Guyana Times International

PPP/C List reflects continuity, youth – Ali

By Michael younge

The ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is standing resolutely behind the List of Candidates presented to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Tuesday ahead of the upcoming elections, restating its position that it is the winning List founded on the principles of continuity, youth

diversity and varying forms of equity and balance.

The Party made its pronouncements following what many have described as several opportunistic, unsubstantiated and malicious statements being peddled by sections of the Opposition-run private media houses.

PPP/C Executive Member Irfaan Ali, speaking with

the Guyana Times International, during an invited comment, declared that the Party was proud that it could produce a List of competent, qualified, passionate and dedicated Guyanese who were desirous of serving their country at varying levels when the Party was reelected to Government with a majority. He debunked the concerns raised by the People’s

National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition that the List was nepotistic in nature because there were several children of veterans of the PPP/C on the List.

Laudable Ali said that the fact that the senior members of the ruling party could have convinced their immediate families and

other relatives to rally around the cause of continuing development by joining the Party’s List after they were duly nominated via the various party organs was laudable. From a personal standpoint, he said, immediate members of the family of a person are in the best position to evaluate that person as to whether they are sincere in what they are doing. He added that the fact that so many children of the APNU+AFC coalition rejected being members of the List shows clearly that they probably find their parents’ politics to be hypocritical or deficient or both.

Additionally, he said that in general, the PPP/ C’s culture is one where youths from all walks of life – including the children of serving and past politicians – are trained to understand the philosophy governing the Party and the role they must play in safeguarding and developing Guyana. At this time, they can see the clear and present danger presented by the “dirty and murky” hands of the Opposition.

“It is good that we as a party have managed to attract so many youths and new faces to our candidates’ List. For that, we offer no apolo-

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EDITORIAL

Policing our diets

Aleading website on human health (www.helpguide.org) advises that the key to any healthy diet is moderation. In essence, it means eating only as much food as your body needs.

One should feel satisfied at the end of a meal, but not stuffed. Moderation is also about balance. Despite what fad diets would have us believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fibre, vitamins and minerals to sustain a healthy body. Moderation also means eating less than we do now and reducing the intake of ‘junk’ food.

While the proposal to tax junk foods has proved contentious in many countries, in 2014, a US Navajo American Indian tribe council that has seen its population devastated with diabetes rates double that of the rest of the country, as well as significant increases in hypertension, heart disease and renal failure, passed two food tax bills.

One placed a two per cent tax on junk food items (in addition to the customary five per cent sales tax) and one eliminated the sales tax on healthy foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts, etc.

In the city of Leeds in the United Kingdom, where there are reportedly at least 800 takeaways and fast food restaurants, one in five Leeds adults is classified as obese, and a third of its children overweight.

With many such eateries often the only source of food available in a community since grocery stores are absent or far away, officials are considering limiting approval of applications for more fast food restaurants and prohibiting their presence near schools.

Mexico recently passed legislation that taxes junk foods and drinks, while prohibiting them in schools or a quarter mile near schools.

One Barbadian Opposition Member of Parliament recently called for the Government to consider Mexico’s initiative and impose a tax on “sweet drinks” while restricting advertising and sales of junk foods.

However, those who feel that taxing the food we eat is not the answer argue that it will not change behaviour and may simply make the poor less able to purchase other products besides food.

Demark in 2011 had passed a so-called fat tax, only to rescind it a year later, saying it failed to change Danish eating habits.

It has been argued too that although salt and sugar are the usual though unhealthy preservatives in convenience foods, it means food can be stored and eaten when needed, unlike most fresh fruits and vegetables. This makes them more likely to be bought and consumed since it does not necessitate daily trips to a market or store for fresh foods — something that adds transportation costs to a poor family’s bill.

In addition, poverty often forces parents to buy junk food snacks and beverages because they are cheaper than healthy foods and juices. How have we reached the stage where Governments are considering laws to help us to be healthy?

To some like the Navajo, current solutions like advocating health education and exercise are not working. Once junk food is cheaply and easily available, there would be more dialysis due to kidney disease and more limb amputations due to diabetes among the Navajo.

More people are buying unhealthy food products; this becomes an unhealthy lifestyle choice, often leading to earlier death and lower quality lives because of the food choices made. Obesity and being overweight are often the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in many communities.

National health care costs are driven higher as obesity related diseases soar, and nations are spending millions of dollars on treating diseases that are preventable if we could only pay more attention to what we choose to consume.

The notion that Governments must seemingly police our lifestyle choices is unpalatable for many, but the idea of policies geared to affect our choices is aimed not at restricting freedom of choice or discriminating against any one industry; rather it is to encourage healthier choices and moderation among individuals.

UNAIDS Country Coordinator lauds Guyana’s efforts in combating HIV/AIDS -

as prevalence

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) prevalence in the local general population in Guyana has been steadily reduced from 2.45 in 2004 to 1.45 in 2013.

This has been indicated through the UNAIDS 2014, Guyana AIDS Response Progress Report, which was on Wednesday presented to a wide section of stakeholders, at a consultation meeting at the Regency Hotel, Hadfield Street, Georgetown.

Dr. Shanti Singh, Programme Manager, National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), who presented the report, outlined the contentions along with several aspects of the HIV Vision 2020.

She noted that preliminary data in 2014 showed 751 reported cases of HIV and 105 reported cases of AIDS, while, the male to female ratio for HIV cases for the same period was 1.09% and for AIDS it was 1.4 %.

The productive age group most affected ranged from about the mid 20s-50, and accounted for 61.7% or 463 of the cases in 2014.

She explained that the, “male to female ratio, for 2014 is 1.09, and it is a little bit different, we continue to see that the 25-49 age group is the highly and most affected age group, when we look at the age disaggregation HIV cases reported.”

She further added, that Region Four continues to be the most disproportionate region with respect to new infections. The report also indicated that there has been a reduction in HIV related deaths.

Ninety seven (97) per cent

drops

of HIV positive pregnant women received Anti- Retroviral (ARV) therapy. Also another Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) site was established in 2014, bringing the total number countrywide to 188.

Efforts are also being made to reduce the transmission rate among key priority groups with emphasis on Men who have sex with Men (MSM) and female commercial sex workers.

Meanwhile, UNAIDS Country Coordinator, Dr. Yaye Diallo, lauded Guyana's efforts to decrease the HIV/AIDS prevalence, saying that it is commendable and should be used as a model for the rest of the world.

“UNAIDS is delighted to see the devotion with which Guyana through its Ministry of Health and its National AIDS Programme Secretariat… this report in process is proof of the involvement of all stakeholders, from the government and civil society and the technical

and financial partners and the private sector, successes in the HIV response are measured by the achievement of concrete and time bound targets,” she said.

Further, Dr. Diallo reiterated that collaborative strength will help to catapult Guyana’s efforts to continue on its path of reduced infection rates.

Also present at the meeting was Joseph Hamilton, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health, who pledged the ministry’s commitment to funding of the National AIDS Programme, since the global funding is gradually coming to an end. He said, “regarding HIV and AIDS, dealing with the problem and contributing to ensuring people live better lives, the government is committed to continue funding this activity.”

He also encouraged all citizens to lead good lives and adopt healthy practices, so that the country can have a healthy population.

Reaz Khan demands sacking of GSL Directors

Businessman Reaz Khan has filed legal proceedings asking the Court to issue a mandatory order for all the Directors sitting on the Guyana Stores Limited (GSL) Board to cease holding office with immediate effect.

Khan, who is a shareholder of the company, is claiming that the company and its Chief Executive Officer, Mohammed “Tony” Yassin are in breach of several Sections of the Companies Act of 1991. In the legal document filed last month by Attorney Peter Hugh on behalf of Khan, he named GSL, Yassin, the Registrar of Companies and Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh as defendants in that order.

GSL was state-owned up to 2000. The company was privatised in that year, and Royal Investments Inc (RII) acquired 70 per cent of its shares, while the remaining 30 per cent was collectively owned by employees and other small shareholders.

Khan had formed RII, with Yassin and other investors, but their deal went sour and he pulled out, later resigning from the GSL Board.

RII is also being sued by Government and is currently before the High Court in a legal battle over the US$2 million owed to the State for the sale of the company.

Under terms of the privatisation agreement, the balance owed by RII was due by September 2002. The company, however, failed to make

this payment, and in a subsequent agreement between the plaintiff and the defendant, the parties decided on October 5, 2000 that the latter would pay interest on the said sum at the US prime rate prevailing at the time of payment, commencing one year after September 30, 2000. In June 2004, the Government holding company – the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), initiated legal action against RII for the recovery of the US$2 million plus interest.

Injustice

Meanwhile, Khan is asking the Court to determine whether the failure of Yassin and GSL over the past 15 consecutive years to hold shareholders and Directors meetings, pay dividends, and submit financial records among other things is atrocious and un-

lawful. Also, the businessman is asking that it be determined whether Yassin should be made to better manage GSL in accordance with the Companies Act.

The matter was heard in Chambers by Justice Navindra Singh on Tuesday during which the attorney for the two last named defendants requested leave to file an affidavit in answer and was granted 21 days to do so. While, there was no representation on behalf of Yassin or GSL present at the time, Senior Counsel Rex McKay is said to be the lawyer for both GSL and Yassin.

In the legal document, Khan is asking the Court to determine whether the Directors of GSL are required, under Sections 153 and 154 of the Companies Act 1991, to present statements/re-

turns, balance sheets, profit and loss accounts every year to the Registrar of Companies. Additionally, they are required to send the same documents to shareholders 21 days before the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in accordance with the same law. Therefore, the Court is tasked with determining if the Directors and the company are in default and guilty of an offence for failing to comply with their statutory duties.

“Whether the failure of Mohammed (Tony) Yassin/ Directors and/or the said Public Company Guyana Stores Limited to perform their Statutory Duties of the said Companies Act 1991 to hold Directors meeting and/or directory statutory meetings for 15 consecutive years 20002015 is an atrocity, unlawful, injustice to the said company

and members,” the court document outlined.

Furthermore, the documentation outlined that the Court should look into whether their failure to comply with Section 68 of the Companies Act 1991 warrants protective and remedial actions by the Registrar of Companies and the Minister of Finance. This Section provides that Directors of a public company may be appointed only by ordinary resolution passed at a General Meeting and/or AGM of the company and for a period not exceeding five years.

To support his claims, Khan obtained an Affidavit in Support from one of the Directors on GSL’s Board, Justice of Peace and Commissioner of Oaths, Sultan Kassim.

The former Deputy Commissioner of Police disclosed that he was appointed a Director in October 2000, but was never invited to attend any AGM or Directors’ meetings since his appointment.

In the ongoing case brought by the State over the sale of the department store, Yassin had testified that he was not sure who the current directors of GSL are and has, in fact, admitted that no AGM or Board meetings were held. He also revealed that dividends were not paid since 2001, when the last AGM was held. Initially, there were 10 Directors on the Board – seven from RII, two from the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and the other one appointed by employees.

Berbicians in New York believe “Naga Man” betrayed his people

Dear Editor, I’m from Port Mourant, Corentyne.

I currently reside in New York, USA. I read the Guyana Times International, which I do enjoy.

It is the first public gay marriage that ever happened in Guyana – Granger and “Naga Man”, and it was with two different races.

Many of us Berbicians

now living in New York see Naga Man as a traitor to the people who struggled. The same Naga Man’s father’s house in Whim, opposite the Whim Police Station, in late 1970s early 80s, PNC thugs broke and entered, and he could not have done anything about it.

Today, he puts a mask over his face and has joined hands with the

same thugs, and is telling the people; ‘it’s OK’.

During his time with the PPP/C, he took advantage of the contraband system. If your newspaper permit me, I can go on and on about Naga Man.

By the way, why is he talking about Elisabeth Harper when the people like her as PM, rather than him?

Harry Persaud

We are faced with an aged Burnhamite follower planning to plunge us into the past

Dear Editor, Dreams die hard for the Grangers of this world and so it is for the retired Brigadier. Granger swore of his membership of the PNC during his military career when competing with Carl Greenidge for the leadership of the PNC. Somehow he felt the membership in the PNC was not incompatible with his oath as an officer of the GDF. I guess it would be too hard now to ask the General Secretary of the PNC to confirm whether indeed Granger had been a member of the PNC while in the military.

That might be too uncomfortable with the Dr Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry breathing down his neck.

But the Burnhamite policies he now advocates point to his intellectual mentor. Like many Latin American political organisations, the APNU

has increasingly become openly Military-run.

Its leaders are formally retired military officers and their military minds are forever at work. Like Burnham, he, Granger, craves power, but he has never acknowledged nor repented for his active support and participation in Burnhamite PNC Government excesses, and as he conducts his political campaign, Guyanese can see why his dream is to reintroduce these policies.

His dream is to succeed where Burnham failed. Like Burnham, he embraces the military. He would discipline Guyana starting with the youths and their return to National Service.

Like Burnham, his planned Government would have the commanding heights of the economy and the Private Sector will know its place.

He plans to nation-

alise the privately owned and run Berbice River Bridge Company. Like Burnham, he has led APNU to embrace the Burnhamite political credo “all or none: control or destroy”.

He has used APNU in the entire 10th Parliament to delay, frustrate and prevent the development of Guyana. He was prepared to destroy Guyana’s gains if he could not get his way. Burnham held on to his policies and doomed Guyana. He died in office. It is a great pity that Granger’s dreams of Burnham policies did not die then too.

So today Guyana is faced with an aged Burnhamite follower planning to plunge Guyana into the past, a past of failed policies, savage repression and loss of hope for the future.

Dr Roger Luncheon Head, Presidential Secretariat

Didn’t you want to buy into the same “corrupt” Marriott project, Mr Badal?

Dear Editor,

I was reading the Kaieteur News (April 1) when I came across an article headlined, “Marriott’s reputation will suffer for colluding with ‘corrupt’ PPP/C –Pegasus Owner!”

Please bear with me, but wasn’t Mr Badal the same man who claimed, not so many months ago, that he had US$8 million to invest in the Marriott, whilst waving around a hypothetical US$8 million cheque?

I am confused – which is it Mr Badal – is the project corrupt or not?

Or is it only a legitimate project if you are allowed to invest in it?

Your statements in the press are starting to sound more like sour grapes and selfishness rather than genuine concern for the taxpaying Guyanese.

Later in the article Mr Badal is reported to have said that the Marriott management is given a blank cheque on poor tax payers’ resources to poach employees of local hotels and established businesses.

Apparently Mr Badal does not understand

The Opposition’s biasness

in relation to Seelall Persaud’s appointment

Dear Editor,

The Opposition have been making a lot of unfounded references regarding the appointment of the new Commissioner of Police. I wonder if this is because of the impending election. Allow me please to highlight the biasness of the Opposition and their narrow political gimmickry.

Firstly, when the former Commissioner and now APNU MP Winston Felix’s controversial conversation with another APNU MP Basil Williams came to light, there was utter silence, and there was no call for his resignation. He was allowed to continue into retirement with full benefits.

Secondly, when another former Commissioner Henry Green was accused of rape, the Opposition again were mute, and there were no calls for his resignation.

Thirdly, former Commissioner Leroy

Brummell acted for an extended period and was subsequently sworn in as Commissioner of Police in the absence of a Police Service Commission (PSC). David Granger gave no objection to this appointment and did not see any breach of the Constitution.

The Constitution states that the President shall appoint a Commissioner of Police based on the recommendation of the PSC and meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.

Granger objected to the appointment of Seelall Persaud as Commissioner on the basis that two ranks who were charged with torture were promoted during Persaud’s tenure as acting Commissioner.

However, a predecessor of another race was a sitting Commissioner when these officers were re-instated – the case having been dismissed in the court – and the oppo-

sition were silent. It appears therefore that it is acceptable for them to be members of the Force, but not so for promotion. These promotions were made by the PSC, which the Commissioner has no control over, and in which the Opposition have representation. There were no objections and as such the Opposition’s representation endorsed the promotions.

Now, if Granger is so peeved with the appointment, why did he ask this very Commissioner for protection? Notwithstanding, the biasness of Granger and the Opposition is glaring, and a direct racial attack on the Commissioner. It is time, that Granger and his Opposition comrades stop playing the race game and stop disparaging a professional Guyanese character.

Jalim Mohamed Concerned Guyanese

There is no superior race or culture

Dear Editor, The recent cold blooded and brutal slaughter of 147 college students in Kenya reportedly by al-Shabab Islamic extremists must be condemned by all right thinking people throughout the world.

This is indeed a barbaric act committed by religious fanatics and people of sick minds. According to media reports, Christian students were targeted in the killings, and many more might have been killed were it not for their professed belief in the teachings of Islam.

This action was rightly condemned by Pope Francis, the UN Secretary General and the US President among other world leaders.

There is need, however, for the Muslim community both locally and internationally not only to condemn such actions but to openly disassociate themselves with terrorist groups, which is only giving the religion of Islam a bad name by their destructive and terrorist actions.

At a more fundamental level, there is need for the teaching of religious and ethnic tol-

erance starting from the nursery level which must be reinforced in the home.

Respect for religious and cultural diversity is the hallmark of civilisation and any society which fails to inculcate and reinforce such values do so at their own peril. It has been scientifically established that there is no superior race or culture and it is therefore imperative that we inculcate these ideas and precepts in our children in their early formative years.

Hydar Ally

The unity coalition is a misnomer

how a free market economic system and movement of labour works. We Guyanese are free to work wherever and with whoever we want.

Whosoever offers the best wages, conditions and opportunities will be entitled to our labour. Mr Badal should be more focused on improving the working conditions, wages and management style of his operations and the exploited Guyanese taxpaying employees he employs and worry less about the Marriott’s reputation.

Selina Harris

Dear Editor, It was Nomination Day and I was there at City Hall for the event. The PPP/C’s team came first donned in their red outfit cool, calm and confident waving their flags. It was a large contingent which was peaceful, and most of all dignified in their demeanor. They handed in their nomination papers and then left.

The supposed coalition folks came next, large lewd loud and obnoxious. Before I go on, you would have noticed my use of the word “supposed” coalition because there was nothing coalition about the colours I saw nor was there any mention, I repeat, any mention of Prime Ministerial nominee and co-partner Moses

Nagamootoo.

It was all Granger from the very start. The madding crowd shouted for Granger! APNU! in a cacophonous mixture of sounds. What I heard and – I am not deaf by any stretch of the imagination – was a whipped up call for Granger awe boy!

There was no shout like Granger and Moses or “victory for the coalition”. It was Granger and APNU everywhere. The few persons who representative the other race – and I could’ve counted those individuals on my hand, were seen walking around aimlessly disoriented.

I believe they were stunned by the spontaneous exuberance of the crowd for Granger and not the coalition.

They would have been shocked to the reality of the moment that “the coalition” is nothing but a shore up for PNC/ APNU.

Quite frankly I would advise Moses to look into the mirror and hang his head in shame. I would say to Moses I told you so. So my question to the AFC team, is there a coalition? Is there a Prime Ministerial Candidate?

And why wasn’t he a prominently featured as did the PPP/C’s candidate Elizabeth Harper? Well, the question is really rhetorical because Moses was there, but in actuality was not recognized by his APNU counterparts.

I say Moses you are doomed.

Neil Adams

MMU flays Kaieteur News for negative coverage of Govt

…says Stabroek News favours Opposition

The Kaieteur News came in for a strong bashing from the Media Monitoring Unit (MMU) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for the reports and the opinions expressed in the newspaper’s elections coverage for the period under review.

The revelations were made as the MMU released its first report on

the local media’s coverage of elections-related issues in Guyana.

Some media houses were criticised for what was described as the “swelling antipathy towards good journalism practices” and the lowering of standards.

The MMU therefore called on all media operatives to uphold their journalism ethics and principles in carrying out their

mandates, while noting that some currently being exercised were of low standards.

Kaieteur News’ bias

The Kaieteur News was singled out for its negative coverage in several areas.

The negative coverage that the Government suffered in the Kaieteur News far outweighed the positive publicity it received.

In fact, the Government’s negative to positive ratio of coverage from the editorials was more than 3:1.

Comparatively, the Government’s negative coverage was approximately five times more the same coverage calculated for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), and 22 times that of A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).

The Unit also

called on Kaieteur News, CNS Channel 6 and the National Communications Network (NCN) for their skewed coverage.

Stabroek News favours Opposition

The Stabroek News was heavily criticized in the report.

According to the MMU, during the course of the report-

PPP/C list reflects continuity, youth...

gies. The fact that our Executives have managed to get their children and families to put their backs to the wheels and work hard to serve this country is laudable. For that, we offer no apologies,” he said.

Ali made it clear that the Party was well aware that the outburst by the Opposition and its media cohorts was an attempt to manufacture controversy and to divert attention from the PNCR-led coalition’s “lacklustre, unbalanced and highly militarised List”.

He continued, “The last component is especially troubling, because most of them were trained to follow Granger reflexively without question. This attitude is anti-democratic to the maximum.”

He said that the PPP/ C’s List was reflective of the dynamism with the Party and the wider country and boasted a set of attractive, bright and committed Party comrades who were all nominated at varying levels to serve.

“It is not my problem that those within the Opposition could not influence even their family members to consider serving at higher levels in their party and giving back to the Guyanese people. It is not my problem that David Granger’s bed-fellow Moses Nagamootoo could not produce a cred-

ible List that is reflective of youth,” he charged.

Ali said the fact that this politician could not present a single member of his family to the country as worthy of any sort of leadership position was telling and an indictment on their part.

“Our youths grew up in the party. They have worked at varying levels. They have learnt about the importance of keeping Guyana on the trajectory of progress and they have offered themselves up to be part of the cause. Not even Moses with his slithering, deceptive tongue and the branding of his new masters could stop this youth force in the PPP/C,” he said with enthusiasm.

Ali urged the Opposition to focus their attention on the glaring inconsistencies and shortcomings of its own Lists, the exclusion and sidelining of a party stalwart, Vanessa Kissoon, and the overwhelming numbers of “have-been politicians” on their List.

“We condemn all forms of attacks on our youth candidates and we urge all right-thinking Guyanese to reject the opportunistic, yard fowl and political insensitive nature of the PNCdominated coalition. The PPP/C moves onwards to another resounding victory,” Ali concluded.

Friends and family

The coalition earlier on Wednesday had said that dozens of rel-

atives and friends were on the Party’s List in a statement to the media.

“The PPP’s ‘Friends and Family List’ confirms their shameless, blatant and unbridled nepotism which the PPP continues to throw in the faces of the people of this nation,” it protested.

The PPP/C in a release almost immediately after it had departed City Hall on Nomination Day, said its List was concrete testimony that it was the only national political party with genuine participation by all sections of the Guyanese community. “It is representative of people from different parts of Guyana, different professions and occupations, women and gender, youth and experience, ethnicity and religion…We are proud that leaders of different professions, business, farming, education, youth leaders, women leaders, leaders within different communities, including Amerindian leaders, religious leaders have joined forces with the PPP/C, as the only party with a record for development,” the statement read.

It disclosed that approximately 450 candidates make up the List of Candidates of the PPP/C. The List, the statement also disclosed, comprises 52 per cent Indo-Guyanese, 23 per cent African Guyanese, 12 per cent Guyanese of Mixed Descent, 10 per

cent Amerindian, 2 per cent Portuguese and 1 per cent Chinese. The PPP/C also underscored

ing period, the editorials of the Stabroek News churned out figures from which coverage for the Government, PPP/C and APNU+AFC was calculated in the following manner:

The Government and the APNU+AFC received small amounts of positive coverage, while the PPP/C did not register any like measurable

from page 3

its commitment to gender equality, noting that its List represents 35 per cent women. Further,

coverage. APNU+AFC’s share of positive coverage was roughly double that of the Government.

