L-r) Latonya Style, head of Dance

package to Jamaica and expose the world to an authentic Jamaican cultural experience.

But she wanted her studio to be more than just a place to dance; it had to become a cultural centre. It offers the full cultural experience including patois and games.

“We also have a class called ‘run a boat’ where we expose our students to authentic Jamaican cui-

PORT-OFSPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Jada Blanc, a member of the Metamorphosis Dance Company is this year’s recipient of the Kathleen Armstrong Kilgour (KAK) Dance Scholarship.

The award, which honours the mother of Trinidadian writer, former dancer and now Kent State University Professor Dr Joanne Kilgour-Dowdy, is presented annually to a deserving Metamorphosis dancer for commitment and dedication to dance practice.

It was established to support young tal-

ented dancers of Metamorphosis financially and to prepare them to attain the necessary qualifications for eligibility into full time professional dance training.

Blanc received her award from Dr Valerie Bowrin, a former student of the Caribbean School of Dancing. At the award ceremony, Nancy Herrera, artistic director of Metamorphosis, said Blanc was also awarded for humanity along with her dance ability.

Blanc said she was extremely honoured and humbled “to have been blessed in this way”.

“Thank you so much

for the opportunity. I have been working extremely hard this year to prove to myself that I can actually pursue my passion for dance and, honestly, I was beginning to second guess my dream; but this has just been such an amazing surprise. Thank you so much.”

The Metamorphosis Dance Company, now into its 20th year, comprises senior students of the Caribbean School of Dancing. Past KAK members include Mercedes Prevatt in 2014, Marie Lashley in 2013, Anais Hinds in 2012 and Juan Pablo Alba-Dennis in 2011. (TT Express)

sine. And of course we take them to the streets for the weekly parties,” Style explained.

Presently, she attracts students from South Korea, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Israel, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Europe remains a large market.

Now in her 17th year as a performer, the Queen’s School past student noted that her travels have

shown her that Jamaicans do not appreciate their impact on the world.

Latonya Style is quick to mention that she does not do this alone. The Dance Jamaica umbrella covers some of the popular street dancers such as Cullo Cullo, Black Eagle, Overload Skankaz, Boysie Roses, Shelly Belly, Stacia Fya and Kimiko. (Jamaica Observer)

By PetamBer Persaud

It was a sublime night in thoughts, words and in Deeds, a sublime night of poetry, the commingling of Stars, pitching their meaning and messages from, Mexico to Guyana to the world, influenced by the Stars of magic realism, social realism, the classics, in Rhyme and rhythm, it was a sublime night of Poetry, a gathering of kindred spirits Dead poet society and living vessels, A sublime night of poetry in thoughts, words and in Deeds - ‘companions of the Day and Night’.*

TThe programme was chaired by Mr Alejandro Martinez who ensured that there were no ‘blackouts’ in between presentations, resulting in a compact and smooth delivery of upscale entertainment.

The programme was brief; a whetting of the appetite, spawning the craving for more; that’s way it ought to be with literary events. The poems were well-juxtaposed serving in supporting roles and contrasting roles, heightening the value of each poem.

The chairperson also did a splendid job of setting the tone of the event by introducing each piece with brief comments on the writers, the readers and on background to the poems. Those remarks were pertinent, rendering any rambling time-consuming preamble by the performer unnecessary.

Many literary events are spoilt by the un-

he evening of Wednesday, July 8, 2015, will be the ‘Companions of the Day and Night’* for many coming years to the scores of poetry lovers who attended ‘A Sublime Night: Guyanese and Mexican Poetry’. The event was organised by the Embassy of Mexico in Guyana in collaboration with the National Library.

warranted preamble.

Supporting the orchestration of Martinez was the printed programme detailing the event, a programme that is a collector’s item and a delight to reporters and researchers.

So from the word go, it was fluid motion, a flow of emotion – pleasure and pain and passion, invocation of the muses, engagement of the audience....

The opening piece, “Flowers are our only garments” by Nezahualcoyotl was like an incantation, followed

by another incantation, “The Porknocker” by Seeta Shaw Roath. Both pieces were performed by Dr Roath.

Nezahualcoyotl was a XV century philosopher, warrior, architect and poet.

“To her portrait” by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz was read by Kit Nascimento while “My Creole Identity” by Elly Niland was read by Gem Madhoo.

Both poems reflect on the past shaping the present and future. Sor Juana (Juana Inés de la Cruz)was a nun, born during the viceroyalty of New Spain, whose writing was very advanced for that time.

Love and life are celebrated in “At Peace” by Amado Nervo and “River Dance” by Ian McDonald; the themes of both pieces were evoked by a sterling performance from Margaret Lawrence.

Amado Nervo, born in 1870, was a poet, journalist and educator. Here is a piece from “At Peace”: “...very near my setting sun, I bless you, Life/because you never gave me neither unfilled hope/nor unfair work, nor underserved sorrow/ pain...because I see... that I was the architect of my own destiny....”

The next set of poems focuses mainly on love, among other themes. These poems include “Love is an Anguish” by Xavier Villaurrutia, (read by Kojo McPherson)

“Destiny” by Rosario Castellanos (read by Gentian Miller)

“A Pillar of Salt” by Salvador Novo (read by Ivonne Ocrospoma)

“No more Clichés” by Octavio Paz (read by Masud Lewis)

“I hope to cure myself” by Jaime Sabines (read by Gabriel Ferrer), and “Ever Waiting” by Shana Yardan (read by Ronessa McAdam).

Each poem in this set is worthy of quoting in full but lack of space reined in my enthusiasm.

However, enjoying the following linesfrom “Love is an anguish”, we read that “Love is an unaccustomed luxury/and voracious gluttony, always empty…”

From ‘Destiny’, we understandthat “We kill what we love/We give life only to what we hate…”

From “No more clichés”, we read, “This poem is dedicated to those women/Whose beauty is in their charm, /In their intelligence, In their character, /Not on their fabricated looks…”

From “A pillar of salt”, “…I think, in these hours of you, my love, burning as I do in merciless insomnia”and from “I hope to cure myself of you”: “I hope to cure myself of you in a few days. I should stop smoking you, drinking you, thinking of you. It’s possible. Conforming to the norms of today’s morality. I prescribe for myself time, abstinence, solitude/…For this is a lot like leaving the mad house only to go to the grave.”

Xavier Villaurrutia is poet and playwright; one of the most prestigious literature awards in Mexico is named in his honour.

Rosario Castellanos focuses on gender oppression and her work has influenced feminist theory.

Salvador Novo (19041974), was a provocative and prolific cultural presence.

Octavio Paz won the Miguel de Cervantes Prize and the Nobel Prize (1990) among other literary prizes.

Jaime Sabines (19261999) was known as “the sniper of literature”, transforming literature into reality.

Two thought provoking poems, well juxtaposed, closed out the evening:“The lives of the poets” by Jose Emilio Pacheco and “Nearing thirty” by Ruel Johnson; both read by Johnson.

Pacheco, who was awarded the prestigious Cervantes prize in 2009, died in 2014. Pacheco wrote in that poem, “In poetry there’s no happy ending/Poets end up/ living their madness/Or dead from ... poverty.”

*A novel by Wilson Harris set in Mexico during Easter.

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

Our Warriors!

By Anu Dev

“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.” – Babe Ruth… NY Yankees

There’s absolutely nothing like cricket in Guyana. The atmosphere in the Providence Stadium is electric. There’s just so much energy pulsing through the stadium. In Guyana, we don’t ever have trouble ensuring sold-out matches and a jam-packed stadium, we’re always starved for more cricket. I’m not going to get into why we have to suffer from this ‘starvation’ since this is a family newspaper!

It’s really a spectacle to behold when Guyanese turn up for cricket- the traffic jam outside of the stadium, the throngs of people walking towards the stadium with flags in hand and the roar of voices chattering excitedly and expectantly about the match in the offing.

Normally being stuck in traffic makes you bang your head repeatedly against the steering wheel, turn into the Hulk or shriek at the top of your lungs about the country needing better infrastructure to deal with the rapidly growing number of vehicles. But seeing all of these people making the trek to rally around our team makes it really something special. We’re sharing in a mass ritual that builds a nation and consolidates a people.

Stepping into the Providence Stadium, seeing our Warriors on the field, seeing the crowd wave their flags really gets your heart racing. I guess this is probably what had all those Romans screaming and showing thumbs down when their Gladiators entered the Colosseum. With my team named ‘Warriors’, you know what role the Zouks were supposed to play in this drama!

After the disappointment of having our match against Jamaica washed out on Wednesday, the crowd was clearly hyped for this match. And our Warriors certainly delivered against the Zouks!

There’s this indescribable feeling of pride you get when you’re looking at your home team play. Never mind that all of the players on the team aren’t Guyanese: they’re wearing our uniform, our colours, we feel that same sense of them being a part of our team, of being ours.

This is part of the success of professional sports in general, and the IPL and CPL in particular – taking the ‘club’ approach and making it linked with a geographical city or region. Us humans have this built-in inclination – amounting to a drive – to band into groups on very arbitrary criteria. Also these groups quickly assume the deepest “us” vs “them” feelings. There’s a famous experiment that demonstrated this process decades ago at Stanford University. It’s been made into the eponymously named movie released this year.

