Guyana Inc Magazine Issue 25

YOUR FREE COPY TO KEEP! - ISSUE 25

Taking A Closer Look At Guyana’s Financial Laws Safeguarding the Insurance Sector from Another Lethal Blow

Guyana’s Prudent Banking Industry

The Financial Intelligence Unit and Guyana

Security of mobile devices and the workplace risk

Stanley Ming The philanthropist who built a dynasty

CONTENTS Founder and Publisher Teshawna Lall, BA, MBA Managing Director Frank Sanichara Marketing Innovative Marketing & Publishing Inc. Design Innovative Marketing & Publishing Inc.

08 Feature Guyana’s Import / Export sectors to see mixed performance given global economic outlook ........................................................ 6 Stanley Ming: The philanthropist who built a dynasty............................................. 8 Safeguarding the Insurance Sector from another lethal blow................................... 14 Guyana’s prudent Banking Industry...... 16 The Financial Intelligence Unit and Guyana....................................................... 18 Why striving for international accreditation should matter to you ....... 20 Pandama Winery and Retreat: A mesmerizing paradise for the mind, body and soul...................................................... 22 Placing the spotlight on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ..................... 24 The Identifying and Treating of Eating

28 Culture Disorders................................................... 26

Editorial Contributions Kiana Wilburg Franklin Wilson Suraj Narine Omesh Balmacoon Saarah Gajraj Tammy Quail Danie Kruger Brian Ramsey Teni Housty, LLM, MBA.

Diwali: Celebrating the triumph of good over evil...................................................... 28 Security of mobile devices and the workplace risk........................................... 30 Work Related Law: Taking A Closer look at Guyana’s Financial Laws...................... 32 “Night Court” Life Imitating Art............ 34 Soyini Fraser Crowned Miss Guyana Universe 2016............................................ 36

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Hunting a river monster in Guyana’s mystical waterways................................... 38 1823 monument - An apt depiction of firmness, strength and perseverance ..... 40 Golden Jaguars come up short on Gold Cup Qualification - New and exciting players come to the fore........................... 42

26 Health

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Economy/Business myMagazine

F

or developing countries like Guyana, there is always the constant battle of keeping at bay domino effects of shifts in the global fiscal platform.

And the fact that the nation, for the time being, remains heavily dependent on its traditional revenue earners, only serves to further exacerbate the economy’s vulnerability.

As such, there is only so much that can be done to limit the shock waves that occur when the international markets are under the weather.

In fact, the outlook for the global economy during the first half of 2016 was somewhat pessimistic. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its World Economic Outlook, twice revised its projection for 2016 global growth downward since its January update, when growth was forecast at 3.4 percent.

In April, the projection was revised downward to 3.2

end of the first half of 2016, though prices may have moved differently for diamonds of varying size and quality.

World sugar prices also recovered slightly in the first half of 2016, from US$0.32 per kg in December 2015 to US$0.43 per kg in June 2016, a price more than 50 percent higher than the June 2015 average of US$0.27.

The Finance Ministry said that rice prices also showed signs of recovery as international benchmark prices. As reported by the World Bank and Oryza, at the end of June 2016, the prices were notably higher when compared with December 2015 and at or above their June 2015 levels.

Furthermore, the prices for timber improved slightly in the first half of 2016. The Bureau of Statistics said that international benchmark prices for logs trended upwards, while prices at the end of June 2016 were generally higher than those at the end of June and December 2015.

However, despite slight recovery of commodity prices in the first half of 2016 compared to prices at the end of 2015, financial market uncertainty and the expected slow global growth in 2016 are likely to be a drag on demand for commodities going forward.

The Finance Ministry said that the trend towards recovering international commodity prices has mixed implications for Guyana’s economy. On the upside, economists in Guyana noted that rising global commodity prices present opportunities for the nation’s commodity export sectors.

They opined that higher gold prices would benefit small, artisanal miners, improving their incomes and enabling them to invest more in their trade.

The Ministry of Finance also commented that higher aluminum prices would flow through to bauxite prices, encouraging growth in the industry.

Additionally, increases in prices for agricultural commodities would have positive impacts on the rice and sugar sectors. The Finance Ministry said that securing higher prices is especially important to the profitability of the sugar industry, which has struggled to keep production costs below revenues while adapting to the removal of preferential prices on the European Union (EU) markets.

On the downside, rising global commodity prices are likely to increase the costs of Guyana’s imports as well.

It was found that higher commodity prices could be reflected in higher prices for imported consumption goods, as well as imports of inputs for key sectors, such as fuel, fertilizers, and chemicals.

A rebound in oil prices would likely flow through to higher prices at the pump, and more expensive electricity production costs, which could lead to higher tariffs. On the whole, the Ministry of Finance said that it is likely that the value of both exports and imports would increase.

Guyana’s Import / Export sectors to see mixed performance given global economic outlook percent, in response to weak economic performance in many economies, and on July 19, to 3.1 percent, following the well known Brexit vote and its attendant impact on global markets.

According to data provided by Guyana’s Ministry of Finance and the Bureau of Statistics, the global commodity prices showed some recovery during the first half of 2016, with the average price of crude oil reaching US$47.70 per barrel in June 2016, compared with an average of US$36.57 in the month of December 2015.

However, the June 2016 oil price remained below the June 2015 price of US$61.30 per barrel.

The Ministry of Finance said that the slight recovery in oil prices during the first half of 2016 for Guyana was attributed mainly to the tightening of global oil supplies.

Similar to the price of oil, the international gold price also showed signs of recovery, reaching US$1,276.40 per ounce in June 2016. The Ministry of Finance noted that this was higher than the price of US$1,075.74 per ounce in December 2015 and the price of US$1,181.50 in June 2015.

Likewise, the aluminum price increased to US$1,591.15 in June 2016 compared with US$1,497.20 in December 2015.

However, despite this progress, the Finance Ministry found that aluminum price remains below the price achieved in June 2015 of US$1,687.73.

Diamond prices, as measured by the International Diamond Exchange (IDEX) diamond index, have declined by about 5 percent from the end of the first half of 2015 to the

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Feature myMagazine Person

STANLEY

MING

The philanthropist who built a dynasty “Unless we ... collaborate to build a solid future for ourselves and our families – this country will experience very limited growth and future successes.”

FOREWORD Greatness is not measured by what we have achieved, but rather, by the things we overcome.

Stanley Ming; a philanthropist, former politician and motor racing enthusiast is the embodiment of such a saying.

And in this 25th Edition of the Guyana Inc. Magazine, we will peel back the intricate layers of this all-around-good guy and redoubtable being who has defied all the odds and emerged as one of the most successful businessmen in Guyana.

CHILDHOOD Born in Georgetown, in 1951, Ming spent his early childhood years in a rented house at the back of Lot 61 Public Road, Kitty, as the eldest of six children.

He remembers well, his father Cyril, who worked as a clerk at Lall’s Camp Street Bazaar, which was located where the Demerara Bank on South Road and Camp Street now sits. His father and mother, lrene, both struggled daily to make ends meet.

He recounted, however, that no matter how hard life got, or how bad things were growing up in a “tenement yard”, it was always home and the bond of the family was what trumped any feeling of despair.

According to him, family means everything and home will always be where the heart is.

“I was the eldest, and five of us grew up in that home. We were all delivered by a mid-wife whom I remember until now. Her name was Nurse Wason and she lived a few yards away from us.”

As it relates to his schooling life, Ming said that he attended kindergarten school at “Teacher Modest” in William Street, Kitty. He would later attend the Walkers’ Under-12 Primary School in Barr Street, also located in Kitty.

He recalled during this interview that his parents made every possible sacrifice to give him and his siblings a sound education at various private schools, even though they could least afford it. Ming eventually wrote and passed the Common Entrance Exams, now called National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), and earned a place at the prestigious Queen’s College located at Thomas Road and Camp Street, Georgetown. He was rewarded for his great work with a bicycle.

“They bought me a new Rugde bicycle from Hack’s Cycle Store.

Wait, I remember the cost of that bike. It was $112 and I don’t think you can buy a hamburger now for that price!” Ming said chuckling.

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By this time, his family had moved from Kitty to a home his parents purchased in Campbellville, with a mortgage loan from the New Building Society (NBS).

This kind-hearted fellow was always moved and inspired by the efforts of his parents. And so with the help of his mother, Ming learnt to improvise and contribute to the household at a very young age.

“My mother taught me how to rear chickens and how to plant and tend a kitchen garden; which was a necessity, not sort of like a hobby.

It was a means of survival. In Campbellville, from the time we moved in there, we had quite a large garden at the back of the yard where my brother, Colin, and I planted everything under the sun; bora, pakchoi, tomatoes, calaloo, boulanger, ochroes, peppers, thyme, squash, corn, sugar-cane, cucumbers – you name it. I also became known in Campbellville as one of the best persons who made covered buttons and buckle-heads for women’s clothing and I also learnt to sew on buttons and make button holes on women’s garments. I also did quite a bit of cobbling,” Ming said.

A little shop, Ming recalled, was started on his mother’s initiative in the front section of the family home. The shop, he said, sold everything that was necessary in a typical household; including rice, sugar, flour, salt, potatoes, onions, garlic, bread, margarine, butter, lard, kerosene etc., and a full range of haberdashery.

He added that the shop, in some way, was the stepping stone for him; since it taught him the basic business practices and techniques which propelled him to become the successful businessman he is today.

“My mom also taught me how to make sugar-cake and fudge – which I would make on weekends to sell in the shop – and I still can make it now – but I don’t do it anymore. I would do it if I feel like eating my own fudge, and I have since showed our domestic assistant how to make it. She now does so in the same way as I would,” Ming said chuckling. (Ming has promised to share his secret recipe with Guyana Inc. and we’re holding him to that!)

His thoughts trailed off again before continuing, “Oh, and I also know how to wash my clothes by hand, using a wooden scrubbing board, but now we have washing machines. Ha! I remember, in those days, we had a one-burner kerosene stove and a box oven that was placed on top of a fireside, but now, there are four-burner gas stoves with ovens built in.”

After completing High School, Ming said that he had to sacrifice furthering academic education because he desperately wanted to continue assisting his family, especially his mother. Soon enough, he

began working at T. Geddes Grant on Main Street, Georgetown, in 1972, as a Yamaha Motorcycles salesman. His earnings at that time exceeded that of his father’s due to additional commissions he earned on the sales of motorcycles.

His determination to have his mother no longer maintain the shop was realised shortly thereafter, and it was closed.

The businessman pointed out that it was the job at T. Geddes Grant that increased his passion for motorcycles and motorcycle racing.

Ming shared that he continued his motorcycle repairs and spray-painting afterhours and also during weekends, assisted by his younger brother Colin, at the back of the family home in Campbellville.

“This provided Colin and myself with the financial resources to pursue our love of motorcycle racing, both at South Dakota and at various venues around the country, where we competed in grass-track racing. Colin had a Suzuki A50 which we had modified for grass-track racing, and on which he was the Champion for several years. The motorcycle was famously known as HERBIE, which was painted on the fuel tank.”

With his love for motor-racing blooming uncontrollably, Ming set foot on the South Dakota Circuit at Timehri, in 1971, with a TAPPING INTO THE SPEED FORCE Suzuki 50cc and during the years that followed, he was very successful on the track. He earned himself the reputation as one of the greatest of all times.

His reign spread from the local grounds to the regional scene, where he participated in numerous events in Barbados, Jamaica and Cuba. He held the title as Caribbean Motorcycling Champion for four consecutive years before stepping into the international scene.

Ming has participated in racing events in both England and the United States of America. He rode at Brands Hatch, Snetterton, Cadwell Park, and Lydden; all circuits

Inset and Frame: Younger Stanley Ming; Mr Ming speaking at Press Event.

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located in England. He has also left his stamp at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida, where he competed from 1980-1985, in the 250cc Grand Prix class at speeds in excess of 150 mph.

The need-for-speed Guyanese was the motorcycle grass-track racing Champion in his homeland for several years and from 19711985 he raced at the South Dakota Circuit in the 50cc, 100cc, 125cc, 250cc, 350cc and unlimited capacity motorcycle events, at speeds in excess of 170mph on the long circuit.

A brief stint in car racing saw him competing in the Suzuki Swift series in the late 1980’s. He also successfully raced karts in the Guyana National Park, at South Dakota, and even in Jamaica. He was the National Champion for several years.

But participating on the circuit is only a part of Ming’s connection with the “speed-force”. He has also represented the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) at the level of President, during the periods 1987-1991, and again from 2000-2002.

During the first four years of his Presidency, he presided over the complete reconstruction and refurbishment of the infrastructure at the South Dakota Circuit, which had collapsed during the energy crises of the 1970’s.

He vividly recalls the tour-de-force he led during that period, with the determined commitment and support of a team of young motor-racing enthusiasts. They included Andrew King, Jad Rahaman, Ray Rahaman, Anthony Amres, Michael Correia, Christopher Correia, Kevin Jeffrey, Gem Madhoo, Judy Wong, Chris Ram, Ron Robinson and others, including the ‘Sheriff of Soesdyke’ Bert Carter, who designed and presided over the installation of the Grand Stand in the Gooseneck, which was sponsored by Industrial Engineering Limited and Shell Antilles Guyana Limited.

Besides fishing, golf and table tennis, which also rank high among his hobbies, Ming does seem to have a soft spot for home-bred humanitarian organizations like the ‘Special Olympics-Guyana,’ of which he was a committee member for a number of years.

Since the early 90’s, he has been both a Rotarian and a founding member of the NGO, ‘Habitat for Humanity-Guyana’ and more recently, ‘The Guyana Foundation.’

