LOOK ! INSIDE Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 1864 guyanatimesgy.com
THE BEACON OF TRUTH
August 18, 2013
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Dialogue, trust critical to avoiding gridlocks – president
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WHAT'S INSIDE:
Mother of four abandons P2 home over infidelity accusation School of the Nations records impressive results
See story on page 3
P2
Guyanese among P8 Mohawk College’s highest alumni awardees Great show as CARIFESTA XI opens in Suriname P16 Guyana Amazon Warriors' supporters in jubilation as their team defeated the Antigua Hawksbills by five wickets at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua on Saturday night (Limacol CPL photo)
National Hardware opens new store See story on page 17
GDF chief-ofstaff promoted to rear admiral
See story on page 12
Digicel launches “B Free” promotion
P17
2 news
SUNday, august 18, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com
School of the Nations records impressive results S chool of the Nations has recorded a 95 per cent pass rate at the Cambridge University Advanced Level (AL) examinations in May and June, with 28 per cent of students who sat the examinations obtaining an A or B grade. According to a release, some 170 students sat the examinations and the outstanding performers were Alicia Bankay with As in chemistry, maths and physics; Nikisha Logan with As in law and sociology; Tishina Ramkishun with As in law and psychology and B in sociology; Bisham Ramoutar with As in law and general paper and Bs in psychology and sociology; Pawan Daswaney with As in business and economics and B in mathematics; Shaian Haniff with As in accounts, English, mathematics and economics; Tomika Major with As in law and sociology and B in business; Brendon Khan with As in economics and maths and Bs in ICT and accounts; Jiamin Gong with A in business and B in accounts; Natasha Ramalho with A in chemistry and Bs
expectations for myself… any failures along the way have only made me stronger. My parents have been the driving force behind my success… School of Nations made learning fun… the staff have always helped me in very important ways… I hope I never let them down in the future,” Ramkishun said.
Grateful
Sarah Akbar
Calvin Ming
Leigh Riane Amsterdam
in biology and maths; and Keshant Samaroo, with A in chemistry and B in maths. Some 54 fifth form students wrote the Cambridge University International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations in 18 subjects, and an overall pass rate of 82 per cent was recorded.
four As and three Bs; Leigh Riane Amsterdam with three As and five Bs; Fleur Blanckaevt with three As and four Bs; Riasoya Jodah with seven distinctions and one B; and Sarah Akbar with one distinction, two As, two Bs, and three Cs. Bankay thanked her teachers and parents for their support, and disclosed that she intends to study engineering overseas. Ramoutar was pleased with his performance, noting that his hard work has paid off. “Thanks to my mother and my extended fami-
ly and to all my teachers at School of Nations. Don’t underestimate the standard of work that is expected. But then you will be rewarded for the efforts you put in.” Logan expressed similar sentiments, and advised students “not to let negative associations hamper your true potential. What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve”. “I have always had high
Top performers
Among the top performers were Troy Broomes with one distinction and seven As; Calvin Ming with one distinction and six As and one B; Famke Van Dijk with
Haniff was also thankful to her parents, teachers and friends. “When you study hard and then see the fruits of your labour, it is so rewarding. Now I am looking forward to year two of sixth form. My goal is to get into the field of accounts and finance.” “I want to thank my parents, my wider family and my teachers who motivated me. Especially, I want to thank Dr and Mrs O’Toole for all their support over the years not only in the area
of academics, but also in terms of life lessons. I also want to thank Mrs Brisport as I have been at Nations my entire school life. In particular, I want to thank Jesus, without His support, I would not have been able to achieve anything,” Akbar said. Broomes also thanked the Almighty, his mother, father and teachers for their support, disclosing that he plans to do SATs and go on to study in the U.S. Another of the top students, Amsterdam said: “I would first and foremost like to thank God because without him I would not be where I am today. Also, my teachers for all the work they put in and my family who believed in me and urged me on. Their invaluable support allowed me to remain passionate about my extra-curricular activities such as music, dance and sports.”
Mother of four abandons home over infidelity accusation
A
mother of four left her home on Wednesday evening after her husband reportedly physically assaulted and accused her of having an extra marital affair with another man in the village. The missing woman, Kallawattie Samaroo, 43, of 297 7th Street Patentia, West Bank Demerara was not heard from or seen since she left. Relatives of the woman are soliciting the assistance of the public in
finding her, claiming that Samaroo is not someone who will leave her children and grandchildren. According to a relative, the woman and her husband had a misunderstanding on Wednesday morning, but the situation got worst in the evening. The relative said the husband’s accusations are not new, and on Wednesday evening, the couple was involved in a heated argument, followed by a physical alter-
cation. After the altercation, the woman reportedly packed a handbag with some personal belongings and left the house while her husband and children were asleep. Various attempts to make contact with Samaroo proved futile. The woman’s daughter explained that contact was made with the man who their father had accused their mother of having a relationship with, but he claimed that she was not at his house.
NEWS
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Sunday, August 18 from 14:30h to 16:00h. The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Sunday, August 18 from 14:10h to 15:40h.
WEATHER TODAY
Countrywide: Thundery showers are expected during the day, with clear skies in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius. Winds: Easterly at 4.02 to 3.12 metres per second. High Tide: 07:06h and 19:25h reaching maximum heights of 2.67 metres and 2.64 metres respectively. Low Tide: 00:39h and 13:00h reaching minimum heights of 0.53 metre and 0.59 metre respectively.
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SUNDAY, AUGUST 18, 2013 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Dialogue, trust critical to avoiding gridlocks – president
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resident Donald Ramotar said building trust among political parties and creating the platform for meaningful dialogue remains critical today, as it was many years ago, as a perquisite for safeguarding Guyana’s development while advancing the aspirations of the Guyanese people. He was at the time speaking with Guyana Times on Saturday at its Camp Street headquarters during an exclusive interview on a variety of issues currently engaging the public’s attention. Opposition posture Ramotar said that while he is disappointed with the posture of the opposition with respect to several major developmental projects, he remains optimistic that the right decisions can still be made to further advance the growth of the local economy by this important grouping. He explained that he will never abandoned his pursuit to get the opposition’s buy-in on critical development projects that could easily, if unanimously endorsed, transform the lives of thousands of people including some of the poorest of the poor. The president detailed the overtures made by his government on several occasions to build trust, achieve consensus, and compromise
with the two opposition political parties while opining that there has been some sort of resistance and falsity on the part of some in admitting the same. He was adamant that the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has taken advantage of all opportunities to have meaningful dialogue as well with the opposition on issues of national importance, but the results have been little or far less than what would have been desired. Tripartite talks “The important thing is that we can still talk but the experience so far has not produced a great amount of success that we can show,” he noted during the interview. Ramotar also referred to the tripartite talks and the facts that government entered these discussions with the opposition in good faith and with the aim of defusing some of the wider political and parliamentary tensions. These talks too, according to him, have yielded less than favourable results as the opposition usually allegedly either renege on the agreements made, or abandon them for the political fruits that could be secured in the interim. Despite the high levels of irresponsibility shown by the opposition since the 2011 elections, Ramotar
project, which led to the non-support by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). Granger had said too that a number of his party’s concerns were not addressed and until this was done, it could not support the project. Due to a lack of political consensus, Sithe Global was forced to withdraw last week, citing the need for such before it can continue its investment. President Donald Ramotar
appears willing still to pursue talks and is expected to continue to engage the opposition with the aim of resolving the conflict which he says is “stymieing development and holding the people back”. The president has even surprisingly defended the opposition’s right to information about key projects, noting that it is important in removing doubts about transparency. He explained that a number of confidential, classified and detailed proposals have been shared with the opposition, but their positions have not changed. “Many times they are not being completely truthful,” he said as he expressed disappointment with the recent comments made by Opposition Leader David Granger that enough information was not shared about the Amaila Falls
Invitation to APNU But President Ramotar said that his invitation to Granger and his team to meet with government and resolve these concerns still stands. “It’s his decision in the final analysis,” he said during the interview. “I am doing the best that I can in the present circumstances. Of course, it would have been much easier if you had a majority situation in the Parliament. But even if we did have that condition, my approach to the opposition would have remained the same,” he admitted as he made reference to the importance of building trust. Ramotar has also accused the Granger-led opposition of “sniping at Guyana’s development” and of failing to put aside their partisan interests to allow what he called the “national good” to come to the fore. TURN TO PAGE 11
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Views Sunday Times Editor: Tajeram Mohabir Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134 Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com
Editorial
I
Return of the general
n the post World War II (WWII) era of decolonisation, America pushed the overarching paradigm of “modernisation” as a model for the “underdeveloped” world – read “all traditional” societies. The path to “development” was thus clear: jettison all traditional ways of thinking and doing things, adopt western cultural values and social institutions, and success would inevitably follow. While at the time, the Cold War antagonists USSR and USA might have had different interpretations on what the new values and institutions should be, they were as one on the unilinear path forward. Almost all third world leaders adopted one or the other version of the model. Modernisation theory posited that “First World man” was individualist, rational and goal orientated, while “Third World man” was collective, irrational and fatalist. The only question was how best to inculcate the change in consciousness. For departing colonial powers like Britain, and for the new superpowers, USA and USSR, the armed forces were the perfect vehicle to transmit the new vision. The former powers had already demonstrated that colonial forces could be indoctrinated into whatever belief system deemed necessary. And it was in this fashion that in Africa, Asia and Latin America, the army became “forces of modernisation”. That in the majority of the countries, leaders from the armed forces used their strategic positions to seize power, did not faze their sponsors from the USA or USSR in the least. Democracy could come later after the economy was developed – with the “assistance” of the superpower, of course. The military leaders could be counted on to “maintain stability” in their countries, which made matters more predictable for the larger powers concerned with their strategic interests. The process was shown clearly in Egypt where Britain had been the dominant power until WWII. Colonel Gamal Abel Nasser seized power in 1952 and rushed Egypt into its “modernisation” drive. His sponsor was the USSR which, for instance, built the Aswan Dam Hydro Electric Project, after the western dominated World Bank balked. The USSR was willing to provide military aid and supplies along with financing for the dam. While Nasser was seen a “progressive” by both the west and the USSR, this assessment was due as much to his vicious programme to eliminate the Muslim Brotherhood as his social and economic programme. The Muslim Brotherhood represented the “backwardness of tradition” which, in Egypt meant political Islam. Nasser’s eventual successor Anwar Sadat, another army officer, continued the authoritarian rule of Nasser but in 1972 he threw out the USSR army and air force personnel from Egypt. Continuing an opening by Nasser just before he died in 1970, he also eased up the pressure on the Muslim Brotherhood, for nationalistic reasons. Sadat had been installed by the army high command because they thought he could be manipulated. But in a series of deft moves, he became the supreme leader and shifted towards the U.S. Something similar is unfolding in Egypt right now. Contrary to their protestations, both the USA and Russia are more comfortable with the army at the helm than the Muslim Brotherhood. The deposed, democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi had appointed General Abdel Fattah Sisi, believing him to also be pliable. General Sisi, however, had other plans and is right now manoeuvring to become the latest Egyptian army strongman. His violent crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood, while eliciting verbal condemnation, did not compel either the U.S. or Russia to call for United Nations intervention in the Security Council last week. The dilemma facing the Barack Obama administration is that while it has to appear to support democracy in Egypt, it is of greater import to safeguard the U.S.’s strategic interests. These are Israel’s security interests as well as continuing to provide privileged access to the Suez Canal for the U.S. Navy. Russia will be looking to exploit the U.S. dilemma. In the meantime, along with Saudi Arabia, they will support General Sisi.
