Guyana Times International

Granger to lobby support in Brazil over Venezuela claim …extends hand of friendship to Maduro

B y D evina S amaroo

President David Granger on Wednesday extended a hand of friendship to his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro although maintaining that the countries’ ongoing border controversy must be settled once and for all.

Granger has left Guyana on Thursday for Brazil to attend a meeting of the Union of South American Nations and is expected to continue the lobby against Venezuela to withdraw a decree that claims Guyana’s maritime space off the Essequibo Coast. “I continue to offer the hand of friendship to President Nicolás Maduro. Guyanese people will be friends to Venezuela, friends to Brazil, friends to Suriname, friends to the Caribbean and friends to the entire international community…What hatred could our people of 750,000, small country, small state, hold to a bigger country … So President Maduro, you have our friendship,” he told a large gathering at Camp Ayanganna to celebrate his 70th Birth Anniversary.

Granger reiterated that Venezuela’s claim was a significant hindrance to Guyana’s development and therefore, the problem cannot be ignored.

“Decree 1787 is like a fishbone in my throat … it’s stuck there and I would like to thank our colleagues in the Caribbean Community for helping to remove that bone. It has been replaced by a smaller bone, but a bone nevertheless … it is worse than a nuisance, it is hindering the development of our country. No country can survive ignoring a claim of 2/3 of its territory. No country can survive by having its petroleum exploration vessels expelled by force. No country could survive with having its neighbours behave in such a

manner,” he noted.

Earlier this week, President Granger had further internationalised Guyana’s protest against Venezuela’s claim to this country’s maritime space at the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, which was held in Ethiopia. He told the gathering of world leaders that security was indispensable to any country, and as such, Guyana would reject any threat to it. “Security and stability are indispensable to sustainable development and the pursuit of prosperity. We resent, reject and resist the threat or use of force or any unilateral coercive attempt by one state against another in order to frustrate the legitimate aspirations of our people to enjoy a good life,” President Granger said.

While he only made the comment in passing, the President said that the Charter of the United Nations (UN) and the tenets of international law must be guaranteed to all states and peoples in the quest for secure livelihoods and sustainable development. To this end, he said that Guyana, “on the strength of this conviction, therefore, emphasises the primacy of international cooperation even as we embrace fully our primary responsibility for national development”.

US open to rice trade with Guyana – Hunt

Chargé d’Affaires of the United States Embassy in Guyana Bryan Hunte said the rice sector in the United States (US) is most “certainly opened to Guyanese rice exporters , and that the Embassy would be willing to facilitate in the process, should anyone become interested.

Guyanese rice farmers and millers alike have already begun expressing grave concerns over the future of the rice sector, as bouts of uncertainty continue to hang over the largest market for rice and paddy –Venezuela. The oil rich nation, had accounted for around 60 per cent of total exports in 2010.

The concerns escalated last week when Finance Minister Winston Jordan, upon his return from Venezuela after holding talks with officials there, told Guyana Times International that the country would not be renewing the rice deal contract it has with Guyana,

which is embedded in the PetroCaribe deal. This year’s contract comes to an end in November.

Millers had begun urging Government to see how best it could address the situation, as thousands of farmers were bound to lose out if things did not work out in their favour. Government however, on Monday reported that there was no problem with the deal, and that it would be continuing as scheduled.

Critics have said that Venezuela’s move to discontinue the deal after the November deadline is nothing more than a political move by the South American nation, which has been claiming ownership of Guyana’s territorial boundary. Venezuela continues to lay claim to part of the Stabroek block; an area where it was recently discovered has oil. The US-based exploration company ExxonMobil, which has been drilling since March of this year, made the discovery.

Massive flood relief efforts being coordinated

– Govt announces temporary shelters for affected communities

The Government has announced that the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) is coordinating flood relief efforts and together with the Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence, is assessing the need for temporary shelters in affected communities.

In a statement on Thursday morning, the government also announced that the Ministry of Social Protection has been mandated by Cabinet to ensure the safety and well-being of residents of senior citizen homes and other vulnerable citizens that fall within the purview of that Ministry.

“Cabinet met again at 08:00 hrs on Thursday morning, where a report on the assessment of the flood situation in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 was given. From that report, Cabinet was able to determine that Region 4 is the most affected region with some flooding on the West Coast and the West Bank of Demerara in Region 3″, the statement added.

Regional Chairmen and Regional Executive Officers in the other assessed regions have reported that the flood situation in their regions is manageable.

The government said that with Cabinet’s approval, an aircraft was sent out this morning at

07:40 hrs on a reconnaissance mission.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon has been holding meetings with the head of the Civil Defence Commission, Colonel Chabilall Ramsarup. Minister Harmon holds responsibility for the CDC.

Early Thursday, President Granger summoned an emergency cabinet meeting and activated the CDCA to assist with the flooding situation. Additionally, the Guyana Defence Force has been called out to assist with flood relief and management efforts.

The government has indicated that the opposition, People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) will be briefed and will be invited to participate in the flood relief efforts.

In a statement, last evening as flood waters started to rise in Georgetown and other parts of the country, the PPP said “the manifestation of the APNU+AFC Administration’s incompetence is once again the burden of the citizenry as they are forced to grapple with flooding despite millions of dollars being expended by government to clean up the city.”

The PPP which did not call local government elections for 20 of its 23 years in office, said it is deplorable that even though citizens and businesses continue to pay millions of dollars in taxes to the Georgetown City Council, there is little or no relief as every time it rains Georgetown floods.

Meanwhile, the Opposition, People’s Progressive Party Civic is laying blame for the current flooding in the city at the doorsteps of the new administration. The PPP which was voted out of office two months ago after 23 years, is convinced that the governing coalition is focusing in the wrong areas.

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EDITORIAL

Government and Rice

Rice was one of the bright spots in our agriculture sector, which at one point constituted almost one-third of our GNP. While it is expected that as we develop, agriculture might contribute a smaller percentage of our output as we move into manufacturing and services, in a world transfixed by “food security”, we have to guard against throwing out the baby with the bath water because of the marketing challenge posed by Venezuela’s cancellation of their rice-for-oil deal. Continued success lies in the private sector shouldering their responsibilities under a facilitating Government.

During the first PNC regime, the Government, for all intents and purposes, had nationalised the rice industry through ownership of the major mills and purchasing all production through a Rice Board. Rice production fell precipitously during this period for a host of reasons with Governmental control being the most significant. With the change of Government in 1992, the industry was returned into private hands and very quickly went into an upward production trajectory that has still not peaked. Last year we produced and exported record quantities of rice.

Because some paddy producers supported it during the last elections, the APNU/AFC Government might be tempted to return to the massive state intervention practiced by the PNC, its largest component. As is standard in free-enterprise economies, the PPP/C Government had invested massively in the infrastructure necessary to support the industry: drainage and irrigation, drying floors, farm-to-market roads, research stations, extension services, introduction of new varieties, seed paddy etc.

One example of his intervention was the construction of the multi-billion Hope Canal to alleviate flooding of rice lands in the Mahaica area during the rainy season. Its test this season worked and flooding was avoided. But in marketing, where it should have taken a leading role – the marketing of products in a free market economy is usually in private hands – the previous Government had to become very pro-active, because the twenty-eight years of PNC state control of marketing had destroyed private marketing’s institutional memory.

Back in 2009 when the effect of the EU’s abandonment of its special relationship with our rice industry kicked in, then President Jagdeo personally intervened with his Venezuelan counterpart, President Hugo Chavez, and secured the now cancelled, massive market which absorbed over two-thirds of our exports. The then Government had also taken vigorous steps to protect the CariCom market, while seeking to open new non-traditional markets such as Panama. The Government must accelerate this effort.

There is no question that private enterprises must become more active in the marketing of our rice. The Government will have to offer incentives to facilitate and catalyse this process. The PPP/C Government had to have been hamstrung from becoming aggressive in this area because of the strident and inflammatory propaganda from the then Opposition – and now Government –that they were creating “fat cats”.

The Rice Factories Act which the PPP/C Government also introduced and established legal remedies for farmers that are not paid by millers must be enforced. The APNU/AFC Government must not return to the PNC-system of purchasing all rice production, as an answer to farmers’ complaints. Thailand did this a few of years ago and it has proven very disastrous. Similarly, the AFC’s call while in Opposition for the Government to import fertilisers and pesticides for the rice farmers is dangerous as a permanent fixture.

The way to go in the industry is for the farmers and millers to form Producers Cooperatives as is common in the USA and Canada. Vietnam has adopted this form of private ownership with spectacular results. These organisations, owned by the stakeholders, would be manned by professionals that would take care of the needs of the industry such as fertilisers, machinery etc. as well as marketing. The answer is the growth of the private industry, not the return of the old PNC Government state capitalism.

A definition of our country's patriotism

Perhaps the most topical issue in Guyana at present is the Venezuelan Government’s claim of 2/3 of Guyana’s territory. This shot which was taken outside the country’s Parliament speaks for itself.

Education Minister promises equity in education delivery

The Education Ministry on Friday presented awards to the top performers at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).

The award ceremony was held at the Princess Hotel and was well attended by parents, teachers, Regional Education Officers, and senior functionaries of the Ministry. The simple ceremony celebrated the achievements of the students and also brought recognition to the hard work of the parents and teachers for bringing students to this point in their lives.

Chief Education Officer Olato Sam, in his opening remarks, encouraged parents to continue to support their children throughout their secondary education as they did for their nursery and primary education. He noted that the trend of parents allowing children to go through their secondary school life with little or no support needed to stop. “It needs to be reversed,” he said.

Sam encouraged parents to be partners in this process.

“We know that successful students at every level of this education system are successful because of the quality of the

support they received not just from the institutions they attend but from their families,” he continued.

The Ministry will work and support the efforts of the other students who sat NGSA this year as they too have worked hard. Similar sentiments were echoed by Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine as he addressed the gathering of more than 160 students and their parents.

NGSA is an achievement for the school system as much as it is for the students who sat the exams. Dr Roopnaraine, in his address, acknowledged that the private schools have been putting out top performers, asserting that “we had become accustomed to a history of excellence from our public school system, but somewhere along the line, the primacy of public education at the primary level has been challenged”.

In conceding that private institutions account for approximately half of the total showing in the top one per cent, he said that the rise of private primary education should be seen as a challenge for the public education sector to become more competitive in the delivery of core services.

The Education Minister reiterated his commitment to ensuring that there was equity in education so that the distribution of excellence was no longer skewed towards coastal communities. He pointed out that at this year’s NGSA, Georgetown and the rest of Region Four account for 120 out of 166 students in the top one per cent, which, he said, showed that skills and resources in education are inequitably dispersed. “This is the challenge to which we must rise; we owe it to our hinterland students to end their deprivation. They must get their fair share of our investment in education,” he stated.

A total 15,225 candidates wrote the NGSA this year. The highest possible standardised scores obtained were Mathematics – 138, English –132, Social Studies – 132, and Science 133. This year, Region Nine was recognised as the most improved Region, attaining a six per cent increase in overall performance of candidates. Of the 2015 NGSA top performers, 94 were female and 72, male. Top NGSA performers will also be benefiting from the One Laptop Per Family Programme.

Govt, Opposition differ on interpretation of Former Presidents Benefits Bill

B y A lexis R odney

The David Granger Administration has confirmed that it intended to cap the benefits enjoyed by all former office holders and their families following the passage of the controversial Former Presidents’ (Benefits and Facilities) Bill in the National Assembly which was piloted by Attorney General Basil Williams. However, former Attorney General Anil Nandlall is maintain that the Bill is unconstitutional in its current form.

Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman on Wednesday confirmed that the Bill would therefore affect the benefits enjoyed by former Presidents Donald Ramotar, Bharrat Jagdeo and Samuel Hinds significantly as they would be capped.

Trotman made the announcement when he hosted this week’s postCabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency. He confirmed that President Granger, prior to his departure to Ethiopia,

assented to the Bill. Trotman stated 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.

He noted that the Bill was not retroactive and that Government was not interested in what has already been spent. Last week, former Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Anil Nandlall had said that the legislation would not apply to former Presidents or the current President.

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.

The new Bill allows 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 shall not

exceed two persons, including the services of the Presidential Guard Service at the residence.

Former Presidents will 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.

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.

Outrageous

In keeping with Resolution 22, which was passed by the National Assembly on August 2, 2012, the Minister said that the Bill sought to render conditions acceptable and predictable and to place a limit on the benefits, including tax-free concessions, to which former Presidents are now entitled. The Bill also specifies some conditions under which the benefits may be enjoyed.

But former Attorney General Nandlall is maintaining that the Bill is unconstitutional in its current form. The former Legal Affairs Minister outlined that the new piece of legisla-

tion would not apply to former Presidents nor the current President.

In a statement on Thursday, Nandlall explained that the Bill sought to repeal the Former Presidents’ (Benefits and other Facilities) Act 2009 and replace it with a regime of benefits and other facilities awarded to Executive Presidents after they demit office.

Nandlall opined that if enacted, the 2015 Bill cannot retroactively or retrospectively affect the entitlements conferred by the 2009 Act, since these entitlements have already accumulated to the former Presidents. He went on to explain that as it relates to Granger, the benefits were accrued to him the moment he assumed office since the 2009 Act was in force. However, he noted that these benefits would become due only after he demitted office.

On this note, the former AG said that the 2015 Bill can only operate prospectively and, therefore, will only apply to Presidents who assume office after Granger.

CPL Cricket will positively impact Guyana’s economy

Dear Editor,

Now that the political dust is beginning to clear, it is imperative that the new government gets down to doing what governments are supposed to be doing, based on the explicit social contract they made at elections: people vote them in office and elected officials are expected to implement the programs promised in their Manifesto. The latter can be summarized as basically providing public security and public welfare.

With the latest police figures on crime confirming what the local newspapers had been reporting since the new leaders took over the reins of government – an increase in every category of “serious crimes” – combined with just as consistent reports on a slowdown in the economy, the government will have to move beyond politicking to improve conditions in the two areas by which their performance will be judged at the next elections.

Within that context, I believe that there needs to be more specific plans

for combating crime than the mere regurgitation of “strategies” which have been outlined decades ago. The government should look beyond “one-upmanship” politics and reexamine, for example the very specific 15-point Crime Plan the former President spelled out at the last Police Officers’ Conference in early March. Why re-invent the wheel, just because “the other party” crafted one before?

On the economic front, the collapse of the rice industry is a real possibility with the Venezuelan government refusing to renew the contract with Guyana for 200,000 tonnes of rice and paddy. We already know the sugar industry is under threat. It was therefore with some relief that I read of the recent statement of Minister of the Presidency Joseph Harmon, referring to the Caribbean Premier League: “Guyana is not only a cricket loving country but a cricket crazy country so we have every reason to welcome the CPL back to Guyana. I want to reaffirm the government’s full support for

Guyana must unite with the President and the Govt on the Venezuelan border issue

Dear Editor,

I pen this letter as I remember the words of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter”.

Our strength as a nation and our survival as a people lie in our transcendental unity, for only through unity can we truly succeed.

Guyana for years has been a peaceful nation to all of our neighbours in Caricom, South America and further borders, primarily because we are a peaceful and loving people.

That peace we have enjoyed for years with our neighbours and friends is one in which we as a nation, have always aspired to preserve and maintain. It is most regrettable for us Guyanese, local and abroad, to recognise that this peaceful synchronicity of our existence as a nation is now being threatened by the moral confusion of the leader of our neighbouring country, Venezuela.

Many have pontificated that the uncontrollable domestic socio and economic conundrum that his country is experiencing, has caused him to embark on an iniquitous political ambition which is believed to divert his people’s attention from the realities they are encountering.

This diversion exercise is only succeeding in uprooting the mutual trust, friendship, respect and confidence shared for years amongst goodly neighbours.

Guyana and several of its sister Caribbean States have become the innocent victims as they fall prey to the Venezuelan President’s moral confusion, aggression, imperialist and colonialist attempts to claim our territories and trample on our freedom, sovereignty and the future prosperity of our peoples and generations to come.

Guyana must continue to lead the charge to repudiate and disavow this unfriendly and aggressive attempt that is rooted and clothed with wicked and evil garments. Guyana must in the truest sense of the word ‘UNITY’, unite all of its people and rally with our President and his government in standing as a collective, firm, resolute and valiantly, to ward off this repugnant and offensive illegal and sanctimonious claim to what rightfully belong to us.

With a united front as one people, with the needed help from our friends in Caricom, the Commonwealth, the ABC countries and others, but most importantly, the hand of Almighty GOD, we will be crowned with success and victory will be ours.

In unity there is strength and we will not remain silent on things that matter.

Long live our President; long live the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Jermaine Figueira, MP

the CPL specifically, and cricket in general.”

As a Guyanese and a “cricket lover” the CPL must be commended for at long last facilitating the West Indies in reaping concrete financial benefits – in addition to the emotional ones –from our special brand of cricket. In its three years since the Tournament was launched, the crowds have grown increasingly larger – in the grounds and in front of the TV screens. In Guyana, CPL is practically the only live cricket that can be enjoyed.

With the other Caribbean Territories possessing and developing a long-standing tourism industry much longer than we have, it is obvious that they have seen the benefits of “sports tourism” better than we have. Guyanese officials and ministers don’t have to guess about these benefits. Solid studies, accepted by the other participating governments have quantified how much economic activity has been engendered in the respective countries.

One newspaper recently reported that over the 2014 Tournament, Guyana raked in approximately US$24 million out of an overall US $166 for the Caribbean. This is an impressive return for the investment this year of US$500,000 for what will surely garner an even greater return. The point that is being made is that while Minister Harmon alluded to the owner of the local Guyana Amazon Warriors as a supporter of the Opposition party, we as a country have to look at the bigger picture and appreciate that the Warriors, is first and foremost a Guyanese team. In addition to prime pumping the moribund economy by supporting the team, it will be doing more than any single event, including, with all due respect, the President’s inauguration, to bring the country together after a most contentious and divisive political campaign.

Sincerely

Dr Baytoram Ramharack

Economic diplomacy when addressing Venezuela

Dear Editor,

Economic Diplomacy should replace the ongoing war of words and strident rhetoric that has become characteristic nowadays in respect of our relations with Venezuela. Soon after his swearing in as Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge was quoted saying that “Guyana is open for business” and that “economic diplomacy will be a major pillar of the Granger-led coalition government’s foreign policy”. He went on to add that “the realization of the administration’s overall economic aspirations will depend heavily on the outcome of the diplomatic efforts.”.

It is assumed that since Guyana continues to be an Associate Member of Mercosur and a full member of UNASUR, it will utilise these two multilateral theaters, one economic and the other political, to advance both its political and economic interests through economic diplomacy. Economic diplomacy is not new to Guyana. When the PPP/C came to office in 1992 it was pursued aggressively but successfully. In fact the PPP/ C government had little choice but to do so given the disastrous state of the economy it inherited from the previous PNC administration. Debt relief, foreign trade and investment were the hallmarks of the PPP/C’s economic diplomacy thrust.

The Foreign Service Institute was established to train and orient Foreign Service officers and Ambassadors in matters pertaining to economic diplomacy. In August, 2000 a manual on economic diplomacy was published and circulated to all of Guyana’s diplomatic missions abroad to be used by Ambassadors and Foreign Service home-based staff.

Venezuela was no exception in this national endeavour. Historically, our economic relations with Venezuela has for some time now been pursued at both the bilateral and multilateral levels. Both have reaped positive results based on a well managed modus vi-

vendi notwithstanding the controversy between the two countries. Attempts by the two countries to “find satisfactory solutions for a practical settlement to the controversy” through political/diplomatic, economic, cultural and technical cooperation had their ups and downs. Rashleigh Jackson had one time suggested to his Venezuelan counterpart Zambrano Velasco that Guyana might be disposed to provide Venezuela with an ‘outlet to the Atlantic’ but he was rebuffed: ” The idea of granting the passage of Venezuelan transport vessels… is not a proposal that might interest Venezuela. Venezuela aspires to an outlet to the Atlantic free from all foreign control and over which Venezuela exercises full Sovereignty.” was Zambrano’s reply.

Such diplomatic tripwires however, did not hinder the pursuit for mutually beneficial all-round economic cooperation between the two countries. For example, the two countries entered into an agreement in the early 1980′s which allowed for Venezuelan petroleum products to be exchanged for Guyana’s bauxite. Later, an agreement was entered into, allowing for a feasibility study on the supply of electricity from the Venezuelan hydro-electric station at Guri.

Guyana and Venezuela cooperated in a malaria eradication programme. A US$28 million line of credit from the Central Bank of Venezuela to allow for the export of Venezuelan products and services to Guyana was successfully negotiated.

A Guyana/Venezuela Joint Commission providing for economic, cultural and technical cooperation was established and met on an annual basis in Caracas and Georgetown alternately.

State and/ or official working visits by the respective Heads of States of the two countries were frequent. In April 1981 President Burnham paid a visit to Caracas. President Carlos Andres Perez visited Guyana in 1978 and August

1990 respectively.

President Desmond Hotye visited Caracas in March 1987 and November 1989 while President Luschini visited Guyana in November 1987. President Cheddi Jagan visited Caracas in 1995 and President Janet Jagan visited in 1998. Bharat Jagdeo visited Caracas in July 2010 while President Chavez visited in Feb 2004 and Maduro visited Guyana in August 2013.

These visits resulted in confidence building measures between the two countries. More recently manifested in the construction of a Low Income Housing Project, the construction of the national gymnasium and the Petro-Caribe cooperation programme, as well as and the construction of the Hugo Chavez Center for Rehabilitation and Reintegration.

Cooperation in the fight against narco trafficking and gun smuggling was high on the Joint Guyana/ Venezuela Law enforcement cooperation agenda.

All these areas can be concentrated within the meaning of economic diplomacy which can be the platform from which a diplomatic campaign can be mounted to ensure sustained and stable growth.

Since economic diplomacy cannot be practiced in a vacuum, the government’s approach to political issues must be formulated to facilitate Guyana’s development. Above all, it must seek to reinforce the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity without which development would be meaningless.

The urgent task now is to mount a well managed, quiet but focused, economic diplomatic offensive in general and on the western front in particular to win back lost or potentially lost economic gains for the benefit of our country and people.

The chant at President Granger’s inauguration “can we do it? Yes we can!” is more relevant in this situation than in any other. Clement Rohee.

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs

Bodies found in house: Mother died of pneumonia, baby starved to death – autopsies

Apost-mortem examination performed on Yoleana Charles and her five-month-old baby whose decomposed bodies were found at a house in Diamond, New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD) proved that they died from pneumonia and starvation respectively.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told media operatives on Wednesday that the autopsies were performed by Dr Nehaul Singh who gave the cause of death of Charles as pneumonia, while the baby’s autopsy was inconclusive. He noted that taking into consideration the situation, it is believed that the baby died as a result of starvation. The Police were awaiting the findings of the post-mortem examinations to determine how to treat the matter.

lication that the woman and her husband hardly spoke with anyone.

Contact was made with the owner of the house in New York, who disclosed that the woman lived at 18th Avenue, Diamond, but moved to his house when he left for the US in December last. At the time she and her husband moved in, she was pregnant with her child.

It is believed that after the mother passed away, there was no one around to feed the baby, so she starved. The decomposed bodies of Charles, formerly of Mabaruma, North West District and of Lot 408

Police ranks who were contacted after a foul scent was detected by residents.

Section C, Block Y, Diamond, EBD and her five-month-old daughter were discovered by

The name of the child was not immediately available, but the child’s father, who works in the interior, is Silvon Carter of Upper Demerara River. It was re-

ported that the couple moved into the house in December last, soon after which the baby was born. Carter reportedly left for the interior a few weeks ago and the woman and the child were last seen on June 24.

Neighbours told this pub-

The homeowner learnt of the incident after he received a telephone call from a neighbour seeking permission to enter the house owing to the stench that was emanating from the building. He noted that he gave permission since he thought that something was amiss.