After spending two years at Geddes Grant, he joined Eric Vieira in establishing ‘Technical Services and Supplies Limited’ at the corner Mr Ming’s son Stanley Junior following in his father’s footsteps

of Robb and Camp Streets, as the Assistant Manager. The business introduced Yamaha outboard motors and Holder tractors to the Guyana market.

Four years later, Ming was on a flight to England – a place, he reflected, that was vastly different from Guyana. Ming said that the winter was something he “really couldn’t handle,” so he returned to Guyana in 1978 and later joined Industrial Engineering Limited, at the invitation of George Jardim, as the Production Manager.

Within six months of joining the company, he became a Director and shortly thereafter the Chairman, where he toiled for 10 years

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before branching off in 1988 to establish his own business, Mings The Ming Family Products & Services Limited (MPS).

FINDING LOVE In 1989, Ming married Michele Phang, an Optometrist/Ophthalmic Optician.

Their union produced three daughters – Stacy, Siobhan and Serena – and one son, Stanley (Jnr.)

Images Top to Bottom: Mr Ming along with his wife and children

“I vividly remember the day and place when I met Michele for the first time. I had just returned, the night before, from a snow-skiing trip in the USA. My close bachelor buddy, Joseph King, and I went on one of our customary Sunday motorcycle rides to the South Dakota Circuit, and on the way back to Georgetown, it was routine that we stop in at the Swims Club for a thirst quencher. The club was located on the East Bank of Demerara, at Coverden.”

Michele, who had recently returned to Guyana from England, having obtained her B.Sc. Degree and professional training, was there with her uncle and aunt, Clarence and Jean Da Silva, boating on the river. Ming and Michele started dating shortly after that day.

“We were very fortunate to be able, over the years, to provide our children with the opportunities to attend private schools, which included Mae’s Under-12, Marian Academy, The Georgetown International Academy and School of the Nations. They also participated in a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including athletic sports, swimming, badminton, squash, lawn and table tennis, karate, scouting, hockey, playing the piano, basketball, volleyball, cricket and, of course, riding motorcycles, all terrain vehicles and water vehicles and driving karts, from a very young age,” the proud father said Ming said that his family has since graduated to hot-air ballooning, zip-lining and skydiving; and over the years as a family, they have travelled to several countries on vacations together; gaining an education in diversity, different cultures and customs.

“My wife is the academic and disciplinarian in the family, while I am the fun parent, responsible for most of the extra-curricular activities.

In the past, I dared the children. These days they are daring me to participate in adrenaline sports. I don’t intend to chicken out!!” Ming said chuckling uncontrollably.

BUILDING A DYNAST Y Ming’s Products & Services Limited is Ming’s most successful venture to date. It was founded, in 1990, by his wife and himself. He recalled that when the company made its debut, it did so with only three employees, including himself.

Today, the company is over 60-strong and has become more like a

close-knitted community, where everyone coexists as a diverse multiracial family.

He singled out a few colleagues for special mention, such as, Audrey Ford-Director, Colin Ming-Director, Fazal Azeem-Supervisor, Michele Ready-Macintosh-Supervisor, Janis Chee-A-Tow-Supervisor, Dindiyal Rambarran-Supervisor and Ramdularie Narine (Sugan)Supervisor; all of whom have been with the company for over 20 years, and more recently, John Chin-Director/Operations Manager.

The company is the sole distributor of the entire line of Yamaha products, including outboard motors, motorcycles, generators, water pumps and water vehicles, manufactured by Yamaha Motor Company.

He said that the company is also the sole distributor for the entire range of motor vehicles manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, along with a range of construction hardware, which are manufactured and supplied by Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS), Tensar International Corporation, and Shore Guard.

Several years ago, as a result of a Yamaha Motor Company assessment, it was documented that the staff body at Ming’s Products and Services ranked number one in the world in terms of their efficiency, friendliness and quality customer service. Ming said that this was all his staff’s accomplishments and not his personal doing.

For just over 20 years, Ming, who had established a very successful partnership with a Dutch group of businessmen, headed by Renger Van Dijk, was also the Chairman and a shareholder of ‘General Equipment (Guyana) Ltd.’ and ‘Farm Supplies Ltd.’ These two companies are the exclusive distributors in Guyana for ‘John Deere’ tractors and a wide range of heavy equipment,

company blessed.

“Because the people of Guyana have been good to myself and the company, we have, over the years, tried our best to show our appreciation by doing things for various communities around the country - Tiger Bay, Agricola, Bartica, Buxton, the riverain communities along the Berbice, Demerara, Essequibo and Pomeroon rivers and several other communities, by contributing primarily to their welfare and educational development. It has paid significant dividends,” Ming said.

During 2011, when sections of the company’s Urquhart Street premises and some inventory were destroyed by a huge fire, what transpired, Ming said, was a clear demonstration of mutual respect and concern by the entire Tiger Bay community.The fire was started in the Guyana Transport and Harbours Department property.

He said that that night, the members of the community advised the Police who were present that they were taking charge of the situation. They had organized themselves into teams and emptied all the offices and showrooms of their entire contents and took them over to the School of the Nations yard.

When the dust settled and the equipment and inventory were replaced and checked, Ming said that not a single item was missing and the only damage was a tiny dent on one of the new Mitsubishi vehicles when it was pushed out of the premises.

“I happened to be on a cruise ship in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Alaska, with my entire family when we got a telephone call telling us what was happening.

I distinctly remember telling my wife very calmly, that l was

manufactured by ‘Komatsu’ of Japan and ‘Doosan’ of South Korea.

Having a glimpse of Ming’s early life, he was asked how his exposure to poverty has impacted his business psyche. Ming said, “Coming from absolute poverty and trust me, I mean real poverty – I’m not ashamed to say it - has given me and my siblings a very good grounding.”

Today, having been reasonably successful in business, Ming said that he appreciates what he has acquired. He added that this was only made possible through hard work and with the dedicated support of his wife, Michele, and the team of people who surrounds him.

“They have all made what I have achieved possible – I didn’t do this alone,” Ming said.

Ming stated that his main customers are, and has always been, the Guyanese public. He added that the company has never relied on or tendered for too many Government contracts – it has always been the Guyanese public that his company aims to deliver the quality goods and services to, hence the company slogan, ‘The Quality and Technology People.’

The businessman was asked how he intends to have his company evolve to accomodate new avenues that are being created where they never existed before.

He replied, “I often tell people that in a country like Guyana, where our population is not growing, it is in fact declining; if 10 percent of the population can presently afford the goods and services that you have to offer, the only way you can grow the company is by working towards the 10% being increased to 15% then to 20%, etc.”

“To do that, I need to invest in creating opportunities for the lesser privileged to be better educated in order that they can realise their full potential, so that in years to come, they can afford to buy the goods and services we have to offer. When we invest in people’s development, we invest not only in the community, but in Guyana and in the company’s future growth prospects.”

Ming reiterated that the Guyanese public has been extremely supportive over the last 25 years and he considers himself and his

quite confident that the people of Tiger Bay would take care of our interests to the best of their ability.

So said, so done. My decision to set up my business in Tiger Bay, and engage the community over the years is, undoubtedly, one of the best business decisions l’ve ever made. It has been a mutually beneficial and satisfying experience,” Ming stated.

The businessman said that he is a staunch believer that education is remedy to cure all societal ills. With this in mind, MPS has used this as a base on many of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) exercises.

Throughout the years, the company has engaged in many other activities to promote education, including partnering with Banks DIH and Shell Antilles Guyana Ltd to provide school children, living in the riverain areas surrounding Bartica, with a brand new fiberglass boat, a Yamaha 75 HP outboard engine, life-jackets and fuel for a year, to ensure that they could attend the secondary school located in Bartica.

Ming said, “Education is the solution to numerous problems currently facing Guyana and other developing countries. The success stories of today – most of which are in the South East Asian countries (ASEAN) - have been based on providing easily accessible and affordable educational facilities. By providing universal quality education, you pre-empt a series of other potential societal problems.”

The company has also contributed significantly to the development of sports and in areas of infrastructure development in various communities.

Images Left to Right: Mr Ming on one of the Bikes his company sells; Staff of Mines Services Limited and the Office

MING THE POLTICIAN

Ming also dabbled in politics for a while, but lost interest in it and quit. Describing himself as a pragmatist by nature, he said he was associated with the main opposition party, the People’s National

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Congress/Reform (PNC/R), up until he tendered his resignation from its Central Executive just before the 2006 National and Regional Elections.

“I did not go there with my Reform colleagues to be just another set of politicians. We joined the PNC, to become the PNC/R in a very formal alliance, to see how we could have assisted in improving the old political culture and contribute to enhancing the country’s future.

However, we subsequently realized that we were having limited success, so some of us decided to resign from politics, since we believed that it would be better to help people in communities achieve some of their goals, in a more direct way, and that is what I will continue to do as long as I am around.”

He added, “Spearheaded by Supriya Singh, along with Eric Phillips, Nadia Sagar and myself, we established ‘The Guyana Foundation’ in 2012. This NGO has been receiving significant support and contributions from both Guyanese and foreign wellwishers worldwide, and has significant numbers of local volunteers countrywide.”

“The unfortunate thing about Guyana, and I say this often, I am not concerned about being politically correct, but Guyana came out of a very unfortunate history; we all know about slavery, we all know about indentureship.”

“The people who presided over us, during the colonial days, used to play the two major ethnic Images top to bottom: With Minister of Indigenous groups against Affairs and Receiving An Award each other and we have allowed that unfortunate scenario to continue, even as some of the current politicians in their ruthless self-interest, are attempting to perpetuate it even more, which is very sad.”

“We urgently need to educate our children and ourselves, about the facts such as that, during the days of slavery, all the major canals throughout Guyana were dug manually by the African slaves using shovels. After the abolition of slavery, the Africans were replaced by East Indians, who were brought as indentured labourers to continue the back-breaking work of manually cutting sugarcane and loading punts up to this day.”

The staunch political activist at the time said that both major races have made very significant contributions to Guyana’s National development over the years, and should recognize and respect each other for so doing, and not allow partisan politics to create divisions and distrust.

Ming is convinced that, until all Guyanese learn to respect each other and start working together in national interest - recognizing that Guyana is there for the benefit of us all, and not just a selected few - this beautiful country will not move forward and realize its full potential.

Back in 1990, Ming had an interaction with the then President of Guyana, Desmond Hoyte, his wife Joyce, and the President’s Economic Adviser, Dr. Kenneth King, at the private home of Reginald and Cheryl Lopes on High Street, Kingston.

He and a group of about 50 young Guyanese, consisting of professional and business persons, had met with the President to air their concerns about the lack of proper infrastructure among other issues that prevailed around the country at the time.

“It wasn’t a pleasant interaction, to say the least. I told him that, as the President of Guyana, the buck stopped at his door and he had

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to take full responsibility and make the kind of decisions and changes that would allow Guyanese to develop and prosper. It was quite an encounter, during which I was critical of his Government. A lot of people don’t know, but I will say this because it is the truth – When I confronted him about the lack of proper schools and education for the next generation, I told him that the Government had intended to provide free education for everyone, but the very limited resources of the state did not allow that to be possible at a quality level.”

At that time in 1990, there were only Government-owned and operated public schools.

Ming said that he was persistent in getting his views across. He suggested to the then Head of State that Private Schools should be permitted to be re-established so that those who could afford it could exercise the option.

He pointed out to President Hoyte also that whatever resources the Government had could then be divided amongst a lesser number, so that the quality of education in the public schools could be improved somewhat.

“I also told him that, at that time, computers and related hardware; which were classified as electronic goods, attracting somewhere around 70 percent taxes, should be zero rated since they were neither entertainment nor luxury items; they are modern tools used for teaching and learning. I remember very well that it was a Thursday night when I had the encounter. In fact, there were many others, including Nigel Hughes and Denise Dias, who are still around and were present Mr and Mrs Ming with former Prime Minster that night. I recall the Sam Hinds audience being quite silent, during and after my very blunt comments,” Ming said.

The former politician said that many who were present told him that he was brave to do what he did.

Many also cautioned that he should hold his tongue because the President can ‘lock him up tomorrow and throw away the keys’ because he was being very critical.

Ming said that he dismissed these assertions by saying, “Well, it was the truth, so let it be whatever the outcome.”

“At nine o’clock the next morning, I received a call from the Office of the President saying that the President wanted to see me at 3:00pm.

That Friday afternoon when I entered the Presidential office, President Hoyte, in the company of Dr. Kenneth King, extended his hand and greeted me with a handshake.”

Ming admitted that he was a bit apprehensive; however, after the President called him by his first name, he began to feel that it wasn’t going to be that bad.

Ming said that Hoyte told him, “Last night, Joyce and I went home and we reviewed what you said, and I want to tell you that it was never put to me so bluntly; but you were correct, and I would like you to join and work with me to bring about the changes that you talked about.”

The following day (Saturday), President Hoyte addressed the graduating class of teachers from the ‘Teachers Training College’ and he announced, at that occasion, that private schools were free to be re-established in Guyana. Shortly thereafter, Mae’s Under-12 came into being, and several other private schools began to appear. Early the following week, the taxes on computers and related hardware became zero- rated.

The relationship between Ming and Hoyte began to grow. Ming became one of Hoyte’s confidantes and the duo became close friends and colleagues right up to his death.

Ming indicated, “After Mr. Hoyte demitted office in 1992, I used to pick him up at his North Road home in my car, at 5:30am along with two of his security guards and proceed to the seawall at the head of Camp Street. From there, we would walked to the head of Vlissengen Road, five days per week.”

