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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
3 Years Jail For Driver In 2014 Fatal Accident
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan today sentenced 28-year-old father of one, Roopnarine Harriwar to three years imprisonment after he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with the 2014 offence of
causing the death of Ramulall Dhanraj by dangerous driving. The prosecution revealed that on November 15, 2014 at Pearl Public Road, East Bank Demerara, Roopnarine was driving motor vehicle GJJ 9557, while Dhanraj was proceeding on a bicycle along the western carriage way of the road when the incident occurred.
represented the accused argued that the evidence the witnesses provide lacked consistency and as such he was satisfied that no testimony given by an eyewitness was true. The Attorney revealed that he believes there was sufficient evidence on the roadway which showed that the accused did apply his brakes to avoid the collision.
In defense, the Attorney who
However Chief Magistrate
McLennan revealed that the court was satisfied with the Prosecution’s evidence which showed that the accused did drive in a manner dangerous to the public, recklessly or without consideration hence causing the death of Dhanraj. In mitigation the Attorney pleaded with the Magistrate for leniency in her custodial sentence stating that Roopnarine continues to apologize to the family of the deceased man.
Task Force To Clamp Down On Illegal Activities In Extractive Sector while the Guyana Geology and unregistered miners, all of it needs to stop Mines Commission (GGMC) is the regulatory body for most of the sector’s activities, it does not have law enforcement capabilities.
Director of Compliance at the Ministry o f N a t u r a l R e s o u rc e s , D e r r i c k Lawrence The Ministry of Natural Resources will soon establish a task force with policing powers to tackle illegal activities in the e x t r a c t i v e s e c t o r. D i r e c t o r o f Compliance, Derrick Lawrence, at the Ministry of Natural Resources, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the Ministry will introduce “a corps of wardens who will come with law enforcement authority and will not tolerate illegal activities within the sector.” Lawrence noted that illegal activities in the extractive sector have a negative impact on the economy and
Acting Commissioner, Newell Dennison said that “the challenges in monitoring that face us include boots on the ground, literally, having the work force and a suitable work force, people who are suitably trained and competent,” Dennison explained. The addition of the wardens is a welcome initiative that will address the monitoring challenge, Dennison stated. Moreover, GGMC’s field officers do not have arresting powers when they come across nonmining related illegal activities, Dennison pointed out. “If there is an immediacy of a law enforcement response that is required, those wardens are able to treat with that so I see it as strength to fill a gap that exists right now,” Dennison said of the wardens. The Ministry of Natural Resources has stated that it has zero tolerance for illegal activities in the extractive sector. “When we’re talking about legal mining or
because it actually impacts the economy in a negative way. If a person recognises that he or she could mine under the radar, then there is no need for declarations,” Lawrence emphasised. Dennison also said that a concerted effort also needs to be made to address the economic factors that lead to illegal mining. “We need to find alternatives that remove some of the economic drivers that lead people into mining on the one hand, and to create an atmosphere, where, if someone wants to get into mining, they’re properly prepared for it,” Dennison said. “Where we see people who are not documented, the officers advise how to become documented and where they should go. We have mining stations and there is the head office here too, that will allow you to buy privileges, that will allow you to get permission to operate and so on,” explained Dennison. Socioeconomic factors such as unemployment, coupled with the need for more available mining areas are among issues that often influence illegal and unsafe activity in the e x t r a c t i v e s e c t o r, p a r t i c u l a r l y undocumented and illegal mining, according to Dennison.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
Government Must Improve ICT Sector University of Guyana are not optimistic about the upcoming Hackathon that will be hosted by the Ministry of Public Telecommunications. “The hackathon is a very good idea, but the government must first develop public infrastructure in order to have the ICT sector utilized to its fullest potential,” some students told the Guyana Daily News.
Many computer science students of the
They noted that there is a lot of problems facing the development of ICT in Guyana such as poor internet and telephone services, frequent power outages, the dire need for the fibre optic cable, limited high-tech companies among others. “Guyanese have the skills but the country doesn’t have the jobs for the skill,” some students opined. The Ministry of Public Telecommunications will be
hosting Guyana’s first Hackathon on Nov 4-6, 2016 at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. The hackathon will be a 48 hour (nonstop) event where programmers or coders get to compete in teams to develop applications for possible use in the public and private sectors. Minister o f P u b l i c Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n Catherine Hughes at a press conference on Friday last said that this as an opportunity for young entrepreneurs in Information Communication Technology (ICT) to be creative, “Our people the young and not so young can learn and earn, establish new businesses, create linkages in and out of Guyana and ultimately contribute to the drive to digitize our nation”, Hughes stated. Hackathons are events, typically lasting several days, in which a large numbers of people meet to engage in collaborative computer programming.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
Bauxite Industry Must Be Developed
A resident of Central Ameila’s Ward Linden is of the view that bauxite cannot be utilized to its potential in Guyana because the country does not have cheap electricity. In order to have cheap electricity, there must be hydropower; the resident criticized the David Granger administration for abandoning the Amaila’s Falls Hydro Power Plant. While in opposition, both APNU and the AFC criticized the previous administration for the lack of transparency surrounding the project, which was the flagship project of the Low Carbon D e v e l o p m e n t S t r a t e g y,
supported by Norway. According to a report by the Ministry of Natural Resources, the year 2016 signifies an iconic landmark in the still-unfolding story of bauxite mining in Guyana as we proudly celebrate 100 years of this glorious industry. This provides an opportunity for all Guyanese to commemorate a century of rich history that is marked by numerous accomplishments, continuous expansions and notable challenges. “Bauxite production in Guyana is one of the leading mineral sub-sectors, and accounts for a significant part of the GDP generated from
exports of the mineral. It is safe to say that the mining of bauxite has been one of a very few indelible influences that have shaped the way we think, behave and live as a people. “Thanks in large measure to bauxite mining, we have been imbued with a sense of pride that couples, and equals, our keen determination and sense of capability. Indeed, it is in these hills that previously unaccomplished feats of engineering and strength were achieved and mastered. Today, one hundred years after we began, much of that history is at risk of being lost and too, that sense of
pride and prowess has retreated. Government and Opposition, the companies, the unions, and most especially, the workers must all commit – jointly and severally, to keeping that history and “can do” attitude alive,” the release noted.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
Crime Rate Down By 17% - Top Cop arms where other instruments are used is 254, robbery with violence 79, rape, 212, break and enter and larceny 1028.
Police Commissioner (ag) David Ramnarine Police Commissioner (ag) David Ramnarine has revealed that serious crime is down by 17% for the period 1st January, 2016 to 31st October, 2016 when
compared to the same period last year. He told a news conference today that for the year so far there has been 2,700 reports of serious crime, murder stands at 119 so far for the year, robbery under arms with the use of ďŹ re arm stands at 638, robbery under
However, several villages especially from the Berbice and other parts of the country have complained about the increase in criminal activities over the past years. They have raised concerns that the police are not doing enough to prevent crimes, it was noted that the police have been able to solve more crimes. In a recent survey conducted by the Guyana Daily News, the research showed that 85% of persons stated that serious crimes are up in the country, especially in the rural areas.
Seventy percent of respondents are also of the view that the government is doing nothing to curb the crime situation. The respondents are of the opinion that the police force should do more to combat crime, especially in vulnerable areas. In Berbice the murder rate has increased. A total of 17 murders were committed from the period January 1, 2015 to August 2015, but according to the United States Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Sates, Guyana 2016 Crime & Safety Report, the general crime rate in Guyana is above the U.S. national average.
LOCAL
GUYANA DAILY NEWS GNRSC Wants Drunk Drivers’ License To Be Revoked Earlier this month, GNRSC had also announced PAGE 8
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
that had planned to intensify its education and awareness campaigns to help stem the increasing number of road accidents and particular emphasis will be placed on drivers who drive under the influence of alcohol. According to the council, past awareness building and educational campaigns have not had the desired results so, the Council will be closely monitoring and evaluating the new campaign.
Chairman of GNRSC, Dennis Pompey The Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) has announced its plan to lobby the government to have the licenses of those found driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs revoked and also to have the licenses of those found texting and driving suspended. The announcement was made today by Chairman of GNRSC, Dennis Pompey at the launching of this year’s Road Safety Month, under the theme “Life does not have a reset button, Drive Carefully.” Pompey said that Council has planned a series of activities to observe the month and was geared towards reducing road deaths caused by road accidents which is on the rise in Guyana.
The GNSRC related that the proposal will be taken to the Minister of Public Security for him to discuss it at a governmental level and take action. Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who was also in attendance said it would take more than a month of awareness and sensitization activities to change the current “culture of recklessness. The minister urged road users to “abandoned individual irresponsibility” and the responsibility for care and safety should not only be carried by drivers but urged even pedestrians to “do the right thing. Ramjattan said that he does have solutions but if and when he implements them he will “get more cuss than anyone else.” Minister of Education Rupert Roopnarine said that “as legislators, we must do everything we can but it is one thing to make the laws and another to enforce them. We can pass as many laws as possible but what we need is a new culture of road safety.” At the end of 2015, a total of 106 road deaths were recorded. For the year so far GNRSC has recorded 109 deaths as a result of accidents.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
Breast Cancer Still A Major Concern In GuyanaMore Than 300 Cases In The Past 6 Years County Hospital, New York, noted that in the United
The latest figures released from the Guyana Cancer Institute (GCI) show that over the past six years there have been 314 new cases of breast cancer detected in Guyana. Outreach Director at the Cancer Institute, Dr. Seyed Ghazi said that in 2010 there were only 15 new cases of the ailment, but the number climbed to 22 in 2011, increased to 23 in 2013 and jumped alarmingly to 76 and 77 in 2014 and 2015 respectively. And while the number had dipped to 41 in 2015, this year has already seen an average of six new cases each month, according to figures provided by Dr. Ghazi and far there have been 60 new cases recorded at the institute for 2016. Dr. Ghazi was that the time speaking at the recent Breast Cancer Sensitization Seminar hosted by the Ministry of Social Protection in collaboration with the Organization for Social and Health Advancement in Guyana (OSHAG), the Cancer Society, and the Cancer Institute. He related that the spike in figures is because of an increase in GCI’s outreach activities which led to more cases being uncovered, especially in remote parts of the country. The activities included frequent screenings for persons in Guyana’s remote areas, as well as the greater emphasis being placed on awareness and education, which saw the detection of the 314 new cases. Dr. Ghazi added that awareness and education should be prioritized all year round and not just during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During the sensitisation seminar, visiting specialist, D r. T h e o p h i l u s L e w i s , Director of Surgery and the Cancer Care Centre at Kings
States, breast cancer is the number one cancer diagnosed among women and it is the number two cause of cancer related deaths among women. Dr. Lewis explained that while men are also at risk for breast cancer, the possibility of having the disease is higher for women, as one in every eight of them is likely to have it in their lifetime. He added that early detection remains key to saving lives and breasts. “We are still having too many patients coming to us at the late stages of breast cancer, especially Stages Three and Four,” Dr. Lewis said. “We can do so much more for people if we detect breast cancer early.” He explained that at stage one of breast cancer, 90 percent of the persons can go on to live longer than five years, while for stages two, three and four, the figures drops to 70, 50 and 15 percent respectively. He advised that women conduct self-examinations monthly, a week after their menstruation and for those women who have stopped having their mensturation, examinations should be done on their birthdays and on that date every month thereafter. With advanced treatment in the field the goal now is to save rather than remove the breasts. “The goal is breast conservation, but we need to detect the cancer early,” Lewis said. OSHAG conducts annual outreaches to Guyana at this time of the year and supports Guyanese women with breast cancer to access treatment and care.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
Mason Granted Bail After Allegedly Stealing GY$1M In Items Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan today released 24-year-old mason, Christopher Small on GY$70,000 bail after he appeared before her in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with the
offence of larceny which he allegedly committed between October 1, 2016 and October 31, 2016. Unrepresented before the court, Small pleaded not guilty to the charge as he was required by the Chief Magistrate to provide the court with a fixed address if he was to be granted bail.
defendant, while being employed by virtual complainant John Raymond, stole the key used to open the door to Raymond’s private room and in Raymond’s absence stole therein one diamond ring valued at GY$550,000 and GY$450,000 cash, total value of $1M.