2013 Bikers practise their stunts in preparation for Bikers’ Fest today at the National Park (Carl Croker photos)
The operations of the GGMC Closed Area Committee
Dear Editor, The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Closed Area Committee (CAC) is established by appointment by the minister with responsibility for mines and minerals. The CAC attained its legal status by virtue of the special regulations, which establish the parameters of the committee’s functions. The functions of the CAC are essentially to augment the general functions of the GGMC, which is the agency with the overall legal authority and responsibility for monitoring and regulating the mining industry. The CAC is an aid to this function and provides integrity and transparency to the process of releasing of lands through fair and organised mechanisms. The CAC has representatives from the board of directors of the GGMC, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, the Small Miners Association, the
Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), and the GGMC. The process followed by the committee is one where the committee deliberates on requests made for the release of lands in closed or reserve areas. In this process, all members of the committee are given the opportunity to express their concerns and views as it relates to matters sent to the CAC from the minister. Further, matters benefit from legal advice wherever necessary to ensure that the committee functions as it should. All decisions and recommendations of the committee are communicated to the subject minister and the commissioner from the chairman of the committee. At this point, the minister approves or disapproves the recommendations submitted by the committee. The CAC has no authority to grant or issue lands to individuals, companies or other stakeholders in
the industry. Rather the committee makes recommendations to the minister for his action. It must be reiterated that the GGDMA has a representative on this committee, and from which no objections were ever raised as regards the functioning and effectiveness of the committee. Auction and lotteries are governed by specific regulation and the standard operating procedures (SOPs), which by virtue of the current expansion of the mining industry, pose a challenge. Lottery areas have specific criteria, such as: it must be within a five-kilometer radius of a main access road, it has to be a cancelled property, it must have a possible mineralised target within the area, and it must satisfy several other criteria prior to the areas being recommended for lottery by the CAC, and it must be finally approved by the minister. In recent times, the CAC
has borne the additional responsibility of providing alternative property to property holders affected by the Amerindian titling and extensions. This exercise conducted by the Guyana Land and Surveys Commission (GLS) has affected hundreds of property holders in several mining districts and has affected the auctions and lotteries issued by the CAC. It still remains a challenge for the CAC to identify and determine suitable areas to facilitate lotteries and auctions. These and other matters were discussed and addressed to some measure of resolution and clarification at a meeting on August 16, which was attended by representatives of the GGDMA, GGMC and the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment. Jimmy Reece, Chairman Closed Area Committee
GRPA must campaign against bad music Dear Editor, I think that I am in the majority when I offer that lifestyle is what is going to make all the difference where our young people are concerned. At least this was the thinking of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA). It was on a campaign titled “Youths Promoting Healthy Lifestyles.” The idea was to increase awareness about the initiative and services available for young people. The GRPA desires that all youths be properly integrated into society on a permanent basis. I support the emphasis on equipping youths with information and education, so that they will eventually make wise choices regarding
healthy bodies, healthy sexual relationships, family planning and contraceptive methods. However, I think that we need to look at some trends our youths have, and see where they come from. By even casual observation, I am noticing more and more, how young people are totally immersed into musical genres that psychologists worldwide are very worried over. What we need to absorb quickly is the reality that music can, and often does, affect human emotions negatively as well as positively. Depending on how frequently it is listened to, it can create channels in the mind and patterns of thinking. Music can have major im-
pacts on ideas and ideologies, powerfully and emotionally conveying an idealistic way of life. Some people are even willing to avow that a pregnant woman who listens to Mozart during pregnancy is more likely to have a child who excels in school and has positive relationships. Recent studies from the University of South Carolina have shown that children, teens and young adults are the most affected by the negative messages given off by today’s music industry. Author Donald F Roberts made a poignant statement in an article recently submitted to his blog about the effects of violent music on children and adolescents. He said that in a survey given to junior and
senior high school students, a majority of the students marked a box labelled “has felt influenced negatively by music” rather than in the box that said “has never felt negatively influenced by music”. The evidence of that survey alone should be enough all together to stop the broadcasting of inappropriate music! GRPA must address what our young people are listening to. If they can access bad music on their own, there might be little we can do. But we can still put pressure on our deejays, concert promoters, and radio and television stations. The GRPA can play a key role in this. Yours sincerely, Noel Charles
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Smart move by AFC on Amaila
Dear Editor, The Alliance For Change (AFC) made a smart move to reverse course and support the Amaila Falls Hydropower project. When I was in Guyana, I told friends the AFC would change course. I had expected A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to do the same, as popular opinion is in favour of the project, but the party coalition is stubbornly holding on to its anti-Amaila position. I have been conducting an opinion survey for the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) on the initial rejection of the hydro project, among other issues, to find out whether or not public opinion supports the initial vote of the opposition to oppose Amaila. People are not looking at cost benefit on Amaila. They simply want cheap hydro power and are sold on the government’s position that Amaila would provide cheaper energy. The NACTA poll found overwhelming support for the project throughout the country, although people had concerns about the cost. And even with the cost, a majority of the supporters of the APNU
back the project as do almost all the supporters of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and AFC. People want cheap electricity although questions were raised on whether energy would be cheaper under Amaila. The majority of them seem to have faith in Amaila, believing it will fast forward the development of the country. The AFC must have tested the opinion of its supporters and found that they were angry with the party, thereby forcing it to reverse course and back the project. The AFC would have lost a lot of support had it not change course and endorse the Amaila project. A significant number of APNU supporters also approve of the Amaila project and it is not clear whether they will vote against their party for opposing the project. APNU should survey the views of its supporters and the party would be surprised to find how many back Amaila. APNU is not listening to its supporters or considering their views and the party could lose support, although the poll has not made that determination. The coalition should follow
the move of the AFC. It should sit with representatives of both the PPP/C and AFC. The three should find a common solution that addresses APNU’s concerns so as to rescue Amaila, that is, compromise and give-and-take on what is needed to preserve the project if it makes financial sense. Opposing just for opposing’s sake is not a solution and will only serve to stymie development. APNU should propose alternatives to Amaila and explain to the population why its alternative is a better option. Guyana needs cheap non-fossil energy, since we have not had much success at finding gas or oil. And solar and wind are not being considered by mass numbers of people or encouraged. That leaves hydro as the only option. If not Amaila, then what – APNU should tell the nation. It should tell the nation of some cheaper or better alternatives for hydro power development, so that the nation can become self sufficient in energy. Yours faithfuly, Vishnu Bisram
Communities need to feel secure Dear Editor, Three people were taken into police custody after guns, magazines and ammunition were found at their premises in Berbice. The explanation is that they run a business and someone did not want to pay a bill. So they took matters into their own hands. This story adds to the many gun cases we have in Guyana. It is like an ev-
eryday happening. There are too many guns all over the place. I think that we need to address any kind of safety issues related to the possession of guns. We cannot allow any feeling of vulnerability in communities. I suggest that if we have to, then let us put proper pressure on the police, to up the ante, where citizens’ security is concerned.
Yours truly, Natalie Deonarine
Obstruction of justice – Nigel Hughes has no boundaries
Dear Editor, In Guyana, the media is relentless in its efforts to prove corruption on the part of government officials. We have had editorials, letters and columns being churned out daily without providing an iota of evidence to implicate any government official. However, we have had Nigel Huges emerging on our political landscape. The media fell in love with him, because he was seemingly squeaky clean. Little did they remember that it was Hughes who took away the tape that would have identified the killers of Brian Hamilton in Buxton. This was during a period when Guyana was held at the mercy of opposition commandeered murderers and terrorists. One therefore ought to question the role of Hughes during that dark period of our history. The media didn’t do that. Then Hughes proceeded to launch his political career with a scathing attack against the government, suggesting that it was racially prejudiced, even invoking Bob Marley’s name is his asinine campaign. The public was presented with the facts that the agency Hughes sought to present as being discriminatory against AfroGuyanese had a majority of Afro-Guyanese on its employment. Again the media did not question Hughes. Then Hughes got entangled the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project (AFHEP). His party was busy attacking the government left right and centre while he was happily employed as the company secretary of the Amaila Falls Hydro Inc/Sithe Global, the company created for the development, construction and operation of the hydropower facility, while his wife Cathy, who happens to be an Alliance For Change
(AFC) Member of Parliament, is the public relations consultant for the company. However, the most recent incident is cause for concern especially as it relates to politically orchestrated mayhem/ crime in this country. During the Lusignan Massacre trial of Mark Royden Williams called “Smallie” and James Anthony Hyles, represented by Hughes, it was found that the foreman of the jury was the former client of Hughes. The foreman of the jury Vernon Griffith and Hughes carried along merrily without informing the relevant authorities. Such duplicitous behaviour ould certainly cast a shadow over whether justice was served in this case. Commendations must go out to Justice Navindra Singh who banned the foreman for life because of his action/inaction. However, the question ought to be asked what actions will be taken against Hughes. We have to hold our represen-
tatives and leaders to a certain standard, failing which disciplinary measures should be enforced. In some countries Hughes would have been disbarred, not just for this incident, but also for the one mentioned in the second paragraph. The families of the victims of the Lusignan Massacre will shed tears for the rest of their lives because in Guyana we have people like Hughes who will go at lengths to ensure that justice is not served. I call on the relevant authorities including the Guyana Bar Association to address this travesty so that the nation will once again have faith in our justice system. The media must also engage Hughes because no longer will our legal representatives and politicians be held at such minimal standards which he projects. Regards, Henry Wade
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Foundation
Streaming in schools Anu Dev
S
eeing the (amazing) spike in the number of subjects the highachievers wrote this year, I was particularly interested to see what exactly were the subjects written by these students. It was no surprise to discover that several wrote subjects across “streams”. I’ve had time to think long and hard about our system of streaming in our educational system in Guyana. I’ve always liked our system of streaming students into groups of subjects centred on an endeavour of life – like science or business – by fourth form. Some would say that forcing kids to choose a stream is tantamount to have them make career choices at that early age. That this just makes “education” all about training you to get a job later in life when instead, you should want to learn, for learning’s sake. And it’s good to learn. I love to read, I love learning. But realistically, in the future, I’ll have to work, I’ll have to earn money. I’ll need to prepare myself as best as I could to be bestequipped for whatever field
Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself – John Dewey I choose. It’s no good for me to just float around aimlessly with no sense of direction until ‘I find myself’. Picking a stream in fourth form and sticking to it gave me a sense of direction. And by the time I reached sixth form, I knew my choice of career would be the natural science stream. So to the parents of secondary school kids, I encourage you to have discussions with your kids about possible career paths so that by the time they reach fourth form they’ll have a general
idea of what stream they’ll want to be in. The other day I realised (with a start!) that my parents have known me for over 17 years. Every day since the day I was born they’ve been there to see me grow up, to see my personality unfold, to see my habits and preferences. So as parents, you’re in the best position to advise your child, to encourage them to realistically pursue career choices or streaming choices that they’ve always seemed partial to. I’ve always felt that it’s
important to be well-read and not one-track. I did all three social sciences at CSEC both because I was interested in them and also because I didn’t want to fall into the stereotype of doctors just being able to carry on conversations about medicine. But at the same time, it wasn’t necessary to stray so far out of my chosen field and do subjects that I’ll never really use, and still I was able to widen my knowledge base. So I’d like to encourage students, parents, and teachers to remember why we streamed kids in the first place – it gave us structure and order. Choose your stream, stick to it, and be the best in your stream and later, be the best at your career. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Choose a stream you like, choose subjects you like, things that seem important to you as a person, and it’ll be much easier to get through. In all aspects of life, when you do something just for the sake of doing it, it’s much duller than if it was something you cared about, or were passionate about. It’s never too late to start thinking about your future. Make your choices wisely; because we’re the children of Guyana, we’re the future of this great nation. Especially the great majority of my fellow students who may not have done as well as they may have wanted.
towards a new educational order
T
he emphasis in educational policies has largely been on academic achievement, preparing one to face the job market, and on gaining economic competitiveness at the national level. The growing intolerance that we see today in personal relationships, social conflicts and in wars between nations, in widespread crime and corruption, exploitation and authoritarianism, no doubt has its roots in the prevailing education system. This system has been painstakingly designed to serve the market rather than the society and it gives excessive emphasis on earning a living rather than on the blossoming of human excellence and values that help individuals to live together. Educational reforms over the past several decades have been searching for a “new educational order” to address many of these issues. Addressing the major challenges facing education in the 1970s, the International Commission on the Development of Education (The Faure Commission, 1972), wrote in its report: “The physical, intellectual, emotional and ethical integration of the individual into a complete man is a broad definition of the aim for education”. The underlying idea was that only such a man would be equipped to deal with the challenges facing the world. A quarter of a century later, the Jacques Delors Commission went a step further to reaffirm its belief that “Education should contribute to every person’s complete development – mind and body, intelligence, sensitivity, aesthetic appreciation and spirituality.” The commission also saw education, “as one of the principal means to foster a deeper and more harmonious form of human development and thereby to reduce poverty, exclusion, ignorance, oppression and war.” The growing concern for a “more harmonious form of human development” brought to focus the need for harmonising science with humanism, ethics with aesthetics, and material welfare with spiritual welfare, in the curriculum so that education could prepare children for life in a balanced manner in all aspects – temporally, morally, and spiritually. Thus we see new emphasis on social, moral, and spiritual values in curricular reforms in countries across the globe, and regionally as well. This renewal of emphasis on values in education needs to be seen as much more than a longing of the world – often unexpressed – for an ideal and for values…, as viewed by Delors. It needs to be viewed as an imperative that the world has gradually come to realise. For this to happen, an education policy has to foster universal and eternal values that could promote the unity and integration of people in a culturally plural society. More importantly, education needs to provide more than ever, a clear and a practical process of how to translate these values into a daily reality, both at the individual and societal level. Education needs to “uplift” minds and spirits to the plane of the universal, in some measure, to transcend themselves, as eloquently espoused by the Delors Commission. The commission goes on to say: “The survival of humanity depends thereon.” It is in this context, that EDUCARE is very relevant. How can educational policy making in the 21st century be enriched by Educare? In what ways can Educare add value to educational policy objectives of all-round and balanced development of the human personality? How can Educare contribute to building a society that upholds the universal ideals of peace, freedom and social justice? In a rapidly changing world, where people are searching for roots and a sense of belonging, an important task of education is to help people gain a stable identity. This can happen only when people can relate to values that are independent of time and space. The renewed emphasis on values in recent years could be viewed in this light. By eliciting the universal and timeless values of love, peace, truth, right conduct and non-violence, which bring together the profound moral insights of the world’s great enduring civilisations, Educare helps to create a universal and unchanging frame of reference to give one a stable sense of identity.