In terms of negative coverage, the Government got a significant amount of negative publicity, the PPP/C was the recipient of a large amount of same, and the APNU+AFC came in for a relatively minor

the List includes 57 per cent Christians, 32 per cent Hindus and 11 per cent Muslims.

No victim of TIP found in Mahdia …but Task Force cites labour breaches

The Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) said it found no evidence of such or victims during a recent tour to Mahdia and surrounding villages in Region Eight ( PotaroSiparuni).

The findings from the mission contrast sharply with reports from the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) which routinely expose cases of TIP in the mining districts across the country.

In a statement, the Task Force said a team of representatives visited the Mahdia community, as well as surrounding areas, from March 27 to 29, to conduct surveillance on suspicious business establishments and other locations in the area. The visit was conducted as part of the implementation of the National Action Plan for 2014-2015 of the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons.

The team while in

Mahdia made extensive efforts to obtain information from Police Officers, Mines Officers, villagers, shop owners and Toshaos in and around Mahdia about suspicious activities in the area.

The team also surveyed several night spots in Mahdia, inclusive of those that demanded special attention as a result of information received by the Task Force. While females were witnessed frequenting these locations, investigations revealed that patrons of the aforementioned business premises were above the age of 18.

The Task Force also visited 17 business establishments in Central Mahdia, St Elisabeth, Pamela Landing, Jumbie Creek, 35 Backdam, Konawaruk Junction, and Micobie, and questioned the owners and other individuals present on the premises. At each of the locations, shop owners were requested to produce their business registration documents and state their number

of employees, while employees were requested to produce their identification cards for name and age verification along with work permits. Employees’ interviews were not conducted in the presence of employers. All buildings were inspected by the team inclusive of the shops and domestic quarters.

The team did encounter labour violations involving two females, one under-aged and one adult, who were employed at a shop in the area. The owners of

that shop were charged with employing a child on a premises selling intoxicating liquor contrary to Section 52 of the Protection of Children Act Number 17 of 2009 and placed before the Courts. The Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security commenced the provision of psychosocial support to this under-aged female. Contrary statements

The Head of the GWMO, Simona Broomes, in an article titled “Child Care Agency rescues girl be-

ing pimped by her mother” in another section of the media had made allegations of a contrary nature.

“It is evident that members of the GWMO seek to automatically apply the term ‘trafficking in persons’ in all instances when they encounter minors or young adult females in interior regions. The Task Force has repeatedly sought to distinguish between terms such as “child labour”, “prostitution”, and “trafficking in persons” in its awareness sessions and workshops as they are respectively unique in nature,” the statement read.

According to the Task Force, in addition to the activity in Region Eight and in keeping with the aforementioned National Action Plan, it has from January 2014 to date conducted community and secondary schools trafficking in persons awareness activities in Regions Two, Four, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine and 10 along with maintain-

ing a presence at a number of national exhibitions, such as GuyExpo. The Task Force also deployed its Surprise Inspection Framework (SIF) to business establishments, including shops, night spots and other locations in Central Georgetown, East Bank and East Coast Demerara in Region Four; Mahaicony, Rosignol and Blairmont in Region Five; Corentyne Coast in Region Six; Bartica, Tamakay Landing and Backdam, Itaballi and 14 Miles Issano in Region Seven; Lethem in Region Nine and Linden in Region 10. “In light of the foregoing, it must be noted that the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons respects the right of Non-Governmental Organisations to operate independently, but wishes to reiterate its willingness to collaborate with any Non-Governmental Organisation to reduce incidents of trafficking in persons in Guyana.”

MMU flays Kaieteur News for negative coverage of...

amount of negative coverage.

APNU+AFC was the only entity that gained net positive coverage in a ratio of over 2:1.

Dissimilarly, the Government accumulated a negative to positive ratio of coverage of 33:1, while the PPP/C’s coverage devoid of any measurable positive coverage was overwhelmingly negative.

Guyana Times/TVG

For the Guyana Times, the MMU cit-

ed just one “infraction” in a story carried on the APNU+AFC rally in Linden.

According to the MMU, for the month of March, the news team of Guyana Times’ sister company Television Guyana (TVG), through the Evening News/ Morning News, provided coverage for the Government, PPP/C and APNU+AFC, with all three entities receiving large amounts of positive coverage.

While the Government attracted the most coverage, the APNU+AFC was second for the most positive coverage, followed by the PPP/C.

According to figures provided by media watchdog, the Evening News/ Morning News gave the coalition an overall 60 per cent of positive coverage in the newscast, while the PPP/C had received 57.2 per cent.

From the talk shows and interviews aired on the channel over the past

month, the Government got a small amount of positive coverage, the PPP/C a modest amount of the coverage, and the APNU+AFC, a small amount.

All three entities –Government, PPP/C and APNU+AFC – realised net positive coverage in this category of programming.

According to the Report, in “the opinions articulated by the writer(s) of the editorials of the Guyana Times,

over the duration of this reporting period, the Government, PPP/C and APNU+AFC were profiled in the following manner: all three entities received positive coverage in varying amounts”.

The Government received a modest amount of positive coverage, the PPP/C gained a large amount of same, and the APNU+AFC attracted a relatively small amount of positive publicity.

The PPP/C gained the largest share of positive coverage, followed by the Government, with the APNU+AFC bringing up in the cellar.

Comparatively, the Government received exactly 11 times more positive coverage than the APNU+AFC, while the PPP/C gained a not-so considerable more positive coverage than the Government, but significantly more than the APNU/AFC by a margin of almost 13:1.

The general news section of the newspaper churned out figures which showed that the Government, PPP/C and APNU+AFC, gained significantly large amounts of positive coverage.

The Government gained the most, followed by the PPP/C, then APNU+AFC, in that order. On the negative side, the Government took in a large amount of negative coverage, the PPP/C a modest amount of same,

and the APNU+AFC, a copious amount, the MMU said.

The APNU/AFC’s share of negative coverage in this section of the newspaper was more than that of the Government, more than that of the PPP/C, and more than the Government and PPP/C.

Guyana Chronicle According to the MMU, the state-owned Guyana Chronicle gave the Government in excess of two times the positive coverage taken in by the PPP/C and nearly nine times the same coverage absorbed by APNU+AFC.

The PPP/C’s positive coverage was approximately three times APNU+AFC’s positive coverage. In the negative columns, the Government and the PPP/C captured comparably small amounts of negative coverage, while the APNU+AFC gained a significantly large amount of like coverage.

The APNU+AFC’s negative coverage was almost 157 times more than the Government’s, and 191 times more than the PPP/C. “All told, the Government’s positive to negative ratio of coverage was 416: 1; the PPP/C’s positive to negative ratio was 194:1.

The APNU+AFC suffered net negative coverage in a negative to positive ratio of just over 3:1,” the report said.

Bourda Post Office heist: Acquitted murder accused charged with Gy$42M robbery

Acquitted murder accused Stravo Evans, 31, of Lot 1075 Grove, East Bank Demerara, was on Wednesday arraigned on eight charges related to the Gy$42 million heist on April 1 outside the Bourda Post Office, Regent Street, Georgetown.

The father of one made his first appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and was remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry. He was not required to plead to the indictable charges, which ranged from robbery to abduction.

The first charge read to the defendant in the absence of his attorney, Peter Hugh, stated that on April 1, with others,

carrying a dangerous weapon, he robbed Police Officer Andre July of one G3 Rifle and 31 rounds of 7.62×51 ammunition belonging to the Guyana Defence Force. On the same day, he also robbed the Guyana Post Office Corporation of Gy$42,522,000 while relieving July of a mobile phone valued Gy$10,000, the next charge read.

The Police also stated that on April 1, he robbed Darwin Hinds of a Toyota minibus of the type popularly known as a “Pit Bull” valued Gy$2.4 million, property of the Guyana Post Office Corporation. On the same day, he restrained both the minibus driver (Hinds) and the Policeman and abducted them during the robbery.

In presenting the state’s case, the prosecutor revealed that on the day in question, about 07:45h, the defendant and his accomplices went to the Bourda Market and upon seeing the bus approaching the Bourda Post Office, they carried out the brazen early morning robbery.

They proceeded to pull the driver from his seat, subdued him and the Police rank before tying them up together, and then drove the bus to Cemetery Road, East La Penitence, Georgetown where they removed the money, gun, ammunition and mobile phone. They subsequently escaped in another vehicle.

The minibus was found some time later with the two men tied in the back. Based on

Police investigations, Evans was tracked down and arrested. A Police source told this newspaper that Evans was positively identified during an Identification Parade by the Policeman whose

weapon was taken away.

The G3 Rifle was recovered on Wednesday morning in a trench in East La Penitence.

The senior rank also stated that upon his arrest, Evans remained tight-lipped about the robbery and refused to cooperate with investigators. Nevertheless, the positive identification that Evans was at the scene on April 1 was enough for charges to be instituted.

His four accomplices are still being hunted and the stolen money is yet to be recovered.

Chequered past

The Guyana Times International understands that back in 2010, Evans was accused of murdering Bascal Johnson, also known as Pascal, 44, of East

Ruimveldt along Laing Avenue, Georgetown. At the Preliminary Inquiry, the Magistrate found that there was sufficient evidence for him to stand trial in the High Court, but during the trial there, the main suspect told the jury that he had lied during his testimony in the Magistrate’s Court and was found not guilty.

Johnson was reportedly shot above the right eye while he and a woman he reportedly shared a relationship with were standing in an empty lot along Laing Avenue. He died hours later at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Evans will make his second court appearance on April 13 on the robbery and related charges.

Police Constable commits suicide at Anna Regina

APolice Constable attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the Anna Regina Police Station was the Essequibo Coast’s most recent case of suicide. Forty-one-yearold Leono Patrick consumed a quantity of poisonous substance on Tuesday and was immediately rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital, where he succumbed on Wednesday.

According to his reputed wife, Mertle Mark, with whom he lived at the Anna Regina Housing Scheme, they had an argument on Easter Monday (April 6). The sad woman said

that she was putting her daughter to sleep that night when the now deceased started to argue with her.

She said the argument “cooled” down, and she did not know her husband was still upset. Mark said that she

went to work the next day, and later received a phone call from her son, stating that her husband had drunk poison.

When questioned where Patrick would have got the poison, Mark responded a “shop on the road”. She added

that she was unsure why the 13-year Police veteran would have wanted to end his life so tragically.

Mark and Patrick shared a relationship for 20 years and had four children.

A post-mortem on the deceased is scheduled to

be performed on Friday. Meanwhile, in another tragic case, a lad from the same Housing Scheme, whose name was given as “Andy”, also consumed a quantity of poison. He is battling for his life at the Suddie Public Hospital.

Gajraj appointed Guyana’s Ambassador to Bangladesh

Former Home Affairs Minister Ronald Gajraj has been appointed Guyana’s Ambassador to Bangladesh. Gajraj, who also heads Guyana’s mission in New Delhi, India, will be a non-resident High Commissioner to Bangladesh. Gajraj called on the Asia nation’s Foreign Minister, Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali on Wednesday. He told the Foreign

Minister that a joint commission could be formed to identify the areas where the two countries could work together. Gajraj, based in New Delhi, presented his credentials for Bangladesh to President Md Abdul Hamid on Tuesday. The only Englishspeaking country in South America, Guyana’s economy depends mostly on commodity exports. The Foreign Minister said Bangladesh could

help Guyana, which is rich in ecology, to tap its resources. He particularly mentioned skilled manpower exports like doctors, nurses, engineers and agriculturalists from Bangladesh. Ali said regular foreign office consultation could be a way to give a “structural shape” to the bilateral relations, a proposal the envoy accepted. The Foreign Minister assured him of support during his tenure.

OAS, Guyana sign pact for Elections Observer Mission

Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, and the Permanent Representative of Guyana to the organisation, Bayney Karran on Wednesday signed the agreement by which the institution will send an Electoral Observation Mission to the general elections of May 11 in the Caribbean country.

The ceremony took place in Panama City in the context of the Seventh Summit of the Americas, to be held on April 10 and 11. The Secretary General expressed his hope that “this will be a very good moment for Guyanese democracy,” and his conviction that, “as always, the government of Guyana will give the Mission all the facilities they need to do their job well.”

In addition, the

Secretary General recalled that this will be the fifth Electoral Observation Mission that the OAS has deployed in Guyana, and announced that he has designated as Chief of Mission the former Foreign Minister and Ambassador of Belize to the OAS, Lisa Shoman. Finally, the leader of the hemispheric institution thanked the countries that have expressed their commitment to support the Mission, and urged other member and observer countries to follow their example.

For his part, Ambassador Karran highlighted “the role that the OAS plays in strengthening democracy in the Hemisphere because democracy and good governance are fundamental to the development agenda, to human rights, to security and to so many other important areas of

work.” In addition, he called the Observation Missions of the OAS “one of the areas of greatest success” of the Organization. “This election that is about to take place on May 11 is going to be a very pivotal election in Guyana, and will have far reaching consequences for the governance of the country irrespective of the result,” said Ambassador Karran, who added that “this makes the role of the Mission much more important.” The OAS has observed elections in Guyana in 1997, 2001, 2006 and 2011. In the general elections of May 11, voters will elect 65 representatives of the National Assembly and members of the ten Regional Democratic Councils, as well as the President of the country. The Mission will be deployed approximately one week prior to the elections.

US plugs Gy$61M into OAS, EAB election efforts

The United States Embassy in Georgetown said it is pleased to announce financial support totalling more than US$300,000 (G$61,710,142) for the election monitoring programmes of the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB).

These resources will assist in their efforts to ensure fair, free, and credible elections in Guyana on May 11, a release from the embassy stated. “Both the OAS and EAB have a proven

track record of successful election monitoring missions and are widely respected. The US Government is pleased to support the two organisations in bringing their credible and critical analysis to Guyana’s 2015 electoral process,” the embassy said.

According to the embassy, the United States of America continues to advocate globally for the expansion and strengthening of democratic governance. “Regular free and fair elections are critical in this regard. The Guyana Elections Commission has estab-

lished a strong track record of ensuring free, fair, and credible elections for the people of Guyana, and we have full faith and confidence in its ability to do so once again in 2015. It is our hope that international and domestic observation will increase public and stakeholder confidence in the electoral process, culminating in all political parties’ acceptance of the ultimate results. The United States remains committed to engagement with all stakeholders to help ensure a free, fair, credible, and peaceful electoral process.”

Suspect in murder of 9-year-old reportedly confesses

Bob Semple, the main suspect who was taken into Police custody for the murder of nine-yearold Shaquan Gittens of North Ruimveldt, Georgetown reportedly confessed to the heinous crime on Tuesday by giving a detailed account of the horrific incident.

The child went missing on April 1, after he was last seen flying a kite in the area but his body was discovered several days later in a

semi nude state floating in a canal aback Cane View, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Based on information received, Semple who seemed mentally ill, is expected to be charged for murder shortly. According to reports received, the suspect told investigators that he “stick up” the lad on April 1, took him aback of Cane View Avenue and sexually molested him.

While doing so, he

reportedly strangled Gittens leaving him motionless. After committing the act, he reportedly slept with the lad but realised the child was dead the following morning. He then had sex with the corpse after which he severed the male reproductive organ from the child’s body before dumping it in the canal.

On Wednesday, the suspect was handcuffed and taken to the scene where he committed the

act. There he reportedly showed investigators the exact spot and told them how he committed the heinous crime. He was then escorted to the North Ruimveldt Police outpost. A senior Police source told Guyana Times International the file jacket will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.

police

Candidates’ Lists still being vetted by GECOM

Staffers of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) worked until the wee hours of yesterday morning, up to 4:00 am, to review the lists of candidates submitted by eight political contenders in the 2015 elections race. The disclosure was made by the Commission’s Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally, who added that the vetting process has included the corrections of omissions, as well as clarifications from the political parties.

He maintains that his team is an “exact” group who are committed to “ensuring that all the t’s are crossed and the i’s are dotted.”

According to GECOM, once the checks are completed and the lists are signed off by Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, the approved lists will be published.

In accordance with the electoral system of Proportional Representation, in order to qualify for a seat in the National Assembly, contesting parties must contest a minimum of six (6) of the Geographical Constituencies — totalling at least 13 seats — for eligibility to contest and submit Geographical Constituencies Lists and National Top-up Lists. This arrangement will provide for qualified contesting parties to submit, on Nomination Day, two separate Lists of

GEcom chairman

Dr. Steve Surujbally

Candidates. Any political party can contest the election of members of any of the 10 Regional Democratic Councils.

For this purpose, a List of Candidates must be submitted on Nomination Day.

The parties submitting their National Topup List, Geographical Constituencies List, and Regional Democratic Council Lists included: The United Force (TUF); the Healing The Nation Theocracy Party (HTNT); the United Republican Party (URP); the Independent Party (IP); the Organisation for the Victory of the People (OVP); and the National Independence Party (NIP).

The two major political contenders are the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the coalesced A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).

Meanwhile, the post-mortem examination performed on the body of Gittens revealed that the child died from strangulation. The autopsy was performed by Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary on Wednesday.

According to information received, the Police would have received an anonymous call from someone informing them that the child was electrocuted and was seen floating in the canal.

Upon their arrival at the area, Police Officers had to walk close to two miles before reaching the area where the body was

spotted and there was no evidence of electric wires in the area.

On the day Shaquan disappeared, he was reportedly left in the care of his 15-year-old brother while his mother was at work. He was reportedly in the area in the morning hours flying his kite.

At about 12:00h, he returned home to have lunch and left again to join his friends. That was the last time his brother saw him alive. The lad is survived by his parents and 15-year-old brother.

Trinidad &Tobago PM opens High Commission office in Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Wednesday opened the new High Commission office in Jamaica, during her visit to attend the Special Summit between Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads of State and Government with US President Barack Obama.

“The symbolism of today’s event is very strong, and is steeped in the story of two nations that share a long, cordial history of growing to-

gether, working together and achieving together,” she said in her address.

Persad-Bissessar

added: “By their geographic locations, our two countries can be considered the sentinels of our region. Jamaica is at the northern end of the archipelago of Englishspeaking Caribbean islands, and Trinidad & Tobago is at the southern end.

“We are the two most influential and populous nations of the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

“In 1962 our nations’ leaders understood that the choice of Independence offered the greatest hope for forg-

ing our own identity and destiny," she said. Meanwhile, the T&T prime minister said the building, which houses the high commission, signifies the strength and permanence which the twin island republic views its relationship with Jamaica.

“We have enjoyed 52 years of diplomatic and trade relations with Jamaica, but this is the first time that Trinidad & Tobago has had the physical visibility which this building, our own building, now offers," she said.

PPP/C ups campaign in Region 2

…ahead of grand rally on Saturday

By IndrawattIe natram

Ahead of its grand rally on Saturday in Essequibo, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has intensified its campaigning in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

According to Executive member of the Party, Alli Baksh, the campaign machinery is well-oiled, and work plans are progressing smoothly. Baksh said that the PPP/C has always believed in working with the people at the grassroots level, and said that several village meetings as well as walkabouts have been held. He outlined 12 walkabouts have been scheduled for the upcoming week. The walkabouts are being graced by prominent Government Ministers and party supporters.

Baksh said that the Opposition at its recent rally held on April 5 at Damon Square, Anna Regina regrettably tried to smear the PPP/C with wild allegations. He, however, said that PPP/C has risen above all the scandal that is going about. Baksh said the meetings held by the party, so far, in Essequibo have all been well attended, adding that the PPP/C is receiving support from villages that traditionally voted for the Opposition. “The support has been enthusiastic, the spirit is

positive, people are recognising the changes PPP is making and will continue to.”

Credible list

Meanwhile, Presidential Candidate for the PPP/C, Donald Ramotar, has stated the party’s List of Candidates presented on Tuesday was a strong and winning one. He was at the time addressing a gathering of the Party’s supporters on Tuesday, hours after he handed over the party’s Nominations List to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) at City Hall. Ramotar outlined that the PPP/C’s List represents the country in every way. “We have a very good list; we have a blend of maturity and youth. We have professional workers, we have housewives, farmers and we have all races on our list. We have a fully balanced list and I’m sure that List is going to take us to victory. As far as I know, we are the only party that has for its Prime Ministerial Candidate, a woman of substance – Elisabeth Harper,” he stated.

According to the President, the May 11 Elections is a very important one; one that will determine the future of the country. He underscored that his Government has worked steadily and with great dedication over the years, taking Guyana from being a heavily indebted country to being described as a middle-income de-

veloping country. Additionally, he highlighted that the PPP/C also rid Guyana of the poor education standards, transforming it into a country that produces students who top the Caribbean.

“This is because we invested in our people,” he noted, while adding that Guyana is the only country in the region to inject more than 30 per cent of its National Budget into the Social Sector covering areas such as education, health, housing, water, old age pension, among others. He outlined that no other Government provides text books, exercise books to chil-

dren, and meals to schools. He explained that was done so that the underprivileged Guyanese children would stay in school and get educated to take the country forward. Ramotar went on to say taking the country forward will be the top priority of his Party in the next five years. He further pointed out that the Opposition stymied the country’s development over the past three years by cutting the Budget in important areas such as the Amaila Falls Hydro Project. This Project, he noted, will provide cheap energy, which is vital for social and economic develop-

ment. The PPP/C Presidential Candidate also pledged to resuscitate the sugar industry that was responsible for bringing together different races. “We will ensure that it survives and I promise you that over the next five years, we will spend a minimum of Gy$20 billion to ensure that the sugar industry survives in Guyana,” he said.

In addition, he stated that as the search continues for higher paying markets for rice, his Government is working to create a system of price support to ensure that farmers have better standard of living in Guyana.

GECOM, Diplomats pleased with Nomination Day proceedings

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), as well as members of the diplomatic community, has expressed pleasure over the holding of Nomination Day 2015, on Tuesday at City Hall, Georgetown.

Members of the diplomatic community including United States Chargé d’Affaires Bryan Hunt; Suriname’s Ambassador to Guyana, Nisha Kurban-Baboe; United Nations Resident Coordinator Khadija Musa and Minister at the Embassy of Argentina, Gonzalo Torres Caironi, all registered their satisfaction over the manner in which the event was conducted.

They noted that given the presence of the diplomatic corps and the media fraternity, it would signal that GECOM was indeed serious about transparency and accountability.

Speaking to this pub-

lication, the US Chargé d’Affaires related that overall he was pleased with the efforts taken by GECOM to ensure that the process was conducted in an organised, transparent and incident-free manner.

“From my perspective, I think that this has been a well-organised process. I think it has been a transparent process. I think it has been a credible process and I am quite confident that when Nomination Day concludes, everyone will be satisfied with the process,” Hunt stated.

The Minister at the Embassy of Argentina in Guyana told this publication that the methods of transparency employed by GECOM in the process, were indeed surprising to him, but nevertheless, he was happy that the country has an elections commission which was doing everything possible to ensure that the credibility of the process was

not questioned. “Well, it is different in Argentina, but here in Guyana, you have a very transparent process. It exceeds my expectations. I think this is more transparent than Argentina…,” the diplomat expressed.

The UN Resident Coordinator stated that she has taken note of the peaceful and transparent manner in which the event was conducted and was optimistic that such would prevail throughout the election process.

“I have no reason not to believe that it is

TT: Rape remark minister blames the media

In her ‘apology’ to the Parliament on Wednesday in the wake of the furore over her ‘rape’ remarks, TT’s Minister Vernella Alleyne-Toppin placed the blame on “ media reports” of her controversial statements, rather than on the statements themselves.

“In consequent reports in the media, my contribution was unfortunately characterised and exploited as an attack on persons who may have been victims of domestic violence and other such offences”, she said in a Personal Explanation to the House of Representatives Tower D, International Wa¬terfront Centre, Port of Spain.