After a few minutes of deliberation and no objection by the Prosecution, the accused was able to provide an address of 93 West Ruimveldt Estate, Housing Scheme, hence securing himself bail. It is alleged that between the dates in question at Light Street, Alberttown, the
According to Police Prosecution led by Inspector Neville Jeffords, the accused admitted to the police that he had stolen the items, however none have been recovered. The defendant will return before the court on November 22, 2016 for continuation into the matter.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
Scenes From the Motorcade 2016
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
Sale Of Firecrackers Worries Guyana Police Force The Guyana Police Force recognizes that in the celebration of Diwali and thereafter leading into the festive season of Christmas, there usually be an increase in the sale of firecrackers and other similar kinds of explosives that are being used to culminate or recognize the season. The Force is hereby issuing a stern warning to those who sell these explosives which contribute a lot to serious bodily harm and injury to both users and innocent bystanders. There were instances in the past when both children and adults experienced grievous bodily harm, during the use of these firecrackers and we urge all concerned to exercise the necessary care and caution when deciding to allow themselves to engage in the purchase of firecrackers. Guyana Police Force Press Release
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
LOCAL MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
A Response To The Attorney General By Mohabir Anil Nandlall MP, Attorney-at-Law
Carvil Duncan Carvil Duncan, has filed legal proceedings in the High Court challenging the actions by the Executive to remove him from office as Chairman and a member of the Public Service Commission, a member of the Judicial Service Commission and a member of the Police Service Commission. The quintessential issue for the determination of the court is whether or not it is lawful for the Government to have embarked upon this path, in light of the fact that there are pending criminal proceedings in the Magistrate’s Court, to which Carvil Duncan has pleaded not guilty and whereof he is protected by a Constitutional doctrine which presumes him innocent until proven guilty in those proceedings. Notwithstanding the existence of these pending proceedings in the High Court, in flagrant violation of the sub judice principle, the Attorney General has chosen to speak, publically, on the very issue which is engaging the attention of the Court. At a recent Press Conference, the Attorney General contends that the Government can lawfully remove Mr. Duncan from office during the pendency of the criminal proceedings and before their determination. Whether this is so or not, is the very pith and substance of the issue which the High Court is to determine. The Attorney General is no ordinary litigant. He is the head of the Bar and the Executive’s principal legal representative. His official influence can be overwhelming and he has publically signaled to the Judiciary and the particular judge, the Executive’s view and I dare say, its expectations. Is the Attorney General attempting to prejudice the outcome of the pending case? Is this the example the head of the Bar is setting for other lawyers? Should lawyers now engage in public articulation of
cases which are the subject of pending litigation? It is my considered view that the Attorney General has satisfied all the ingredients of the offence of Contempt of Court, for breach of the sub judice rule. In any properly functioning judicial system, Mr. Williams would have been hauled before the Judge for Contempt. But it is now a matter for the Judiciary. Since Mr. Williams has chosen to express his view on the merits of the pending litigation, justice and fairness compel a response. Almost every legal contention which the Attorney General posited at that Press Conference is misconceived and wrong. He labels Mr. Duncan a “Public Servant”, and then proceeds to wrongly apply his interpretation of the Public Service Commission Rules to Mr. Duncan. The Press Statement issued by GINA on 2016/10/25, reads: “The Attorney General (AG) is adamant that the Government does not have to await the conclusion of Carvil Duncan’s criminal matter in the court, to move administratively against the public servant. “We don’t have to wait for no criminal matter to be completed to move administratively against anybody, that’s always been the rule”, Attorney General, Basil Williams, told the press today, at a press briefing held at the Ministry of Legal Affairs … “If you are a public servant and you are charged for any offence in Guyana, what happens to you? You’re interdicted…”. Mr. Duncan is the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, a high constitutional office whose function is to employ, transfer, promote and discipline Public Servants. This office holder has a strong regime of security of tenure akin to that of a judge of the Supreme Court. By what rational process of reasoning and logic can such an office holder be equated to a public servant? The Public Service Commission Rules have no applicability whatsoever to Mr. Duncan. Indeed, it is Mr. Duncan’s responsibility to apply those rules to Public Servants. It is the constitution, the Supreme law, which applies to Mr. Duncan. Therefore, not even by analogy, can Mr. Duncan be sensibly equated to a Public Servant or can the Public Service Commission Rules apply to him. In any event, Mr. Duncan was not “interdicted”. The President established a disciplinary
tribunal to investigate his removal from office. Long after the establishment of the tribunal, Mr. Duncan was then “suspended”. Therefore the disciplinary process to remove Mr. Duncan from office commenced long before his suspension. B u t e v e n w o r s e , M r. Wi l l i a m s i s misrepresenting or misinterpreting the Public Service Commission Rules. In fact, I do not think he ever read them. These rules clearly provide that if a public servant is charged with a criminal proceeding no disciplinary action can be taken against him until those criminal proceedings are determined. The rationale is clear: to proceed with disciplinary proceedings while the criminal charges are pending, would not only abrogate the presumption of innocence, but would also prejudice the criminal proceedings. Rule 80. (1) of the Public Service Commission Rules provide: “Where criminal proceedings have been instituted in any court against an officer, Permanent Secretary or the Head of Department, the Commission shall not institute disciplinary proceedings against the officer upon any grounds arising out of criminal charge until after the court has determined the matter and the time allowed for an appeal from the decision of the court has expired; but where an officer, on conviction, has appealed, the Commission may commence proceedings after the withdrawl or determination of the appeal.” Applying the most elementary principle of common sense and logic to this situation, if a lowly ranked public servant has the kind of protection which rule 80 accords, does it not follow that the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, a high constitutional office holder who enjoys security of tenure similar to that of a judge of the Supreme Court, not entitled to, at a minimum, the same or, moreover, greater protection? Therefore, the Attorney General’s argument that one can move administratively against a public servant who is facing criminal proceedings. The striking similarity between the Attorney General’s contentions and that of the Chairperson of the Tribunal established to investigate Mr. Duncan’s removal from office, articulated when I appeared before that tribunal for Mr. Duncan over two weeks ago, has not escaped me.
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
COTED Urges Trinidad To Resolve Legal Issues Preventing Duck Imports From Suriname
Suriname duck farm De Doksenclub By Ivan Cairo Caribbean News Now contributor GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands - A trade dispute preventing Surinamese duck meat from entering the market in Trinidad and Tobago could be resolved as soon as the Trinidad government amends its Animal Act, a Trinidad official told the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on Friday. COTED has urged the Trinidad authorities to take the necessary steps to resolve the issue in a timely fashion. At the conclusion of its meeting at the end of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture 2016 in the Cayman Islands, COTED-chair and agriculture minister of Dominica,
Johnson Drigo, noted, however, that since legislative procedures could take some time Trinidad could not offer a timeline when the matter would be resolved definitely. Drigo said that the matter was discussed by the ministers and that “there was consensus on the undertakings given by both parties to work the situation out”. Since December 2015, Port-ofSpain has preventing the importation of meat from the Suriname duck farm De Doksenclub to Trinidad. Initially, Trinidad raised concerns that the processes at the duck facilities were not in conformity with international food safety measures. Once these issues were addressed to the satisfaction of the Trinidad veterinary authorities, Suriname was informed that legislation needed to be amended to allow Suriname to be
included on the schedule of countries that are allowed to export duck meat to Trinidad before De Doksenclub could receive an import licence. When subsequent bilateral discussions failed to resolve the dispute, Suriname’s agriculture minister Soeresh Algoe dropped the matter on the COTED table in April of this year. Shortly thereafter, on behalf of the Trinidadian authorities, the Caribbean Health and Food Safety Authority (CAHFSA) conducted a re-inspection of the facilities of De Doksenclub. “In general, from observations and explanations provided by the management of the facility and the Competent Authority of Suriname it can be reasonably stated that the facility has made every effort to comply with and remedy where necessary the requirements listed as non-conformances by Trinidad and Tobago,” the CAHFSA team that conducted the inspections said in its report. According to chief veterinary officer of Trinidad, David Kangaloo, the two countries “are close to resolving the issues”. “There is a draft cabinet note that has been prepared that will be taken to parliament. Once that is accepted and approved Suriname will have to be placed on the schedule to allow the legal imports of duck meat from Suriname,” the official said. He added that he was not able to give a timeline “because the legislative process takes a while”. (Caribbean News Now!)
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
St Kitts-Nevis Sugar Fund CEO Fired
Terrance Crossman BASSETERRE, St Kitts -- The chief executive officer at the St Kitts and Nevis Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF), Terrance Crossman, has been terminated. Crossman was handed a termination letter on Friday. The reasons for his dismissal are unclear. The dismissal comes days after Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris indicated during his most recent press conference that ongoing investigations into the foundation were just about completed and the SIDF will soon be brought under Parliamentary scrutiny, as promised by his Team Unity administration prior to the 2015 elections. “The legislative framework being pursued by two QCs in our country is substantially complete, last I inquired they should be submitting it to us by next week. However they advised that it would be helpful to get the final report to see how that can be tweaked in light of any issues that may be pertinent to the new governance agenda. The commitments which we made in the manifesto to greater transparency would certainly be embedded in the next legislative creation that we would bring in relation to the SIDF and it may be called another name so that we distance ourselves from that grievance and abomination it turned out to be,” Harris said. The SIDF and its operations have come under heavy criticisms over the years over its lack of transparency and accountability. It was sharply criticized also for the fact that it operates as a private entity with funds generated from the sale of citizenships -- a national commodity and privilege “We will not recoil from any of the commitments which we made with respect to the SIDF, that there must be public accountability, there must be regular reports being submitted to the parliament so that the people of the country can know more and become a part of what is happening with their patrimony,” Harris added.
He indicated at the most recent press conference that the SIDF investigation was virtually complete except for necessary consideration and review by cabinet. “What has happened is once you get in to the tangled web there’s a lot more work that needed to be done for them to bring the kind of assurances. We expect very shortly and before the budget presentation, to be able to make a statement to the country in relation to that. It is not unheard of either in relation to a regular audit that you can have delays more so for the investigative nature of this one because part of it is to go through a maze of documents, find them, verify them etc and there has been some element of a lack of cooperation from some of the entities involved and that of course led to some delays in the finalization of the report but the report is substantially complete,” Harris said. “The absence of control at the SIDF was so bad that it was difficult for them to be able to move with the speed that had been anticipated and you add that to the fact that the SIDF had not produced audited financial statements for a significant period of time, the last one perhaps would have been 2013 that they had provided audited reports. You add that to the fact that you had entities such as the Kittitian Hill Belmont Resort whose report would impact upon the financial statement statements of SIDF and their accounting was not up to date in terms of auditing, so it is those complexities that has led to a prolonged engagement with respect to Ernst & Young presenting its report to us,” Harris concluded. The controversial management of the SIDF by the former Denzil Douglas-led administration came in for some unpleasant findings following a preliminary review in May by multinational firm Ernst & Young. Speaking at a monthly press conference held in May 2015, Harris said that the review of the SIDF operations over the period 2010-2014, which he announced on March 15, had revealed some troubling initial findings. “The review has revealed that the SIDF was operated in a manner unbecoming of a multi-million dollar entity. The board of councilors and senior management operated with scant regard for proper procedures and best practices expected of those with fiduciary responsibilities,” Harris said. The SIDF was touted by former PM and now leader of the opposition, Dr Denzil Douglas, as a private foundation outside the ambit of government oversight. Under the Douglas administration the fund amassed hundreds of millions of dollars from the sale of St Kitts-Nevis citizenship for up to US$400,000 cash per citizenship. The SIDF was founded in September 2006 by the National Bank Trust Company, which is a subsidiary of the St Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank, a public limited company with the majority shareholder being the federal government of St Kitts and Nevis. (Caribbean News Now!)
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
Turks And Caicos Elections Postponed For Ten Days
Premier Dr Rufus Ewing By Caribbean News Now contributor PROVIDENCIALES, TCI -- General elections in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) have been postponed by ten days from the December 5, 2016, date that was announced by Premier Dr Rufus Ewing on Thursday. The elections will now be held on December 15, 2016. The surprise postponement was announced late on Saturday by newly-appointed British Governor Dr John Freeman, who said the earlier date "will not give officials sufficient time to prepare for the election, as envisaged by section 26 of the Elections Ordinance." "Whilst the date of 5 December would be compliant with the constitution," the governor said, "in consultation with the premier, it has been decided that it would be most expedient to postpone the date for the election." According to local media, the postponement resulted from
confusion over the calculation of the number of working days after the dissolution of the House of Assembly that an election can be called. When the premier dissolved the House last Thursday, no date was given for Nomination Day. In a statement on Sunday, Ewing said, "I am advised that the election day proclamation that was published in the Gazette on Friday announcing the date of the general election was in order by being in accordance with the TCI constitution. “However, there was an issue with the timelines under section 26 of the Election Ordinance and hence the procedures for the appointment of a nomination day and election day could not have been executed in the minimum time frame provided for by the constitution.” He noted that there were several options available to him as premier to rectify the situation to permit the supervisor of elections to carry out the procedures required under the Election Ordinance and he exercised
the option of recommending to the governor to change the date of the election to a date of his (Ewing’s) choosing, which is December, 15, 2016. “The governor having consulted with me on this date will now issue an amendment to that proclamation published on Friday, October 28, 2016,” Ewing said. “Contrary to the opinion touted by persons from other political camps, the decision to exercise the option to change the date of election was made after much consultation and consideration with the executives and several legal minds of the Progressive National Party who advised and supported my decision to recommend a change to the election date," he concluded. In concluding his statement on the matter, Freeman said, "I would propose that consideration of whether or not to amend the Elections Ordinance should be on the agenda for Cabinet once the House has been recalled following the election." (Caribbean News Now!)