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International Financial and Economic Report
SUNday, august 18, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com
Chairman, Guyana Americas Merchant Bank
BY GEOFFREY BELL
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n Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the “Emerging World Loses Growth Lead” in its headline. The argument put forward was that the emerging markets including China, India and Brazil had slowed down while the U.S., Europe and Japan were doing better. All of this is true and there is no doubt that the gap in growth between the emerging markets and the industrial countries is narrowing. However, to suggest that the economic pendulum has totally swung the other way is not correct. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), world Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is US$74 trillion and industrial countries account for about 60 per cent of this figure on an exchange rate basis and 50 per cent on a purchasing power basis. This means that emerging countries take up 40 per cent of the global economy on an exchange rate basis and 50 per cent on a purchase power calculation. The IMF itself forecasts that industrial countries will grow by 1.2 per cent in 2013 and 2.1 per cent in 2014 and emerging countries will expand by 5.0 per cent this year and 5.4 per cent next. Even if the IMF underestimates growth in industrial countries this year and in 2014 and overestimates in emerging countries, it is extremely difficult to arrive at a reversal of rates of growth. The expansion of the
world economy is calculated at 3.1 per cent (or US$2.4 trillion) and the worst that emerging markets are likely to grow this year is 4.5 per cent given that China is stabilising and 4.0 per cent is an outside number if things really deteriorate in 2014. On the other hand, industrial countries could grow at 1.5 per cent in 2013 and 2.5 per cent in 2014 with three per cent being an unlikely high number even if everything goes perfectly. The general view is that the United States will grow at around 2.5 per cent in the second half of 2013 and for 2014 but not much more. Europe is doing better with Germany expanding by 0.7 per cent in the second quarter and France 0.5 per cent. Overall, instead of contracting by 0.6 per cent in 2013 and growing by 0.9 per cent in 2013, according to the IMF, the Euro area is now expected to do better. There is no question
that China, India, Brazil and Russia have slowed down but it is difficult to see them really collapsing. Of course, a few countries such as Venezuela and Argentina might default on their debts and will affect other countries and a major deterioration in developing countries would hurt industrial countries bringing down their future growth. Apart from the discussions about Dr Larry Summers and Dr Janet Yellen, which have appeared in the major newspapers almost every day, the main speculation is about higher U.S. interest rates which have risen strongly in the last few weeks. Part of the increase is due to growing expectations that the Federal Reserve will begin “tapering” at the September 17 and 18 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) but some of the increase seems
to be due to the strengthening of the U.S. economy with the same happening in Europe. Interest rates have risen over 110 basis points in the case of 10 year rates and 100 points for 30 year bonds since May 1 (See Table). The question is whether this increase will temper the U.S. expansion or, because interest rates are still low by any historical standards, it will have little effect? No one knows the answer or whether any further reduction in “tapering” (which is now expected to end in mid-2014) will push up interest rates higher. The U.S. economic data began on Tuesday with the publication of the retail sales figures for July which rose 0.2 per cent which was somewhat less than forecast. By the same token, import prices again rose less than forecast reflecting the biggest drop in automobile import prices in more than 20 years. On Wednesday it was reported that producer prices were little changed in July but the next day it was announced that consumer prices rose 0.2 per cent. Jobless claims un-
expectedly dropped by 15,000 to 320,000 in the week ended August 10 and manufacturing in the New York region fell to 8.2 from 9.2 last month and with manufacturing in the Philadelphia region falling to 9.3 in August from 19.8 in July (Thursday). On Friday morning it was reported, housing starts rose 5.9 per cent in July reflecting a rebound in multifamily properties. Building permits rose by 2.9 per cent and the productivity of U.S. workers rose 0.9 per cent (annualised) in the second quarter after declining by 1.7 per cent in the first quarter. In overseas news, the Eurozone emerged from its 18-month recession by expanding by 0.3 per cent in the second quarter. Portugal’s GDP increased by 4.4 per cent at an annual rate and the fall in output in Italy and Spain was less than forecast. The ruble fell to 33 which was the lowest level in four years and India reduced the amount that companies can invest overseas without seeking central bank approval which was designed to protect the rupee. The new governor of the Bank of England Dr
Mark Carney failed to gain unanimous support for forward guidance with one member of the Monetary Policy Committee dissenting according to the published minutes of the August 1 meeting. During the week, interest rates rose with the 10-year U.S. Treasury increasing in yield from 2.60 per cent to 2.79 per cent and the 30-year bond from 3.66 per cent to 3.82 per cent. The Euro has remained unchanged at US$1.34 while the pound sterling has increased from US$1.55 to US$1.56 after retail sales rose at the fastest rate in more than two years in July. The yen fell to 97.5 from 96.4 and the Swiss franc from 0.92 to 0.93. The Australian and Canadian dollars were stable but the Indian rupee dropped to 61.7, the Russian ruble to 32.8 and the Brazilian real to 2.35. Gold increased from US$1312 an ounce to US$1365 this morning (Friday) and oil prices (WTI) rose from US103 a barrel to US$107. The Dow Jones fell 2.0 per cent over the week and is down 2.5 per cent from its peak established two weeks ago at 15,658.
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SUNday, august 18, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com
Guyanese among Mohawk College’s highest alumni awardees
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dedicated and active community member of his home country, Guyana, Narine Dat Sookram’s obsession to serve people continued when he migrated to Kitchener in 1993. His effort has earned him Mohawk College’s Social Service Worker Award 2013, one of the highest awards offered by the college. Narine is the founder of the Active Vision Charity Association which seeks to promote Indo-Caribbean culture in Canada and help newcomers assimilate into a new society. He also hosts a weekly radio show, “Caribbean Spice” on 100.3 Sound FM Radio, Radio Waterloo, where he shares West Indian and Caribbean music and culture with listeners. For his work in the community, Narine has received many accolades and awards including, being a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee
Narine Dat Sookram
Medal Recipient and receiving the Waterloo Award this year, as well as the Kitchener Post’s “100 Years, 100 People: Here and Now” in 2012 and the Waterloo Region 40 under 40 Award in 2010, among others. Below is a brief interview with Narine. MC and NS denote Mohawk College and Narine Sookram respectively. MC: What was the number one reason you chose to attend Mohawk?
NS: Because the programme fits my schedule. What one piece of advice you’ve received in the past has stuck with you to this day? NS: The one piece of advice that I have received that still stuck with me today is that having a post-secondary education will open up more opportunities. If you could go back in time, what one piece of advice would you give to yourself on the first day of college? NS: I am not expected to know everything on my first day. What three songs are included on the soundtrack to your life? NS: “Thriller” by Michael Jackson; “That’s The Way It Is” by Celine Deon; and “You Are Still The One” by Shania Twain”. When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time?
NS: I reflect on my own success because it helps to motivate me. If you could invite any five people to a dinner party, who would they be? NS: Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Dalai Lama, Pope Benedict If you could give advice to a new student thinking of entering your programme, what would it be? NS: This social service worker programme will give them great satisfaction knowing that you are taking a programme that empowers people’s lives, meaning you are giving a voice to the voiceless and are advocating for fairness to all. There is nothing more comparable in making a positive difference in someone’s life. How has your education at Mohawk prepared and supported you throughout your career? NS: I am now job ready in doing what I am so much passionate about, social services, I feel privileged to be given the opportunity to work for Opportunities Waterloo Region as an education outreach programme coordinator. The opportunities are endless.
Webster calls for patriotism in national decision making process
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uyana has been unable to make firm decisions democratically and this is a major downfall for the country as a number of meaningful projects are being eliminated from the country’s developmental plans. This is according to Private Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Ronald Webster, who was at the time addressing the National Economic Forum (NEF) at the Guyana International Convention Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. “Many projects I believe are being compromised by our inability to make decisions,” he said. Webster said that the time is now for Guyana to move forward and it is necessary for government, the opposition and stakeholders to work in a unified manner to achieve important goals. Guyana, he said, has fallen in the last couple of months and this shows the country’s inability to make decisions of importance as a united team. Turning his attention to the recently voted down Amaila Falls project by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in the National Assembly, the PSC chairman said this is one of the single most important developmental projects in the country’s history, and should not have been placed in jeopardy. Webster also said if Guyana can combine its youths and experienced veterans, the country could work together to move mountains. “When you read the forum document, particularity those dealing with the 10-year plan, I was reminded of a line of poetry which says, ‘we make the road by walking’,” he said.
Eyew tness Charlatan
...”economists” Former President Bharrat Jagdeo dubbed the band of self-appointed “experts” that sprouted during the last year on the Amaila Falls Hydro-Electric Project (AFHEP) as “charlatan economists”. He was right about the “charlatan” part – but, at a minimum, extraordinarily generous on the “economist” designation. I mean, by what criteria can you call a bookkeeper like Suspenders Ram an economist? It’s like calling the fella who shovels bagasse into the boiler at the sugar factory, a “power engineer”. The shovel man is “involved” in the generation of steam power, but he definitely doesn’t know the first thing about, say, what speed the turbine has to spin to generate a certain voltage. The same thing about Suspenders Ram: the only thing he shovels is bulls**t and that certainly doesn’t make him an economist. What it does is make him is a BS artist. The Stabber News was happy to see his back after 20 years. We guess there’s a limit to the amount of BS they were willing to take. In the BS business the worst thing that can happen is when the bulls***ter starts to believe his own BS. This happened to Suspenders after he went to law school in his old age. Those tomes on criminal law can do that to your brain. Then there’s Ramon “Rambo” Gaskin. He’s your basic dabbler and dilettante in all matters. While your Eyewitness is no psychiatrist, the fella definitely has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) problem. He rants and raves, reads up some stuff on the Internet and...viola!!...he’s an “expert” on any given subject, on any given day. One reason they insist that PhD’s write a thesis is to force them to focus on a topic for an extended period of time before they make conclusions. We recommend this to Gaskin. Gaskin hurt your trusty Eyewitness to the quick with his throwaway comment that “the man who raised Lazarus from the dead isn’t around any longer”. I’d have Gaskin know that he is present in even the tiniest particle – probably represented by Gaskin’s brain!! We weren’t surprised at the utterances of Carl Greenidge. What else would an “economist” who drove the country into bankruptcy – and frittered away US$300 million on the Mazaruni Hydro Project say? And Professor Clive Thomas? Shows that with all the degrees you need common sense in the end. How do you give credibility to a fella who fought for all links to the developed economies be completely cut? ...airline execs There were bits of news in the press about Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL). No. Not about treating Guyanese worse than stray dogs. That’s become such a norm it doesn’t even raise eyebrows over there. The turnover in their top executive staff, we were told, continues to roil the airline. Another chief financial officer (CFO) axed. Why doesn’t this surprise us? I mean CAL’s been shuffling their execs more than the blackjack dealers and their cards at Princess Hotel Casino. This is the second CFO gone in as many months. They have company with the chief executive officer also on the breadlines. He had been acting. For that matter the entire board doing all this bloodletting is “acting” since the previous board was summarily dismissed. What this tells us is that CAL is flying without any pilot at the wheel. It’s only a matter of time before they crash and burn. The other bit of news is that CAL’s been sussed out as the reason why Delta left Guyana. They filed an objection with the U.S. aviation department to CAL’s designation as Guyana’s flag carrier. Seems they couldn’t compete with CAL’s fare structure because of the subsidy it receives on its fuel. ...opposition parliamentarians A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is objecting to bills being sent by the parliamentary clerk to the president via the attorney general. What part of the attorney general being the legal officer of the government they don’t understand?