Ming said that when Hoyte passed away, his wife asked him to supervise and co-ordinate the construction of his tomb at the site of the Seven Ponds in the Botanical Gardens. Ming said that he felt honoured to do this.

“I looked up to him as an exemplary Statesman of unquestionable integrity and a true Patriot.”

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N

o sector or industry is ever bullet proof. As such, there will be times when even the strongest and most secure sector will receive a punch that throws it off balance for some time.

This was the case of Guyana’s insurance industry which took a serious blow when the infamous CLICO disaster came its way.

CLICO The headquarters of the former insurance company previously located on Camp Street, Georgetown

KAIETEUR NEWS IMAGE

THE LETHAL PUNCH It was on January 2, 1994, that CLICO International Life Insurance Limited opened its doors taking over the life insurance operations in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean of Colonial Life Insurance Company (Trinidad) Limited.

CLICO served the Caribbean for over 60 years. Its mission was to become the company of choice among life insurance buyers in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.

At the helm was Leroy Parris, former Chairman of CLICO Holdings Barbados Ltd., which included services such as CLICO International Life Insurance Ltd. With 60 years of service under its belt, the company became one of the largest local conglomerates in the region, encompassing over 65 companies in 32 countries worldwide, with total assets exceeding US$100 billion.

By the turn of the century, rumblings of fraud and money laundering at CLICO were felt.

In 2005, there was talk of naive and greedy managers.

There was even talk of failure of the government, regulators and auditors; of incompetence and failures at every level and at the highest levels within the company; and finally, fear and talk of CLICO needing taxpayers’ bailout.

Understanding the situation from his bird’s-eye view within the company, the

SAFEGUARDING THE INSURANCE SECTOR FROM ANOTHER LETHAL BLOW

Guyana’s insurance industry took a serious blow when the infamous CLICO disaster came its way

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Chairman decided to protect his interest and before the mess hit the fan, CLICO was presumably being looted.

By 2007 to 2008, there was no hiding the fact that CLICO was limping financially, as well as its branches in other Caribbean territories, including Guyana.

CLICO Guyana had approximately $6.9B invested in the Regional Insurance Company.

Junior Finance Minister, Jaipaul Sharma, said that many Guyanese who invested in CLICO are still to receive their monies.

He noted that only a few were able to get compensation when the company flopped.

SAFEGUARDING THE FUTURE To prevent a recurrence of such financial whirlwinds, Guyana’s National Assembly earlier this year passed a refined and strengthened Insurance legislation that is geared to protect the sector and restore accountability and transparency.

Taking the Bill before the House was Finance Minister, Winston Jordan. He acknowledged that the Bill was one which had its genesis with the former regime. He said that to his government’s credit, they had taken it to an advanced stage.

He is proud that the new government was able to take up the mantle and bring it to its final stage.

Jordan said that the Bill is crucial to the nation’s financial architecture as international consultants found that there were a number of gaps in the sector. These gaps included the lack of regulatory requirements relating to governance, lack of risk management guidelines, absence of minimum capital levels, weak supervision and the absence of information sharing.

The Finance Minister related that this refined Bill ensures that all of these gaps or loopholes are closed.

He noted, too, that the Bill seeks to align the industry with international best practices and is modified to take into account, the current developmental structure of Guyana’s insurance industry. Jordan said that the overall approach is to include risk based approaches consistent with sound business and financial practices.

The Finance Minister said that based on assessments by the World Bank and other international consultants, it was found that Guyana’s systems for monitoring the insurance sector were in some regard, primitive.

Jordan said that when the APNU+AFC took office, another round of consultations was held on the draft legislation in October 2015. After some amendments, the draft was then presented to stakeholders within the industry. He said that the final draft received the stakeholders’ blessings and it was subsequently sent to the Chambers of the Attorney General.

He commented that the Bill is very comprehensive and it received the blessings of the House.

as at March 31, 2015, positive growth in assets, net premiums and capital is also projected for the remainder of the year.

In his opinion, the Finance Minister said that the industry has rebounded somewhat since the calamitous collapse of CLICO in 2008. He said that notwithstanding the recovery, net premiums reported by the long term insurance sector were only 42.3 percent of the amount prior to the CLICO debacle.

The economist said that this is an indication that many policyholders might have lost confidence in the long-term insurance sector. He said that the systemic failures by CLICO have reinforced the need for enhanced regulation in the insurance sector.

In the meanwhile, he said that efforts have been made to build supervisory capacity in the insurance sector while a riskbased supervisory framework will be developed to supervise and regulate the same.

Additionally, Jordan said that Guyana’s National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has faced several challenges over the years, including lack of compliance by both employers and employees combined with unprofitable investments.

Jordan also stated that the management of NIS will work diligently to ensure greater compliance through the enforcement of the laws.

This year, according to the Minister of Finance, management will be targeting delinquent businesses and employers in order to recover the $1.3 billion in arrears owed to the Scheme.

The NIS will also be examining an appropriate investment policy to guide its investments to ensure that future investments are profitable.

The Minister Jordan reiterated that NIS plays an important role in enhancing the capacity of the poor and vulnerable to manage risks such as unemployment, disability, sickness and old age. Given this, as well as Government’s commitment to reduce poverty and inequality within the society, he promised that profitability is restored at NIS, over the longer term.

Additionally, the Finance Minister said that the National Insurance Scheme improved its financial position, from a current deficit of $358.7 million at the end of the first half of 2015 to a deficit of $63.3 million for the same period in 2016.

Through increased compliance efforts, he said that the NIS was able to collect $1.7 billion and $18.9 million in outstanding contributions from employers and self-employed persons, respectively, resulting in the growth of contributions by $800 million.

PERFORMANCE According to Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, the insurance sector was adequately capitalized in keeping with the requirements of the Insurance Act 1998, for the period ending March 31, 2015.

He said that assets for both the long-term and general insurance sectors exceeded liabilities by 32.5 percent and 132.2 percent respectively.

Jordan said that this was complemented by the sectors’ ability to meet their expenses from growth in net premiums. As a result of the industry’s performance,

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GUYANA’S PRUDENT BANKING INDUSTRY

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he banking industry is crucial to any country.

Without it, you cannot properly and effectively manage an economy. In fact, without it, the world would be pushed into the abyss of a fiscal apocalypse.

As dramatic as that might appear, even that picture does not begin to capture the financial chaos, corruption and destruction that would abound were one to eliminate such an industry.

It has cemented itself as the lifeblood of a country’s financial makeup.

It is with this understanding in mind that this article seeks to

STRICT LAWS The Central Bank of Guyana is constantly looking for ways and means to protect itself from infiltration and criminals of all sorts. As such, it is often strengthening the laws it is governed by.

According to the Central Bank Governor, Dr. Gobind Ganga, the framework which provides the parameters for the exercise of the powers and execution of the functions of the Bank of Guyana has been expanded. That is beyond its two main pieces of legislation ,being the Bank of Guyana Act and the Financial Institutions Act. He said that the widening of the legislative framework arose from the enactment of the Anti- Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act No. 13 of 2009, the Insurance Supplementary (Provisions) Act No. 16 of 2009 and the Money Transfer Agencies (Licensing) Act No. 20 of 2009.

Dr. Ganga said it is important to note that the Bank of Guyana Act No.19 of 1998 establishes the Central Bank as an autonomous institution.

According to the Act, the principal objective of the Bank states that, “Within the context of the economic policy of the Government, the Bank shall be guided in all its actions by the objective of fostering domestic price stability through the promotion of stable credit and exchange conditions, as well as sound financial intermediation conducive to the growth of the economy of Guyana.”

This Act also includes provisions governing the administration of the Bank, relations between the Bank and licensed financial institutions and the Bank and the Government. It also places the exclusive responsibility for supervision and regulation of licensed financial institutions on the Bank and tasks it with the responsibility of oversight of the payment system.

As for the Financial Institutions Act 1995, which came into operation on the May 29, 1995, this has created the framework for the regulation of the business of banking and other financial businesses in Guyana.

This Act consists of nine parts which includes requirements related to licensing of financial institutions, paid up capital, restrictions on banking and financial activities, supervision of licensed financial institutions and provisions for insolvency and winding up.

The Financial Institutions Act remained substantially unchanged since its enactment in 1995 until November 2004

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explore the importance, function, challenges and the way forward regarding Guyana’s relatively small banking sector.

Guyana’s banking industry is made up of a few commercial banks, insurance companies, securities registrants, non-bank financial institutions, co-operative societies, and money transfer agencies.

The largest banks in the country are foreign owned and these account for approximately 60% of total assets of commercial banks.

The prudent manager of the banking sector is the Central Bank of Guyana. It was established in 1998 as an independent institution.

when amendments were made by way of modification of some sections of the Act and the inclusion of new emergency provisions dealing with temporary control.

The 2004 amendments sought to provide for the prevention of the abuse of financial institutions by insiders, enhance corporate governance and strengthen the powers of the Bank to deal with problematic licensed financial institutions.

The Central Bank is also responsible for the licensing and supervision of dealers in foreign currency (cambios). Cambios are licensed to buy and sell foreign currencies. Regulation is conducted in accordance with the Dealers in Foreign Currency (Licensing) Act 1989. The Act originally gave the Minister of Finance the power to grant licenses, renewable annually.

In 1995 the Act was amended, transferring to the Bank of Guyana in consultation with the Minister full responsibility for administering the Act. The Central Bank is also guided by the Insurance (Supplementary Provisions) Act 2009 and the Money Transfer Agencies (Licensing) Act 2009. The one of the most important Acts as cited by the Central Bank Governor is the Anti- Money Laundering and Countering The Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 which repeals and replaces the Money Laundering Prevention Act of 2000.

This law seeks to provide for the prevention of money laundering, combating the financing of terrorism and the civil forfeiture of criminal assets.

PLACEMENT IN THE WORLD The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report (2012-13) rated Guyana 52nd in the world for soundness of its banks, a similar position to its near neighbours – Suriname at 49th and Venezuela at 96th.

According to Central Bank Governor, Dr. Gobind Ganga, Guyana is still working on its institutional foundations for financial sector development, placing 166th out of 183 countries in the 2011 World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report’s index for getting credit.

In relation to protecting investors, it placed Guyana 79th, a ranking in line with much of the surrounding region, ranking the country alongside Brazil. The score reflects the continued efforts to improve legal and regulatory reform to facilitate the expansion of bank credit to the private sector.

In the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report (2012-13) Guyana placed 70th in the world (out of 144 countries) for its availability of financial services and 72nd for its affordability of financial services, scoring above Nicaragua, Suriname and Venezuela in both categories.

For financing through local equity market, Guyana ranked 77th again above nations with a similar GDP, coming 17 places above Suriname. With regard to ease of access to loans it placed 76th, again well above Suriname.

DERISKING While the Banking sector in Guyana has increased its capacity to ensure the legal protection of the industry, there have been a few challenges that it has faced.

One in particular mentioned by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan was the issue of derisking.

Jordan told Guyana Inc Magazine that local banks in small economies rely on “correspondent banks” with a global presence to connect them to the international financial network.

He said that relationships with correspondent banks allow local residents to receive remittances from abroad, tourists to access cash from their home accounts, and facilitate the transfer of funds needed for trade and investment.

Recently, the economist said that there has been a global trend of correspondent banks terminating their relationships with their local partners.

He said that through May 2016, at least 16 banks across five countries in the Caribbean have lost all or some of their correspondent banking relationships.

Jordan said that one reason that correspondent banks may drop their relationships with local banks is concerns about meeting new, stricter rules related to Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism.

He said that this same concern may apply with regards to other regulations as well, such as the tighter prudential regulation that was put in place in many countries following the global financial crisis. International banks cite excessive compliance costs, unprecedented penalties, vague legal standards and escalating litigation costs as reasons for severing correspondent bank relationships.

The Finance Minister articulated that when a correspondent bank drops a local

market (this could be a bank or a country) over concerns about regulatory compliance or other risks, this is called “derisking�.

When a bank loses its correspondent banking relationships, the impact can be mitigated by putting in place arrangements that allow bank clients to continue to access services.

Clients can be sent to other local banks that still have correspondent banks to complete international transfers.

Alternatively, central banks can process payments on behalf of local banks through their own correspondent banking relationships. However, as transfers are diverted through fewer channels, the rising volume of transactions may pose a challenge.

The Finance Minister said that derisking is already affecting Guyana’s financial sector.

He recalled that in June, Bank of America announced that it would no longer act as a correspondent bank for the Guyana market.

While Guyanese banks are currently served by other correspondent banks, Jordan said that the decision underscores the importance of addressing these perceived risks.

While Guyana has taken recent steps to strengthen its Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism framework, further work remains to be done.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged the Government to accelerate the implementation of the action plan agreed with the Financial Action Task Force.

The Government is also working with the Bank of Guyana to improve financial sector supervision, and to monitor the risk from

derisking on local banks.

THE WAY FORWARD When it comes to the monitoring of the economy and management of financial services for the nation, the Central Bank has done an exceptional job. But of course, there is always room for improvement.

According to Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, the way forward for the manager of the banking sector is paved with numerous measures for improvement.

The Bank of Guyana he said is expected to license cambios located outside of Georgetown, in order to facilitate businesses and individuals who reside in rural, hinterland and other remote or isolated areas.

Central Bank has commenced a study on implementing deposit insurance in Guyana, with the goal of rolling out a deposit guarantee scheme by 2017. This action takes on heightened importance to protect businesses and individuals from losses in the case of a bank failure.

Additionally, the Finance Minister said that the Bank is examining the feasibility of agency banking, which would allow local nonbanks to provide some financial services.