But I have to say, there was more than a passing twinge of regret not seeing Santokie or Guptill on our team this year. After two years, you really do become attached to certain players and start to see them as being synonymous with the team.

I was especially impressed by Ramdin on Friday night. To me his performance demonstrated perfectly the importance of having a strong, steady and calm leader at the helm of a team. When our bowlers were bleeding runs at the beginning of the match, he rallied his troops- Guyana began tightening the noose around the Zouks. As we were chasing, with wickets tumbling all around him, he kept his head, and stood firm. It was inspiring to say the least.

Despite some poor umpiring decisions, our Warriors still triumphed. We were all on our feet as Permaul hit that winning six.

There are some moments in life that are forever etched in your memory and the Guyana Amazon Warriors are certainly providing us with many of those. So let’s wave our flags, let’s scream and shout until we’re hoarse, “Go Amazon Warriors!”

Jamaica on track to end motherto-child transmission of HIV

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

Jamaica is poised to become the first Englishspeaking Caribbean country to eliminate mother-tochild transmission of HIV.

This is according to Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson, who made the disclosure in a recent interview with the Jamaican media.

Following the World Health Organization's announcement, recently, that Cuba is the first country in the world to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission, Dr Ferguson weighed in on what Cuba's achievement meant to Jamaica, and provided an update on the local effort towards meeting the regional elimination goal of less than two per cent mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

"Cuba has always been the leader within this region relative to health and education, one could argue, and we have learnt much from Cuba, both by virtue of our visits there and... the opportunity of many of our health workers having the opportunity for training in Cuba," the health minister told Your Health Your Wealth.

He said that from that perspective, Cuba's feat is heartening and that Jamaica too is on the "cusp of eliminating mother-tochild transmissions" of HIV.

"We are now doing the validation of that, so I believe that Jamaica now stands at a point where we (can) become the first in the English-speaking Caribbean to eliminate mother-to-child transmission..." Dr Ferguson said.

Officials had said that Cuba's achievement shows that an end to the AIDS epidemic is possible, and that they expect more countries to seek validation from the World Health Organization.

"Eliminating transmission of a virus is one of the greatest public health achievements possible," Dr

Margaret Chan, the WHO director general, had said in a press release. "This is a major victory in our long fight against HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and an important step towards having an AIDS-free generation."

For Jamaica to be validated as having eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV, Director of the National STI/HIV Programme Dr Nicola Skyers explained that the country must be certified as having met the regional goal.

"To be certified as having eliminated vertical transmission of HIV,

we need to show for the last two years that there is a less that two per cent transmission rate," she told Your Health Your Wealth.

She said that since 2013, Jamaica has recorded the less than two per cent transmission rate required.

"The certification is really due at the end of this year, so that team will come in and do the necessary validation processes and therafter certify us," she insisted. "Based on our own records, we are well on track."

In the meantime, Dr Ferguson announced at a press conference that

the National HIV/STI Programme has received funding support for interventions targeting vulnerable populations, and that with the country facing challenges with the prevalence rates among these groups, there has been increased Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) coverage to the current level of over 70 per cent of those with AIDS or 60 per cent of those with advanced HIV.

"We have seen a reduction in AIDS, deaths by 43 per cent in 2010 compared to 2004 when our ART access programme began," Dr Ferguson said. (Jamaica Observer)

This week's Crossword

Legal conundrums…

…on term limits

For those of us on the sidelines, like your humble Eyewitness, this “third term” case decided by Chief Justice Ian Chang, is beginning to develop into a no-holds barred tag-team legal bout. We’ve had legal heavyweights like Justice Duke Pollard and Charles Ramson SC, middleweights like Ralph Ramkarran and even lightweights like Raphael Trotman. But since the last’s an “interested” party, he might be excused for trying to punch above his weight class. And of course, we even had observers like Sherwood Lowe and your Eyewitness throwing in gratuitous punches.

Well, joining the fray is another, hitherto unfamiliar member of the legal fraternity, Maxwell E Edwards. He’s evidently a former Magistrate and for all those knocking the magistracy, his missive might give them pause. The fella offered a welcome corrective to the unfortunately polemical language used even by the normally sedate and circumspect Prof Pollard: “The judgment is arguably tendentious, occasionally pleonastic, bereft of sustained rationality, strangely and curiously, not to mention inexcusably, eschewed the application of the required rule of statutory interpretation in construing the provisions of Article 1 of the Guyana Constitution, given the concatenation of genus-describing attributes employed therein.” Whew!! And image the goodly professor was responding to a judgement from our Chief Justice!!

Anyhow, Mr Edwards offers a different perspective to suggest that the Chief Justice should’ve addressed the threshold issue of whether he should (or could) take jurisdiction over the case. “No,” says Mr Edwards. The question, more narrowly framed, was whether the CJ should’ve classified the petition as “non-justifiable”. Defined by Justice Massiah (according to Edwards) thusly: “a provision would be non-justifiable if it is ‘…. So widely and generally formulated as to be incapable of enforcement…’”

This week's

Puzzle

So, says Edwards, Justice Chang shouldn’t have responded to the Plaintiff’s plea. But was the latter defined “so widely and generally formulated as to be incapable of enforcement…’”?? This Eyewitness doesn’t think so. It’s not as if the plaintiff was asking for a definition of “democracy”. All he did was ask whether his democratic right to choose a president was properly approved. And no one claims the criteria were unclear clear (democracy) and so was the enforcement (referendum).

The late CJ Marshall, who wrote the book on “justifiability” in the U.S. (There they call it “political question”) once said: “It is most true that this court will not take jurisdiction if it should not; but it is equally true, that it must take jurisdiction if it should.”

Our courts cannot stand on the sidelines. Whether based on Massiah’s criteria for justifiability or the House of Lords’ 3 All ER 935.

…and police enforcement

The Stabber must be complimented for pointing out some inconsistencies in the “official version” coming out in the Mall-Owner Ramlall’s murder. From the very beginning the relatives told reporters that calling the crime a “robbery gone bad” didn’t make sense and it looked more like an “execution”. They pointed out that Ramlall had left his gun inside the house…so how much “fight” could he put up against armed bandits?

They were upset when the police announced that Ramlall’s gun was taken away from him by the bandits. This suggested a motive for the shooting…but this had to be discarded when the gun was handed over by the relatives. Then to shoot a robbery victim so many times …and not enter the house to snatch some more valuables?

The discrepancies kept piling up with the modus operandi of the SWAT team that acted on a “tip” from an admirably concerned citizen. There are now more questions than answers. Why would a gang take on a SWAT team when they only had one pistol? Why was only the alleged leader killed?

This Eyewitness is glad that the police have become pro-active against this crime wave. But we need neither vigilante nor subverted justice.

Shane Alexander Cornelius, an Arawak descendant, lends his voice to forward work in the development of Guyana’s indigenous people and appears a frontrunner for the upcoming toshaos elections in his village.

The 25-year-old hails from Karrau, a small Amerindian village in the lower part of the Mazaruni River, just opposite Bartica in Region Seven, Cuyuni/Mazaruni.

A passionate individual with his work,he showed his potential since he was attending the Karrau Creek Primary School where he topped his class at the 2002 Common Entrance Exams. He was awarded a Government Hinterland Scholarship through the then Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. He attended the Bartica Secondary School, where he topped the school in the National Third Form exams as well as the CSEC exams.

Cornelius wrote nine subjects at CSEC, gaining six grade ones with three distinctions in Mathematics, Principles of Accounts and Office Administration. He graduated from Bartica Secondary School as Best Graduating Student of

2007 and Best Graduating Business student. He was also the top student coming out from Region Seven that year.

Having finished his

secondary education in July 2007, Cornelius went on to the University of Guyana (UG), compliments of a Public Service Ministry Scholarship, to further his studies. There he pursued a degree in Computer Science and graduated November 2012.

In April 2012, at the local village elections for Amerindian villages, Cornelius was elected deputy toshao of Karrau village, a position he readily and happily accepted since his focus was to give back to his village through any means possible.

He has been part of the Karrau Village Council for more than three years now and has been afforded the opportunity to attend numerous workshops, even representing his village at the national level.

Cornelius has received training in areas such as the Amerindian Act, Low

recently, Kaburi Village, where Cornelius and youths visited these villages to learn about their fellow indigenous people’s way of life through sports.

Cornelius also lobbied to the then Amerindian Affairs ministry for his village to be the National Heritage Day Village.

In September 2014, after a period of 13 years, National Heritage Day celebrations returned to Region Seven and moreso, to his village where the celebrations were successfully held.

Cornelius said it was one of the biggest and most important days of his village’s history, and the village gained national recognition.

In the latter part of 2014, out of only 20 persons nationwide, Cornelius won a National Youth Award for his contributions in volunteerism in his community; the only person from

for. I understand their issues,” Cornelius stated in an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine More recently, Cornelius was elected a Regional Councillor of Region Seven to serve on the Regional Democratic Council for the next five years, contributing to the development of his region so that it can truly realise its potential.