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SUNday, august 18, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com
Jamzone 2013 commences
Konshens serenading his fans during Jamzone Regional Night
Busy Signal performing at the Guyana National Stadium
Ravi B during an energetic performance on Friday evening
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its and Jams Entertainment pulled off the much anticipated and well advertised Regional Night at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara on Friday evening with mixed reactions from various sections of the audience. While some claimed that the 2012 edition was much better, others thought that too many artistes performed on one night. Yet others felt that a late start affected the smooth running of the event, especially with respect to the performances. Kudos however must be giv-
Moray House hosts “A Conversation” with Dr Roopnaraine, de Caries
en to the selectors who entertained the crowd until show time. Patrons turned up in their numbers to be a part of the event which kicks off the Summer Break 2013. A mega concert is slated for Saturday, featuring international R&B singer, R Kelly. However, after the show got underway, the main act Konshens dished out some exciting vibes, while Jory and Deejay Magnum engaged in a “sound clash”, as they entertained the crowd. After that, Malcolm Ferreira and Lisa Punch stirred things up with “Wickedeeee”. Ferriera was
assisted by the powerful voice of Lisa Punch. Jackie Hanover did an excellent job when she performed a few of her hits. Trinidadian, Shal Marshal was the first regional act to perform, and he appeared to put the patrons in the right party mood with his popular tunes. The Karma Band, led by Ravi B, yet again proved to be one of the best in the region, as the members entertained the crowd to the fullest, dishing out various genres of music, ranging from soca to dancehall. Busy Signal took over from where Karma left off and he also created the right atmosphere. The Jamaican artiste did not disappoint his fans. The main act of the evening was another Jamaican artiste, Konshens, who sang mostly snippets of his tunes. Despite this, his fans enjoyed his performance. After Konshens’ performance, the Antiguan Band performed. The crowd had a time of their lives as the band performed for close to 20 minutes. The group left their fans breathless as they dished out some of their well-known hits.
Dr Rupert Roopnaraine and Brendan de Caires in conversation at the Moray House Trust on Thursday
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he Moray House Trust (MHT) on Thursday hosted “A Conversation”, an exchange between Dr Rupert Roopnaraine and Brendan de Caires. The essays in Dr Roopnaraine’s recent prizewinning publication, “The Sky’s Wild Noise”, provided much of the material for discussion but the talk extended to other topics such as the challenges of undertaking critical appraisal in a small society. The MDT in a release thanked The Guyana National Lottery for their sponsorship of this event. Moray House is a legacy of the late David de Caires. It is a cultural initiative to foster and preserve artistic expression in Guyana’s diverse culture and to support and contribute to the good works of Guyanese. The mission of the trust
is to host, to support and to facilitate live local cultural events (such as music and poetry recitals, lectures, photographic presentations) and to bring creative artists (writers, poets, singers, musicians, painters, photographers) together with peers, experts and an informed audience to advance local talent. Since its inception 18 months ago, the MHT has hosted book launches by Ian Mc Donald and Dr Roopnaraine, a republication of one of Eusi Kwayana’s works and readings by Professor David Dabydeen and others. It has also screened a selection of local films in collaboration with CineGuyana and presented a film proposal conceived by Michael Gilkes. The trust has hosted a series of lectures and presentations on architecture, art, photography, music, lit-
erature and history by Bert Carter, Hew Locke, Stanley Greaves, George Simon, Bobby Fernandes, Dr Vibert Cambridge and Dr Paloma Mohamed. Retired Major General Joe Singh has spoken about the development of Guyana’s hinterland and Stanley Ming has analysed local transportation routes and sea defences. Poetry and writing workshops have been held (with sponsorship from Scotiabank) and the trust has hosted a master class for artists led by Stanley Greaves. In the future, the MHT plans to build on these activities and to complement them with musical recitals, art exhibitions and a range of other workshops. Plans are also being made to conduct similar events beyond Georgetown.
Website
Much of the work undertaken so far can be seen on the trust’s website (www. morayhousetrust.com) and on its You Tube channel, which now has over 100 video clips. Regular updates about activities are also provided on its Facebook page and its Twitter feed (@ MorayHouseTrust). Moray House Trust’s first publication was a collection of Ian Mc Donald’s recent poetry, “The Comfort of All Things”. Encouraged by the reception of this volume, the trust plans to publish a magazine that will incorporate some of the lectures and readings it has hosted and some new material. Submissions will be invited in some categories and information about the magazine will shortly be posted on the MHT website.
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SUNday, august 18, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com
Local cultural group thrills French Guiana audience I
ndus Voices and Dance Worqs, a local Indian cultural group, delivered last week when they performed at “La Fete”, a cultural exhibition in French Guiana. The group headed by founder Amar Ramessar, was selected to perform in the French South American country after the organisers there requested an Indian group from Guyana. The group left Guyana on August 7 and arrived at Saint-Laurent-duMaroni later that day. On the following day, Indus Voices and Dance Worqs created history as they were the first Indian group to perform at that part of the country. There were also the only internationally/region group that performed at the event. The group gave a thrilling and mesmerising performance before a packed audience. The first item was an energetic Bhangra dance followed by two other dances done by Preiya Methuram, Padmini Abraham and Rena Ramessar.
Filmi hits
The group also performed several filmi hits. Amar Ramessar’s renditions of “Dagariya Chalo” and “Dholak Bajayea”; Seema Budram’s “Bholo Bhola” and “Radha On The Dance Floor”; Aditya Persaud’s “Pehli Nazar Mein” and Suraj Narayan’s “Satarangiya”, were performed with perfection. However, their performances could not have been executed without the musicians. With Avinash Roopchan on the bass guitar, Vishal Khellawan on the dholak, tabla and drums and Kamo Balac on the keyboard,
Suit man mayor
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The members of Indus Voices and Dance Worqs after their performance in French Guyana, along with the organisers (stooping in front)
they created a feisty backdrop against the magical voices of the singers. While the Indus Voices and Dance Worqs performance at the “La Fete” was successful, the real reward came after the show when they were invited to perform at another event in French Guiana later this year. “Indus Voice” as it was named initially, was conceived by Amar Ramessar, who wanted to preserve the roots of Indian music. The idea came alive in 2009 with the help of three friends with the same agenda. Together, they created “Indus Voices”. Ramessar explained that the Indus Valley is the cradle of Indian music and dance, and so his group is trying to promote traditional classical and semi-classical music. “Studying for years with the Indian Cultural Centre and when we perform classical pieces, you can actually see this curiosity and anx-
iety in people so I thought, through the knowledge I acquired over the years, that it would be a good thing to start propagating this kind of music,” he said. After the group was formed in 2009, Ramessar started to host a television programme called “Sangeetayatra” (a musical journey), which he used to propagate the music for two years.
Charitable work
In addition, the group was engaged in a lot of charity work and events across Guyana. They have also performed in Grenada where they were invited for a postDiwali programme. He said when the group was invited to perform in French Guyana, it decided to incorporate dance in their repertoire, with the aim of expand the group’s diversity. “The people in Indus Voices and Dance Worqs are very talented in their dis-
ciplines, our dancers having been studying classical dance for a number of years and our musicians are some of Guyana’s best, and we are probably the only group in Guyana that does this kind of music.” Indus Voices and Dance Worqs made its debut in 2011 when the group participated and won the first Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Chowtal Competition. Throughout the years, the group has been focusing on its ground work, and hosted it first production, “Raagas N Rythms” in March at the Theatre Guild.
Overwhelming attendance
The show saw an overwhelming attendance, and patrons were treated to an exposition of the most popular semi-classical compositions, ghazals, qawali and Bollywood songs. According to Ramessar, “Raagas N Rythms” will be a yearly production, and will be shifted to the National Culture Centre following rave reviews of the inaugural production. “Raagas N Rythms” 2014 is expected to be held in August. In the meanwhile, the group will continue to storm the local entertainment arena, as they entertain and thrill audiences across Guyana.
atiricus was quite puzzled – as usual. The opposition APANU was taking such a great interest in local government. Meetings and selection of candidates already, the big honchos had said. BenchKak said he running for mayor. The PPCEE, he figured, was taken up with taking care of the country’s needs – so he could understand their low-keyed approach. But Satiricus was wondering what happened to the KFC. “Is NoGel! That is what happen to KFC,” piped up Suresh. “Is damage control, boy!” “Damn right,” said Cappo, “dem bin gat he fuh tek on APANU in Georgetown. Yuh an see how dey try fuh mek he de new Walter Rodney?” “Budday...they say you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear,” pointed out Teacher Samad. “And you certainly can’t make a man who defending criminals every day, into Walter Rodney.” “So what you think, they gon do?” asked Kuldeep. “I hear their adviser Kiss Soon say he gon run himself.” “The only thing he can run is he mouth!” cackled Hari. “He cyaan even win if he run to be dog catcher.” “I didn’t say he gon win, just that he say he gon run,” pointed out Kuldeep. “Why you think, he and he best friend BenchKak fall out?” All eyes turned towards him. “Well BenchKak say he runnin for mayor and he kill Kiss Soon runnings. Kiss Soon been counting on BenchKak to back him.” “Oh...me bin think dem fall out because Kiss Soon criticise BenchKak wearing suit in de heat,” confessed Cappo. “We’ll, the suit business come up after BenchKak say he want to run for mayor,” said Kuldeep. “Because Kiss Soon grow up poor he don’t like to admit that you have to wear suit to become mayor.” “BenchKak was sick and tired of Kiss Soon carrying on how NoGel was the new Rodney. That’s what,” piped up Hari. “Was that when he tell Kiss Soon he is an old man in he 70s?” Hari wanted to know. “Kiss Soon like fuh play young, you know.” “So with NoGel out of the way, is BenchKak gon tek on APANU?” asked Suresh. “Is who dem gon run against he?” “We’ll, dem gat Busil William. He does dress wid betta suit dan BenchKak,” observed Cappo. “And he gat moustache! De town ladies like dat!” “And if Busil busy, they always got their local .00007 Bond,” said Suresh. “He is a suit man too.” Satiricus was now happy. If a suit man was going to be mayor, then the garbage problem would certainly be solved. They wouldn’t want to get their shine shoes messed up, reasoned Satiricus.
guyanatimesgy.com
SUNday, august 18, 2013
News
Guyanese in New York celebrate India’s independence By Vishnu Bisram
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ndia celebrated 66 years of independence from Great Britain last Thursday and IndoGuyanese in New York joined Indian-Americans to celebrate the occasion at various events over the last several days. Thousands of Guyanese will be at the annual parade today on Madison Avenue, joining tens of thousands of others to catch a glimpse of favourite Bollywood stars and the magnificent floats. Guyanese are also known to participate in the concert on 26th Street in tribute to India.
Homeland
In 2011, then President Jagdeo was guest of honor at the parade and presidential candidate Donald Ramotar was also a special guest. Indo-Guyanese are not shy about celebrating the freedom of their ancestral homeland and I attended many functions where Guyanese showed up in their large numbers, dressed in traditional formal garb like lahengas, kurthas, Nehru suits, among others. India's independence is usually observed at Guyanese temples in New York and a brief history of India recited by youths for
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the congregations, and this will be done on today again. The Union Jack, the British flag, was lowered from its mast for the last time on the soil of India on August 15, 1947 and the retreat was sounded. It was a celestial joy for Indians as well as for colonised people around the globe when the Indian Tri-colour went up the mast all over the country because it set the stage for the freedom of other colonies. Pakistan was also formed and set free and this was quickly followed by Sri Lanka and colonies in Asia and Africa.