He opined that Agency banking has the potential to dramatically improve access to banking in rural communities.

The Bank of Guyana also plans to support the expansion of mobile money, which would allow more people to save and transfer money using their phones, thereby reducing the transaction costs.

Of significance is the fact that the IMF

and the World Bank, in collaboration with the Bank of Guyana have started a financial sector assessment.

Furthermore, the Bank of Guyana will be moving towards Basel II implementation, which will strengthen the regulatory framework governing banks and also result in Guyana aligning its capital requirements with internationally recommended best practices.

Basel II, which was introduced in 2006 by the Basel Committee on Bank Supervision, was intended to create an international standard for banking regulators to control how much capital banks need to set aside to guard against the types of financial and operational risks banks face.

Basel II has three pillars: ensuring that bank capital is more risk sensitive, ensuring that banks have adequate capital to support all the risks in their business, and enhancing disclosure requirements to make the risks banks take more transparent.

The Financial Sector Reform and Strengthening (FIRST) Initiative, a project managed by the World Bank, is providing technical assistance to the Bank of Guyana to strengthen supervision of the Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NBFIs) and insurance companies. The initiative aims to close gaps in the 43 supervisory perimeters, regarding prudential and non-prudential standards, and to build supervisory capacity.

The FIRST initiative will assist with the development of a legal and institutional framework for market conduct and financial consumer protection.

The Financial Intelligence Unit and Guyana

C

losing the loopholes in systems which allow for the proliferation of corruption and acts of money laundering is a goal that is unanimously supported by countries across the world.

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) is the special agency that has been established to target and annihilate such acts and their criminal authors so as to protect the integrity of financial markets.

information from the financial sector and transmits disclosures to judicial or law enforcement authorities for prosecution.

It functions as a “buffer” between the financial and the law enforcement communities.

In the case of the Hybrid Model, this type serves as a disclosure intermediary and a link to both judicial and law enforcement authorities. It combines elements of at least two of the FIU models.

TYPES OF FIUs

THE GUYANA CASE

According to the Egmont Group, the international body that monitors FIUs, there are four models of FIUs. These include; the judicial, law enforcement, Administrative, and hybrid.

The Group explains that the Judicial Model is established within the judicial branch of government wherein “disclosures” of suspicious financial activity are received by the investigative agencies of a country from its financial sector such that the judiciary powers can be brought into play e.g. seizing funds, freezing accounts, conducting interrogations, detaining people, conducting searches, etc.

As for the Law Enforcement Model, the global body said that this form implements anti-money laundering measures alongside already existing law enforcement systems, supporting the efforts of multiple law enforcement or judicial authorities with concurrent or sometimes competing jurisdictional authority to investigate money laundering.

With regard to the Administrative Model, it was explained that this is a centralized, independent, administrative authority, which receives and processes

In Guyana, the Financial Intelligence Unit is established under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act (AML/CFT) of 2009 as an agency responsible for requesting, receiving, analyzing and disseminating suspicious transaction reports and other information relating to money laundering, terrorist financing or proceeds of crime.

According to the FIU, it is established by the Minister responsible for Finance.

The FIU Act authorizes the FIU to request and receive information from any reporting entity, any supervisory agency and any law enforcement agency, any other competent authority in Guyana or elsewhere for purposes of this Act. Additionally, it overrides secrecy laws and protects reporting entities by ensuring that no civil or criminal liability action can be brought nor can any professional sanction be taken against any person or agent of any reporting entity for breach of any restriction on disclosure who in good faith, transmits information or submits reports to the Financial Intelligence Unit.

The FIU said that it works in close partnership with

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similar type national and international intelligence and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the country has a comprehensive anti-money laundering system that identifies and effectively addresses suspected illegal activity.

The Unit said that licensed financial institutions and a wide cross section of designated business and professional entities are obligated to report suspicious transactions to the FIU. Some of these entities which are required to submit reports include; Betting shops, Pawnbrokers, Insurance businesses, Portfolio management and advice companies, Cambios, Safe custody services, Casinos, safekeeping and administration of securities, Credit unions, exporters and importers of valuable items etc.

CASH MOVEMENTS In proving just a sample of the kind of work it monitors, the FIU revealed that one of its analyses examines the trend of foreign currency cash movements within Guyana.

The Unit said that information over a three year period (2011 – 2013) derived from declarations at ports of entry and exit and from foreign currency dealers have been analyzed.

It said that the use of foreign currency cash within the country’s economy has been a feature for decades for both commercial and non-commercial purposes, especially for most businesses involved in the trade of goods and services on the international market.

It also stated that the most traded foreign currency is the United States (US) dollar and trades are seldom done in Euros, Pounds Sterling and Caribbean Currencies.

Well noted was that the Canadian dollar, Euros and Pounds Sterling were collectively trading at 25% of the US dollar, by value, and the major Caribbean currencies; the Barbados, Eastern Caribbean and Trinidad and Tobago dollars were 14%.

The Unit said that it also monitored the passenger arrivals at the country’s main port of entry -the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Timehri (CJIA). In this regard, the Unit observed that arrivals have been increasing annually over the period.

In 2011 passenger arrivals were 156,910, in 2012 235,967 and in 2013 -267,652. Although, passenger arrivals have increased annually, it suspiciously found that foreign currency cash declarations by inbound travellers have been minimal throughout the same period.

It said that in 2011, there were only 26 declarations; in 2012 a total of 16 and in 2013 there were 24.

Notably, the FIU said that there were no declarations of Euros, Barbados and Eastern Caribbean currencies entering the country during the period.

It made it clear that the threshold limit is $10,000 USD or its equivalent in any foreign currency before a cash declaration is required, which may be the main contributing factor to the recorded low levels of currency imports or conversely will affect the true level of cash declared at the points of exit.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE In May 2013, the FIU and the Canadian High Commission of Guyana agreed on a technical assistance AML/CFT work plan. The Unit said that the technical assistance provided for financial, technical and human resources by the Government of Canada aimed at assisting in the improvement of Guyana’s overall AML/ CFT regime through capacity building in the following areas: Development of a National AMLCFT Strategic Plan for improving national coordination and effectiveness of key stakeholders and agencies.

INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENT In the last few years, the FIU said that a number of international conventions have recognized the usefulness of FIUs in modern anti-money-laundering systems and have encouraged the states that are parties to these conventions to establish FIUs. It said that these are (in the order in which they were opened for signature), the Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (1999), the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (2001), and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (2003).

It noted that the first of these conventions requires the criminalization of the financing of terrorism; the second requires the criminalization of participation in organized international criminal groups, corruption, money laundering, and obstruction of justice. The third requires the criminalization of various forms of corruption, money laundering, concealment of the proceeds of crime, and obstruction of justice.

The FIU asserted that one common element in the three conventions is that each one requires states that are parties to criminalize money laundering and to adopt measures to prevent it.

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myMagazine Business Tip

WHY STRIVING INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION

SHOULD MATTER TO YOU

The main aim of any business, when it first begins its operations, is to be able to make a profit but crucial to bringing in the big dollars is ensuring your business becomes a hub of recognition.

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his allows customers near and far to see it, become interested, respect it, and most importantly, spend their money in exchange for the goods or services offered.

In this regard, advertisement plays a major role in increasing a business’s visibility, reach and its capability to attract an increasing number of customers. However, as the business grows and becomes a household name within a country, there is only so much that advertising can do that word-of-mouth and product quality hasn’t done yet.

It is at this point that a business needs to increase its reach beyond the borders of its country and aim for some amount of regional or international accreditation. Why is this necessary, and why should businesses aim for this sort of accreditation even after it has had complete success in its country?

Well, here are some crucial reasons to consider: 1. More Profits - With increased sales, one can expect a total increase in profits, especially if on an international level.

Your currently priced product can be sold for a greater price on the global market as compared to the price sold within the country. This does not mean that provision of these products should be stopped locally because of higher profits globally. Remember, the local supply is what forms the backbone of your business. Aiming for international accreditation is, by extension, aiming for greater profits.

4. Increased Innovation - Through the expansion of your customers’ reach, both locally and internationally, your increased sales and profits could help to fund the development of new products.

5. Exclusivity - Acquiring international accreditation puts your business and its management in a position to gain exclusive knowledge about foreign customers, market places and market situations. This could work in your favour on the local market through the implementation of certain strategies. These strategies would be developed in relation to the information obtained from the global market and would help to ward off local competitors.

6. Education - Some companies do not aim for international accreditation just for the financial gain. Quite a lot of businesses join in on the international market to scope out the feasibility of their existence on such a plane. In essence, they do so just for the learning experience, which in turn allows them to better themselves locally and later on, internationally.

2. Short-term Security - By aiming for international accreditation and successfully doing so, your business is guaranteed to be almost unaffected or minimally affected by sudden or ‘once in a while’ changes in the country’s economy. This is so due to the fact that there is also assurance for your business out of the country.

7. Competitive Strike - This comes in two forms when aiming for international accreditation; offensive and defensive. In the offensive form, entering the global market allows one to gain a sort of edge against local competitors.

It allows for faster growth and increased visibility. It also allows for greater customer confidence, causing patrons of other local companies providing the same goods and services to switch to your brand; all due to the international accreditation. On the defensive note, some businesses enter the global market due to the fact that a major competing business has entered first. By allowing that business to be the sole operator in the market, it would gain a significant advantage. This, however, is negated through retaliation by entering the global market as well. It ensures that you keep your current customers and gain a significant amount more as well.

3. Long-term Security - As with short-term security, by acquiring international accreditation, your business is assured some amount of protection from changes in your country’s economy. But in this case, your business remains stable despite domestic competitors, as well as foreign ones, to a certain extent.

It is absolutely necessary to be internationally accredited if you want your business to grow. As mentioned above, there are a number of advantages of doing so, even if your business is now starting up. It might be wise to start a little bigger than you anticipated. But always bear in mind that scoping your market before implementing anything is always best.

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P T

ANDAMA WINERY AND RETREAT A MESMERIZING PARADISE FOR THE MIND, BODY AND SOUL

here are only a few places on planet earth that can offer the peace and serenity that we often seek. It’s even harder to find a place where one can seek spiritual alignment, connect with nature and the positive natural energy that flows deep within.

Pandama Retreat, along the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway of Guyana, is one such paradise that nourishes the mind, body and soul.

Its scenery, comprising of the most beautiful flora that Guyana has to offer, is enough to mesmerize the senses.

At Pandama you will experience diverse cultures and nurture amazing new friendships, while enjoying a very unique experience.

The Retreat caters for any occasion; be it wedding ceremonies, commitment ceremonies or family outings. Just a few minutes from the Soesdyke Main Road, the Retreat proves to be easily accessible.

Bird watching is also one of the activities that is offered at the Retreat. In fact, Pandama is home to over 128 species of birds. Birders and wildlife photographers have recently been frequenting the retreat to be the first to discover each new species.

Birding packages are also available there.

The Retreat also offers fishing and swimming activities, gift shopping, reiki classes, and for the moment you have been waiting for – camping!

This one of a kind paradise offers a fully functional campground for picnics and reunions. Their bunk station can very comfortably accommodate 20 adults in their cool, shaded camping area.

While there, you can sample some of the tastiest wines this side of the hemisphere has to offer.

In 2012, Pandama Wines received the Tourism and Hospitality Association of

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Guyana (THAG) President’s award for “Best New Product” in Guyana.

Pandama products are available in Guyana at Bounty Supermarkets, the Guyana Shop and DSL Cash and Carry among other leading supermarkets and stores countrywide.

“I remember sitting in our back yard in Charlotte, North Carolina with my wife, Tracy, when a very interesting conversation ensued. Tracy intimated that she wanted to start making soap again - Tracy had manufactured her own soap for several years. I remember indicating to her that I always wanted to make my own wine, and I was going to start researching the process. I read everything that I could get my hands on about wine making and decided to invest in the equipment.”

Those were the words of the owner of Pandama Winery and Retreat, Mr. Warren Douglas.

Warren is a native of Guyana and veteran of the United States Navy. He was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia aboard the U.S Navy’s amphibious assault aircraft carrier USS Guadalcanal.

Warren was a member of the crew that was involved in military conflicts in Grenada and Libya. This crew was also involved in numerous peacekeeping missions in the Mediterranean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean. He received his Bachelor’s degree aboard ship through PACE (Program for Afloat College Education) while stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. Warren resided in Virginia for 21 years.

Tracy and Warren lived in Charlotte, North Carolina until 2009, then moved to Guyana to co-create Pandama Retreat, Winery & Centre for the Creative Arts. They have two children, Chaz and Tielle and one grandson, Lennox.

Warren continued that his first batch of wine was made from North Carolina peaches, and it was a homerun after he introduced it to his friends and family all across the United States.

“I continued to make wine and we gave bottles as gifts at parties and gatherings.

When Tracy and I decided to move to Guyana to live, I knew that wine making would be a major part of the Pandama Retreat experience. With the proliferation of exotic fruits in Guyana, it didn’t take much time for Pandama Wines to come into being. We currently offer several fruit wines which include Pineapple, Jamoon, Aunty Desmond, Noni, Cherry, Malacca

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Wine & Nature ELEASE YOUR TENSION, RELAX YOUR MIND AND REJUVENATE YOUR SOUL.

Pear, Duka, Carambola and Sorrel. We will continue to develop new flavours periodically,” Mr. Douglas said.

Pandama Wines also offers Pulse, a libido enhancement tonic wine which is made from barks native to Guyana and the Amazon Basin. It is a real treat and has gotten rave reviews from ladies and gentlemen alike.

Mr. Douglas said that Pandama has received great reviews over the past couple of years since it began its operation in 2009 and they intend to make their products available in as many places as possible.