Cornelius’s plans for his village in the next three years are for the formation and implementation of appropriate village rules. The opening and functioning of the village office so that it can serve as an information centre to all.Training of the village council and residents in areas such as the Amerindian Act, forestry and mining laws; establishing and promoting of tourism sites, activities and packages with special focus on community-based tourism, just to

Carbon Development Strategy, climate change, forestry and EU-FLEGT, mining, dispute resolutions, land titling and demarcation, business management, marketing, solar electrification among many others.

For the past three years, he has been the captain of the male cricket team and chief sports and youth organiser in his village. Cornelius has lobbied for youths to be exposed to other Amerindian villages and way of life.

In this regard, the youths of Karrau have had exchanged visits with Mainstay/Wyaka Village, St Cuthbert’s and, more

Region Seven to be given this award.

In July 2014, Cornelius signed a ninemonth contract with the then Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to be the Community Development Officer (CDO) for all Lower and Middle Mazaruni villages - a job he thoroughly enjoyed.

“I enjoyed being part and parcel of my fellow indigenous people’s affairs by assisting them in whatever way or area possible. I have developed a strong bond with all toshaos and their people of lower and middle Mazaruni villages whom I have the utmost respect

name a few.

“Now, I have resigned from [the] CDO to become a candidate for the upcoming toshaos elections, after villagers have given me favourable responses. I believe I am more than capable to proper [sic] and effectively be the leader and provide direction for my village for the next three years since I am experienced and qualified. As the next leader of this beautiful village, I will be aiming for self-sufficiency through diversified economies with assistance from the government of Guyana so that we can further develop ourselves as we see it,” Cornelius declared.

Displaying artistic aptitude, Xavier Singh finds solace in painting the simplicity of everyday life, while communicating his thoughts and dreams.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Singh explained that his artistic abilities are innate.

“In nursery school, I drew stick men and women, boats and houses. My friend N. Nunes, a renowned artist, inspired me a few years ago when I bought my first piece of painting from him. I enquired about the materials and techniques he used, and within one month, I was painting like a professional. When he first saw my paintings, he was amazed with my work. He told me that art was passed on to me by my ancestors and that I was going to put him out of business. I, however, believe that there is no competition in art. Every customer is different; customers seek different details,” Singh revealed.

Singh mentioned that there are no artists in his family; however, he may have inherited his artistic talent from his mother, a seamstress, and his late father, a carpenter.

“Although none of my family members are artists, they are very talented in what they do. As a child, I always tried to replicate an object or drawing. I would even trace pictures, though it was considered cheating. I was first introduced to the art of painting at my alma mater, Friendship Secondary School. I was

taught how to blend various paints to create colours,” Singh recalled.

Finding inspiration in everyday life, the self-taught artist stated, “ev-

erything [he] loves” inspires him. He gets inspired by his “imagination or whatever interests” him. Singh loves nature, fishing, musical instruments

plished when people see it and say, ‘Wow! That’s amazing!’ Through my painting I communicate my thoughts and dreams,” Singh pointed out.

Singh’s plans for his art career are to study at the Burrowes School of Art, become qualified and share his passion with others.

and designing buildings and enjoys painting the jungle, lakes, fishing and houses.

“I do not get the time to engage in all of these activities, which is why I enjoy painting them. It is very relaxing and is a form of stress relief. It makes me feel accom-

“For those youths who want to become an artist, I say follow your dream. Do not make excuses and do not let anyone break your spirit. An artist once told me, ‘Every spoil is a style.’ You can only get better once you start,” Singh advises. To contact the artist, call 6786228 or email xaviers21@hotmail.com

The Amerindian community of Surama,set in five square miles of savannah,is located in the heart of Guyana.

The village is ringed by the forest-covered Pakaraima Mountains.

Its inhabitants are generally from the Macushi tribe and still

observe many of their traditional practices.

This isolated and idyllic location offers an escape from the concrete jungle to a serene and peaceful existence with nature. Dawn hikes, led by Surama guides across the savannah and up Surama Mountain, reveal a multitude of birds,

and fantastic vistas.

The guides have lived their entire lives in the rainforest, and have an incredible understanding of nature and how to utilise its resources.

Along the mountain hike there is a Cock-ofthe-Rock lek and often an active Harpy eagle’s nest in the same gener-

al area.

A walk across the savannah will take you to a challenging climb up Surama Mountain in the cool morning air. This is the best time to observe bird life along the trail.

Breakfast is usually served by your tour agent at a lookout point

that affords incredible views across the village and savannah to the Pakaraima Mountains.

The word Surama, originally Shuramata, means “the place of spoiled barbeque”. The name comes from a tribal conflict between the Macushi and Carib peo-

ple many years ago. For more information on the Surama Mountain hike visit http://rupununi.org/tourism/lodges/ surama/ or http://suramaecolodge.com/ (Cover photo: Scenic view of the mountain from Surama village

The Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) was established Feb 1, 1912 by British Guiana Portuguese businesspersons, who included M. Gonsalves, E.C. Buck and Joseph Gonsalves, after the Georgetown Cricket Club (established 1858) in these early years did not allow them to be members of the British-dominated, white elite club.

Ironically, DCC too restricted its membership in its early years to Portuguese. However, membership in the club was opened to anyone

after the First World War, to later become, according to Guyanese historian Winston McGowan, dominated by blacks.

According to current DCC president Alfred Mentore, the vision of the DCC founding fathers was initially to encourage the playing of cricket, lawn tennis, croquet and other forms of recreational activities.

Since then however, open membership allowed the club to produce some of its most famous cricketers, including West Indies leg-

ends Clive Lloyd and Lance Gibbs,the latter who is said to have started on his path to international stardom at the age of 14 at the DCC, practising with friends across from his Crown Street residence at the time.

The first captain to win a Test match for the West Indies was Maurice Fernandes, also a former DCC president, who died in 1981 at age 83.

According to guyana-cricket.com, other past club members who played at the high-

est level include Cyril Christiani, Robert Christiani, (or RJ - for Robert Julian - who was considered British Guiana’s most highly esteemed cricketer in the 1940s and early 1950s and the first Guyanese to score a century in a Test match), Travis Dowlin and Roger Harper.

Current club members Christopher Barnwell and Derwin Christian have also played at the highest level.

Philbert Blair, Ernest Christiani, Harry

are some of the club members who developed at DCC and later represented Guyana at the senior level, it adds.

The site notes that the Demerara Cricket Club, on Lance-Gibbs Street in Queenstown, Georgetown, was (and still is) the only cricket club in Georgetown to be located in an entirely residential neighbourhood.

As fate would have it, the

Melicia Partab is making a name for herself with her keen fashion sense, passion for beautifying, and energetic dance moves. At 13, Melicia’s future changed when she became a part of the local dance scene. Today, this accounting professional is a certified kathak dancer (by the Indian Cultural Centre of Guyana) and has displayed her expertise on many local stages. Her motivation comes from everywhere, with her creativity always being challenged with new and fresh concepts. This effervescent individual has over the years always delivered top rated performances, but a hidden talent was unleashed in 2012. It became an integral part of her expression through a colourful fusion of makeup she calls Eye Candy by Mel. Melicia believes that makeup is an “art of expression” and can “boost your self-confidence”. Selfmotivated and eager to explore different avenues within the industry, another interest was added to Melicia’s list of passions: designing. She launched her fashion label Nachle Designs, a collection of stunning pieces, last year. A resourceful individual, Melicia assures that this is not the end of the road for her as she is now involved in pageantry, taking on the role as national director for the Miss Global International Guyana pageant. Melicia believes in the willpower of positive energy and advises youths to “always have a focus point and never let their mind-set become cluttered with negativity; to always remember we are all authors of our life and everyday we have the opportunity to write a new page.”

Satiricus’ face had a look of befuddlement. As a regular working slob without the time nor the ability to understand some of the back-andforthing of the power elite, this was his default look. Take these criticisms that the new Government was spending too much time – and money – on “song and dance” routines.

“Well,” thought Satiricus, “what’s wrong with song-and-dance?”

Here it was, before and during the elections, the now Opposition had worked themselves into a real lather because most of the top guns of the now Government were ex-military types. They had gone on and on about how these ex-aloo peelers would want to make us all into stiff unsmiling stiffs who couldn’t shuck and jive anymore.

“And we Guyanese just love our shucking and jiving, don’t we?” smiled Satiricus as he remembered his old days at the village Saturday night “bubble sessions”.

Now, lots of folks had stiffened up when they heard that the new Government would have them marching up and down in the sun like Hitler’s Storm troopers in Jackboots. “Was easy for them in Germany,” grimaced Satiricus. “They didn’t have our hot weather.”

It was clear to Satiricus that the new Government was trying their best to clear up this gross misconception.

They wanted to show Guyanese people that army types could get down

with the best of them! Jeez…they were Guyanese, weren’t they? Did anyone think that serving twenty years -fresh out of school – in the Disciplined Forces and doing things by Standing Operating Procedures (SOP’s) could change a person?

Hey, the army was a place where you could “be all you could be”… and Satiricus knew that any right thinking Guyanese wanted to be, was to work as least as possible and jive and shuck as much as possible. And so, with all the Big Bashes since they took over, the army fellas now in change were just telling us not to get too stiff. They, like us, have jiving and shucking in their genes.