“Against this background”, she said, “I sincerely apologise to this Honourable House and any person outside of this Parliament for the mischaracterisation which may have been deduced from the statements made during my contribution.”

There was however no apology to the person about whom she made the unsubstantiated rape allegations — Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley.

Two Wednesdays ago (March 25) AlleyneToppin suggested that Rowley was the product of a rape and was a rapist himself.

As she rose to speak

on Wednesday, Rowley promptly left the chamber, followed by Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West MP Patricia McIntosh.

During the course of her contribution two Wednesdays ago, as she focused on Rowley, the subject of the no confidence debate, AlleyneToppin referred to the “violation” , “statutory rape”, “child molestation”, a “four-man ‘sampat’ for an unsuspecting young girl”, the “kidnap” of a girl, her “detention for four hours against her will” as she posed questions to Rowley. She then spoke of another story involving the “rape of young girl by her father’s best friend”, the “product” of which is “today the aspirant to lofty office” who grew up to become “aggressive, arrogant, bombastic and spiteful”.

In offering her ‘apology’, she however referred to the issue of domestic violence, which had not been mentioned in her original contribution.

“It was and is never my intention to stigmatise any person whatsoever who may have suffered the indignity of domestic violence of any kind. Clearly my contribution during the debate in question had no such purpose,” she said.

Alleyne-Toppin’s Personal Explanation came in the face of the rejection and condemna-

tion by so many groups and persons of her contribution to the no confidence motion brought by the Government against Rowley, the debate of which began two Wednesdays ago.

The Minister sought to justify her contribution as part of her long held concern and prosecuting in the public domain of the “sensitive”, “indelicate” and “pertinent” issues of rape and domestic violence.

“My longstanding and manifest abhorrence of this type of behaviour has been well established over the many years and particularly within the recent years I have served in this Parliament,” she said.

“I sought during my contribution to highlight certain sensitive issues in our society, with which I have had direct experiences and which I considered relevant to the matter being debated. These issues included the indelicate and pertinent issues of rape and domestic violence,” Alleyne-Toppin stated.

While her contribution two Wednesdays ago was punctuated with table-thumping support from her colleagues on the government benches; her ‘personal explanation’ was greeted with deafening silence. Not a desk thump was heard, even as she concluded her delivery. (Trinidad Express)

transparent. I mean we can see the people come in, we can see what is going on, and so I have no reason to question the transparency…I think it is being held in good spirits. People are really involved and really care about deciding their future. And I hope that everything from here on will be as happy and peaceful as it is. I hope that this feeling of participation and involvement by all the parties no matter whom, peace is the key to democracy. It is a beautiful process,”

Musa told the Guyana Times International

The Surinamese Ambassador to Guyana also praised the process, while Canadian High Commission representative Robert Hart expressed that he too was pleased with the way in which the event was executed by the Elections Commission.

The diplomats also applauded the security measures which were implemented by the Elections Commission in collaboration with the Guyana Police Force and

the City Constabulary. They noted that the measures put in place were more than adequate and at no time did they feel threatened or in danger.

British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn was notably absent from the proceedings, owing to concerns over the state of City Hall, this publication was told, given statements made by Fire Chief Marlon Gentle last week that the building was a hazard.

Job well done

Meanwhile, GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally told the GTI at City Hall at the end of the Nomination Day proceedings, that he was pleased with the way in which the proceedings were conducted.

According to him, it was an incident- and accident-free event and he was extremely thankful to the political parties for ensuring that this was possible.

Clarke urges US to end delay in implementing immigration programmes

WASHINGTON: Caribbean American Congresswoman

Yvette D. Clarke has joined 180 colleagues in the US House of Representatives in filing an amicus brief urging a US appeals court to end the delay in implementing critical programs for Caribbean and other immigrants.

The programmes - Deferred Action for Parental Accountability and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, will allow millions of immigrants to avoid deportation and become authorized to work.

Late Tuesday Judge Andrew S. Hanen of Federal District Court for the Southern District of Texas, in Brownsville, refused to lift the injunction he had placed in February on President Barack Obama’s pro-

grammes, saying that to do so would cause irreparable harm.

Hanen’s decision came about even as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals signals that it might disagree with Hanen when it adopts the issue next week.

President Obama and the US Department of Homeland Security are appealing that decision.

“I am proud to join my colleagues in supporting President Obama and Secretary of Homeland Security Johnson in their effort to allow millions of American families to remain in the United States and participate in our economy,” said Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, before boarding a flight with Obama as the US president visits Jamaica for a summit with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders on Thursday.

“The decision by the District Court was completely unprecedented. Presidents of the United States – from President Ronald Reagan to President George W. Bush – have acted under the same authority as our chief executive as defer action in immigration cases,” added the representative for the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn.

Hanen said he “remained convinced” that Obama had exceeded his authority by seeking to permit millions of undocumented immigrants to stay in the US legally and obtain work permits.

“Whether by ignorance, omission, purposeful misdirection, or because they were misled by their clients, the attorneys for the government misrepresented the facts,” he wrote.

But Emily Pierce, a spokeswoman for the US Department of Justice Department, dismissed the judge’s remarks.

“We emphatically disagree with the district court’s order regarding the government’s statements.”

The appeals court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on April 17 about whether to rescind Hanen’s injunction.

The ruling could determine if the president’s programs move forward or the battles continue.

(CMC)

Jagdeo, Urling on PPP/C Top-up List

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo has been listed among the 71 candidates of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) National Topup List, returning to the political arena after almost four years.

Speaking to another section of the media on Tuesday, the former Head of State related that he had no intentions of being on the PPP/C’s list. He was,

however, encouraged by fellow party members to become involved in the fight.

Jagdeo, who served as Guyana’s President for over a decade, became actively involved on the political stage of the ruling party just over a month ago, signaling his intention to help the PPP/C reclaim victory. His first public appearance was on March 7 last, when he blasted the Opposition at the

memorial ceremony for former leader Dr Cheddi Jagan at Babu Jaan.

Meanwhile, the PPP/C has also presented a new breed of candidates on its National Top-up List. Included on the list is businessman and former president of the Blue CAPS, Clinton Urling. He told reporters, outside of City Hall, that he was willing to join forces with the party which strongly represents the future.

Urling, who is also Chairman of the Normalisation Committee of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and past President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), said that what is important now, is the fact that he is committed to working for the long term development of Guyana. His comments were made after media operatives questioned his reason for joining the political party now, while he had been pre-

viously criticising its work through his nongovernmental organ. He said the PPP/C has a vibrant economic plan for the country’s viability. Urling said he prefers to look to the future, offering the party his energy and commitment.

Another surprise candidate for the ruling party is former Miss India Guyana Roshini Boodhoo. She told Guyana Times

International that she accepted an invitation to liaise on with the political unit because of her cultural background.

She further pointed out that Guyana remains a multi-cultured country, noting that youths are the ones who will have to continue on the same stride as their fore parents to ensure that the morals, roots and beliefs are sustained.

Other new comers on the PPP/C list are: the National Communications Network (NCN) Marketing Manager, Raymond Azeez; General Manager of Guyoil, Badree Persaud; Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Chief Executive Officer, Dr Rajendra Singh and Head of the Guyana Energy Agency, Dr Mahender Sharma.

Mother charged for abandoning children

The mother of the four children found abandoned in Guyhoc Park, Greater Georgetown, has been found and charged for neglecting her three daughters and son in a rat infested house.

Guyana Times International spoke with the Director of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), Ann Green, on Monday where she disclosed that the mother of the children who were found in Guyhoc Park on January 6 of this year has been found and duly arrested for what her children have had to endure on their own.

The children, aged 12, eight, four and one, were rescued by CCPA from a dilapidated house in Guyhoc Park where they had been left on their own. Neighbours had reported that the children were not left anything to eat, or with clean clothes

and a little boy) slept alone in the dark on one bed with no nettings and presumably no sheets if most of the clothes were dirty.

The quite concerned neighbours had further reported that the children had been eating through the good graces of the Guyhoc Park community and even then sometimes they would be eating stale food that would have been given the day before.

Director of CCPA, Ann Greene said she will need to undergo very intense parenting training to better take care of her children

to wear and were not attending school for weeks.

According to reports, the children were found in very dirty mismatched clothes, the smallest child wearing a soaked napkin. Neighbours also reported on the lack of electricity to the house, detailing the fact that the children (four girls

Green told this publication that the mother of the children was the one who heard of the situation her children were found in and where they were and came asking for them at the agency. The Police were notified and she was subsequently arrested and charged.

Nevertheless, it does appear that the mother had indeed gone into the interior to be able to work to get the money she needed and had also left one of the fathers of the children to take care of them. Green shared that the mother insists that it was this father that left the children on their own and not her as she had no money to take care of them and thought the interior would have been beneficial to her. No one knows where that father maybe at this time.

The CCPA Director stated that the children

will remain in the agency’s care. She said the mother will of course be tried as she did commit an offence by leaving the children alone

without ensuring they were properly taken care of. Even so, she reiterated that it is never the agency’s job to take children away from the fam-

ily they know but to rehabilitate them through counselling so they can be more knowledgeable about proper parenting and child care.

APNU/AFC started its ground work a long time ago – Granger

By Vahnu Manikchand

The environs of City Hall was on Tuesday transformed into a party-like atmosphere as the PNCled A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition brought its supporters to rally behind the group during the presentation of its List of Candidates to contest the upcoming elections.

Moving off from the Square of the Revolution, thousands of supporters accompanied the alliance’s executives in a procession along Brickdam, Georgetown en route to City Hall. During the march, a human barricade was formed around the party’s leaders and other executive members as they, along with the supporters, danced all the way to City Hall. The supporters were chanting

slogans such as “It is time for change”, “It is time for Granger and Moses” and “PPP must go” among a host of others. The procession became louder as they passed by the Home Affairs Ministry, shouting cohesively “time for Rohee (Home Affairs Minister) to go”.

In the meantime, other APNU/AFC supporters around the City Hall area joined in the procession while others stopped along the way to cheer on the massive crowd. The coalition’s Presidential Candidate, David Granger, was ecstatic about all the support the party has been gaining. He noted that the coalition started its groundwork since in November 2011; hence, the support seen on Nomination Day.

“I’ve been in the Rupununi, I’ve been in Essequibo, in the Rivers, I’ve been in Linden and

there is a countrywide movement in favour of the coalition. Now what you see here today is a manifestation of the public’s will. This is happening all over the place. People in Essequibo never saw such a massive rally as we had last week, so this is nothing strange and you will see more of it,” he remarked.

Before heading up the rickety stairs of City Hall, where Dr Harold Lutchman presented the APNU/AFC List of Candidates, Granger said that he was confident that the List will be a winning one. He added that it will help the APNU/AFC to take back Guyana from the clutches of the People’s

Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

Maintaining balance

According to Granger, the coalition has maintained balance in its List in order to truly represent the voting population in the country. Some of the areas that are top priority for the APNU/ AFC coalition, he said, include alleviating pov-

erty, reforming the education sector, providing job opportunities and most importantly uprooting corruption.

“These are issues which the PPP/C cannot answer, so from a political point of view, we are well ahead and from an organisational mobilisational point of view, you see what is happening today (pointing to the massive crowd of APNU/AFC supporters)”.

The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) has traditionally been able to put on a show on Nomination Day- given its strong constituency in Georgetown. Granger added that the APNU/ AFC coalition’s manifesto was expected to be out in the next 10 days, noting that the parties have combined some of their vision from the last elections into the plan of action.

“Political lightweights” upbeat, present Lists

By alexis Rodney

The small parties contesting the May 11 General and Regional Elections lived up to earlier promises that they will be able to field candidates, delivering to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) their Lists of Candidates amid much pomp and ceremony.

Presenting before GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield were The United Force (TUF); the Healing the Nation Theocracy Party (THNTP); the Organisation of the Victory of the People (OPV); the United Republican Party (URP), and the Independent Party (IP) along with the major parties – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition.

Leading the way was TUF Presidential Candidate Marissa Nadir. Speaking to the media just after her presentation, she said her party’s List represented a broad sector of persons from different strata, including professionals and businesspersons. She con-

firmed that her party, which has been out of the limelight for some time now, will be contesting the polls in all 10 administrative regions of Guyana.

“Our (List) represents a broad sector of persons from various scales in Guyana. … doctors and lawyers and prominent business persons as well,” Nadir declared. She said the party was very much confident of its success at the polls, noting that it has already publicised the policy it stands for. “We are looking to be the voice for those who are disgruntled

with all the other political parties in Guyana,” she related.

Following the TUF was the PPP/C, led by President Donald Ramotar. He was accompanied by Prime Ministerial Candidate Elisabeth Harper, PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee and outgoing Prime Minister Samuel Hinds. Ramotar, speaking with the media after his presentation, declared his confidence in success at the elections.

Small axe

Meanwhile, the Healing the Nation Theocracy Party

(HTNTP) by Ras Leon Saul followed the PPP/C. He said while the party will not be contesting the national elections, it will be focusing on Region Four for the regional polls. “We are representing ordinary people who don’t normally get a chance to represent themselves in these types of arenas. We are supporting the coalition in the national top up, but are registering our support in the Region to establish our presence,” he said.

Asked how he feels seeing the big parties with their

massive support, Saul said: “We feel like David going up against Goliath, as with its small axe cutting big tree. Five years from now it’s going to be a whole different scenario. We know change is coming.”

Asked about the arrangement with the APNU/AFC coalition, Saul said there has not been any confirmation from the coalition as yet. He, however, hopes that with the approval by the elections body that his party would be considered.

Considered the new kid on the block, the Organisation of the Victory of the People (OPV) said it was the “real PNC”, as it represented the ideals of founding leader Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. While the party will be throwing its support behind the APNU/AFC at the national level, it is seeking to draw as many supporters as possible for the regional polls.

In comments to the media, leader of the United Republican Party (URP), Vishnu Bandhu maintained that his party will not be coalescing with any major party. His List of Candidates included prominent business persons, doctors and lawyers.

Dismembered body: 23-yearold caretaker charged with murder of market vendor

Kevin Ramsawack, 23, who was arrested for the murder of Samantha Benjamin-McEwan, 40, whose dismembered body was found at the Annandale-Buxton Seawall on March 26, was on Tuesday remanded to the Camp Street Prison.

Ramsawack, who was unrepresented, appeared before Magistrate Zameena Ali at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday afternoon after a series of mix-ups and appearances at the Cove and John and the Vigilance Magistrate’s Courts.

The young man, who hails from 7 Adelphi Village, East Berbice, and was previously charged for trafficking in narcotics, seemed unaffected as the indictable charge was read to him by the Magistrate. According to the facts presented, Ramsawack, along with several others, on March 25, 2015 at Buxton, East Coast Demerara, murdered Benjamin-McEwan before dumping her body at the Annandale-Buxton foreshore.

the accused, Kevin ramsawack, leaving the Sparendaam magistrate’s court on tuesday

State Prosecutor Hattie Anthony objected to bail being granted, citing the seriousness of the offence and the fact that the matter was still under investigation by Police.

Upon hearing that he was being remanded to the Camp Street Prison until May 4, Ramsawack pleaded with Magistrate Ali to send him instead to the Berbice prisons since he had no relative in Georgetown to take care of him. However, the Magistrate told the accused that she did not have any power to make such a decision.

Meanwhile, Crime Chief Leslie James has

disclosed that Police have been able to arrest several other persons, with at least four being considered for charges. These charges, he said, will be laid shortly.

Police sources said that the labourer confessed to killing Benjamin, for whose house he was the caretaker while she was overseas. He reportedly told the Police that two persons helped him murder Benjamin. It is alleged that the labourer killed Benjamin in the process of trying to rob her and he dismembered the body in order to make it difficult to identify her.

Benjamin was a United States citizen and proprietor of a boutique in the Vendor’s Mall on Water Street. Her estranged husband positively identified her body.

The body was found at the Annandale foreshore on the morning of March 26 .The head, legs and arms were later found at the foreshore after the water receded about 12:10h the same day. It was not until April 1 that BenjaminMcEwan was positively identified.

Rape should not be a taboo subject – NGO urges

Given that Guyana is very much still a conservative society, rape still remains a taboo subject.

This was recently pointed out by local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), The Caribbean Voice (TCV), which urged that the issue and incidents of rape be discussed more openly.

International studies reveal that almost half of rape victims blame themselves for the incident, instead of blaming their attackers.

This is particularly true when the rape happens between friends or spouses and because of this, the prevalence of the under-reporting of this crime comes as no surprise.

While TCV acknowledged that rape incidents are vastly underreported on a global scale, it noted that the situation is much worse in Guyana given the taboo.

“In Guyana, rape is still considered taboo, too shameful to be made publicly known,” the NGO stated in a press release. This sad reality, the TCV notes, needs to be changed.

According to the NGO, certain families try to cover up the horrific occurrence for they believe it is a disgrace to be closely related to someone who went through such an experience.

he TCV highlighted that it was doing much “behind the scenes” work by reaching out to families and engaging in casual discussions about

rape and related situations with the aim of educating them on what to do in those circumstances.

Nonetheless, the NGO noted that it could not do it alone, and called on all the relevant bodies to reach out to families with the bigger aim of ending the taboo on rape discussions.

Disturbing trends Amid all of this, the TCV said more disturbing trends have emerged.

“The rape/murder of the elderly is one such trend. Another is the rape, resulting in serious injuries, to small children less than 10 years old and as young as a few months old. A third trend is the rape of teenagers, many of whom end up pregnant, forever changing their lives and often times putting an end to dreams and aspirations. In most cases, sex may have been consensual but the reality is that sex with anyone under 16 is statutory rape,” the TCV pointed out.

On that note, the NGO mentioned the issue of the law. “While there is legislation pertaining to rape, with the Sexual Offences Act being completed in 2012, the conviction rate is abysmally low…,” the statement read.

The TCV recognised that this was as a result of a number of reasons, including the “lack of rape kits at hospitals, flimsy evidence, an inefficient jury system, shoddy prosecution of such cases, reluctance of victims to give testimony,

and discontinuance of cases owning to unwillingness of victims to pursue.”

Additionally, the NGO related that in some cases, the victims are “bought off”, with the Police often fostering a deal for a commission.

“Sometimes families are also bought off after being intimidated, especially if the rapist is politically connected or comes from a family with status and influence,” the TCV stated.

It noted that there have been at least eight reported cases of elderly women found murdered subsequent to being raped. In fact, the NGO noted that sexual violence crimes against women in Guyana are escalating.

Referring to reports in the local newspapers, the TCV pointed out that, from January to September 2014, Police statistics indicate that there were more than 140 cases of rape reported, while from January to July 2013, there were 179 reported cases.

Meanwhile, the TCV revealed that a 2007 report by the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) analysed sexual crimes between 2000 and 2004 and found that 92 per cent of all victims were females, 43 per cent were in the 12-15 age group, and 26 per cent were in the 1-12 age group. It also found that Amerindian girls between 12 and 16 years old were the most vulnerable group nationally.

Sophia lad represents Guyana at Quranic competition in Kuwait

A22-year-old young man of Sophia, Greater Georgetown, has represented Guyana at a prestigious international competition.

Brother Melanik Simeon James, who has memorised the Quran, represented Guyana at the sixth International Quranic Competition for memorisation, recitation and interpretation of the Holy Quran during the period April 1-8 in Kuwait.

This competition was hosted by His Royal Highness, The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah and the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs of Kuwait.

Brother James was selected and recommended by the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana, a release from the Organisation said, to represent Guyana at this competition.

Vanessa Kissoon omitted from APNU+AFC List

Former Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) Member of Parliament, Vanessa Kissoon has been omitted from all three of the candidates’ lists for the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition, drawing condemnation in some quarters, especially in the mining town of Linden.

Granger, who had confirmed that Kissoon was not on the lists before the coalition officially released the lists to the public, explained that there were set criteria to determine who would be on the lists. He explained that Kissoon, who had fallen out with him and the General Secretary last year, had already served two terms as a parliamentarian.

“No, she is not on the list,” he said when questioned by another media house.” Well, we have a balanced list. She served two terms…We have a list of criteria and that criteria was applied because of the work that is ahead of us,” he said.

There were early rumours about Kissoon being omitted from the lists and People’s National

Congress Reform (PNCR) supporter Minette Bacchus wrote in a letter which appeared in the Stabroek News that the decision was unfair. Bacchus said Kissoon was a special kind of politician who did not come along often, and because of her rarity and commitment to politics as a force to bring about positive change and improve the lives of those she represented, she deserved to be on the 2015 List of Representatives and return as a Member of Parliament.

A month ago when former APNU MP Africo

Selman spoke at her first People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) meeting at Yarrowkabra, her home village, she predicted just this outcome given Kissoon’s estrangement from the Granger faction in the PNCR.

Selman said, “She should reflect what happened to Faith Harding, who had been brought into the party by Mr [Desmond] Hoyte. She was rigged out of her chance to become a leader of the PNC. Even if she would have lost, she should have been given a fair chance. She had earned that right.”

Selman condemned what she called the “sheer hypocrisy” and “window dressing” occurring with the PNCR and APNU as she called on Guyanese present at the PPP/C’s meetings to take a stance against the abuse, misuse and maltreatment of women in politics. “They are saying one thing and doing another. They are using women as a front and they are ill-treating and sidelining them behind the scenes,” she said as she shared her own experiences with the crowd. “They want to just keep us ‘barefoot and pregnant’.”

APNU+AFC makes long list of promises to Essequibians

been there, done that, says Minister Ali

Leader of the Opposition and Presidential Candidate for the PNCled A Partnership for National UnityAlliance For Change (APNU+AFC), David Granger has urged Essequibians to offer their votes to the coalition, come May 11.

Speaking at the APNU /AFC’s public rally which was held at Damon’s Square, Anna Regina, Essequibo, on Saturday evening, Granger told the crowd that the coalition was the way to go for a better life, developmental opportunities and further growth and development of that region and the country’s economy as a whole.

Jean La Rose, Broomes tie knot with APNU+AFC coalition

Amerindian Rights Activist, Jean La Rose has been appointed Deputy Representative of the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition, effectively joining the political arena for the first time.

In an interview with this newspaper, La Rose disclosed that she only recently made a decision to accept the position after an invitation was extended to her by the coalition. La Rose took the opportunity to dispel accusations that she has always been an active participant in the political arena and has taken her work one step further.

The 2002 Goldman Environmental Prize Winner said her work has always focused on protecting the rights of the Indigenous population. Hence, it is the expectation that once the APNU+AFC coalition gets into Government following the May 11 General and Regional Elections, key issues that have not been addressed by the current People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration will be given the attention they

duly deserve.

She explained that it is important for Indigenous People and Guyanese as a whole to play a more active role in the decision making process, especially when decisions are being made on issues that can either positively or negatively affect their lives. She said too that transparency and matters surrounding land rights are also core issues that have been placed on the table and would hopefully be addressed under a new government.

In addition to La Rose, Social Activist and President of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) Simona Broomes has also joined the APNU+AFC coalition, being listed on the party’s List of Candidates. Broomes was contacted on Tuesday; however,

It was along this line that the Presidential Candidate urged the crowd that they must undo what they had done in 2011 at the polls and give not the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) their votes, but rather, the APNU/AFC.

“You are the backbone of the country; we have come here to share your talents with us. We need you Essequibo, we need your rice, we need your vegetables but most of all, we need love and unity. We need you Essequibo. We believe in strong regions…we want strong municipalities. We have come here

she was not available for a comment. Nevertheless, unlike La Rose, Broomes, who came to prominence due to active role in rescuing victims of Trafficking In Person (TIP), has a background in politics, having served on the youth arm of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) in her early years.