Cherished freedom
As is usual for India’s independence functions I attended in the past, the popular Jana Gana Mana was sung even by Guyanese followed by loud shouts of the patriotic slogan – ``Bharat Mata ki Jai’’– salutations to Mother India. ``Vande Mataram’’ – the national patriotic song – is also usually sung, which is a reminder of the contributions of freedom fighters battling against the rule of the British in India. Indians fought the British, both violently and non-violently, and won the freedom that generation after generation have cherished. The Indians love their freedom although they are
not pleased with their political leaders who replaced the British. And so they celebrate the occasion wherever they find themselves. German and Indian consulates in various major cities observed the occasion. The embassy in Berlin also celebrated the occasion. Many tributes have been placed on the Indian sepoys for starting the struggle against their British officers in 1857. Some praised Mangal Pandey in Barrackpore in Bengal and the regiment of Native Infantry at Meerut for the spark of the freedom movement that had ignited the hearts and minds of Indians. Others praised Arya Samaj hero Swami Dayanand Saraswati or even Nana Sahib in the garb of a mendicant for their roles in the fight for the freedom of the motherland.
Mahatma Gandhi
And the roles of Bal Gangadhar Tilak in Maharashtra, Lala Lajpat Rai in the Punjab, Bipin Chandra Pal in Bengal, Rani Chennama in Kittur in the south, and others for their heroic roles. But the greatest credit belongs to Mahatma Gandhi who fought non-violently and defeated the British. He sacrificed his life for India and the colonies
around the globe. He fought against indentureship and the exploitation of Indians around the globe and IndoGuyanese have not forgotten his heroic role. The Indian people in the diaspora celebrated the noble struggles of Gandhi and others and are forever grateful to those who fought for the freedom of India. Guyanese and other people around the globe recognise that Gandhi and others in no small way contributed to the struggle for Indians and non-Indians elsewhere in colonies around the globe. Had it not been for India’s independence, other colonies would not be free.
Celebrations
And so Indo-Guyanese every year join in celebrations in the U.S. and attend the parade, dinner, flag-hoisting ceremony, press conferences and cocktails, among others. And the Guyanese ethnic media also provide ample coverage of events that mark India’s independence. I always attended these events when in New York and elsewhere. The Guyanese ambassador in the U.S. usually sends congratulatory messages and attends celebrations on the occasion for they recognise the role played by India in the independence of Guyana and other colonies.
Dialogue, trust... from page 3
Asked how his administration was dealing with the troubling situation in the Parliament and its failures to achieve consensus on several matters there, Ramotar said that there was a lack of understanding about the role each arm of government should play, especially on the part of the opposition. “The Parliament cannot substitute for the work of the executive and that’s part of the problem we are facing. The opposition wants to usurp executive power, but this was never in the Constitution,” he argued sternly, while expressing the view that all arms of the state are equally important and specifically designed to perform key functions.
Compromise President Ramotar admitted too that while the new dispensation in Parliament was not “entirely new” as there are other governments around the world that do not enjoy a parliamentary majority, achieving compromise and building trust remain pivotal to the successful governance of any democratic society. He reasoned too that avoiding gridlock and political grandstanding also hinged on both sides' “com-
mitment to national development”. “I had hoped that we would have used this opportunity to build and advance our country, but I still think there is a lack of understanding of the various roles in the various sections of the state in which we operate,” he emphasised. Additionally, President Donald Ramotar has also disclosed that he will not apologise for any of his comments made either about the opposition’s posture on developmental issues or its stance on the passage of critical legislation which could have damning consequences for businesses and the country’s growth. “I am a person like this. If I think I am wrong then I will apologise. I don’t see anything to apologise for,” the president said. He has since urged the opposition to listen to voices of reason in the other stakeholders such as the private sector, civil society and the religious community, among others on the need for hydropower, the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the Marriott Hotel and the Specialty Hospital, if they respect the basic tenants of democracy.
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sunDAY, AUGUST 18, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com
The impacts of climate change
GDF chief-ofstaff promoted to rear admiral C ommander-in-chief of the armed forces, President Donald Ramotar has approved the promotion of chief-of-staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Commodore Gary Best to the rank of rear ad-
miral. The swearing-in ceremony will take place on Monday, August 19, at the Office of the President. A rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore.
Commodore Gary Best
Russian youth forum was an enlightening experience – Guyana’s representative
A scene of flooding in Guyana
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Guyana’s representative Umadevi Bux, flanked by Ethiopia's Youth Ambassador Simon Alebachew (right) and Barbados' Youth Ambassador Jamonn Roberts (left)
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uyana’s representative, Umadevi Bux has returned from a successful stint at the International Youth Forum Seliger 2013 held recently in Russia. The international forum featured representation from over 130 countries and mobilised over 2000 participants from around the world with the aim of uniting the world leaders of tomorrow. According to Bux, during the forum, representatives were meaningfully engaged in discussions and sessions delivered by experts and professors from across the globe in the areas of youth polices and projects and international relations, innovation and enterprise, growth and sustainable development, creative media and public relations. The forum was two-folded with the Seliger Project compromising of Russian youths and the Interseliger Project, which involved youth leaders from across
the world. The forum was aimed at fostering an active social position among young people worldwide by putting objectives of leadership skills into practice while developing youth policies and projects which will help strengthen social consciousness among young people, and for them to participate in the everyday governance of their respective countries. Meanwhile, Russian embassy Charge D’ Affaires Petr Sizov, speaking with Guyana Times, said the forum emphasised the importance of empowering youths globally. “The experience, knowledge and skills gain from the forum will enhance the capabilities of the participants to foster change and further develop youth empowerment projects and policies within their countries, therefore giving participants real opportunities to put their leadership skills into practice,” the diplomat said.
Sizov revealed that next year, the embassy will hopefully send more participants to the forum through further cooperation with Caricom. Bux participated in sustainable development educational sessions geared towards creative media and public relations, youth policies and project workshops, the Interseliger Model United Nations 2013, international debate, the Interseliger Model World Trade Organisation (WTO) discussions, leadership skills training, publicspeaking sessions and international business. In addition, the forum presented an opportunity for the representatives to share information about Guyana's youths representing other international organisations. Bux’s attendance was made possible through a collaborative effort between the Russian embassy in Guyana, Caricom and the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry.
ore recently in 2011, continuous heavy rainfall in Region Nine and in the Roraima State of Brazil caused overflow in the Rio Branco, Ireng and Takutu rivers, which resulted in severe flooding in Lethem, its environs and other low lying areas of Region Nine. Moreover, within the last century, Guyana has experienced an increase of 1.0 decree Celsius of the mean annual temperature. It is projected that by the end of this century, temperatures can increase by up to four degree Celsius and weather patterns will become more extreme. Sea level is projected to rise at a rate of one cm/ year, about 40cm-60cm by the end of the 21st century. These projected changes may translate into ecosystems disruptions, floods, landslides, storm surges and droughts, among other impacts. These threats will impose severe social and economic constraints to Guyana and would need to be addressed with effective adaptation measures, which the government is undertaking such as improvements to drainage and irrigation, rehabilitation of sea defences and disaster risk management.
The Hydrometeorological Service, a department of the Agriculture Ministry, is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the weather and water resources in Guyana. The department continues to observe and archive Guyana’s weather and climate and provide meteorological information. New projects and initiatives have been implemented including a doppler digital radar, which was setup to improve weather monitoring and forecasting in Guyana.
Mitigation measures
The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), also within the Agriculture Ministry, continues to monitor the D&I systems in Guyana and ensure all measures are taken to mitigate the effects of the heavy rainfall. Further, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), the national disaster management organisation in Guyana, has embarked on a Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) programme, which will outline appropriate measures, making Guyana better prepared to handle disasters and lessen the vulnerability to disas-
ters that are repeated such as flooding. Additionally, priority projects on adaptation are outlined within Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), which is an innovative strategy that seeks to merge the fight against climate change while simultaneously encouraging economic development. The LCDS will support the upgrading of infrastructure and assets to protect against flooding through urgent, near-term measures. Specifically, the LCDS update, which was launched this year, identified the project area “Climate Resilience, Adaptation and Water Management Initiatives” for which up to US$100 million will be allocated to improve Guyana’s capacity to address climate change. This along with other initiatives and projects within the LCDS will be explained in detail in a future article. Next week’s article will feature, in detail, the projected impacts of climate change in Guyana that will likely occur if measures are not put in place. Models used to project climate change impact will also be featured.
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SUNday, August 18, 2013
guyanatimesgy.com
Regional
Bahamas deports Cuban Jamaican govt to disclose refugees despite protests bus fare increases Monday
Anti-Castro campaigners in Miami went on hunger strike to try to stop the deportations
T
he government of The Bahamas has deported back to Cuba 24 refugees who had applied for asylum in the United States and other countries. Campaigners in the U.S. have accused The Bahamas of putting the lives of the refugees in danger by sending them back to the communist-run island. The Bahamas has be-
come a transit point for economic and political refugees who arrive by boat from Cuba and Haiti. The authorities say the archipelago cannot afford to house all refugees. Dozens of refugees have been deported by Nassau to Cuba in past years. The overwhelmingly anti-communist Cuban community in Miami has
campaigned against the refugees’ return to Havana. Ramon Saul Sanchez, leader of the Democracy Movement pressure group, said some 40 Cubans were being kept in squalid conditions in Bahamian detention centres. “They treat them badly, they torture them and then they deport them,” Sanchez told El Nuevo Herald in Florida. The government in Nassau denied that the Cuban detainees had been subject to beatings or torture. Sanchez, 58, and Alexis Gomez, 45, went on hunger strike in central Miami to raise awareness of the deportation problem. Campaigners were hopeful that the deportation would be halted after reports emerged that 19 of the 24 refugees had been offered “humanitarian asylum” in Panama. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Guatemala pledges to assist Barbados with sugar industry restructuring
Ambassador Luis Fernando Carrera Castro
G
uatemala is willing to provide expert advice and personnel to assist the Barbados government with its proposal to restructure the sugar cane industry as
announced in the 2013 Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals. That country’s minister of foreign affairs, Ambassador Luis Fernando Carrera Castro, gave this undertaking last Wednesday during a courtesy call with minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, Senator Maxine McClean. During the meeting, the ambassador said his country had been investing in the sugar industry in Mexico and Brazil and described Guatemala’s sugar sector as “very modernised, utilising some of the most modern technologies in the Western Hemisphere and [it is] very well organised”. He further stated: “It
[the sugar industry] has tremendous investors, many of whom are leaders in the business community and we also have investments in other countries such as Nicaragua and The Dominican Republic and I think many of them would be more than happy to come to Barbados and share [their knowledge].” In turn, McClean said the sugar cane industry’s focus had been extended from that of production to concentrating on a number of other by-products and added that the restructuring presented an opportunity to have industry officials examine the best practices implemented by Guatemalan sugar officials. (Caribbean News Now)
T
he government will finally make public the level of increases for travelling on Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses, and other forms of public transportation, on Monday. A release from the Transport, Works and Housing Ministry Friday invited media coverage for a press conference Monday to be held by portfolio minister, Dr Omar Davies at the ministry’s Maxfield Avenue head office in Kingston. The release said that the minister will give details
of a new fare structure for the JUTC and other public transport operators, as well as respond to other pertinent issues relating to the sector.
The ministry noted that, following applications for a fare increase by the JUTC and other transport operators earlier this year and consultations with various stakeholder groups, “a decision has now been reached concerning said rate increase”. However, the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP)
has come out against any increase in the cost of public transportation to commuters. In a response to the release, Opposition spokesman on transport and works, Karl Samuda, said that he could not understand why the Government would be implementing a fare increase at this time, without making any changes to the company’s operational structure. He also accused the government of failing to respond to his call in the parliament in May for a comprehensive report on the JUTC operations. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)
St Vincent's PM to continue ‘informal’ dialogue over political stalemate in St Kitts-Nevis
S
t Vincent and the Grenadines leader Dr Ralph Gonsalves has rejected an appeal by the opposition leader in Kingstown for some kind of regional intervention in the political stalemate in Basseterre involving a long-pending motion of no confidence but has nevertheless pledged to continue speaking informally with St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Denzil Douglas. In his written response to the request by opposition leader Arnhim Eustace, Dr Gonsalves concluded that
there was “no proper basis for formal intervention” by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) or the Caribbean Community (Caricom). The Vincentian prime minister outlined options that are before the Douglas administration in the present circumstances, including resigning and calling fresh elections, or letting the no confidence motion be heard in a timely manner. Filed last December, the no confidence motion has been pending for eight months now.