After some time, he made contact with the neighbour who told him of the gruesome discovery. To date, there has been no contact with Carter who is reportedly still in the interior.

Warner is a stranger to the truth, says Trinidad PM

PORT OF SPAIN,

Trinidad --

Following a press conference on Tuesday held by corruption accused Jack Warner that Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar described as “a damp squib littered with lies and more lies”, she went on to call Warner “a stranger to the truth”.

At his press conference, Warner read from a sworn statement dated May 29, 2015, two days after he had been indicted in the US on multiple counts of racketeering, corruption and money laundering and his arrest in Trinidad.

In his statement, Warner claimed that, in an effort to appease the US government and more so to neutralize a powerful political opponent with the capacity to lessen her party's chances at the upcoming general elections, Persad-

Bissessar believes that a golden opportunity has arisen for her to get rid of him based on the US charges.

“It is against the latter background that, within 15 minutes of the receipt of the provisional warrant for my arrest, the prime minister instructed her attorney general to sign the US document in an attempt to get me out of Trinidad and Tobago, without giving me the opportunity of due process,” Warner alleged.

However, according to Persad-Bissessar, she gave no instructions to the attorney general to sign Warner’s extradition.

“In fact nothing has been signed by the attorney general to date. Another lie,” she pointed out.

Persad-Bissessar said she was responding at the earliest opportunity in the hope this will en-

sure that these outrageous claims by Warner are treated with the contempt they deserve.

“Let me state very clearly and unequivocally that these accusations are false and without any foundation whatsoever,” she said.

She expressed the hope that observers will by now have noted the pattern of increasingly farfetched claims being made by Warner and how quickly each set of his claims unravels once the facts are known.

“Everybody knows his present plight and why he is becoming so desperate. He is a stranger to the truth,” she said.

She encouraged Warner to take his allegations to the Integrity Commission as he and others have done before and for which she has been cleared on every occasion.

“Let him take his allegations to the police with

the evidence he claims to have. This will put a stop to this nonsense. I have asked my lawyers to review today's press conference and take the requisite action to stop this malicious misinformation once and for all,”

Persad-Bissessar said.

She said she does not intend to waste any more time on Warner’s behaviour and claims.

“I have a duty to the people of Trinidad and Tobago to lead this country and work tirelessly on their behalf. I remain focused on the issues that really matter and doing everything I can to improve the lives of all the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” PersadBissessar concluded.

Crew picketing Jagdeo’s return as Opposition Leader “laughable” – PPP/C

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) on Tuesday described as “laughable” a move by several pro-Government activists from the 'scandal industry' to stage a picketing exercise outside its headquarters lobbying the Party to remove Bharrat Jagdeo

from its list of candidates and as Opposition Leader.

The Party only recently confirmed that the former President would lead a list of individuals to be appointed PPP/C parliamentarians and subsequently occupy the 32 seats the Party gained during the last

General and Regional Elections.

Following the sparsely attended picketing exercise outside Freedom House in Robb Street, the Party said in a statement to the media that it noted attempts by “some known perennial oppositionists” to score cheap political points and raise

all sorts of non issues concerning Jagdeo’s return to the National Assembly of Guyana.

It argued strongly that “Dr Jagdeo’s reentry into active politics and more so to the National Assembly has received the overwhelming support from Guyanese at home and abroad”. As it scoffed at the opposition from the small group, the PPP/C said this latest public display by the “usual suspects” was laughable, especially with the many

grave human rights violations taking place under the David Grangerled Government.

“One must question why these pretenders of human rights are turning a blind eye on the arbitrary dismissal of over 2000 Amerindians without any benefits and/or justification. It seems that these perennial activists are so out-of-touch with reality that they are oblivious to the plight of hundreds of public servants who have been summar-

ily dismissed, and continue to be dismissed from their jobs, because they are perceived as PPP supporters. The arbitrary removal of the Gy$10,000 cash grant for each child in the public school system, a programme which goes to the heart of tackling poverty, appears to be of no interest to the malcontents,” the media statement said.

Describing the picketers as blind “opportunists”, the PPP/C said that the picketers failed to see the spiralling crime rate where innocent and law-abiding Guyanese were being killed almost daily by bandits, because of the Government’s failure to present a workable security plan. “We, therefore, urge these malcontents to stop playing political mind games with Guyanese and do exactly what they are receiving donor community funds to do, that is, to work towards ensuring the ‘de facto’ Government ceases trampling on the rights of citizens of this country.”

Audit of Amerindian villages targeting PPP/C strongholds – Rohee

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) said it has specially noted the move by the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition Government

to target Amerindian communities that are known supporters of the Opposition, calling the move “ruthless and discriminatory”.

General Secretary of the PPP/C Clement Rohee on Monday said that out of the 187 Amerindian communities, the incumbent has only selected 18 to carry out its forensic audit. “Interestingly, the chosen 18 Amerindian villages and communities are all known to be supportive of the PPP/C. It is noted therefore, that the Granger Administration, has specifically targeted these communities to be audited, because they are not supportive of the APNU/AFC and the coalition has chosen to do so in a most discriminatory, high-handed and insensitive manner”, Rohee told reporters at Freedom House on Monday.

The move to have the audits carried out was based on the numerous reports received about the manner in which funds were being spent. Minister of State Joseph Harmon had said that the inventory was required so that residents could be satisfied that the monies were appropriately spent.

However, the PPP emphasised that while the people’s affairs would be conducted on the principles of transparency and accountability, when practiced, it should not be done in a politically and discriminatory manner. Rohee said if there are to be audits; then they must be done “across the board” and without “fear or favour, affection or ill will”. “To pick and choose is to raise suspicion” the General Secretary said.

Government had indicated last month that it was moving into holding elections for Toshaos in some 187 Amerindian communities across Guyana, but needed to carry out audits before the elections. Cabinet had told Vice President and Indigenous People’s Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock that audits should be conducted into the use of funds in the close to 190 communities, before there are any elections for the village heads.

Jerries mulls selling franchise

BY DEVINA SAMAROO

Though its proprietor Jerry Bacchus has decided that it is time for closure, there is a slight possibility that the ‘Jerries’ name will live on and its services continued for all those who enjoy it.

After 23 years of serv-

diately what’s in store for Jerries,” he said very cautiously as he lamented the thought of the “Jerries” brand coming to an end.

The four branches – ‘All night long’ at Waterloo Street, ‘Runway’ at Ogle, ‘Tight n Sweet’ at Robb Street and ‘Auntie Rosie’ which

ing the Guyanese public, the Jerries Restaurant and Bar outlets across Guyana are about to close. During an interview with Guyana Times International on Monday, Bacchus disclosed that several persons have expressed interest in buying over the franchise. “If this is the end of Jerries, who knows; I am closing but people are showing interest in buying the franchise, I don’t know, I can’t say imme-

is located in the Courts building on Main Street – collectively with 45 staff, will soon be closing its doors.

Downturn of Jerries

The businessman explained that the downturn of Jerries began in 2013 but he was trying his best, though circumstances were against him, to keep the business alive. “It didn’t happen overnight, it was a slow ongoing fall… like any businessman with a hope, with a dream, not

because you start to see a downturn you wanna close your doors, you always hoped for the best,” he stated.

Bacchus listed factors which he believed contributed to the downfall of his business. The first being the decline in the gold market which limited the spending power of individuals. The other being the increase in drug busts across the country.

“The drugs bust, some people tend to laugh and scoff that this could be a factor… Our economy thrives off of those in the drugs business and the drug money is spent back here so the more drug bust there are, the less money is spending,” he reasoned.

Bacchus also blamed his own negligence as a contributing factor of the closure of his business. The fourth factor is the rapid increase in competition which Jerries could not keep up with.

“More competition, more bars are opening, more clubs, and more food places,” he explained. The fifth factor, he noted, is the general factor that the economy is on a downhill and that people do not spend as lavishly as they used to when the business had initially opened its doors.

Project launched to empower, women, girls in Guyana

The Social Protection Ministry in collaboration with a few overseas-based Guyanese has embarked on a project that aims at promoting a better life for Guyanese girls and women. The project called “Be Good to People”, will be taken into all 10 administrative regions.

The project was officially launched on Monday at the Regency International Hotel and the opening remarks were given by Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence. The overseas-based Guyanese who are responsible for the project are Susana Nichols, Rosanna Ali and Mark Proctor Jnr.

The launch was also attended by Women representatives from all administrative regions, a few Members of Parliament, the Regional Chairman for Region Four Genevieve Allen and representatives from women’s rights groups across Guyana.

Minister Lawrence in her opening statement expressed how thrilled and overjoyed she was with the collaboration between the Ministry and the “Be Good to People” team. She also said that it was her distinct pleasure to welcome the team to Guyana and looks forward to being a part of a project that will “equip women and girls

2:00 AM curfew, new Government

Bacchus dismissed the perception that he is closing down his business because of the change in government or because of the recently imposed 2:00am curfew.

In fact, he said he fully supports the 2:00 am shutoff time on bars and nightclubs across the country. “I support the 2:00 am curfew as much as it affects Jerries… I support it from a moral stand point, in that, Guyana is in moral decay… People might say it’s contradictory to what you promoted but I would be dumb to have everyone else opened and I am closed. If we’re all opened, I’ll go with it,” he explained.

For all Guyanese

Bacchus took pride in the fact that all his establishments catered for all Guyanese.

“This is a brand that I made accessible to all Guyanese regardless of economic spending. Anybody could walk in here anytime and dressed anyhow technically. We don’t cater for rich or fancy or elaborate, anybody could come in here,” he humbly boasted.

The origin of the Jerries Restaurant and Bar dates back to the 1980’s when Bacchus used to “walk and sell pastries”. Then in September 1992, the first Jerries establishment was opened up on New Market Street.

Then in 1996, it was relocated to Camp Street. In 1999, Bacchus migrated to the United States and the business was left in the care of his cousin.

In 2007, Bacchus returned to the Camp Street location and the Bishops’ High School which was established in 1995. Then in 2012, the franchise was at its peak, with six locations across the country.

To date, it has four locations. Asked what will be his next business venture when he gives up ownership of the Jerries franchise, Bacchus said he is not sure but indicated that if he is to start a new establishment, it is most likely going to be in the food industry.

with the requisite skills” needed to contribute to their communities and the country as a whole. Nichols then went on to give a PowerPoint presentation outlining the nature of the project and how she hopes Guyanese women will maximise the impact of the project in all of their communities.

With her tagline “Action in motion”, Nichols hopes that throughout the project, those involved will be able to change the mindset of Guyanese people. The project will get into full swing in the near future and women and girls across Guyana should look forward to more opportunities in this regard.

Draft budget to be presented to Cabinet in 10 days

Finance Minister Winston Jordan is expected to furnish Cabinet with a draft of the 2015 National Budget in a matter of days, Governance Minister Raphael Trotman has announced.

The Finance Minster has indicated that the budget should be presented to the National Assembly before the end of August. Minister Jordan is currently working with his Ministry “to fine tune and make sure that everything that was asked for is included in the budget”, Trotman told journalists on Wednesday.

“We anticipate that within 10 days, we should be receiving a draft”, he related. The outside date for the presentation of the National Budget’s to the National Assembly is three months after the convening of the 11th Parliament; somewhere around the end of August 2015.

The Finance Minister had earlier said he was optimistic, however, that the process would be completed long before then, given the implications for the following 2016 National Budget.

He had assured this publication recently, preparations were “coming along smoothly”, as the team was looking at the work of the new Ministries established under the new Administration before moving ahead.

Jordan said the team was accepting and going through the programmes and projects of Ministries to be undertaken by the Government, particularly those that have had a name change and were incorporated into other Ministries.

Ministries falling under this cat-

egory include the Business Ministry, which replaced the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Commerce; the Social Protection Ministry, replacing the Ministry of Human Service and Social Security; and National Security Ministry, replacing the Home Affairs Ministry.

Last month, Minister Jordan had said that he had inherited some of the groundwork, which was already laid out by previous Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh. He had said the preparations then were made based on the previous Government’s priorities, but now the focus will be changed to reflect the agenda of the new A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For change Government.

Asked about Guyana’s economic performance for 2015, Minister Jordan noted that during a transitional meeting with his predecessor, he was informed that a growth of 3.9 to four per cent is expected. This figure was projected, taking into consideration a full financial year, the Minister said. “Seeing that we have some numbers now of the performance in the first almost half of the year, we need to make some projections on what is it is going to be for the next half and come up with some new projections. That is what we are doing right now.”

As part of the efforts to craft a new structure for the Finance Ministry, Minister Jordan pointed out that a suitably qualified person has been found to head a “macroeconomic section” that he intended to set up. He said that this was because budgets were being produced without the overarching framework, within which such major documents should be undertaken. Too often, these frameworks have been developed outside of Guyana, he stated, “In other words, experts come in, mostly from the World Bank, IMF (International Monetary Fund) and so on. They come in for short periods and I want to really have the in-house capability to develop this, and to be discussing it with these teams when they come in for their annual visits.”

It would also be good to have this aforementioned background, in which to develop various projects which the new Government may wish to undertake. It will also help with the development of the Administration’s strategic medium- and long-term plan according to its manifesto, he added.

PPP/C still undecided on date of return to Parliament

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) said it was still undecided whether or not it would be attending the fifth sitting of the National Assembly later this month, and would make that announcement at the appropriate time.

General Secretary Clement Rohee made the disclosure after he was pressed by journalists about the Party’s presence in the National Assembly, as it has not yet attended the 11th Parliament, which was convened on June 10.

The PPP/C’s absence in Parliament has caused it to miss the passage of crucial bills including the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Amendment (AML/AFT) Bill, which had been the cause of gridlock in the 10th Parliament between the then Government (PPP/C) and Opposition A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).

It is widely believed now that if the Party does not attend the National Assembly this time around, it may not be able to have an input on the budget when it is presented, as well as a say in the extension of the recess and the recent bill which seeks to restrict benefits from former Presidents.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan is expected to present the 2015 National Budget, by the latest in August of this year. If the Party does not attend Parliament, there is the possibility that it could miss out on the budget debate. Rohee assured, however, that while the Party has a position on attending Parliament, the announce-

ment would be made at the appropriate time.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon had said that this session of the National Assembly would most definitely have to be lengthened because of the volume of work still to be done. He said he was hoping that the Opposition when it came into Parliament would recognise that “the people’s work is priority” and would lend its support to such an activity. The Party has boycotted all three sittings of the National Assembly.

The PPP/C had said, however, that it had more pressing issues to address at the moment, including its issues with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) given the Party’s allegations that it colluded with the governing APNU+AFC to rig the elections. The Party has filed its petition in this regard.

Following the petition and while still not declaring when it would attend Parliament, the Party revealed that it had selected 32 individuals who would represent the PPP/C in the 65seat legislature whenever it decided to put in an appearance.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo has accepted the position of Chief Parliamentarian and Opposition Leader in the 11th Parliament. Additionally, former President Donald Ramotar, who was the Party’s 2015 Presidential Candidate, will not return to the Parliament to serve at that level.

While the Party has already identified its Chief Whip, it is still to identify who will represent it as the Deputy Speaker in the National Assembly.

Greenidge to address GMSA business dinner

Foreign Affairs

Minister Carl Greenidge will be the guest speaker at the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) mid-year Business Luncheon scheduled for Monday in the Grand Savannah Suite, Guyana Pegasus Hotel, Seawall Road, Kingston, Georgetown.

Greenidge recently accompanied President David Granger to the Caricom Heads of Government Summit where the President, in his inaugural address to this august body, strongly advocated for the Region’s support for Guyana against Venezuela’s aggressive moves to subsume

the entire Essequibo county (5/8 of Guyana’s land mass) and all of our maritime Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

In a statement, the GMSA said Minister Greenidge was expect-

ed to bring the local and expatriate business community and the Diplomatic Corps up to date on the measures the Government was taking to address this threat to the nation’s progress. Representatives of the political Opposition, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), are also expected to attend. The GMSA’s Business Luncheons have become a staple on the business landscape in Guyana. The forum provides a platform through which business owners could receive first-hand up-to-date information on national and international developments that could impact their businesses.

Pearson, Dharamlall and Charlie to advocate for Amerindian rights

First time Members of Parliament (MPs) Yvonne Pearson and Nigel Dharamlall, who both worked within the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, are eager to continue the fight for indigenous peoples’ rights as they take up the position of representatives of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) in the National Assembly.

Aleister Charlie, who worked with the Public Works Ministry and was overseeing the implementation of the Hinterland Road Programme said he too is excited to continue to fight for the betterment of those living in the hinterland regions.

Pearson, former Head of the National Toshaos’ Council and former advisor to the Amerindian Affairs Minister, said she felt extremely honoured when the PPP/C extended the offer for her to represent them in Parliament. “I supported the PPP/C since 2011 and then I supported them again this election, so when they asked me I felt extremely honoured to have the opportunity to represent the Party and the people of Guyana at the highest level,” she said.

Pearson very passionately noted her intentions to continue to represent the Amerindian people and to help them through their challenges, with the hope that one day they will be treated equally as every other Guyanese.

Growing up in the Pomeroon area, Pearson said she was always interested in advocating for betterment for those living in the hinterland regions in Guyana.

“I have always been interested in indigenous peoples’ issues. I have practically spent half my life advocating for their rights and I am looking forward to be part of the process to effect change in Guyana and I hope I can be the voice to bring positive changes,” she said.

She recognised that under the PPP/C administration, the lives of Amerindians took a turn for the better; however, more is still to be done. Therefore, when in Parliament, Pearson will be fighting for the rights of Amerindians, addressing among others; mining issues, social issues, health problems and educational matters.

Similarly,

Dharamlall, after working as Permanent Secretary within the Amerindian Affairs Ministry for a number of years, has accumulated much experience in the same area. He expressed his intentions to represent Amerindians and to promote development in all regions across Guyana.

However, while he remains dedicated to enhancing the lives of those residing in the hinterland communities, Dharamlall also sees himself focusing on areas such as agriculture, trade, infrastructural development and regional development.

He noted that, after serving as Chairman of the Rice Board, he has gained much knowledge about the issues facing local farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural sectors and therefore, this is one of the main areas in which he will be directing his energies.

Asked why he accepted the offer to be an MP representing the PPP/C, Dharmalall, who grew up in Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), said he was always passionate about politics. After experiencing hardships under the Burnham administration during the 1980’s, Dharamlall said he always had a passion to fight for betterment for all Guyanese, especially now since “the installed Government has Guyana on sound path to profound destruction”.

Dharamlall indicated that he saw himself “as a bridge between the citizens and the future of this country” now that he has a better opportunity to represent all of Guyana.

In addition to being knowledgeable in a variety of areas including project management, business management, agriculture, science and culture, Dharamlall also has extensive experience working with youth and emphasized that “young

people can count on me for their representation in Parliament”. He also noted that subsequently, he is in a grounded position to represent Guyanese of all walks of life.

Charlie, when asked how he felt about becoming a MP for the PPP/C, said, “The position was bestowed upon me and I’m happy to take it up. It gives me more zeal to represent my people, to defend their causes and interests.” He pledged to represent the best interest of Amerindians, while at the same time defend the values of the PPP/C.

Besides having strong experience in finances and infrastructure, Charles is also actively engaged in maintaining the cultural aspect of village life and preserving ancestral culture.

His linguistic skills in Macusi, Wapishana and Portuguese facilitate his daily work in hinterland communities, particularly in Region 9 (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo), where he worked as Regional Councilor.

Rohee to Ramjattan: Where is the crime plan?

Former Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee said the five components found in the draft strategy laid out by President David Granger to his Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan were initiatives that were being implemented by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) while it was in Government.

He said too that Minister Ramjattan should have been the one putting forward any such strategies as security minister, instead of President Granger. Granger is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The President, in an effort to tackle spiralling crime in Guyana, had met with Ramjattan and other members of the security sector, including Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud, where five areas were laid out as initiatives that could be used to tackle crime. But, according to Rohee, the PPP/C Administration was seeking to have similar strategies implemented.

His concern, however, was particularly focused on the security minister who, he said, while in Opposition was among those who had demonstrated that he had the solution to the crime situation, but had failed “to put forward a progressive and comprehensive citizen security plan like the PPP/C did”. “He should draft one, consult with the relevant stakeholders, including the National Commission on Law and Order, take it to Cabinet for consideration and if approved, have it published after sending it to law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders for implementation,” Rohee said.

The former Minister said instead of presenting a draft strategy to his boss, the President had to instead present one to Ramjattan along with instructions for him to refine and implement it. “We look forward to learning whether Ramjattan’s latest proposal will find favour with the security experts ensconced in the presidency,” Rohee stated.

Referring to an editorial published by the Stabroek News describing him as unwise over his criticism of Ramjattan’s decision to implement the law stopping the sale of alcohol and mandating the close of businesses after 02:00h, Rohee said if such was the case, then regrettably, the logic of “this warped decree is that a huge number of Guyanese is not that wise”, since

his view on the matter was shared by thousands of other Guyanese.

Security issues

He said if one were to check the manifesto of the APNU/AFC, including the Cummingsburg Accord, it would reveal the plans they have are only on paper. “They fooled the people into believing that given their military, Police and legal background, they were the Messiah to save the nation from Rohee’s and the PPP’s ineptitude at crime-fighting,” he said.

“Now that they are in Government, they are singing different tunes like “we will root out crime wherever it exists” and “we will take the oxygen out of the criminal enterprise”. The claim that the 2 am curfew is one of the makeshift strategies is an attempt to throw dust in the eyes of the people.”

Last week, Government announced that it was moving to beef up security at the country’s borders, in what it called a strategic attempt “to significantly reduce the recent spike in criminal activities”.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon had said that apart from border security, focus would also be placed on the Police administration itself and the requirement to identify criminal activities across all 10 regions of Guyana, to determine where the activities are being committed, and to decide on the strategy to deal with them on a national basis.

Scrapping of Specialty Hospital: Indian Govt objects to diversion of funds …Govt to request new line of credit

By Vahnu Manikchand

The Indian Government has objected to the redirection of funds approved for the construction of a Specialty Hospital in Guyana into the upgrade of primary health care, insisting that the new government would have to request a new line of credit to carry out those plans.

Government recently announced that it was scrapping the multimillion-dollar Specialty Hospital Project and was seeking India’s approval to redirect the remaining money towards the improvement of the local primary health care sector.

The Specialty Hospital Project has been mired in controversy from its inception. Speaking to Guyana Times International on Monday, Finance

Minister Winston Jordan explained that during discussions with the Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Venkatachalam Mahalingham, it was indicated that the approach Government has taken was against the rules and procedures of the Exim Bank of India. “He (Mahalingham) said that we cannot use the funds from the Specialty Hospital Project for any other projects than what it was intended for, even if the project is in the same health sector. So now we have to close that line of credit and make a request for a new one to fund the primary health care improvements, which is of priority for us,” the Finance Minister stated.

The previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration had entered into an agree-

ment with the Indian Government to construct the Specialty Hospital, with a line of credit granted by India to the tune of US$18 million. Some US$4 million has been already expended on certain preliminary works.

According to Jordan, Government will also have to move to close

this US$18 million loan, which means that the US$14 million will be returned to the Indian Government and Guyana will only have a debt of US$4 million. However, the Minister disclosed that Government was yet to close this line of credit as it was still hoping to

get the remaining money to fund the improvement of the primary health sector. Nevertheless, the Finance Minister outlined that the Government has commenced designing a proposal and upon completion will formally make a request to the Indian Exim Bank for a new line of credit. “We were assured that once the request is made, it will be given utmost priority,” Jordan added.

In an interview, High Commissioner Mahalingham told this publication that he had not taken a decision on the way forward as yet.

The Commissioner noted that he has to consult with his Government on the way forward and has conveyed this to Minister

Jordan. “I have asked the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, to tell us how we should proceed further, so I’m waiting for that response,” he told this newspaper.