In June 2013, US Secretary of State John Kerry recognised Broomes as one of the 2013 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Heroes. At the time, the US stated that Broomes had demonstrated extraordinary bravery and leadership in raising awareness of human trafficking in Guyana. As a miner, Broomes also represents the rights and concerns of women in the mining industry.

to tell you about the future… of what Essequibo can become… don’t give us 5000 votes and give the PPP 12,000 like you did at the last elections or don’t give us 3000 and give PPP 5000… Give us the votes for a better life …bring a Government that cares about you…,” Granger told the people.

In trying to win the votes of the Essequibo Coast, Granger promised residents that should his party win the May 11 polls, he will ensure that security reform, educational reform and the advancement of technology, which will include better Internet access and

telephone service, are provided for Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), which he touted as “full of potential”.

Road accidents

On the issue of security reform, Granger said that his Government, should he win, would ensure that the number of road accidents and accident-related deaths was reduced; the level of crime was brought down and the Police Force was far more equipped, better trained and paid to carry out their mandate.

“You need to be safe. You don’t need crime. We don’t want to come

Chief Justice explains disciplinary action against Magistrates

Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh said to allow Magistrates who conduct themselves inappropriately to remain on the bench will be a serious indictment on the part of the judicial administration. He noted that this act would mean that the judiciary has abandoned the people and public’s interest. “We have a responsibility to produce an environment which is conducive for hard work. Magistrates in Guyana are servants of the people. It is important that Magistrates and Judges give of their best… so… when we find that Magistrates are involved in grave wrongdoing, then we will have to protect the public’s interest,” the Chancellor said.

At the time, he was speaking during the commissioning ceremony of the new Number 51 Village Magistrate’s Court in Berbice on Thursday. Recently, two Magistrates were fired by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Reports indicate that Senior Magistrate Chandra Sohan was issued with a dismissal

letter on February 20.

His dismissal followed that of Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond, who was also fired by the JSC over missing minutes. Speaking of the JSC, the Chancellor said the Commission has a constitutional mandate for the appointment of judicial officers and Magistrates. Singh noted that under the Constitution of Guyana, the JSC is also given disciplinary powers.

“When the Judicial Service Commission, which is chaired by me, has the Chief Justice as a member, has two former judges as members, has the Chairman of the Public Service Commission as a member, when it sits, it takes into consideration, and are concerned only with,

the facts and matters that are in issue before it in relation to any particular disciplinary action,” Singh noted. He said as Chairman of the JSC, the Commission does not and will never take political considerations, race, colour or any other extraneous consideration in making a determination as to what is the fair and just, question to be determined for the outcome for the matter. “In relation to any disciplinary decision, it will take a twisted mind to say that it was arrived at as a result of some extraneous political consideration to show favour to any person. I assure you that cannot happen, it never happened and will never happen,” the Chancellor posited.

Guyana Govt still hopeful for land deal with TT investors

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy said Government was still to receive word from its Trinidadian counterpart on the way forward in relation to the agricultural land deal pending between the two countries.

Guyana and Trinidad back in 2013 had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), opening up avenues for Trinidadian investors to use Guyana’s lands for agricultural purposes. At the signing ceremony, Minister Ramsammy and Trinidad’s Food Production Minister, Devant Maharaj had said the programme was developed to address the need to improve food security and reduce the food import bill of the two countries.

tween the two countries.

Back in December last year, investors from the twin-island republic visited and had begun screening Guyana’s landscape with particular focus on the Canje Basin and Intermediate Savannahs. Discussions then were focused on investment incentives in Guyana, foreign agricultural investments here and the Trinidadian company Cooperative Citrus Growers, land availability, soil types and market trade logistics.

Though no agreement was signed then, Ramsammy had said the discussions had taken the countries one step closer to fulfilling the objective of the MoU, which was designed to facilitate TT investment in Guyana for agricultural production. According to him, the next step would have been the presentation of scoping proposals for potential investment even as dialogue continued be-

However, in an invited comment on Thursday, Ramsammy told this newspaper that he was still awaiting those proposals from the business groups. While certain projects had been identified during another recent visit, the groups were still to submit their proposals to Guyana’s Government. He said, however, that there has been progress on the extension of Cooperative Citrus Growers’ citrus plantations and they were moving towards preparing concentrates.

According to the Trinidadian Food Production Minister, his country imports around 90 per cent of its citrus from Belize and Costa Rica and he could not see why the same could not come from its closest neighbour, Guyana.

Trinidadian inves-

tors are interested in six products including corn, soya, sorghum and fruits. According to the Trinidad Minister, corn is needed for the poultry industry there.

Minister Ramsammy had said the scope of work presented by the Trinidadian investors will determine the sites, but emphasised that

the primary focus was on the Canje Basin and Intermediate Savannahs. He explained that the Intermediate Savannahs is an area of interest because there is already a Trinidadian company, Cooperative Citrus Growers, operating in the vicinity. Cooperative Citrus Growers was allotted 1000 acres of land, of which 200 acres are already under cultivation and another 200 acres are being cultivated.

The TT Food Production Minister echoed similar sentiments, noting too that thus far, the investors were impressed.

Recognising that global food insecurity remains a major problem across the world due to rising food prices amid declining food production levels due to climate change, the parties had signed the agreement in their quest to reduce their food import bills. For Trinidad, this plan is in keeping with its National Food Production Action Plan 2012-2015.

The MoU provides guidance for the development, promotion and strengthening of bilateral cooperation between the countries through the development of joint ventures and activities that will contribute significantly to promotion of food security, but it does not impose action targets for either Guyana or Trinidad.

The MoU between the two countries addressed programmes and activities; core areas of cooperation, monitoring and coordinating mechanism; mutual responsibility, commitments and settlements; rights and obligations, and scope for termination.

Govt commits to long-term viability of NIS

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh said that the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) was an important national institution, and could be said to possess the same character as the Bank of Guyana, which is in its 50th year.

He said because of its importance to Guyanese, the Government has committed to the Scheme’s long-term viability. Dr Singh made the remarks at the commissioning ceremony for the Scheme’s Gy$35 million Patrick Martinborough multi-purpose complex, on Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown last week.

The two-storey building is equipped with a bar, kitchenette, conference and training rooms, an office, and a pavilion, and will benefit the 610 staff mem-

bers stationed at NIS offices countrywide. “The NIS was established two or three years after Guyana attained political independence to provide a robust social security and national insurance programme to the people of the newlyindependent Guyana… The Scheme has gone through tremendous growth and maturity, good years and challenging years,” the Finance Minister explained. Notwithstanding economic challenges, Minister Singh said that the Scheme continued to grow and discharge its functions.

To this end, the Minister reaffirmed Government’s commitment to the long-term viability and success of the NIS. “I want that to be crystal clear, your Government is firmly committed to the

long-term viability and strength of the scheme, and we will do all that it takes to ensure that the NIS rides through the

challenges it might be facing, traverses them and emerges to an even stronger institution,”

Minister Singh reiterat-

ed.

However, the task of ensuring a strong NIS is not only for Government but those who benefit

and those who are expecting to benefit from the Scheme. Minister Singh commended those employers who have registered their employees and pay their contributions. To those who were yet to register their employees, and were delinquent in paying contributions, he stressed they were running the risk of denying their employees extremely important benefits.

Meanwhile, General Manager Doreen Nelson said that this patientlyawaited facility would be of great benefit to all the NIS members, especially since it will facilitate training sessions and conferences. She expressed appreciation to the Finance Ministry for spearheading the approval of finance for the facility, and the management and staff for their patience.

Elections will play major role in charting future course – FITUG

Urging all those who are registered to vote to exercise their franchise, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) said that the May 11 polls will play a major role in charting the future path of this nation.

In a statement, the umbrella trade union movement said one of the pillars of “our democracy – especially post 1992 – is periodic conduct of national and regional elections. Now that the nomination lists

of the contesting parties have been handed in to officials of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), an essential requirement of the Electoral Process has been completed. This may very well mean that the election campaigning would rise in intensity while stimulating greater political interest countrywide.”

Calling itself the nation’s largest majority bloc of registered, unionised workers, FITUG said it highly values these periodic elections, seeing them as an indis-

pensable factor for the well-being and stability of our society. “Since 1992, these elections have had the distinction of being free and fair and have been held in conditions that were relatively peaceful. We look forward to and urge that the upcoming May 11, 2015 elections be also free, fair and peaceful.”

According to the union, the elections season is a time for various and heightened political activities. “These myriad activities should keep our citizenry to become more politically

aware and so be able to be very informed when exercising their franchise. Leaders and activists who are engaged in these activities, whatever the type, need also to appreciate the need to be tolerant, respectful and responsible, particularly as this could also be an emotionally charged season.”

GECOM is linchpin According to the union, as several past experiences would have shown, a free, fair and generally peaceful elections atmosphere depends on the work of

the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

“Given the range of issues to be addressed and the challenging logistics entailed, GECOM has done a praiseworthy job in previous elections. FITUG takes this opportunity to urge GECOM to yet again pursue its task of conducting the forthcoming elections in a business-like way and taking the care and precaution to ensure that they turn out to be unquestionably free and fair, and thus, contributing to maintaining and even strengthening our

democratic culture.”

FITUG also encouraged all those who are eligible and registered to vote to do so. “It’s our right and duty. We need to be mindful that the elections and their outcome will play a major role in determining our country’s future path and its development prospects. On May 11, through our vote, let us mandate the political leaders to continue to build, maintain economic vibrancy and ensure our country’s allround social advances and progress.”

Canada injects Gy$30.9M into Rupununi villages

During times of flooding or drought, food security is a primary concern for the villages of Wowetta and Moco Moco. The food staple in both villages is farine, a by-product of cassava, which is in short supply during periods of flooding or drought.

This carries a heavy human toll, with men, women and sometimes even children having to leave the villages to find employment outside of their communities, resulting in fragmented families and children out of school.

Canada is providing over CAN$188,000 (GY$30,918,129) through two projects to increase the resilience of Wowetta in North Rupununi and Moco Moco in Central Rupununi.

The Wowetta project will assist the Wowetta Village Council (WVC) and the Wowetta Women’s Group (WWG) in establishing and maintaining a modern cassava processing and farine storage facility. By the end of the project, Wowetta will have a rotating stockpile of 10,000 pounds of farine. This stockpile will sustain the village when floods or droughts destroy the cassava crop. Since the farine pro-

duction will exceed the needs of the community, it will also generate revenue for the WWG who will be able to sell excess farine to neighbouring communities.

An advisor from CUSO International will assist in the development of a business and operational plan as well as provide training to 49 women from the WWG in business management and recordkeeping, food manufacturing best practices, administrative and financial management reporting systems, and stock control planning.

Canadian High Commissioner, Dr Nicole Giles visited Wowetta on March 27 to officially hand over the project

agreement to the WWG. High Commissioner Giles lauded the initiative for simultaneously promoting sustainable economic growth, disaster risk preparedness, and the empowerment of women.

Increased cassava production

A similar project in Moco Moco is being implemented by the Kanuku Mountains Community Representative Group (KMCRG). The project will make farine available to the community of Moco Moco throughout the year, regardless of climatic events, by processing and storing at least 20,000 pounds of farine for use during and after disasters. Farine in excess of the emergency needs of the Moco Moco community will be sold at a concessionary price to neighbouring communities affected by disaster.

The project will also promote the expansion of cassava cultivation by the indigenous households of Moco Moco village to 56 hectares of elevated savannah land.

As a result, Moco Moco’s six neighbouring indigenous communities will be able to readily purchase raw cassava. The Moco Moco factory will also benefit from the support of Conservation International.

Jamaican jailed for smuggling cocaine

A20-year-old Jamaican national felt the full brunt of Guyana’s judicial system on Thursday when he was sentenced to five years imprisonment for attempting to smuggle 1.266 kilograms (kg) of cocaine to Canada.

The young man, Richard Daniels, was found guilty by Magistrate Ann McLennan in Court Two. The verdict arrived at after three months of trial.

Daniels first appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya SewnarineBeharry on January 7, to answer to the charges in Court One. On that occasion, he pleaded not guilty to the offence.

The charges read that on January 5, he was an outgoing passenger at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on his way to Canada. It was around 22:05h on that day that ranks attached to the Police Narcotics Branch were on an eradication exercise when they saw the defendant – who was an outgoing passenger on a Fly Jamaica flight – acting in a suspicious manner. He was stopped and a search was carried out on his luggage. In one of his suitcases the officers found two bottles of body lotion and two and a half pairs of socks. The cocaine was found concealed in the socks –105 pellet shaped objects rapped in silver foil pa-

per.

The case was prosecuted by Police Prosecutor, Rural Constable Jeffers, while the defendant was unrepresented by an attorney.

Several witnesses were brought forward by the prosecution to prove that Daniels did indeed have knowledge of the cocaine in his suitcase. Officers from the Police Narcotics Branch testified on the illegal nature of the substance and the fact that they found him with the illegal substance.

However, the defence tried to convince the court that Daniels had no knowledge of the substance in his bag, although he had claimed that he packed both suitcases himself. The defendant had also claimed that a man, Shemroy Roberston had approached him about traf-

ficking the illegal substance but Daniels said he had refused the offer. This proved to be insubstantial evidence, but nonetheless, the prosecution brought forward Robertson to testify about any relation he may have had or has with the defendant. None was found. The defence also had the opportunity to cross examine the witness and was unable to make him contradict himself.

Magistrate McLennan told the court that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that Daniels is guilty of the offence. She gave this verdict on the basis that the defendant’s own statements mixed him up.

The Magistrate also mentioned that the aforementioned pellets were in photographs and the defendant had admitted to taking those pictures. Thus she said the court is satisfied that the defendant is guilty and he was sentenced to the full penalty of the law, given to amount of cocaine that was being smuggled by the defendant, the seriousness of the offence, the prevalence and the fact that deterrence is needed to curb the practice.

Daniels was sentenced to five years imprisonment and was also fined Gy$3,418,200 –the market value of the 1.266 kilograms of cocaine found on him.

WPO awards outstanding women in Region 2

The Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO), an arm of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), on Saturday honoured several outstanding women in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) who continue to contribute to the development of the region.

According to WPO General Secretary Sheila Veerasammy, the women were selected based on the support given to the organisation, their membership and contribution in protecting the rights of women in their communities.

Addressing scores of residents at the Cheddi Jagan Children’s Park in Anna Regina, Veerasammy said women in Guyana now have equal rights as men, noting that today they continue to dominate the “work place and the political arena.”

She added that the award serves to recognise the involvement of women in society and the struggle they continue to endure to protect other women.

WPO was formed in 1953 by the late Janet Jagan with the aim of protecting the rights of women.

Region Two health worker, Allison Brown; Region Two Education Officer, Baramdai Seepersaud; Administrator of Suddie Public Hospital, Shelly Amarose; Region Two Principal Officer,

Bibi Rameeza Mula; Toshao and health worker of Tampakuma; Doreen Jacobis; Pastor Kaisheena Dyal; Businesswomen Bhaiwantie Ramkisson;

Maharanie Ramnauth; Sattie Ramnaith; Chrandrawattie Sookdeo and Nanlinie Dindyal were among the awardees.

Arifa Baksh, Narifa Baksh, Akala Khan, Eva Persaud, Juliet Coonjah, Nadia Seeram, Shanta Springer and Lalita Baksh were also awarded. They were given bouquets of roses along with certificates. The tokens of appreciation were presented by Human Services and Social Security Minister Jenifer Webster and Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Alli Baksh.

One of the recipients, Doreen Jacobis expressed her gratitude to the organisation, noting that most of her time is spent volunteering. In addition to being a community nurse, Jacobis renders assistance to young people through counselling.

“Promises…promises”: APNU/AFC to...

here to hear about women who were raped and murdered. This country will never be safe under the PPP/C because they don’t care. We need a world-class Police Force, a Police Force that cares about women and children and you will get that under the APNU/AFC. We will have a Police Force that cares about you and your daughters and your women. We know the problem. Clement can never solve the problem. We have to pay them better, we have to equip them better – over 2001 murders in the country…We will make Region Two safe,” he said.

Ali rebuts

However, in an invited comment, Housing Minister Irfaan Ali said that Granger and his coalition were all about empty promises. He said most of the things Granger has promised Essequibians the PPP/C Government has been doing. Ali said that the Essequibo Coast has been significantly transformed during the 23 years of the PPP/C Administration. He cited the road from Adventure to Anna Regina, saying that it took vehicles five and six hours to traverse it. According to him, the road used to be called

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Abortion Road, but today, it is 38 miles of paved road.

Ali added that investments in the region’s physical infrastructure two years ago stood at over Gy$528.21 million. The targets have been rehabilitation and expansion of major highways, upgrade of almost 90 per cent of internal community roads and upgrade of farm to market roads from mud dams to fair weather roads.

Turning his attention to the social sector, Ali noted that Essequibo again stood out, particularly where education is concerned. The country’s top Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) performers for 2013 hailed from the Essequibo Coast. Two students copped 20 and 18 grade ones respectively. Ali said their success was attributed to the investments that have been made in the education sector throughout the country. He said during the period 1992 to 2012, all schools in Region Two were rehabilitated while new facilities were constructed. Among them are the Aurora and Wakapao Secondary Schools, the Guyana School of Agriculture and the Essequibo Technical Institute.

Webster slams Nagamootoo for attack on Harper

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has defended its Prime Ministerial Candidate, Elisabeth Harper against a vicious attack by the PNC-led A Partnership for National UnityAlliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Prime Ministerial Candidate, Moses Nagamootoo at its Whim Rally in Berbice last Sunday.

Speaking at a specially-convened press conference at Freedom House on Thursday, Human Services and Social Security Minister Jenifer Webster and Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy defended the character and work of the former Director General of the Foreign Service now Prime Ministerial Candidate, while condemning Nagamootoo for attacking her.

According to Webster, Nagamootoo was disrespectful in his attempt to score cheap political points off of the highlyregarded diplomat. She noted that the comments Nagamootoo made regarding Harper being a domestic violence survivor and taking such a stance were “uncouth

and unwarranted”.

“The recent attack on the PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate, Mrs Elisabeth Harper by the Prime Ministerial Candidate of the APNU/ AFC coalition, Moses Nagamootoo where he said at a recent rally in Berbice: ‘this Harper lady wants to be Prime Minister because she was a victim of domestic violence’ is unwarranted. Mr Nagamootoo was facetious in an effort to score political points,” she told media operatives.

She went on to state that such statements did not augur well in a society where all efforts were being made to place more emphasis on women’s rights, more particular-

ly the empowerment of women and the elimination of domestic violence in the country while calling for the respect due to women to be given.

Webster said that any attack on the women of this country meant that the conventions the country had signed on to were being disregarded and broken.

“Women are the backbone of this country. Our men must respect our women. To attack any woman shows disregard for the several United Nations Conventions which Guyana as a country has signed onto including the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which Guyana has ratified…

Mrs Harper upon her nomination sought to tell this nation about her life and the abuse she suffered as a young woman. She sought to share her experiences about how women abused by their partners could overcome…To score cheap political points against someone else’s life story is uncouth. We must respect each other…,” Webster expressed.

Meanwhile, Dr Ramsammy asserted that Harper was a woman who has held the respect of many for the past years and as such, has the Party’s full support in her bid as the PPP/ C’s Prime Ministerial Candidate.

Only last week, former APNU MP Africo Selman harshly criticised Nagamootoo’s running mate David Granger for his alleged “antiwoman” stance. Selman has accused Granger of using the hardworking women within his party as a front to give the impression that the party respects women and has a plan for their overall development and upward mobility. But, she said, in reality, Granger wanted to relegate them to subservient roles.

Shipper charged for 177kg cocaine found in charcoal

Acharcoal dealer was on Thursday arraigned for the possession of 177 kilograms of cocaine found in a consignment of charcoal on Monday last at Silver Hill, Linden/ Soesdyke Highway.

Colin Prescod, 58, of Silver Hill, was remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry despite a plea by his attorney, Euclin Gomes, for bail under the condition that the cocaine might have been planted among the coals by someone since the area is readily accessible.

Prescod pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on March 30 at Silver Hill, he had 177 kilograms of cocaine in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

On Monday last, the Port Control Unit (PCU) in collaboration with officers of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) intercepted 1400 bags of charcoal, in which the cocaine was found.

According to information received, members of the Unit carried out a search on a 40-foot container as it was being loaded with the bags containing the charcoal.

During the search, the illegal substance was found in one of the bags and as a result, members of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) and the Police were called in to assist in the investigation. The shipper is a well-known busi-

nessman, who has been in the charcoal business for quite some time.

At the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday, CANU Special Prosecutor Oswald Massiah told the court that the cocaine was discovered among the coals after a member of the Drug Enforcement Unit saw a whitish substance on pieces of coal.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that among the genuine coals, there were fake ones containing the illicit substance. The cocaine was reportedly neatly wrapped to make it look as if it were charcoal.

Prescod reportedly was the only person tasked with making sure that the coals were packaged and ready for shipment thus Massiah refuted claims made by defence counsel that other persons had access to the area where the coals were prepared. No bail

A bail application was made by the defence lawyer on the grounds

that the businessman had 29 children and had no previous brushes with the law.

The GRA in a release after the bust stated that based on information received from the PCU, a joint examination was conducted on the shipment scheduled to be exported to the United States of America, after it was flagged for 100 per cent examination on March 11, 2015.

The shipment was scheduled for examination on March 13, at Silver Hill in the presence of the GRA’s Goods Examination Unit (GEU) and the PCU. However, the exporter did not present the consignment for examination on the scheduled date, indicating that he was experiencing some unforeseen difficulties.

As a result, the examination was rescheduled for March 30. During the examination, officers observed four strange objects in one of the bags which did not conform to the description of the charcoal.

As the objects were probed, a white powdery substance appeared. A field test was carried out on the substance in the presence of the exporter and the substance tested positive for cocaine.

The examination process was immediately halted and the exporter was cautioned and detained. CANU was informed of the discovery and later aided in unearthing all cocaine among the coals.

230 cases listed for April Criminal Assizes in Demerara

The April Criminal Assizes in Demerara will commence on Tuesday, with a total of 230 cases listed to be heard during the two-month session.

High Court judges Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire, Justice Navindra Singh and Justice Brassington Reynolds, will be presiding over this session at the Supreme Court in Georgetown.

The January session of the Criminal Assizes ended last week, with 11 matters disposed from a list of 213.

Justice Singh along with Justice Franklin Holder and Justice James Bovell-Drakes presided over the threemonth session. Of the 11 cases, there were five convictions and five acquittals, while the decision is still pending in the other case. Justice Singh completed four matters, three of which were murder cases and one for the offence of rape, assault and forcible abduction of a female for carnal knowledge.

Two accused persons were freed after their respective jury panels returned unanimous verdicts of not guilty. One accused was indicted for murder while the other had three indictments; rape, assault and forcible abduction of female for carnal knowledge. The latter accused was acquitted on all three counts.

Justice Singh imposed hefty sentences onto a duo after they were found guilty by the jury of killing 16-yearold Neesa Gopaul in 2010. The teenager’s mother and the woman’s ex-lover were sentenced to 106 and 96 years im-

prisonment respectively. However, their attorneys have since appealed the sentencing. Another pair of murder accused was found guilty by the jury and jailed for 75 years each.

Meanwhile, Justice Drakes completed two murder cases. In the first matter there were two accused, both of whom were freed. The judge upheld a no case submission for one and the jury found the other not guilty. The accused in the other case was also acquitted after the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty. However, another murder case is in progress before Justice Drakes.

In another courtroom, Justice Franklin Holder completed four matters, two for murder and one each for the offences of rape and rape of a child under the age of 16 years. The accused in the first matter was sentenced to 43 years imprisonment after the jury found him guilty of killing his reputed wife at the K&VC Hotel on South Road, Georgetown. The accused in the other matter pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter and was sen-

tenced to 14 years imprisonment.

In the matter for rape, Justice Holder directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty after the victim testified that she did not want to give evidence. The accused was acquitted. Subsequently, the accused in the matter for rape of a child under the age of 16 years, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.