“And there was that nasty allegation that the new Government was spending too much on their song-and-dance routines,” said Satiricus to himself. He always spoke to himself when he became worked up. Why didn’t the critics accept that ALL the hundreds of millions for the song and dance routines – here and in New York – was paid for by supporters of the new Government? They of course, being Guyanese to the bone, just loved their jiving and shucking.

And that’s all they were spending their hard earned hundreds of millions for. They didn’t expect anything back from the Government.

Satiricus started practicing some jiving and shucking moves since he knew there would be a new Governmentsponsored “sport” coming up shortly.

KINGSTON, JAMAICA:

Jamaica's public health system took a blow last year with the migration or resignation of 200 specialist nurses.

"In 2014, 200 specialist nurses migrated to other countries or resigned from the public sector to work in the private sector," said Janet Coore-Farr, president of the Nurses' Association of Jamaica (NAJ).

Coore-Farr made the announcement during Sunday's service at Eastwood Park New Testament Church in Kingston to mark the start of

Nurses' Week. She said the "extreme shortage" of nurses in the public health care system has contributed to an increase in workload.

That is certain to bring with it stresses to the individual nurses, which could affect patient care. Jamaicans have long complained about harsh treatment out by nurses in public health care facilities.

On the other hand, CooreFarr said that the NAJ would focus on filling he gap with nurses who are trained but currently unemployed.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD:

South Downs Trail Marathon takes place within the South Downs National Park which in 2010 became Britain’s latest National Park. The Park is 628 square miles and includes picturesque villages and distinctive market towns where 112,000 people live and work. A genuine working countryside with all parties obeying the relevant coordinating authorities to the mutual benefit and greater good of all.

Parts of the Park have commercially managed forests while other downlands and woodlands are designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserve and Special Area for Conservation. The Park also has many Scheduled Ancient Monuments which protect Iron Age and Roman relics. Commercial agriculture also takes place with many sheep, cattle and grain (wheat, corn, rape) farms.

The Marathon, 10th anniversary incidentally, is run along South Downs Way which is a 100

mile bridleway stretching from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Winchester in Hampshire. The public bridleway passes through private farms. Users are simply required to close all gates behind them so that farm animals do not stray off the property. It goes without saying that users must not litter.

Mingling with the other runners before the start is John Lum Young

of Trinidad and Tobago Road Runners Club and Paul Wilson of Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire (and formerly of T&T). Lum Young encouraged his buddy Wilson, a 10K runner, to step up and try for Wilson’s second marathon, his first being London eight years ago.

Lots of running groups present including about two dozen members of the United Kingdom 100

Marathon Club. There is a runner who will be setting off on his 100th marathon. His running jersey is full of hand written best wishes.

Martin Bush is one of the UK’s marathon legends. He sets off on his 765th. Another gentleman ran his first marathon at age 65, at the age 70 he will be tackling his 90th marathon. Hopes to get to his 100th this summer.

John has a simple plan to get Paul through this challenge. Run 10 minutes easy, walk 1 minute. Adjust for the numerous rolling hills.

The race starts and the runners set off from Swindon College in East Sussex to join South Downs Way and head to Queen Elizabeth Park at the western end of the South Downs. Many of the trails are white due to the underlying chalkstone.

The pair of Wilson and Lum Young stick with the 10:1 plan for the first 9 miles. Some huge hills throw a spoke in the wheel over the next 3 miles.

The plan changes to 4:1. The terrain becomes

more challenging and plan changes become frequent but always “forward ever backward never”. Tired legs perk up with magnificent views of the surrounding downlands, heathlands and villages.

South Down Way and the Park’s network of trails seem busy with other events; running, walking, mountain biking, bird watching, wayfaring and orienteering.

Pass an elderly couple on a stroll; the gentleman on scooter and the lady walking alongside. Indeed mobility challenged individuals can reserve powered wheelchairs and scooters free of charge to enjoy the Park’s ambience.

It's spring and wild flowers are in full bloom. Easily the dominant flower along the marathon route is Oxeye Daisy. Also present are Bluebell and the yellow bloom of the Lesser Celandine.

Volunteers spare no encouragement and soon Paul and John were at QE Park with less than a mile remaining. They cross the finish together. (TT Express)

PORT-OFSPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Dwayne Bravo says his ultimate goal is to have a successful cricket career; cricket enthusiasts will argue that he’s already accomplished that aim. Only last week, the all-rounder shot into the spotlight again when he created history by becoming the first cricketer in the world to be nominated for the prestigious ESPY sport awards.

He earned the nomination in the Best Play category for his spectacular one-hand catch during a match in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL). And last month, Bravo had reason to celebrate when he copped the Purple Cap for taking the most wickets (26) in the IPL. Bravo’s 2013 record of 32 wickets remains unbroken. So, we can safely move on to goal number two—and that is to take his music more seriously and launch it on the world’s stage.

The former West Indies captain is wasting no time on that mission.

On June 11, he flew out to Los Angeles to meet with top producers and music executives to explore avenues to take his music to the next level.

“I always loved music but it was something I did as a hobby, now I do gigs in LA and Florida. I never saw myself reaching those places through music. I always thought cricket would take me there,” Bravo shares in a recent interview at his Maraval home.

Bravo, or DJ Bravo as he dubs himself, says while he knows his music is not taken seriously in Trinidad, it is well-received outside of the country. His latest track, Chalo Chalo, a catchy chutney tune featuring Karma’s Nisha B, became an instant hit in India—where Bravo has legions of loyal fans.

The song, which he dedicated to his supporters there, is also available on iTunes. With a few other tracks already

under his belt including Go Gyal Go and Beenie Man and Bravo, a collaboration with his longtime friend, Jamaican dancehall artiste Beenie Man—Bravo believes that taking his music internationally is only the start of bigger and better things to come.

“I know people don’t take me on locally and that’s okay. My focus with music is outside of Trinidad. I plan to release more tracks for the Asian market because

ripped off,” he explains.

“I want to give upcoming artistes the chance to follow their dreams. This is something on my agenda when I retire.”

However, this by no means signifies that Bravo is ready to retire from cricket—far from it. The father of two, who thrills fans with his celebratory dance moves on the pitch, assures that he will continue to play the game until he can no longer do so.

“I remember my parents couldn’t afford to send me to the clinic but coach Charles Guillen said he will take care of it. I’ll always be thankful to him and Richard Smith for giving me a chance and encouraging me to excel,” he says.

Bravo attributes his humility to his “humble beginnings” and closeknit family. “My family wasn’t poor but we weren’t rich. My dad did his best to make sure his kids had enough. Money

they really embrace my sound. It’s great to know I’m loved around the world.”

And that love runs deep. Bravo is often mobbed by hundreds of cricket lovers for selfies and autographs whenever he travels to countries like India and Bangladesh. The righthanded batsman says when he finally puts down his bat, he also plans to open a music studio to help other artistes realise their dreams.

“Doing music is very expensive and at home there aren’t many places to have your songs professionally done at affordable prices. If you don’t know the music business you can get

Bravo’s professional career spans well over a decade. He says he has experienced both highs and lows but admits that being dropped from the West Indies’ World Cup squad was especially difficult. Just weeks after being dropped, Bravo also called it quits from Test Cricket. He played his last Test match against Sri Lanka in 2010.

“I felt really hurt about being dropped. It wasn’t a good feeling at all,” he says.

But the Chennai Super Kings cricketer bats on. Reflecting on his journey, he says he has come a long way from his days as a youth at the Queen’s Park Coaching Clinic.

hasn’t changed me and it never will.”

One other thing that hasn’t changed is Bravo’s love for partying and having a good time. Whenever he’s in Trinidad you can expect to see him at popular nightclubs like 51 Degrees—but don’t expect him to get too “turned up” or carried away, though.

Bravo is always the designated driver as he does not drink alcohol or smoke.

“I just never saw the sense in smoking or drinking. Whenever I party, I drink orange juice or coconut water. People never believe me but it’s true,” he says. (TT Guardian)

T…for poor folks

his Gy$10,000 School Voucher issue isn’t going to be brushed aside so lightly as the Education Ministry hopes. There’s been a whole lotta bobbing and weaving going down on the status of the programme, which so excited parents last year.

This Eyewitness has already expatiated on the Orwellian use of language by Education officials to hide the fact that the programme’s been scrapped. Remember? Not admitting that the ham was eaten but: “Some hams hanging in the kitchen were taken out for burial”!!

So the Chronicle, now finally “owned and operated by and for the people of Guyana” – presumably completely different from what prevailed before – had the Ministry accusing the GTimes of all kinds of journalistic improprieties for using the word “scrapped”.

So what say they now to the Stabber News, which reported Minister of Governance (no, not Moses Nagamootoo – the Cummingsburg Accord’s being “reinterpreted”) Raphael Trotman announcing that the Gy$10,000 Vouchers have been “shelved indefinitely”?

But the said report evoked another interesting Orwellian expression: “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” The Ministry of Education, with the most erudite scholar Rupert Roopnarine at its head, explained that they knew that programme was an “electioneering gimmick”.

And how did the goodly gentleman figure this out? Well, not because it sounded populist. He really couldn’t talk about “empty populism” because his party had made 21 populist promises to be kept in 100 days. All having as much a chance of being kept as a snow-cone has, of surviving in hell. But the PPP had DISTRIBUTED the Gy$10,000 vouchers!