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
Dominica PM And Cabinet Ministers Inspect Progress At Cabrits Resort Kempinksi
Construction in progress by Range Development at the Cabrits Resort Kempinski at Douglas Bay in Portsmouth ROSEAU, Dominica -- The prime minister of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit and his cabinet of Ministers joined the principals of Range Developments for a tour of the construction site of the Cabrits Resort Kempinski at Douglas Bay in Portsmouth last Wednesday. Skerrit said the project was important to the development of tourism in Dominica, and he congratulated Range Developments on the progress. “We must commend Range Developments,” Skerrit said. “Range has proven itself in the market. We are here as a show of our interest, of our commitment and our firm resolve of working with Range to ensure that this project comes to a successful completion to the benefit of all our citizens.” Mohammed Asaria, vice chairman of Range
Developments, said that he was delighted with the progress to date. “We have made a good start on the project, and we have received encouraging feedback on the number of jobs it has created already for local people,” he said. The resort will be Kempinski’s first luxury hotel project in the Caribbean, and is due to open in 2018. The Cabrits Resort Kempinski Dominica will be a 160-room hotel on Douglas Bay in Cabrits on the north shore of the island, close to the town of Portsmouth. The luxury hotel offers a unique opportunity as the first government approved real estate project under Dominica’s citizenship by investment (CBI) program. Investors are eligible to obtain Dominica citizenship by purchasing a share in the development for US$220,000 in a limited partnership structure. Dominica’s CBI program is aimed at encouraging investment in the country.
Investors not only have a chance to invest, but once they meet the stringent requirements, receive citizenship of the country, with all the benefits. “In our country Dominica, we pride ourselves on managing a very transparent CBI program, which meets the test of scrutiny from independent international agencies and government,” Skerrit said. “The due diligence process must continue to be uncompromising and robust in nature.” Range Developments is an international property company focusing on hotel resorts in the Caribbean. Range focuses on luxury developments that are well-designed, sustainable and desirable. Its Park Hyatt St Kitts, currently under construction and due to open early 2017, won the prestigious Best New Hotel Construction and Design St Kitts and Nevis award at The International Property Awards 2014-2015. It also won the coveted award of Best New Hotel Construction and Design in the Caribbean 2014-2015. (Caribbean News Now!)
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
CARICOM's 'Political Will' To Move Agriculture Forward Impresses Pacific Islands Neil Netaf, senior advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture in Vanuatu, says the Pacific Islands can learn much from what CARICOM has done in the agriculture sector By Kenton Chance
G
EORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands -- The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) may have made more progress in its agricultural sector than it realises, an official from the Pacific said, as his region took lessons from the Caribbean for its first Pacific Week of Agriculture, slated to take place next year. Neil Netaf, senior advisor to the ministry of agriculture in Vanuatu, praised what he described as a political will within CARICOM after observing “frank” discussions among CARICOM ministers during their closeddoor meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on Friday. COTED promotes trade and economic development of the CARICOM and oversees the operations of the Single Market and Economy. Friday’s meeting formed part of the one-week annual Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), which took place in the Cayman Islands from October 24 to 28. Vanuatu is preparing to host the first Pacific Week of Agriculture and agriculture stakeholders and the Netherlands-based Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Corporation (CTA), an African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States-European Union body, facilitated the participation in CWA 2016 of agriculture stakeholders from the Pacific. “What struck me here is the political will. I think that in all the small island countries, what I have seen here encourages me a lot -- how the government leaders have committed themselves to agriculture in the Caribbean,” Netaf said in an interview Friday after observing the COTED deliberations. “This is something that we wanted to see happen in the Pacific Island countries: the political will,” he added. He said that the number of leaders participating in the meeting demonstrates that political will, adding that he was also surprised that the private sector was invited to participate in meetings to devise ways forward for the agricultural sector. “I think it’s an open and straightforward discussion,” Netaf said, adding that sometimes, progress on discussions in the Pacific is hindered by diplomatic speak even when leaders should be frank with each other. “Very frankly, I love how the meeting was organised and the way people just speak openly and frankly on the issues,” he said. Like the CARICOM, the Pacific is also struggling with a high food import bill. While the figure was not immediately available, Netaf said he was surprised that CARICOM imports US$4 billion in food annually. “I think it is quite high,” he said, even as he noted that he considers his region’s food import bill to be high also. Another challenge that agriculture in the Caribbean and Pacific regions faces is the lack of
investment. CWA 2016 was held under the theme “Investing in Food and Agriculture”, with a heavy emphasis on youth entrepreneurship. Netaf said that Vanuatu is made up of 83 islands and 80 percent of the population is subsistence farmers. But infrastructure is lacking in a lot of areas. “So, if you talk about a value chain, there are a lot of hiccups as far as transport and warehouses with cold storage. I think that’s the difference compared to here with the smaller islands,” he said, adding that there is a ready market in the United States for Caribbean agricultural produce. “… for us in Vanuatu, the international market is there, but the infrastructure and logistics to get things out. Those are the challenges,” he said, adding that main market for local agriculture is the local consumer, mainly in the towns. To move agriculture forward in Vanuatu, roads and boats that have specific storage for agriculture are needed, Netaf said. CARICOM countries are adopting a number of strategies to encourage young people to take advantage of the opportunities in the agriculture sector and sometimes use the term “agripreneurs”, which Netaf said was new to him. Pacific Week of Agriculture is tentatively slated for May, and Netaf said the primary goal will be to get leaders to commit to the sector. “And we want to see in 2017 the beginning of a chapter in the Pacific for promoting, encouraging and developing agriculture in the Pacific region on a co-ordinated approach as has been done here in the Caribbean,” he said, noting that CWA started in 1999. Netaf said his country is not merely looking for a memorandum of understanding, but for Pacific leaders to commit to allocate resources to the industry, as well as national strategies. “Maybe it will be too early to develop a regional strategy but that’s something that we will actually dialogue on when we go back and then maybe have a draft circulated around a regional strategy for agriculture that all the Pacific countries can commit themselves to.” CWA 2016 also focused on value chains in the agriculture sector and Netaf also drew lessons from what has been done in CARICOM. “I was amazed to see cassava flour, cassava cake and all sorts of things; breadfruit as well. We have lots of breadfruit. So, practically, investing in the value chain of these products, it can work, and there are a lot of lessons for us from here that can be adopted in the Pacific Islands, or Vanuatu.” He said he will also encourage his region to adopt the idea of pushing local substitutes as a means of reducing its food import bill. “What I am pushing the minister now is for us to actually introduce an import substitution policy for the government. In Vanuatu, we have produced onions, we have produced broccoli, cauliflower -- all of the vegetables that we imported during the colonial days is planted. So, to discourage reliance on imports, we need to encourage import substitution policies. “I think that is the only way forward for the Pacific countries,” Netaf said, adding that there is also a role for the private sector in this regard. Like the Caribbean, he said his country sees a link between imported food and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and hypertension. “Mainly in the cities, but it’s actually branching out to the rural areas. What you find in the rural areas is that they will plant taro but the comeback from the farm, the only fast food they can get is rice. It needs a lot of co-ordinated effort to tackle this issue,” Netaf said. (Caribbean News Now!)
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
Press Association Condemns Use Of Legal Proceedings Against Media In Venezuela
MIAMI, USA -- The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) on Friday voiced a complaint that Venezuela is one of the countries in the Americas with most legal proceedings against journalists and news media, a mechanism used by the government, officials and state bodies to halt the dissemination of independent information and give rise to selfcensorship. The most recent incident involves the newspaper El Nuevo País, whose owner, Rafael Poleo, and a group of the news media outlet's journalists were sued by the president of the stateowned oil company Petróleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA), Eulogio del Pino, in mid-October on a charge of constant aggravated defamation, with the request that the court prohibit the newspaper from reporting about PDVSA. In addition to Poleo (in exile since 2009) the lawsuit also was filed against editorial board members Graciela Requena and Jurate Rosales, reporter Camilo Rey Luna and general supervisor Luis Camacho, all of whom are prohibited from leaving the country. Another 44 journalists, news media executives and private citizens have been facing legal action since 2013, accused by the authorities of the offenses of defamation, libel, domestic
violence, dispute over property ownership, legitimizing of assets, offence to the armed forces and dissemination of false information. The editor of the Caracas newspaper El Nacional, Miguel Henrique Otero, who is also facing several lawsuits for alleged defamation, declared that "the harassment of journalists and media is every day worse in Venezuela. All the journalists that have been subjected to criminal proceedings and precautionary measures continue under the same conditions, in fact, they are on the increase." "To this situation," said Otero, regional vice chairman of the IAPA's Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, "there should be added the excessive increase in repression of opponents and journalists, these latter regarded as serious enemies of the Bolivarian Revolution. Whoever has a camera or smart phone runs the risk of being brutally attacked by the repressive forces or paramilitary collectives. The few spaces of freedom of information that remain in the country are in grave danger of disappearing." IAPA president Matt Sanders, senior director and general manager of Deseret Digital Media in Salt Lake City, Utah, called attention to what he regarded as "an alarming industry of lawsuits brought by the Venezuelan authorities to amputate even more the independent press that in the country is facing numerous grievances." For his part Roberto Rock, chairman of the IAPA's Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, editor of La Silla Rota, Mexico City, Mexico, added, "The case of the Venezuelan media accused of committing alleged offenses also has the disadvantage of their having to face a system of justice without independence." The editor of the newspaper Correo del Caroní, David Natera, charged with defamation and libel, was sentenced
earlier this year to four years imprisonment with prohibition from leaving the country. He has to present himself to the court every 30 days, he was prevented from working, is subject to surveillance for one fifth of the length of his sentence, and the newspaper was ordered to abstain from publishing information about a case of corruption. Also charged with defamation and libel were the newspapers El Diario de Los Llanos, La Prensa and La Noticia, members of Congress Ismael García and Carlos Eduardo Berrizbeitia Giliberti and former member of Congress Carlos Humberto Tablante Hidalgo. The only journalist being held in prison in Venezuela is Braulio Jatar, director of the portal Reporte Confidencial, arrested on Margarita Island on September 3. Jatar, 58, who has dual Chilean and Venezuelan nationality, was accused of "legitimizing of assets," an offence that carries with it 10 to 15 years' imprisonment. The arbitrary arrest of the journalist, who is now in a maximum security prison subjected to poor treatment and whose case was made public by his sister, Ana Julia Jatar, in Mexico City during the IAPA General Assembly, is regarded as a retaliation for disseminating information about and videos of local anti-government demonstrations. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and its Office of Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression recently condemned actions by the Venezuelan government, among these the continual use of criminal law and other state controls to punish or prevent the work of the critical press, aimed at shutting down spaces of participation and prosecuting those who have exercised their right to freedom of expression. (Caribbean News Now!)
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
Caribbean Faces Serious Cyber Security Threats
Carlos Martinez, Chief Technology Officer, Latin America and the Caribbean Internet Addresses delivers a presentation on regional cyber security at Internet Week St Maarten in Philipsburg on October 24, 2016. Photo: LACNIC By Gerard Best PHILIPSBURG, St Maarten -- Keep it secret. And make sure it’s safe. Don’t use your real name, your birth date, or any single word. Instead, try a short phrase that includes some numerals and even some punctuation. Devising secure passwords for your online accounts and your family’s Internet-connected devices is simple enough, if you follow a few easy guidelines like these. But most people just don’t. And a major attack on a little-known company underscores how much of the security of the global Internet now depends on that unwitting majority of ordinary Internet users. On October 21, a distributed denial of service, or DDoS attack, brought down a relatively obscure US-based firm called Dyn. Those attacks are fairly common, and they use huge networks of malicious software called botnets to bring down a specific service. What made the DDoS attack on Dyn more troubling was that it set a
dangerous precedent. Dyn provides domain name system or DNS services, which support part of the critical infrastructure underlying the global Internet. By targeting companies that make up the backbone of the Internet, hackers can bring down all kinds of other services. Also disturbing is the fact that the hackers used networks of common smart devices like watches, TVs and refrigerators, to cause the major disruption. Analysts have linked the attack to the Mirai malware, which uses the Internet of Things, or IoT, as botnets. The Mirai source code was released on hacking websites in October. Analysts are also linking the Dyn attack to others that took place within a five-week span, each larger than the previous, and all using Mirai. On September 20, a 660 Gbps attack was launched on the KrebsOnSecurity blog. A one Tbps attack was also launched on French hosting provider OVH on the same day. “In the last two years, we’ve had multiple attacks, and the most recent attacks are using IoT devices,” said Mark Kosters, chief technology officer of the American Registry of Internet Numbers, the organisation that provides number resource allocation and registration services for North America and parts of the Caribbean.