Berbice session

During this same time, Justice Reynolds sat at the Berbice Criminal Assizes continuing the October 2014 Criminal Assizes in January until February 2, then opening the February Session the following day with 61 cases listed to be heard. Some 14 cases received attention during the three-month period.

Of these, nine were disposed of by Justice Reynolds while five matters were nolle prosequi (cancelled) by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). In one matter for the offence of murder, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty for the two accused.

13-month-old toddler dies after reportedly being sexually molested

Ayoung mother is now in Police custody facing a possible murder charge following the death of her 13-month-old baby last Friday evening.

The child’s name has been given as Kady Calli, also called “Kia”. According to information received, the child’s mother who resides at Lot 9 Public Road, Timehri, East Bank Demerara, reportedly took the toddler to the Guyana Defence Force medical centre at Camp Stephenson to receive medical attention but due to the condition of the child, the matter was referred to the Diamond

Diagnostic Centre.

Upon arriving at the medical facility and upon examination, it was discovered that the child was dead. A source told Guyana Times International that the child might have been dead even before she was taken to the GDF base.

As a result, the Police was called in and upon closer inspection on the female toddler, it was discovered that she had lacerations to her anus which are consistent with sexual molestation.

The mother was reportedly questioned by Police ranks and based on reports, she gave several conflicting stories.

She admitted that a 17-year-old nephew resides with her in Timehri but said he was never around the infant.

A source told GTI that initially, the woman told the Police that the child had a cyst which was recently removed but doctors at the medical facility thought otherwise. As a result, she was taken to the Timehri Police Station where she is being questioned further in relation to the circumstances surrounding the death of the toddler. Hospital officials later confirmed that the child had no complications during or after child birth and was healthy.

Granger criticises pace of Police reforms

…wants DFC recommendations implemented

Presidential Candidate of the PNC-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition, retired Brigadier David Granger said the Guyana Police Force must do more to curb crime and also criticised what he described as the sloth in the full implementation of key reports such as the Disciplined Forces Commission Report (DFCR).

One of Granger’s top aides, Winston Felix is a former Police Commissioner who presided over the Force when more Police were killed than at any time in GPF’s history related to the banditry centred

in Buxton. Granger, during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Times International, claimed the current administration only would announce strategic plans to tackle crime and corruption in the country, but would fail to effectively implement them.“I can show you 15 strategic plans which have not been fully implemented, because the Ministry of Home Affairs had not demonstrated the will to ensure that the plans which need to be implemented to improve the quality in the Police Force have been in fact implemented,” Granger claimed.

He said all the plans

that have been developed by Government have been just a “bluff” by the administration. “We have a National Drug Strategy Master Plan which has not been implemented; and drugs continue to be poured into Guyana; so what’s the point putting out the bogus plan and you don’t implement it?” Granger asserted.

With that said, the APNU/AFC Presidential Candidate noted that he has a whole host of recommendations that would improve the capacity and efficiency of the Police Force. Granger, a former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Commander appointed ahead of several senior

officers nine months before Walter Rodney was assassinated by a sergeant of the GDF, stated that Policemen should be paid better than they are being paid and provided with the necessary assets that would be valuable in performing their duties.

“The Police should be provided with assets to enable them to patrol the border and the coastland…,” Granger insisted.

Additionally, Granger believes a Police college should be established for the training of officers and the retraining of the entire Police Force. “I feel that these are important recommendations which have not been implemented and in addition to that they are five dozen of other recommendations which have not been implemented. I cannot go in to all of them now, but failure to implement those recommendations, including recommendations dealing with the Community Policing Group, has led to the present state of inefficiency in the Police Force,” he noted.

NIS customers to soon access contributions online

National

The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) will soon be launching its Online Contribution Checking System, an innovative option for contributors to conveniently access contribution updates via the World Wide Web (WWW).

The system is a web interface which connects

to an offline version of the database used by the NIS. It was built on top of an existing and secure framework which powers thousands of sites on the web including the United States Websites, and provides credentials and access to details regarding users’ contributions.

A demonstration exercise was held at the

Patrick Martinborough multi-purpose complex, Carifesta Avenue, which saw the participation of members of the NIS Board of Directors.

According to the scheme’s General Manager, Doreen Nelson, this exercise is just the start of the process to get the website up and running.

She further explained that once the board members are satisfied with the controls and security, the website will immediately become accessible to the public.

Meanwhile, according to Manager of Research and Information Systems, Holly Greaves, a person who wants to access his or her contributions online will be re-

quired to sign-up, after which that person will be granted his or her individual password to access the account.

Greaves further noted that the NIS is in the process of introducing a number of services to satisfy its customers, so that they would be able to verify their contributions and ensure there are no discrepancies.

For authentication of the system, a username and password will have to be provided for a user to gain access to his/her contributions. The contribution records will be in a ‘read only’ format and not modifiable in anyway by the user. After registration the user account will be verified, and thereafter, it will be activated by the webmaster.

Govt temporarily barred from spending IDB loan monies

…but Luncheon says court action unnecessary

By Vahnu Manichand

Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) and Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon has stated that the litigation proceeding filed by the Opposition party to block Government from spending the US$32.16 million loan that was recently granted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) was unnecessary.

Speaking at last week’s post Cabinet briefing, Dr Luncheon outlined that even in the absence of a sitting Parliament, public expenditure management remains a controversial matter. He noted that this recent litigation by the Opposition following the policy-based loan for the environmental sector that was recently signed by the IDB Board of Directors and the Government of Guyana is wholly unnecessary.

The HPS explained that Cabinet is of the view that the litigation is aimed at conveying to the public, and at this time the electorate, more negativities about Government’s spend-

ing. He pointed out that Government is quite well aware that the proceeds from any policy-based loans are deposited in the Consolidated Fund and remain there until such time when there is an Appropriation Act in place for it to be disbursed.

“In essence, the move to litigation was, in Cabinet’s view, a smoke screen; just another opportunity to harp, to continue bringing to the public’s attention this issue of Minister, Dr Ashni Singh’s spending and issues surrounding public expenditure management and this litigation Cabinet contends is totally unnecessary,” he stat-

ed.

The Cabinet Secretary continued highlighting that in the absence of the Appropriation Act, all funds in the Consolidated Fund are unavailable with the exception of the 1/12 rule, which makes provisions for the expenditure to fund Government’s business in such a situation. He said that matters like vaccination and payment of salaries cannot be withheld as such the Constitution allows for such provisions. This is calculated by taking 1/12 of the aggregated Capital and Current Expenditures of a specific budget agency from the previous year.

Efficient Judiciary key to economic growth – President Ramotar

President Donald Ramotar last Thursday commissioned a new state-ofthe-art building which will house the Number 51 Magistrate’s Court.

The Gy$48 million facility is fully air-conditioned and is also equipped with an internal Police outpost and has a briefing area for prosecutors. In declaring open the new court house, President Ramotar noted that a functioning and efficient judiciary is important to economic development. Investors are more likely to invest in a country where they are assured that the judicial system can guarantee them good results and justice accordance with the law.

Over the past five years, he noted, Government has upgraded all the Magistrate’s Courts in the country and soon the new court house at Lethem will be commissioned. Before the end of the year, the Magistrate’s Court at Plaisance will also be upgraded, the President said, while noting that the complement of High Court Judges has been increased from 12 to 20.

New court houses in

rural communities have been equipped with living quarters so that Magistrates can spend longer periods attending to cases in those communities. “We will continue to provide resources to our people to ensure that our people have access to the justice system.”

The Head of State added that the justice system in Guyana must be equally for both the poor and the rich. “People with money must not have more access to justice that the poor. The court must be a major defender of the poor. This Government will continue to ensure that our judiciary remains independent… You will never see the PPP (People’s

Progressive Party) flag flying at any court building.” Ramotar added that his Administration will continue to encourage the judiciary to embark on new initiatives that will foster greater speed in the system in order to minimise the delay which results in a backlog of cases.”

However, the President said that he was not pleased with the slothfulness of some matters in the court. “Some matters are pending for years, this is unacceptable. For years some have been locked away. We must be careful in our democratic society to try to avoid violating the human rights of anyone in our society.”

Dr Jean Small is a Caribbean Hall of Fame inductee on a mission to promote literacy through theatre

Dr Jean Small is a GuyaneseJamaican who graduated from the University of the West Indies in Foreign Languages: French, Spanish and Latin. Her profession all her life has been as an educator, which she passionately pursues.

She was born in Guyana but has been living in Jamaica since 1954. Small has worked in Guyana, Trinidad, Nigeria, Australia and Jamaica as a French teacher at both secondary and university levels. Her love since school days has been theatre. She considers herself first as an actress and secondly as a director and playwright, using theatre tools as a vehicle for understanding life, language, culture and interpersonal relationships. As a foreign language lecturer, she uses theatre to teach French and Literature at the university level. Her publications include a series of textbooks in French and Spanish for schools; the play ‘A Black Woman’s Tale’; and articles on the empowerment of theatre.

Small has participated in theatre internationally and is the only person in Jamaica who uses theatre as a tool for teaching French and Literature. For 13 years, Small led a team of experts from across the Caribbean to formulate the curriculum in French and Spanish for the Caribbean Examinations Council. Notably, she participated in writing the syllabus for Theatre Arts for CXC. She was the External Examiner for Theatre at the Edna Manley College and External Examiner of French for the Joint Board of Teacher

Education.

The prolific educator has been decorated twice by the French government for distinguished teaching of French and Literature - in 1985 with the Academic Palms at the level of Chevalier, and in June 2004 at the Level of Officer.

Small is presently retired from the University of the West Indies where she last headed the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts. She is currently the Convenor of the Fine Arts Board of the University Council of Jamaica, member of the Alliance Française (an organisation that promotes French language and culture worldwide), and past president of the Jamaica Association of French Teachers.

In 2001, Small was inducted into the Caribbean Hall Of Fame in Jamaica. In 2003, Small joined the Toastmasters International, which is an organisation that sees communication and leadership as essential to personal and societal development.

Through her performance in her club, the Dynamic Speakers, she gained the designation as Distinguished Toastmaster in 2012. In 2004, she placed third in the Jamaica National Speech Competition. In May 2005, she won the Jamaica National Humorous Speech Competition, and

in November of the same year she won the Humorous Speech Competition held in St. Croix, which made Small the 2005 Caribbean Toastmasters Champion of Humorous Speeches. In 2006, she won the evaluation contest at the Area Level, and in 2007 she became the Caribbean Champion of Public Speaking.

Additionally, her other awards include the Actor Boy Award (1995) for her performance in ‘Hot Flashes’, the Charlotte and Isidor Paiewonsky Prize for the Best First Publication of “Lament” - a poem dedicated to Prof Kamau Brathwaite in the Caribbean, and the choice of her play, ‘The Black Woman’s Tale’ as the best Jamaican play in 1998, which she performed in France in French at the Theatre Gérard Phillipe.

Small also writes short stories and is a storyteller. On 14 November 2006, she was chosen to perform as a storyteller with the internationally acclaimed storyteller, Gayle Ross, at the Edna Manley College.

On October 2007, the United States Embassy invited Small to perform her winning speech entitled ‘Rain’ at the opening cocktail reception of the launching of the Chiefs of Mission HIV/AIDS Conference in Jamaica.

In the 2006, at the Tallawah Drama Competition held at the University of the West Indies, the French play Small entered won two awards: one for the script that she had written, which consisted of translations into French of six of Mutabaruka’s poems, and the one for the performance of po-

etry by a group accompanied by drums and movement.

Small is also the director of her own company, TALA (Theatre Arts Learning Aids), which promotes the use of theatre as a teaching tool. Through TALA, she teaches values and attitudes using the art of puppetry and storytelling. Her puppetry troupe is called Puppets For Peace, which presents puppet plays for children and workshops for early childhood educators and Sunday

school teachers on the effective use of puppetry as a teaching tool.

TALA offers a course in Public Speaking. Small also conducts drama classes with the children of the Portmore Missionary Preparatory School.

In 2010, Small was awarded the Bronze Musgrave Medal by the Institute of Jamaica for excellence in theatre. In that same year, she received the Life Award from the Jamaica Association of Dramatic Artists for over 50 years

of contribution to theatre in the Caribbean, as well as a plaque from the Guyana for her outstanding contribution to theatre. In 2011, Small was awarded her Doctor of Philosophy for her thesis on creativity and the use of theatre techniques in teaching French Language and Literature.

Small has one son, Seretse Small, who is an applauded guitarist and CEO of his own company Griot Music. (First published on www.guyanesegirlsrock.com)

More scenes from Nomination Day in and around City Hall

By Isahak BasIr CCh

Supenaam is located on the mainland situated left of the Essequibo River and Wakenaam is an island. Supenaam and Wakenaam are two Dutch words.

Originally, Supenaam was involved in agricultural production and subsidized the former sugar estates of Aurora and the 12 sugar plan-

tations of Wakenaam. It also served as a communication point for Fort Island.

On one occasion, a Dutch entourage had its vessel sunk in the vicinity of Troolie Island and several persons drowned. Their bodies were recovered from the river and entombed at Caria Caria, where their tombs are still visible.

Supenaam is a grow-

ing community with a population of 2,000, and falls under the purview of the Pomona/Good Hope Neighbourhood Democratic Council. It can be considered an essential point for all categories of social and economic needs. It is also a local port of entry for vessels plying Bartica, several populated islands along the Essequibo River and Parika, which is a hub to the capital city of Georgetown.

The Parika/ Supenaam speed boat service was developed in 1978 and today it is much more organized, with faster boats covering 30-odd miles in approximately 35 minutes, and operating under strict maritime regulations.

A high level of courtesy is exhibited by boat operators and commuters as more than 3,000 passengers ply this route daily. At any time, the car park is flooded with more than 40 taxis, moving between Charity and Supenaam.

The Supenaam com-

munity also has a recently built ferry stelling, a car park, community market, fuel station, hotels and police outpost.

Supenaam is poised for development with a proposed road link to Buck Hall, Caria Caria and later to Skull Point at the mouth of the Cuyuni River. When this road links, thousands of acres of farm land can be utilized.

The Supenaam Creek is a progressive farming area and very soon will have the facility of a plant breeding station. It is a prime tourist destination, but its history and historic landmarks need to be properly recognized.

Supenaam Creek leads to the large timber concessions, which supply several saw mills with a variety of species of wood – especially greenheart. The Dutch occupancy also had the first hydro-driven sawmill located in the Supenaam Creek. Some relics its foundation are still visible. Five miles up the creek the Amerindian community of Bethany is located. That community has an airstrip since government policies did not exclude the area, which is consistent with Amerindian development.

Two Cubans struggle to win election as opposition candidates

HAVANA, Cuba: In a rare challenge to Cuba’s political system from within, two government opponents are on the ballot for upcoming elections, only to find that officials have altered their biographies to portray them as dangers to the revolution.

Hildebrando Chaviano, 65, and Yuniel Lopez, 26, are running for municipal assembly in Havana on April 19 after winning endorsement from their neighbours in a show-of-hands vote at public meetings last month.

The biographies they wrote to be displayed publicly have been changed by local officials, the two candidates said.

Those biographies now say the men have ties to “counterrevolutionaries” based or financed abroad, code words in Cuban politics for individuals out to harm the country.

Their candidacies are the first electoral challenge to the Communist Party since the United States and Cuba agreed in December to renew diplomatic ties and end five decades of hostility, and the official response highlights the limits to political freedoms on the island.

They are just two of 27,379 candidates competing for 12,589 municipal assembly posts, the

first rung on Cuba’s political ladder.

Cuba says its electoral system is one of the world’s most democratic because municipal assembly delegates are nominated by neighbours and do not have to belong to the Communist Party.

But the path to the National Assembly, and ultimately the presidency, is controlled by the party.

Chaviano’s altered biography says his military service ended after six years due to “conduct incompatible with the service,” while he contends he merely chose not to re-enlist. It also deleted much of his educational history but includes that he took an Internet course at the U.S. diplomatic mission, emphasizing his ties to a hostile foreign power.

“All that’s left is for them to put ‘wanted’ across the page,” said Chaviano, a lawyer and dissident who writes for the Diario de Cuba website, which is fiercely critical of the government.

Lopez belongs to an outlawed party founded by Huber Matos, who fought alongside Fidel Castro in the Cuban revolution but later turned against him and was jailed before going into exile.

Lopez, who describes himself as an opponent of the government, said the label “counter-

revolutionary” is another way of calling him a terrorist. “Here the idea of a counter-revolutionary is someone who sabotages the economy or plants bombs.”

The president of Cuba’s National Electoral Commission, Alina Balseiro, told state television that each local commission would try to be even-handed in editing biographies.

No campaigning is allowed. Instead, the biographies and accompanying photos of competing candidates are posted side-byside in public places.

One election official said any changes would have taken place after an official investigation to verify the biographies as origi-

nally submitted, but she refused to discuss any individual case.

“There is equal treatment and opportunity for all, without favoritism,” said Yusimi Perez, second in charge of the electoral commission for the Havana municipality known as Revolution Square where Chaviano is a candidate. “We don’t have a single case among our 217 nominees who have come to us about any peculiarity with the biographies.”

Chaviano said he argued point-by-point with Perez and other officials about his altered biography but in the end he signed it. “Signature or no signature, it was going to remain like it was.”

Lopez said he refused to sign his but the altered version was published anyway.

Cuba’s dissidents generally boycott elections, describing them as a farce. Some occasionally seek office but rarely win the first vote by a show of hands in order to get on the ballot.

None has ever gone further, said Arnold August, author of a 2013 book about Cuba’s electoral process.

August, who says the system is democratic but in need of reform, said biographies are normally a collaboration between candidates and the electoral commission.

“If they include derogatory comments, it goes against the spirit of the electoral law and the system,” August said. “I don’t think it helps the revolution to go out of their way to put down people like this.”

The government dismisses dissidents as a tiny minority who receive money from the United States to destabilize the government. Many Cubans are suspicious of dissident leaders.

If elected, Chaviano says he will try to improve a housing shortage and feed the elderly, noting he sees people combing through trash even in his upscale neighborhood of Vedado. (Reuters)

Jamaica vendors furious about stalls being demolished in Obama clean-up

Kingston, Jamaica: Preparations for this week’s visit of US President Barack Obama have triggered anger among street vendors in sections of the capital city as their stalls have been destroyed.

“We understand that they have to be fixing up areas where Obama will be travelling, but what they are doing to us is unfair,” said 67-year-old Claudette Reid who sells crabs at National Heroes Circle.

“Is more than 40 years I have been selling right here so. Is through this selling I was able to send all of my children to school. Imagine, the Queen come here and them never remove wi, the Prince also come and we were allowed to stay, so why now?” said the distraught woman.

She was supported by several other angry vendors who said they, too, were affected by the demolition that was car-

ried out Sunday night.

Obama, who arrived on the island Wednesday, is to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph in National Heroes Park on Thursday evening, his final assignment before departing for Panama to attend the Seventh Summit of the Americas.

In Rae Town, vendors expressed anger at the demolition.

“Just a day ago (Sunday) we were contacted and told that we should remove the stalls

The W.I.S.H. Group: Making a difference in the lives of many

West Indians Serving Humanity,

The W.I.S.H. Group, Inc., was formed to help underprivileged children and families around the world through charitable donations of educational materials, and other needed items. The goal for the organization is to make a lasting positive impact in the lives they serve.

The focus of The W.I.S.H. Group, Inc. for 2015 is to collect education supplies to donate to the Caribbean, specifically Guyana and Trinidad. This year West Indians Serving

Humanity is having their 2nd annual School Supply Drive, going on now through June 20th 2015. The organization is collecting education supplies to ship to the various schools in the Caribbean.

The organization will purchase Education materials and supplies on your behalf. You may visit their website at www.thewishgroup.org and click on donate or http://www.gofundme. com/thewishgroup . If you wish to donate items that you purchase on your own please contact them at info@ thewishgroup.org.

The West Indians

Serving Humanity organization plans to pack their barrels within the month of July and have the items shipped out by the August 2015, just in time for school. We encourage the community to participate and help in such an amazing cause. Your donation of backpacks and school supplies will go a long way in helping to make a difference in a child’s life. To monitor the progress of The W.I.S.H. Group’s 2nd annual School Supply Drive, please like their page on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ TheWishGroup.

until after the Obama visit,” said one vendor, who asked not to be named out of fear that she would be pressured for talking to the media.

Another vendor, Alice Waugh, told the Jamaica Observer: “We don’t know what to do; after so many years selling here all we got was a warning on Sunday that we must move or else. Just a day after the warning wi come see wi stalls flat.”

Over at the Harbour View roundabout, one

area which was once occupied by vendors was also empty.

“We were all told to pack up and go,” said one vendor who identified herself as Sandra.

The clean-up operation was questioned in light of the fact that US and Jamaican Government officials have said that Obama would be airlifted by helicopter from the Norman Manley International Airport to Up Park Camp from

where he would travel by road to his hotel in New Kingston.

Town Clerk, Robert Hill, when asked about the operations, said the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation was not responsible for all the works now taking place in the Corporate Area.

“The KSAC has been carrying out operations to remove vendors from the streets for some time now, so this is nothing new,” said Hill. (Jamaica Observer)

Everything is about your mind, not your physical attributes

People discriminate against people with disabilities, believing that they are weak and cannot do certain things for themselves… look at me, I have been one legged for 30 years and I drive, cook for meself… everything is about your mind.”

These are the sentiments of the quintessential sportsman, William France.

Guyana Times International had the opportunity to sit down with William France on Saturday morning to discuss the past that has offered him lessons on the importance of will power and the overall determination to be independent, no matter what.

This determination has earned him the Walter Rodney Award from the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and also the Medal of Service Award in 1997 –the first amputee to receive such an award. However, it is France’s well known contributions to several charitable organizations – that range in the millions – that mostly make him loquacious. He said that ensuring young people have a second chance is his passion.

France at the age of 58 has the wisdom of a man who has seen the good times and the bad times, and has chosen to push past the latter to gain more of the former through his love of sport. The sportsman smiled as he reminisced on the painful experience of being shot eleven times in 1985 when he tried stealing from Hamilton Green who was Prime Minister at that time.

He said that he was not a “bad egg” but acted out of frustration and did something quite foolish. He told this publication that he spent six months and 17 days at the Georgetown Public Hospital and it was pain beyond anything he had ever felt before, adding that he must have gone through hundreds of antibiotics and pain relievers during those six months to help with the healing and pain. He grimaced as he explained the several bags of saline and blood that he needed as the doctors worked painstakingly to save his life.

However, it was through this misstep that France was able to truly find satisfaction in helping others in need and a platform to do so. He told GTI that it was in the hospital that he saw a soldier in a wheelchair playing basketball and he thought of the possibilities. France stated that if that soldier was able to still play ball without the use of both of his legs, then he definitely should be able to do so and more.

The walkathon champion told this newspaper

that such thoughts kept with him when he was released from the hospital and imprisoned for 12 years for his crime. It was there that he read of his role model, Terrence Stanley “Terry” Fox in the Reader’s Digest. France boasted that this one-legged stranger from Canada had received, like him, the highest award his country could have given him at the time.

This one legged miler was his inspiration, France said. From the moment, he started to read that article he became interested in keeping fit. France said he exercised by hopping up and down the stairs at the Camp Street Prison, walked round and round the various blocks, etc.

However, it was his close friend, Carlos Vansrazam who gave him the incentive he needed to believe that he could actually follow in the footsteps of his role

model Fox. When he was released from prison and had embarked on making leather slippers with his mother. It was around this time in his life that his friend Vansrazam brought a magazine showing a Grenadian amputee doing just what his model Fox did – walking 30 miles.