The Ministry announced that the smoking gun was the “kitsch branding of the grant with the ‘Because We Care’ slogan!! Now “kitsch” – for those of us who haven’t attended Oxford or Cambridge – is a put down for having “low-class” taste. You know…like looking down on us working stiffs for covering our new sofas with plastic. Or having all those little, stuffed bears behind our rear windshield.

So “Because We Care” is “kitsch”? What’s low brow (or “low class”, for that matter) about telling folks you care for those who’re taking the time and effort to send their children to school? Isn’t it the job of government to offer incentives to encourage citizens to “do the right thing”? And if this government insists that education is the foundation of a solid, secure society, what’s better than encouraging parents to keep their kids in school?

And promising pay increases without commensurate productivity increases isn’t “kitsch”?

Evidently not to Oxbridge types.

…for folks in a democratic party

With all the snarky remarks about “democratic centralism” stifling free thinking in the PPP’s Ex-Co, Hydar Ali’s proof incarnate of the living democracy in the party. Like clockwork, the fella used to churn out letters to the Kaieteur News with opinions on every topic under the sun. Seems that the change in his party’s status from government to Opposition hasn’t changed Ali’s writing ways.

He recently weighed in on the Chief Justice’s ruling on the constitutionality of restraints on citizens democratic right to choose their presidential candidates. His opinion had to’ve been his own, because he focused on the EFFECT of the ruling and not on the issue before the CJ. Surely the PPP’s top brass wouldn’t have made such an elementary mistake.

Sure two thirds of the Legislature wanted to have term limits for presidents. But that’s not the issue, is it?

The question is whether – because of the foundational normative imperative of “democracy” immanent in the Constitution – a referendum doesn’t have to RATIFY such a decision.

Ali isn’t saying the Legislature in Guyana is supreme over the Constitution, is he?

…at City Hall

Sooba’s dismissed as Town Clerk for signing a Gy$27 million tax waiver. She’s replaced by King who signed one for Gy$36 million. Serves her right: she should’ve thought bigger!

Satiricus was tired of being “third world”. Which, from the way his relatives who visited from New Yawk carried on, meant “third rate and third class”. Imagine they’d only been up there for a couple of years and when they showed up at his house they complained about the weather being “Soooo HOT!!”

Now Satiricus had visited them a couple of times himself… and knew that they didn’t have air conditioners on their backs in their summer. So he knew their bitching and moaning was just showing off. But now he knew how he could put them in their place when they visited this “summer”. Yes… yes…Satiricus knew there were some who didn’t like Guyanese now talking about “summer”. “But what the heck…if THEY could have “summer” why couldn’t we?” reasoned Satiricus. “We have better summers”. But back to sticking it to his cousins: he was going to take them to the Mall. Yep!! The big one and the other dozen or so other that were about to open up in Georgetown.

Over in America, Malls had been the biggest thing since sliced bread. Jeez, Satiricus has seen them in so many movies that in his mind the whole of America was one big mall. There was a whole new culture spawned by the mall…especially with the youn’uns hanging out and even developing their own lingo. You could just look at an American and know who’d been frequenting some mall or the other.

It wasn’t just the big-bottomed women or the beer-belly men that thrived on the greasy fast foods in the “food courts” – it was unisex hair waxed facials on the adults that were the tip off. “Jeez,” thought Satiricus, “they all looked like wax figures from Madame Tussaud!” But on his last visit to the states, the malls had become huge ghost towns. Everywhere in the papers there was weeping and wailing and the gnashing of teeth. Americans weren’t going to malls anymore. Half of them were shopping on the net.

His relatives, however, who’d just come off the boat had the same idea as Satiricus about Malls and being American. They were devastated. What was the point about living in America if they couldn’t go to the mall. Shopping on the Internet was worse than going down to the corner shop in Guyana!!

“There IS a God!”, smirked Satiricus to himself. His snotty relatives had to now come to Guyana to live like Americans. Satiricus has visited the new Mall on the East Coast just last week. And it was like America – just like in the movies. Young girls in tight jeans or various stages of undress looking snootily at each other, while the young men they hoped would sidle up to them, kept nudging each other in the ribs and cackling while gawking. No waxed adults yet, though.

And it just weren’t his relatives who’d be taught a lesson. It was all America. We Guyanese were going to show them that Malls could work.

“With our connectivity, internet’s not going to kill OUR malls in a hundred years!!” concluded Satiricus.

PORTOFSPAIN, TRINIDAD:

Police say they have extended by two weeks an investigation into the alleged discovery of marijuana at the private residence of Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar two years ago.

"I have given a clear mandate to the investigator that this matter should be treated with priority, because it is a concern within the nation, and he is treating it as such priority. I have given him an extension of two weeks because he has not completed his investigation over the period of one month. So I have given him two weeks more to complete the investigation," Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Henry has said.

The investigation is being carried out under the supervision of acting ACP Ainsley Garrick, and Williams insisted that no preferential treatment is being given to the prime minister, or will be given to any group or individuals in this matter.

Last month Williams initially denied knowledge of the discovery of "five grammes of a 'plantlike material' resembling that of marijuana" being found at a gazebo on her premises two years ago.

Prime Minister Persad Bissessar had also denied any knowledge of the incident, which came to the public attention after the

J’ca Public health...

page 44

Dr Andrei Cooke, chairman of the South Eastern Regional Health Authority, told attendees to the service that nurses are the backbone of health care in Jamaica.

"Since the beginning of time, the nursing profession has been one of much honour and importance to Jamaica, as to the world," Cooke said, and lauded the nurses "for their service across Jamaica".

Shirley Hibbert, deputy chief nursing officer in the Ministry of Health, who delivered greetings behalf of Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson, lauded the work nurses were doing in Jamaica, adding that they are the cornerstone of the health sector.

She said that nurses remained committed to delivering effective health care "despite the challenges". (Jamaica Observer)

Trinidad Express newspaper carried a frontpage story in, which former National Security Minister Jack Warner was quoted as saying that on Friday, April 12, 2013, former deputy Commissioner of Police Mervyn Richardson came to the Parliament and informed him that a packet containing four ounces of marijuana was found outside a window of the prime minister's private residence at Phillipine, south of here.

Warner has since submitted a statement dated

June 6, 2015 to Justice of the Peace Anthony Soulette with the allegation.

He said after he was approached by the former senior police officer, he summoned Leader of Government Business Dr Roodal Moonilal, who advised him to contact the prime minister who was in New York at the time.

Warner claimed when he contacted the prime minister, she was surprised and enquired whether she should return home immediately and resign.

He claimed further that he advised PersadBissessar not to resign as he, Richardson, Moonilal and former national security adviser Gary Griffith would cover up the marijuana matter. All three men have denied any knowledge of the incident. Last month, the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) said it too had launched its own investigation to determine whether there was any criminal misconduct by police officers into the alleged discovery. (CMC)

Jaime King becomes mother again

Actress Jaime King has taken to photo-sharing site Instagram to share that she gave birth to her second son.

Ben Affleck seems to be diverting his mind post announcing split with actress wife Jennifer Garner as he has adopted a golden retriever puppy and was spotted cradling him like an infant.

The Gone Girl actor's new furry pal wasn't the only one who caught paparazzi's attention, as he was snapped wearing his wedding band even after announcing split with wife Jennifer Garner, Us Magazine

reported.

Notably, Affleck was in Atlanta to meet his three children, who are presently living with their actress mom who's shooting her upcoming flick Miracles From Heaven, in the Georgia city.

Interestingly, before announcing the split the star couple had taken their daughters to a dog adoption in the Pacific Palisades back in spring. (TOI)

"We are SO happy to welcome to the world our new baby boy! Born Thursday, July 16th! Xx," King wrote.

The couple have a 21-month-old son James Knight. (TOI)

The Hart Of Dixie actress and her husband Kyle Newman have announced on Instagram that they welcomed their second son last week, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

'Harry Potter' star Daniel Radcliffe has given a rendition of rapper Eminem's 'The Real Slim Shady'.

In a video shot by a fan, the 25-year-old actor is seen rapping the track at a California Irish pub, while his girlfriend, ac-

tress Erin Darke, dances nearby, reported Entertainment Weekly.

The Women in Black star had earlier showed his rapping skills, when he performed Hip hop duo Blackalicious' 1999 track Alphabet Aerobics last year. Radcliffe recently made a cameo in Amy Schumer and Judd Apatow's new comedy film, Trainwreck.

The actor will be next seen as Igor in the upcoming horror Victor Frankenstein, based on the contemporary adaptations of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein. (TOI)

British actor-writer Olaf Pooley, best known for playing Cleric on 'Star Trek', has died. He was 101.

Pooley died on July 14 in Los Angeles, a family spokeswoman announced, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Pooley had a recurring role as Professor Eric Stahlman in 'Inferno', the fourth and final serial of the seventh season of TV

series Doctor Who. He is the oldest actor to have appeared in both franchises.

His notable West End theatre career included Chorley Bannister in the original cast of Noel Coward's Peace in Our Time, as well as roles in Twelve Angry Men, The Tempest and Othello.