While admitting that there is a real need for quality local wines in Guyana, their products have made it to many tables in the United States and the United Kingdom during the holiday seasons.

“We intend to keep things moving. Our focus is not mass production, but rather providing a quality product that is satisfying to all of our customers,” he added.

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Health

Placing The Spotlight On The

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – Autism

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utism and autism spectrum disorder are both general terms for a group of complex brain development disorders.

Autism includes a wide range, or what is commonly referred to as a spectrum of symptoms, skills, and levels of disability.

Persons on the autism spectrum often have these characteristics: • Ongoing social problems that include difficulty communicating and interacting with others • Repetitive behaviors, as well as limited interests or activities • Symptoms that are typically recognized in the first two years of life • Symptoms that hurt the individual’s ability to function socially, at school or work, or other areas of life Some people are mildly impaired by their symptoms, while others are severely disabled. Treatments and services can improve a person’s symptoms and ability to function.

WHAT CAUSES AUTISM

There is no one cause of autism, just as there is no one type of autism.

Over the last five years, scientists have identified a number of rare gene changes, or mutations, associated with autism.

A small number of these are sufficient to cause autism. Most cases of autism, however, appear to be caused by a combination of autism risk genes and environmental factors influencing early brain development.

In the presence of a genetic predisposition to autism, a number of non-genetic, or “environmental” stresses appear to further increase a child’s risk. The clearest evidence of these autism risk factors involves events before and during birth. They include advanced parental age at time of conception (both mom and dad), maternal illness during pregnancy and certain difficulties during birth, particularly those involving periods of oxygen deprivation to the baby’s brain. It is important to keep in mind that these factors, by themselves, do not cause autism. Rather, in combination with genetic risk factors, they appear to modestly increase risk.

A growing body of research suggests that a woman can reduce her risk of having a child with autism by taking prenatal vitamins containing folic acid and/or eating a diet rich in folic acid (at least 600 mcg a day) during the months before and after conception.

Increasingly, researchers are looking at the role of the immune system in autism.

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SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF AUTISM (ASD)

Parents or doctors may first identify ASD behaviors in infants and toddlers. School staff may recognize these behaviors in older children.

But not all people with ASD will show all of these behaviors, but most will show several. There are two main types of behaviors: “restricted/ repetitive behaviors” and “social communication/interaction behaviors.”

Restrictive/repetitive behaviors may include: • Repeating certain behaviors or having unusual behaviors • Having overly focused interests, such as with moving objects or parts of objects • Having a lasting, intense interest in certain topics, such as numbers, details, or facts.

Social communication / interaction behaviors may include: • Getting upset by a slight change in a routine or being placed in a new or overly stimulating setting • Making little or inconsistent eye contact • Having a tendency to look at and listen to other people less often • Rarely sharing enjoyment of objects or activities by pointing or showing things to others • Responding in an unusual way when others show anger, distress, or affection • Failing to, or being slow to, respond to someone calling their name or other verbal attempts to gain attention • Having difficulties with the back and forth of conversations • Often talking at length about a favorite subject without noticing that others are not interested or without giving others a chance to respond • Repeating words or phrases that they hear, a behavior called echolalia • Using words that seem odd, out of place, or have a special meaning known only to those familiar with that person’s way of communicating • Having facial expressions, movements, and gestures that do not match what is being said • Having an unusual tone of voice that may sound sing-song or flat and robot-like • Having trouble understanding another person’s point of view or being unable to predict or understand other people’s actions.

People with ASD may have other difficulties, such as being very

sensitive to light, noise, clothing, or temperature. They may also experience sleep problems, digestion problems, and irritability.

ASD is unique in that it is common for people with ASD to have many strengths and abilities, in addition to challenges.

tape marking areas that are off limits, labeling items in the house with pictures). You may also need to safety proof the house, particularly if your child is prone to tantrums or other self-injurious behaviors.

Strengths and abilities may include: • Having above-average intelligence – the CDC reports 46% of ASD children have above average intelligence • Being able to learn things in detail and remember information for long periods of time • Being strong visual and auditory learners • Excelling in math, science, music, or art.

About 1 child in every 68 has been identified with ASD, according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Development Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) network. While it is reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups ASD is more common in boys than girls with the stats showing 1 in every 42 for boys and 1 in every 189 for girls.

ON THE SPECTRUM-PARENTING AND ASD

If you’ve recently learned that your child has or might have an autism spectrum disorder, you’re probably wondering and worrying about what comes next. No parent is ever prepared to hear that a child is anything other than happy and healthy, and a diagnosis of autism can be particularly frightening.

You may be unsure about how to best help your child, or confused by conflicting treatment advice. Or you may have been told that autism is an incurable, lifelong condition, leaving you concerned that nothing you do will make a difference.

The following are things that you can do to help your child deal with his or her condition.

LEARN ABOUT AUTISM The more you know about autism spectrum disorders, the better equipped you’ll be to make informed decisions for your child. Educate yourself about the treatment options, ask questions, and participate in all treatment decisions.

BECOME AN EXPERT ON YOUR CHILD Figure out what triggers your kid’s “bad” or disruptive behaviors and what elicits a positive response. What does your autistic child find stressful? Calming? Uncomfortable? Enjoyable? If you understand what affects your child, you’ll be better at troubleshooting problems and preventing situations that cause difficulties.

ACCEPT YOUR CHILD, QUIRKS AND ALL Rather than focusing on how your autistic child is different from other children and what he or she is “missing,” practice acceptance.

Enjoy your kid’s special quirks, celebrate small successes, and stop comparing your child to others. Feeling unconditionally loved and accepted will help your child more than anything else.

THE PREVALENCE OF AUTISM

HELP IS AVAILABLE IN GUYANA

There exists only a few places in Guyana equipped to deal with ASD cases, one such resource is the Step by Step Foundation and School.

It was founded in 2011 and has retained the service of a behavioral analyst who consults, supervises and trains personnel that work with kids on the Autistic spectrum as well as other neurological disorders.

They have a website and Facebook page that give valuable information about the disorder and insights into the activities of the school and students there.

Website - http://stepbystepguyana.org/ Facebook page – Step by Step Guyana

HELP THOSE LIVING WITH ASD

The Step by Step Foundation relies heavily on sponsorship and fundraising activities to keep their programs and school going. They have acquired land upon which they intend to build a larger and more comprehensive school that would be able to accommodate more children and better meet their needs.

If you would like to make a donation to the foundation, their information is as follows: Name of Organization – The Step by Step Foundation Bank - Republic Bank Guyana, 38-40 Water Street, Georgetown, Guyana.

Swiftcode for those residing abroad – RBGLGYGG Acct# 651 5761 Cheques payable to The Step by Step Foundation can be delivered to 4 Public Road Ogle, East Coast Demerara / 3 Bagotstown, East Coast Demerara Us Donors can make donations to ‘Step by Step Foundation’ Archdale Road, Roslindale, MA 02131

6

DON’T GIVE UP It’s impossible to predict the course of an autism spectrum disorder.

Don’t jump to conclusions about what life is going to be like for your child. Like everyone else, people with autism have an entire lifetime to grow and develop their abilities.

BE CONSISTENT Children with autism have a hard time adapting what they’ve learned in one setting (such as school) to others, including the home. For example, your child may use sign language at school to communicate, but never think to do so at home. Creating consistency in your child’s environment is the best way to reinforce learning.

STICK TO A SCHEDULE Children with autism tend to do best when they have a highly-structured schedule or routine. Again, this goes back to the consistency they both need and crave. Set up a schedule for your child, with regular times for meals, therapy, school, and bedtime. Try to keep disruptions to this routine to a minimum. If there is an unavoidable schedule change, prepare your child for it in advance.

REWARD GOOD BEHAVIOR Positive reinforcement can go a long way with children with autism, so make an effort to “catch them doing something good.” Praise them when they act appropriately or learn a new skill, being very specific about what behavior they’re being praised for. Also, look for other ways to reward them for good behavior, such as giving them a sticker or letting them play with a favorite toy.

CREATE A HOME SAFETY ZONE Have a private space in your home where your child can relax, feel secure, and be safe. This will involve organizing and setting boundaries in ways your child can understand. Visual cues can be helpful (colored

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THE IDENTIF YING & TREATING OF

EATING DISORDERS Y

ou have heard persons talking about it; you have seen persons, either in real life or on television, suffering from it. But what exactly defines an eating disorder?

Over the years, pictures have been circulated with young women and men suffering from anorexia and they seem quite gruesome. On the contrary, some of these images are meant to raise awareness about eating disorders among young people.

But did you know that anorexia is not the only eating disorder that persons can suffer from?

It is commonly thought that eating disorders are actually a lifestyle choice, in that, the sufferers can actually just snap out of it or choose to eat properly. This is a common perception in Guyana and the world over where there is not much focus on mental health issues of this sort.

However, it must be noted that eating disorders are grave and often fatal diseases that can cause severe disturbances to a person’s eating behaviours. Certain obsessions with food, body weight, and shape may also signal the presence of an eating disorder. Eating disorders that frequently occur include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorders.

People with anorexia nervosa often times see themselves as being grossly overweight, despite the fact that they are dangerously underweight. It is not uncommon for persons with anorexia to constantly weigh themselves during the day, sometimes four to five times within a 24-hour period.

They also tend to severely restrict the amount of food they consume and only eat very small quantities of just certain foods. Of all the eating disorders and all the psychiatric disorders for that matter, anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate.

Most young people with this disorder tend to die from complications associated with starvation. However, due to the depression, others die of suicide. Suicide is much more common in women with anorexia than with most other mental disorders.

Symptoms of anorexia may include: • Eating extremely small amounts • Extreme emaciation (thinness) • The relentless urge to get thinner and unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy weight • A deep and intense fear of gaining weight • Distorted body image, a self-esteem that is heavily influenced by perceptions of body weight and shape • Denial of the seriousness of low body weight Some other symptoms may develop over time due to the initial starvation. These would include: • Thinning bones, referred to as osteopenia or osteoporosis • Anemia, muscle wasting and weakness • Brittle hair and nails • Dry and yellowish skin • Growth of fine hair all over the body (lanugo) • Severe constipation • Low blood pressure, slowed breathing and pulse

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• • • •

Decreased heart function due to damage Brain damage Multi-organ failure Drop in internal body temperature, causing a person to feel cold all the time • Lethargy • Infertility Now, people with bulimia nervosa have frequent episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food and having little to no control over them. This binge-eating behavior is usually followed by a compensating behaviour for the overeating such as purging, overuse of laxatives or diuretics, prolonged fasting, excessive exercise, or a combination of all. Unlike anorexia, bulimia patients are usually able to maintain a healthy or relatively normal body weight.

Symptoms of bulimia nervosa may include: • Chronically inflamed and sore throat due to purging • Swollen salivary glands in the neck and jaw area • Worn tooth enamel and increasingly sensitive and decaying teeth as a result of exposure to stomach acid • Acid reflux disorder and other gastrointestinal problems • Intestinal distress and irritation from laxative abuse • Severe dehydration from purging of fluids • Electrolyte imbalance (too low or too high levels of sodium, calcium, potassium and other minerals) which can lead to stroke or heart attack Finally, people with a binge-eating disorder lose total control over his or her eating habits. Unlike bulimia, the periods of binge-eating are not followed by purging, excessive exercise, or fasting. As such, bingeeaters are commonly, very overweight or obese.

Some of the symptoms associated with binge eating include: • Eating unusually large amounts of food in a specific amount of time • Eating even when you’re full or not hungry • Eating fast during binge episodes • Eating until you’re uncomfortably full • Eating alone or in secret to avoid embarrassment • Feeling distressed, ashamed, or guilty about your eating • Frequently dieting, possibly without weight loss What then are some of the risk factors associated with developing these disorders?

Research dictates that these disorders usually occur during the teenage years or into young adulthood but can also begin during childhood or later on in life. They affect both genders, although women are two out of five times more likely to develop them as compared to men.

Unlike women who may tend to have body image distortions concerning being overweight, men may have muscle dysmorphia, a type of disorder marked by the need to become more muscular.

Research has shown that eating disorders are caused by a complex interaction of genetic, biological, behavioural, psychological, and social factors. So for those suffering from any of the above, it might not just be one trigger, it may be a combination, which is why not many Guyanese know how to deal with them when diagnosed.

Treatments and Therapies Ensuring that there is adequate nutrition, helping to reduce excessive exercise and putting an end to purging behaviours are the mainstay of treatment. However, treatment plans are tailored to each individual’s needs and may include one or more of the following: • Psychotherapy • Medical care • Counseling on nutritional • Medications Medications such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, or mood stabilizers have been found to be very helpful for treating eating disorders and illnesses occurring hand in hand, such as anxiety or depression.

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Guyana Inc. - Issue 25 P.27

Culture

D

Diwali: Celebrating the triumph of good over evil

eepavali, more popularly known as Diwali, is arguably the one holiday which, not only seeks to unite persons of all creeds and backgrounds, but celebrates the universal principle that good always conquers evil. It is this very principle that strikes at the core of one’s intrinsic love for mankind and the desire for the world to be a much better place.

The rich history and spiritually binding powers of this holiday are just two of its many qualities that make it so beloved and sacred in many culturally diverse societies.

In fact, this Hindu Festival of Lights is celebrated as a holiday not only in Guyana, but in countries such as India, Fiji, Pakistan, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, Myanmar, Suriname and a few others as well.

The festival is celebrated during autumn for those in the north, and spring for those in the south, occurring concurrently with each other.

On the Hindu calendar, it is celebrated on the 15th day of the Hindu month of Kartik, described as the darkest night of that month.