The Specialty Hospital was aimed at catering for complicated surgeries, ranging from heart operations, organ transplants to cosmetic surgery. In 2012, the contract was awarded to India-based company, Surendra Engineering, who was tasked with designing and building the controversial facility.

The current Administration, which was on the Opposition side of the House during the 10th Parliament, had heavily criticised the project.

Venezuela woos Essequibians with identity cards

In what appears to be a desperate attempt to gain ownership of Guyana’s territory, the Venezuelan Government is mulling the idea of offering Identification Cards (ID) to the 200,000 estimated inhabitants residing along the Essequibo Coast.

This is according to Venezuelan Presidential Advisor, Retired Colonel Pompeyo Torrealba, who was quoted in Venezuelan media laying out his Government’s plan to take over Guyana.

In the coming days, the Government of Venezuela intends to launch a diplomatic strategy to gain ownership of the western Essequibo area.

In the Venezuelan media, the plan is dubbed as a diplomatic approach to “recover” the geographical space that traditionally belongs to Venezuela.

Guyana and Venezuela are currently embroiled in a century-old border dispute, where the latter country is claiming ownership of the Guyana’s Essequibo territory.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had issued decree 1787 claiming most of Guyana’s territorial waters off of the Essequibo Coast; however, only recently, he withdrew the proclamation and issued a new one, which, according to Venezuelan media, supersedes the initial pronouncement.

The new decree does not have any defining coordinates. It poses no decision on land issues; but instead intends to sup-

port and justify the actions of the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) in defending the newly created Integrated Defence Maritime Zones and Island (Zodimain). According to Venezuelan reports, the Ministries of Defence and Interior are empowered to implement the decree. With Guyana’s resistance growing stronger, Venezuela has seemingly decided to intensify its efforts to steal the country’s territory. According to Torrealba, other aspects of the plan include having the border dispute between the two countries taught in elementary, high schools and universities; have the issue widely broadcast in media located in bordering areas; and launching of an awareness campaign to make Guyanese understand that the territory belongs to Venezuela. In addition, only recently, President Maduro announced publicly that the country will also seek help from the Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, to urge him to advocate and defend Venezuela’s right over the Essequibo territory.

Jealous man jailed for 13 years for killing wife in 2009

Forty-year-old

Charles Anthony Woolford was on Monday sentenced to 13 years in prison for the killing of his wife in 2009.

Woolford, called “Tony” of Lot 2041 Humming Bird Street, Festival City, North Ruimveldt, Greater Georgetown, was indicted with the February 8, 2009 murder of his 29-year-old wife, Latoya Woolford. He was subsequently found not guilty of the capital offence, but guilty of the lesser count of manslaughter.

According to reports, the victim, a hairdresser, was getting ready to go to a friend’s house to do her hair when Woolford entered the room with his hands behind his back and asked her where she was going. He then turned her around and repeatedly stabbed her in her stomach in the presence of her 11-year-old daughter. The victim managed to escape to the upper flat of the home where relatives were staying, and was rushed to the hospital where she underwent surgery; however, she succumbed to her injuries the following day.

Relatives claimed that the man was a jealous person who had accused his wife of having an illicit

relationship with a neighbour. Woolford, who went into hiding after stabbing his wife, consumed a poisonous substance upon hearing of her death. He was treated, released into Police custody and subsequently charged.

During the trial, State Counsels Mercedes Thompson and Michael Shahoud called several witnesses to testify against Woolford, including the deceased’s daughter who had witnessed the incident. The teenager testified that she saw her stepfather spin her mother around and then stab her in the belly during an argument almost six years ago.

However, in leading his defence from the dock, Woolford maintained that he did not

kill his wife but it was “Andy”, with whom the woman was allegedly having an affair. Woolford told the court that on the day in question, he went home and found the two together.

According to him, a fight ensued between him and “Andy” who had pulled out a knife. He went on to say that his wife intervened and was stabbed, but did not say by whom. He added that after his wife started screaming that she was stabbed, “Andy” ran out of the house. Woolford was represented by Attorney Peter Hugh.

Following the closing addresses by the State and the defence, and the subsequent summation of the evidence by the trial judge, Justice Brassington Reynolds, the 12-member jury panel deliberated and found the accused guilty of manslaughter 11 to one, on Friday.

In handing down the sentence, Justice Reynolds took into consideration the age of the accused and the six years he spent on remand for the trial. He also considered the defence attorney’s submission. As a result, the Judge reduced the initial 20-year sentence by seven years.

Nandy Park execution: Shot toddler on road to recovery

Eighteen-month-old Travic Rudder who was shot six times on the night his father, Travis Rudder, was executed at Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara is on the road to recovery. This was according to a release from the Georgetown Public Hospital that confirmed that he was doing well and he was eating and drinking as per normal.

Nevertheless, owing to the surgery that the toddler underwent, he was still in a bit of pain and as a result he was creeping instead of walking.

His mother, Mawanza Gill, who was shot seven times during the execution-style killing was optimistic that her son would eventually walk on his own since he was a fighter.

Gill praised the treatment her son received at the Georgetown Public Hospital and thanked the nurses and doctors at the Intensive Care Unit and the Paediatric Ward who took extra good care of her son.

Gill, who was shot in both legs, is also recuperating and is still experiencing some pain. In the wee hours of June 21, the lad and his mother were injured after gunmen opened fire on them while asleep in their Lot 130 Lindley’s Avenue, Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara (EBD) home.

According to information received, Rudder, Gill and their son were in one of the rooms in the house while his mother and his younger brother were in another when several men with 9mm pistols bearing extended magazines opened fire through the bedroom window.

After the shooting, a neighbour who heard the woman calling out for help rushed to the house where he saw the toddler under his father’s body and collected him since he realised that he

was still alive.

The neighbour jumped into his car and drove to the Georgetown Public Hospital with the child on his chest. On his way, he phoned 911, but there was no answer, so he decided to contact Police Headquarters, Eve Leary and related the ordeal, and the person on the other end of the line promised to send ranks and an ambulance to the scene.

At the Hospital compound, he handed the baby over to nurses who immediately rushed him to the Accident and Emergency Unit where he underwent surgery. The mother was subsequently admitted to the medical institution.

On Friday, however, the Police made a breakthrough in the shooting as a man confessed to the murder and attempted murder. He is expected to make his court appearance shortly.

Ramson Jr promises to be the voice of youth in Parliament

Charles Ramson Jr, another one of the new faces representing the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the National Assembly, has vowed to be the voice of all young people across Guyana, particularly considering that the ruling A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition decided to leave out the parliamentary youth representation it had lavishly promised during the campaign trail.

“The current crop of Parliamentarians is what I call “youthless”, meaning no voice of the youth,” the young lawyer pointed out. As such, being the youngest member on both sides of the house, Ramson is committed to being the youth representative in Parliament to advocate for the resolution of issues affecting young people in Guyana.

Asked why he accepted the parliamentary position, Ramson stated, “This was an easy decision – to be a representative of the people is, as it should be, a politician’s greatest ambition because it gives meaningful purpose to the role of “service of the people” and being a parliamentarian is the zenith of that representation.”

Since he was a child, Ramson always had a desire to enter into the political arena and today, with the opportunity to be a MP and serve the people of Guyana, he could not be more overjoyed.

“The genesis of this desire probably comes from my love for my country and I believe that being politically engaged is potentially the most effective way to develop your country, my personal appreciation of how grateful I am for the opportunities that were presented to me and the impact of seeing others not being able to have those opportunities because of our country’s extreme impoverished state in the late 80s and 90s, and my personal guiding belief that I am not better than anyone else and no one else is better than me,” he explained.

Meanwhile, in addition to representing young people, Ramson said because of his technical knowledge in the field of law and developmental economics, he believes he can make valuable contributions to the debates and decisions which affect the very wellbeing of every individual in Guyana.

Govt to develop new housing scheme in Bartica

Government will soon be establishing a new housing scheme at Four Miles, Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) in an effort to satisfy the ever-growing demand for housing in the community. The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is already in the process of arranging the transfer of some 100 acres of land which is needed for the development of the area.

The community will be designed to accommodate approximately 400 house lots and will be equipped with all the necessary facilities that will ensure the new homeowners are comfortable.

Once the legal process is completed, Government will commence the block surveys on the land; prepare the design layouts; and design the infrastructure including roads, drains, structures, water and electrical distribution networks.

According to a release from the Communities Ministry, the invitation for bids will soon be opened for the works to develop the land, which is tentatively set to commence in January.

Minister within the Communities Ministry, Keith Scott, recently visited Bartica to inspect ongoing projects and discuss the creation of this new community. There he interacted

with residents and regional officials, including Regional Chairman Gordon Bradford.

The establishment of this community comes at a time when Bartica is positioning to become a town by April 23, 2016, in keeping with the announcement made by President David Granger.

During his visit, Scott noted that the Ministry and by extension, the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Administration was committed to cooperating with the regional authorities for Bartica to achieve township status.

One area of concern that the Ministry is working assiduously to remedy is access

to potable water. Currently, the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) is improving its infrastructure to expand its delivery of water in the region. The utility company would have to further expand its infrastructure to accommodate the new housing development. The aim is to provide residents with 24-hour water supply.

The Minister said Bartica was a beautiful area with amazing topography and therefore, he intended to ensure that the developments taking place in the area will not take away from the natural beauty of the area so as to promote tourism and other sustainable economic activities.

Minister Cummings proposes total overhaul of Diamond Hospital

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings has proposed a total overhaul of the East Bank Regional Hospital, better known as the Diamond Diagnostic Centre. This comes as the Minister toured the facility and held discussions with the staff at the hospital on Monday.

After listening to complaints from senior staff members, Dr Cummings concluded that the only possible solution to the woes being experienced at the medical institution is to have a total overhaul of the facility, since its current capacity is limited and it is required to serve a large catchment area.

Minister Cummings said “If we are going to fix it, let’s fix it once and for all.” At this meeting, which included Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Leslie Cadogan, several officials from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and staff of the Diamond hospital, the need to improve several

areas was raised; including the need for more wards, an extension to the maternity unit, and relocating the doctors’ living quarters.

Another major issue affecting the facility is the shortage of auxiliary staff, especially Porters and Receptionists. The hospital has also been functioning without any form of direct leadership, since there has been no Chief Executive Officer present there for some months. Minister Cumming pointed out that this is very unfortunate and the Ministry will commence immediate work to rectify this

issue. The Minister also conducted a brief walkthrough of the facility, inspecting the operations and conditions under which the employees are made to function daily.

Upon a request, the Minster also met with the other staff and listened to several issues and complaints, similar to those raised by the senior staff. Minister Cummings also used the opportunity to inform the staff of the discussions that had taken place with the senior staff. In addition, she strongly emphasised the need for staff recognition and rewards.

Guyana gets Gy$10.3M from US to boost narco fight

By Vahnu Manikchand

The Governments of Guyana and the United States on Monday signed a multimillion dollar agreement under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) to improve Guyana’s efforts in tackling the societal scourges of crime and illicit trafficking.

The United States committed some US$50,000 ($10.3 million) towards reducing crime in a variety of areas including illicit trafficking, advancement of public safety and security as well as promoting social justice. The CBSI Letter of Amendment, num-

ber 3.1,was signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and US Chargé d’ Affaires Bryan Hunt.

According to Greenidge, the money will go towards funding three broad based projects. The first one, the “Law Enforcement Professionalisation and Support” Project, which is designed to enhance the Guyana Police Force and the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) capabilities to conduct counternarcotics operations at all ports of entry, both water and land, by providing the necessary equipment and training as well as technical assistance to these agencies.

The Minister stated that training will be done in areas of immigration procedures, detection of fraudulent documents, identification and handling of suspicious persons as well as other areas targeting the illegal smuggling of aliens, narcotics and other illegal goods across the borders.

Secondly, the monies will also be used in counternarcotics control capabilities, which will enhance Guyana’s capabilities to conduct counternarcotics operations across the country, primarily by way of interagency coordination, gathering actioncontinued on page 17

Sonny Ramdeo gets 20 years jail for embezzlement in US

Owner of collapsed EZjet Airline, Sonny Ramdeo, was last Thursday sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for siphoning in excess of US$20 million from a United States (US) hospital chain. The sentencing was handed down on Thursday by US District Judge Kenneth Marra following over eight hours of hearing in the federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The sentencing comes almost two years after 38-year-old Ramdeo, of Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara, had admitted to wire fraud and money laundering to the tune of US$21.4 million.

According to a South Florida newspaper, Sun Sentinel, federal prosecutors told the court that Ramdeo “envisioned himself as the next Sir Richard Branson – with a bandit twist – and used his ill-gotten gains to set up a charter airline company”.

The Sun Sentinel reported that Ramdeo was payroll manager for Promise Healthcare and Success Healthcare hospital management companies when he set up his own charter air

service offering flights from New York City and Toronto to Guyana.

He was being feted as a gifted entrepreneur and planning to expand the service to Miami when it all came tumbling down in October 2012. After his employers figured out something was amiss and confronted him, he fled and hid out in New York City for two months until federal agents tracked him down, the US newspaper reported.

He admitted he had secretly set up his own corporation, PayServ Tax Inc, and told his employers that the company would handle the transfer of the hospital management company’s local, state and federal payroll taxes to the Government.

Ramdeo did not reveal that he was running the payroll company, so his employers had no clue that their payroll manager had “outsourced” the business to himself, according to Assistant US Attorney Ellen Cohen.

Ramdeo transferred tens of millions of dollars to his own bank accounts and used more

from page 15

Guyana gets...

able intelligence on drug trafficking as well as increased interdictions, seizures and eradication exercises.

Training

“The funds specifically will be used in the areas for training, to provide equipment, to support criminal intelligence units and other relevant entities within the Government of Guyana. These actions we hope will improve the ability of law enforcement officials to gather information on drug trafficking organisations, to conduct investigations and to interdict illicit trafficking across the country,” the Minister stated.

Additionally, the final programme focuses on the rule of law and anti-corruption elements – one focuses on prisoners, the second on justice reform and the third on forensics, Greenidge pointed out. In terms of the prisons, the aim is to expand capabilities in terms of their operations and correctional facilities’ to ensure that they are safe, secure, fair, and humane and that they conform to internationally accepted standards and norms.

“(The prison element) will enhance the skills, knowledge and abilities of correctional officials to appropriately and effectively manage a sustain-

than US$80 million of it to pay the taxes that were due. However he skimmed off what prosecutors very conservatively estimated was more than $21.4 million that he used to set up his airline charter.

Though Ramdeo pretty swiftly pleaded guilty and was first scheduled for sentencing in January 2014, he set off on an odyssey around

the justice system that left prosecutors, federal agents, a series of defence lawyers that he dumped along the way, and even the judge, visibly frustrated with him.

His sentencing was delayed and delayed again as he fought to withdraw his guilty plea, blaming his lawyers for his predicament and filing dozens of handwritten documents, trying to sway the judge. It took three days, spread out over the last eight months, to finish his sentencing.

US District Judge Kenneth Marra could have imposed an even harsher term, but said Ramdeo’s “foolish actions” of lying and perjuring himself in court, obstructing justice and failing to accept responsibility for his crimes meant he had already ensured he would serve a

longer prison term than he would have originally faced.

The judge also ordered him to pay US$21.4 million in restitution, predicting Ramdeo will probably never come close to paying the full amount.

Ramdeo finally apologised in court Thursday evening, but blamed his crimes on what he said was a life he “dedicated to the service of others”. He said he worked for Promise, which runs 17 hospitals around the US and has about 4000 employees, for seven years and only defrauded them for two of those years.

“Eighty per cent of the money went to where it was supposed to go,” Ramdeo told the judge, urging him to focus on his unspecified good deeds. “In my trying to do good … doing the right thing leads to doing

the wrong thing.” Prosecutors said he did it before on a smaller scale in 2000 in West Hempstead, NY, when he was convicted of grand larceny for stealing US$55,000 by cashing 133 fictitious payroll checks from his then-employer, National Wholesale Liquidators.

Back in 2011, Ramdeo introduced EZjet, a lowcost charter company he reportedly founded, which operated between New York and Guyana, but later offered flights to Canada and Trinidad and Tobago.

Upon the introduction of the aircraft, there were questions by key players in the industry about the airline’s sustainability. Ramdeo told media operatives that monies to sustain the flights were from his savings and mortgage taken on his Florida home.

able, multi-gender and multi-custody offender population so that the correctional system contributes to public safety, positively impacts on efforts to combat transnational crimes and to provide prisoners with opportunities to reform and to be rehabilitated,” the Minister outlined.

Further, he disclosed that the justice reforms element deals with strengthening the judicial sector’s ability to address narcotics trafficking and transnational crimes. According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, this programme will provide training in judicial administration, case management, case filing systems, anti-corruption as well as transparency and accountability.

Meanwhile, Hunt outlined that his Government was happy to commit additional financial support to the Government of Guyana’s law enforcement efforts, as part of the CBSI programme. He stated that “President Granger’s Administration has been clear in its political commitment to taking the steps necessary to ensure that Guyanese law enforcement agencies are able to prevent this country from being used as a safe haven by international criminal elements.”

Couple takes wrap for each other, both remanded

It was heard at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday that a couple admitted to Police Officers that they were the owners of the illicit drug cannabis sativa (marijuana) when they were found with 116 grams in their possession.

Sonia Brandt and Renie Adolphus were refused bail by Magistrate Ann Mc Lennan on Tuesday afternoon after they made their first appearance in court on a narcotics possession charge. They are alleged to have had the drugs in their possession on July 12 at their home in Hamilton Backdam, Cuyuni-Mazaruni with the purpose of trafficking.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones told the court that the two defendants are in a relationship, live together and have a three-month-old child. He said, on the day in question, when the Police was searching their

home, the narcotic was found on their bed. Brandt told officers that the drug was hers but then Adolphus admitted to being the owner of the same drug. Police arrested the duo, investigations were carried out and official charges were instituted for the offence.

However, the defence Attorney stated that they had no knowledge of the drug; they had simply said that to protect one another. She said that they live at Vryheid’s Lust, on the East Coast of Demerara but Adolphus manages a shop in the interior which is open to the public.

She made an application for bail, stating that neither of the accused have ever been charged for an offence and thus are not a flight risk.

However, Magistrate Ann McLennan refused bail for both defendants.

They were ordered to appear at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court on July 22 where their matter will be heard.

Guyana to be featured in the Harvard Business Review

Ateam from the World Investment News on Monday, July 13 met with the Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine to discuss the role of education in the development of Guyana.

World Investment News (WINNE), in a letter to the Ministry, stated that it would be coordinating a series of reports focusing on the Caribbean starting with Guyana. The reports, according to WINNE, will be published in the Harvard Business Review and focus on the

relationship between the United States and Guyana; the development of the Guyana economy through the creation of macro-economic conditions to foster a positive business environment; and, the Government’s relationship with the Private Sector.

The report is also expected to highlight the numerous investment opportunities Guyana offers, such as oil, mining, agriculture, banking and finance, infrastructure, tourism, and industrial sectors. Dr

Roopnaraine provided the visiting team with an exclusive interview on the linkages between the Guyana education sector and Guyana’s development in relation to the other sectors of the economy.

WINNE is a global publishing house and market and business intelligence provider of multimedia content and advertising. Their goal is to be the bridge between Governments, major corporations, and with the business community around the world.

Ramjattan to revoke gun licences of ex-miners

…says those who exit industry should return licences

Second Vice President and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan said that a huge number of miners who had been granted firearm licences have since exited the industry and the Ministry would soon take steps to revoke these and recover the weapons.

The licences were granted on condition to protect miners, but if they were no longer in the industry they should not continue with the licence, Ramjattan said. He made the comments during a meeting with executive members of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGMDA).

Speaking with the Government Information Agency (GINA) following the meeting, Minister Ramjattan said the meeting which was held at the Ministry’s conference room sought to highlight security challenges faced by the mining sector and ways of overcoming them. Among the areas discussed were the high incidence of crimes in mining areas; the need for time-

lier processing of work permits; the issuance of firearm licences to miners and the need for better enforcement of traffic laws in these areas.

According to the Minister, the Public Security Ministry will definitely be addressing the issues. He said that there was need for more enforcement of laws and support for the sector by the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

In relation to the granting of firearms to legitimate miners, Minister Ramjattan noted that while there should be a quickening of the processing of individual licences and the processing of pri-

vate security personnel, there were some very big mining companies and firms which have many workers and these do not simply want private person firearms, they would like a “security licence”.

He explained that the processing of applications for individual firearm licences would be fast tracked, but this did not mean that all applicants would be granted a licence. “I have already expressed in public, I wanted a criteria change and not simply because you are an applicant, you get,” he said.

“We understand that a huge number of firearm licences have been granted to people who are undeserving. They indicated that some persons went into the mining industry and managed to get firearm licences. I will be reviewing these when their application for renewal comes up next year, because very many of them have left the industry. It is my opinion at this stage that those should be taken back if they (licence holders) are out of the industry,” Ramjattan said.

Royston King appointed Town Clerk

The controversial former Public Relations Officer of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, Royston King has been named as the new Town Clerk, replacing Carol Sooba, who was sent on leave last week.

According to a release from the Council, on Monday, July 13, the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown at its statutory meeting confirmed that King was the new Town Clerk with effect of Tuesday, June 14.

The post, which was previously held by Carol Sooba, who has been accused of having affiliation with the former People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, has always been a bone of contention between the two for the last few years.

In 2011, King applied for the position of Town Clerk within the Council. After an interview by the Council, he was recommended by the full membership for the post of Town Clerk on March 28, 2011. However, political opposition prevented the Council from implementing its decision to

appoint King. Again on July 24, 2012, he was appointed to the position by the Council. Then on May 6, 2014, King was again appointed and a similar situation born out of a contention between him and Sooba and then Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker led to him being prevented from carrying out his duties and responsibilities.

There was a series of acrimonious exchanges between the Council and Sooba, the then acting Town Clerk. She was booted from the post by the Council at

an extraordinary meeting which was held on May 25, following the change in Government after the 2015 General and Regional Elections.

The Georgetown City Council took the decision to send Sooba on 42 days’ administrative leave, but with two days of that leave remaining, Sooba was served with a letter titled “Revocation of Service”.

King is a Chevening Scholar, with a Masters in Corporate Communication. His thesis crossed disciplines and focused on Corporate Management in the context of New Media Environment. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Leadership, Corporate Governance and Policy at a University in the United Kingdom.

In 2006, King was attached to the Public Management Modernisation Programme as a Consultant. He was also attached to the University of Guyana as a part-time lecturer in the areas of organisational management, and Specialist Writing in Health and Environment.

Pres Granger pardoned youths enrolled in USAID SKYE programme

– to be released after three months “rehab”

Exactly one month after some 40 youths were granted amnesty by President David Granger as part of the Independence Day celebration, the pardoned individuals have since been enrolled in the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Skills and Knowledge for Youth Empowerment (SKYE) Programme, in which they are currently excelling.

This is according to SKYE Chief-ofParty Magda Wills, who told Guyana Times International that all of the released youths are attached to coaches from their respective areas. Before their release on June 12, the 40 individuals were all interviewed by SKYE representatives and were identified for certain training programmes that are being conducted in all the regions.

Originally there were supposed to be 60 convicts pardoned by President Granger on Independence Day. The missing 20 were presumably found unsuitable for various undetermined reasons and remain incarcerated.

Wills explained that the youths are benefiting from education, skills and behavioural training that will guide them along the right path, so that they can be reintegrated successfully into society. However, she clarified that they are only facilitating the reintegration progress and paving the way for opportunities, stressing that they will not be acting as probation officers for these young people. “We will not be monitoring them after they leave,” she stated.

The Chief-of-Party noted that about 98 per cent of the amnesty beneficiaries are male, while the other two per cent of females are between the ages of 18 and 25. During the training, she explained, the youths will be educated on areas of working habits, the labour laws, among other aspects,

so that they will have the right attitude for the working environment.