He was also a guest director at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and directed Anthony Hopkins in 'The Waltz of the Toreadors'.

His earliest film credit is 1948's Penny and the Pownall Case. In later years, Pooley turned to painting and was a permanent artist in residence at the Santa Monica Art Studios in California.

He is survived by his son Seyton, and daughter Kirstie, and four grandchildren. (TOI)

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin crashed ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow's garden party recently at the Hamptons along with their two childrenApple and Moses.

Martin, who turned up barefoot for the party, came to show his support

for Gwyneth and also keep an eye on the children, who enjoyed themselves driving mini cars across the lawns.

Chris and Gwyneth seem to be taking their decision to 'consciously uncouple' quite seriously, at least for the sake of their children. (TOI)

Nicole Kidman 'dodges' Science questions over Tom Cruise, Keith Urban

Nicole Kidman is definitely not interested in talking about Science as she recently she dogged all the questions asked related to Science but was open to answer about her current husband Keith Urban and former hubby Tom Cruise.

The Grace of Monaco actress, who will be grac-

The team behind American drama film 'The Judge' is taking on the political scene next as actor Robert Downey Jr., wife Susan Downey, and screenwriter Bill Dubuque are developing an untitled presidential debate comedy-drama for Warner Bros.

The film is set in the high-stakes backdrop of three presidential debates where millions of dollars and months of campaigning come down to 270 minutes of highly

scrutinised political theatre, reports variety.com.

Dubuque will pen the script with Downey Jr., Downey and David Gambino producing for Team Downey, along with Mark Williams. Gambino and Rob Hackett will oversee for Team Downey while Courtenay Valenti and Julia Spiro are overseeing for Warner Bros.

The original idea was hatched by Team Downey and Dubuque. No actors or director are currently attached to the project. (TOI)

A21-year-old man's dead body has been discovered in the swimming pool at actress Demi Moore's home.

The body was found on Sunday morning. Officer Lopez of the Los Angeles Police Department said that they do not suspect foul play and assume the death was from drowning, while they await a toxicology report. Lopez

added that the victim had been attending a small gathering of five to six people, reports people.com.

The 52-year-old actress was not home at the time as she is travelling out of town. Police said that her assistant was present when the body was found.

In a statement to People.com, Moore expressed her shock over

ing Vogue's August issue, said that when she was with the 53-yearold American actor, paparazzi doesn't use to give that much attention to the former couple, unlike now when she is married to her singer husband, Too Fab reported.

The 48-year-old Australian actress also

the death.

"I am in absolute shock. I was out of the country traveling to meet my daughters for a birthday celebration when I got this devastating news. The loss of a child is an unthinkable tragedy and my heart goes out to this young man's family and friends," Moore said in the statement.

"I ask that you please respect the privacy of all

wished that she and her Cop Car singer husband had gotten together a long time ago and had way more children with him as it would have been glorious. However, when the questions started turning towards Scientology she declined to talk about it. (TOI)

concerned during this sensitive time,"she added. A neighbour of the actress also told tmz.com that Moore's three children with former husband Bruce Willis have been staying at the house and throwing "parties every day, day and night." However, law enforcement told the site that no one from Moore's family was present when the body was found. (TOI )

Afilm on Amrapali has gone on the floors with a new face, Jinal Pandya playing the 'bride of Vaishali' who mesmerized several royals with her beauty but was herself so influenced by Buddha after serving him a meal that she renounced her position as state courtesan to become his active supporter. Vinod Khanna plays Buddha.

Director Atul Garg insists that it's Khanna's height and his spiritual background that made him the first choice.

signed up. They start shooting with him next month.

Garg reveals that Khanna's personal assistant told him that he always wanted to play Buddha and was excited by the offer.

Superstar Aamir Khan is excited to watch actor-friend Salman Khan's latest release Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

"It's a significant role, I'll need to shoot with him for at least a month. He's one of the protagonists," says Garg. "Unlike Lekh Tandon's 1966 Sunil Dutt- Vyjayanthimala starrer, Amrapali, which was primarily a love story, my Amrapali is a social commentary on an era when Buddha ruled as a spiritual king.

On March 24, Khanna

"If I had opted for someone else, it would have taken a while to get him into the meditative state. But Vinodji is already into vipassana and the time he spent with Jiddu Krishnamurti and Osho makes it easy for him to get into character. Only a seeker of truth can understand Buddha's philosophy," reasons Garg. He sent his script to Khanna and followed up with a narration.

He influenced maharajas and courtesans to give up a life of luxury and follow the middle path." (TOI)

Aamir Khan's brother Faisal's comeback film ready for release

Superstar Aamir Khan's brother Faisal is gearing up to make his comeback into films with "ChinarDaastaan-E-Ishq", which he said is completed and ready for release as soon as they find distributors.

"My film 'ChinarDaastaan-E-Ishq' will release soon. The film is completely ready and the release will get finalized as soon as we get a distributor on board. We are

planning to start showing the film to distributors and once someone takes it, it'll release immediately," said Faisal at a special screening of "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" where Aamir was also present. The film was earlier going to release in May. It is directed by Renzu Shah and is inspired from the novel "Jheel Jalti Hai" (Lake is on fire) and Faisal plays the character of Jamal. According to

the makers, it is the first Bollywood film in over 25 years to exhibit Jammu and Kashmir without the backdrop of terrorism and conflict.

"If the film becomes a hit and if the Almighty wishes, I'll definitely focus on acting for a few years. Currently, my entire focus is on acting. And then, I would also like to try my hand at direction later on. I want everyone to pray for me," said Faisal. (TOI)

Sunil Shetty wants to be known as Athiya’s dad

Sunil Shetty's daughter, Athiya Shetty, is all set to make her Bollywood debut with Salman Khan Films' Hero. Suniel has said that he wants to be known as Athiya's father

While his co-stars Vivek Oberoi and Aftab Shivdasani have begun shooting Great Grand Masti with one actress each as their respective wives, Riteish Deshmukh seems to have got thrice as lucky.

The actor has begun filming for the adult comedy with his third wife, Puja Banerjee. The actress is known for her portrayal of Parvati in the teleserial, Devon Ke Dev — Mahadev.

or so claims a report on Newindianexpress.com.

The actor had no objection with his daughter becoming an actress, the report stated. He has been quoted in the report as saying that the Hindi

Before you assume that Rieish has three wives in the movie, it

film industry is the most beautiful and safe place for girls if they want to be safe. He further said that if the girls conduct themselves in the right manner, then nobody can trouble them. (TOI)

Earlier, Aamir and Shah Rukh both had unveiled the first poster of Bajrangi Bhaijaan on Twitter and Salman had thanked both the Khans for their support. "The special thing what I am doing today is watching "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" at 9 pm at Light Box. I have heard good reviews about the film and I am waiting to watch it," Aamir told reporters here at a press conference.

"The whole family is going to watch the film. We don't know if Salman Khan will come there or not. If he is free he will come. He texted me... he arranged this. We are excited to watch the film," he said. Directed by Kabir Khan Bajrangi Bhaijaan

Filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh, who has been in the industry for over a decade, thinks digital platform is the future and that technology is a great help to budding directors.

Hailing Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films, an online platform that gives budding and aspiring filmmakers an opportunity to showcase their short films with large ideas, the Kahaani director said that it's a "perfect platform for new filmmakers".

"It is great to see that big brands like Royal Stag are encour-

Indo-Canadian actress Lisa Ray is currently in Lucknow and says she is "thrilled" to be in the city.

aging young filmmakers. I think the digital platform is the future," Ghosh told IANS. "If you make something, you have a place to display your work now which we didn't have. We could do it only on cinema screens or the small screen. Now, people can do something on their own and upload it online," added the director, also known for sharing his views on various films and subjects on the micro-blogging site Twitter.

Has anyone ever used the digital platform to connect with him for work? "Not that they do.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. We are also bound by certain guidelines," he said. As of now, he is excited about his latest short film ‘Ahalya’, which released on Monday. (TOI)

turns out that the two actresses earlier confirmed for the part, both exited one after another. Nidhi Subbaiah and Pooja Chopra were not only cast in the part earlier, but also shot a couple of days before they were replaced.

The film's casting director, Shahid Hasan, confirming this said, "Yes, it's true, Puja Banerjee has shot over five days and will be seen playing Riteish's wife in the film." Hope this time Riteish's wife stays. (TOI)

The "Kasoor" actress took to micro-blogging website Twitter, where she also shared that she admires "the Lucknow Gharana style of Kathak".

"Thrilled to be in the city of Nawabs, Tehzeeb and the home of the Lucknow Gharana style of Kathak, of which I am a huge admirer...#Lucknow," Lisa tweeted on Tuesday.

"Ishq Forever" is being shot in Cape Town, South Africa.

The actress will next be seen playing a secret agent in the film "Ishq Forever". Directed by Sanjay Dayma, the film is produced by Ajay Shah, Harry Gandhi and Shabbir Boxwala.

The film, will release in November.-*Rishi, Padmini Kolhapure fly together 'after years' Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor was seen with yesteryear actress Padmini Kolhapure while travelling back from

Hyderabad. The 62-yearold took to Twitter, where he shared a selfie along with Padmini on Monday night. Rishi was seen sporting an orange tshirt, while the actress donned a bright yellow top. "Flying with the Padmini Kolhapure from Hydrabad. After years!," Rishi captioned the image.