That day this year will be the 30th of October on the standard Gregorian calendar.

Spiritually, Diwali does not just signify good over evil, but also the concepts of knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair.

Now why exactly do we celebrate Diwali?

There are actually many reasons why people celebrate the festival, but the story of Lord Rama and Sita is perhaps the most cited reason by many.

The story tells of the exile of Lord Rama, one of the avatars or incarnations of Lord Vishnu, from his home for 14 years by his father, King Dasratha, who was the ruler of the Kingdom of Ayodhya.

His exile was not one without reason, as his stepmother, Queen Kaikeyi, wanted her sons to become Kings instead of Dasratha’s eldest sons, Rama and Lakshmana.

Using her power as queen, she coerced the King to force his two sons into exile. With goodness in their hearts and not wanting to disobey their father, Rama and Lakshmana moved, along with Rama’s wife, Sita, to live in the forest.

It so happened that one day as Sita was out walking in the forest, the demon king, Ravana, passed in his flying chariot and looked upon her beauty and wanted her in his palace.

This urge he could not resist and so kidnapped the fair damsel and took her to his palace where he put her among his other attendants.

After finding out about the treachery of the demon king, Lord Rama and Lakshmana set out to free her, along the way encountering Lord Hanuman.

Lord Hanuman was immediately able to recognize Lord Rama’s divinity and pledged his allegiance to him and his cause. After many trials and tribulations, Lords

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Rama, Hanuman and Lakshmana finally entered the demon kingdom.

With the aid of a great monkey army led by Lord Hanuman, Rama and Lakshmana faced off against Ravana and his army of demons.

After a fierce, seemingly endless battle, Lord Rama and his allies were successful in defeating the demon king and his army. They were then able to rescue Sita and returned home with her.

It was a great time for celebration as no one had to worry about the ravages of the demons, and finally the rightful king was back. The night of their return was the darkest and so persons far and wide lit oil lamps to guide them on their way home.

The story varies in different locations but the same concept applies to each.

The lights that are seen on the nights of Diwali are to signify the lights placed hundreds of years ago in front of houses and yards to light the way for the return of Lord Rama.

This story, along with all of the traditions surrounding Diwali, became part of Guyana’s rich, cultural fabric. They were brought here by East Indians who came to Guyana as indentured labourers and worked on the sugar plantations after slavery was abolished.

Hundreds of years ago, there were no open celebrations of Diwali. Instead, it was just celebrated in the confines of logies in small scanty villages.

These were the efforts made by the East Indians of that time to preserve their culture, their religion and heritage.

They made much with the little that they had.

During the Diwali celebrations today, there can be seen, intricate diyas and all manner of lamps. But the modern configurations of these pieces are in stark contrast to the ones used by Guyana’s indentured labourers in the humble beginnings.

Indentured immigrants painstakingly collected globs of mud and amorously crafted individual diyas from them.

They either baked them in the sun or, for those who were privileged enough, used a makeshift furnace.

Back then, every diya was a little work of art and signified then, as it still does today, the fuelling of the flame of hope. Each diya, for the immigrants, was a reminder of home and the peace of their culture.

Their celebrations, in comparison to now, were simple.

Small amounts of diyas were lit and placed in front of logies as dusk approached.

The occupants of each house were keen to keep each and every one lit until it was time to sleep. And even after that, there was the hope that nature was kind enough to keep the winds at a minimum so that the lamps were kept lit throughout the night. Resources were low, but the best there was to eat was provided for everyone. Neighbours shared with each other and a feeling of harmony was fostered through the happiness of the celebrations.

Why, then, did our ancestors work so hard to preserve this specific festival?

The answer lies in the main deity of the festival, Lakshmi. Lakshmi, according to the Hindu texts, is the goddess of wealth, good tidings and prosperity.

Some texts go as far as describing her as the goddess of good luck and great blessings. It is for this very reason that the East Indians clung to their faith, keeping the hope that she would bless them and keep them from ill fate.

It was their hope that she would drive away her negative counterpart, Alakshmi, the goddess of ill-will, from their lives.

Since those days, the worship of Maha Lakshmi has been the main focus. He who partakes in the festival, performs what is known as Lakshmi Puja, a prayer to Maha Lakshmi, and asks for her blessings for both material and spiritual fulfilment.

In honour of this puja (prayer), it is not uncommon to find persons rigorously cleaning their houses and decorating them with fairy lights and flowers of all colours, even a month before the actual day.

This is significant because Maha Lakshmi only enters a home that is clean and inviting. Persons would often tend to begin the observation of a vegetarian fast and abstinence from alcohol, as it is not just a clean house that Maha Lakshmi expects, but the clean hearts living in said house as well.

On the day of Diwali, families come together to cook the best vegetarian dishes and sweet meats that they could afford. These are often times distributed to neighbours as well as friends and families in other areas, in keeping with what was done in the past.

Additionally, the members of a practicing Hindu home, after the day’s activities, would clean themselves off and get dressed in their best wear.

Together, they gather around in front of their Lakshmi

murti at dusk, saying prayers and chanting mantras before coming out of the house to light their first diya.

Some persons choose to keep the amounts they light at a minimum, but there are others who choose a more elaborate quantity, thus adding to the spectacle of the evening.

In Guyana, it is not uncommon to find young persons spinning lit steel wool, a spectacle itself to the viewing eye.

Explosives, sparkers and fireworks are common place and could be found being sold by stalls and shops countrywide.

Diwali has not remained confined to homes as it was before. Many commercial businesses and companies have adapted to the celebrations, especially around this time of year.

In fact, many businesses in Guyana have started to decorate with lights and signs in observation of the holiday. These act as an enhancement to the lit diyas on the night of the holiday, thus adding to the brightness and general aesthetics of the surroundings.

Another tradition unique to Guyana is the annual countrywide Diwali Motorcade held by the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha. This was started some 43 years ago and remains very popular to this day.

In fact, the Diwali Motorcade has become synonymous with the Diwali celebrations in Guyana.

In essence, the Motorcade features vehicles dressed up in lights and other decorations, along with portrayals of Maha Lakshmi, Lord Rama, Hanuman and other gods and goddesses.

Some even show reenactments of the Ramayan epic supplemented by bhajans and other instrumentations.

The Motorcade started simply, with just a few vehicles and even horse carts. Although there was a decrease in 2015, 2016 promises to be the biggest Motorcade in 43 years.

On the eve of October 30, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha will be hosting the 43rd annual Diwali Motorcade.

Guyana Inc. - Issue 25 P.29

big

myMagazine Security

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sk workplace ri

security of

mobile devices

By Brian Ramsey – Amalgamated Security

M

obile devices are everywhere. At every turn, you see people on their mobile phones and tablets sending texts, surfing the internet, checking their email and doing all manner of activities that the various apps allow them to do.

Giving into the wave of pressure from staff and recognizing the productivity improvements that are possible through the use of mobile devices, companies have increasingly begun arming their staff with mobile devices or allowing their staff to use their own devices during the execution of their duties.

Undoubtedly, companies have experienced a performance boost as a result.

No longer are customers told that the person did not see the email because they were not in the office or that they will get a response on Monday when the person goes to the office.

Mobile devices are therefore a tremendous benefit to Caribbean companies, but they carry a risk that many companies are not recognizing. This risk is compounded by the fact that employees often bring their own devices to work and use them for work purposes.

Some employers view this “Bring your own device (BYOD)” approach as a cost saving mechanism to the organization because they think that now; they do not have to incur the cost of purchasing and maintaining mobile devices for employees.

The risk that some Caribbean companies are not recognizing is that mobile devices, if not properly configured, can open up unauthorized means of access to company information, which in turn can lead to damaged reputation, corporate espionage, loss of revenue or worse.

The unauthorized access can also lead to the introduction of viruses and malware on a Company’s system, which can actually shutdown a company’s IT system and cripple its operations. The risk is further magnified by the fact that employees, in seeking to reduce the usage of their data plans and thus save on their personal cost, will frequently use any open wireless networks that they discover and often have their mobile devices configured to search for open wireless networks and use those first. Open public wireless networks, however, are often unsecured and so frequented by hackers looking for victims.

There are several measures that companies should have in place if they are

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allowing the use of mobile devices. The first and simplest method is that anyone who wants to use a mobile device to access the Internet and the company network, should have installed and regularly updated antimalware software for their device.

The second measure is that mobile devices should be configured to avoid unsecured wireless networks, and Bluetooth should be hidden from discovery. In fact, when not in active use for headsets and headphones, Bluetooth should be disabled altogether. These measures, while good first steps, are not the only protective actions that companies should take with mobile devices.

Increasingly, individuals have realized that they cannot simply have mobile devices open to be picked up and used by anyone.

People have caught on to the fact that if their mobile device is stolen, anyone finding it will have access to their personal information and be able to use their device and incur charges that they will have to pay.

As such, most individuals have configured their mobiles to require a password in order to use its services. Where a mobile is being used for work purposes, the access granting should go beyond just a password to ensure that possession of a mobile device doesn’t automatically grant access to important information and systems. Most modern mobile devices now include local security options such as built-in biometrics fingerprint scanners, facial recognition, and voiceprint recognition and companies should require the use of one of these combined with the password.

Most experts recommend that “all mobile device communications be encrypted as a matter, of course, simply because wireless communications are so easy to intercept and snoop on. Those same experts go one step further to recommend that any communications between a mobile device and a company or cloud-based system or service require use of a VPN for access to be allowed to occur. VPNs not only include strong encryption, they also provide opportunities for logging, management and strong authentication of users who wish to use a mobile device to access applications, services or remote desktops or systems”.

The difficulty that is faced when companies opt to go the BYOD route is that the user owns the device, not the organization, which makes security somewhat trickier for IT to establish and maintain.

Other experts have therefore recommended that in those situations, companies should “require such users to log into a remote virtual work environment.

Then, the only information that goes to the mobile device is the screen output from work applications and systems”. Given the fact that only screen output goes to the device, the data does not remain on the device once the connection to the company’s network is terminated. Since accessing a remote virtual work environment invariably occurs through VPN connections, communications are secure as well.

For companies that want to go further, they can implement mobile DLP technologies.

These DLP applications provide data classification features to label messages and documents (metadata labeling), as well as features that analyze content and filter it when a mobile device interacts with a corporate server. Thus, they can prevent information that has been classified as Sensitive or certain types of emails from downloading to a mobile device. Some of the DLP products prevent sensitive information from being transferred to devices based on a user or group rather than a device ID. Along with the technological measures, companies need to educate users on the dangers of data leakage. Employees should be taught what is considered sensitive and confidential information and about security of devices. Employees should also be taught about the implications of data leakage, not only to the organization, but ultimately the danger to their own job security. Most employees will help protect an organization’s assets once they understand what constitutes “confidential” information and the consequences of its leakage plus the risks that organizations face through unauthorized mobile access.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brian Ramsey has a B.A. in Accounting & Management, along with an M.B.A. in Finance and over 29 years in the Caribbean security field.

He is the Regional Development Director for Amalgamated Security Services Limited which operates in Grenada, Barbados, St Lucia, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. He can be contacted at bramsey@assl.com

Guyana Inc. - Issue 25 P.31

Labour myMagazine Laws

WORK RELATED LAW ROBUST, POWERFUL & EFFECTIVE

Taking A Closer Look

Guyana’s Financial Laws

Indeed, the field of finance is a vast and complex one; with each component governed by its own laws to ensure that order is maintained. In this series, we will explore some of Guyana’s financial laws which have been lauded by local experts as being extremely robust, powerful and effective.

THE AUDIT ACT The manner in which Government expends tax dollars from the national purse is, on an annual basis, examined by Guyana’s Audit Office.

That body is currently headed by Auditor General, Deodat Sharma. He and his agency are governed by what is called the Audit Act of Guyana.

This law sets out the responsibilities and authority of the Auditor General; to strengthen Parliamentary oversight over the work of the Auditor General; to provide for the establishment and administration of an independent Audit Office; and to regulate such other matters connected with or incidental to the independent auditing of the finances of Guyana.

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For the purpose of obtaining documents, information or other evidence relevant to any matter arising in the discharge of his functions, the Auditor General or any officer so authorized by him may, at all reasonable times and with proper identification can enter into and remain on a public entity’s premises; enter into and remain on any other premises if so authorized by a warrant issued by a court on the founds that there is reason to believe that documents or other information relating to the activities of a public entity may be held at those premises; and carry out a search for documents, examine documents, or make copies of documents.

According to the Audit Act, a person commits an offence if he or she knowingly and without lawful justification or excuse - (a) intentionally obstructs, hinders or resists the Auditor General or an officer authorized by him in the exercise of his power under this Act; (b) intentionally refuses or fails to comply with any lawful requirement of the Auditor General; (c) makes a statement or gives information to the Auditor General or an officer authorized by him knowing that the statement or information is false or misleading; (d) represents directly or indirectly that the person holds any authority under this Act when the person knowingly does not hold that authority; or (e) contravenes or violates the provisions of section 35.

Regarding requests for prosecution, if the Auditor General has reason to believe that an offence was committed, he shall request the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Commissioner of Police to take appropriate action and prosecute the offender if necessary.

As for penalties under this Act, a person who is convicted of an offence under section 38 is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not to exceed two hundred thousand dollars and to imprisonment for a term not to exceed five years; an entity or body of persons which is convicted of such an offence is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not to exceed one million dollars.

THE INTEGRITY COMMISSION ACT The Integrity Commission Act was assented to on the 24th September, 1997. The Act provides for the establishment of the Integrity Commission and makes provisions for the purpose of securing the integrity of persons in public life.