France said his training became more focused and intense as he tried to walk the full distance of the Mocha Road in a certain amount of time. He said he exercised three months straight. However, France with an expression that said just how difficult it was for him, said that it took him six months to completely walk the full distance of Mocha Road.

The sportsman said he was training because he was preparing for his very first walk-a-ton; one that was being hosted by his good friend, Vansrazam. It was a 30 mile walk from Timehri, Wast Bank Demerara to America Street in Georgetown. He said that it was the first time an amputee had taken part in such a walk. However, he did and completed it.

He said that it was important for him to show persons that although he was an amputee, he was still very much his own man. “Not because you get a disability, you can’t do it… I wanted to do the walk faster than the man from Grenada”, he stated.

This walk-a-ton opened a number of doors to France; as he was asked to participate in other walks, such as the 100 mile walk in 1994 that took him a time of 47 hours, three minutes and three seconds. He stated that he raised over Gy$1.2 million at that walk and all of it he donated to charity, making people think he was crazy. He explained that the “Bible say if you steal, return 77 times what you steal.”

France was dubbed the “Conqueror” by the media after he had been through his fare share of walka-tons and marathons locally and internationally. For international challenges, he said he enjoyed the Boston Marathon as it offered a real challenge to all sportsmen alike. He said he went there five times and he is trying for the sixth, which would be his last.

He said presently, he is promoting sports in Mocha, on the East Bank of Demerara – his hometown. He stated that he usually finds time to go to schools to make presentations on the importance of staying away from crime and drugs. These are two of his main platforms as he said crime was quite rampant when he was a boy growing up and he believes that a positive influence in the lives of young people makes all the difference.

"Written in the Stars"

By Jihan RamRoop

The cover is dark and inviting, a close synonym to the actual book itself. On it, a girl of color stands against a midnight background looking up.

I first found Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed around the same time I realized most of the books I read were not diverse. None of the main characters were people of color except the few sidekicks or best friends. This lack of diversity is too often mirrored in TV shows, films, and other media. So when Saeed's debut novel came out, I couldn't wait to read it. But I was also uncertain because it told a story mainstream media, and I, were not used to hearing.

Naila, the story's strong protagonist seems like the regular teenager, and she is. A graduating senior and compliant to her parents' every wish, Naila is the epitome of "dutiful daughter."

the book are seen as silenced or powerless.

12 TT police officers get bail over

‘Pouring hot water on detained suspect’

Trinidad and Tobago: The 12 police officers allegedly involved in pouring hot water on a detained suspect at the Sangre Grande Police Station in late February, and who were arrested by officers of the Professional Standards Bureau last Sunday, were granted station bail on Friday night.

They are all expected to appear before a Sangre Grande magistrate on Tuesday morning.

Nine officers were charged earlier this week with misbehaviour in public office, one for attempted misbehaviour in public office, one for failing to act and one for perverting the course of justice.

The charges arose out of an incident that took place at the Sangre Grande Police Station in February where it is alleged that a detainee was beaten and boiling water poured on him.

Among the officers charged are an acting inspector, a sergeant, an SRP ser-

geant, three acting corporals and six constables (including one WPC).

The arrests of the police officers which occurred on March 29 stemmed from an incident involving Andrew Lewis from Boystown, Sangre Grande, who gave himself up to police at the Sangre Grande station on February 25 for questioning in a house-breaking and larceny matter.

Present during his interrogation were an acting inspector, an acting corporal, two police constables and a woman constable.

The Sunday Express was told that Lewis refused to budge when questioned about the alleged crime involving the theft of a weed whacker and it was alleged that certain police officers then stripped Lewis, heated a bowl of water in a microwave oven and threw the boiling water on his lower extremities and stomach. (Trinidad Express)

In T&T: Chinese proprietor gunned down in broad daylight

And then she's not, because she is a Pakistani American teenager whose parents' strict rules leave her living a secretive teenage life. When she sneaks out for prom one night, her world rotates, and not for the better. Her parents catch her on the dance floor, with her boyfriend Saif, and by 'catch', she is the criminal and they are the cops.

So, her parents announce a trip to Pakistan, a country Naila and her brother, Imran, have never been to before. There, they spend a couple blissful weeks playing with their cousins under Pakistan's hot sun. But as the days prolong, Naila realizes something is wrong. Before she can figure out what, she is married against her will.

While the beginning seems hurried, this start makes sense since the emphasis is not on Naila's life in the United States. Saeed's writing brings to life her culture's rich foods but does not shy away from harsh facts either. One theme recurrent throughout the novel is the often silenced status of women. But, not all women in

Saeed writes with surreal clarity and at times, heartbreaking prose, leaving little, if nothing, out. Written in the Stars is also almost impossible to forget because unwanted marriages happen in the United States and almost every other country worldwide. It was this custom, and crime in some countries, that Saeed based the book on, as well as her friends' real life experiences with arranged marriages in the United States.

But it is important not to look at Written in the Stars as only about arranged marriages. It is the kind of story that I, and probably other girls both of color and not, have been waiting for. Written in the Stars takes pride in the protagonist's heritage while exposing untalked-of realities as well.

Saeed is also a creator and Vice President of Strategy for the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign. While the author's own marriage was partly arranged, she assures it was on happy terms. Saeed writes about it in the anthology Love, InshAllah: The Secret Love Lives of American Muslim Women. Written in the Stars was released in March 2015.

Arrangements in place for staffers at embassies, consulates to vote

Some 67 Guyanese based at Guyana’s Embassies and Consulates at 15 locations in 13 countries will be casting their votes at the upcoming May 11 General and Regional Elections. This was confirmed by Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr. Steve Surujbally. This newspaper’s queries on the matter followed the publication of the names of Ballot Officers based in the overseas territories last week.

The countries listed include: Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Cuba, India, Kuwait, South Africa, Suriname, United Kingdom, United States of America and Venezuela.

The Ballot Officers in the country include: Mr. Michael Brotherson – Barbados; Ms. Bevon McDonald – Belgium; Mrs. Merlin Udho and Mrs. Marissa Carmichael – Brazil; Mr. Harry Narine Nawbatt and Mrs. Saryawaattie Sawh – Canada; Mr. David Dabydeen – China; Mrs. Mitra Devi Ali – Cuba; Mr. Ronald Gajraj –India; Mr. Safraaz Shadood – Kuwait; Ms. Barbara Hayley -South Africa; Mr. Keith George and Mr. Arlington Bancroft – Suriname; Mr. Laleshwar Singh – United Kingdom; Mr. Bayney Karran and Brentnold Evans – United

States of America; Mr. Geoffrey Da Silva – Venezuela.

Guyana’s Ballot Officer is Ms. Paula Maxwell.

According to the GECOM Chairman, the votes will be cast and sealed in an envelope and the data will be transmitted to the Commission.

“They are Guyanese and they will be allowed to vote,” Dr. Surujbally assured.

Given Guyana’s historic experiences with rigged elections from the 1968 and subsequent investigative reports detailing the incidents from international news agencies, legal changes were made to ensure that Guyanese who have migrated are not permitted to cast a vote from an overseas country.

Dr. Surujbally agreed that the past experiences have left a bad taste in the mouths of Guyanese.

Section 159 of Guyana’s constitution states that: “No person shall vote at an election unless he or she is registered as an elector” after being qualified to be registered as an elector. This provision also detailed that the qualification criteria includes being a Guyanese citizen and resident in Guyana for a year prior to a pre-determined qualification date.

Shoppers went scampering for safety on Tuesday afternoon when the proprietor of a business place, along Southern Main Road, Curepe, was gunned down in broad daylight.

According to police reports, Chinese national Hi-Hong Huang, 35, had just arrived at his business place, Happiness Supermarket, when the incident took place.

Huang, police said, had exited a white panel van, which he parked outside the supermarket, before going to the side of the vehicle to remove a large cardboard box.

As he was walking towards the supermarket, he was approached by a man of African descent who attempted to remove the box from his hands.

Huang, police said, resisted and a struggle ensued. At the same time, Huang

was approached from behind by another man of African descent.

Several loud explosions were then heard and Huang fell to the ground bleeding from multiple gunshot injuries. Fearful for their lives, customers who were in the immediate vicinity ran for safety, while the two assailants fled the scene on foot.

The police and emergency health services were notified and Huang was rushed to Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope for treatment.

He died while being operated on. Inspector Siewdass and a party of officers from St Joseph Police Station and Region II Homicide visited the scene. This killing has pushed the murder toll for the year to date to 104.

At the same time last year, the figure was 118. (Trinidad Express)

This week's Crossword

“Playing the fool”…

by Vincent AlexAnder

Vincent Alexander’s an example of why we’ll never get out of our political quagmire. Alexander was kicked out of the PNC after he dared to challenge Robert Corbin for leadership of the party.

He poured his (political) energy into “the Burnham Foundation” so you’d assume he’d just stick to rehabilitating the dictator’s sullied reputation. Which ain’t just countering “PPP/C propaganda” since all progressive Pan Africanists denounced Burnham when South Africa broached honouring him!

But conceding he’s the paid PNC’s GECOM Commissioner, he felt compelled to try to rebut some commentary of Prem Misir. This Eyewitness hasn’t seen the commentary and Misir can defend any distortions introduced by Alexander.

He’ll confine his remarks to Alexander’s traducing the historical record to justify the present PNC’s (disguised as APNU) meretricious attempt to pass off their liaison with Moses Nagamootoo as being the same as Cheddi Jagan’s past attempts at “national unity”.

The first dishonesty that Alexander commits is to not mention Jagan’s undisputed credentials to promise about “national” unity. Even a partisan like Alexander can’t deny that Jagan commanded the loyalty of AT LEAST 45 PER CENT of the Guyanese electorate.

What can Nagamootoo bring to the PNC table?? He’s convinced Granger that he can muster 11 per cent Indian Guyanese to the PNC’s 40 per cent African Guyanese. So even if we concede that…by Nagamootoo’s own calculations, when does 51 per cent equal “national unity”?

Aren’t we returning to 1964 when the UF brought its 12 per cent to the PNC’s 40 per cent?? Can Alexander honestly say that this country had “national unity” after 1964?? So why did his hero Burnham have to rig elections in 1968, 1973 and 1980?? Not to mention the infamous “Referendum” of 1978??

This week's

Puzzle

Jagan’s attempt at unity was also fuelled by his consistent attempts to prevent imperialistic recolonisation of Guyana. This was launched in 1964, which Alexander attempts to excuse as “pragmatism” rather than the crass opportunism of Burnham.

If Burnham had refused the British and US bribe, which other leader could’ve beaten them?? Would the British have ruled in perpetuity?? They’d already told the US that “Jagan’s bark was worse than his bite.”

But we return to Nagamootoo’s promise and Granger buying a “pig in a poke” as was demonstrated at Whim. The question for partisans of Burnham and the PNC like Alexander is to clarify whether Nagamootoo and the AFC gets 12 seats and three Vice Presidencies, regardless. If that’s so then it’s the PNC, not Nagamootoo, that’ll get “Larwah”. …on PNC’s strategy of violence

We raise Alexander’s contention “The British did not impose PR on British Guiana (BG)” in 1964 but Jagan gave the British permission to do so – not for the historical twisting but for the PNC continued use of the reason for Jagan’s giving in.

The PNC had precipitated unprecedented racial/ ethnic violence on the nation so when Jagan went up to the Constitutional talks, as he wrote in his book, unless he gave in to the British – it was more violence on Guyanese.

Rather than taking this route he gave in to PR which Burnham had demanded since 1961. This would put him in power since – contrary to his protestations – he was always prepared to coalesce with D’Aguiar to seize power. Like Granger and Nagamootoo today. Since then, the PNC knows that the PPP/C’s more concerned with the national good than its own occupancy of office.

Hoyte proved this in 1998 when the PNC’s violence precipitated the Herdmanston Accord – cutting the PPP/C’s term by two years.

Only Jagdeo’s willingness to protect the state “by any means necessary” between 2002-2008 saved the PPP/C from being ousted once again. …on incentives

Those who believe Dr Jagan wanted his party leaders to live in poverty should remember the maxim – “Only three things will work for no money: a tool, a fool, or a mule.”

Often when people explore the rainforest, there is much interest in the birds and other rainforest animals. But the world of plants is equally enchanting and Guyana’s forest, with an excess of 8,000 plant species, presents a haven for plant lovers.

The Soft Wallaba (Eperua falcata) is a 'super -important' tree for Guyana. Often we see our electrical wires strung from wooden poles, which are made from this species, and it takes a very special skill to create this important value added timber product.

Soft Wallaba is a tree with a straight trunk, and can be distinguished by long reddish hanging fruit pods (once fruiting) that adorn the tree like Christmas tree decorations.

According to Guyana Forestry Commission’s “Guyana Woods – 21 Species” publication, (revised 2004), the heartwood of the Soft Wallaba is reddish-brown in colour, with dark gum streaks which tend to spread over the surface. The sapwood is pale in colour and is sharply defined from the heartwood. The texture is coarse and the grain is typically straight. The bole, or trunk, is 15-20m in length and diameter is approximately 60cm and occasionally up to 100cm.

The publication added that Soft Wallaba heartwood is highly resistant to decay and subterranean termites, and is fairly resistant to dry wood termites. Due to its resistance being extremely high, Soft

Wallaba has excellent properties for transmission poles, flag staffs, marine and bridge construction in non-teredo areas owing to its strength and durability. It is suitable for general heavy construction, utility and industrial floors and chemical vat staves. Additionally, the timber is used to make fence staves, fence posts and shingles for roofing.

A leguminous tree, the seeds may be eaten by rodents in events of the scarcity of other fruits. The flowers are a staple resource for monkeys (howlers, spider, and sakis) during the dry season.

It is a generalist species so it can be found in all forest types, but is co-

dominant in Wallaba forest type on white, highly drained sands. When you visit Iwokrama you can find it on all the tourist trails. It certainly will be one of the tree species the Iwokrama’s guides will be happy to show you.

Ecotourism is one of the important components of Iwokrama’s strategy for financial self-sufficiency. Visits to Iwokrama directly contribute to the communities in and surrounding the Iwokrama forest. Tourism there supports the development of an eco-friendly sustainable model, which is being shared locally, nationally and internationally.

The Iwokrama forest and the Rupununi wet-

lands and savannahs offer visitors exceptional natural and cultural experience set in a learning context. Iwokrama is a place for all ages and all interests and you choose what you want to do.

At Iwokrama, you can retrace the footsteps of the Makushi people, wander the extensive trail system and discover the unforgettable flora, fauna and Amerindian history so special to this tropical paradise.

The Iwokrama forest is an extraordinary des-

tination for naturalists, birders and anyone seeking an authentic retreat to the jungle.

For more of the tours that Iwokrama offers, call the Iwokrama office on (592) 225-1504 to speak with Chauncy or Diana or email tourism@iwokrama.org. Visit http://iwokramariverlodge.com or check out Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development on Facebook. (Photos by Dr Raquel Thomas)

While the Spanish occupied Venezuela to the north west and the Portuguese Brazil to the north east of South America, the northern coast between these possessions was unoccupied by Europeans and known in bygone eras as the Wild Coast.Even today, the area remains familiar to many as “untamed” South America for its many often unexplored, pristine and remote forests.

According to John Gimlette, in his 2011 book, “Wild Coast: travels on South America's untamed edge”, to the early Dutch explorers it was de Wilde Kust , (Wild Coast) because it expressed to them “the promise of danger, risk, wealth and perhaps even desire”.

Gimlette noted that in early French and English maps, the region was marked as 'Equinoctiale' or 'Caribana, Land of Twenty-one Tribes'.

Before European arrival, the area that now spans Guyana, Surinam and French Guiana was inhabited by several indigenous Indian tribes since, some estimates say, some 35,000 years ago.

It would be this “wild coast” that the Dutch, French and English would attempt to colonize, leading to the formation of three separate states.

The modern state of Guyana would, at different periods of its history, first experience Dutch, French and British colonial rule.

European discovery

It is said that Christopher Columbus first sighted the Guianas, as the territory was also known, in 1498, and one of his shipmates, Alonso de Ojeda’s first expedition

arrived from Spain at the Essequibo river in 1499.

But European exploration did not fully begin until the 16th century when the Englishman, Sir Walter Ralegh, arrived in 1594.

It was Ralegh’s particular accounts of the mythical golden city of El Dorado that piqued European interest in the Guianas (now Guyana) interior. Before the end of the 16th century, the Dutch began exploration and, by the 17th century,they were the first to establish trading posts and outposts.

at colonization in the Guianas were not as substantial as the Dutch and British.

Although French settlements first appeared along the “wild coast” in 1604, French colonization of what is now French Guiana was not recognized until 1637. Changing hands

Regular conflict between the Dutch, French and British powers meant several changes in colonial rule in the Guianas. According to Gimlette, modern-day Guyana changed hands nine times, Suriname six, and Guyane [French Guiana] seven times.

It was not long after that the Dutch and English (the latter invited by the former) established permanent settlements.However, they were constantly raided by the Spanish and Portuguese who, though not settled on the coast, viewed their presence as a violation of the 1494 Treaty Of Tordesillas.The Treaty had divided newly discovered lands outside Europe between the Portuguese Empire and Spanish Empire.

Many French settlements also failed, though their attempts

In Guyana’s general history, the British in 1781 seized the Essequibo-DemeraraBerbice Dutch colonies during the American War of Independence, which began in 1776, because of Dutch involvement in ferrying supplies to American rebels using colony depots.

When the French joined the Americans to fight the British, the French arrived in 1782 and took control of the Demerara and Berbice colonies.

At the end of the American war of inde-

pendence in 1783, the French returned the colonies to the Dutch.

It would take a series of events to eventually create separate territories, as the “Wild Coast” was separated among colonial powers.

Firstly,the 1667 Treaty of Breda placed modern day Suriname territory in Dutch hands to become Dutch Guiana.

Secondly, the AngloDutch Treaty of 1814 meant the Dutch ceded the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice to Britain.

Thirdly, at the start of the 19th century, France would lose most of its Caribbean territories, but keeps the South American colony of French Guiana. The “wild coast” was now officially known as French Guiana, Dutch Guiana and British Guiana (as Britain united the three colonies of Berbice-DemeraraEssequibo in 1831).

French Guiana remains an overseas department and region of France, while Dutch Guiana gained independence as the Republic of Suriname in 1975 and British Guiana the independent Republic of Guyana in 1966.

The Shaping of Guyanese Literature An Easter confession

By PetamBer Persaud

Easter is the commemoration of the crucifixion of Christ and the celebration of His resurrection and ascension. These are some of the basic tenets of Christianity. Although Easter is a religious festival, it is also a public holiday in Guyana where the secular populace participates.

Easter is here again. It comes but once a year.

Easter comes but once a year

But when it does, we all know it’s here (J. S. Bach)

The Easter season over the years afforded the accumulation of tons of literature in the form of poetry, song, hymn, dance script, drama, film, myths and legends, stories of its origin, stories of its celebrations around the world, scholarly commentaries on related Biblical texts, and books, mainly for children.

Examples of such poetry include “Easter Day” by Oscar Wilde, “Easter” by Edmund Spenser, “The Easter Flower” by Claude McKay, “Easter Communion’ by Gerard Manley Hopkins, “Easter Week” by Charles Kingsley, and “Easter Comes but Once a Year” by J. S. Bach.

The Easter Flower by Claude McKay

…Where gleamed the lilac-tinted Easter lily

Soft-scented in the air for yards around;

…And many thought it

was a sacred sign, And some called it the resurrection flower;

Local poetry on Easter includes “To Easter”, “Easter 1940” and other religious poems by A. J. Seymour.

To Easter

Again, O Easter, run and leap and steep

Ungloom the tomb, unsword the words

The linen clothes repose, your story’s glory.

Examples of Easter hymns include Crown him with many crowns; Up from the grave He arose; Were you there; Amazing Grace by John Newton; I Know that My Redeemer Lives by Nicole Mullen; Blessed Assurance by Frances J. Crosby; How Great Is Our God by Chris Tomlin; He Lives by Alfred H. Ackley; Christ Arose by Robert Lowry, and I serve a risen Saviour.

Examples of Easter films include “Golgotha”, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “The King of Kings”, “The Passion of the Christ”, “The Robe”, and “BenHur”.

Easter is here again accompanied by tons of information. So what is new about Easter? My confession!

Since 2011, I have made several attempts to do something on the King James Bible mainly because of my interest in literature but let me hasten to declare there were many other reasons for such a project. The overarching reason in 2011

was that that year marked the quatercentenary of the King James Bible. Since then many opportunities presented themselves; since then there were many Christmases and many Easters -- but I failed to deliver.

In the meanwhile, I looked at the Mahabharata through the lens of Sharon Maas and let slide an opportunity to write on the Koran; prompted a local stamp issued to mark the 1400th year of the Holy Quran. (I used to collect stamps so the habit is still with me to glean something of interest from any stamp coming within my ambit.)

Maas’ book, “Sons of God”, is a retelling of the story of the Mahabharata which is said to have come to man since ancient times; it is labelled as the world’s longest literary work.

The Holy Quran is a compilation of revelations given to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of twenty three years. It is said that millions of copies in circulation are identical

“to a single letter”. I grew up with The King James Bible from primary school days, even writing examination on Religious Instruction. That school was Roman Catholic. Some of my ancestors were made to accept Bible teaching by way of Hindi-speaking Catechists imported from India. So I am intimate with the Bible.

I prefaced the following with those personal bits because the King James Version, I discovered later, was the most important event in the history of book printing, becom-

ing the bestselling English book of all time, influencing changes in language and culture, influencing English and American literatures, influencing the work of writers, artists, and musicians, finding its way in places other than the church like hotels, prisons, courthouses, battlefields, and at weddings and funerals. Many of its idioms and platitudes have become everyday usage like “bold as a lion”; “wise as serpents”; “reap what you sow”; “the love

of money is the root of all evil”; “salt of the earth” and there is “nothing new under the sun.”

The King James Version holds different meanings and values for different people but fundamentally it leads to the Easter story, telling it in more than one way especially in the New Testament according to the Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John.

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

Guyanese celebrate Easter in style

In the capital city, Georgetown and across the country, the sky was transformed into a kaleidoscope of colours with kites which danced to the tune of the wind, bringing to an end the festive season of Easter.

The holiday, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is usually celebrated in Guyana with religious services, kite-flying and picnicking at various parks and beaches.

In Georgetown, the Everest Cricket Club Ground, the National Park, the Education Ministry Ground, the Botanical Gardens and the seawall were packed with families. Kites of all sizes, colours and shapes filled the air as children and adults raised them high.

At the Education Ministry Ground, this newspaper caught up with several persons who indicated that they were not just flying their kites, but celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Hence, they said it was important to keep the tradition alive, noting that Easter was a season of togetherness.

At the National Park, the excitement of the holiday was more evident, as the sky above it

was filled with an assortment of kites. Children were also engaged in a number of sports such as football and cricket. A number of overseas-based Guyanese expressed their joy in visiting Guyana during the festive season.

“I’m here on vacation and I’m just enjoying the holiday with friends and family,” Stella Couchman said. Additionally, scores of tourists were seen enjoying themselves. Erika St John, a visitor for the second time, expressed her admiration for the cultural aspect. “It’s my second time in the country, but my first Easter.

I’m trying to send the kite up, so it’s a learning experience,” she said.

Vishnu Persaud, who was also at the National Park, told this publication that it is traditional for him to celebrate the festive season of Easter with his family and friends.

Unity

“Easter is about unity and just as how we have unity now, I hope it is the same on May 11 and even after the elections. I strongly believe that despite who wins, peace should prevail because we ought to live by our motto: ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’,” Persaud said.

One magnificent kite that caught the eyes of many at the Everest Ground was one signifying the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). Nicholas (only name given) noted that it took him three days to build the 13-foot kite. He explained that every year he increases the size of the kite.