The duo has been seen in movies like "Prem Rog", "Yeh Ishq Nahin Aasaan", "Hawalaat", "Pyar Ke Kabil" and "Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai". (TOI)

Hardworking Emrit enjoys his game

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

arbados Tridents

Ball-rounder Rayad Emrit has put down his success in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to a stringent programme of hardwork, and a strong desire to thoroughly enjoy his game.

The right-arm seamer is one of 12 bowlers to take 10 or more wickets in this year’s competition, while he has also chipped in with useful lower-order runs, scoring 41 from four innings.

“I’m enjoying it; I’m thankful to the Tridents staff…they believe in me, they know exactly what I can do and what I’m capable of, and I keep working hard,” Emrit said after the Tridents final preliminary round game.

“They call me the old boy in the team. Thankfully, Misbah [ul-Haq] and Robin [Peterson] are here, so I can get a bit of slack now. I work hard- as hard as I could to stay fit and that’s the most important thing. As long as I keep enjoying [the game], and as long as I’m with the Tridents I’m happy.”

The 34-year-old Emrit, a veteran cricketer of Trinidad and Tobago, has been going at 6.35 runs per over in the third edition of the CPL, with his best figures of 3-20 coming against the St Lucia Zouks.

Emrit’s sterling contribution has significantly aided the Tridents’ passage to the final of the competition for a second year in succession. The Tridents finished on top of the Hero MotoCorp Leaderboard at the end of the preliminary round to automatically gain a spot in Sunday’s final at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.

They now await the winner of to-

day’s (Thursday) playoff between Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel and 2013 champions Jamaica Tallawahs, who will move on to face twotime runner-up Guyana Amazon Warriors in the second playoff on Saturday.

The winner of that second playoff will then advance to Sunday’s final with the aim of dethroning the Tridents. While Emrit and his teammates have the luxury of resting for a week ahead of the final, the all-rounder is not too keen on facing any of the three teams remaining in the competition. “It’s difficult. As I said before, it’s a tough tournament this year. I think it’s the toughest tournament out of the three so far. The teams are very well balanced,” the Tridents #51 intimated.

He added, “Amazon [Warriors] is one of the better teams, even though they’re still not peaking as they did last year, but you don’t want to write off as a team. Playing Trinidad in Trinidad as we saw is very difficult as well, and they’re on a high now, they’re getting some victories. And also

the Jamaicans with ‘Crampy’ [Chris Gayle], [Mahela] Jayawardene and [Andre] Russell… there’s a lot of teams we don’t want to play, but whoever we have to play we’re going to be up for it.”

Reflecting on the Tridents’ journey so far in the League, Emrit said having a core group of players returning from last year’s competition was a key factor in the team’s success to date.

“Before the draft, ‘Polly’ [skipper Kieron Pollard] wanted the core players to be back with the Tridents.

We lost a couple players [from last year], and during the tournament we lost [Shoaib] Malik and [Jeevan] Mendis, so it’s been a bit up and down, hot and cold for us, but at the start of the tournament, we had the

core of the players, and we started off at home and those three victories set us off on a good foot,” he divulged.

Meanwhile, Emrit played two One Day Internationals against India in 2007, and the lanky and versatile cricketer is still harbouring thoughts of donning

once again.

“As long as I’m playing cricket I want to play for the West Indies. It’s the ultimate goal. If I get the chance I will accept it with both hands.

Hopefully the Tridents selectors will be on the West Indies panel,” Emrit chuckled.

Life of GFF’s Normalisation Committee could be extended

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

The life of Normalisation Committee of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) could be extended after Chairman Clinton Urling on Tuesday expressed doubt that its work could be completed by the September deadline stipulated by football’s world governing FIFA.

The five-man Committee was put together last October by FIFA to regularise the country’s football landscape, following years of administrative squabble.

FIFA’s Head of Member Association, Primo Cavaro, had said that the Normalisation Committee will be tasked with reforming the constitution of the GFF and its affiliates and had given a deadline of September 2015 for new elections to be held.

Subsequently, the GFF held its Extraordinary Congress in June at the Marriott Hotel where the new constitution was adopted, setting a pathway for the constitutional reform process of all 22 affiliates, and ultimately paving the way for elections.

Addressing local media operatives on Tuesday last at the GFF head office in Campbellville, Urling pointed out, “To finish all the Member Associations constitu-

tions and also to go down on the ground and do everything, it doesn’t look like we’re going to reach the September deadline. We’ve worked as efficient as possible to meet the earlier date, but if we can meet the end of September; fine, but that will mean that by midAugust, all the Members would’ve had their constitutions and elections.”

He added, “Looking at it from my standpoint, I’m not optimistic that it could happen, but who knows. We have prepared a draft which will now be given to the Members and remember, the Normalisation Committee is the electoral body for all these elections; not just at the GFF level, but for our Member Associations as well.”

Quizzed on the possible length of the extension should the Normalisation Committee miss the September deadline, businessman Urling replied, “I wish if I could tell you man. I don’t know. I hope it’s the

shortest possible time if an extension is given.”

Despite the magnitude of work at the door of the Committee, Urling is still hopeful of meeting the deadline and allowing the football fraternity to decide democratically who they wish to administer the affairs of football in Guyana.

“At the end of the day, we will just inform FIFA. From what I’m sensing, I don’t think extension might be more than two to three months, but I don’t know, I can’t say- that’s up to FIFA. They will have to decide based on the realities on the ground, and whatever process they use to even arrive at the first September date,” he highlighted.

It was under the Normalisation Committee that Guyana is closest to realising its first FIFA Goal Project, after securing a 30-year lease for the Providence Community Centre ground, along with the resuscitation of the Golden Jaguars and especially the ‘Lady Jags’ after an almost five-year absence from the international arena.

Other members of the Normalisation Committee are Dr Karen Pilgrim, Tariq Williams, Rabindranauth Chandarpal and Dr Eric Phillips. In early June, Dr Phillips replaced Stuart May, who relinquished his role for personal reasons.

Ruthless Amazon Warriors melt Red Steel by 7 wickets

–

to face either Red Steel or Tallawahs in playoffs 2 on Saturday

By RAjiv BisnAuth

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA: The Guyana Amazon Warriors produced a clinical display to ease past Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel with a commanding seven-wicket victory in the final preliminary game of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) on Tuesday evening at the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

With the win the Amazon Warriors moved into second position on 11 points, and will play the second play-off against either the Red Steel or Jamaica Tallawahs on Saturday.

The Red Steel and Jamaica Tallawahs will clash in the first play-off on Thursday.

It was definitely an authoritative all-round performance from the home team as they first restricted the Red Steel to a modest 117-8 and then knocked off the runs with 22 balls to spare.

Man-of-the-Match Lendl Simmons led the Amazon Warriors’ reply with his usual stroke-filled arsenal, hitting a flurry of boundaries to finish unbeaten on 64.

Despite a star-studded Red Steel batting line-up, the hosts took wickets at regular intervals to deny momentum to the visitors, but opener Cameron

Delport ensured that the Red Steel put up a respectable total with a superb 30-ball 44, after his side elected to bat on a slow pitch.

Delport, who hit six fours and a six, held the Red Steel innings together and he was the only batsman who could give some fight to the disciplined Amazon Warriors bowlers. For Amazon Warriors, pac-

er Marchant de Lange claimed 4-20; leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo grabbed 2-19 while Sunil Narine and Brad Hodge took a wicket each. But no one can take any credit away from Veerasammy Permaul, who bowled a brilliant spell which yielded only 20 runs.

Delport started proceedings for the Red Steel hitting Permaul for a boundary off the final ball in the first over.

After the dismissal of Searles, Darren Bravo joined Delport, who weathered the early storm and unleashed a few breathtaking shots to push the hosts on the back foot.

He smashed a further four boundaries as the Red Steel finished the powerplay overs at 44-2.

The pair fashioned Red Steel’s recovery with a part-

nership of 36. However, de Lange switched ends and broke through the third-wicket partnership when Bravo (3), was taken at the wicket.

Delport made his intentions clear when he smashed Hodge over long on for the first six of the match in the 10th over, but the very next delivery, a short-of-the-length ball, the South African hit to short cover where Simmons claimed a low catch inches off the ground.

The onus was now on Skipper Dwayne Bravo and Johan Botha. But the duo found the going tough against the guile and the skill of the Amazon Warriors bowlers.

De Lange returned for his final over and claimed the wicket of Kevon Cooper for 10.

The Amazon Warriors were well on course for the win as Simmons thrashed the hapless Red Steel bowling.

Simmons shared an opening stand of 54 with Assad Fudadin, ...who laboured to a 12-ball nine before he was dismissed by the Red Steel Skipper.

Amazon Skipper Denesh Ramdin made five but the right-handed pair of Simmons and Hodge shared 52 runs for the third wicket.

Both batsmen were not in a mood to delay the proceedings as they tore apart the bowlers with some clean hitting.