He explained that smart devices present an easy target for hackers to turn into botnets because users typically fail to secure them properly. “A lot of the devices are vulnerable. It means that more and more homes are very quietly becoming potential sites of DDOS attacks,” he said. “Now, we all have to make sure that all of those devices that we have around the house are secure.” As smart devices proliferate, it will become easier for hackers to launch significant cyber attacks using unsecured IoT devices, unless ordinary end-users become more security-conscious. When it comes to cyber security, it turns out personal choices can have global consequences. And for the foreseeable future, it is the network of human beings who will have to keep the Internet of Things safe. The ARIN CTO was speaking on the second day of a technology conference jointly held by the Caribbean Network Operators Group and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in Philipsburg, St Maarten, from October 24 to 26. He copresented with Carlos Martinez, chief technology officer of the Latin America and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry (LACNIC), ARIN’s counterpart in the Caribbean, Central and South America. Also presenting on the technical, social and policy aspects of cyber security issues facing the Caribbean region were CaribNOG co-founder Bevil Wooding, an internet strategist with Packet Clearing House; Albert Daniels, ICANN senior manager for stakeholder engagement in the Caribbean; and Shernon Osepa, regional affairs manager for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Internet Society (ISOC). Supported by the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, Packet Clearing House and ArkiTechs, the event was part of Internet Week St Maarten, a five-day conference coordinated by the St Maarten telecommunications regulator, BTP and focused on developing the Caribbean Internet. The week ended with St Maarten on the Move, a two-day event jointly hosted by LACNIC and ISOC. (Caribbean News Now!)
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
New Report Says Regional GDP Will Shrink In 2016
CARTEGENA, Oct. 30, CMC – A new joint report by the Development Center of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Development Bank for Latin America (CAF) says that regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will shrink by between 0.9 percent and one percent this year. ECLAC says this will be the second consecutive year of negative growth and a rate of contraction the region has not seen since the early 1980s. According to the Latin American Economic Outlook 2017, the region should, however, recover in 2017, but with modest GDP growth of between 1.5 percent and two percent, still below expected growth in advanced economies. The report says the prolonged economic deceleration could jeopardize the region’s socio-economic progress. Based on the report, the organizations have called for investing in youth through better education, improved skills and entrepreneurship opportunities to ignite economic growth and build a
solid basis for long-term progress. The Outlook shows how social, ethnic, gender and geographical conditioning impacts individuals. It says nearly 30 million young people in the region are neither working nor engaged in education or training (NEET), which is 21 percent of the people in this age group, compared with 15 percent in OECD countries. It says another 19 percent of youths are in informal jobs. The report notes that women are particularly disadvantaged, making up 76 per cent of NEETS and occupying mainly unpaid jobs. It adds that at least six out of 10 youths living in poor households are NEETs, or working in the informal sector, and four out of 10 youths living in vulnerable middle-class households are NEETs, or in informal jobs. This compares to only two out of 10 from middle-class households, ECLAC said. “The region can gain from better including youth and offering quality education, skills and entrepreneurship opportunities in order to foster growth and inclusion,” said Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, at the launch of the report here at the
25th Ibero-American Summit. “The lack of good employment opportunities and the poor transition from school to work are hindering youth inclusion and disappointing expectations in our region,” she added. “Too many young people are left out of access to public services, savings and social mobility.” Although education in Latin America and the Caribbean has improved significantly in the last decade, the report says few students advance far enough up the education ladder to be productive later in life. The report says two out of three young people are not equipped to meet labor market needs for sophisticated technical, professional and management skills. At the same time, it says 50 percent of formal firms in the region report having difficulty filling jobs, compared to 36 percent in OECD countries. The report says countries must identify low performing students, improve the transition to higher levels of education and strengthen technical education and training. “Training programs should combine classroom and workplace learning to transition to formal jobs.” In this context, the report says 26 per cent of young entrepreneurs turn to entrepreneurship out of necessity, “because they have no better options for work,” compared with 16 percent in OECD countries. The report says barriers to entrepreneurship are 59 percent higher in Latin America and the Caribbean than in the OECD on average.
“The integration of young entrepreneurs in the region into global value chains is still limited, and they face challenges accessing financing, improving capacity building, developing business n e t w o r k s a n d a n entrepreneurial culture, accessing new markets, and overcoming regulatory barriers, even more so than their adult counterparts,” the report says. The Outlook recommends multidimensional policy support, such as complementing microcredits with lower regulatory barriers, linking young entrepreneurs with business networks, and expanding managerial and financial training. “Supporting access to broadband services, infrastructure and affordability to help youth make the most of the digital economy is also paramount,” ECLAC said. “Policy makers need to collect information and evaluate youth programs to design policies taking on board the current technological, political and social transformations that are metamorphosing the world of work and the environment, notably cities where 9 out of 10 youths in LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean) will live by 2050,” said Enrique García, CAF President and Chief Executive Officer. “At the same time, these investments should be programmed within a credible and sustainable fiscal framework,” he added. (Antigua Observer)
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
LIAT Flight Attendants Call On Management To Accept Responsibility For Issues Plaguing The Airline
ST JOHN’S, Antigua -- The Leeward Islands Flight Attendant Association (LIFAA) said it views the press release issued by LIAT’s management on October 25, 2016, as unfortunate and misleading, when acting CEO Julie Reifer-Jones maintained that the airline has sufficient crew to operate the current schedule. The release stated that the airline employs 76 cabin crew and that LIAT’s crew sickness levels for 2016 equates to 13%, a pattern that has been in existence for some time. It was also stated that, so far this year, LIAT has cancelled 261 flights and delayed a further 564 due to crew sickness. “LIFAA over the past years, despite pressure from many quarters, has maintained its silence and has refused to speak publicly on certain matters with regards to LIAT. However, the company has brought some of these matters pertaining to our members to the public, we are left with no other choice but to respond. We would have preferred if management would have discussed these issues with LIFAA internally. “When LIFAA had a meeting with management and asked the difference between the sickness rate now, and the sickness rate 11 years ago, why were we told that there is no difference; it is the same; there is no unusual spike in sickness?” the flight attendants association said in a testament on Sunday. According to LIFAA, LIAT does NOT have 76 cabin crew members, and said it is
surprised that even something as simple as knowing how many crew members the company has is unknown to management. “Our last count put cabin crew at 56 operational members. There are another 12 on extended leave due to injuries sustained on the job or maternity leave. LIFAA would like to categorically state that LIAT is indeed short of crew members,” it continued. LIAT does indeed have less crew because they have fewer planes, LIFAA noted, but the schedule has not been adjusted to achieve maximum efficiency. Currently, due to poor scheduling, if two cabin crew were unable to make it to work on any given day, there will be several cancellations. “How could an airline be run this way?” the flight attendants asked. Earlier this year, the airline made several cabin crew redundant, reportedly against the strong advice of LIFAA. At that time, they claimed they had more crew than was needed. Fast forward a few short months where, after taking the decision to make redundant several trained and experienced crew members, LIAT is apparently in a panic mode and has begun hiring new crew members to replace and even add to those already made redundant. These cabin crew members will need approximately two months to be trained before they can be put on active duty. This means that during the airline’s peak Christmas season, new crew members will be on training, as well as existing crew members will have to be taken off flights to train these new members, instead of having all hands on deck. LIFAA said it is certain it can be agreed upon that this lack of proper planning and ineffective management is highly inefficient, especially considering that it warned of this foreseeable debacle. “ L I FA A l o n g s f o r t h e d a y w h e n management realizes that it does NOT have all the answers. It takes a team effort to run LIAT in the best interests of the travelling public. We h a v e t r i e d o u r b e s t t o a s s i s t management on some of these very issues, and we have made repeated sacrifices, but our solution oriented advisories always seem to fall on deaf ears,” the flight
attendants said, adding, “Misleading statements to the public by LIAT is not the way forward. Accepting full responsibility is.” LIFAA said it will not standby and allow management to use its cabin crew as scapegoats, in order to hide from the public its ineffective management and incompetence in airline operations. LIFAA confirmed the accuracy of the recent statement made by Leeward Islands Airline Pilots' Association (LIALPA), in that there is indeed an existing roach infestation problem, but it is not only in the cockpits but in the passenger cabins as well. “We have already expressed our concerns about the type of chemicals being used to rectify this situation and have asked management for more details as to the harmful effects these chemicals can have on human health,” the flight attendants said. LIFAA also agreed with LIALPA’s statement that, even though LIAT recorded a profit in the first half of this year, management has yet to recognize that this would not have been achieved without dedicated and hard working flight and cabin crew. There would have been no profits achieved if cabin crew did not make the sacrifice of working 12-13 hours per day, and without the company scheduling meal breaks, the flight attendants noted. “LIALPA is telling the travelling public the truth, and we stand in solidarity with them, because hiding the truth to cover managerial and operational flaws does not help LIAT to be successful,” LIFAA said. LIFAA assured the travelling public that it will continue to be committed and dedicated to serving passengers to the best of its ability, and to ensure that they receive the “reliable” product that they desire and deserve. “However, we can only do so much, as we are not responsible for making managerial decisions such as crew employment, working conditions, operational scheduling, and other critical matters. “We hope that management will refrain from making inaccurate statements to the public, where we will always be ready to clarify and set the record straight, LIFAA concluded. (Caribbean News Now!)
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
Mosul Battle: Iraqi Forces Near City's Eastern Outskirts
Counter Terrorism Service forces entered Bazwaya after a dawn assault on Monday(AFP)
I
raqi special forces are now less than 1.5km from the eastern outskirts of Mosul and are preparing to enter the city held by Islamic State fighters. Hundreds of Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) troops entered Bazwaya, the last village before the city limits, after launching a dawn assault on Monday. A BBC correspondent travelling with them says there was some resistance, with car bombs targeting the convoy. Units of the army's ninth division are meanwhile advancing from the south. Earlier, the military announced the start of an operation to retake Mosul's "left bank", a reference to the eastern side of the River Tigris, which flows through the city from north to south. The BBC's Ian Pannell, who is with a CTS unit,
says the assault on Bazwaya, about 3km (1.9 miles) from Mosul, began early on Monday. Hundreds of troops in heavily-armoured Humvees, together with tanks and bulldozers, advanced on the village, supported by US-led coalition air strikes, our correspondent adds. Within hours the head of the Iraqi military's Nineveh Operations Command, Lt-Gen Abdul Amir Yarallah, announced that they had entered Bazwaya and raised the Iraqi flag. Our correspondent says that a column of troops is now probing different parts of Mosul's outskirts, as commanders make a plan about where to go next. Map showing territory held by Iraqi army, Kurdish forces and IS around Mosul One senior officer told the Associated Press news agency that they aimed to enter the city limits later on Monday, while another told Reuters they were already fighting in the Karama district. CTS commander Lt Gen Abdul
Wahhab al-Saidi denied that the troops had entered Karama. But he did say that they were moving on Kokajili, an industrial zone west of Bazwaya that lies about 1km from Mosul's municipal boundary. It had been expected the CTS would halt its advance until troops and allied fighters on other frontlines also reached the outskirts of Mosul. Gen Yarallah announced earlier that the army's ninth division had taken control of the village of Ellag, 17km (10 miles) south of Mosul. Army units also recaptured a number of villages to the south-east and north, the military said, while federal police are moving north from the town of Shura towards Hamam alAlil. About 50,000 Iraqi security forces personnel, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen are involved in the two-week-old offensive to drive IS militants out of their last major urban stronghold in the country. Mosul fell to the jihadists in June 2014 and their leader chose a mosque in the city as a place to proclaim the establishment of a "caliphate". Before the offensive began on 17 October, there were believed to be between 3,000 and 5,000 militants remaining in Mosul, along with up to 1.5 million civilians. More than 17,700 residents have fled so far and, according to the UN's worst-case scenario, as many as 700,000 others could follow suit. (BBC)
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
NHL Goalie's 'Hell of A Game' For Cancer-stricken Wife
It was Nicholle Anderson who encouraged Craig to return and play(TWITTER) By all accounts, it was a great game for Ottawa Senators goalie Craig Anderson. He helped his team to 20 victory against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday, shutting out 37 shots on goal. But Anderson had not been expected to play in that
National Hockey League (NHL) game in Edmonton at all. He was supposed to be on personal leave to be with his wife, Nicholle, who was recently diagnosed with cancer, but she was the one who urged him to play. She encouraged Anderson to return to the rink after backup goalie Andrew Hammond was injured, leaving the team without key
experience in net. "Nicholle wanted Craig to phone me," said Senators general manager Pierre Dorion. "She was the one who said, 'Craig, your teammates need you right now.'" A day earlier, Dorion announced on Anderson's behalf that his wife had been diagnosed with cancer, but that the goalie was coming back to play in Sunday's game. The team rallied around the emotional goaltender after the ďŹ nal horn at the end of the game. "We did everything we could to help him but he played a hell of a game himself," said team captain Erik Karlsson following the game. Rival Oilers fans also stuck around to cheer Anderson, who received the game's ďŹ rst star award. So did Oilers goalie Cam Talbot. Head coach Guy Boucher told reporters after the game that "we really love hockey, it's a great game. But there are things that are bigger". (BBC)
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
Diwali Fireworks Choke Delhi, Angering Indians
Authorities issued pollution warnings in Delhi ahead of Diwali(AP) Angry residents of the Indian capital, Delhi, are sharing images of smog, one day after Diwali celebrations saw huge quantities of fireworks set off. Levels of pollutants in the air were 30 t i m e s t h e Wo r l d H e a l t h Organisation's recommended level in one neighbourhood. Authorities had warned that Delhi faced a polluted Diwali because of factors like humidity and wind speed. Diwali, the most important Hindu festival in north India, celebrates the victory of good over evil. On Monday morning, visibility across the city was extremely low, thanks to a thick blanket of smog covering the city. Residents were advised to stay indoors. Levels of tiny particulate matter (known as PM 2.5) that reaches deep into the lungs more than doubled within a few hours on Monday to 750 micrograms per cubic metre in the