Dr Gonsalves has also been speaking to regional media about the situation in St Kitts and Nevis. “Can a regional or international organisation intervene in the internal affairs of a country where there is no public disorder or a breakdown of law and order, where there is just a conflict, a political conflict which is still being played out,” he asked. Dr Gonsalves acknowledged, however, that the current situation in Basseterre is far from ideal.
(Caribbean News Now)
Nine men killed in Mexican drug war hotspot
T
he bodies of nine men were found on Saturday in one of the most troubled areas of Mexico’s western Michoacan state, where the Knights Templar drug cartel is fighting civilianled vigilante groups, some with ties to other cartels. Michoacan, where former President Felipe Calderon in 2007 launched his army-led campaign against the cartels, has again become a hotspot of drug-related violence. The bodies were found by
members of the army in an area close to the border with Jalisco state, a spokesman for Michoacan’s attorney general’s office said. The bodies of the men, who had been tied up and shot, were found early Saturday and have not yet been identified, the spokesman said. The Knights Templar is a cultlike gang involved in drug trafficking as well as extorting and terrorising communities in Michoacan. More than 70,000 peo-
ple died from Calderon’s army-led war on drug cartels between 2006 and 2012, and more than 6000 have been killed since President Enrique Pena Nieto took office in December. On Friday in Guerrero state, which borders Michoacan, eight people were found killed in another area where the Knights Templar are fighting vigilante groups, while in a different part of the same state, eight bodies were found in a mass grave. (Reuters)
Al-Rawi responds to PM: Death penalty already law in TT
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he People’s Partnership has been in government for four years and has not hanged one single human being, when existing law says it can be done, and has not given any explanation. Furthermore, if the government wants to know how to do it, it can get advice from former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj who hanged 11 people under the present law. This was the response
of PNM PRO Senator Faris Al-Rawi when asked if the opposition will support Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s plan to take death penalty legislation to the parliament again. The PM told the media at Duncan Street on Thursday that the implementation of the death penalty can be a deterrent to crime. Al Rawi said that was just mamaguy. He said there is no need to amend any legislation to enforce
the death penalty which is already law. “The government’s statements about taking death penalty legislation to parliament stands in a vacuum of logic because the existing law makes hanging lawful for murder and treason.” He said there’s a simple way to get past the Privy Council judgment from the Pratt and Morgan case which convicted death row prisoners often use to get off. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)
guyanatimesgy.com
SUNday, August 18, 2013
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Around the World
Egypt forces clear Cairo Syrian refugees pour into Iraq as Baghdad asks U.S. mosque of protesters
E
gyptian authorities have cleared a Cairo mosque of anti-coup protesters, following a daylong siege punctuated by gunfire, tear gas volleys and mob attacks. The Fateh mosque in Ramses Square was evacuated on Saturday of protesters holed up since violence flared in the square on Friday evening. Police stormed the building on Saturday evening, moving the protesters out and beyond angry crowds who had formed outside. Some reports said many of those removed from the building were taken away in police and military vehicles. Egyptian television channels showed footage of security personnel guarding detained protesters inside the mosque and later leading them away. Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna, reporting from Cairo, said that it was unclear where those who had been removed from the mosque had been taken by police. “There have been various reports about what happened. Witnesses said some had been taken by the army beyond the crowds outside, some were taken into military or police custody.”
Authorities later said about 250 protesters were being investigated for murder, attempted murder and terrorism. The police action to clear the building came after security forces claimed to have come under attack from gunmen hiding in the building’s minarets. Television footage showed security forces firing volley after volley at the building and its minarets. The protesters inside the mosque denied any link to those firing at the police, saying there was no access to the top of the minarets from inside the building. One man, Waleed Attar, was among a group who managed to escape the building as gunfire erupted. He told Al Jazeera: “We didn’t know where the bullets were coming from.” He said they managed to flee and avoid “thugs” waiting outside. “We found our way between vehicles before the thugs could trap us, we ran for fear of being shot. Many of those trapped were being assaulted by thugs. They said we would all be slaughtered.” Earlier, speaking to Al Jazeera by phone from inside,
protester Omaima Halawa said there was shooting inside and outside the building. Cracks of automatic gunfire and screaming could be heard in the background as she spoke. Halawa said there were about 700 people inside, including women and children. Anti-coup protesters found refuge in the mosque late on Friday after a “day of rage” protests called by opponents of the country’s military-led leadership turned to bloodshed. Reports said at least 95 people were killed in Ramses Square when security forces fired on marchers – the worst violence witnessed on Friday. The Fateh mosque was turned into both a morgue and a field hospital for those injured. At least 173 people were killed and 1330 others were injured nationwide on Friday, according to a government spokesman. Friday’s marches were organised in response to police action on Wednesday to remove protesters from sit-ins calling for the return of the deposed president, Mohamed Morsi, and the end of military rule. An estimated 600 people were killed in the operation.
(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Princess Diana's death: New
information assessed by Scotland Yard
T
he Metropolitan Police is assessing new information it has recently received about the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed in 1997. Scotland Yard said it was “scoping” the information and “assessing its relevance and credibility”. It said it was “not a re-investigation” into the deaths of the couple in a Paris car crash on 31 August 1997. An inquest in 2008 found they had been unlawful-
ly killed, partly due to the “gross negligence” of their driver. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said the assessment would be carried out by officers from the specialist crime and operations command. It added that the deaths had been “thoroughly investigated and examined” by the inquest held at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. A Met Police spokesman said that the force would
“not discuss the source of the information” it was assessing. A royal spokeswoman also said there would be no comment on the matter from Prince William or Prince Harry, or from Clarence House. Scotland Yard said its assessment did not come under Operation Paget – the police investigation into allegations that the princess and Al Fayed, her boyfriend, were murdered.
(Excerpt from BBC News)
Indian police arrest key militant from Pakistani group
An alleged top member of a banned militant group from Pakistan has been arrested in India, police said Saturday, describing his capture as a major success. The group is alleged to have participated in over 40 deadly attacks.
I
ndian police said Saturday they had arrested a top member of a banned mil-
itant outfit accused of helping mastermind over 40 deadly bomb attacks across the country, including the 1993 Mumbai blasts. Seventy-year-old Abdul Karim Tunda, an alleged member of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkare-Taiba group, was arrested by a special Delhi police team near India’s border with Nepal Friday. “This arrest is a huge achievement for the country’s security agencies,” SN Srivastava, Special Commissioner of police, told a news conference in the national capital. Police accused Tunda of being a “well-known LeT explosive expert and terrorist” and said he was sought for his alleged role in 1993 se-
rial blasts in Mumbai which killed at least 250 people in a single day. The 1993 attacks targeted hotels, offices, buildings and banks in India’s financial hub and were seen as retaliation for religious rioting in which mainly Muslims died following the razing of an ancient mosque. He also “masterminded” bomb blasts in Delhi in 1997-98 and serial bombings elsewhere in the country, Srivastava told reporters. “Tunda is one of India’s most wanted and his name figures in the list of top 20 terrorists. We arrested him from Indo-Nepal border. He had a Pakistani passport with him,” Srivastava said.
(Excerpt from France24)
for military help
Thousands of Syrian refugees flowed into the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq on Thursday
T
he slender green span of a new pontoon bridge crossing the Tigris River from the Syrian bank to the Iraqi province of Dohuk is almost invisible beneath the weight of refugees. They stretch at least a dozen deep for hun-
dreds of metres back into the evening light. The dust from the feet of the crowd on the far side, waiting to cross, is lit up by the setting sun. The first group to cross was small, according to the UN refugees agency
(UNHCR) in Geneva. On Thursday at lunchtime some 750 crossed into Iraq. By afternoon thousands had followed them. “The factors allowing this sudden movement are not fully clear to us,” UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards told reporters in Geneva. Some of the Syrians had reportedly been waiting near the Tigris River for two to three days. UNHCR monitors at the border saw buses arriving on the Syrian side dropping off more people seeking to cross. Edwards added that both the Syrian and Iraqi sides of the frontier at the Peshkhabour crossing are normally tightly controlled. According to the UN, many of the arrivals had travelled to the border from Aleppo, Afrin, Hassake and Qamishli. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Philippines suspends hunt for ferry disaster survivors; 32 dead, 170 missing
W
orsening weather and sea conditions on Saturday forced the Philippines to suspend a search for survivors of a ferry disaster that killed at least 32 people and left 170 missing, authorities said. The ferry sank on Friday after a collision just outside the central port of Cebu with a cargo vessel owned by a company involved in the world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster nearly 30 years ago. Divers will resume searching early on Sunday,
Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya told a news conference in Manila, after heavy rain brought by a typhoon and low pressure had reduced visibility at sea almost to zero. “Diving operations stopped because of weather conditions,” Abaya said, adding that 661 of the 831 passengers and crew on the ferry had been accounted for. With 32 dead and 629 rescued, there are 170 missing. Just 17 of the dead have been identified. “But we’ve got information that some bodies have
been recovered, and we expect the number of missing to decrease, and we expect the casualties to increase.” Many of the survivors were sick from swallowing oil and seawater, disaster officials said. Scores, sometimes hundreds, of people die each year in ferry accidents in the Philippines, an archipelago of 7100 islands with a notoriously poor record for maritime safety. Overcrowding is common, and many of the vessels are in bad condition. (Excerpt from Reuters)
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SUNday, august 18, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com
Great show as CARIFESTA XI opens in Suriname T
hree hundred and forty Surinamese youth and 10 Chinese Shaolin monks stole the show at the opening ceremony of CARIFESTA XI in Paramaribo, Suriname on Friday night. As if to give living testimony to Surinamese President Desi Bouterse’s assertion that culture “strengthens ties of people across borders”, the rolling, flying and skipping monks and the intricate, athletic movements of the youths brought resounding cheers from the 10,000-strong crowd packed into and around Independence Square, Paramaribo. With the façade of the Presidential Palace providing the canvas for innovative lighting and images, the stage was illuminated by a dynamic, fast-paced presentation
A scene from the opening of CARIFESTA XI in Suriname on Friday (www.eventsin Suriname. com)
punctuated by three speeches delivered by President Bouterse, Suriname’s Education and Community Minister Ashwin Adhin and Caricom Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque. In launching the 10-day
festival, which is being staged under the theme “Culture for Development”, President Bouterse emphasised that without culture there could be no development in the long term. Culture, he said, united the region and must be har-
nessed to deliver economic benefits. It was a theme which had earlier been touched upon by Secretary General LaRocque. “CARIFESTA is undergoing a transformation to position it as a space where
Caribbean culture and the arts can be promoted to help to improve the economic viability of our member states,” he said. The secretary general’s statement revolved around three critical aspects of culture’s role and by extension CARIFESTA’S. These are “Prosperity as our mission; integration as our vision and culture as our passion”. He noted that CARIFESTA XI was one of the highlights of celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of Caricom and that the festival was loved by all “because culture is our passion”. Minister Adhin, in welcoming the more than 30 countries form Caricom, the rest of the Caribbean, South and Central America and as far afield as Indonesia, India, South Korea and China par-
ticipating in the festival, pointed out that creativity and cultural expression were driving forces for development. Economic, social and human development could not happen without a cultural engine, he stated. The festival which began in 1972 is being held for the second time in Suriname and will feature the visual, performing, literary and culinary arts among others as well as a number of symposia and workshops. A new feature is the Caribbean marketplace for the arts which seeks to provide opportunities for young artists from the region to meet with booking agents, promoters and cultural industry executives to generate business and further their development. CARIFESTA XI ends on August 25.
ANSA McAL rewards customers Digicel launches “B
R
From left: ANSA McAL staff with the winners of the second drawing in the Trinchloro Sure Cash promotion
honda George of Victoria Village, East Coast Demerara (ECD); Christina Singh of Chateau Margot, ECD; Bibi Nafeeza Ally of Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD); and Alvin Jordan of Phoenix Park, WBD who are the second set of winners in the Trinchloro Sure Cash Promotion on Friday, received their cash prize of US$100 each at the ANSA McAL Trading Limited head office during a simple presentation ceremony. The fifth winner, Shanta Persaud of Lot 106 Three Friends, Essequibo Coast could not make the presentation; however, she will receive her prize at a later date. The winning entries were pulled on August 7 at Survival Supermarket, Sheriff Street, Georgetown. The next drawing will be held on August 21 and the final draw will be held on October 2. This promotion will give 30 lucky persons the opportunity to win $1.5 million in cash with the first place winner receiving US$3000, the second place US$1000 and the third place of US$500, with five fortnightly drawings giving away US$500.