Willis also disclosed that the programme will conclude on September 16, when the 40 youths will graduate with the other participants of the programme. After graduation, the respective coaches will link the necessary technical and vocational programmes. This means that the individuals would be deemed “rehabilitated” after a mere three months and let out into society.

Recently, at a reception held to celebrate the United States Independence Day, US Chargé d’Affaires Bryan Hunt further committed to the programme to empower Guyanese youths in order to deter and reduce their involvement in crime and violence. “Our mutually beneficial goal is to reduce youth crime and violence by development-enhanced skills and increased economic opportunities,” Hunt said.

APNU+AFC Govt should deliver on promises made to rice farmers

Former Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy on Thursday said the oil for rice pact between Guyana and Venezuela was never meant to be a long-term deal, but was just in place until Venezuela was able to resuscitate its industry.

Venezuela has always had a rice industry of its own, but since 2010, it began experiencing difficulties. The PetroCaribe deal with Guyana began in 2009.

“When Venezuela started to buy rice from various countries, including Guyana, through a PetroCaribe arrangement, Venezuela had intimated its intention is to resuscitate its own rice industry. Each year during negotiation, we discussed Venezuela’s rice industry’s status.”

He said that that was the reason Guyana had never sought to increase the amount of rice it sold to the country. “We ensured that we diversified the market so that Guyana was not dependent on any single market. From less than 300,000 tonnes exported in 2011, we increased the export market to more than 500,000 by the end of 2014. From a handful of countries we were already exporting to more than 33 countries around the world,” he stated in a press statement, “At no time did we agree that the 2015 rice deal was the last deal between our countries. It is true that each year, we discuss the possibility that Venezuela might not

need to import as much paddy and rice as they were doing at the time, because the Venezuelan rice industry might pick up again,” he explained, noting that as a backdrop to each negotiation, the assertion that Venezuelan rice was going to be successful again was always raised.

Ramsammy said the 2015 rice contract which was signed for approximately US$120 million and about 200,000 tonnes of rice and paddy also provided for the two countries to meet again later in the year to discuss the future arrangements, given that the oil price had reduced and that the PetroCaribe Account might not be sufficient to pay for the amount of rice and paddy Venezuela was importing from Guyana.

In 2012 and each year after, Venezuela approached the discussion as if it was not going to need to import as much paddy and rice as it was doing at the time, he said.

Important Ramsammy, who had

served as Agriculture Minister under the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration, which was also responsible for crafting the deal with the oil-rich nation, said that the rice arrangement has been an important one for Guyana. He said he was hoping that the markets he was developing as Minister would have allowed Guyana to sell more than 700,000 tonnes of rice. He said this could have been possible if the industry were to continue the work it was doing before the new Government took over.

The deal, Ramsammy stated, has been seeing major success, particularly after he became Minister after the 2011 elections.

“I negotiated deals for 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. During those times, Guyana and Venezuela had some tense moments over the border issue. The Guyana Government managed these tense moments and throughout it all, Guyana and Venezuela maintained the rice arrangement, for the mutual benefits of countries, our farmers and our people,” he revealed in the press statement.

Prior to that, in 2010, he said rice exports to Venezuela accounted for almost 70 per cent of the total production in Guyana. Because there was an increase in production since 2010 and because the export market increased dramatcontinued on page 26

Venezuelan Ambassador recalled for “consultations” with President Maduro

Venezuela’s Ambassador to Guyana, Reina Margarita Arratia Diaz has travelled to her home country to hold consultations with President Nicolás Maduro.

Sources at the Venezuelan Embassy in Georgetown have confirmed that Diaz left Guyana early last week. While they could not say when and if the Ambassador, who has been in Guyana for just a few years, would be returning, they confirmed that her departure was to meet with the President to have discussions over the territorial controversy brewing between the two countries.

While she is away, the Embassy will be overlooked by Minister Consular Alonso Herrera.

Last Monday, Venezuelan President Maduro said he was calling in his country’s

Ambassador for consultations amid an escalating squabble over oil exploration in Guyana’s waters.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) nation in June demanded that Guyana halt exploration activities being carried out by United Statesbased ExxonMobil off the coast of Essequibo, weeks after the company said it had discovered oil.

“It takes a lot of patience to process, digest and not vomit when one reads and hears the statements against Venezuela … by the current President of Guyana,” Maduro had said in a speech to his Parliament on the issue. He also ordered the Foreign Ministry to conduct a full review of bilateral relations.

He ruled out the possibility of armed conflict, but described recently elected President David

Granger as a “hostage of ExxonMobil”.

Exxon, consulted about the issue in the past, had said its policy was to follow host countries’ and international law, and that border conflicts were a matter for Governments to resolve.

UN involvement

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon last Friday had also offered to help resolve the controversy.

Essequibo, a sparsely populated region of thick jungle, encompasses an area equivalent to around two-thirds of Guyana.

Guyana has pointed out that Venezuela had agreed to accept as a final declaration on the border issue the ruling of an international tribunal, which in 1899 unanimously decided the border as it currently stands.

Venezuela says the 1899 ruling was unfair and insists the territory belongs to Venezuela, going as far as including it on its maps as the “reclamation zone”. The Essequibo functions as part of Guyana and shows no discernible trace of Venezuelan influence.

At a meeting in Geneva on February 17, 1966, the Governments of British Guiana, the United Kingdom and Venezuela signed the

“Agreement to resolve the controversy over the frontier between Venezuela and British Guiana”. The agreement established the regulatory framework to be followed by the parties in order to resolve the issue.

According to the treaty, a Mixed Commission was installed with the purpose of seeking satisfactory solutions for the practical settlement of the border controversy, but the parties never agreed to implement a solution within this Commission due to different interpretations of the treaty.

Guyana argued that prior to starting the negotiations over the border issue, Venezuela should prove that the Arbitral Award of 1899 was null and void. Guyana did not accept that the 1899 decision was invalid, and held that its participation on the Commission was only to resolve

Venezuela’s assertions. However, Venezuela argued that the Commission did not have a judicial nature or purpose, but a deal-making one, so it should go ahead to find “a practical and satisfactory solution”. Venezuela also claimed that the nullity of the Arbitral Award of 1899 was implicit, or otherwise the existence of the treaty would be meaningless. The fifth article of the Treaty of Geneva established the status of the territories. The provisions state that no acts or activities taking place on the territory in question while the Agreement is in force “shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty”. The Treaty also has a provision prohibiting both nations from pursuing the issue except through official intergovernment channels.

SWAT team swoops in on bandits …1 dead, several others captured in shootout

By Vahnu Manikchand

The Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT)

Unit of the Guyana Police Force kicked into action at Craig, East Bank Demerara (EBD) in the wee hours of Tuesday killing one bandit and rounding up several others during an operation that also saw one rank being shot and a bandit being seriously wounded.

The gunmen –linked to the murder of businessman Ganesh Ramlall; Nandy Park, EBD resident Travis Rudder and the attack on a Judge and her husband – were holed up in an apartment building in the quiet EBD community when Police received a tip-off from a “concerned

citizen”.

The dead bandit has been identified as 29-year-old Rolston Morrison, called “Mappy”

or “Sadam” of Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and Providence, EBD. The Police several months ago had is-

sued a wanted bulletin for him for the murder of a fellow villager, Dwayne Kennedy. The 28-yearold man of Lot 40

Nabaclis was executed at the Golden Grove Market in March this year, during an argument with Morrison over an old grievance between the two. Additionally, Police sources had confirmed that Morrison was wanted for questioning in several robberies on the East Coast of Demerara and in the interior. A firearm belonging to the now dead man was also found hidden under his mother’s house. His accomplice, 22-year-old Warren McKenzie of Brutus Street, Agricola, Georgetown, was also hurt in the exchange between the gunmen and Police. McKenzie was charged back in 2013 with an armed robbery offence. Additionally, a Constable attached to the SWAT Unit sustained a gunshot wound during the shoot-out. Both injured men have been hospitalised; however, the suspect, who received a single gunshot wound to his abdomen, is under guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

“Concerned citizen” According to a release from the Police, investigating ranks, working along with a “concerned citizen”, were able to track several persons wanted for the three high-profile cases to a house in Craig; as such, the SWAT Unit along with a team of Detectives were deployed to effect the arrests. The Police Officers arrived at the Craig home around 02:00h on Tuesday and confronted the men who were staying in a bottomflat apartment.

“The Police ranks came under fire during which a Constable was shot to his right thigh. The injured Constable and other ranks returned fire fatally wounding one suspect and another suspect was shot and injured to his abdomen,” the Police detailed in the release.

In addition, the law enforcement officers were able to arrest seven other male suspects who were in the building at continued on page 24

Security guard gets 3 years for trafficking cocaine, cannabis

Aself-confessed narcotics trafficker was sentenced to three years by Magistrate Ann McLennan when he made his first appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday.

The trafficker, Kevin Sandy, 30, of 37 West La Penitence Housing Scheme, Georgetown, pleaded guilty to the charge that he had 2.238 kilograms of cannabis sativa (marijuana) and 1.2 kilograms of cocaine for the purposes of trafficking.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones detailed in court that Sandy was about to travel to Barbados at the Ogle International Airport on July 8 when they confronted him as he was acting suspiciously.

Ranks of the narcotics branch of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) searched Sandy and his suitcases and uncovered the illicit substances. The defendant was told of the offence and cautioned by the officers. Prosecutor Jones stated that Sandy was quite cooperative.

Kevin Sandy expressed his regret for attempting to smuggle the illicit substances

He told the officers that someone asked him to smuggle the narcotics out of the country, adding that they guided him to a garbage bin and toilet at the airport where he found the narcotics. Thus Sandy was arrested and an investigation started. On Friday, he admitted that he was guilty of trying to smuggle the illicit substances out of the country. He stated that everyone made mistakes and he was very thankful as his has at least enabled him to learn from it.

Magistrate McLennan considered his statements when she gave him the three years along with a fine of Gy$6,156,900, which is about three times the market value of the narcotics.

Govt must act swiftly to save rice industry – Rice Producers Association

B y V ahnu M anikchand

The controversy between neighbouring Guyana and Venezuela continues to escalate with the Spanish speaking country recently asking that all shipments of rice and paddy be ceased until further notice.

Consequently, the Guyana Rice Producers’ Association (RPA) said Government must act swiftly to ease the tension among farmers.

The cessation of rice shipments was related to the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) on Friday morning, a few hours after a shipment of paddy left for the neighbouring country, an official confirmed to

Guyana Times International.

According to him, the GRDB received a call around 10:15h and was informed that the “seniors” of Corpovex (the Venezuelan agency in charge of purchasing products abroad for the public sector) have issued a directive for the shipments to be stopped as they want to revise the shipping schedule. He, however, clarified that the directive did not indicate officially that Venezuela has scrapped the PetroCaribe deal with Guyana which is expected to end in four months’ time.

“They didn’t say all the shipments in the future will be ceased, nor did they indicate that they will continue,” he told this newspaper. The GRDB official explained that while such instruction was not something new, the manner in which it was related was very worrisome. He pointed out that previously, Venezuela would occasionally ask for shipments to be stopped while it revised the schedule and sometime after, would inform Guyana of the new schedule. This is the first time Corpovex has indicated that its “seniors” has issued a directive, the official stated, adding that the situation has farmers and millers at their wits’ end about their future.

Nevertheless, the GRDB Executive noted that Corpovex had indicated that

it would accept the shipment of 6000 tonnes of paddy that is already on the way to Venezuela. The cargo left in the wee hours of Friday. However, the official noted that there were approximately 270 containers of white rice sitting on the wharf that were scheduled to be shipped to the neighbouring country. This stranded shipment is pegged at some US$5 million. The Executive disclosed that already 40,000 tonnes of white rice have been sent to Venezuela with some 34,000 tonnes more to be shipped as per the agreement. On the other hand, approximately 90 tonnes of paddy is yet to be shipped, he said.

No official word When contacted, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder told this newspaper that he was informed by the Logistics Officer of GRDB that a shipper in Venezuela has instructed that Guyana should not send off any more shipments. However, the Minister pointed out that Government has not received any official word from the relevant authorities in Venezuela to cease further shipments. Holder declared that he has been trying to contact the Venezuelan Ambassador in Guyana, Reina Margarita Arratia Diaz, to confirm whether this is an official Venezuelan Government position, but he has not been able to do so.

Asked about other potential markets available to Guyana, Greenidge outlined that currently local rice exporters were in talks with two countries that are interested in purchasing large amounts of rice. One of those countries is Panama, which he noted had asked for quotations to be sent by last Monday and this was done. He added that Panama is particularly interested in a large amount of rice, but pointed out that there were some ongoing issues with that country whereby it owes Guyana payment for previous rice shipments. The other country Guyana is in talks with is Portugal.

Meanwhile, RPA General Secretary Dharamkumar Seeraj also indicated that he too was not sure of where matters stood precisely: whether the directive was just seeking to temporarily hold shipments to the neighbouring country or signalled altogether the end of the arrangement. He declared that if it was the latter, then Guyana’s rice industry was in for some “tough times”. He said, “Right now, we have paddy and rice on the wharf to export, paddy in the mills, and the farmers and millers are very worried. If the deal with Venezuela ends now, then they are at the risk of being bankrupted.”

Iwokrama review committee gets down to business

Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman last week convened the first meeting with the review committee that has been established to examine the operations of the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation.

The Centre has been experiencing severe financial constraints in meeting its operational expenses, including the payment of staff. According to a release by the Ministry of the Presidency, the committee’s central focus is to devise a renewed mandate for the Centre which will enable it to be self-sufficient, as was the initial aim of the project. Sub-committees were established based on the priority areas that were identified. These include: budget and financing, research and training, governance, and management. The budget and financing committee will be spearheaded by Professor Hamley Case; Indigenous People’s Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary Vibert Welch; Conservation International Vice President, Dr David Singh; Iwokrama Centre

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dane Gobin and a representative from the Tourism Ministry.

The governance aspect will be addressed by Dr David Singh; Protected Areas Commission Commissioner Damian Fernandes, and Permanent Secretary Welch; while the management structure will be addressed by CEO Gobin, Iwokrama Resource Management Director, Dr Raquel Thomas and Adviser in the Ministry of Governance, Clayton Hall. Research and training will be addressed by Dr Thomas and Dr Allyson Stoll from the University of Guyana.

Over the years, Iwokrama has been heavily dependent on the Commonwealth, but recently, Secretary General of that organisation, Kamalesh Sharma made it clear that funding would no longer be made available for operational costs of the Centre. The Commonwealth will only provide technical and financial support to support the development of a self-sustainable model. Iwokrama has been the longest and most ex-

Guyana/Venezuela controVersy

pensive project that the Commonwealth has embarked on. He noted that Iwokrama was supposed to be self-sustaining, but has instead cost the organisation £3.5 million.

Minister Trotman said in the end, Iwokrama belonged to Guyana and the time had come for Guyanese to take ownership, rather than it being seen merely as a Commonwealth project that was located in Guyana.

Two weeks ago, Cabinet approved a grant of US$100,000 to assist the Centre until September; however, the Centre might still need another tranche of financing to carry it through to the end of the year. As such, the Minister said that the Committee needed to come up with both immediate solutions as well as a more long-term, sustainable vision going forward. The review committee will submit its final report outlining findings and recommendations to Cabinet by August 17. Once finalised, the new plan will be presented by President David Granger at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta in November.

SWAT team swoops in...

the time. These men are reportedly known to the Police and are wanted for several serious criminal offences. They are in Police custody as investigations are ongoing.

Guyana Times International visited the house where the men were found, located at First Street, Craig. This newspaper understands that the two-storey building has about four apartments, two at the top and two at the bottom, with an adjoining apartment building at the back. Neighbours were very tight-lipped about the incident. However, this newspaper managed to talk to a nearby resident who disclosed that around 01:30h, they heard several footsteps and trampling noises on the street. This was followed by someone shouting words to the effect of “nobody move”.

According to the resident, it was immediately after this that they heard gunshots. The person related that the incident was so traumatic that it was difficult to remember how long the gunfire exchange lasted. This publication was further told that after some time the gunplay ended and the Police were later seen carrying out two bloody bodies from the apartment. Neighbours could not say exactly who or how many persons lived in the apartment, but noted that several persons would usually visit.

Guns recovered

The Police were able to recover a 9mm Glock pistol along with two magazines and 25 matching rounds. A number of 9mm spent shells were also recovered at the scene. Additionally, the Police found two wristwatches, which are sus-

pected to have been stolen from Justice Pierre during the robbery.

On Thursday last, around 01:20h, Justice Nicole Pierre and her husband were at their Felicity, ECD home when four armed men overpowered the security guard and tied him up. They then moved into the house, where they physically assaulted the Judge and her husband. As they were about to escape, they came under fire from another security guard at a nearby premises. They managed to escape. However, the Police were able to apprehend four persons, but did not confirm whether it was the said four men.

On July 5, owner of the Regent Street Multiplex Mall, Ganesh Ramlall, was shot dead by a group of men some time after he arrived at his Lot C La Jalousie home. The 48-year-old businessman was shot about eight times to his body including once to his head by armed men who subsequently escaped in a silver motor car that was parked some distance away from the house.

When contacted by the newspaper on Tuesday, the man’s wife, Monica, said that although it was yet to be

confirmed by the Police, she hoped that the captured men were the ones who brutally killed her husband while she was in the upper flat of the house with their 18-yearold daughter and another female relative. As she broke down in tears, she said the men could have taken whatever they wanted from him and if they had to shoot him, hit him somewhere that would not be fatal. She noted that her husband’s death has taken a toll on her and her only child as their small family has been forever destroyed.

Earlier, on June 21, 26-year-old Travis Rudder was shot several times to his body while his 31-year-old girlfriend, Mawanza Gill, received seven gunshot wounds and his infant son, Travic Rudder was shot five times to his body. The latter two managed to survive their injuries.

Rudder, of Lot 130 Lindley’s Avenue, Nandy Park, was gunned down on the morning of June 21 after several gunmen opened fire on him and his family while they were asleep. The Police had recovered 26 9mm warheads from the scene. Meanwhile, top officials of the Police Force visited the Constable who was injured during the shoot-out, moments after he was admitted. Among the officials were Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud; A Division (Georgetown) Commander, Assistant Commissioner Clifton Hicken, and Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum. The rank has been listed as stable and was commended by his seniors for his bravery.

WPA slams Caricom for “watered down” statement

The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) has slammed the Caribbean Community (Caricom) for what it described as a “watered down” statement condemning Venezuela’s claims on Guyana’s territory at its just-concluded Heads of Government Summit in Barbados.

The WPA, a key constituent group of the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition, said the statement was “totally inadequate” given the seriousness of Venezuela’s renewed claims on Guyana’s land and maritime territory. According to the party co-chaired by

Education Minister, Dr Roopnaraine, this position by the regional body is not surprising given the ties Member States has with the Spanishspeaking country. “On reflection, it is not surprising that a watereddown statement would have emerged out of the Caricom Conference, given the PetroCaribe and other economic relations with Venezuela,” the WPA stated.

The party went on to highlight that the Caricom statement was extremely terse, “as though the Heads would rather be rid of the problem (which might have been the position of Dominica, Haiti, Jamaica and St

Vincent who have especially benefited from the Venezuelan connection). In fact, the statement refers specifically to Guyana in only two paragraphs”.

Furthermore, it outlined that the statement merely made mention of the implications that

Venezuela’s threats has on Guyana. It referred to the third paragraph of the Caricom statement which says the “Heads (of Government) noted in particular the negative implications which the Decree has for the peace, security and development of the

Cooperative Republic of Guyana”.

Meanwhile in the fourth paragraph, the WPA noted, there is a mere reference to a letter that was written a year ago by the Chairman of the Caricom Conference to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, “encouraging Venezuela to redouble its efforts at an early delimitation of the maritime boundary between Guyana and Venezuela (and) finding an early solution to the controversy that has emerged from the Venezuelan contention that the Arbitral Award of 3rd October 1899 that established the boundary with Guyana is null and void”.

The WPA added that the other three paragraphs of the statement tamely referred to issues of the sacredness of international treaties and boundaries. Furthermore, the party, expressed dismay at the fact that both President David Granger and Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge had declared their satisfaction with the regional body’s statement on Decree 1787 of Venezuela following the conference. WPA, nevertheless, suggested that Guyana should have lobbied for two separate but related statements – one dealing with Caricom as a whole and another specifically related to Guyana.

Copa Airlines celebrates one year of quality service to Guyana

Saturday marked one year since Panamanian flag carrier Copa Airlines started servicing the Georgetown, Guyana route.

During this time, Copa Airlines said it has been proudly serving the people of Guyana by offering one-stop connections – with twice- weekly flights on Tuesdays and Fridays – to 74 destinations in 30 countries of North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Copa has 12 destinations in North America, including Miami, Orlando, the iconic city of New York, and culturerich cities such as New Orleans. The airline’s entry into the Guyana market has made it possible for passengers to enjoy more options, while providing scope for more business and tourism related activities to be undertaken. The Guyanese people’s response to the service has been very positive.

In a release, reflecting on the airline’s first year

of service to Guyana, Country Sales Manager Nadine Oudkerk said, “Our first year of operation has been very exciting and successful, this is entirely due to the tremendous positive support from our passengers, our committed staff who provide a high level of service, our business partners and travel agents. We thank all our allies for making this first year a memorable one and we anticipate making many

great strides and accomplishing many great things together as Copa continues to serve the people of Guyana.”

Looking ahead, the airline is excited about continuing to serve the people of Guyana. “Copa remains committed to Guyana for the long haul and providing the best on-board service and ontime performance on the most modern fleet,” Oudkerk added.

Copa Airlines and

Copa Airlines Colombia, subsidiaries of Copa Holdings, are leading airlines in Latin America for passengers and cargo. The airlines currently offer service to 74 destinations in 30 countries in North, Central, South America and the Caribbean. For over 65 years of uninterrupted operations, it has managed to make the Hub of The Americas, located in Panama, the leading hub in the entire continent.

Police tracking down stalker who threatened Rihanna via social media

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is tracking down an alleged stalker who sent Barbados’ pop princess Rihanna gun threats via social media.

Celebrity website TMZ reports that the suspect goes by the names of Alex Mercer and Ralph Alexander on Twitter and Yahoo, and in a chilling move showed how close he could get by posting a “selfie” taken outside the singer’s home on April 30.

After the image appeared online, police checked out the singer’s house, but the man was gone by the time they arrived.

The cops are now searching for the perpe-

Rihanna

trator electronically – via phone, computer and social media records – after he sent several messages threatening Rihanna.

“Should of killed @ rihanna a minute back I would be good right now,” he tweeted.

“Sorcery is a weapon I use guns, bout to get a gun license, can’t use my

hands,” came a cryptic addition.

The alleged stalker reportedly posted similar threats targeting Rihanna’s former boyfriend, American R&B singer Chris Brown.

After the unknown man’s Twitter account was suspended, he reportedly got back online with a new alias.

In a message directed at media mogul Jay Z, whose label Rihanna is signed to, he wrote: “@S_C_ tell them in not a stalker you know me other page got suspended” (sic).

Rihanna is no stranger to such situations, having endured a series of stalkers and trespassers in recent years.

Earth Tremor rattles

Guyana and other parts of the Caribbean

Alate morning earth tremor rattled several parts of Guyana on Thursday even as the nation’s capital city is tackling flooding.

Areas across Georgetown, the West Bank of Demerara and as far as the West Coast of Berbice experienced the earth tremor around 11:21 am.

Workers in several tall buildings rushed out of their offices and onto the roadways as the tremor in Georgetown had some buildings swaying. Hundreds of persons rushed to their Facebook

and social media pages to recount the experience.

The island of Barbados also experienced two earth tremors on Thursday morning. The first one was experienced just after 7:00am while the second was experienced after 11:00am.

The tremors that were also felt in other Caribbean territories are being blamed on an earthquake that took place out in the Caribbean sea just off the coast of Barbados. The tremors measured a 6.5 magnitude.