Cricket stakeholders vent concerns at town-hall meeting in Georgetown

By AvenAsh RAmzAn

Concerns with the administration of cricket topped the discussion on Wednesday evening when the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) series of town-hall meetings made its stop in Guyana.

WICB President Whycliffe “Dave” Cameron and Vicepresident Emmanuel Nanthan, after brief opening remarks, fielded questions from the audience, the majority of which were centred on the current situation regarding the numerous court battles involving the various county boards and officials of those boards.

Claude Raphael, a former Director of the WICB, suggested that the only way to solve the problems that face the game locally is the hosting of “free and fair elec-

tions”, which he claimed has not been held since 2009. His remarks were met with rapturous applause. He also raised the issue of the Berbice Cricket Board not receiving a subvention from the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), which he said is being run by a group of individuals, who were not properly elected.

East Coast Cricket Board Competitions Committee Chairman, Raymond Barton, requested clarity on what constitutes disapproved cricket, as, in his opinion, that has been occurring in Demerara. He also highlighted that some clubs within his jurisdiction are being marginalised when it comes to assistance from the GCB.

President of the GCB, Drubahadur, and Secretary Anand Sanasie, who chaired the proceedings, also heard

from the floor that the GCB is not being recognised as a legal entity.

Former West Indies all-rounder Roger Harper recommended that the WICB executives meet with the respective county boards instead of government, since there is where the problems lie.

Cameron, in responding to the concerns, noted that he had a meeting

with Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, under whose ministry sport falls, and they have been able to craft a way forward for Guyana’s cricket.

While he did not divulge much details of that meeting, Cameron said the burying of “personality issues” and having a desire to move forward in the interest of the game may be the

best solution.

Having matters held up in the courts did not find favour with the WICB head, and he hinted at possible mediation, which was suggested by attorney-at-law Emily Dodson.

Dodson, who kicked off the question and answer session, was vocal in her quest to have women’s cricket being given more focus

and attention at the regional level. She highlighted the need to have age group cricket for females, as in the case of the males.

Dodson was also keen on having the female cricketers receive attractive remuneration packages and contracts, just as their male counterparts are enjoying at certain levels of cricket. Cameron highlighted that the WICB currently has 10 females on retainer contracts.

Other issues that came to the fore were the sacking of Shivnarine Chanderpaul from the Test team, the High Performance Programme which has replaced the Sagicor High Performance Centre, the Professional Cricket League Four-day competition, West Indies’ IPL players’ availability, WICB’s subvention to the GCB and the MOU/ CBA for players.

Umpires’ 27th Bi-ennial Convention expected to be successful in North America

By RavendRa Madholall

TORONTO, CANADA: The West Indies Cricket Umpires’ Association (WICUA) will be holding its 27th Bi-ennial convention in New York City, USA which already in progress.

The convention brings together over one hundred and twenty delegates and observers from the ten affiliate countries (territories).

The member countries are Jamaica, Barbados Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Canada and the United States of America.

The convention is held every two years on a rotational basis. The last convention was held in Trinidad & Tobago in 2013.This is the second time that this convention will be held in the New York City, the last time being in 1999.

Secretary of the Canadian Cricket Umpires’ Association, Azad Khan stated that this will be a great opportunity for the umpires from around North America and the Caribbean to interact.

“Convention is always a welcome and exiting time for the umpires, as they get an opportunity to dialogue with each other, get to know fellow umpires from across the region and most importantly to discuss matters pertinent to cricket and cricket umpiring in the

region and the world,” the Canadian-based Guyanese Khan related.

Khan stated that this should be another successful gathering and the importance of such an occasion is very pivotal to the continued development of umpires’ associations across the globe.

“I am confident it should be another successful convention; we have prepared to have this special event on a regular basis and what has happened over the past two decades is certainly delightful,” Khan reiterated.

It is a means by which ideas garnered from resolutions, discussions and other information is provided to the West Indies Cricket Board for action.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) plays an important role in these conventions as it was instrumental in the formation of the WICUA in 1962. It provides the WICUA with a

major financial contribution to assist in the hosting of this major event. In fact at the last convention, the WICUA celebrated its 50th anniversary with a glittering presentation ceremony honoring prominent past and current members, its affiliate countries and the WICB.

The Convention kicks off its activities on Sunday with a Church Service at the Convention Centre –

The Raddisson Hotel in Queens, New York, followed on Monday with the Flag Raising and Opening Ceremonies and then to the business at hand, the General Council Meeting, which deals with the minutes of the last convention, Reports and Election of Officers among other matters.

The General Council meeting is followed by discussion during the business session, which

will have several topics with presentations by groups etc. Between all the serious work sessions, there will be nightly social activities hosted by various groups and organizations, a cricket match played between the host country and the visiting umpires and the culmination of the week of activities with the President’s Banquet and Award Ceremony to take place on Friday night.

The WICUA is currently led by President Mr. Cecil Fletcher of Jamaica; Mr. Billy Doctrove, executive vice president; Messrs. Fitzroy Hayles, Goaland Greaves, Clancy Mack, Patrick Grazette, area 1-4 vice presidents, Mr. Vivian Johnson, Hon. Secretary; Mr. Norman Malcolm, assistant Secretary/Treasurer and Mr. Clyde Cumberbatch, Chairman, Training and Examination Council.

Guyanese athletes promised good showing, disappointment for rugby 7 at Pan am

B y R avend R a M adholall

TORONTO,

CANADA:

Aliann Pompey, the Manager/Coach of the Guyana’s threemember team, expressed great optimism of her charges doing well at the current 2015 Pan Am Games here in Toronto.

The Guyana team will be led by top sprinters Adam Harris, Winston George and debutant Jenea McCammon in the athletic discipline which got underway earlier this week at the York University Campus.

Games in toronto

Even though Guyana Seven Rugby 7 had produced disappointing performances only winning the place-off match against Mexico to end the historical event with seventh po- sition, Pompey is determined that these three runners can make the Golden Arrow Head proud.

3 J'can athletes want to represent Bahrain

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Jamaica's 2008 Olympic 400m silver medallist Shericka "Wire" Williams is one of three athletes that will be switching allegiance in an effort to represent oil-rich Bahrain.

Dr Warren Blake, president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative

Association (JAAA), confirmed to OBSERVER ONLINE that Williams, along with sprinters Andrew Fisher and Kemarley Brown, have applied to the JAAA with the hope of running for Bahrain

“They said it’s getting difficult to represent Jamaica and they want the opportunity to represent

because they are thinking of migrating to Bahrain and becoming citizens of that country,” Dr Blake said.

Williams, 29, who will be 30 in September, also copped silver for Jamaica at the 2009 Berlin World Championship but has struggled to regain that form in recent years.

Meanwhile, Fisher and Brown, were part of the awesome relay squad at the University of Technology that defeated the Usain Bolt-led Racers at Gibson Relays in February.

Two week’s ago, Fisher, 23, became the latest Jamaican to dip below the 10-second barrier with a personal best of 9.94 seconds. Brown, who turned 23 on July 20, has a personal best of 9.93 seconds.

(Jamaica Observer)

“We have a small pack of three but I am still confident of them doing well; George has broken the national record this year, running 45.31 seconds over the 400 metres while McCammon, who is the set to compete in the 400 metres hurdles, ran her fastest time in two years in the same event,” the former Commonwealth 400 metres gold medallist related.

Pompey, who currently resides in the United States of America, explained that their preparations were good and it boosted the athletes’ confidence of making a great impression in North America tremendously. She also related that these guys have excellent records so far in their career as well.

The experi-

enced Harris represented Guyana in the 2008 Summer Olympics, 2009 World Championships, 2013 World Championships and 2014 World Indoor Championships.

He is also Guyana’s national record-holder in the 100 metres and 60 metres dashes and these accomplishments have increased expectations from him to perform well with other International American runners.

McCammon, who is another successful athlete, is eager to dominate on the track and stated that his fellow members have been very supportive since the commencement of their training sessions. She is delighted to be an ambassador for her country on such a huge occasion and will maximize on the opportunity.

He is greatly inspired after he was the Amateur Athletics Association of Guyana

athletic-of-the-year last season while she competed in the 400 metres at the 2012 Olympics Games, which was held in the United Kingdom and had the distinction of being the flag-bearer.

Meanwhile, former Guyana’s captain Ryan Gonsalves declared that his team was totally disappointed and humiliated with the outcome at the Pan Am Games.

Guyana Rugby 7 received three consecutive defeats against defending champion Argentina 41-0, hosts Canada 45-0 and Brazil 31-5 but beat Mexico 31-14 to emerge as the seventh-place winner.

“We are disappointed to end our participation like this but I think was a great learning exposure for the players and we just have to move on; we have a hectic year and it was great feelings to be among the best at this World-Class event,” Gonsalves, who led the team to their debutant Pan Am Games tournament in 2011, Mexico, related.

After their dominance in the North America Caribbean Rugby Association tournament over the past decade, the Guyanese believed, this was one of the greatest motivations they had to make an impact but they were thoroughly outclassed in all aspects of the game.

“There was a difference in terms of our team; the other participating countries did play well and they were brilliant; conditions went in their favour but as I said we have got to be more prepared both physically and mentally for these big stages; we have a break now after almost twelve months straight of Rugby,” Gonsalves mentioned.