Free” promotion
D
igicel, the leading mobile communications provider in Guyana, on Sunday unveiled four fantastic offers under its new “B FREE” promotion which replaces “Value Tun Up”. These amazing offers will be available from Monday, August 19. In the B FREE promotion, Digicel customers who top up with $500 or more will get double bubble to call and text to their “Favourite Digicel Number”. Customers can select the number of their choice and by dialing *134# to activate. The free credit will last for 24 hours and both persons must be active Digicel customers. This offer will be available every day and customers can only qualify once daily. Additionally, customers will get up to $500 free credit on their first top up of the month of $200 or more. The free credit applies to on network calls and text messages only and is valid for two days. The “Free Talk and Free Text” offers remain unchanged. Customers can talk for three minutes and get the
next 15 minutes on the same call free; and send three text messages and get the next 25 text messages free. Commenting on the new B FREE promotion, Digicel head of Marketing, Jacqueline James, said “Digicel is glad to introduce something new to the market which will make customers’ credit last longer”. “We know everyone loves ‘freeness’ and the B FREE promotion gives customers a chance to enjoy their service comfortably without worrying about cost,” James added. The exciting offers available under the B FREE promotion will add even more value to the benefits of being a Digicel customer. “‘Value Tun Up’ was enjoyed by many of our customers and we are sure they will love B FREE even more. We are introducing B FREE after careful market research and analysis where our customers want instantaneous benefits and at a lower entry point and we are happy to make their experience on our network even more beneficial,” James concluded.
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sundAy, august 18, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com
Conundrums National Hardware opens new store and conflicts N
By Mohabir Anil Nandlall Part 1
F
rom its conception and by its name, the Alliance For Change (AFC) professes to be the political movement to catalyse change in Guyana’s political landscape. A common thread which runs throughout almost all of its public pronouncements, is that it advocates for a high standard of political morality. “Transparent government”, “accountability in public office” and high decorum from public officials have all been ideals espoused by this party. Indeed these are ideals for which all political parties ought to protagonise. But none has done it as empathic as the AFC. Equally, none has failed more abysmally to practice what it preaches than the AFC. In this article, I will chronicle just a few examples to support my hypothesis.
Nagamootoo and NICIL
From the inception, the AFC has been critical of National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), accusing it of innumerable financial irregularities, lack of transparency and accountability in its operations, and much more. In the elections campaign of 2011, NICIL had been a focus of theirs with all the leaders, including, Moses Nagamootoo, castigating and denigrating the work and functions of NICIL. After the elections, and in Parliament, they continued to be critical of NICIL in their presentations. In the press, the onslaught persisted. Not once, however, was it disclosed to the unsuspecting public that Nagamootoo, the vice chairman of the AFC and one of its Members of Parliament, was a lawyer, retained by NICIL and actually received almost seven million dollars in legal fees from this very organisation, which they describe as so corrupt. It was only after I disclosed this information in a debate in the Parliament did it become public. To date, no member of the AFC has denounced this patent conflict of interest and political hypocrisy.
Pension and prevarications
The pension and other facilities to which former President Bharrat Jagdeo is entitled by law, has evoked tremendous controversy. The fact that this law was simply a codification of the benefits which all former presidents enjoyed was simply ignored. The issue was propagandised to its fullest. The most prolific crusader against it was Nagamootoo. He spoke in length about it during the elections campaign, at public meetings, rallies, in the newspapers and on television. To quote
Mohabir Anil Nandlall
him, “It rattled my soul”. Not once did he disclose that when that very law was passed in the Parliament, he voted in support of it. In fact, from all his utterances, he deliberately conveyed the impression that he voted against it. It was only after I produced the Hansard during one of my presentations in Parliament, and revealed that he voted in support of it was that information made public. Indeed seconds before I read from the Hansard, which obviously he didn’t realise, I was about to do, his bold assertion was “I never voted for it”. Again the AFC has offered no apology to the public for this blatant prevarication.
ational Hardware has recently opened a new branch of their store on Water Street, Geogetown. The new branch sells bathroom items such as sinks, toilets, bathtubs, tiles, chandeliers, faucet fixings and wall lamps, all at reasonable prices. The branch opened last Tuesday and the new location is more spacious, allowing customers to browse and shop without feeling congested and bumping into each other. During an interview with Guyana Times, Fazul Sattaur, the manager of the Water Street store, said since the opening of the bathroom section, many customers have visited and benefited from discounts, which he said will last until month-end. He said there are 10 to 15 per cent discounts on tiles storewide, five to 15 per cent
Inside the National Hardware store that was recently opened on Water Street
off all other items and 50 per cent off all chandeliers. Sattaur noted that the store has a new division, which is referred to as the
Flat pack depo. The department deals with the manufacturing of doors, windows and granite countertops. He went on to say that custom-
New Amsterdam Lions Club assists child who needs heart surgery
Meridian and Marriott
The disclosure that a Marriott Hotel will be built in Guyana was made early in 2011. Indeed, a few months prior to November 2011 elections, there was a public sod turning event at the proposed site, which was published in all the newspapers and aired on television. No public criticism came from the AFC. As the elections were approaching, Robert Badal, the owner of the Pegasus Hotel, made public his association with the AFC. I have no doubt that this association came with great financial benefits. It is not rocket science for anyone to quickly realise that a Marriott Hotel, in close proximity to the Pegasus Hotel, would pose significant competition in that realm of the hotel industry in which the Pegasus Hotel enjoys an almost absolute monopoly. Almost immediately after Badal’s association with the AFC was consummated, the party launched a sustained and vitriolic campaign against every aspect of the Marriott Hotel project, casting every conceivable reason as a basis for it to not materialise. But again, not for one moment during this sustained attack, did the AFC disclose or even concede that the party has a close and politically consanguine relationship with the Pegasus Hotel.
ers can order materials and receive them in three working days. The department also offers troweltex.
Melisa Chase receiving a cheque from a member of the New Amsterdam Lions Club in the presence of other club members
T
he New Amsterdam Lions Club has given assistance to a three-year-old child who needs to undergo heart surgery in India. Melisa Chase suffers with a congenital heart
disease. Chase is expected to undergo corrective heart surgery in February next year in India. According to the child’s mother Lidia Chase, the surgery costs some $1.5 million.
On Saturday, the New Amsterdam Lions Club made a financial contribution to the young mother. The Lions club President Georgina Hoosley said the money
was raised through two fundraising activities. The Three Rivers Foundation in Canada has made all arrangements for the surgery and will be providing accommodation for the older Chase when she and her daughter are in India. The foundation has also contributed financially towards the surgery. According to Chase, an appeal was launched to raise funds for her daughter in February last. She said the Health Ministry has promised to offer some financial assistance, but noted that she still has a far way to go in order to reach the $1.5 million needed. The mother is soliciting the assistance of the public. “It is very difficult to get on the list of persons waiting on surgeries. If I miss this opportunity, my daughter may never get back on the list.”
More bandits strike in Berbice
F
or the past few weeks, houses in Berbice were burglarised with bandits carting off millions in cash and jewellery, but the police have been reasonably alert, nabbing some of the perpetrators. Nevertheless, break and enter and larceny has become more rampant in Berbice with the most recent being committed on the house of Padratt Narine, a hire car driver of Levi Dam, Angoys Avenue. The robbery occurred between 19:00h and 22:45h on Friday. According to information received, the bandits went away with one DVD
player valued $45,000, one gold chain valued $30,000, two pairs of gold earrings valued $20,000, two gold rings valued $16,000, one 42 inches flat screen television set valued $172,000, one BlackBerry phone valued $125,000 and $200.000. Investigations revealed that the victim resides in a one-storey wooden structure in a well-fenced yard and on the day in question; Narine secured his home and went out, leaving the articles mentioned intact. On his return, he reportedly saw two unidentified men on his stairway and raised an alarm. In retaliating, one of the men
ran after him with a shiny object in his hand suspected to be a handgun. The victim, fearful for his life, ran out of the yard and returned a few minutes later to find his house ransacked. Upon checking, he realised that the articles were missing. A report was lodged at the New Amsterdam Police Station and ranks were deployed to the scene, but no one was arrested. The police are also investigating another alleged break and enter and larceny that was committed on the home of Sarmattie (only name given), 51, of Lot 140 Plantation Hope,
Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice. The perpetrators reportedly took away two gold rings valued $50,000 each and two gold earrings valued $20,000, and $40,000 respectively. According to reports, between 09:30h and 13:30h on Friday, the victim went to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) office at Fort Wellington, and upon her return, she recognised that the padlock on one of the doors was broken. Upon checking, she discovered the articles mentioned above missing. The police were alerted but no one was arrested.
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guyanatimesgy.com
sunday, august 18, 2013
thursDAY, march 11, 2010 | guyanatimesGY.com
By Bernice Bede Osol
archie
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) Set your sights on things that will help you get along better with the people you care about most. Nurture important relationships and share your emotions and desires, while listening carefully to the needs of others.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19) Do your best to reduce the amount of stress in your life. Talk over your plans with someone who could aid you in your pursuits.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20)
dilbert
You’ll impress whoever you encounter with your bold ideas and general verve. An opportunity will develop through an unusual source. Network, socialise, present and promote. Step into the spotlight.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Financial mistakes could have a larger price than you’re prepared to pay, so you may need to be especially careful when it comes to your money. Don’t take any risks.
CANCER (June 21July 22) Get serious about a creative endeavour that you want to get up and running. You stand to prosper if you stay within your means and produce a useful service or product.
LEO (July 23Aug. 22) A mental or physical journey will help you choose a direction better suited to your talents and happiness. Don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for wanting to fulfill your dreams.
VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) Spend some time with people who share your concerns. Taking part in an event that allows you to help a cause you believe in will result in an unusual opportunity.
LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23) Don’t worry so much about what others think. You have your own style, ideas and opinions, and you deserve to be heard. Be your own person, and others will follow your example.
Calvin and Hobbes TAURUS (April 20May 20) Take a look inward and determine if there is something in your life that needs changing. Take action based on your emotions, with increased harmony as a goal.
Peanuts
GEMINI (May 21June 20) Listen carefully and be precise about what you want and what you are willing to offer. Romantic activities or plans will bring you closer to someone special. You’re in a cycle where personal change is indicated.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) Don’t set limitations on what you can accomplish. Be creative and innovative and strive to bring a unique approach to all your endeavours. Change your living habits or arrangements to fit your needs.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21) Search out information that will help you reach a new goal or allow you to join forces with someone looking to venture down a similar path. Remember, you’re not alone.
YELLOW PAGES sunday, august 18, 2013
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19 OECS discusses enhanced monitoring of cement trade
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Virginia Paul
T
he Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Secretariat’s Trade Policy Unit is facilitating talks among member states on methods of monitoring the cement trade. The unit recently coordinated a video conference in order to develop an OECS position on a monitoring mechanism for the supply and demand of cement in the Caribbean Community (Caricom). Head of the OECS Trade Policy Unit Virginia Paul said the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) agreed that such a mechanism is required in order to ensure that consumers are adequately supplied by the regional manufacturer. “Cement is an important commodity used in construction and given the importance of the construction sector to economic development in the OECS, it was necessary for member states to agree on the data that would be required to monitor trade in cement within the region,” she said. The TPU has confirmed that recommendations from OECS have already been presented to a meeting of Caricom officials for consideration. Discussions on methods of monitoring the cement trade were among three major activities which re-
cently involved the OECS Secretariat’s Trade Policy Unit. The unit was also part of briefings on the second phase of the Caricom Trade and Competitiveness Project stakeholders in Grenada on a national plan to increase information flows on the CSME and the reform of administrative procedures. The project also started work on the reform of laws and regulations which affect the movement of goods, capital, skills, people and the right to establish business in these countries. Work on the implementation of national work plans to award the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) started in Dominica and St Kitts/ Nevis.