worst affected parts, India's Central Pollution Control Board said That is 30 times a mean guideline set by the World Health Organization (WHO) of 25 micrograms per cubic metre on average over a 24-hour period. The US embassy in Delhi said its air pollution index late on Sunday had breached the "hazardous" upper limit level of 500, at which it stops measuring levels of particulate matter. Gufran Beig, chief scientist at India's state-run System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar), told AFP news agency: "Almost 60-70% of the smoke came from the firecrackers." Safar said there was a "serious risk" of respiratory problems for people living in Delhi and advised against physical activities. Delhi, a city of 16 million people, is the 11th most polluted city in the world, according to a report released by the WHO in May. On the days before the festival, the air quality there was already bad. Authorities have tried to address the
issue, including banning old trucks from entering the city and briefly trialling a scheme that limited private vehicle usage to alternate days. But experts say such measures have done little to reduce pollution. During the winter months, Delhi's pollution is aggravated by many of the city's poor burning rubbish at night to stay warm. Agricultural waste is also set on fire across thousands of hectares around Delhi to clear cropland, which burns for days on end. Meanwhile, a new study by the UN's children's fund, Unicef, said that nearly one in seven children in the world breathes outdoor air at least six times dirtier than international guidelines recommend. Most of them live in South Asian cities, many in northern India. Air pollution is also a leading cause of premature death in India, with about 620,000 people dying every year from pollutionrelated diseases, says the WHO. Grey line For some they are an opportunity to show off wealth. Business families spend hundreds of thousands of rupees to buy fireworks which are then used in the course of a single night. Fireworks are also big business in India, with thousands of families employed in related factories. Before Diwali there were several campaigns asking people to cut down on the use of fireworks. Similar initiatives in the past have got little attention. How have people reacted to the smog? Many have been very angry. The hashtag #smog was a trending topic on Twitter India. "Good show last night, Delhi. Now choke!" read one angry tweet from user Pratik Prasenjit. (BBC)
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
Clinton Emails: FBI Chief May Have Broken Law, Says Top Democrat
Mr Comey has come under fire from Democrats over the move(AP) The Democratic leader in the US Senate says the head of the FBI may have broken the law by revealing the bureau was investigating emails possibly linked to Hillary Clinton. Harry Reid accused FBI director James Comey of violating an act which bars officials from influencing an election. News of the FBI inquiry comes less than two weeks before the US election. The bureau has meanwhile obtained a warrant to search a cache of emails belonging to a top Clinton aide. Emails from Huma Abedin are believed to have been found on the laptop of her estranged husband, former congressman Anthony Weiner. There are reportedly 650,000 emails to search through on the laptop, making it unlikely investigators can give a verdict on them before election day. Mr Reid also accused Mr Comey of withholding "explosive information about close ties between [Republican candidate] Donald
Trump, his top advisers, and the Russian government". "The public has a right to know about this information. I wrote to you months ago calling for this information to be released to the public," Mr Reid said. The FBI believes the emails might be "pertinent" to its previous inquiry into Mrs Clinton's use of a private server when she was secretary of state in the Obama administration. The case was closed in July without any charges being brought against Mrs Clinton. Mr Weiner is subject to a separate investigation on suspicion of sending sexually explicit messages to an underage girl. 'Partisan actions' In a letter, Mr Reid accused Mr Comey of practising double standards with the intention of helping one political party over another. He said Mr Comey may have violated the Hatch Act, which bars officials from using their position to influence an election. "Through your partisan actions, you may have broken the law," he said. Richard Painter, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School and the chief White House ethics
lawyer from 2005 to 2007, revealed on Sunday he had filed a complaint against the FBI with the Office of Special Counsel, which investigates Hatch Act violations. Writing in the New York Times he said: "I never thought that the FBI could be dragged into a political circus surrounding one of its investigations. Until this week." What is the Hatch Act? The act, passed in 1939, prevents federal employees from using their positions to benefit a particular political party. It also applies to some state, Washington DC and local government employees. The legislation was named after Senator Carl Hatch of New Mexico, who campaigned against federal employees' political activities during elections. It was amended in 1993 to clarify that most federal staff can work on partisan campaigns in their own time. With little more than a week to go before the 8 November election, opinion polls suggested that Mrs Clinton's lead against Mr Trump was tightening even before the email controversy surfaced again. An ABC News/Washington Post poll published on Sunday put Mrs Clinton just one percentage point ahead. Mrs Clinton has described Mr Comey's actions as "unprecedented" and "deeply troubling". But Mr Trump has praised the FBI's decision, accusing the justice department of protecting Mrs Clinton in a "rigged system". "The department of justice is trying their hardest to protect the criminal activity of Hillary Clinton," Mr Trump told a rally in Nevada. It emerged on Sunday that the department had urged the FBI not to inform Congress of the new inquiry so close to the election. (BBC)
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
Italy Quake: At Least 15,000 In Temporar y Shelters
Drone footage shows the extent of the damage to the basilica of San Benedetto in Norcia Italy's most powerful earthquake since 1980 has left more than 15,000 people homeless, according to the country's civil protection agency. No-one was killed in Sunday's quake but 20 people were injured and there is extensive damage in and around Norcia. The 6.6-magnitude quake struck near the central region where nearly 300 people were killed by a quake in August. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is due to chair a meeting of his cabinet to discuss e m e r g e n c y reconstruction. Mr Renzi said that Italy's soul was unsettled. It was an "enormous relief" that no-
one had died this time, he added. The earthquake struck on Sunday morning, destroying buildings or rendering them structurally unsafe in several towns and villages in the mountainous central region.Many of those affected are living with relatives or friends, but the civil protection agency said it was providing assistance to 15,000, with 10,000 accommodated in tents and converted sports halls. Thousands spent the night in their cars or under canvas. Hotels on the Adriatic coast are sheltering some 4,000. More than 100 aftershocks were registered overnight into Monday, including one of magnitude 4.2. Tremors from the latest earthquake were felt in the capital Rome, more than
100km (60 miles) away from the epicentre near the historic town of Norcia. The Rome metro system was closed on Sunday; an early 20th Century bridge, Ponte Mazzini, has been shut to traffic after cracks appeared; and a crack was visible on the facade of St Paul's Basilica, one of the four principal papal churches. In Norcia, in the Umbria region, locals have been demanding tents rather than moving out of the town. Some decided to stay in their homes. Norcia resident Stefano Boldrini, who is now living in a van with his eight-year-old daughter, was asked if they planned to stay in the area. "How could we? There's no more school, or church, or police station. There's nothing here any more," he said. The medieval basilica of St Benedict in Norcia was among many historic buildings destroyed. An evacuation of vulnerable buildings in central Italy last week, following strong aftershocks from August's quake, may have saved lives. Officials said three people were dug out of the rubble alive in the town of Tolentino on Sunday.
Sunday's quake - 6.6 as measured by the US Geological Survey - came on top of August's quake and two last week of magnitude 5.5 and 6.1. Other towns and villages to have suffered damage include Castelsantangelo, Preci, Ussita and Arquata. Central Italy has seen several major quakes in recent years. Earthquakes which devastated the town of L'Aquila in 2009 and Amatrice in August this year killed about 300 people each. But they both measured 6.2 and were deeper than Sunday's earthquake. Italy's most violent earthquakes since 1900 October 2016 - Norcia, central Italy, magnitude 6.6, no deaths reported so far November 1980 Campania, southern Italy (Naples badly hit), magnitude 6.9, up to 5,000 killed July 1930 - Irpinia, Campania, magnitude 6.6, 1,400 killed January 1915 - L'Aquila, magnitude 6.7, more than 30,000 killed December 1908 - Strait of Messina, magnitude 7.1, up to 200,000 killed by earthquake and tsunami September 1905 Calabria, magnitude 7.2, up to 2,500 killed by tsunami (BBC)
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 38
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
Turkey Detains Opposition Cumhuriyet Journalists
Cumhuriyet has long been a thorn in the government's side(EPA) Turkish police have detained the editor and several writers of opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet amid a crackdown on media after the failed July coup. The journalists are suspected of links to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused of plotting the coup, as well as Kurdish militants. Cumhuriyet is Turkey's oldest secular paper. At the weekend, 15 other media outlets were closed and 10,000 civil servants were dismissed. Those targeted include academics, teachers, health workers, prison guards and forensics experts. Critics have accused President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of using an emergency law imposed after the coup
attempt to silence opponents. Since then, a total of about 110,000 people have been sacked or suspended and 37,000 arrested. The government argues that Mr Gulen's network of followers is so vast that a wholesale purge is needed. Cumhuriyet editor Murat Sabuncu and eight other newspaper staff were detained o n M o n d a y, i n c l u d i n g columnists Aydin Engin and Guray Oz, state news agency Anadolu reported, Arrest warrants were also issued for other staff, including Cumhuriyet's previous editor Can Dundar, who resigned in August after being sentenced to five years in prison for revealing state secrets involving Turkey's operations in Syria. He fled Turkey when he was freed pending an appeal. Turkey
is currently under a state of emergency, imposed after the failed coup three months ago, in which more than 270 people died. A few copies of Monday's edition had been left at the gates of Cumhuriyet's premises. The headline read simply: "Coup against opposition." The story was about the suspension of thousands of civil servants and other laws introduced under emergency decrees. Only hours afterwards, the editor-in-chief and several writers were detained and arrest warrants issued for over a dozen of the paper's executives. An investigation into Cumhuriyet executives was launched in August amid allegations that some of its reports had legitimised the coup attempt. Cumhuriyet is one of the last few remaining opposition papers in Turkey. It was awarded the Freedom of the Press prize by Reporters Without Borders last year and received the Right Livelihood Award, known as the alternative Nobel Peace Prize. Last week, 15 Kurdish and leftist newspapers were closed down under emergency laws. Now the opposition fears they might be silenced even further. (BBC)
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 39
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
South Africa Drops Charges Against Finance Minister Gordhan
The efforts of Pravin Gordhan (C) to rein in government spending have won him respect(GETTY IMAGES) South Africa's chief prosecutor has dropped fraud charges against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. Mr Gordhan had described the allegations as without merit and politically motivated. News of the charges earlier this month rattled the financial markets and the South African rand fell more than 3%. The finance minister has been seen as standing up to President Jacob Zuma in cabinet and has warned against corruption becoming rampant. He was appointed for a second stint in the job late last year after the president's preferred candidate lasted just a few days. The fraud c h a rg e s r e l a t e d t o a l l e g e d severance payments made to a senior executive at the South
African Revenue Service (Sars), when it was under Mr Gordhan's leadership 10 years ago. After reviewing the charges, the head of South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Shaun Abrahams, said there had been no criminal intent. This is the latest in a series of blunders relating to the finance ministry that have cost South Africa's economy millions of dollars. Many had alleged that the fraud case against Mr Gordhan was politically motivated and the NPA's U-turn plays into those claims. It seems to have buckled under pressure following the public outcry against the decision to charge Mr Gordhan. Dozens of high-profile South Africans, including 100 stalwarts of the governing African National Congress had rallied behind the minister, seeing the charges as a political ploy aimed at ousting him
from office so that the treasury could be looted by corrupt people. The debacle has raised questions about the independence of the NPA and whether it has been reduced to a political tool. At a news conference on Monday, Mr Abrahams rejected criticism that the original charges had been politically motivated. He said that everyone was treated equally before the law, and that laying charges and reviewing them was normal practice, IOL news website quotes him as saying. He added that he did not owe anyone an apology and dismissed calls for him to resign. The financial markets reacted positively to the news and there was a spike in the value of the currency when it broke. When President Zuma sacked Nhlanhla Nene as finance minister last December, replacing him with David van Rooyen, the widelycriticised move sent the rand to record lows and caused the stock market to tumble. Within a few days Mr Gordhan was appointed in Mr Van Rooyen's place - a move designed to quell market discontent and restore some confidence. Many analysts believe that President Zuma would like to replace Mr Gordhan, who had previously served as South Africa's finance minister from 2009 until 2014. (BBC)
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 41
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
Dutch Politician Geert Wilders Boycotts Hate-speechWildersTrial crossed a line when he
Anna Holligan reports: "Geert Wilders is refusing the attend the trial” Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders has failed to turn up for a trial where he is charged with racial discrimination and inciting hatred. The charges were brought after he led a chant for fewer Moroccans in the Netherlands at a rally 18 months ago. Mr Wilders, leader of the Dutch Freedom Party (PVV), said the trial at Schiphol,
was political and "a travesty". If convicted, he faces a fine and a year in prison. Mr Wilders has repeatedly criticised Islam, calling for the Koran to be banned and for the closure of all mosques in the Netherlands. 'Political trial' The trial, in a highsecurity courtroom, heard that 6,474 complaints had been made in response to Mr Wilders' remarks at a rally in 2014. A sample of 35 complaints was read out. Prosecutors argued that Geert
asked supporters if they wanted "fewer or more Moroccans" in the Netherlands. After supporters chanted back "fewer", he replied: "We'll organise that." Mr Wilders denounced the trial as an attempt to suppress freedom of speech. “This is a political process, and I refuse to co-operate with it. We have to talk about politics in parliament, not in the courtroom," he said in a statement read by his lawyer. But the prosecutor insisted Mr Wilders was wrong to assume that as a politician his remarks were exempt from laws on hate speech. In 2011, Mr Wilders was acquitted of incitement after being accused of encouraging hatred towards Muslims. The latest trial comes as opinion polls suggest the PVV is consistently faring well in polls, ahead of parliamentary elections in March. The party is currently second, behind Prime Minister Mark Rutte's liberal VVD, and is predicted to win 23 seats in the 150-seat parliament. (BBC)
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 42
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
Tippi Hedren Claims Alfred Hitchcock S e x u a l l y A s s a u l tThene hedstartedHadding e threats, r
Hedren said Hitchcock vowed to ruin her career after she rejected him(GETTY IMAGES) Actress Tippi Hedren has claimed Alfred Hitchcock sexually harassed her while they worked together in the 1960s. Writing in her autobiography, she claimed the director "threw himself" on top of her in the back of his limousine and tried to kiss her. The actress described the encounter as "an awful, awful moment". Hedren added that she didn't tell anyone because "sexual harassment and stalking were terms that didn't exist" in the early 1960s. She continued: "Besides, he was Alfred Hitchcock, one of Universal's superstars, and I was just a lucky little blonde model he'd rescued from relative obscurity.