Meanwhile, at the Botanical Gardens, hundreds turned out with their friends and families to celebrate the religious festival. In the sky, hundreds of kites were seen dancing in the wind while the voices of the ecstatic children were heard echoing in the air. The grounds of the Gardens were filled with families who were engaged in loud chatter while feasting on a variety of food and drinks prepared specially for the day.

“Just watching all these beautiful children flying their kites and just being children is good enough for me. I came here and I’m enjoying myself just going with the flow. I ate my bellyful and I’m having a wonderful time,” a smiling Cathalina King told this newspaper.

Meanwhile, in the Cinderella County of Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), the sky was also transformed as thousands of persons raised their kites at different locations.

Families converged at various beaches, playfields, seawalls and open spaces to celebrate the festive season, flying their kites and picnicking.

This newspaper visited several villages, including Charity, Golden Fleece, Abrams Zuil, Anna Regina, and Suddie

where persons were seen clad in colourful outfits flying their kites. At Charity, the market area was packed with persons walking and shopping for kites. The customary Monday market at Charity was busier than usual with persons doing their last-minute Easter shopping.

Over in Berbice, residents went to various parks, grounds and beaches to celebrate Easter, flying kites and picnicking. The number one spot in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) was the Number 63 Beach where thousands of Guyanese and visitors from overseas converged. Despite the rise of the tide before 16:00h, it was still a picnic atmosphere with persons willing to share with friends and strangers.

Also on the Corentyne, thousands converged at the Rose Hall Beach where many flew kites or frolicked in the water. In New Amsterdam, there were no beaches, sand or sea but the fun, music and picnics were the same. The savannah at Fort Ordinance in East Canje was a similar sight. Some persons also erected stalls and cashed in on the sale of barbecue and other food items while others danced to the music coming from big music boxes. In Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), persons flocked the Belladrum and Dundy beaches, as well as the Number Five Village Ball Field.

Venezuela reiterates commitment to PetroCaribe

Venezuela has again restated its commitment to PetroCaribe, the Caracas’ oil initiative with several Latin American and Caribbean countries that sees them purchasing fuel on terms of preferential payment, with some of the funds going to social development programme in participating nations.

President of

PetroCaribe and the ALBA Bank, Bernado Alvarez, restated the commitment to the initiative on Tuesday at the inauguration of a US$31.6 million 34,000-barrel fuel storage facility in Lowmans Bay, built with PetroCaribe funds.

The fuel depot will increase from 10 to 40 days the national storage of fuel for all purposes.

Alternately, the fuel

can meet the country’s electricity generation needs for three months, triple the previous capacity.

Alvarez said that amidst “all this campaign against” PetroCaribe, Venezuela, and its president, Nicolas Maduro, the depot “is the proof that PetroCaribe is here to stay, and, as President Maduro said recently, to expand and we wish

PetroCaribe the best future”.

There have been concerns about whether PetroCaribe will continue amidst growing economic strain in Venezuela that some observers have blamed on poor fiscal policy, while others have claimed an attempt to undermine the Maduro administration.

Alvarez noted PetroCaribe’s objectives: energy security, social and economic development, and regional integration.

“As you see, we have done a lot and we have a huge task ahead,” he said of the initiative, which will be a decade old in June.

“… and if you see what we have done and you see the challenges ahead, there is a bright future

for us. It is the right moment to enhance, to support PetroCaribe. And for that, I think we have to thank first, the vision of President Chavez, second the vision of PM Ralph [Gonsalves], and of course, the persistence, the hard work, the patience of all of us that have been involved in the project,” he said.

Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves and Vice President of Venezuela Jorge Arreaza also attended the event.

“PM we are here, vice President, we are here, we are happy to be inaugurating this plant, this is a much more strong PetroCaribe for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, for the Hemisphere, for the Eastern Caribbean coun-

tries, and for regional integration,” Alvarez said.

He lauded the name of the fuel depot – The Hugo Chavez Fuel Storage and Distribution Plant, as the best name for the facility.

“We are here because of his (Chavez’s) vision and his persistence. And, in a way, PM, we are starting over, because the whole idea of the PetroCaribe agreement at the beginning was to give countries energy security. And part of the energy security was to have its own capabilities in storage. And this is what we are achieving today.

“So, in a way, PM, we can say we are starting over,” Alvarez said.

PetroCaribe was started under the presidency of Chavez, who died in March 2013.

Obama pays tribute to Bob Marley

President Barack Obama has taken a tour of the Bob Marley museum in Jamaica after becoming the first US president to visit the country since 1982.

To the strains of the late reggae star's One Love, Mr Obama was shown around the sprawling house in Kingston that was Mr Marley's final home.

The US president said he was a fan of the musician, telling his museum guide: "I still have all the albums."

Mr Obama is in Jamaica to meet the 15-member Caribbean Community bloc.

But his first stop after landing in Kingston was the old Victorian-style house in central Kingston that Mr Marley called home between 1975 and his death in 1981.

Mr Obama spent 20 minutes in the museum, which now houses artefacts from the singer's life including gold records and his Grammy Lifetime Achievement award.

His arrival aboard Air Force One on Wednesday made him the first sitting US president to set foot in the country since Ronald Reagan visited 33 years ago.

He was greeted by Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller and the US Ambassador to Jamaica, Luis Moreno.

Mr Obama will meet representatives of the 15 countries in the Caribbean Community group on the three-day trip to Jamaica and Panama, and is expected to discuss energy and security issues.

Sir Hilary Beckles to represent Caribbean at historic US Reparations Summit

Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Reparations Commission (CRC), Sir Hilary Beckles, will address the three-day historic Reparations Summit that gets underway here on Thursday.

Leaders of the national reparation commissions, committees and task forces from 11 CARICOM countries are attending the summit that is expected to result in the launch of the National AfricanAmerican Reparations Commission (NAARC).

American civil rights leader, Reverend Jesse Jackson, and Mireille Fanon, chair of the UN Working Group of Experts on Peoples of African Descent and daughter of Frantz Fanon, the Black liberation theoretician from Martinique, are also expected to address the conference.

“The summit is a new beginning of the new phase of the global reparatory justice movement,” Sir Hilary told reporters prior to his departure.

He said he was con-

cerned about the impact that native genocide and African enslavement continued to have on the region’s ability to develop its healthcare and education systems, cultural institutions and economies, “although slavery has been abolished over a century”.

Sir Hilary said it was therefore important to establish a framework through which people of African descent could have “a right to reparatory justice”.

“Our commission has confronted these matters and we are well on our way in establishing a path in which we can deal with this matter,” he said.

CARICOM countries have already endorsed a 10-point plan of action put forward by the CRC and Sir Hilary said he was pleased that the commissions were “coming together to lay the foundation for what we hope will be a global summit within the next year”.

Elisabeth Harper cites extortion attempts over son’s court case

PPP/C Prime Ministerial candidate Elisabeth Harper on Thursday said that she has been the subject of attempts at extortion pertaining to a case that her son, Reagan Pollard, has in court.

She said these attempts began on her appointment as the prime ministerial candidate and in a statement from PPP headquarters she provided an email related to this.

Last evening, information pertaining to Harper’s son’s case was widely circulated in the media.

Harper’s statement follows:

Since I have been appointed as the PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate there have been attempts by a known individual, tantamount to blackmail or political extortion regarding a legal dispute between my 36-year-old son and his former business partners.

My son is engaged in his own business enterprise. I am aware that he and his former business partners have been in court in Guyana since November 2014 to settle a dispute that has arisen.

I love my son dearly and am fully supportive of him. I also respect his business in-

dependence.

In view of the fact that the matter is being addressed by the Court it is therefore sub judice.

The several attempts of extortion and blackmail directed at me regarding this case are disturbing.

I strongly reject any attempt to use my political appointment to resolve this matter extra judicially or to influence the legal direction of the court case.

Barbados Central Bank to stop setting minimum savings rate

The Central Bank of Barbados (CBB) it will no longer set the minimum savings rate on deposits and that each commercial bank and deposit-taking institution will be responsible for setting its own interest rate.

The CBB said the new policy goes into effect from April 21.

The Central Bank said notice of the new measure has been published in the Official Gazette “and commercial banks are obliged to provide customers one month’s notice before they may alter the existing rate”.

It said that the decision to allow the market to determine the rate

was reached after careful consideration of the performance of the domestic financial markets.

Barbados now joins at least two other Caribbean countries, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, that have deregulated interest rates for savings accounts.

Off the Beaten Path

Guyana boasts an appealing combination of fascinating and breathtaking natural beauty, pristine rainforests, immense waterfalls, and amazing wildlife-blended with a vibrant indigenous culture and rich diverse heritages. Featured this week are

areas in the Rupununi region rarely visited by tourists.

For more amazing photos, visit Rupununi Learners on Facebook. (Photos by Matt Hallett) (Cover photo: View of Sauerob Creek at the southern end of the Kanuku Mountains)

The Jhaat’s burning dilemma

Satiricus’ heart went out to Rum Jhaat.

As a member of the PPCEE, the Jhaat had always figured old man Jagun was too “soft”. Look how the Jhaat and Nagga Man were always drinking and carrying on in rum shops – but Jagun never kicked them out of the party.

Imagine Hyte saw Nortun drinking some beers one time at a street corner – and threw him out of the party!! The General Secretary!! Hyte said Nortun was his “creature”.

Ramjattan liked Hyte and BurntHam. Their motto was, “Tek first lick…but don’t tek last lick!!” And so when Jagdesh had made a fuss about Rum Jhaat carrying news to the US Embassy, the Jhaat claimed he was imitating BurntHam. Going with the tide.

And when he was kicked out, he swore he would get “last lick” on the PPP/C and Jagdesh. He was prepared to do anything.

First he would get the TrotMan out of the KFC. If they rotated and gyrated like they’d promised, it would’ve been TrotMan’s turn to be the Presidential Candidate. But he’d gotten him out…no??

And he cancelled the “rotating and gyrating” rule – so his buddy Nagga Man could fill the spot. The Jhaat figured this was his master stroke. If he’d pushed himself, people like NoGel, whose turn it was, would’ve said he was screwing them.

But the Jhaat was now facing a burning dilemma. He’d arranged for Nagga Man to get married to GrainJa in Berbice, figuring that this would bring in the Berbice votes. He’d even slept between the two of them on the first night – as the “luck knee”.

And because of Berbice custom he had to tek the “larwah” before Nagga Man. It wasn’t easy….He was still sore all over. His throat was sore because of his screaming…

But he was terrified as what was to happen now that it was clear he and Nagga Man wasn’t able to bring out the 11 per cent Berbicians as they’d promised. Not only would he be able to jail Jagdesh, like he’d dreamt. GrainJa had told him clearly if they didn’t bring in the votes, it was more larwah for him.

The Jhaat would have to tek last lick… again and again!! Ouch!!

TYouth in Guyana’s development

he youth 14-35-years old represent one of the largest groups in the country and political parties are pursuing them by putting on display their youth resume.

The Opposition have accused the governing party of not involving and engaging youth in the development of Guyana. They have further accused the Government of not providing opportunities for young people.

We examined this premise, not only looking at the record of the PPP/C, but looking at the records of the other political parties. In fact, the PPP/C has an impressive track record. Under a PPP/C Government, Guyana ranked high on the first ever Commonwealth Youth Development Index (YDI).

The first YDI was completed in 2013 and data were collected for 170 countries around the world. Guyana was ranked Number 10 in the Commonwealth, with only Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago ahead of it in the Caribbean.

The top countries in the world were Australia (1) and Canada (2) which had scores of 0.83 and 0.82. The USA was Number 7 with a score of 0.80. Guyana’s overall score of 0.73 compares extremely well with the scores of these rich countries. Guyana was ahead of Barbados and the Bahamas, two of the richest Caribbean countries.

Guyana was in the top 10 overall and in the top 10 in two of the five areas that were evaluated. The five areas evaluated were education, health, employment, political participation and civic participation. Guyana scored top 10 spaces in health and civic participation.

We should note that the PPP/C has a history of commitment to young people. Its founding leaders were very young people. Dr Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, Ashton Chase, Forbes Burnham and others were very young when they started the political movement for freedom, a movement that still exists today as the PPP/C.

Indeed, when the PPP won the 1953 elections, the first under adult suffrage, Mr Ashton Chase was named the Minister of Labour at the age of 27, the youngest Government Minister anywhere in the world at the time. This was the beginning of a long list of achievements that underline the PPP/C’s commitment to youth and its development.

We must not forget that the PPP/C broke all

records and bucked tradition among countries of only selecting people with long years of service and political leadership, older people for the Head of State portfolio. In 1999, it selected Bharrat Jagdeo at 35 as the then world’s youngest President.

This is not the only accolade of a still young man – when he was appointed Finance Minister by Dr Jagan in 1995, at 31 years old, he was the youngest ever Finance Minister in the world.

This is just one among many notable achievements of young people, and we can understand why the PPP/ proudly speaks of its commitment to youth and its development. The PPP/C, however, points to other achievements in its repertoire as its main arguments that it is the only party that meets its commitment to young people.

Guyana has universal access to primary education and has virtually achieved universal access to nursery and secondary education. Few developing countries match Guyana’s commitment to education and access to technical and vocational and tertiary education.

This is one of the most important areas in youth

development. Access to scholarships to study for professional careers locally and abroad has grown tremendously under the PPP/C since 1992.

The number of doctors, engineers, accountants, lawyers and other professionals today places Guyana ahead of many richer countries in terms of the numbers of these professionals for every 1,000 youth today.

The number of businesses owned by young people that have sprung up throughout Guyana, businesses like salons, mechanic shops, stores for clothing and other goods, computer repair shops, telephone repair shops, restaurants and others have reached unprecedented levels.

Home ownership, vehicle ownership and the general ownership of property by young people in Guyana rank high in the world.

The development of sports, culture and entertainment in Guyana is far superior in the last two decades. The PPP/C has built a sports infrastructure that has transformed sports in Guyana. There have never been so many opportunities for young people to engage in cultur-

al experiences and in entertainment.

There are good reasons why persons like young Africo Selman did not feel at home in APNU. When it had a chance to go with a younger candidate, APNU+AFC decided to stay with older people as its Presidential and Prime Minister Candidates.

Because of their marriage of convenience in which positions have been negotiated, the May 11 elections will mean that young people will be squeezed out in the sharing out of positions, should APNU+AFC get a chance to govern.

Perhaps the best resume line any political party can claim is the consolidation of freedom and democracy so that young people could have their say. Guyana’s democracy withstood many challenges and had to overcome a brutal dictatorship.

Yet young people are deeply engaged today in the political life of their country. They will determine the future of our country. It is an exciting time for young minds.

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

Actress Halle Berry says she was left damaged after she watched her mother “beaten day after day after day” and get “kicked down stairs” by her husband, when she was a child.

The 48-year-old actress, who has a six-year-old daughter, Nahla, from a previous relationship and 16-monthold son Maceo with husband Olivier Martinez, was just five-year-old when she witnessed domestic violence and that has stayed with her, reported Female First.

“I’m a victim of domestic violence. I wasn’t married to a man that beat me up, but my mother was. Knowing that she wanted nothing more than for her little girls to see her be empowered and be a woman of strength, but having no way to make that happen was heartbreaking for me,” Berry said.

“She stayed for too long and her

children, my sister and I, saw far too much and I’ve suffered the damage of being a child of domestic violence,” Berry said. (Indian Express)

Gwyneth Paltrow goes public with Brad Falchuk romance

Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow went public with her new romance over the weekend when she took TV executive and “Glee” producer Brad Falchuk as her date to Robert Downey, Jr’s 50th birthday bash.

The “Shakespeare In Love” star, who appeared on “Glee” in

Hollywood star couple Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield have reportedly taken a break from their relationship after three years of dating. It was their hectic work schedules that forced the duo to finally call it quits for the time being, reported People magazine.

“He’s thrown himself in the project to the detriment of all else,” a source said about Garfield’s latest film “Silence” which currently is in production in Taiwan. “But it’s too early to say the relationship is over.”

2010, has been linked to Falchuk since last summer when they were spotted on vacation together in Utah, reported Us magazine.

They have managed to keep the relationship low-key, but on April 4, Paltrow, 42, and her new man attended her “Iron Man” co-star Downey, Jr’s big party at the

Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California as a couple.

Other guests at the event included Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston and her fiance Justin Theroux.

Paltrow and Falchuk’s outing occurred days after the actress returned from a family vacation with her kids Apple and Moses in Mexico, where they were joined by the star’s estranged husband, Chris Martin.

Paltrow and Martin split early last year after 10 years of marriage. The Coldplay frontman has since been linked to Jennifer Lawrence. (Indian Express)

Ahumourous letter written to Joan Rivers by her daughter Melissa before the comedienne’s death in September last year, has been published in a book, titled ‘A Letter to My Mom’.

The mentioned book is created by Lisa Erspamer and features letters from celebrities and non-celebrities alike, who wrote notes of gratitude to the women who raised them, reported People magazine.

The 47-year-old TV host’s letter details the delights and downsides of living with her mother and her son Cooper, 14, in their Los Angeles home.

“Dear Mom, I received

the note that you slipped under my bedroom door last night. I was very excited to read it, thinking that it would contain amazing, loving advice that you wanted to share with me,” Melissa began.

The note is full of her family’s trademark humour. “While I appreciate your desire to ‘upgrade’ your accommodations to a larger space, I cannot,

Olivia Wilde, Garrett

in good conscience, move Cooper into the laundry room,” she continued. Melissa closed the letter with a heartfelt message. “I love having you live with me and am very grateful for every minute Cooper and I have with you. You are an inspiration. You are also thirty days late with the rent,” she said. (Indian Express)

Hedlund to return for 'Tron 3'

Actress Olivia Wilde and Garrett Hedlund are re-

Aturning for third ‘Tron’

ctress Mischa Barton has filed a suit against her mother, Nuala, claiming she withheld her earnings and exploited her fame.

The “OC” star filed the complaint in the Los Angeles Superior Court, where she has accused Nuala of being greedy, said the Hollywood Reporter.

“This action arises from the tragic tale of a greedy stage mother posing as a talent manager who, instead of acting in the best interest of her daughter/client, schemed to defraud her unsuspecting victim,” read her complaint.

Barton is seeking unspecified damages, triple the amount the court finds her mother to have withheld. Her fivecount complaint includes claims of breach of fiduciary duty, breach of oral contract and conversion.

The actress claims her mother “had absolutely no experience or training” in talent management when she took

The actors will reprise their characters from 2010’s ‘Tron: Legacy’ in the sequel, said the Hollywood Reporter. Legacy was the sequel to the 1982 sci-fi film that took place inside a computer world known as the Grid and starred Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner. Disney revisited the world with ‘Legacy’ (Indian Express)

on her daughter’s career. She claims Nuala set up a scheme in which she exclusively controlled Mischa’s finances and only “doled out an ‘allowance’ to Barton at her sole discretion and on a sporadic basis.”

Barton also alleged that her mother induced her to buy a USD 708 million home in Beverly Hills where the actress is no longer welcome. (Indian Express)

Liv Tyler shares first full photo of baby Sailor

The source added, “They’re both a slave to their schedules. This time last year they were privately discussing marriage. “It’s one of those situations where only Andrew and Emma quite know if they’ll pick up where they left off or they’ve separated,” the source claimed.

Speaking of Stone, who has been seen spending time in Los Angeles after wrapping up production on her new film “Aloha”, the source revealed, “Emma understands his work anxieties – it’s why she originally pulled out of ‘Cabaret’ last year and only did it this year – but they’re taking a break from seeing each other.”

Meanwhile, another source said the current break up is just temporary, insisting, “They are just separated for work. Andrew is overseas. They are both busy with their careers and have not seen each other.”

Neither Stone nor Garfield has addressed the separation reports. They were last seen together having lunch in New York City in early January. (Indian Express)

Singer Liv Tyler showed off her beautiful baby boy, Sailor Gene Gardner, in a Twitter post.

In the picture, Tyler, 37, is seen lovingly gazing at her two-month-old son,

who is wearing a black-knitted onesie with a white bunny on the back.

The ‘Leftovers’ actress captioned the picture, “Beautiful family weekend in the sun @davidgardner76 @tabithasimmons love you.

This is the first time that Tyler has shared a snap of her son.

However, the proud mother has not been shy of sharing her pregnancy journey, posting pictures of her growing baby bump on Instagram and Twitter. Tyler and her partner David Gardner welcomed Sailor in February. She is also mother to son Milo, whom she gave birth to while married to Roysten Langdon. (Indian Express)

Actress Kangana Ranaut, who has played varied roles on the silver screen, says the image of an actor drives a celebrity’s career in the world of showbiz.

“Image means a lot. It is everything in the business that we are in. The kind of roles which you get, people identify with your roles, and it then leads to the kind of brands you get,” Kangana said.

The National Award winner expressed her views at the launch of film critic Anupama Chopra’s book “The Front Row: Conversations Of Cinema” here on Tuesday.

“Overall the business is completely based on the kind of image that you have,” she added.

Kangana made her Bollywood debut with 2006 release hit “Gangster” and since then she has carved a special place by delivering exceptional performances in films like “Fashion” and “Queen”.

Meanwhile, the actress is gearing up for “Tanu Weds Manu Returns” and “Katti Batti”.

Actress Kangana Ranaut has slammed the trend of paid entertainment news, saying that the focus should be on getting into news due to a film’s content rather than fluff.

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, who turned host for the IPL 8 opening ceremony, was all praises for Shahid Kapoor. Interestingly Saif’s wife Kareena Kapoor had dated Shahid in the past.

Saif welcomed Shahid, the soon-tobe-groom, on the stage, and said: “Let’s welcome now, one of the coolest actors of India and one of the finest dancers in the industry.”

There were understandable smirks and smiles in the stadium that followed these words.

Reports say that Saif also congratulated Shahid Kapoor for his impending marriage and, as per the onlookers,

Actress Amyra Dastur says she was sceptical before saying yes to her forthcoming film “Mr. X” opposite Emraan Hashmi because of his bold image.

“I was a little apprehensive and sceptical initially to work with Emraan. However, Vikram Bhatt (film’s director) made it very clear that it’s an unusual film and a U/A certificate kind of film. I was fine with it then,” Amyra told IANS.

The National Award-winning actress expressed her views on the prevalent trend at the launch of Anupama Chopra’s book ‘The Front Row: Conversations On Cinema’ here on Tuesday.

“I feel they (paid media stories) are very harmful for the business aspect of our craft. You spend so much to buy these media net stories or full page ads to build perception…you can rather save this money and put it in the making or marketing of the film,” Kangana said.

The ‘Queen’ fame actress also added that a film’s success depends on quality content.

“No one knows how much it is benefiting. If you see, a film like ‘Queen’ did well on word of mouth and because of its strong content. The content has to be good,” she said.

The actress, who is prepping up for ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’, also highlighted the adverse effect of the trend on small budget films.

“It is true that some people are interested in the buying part of things…They want to buy everything from the movie reviews to the media net to the opinions and so on.

“It’s hard for small filmmakers to survive in such situations,” she added. (Indian Express)

Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan said meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was ‘inspiring’ and reminded him of the hospitality and warmth of the Bengali community, which he ‘misses’ a lot.

The “Bang Bang!” heartthrob, who is of part-Bengali heritage, performed at the Indian Premier League (IPL8) opening ceremony at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday.

Hrithik’s grandmother Ira, his father Rakesh

Roshan’s mother — was a Bengali who married Punjabi musician Roshan.

In his stunning second live act in the city after 15 years, Hrithik cast a spell on his fans and sealed his connect with West Bengal. Hrithik was overcome with nostalgia during the event.

The star son’s maiden live act after his stellar debut in father Rakesh’s ‘Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai’, was at the same venue. He fondly recalled the first live performance of

his career as the audience cheered and whistled.