Canada reviewing visa requirement for Grenadians after appeal from PM

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada – The Canadian government has agreed to take another look at its requirement for Grenadian citizens to have visas to enter Canada.

The assurance was given after talks between Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell and his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper on the margins of the Toronto Global Forum held last week.

During the discussions, Mitchell expressed his concern about the high costs and inconvenience associated with Grenadians having to travel to Trinidad for Canadian visas, a

statement from the government said. He therefore urged Canadian officials to see what they could go ease the hassle.

“Prime Minister Harper, in expressing his understanding of the issue at hand, promised to look into it, with a view to reconsidering the visa requirements for Grenadian nationals,” the government statement said. It added that Harper had indicated that if the government could not remove the visa restriction, then it would consider appointing a representative to travel to Grenada once or twice a month to provide visa and other consular services for nationals.

Granger wants more night duty traffic cops

…as road fatalities soar to 56 at mid-year

With the Police reporting an alarming 56 road fatalities thus far in 2015, there are renewed calls for a sensible strategy to put an end to the road carnage, and President David Granger is proposing to put more traffic Police on the roadways especially in the nights.

Addressing stakeholders last week at a road safety forum, Granger stated that ranks of the Guyana Police Force must be shifted to those areas where they were most needed. He noted that there should be an increased Police presence on the roadways especially in the nights when accidents were more likely to happen as drivers think they could do whatever they wanted on the road after dark.

“So rather than telling the traffic Police to come to work for 8 o’clock and go home at four or five, they should come at 10 o’clock in the night and go home four in the morning because that’s when the accidents are taking place,” the President stated.

He explained that with more Police Officers on the roadways at night, would-be errant drivers would not be careless and would go as far as not driving while intoxicated. “The traffic Police must not go to sleep at a time when the accidents are taking place; that is when they come out to work,” he declared.

Furthermore, the Head of State urged that there be a Police presence at the bus park also to ensure

drive and thus endanger the lives of the public.

On the other hand, President Granger spoke about the many inferior and inefficient vehicles that are being imported. He remarked that many of these vehicles have been discarded by countries that have proper safety regulations.

“Many of the tyres that we use on our vehicles are actually discarded by people who know they are unsafe. But we are so happy to get cheap hand-me-downs, we don’t realise that we are jeopardising the safety of our own citizens,” he pointed out.

Must make roads safer

The President further outlined that apart from importing “junk”, persons are actually importing inefficient and environmentally hazardous vehicles that were discard-

ed by the export countries, which are looking for efficient vehicles. Granger went on to highlight that these vehicles should not be allowed to enter the country in the first place.

“If I had my way, and I’m now in a position to have my way, the tax on the old vehicles would be greater than the tax on the new vehicles. People must be discouraged from buying junk,” he declared.

The President said he was pleased that efforts were being made to address this issue, noting that it was always saddening to attend the funerals of those killed in road accidents. He added that such accidents were avoidable and should be prevented at all costs.

“When you see in the last 15 years, over 2000 Guyanese have been killed on the roads, it is a serious epidemic, and no government can ignore the death of over 2000 of its citizens in such a short period of time… We have to make our roads safer, we have to explore the means, the measures, the methods to reduce injury, risk, deaths of persons on our roadways, and the task of this consultation must be to ensure that in every possible instance we prevent injury and death on the road,” the President mentioned.

On Saturday, the Police Force reported that 56 road fatalities from 45 accidents have been recorded at the end of June in comparison to 57 fatalities from 52 accidents for the same period last year.

APNU+AFC Govt...

ically, the export to Venezuela gradually accounted for less of the production and in 2015, would have accounted for only about 30 per cent.

“The 2015 arrangements called for Guyana to export approximately 200,000 tonnes of rice and paddy to Caracas, worth about US$120 million. For 2015, this would have been about 30 per cent of the total production for 2015,” Ramsammy stated, “I suspect that it was not different again this time. Guyana’s position with Venezuela throughout those discussions was always based on a very sensitive approach –we were supportive of Venezuela’s efforts to resuscitate its own rice industry and we fully appreciate that when that resuscitation occurred that Venezuela would not be able to continue buying Guyana’s rice and paddy.”

He said those sentiments were resuscitated during the 2015 discussions earlier in the year before the 2015 contract was signed. The statement by Venezuela of its intention to resuscitate its own rice industry and Guyana’s understanding that when that time comes the Venezuelan market for Guyana’s rice and paddy would shrink

were always part of the preliminary discussions in finalising the market. The present situation with the collapse of the rice deal has to do with the present tense situation between the countries.

“The new Government had promised during the elections that they had markets that would pay farmers more than $9000 per bag of paddy. They had boasted that some of their people had in fact developed the Venezuelan market and had markets all over the world, but that the PPP/C Government was suffocating them from being able to export Guyana’s rice and paddy. Well, some rice farmers did listen to them. Now is APNU+AFC’s chance to put in place their markets, their price structures and to show the farmers that they were not lying to them during the elections campaign.”

He said this was not the time for Government to use Venezuela as an excuse. “This is not the time for them to cast blame on others. The industry needs good stewardship in order to continue to grow. That stewardship requires a strong Government support – a support that the PPP/C gave fully,” the former Minister said.

Govt under pressure to fight crime

… 79 murders, 207 cases of rape to date

The Government of Guyana is under pressure to fight crime, even as the Guyana Police Force on Saturday disclosed that there has been an increase of nine per cent in serious crimes in the first half of 2015, when compared to the same period last year.

The Force stated that a total of 79 murders were recorded at the end of June 2015 in comparison to 69 at the end of June 2014, which saw an increase of 14 per cent. On to the tenth day of July, one murder was recorded.

Of these, 29 murders were committed in A Division (Georgetown/ East Bank Demerara) followed by 14 in C Division (East Coast Demerara) and 13 in B Division (Berbice). In addition, 11 were committed in F Division (Interior locations) and four each in D (West Bank Demerara/ East Bank Essequibo), E (Linden/Kwakwani) and G Divisions (Essequibo coast/Islands).

However, the Police further disclosed that 29 of the 79 murders committed were disorderly, followed by the 20 dur-

ing robberies and six through execution-style killings. Nine were as a result of domestic disputes, 20 were from unknown causes and three by other means.

In addition, the Police recorded a six per cent decrease in robbery under arms as well as a nine per cent decrease in the number of armed robberies involving the use of firearms. Further, there has been an increase of 74 per cent in the number of reports of rape, with 207 cases being reported at the end of June when compared to 119 for the same period last year. Break and enter, larceny and burglary have shown an overall increase of nine per cent.

The Police also seized a total of 61 illegal firearms, comprising one sub-machine gun, 35 pistols, 14 revolvers, four shotguns, six rifles and one pen-gun.

Behind the backdrop of the Police statistics, the Government was forced to convene a meeting on Tuesday last to develop a broad-based anticrime strategy to curtail rampant criminality that has gripped the country in the past month.

With the recent upsurge in crime, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan admitted that in order to significantly reduce the crime rate in the country, a long-term plan will have to take effect as this serious crime surge cannot be curbed with shortterm strategies.

He was also quoted as saying that fighting crime was a herculean and multidimensional task, as it could not be easily erased or reduced from any society. He explained that Government will have to first identify the root causes for the problems and then address the matters from there.

Stepped up govt tax action needed to curb tobacco epidemic – WHO

Too few governments levy appropriate levels of tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products. They therefore miss out on a proven, low-cost measure to curb demand for tobacco, save lives and generate funds for stronger health services, according to the “WHO Report on the global tobacco epidemic 2015”.

The report focuses on raising taxes on tobacco. Although 33 countries impose taxes that represent more than 75% of the retail price of a packet of cigarettes, many countries have extremely low tax rates. Some have no special tax on tobacco products at all.

Raising taxes on tobacco products is one of the most effective – and cost-effective – ways to reduce consumption of products that kill, while also generating substantial revenue,” says Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. “I encourage all governments to look at the evidence, not the industry’s arguments, and adopt one of the best win-win policy options available for health.”

Strategies to support the implementation of demand reduction measures contained within the WHO Framework

Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), such as the “MPOWER” package, have helped save millions of lives in the past decade.

However, by 2014, 11 countries had raised taxes so that they represent more than 75% of the retail price of a packet of cigarettes, joining the 22 countries that had similarly high taxes in place in 2008.

Dr Douglas Bettcher, Director of WHO’s Department for the Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs), says higher tobacco taxes and prices are proven methods to reduce consumption and promote quitting the use of tobacco products.

“Evidence from countries such as China and France shows that higher tobacco product prices linked to increased taxes lead to declines in smoking prevalence and tobacco-related harm, such as lung cancer deaths,” says Dr Bettcher.

MPOWER was established in 2008 to promote government action on 6 tobacco control strategies – 1 for each letter of the MPOWER acronym – to stamp out the tobacco epidemic, namely to: monitor tobacco use and prevention policies; protect people from tobacco smoke; offer help to quit tobacco use; warn people about the dangers of tobacco; enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and raise taxes on tobacco. The main findings of the report, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, include the fact that raising taxes is the least implemented MPOWER measure in terms of population coverage, and the one that has seen the least improvement in terms of government action since 2008.

English freemasonry in Guyana is said to have begun with the first English lodge, “Three Friends” in the late 18th century, though there is record that the first Lodge to be established in Guyana was St. Jean de la Reunion.This Dutch Lodge met, possibly on Fort Island, under a warrant from the National Grand Lodge of the United Provinces (the Netherlands), from 1771.

By 1816, after the colony was united under the British, the first and oldest English masonic temple building was in use at Company Path in Church Street, Georgetown.

However, English Masonic temples are not confined to the Georgetown region only. The third oldest Masonic temple in Guyana can be found on Ferry Street in New Amsterdam, Berbice. Another English Masonic temple in Guyana is located in Linden.

In 1896, Englishman, William Parratt, an engineer with the sug-

ar industry in Berbice, met with several doctors, lawyers, civil servants and businessmen, and agreed that another effort be made to re-establish Freemasonry in Berbice

Ituni Masonic Temple on Ferry Street, New Amsterdam was acquired in 1904, after the Ituni Lodge was consecrated Sept. 20, 1897 in the upper story of the Berbice Reading Society’s Building in Church Street, New Amsterdam.The building is also used by the Phoenix Lodge.

At the meeting of the Ituni Lodge in June 1904, a motion was passed that the property at Lot 9 Queenstown, New Amsterdam, with building thereon, be acquired for a Masonic Hall for $1,000.00, and on Sept 30, 1904 was occupied for the first time.

It was immediately renovated “along strict Masonic lines,” and a cottage was erected nearby for the Serving Brother.

Renovators have since stayed true to its original design throughout its extensive repairs in the 1990s due to the ravages of weather and time.

The building also includes a unique “disc of the Flaming Star”not found in any other local Lodge building, according to Inderjeet Beharry. Today the Ituni Masonic Temple building remains a fine example of timber architecture and construction in New Amsterdam and indeed Guyana.

The Ituni Masonic Temple is featured in the New Amsterdam Heritage Trail, a 2015 publication by the National Trust of Guyana that hopes to enrich future generations with knowledge of their Guyanese heritage. (Photos courtesy LJ Hernandez)

It has since become a landmark building with its high tower, timber louvers and stained glass window, along with its delicately constructed fretwork. The tower, along with its entrance porch and winding staircase, was added to the building and presented as a gift to the Lodge on St. John’s Day, June 25, 1928.

Hope Canal

After much controversy, missed deadlines and delays, the Northern Relief Channel at Hope, or the Hope Canal as it is more commonly known, received its “baptism of water” on June 13, 2015 when, after a period of sustained heavy rainfall, a decision was taken to release water from the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) via the Northern Relief Channel.

And so began the first official test release of water via the northern relief channel of the Hope-Dochfour outfall. By the following day, Head of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth reported the test release a success.

After record levels of rain fell within a 24hour period, the level of EDWC was considered dangerously high, threatening the structural integrity of the EDWC dam walls.

The agriculture ministry had reported earlier that the water level in the EDWC was 58.25 Georgetown Datum (GD) at Flagstaff, 57.70 GD at Lama, and 54.85 GD at Land of Canaan, which

were above the full supply level of 57.50 GD. The height of the conservancy dam is 59 GD.

The release of water began at 06:00h, facilitated by workers cutting the embankment to have water flow into the Northern Relief Channel. According to Wordsworth, this cut near the head regulator was widened at 12:00h to enable a greater flow from the Conservancy into the Hope outfall. Water was released into the Atlantic Ocean

via the eight-door sluice, one of the components of the Hope Canal Project. Water was also released from the EDWC into the Demerara River via the Land of Canaan, Kofi and Cunha relief channels.

However, the Hope Canal was a project that throughout its planning and construction faced bitter opposition and dispute from both politicians and sections of civil society, especially for what was considered its extraordinary expense.

menced exploration of the Northern Relief Channel to address the situation.

The NDIA was mandated to establish a plan to undertake the necessary hydrological studies and an Environmental Management Plan.

CEMCO/SRKN Engineering, in association with Mott Mc Donald, was given the consultancy project to the value of $64 million for a 14-month period.

The contract for the construction of the Hope

estimated 18 months for completion. The deadline for the project was initially set for June 2013, but was subsequently extended to the end of August, and then once again extended to December 31, 2013.The deadline was later revised to June 2014.

In March 2015, then agriculture minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy announced that the Hope Canal Project, East Demerara Water Conservancy Northern Relief Channel was to be

It was also considered not the best solution for the country’s ever-present flood woes.

Current education minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, formerly opposition shadow minister for agriculture,was reported as saying the project was “an extravagance from the beginning” and that it “was not a project that we [APNU/ AFC] believed was at all necessary.”

Nevertheless, the previous PPP/C government embarked on the US$15M (GYD $3.6 billion) Hope Canal, believing that the undertaking, though a major one, would be the answer to the flooding experienced in the Mahaica/ Mahaicony Abary areas during the annual rainy periods.

Following the 2005 floods and in 2008 excessive rainfall resulting in Regions Four and Five experiencing massive floods, then Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud, through the NDIA, com-

Canal Project was awarded toCourtney Benn Contracting Services, DIPCON Engineering Service Limited and BK International.

Courtney Benn Contracting Services was tasked with constructing the eight-door sluice, while BK International was assigned with the construction of the threegated head regulator.

DIPCON was awarded the contract of the $349 million overhead bridge, which the agriculture ministry commissioned Feb.15, 2014. The ministry also took the responsibility of the excavation of the 10.3 kilometre long earthen channel.

The construction of the 10.3 km long by 30m bed width canal began after several months of discussions and planning with the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority leading the project.

Construction on the project began in February 2011 with an

commissioned late April but meanwhile, the conservancy was ready for immediate use if the need arose.

According to Ramsammy, it was significant that along with consultants, several of the engineers involved in the massive and unique project were young Guyanese engineers, including female engineers, within the ministry.

Showing confidence in Guyanese youth, the minister at the time noted it was part of the ministry’s objective to, “build the capacity for our own engineers so in the future when we do these (projects) we don’t spend a lot of money for expensive consultants.”

At the announcement of its commissioning, Ramsammy noted, “We will always have to re-engineer the dam as time goes by but the majority functioning aspect of the project is completed.”

The National Collection of Guyana located in Castellani House, contains acclaimed artwork, presented in many art genres, by many of Guyana’s most talented artists: well known and not so well known, young and old, resident and nonresident, living and deceased.

According to “Panorama: A portrait of Guyana”, it contains artwork that “opens a window on the life, activities, landscape, culture, imagination, celebrations, of Guyanese as seen through the eyes of our artists…”

The publication hopes to educate and sensitise the public on Guyanese art and its history.

andrew Lyght’s “this is timehri No. 1” (oil, 1967) is described as a celebration of our indigenous legacy. As it hangs among the country’s finest paintings in the National Collection, Lyght’s painting intersperses colour around the Timehri’s rock engraving motifs to present a unique expression of these ancient petroglyphs

The UK has gained its first-ever female black university leader in Guyanaborn Baroness Valerie Amos.

In its most recent statistical report, the UK Equality Challenge Unit found almost 70 per cent of senior academic managers are white males –with nearly 16 per cent of this group at professor level.

In stark contrast, the report found only 2.8 per cent of black and minority ethnic female academics were employed at even professor level.

Now, the 61-year-old senior United Nations official and former Cabinet minister is set to break the mould and take charge at SOAS, University of London from September, saying she was “honoured” to be joining the university.

“SOAS is a special institution with global recognition for its research and teaching on Asia,

Africa and the Middle East, bringing different perspectives to scholarship,” she said.

Since it was founded in 1916, as the School of Oriental Studies, it has forged a global reputation for research and teaching with a focus on the three places as mentioned by Baroness Amos.

The new leader hailed the school’s “vast repository of knowledge and expertise on its specialist regions” and added, “SOAS is uniquely placed to inform and shape current thinking about the religious, political, cultural, security and economic challenges of our world.”

She highlighted what needs to be done at the school now that she will be at the helm and said:

“There is an interrelated set of issues which need to be addressed to manage growing complexity and the contradictions of greater global connectivity and greater fragmen-

tation.

“SOAS is a place where I can continue to grow and learn and use the skills, knowledge and experience I have gained over the years.”

Born, March 13, 1954 in Guyana, the Baroness was educated at Bexley Technical High School for Girls (now Townley Grammar School) in southeast London.

She went on to earn a BA in Sociology from the University of Warwick and an MA in Cultural Studies from the University of Birmingham.

She also undertook cultural studies at the University of East Anglia where she investigated the transition from school to work for black girls.

According to the Britannica encyclopaedia, she worked initially for local governments in London and then from 1989 to 1994 headed the Equal Opportunities Commission.

In August 1997, she was made a life peer,taking the title Baroness Amos, of Brondesbury in the London Borough of Brent, by the new Labour Party government of Tony Blair.

As a member of the House of Lords, Amos served as the government spokesperson for social security, international development, women’s issues, and foreign and Commonwealth affairs.

In May 2003, she was appointed international development secretary, thus becoming the first black woman to serve in a British cabinet.

Following the death of Lord Williams of Mostyn in September 2003, Amos was named leader of the House of Lords, a post she held until 2007. It also made her the first woman of African descent to hold the post.

She later served as British high com-

missioner to Australia (2009–10), and in 2010, she became head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

As an advocate of higher education, Baroness Amos is cofounder and Patron of the Amos Bursary, which promotes higher education opportunities

Natasha Harper: Breakthrough model

Afamiliar face in the Guyana modelling scene, Natasha Harper , who has been modelling since the age of 15, is one of the stars to emerge from Traits Model Management (TMM) Guyana since she was signed on in 2014.

Immediately upon signing with the agency, she was off to locales in the Caribbean for her overseas debut where she was spotted for Mexican-American fashion designer César Galindo’s CZAR collection at the Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week Spring/

Summer 2014.

She has also walked for Korto Momolu, runner up designer of Project Runway, Columbiaborn designer and celebrity stylist Edwin D’angelo; Perth based Australian fashion designer, Mauricio Alpizar and Senegalese designer Diarra Bousso.

Natasha has also been featured in print editions, gracing the cover of Spanish newspaper El diario New York and a recent 5-page spread for ShaSha Designs in Shabeau Magazine.

for young men of African and Caribbean heritage in the UK.

Her charity works involved being the chair of the board of governors at Royal College of Nursing Institute from 1994 to 1998 and one of the directors of Hampstead Theatre.(Additional information source: The Independent )

State-of-the-art Mall opens in Guyana

BY DEVINA SAMAROO

The Giftland Mall, dubbed the single largest innovation in Guyana, has been the talk of the town long before its grand ceremonial opening on July 2.

From the classic shuttlecraft rides to the colossal structure, the dozens of multiplex stores, the mega food court and not forgetting the modernised movie theaters, the Giftland Mall has almost become synonymous with highclass entertainment.

Catering for the entire family, the fullblown entertainment

in the fancy buses along the lengthy stretch of road into the enormous compound. “One cannot simply visit the mall and not use the shuttlecrafts!” visitors expressed. Once there, the most difficult challenge arises-where to begin.

The mall boasts a variety superstores which are fully stocked with everything you may need.

“It’s just like that simply little store they had on Water Street, except it’s 100 times better; there is more to choose from and it’s more spacious.

It is definitely a wonderful shopping experience. It makes shopping

ing the new highlight in Guyana, hundreds of persons from near and far, crowded the facility on a daily basis, whether to shop, windowshop, socialise, watch a movie, grab a meal, or just to take photos, the Giftland Mall is indeed the trending entertainment hub in the country where everyone wants to be.

“After classes, I would just come over here. We don’t have to do anything; we would walk around and then go by the food court. Sometimes we would buy something to eat, sometimes we don’t.

complex has almost everything each family member may need and desire. However one cannot simply comprehend the excitement that comes with the mall if they do not experience everything it entails –which may very well take an entire day.

“I was ecstatic even at the idea of having this complex in Guyana. Now that it is finally opened, I think I am slowly dying of excitement. I know for sure everyone who visits will have a memorable tale to tell,” said an overly excited teenager, Rebecca Rampersaud.

The journey through the mall begins with the giddy feeling of traveling

a breeze, rather than a hustle and bustle,” said a mother who was getting an early start on the back-to-school shopping.

“You can always come to Giftland and get good customer service. It was the same experience at the smaller location. Other businesses should take pride in customer service because it really makes a customer want to come back to your store and this is one of the reasons why I will always come to Giftland,” said Dawn Rodney, who travelled all the way from South Ruimveldt, Georgetown to visit the shopping plaza.

With the mall be-

That’s the thing, it’s a nice place to be and you don’t really have to do anything; you just come with your friends and hang out and it’s the perfect environment for that,” said Natasha Williams, a University of Guyana student.

But while the mall is fairly busy during the day, the buzz of it is in the evenings when friends and families come out to experience high-level entertainment in a comfortable atmosphere that is going to leave you yearning for more.

“This is the best movie experience ever! I don’t even have to stand in the lines to get food.

You know normally the lines are long and you may not want to wait. They have a system in place where, when I am in the cinema, I can press a button and order what I want and then they will bring it inside. I don’t have to get up. How awesome is that?” Cindy Kishun gleefully exclaimed.

The cinema complex boasts eight gigantic modernised screens, high-back reclining chairs, digital surround sound systems, state-ofthe-art projection tech-

nology, stadium seating and the latest trend in movie theater design.

The funny thing is, the mall is not even close to completion and Guyanese are certainly already ecstatic about the features it is offering- which is minute in comparison to the other features that are yet to come.

The 560-foot entertainment strip, which will comprise fine dining restaurants, sports bars, Brazilian grills, and pubs for evening entertainment, is still to be

opened. Video arcades, zip lines, rock climbing and bungee jumping are also some of the exciting additions left to be established.

Though it is located all the way behind the Caricom Secretariat in Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, many Guyanese from afar brave the journey just to experience the wonders of the Giftland Mall. And indeed, the mall definitely delivers a new exhilarating experience for Guyanese.

11 Coast Guard troops receive training from Brazilian Navy

As the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) continues to strengthen ties with its Brazilian counterpart, 11 members of its Coast Guard recently participated in a naval exercise, spearheaded by the neighbouring Navy.

The team departed Guyana on May 10 for “Exercise Caribex” which was conducted on the Brazilian Naval Patrol Vessel Bracui. The training exercise was spearheaded by the Naval Patrol Group of the North 4th district.

According to Sub Lieutenant Welcome, the aim of the exercise was to familiarise the members of the Coast Guard with the various operational procedures aboard the naval patrol vessel in several skilled areas such as naviga-

tion, communication, weaponry, engineering, and basic seamanship. He also highlighted that during the exercise, personnel had the opportunity to be involved in fire-fighting, damage control, and inland patrols in the Amazon River of Brazil.

“As professionals of the Coast Guard, this type of training will not only enhance their skills and knowledge in various areas, but will also allow the members to perform their immediate duties efficiently and effectively,” Sub Lieutenant Welcome pointed out.