Which one of us was more valuable to the studio, him or me?" 'Shocked and repulsed' Hedren appeared in The Birds in 1963 and the following year starred in Marnie - both of which were directed by Hitchcock. The actress, now 86, made the claims in her autobiography Tippi: A Memoir, which is published in November. She has spoken in the past about the director's alleged treatment of her, but has gone into more detail in the memoir. Hedren described a later encounter in Hitchcock's office where the director "suddenly grabbed" her and "put his hands" on her. She wrote: "It was sexual, it was perverse, and it was ugly, and I couldn't have been more shocked and more repulsed. "The harder I fought him, the more aggressive he became.
as if he could do anything to me that was worse than what he was trying to do at that moment." After refusing his demands, Hedren said Hitchcock "looked directly into my eyes, his face red with rage, and promised, 'I'll ruin your career.'" The actress said Hitchcock then made her life difficult, refusing to submit her work for the Oscar nominations or let her take on other acting roles while he still had her under contract. Hedren, whose daughter Melanie Griffith is also an actress, said: "I've made it my mission ever since to see to it that while Hitchcock may have ruined my career, I never gave him the power to ruin my life." She went on to say that, despite his treatment of her, she felt "a wave of sadness" when he died in 1980. "It surprised everyone that I went to Hitchcock's funeral," she wrote, adding: "As far as I was concerned, there was no unfinished business between us, nothing more that needed to be said. "I'd already healed and moved on by the time Hitchcock died, far past anything I'd ever imagined for myself. So in the e n d , I w a s t h e r e t o s a y, 'Goodbye, and thank you, Hitch.'" (BBC)
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 44
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
Nepal Drains Dangerous Everest Lake
The lake had its water levels lowered by over 3m(DEPARTMENT OF HYDROLOGY AND METEOROLOGY) Nepal's army says it has finished draining a dangerous glacial lake near Mount Everest to a safe level. The Imja glacial lake, at nearly 5,000m (16,400ft) high, was in danger of flooding downstream settlements, trekking trails and bridges. The lake, which was originally 149m deep in places, has had its water levels lowered by 3.4m after months of painstaking work, officials say. Imja is one of thousands of glacial lakes in the Himalayas. Many of the lakes are said to be filling up fast because of accelerated melting of glaciers amid rising global temperatures. Last year's earthquake in Nepal is also feared to have further destabilised Lake Imja.
The military said the project to make it safe was the highest drainage project of its kind, with army personnel and Sherpas working for six months to construct an outlet to gradually release the water. After the outlet was constructed, nearly four million cubic metres of water was released - in a process that took two months. Top Khatri, the project's manager with the department of hydrology and meteorology, told the BBC the process would now be applied to other lakes. "It was a pilot project that we completed without any unfortunate incident and now this model will be replicated to reduce risks in other glacial lakes as well," Mr Khatri said. The project was also challenging because of the heavy snow and the dangers of working at high altitude. Officials said teams could only work safely for a few hours each day. "We suffered
from some level of stress and fatigue as we were working at this high altitude and extreme location," Lt-Col Bharat Shrestha, who headed the army team, told the BBC from the Everest region. "In the beginning, a few people had to be evacuated as they suffered from high altitude sickness but gradually we all acclimatised ourselves to this place." The draining of the lake is a part of a UN project to help Nepal deal with the impact of climate change. The UN provided nearly $3m in funding to lower the lake's water levels. Early warning systems have also been installed for communities downstream. However, many local Sherpas feel too much attention has been given to Imja, with alarmist media reports panicking locals, while the risks posted by other glacial lakes are ignored by officials. "We live in fear that we might be surprisingly hit by floods from glacial lakes that are becoming dangerous but have not received any attention," said Nimji Sherpa, a leader in Thamo village. Glacial lakes have broken their banks in Nepal more than 20 times since the early 1960s. Three of those incidents have been in and around the Everest region. (BBC)
INTERNATIONAL PAGE 45
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016
It’s Halloween feared by the multitude. It was believed that the souls of the dead revisited their homes seeking hospitality. Places were set at the dinner table and by the fire to welcome them. People would normally leave food and wine on their doorsteps to welcome them, and only step out their houses wearing masks to blend with the lost souls. Influence of Christianity
H
alloween is a yearly celebration that has become the craze between believers and skeptics. No longer considered a ceremonial liturgical time, but mostly seen as a yearly celebration in which the multitude dress in outfits that could be scary, ridiculous and provocative or the mixture of all. Halloween has become a fassionist runway, copied by the globe.
Ancient Illustration of the Celtic festival Samhain But what is Halloween? It all goes back around 2000 years ago to the ancient Celtic (Indo-Europeans) festival known as ‘Samhain’ celebrated on November 1st. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the ‘darker half’ of the year. October 31st, the night before Smhain, it was seen as a liminal time when the boundary between this world and the world of the death thinned. A night in which the spirits, ghost and faded gods called ‘Aos Si’ were particularly active. This entities were both respected and
Around the 8th the century, the Christian church turned Samhain into ‘All Hallows’ Eve or the evening before All Hollow’s day. All hollow’s Day or All Saints day is a Cristian festival celebrated in honor of all the saints, known and unknown. It occurs on different dates in different Christian traditions, but is mostly observed on November 1st. During this day, the devotees will place candles on the tomb or around the headstone of their loved ones, making a night vigil. The commemoration serves to keep the spiritual bond between those in heaven and the living world. The day that follows is celebrated as ‘El Dia de los Muertos’ or ‘Day of the Death’, to honor those who passed away. Even though All hollow’s day’s is widely celebrated in a rich quantity of countries, the Day of the Death is mostly popular in Mexico, Guatemala, Spain and Portugal. Around the 16th century All Hallows Eve, was later shortened to ‘Halloween’. The ceremony was gaining in popularity around northwest Europe, transforming it into festival. Household festivities would include games meant to divine someone’s future, luck and death. Apple bobbing (catching apples with your teeth, from a bucket full of water), mirror gazing or scrying (look into a place reflective surface looking for divine messages) and the light of bonfire on the doorsteps were latter incorporated. From death Ceremony to joyful Festival. The ‘trick or treat’ was originated in Medieval Britain, traditionally known as ‘ S o u l i n g ’ . O n A l l H o l l o w s D a y, November 1st, the needies would beg for
cake strips, known as ‘soul cakes’, in return , they would pray for the death relatives of those who provided. During this time, young people would dress in scary costumes and accept food, money, wine and other offerings in exchange for singing, reciting poetry or telling jokes. In 19th century America, Irish-Scottish immigrants revived this old traditions. The result was treat-or-treating. At first it was more about the tricks, in the form pranks and hijinks and then the treats. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that the costume took on a family-friendly and kidcentered form. Today Halloween is a big business with people around the world spending billions of dollars in treats and costumes annually. According to recent studies, in America 6 billion dollars are spent in treats and 2.5billion in costumes yearly, making it the second most commercial holyday after Christmas. With the pass of time, Halloween ‘evolved’ from the most fearful day of the year, to one of the most awaited.
(From TOP to BOTTOM) 'All Souls Day' celebrated in Dhaka Bangladesh; Day of the death celebrated in Mexico http://www.history.com/topics/halloween
INTERNATIONAL
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
PAGE 47
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
A Day Like Today
Erik Weisz 'The Great Houdini’ ‘Harry Handcuff Houdini’ the most celebrated magician and escape artist of the 20th century, died of peritonitis in a Detroit hospital a day like today, 1926. Twelve days before, Houdini had been talking to a group of students after a lecture in Montreal when he commented on the strength of his stomach muscles and their ability to withstand hard blows. Suddenly, one of the students punched Houdini twice in the stomach. The magician hadn’t had time to prepare, and the blows ruptured his appendix. He fell ill on the train to Detroit, and, after performing one last time, was hospitalized. Doctors operated on him, but the burst appendix poisoned his system, and on October 31 he died. Houdini was born Erik Weisz on March 24th 1874, in Budapest, Hungary to a Jewish family. His father was a Rabbi (a Jewish scholar or teacher). He was one of seven children. The family moved to the United States in 1878, period in which they changed their names and last names for a more German spelling.
Houdini performing some of his most memorable acts Erick became Ehrich and Weisz was transformed into Weiss. Ehrich took several jobs, but at the age of nine joined a travelling circus a trapeze artist calling himself ‘Ehrich, the Prince of the Air’. He demonstrated a natural acrobatic ability and an extraordinary skill at picking locks. The young artist started to call himself ‘Harry Houdini’, after reading a biography of French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin in 1890. Ehrich, now Houdini went on his first international tour in 1900 and performed all over Europe to great acclaim. He then started to be known as ‘Harry Handcuff Houdini’. In executing his escapes, he relied on strength, dexterity, and concentration. He became a great entertainer. From 1907 throughout the 1910s, Houdini performed with great success in the United States. His acts would be filled with thrilling and dramatic escapes. The revolutionary of his performances, place his image on high standards. He was no longer Harry Houdini, now he was ‘The Great Houdini’. One of his more
memorable acts were, he being bound and then locked in an ironbound chest that was dropped into a water tank or thrown off a boat. One of his favorite performance was, being heavily bound and then suspended upside down in a glass-walled water tank. He would commonly request to be hung from skyscraper in a straitjacket, or bound and buried under six feet of dirt. Many of these challenges were arranged with local merchants in one of the first uses of mass tie-in marketing. People loved him. In his later years, Houdini campaigned against mediums, mind readers, fakirs, and others who claimed supernatural talents but depended on tricks. At the same time, he was deeply interested in spiritualism and made a pact with his wife Bess and friends that the first to die was to try and communicate with the world of reality from the spirit world. Several of these friends died, but Houdini never received a sign from them. Before Houdini died, he and his wife agreed that if Houdini found it possible to communicate after death, he would communicate the message ‘Rosabelle believe’. Rosabelle was their favorite song. Then, on Halloween 1926, Houdini himself passed on at the age of 52. His wife waited for a communiqué from the spirit world but it never came. Today Houdini is remembered as one of the graters magician of the 20th century. The man that renovated the art of optical illusion for the centuries to come. In a posthumous ceremony on October 31, 1975, Houdini was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
S o u r c e : http://www.thegreatharryhoudini.com/
FUN CORNER PAGE 48
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
HALLOWEEN EYEBALL WREATH 4
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CLASSIFIEDS PAGE 50
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GUYANA DAILY NEWS
VACANCY
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HOROSCOPE PAGE 51
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
Daily Horoscope
Source: www.starlightastrology.com
Your changing attitudes may be causing concern for your partner. It might be best to work on your own; if possible, do your job out of your home today. Be careful not to confuse issues when discussing the matters at hand.
Outbursts of passion may cause arguments with your mate. Take care of your personal needs. Having your own business is a good idea.
You may need help with your financial situation. You're apt to make a move or experience changes at home. You may need the space, but you need the extra cash more.