These persons include senior officials such as the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Permanent Secretaries of various ministries etc.

The Act also provides for the appointment of a Chairman to head the Commission, not less than two and not more than four other members of the Commission, a Secretary to oversee the day to day work of the Commission and other

officers for the proper performance of the Commission.

According to the Integrity Commission Act, the Commission has the power to do anything for the proper performance of its function and in discharging its function; it is not subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority. The Commission has the authority to regulate its own procedure and may make rules for that purpose.

Senior Public Officers as listed in the Act are expected to disclose their financial assets and liabilities on or before June 30, each year. When a public officer ceases to be a person in public life, he/she would be expected to disclose his/her assets and liabilities to the Commission within thirty days from the date that individual cease s to be a person in public life.

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING AND COUNTERING THE FINANCING OF TERRORISM ACT For those who may not be aware, money laundering refers to conduct which constitutes an offence as described under section 3 of the AML/CFT Act 2009.

According to the Act, “A person commits the offence of money laundering if he knowingly or having reasonable grounds to believe that any property in whole or in part directly or indirectly represents any person’s proceeds of crime…”

With dirty money constantly being introduced into the financial system, the strengthening of the money laundering process is continuous.

Furthermore, there is no one single method of laundering money.

Methods can range from the purchase and resale of a luxury item (e.g. properties, cars and jewellery), to passing money through a complex international web of legitimate businesses and “shell” companies.

However, in the case of drug trafficking and other specified serious offences enforceable under the AML/CFT Act 2009, the proceeds usually take the form of cash which needs to enter the financial system.

Despite the variety of methods employed, money laundering is generally accomplished in three stages, which may comprise numerous transactions by the launderers that could alert a financial institution to criminal activity.

These stages are placement, layering and integration:I. Placement: refers to the placing of “dirty money” or unlawful cash proceeds into the financial system without arousing suspicion for example via deposits and purchases of monetary instruments such as cheques, or bank drafts.

II. Layering: refers to the movement of the money, often in a series of complex transactions crossing multiple jurisdictions designed to disguise the audit trail and provide the appearance of legitimacy. These transactions may include purchasing investment instruments, insurance contracts, wire transfers, money orders, travelers’ cheques and letters of credit III. Integration: refers to the attempt to legitimize wealth derived from criminal activity. The illicit funds re-enter the legitimate economy by way of investments in real estate, luxury assets and business ventures, until the laundered funds are eventually disbursed back to the criminal.

Efforts to combat money laundering largely focus on those points in the process where the launderer’s activities are more susceptible to recognition and have, therefore, to a

large extent concentrated on the deposit taking procedures of financial institutions, i.e., the placement stage.

As it relates to terrorism, this is the unlawful threat of action designed to compel the government or an international organization or intimidate the public or a section of the public for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological belief or cause.

These actions include violence against a person, endangering a person’s life, damage to property, threats to national security or public health and safety, or serious interference with or disruption to an electronic system.

These activities are primarily motivated by ideological or religious beliefs. In contrast, financial gain is the main objective of financial crimes like money laundering.

Terrorist financing may involve amounts that are not always large, and the associated transactions may not necessarily be complex.

However, the methods used by terrorist organizations to move, collect, hide or make available funds for their activities are similar to those used by criminal organizations to launder their funds. This is especially so when the funds are derived from illegitimate sources, in which case, the terrorist organization would have similar concerns to a typical criminal organization in laundering the funds.

Where the funds are derived from legitimate sources, terrorist organizations would usually still need to employ the same laundering techniques to obscure or disguise the links between the organization and the funds.

However, with Guyana’s robust anti-money laundering laws, the financial environment is deemed to be effectively protected in this regard.

THE FISCAL MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT The Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA) of 2003 is one of the most powerful and most robust pieces of legislation in Guyana. It provides for the regulation of the preparation and execution of the annual budget; the receipt, control and disbursement of public moneys; the accounting for public moneys; and such other matters connected with or incidental to the transparent and efficient management of the finances of Guyana.

According to the Act, the Minister of Finance shall, not later than one hundred and eighty days prior to the commencement of each fiscal year, establish a timetable for the preparation of the annual budget proposal pertaining to the next ensuing fiscal year.

It also says that the Minister shall, not later than one hundred and eighty days prior to the commencement of each fiscal year, prepare and distribute a Budget Circular to all budget agencies. The Act also specifies how the minister is expected to account for tax dollars expended by various ministries and how monies are to be taken from the public purse in the case of an emergency.

According to the Act, an official who— (a) falsifies any account, statement, receipt or other record issued or kept for the purposes of this Act, the Regulations, the Finance Circulars or any other instrument made under this Act; (b) conspires or colludes with any other person to defraud the State or make opportunity for any person to defraud tile State; or (c) knowingly permits any other person to contravene any provision of this Act, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable on conviction to a fine of two million dollars and to imprisonment for three years.

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myMagazine Judicial

“Night Court” Life Imitating Art Prepared by Teni Housty Attorney-at-Law, LL.M.; MBA

As previously noted in an earlier contribution, the month of October marks the anniversary of the admission to practice of most Attorneys-at-Law who would have graduated from the Hugh Wooding Law School. For the author, as part of a group of nine attorneys-at-law admitted to practice in 1996, we recently gathered to celebrate twenty years at the Guyana and Caribbean Bar. Our October reflections surround, not only what we would have achieved for ourselves, but also what we may have observed in the administration of justice, in Guyana in particular.

Introduction

Twenty years of practice in Guyana has seen new Family Procedure Rules, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as our final Court of Appeal and improvements in the infrastructure of most courts. We have also not seen the appointment of Senior Counsel, we are likely to see new rules of court, technology has not made its full impact, and after years of discussion we have seen the commencement of night sittings of the Magistrate’s Courts in Georgetown. There are no expressed reflections on the glacier-like pace of change in the legal system, save to acknowledge that with the constant increase in temperatures in Guyana, the pace of change may increase.

This contribution discusses a recent introduction to the administration of justice in Guyana, the night court. It proceeds to address the reality, make a few respectful suggestions followed by a short conclusion.

The reality

The reality of night court; is here, sittings officially commenced on the 10th October, 2016. For those of us who were sufficiently cognizant in the 80’s and 90’s, the words ‘night court’ cause an immediate mental reference to a television situation comedy which bore a similar name. For those of a younger generation, Google and Youtube provide useful sources of information on the situation comedy.

The linkages between legal practice and television have always been present with varying impacts. There are the old shows of Perry Mason, Matlock, L.A. Law which were present in the 1990’s. Leading to the current wide menu of shows would have been shows such as Boston Legal, the Practice and Ally McBeal, to name at least three. The current crop of shows include: Suits, Conviction, Bull, and How to Get Away With Murder. There are

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even complete television networks devoted to court, demonstrating Court presided over by judges deciding real cases for a television audience. You may not remember the faces but you may know the names: Judge Judy, Judge Brown, Judge Mathis, etc.

With the label of a situation comedy,

bar and the bench; • There is nothing funny about the law and the delivery of justice, though there are many lawyer jokes and a few moments of humour depending on the Court and the Lawyer. Night court should not be seen as the platform for the humor which is characterised in the old and new television shows, despite the presence of a live (court as opposed to studio) audience; • Night court should not be another show to be cancelled after a few seasons of successful episodes, consideration may be given to more permanency in the framework; • Whatever is done in the dark eventually comes out in the light of day, not because it is night, justice must still be seen to be done as it ought to be done; • In the context of a labour market, there has been generally a difference between daytime rates and nighttime rates. Law being one of the oldest professions in the world, there should be an expectation of society to pay higher fees for nighttime service; • The television show Night Court launched the successful acting careers for members of its cast. Similar success may be possible in the Guyana context; • Change is indeed slow, but when it occurs it should be given the opportunity for develop momentum.

Night court should not be seen as the platform for the humor which characterised in the old and new television shows which ran for over 200 episodes, what are we likely to see from the night court in Guyana?

There is a cardinal rule of cross-examination, never ask a question to which you do not know the answer. Though several questions arise, there are no questions posed here regarding the night court in Guyana at this time. The right to cross-examine is therefore reserved. There also exists the crude and cultured way of advancing one’s case to a witness. One is to say, “I suggest to you that ……” the other is, “I put it to …..” no further comment on which is which.

Respectful suggestions

For the author, the following is respectfully suggested regarding the advent of the night court in Guyana.

• Despite the portrayed glamour law and legal practice are not television satire.

There are real players with real roles.

We note the persons who have been selected to perform the roles of temporary magistrates. It is trusted that the hard work is exercised and recognized and that there is little slippage when moving between the

Conclusion

Time will be part of the verdict of the night court effort in Guyana, the word experiment was deliberately avoided. Whether reflection on twenty years or otherwise, the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow come to mind, “The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night”. As the night court has started its momentum, we will be watching.

Entertainment myMagazine

Soyini Fraser

Crowned Miss Guyana Universe 2016 -Vows to uplift Guyana’s image on the international stage

There is something about pageantry that captivates us; no matter the time and the place it is being held.

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his was the exact case with the Miss Guyana Universe 2016 Pageant. Under the direction of a new franchise holder, Jyoti Hardat, the pageant promised not only more extensive preparation time for the contenders, but a fierce and high quality contest.

Hardat, no stranger to the Miss Guyana Universe stage herself, used her experiences in the field to successfully implement what was perhaps one of the most prolific competitions of its kind in years which was held on September 17, last at the Guyana Marriott Hotel.

It featured 14 dazzling beauties that vied for the coveted crown.

However, only one came out the victor. After stunning displays of talent, poise and brilliance, Miss Soyini Fraser was crowned the new Miss Guyana Universe 2016.

The Guyana Inc Magazine had the opportunity to sit down with Soyini who gave us the scoop as to what it’s like living a day in the shoes of Miss Guyana Universe.

Soyini Asanti Fraser is a 26 year old beauty that hails from Prashad Nagar. She was actually born in Georgetown and spent all of her childhood days in the southern part; Spurwing Drive, South Ruimveldt Park, to be exact. She, in fact, prides herself as a city girl by heart; hence, she has kept living there.

Fraser was a former student of West Ruimveldt Primary School and completed her secondary education at Queen’s College. She was later able to obtain her Advanced Diploma in Theology at the Life Christian University, Guyana Campus.

Soyini related that she has always had an amazing childhood, helping her to build her self-esteem; thus preparing her for her pageant days. During her childhood, she was very active, with scars proving such. She would usually find herself always involved in playing all sorts of games in their yard.

Growing up, her active nature fostered a love within her for track and field events. This was especially evident at the schools she attended, where she participated in the schools’ sporting activities, winning herself several trophies and medals.

Confident at heart, Soyini has always found the spotlight and the stage as her second home. This, along with the fact that she has long had a dream of representing Guyana at the Miss Universe pageant, motivated her to take part in the national competition.

Soyini has put Guyana in the limelight before when she participated at the Miss United Nations pageant. But seeing the Miss Universe crown up for grabs was an opportunity she just could not let pass.

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Top to bottom: The crowning of Miss Universe 2016, Soyini Fraser and Miss Universe 2016 Contestants [Saajid Husani Photography]

Kindness is Soyini’s forte, and throughout the pageant, she advocated for the elderly. She placed her main focus on “Enhancing the golden years of Elderly Guyanese citizens.”

What was her inspiration? Well, this beauty ambassador shares her abode with her mother and grandmother.

Fraser said she would daily think about the fact that not every elderly person is as fortunate as her loved ones who have someone to look out for them. Hence, she decided to help bring awareness to and help curb the cycle of elderly neglect as well.

As the reigning Miss Guyana Universe, Soyini has two promises that she has challenged herself to fulfil.

Firstly, she intends to keep her platform advocacy close to her heart. And secondly, she plans to work her utmost to ensure that Guyana’s image on the international stage is uplifted.

In order to do this, her intention is to embrace all the naturally good qualities that Guyana has and publicizing them so

that the world will fall in love with the land she calls home, just as she has.

Queen as she may be, it was not uncommon for Miss Fraser to encounter challenges on the road to becoming Miss Guyana Universe. However, she gracefully looks past each and every one of them, positing that each day presents its own blessings and challenges. She opined that the best way to get over hardships is to always look for the silver lining.

The Miss Guyana Universe title comes with an ambassadorial role which Soyini intends to firmly upkeep. Her plans to improve on Guyana’s international image are multifactorial.

She definitely believes that this can be achieved through the help of all Guyanese citizens.

It would thus be appropriate for her, being the role model that she now is, to encourage all Guyanese to join her in placing focus and significant emphasis on the positive attributes of Guyana.

Fraser also takes pride in the fact that Guyana is a land with six beautiful races, an amazing rainforest and rich cultural heritage that remains unmatched.

As a beauty ambassador, she proposes to strongly advocate for unity of all people. Through this empowerment exercise, she believes that it will in turn; help other Guyanese strengthen their cultural and ethnic bonds.

Additionally, Fraser said that she believes her beautiful smile is her best feature as a woman while attributing her new added confidence to the fact that she is now the reigning Miss Guyana Universe.

She has used the national leg of the competition to learn more about herself and others as well as putting the things she has learned into practice. This, she believes, will allow her to be the best possible version of herself.

Even the queen has someone she looks up to. For Soyini, that is Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Universe 2015. Why? Simply because of her persistence and the fact that even though she competed at her local competition three times before she won The Miss Philippines Universe title, she did not quit. She instead, used each time she lost, as a reason to learn and to improve herself, while persevering and letting nothing stop her from making her dreams come true.

Truly a case of a queen, looking up to another.