Meanwhile, commenting on the success of the troops, acting Chief-of-Staff, Colonel Khemraj Persaud, stated that the training and upgrading of the skills of all soldiers was of criti-

cal importance. He added that the exposure gained by these troops augured well, particularly in the context of the current threats to Guyana’s territorial integrity. “I urge the ratings to make full use of their training, especially at this time when there are threats to our territorial integrity,” Colonel Persaud declared.

This training exercise comes on the heels of the recently concluded Exercise Tradewinds, which saw the GDF Flagship, the GDFS Essequibo and Coast Guard ranks participating in the maritime phase of the Exercise. During this exercise, there was participation from 17 different countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and those in the Caribbean.

Group Assignments

By Anu Dev

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”

– Winston Churchill

We’ve all been forced to do group assignments at some point in our school life. Most of the time, these groups are arbitrarily assigned by the teacher. And so, without a say in the matter, you find yourself lumped together with a bunch of people, some of whom you’d love to work with and others…ummmm… you’d really, really rather not.

I’ve always had a theory (more than a sneaking suspicion!) that the groups are never really quite as arbitrary as they’d have us think. Sometimes, I get the feeling that teachers deliberately assign students that don’t get along to the same group. Is it because they want them to learn to get along by having to work together? Or is because they just want to watch the world burn? Sometimes it really isn’t clear which.

I’ve never really liked group assignments. There was always this uneven divide, with some kids who actually cared about getting a good grade and others who didn’t really care one way or the other and were content to just kick back and relax. So it inevitably fell onto the shoulders of the kids that cared about their grades to carry the load of the assignment and do most (all?) of the work.

So you quickly develop survival rules. If you start off too gung-ho at the beginning, chances are that you’ll be the one saddled with the brunt of the workload. You learn to suss out the situation before making your move. You observe the other group members to see who the “try-hards” are, who “the slackers” are and who falls somewhere in the middle. And then you plan your future interactions with the group accordingly, hoping to hit that sweet spot where you’re a valuable member of the team, doing your part, while not having to carry the entire project all by your lonesome.

But even while detesting most group assignments, I still appreciated that they were a not-so-subtle metaphor for real life. As far as metaphors go, this one really whacks you round the head.

Whether it’s at a new job or in college, you’ll be stuck with co-workers or classmates that you didn’t choose. And you’ll have to find a way to work with these people to get the work done.

And if you chose to learn from your experiences with group assignments in school, you’ll find that you’re well equipped to deal with these group situations.

So here are some things I learnt from group assignments in school:

• Be assertive. If you’re being left with the majority of the work to do on your own, speak up. Tell the rest of the group in no uncertain terms that they have to start pulling their weight.

• Some people just plain suck. They just won’t listen or participate. Sometimes you have to ignore those people, get the work done and hope to never have to work with them ever again. They’ll get reality-checks sometime down the line.

• Everyone has different perspectives. By finding a way to incorporate everyone’s viewpoint, you can end up with a much better project. Basically the lyrics for “Let us cooperate for Guyana”

• Some people can surprise you. Sometimes there are bad surprises, but sometimes people can surprise you by being really efficient or passionate about the project.

• And a bunch of other life lessons that I’m sure group assignments taught me but I really can’t recall right now.

It’s impossible to avoid working with other people (I mean, it’s probably possible, but it’ll be lonely). So you have to learn to put aside your differences and just do what you gotta do. And the Winston Churchill quote above can be really applicable to group situations- sometimes you have to speak up and assert yourself and sometimes you have to be patient and listen to what others have to say.

B y J ihan R am R oop

The commercials all start the same, more or less. Healthy, shiny, hair for only half the cost of a drugstore shampoo. But lurking inside almost every commercial hair product are a number of ingredients that are simply just bad for your locks. One ingredient especially harmful, many times being the second on the list after water is Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS).

But why is this noteworthy, some may wonder. Well, SLS is the stuff in dishwashing detergent, meaning while it gets the grease off pots and pans, it also removes the natural oils in your hair, making it and the skin around it damaged and dry.

The solution?

To counter these chemical messes, you could spend dollars at the hairstore buying ingredient-savvy hair products. But then if you're like me and tried the whole host of products already, you might want to give an unconventional trend a go.

The "no poo" movement calls for users of shampoo to quit using them. That's right: quit shampoo.

This may sound gross and impossible, but people across the Internet have been sharing their success stories on their hair days after quitting shampoo.

But why on earth would you want to quit using shampoo? Doesn't it make your hair cleaner and softer? Doesn't it make your tresses smell good and look good? Most importantly, isn't shampooing normal?

According to Sarah Theeboom ("I Haven't Shampooed My Hair in Six Years," seventeen.com) and Lauren O'Neal, ("How to Quit Shampoo Without Becoming Disgusting," thehairpin.com) quitting shampoo may be the best thing you can do for your scalp. Why?

When SLS washes over your hair it strips off natural oils your hair emits. This sometimes makes your hair dry, flat and so not like the tresses those drug-

store shampoo commercials promised. When you stop shampooing for a week or even more, rinsing your hair with water, baking soda and apple cider vinegar (O'Neal tells you more about this in "How to Quit Shampoo Without Becoming Disgusting," thehairpin.com), your

hair slowly returns to its natural, healthy state without becoming overwhelming oily. There's light at the end

You know how hair becomes icky after you haven't washed it for a while? Well, when you quit shampoo, your hair takes some time to catch up, still being icky, and maybe even

more since you're using no shampoo. Your hair will continue to overproduce oils like it did when you used SLS products. But, after a while with no shampoo your hair may return to its natural state, which was more healthier, voluminous and betterlooking than those hair commercials anyway.

This week's Crossword

Challenged loyalties…

…in Essequibo

Rice is in the news right now. As rice goes, so does Essequibo. No other part of the country depends on one product as does Essequibo on rice. But like most Guyanese, when your Eyewitness talks about “Essequibo”, he’s really talking about “the Essequibo Coast”… or as residents call it – “the Coast”. But “Essequibo” really encompasses everything west of the Boeraserie Creek and Essequibo River – and we’re talking about a whole lot of real estate here.

So while folks in the Rupununi don’t think they have much in common with those on “the Coast”, don’t tell this to Maduro over in Venezuela. When he offers a “green card” to Essequibians, he means all the people from Shell Beach in the north to the Gunns Strip in the south. They are all “Essequibians” to Maduro… Essequbian Venezuelans to be more precise.

He’s trying to bring Venezuelans under his banner by emphasising how they “wuz robbed” of their land by perfidious Britain. The question, of course, is whether anyone in Essequibo sees themselves as “Venezuelans”. This Eyewitness doubts this. While during the “hard Burnham days” a goodly number of Essequibians emigrated to Venezuela… there is no incentive for them to do so now. Much less accepting Venezuelan green cards while at home.

History shows that identity is honed more by stirring up “us against them” than anything else and it’s very doubtful that Essequibians are alienated against the rest of Guyana. Unless, of course, those farmers who depend totally on rice on “The Coast”, start believing they can do better with the Venezuelan markets. Last week there was a news item that Naithram One-Name (threat how the Stabber always refers to the fella) – who represents 4000 farmers (!) on the Coast – complained that he couldn’t get in touch with the Minister of Agriculture to air his grievance.

This week's Puzzle

And imagine these two fellas are from the same AFC party that persuaded a good chunk of rice farmers from the Coast and in Berbice to vote in the new Government. This Eyewitness can just see Maduro sending back some of those Guyanese immigrants who might now see themselves as “Venezuelans” to whisper sweet nothings in Naithram One-Name’s ears. If you find it hard to see Guyanese becoming Venezuelans after two decades, just think of your cousins becoming Americans after just two YEARS in New York!

Anyhow, the border controversy stirring up passions for love and unity can go in both directions. Let’s be united in doing what’s best for Guyana.

The UN Secty-Gen “Good Officer” process has failed: judicial settlement will get this monkey off our back –once and for all.

…on Constitutional change

Sherwood Lowe’s one of your more reasoned voices in the Opposition camp (?) and in this vein, he wrote a very reasoned letter on Justice Chang’s ruling. Your Eyewitness doesn’t have to tell you which ruling, does he? But he didn’t have to invent a name (“the doctrine of democratic worth or value”) for Justice Chang’s interpretative principle of the Constitution. In addition to original intent (historical), precedent, and scholarship, there’s always been the “normative” approach under the rubric of looking at contemporary values and empirical data.

While the last has been more a feature of American jurisprudence (think Brown v Board of Education removing segregated schools or Roe v Wade and it’s “trimester” rule for abortion, etc. etc.) the Commonwealth Courts haven’t been oblivious to the need for Procrustean constitutional scholars like Justice, Prof Pollard who insists on just looking at the words. (And there IS a word for this – eiusdem generis, we’re informed!)

But Justice Chang did cite those Commonwealth normative precedents, didn’t he?

… on New Nation

For the past twenty-three years, Adam Harris, editor of the MuckrakerKN’s been whining about not getting his benefits for working “continuously” with the government. But mouth open and the story jumped out that from 1980-1988, he was over at the PNC’s New Nation. Nooooo!

mount maringma south side

There are many least explored regions of Guyana, and Maringma Tepui, along the Pakarima Mountain range in Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Region Seven is one such place.

Also known as Mount Maringma or Mount Marima, with the indigenous community of Wayalayeng at its base,it lies just inside Guyana territory, close to the Guyana-Brazil border.

The flat-topped Maringma Tepui, rising to approximately just over 3,000 feet, harbours several varieties of plant life and small fauna among swamp-like pools and pockets of dwarf forest.

To date it has seen mainly scientific explorers, though its isolation makes it the ideal place for the intrepid explorer. (Photos by Erin Tripp)

The Shaping of guyaneSe LiTeraTure

‘Where are your heroes, Caribbean?’

By PetamBer Persaud

Caricom Day, for me, was a day of "lil reflection and nuff daydreaming," interrupted by present-day issues: thinking about cricket; and boundaries and borders, and sovereignty and identity and insularity and integration and miscegenation and creole and languages and literature, and Carifesta and Caribbean icons and Caribbean literary giants; and our national song, “Not a blade of grass”, and thinking about a question raised by Dave Martins: “Where are your heroes, Caribbean’?”

Here, I was stuck but just for a while. The answer to that question was within reach, my reach. So I reached for my copy of “Here are your Heroes, Caribbean” by Standhope Williams.

The book is a partial answer to the song because it captures only part of the Caribbean story: that part dealing with the conferral of the ‘Order of the Caribbean Community’ upon awardees for the period of the first conferment (1992) to the fifth conferment (2002).

The partial answer by the book to Martins’ question was no fault or shortcoming of the author - the book could not and was not designed to record the deeds of the mighty men and women that fall outside the ambit of the award; for instance, the book was not designed to record ‘The Triennial Award for Women’.

What the book does, and does it well at that, is to capture the story of the awardees for the period of the first conferment (1992) to the fifth conferment (2002), amounting to seventeen icons. Moreover, there are many more than that number, perhaps 17 times 17, which was the

focus of both Sir Shridath Ramphal and Dr. Tyrone Ferguson, at the beginning of the book.

Ramphal in his preface says, “It would be invidious to attempt to enumerate individuals who would have surely been members of the Order, had the Order existed in their time, but their contributions were monumental’ like our ‘cultural heroes, writers, poets, singers, dancers, and those who helped create a stage from which their talents could inspire West Indians’.

Ferguson in his foreword bemoans the fact that “too often, we take too much for granted our Caribbean personalities of excellence and world stature. We fail to constantly tell the tales of our Caribbean heroes’ going on to buttress his words, ‘an indispensible anchor of Caribbean regionalism is the public recognition, acknowledgement, and consciousness of our heroes.”

The book is “a permanent record of a unique group of Caribbean heroes and icons …it is an illustrated guide and informative overview of the lives of the distinguished recipients of the Order of the Caribbean (OCC) Award.”

Those awardees include Shridath Ramphal, William Demas, Derek Walcott, Dame Nita Barrow, Michael Norman Manley, Alistair McIntyre, Philip Telford George,

Garfield Sobers, Arthur Robinson, Philip Sherlock, Vere Bird, Slinger Francisco, George Alleyne, George Price, Lloyd Best, Mary Eugenia Charles, and John Compton.

At the end of that list, I kept adding names mainly of a cultural and literary nature biased to my interests. However“heroes” are bigger than my little list, heroes are bigger than

any listing, bigger than books and billboards and street names and building names. Therefore, I called on other resources like the Anthony Sabga Caribbean Award for Excellence, and Carifesta honourees and the Noble Prize and the Olympics...and soon a feeling euphoria set in.

As the question was raised by a Guyanese, I returned to home space,

looking for records, turning to “Dictionary of Guyanese Biography” by A. J. Seymour, “Grass roots of Guyana” by Betty Lewis, “Stories of the heroes” by P. H. Daly, “The sky’s wild noise” by Minister of Education Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, newspapers focusing on special persons locally and in the diaspora; magazines (active and dormant) like GEM,

the Guyana Annual, Guyana Inc., Horizons, Guyana Review, and the National Awards, television programmes like “That’s who I am” and “Reflections”, my own television programmes and newspaper columns highlighting the life and work of our literary icons...

“Where are your heroes?...It’s time to start blowing we own trumpet.” (Said Dave Martins, and all Guyana say....)

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

Regional Chairmen, deputies urged to serve in the nation's interest

President David Granger has called on the newly elected Regional Chairpersons and their deputies to be regional leaders and not “party chairmen”.

He made the comments shortly after swearing in the officials at the Ministry of the Presidency on Friday. Those sworn in

Fredricks, Region Eight; Bryan Allicock, Region Nine and Renis Morian, Region Ten.

The Regional ViceChairpersons are; Sarah Browne, Region One; Juliet Coonjah, Region Two; Inshaan Ayube, Region Three; Earl Lambert, Region Four; Rion Peters, Region Five; Dennis DeRoop, Region Six; Olinda Griffith,

courage you to pay close attention to the words that you uttered, the oath that you took, and the documents that you signed, in a flash you have decided to administer the 10 regions of Guyana, without fear or favour, affection or ill will.”

Pointing to the seriousness of the oath, the President told the of-

as Regional Chairmen are: Brentnol Ashley, Region One; Devanand Ramdatt, Region Two; Julius A Faeber, Region Three; Genevieve Allen, Region Four; Vickchand Ramphal, Region Five; David Armogan, Region Six; Gordon Bradford, Region Seven; Bonnaventure

Region Seven, Headley Pio, Region Eight; Carl Singh, Region Nine and Elroy Adolphus, Region Ten.

After taking their oath of Office, the President in his charge to the chairpersons and their deputies urged them to take their oath seriously. “I’d like to en-

ficers that they are expected to administer those regions for the benefit of all the residents. “It is not an idle oath, it is something that you must take seriously, when I was sworn in as President of this country those were the words that I uttered on the 16 of May, I said I’m

the President for all of Guyana.”

In this light, the President said all the people of Guyana must have access to him as President and to the good things that flow from his administration. “Similarly in your region, all the people in your region, regardless of their religion or their ethnicity, regardless of what part of the region they are from, must get the benefits of your judgment, must get the benefits of your good will.”

Speaking of how important each administrative region is to his administration, the President said in his mind the regions are hybrids of central government and local gov-

ernment hence if the regions do not succeed the country will not thrive. It is for this reason, the President said central and local governments must come with the aim of building 10 strong regions, which will eventually build a stronger country. Equally important too, the President said is for, civil society, councillors, social partners and other stakeholders to be involved in decision making for the regions’ best interest.

“I would like you to examine your regions and work out a plan…I call it the Plan of Action for Regional Development, and I would like to see all of you develop some sort of plan of action for regional development.”

The President said that even as these plans are being crafted, serious consideration must be given to clearly defined economic goals.

“Every single region can be rich, no region is desert, no region is swamp land, and every region has resources, human resources, material and natural resources, and we must decide how those resources must be exploited in order to benefit our people.”

The chairpersons were also advised on the importance of going after investments for their respective regions as plans are on stream for creating more towns in the regions, with the aim of attracting more investments.

Star of the week

Trevon Abashai Griffith, who can also bowl right arm off-spin, is a left-handed batsman, who was the leading run-getter in the TCL Group West Indies Challenge tournament in 2009, scoring 406 runs at an average of 40. The highlight was a century against Leeward Islands

Born April 18, 1991 in Guyana , he made his debut for the Guyana Under-19 team, participating in the 2008 regional Under-19 competition, in Barbados. Two fifties indicated batting potential, which was further substantiated when he scored a century in the first match of the 2009 regional Under-19 competition, in Jamaica.

He finished his Under-19 career with a century and 5 fifties, which earned him a place in the West Indies Under-19 team.

Representing the West Indies Under-19 team in the 2010 ICC Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, he scored 84 in the first match. He represented the senior Guyana team in List A matches in 2011 and first class matches in 2012. He is currently in the Guyana Amazon Warriors 2015 CPL team.

The blue-black grassquit (Volatinia jacarina) is a very common small bird in Central and South America, and is a popular resident in gardens in Georgetown.

Adult blue-black grassquits are 10.2 cm (4.0 in) long and weigh 9.3 g (0.33 oz.): the male is glossy blue-black, with a black tail and wings, while the female and fledglings have brown upperparts and darkstreaked buff underparts. The male has the peculiar characteristic of giving a jumping display,

often performed for long periods, and a persistent wheezing call.

The photographs here (taken in a Greater Georgetown coastal community in 2007) illustrate the growth of a couple of blue-black grassquits over approximatelythree weeks, from two small eggs with blotches of reddish brown in a small cup nest.

Within about 10 days the eggs become two tiny dark brown lumps of skin (no feathers) with large puffed “skin-pads” in place of eyes (the eyes are still closed) with

mouths almost always wide open waiting to receive food from mom or dad.

Within a further few days, feathers began to appear and their growth quickened, until the tiny home becomes crowded. After about another 10 days from being “naked” baby birds (not certain when they actually hatched) they were ready to leave the nest with their feathers in place.

The penultimate photo of the 20-day mission of recording new life is a fair portrait of the sec-

ond blue-black grassquit fledging about to leave the safety of his/her first home (not sure when the first one left).

Later the same day the adult male blueblack grassquit was observed with one of the fledglings, the latter calling for dinner as usual. (Photo Essay: A Bird’s Life Begins by Lennox J Hernandez)

Birding, or birdwatching, is a worldwide activity for professionals and amateurs, and several of Guyana’s tourism agencies have focussed on this avenue to boost

tourism in the country. Popular areas in Guyana for birdwatching include Georgetown,

Kaieteur National

and

The versatile breadfruit

Breadfruit is a well-known edible fruit in Guyana that provides a variety of uses.The breadfruit tree is an almost ubiquitous sight in Guyana. It originated in the South Pacific and spread throughout Oceania as humans settled the islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Breadfruit

(Artocarpus altilis) is a member of the Moraceae (fig) family. Its wild ancestor Artocarpus camansi (breadnut) naturally occurs in New Guinea, the Moluccas (Indonesia), and,it is believed, the Philippines.

Breadfruit Recipe

Breadfruit Stew

1 lb. lean pork, cubed

1 lb. beef stew meat, cubed

½-cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper

1 lb. smoked ham, cubed

¼ cup garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

½ cup parsley, chopped

1 tbsp. cumin

Method

Breadfruit is also known by a variety of names around the world, including árbol de pan, fruta de pan, pan or panapen in Spanish; arbre à pain, fruit à pain in French; broodvrucht, broodboom in Dutch; cow, panbwa, pain bois, frutapan and fruta de pan in the Caribbean; fruta pao, pao de massa in Portuguese, and kapiak in Papua New Guinea

1 tsp. oregano leaves, crushed

1 tsp. ground black pepper

8 oz. can tomato sauce

5 cups water

1 small mature breadfruit, cubed

Salt to taste

Cooking oil

Coat pork and beef with seasoned flour. In a large heated saucepot, add oil and brown the pork and beef. Add the ham and stir all the meats together.

Add garlic, onion, parsley, cumin, oregano, pepper, salt and tomato sauce. Simmer for 1015 minutes.

Add water, bring to a boil and simmer until the meat is tender. Add breadfruit and cook for approximately 45 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. (2007 Kahanu Garden Breadfruit Cookoff 1st Place Winner)

A few seedless varieties from Polynesia were introduced to the Caribbean in the late 1700s by British and French explorers. These seedless varietieswere introduced to Jamaica and St. Vincent from Tahiti, and a Tongan variety was introduced to Martinique and Cayenne via

Mauritius, which took to the region easily.

These varieties were then spread throughout the Caribbean and to Central and South America, Africa, India, Southeast Asia, Madagascar, the Maldives, the Seychelles, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, northern Australia, and south Florida. During slavery,Caribbean plantation owners often fed their slaves with breadfruit, since it was abundant, cheap and nutritious.

Requiring little attention or care, many small home and farm gardens in Guyana grew one or more breadfruit trees as a subsistence crop. Others homes may no longer depend on the tree but still keep it in their yards for the occasional

breadfruit recipe, shade or for its pleasing appearance.

Breadfruit has a high starch content and is used as a vegetable when mature. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy, with low levels of protein and fat and a moderate glycaemic index. It is a good source of dietary fibre, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, with small amounts of thiamin,

riboflavin, niacin and iron. Some varieties contain small amounts of folic acid.

Breadfruit can be used to create many dishes as a main dish, appetizer, dessert, soup or salad.Its milky sap is also used as boat caulking, glue or in other construction materials; breadfruit can also be used in animal feed, insect repellent, fabric and medicine to name a few of its uses.

Guyana’s pride in the fashion industry…

BY DENNIS GLASGOW

In Guyana, when you hear about fashion, you immediately think about Sonia Noel. This gorgeous fashion designer is definitely an iconic figure for fashion in the Caribbean. The award winning designer, humanitarian, entrepreneur and mother has managed to remain relevant in the industry for close to two decades.

Noel has showcased Guyana all over the world, from as close as Trinidad and Tobago to as far as Finland. Noel said that she is “someone who wants to be known for her positive contributions in society… fashion is my first love but when it comes to my career, I am a Guyanese fashion designer”. The modest mother of two is very passionate about the creative industry, not just fashion alone and tries to give back to the community in any way possible, especially by empowering the younger generation of creative minds.

Her involvement in the fashion industry has given her many opportunities to give back to her homeland, and one of the main examples would be The Designers Portfolio and The Sonia Noel Foundation for Creative Arts which she founded to nurture young talented people. In 2008 when the Designers Portfolio and Guyana’s Top Model were first launched, it produced one of the greatest opportunities for young people to showcase their uniqueness and talent. However, the winner for the Designers Portfolio was Andrew Harris who has made a name for himself in the United States of America. When Noel spoke about Andrew she said “Andrew has been doing exceptionally well and I am very proud of him.”

Noel had this to say about the challenges faced in the fashion industry, “The industry is definitely not without challenges and though they may be endless, designers always find creative ways to overcome them. The main challenge however is finance, because sponsorship has always been a major problem in the creative sector. It doesn’t matter how great your idea may be but to get it to the next level or to make it a reality, you have to have money. Another challenge is the lack of fabric materials and even the simplest thing like a zip in a specific colour can be challenging to find in some cases.”

Noel explained that in other Caribbean countries like Trinidad and Tobago, the National Budget caters

for fashion. This is mainly because fashion is a part of the “tourist package” that persons from North America and Europe come to the Caribbean to sample. In places like Trinidad, Jamaica and Barbados, they seem to be more “well off” than Guyana and this is as a result of the lack of funding that Guyana’s needs to be taken to the next level. Noel also said that “it is not a case where Guyana lacks talent because we have superb designers, but finance is the main problem. Though the Private Sector offers support, it is still very minimal. The previous Administration also made a little bit of contributions but Noel remains hopeful that the new Government is more supportive of the Arts.

The designing queen explained that one of the major benefits of being a designer is “Waking up every day knowing that you are doing something that you love”. She added that the biggest benefit is personal satisfaction and she is extremely lucky that she gets paid for doing something that she loves.