The actor met Banerjee on Tuesday and promised to attend the 21st edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival to be held later this year. She also requested the actor to shoot in Kolkata, which the actor gladly agreed to.

To show his respect and love for the city, Hrithik sported a stole during his act, which was gifted by the chief minister.

Why Riteish Deshmukh decided to marry Genelia DSouza

Tboth looked at ease with each other.

According to reports, Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan have never really been antagonistic with each other and have always shared warm vibes whenever they met.

Shahid and Kareena, who dated for four years before the actress moved on with Saif, broke up just before their 2007 release ‘Jab We Met’.

Later, Shahid was rumoured to be dating Priyanka Chopra, a fact that was confirmed in an episode of Karan Johar’s talk show ‘Koffee With Karan’. The talented actor is now slated to get married to Delhi-based Mira Rajput, tentatively, in June. (Indian Express)

heirs’ is said to be one of the cutest love stories ever and they, even after three years of marriage, prove it time and again. We are talking of talented actor Riteish Deshmukh and his wife Genelia DSouza, with who he debuted in Bollywood back in 2003 with the movie ‘Tujhe Meri Kasam’.

On April 8, in a series of tweets, Riteish shared with his fans and followers how he ended up deciding to get married to Genelia. Apparently, Riteish had been obliging his fans with some trivia from his movies.

Now we know what they mean when they say, “Thappad se nahin, pyaar se darr lagta hai.”

Genelia and Riteish tied the knot in the year 2012, after dating each other for over 8 years.

Genelia gave birth to a baby boy this year in February. Apart from ‘Tujhe Meri Kasam’, the two have co-starred in ‘Masti’ and ‘Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya’. (Indian Express)

The actress added that Emraan helped break the ice on the sets.

“Vikram made me feel very comfortable and after reading the script there was no looking back. Emraan is a wonderful co-star with a great sense of humour and he made me feel very comfortable,” she said.

The film features Emraan as an invisible guy, who seeks revenge for all the wrongs done to him. The film is slated for an April 17 release.

The 21-year-old, who ventured into Hindi cinema in Manish Tiwary’s “Issaq” alongside Prateik Babbar, emphasises that it’s a “family” entertainer.

“It’s a proper U/A film as there are just two kisses in it. It’s a family film. People do kiss and I think it’s time Indian audiences accept it,” she said. (Indian Express)

Director-producer Karan Johar says the stories that happen behind the scenes are far more interesting than movies and he would love to narrate them some day in a book.

“I feel telling a sto-

ry about making movies will be interesting, not the journey, but what happens behind the scenes because the biggest part of making films is handling people and ego management.

I feel what happens behind the scenes would

be a far more interesting read than what really happens on the sets. An insider telling the other side of the films will be really interesting,” Johar said here on the sidelines of the book launch of UTV group founder Ronnie Screwvala. The 42-year-old “Student Of The Year” filmmaker, however, joked that he was too young to write something now. “I would love to write one but I am still very young to write something like that and I would like it to come out when I am long gone,” he said. (Indian Express)

Slingerz FC crowned champs of Kashif and Shanghai tournament

By TreisTon Joseph

In front of a moderate crowd, Slingerz FC celebrated their 2-nil win over Alpha United when the 25th edition of the Kashif and Shanghai Football Tournament concluded on Sunday evening at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

Slingerz came out the more positive of the two teams and quickly asserted themselves as the aggressors of the game with a few early chances that were either kept out or narrowly missed the goal, while Alpha struggled to string their passes together.

However, the first half ended in a stalemate with the two teams locked at nil all.

The second half had

much more fireworks as Devon Millington showcased his footwork before letting loose a shot that rocked the right

hand corner of the net to send the crowd into a frenzy in the 56th minute.

Alpha in a last-ditch

effort to equalise sent all 11 men forward for a corner in the final minutes of the game.

However, the missed

opportunity only resulted in a counter attack by Slingerz as Alpha’s custodian was unable to reach back to

his post which allowed Millington to take aim at an empty goal to register Slingerz’s game sealer in the 90th (+4) minute.

Slingerz FC are now Gy$2,000,000 richer after the win on Sunday.

Meanwhile in the third-place playoff, Pele FC defeated Riddim Squad 2-1. Pele scored early through Konata Manning in the 18th minute before Beshawn Sandiford equalised for Riddim Squad in the 42nd minute to end the half 1-1.

Both teams searched for the winner until the 88th minute when Manning struck again to win the game for Pele. The presentation of prizes will take place on a date yet to be announced by the organisers.

Daesrath backs Windies to come good against England

By ravendra Madholall in ToronTo

Former Guyana

senior cap-

tain Damodar

Daesrath has thrown his support behind the West Indies to come good against England in their three-match Test series, which bowls off on Monday at the Sir Vivian

Richards Stadium in Antigua and Barbuda.

Daesrath told this publication that he is very optimistic the Caribbean team will maximise home advantage to defeat the tourists in all three fixtures slated for across the region.

West Indies are cur-

rently at number eight in the International Cricket Council’s Test ranking, while the Englishmen are at number three, but Daesrath believes the disparity in rankings between the two sides would not be a factor in the series.

“I [am] confident West Indies can be the victo-

rious side in this threematch series; they are home and that is the difference while the team is very balanced and can be a triumphant combination,” Daesrath related.

The second Test is scheduled for May 21-25 at St George’s Stadium in Grenada with the final encounter billed for Bridgetown, Barbados, commencing May 1.

Daesrath, who represented his adopted country Canada in First-Class and One-Day Internationals, strongly feels the experience in the West Indies side will also be very helpful against England, who may be psychologically down following their devastation against Australia in the Ashes series where they lost all five Test matches.

“Not ruling out England completely, but after they were badly beaten by the Aussies, that can give West Indies greater momentum now; should be a very interesting series, but I am backing the hosts to take control very early,” the Berbician disclosed.

“Well, this is Test cricket and I don’t want to make any prediction,

but West Indies is traditionally known to be a competitive team in Test cricket; they have not been too good over the years, but this is a great opportunity for them to compete and improve their status,” Daesrath divulged.

He also believes with veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul still around, his presence would be profound and now the young players should able to play with him to build long innings.

Apart from Chanderpaul, Daesrath stated that Chris Gayle would have been a huge asset for the series given the impact he has made in all versions of the game, but the flamboyant Jamaican has been ruled out of the series, owing to a recurring back injury.

“Obviously, Shiv is a legend with the bat and

Gayle can be very dangerous, but I know Shiv will be the man to do the job again but Gayle along with former skipper Dwayne Bravo will certainly be missed,” he said.

Daesrath, who represented Guyana in 12 First-Class games, took a swipe at the selection panel for the omission of Narsingh Deonarine for the series, stated that the attractive left-hander could have easily justified his spot. Deonarine accumulated over 500 runs in the recently concluded West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League FourDay tournament, registering two consecutive centuries. Daesrath is of the firm opinion that the middle-order batsman, who also bowls offspin, had done enough to warrant a place in the squad.

GFC crowned Massy U-15 champions

Georgetown Football Club

(GFC) defeated Renaissance on penalty kicks to be crowned champions of the inaugural Massy United Insurance Under-15 football league last weekend. The two teams played to a one-all stalemate at the end of regulation time after which the GFC prevailed on penalties 3-1 to lift the trophy.

The goal scorers during regulation time were Kellon Blue for the GFC and Shamar Bobb for Renaissance.

Several individual awards were given out, including trophies for the Most Valuable Player, Best Defender, and Highest Goal Scorer.

Gift vouchers to the value of Gy$5000 were also given to four players from each of the respec-

tive teams that played on the final day. These players were identified by their coaches as being the best team person.

After the game, which was played at the

Tucville Ground, GFC

Coach David Headley said the win was part of a resurgence of football at the youth level at the North Road-based Club. He said the Club was de-

Young Chanderpaul fit after fractured thumb

Senior open-

er Tagenarine Chanderpaul has recovered fully from a thumb injury sustained recently.

Chanderpaul fractured his left thumb during a domestic game between hosts Unity Sport Club and Tuschen in February.

The former West Indies Under-19 opener was sidelined for almost four weeks.

Tagenarine, like his father, is said to be a patient batsman, hard to dislodge and capable of spending a lot of time at the crease, but was overlooked for the recently-concluded West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League Four-Day Tournament.

The 18-year-old has shown plenty of promise

termined to develop its grassroots programme and the victory was a shot in the arm in this regard. He also lauded Fruta Conquerors for investing in a tourna-

ment for youth players in Georgetown.

Meanwhile, Fruta Conquerors Football Club President Wayne Forde said the tournament lived up to expec-

tations, as the aim was to discover new talent in the city.

Prior to the start of the final, members of the two teams were greeted by Dr Karen Pilgrim, a member of the Guyana Football Federation’s Normalisation Committee. Dr Pilgrim and Vibert Austin of Massy United Insurance were on hand to assist in the distribution of prizes.

“The Fruta Conquerors Executive Committee would like to thank the main sponsor of the league – Massy United Insurance; the Guyana Football Federation; the Georgetown Football Association; and Mr Milton Brandford, who has promised to donate 12 balls to each of the participating teams,” the Club said in a statement.

Josiah-Tanner wins Skidaway Island Marathon

Euleen JosiahTanner is continuing her winning ways with yet another win on Sunday at the Skidaway Island Marathon in USA.

With a total of 165 participants, JosiahTanner was the first athlete to cross the finish line in three hours, eight minutes and 55 seconds. Josh Merry finished second in 3:22:15s while Alan Fischer was third in 3:24:34s.

tagenarine chanderpaul has recovered fully from a thumb injury

since making his FirstClass debut in 2013, but his career statistics remain below par for an opening batsman.

The young Chanderpaul has com-

piled 371 runs in nine matches at an average of just over 20. He has demonstrated his tendency to make good starts, but failed to capitalise on them.

Thompson cramps up in Carifta 100m final

Brenessa thompson

Guyana’s lone athlete at the recently-concluded Carifta Games, Brenessa Thompson was unable to finish the final of the girls’ Under-20 100 metres on Saturday evening in St Kitts and Nevis. Thompson qualified for the final of the event by placing third in heat two with a time of 11.81s finishing behind eventual winner Natalliah Whyte of Jamaica, who

clocked 11.55s to win the heat.

It was confirmed by her father, Brennon Thompson, that the reason for her not finishing the final was an injury she sustained in pulling a muscle. It was unclear which muscle the US-based sprinter had pulled.

Thompson became the only athlete to represent Guyana, as the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) was unable to secure flights for its remaining 11 athletes as well as four officials from Guyana. (Treiston Joseph)

Josiah-Tanner was excited about the win in unfavourable conditions, “despite strong winds and stomach cramps from mile 10 to the finish, I was able to finish strong through the grace of God.

“My goals were to

run a fast marathon and win… I accomplished one goal, which was winning the marathon and I just want to say thanks to all my supporters,” Josiah-

Simons joins Chesterfield

LONDON: Teenaged Bermudian striker Rai Simons has joined promotion-chasing English League One club Chesterfield on a twoyear contract.

Simons, 19, said it felt “unbelievable” after inking the deal with the Derbyshire outfit nicknamed the Spireites.

According to reports, Chesterfield, who currently lie sixth in the table, have had their eye on Simons for some time after impressive performances this season for nearby club Ilkeston of the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League.

Simons, who played in last month’s first leg of Bermuda’s 2018 World Cup first-round qualifier in Nassau, said he had always been confident of being snapped up by a League side, but was still in shock when he signed the new deal.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling. I can’t quite describe what it feels like right now,” Simons said.

Simons helped Bermuda thrash Bahamas 5-0 in Nassau but was an un-

used sub for the second leg here which Bermuda won 3-0 for an 8-0 aggregate triumph to set up a second-round qualifier in June with Guatemala.

Simons will join two other Bermudian players in League football in the UK.

Fellow striker Nahki Wells is leading scorer for Championship club Huddersfield Town, while utility player Reggie Lambe plays for League Two side Mansfield Town. (CMC)

Experience crucial to Windies fortunes, says Ramdin

ST JOHN’S, Antigua: Captain Denesh Ramdin believes the experience of veteran left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul and the senior bowlers, will be critical if West Indies are to seriously challenge England in the upcoming three-Test series.

The Windies face their old foes starting here Monday, attempting to reverse a trend that has seen them win just two Tests in 27 outings over the last 15 years.

Ramdin said Chanderpaul’s penchant for long innings in the middle order would be important in West Indies tallying big scores.

“His experience is second to none [especially with] all those matches he has played at international level,” the Trinidadian said.

Narine wicketless but KKR win opener

KOLKATA, India:

Embattled West Indies off-spinner Sunil Narine went surprisingly wicketless but his Kolkata Knight Riders still managed to overcome Kieron Pollard’s Mumbai Indians by seven wickets in the opening contest of the new Indian Premier League season here yesterday.

Playing at Eden Gardens, Mumbai rallied to 168 for three off their 20 overs, after being sent in and the hosts cruised to their target with nine deliveries remaining.

Opener Gautam Gambhir top scored with 57 while Suryakumar Yadav slammed an unbeaten 46 off 20 deliveries with five sixes and a four.

Manish Pandey chipped in with 40 from 24 balls.

Earlier, opener Rohit Sharma stroked an unbeaten 98 off 65 balls with 12 fours and four sixes, to rescue Mumbai from a shaky position of 37 for three in the sixth over.

He put on 131 in an unbroken fourth wicket stand with New Zealander Corey Anderson who struck 55 not out off 41 balls.

Narine, under fire over his action and forced to undergo an Indian Cricket Boardsanctioned biomechanical test last week in order to be eligible for the IPL, sent down four overs for 28 runs.

His West Indies counterpart, all-rounder Andre Russell, bowled three overs of medium pace for 21 runs.

Pollard did not bat in the Mumbai innings. (CMC)

“I’m sure he will go on to get the most runs for West Indies as a Test player and I’m sure that’s his goal but with his experience in the middle order, batting all those balls, getting his hundred, 70s or whatever, [we need] guys to bat with him to get partnerships and get big totals so we have opportunities to win matches.

“The last time England were here, we won 1-0 in that series. It was a very hard fought series. Hopefully we can get good things going in this series again.”

After dominating England in the 1980s and early 1990s, West Indies have struggled in recent years.

They have suffered 17 defeats since the turn of the century and have lost all but one series –in 2009 when a shock innings win at Sabina

Park handed them success in the five-match series.

Ramdin said he is under no illusions about the size of the task, however, but believes that new ball bowlers like Jerome Taylor and Kemar Roach, along with frontline spinner Sulieman Benn, would be crucial in limiting England’s batting machine, especially in Caribbean conditions.

“It is going to be a tough grind. The series is going to be set up by big scores and that hour, hour-and-a-half of aggressive bowling where you can pick up a couple wickets and a bowler can change a match for us so it can go either way but hopefully it can be on our side,” Ramdin noted.

“When you go away and play against the opposition, they put you in their conditions and ex-

ploit it quite well so I can’t see why our bowlers can’t do it at home.” Ramdin has also placed pressure on himself to perform. He averages a respectable 33 against the English and has hit two hundreds –including a career-best 166 at Kensington Oval during the 2009 series.

However, he struggled last year, averaging just under 23 from eight Tests but is looking to rebound.

“I have two half-centuries and a couple half centuries against the opposition so I’m looking forward to getting stuck in to their bowling attack,” Ramdin said.

“They have a good bowling attack, you can’t take that away from them but you just need to spend time out there. As a batter, once you spend time out there it becomes easier.” (CMC)

GRFU president confident of team’s success against T&T

Guyana’s National 15s rugby team – the defending NACRA champions –will depart for Trinidad and Tobago tomorrow to face their long-time foes in a must-win game. The Green Machine will travel to the Twin Island Republic for a rematch of their 2013 match where the ‘Trinis’ defeated the Guyanese 20-0 when they met at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Campus ground.

With the North American and Caribbean Rugby Association (NACRA) Southern Zone title on the line, the winner will go on to play the winner of the North Zone to determine who will be the NACRA 2015 champions.

Boosted by the inclusion of Australiabased Kevin McKenzie,

Guyana, who defeated Barbados 48-22 in their first game of NACRA tournament at the National Park, also feature Rondell MacArthur, Jason Tyrell, Rockford Cummings, Dwayne Schroeder, Vallon Adams, Richard Staglon, Jamal Angus, Jermaine Prowell, Ryan Gonsalves, Peabo Hamilton, Theodore Henry, Claudius Butts, Avery Corbin and Ronald Mayers.

The reserve players are Jacques Archibald, Kevon David, Delroy Gordon, Troy Arjoon, Blaise Bailey, Lancelot Adonis, Leon Greaves and Randy James.

President of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) Peter Green was quoted in another section of the media as saying that he’s 200% confident that Guyana

will defeat Trinidad despite the opposition being one the most difficult they’ve faced.

Green, speaking at the team’s practice session at the National Park, believes that his men are hungry to not only hold on to their NACRA trophy, but also have a score to settle with the Trinidadians.

“These guys are not going to settle until they bring back home the title. You ask any of the players what is the goal and they will tell you it’s to bring back the bacon. They’re going not on vacation, they are going to win,” said the GRFU boss.

As it relates to funding, Green noted that the team is doing “fine” in that regard, adding “we have money coming in through the 7s team and prudent management

that we’ve had so far has helped us to be in a good place. We’ve bought a new set of playing gear for the 15s, 7s and the ladies and that’s about Gy$2M.”

The game will be played at the Fatima College ground, which Green said is similar to that of the National Park which will make his side comfortable, as compared to the University of the West Indies (UWI) ground where they played two years ago.

“The last time they took us to their ground, which was a little small and they had an advantage. This time we’re using a ground that will make the players feel right at home, so I believe in this team, and I know the entire country believe in them as well and we’re going to win,” Green said.

Floodlights, Karibee Girls taste success in Berbice

Floodlights and Floodlights All Stars recorded victories against Corriverton Market Vendors and Crabwood Creek/Scottsburg respectively, while their female counterpart, Trophy Stall Angels, were not so lucky against Karibee Girls last Sunday at the Crabwood Creek Sports Complex.

In the first match, Floodlights scored a challenging 196-5 wickets in the allotted 20 overs with Richard

Persaud making 56, Greg DeFraca 40, Imtiaz Mohamed 41 not out and Ricky Deonarain 22 not out.

Ravi Lutchman and Fabie Dan took two wicket each for Corriverton Market Vendors, who responded strongly initially, scoring over 10 runs per over in the first 10, but were then checked with some good fielding, catching and bowling by the 2014 Guyana Softball Cup Masters Champions. They were eventual-

ly all out for 171 in 19.4 overs with Vishal scoring 51, Lutchman 25 and Buie Ramo 26. Mike Singh, Wayne Jones, Richard Kellawan, Ramchand Ragbeer and Man-of-the-Match Imtiaz Mohamed took two wickets each.

In the second match, Crabwood Creek/ Scottsburg made 1729 in their allotted 15 overs with skipper Popo Chalitar topscoring with 61 and J. Garnett 42. Richard Latiff and D. Parches took two wick-

Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls set sights on lifting Netball World Cup

Jamaica's senior netball team cap-

tain Nicole AikenPinnock said that the Sunshine Girls have set their sights on creating history, winning the 14th staging of the Netball World Cup, scheduled for August 7-16 in Sydney, Australia.

Aiken-Pinnock, who was last week adopted by Guardian Life through Netball Jamaica's 'Adopt a Player' initiative, said that they want to be number one in the world.

"Each day we attend training and despite the limited resources, we train really hard. And even on days when we don't feel like training, we even work harder, because we have our eyes on the greater prize, that in August history will be created, because we will be playing in the final of the Netball World Cup, with one aim in mind, that is to be the number one netball country," the six-foot-two-inch defender told the Jamaica Observer.

Aiken-Pinnock knows very well that success will only come with hard work.

"Our journey will not be an easy one, but we are going to get to

AIKEN-pINNocK…our journey will not be an easy one, but we are going to get to the top of the mountain, cross over some valleys and even swim through some oceans

the top of the mountain, cross over some valleys and even swim through some oceans. One day at a time, step by step as we will reach the top. It is going to take a lot of hard work, commitment, sacrifice, dedication, determination and confidence, but we are here and we are doing that extra work," explained AikenPinnock.

She also encouraged corporate Jamaica to come on board and support the Sunshine Girls.

"We need the financial help behind us as

well. We need the necessary resources and equipment to train and to get ready to take on the world. Guardian Life has come on board, and it is indeed a wonderful feeling as they make life a little bit more comfortable while we prepare to represent our country through a sport we have a great passion for. But it would also be more motivating if more organisations would come on board and support our journey to the Netball World Cup in Australia," Aiken-Pinnock said.

ets each, while Imtiaz Mohamed took three. Floodlights All Stars blazed the trail, winning in the 13th over with only two wickets down. Man-of-the-Match Lennox Marks topscored with 77 not out, while Richard Latiff made 44.

In the female game, Karibee Girs were in early trouble losing some key wickets, but they eventually reached a commanding 153-8 in their allotted 15 overs. Player-of-the-Match Katana Mentore made

a brilliant 82 not out. Trophy Stall Angels lost skipper June Ogle early, and fell agonisingly short of the target, being restricted to 147-9 when the 15 overs finished.

The spectators at Crabwood Creek were given a treat by the Floodlights teams. They won 22 prizes, which included tablet, DVD, groceries and pharmaceutical hampers, t-shirts and Karibee rice. There were also 50 giveaways of kites and umbrellas.

The Crabwood Creek

Grant

also received a donation of Gy$200,000 from the Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association. The three matches were sponsored by Ago Gopaul and family, Nand Persaud and Company Limited, Ganesh Singh and Brothers Sawmilling, Survival, Trophy Stall, 4R Bearings, Mike’s Pharmacy, Rohan Auto Spares, Bel Air Rubis, Motor Trend, Vishnu Super Store and Ramchand Auto Spares.

First all-weather outdoor volleyball court commissioned in Port Mourant

The community of Port Mourant, Region 6, is the beneficiary of a new outdoor volleyball court. This project was spearheaded by the Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF) through a grant from the International Volleyball Federation (IVF) and the South American Volleyball Federation.

The rubberised outdoor court located at the Port Mourant Community Ground was officially commissioned on April 2. The new sporting facility has been lauded as a fitting gesture as there are many volleyball players in Region

6, moreover, last year a team from the Region represented Guyana at the Inter Guiana Games, where after seven years the Guyana team won the competition.

In attendance at the ceremony were Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony, President of the Guyana Volleyball Federation, John Flores, Regional Chairman David Armogan and other regional officials.

The Sport Minister noted that the government has been paying a lot of interest to the development of sports throughout the country.

He emphasised that sports is important and everyone must work hard towards its development.

“We must move away from the perspective that sports is just recreational,” he said. The Minister added that there are careers in sports, and that sports fosters social cohesion. “Sports and culture are two common things we can identify with,” he highlighted.

Minister Anthony pointed out that sports is also a multi-billion dollar industry. It is therefore important that Guyana produces sportsmen and

women who can represent the country internationally. Berbice has a rich history in producing the best cricketers and that legacy still continues today. However, outstanding sportsmen and women must also be produced in the other disciplines.

The Minister lauded the GVF for their efforts which also includes nursery programmes which attracts many youngsters. The GVF was also instrumental in training teachers on volleyball. It is hoped that similar courts can be sourced for other locations in Guyana.

This project is a part of the broader package of sports development. Minister Anthony disclosed that there is a master plan in place for the continued upgrade of the Albion Ground. The intent is that international cricket can return to Albion in the near future. While touching on the other sports facilities such as the 50-metre and 25-metre pools and the Guyana National Stadium, Minister Anthony announced that on April 17 the National Athletics Track will be officially commissioned.