It might not be known but this was not Soyini’s first time competing in the Miss Guyana Universe pageant. In fact, she competed in 2014 but was unable to cop the title.

Like Pia, she persisted and seeing another opportunity at becoming Miss Guyana Universe this year, she could not let it pass idly by. Ultimately, she was successful, proving that if you persevere, you can achieve.

Soyini Fraser, a beauty with a heart of gold, a woman who is persistent, courageous and confident, will be representing Guyana at the Miss Universe pageant set to be held in The Philippines on January 30, 2017. The Guyana Inc Magazine wishes her all the best in this pageant and her future endeavours.

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myMagazine Tourism

HUNTING A RIVER MONSTER

IN GUYANA’S MYSTICAL WATERWAYS

Groups, Left to Right: Posing with various Aymaras including the prize 54lb prize fish; Upriver in the Hinterland and Steven, Anthony and Danie with a Labba and Powees they hunted with their bows one night

M

y quest for a world-record sized Amazon Wolf fish After paying my respects to the village elders and Toshao, started at the most remote and Southern village in I was introduced to Anthony and Steven. They are ex-Rangers Guyana, referred to as the Gunns Strip. from the area and were to be my Wai Wai guides on this journey.

I arrived early in the morning, just as the fog cleared on a small Together, we ventured into the unknown in a traditionally bush strip. It was surrounded by 120 ft trees as far as the eye made 30ft dugout canoe with a small outboard motor. Our could see. It was the most beautiful place I have ever laid my primary objective at the time was to scout potential campsites eyes upon; a place that was home to the hospitable Wai Wai on both the Upper Essequibo and Kasekaitsu rivers for future tribe. guided fishing trips into the area, and catch as many different Upon reaching the area, I realized what a tremendous species as possible in my time there. As fate would have it, this privilege it was for me to be there. Not many foreigners are very quickly turned into an obsession with the elusive river allowed to visit this protected area. demon, the Wolf fish or Aymara, as the locals here call it.

A good friend of mine Whilst talking to and Missionary pilot had a Steven about the flight to Shia in the South different catfish Rupununi carrying supplies species, some growing After catching four Aymaras breaking to a Bible worker who has to over 400lbs like the been there for a while.

Lau Lau (which is not the 40 lbs range, I knew it was going to Luckily for my part, he had found in this area ), I an open seat for me and couldn’t help but lose happen, and having unofficially broken the my gear, and was happy myself in the beauty of to drop me off provided the area; crystal clear world record a couple times, it just made us I supplied the Avgas for waters, with rapids my leg of the flight. Being around every bend in a bush pilot in Guyana the river. more determined to accomplish our goal.” myself, this was a once in The amount a lifetime opportunity for of wildlife was me to get to know the area astonishing. We saw better from the air. over 100 wild macaws in the first couple of hours; a gigantic This particular area is protected land belonging to the last Green Anaconda wrapped around a fallen tree and countless remaining Wai Wai tribe in Guyana. It has the world’s most monkeys, which I would over the next couple days, learn is pristine jungle and rivers running through it. better tasting when roasted over the fire than the best Brazilian It is also home to the origins of the mighty Essequibo River, steak, especially the Spider Monkey. which is the third largest river in Northern South America. The It didn’t take long for me to realize the difficulty of our task, area is so isolated that it can only be accessed by aircraft via as our timing was a bit off since being in the middle of the Gunns Strip or by a four day river journey from Parabara, a rainy season, the river was extremely high and pushed at some Wapishana village on the banks of the Cuyuni river. points, more than 100ft into raw Amazon jungle.

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The first three days of the 14 day expedition was spent casting though we were ankle-deep in water, our resolve did not falter. lures for big peacock bass and arowana, with no success. After I remember telling Steven on more than one occasion that we what felt like a million casts and catching countless Piranhas I are already wet so we might as well push through instead of realized I was wasting my time. The waters of the Essequibo and heading to the comfort of our hammocks and campfire. When it Kasekaitsu rivers were simply too high. didn’t rain we were being eaten alive by insects. Tired and sore, That night around the campfire, with the sweet smell of a we ventured on like true champions do; giving up was not an freshly roasted Piranha, we decided to change our tactics and option. target the big Wolf fish that we have been hearing jumping in the When my spirit was at an all time low, and running out of jungle’s waterways. gear, we came across a group Fishing for this of hunters from the village, giant on rod and who gave me some raw line is extremely spider monkey liver to use as ...we ventured on like true champions difficult.

They bait. That night, armed with inhabit the smaller my new bait, Anthony took do; giving up was not an option.” creeks and are me to his secret spot, where widely considered he is convinced monsters as the most elusive lurked. Eight minutes after fish in the Amazon to casting my monkey liver bait, I target on rod and line, especially trophy-sized type. hooked onto what can be deemed as the fish of a lifetime. It was They are mostly an ambush predator lurking in the shadows a massive 54 lbs Wolf Fish, a true river monster in every essence while feeding on other fish and small mammals that fall into the of the word. water. Once hooked, you have to hold on, as this fish will do all The fish jumped four feet into the air as it tried to escape my it can to get off, even jumping and biting at anglers. hook. With the adrenaline running through my veins, I knew one

The Aymara itself is absolutely beautiful. It has big black eyes and a mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth that would make you think twice about taking your evening river baths. In fact, forget about the Piranha, the Aymara is the true apex predator of these waters. The official world record for such a catch is currently recorded at 36.7 lbs. But we were determined to break this. Judging by the sounds of the splashes, we were right on the honey hole concerning the big ones. They are primarily nocturnal hunters, although not uncommon to catch during the day, but in order to increase our chances of a big one, we decided to sleep during the day and fish through the night.

We were determined to catch one over the 50 lbs range, since my guides told me they grew to well over 60 lbs in that area. Like a disease, the thought of an Aymara that size consumed every bit of my thought process.

After catching four Aymaras breaking the 40 lbs range I knew it was going to happen, and having unofficially broken the world record a couple times, it just made us more determined to accomplish our goal.

Together Anthony, Steven and myself spent hours fishing through the night, some days without a single bite, targeting no species other than the elusive Wolf. Conditions were the most brutal that I have ever encountered.

We endured six hours of nonstop rain in our boat. Even

mistake is all it would take to lose the fish of a lifetime.

After five minutes, I could sense the fish was starting to get tired, it made one last run for cover and my 80 lbs braided line did its job and held up under the pressure. Only after we got it to the side of the boat and Anthony had it safely secured with the lip grip, did the full emotions of what had just happened sink in.

At that moment, all the wait, pain and suffering faded away, we succeeded. But our job was not done just yet, only after taking a couple pictures of the monster and releasing it back safely again to grow more, did we celebrate.

That night, there was a sense of brotherhood around the campfire. Our hard work over the last couple of days paid off, and we finally got a good night’s rest before taking on the river journey to Parabara.

This trip was certainly an opportunity for me to fall in love all over again with the many splendours of this country, and I did. I cannot wait to visit the area again and someday, I hope you can too.

Danie Kruger For more information regarding our Guided fishing expeditions into Guyana’s untouched hinterland, contact me on +592 673 9428 or dfkruger00@gmail.com

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myMagazine Landmarks

1823 MONUMENT AN APT DEPICTION OF FIRMNESS, STRENGTH AND PERSEVERANCE

The 1823 Monument was unveiled on August 5, 2013 by the then president of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Donald Ramotar. The monument was designed and built by US based Guyanese sculptor, Ivor Thom and is located along the Kitty Seawall Road, opposite the Guyana Defence Force’s Camp Ayanganna Headquarters.

T

he monument features a bronze sculpture of what appears to be a male African slave wielding a machete and a chain with a cross attached to the end. The sculpture is mounted on a large concrete pedestal embedded with bronze sculptures, one male and one female, on both sides of the base.

Its location is ideal aesthetically since it can be found in the centre of a large plot of land, flanked on three sides by a white picket fence.

The area surrounding the monument also appears garden-like in nature, thus allowing it to stand out more.

The overall outlook of the sculpture speaks for itself. The conditions of the African slaves and the harsh treatment they had to endure can be seen on the details of the sculpture. However, he stands erect with legs apart, symbolizing firmness, strength and perseverance. The chain he clings to represents the bondage of slavery, and the cross at the end represents religion.

As with most, if not all monuments, there is a great representation by the 1823 Monument which stands as a reminder of an important part of our history as a country.

The monument is attributed to the slaves who lost their lives in the 1823 Demerara Slave Uprising.

The 1823 rebellion was indeed historic as it was one of the catalysts for the abolishment of slavery. The slaves who worked in Eastern Demerara were aggrieved due to the fact that they believed that their Governor and masters were withholding their freedom from them.

They were of the opinion that slavery was abolished in parliament and so felt that they had no other choice but to rise up against those who did not obey the King’s orders and claim what was rightfully theirs— freedom.

On the morning of August 17th, 1823, a Sunday, slaves at Mahaica congregated at Plantation Success. Under the assumed leadership of Jack Gladstone, Joseph Packwood and Manuel, the plotting of an uprising began.

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However, Quamina, Gladstone’s father objected to a bloody revolt and proposed that they go on strike instead. When asked if guns were necessary, Quamina said that he would seek the counsel of the Reverend Smith.

After the Sunday service at Bethel Chapel in Le Ressouvenir, Quamina and two other slaves approached Smith and asked his advice. He rebuked the idea of an uprising and told them to be patient and await the new regulations. Quamina made a promise to do just that but, despite his efforts, the slaves were determined to rebel the following evening. The plan was to take all the guns on the plantations and lock up the Whites during the night and then send them to the Governor in the morning to bring the new law.

On the morning of August 18th, the plan was leaked by one of the house slaves to his master who then conveyed the message to the Governor. He, along with a group of soldiers, rode up to Le Ressouvenir and La Bonne Intention and met with a large group of armed slaves. When he asked them what they wanted, they simply replied, “our right”. He proposed to meet them at Plantation Felicity the next morning. They bluntly refused.

After being asked by Reverand Smith to desist, the slaves ignored him and continued with their initial plan. Some slaves avenged their harsh treatment and resorted to killing their masters while the majority aimed to keep their religious nature by remaining non-violent as Quamina had asked them to.

Because of the fear held by the Whites for their lives, the Governor declared martial law. From then, the violence and killing escalated with the most prolific occurring in Bachelor’s Adventure where approximately 250 slaves were killed. After this, the uprising collapsed very quickly.

In the end, it resulted in the hanging of those instigating the uprising and an event that pushed for the abolishment of slavery.

myMagazine Sports

GOLDEN JAGUARS COME UP SHORT ON GOLD CUP QUALIFICATION NEW AND EXCITING PLAYERS COME TO THE FORE

Clockwise: Team Guyana; Team Jamaica; Jamaica’s Captain Je-Vaughn Watson scores their first goal against Guyana as goalie Kai McKenzie -Lyle and colleagues watch on in disbelief; Golden Jaguar Captain Samuel Cox and teammates celebrates one of Adrrian Butters’ goals; Jamaica’s Dwayne Ambursley in control against Guyana’s Anthony Abrams.

W

hen they commenced action on March 22nd, 2016 in the Scotiabank CFU Men’s Caribbean Cup 2016 championships, the ultimate dream was qualifying for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the pinnacle of national football within the Confederation, but six (6) games later, having chalked up 3 wins and as many losses, that dream is no longer reality.

Back to back defeats to Caribbean Campions Jamaica (24) at the Leonora Track and Field Football Facility and Suriname (2-3) in Paramaribo, both in extra-time duals on October 11th and 8th respectively, brought the journey to an end.

Team captain for the two Round 3 matches, Samuel Cox, who plays with Boreham Wood FC in England, expressed disappointment at not defeating either Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz or Suriname after being in the lead against both nations at the end of the first half, but posited that the players gave of their best while Head Coach, Jamaal Shabazz, emphatically stated that he has taken full responsibility for the losses and the

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team not qualifying.

The Guyanese commenced their quest in bright fashion with an emphatic 7-0 whipping of Anguilla on March 22nd and seven days later were 1-0 winners over Puerto Rico in Round 1 qualifying.

Round 2 saw the Golden Jaguars going down to host Curacao 2-5 but rebounded in fine style to brush aside the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) 7-0, which saw them qualifying for Round 3.

Hopes were high for the Guyanese going into Round 3, which was just one step away from CONCACAF Gold Qualification. But that was not to be, despite showing good promise as they led Suriname 1-0 after 45 minutes and Jamaica 2-0 at the same juncture.

The Jaguars then allowed their opponents to get back into contention by scoring a similar amount of goals which tied the matches by the end of full time, 90 minutes. The rules of the competition at this stage states that there must be a winner; this meant that 30 minutes of extra time (two halves of 15 minutes) was played, at the end of which, Guyana ended as

losers.

In both the Suriname and Jamaica encounters, the Golden Jaguars gave up two goals without responding, thus suffering defeats.

However, this journey for the Guyanese saw a number of new and exciting players coming to the fore, including 18 year-old 6’5” goalkeeper, Kai McKenzie-Lyle, who plays with Barnet FC in England.

Philadelphia Union FC Warren Creavalle (26 year-old) is an exciting midfield player; as is Cal Poly San Luis’ Cashion London, who is 20 years old. With the likes of 23 yearold Trayon Bobb (midfield) and 22 year-old forward Pernel Schultz and the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) embarking on a serious youth development drive, the future for Guyana looks bright.

In total, Guyana scored a total of 21 goals whilst conceding 12, but even this record of +9 wasn’t good enough to take them forward.

Attention will now be focused on the new Technical Director, 31 yearold Ian Greenwood of England, who commenced a 4-year contract on October 13, 2016.

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