The fashion industry has allowed her to meet many phenomenal people worldwide and the industry has also given Sonia the opportunity to work with social causes like domestic violence, sickle cell, HIV/AIDS, environmental preservation, child abuse and many others.

Fashion has always been a strange but effective measure used to bring awareness to these pressing issues. Noel related one of her most cherished experience in the industry, “I could remember once when we did fashion week and we partnered with the Ministry of Human Services to address domestic violence

and Anna Marie Horsford, the Hollywood actress, was here and we did a segment where young ladies came out on stage with absolutely gorgeous dresses and then they wore bandages around their bodies to appear as women who were abused. Ann Marie was so quiet and she said if one more model came out there I would be in tears. It was so impactful.”

Sonia Noel’s tagline is “Exclusive designs with an upbeat Caribbean flavour with an International flare” and this captures her market which is basically Caribbean countries, and most recently, the wider Diaspora. Her line was officially launched and can be purchased from Faze Boutique at the Cov Galaria Mall in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Though

her market for consumers caters for Caribbean people, it does not mean that only Caribbean people buy her clothing and this is evident in her client lists that spread all across Europe (especially Finland).

Her most recent showcase was in the United States of America, in New York and Atlanta, for the Caribbean American Month long celebrations. One of New York’s Councilwomen Laurie Cumbo was so impressed by Noel that she has asked Sonia to design for her in the near future. The designer will be flying the Golden Arrowhead at the Pan American (PAN AM) games next week in Toronto, Canada. In the next few months, she will be taking her pieces to Spain, Holland and

London. Noel recently received an award called “The Golden Arrow of Distinction” and this was given to her for her outstanding achievements in community work and her career. The award was presented to her by the Guyana Tristate Alliance in New York City. Noel said that she feels very honoured and proud to have been issued with such a distinguished award to add to her collection. She added that “Getting that award makes me feel great to actually be recognised for what I have been doing through the years and it was quite an honour to be in such a line-up with prestigious people… I feel like this is not just an award for me but it is one for the fashion sector.”

Satiricus was all distraught. What had the world come to? He had to get out of the backstreet-bar by 2:00 am? Why! That was madness! What would he tell his wife? It was now going on twenty-two years he’d been married and he’d never come home before dayclean on a Saturday night. She was sure to think he was a loser like that Gildharie fellow down the street, who couldn’t hold his drinks and had to be dragged home at midnight.

How would she hold her head up with her friends when they “talked name” at the village market? Now the girls would be smirking at HER! Satiricus would never be allowed to forget this. Satiricus was particularly upset that he’d been be-

And a child shall lead them

trayed by one of his own. He’s been assured that Rum Jhaat was a card-carrying member of “Lushes United”. Satiricus has seen him with his own two eyes, crawling home at dayclean. Now he was going to break up Satiricus’ home – and the homes of so many men across the length and breadth of Guyana. Oh woe!!

Then there was the question of whether folks would be able to break the habit formed over decades. By 2:00 am, fellas were just getting up a head of steam to make a move on the dance floor. This helped them to sober up a bit before crawling home. How would he be able to tell his wife that he could “drink like a man”?

But now Satiricus glimpsed that liberation was at hand. And it came from the mouth of a babe! It was the son of that old fighter for the downtrodden

Rum-Ka-Run who provided the rallying cry that Satiricus knew would return things to the good old days of “Rum Till Ah Die at Dayclean”. Young Ram-Ka-Run pointed out that making God fearing folks stop drinking at 2:00 am was the first step in the journey towards tyranny and dictatorship.

First you had to see your wife’s disappointed face before dayclean, then what next? Expropriation of all private property? Satiricus knew that he had to join this movement – led as it was by this precocious child. But wasn’t it a child who’d pointed out the President had on no clothes? Nah…that was some spoilsport who claimed that the President only had one black Shirt-Jac.

Anyhow Satircus had his slogan for confronting this Road to Serfdom: “Give me Daybreak, or give me death!!”

The Minister of Education has announced that the APNU+AFC Government will discontinue the “Because We Care” Programme, which provides parents with Gy$10,000 per child in school. According to him, the new Government is abandoning the grant program because they were always opposed to the program.

This is a betrayal of our children and those parents for whom the grant was a huge benefit. When the PPP/C Government insisted that it would continue the program and made it an election promise, APNU+AFC promised also that the “Because We Care” Program will remain in place. During the election campaign, APNU+AFC had many chances to come clean with the people of Guyana. On several occasions, representatives of APNU+AFC on TV in Berbice answered in the affirmative when questioned about whether they will continue the Gy$10,000 per child program.

The then opposition had claimed that the

Gy$10,000 grant was not a large amount of money, to which the PPP/C had also agreed, but on which it insisted still remained a meaningful amount for thousands of families. These families were looking forward to receiving the grant in 2015, particularly based on the refusal of APNU+AFC to declare their opposition to the program during the election campaign. Based on their position that the sum of Gy$10,000 was too small, people had anticipated that the new APNU+AFC Government would have continued the program with an increased amount.

The Education Minister has been robust in declaring that the education sector is at the point of collapse. He is on record of saying that the APNU+AFC knew this even before they took charge of the Government. The question is, after about two months in Government what are their plans for the education sector? All the country has heard from the APNU+AFC has to do with the poor state of the sector, with-

out any evidence to support his claim. However, we haven’t been presented with a plan for the sector from the Education Ministry or the APNU+AFC Government.

In fact, the abandonment of the “Because We Care” Program is one of only two substantial plans for the sector proposed by the APNU+AFC. The other one is the call for applications for the position of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana. The problem we have is that the majority of people want the “Because We Care” Programme and, as far as the ViceChancellor position is concerned, we are well aware that that vacancy doesn’t exist.

The education sector is in need of vast improvement. We can all agree on this. The PPP/ C’s position throughout its terms of office agreed that the education sector required continued improvement. Even up to the end of its term in Government in May 2015, the PPP/C conceded that in spite of the vast improvement of the education sector in

the last two decades, the sector still had a huge room for improvement. In this regard, both the new Government and the new Opposition can agree that the education sector needs new investment and greater policy inputs for further enhancement.

But the APNU+AFC refuses to concede that the PPP/C has transformed the sector from a state of collapse in 1992 to a place where the Guyana education sector is at its best place since Independence. The sector now has universal access to primary education, more than 90% access to secondary education and greater than 70% access to nursery education, all ranked nearly at the top for Latin America and the Caribbean. Guyana’s Dropout Rate is the lowest among Latin American and Caribbean schools.

Teachers Training, both In-and Pre-Service, is at its highest level across the country. There are more trained teachers at all levels and more university graduates in our schools than ever in Guyana’s history.

For the first time, mentor teachers are present in many schools.

The number of specialist teachers in our schools is also at its highest level.

The infrastructure has improved tremendously. So too is the availability of technology in our schools. The establishment of the Education channel adds to the capacity of the sector. More children are housed in dormitory schools than ever before.

The availability of school textbooks is at its highest level ever. More children are accessing school meals and snacks than ever before.

The number of children who pass English and Math today is the highest number in Guyana’s history, in terms of both absolute amounts and pass rate percentage. The number of enrolments in University and technical professions has also reached the highest level ever.

This proves that the PPP/C took a broken education sector and transformed it into one of upward trajectory, proving the Education Minister and the Government

wrong about the education sector being broken. The truth is that instead of identifying policies and programmes to strengthen the education sector, the new government is trying to create a picture of inheriting a sector that was destroyed by the PPP/C. However, the APNU/ AFC Government must invest in the sector and continue the programs that have led to vast improvements. So far dropping the “Because We Care” Program is one of the policy actions that will weaken the education sector, not solve any problem. If its early actions such as, discontinuing the Gy$10,000 grant and accepting applications for a ViceChancellor position that is not vacant are evidence of what is in store for the education sector under the new Minister of Education and the APNU+AFC Government, then we are reversing a trajectory of improvement for a dismal future.

Readers are invited to send their comments by email or Facebook to times.notebook@gmail. com.

Pres Granger celebrated at gala 70th birthday bash

Amid much pomp and ceremony, Guyana’s Eighth Executive President, David Arthur Granger celebrated his 70th birthday on Wednesday at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Headquarters among friends, family, Government officials, and members of the diplomatic community who all joined in wishing him a happy birthday and a prosperous term as

in governance a happy birthday. “I know for sure that it is a good day for him, coming after so long of a certain ruling by a certain court that you can go for three terms as a President. What a gift for your 70th birthday.

I know that Lord Byron has said that your hair is grey, but not your age and I can assure you that by the time he comes to take up the challenge for the third term, the hair will

Lean, who on behalf of the Private Sector in Guyana, expressed confidence in the President to continue to take the economy forward, although 70 years old.

Other friends and business persons took the pleasure of wishing the President a happy birthday just before the cutting of one of his birthday cakes.

In accepting the well wishes, President

President of Guyana.

The event started off with a light cocktail reception where friends and family mingled as they awaited the arrival of His Excellency. In a much familiar environment, elegantly decorated with the colours green and yellow, President Granger sat at a head table with his wife, Sandra; his daughter Han and his son-in-law, Business Minister Dominic Gaskin; his grandchildren, and his nephew as well-wishers took to the podium to shower him with the warmest of birthday greetings.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo did the honours of opening the floor as he made the first speech and wished his friend and partner

remain grey, he won’t be bald,” Nagamootoo jovially proclaimed.

He went on to say, “For me I believe that these 70 years are star studded years of someone who had laboured for Guyana as a servant and continues to labour in this difficult moment of challenges of all sorts as a soldier… we have in Granger, not only someone who is prepared to take the Guyana cause to the farthest part of Guyana but he has the stamina and he has what it takes on his 70th birthday,” he concluded as he proposed a toast to the Guyanese leader.

Following those wishes was another by Private Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman, retired Major General Norman Mc

Granger thanked everyone for their devotion and hard work in making his 70th birthday a memorable one. “It is a sort of thanksgiving for me today and I would like to thank everyone who helped to make this function special…,” he said, particularly thanking his wife for her love and support throughout his struggles and successes. The Head of State reflected on his days serving in the Army and he pledged to serve his country with the same will and determination.

Granger, after being Opposition Leader for a number of years, vying for the opportunity to lead the country forward, finally achieved his dream when he was sworn in as President of

Guyana on May 16 after the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) were declared winners of the 2015 General and Regional Elections.

Quite conveniently and much to the pleasure of many, Granger’s birthday coincides with the fourth anniversary of the formation of APNU; therefore, as the country celebrated its President’s birthday, it also celebrated the birth of a coalition that has so often vowed to ensure betterment of the people of Guyana, regardless of race or political affiliation.

Born in Georgetown, David Granger attended Queen’s College, Guyana’s elite and prestigious school like the former Presidents Forbes Burnham, Cheddi Jagan, Samuel Hinds, as well as Hamilton Green and scholars like Walter Rodney and Rupert Roopnaraine. After leaving Queen’s College, where he was a member of the Queen’s College Cadet Corps, Granger joined the GDF as an Officer Cadet in 1965, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1966.

He received his professional military training at the School of Infantry and the Mons Officer Cadet School in the United Kingdom, the Jungle Warfare Instruction Centre in Brazil; and the Army Command and Staff College in Nigeria, respectively. He eventually became commander of the GDF in 1979, and was promoted to the rank of Brigadier. Granger was appointed as National Security Adviser to the President in 1990[1] and retired from the military service in 1992.

Primary Election for 23rd District race on September 10

By Vishnu Bisram

The Primary for the special election to replace Marl Weprin in the 23rd District of the City Council is on September 10. So far, five candidates have announced their intention to contest the race. Celia Dosamantes, age 25, is the latest to jump into the fray. Dosamentes is of Bengali and Mexican heritage.

Mark Weprin, a friend of the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities, resigned to work for Governor Cuomo. The district includes Queens Village, Hollis and Bellerose. It is a traditional Jewish district. But in recent years, a large number of South

Asians and Indo-Guyanese and other Indo- Caribbean people have settled in it.

The thousands of Guyanese in the district can decide the winner. But Guyanese generally don't come out to vote.

Dosamentes opened an office in Hollis Hills hoping to win over South Asians, Indo-Caribbeans and Hispanics. She has been knocking door to door as well as distributing campaign literature to win over constituents. She claims she is the only candidate to have an office where her constituents could come visit her in person.

Dosamantes worked for Assemblyman David Weprin

Turning a blind eye…

…on rice

Your Eyewitness is flummoxed…bewildered…and dazed. Let’s say your neighbour’s playing his music at a level beyond the decibels achieved by 747’s taking off. And it’s past 2 am. You’ve had it with this guy…even though he’s pretty nice to you during the day and lending you stuff and things. In fact you still have that screwdriver he lent you to fix that pesky electrical switch.

But you get a call from your rich pal down the block who hates your neighbour and you call the cops.

Wonder of wonders – they show up in one of those fancy new Allions Ramjattan just gave them and hauls the guy off to the Station after he gives them lip. Now, would you be surprised after he drags his bedraggled a** back home and complains that at least you could’ve called him? And demands his screwdriver back… in not too dulcet tones? Well you would be if you’re our new Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder.

Venezuela’s been shipping us oil under an attractive credit facility since 2007. An added sweetener since 2009 was we could ship them our rice in lieu of payments in hard currency. Gave us a vent for all that surge in rice production by our farmers. A great win-win situation all around, no? So when Venezuela starts rattling swords at our western border after ExxonMobil starts drilling for oil, shouldn’t we at least have given them a (diplomatic) call?

The previous government did this several times, after “incursions” by the Venezuelans and most recently after another oil drilling ship had been detained by them. They retained the rice contract on a year to year basis. So should we be surprised that they cancelled their rice contract and are looking elsewhere (Suriname?) to replace same after no “call”??

Now don’t get your Eyewitness wrong. Yes.. we should’ve responded strongly to the Venezuelan decree. But even in times of war, prudent nations keep lines of communication open with their adversaries. And we weren’t even at war with Venezuela. As far as protecting our interests we’d already indicated –through the previous and the present administrations – that we were going to take them to the World Court to settle, once for all, the controversy they stirred up since 1962.

But life is strange, isn’t it? The same rich neighbour who advised us to call out Venezuela was the one that encouraged them to create the controversy! And they export rice to that country!

So yes Holder. We should’ve been looking for new markets the moment we decided to eschew jawboning.

…on equity in constitution

We all know we inherited our legal system from the British. And the British system evolved from their “common law”. However, this common law was so rigid in its application that if a wrong done to you didn’t fit EXACTLY into the conditions specified in “writs” – you were screwed. “No writ – no remedy” was the rule.

(D-Fresh Meadows), brother of Mark, and Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing). David Weprin’s Assembly district includes Jamaica and parts of Richmond Hill and he has an office on Atlantic Avenue and 111 Street.

Dosamentes listed education as her number one issue saying she wants a student and parent oriented education policy. She also said she wants to be a public watchdog on the City agencies and that she will stand up to Mayor Bill DeBlasio if she has differences with him on policies.

Dosamantes will be competing in the Democratic Primary against Bob Friedrich, Rebecca Lynch, Ali Najmi, and Satnam Singh Parhar.

To overcome the patent unfairness, the maxims and courts of “equity” were introduced. One maxim, for instance is – “Equity will not allow a statute to be used as a cloak for fraud.” Nowadays the common law and equity have been merged. But for some reason, Professor Duke Pollard, in unleashing a virulent and intemperate attack on Chief Justice’s recent ruling, refuses to accept that the analogous process has entered the interpretation of Constitutions as well as statutes. The Constitution, for him is like a writ from 1275.

He would take us backwards and have justice (and democracy) denied because an “i” wasn’t dotted. …to back scratching Fresh off his contract to “audit” government agencies he’d trashed during the previous administration – for still undisclosed sums –Goolsarran’s has another gig of the same type. This time from the EU. Do you think critics of THIS government – perchance your Eyewitness – will also be duly rewarded with a contract or two?

Outsider for the Presidency

Satiricus always admitted he couldn’t ever keep up with the bright boys from Queens. Even with the ones from Bush Lot Secondary which he’s attended in his dissolute youth.

“So how am I the only one to see what this “third term” case is all about,” he marveled to his friend Cappo at the back street bar at 3 in the morning. “Is absolutely nothing to do with “third terms”” he continued.

“Bharrat was the fella who had made the law, wasn’t he? If he wanted to run again he just wouldn’t have signed on the dotted line.”

“Dats right!” chirped his friend Cappo the canecutter. “Like how he na sign dat gay law. But ah who file the case, den?”

“Listen, Budday. It had to be a chap who know some law…and who gon benefit from the decision,” replied Satiricus, with a smirk.

“Sato me friend, if you know who deh behind all dis, why yuh na tell me befo’ yuh choke? Said Cappo through clenched teeth.

“But I got to tell the reasons,” he countered.

“All right,” replied Cappo with a resigned shrug. He knew Satiricus always had to tell the whole story. Satiricus said he always failed précis in school.

“”Well all of you only think Chango allowed Jago-Boy to become President again,” started out Satiricus.

“Well na suh?” countered Cappo.

“Na suh!!” grinned Satiricus as he took a swig of beer. “Chango also ruled that Guyanese who became foreign citizens can now also run for President!”

“Really?” asked Cappo. “So ah Run Sanders behind all dis?”

“Naah,” said Satiricus dismissively. “He ain’t no lawyer.”

“Listen Sato, me na gat time fuh waste!” yelled Cappo. “Just tell me who the arse bring de case!”

“All right! All right!” said Satiricus placatingly. “Is Lalloo Ram….The fella with the Suspenders holding up his ill-fitting suit.

He British! That’s why he always try to be suha know-it-all!”

“Naaah!” exclaimed Cappo involuntarily. “De President salary and pension too small fuh he. And dat is only wid de audit he get. Wait till he get outside wuk like he friend, Ghoul-sehrun!!”

“Is not the money, Cappo my friend,” said Satiricus with a wise smile. “Is the power.

He would be able to use tweezers all the time if he turn President!”

Guyanese scholarship awardees eager to continue studies overseas

The four Guyanese students who were awarded scholarships to complete their high school education overseas are extremely enthusiastic at the thought of embarking on this new journey.

Merissa Devina Peterson, Saif Panday, Kyle Joseph and Stephon Anthony Orlando Roberts have impressed representatives of the international school, United World Colleges (UWC), thus earning themselves full scholarships to study at various universities across the globe.

They were chosen by the National Committee of UWC (Guyana) from a shortlist of 16 students. The committee was established in Guyana in 2014 for the specific purpose of selecting three students to study at their universities in China, Canada and the United States (US).

Peterson, 16 years old, earned herself a chance to study at UWC College in the US. The Diamond Secondary School student, who has a passion to become a medical doctor, expressed her gratitude to the UWC for granting this opportunity for her to be one step closer to realising her dreams. “I’m so thankful to be one of the lucky students chosen for such a great opportunity. I intend to use it to the best of my ability and do intend to come back home and share all the new skills and knowledge I would’ve learnt at UWC USA College,” she said.

Saif Panday, 18 years old of St Rose’s High School, will be going to UWC Singapore to complete his education. The aspiring economist registered his excitement as he daydreamed of success in the future, “I see this as an opportunity to fully dive in, pursue my passions and take a step towards achieving my ultimate goal of being an economist. I intend to make every moment count while on this programme. I also intend to use the skills learnt there to be a meaningful contributor to Guyana’s development when I return.”

Kyle Joseph, all the way from the South Rupununi, earned a scholarship to study at UWC Canada. The Queen’s College student wants to be a medical doctor and sees this as the ideal opportunity to achieve his goals. “Because I’ve been a part of these various activities that exposed me to various cultures and people, I

was particularly excited about UWC. Their values about making education a force to unite people is truly inspiring. The whole idea of going to one institution with people of different cultures and learning about their ways all makes it more exhilarating…,” he said. And lastly, 18-yearold aspiring economist Stephon Anthony Orlando Roberts will be studying in China and is very much elated at the thought of being in a new country, meeting new people, learning new cultures and developing himself. “I must say thanks to the UWC for considering my ap-

plication. I am very excited for the opportunity to study in a new environment. I believe it would encourage me to have a more positive attitude towards learning. I expect challenges such as learning Chinese and adapting to the climate and I will miss my family (especially my grandmother), friends and my home, but I leave with the hopes of returning a better person, with sufficient skills to contribute to the development of my country.”

Earlier this year, UWC offered the scholarship opportunities to Guyanese students 16 years or older. The aim

is to educate young people of different ethnicity, religions and social statuses in one place as a means of promoting world unity. This was the first year that UWC Guyana ran a selection cycle and it is unsure if the cycle will continue next year.

Eighty-six applications were received from across the country, and there was a competitive 2-stage interview process. UWC noted that the main emphasis was not grades, but rather students’ commitment and vision to use this opportunity to help change society and be ambassadors for Guyana.

Mexican beauty Salma Hayek has gone topless for the August issue of Allure Magazine.

In the black-and-white picture, the ‘Grown Ups 2′ actress can be seen clutching her modesty while looking into a mirror.

Her hair is styled in voluminous curls updo and her skin looks wrinkle free.

‘I got to work with the wonderful Patrick Demarchelier, and he always tries to do the minimum clothes possible. I kept my pants on though,’ Hayek said in a behind-the-scenes video from the photo shoot.

Admitting that she ‘was very nervous’ and she ‘looked very uncomfortable at the beginning,’ but she likes the

final product.

She thinks it ‘looked very nice’ and ‘doesn’t look vulgar’. (Indian Express)

Michael Douglas pays tribute to mother

Actor Michael Douglas has praised his late mother as a “class act” and a “wonderful lady”.

The 70-year-old “Ant-Man” star said he is “still digesting” the passing of his mother, Diana Douglas Webster,

who died from cancer at the age of 92 earlier this month, reported Variety.

“She was a class act. A real lady. She had a wicked sense of humour, very bright. Just all around, she was a wonderful lady,” Douglas said.

The “Wall Street” actor credited his mother for his strong work ethic.

“She taught me more about giving it your best shot and maintaining a good form. She was English-Bermudian so they kind of have a stiff upper lip to carry on.”

Douglas is planning to make a trip to Bermuda to scatter his mother’s ashes there as it is a place that is very special to his family.

Webster was a veteran stage and screen actress. She appeared in more than 20 films including “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” and “It Runs in the Family”. She also had a role on NBC’ “The West Wing.” (Indian Express)

'Star Trek 3' to film in Dubai

The third part of globally renowned sci-fi franchise “Star Trek”, directed by Justin Lin, will film scenes in Dubai.

Filming of the project is planned to commence in October this year, and the film is set for release in the United States and the UAE in July 2016, Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC) said.

A number of entities, including DFTC, the Dubai Media Office, Dubai Tourism and Commerce and Marketing (DTCM), and the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) will work closely to provide all of the necessary support to facilitate the filming.

Dubai Studio City will provide technical support for parts of the film, and location owners will be closely involved in supporting the shooting across various locations.

“Bringing international productions to Dubai helps to facilitate the

“Twilight” star Kristen Stewart has credited her “traumatic” experiences in the public eye for turning her into a confident adult.

The 25-year-old actress said the criticism she faced following her public romance and break-up with Robert Pattinson made her stronger in life, reported Marie Claire magazine.

“I lit my universe on fire and I watched it burn. Speaking very candidly, it was a really traumatic period in my early twenties that kick-started something in me that was a bit more… Feral. The public kind of burned me at the stake. But that’s OK, I can take it. I’m not dead,” she said.

Stewart said her insecurities began as a child, when she got tormented at school because she was a real tomboy who suddenly did not fit in with her male friends.

“All of a sudden, it wasn’t cool to be one of the boys anymore. (Suddenly it was), ‘Kristen’s not a girl. What is she?’ And I just died. It was a totally cliched, very real insecure breakdown moment, when I was like, ‘I hate myself’.