Get busy. Be careful not to misplace your wallet or belongings. You have to know what your boss wants if you expect to do your job correctly.
Romantic encounters are evident through travel or educational pursuits. Don't make financial contributions in order to impress others. You will find yourself tied to the phone.
Secret affairs may be tempting, but keep in mind that they will damage your reputation if you decide to indulge. Relationships will form if you get out and do things that you enjoy. Romance could develop through social activities or short trips.
You will get along well in social situations. Escapist tendencies will result in a poor reputation and a lack of confidence. You will have no problem getting along with clients.
Think before you act. Try not to overspend on friends or family. Travel will lead you in new directions.
You may find it necessary to confront a situation that has gotten out of hand. Do not let others exhaust you financially. If you put your energy into physical outlets you will avoid confrontations.
Try to be understanding. Satisfy your passionate mood. Your disciplined attention to jobs will enhance your position.
Don't expect new acquaintances to be completely honest about themselves. Daydreaming will be your downfall. You will be in the mood for entertainment.
You may find that getting together with colleagues after hours will be worthwhile. Work quietly behind the scenes. Look for something entertaining to do. You've got that competitive edge.
RECIPE PAGE 53
GUYANA DAILY NEWS
Ingredients
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
CHICKEN BACON RANCH CASSEROLE
4 slices bacon, diced 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs*, cut into 1inch chunks 1 tablespoon COCAMAR* cooking oil 1 tablespoon Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix, or more, to taste 8 ounces DOST* pasta 1 ¹⁄ cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves FOR THE SAUCE 2 tablespoons PALMBOOM* butter 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup heavy cream, or more, to taste ¹⁄ cup freshly grated cheese Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Preparation Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9×9 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray. To make the alfredo sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in heavy cream. Cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more heavy cream as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; reserving 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. In a gallon size Ziploc bag, add chicken, 1 tablespoon olive oil and Ranch Seasoning, shaking to coat thoroughly. Add chicken to the skillet and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes on each side; set aside. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well. Add pasta to the prepared baking dish and layer with chicken and alfredo sauce; sprinkle with cheeses and bacon. Place into oven and bake until bubbly and heated through, about 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired. **IMPORTED AND DISTRIBUTED BY SUPERFOODS
PAGE 54
Windies Start And Finish Well On Opening Day In Sharjah Shannon Gabriel and Devendra Bishoo starred for West Indies in Sharjah as the tourists reduced Pakistan to 255-8. West Indies enjoyed success with the ball at the beginning and end of the opening day of the third Test in Sharjah to boost their hopes of avoiding a series whitewash at the hands of Pakistan. The Windies have suffered a miserable tour of the United Arab Emirates, failing to record a victory over Pakistan in any format. However, after being invited to field in the final Test, Jason Holder's men claimed two wickets in the opening over through Shannon Gabriel. Sami Aslam (74), Younis Khan (51), Misbah-ul-Haq (53) and Sarfraz Ahmed (51) all registered halfcenturies thereafter to lift Pakistan into a promising position. However, a flurry of late wickets saw Misbah's side slump from 230-4 to 255-8, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo picking up 4-74 as Gabriel finished the day with figures of 3-58. Gabriel's initial efforts resulted in Azhar Ali – whose scores in this series read 302*, 2, 0, 79, 0 – and Asad Shafiq being dismissed for ducks. Azhar edged an outswinging delivery to second slip, before a successful review from the Windies saw Shafiq adjudged lbw to one that nipped back. A century stand between opener Aslam and Younis got Pakistan back on track, although the veteran was fortunate to survive two let-offs in the 22nd over, when he was dropped at midwicket and survived a missed stumping off Roston Chase. Younis did fall to Chase in the afternoon, courtesy of a top-edge to midwicket, but West Indies were left furious when a review of a rejected lbw appeal against Misbah, on six, went in favour of Pakistan's captain with the tourists
convinced they had their man. Aslam had appeared increasingly fluent as the day progressed, but failed to kick on to his maiden Test hundred, instead falling to Bishoo courtesy of a misjudged reverse sweep in the first over after tea. Pakistan rebuilt again as Misbah and Sarfraz shared 80, the latter typically aggressive. Yet the Windies finished the day superbly, Bishoo striking twice in quick succession to have Misbah caught behind, following another reverse sweep, and Mohammad Nawaz stumped for six. The pacy Gabriel then got in on the act again by cleaning up Sarfraz and there was still time for Bishoo to claim a fourth scalp, Wahab Riaz falling lbw shortly before bad light forced a premature close. (SportsMax)
PAGE 56
Brathwaite Nears Centurysurviving As West Indies Recover opener Brathwaite came together to mount some
Pakistan proved unable to dislodge Kraigg Brathwaite as West Indies rallied after losing early wickets in Sharjah. Kraigg Brathwaite will spend a night in the nervous nineties after leading West Indies' fightback against Pakistan in the third Test in Sharjah on Monday. Replying to Pakistan's 281 all out in the United Arab Emirates, the Windies were in trouble at 68-4, but the watchful Brathwaite anchored a revival to steer his team to 244-6 at stumps on day two, the opener ending the day 95 not out alongside captain Jason Holder (6 no). His team still trailing Pakistan by 37, Brathwaite will hope to reach a deserved century and make further inroads as the Caribbean side seek to avoid a 3-0 series whitewash. Phil Simmons' team, the designated visitors in the contest on neutral territory, made a bad start to their first innings, as Wahab Riaz (2-65) struck to remove Leon Johnson (1) lbw in the fourth over, a dismissal that prompted the West Indies' top order to flounder early in their reply. Zulfiqar Babar (1-45) tempted Darren Bravo (11) to try and clear mid-off, but he succeeded only in slicing the ball to cover, where a diving Mohammad Amir took an acrobatic first catch in Test cricket. Marlon Samuels was trapped lbw by Yasir Shah (1-56) for a duck three overs later. Jermaine Blackwood got a start but failed to build on his 23, some poor footwork seeing him slice Amir (2-44) to Asad Shafiq at gully while attempting a drive. Roston Chase and
resistance, putting on 83 for the fifth wicket. Chase reached 50 but progressed no further, Amir's angled delivery eliciting an outside edge taken at slip by Younis Khan. Shane Dowrich picked up where Chase left off by providing strong support for Brathwaite in another 83-run stand. He survived being dropped on 15 but fell just short of a half century of his own, out for 47 when he chopped Wahab onto his stumps. The same fate had befallen Pakistan's tail-enders earlier in the day. Resuming on 2558, they added a further 26 runs. Alzarri Joseph (2-57) did the damage, as length balls caused both Amir (20) and Yasir (12) to drag onto their own stumps. (SportsMax)
PAGE 57
Gotze Targets Champions League Final With Dortmund
Mario Gotze has set his sights on reaching the Champions League final with Borussia Dortmund this campaign. Borussia Dortmund ace Mario Gotze dreams of reaching the Champions League final this term after missing the showpiece when BVB
last made it in 2012-13 due to injury. The Germany international returned to Dortmund ahead of the 2016-17 campaign after an underwhelming spell with Bayern Munich and he has high aims in his first season back at Signal Iduna Park. Dortmund will secure qualification to the last 16 of this year's competition if they defeat Sporting CP at home on Wednesday, and Gotze is using the pain of 2013 as motivation. "I almost had that chance but injury denied me," Gotze told the UEFA website. "To do it would be my biggest dream come true. I've been working every day for it. I have positive memories of 2012-13 because we got to the final, but it was a pity we weren't able to crown that season by winning the final. "Yet that was a long time ago. I'm focusing on the future and on this Champions League season. We're a very young, but strong team. We have the potential and a great coaching staff as well as great team spirit. We work in harmony but with big ambitions. That's the most important thing and I'm just looking forward to the future. "Of course it's going to be difficult to achieve our objectives, but the fact we have such ambitions is typical of Borussia Dortmund. That's what sets us apart." (SportsMax)
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Starc Feeling Undercooked again Following Freak Leg Injury it just sort of stretched the skin a little bit. It's not a bad
Australia left-armer Mitchell Starc admits he is not quite fully prepared for the upcoming Test series against South Africa. Mitchell Starc concedes he is not at his physical peak ahead of three Tests against South Africa as he continues his recovery from a freak leg injury. Last month, Australia's left-arm seamer collided with a piece of training equipment and suffered a deep cut to his left shin. Starc was taken to hospital where he required 30 stitches, and the injury has affected his preparation for the visit of the Proteas Down Under. As a result, Starc admits he is behind where he would like to be ahead of the first Test, which gets under way at the WACA on Thursday. "It [the cut] is still open, clean it every day, put a patch on it and away you go," Starc said. "It's still a little bit opened, so it's probably going to take a couple of weeks [to heal]. It's not bleeding, it's healing nicely. It's all clean. "I think when I started bowling and running
thing, it needed to stretch anyway. But it probably just delayed the healing a little bit. "[Without the injury] I would have obviously played a couple of Matador [BBQs One-Day Cup] games and played the full [Sheffield] Shield game as well. So I'm probably a week or week and a half behind where I would have liked to be. "Being in a brace for four weeks - I couldn't sweat on the wound, so I couldn't run or do all of the gym sessions I wanted to do. So I was a fair bit behind at the start and tried to catch up at the end. "I'm still a little bit behind where I would have liked but it hasn't cost me any cricket for Australia so I'm ready to go." Starc also dismissed suggestions from South Africa batting coach Neil McKenzie that the Proteas do not fear anyone in the Australian line-up. "Easy for him to say that, sitting behind the desk," Starc said. "I'm happy for him to face me. "He's entitled to his opinions. It's a lot easier making comments like that when you don't have to face anything. He just throws the whanger down at his batsmen and sits back and watches. Look, we'll all be trying to crank it up. "I'll be trying to bowl as fast as I can and Josh [Hazlewood] can still hit over 140s, Joey [Mennie] bowls a heavier ball than you think and can hurry up a lot of batsmen. He probably bowls a lot quicker than people think. "Sidds [Peter Siddle] is coming back into some pace as well. We've got plenty of firepower. Just because they've got Dale Steyn - I know he's an outstanding bowler, he's taken 400-plus Test wickets - [but] just because you've got him and [Kagiso] Rabada bowling fast it doesn't mean we don't have anyone to match that." (SportsMax)
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Pakistan Select Sharjeel, Rizwan For New Zealand Tour
There could be Pakistan Test debuts for Sharjeel Khan and Mohammad Rizwan in New Zealand in November. Uncapped batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Mohammad Rizwan have been named in the squad for Pakistan's Test series away to New Zealand. Opener Sharjeel has been called up for the long-form
of the game for the first time, having made 17 one-day and 12 Twenty20 international appearances. Middle-order batsman Rizwan was part of the squad that toured England earlier this year but did not feature in the drawn Test series and was omitted from the side to face West Indies in three Tests in the United Arab Emirates. "The Test team has been selected keeping in mind the conditions in New Zealand and the recent performances of players in the recent Test series against England and West Indies," chief selector Inzamam ul Haq said in a statement on the PCB website. "The team is a fine blend of experience and youth, and the selectors have [stuck] to the same combination of players selected against England and West Indies series earlier and believe that team will do well in the tour," the former Test captain added. The first match of the twoTest series begins in Christchurch on November 17. Pakistan team in full: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Azhar Ali, Sami Aslam, Sharjeel Khan, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Mohammad Rizwan, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Sohail Khan, Imran Khan. (SportsMax)
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Guardiola: I Do Not Want Aguero To Be Suarez
Sergio Aguero's continued improvement at Manchester City does not mean copying Barcelona's prolific forward Luis Suarez, says Pep Guardiola. Pep Guardiola has no desire for Sergio Aguero to replicate the qualities of Luis Suarez as the two free-scoring strikers prepare to line up in Manchester City's Champions League Group C clash with Barcelona. Suarez scored a phenomenal 59 goals in 53 appearances as Barca claimed Spain's domestic double and the FIFA Club World Cup last season and is already on to 10 in 14 games this term. Those numbers are outstripped by Aguero, whose brace in City's 4-0 win at West Brom on Saturday took him to 13 in 13. Camp Nou was deprived of a showdown between these two supreme goalgetters when Guardiola surprisingly left Aguero on the bench before 10-man City slumped to a 4-0 loss at his old stomping grounds two weeks ago. The former Barca and Bayern Munich boss' calls for Aguero to improve his all-round game were noticeably softened at the weekend, with Guardiola insisting the 28-year-old Argentina international is "at that level" when
his penalty box prowess is set against the likes of Suarez and Messi. Nevertheless, the City manager maintains Aguero can be spoken of alongside the world's best on his own terms. Asked at a pre-match news conference whether he wanted Aguero to play more like Suarez for the Premier League leaders, Guardiola said: "The quality from Luis Suarez is his qualities. I don't want those qualities - Aguero has his own qualities. "I want to help Aguero to achieve his huge qualities as much as possible. That's what it is. "He has some qualities and I cannot ask Sergio to do what Luis Suarez does because it would be unfair. "I know the qualities the player has to develop, mostly his mentality. That is what I want." Spain forward Nolito could be in line to face his former club alongside Aguero as City seek to improve on four points from three matches in the group stage. "Well, I think he's one of the best strikers in the world," Nolito said of his team-mate. "And it's a pride to have him in the team. "We hope that tomorrow he can have one of those days when he scores many goals and hopefully we can win the match." City are not so well stocked at full-back, with defensive midfielder Fernando or teenager Pablo Maffeo in line to feature at rightback if Guardiola opts to use a back four, with Bacary Sagna (hamstring) and Pablo Zabaleta (foot) set to miss out once more. Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba will not feature in Manchester as Barca nurse injury problems of their own, but Guardiola sees this to be of little advantage to his current employers. "I think we have to think that we've not go right-backs," he added. "We have one that has recently played there and one that is 19. We all have problems. "We all have players out. They have some important players out but 4-0 is 40. We have to learn from that. When you lose in that way the only thing you can do is learn." (SportsMax)