Superstar Ben Affleck has taken off his wedding ring, which he wore at the San Diego Comic-

Superstar Leonardo DiCaprio has donated USD 15 million to help save the planet.

The actress explained her issues continued and she really struggled under the microscope of fame. “Between ages 15 and 20, it was really intense. I was constantly anxious. I was kind of a control freak. If I didn’t know how something was going to turn out, I would make myself ill, or just be locked up or inhibited in a way that was really debilitating.” (Indian Express)

development of a sustainable local film industry, and adds to the city’s already flourishing economy and cultural life.

“This production will also provide a great opportunity for local talent to acquire new skills, and gain firsthand insight into the techniques and processes required for a film of this size,” Jamal Al Sharif, Chairman of Dubai Film and TV Commission and Managing Director of Dubai Studio City said.

Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said that TV and film is an incredibly powerful platform through which we can showcase the many tourism facets of Dubai.

“The city’s world-renowned architecture, diverse landscapes and attractions are proving increasingly attractive to filmmakers and we are seeing Dubai gain a reputation as a worldclass filming location. (Indian Express)

The 40-year-old actor’s self-titled foundation, which he founded in 1998, donated the amount to more than 30 environmental groups for implementing innovative and impactful conservation projects around the globe, reported Us magazine.

“The destruction of our planet continues at a pace we can no longer afford to ignore. We have a responsibility to innovate a future where the habitability of our planet does not come at the expense of those who inhabit it.

“I am proud to support these organisations who are working to solve humankind’s greatest challenge,” said the “Wolf of Wall Street” star.

The beneficiaries include the Wildlife Conservation Society,

Con over the weekend.

The “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” actor was spotted without his wedding ring when he walked in Santa Monica earlier this week, reported Ace Showbiz.

Affleck looked casual in a dark grey T-shirt and jeans with big sunglasses. The 42-year-old actor was photographed without his wedding band while visiting an office building alone in the beachfront city.

It was the second time he was spotted without the ring after announcing divorce from Jennifer Garner last month.

The estranged couple announced their divorce last month after 10 years of marriage. (Indian Express)

the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Save the Elephants, the Conservation Land Trust, Tree People, Oceans 5, and the World Wildlife Fund.

“We have been able to support organizations that are working to solve some of today’s most pressing environmental issues,” DiCaprio shared via Instagram alongside his first-ever Insta selfie, which showed him taking in some of the

earth’s majestic scenery.

“Throughout today, I’ll post about a few of them and share the incredible work they do,” he added.

The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation is “dedicated to the longterm health and wellbeing of all Earth’s inhabitants”. Since 2010, the foundation has funded more than 70 projects in more than 40 countries worldwide. (Indian Express)

Actor Ajay Devgn says he wants to see his wife Kajol and superstar Shah Rukh Khan together on screen and is happy that they have teamed up for a film.

Rohit Shetty’s “Dilwale” stars the iconic pair of Shah Rukh and Kajol, who has been featured in blockbusters like “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”, “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” and “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham”.

They were last seen in “My Name is Khan” in 2010.

“I am very happy that they are working together. I want to see them together on-screen. They are good friends. People are waiting to see them.

Kajol is very excited about the film,” Ajay told PTI.

When asked if he thinks that Shah Rukh and Kajol make the best onscreen pair, Ajay said, “I don’t know, I have never thought about it that way. I feel anybody can make a good onscreen couple through the chemistry of characters, as that makes the film work.”

Produced by Shah Rukh’s Red Chillies Entertainment and Rohit Shetty Productions, “Dilwale” also stars Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Boman Irani and Vinod Khanna among others. The film is set to release on December 18. (Indian Express)

I would love to work with a talented actor

like Kareena Kapoor: Fawad Khan

Pakistani actor Fawad Khan says he would definitely like to do a film with Kareena Kapoor. Recently, a picture of Fawad and Kareena Kapoor Khan went viral, giving rise to speculation that they are working on a film together.

“We happened to shoot in the same studio where she was present for ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ and I was shooting for Giovani. As far as the question of working with her goes, I would love to work with a talented actor like her if I get an opportunity. I have a great deal of respect for these artistes,” Fawad told reporters here at an event.

Fawad made his Bollywood debut with ‘Khoobsurat’ and is now working on ‘Kapoor and Sons’ directed by Shakun Batra.

“The film stars great

actors like Siddharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt, Rishi Kapoor, it is fantastic to work with them. We are hoping to see it released in the first quarter of the next year. Other than that I am in discussion with filmmakers but nothing is on paper yet,” said Fawad.

Fawad has worked on small and big screen and he thinks films are challenging. “I think the charm of television and film is different. I have love and regard for both media, films are chal-

lenging but in TV you have a chance to pace in the story over the episodes. Nowadays, even television is also seen as films. No one can distinguish, the glamour as it is equal,” he said.

When asked about his popularity among women, he said, “I think there is a certain thing which I have assessed… if you are the proper gentleman, every woman tends to fall for you. I feel my attitude is very genuine, and if not then I act really well,” he added. (Indian Express)

Kangana Ranaut, Imran Khan met real life live-in couples to prepare for ‘Katti Batti’

The upcoming movie ‘Katti Batti’ starring Kangana Ranaut and Imran Khan will showcase the onscreen couple as live-in partners. For getting into the skin of their characters, the lead actors met with 16 real life live-in couples.

The friends and families of the actors helped them to meet young live-in couples, most of whom were college going.

It’s been half-a-decade since actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan took to the runway. With the India

Yesteryear’s Bollywood actress Sheila Ramani Cowasji on Wednesday died here following a prolonged illness, family sources said.

The actress, in her eighties, was ailing for the last few years and was residing in her house at the Post Office Road. She breathed her last at her house here, around 25 km from Indore, they said.

She was suffering from Alzheimer disease and was in coma since last two days, her close relative Phiroze B Illava told PTI.

Her last rites were performed later in the day, Phiroze added.

NImran Khan said: “I have been in a relationship with Avantika for a very long time. However Kangana felt that we should meet and interact with a lot of live-in couples together. It was a fun exercise.”

From their body language, to their way of talking and behaviour, Kangana and Imran observed the real life couples closely. The couples also shared their experiences with the actors.

This was done for the part where Imran and Kangana will be seen in a live-in relationship themselves in the film.

The trailer of the movie has already been released and after hits like ‘Queen’ and ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’, everyone has their eyes set on this Nikhil Advani film which will hit the screens on September 18, 2015. (Indian Express)

Couture Week to be held in New Delhi at the end of the month, she ends this sabbatical. The 41-year-old stunner will walk the ramp for designer Manish Malhotra. He is known for his extravagant shows, with A-listers on the runway and the front row.

While dates of the India Couture Week are not out yet, Sunil Sethi, President of Fashion Design Council of India, confirms that Malhotra will indeed be a part of the week.

Interestingly, the last time Aishwarya Rai Bachchan walked the ramp was, in fact, for Manish Malhotra in 2010 at the couture week in Delhi. With the actor on board now, the designer’s show will most likely be a bigger spectacle. (Indian Express)

Born in Sindh province, now in Pakistan, she has acted in number of popular films in 1950s which included “Surang” (1953), “Teen Batti Char Raasta” (1953), “Naukri” (1954) “Funtoosh” (1956), “Railway Platform” (1955) and “Anokhi” (1956).

ewcomers Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty, who are making their Bollywood debut with the remake of “Hero”, have joined microblogging site Twitter.

Sheila’s husband Zaal Cowasji was a noted industrialist and she is survived by her two sons Rahul and Zaal Junior. (Indian Express)

Sooraj is the son of Aditya Pancholi, known for playing negative roles, while Athiya is the daughter of actor Sunil Shetty.

Welcoming them on Twitter, Salman Khan, who is producing “Hero”, wrote, “Now follow my heroes @soorajpancholi9 @THEATHIYASHETTY.”

“Hero” is Salman and Subhash Ghai’s joint production and is directed by Nikhil Advani. The film, which releases on September 11, is a remake of Ghai’s 1983 movie of the same name. The film’s second look was also unveiled on the microblogging site. In the poster, the shirtless actor is holding hands of Athiya. “Thank You @ BeingSalmanKhan sir @nickadvani sir and the team of @ HeroTheFilm. I am about to live my dream,” she tweeted. Sooraj tweeted, “Thank You @ BeingSalmanKhan sir for making this happen!!.”

Sooraj and Athiya are stepping into the shoes of Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Sheshadri respectively. With the film, the “Kick” star is launching his own production house Salman Khan Productions. (Indian Express)

Hero CPLT20 Leaderboard

Zouks prevail in rain-affected contest

Nathan McCullum and Ross Taylor spoiled a brilliant all-round performance from Jacques Kallis as

the St Lucia Zouks defeated the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel by four wickets in a rain-affected Match 23 of the Hero

CPL on Tuesday night.

The game, which was originally slated to start at 18:00h, only got going at 20:50h after rain delayed the start of the Red Steel home games. Batting first in the nineover contest, the host posted 90-4 and the Zouks responded with 94-6, winning off the final delivery.

The Red Steel seemed destined for a winning start at home with the Zouks requiring 17 off the final over. Their skipper Dwayne Bravo however, leaked 10 off the first three deliveries to Nathan McCullum, who was eventually dismissed off the fourth delivery.

Taylor then deposited the next delivery for six to level the scores, and calmly disposed the fi-

nal ball for a boundary to seal the win.

The run-chase never seemed so close when Johnson Charles was batting, but Kallis plucked out three wickets in the middle overs to stem the flow of runs.

Charles scored 41 off 23 balls with three sixes and three fours.

Kallis was outstanding with the ball, claiming 3-15. The defeat silenced a packed Queen’s Park Oval crowd, and extended the Red Steel poor run in this year’s competition.

Inserted to take first strike, the Red Steel were given a flying start by the evergreen Kallis, much to the delight of a full house who welcomed the Hero CPL with much fanfare.

Kallis and Cameron Delport managed 19 off the first two overs, but the latter fell for nine halfway through the third over, before William Perkins was dismissed without scoring at 32-2 in the fourth over.

Kallis kept going

ross taylor won the match for the Zouks with a six and a four off the final two deliveries

strong at the other end, hitting four fours and two sixes, and when he and Javon Searles, who was promoted to four, fell within four runs of each other, the Red Steel innings threatened to stall at 55-4 at the start of the sixth.

South African Kallis made 38 off 19 balls. The Bravo brothers- Dwayne and Darren- joined forces in the closing stages to collect 30 off the final two overs.

Lack of interest brings end to Champions League T20

SYDNEY – The Champions League

Twenty20 tournament, which has been run since 2009 by the cricket boards of India, Australia and South Africa, has been discontinued with immediate effect because of lack of interest.

The 2015 edition, which would have been the seventh and was scheduled for September and October, has been cancelled because of the tournament’s “limited public following”, organisers said in a news release Wednesday.

“It was a fantastic platform for players from around the world to showcase their talent and the participating teams

thoroughly enjoyed the experience over the last six seasons,” Anurag Thakur, the honorary secretary at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said.

“Unfortunately, off the field, Champions League T20 wasn’t sustaining the interest of the fans as we had hoped.

“This decision was made, after consultation with all our commercial partners and meeting the contractual obligations of all parties involved.”

Launched by BCCI, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa in 2008, the competition offered a highly lucrative prize pool of $6 million with $2.5 million going to the winners.

It brought together

teams from the India Premier League, Australia’s Big Bash League, South Africa’s Ram Slam T20 Challenge and Caribbean Premier League along with other qualifiers.

The inaugural event was cancelled after the death of 164 people in coordinated attacks on Mumbai in November 2008, however, and the tournament failed to gain any real traction thereafter.

The Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings were the most successful teams in the competition after they both won it twice with the Super Kings securing what will be the final title in Bangalore last year. (Reuters)

Gold Cup: Mattocks sent off but Jamaica win to advance

TORONTO, Canada – Tenman Jamaica survived a late assault from El Salvador to carve out a 1-0 victory in their final preliminary game of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and advance to the second round here Tuesday.

Garath McCleary’s 72nd goal was the difference between the two teams in the opening game of the double-header at the BMO Field, but the Reggae Boyz lost striker Darren Mattocks ten minutes later for a second bookable offence.

Jamaica then produced a sterling performance to hold off the Central American side and come away with the victory, which put them on top of Group B on seven points.

“I trusted my team and we have a good team. Everybody fights together,” head coach Winfried Schafer told a media conference afterward.

“I told them yesterday (Monday), ‘all for one’ and that is our goal.

I am very happy and very proud of my team, not only at Copa America but here is the same.”

Jamaica’s win came at a cost, however. They lost both defender Jermaine Taylor and goalkeeper Dwayne Miller to injury in the first half, with Miller having to be taken to hospital after going down under a challenge in his area in the 24th minute.

With Taylor stretch-

ered off as early as the ninth minute, Jamaica found themselves under pressure, with El Salvador testing their defence on a couple of occasions. Captain Andres Flores played through Pablo Punyed in the 13th minute but the 25-yearold could only blast over the crossbar after meeting the pass on the full.

Jamaica, too, came close in the 30th minute when Kemar Lawrence fired in a 25-yard free kick which forced a low, diving save out of goalkeeper Derby Carillo.

Jobi McAnuff pounced on the rebound but could only skim his shot across the face of goal.

With the scores level at nil-all at halftime, Jamaica came under pressure early in the second half as the Salvadorians pressed, and substitute goalkeeper Ryan Thompson kept

them in the game with two fine saves.

In the 58th minute, he first saved from Punyed’s goal-bound left-footed drive from the edge of the box and followed up with a brilliant block when the enterprising Flores pounced with a sharp shot off the rebound.

Against the run of play, Jamaica took the lead. Mattocks collected the ball down the right in the area and squared for the advancing Jobi McAnuff whose firm volleyball was palmed away.

However, the ball fell to McCleary and the Reading FC winger calmly side-footed from close range.

El Salvador then virtually camped out in Jamaica’s half, especially after Mattocks was sent off, but the Caribbean champions stood firm. (CMC)

Bangladesh stun South Africa to clinch ODI series

Bangladesh continued their giant-killing exploits with a nine-wicket victory over South Africa in Wednesday’s rain-hit final one-day international to clinch the three-match series 2-1.

Chasing a revised 170-run victory target under the DuckworthLewis method, openers Soumya Sarkar (90) and Tamim Iqbal (61 not out) showed little respect for the South African bowlers as the hosts romped home with nearly 14 overs to spare.

Bangladesh’s third successive home ODI series victory this year underlines their growing stature in 50-over cricket and proves their recent series wins against Pakistan and India were no fluke.

Batting first, South Africa could never recover from a top-order collapse and post-

ed a below-par 168-9 in a contest that was reduced to 40-overs-a-side following a lengthy rain interruption.

David Miller (44) and JP Duminy (51) tried to bring some respectability to the tourists’ total after Shakib Al Hasan (3-33) had wrecked the South African top order.

“It’s a huge moment for Bangladesh cricket,” Tamim said in a pitchside interview.

“Beating South Africa was no easy task but hats off to the boys for playing amazingly,” the opener said after his team’s memorable win.

Having levelled the series with Sunday’s emphatic seven-wicket win in Dhaka, the hosts looked determined to pull off another upset as they reduced South Africa to 50 for four in the 16th over.

Heavy rain forced the players off the field and when play re-

Zouks arrive in the Amazon!

The St Lucia Zouks arrived on Wednesday afternoon for their clash with the Guyana Amazon Warriors on Friday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The Zouks will play their final group match on Friday and can end with a maximum of 11 points as they currently sit third on the points table with nine points.

However, they will face a hungry Amazon Warriors team that will be desperate for another two points as they currently sit fifth on the table with seven points with three games to play inclusive of their clash with the Zouks.

With both teams watching rain forcing the abandonment of a possible enticing match-up between the Warriors and the Jamaica Tallawahs, both teams are expected to be ready and rearing to go come Friday.

Both teams will have their final practice session today (Thursday) at the National Stadium while a press conference

sumed after more than two hours, Miller and Duminy tried to rebuild the innings but it was not enough in the end.

“Very disappointing indeed, I think we misread the conditions,” South Africa captain Hashim Amla, who was left to rue his decision to bat first, said after the embarrassing loss.

“We showed that we are rusty and we have not played good cricket over the last two games. Bangladesh are the in-form team and they showed why,” said the right-hander who fell for 15, becoming Shakib’s 200th ODI victim.

Sarkar, whose belligerent 75-ball knock included 13 boundaries and a six, was named player of the match and the series. The teams remain in Chittagong for the two-test series starting on Tuesday. (Reuters)

to introduce the Zouks to the Guyanese public is also expected to be held today.

The Zouks arrival only means that the Warriors will be hoping for major support from its fan base regardless of the weather when Friday rolls around with the match expected to start promptly at 20:00h. (Treiston Joseph)

Massive turnout for annual swimming camp

Dozens of young boys and girls from across the country on Monday morning commenced the annual swimming camp organised by the National Sports Commission (NSC), in partnership with the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA).

The six-week programme, which started with an official opening ceremony, will conclude on August 21 at the Colgrain Pool on Camp Street, Georgetown. The camp caters for youths between ages six and 16.

With places being allocated on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis, a large influx of young prospective swimmers are now engaged in the activity, which, has over the years, become the nursery of swimming in Guyana.

It is from this programme that potential swimmers are then as-

signed to clubs, where they can potentially begin a life in competitive swimming. Those who impress the talent spotters will then be afforded the opportunity to continue their training at the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

Minister in the Department of Culture,

WICB town-hall meeting heads to Guyana

Cricket fans in Guyana will have a chance to ask questions and make comments about the sport and how the region can merge its efforts to make the cricket industry more viable than it has been when the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) town-hall meeting goes to Guyana next week.

According to information emanating from the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), top officials of the WICB will arrive in Guyana for the July 22 meeting, which will be held in the main pavillion of the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, Bourda.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 18:00h and will be hosted by WICB President Whycliffe “Dave” Cameron, WICB Vice-president Emmanuel Nanthan, and GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie.

Cameron and Nanthan will continue to host the town-hall meetings, which started in Barbados in May and were also staged in Dominica last month.

“We want to re-engage our major stakeholders,” Cameron said. “We want

the public to become part of the decision-making and their inputs can prove to be valuable.

“We’re enthusiastic about continuing to use these sessions to listen to concerns and share information about where West Indies cricket is now, our strategic goals for the future and how the fans can impact upon the way we progress.”

The topics covered at the town-hall meetings have been wide-ranging. They have included selection matters, the operation of the WICB Professional Cricket League, player relations, player development, pitch preparation and governance issues.

Youth and Sport of the Education Ministry, Nicolette Henry, attended the opening ceremony and she wished the participants well during the camp.

“And I trust that you would have a very productive six weeks. As you heard in the overview, this programme was initiated quite a few years

ago, as far back as 2003, and it’s one that has continued over the years,” Henry noted. She added, “It has served us in very good stead, lots of children would have come and benefited from this programme. I suppose this year’s programme will be no different. This year, we have enrolled over

120 students.”

Henry told the gathering of parents and children that apart from being edified on the basics of the sport, the participants would also be exposed to certain skills like teamwork and operating in a group. She promised to visit the camp during the coming weeks to gauge the prog-

ress made by the youngsters.

The event is being conducted by Cuban coach Isabel Maria Cousa Fals, with assistance from four local coaches and a lifeguard. Over the years, the coaches attached to the association have been tutoring the young swimmers on the fundamentals of the sport.

Windward Islands win Regional U-17 competition

Windward Islands held their nerve on the final day filled with drama and rain, and have been crowned the new Regional Under-17 champions.

Their batting, led by Allick Athanaze, set things up and their bowlers formalised a crushing, 207-run victory over Leeward Islands in their final round match on Tuesday at Canaan, Trinidad.

The Windwards topped the standing with 24.9 points and claimed the title for the first time, after the two teams ahead of them entering the final round failed to dip over the finish line on the final day of the tournament, which was affected by rain.

Jamaica, the pre-series leaders, suffered a shocking, 10-wicket defeat against last year’s champions Barbados in a low-scoring affair at Shaw Park, at the same time that Guyana upset hosts Trinidad and Tobago by seven runs under the DuckworthLewis Method when bad light stopped play at Mount Pleasant.

T&T were second with 19.4 points, the same number as the third-placed Jamaicans, but the home team had a superior net run rate so finished in the higher position. The Guyanese finished fourth with

18.2, Barbados fifth on 13.4 and Leewards ended last on 1.2.

Guyana v T&T

There was a delayed start to the T&T chase due to the rain and when play started they needed to chase 163 off 47 overs. They made a bright start, when openers Keagan Simmons and Cephas Cooper put on 53 for the first wicket, but they were two of three wickets that fell in the space of nine balls to undermine their chase, leaving T&T 563. T&T captain Kirstan Kallicharran completed off a solid all-round performance with 25 and Siba Batoosingh led the way with 29 to get them moving in the right direction again.

But off-spinner Bhaskar Yadram grabbed 3-23 from 7.1 overs to stem the flow of runs and keep the chase tight before the fading light ushered the players off.

Kallicharran had continued his fine form

with the ball, when he collected 5-18 from his allotment of 10 overs to undermine the middle of the Guyana batting.

Opener Raymond Perez led the way for Guyana, anchoring his

side through the first half of the innings with 41, but Kallicharran belatedly introduced himself into the attack and snared two quick wickets to put pressure on the visitors’ top order, leaving them 83-4. The Guyanese crossed the 100-run mark without further loss, but Kallicharran continued to bowl with purpose, removing Ramnarine Chatura, whose 21 thinly held the innings together.

Guyana captain Rolando Ali Mohamed responded to the challenge with 30 not out, but the rest of the batting let him down.

Warriors fans turn out in numbers to damp welcome

By TreisTon Joseph

It was all happening for the first game of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in Guyana on Wednesday evening at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. Steel pans were out, the face paints were on, the horns were sounding and music pumping as the stadium was filled with thousands of Warriors fans that ventured to the stadium in support of their home team.

As more rain poured, more fans poured in for a

practically sold out game as the thousands stood in the rain hoping and anticipating a glimpse of their Warriors’ team and while all they got was to witness their team warm-up, no one complained because cricket was in Guyana again.

While some noted their disappointment that the rain played its hand in the abandoned match, most were happy to be at the stadium for cricket.

A few fans as they exited even highlighted that their faith is still intact and they will def-

DeNobrega to defend Dr Chase title on Sunday

Fresh off winning his first race in four months last Saturday at the National Park, Team Alanis’ Paul DeNobrega will look to successfully defend his title in the Open category of the Dr Chase in collaboration with Massy Distribution (Guyana) Inc, 50-mile road race on Sunday.

The sixth annual event is billed for the West Demerara roadways, starting at 09:00h from the Wales Police Station. The race will proceed to Bushy Park, Parika, and return to Schoonord for the finish.

DeNobrega returned to the top podium spot on Saturday last at the P&P Insurance’s 35lap School Boys and Invitational race to chalk up only his second win of the year following victory in the ‘Dash for Cash’ 40-lap race in March.

With confidence back, DeNobrega will look for another victory on Sunday, after he won last year’s event in a time of one hour, 52 minutes, 56 seconds (01h: 52m: 56s).

Other category win-

Paul DeNobrega

ners from last year are Michael Anthony (Junior); Wasim Hassnu (Veteran); Ozia McUally (Mountain Bike); Toshawna Doris (Female) and Monty Parris (Veteran Over60).

The day’s activities are being coordinated by long-serving national coach Hassan Mohamed.

Officials of the sponsoring organisation, including Seven Seas Production Specialist Karen Connell, will witness the race and assist in the presentation of prizes at the conclusion.

ment in not being able to see the much hyped Gayle/Narine clash but noted their joy in hav-

ing the CPL back in Guyana. The next match in Guyana will be on Friday when the Amazon Warriors take on the St Lucia Zouks from 20:00hrs.

initely return on Friday to watch their Warriors launch their first home attack.

However, some fans expressed disappoint-