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Bale Not Interested In Ballon D'Or
Winning the Ballon d'Or has never been a dream for Gareth Bale as he would rather claim collective trophies with Real Madrid. Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has stressed he is not overly bothered about winning the Ballon d'Or, with titles at team level his preference. The 27-year-old made France Football's 30-man longlist for the prestigious individual award and is regarded as one of the outsiders to win it, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi the inevitable favourites. Nevertheless, Bale, who signed a new six-year deal at Madrid on Sunday, is adamant lifting the Ballon d'Or does not top his priority list by any means. "The Ballon d'Or has never been a personal goal for me. I never dreamed about winning the Ballon d'Or. I dreamed about winning Champions League and league titles," Bale said at a media conference. "If I win the Champions League and other titles, then individual awards will come, but it is not something I'm thinking about. Trophies for club and country come ďŹ rst for me. "If it happens, it happens. If you play well for club and country, the Ballon d'Or will come. It is not something I am thinking about, but it would be fantastic if it happens." Either Ronaldo or Messi is expected to win the award, but Bale refused to pick his personal favourite as he feels it is up to the jury to make such calls. "A lot of players have had a good season," he added. "Messi and Ronaldo have both had great seasons. Cristiano has been incredible, he won the Champions
League and Euro 2016. "But I am not in the jury, so I cannot say who will win it. I wish luck to my team-mates and to everyone else." Bale enjoyed a ďŹ ne 2015-16 campaign, but previously received his fair share of criticism after enduring some diďŹƒculties at Madrid. He tries not to let negative comments get to him, though, and feels people cannot hold anything against him as long as he gives his all for the club. "I understand there will be good press and bad press. This is football. Criticism is part of the game," Bale continued. "You can put yourself down a bit if you pay too much attention to the press. You have to keep working hard and not look at what the media say. "All you can do is give 100 per cent. If you do that, there are no regrets." (SportsMax)
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Sevilla Confirm Nasri Hamstring Injury Samir Nasri could be missing for two crucial Sevilla matches after sustaining an injury in the draw with Sporting Gijon. Sevilla have confirmed Samir Nasri suffered a hamstring injury in their match against Sporting Gijon on Saturday. The 1-1 away draw saw Jorge Sampaoli's side drop down to fourth in the table, with the on-loan Manchester City star - who has made an impressive start to his Sevilla career - having to be replaced at half-time. Reports in Spain suggest Nasri will miss Wednesday's home Champions League game against Dinamo Zagreb as a result and is a major doubt for the crucial LaLiga match against Barcelona on Sunday, also at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. "Tests reveal Samir Nasri has suffered damage to his left hamstring," the club said in a statement on Monday. "He will undergo further tests to determine how long he will be out." Forward Wissam Ben Yedder (ankle) came off in the second
half of the match at Sporting and is also set to miss the Dinamo game. (SportsMax)
Bale: I Can See Myself Retiring At Real Madrid wanted to succeed and win trophies. To renew my contract
Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale can imagine himself staying in the Spanish capital until the end of his career. Gareth Bale has suggested he could retire at Real Madrid after inking a new deal until 2022. The Wales international, 27, joined Madrid from Tottenham in 2013 and has developed into a key figure for the club after a difficult start. Bale has won two Champions League titles since his move to the Spanish capital and he is determined to secure even more silverware before potentially hanging up his boots at the Santiago Bernabeu. When asked if he could imagine seeing out his career at Madrid, Bale said at a news conference on Monday: "Yeah, I can see that. I am very happy here, getting more comfortable every year. My family is happy here and my Spanish is improving. "I want to see out my contract here. I obviously don't know when I will retire, but I am very happy. When I first came here, I
is another dream come true. I hope to win more trophies and titles. "We want to win every trophy, every year. I believe we can keep winning trophies, the Champions League and LaLiga. We want to win it all this season. It is important to keep working hard, scoring goals and setting up goals." Bale has had his good times and his bad times at Madrid, but he has made it clear he never considered leaving Spain in favour of a return to the Premier League. "My time here has changed me quite a lot. I've grown up here as a person. I wanted to try something different when I joined Madrid and that's never easy," he said. "British players have not always been successful abroad, but I wanted to try it. I had one difficult season, but it helped me a lot. It has been three great years and I hope for six more years of the same. "Of course, it has been a difficult journey. I had my good and bad times. There are always bad moments, but what's important is how you react. It is easy to pack up and leave, but you show more character if you work hard and make things work. It's all a learning curve. "But I have enjoyed it. I've loved every minute of it. I wanted to learn a new style of football. I think I've definitely made the right decision. "The most important thing is that I feel happy and loved by the fans. I want to win as many trophies as I can. I have had a lot of great moments. Winning the Champions League was the pinnacle. We live for the Champions League. We give everything for every trophy, but the Champions League is extra special." (SportsMax)
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Nash Tips Cavaliers To Defend NBA Title Cleveland Cavaliers are capable of winning the NBA tier at the moment," he said. Nash also rejected championship again, Steve Nash has told Omnisport. Steve Nash expects Cleveland Cavaliers to challenge for the NBA championship again next season and has backed Steph Curry or Kyrie Irving to be named MVP. Cleveland came from 2-0 and then 3-1 down in the Finals to defeat the star-studded Golden State Warriors 4-3 and win the first title in their franchise history last June. "Cleveland should be applauded for their comeback in the Finals," Nash told Omnisport. "They're very capable of winning again. LeBron [James] is one of the greatest ever, Kyrie was amazing. They'll be right there. They're in an easier conference which is a help and a hindrance, they'll be there at the end." Curry is the reigning MVP, an accolade Nash earned twice in his glittering career. And the former Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers point guard believes few players will be able to challenge Golden State superstar Curry and Cleveland's Irving for the individual prize this time around. "Steph and Kyrie are phenomenal, Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, [Russell] Westbrook, there's so many … Steph and Kyrie are the top
suggestions Kevin Durant's switch from Oklahoma City Thunder to the Warriors will affect the NBA's competitive balance. "[It] will still be a great league despite [the] Warriors' super team," he said. "LeBron joined Miami, this isn't anything new. Golden State offers an even better chance to win than Miami. KD's move is nothing new…" (SportsMax)
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Melbourne Victory 6 Wellington Phoenix 1: Berisha Reaches Milestone With Hat-trick Bottom-of-the-table Wellington Phoenix were thrashed by a Besart Berisha-inspired Melbourne Victory side. Besart Berisha scored a hat-trick as Melbourne Victory thrashed 10man Wellington Phoenix 6-1 in the A-League. Victory's emphatic win moves them up to third in the early season table with seven points from four games, while Phoenix are bottom and pointless, despite having scored their first goal of the campaign during an otherwise miserable outing. Berisha moved past 50 goals for the club with two penalties in three minutes midway through the first half to set the hosts en route to an easy triumph. The visitors lost Dylan Fox, who had earlier been booked for conceding the second of the penalties, to a second yellow just before the hour mark. Still, Phoenix initially remained competitive and got back into the game with a spotkick of their own, Roy Krishna scoring from 12 yards. But they collapsed in the closing stages, conceding four times in 20 minutes. Marco Rojas scored the match's first goal from open play with an impressive drive before doubling his personal tally
with an easier finish shortly afterwards. Former Albania international Berisha then completed his hat-trick, before Mitch Austin capped the morale-boosting win in stoppage-time after a swift Victory counter-attack. (SportsMax)
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Anderson Injury Offers England Room For Manoeuvre Despite being the leading English-qualified spinner in the 2016 season there was no place for Jack Leach in England's touring squad but there remains a chance that could change England will resist the immediate temptation to send for reinforcements ahead of the tour of India, but it remains possible a player could be added to the squad in the coming weeks. Having suffered a chastening final day in Mirpur, where they missed several opportunities in the field and lost all 10 wickets in a session, there might have been a temptation to refresh a squad that is struggling to both play and bowl spin as well as the opposition. Alastair Cook, the captain, admitted on Sunday that England "haven't got world-class spinners". But while James Whitaker, the national selector, has confirmed England will keep faith with the 16-man squad originally named for the tour, replacement players will be called up in case of injury. That could even include the possibility of replacing James Anderson who was not named in the original tour party for the India series with the understanding that he would join the squad if he was deemed to be fit. "We've picked our squad and we stand by that," Whitaker told ESPNcricinfo. "If someone is injured or becomes unwell, we can look at making changes but these are the players we believe are best equipped for the job. "James Anderson continues to make his comeback from injury at Loughborough and we will assess his fitness before deciding what his involvement on the tour will be." One of the great truisms of cricket is that a player's reputation can often improve most when he is not playing. So, with England's spinners struggling to match the potency of their Bangladesh counterparts, the calls for the inclusion of Somerset's Jack Leach or Middlesex's Ollie Rayner have intensified. Leach, a left-arm spinner, claimed 65 Championship wickets during the 2016 season at an average of 21.87. No England-qualified player claimed more in Division One. Rayner, the Middlesex off-spinner, claimed 51 Championship wickets at an average of 23.56. By comparison with the spinners in England's squad, Gareth Batty claimed 41 at 31.21, Adil Rashid claimed 32 at 33.84 and Zafar Ansari 22 at 31.40. All five of them played in Division One of the County Championship. Leach is in some ways an unlikely saviour. While Jos Buttler, his team-mate from Somerset youth teams, was soon fast tracked as a special talent, Leach was obliged to take a job parking trolleys in a Taunton supermarket as he attempted to pursue a career in the game. He has developed steadily, however, and is now an admirably consistent bowler. And while England are relatively well-served with spinners who turn the ball into right-handed batsmen (Moeen Ali and Graeth Batty have probably been the most reliable of England's spinners on the tour to date), Leach might have offered England another option for a spinner who takes the ball away from them. While his excellent record in the 2016 Championship season comes with something of a caveat - Somerset played on pitches providing an unusual amount of assistance to spin bowlers - it is likely that England will encounter similar surfaces in India. His experience of operating on such surfaces might therefore have been useful and Somerset, who were criticised for preparing such surfaces, could argue that they were preparing England players for the challenge ahead. Most of
England's spinners have little experience of bowling in helpful conditions. Moeen, for example, developed on an unresponsive New Road surface and, when he did come across a helpful track, often found himself as second spinner behind Batty - until he moved to Surrey - or Saeed Ajmal. For that reason, he is still learning to deal with the expectation and pressure of bowling in circumstances where spinners are required to lead the attack. But the selectors have concluded that to make changes now would suggest panic and argue that the reasons for selecting the current squad remain as valid now as they did a few weeks ago. Leach, for example, is still seen as an inexperienced player who has yet to have the chance to familiarise himself with the England environment. He will depart for a Lions trip to the UAE shortly, though, and it remains possible that, should an injury befall any of the bowlers, he could be called up. That includes Anderson. If he is ruled out of the tour in the coming days - and it seems a decision will be made in the next week - it is entirely possible the selectors could replace him with a spinner. The team management could argue that such a move would not be a sign of panic or demonstrate any lack of faith in the current squad, but represent a natural replacement for a bowler who would have been with the squad had he been fully fit. It would make little sense to replace Anderson with another seamer. England already have several options in that department - Stuart Broad and Jake Ball sat out the second Test in Mirpur, for example - but they have fewer spin options. Leach could, therefore, yet find himself in India within a few weeks. Meanwhile, England are sticking to their original plan to take a few days off before beginning preparations for the India leg of the tour. They fly to Mumbai on Wednesday and do not have any full training sessions planned until Saturday. Then they fly to Rajkot on Sunday where they will step up their preparations ahead of the first Test starting on Wednesday, November 9. Some players are likely to arrange net sessions in their days off, but there will be no official warm-up match. "The boys have been training very hard since we've been here," Trevor Bayliss, the coach, said. "It's been a fairly hectic two or three weeks, so I think part of it will be mental and physical rest so that we're fresh going into those matches. "It's not all about practice, practice, practice, even though that's what people might think we need to do. But when the guys practice we want to practice properly and get our confidence for those matches." (ESPNcricinfo)