Business environment
These activities are part of the second phase of the project in which the main goal is to improve the business environment for people to take advantage of the Caricom Single Market and Economy. The Trade and Competitiveness Project is financed by the government of Canada and ends in 2014. The OECS TPU also continues to assist member states to negotiate with Canada. Negotiations with Canada continued with discussions in July on dispute settlement and institutional issues. Caricom officials further reviewed the outcome of that negotiating session at a meeting on July 25 and 26 in Barbados. The TPU also supported officials who participated in a Caricom preparatory meeting which discussed services and investment. The Caricom-Canada Trade and Development Agreement will contain the rules which will govern trade in goods, services and agricultural products between Caricom member states and Canada. (Caribbean News Now)
Taiwan president addresses joint sitting of St Lucia parliament
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n Friday, president of Taiwan, Ma Yingjeou, became the first Taiwanese president to deliver a speech to a joint sitting of the Saint Lucia parliament. The last foreign political leader invited to address a joint sitting was former South African President Nelson Mandela in 1998. Deputy Prime Minister Philip Pierre said the visit by the Taiwanese head of state from Thursday holds special significance for the friendship shared by the two countries. The opportunity for Ma to address the joint sitting of the house was an expression of the highest regard towards the government and people of Taiwan. “As you know three of us visited Taiwan. I think
the minister for external affairs also visited Taiwan and I am sure many more ministers will visit. The Taiwanese aid will be used in the Constituency Development Programme and all constituencies benefit from that so the relationships are growing and are based on mutual respect for each other and we are very pleased with the way the relationship has been so far,” Pierre said. Saint Lucia is Ma’s first stop in a 12-day tour of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the Caribbean tour, and this significant occasion was marked by a celebration and ceremony in downtown Castries as the president made his way to the Parliamentary Chambers.
(Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)
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August 18, 2013
guyanatimesGY.com
Red Steel send Russell sees Tallawahs into semis Zouks packing
Fidel Edwards celebrates with Dwayne Bravo en route to the Red Steel win over Zouks
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ingston, JAMAICA The Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel put in a clinical performance to see off the St Lucia Zouks, keeping their Limacol Caribbean Premier League campaign alive, and ending their opponents’. It started off as a crucial Saturday morning for both teams, and at the end of it, one would have been eliminated and the other merely surviving to fight another day. The Red Steel did their bit in the field to ensure that they had the upper hand at the halfway stage. A tight bowling performance along with some good fielding saw them chase 100 runs for victory at Sabina Park. Andre Fletcher was again the highlight of the Zouks’ innings, but this time his strike was less impressive than two days ago. He hit an unbeaten 46 runs from 59 runs, but only managed two fours and a six. The Zouks merely limped to 99/5 from their 20 overs. In response the T&T Red Steel made fairly light work of their chase, only getting themselves in a tangle at the end. Opener Adrian Barath and Kevin O’Brien gave the chase a solid reply with an opening stand of 56 runs. Both batsmen played their shots and often found the boundary. O’Brien though had more of the strike, and he made good use of it, striking three fours and two sixes. By the end of the Powerplay, the Red Steel were 41-0. Tino Best got the much needed breakthrough for the Zouks, bowling O’Brien in the 9th over. The wicket triggered a mini collapse for the Red Steel. Without a run being added, it was 56/2 in the next
over as Barath was given out Leg Before Wicket to Shane Shillingford. He had made 17, though was a tad unlucky as the ball struck his thigh pad. All eyes were on the Red Steel’s new signing, Mahela Jayawardene, and the Sri Lankan got to 11 before he was well caught behind by Darren Sammy, filling in as wicket-keeper for Andre Fletcher, who was off the field. At that stage, the Red Steel were 75/3, with the Zouks trying to create a late scare in their opponents’ camp. It would get a little tense two overs later when Mathurin also sent back Ross Taylor, who made a patient 13 from 21 balls. But the Bravo brothers combined to ensure the victory. It was virtually assured when Taylor was out at 84/4. It didn’t take the Red Steel long thereafter. As the 18th over ended, Darren Bravo struck Liam
Sebastien for a four and a six to seal the match. Mathurin had bowled well, picking up 2-24, so too did Best (1-18) and Shillingford (1-20), but 100 runs were never going to be enough. The Zouks’ score was quite surprising as well. Only a couple of days ago they had registered the tournament’s highest total. But it was a different ball game today. The Red Steel bowlers seemed to come out with a plan, and they executed it quite well. Midway through the Powerplay, Tamim Iqbal was sent back for five. Fidel Edwards was fired up, and disrupted his stumps. Edwards’ first spell was quick and he generated good bounce. Dwayne Bravo mixed himself up with Samuel Badree at the other end. The result was a slow start for the Zouks. Early wickets didn’t help either. Fletcher stood firm at his end, but wickets fell around him. One run later, Smith misread the pace of the wicket and offered up a catch to Jayawardene at cover to give Badree his first wicket. Misbah struggled to three runs from eight balls, but he never got going. Badree would return to bowl him. Herschelle Gibbs and Fletcher put on 20 runs together to try to stabilize the innings, but it came from 33 balls. The Red Steel copped all the prizes. O’Brien earned both the Limacol Super Six and Digicel 4G Fastest Scorer awards, while Badree for his figures of 4-0-18-2 got Man of the Match. Three on the trot now for the Red Steel; are they peaking at the right time? (CPL)
SCOREBOARD Saint Lucia Zouks Tamim Iqbal b Fidel Edwards 5 Andre Fletcher+ not out 46 Devon Smith c Mahela Jayawardene b Samuel Badree 0 Misbah Ul-Haq b Samuel Badree 3 Herschelle Gibbs c & b Kevon Cooper 10 Darren Sammy* b Dwayne Bravo 16 Albie Morkel not out 7 Extras: (lb2 w10) 12 Total: (20 Overs) 99/5 Fall of Wickets: 1-16, 2-17, 3-36, 4-56, 5-84 Bowling: Fidel Edwards 4-0-221 (3w), Dwayne Bravo 4-0-28-1 (4w), Samuel Badree 4-0-18-2 (2w), Sulieman Benn 4-0-110, Kevon Cooper 4-0-18-1
Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel Kevin O’ Brien b Tino Best 37 Adrian Barath LBW Shane Shillingford 17 Ross Taylor b Garey Mathurin 13 Mahela Jayawardene c Darren Sammy+ b Garey Mathurin 11 Darren Bravo not out 15 Dwayne Bravo not out 10 Extras: (w2) 2 Total: (17.5 Overs) 105/4 Fall of Wickets: 1-56, 2-56, 3-75, 4-84 Bowling: Garey Mathurin 4-024-2, Darren Sammy 3-0-220, Tino Best 4-0-18-1 (2w), Shane Shillingford 4-0-201, Liam Sebastien 1.5-0-170, Albie Morkel 1-0-4-0 Toss: T&T Red Steel won the toss and elected to field Result: T&T Red Steel won by 6 wickets Man of the Match: Samuel Badree (Red Steel)
Andre Russell celebrates victory for Jamaica Tallawahs over Jason Holder’s Barbados Tridents
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ingston, JAMAICA - An unbroken fifth wicket partnership of 49 runs between debutant Jermaine Blackwood and Andre Russell pulled the Jamaica Tallawahs out of trouble and secured the home team’s semi-final berth in the Limacol Caribbean Premier League. Both batsmen met at the crease with the Tallawahs rocking in an uncertain position chasing 114 runs for victory. It was the second time in the day that the team batting first failed to really fire in the first innings of the match. Before the Barbados Tridents got to 113-4 from their 20 overs, the St Lucia Zouks earlier had limped to 99/5 from their 20 overs. It was thanks to Dwayne Smith’s 52 from 53 balls that the Tridents were able to get to that total. And remarkably, at one stage during the Tallawahs’ chase, it seemed like it might be enough. The wicket wasn’t the easiest one to bat on, though the T&T Red Steel had few problems in their chase earlier in the afternoon. But after Ahmed Shehzad’s cameo innings, the Tallawahs seemed to lose their momentum. The Pakistani got the
chase off to a rollicking start hitting 28 runs from 25 balls. Chris Gayle was out cheaply once more scoring five runs from four balls before he was bowled by Shoaib Malik. But the silence of the crowd when Gayle was dismissed quickly turned to cheers once more as Shehzad continued to attack the bowling. He struck four fours and one six, running only six of his 28 runs. But when he was out with the score on 36-2, the
Tridents found a way back into the game. Chadwick Walton and Danza Hyatt met at the crease but their partnership would only last 11 runs. They tried knocking the ball around for singles to build a partnership, but after a miscommunication in the ninth over, both batsmen would end up at the same end. Hyatt was the unfortunate one to go. Walton battled to 15, hitting one six in his 20-ball knock, but three overs later he himself was run out. This time it was via a direct hit from Smith at point. The Tallawahs were rocking ferociously at this stage, still needing 49 runs from 47 balls. But Russell and Blackwood combined to pull the hosts to safety. They didn’t take long to settle in. When Emrit returned in the 15th over, Blackwood started the over with a boundary and Russell ended it with a six. Dwayne Smith was awarded the Limacol Super Six award while Andre Russell won the Digicel 4G Fastest Scorer. Muttiah Muralitharan was Man-ofthe-Match. (CPL)
SCOREBOARD
Barbados Tridents Dwayne Smith not out 52 Raymon Reifer b Nikita Miller 22 Shoaib Malik b Muttiah Muralitharan 14 Kieron Pollard* c Chris Gayle b Muttiah Muralitharan 0 Ashley Nurse b Muttiah Muralitharan 15 Kyle Mayers not out 3 Extras: (b1, lb2, w4) 7 Total: (20 Overs) 113/4 Fall of Wickets: 1-33, 2-62, 3-62, 4-89 Bowling: David Bernard Jnr 3-021-0, Vernon Philander 4-0-320 (1w), Muttiah Muralitharan 4-0-12-3, Nikita Miller 4-0-191 (1w), Chris Gayle 2-0-9-0, Andre Russell 3-0-17-0 (2w)
Jamaica Tallawahs Ahmed Shehzad b Shakib Al Hasan 28 Chris Gayle b Shoaib Malik 5 Chadwick Walton run out (Smith) 15 Danza Hyatt run out (Emrit) 8 Jermaine Blackwood not out 21 Andre Russell not out 27 Extras: (b4, lb3, w2, nb1) 10 Total: (18.1 Overs) 114/4 Fall of Wickets: 1-23, 2-36, 3-47, 4-65 Bowling: Shoaib Malik 3-019-1 (1w), Shannon Gabriel 1-0-13-0, Shakib Al-Hasan 4-0-22-1, Rayad Emrit 3-018-0, Ashley Nurse 2-0-130 (1w), Kieron Pollard 2-010-0, Jason Holder 2.1-0-6-0 (1nb), Dwayne Smith 1-0-6-0
Police off to early lead on... Trinidadian Mark London showed why he is the current 800m Carifta gold medallist, winning heat one of the men’s 800m in 2:02.50s while Cleveland Thomas of RBAC won his heat in 2:03.10s. RBAC’s Stephan James was impressive in the men’s 100m preliminary qualifying race with a time of 10.50s in heat one while GDF’s Akeem Stewart returned a performance of 10.70s to win heat two. James also topped heat one of the men’s 200m with a time of 23.30s; later he qualified for the men’s 400m final in a time of 53.60s. Kevin Abbensetts of Mercury Fast Laners won heat two of the 200m in 23.30s. Jason Yaw was the winner of heat one of the men’s 400m with a time of 53.00s. Local sprint queen Alisha Fortune of RBAC returned to the track with a 26.70s performance to win heat one of the women’s 200m while top Police athlete Alita Moore won heat two in a time of 27.00s. Day one ended with a bang when the Police men came from behind to beat RBAC men’s distance medley relay team in a time of 8:00.20s. RBAC clocked a time of 8:00.60s for the second position. Contrastingly the RBAC women dominated the Police women to win the female distance medley event in a time of 7:24.80s while Police clocked 8:06.10s for
from page 22
Trinidad’s Mark London makes his move during the final lap of his winning 800 metres heat (Treiston Joseph photo)
second. Meanwhile, the event concludes at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Linden; race time is 14:00h.
August 18, 2013
guyanatimesGY.com
Bolt powers to 200m world victory
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Man United win on Moyes debut
Robin van Persie scored a spectacular goal on Saturday
Usain Bolt created history when he won the 200m title at the World Championships
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lympic champion Usain Bolt defended his 200m title with ease and took his tally of World Championship gold medals to seven on Saturday. The Jamaican set a world leading time of 19.66s to secure his third successive world title in the event. Bolt’s compatriot Warren Weir clinched silver with a personal best 19.79 while America’s Curtis Mitchell (20.04) took bronze by a hundredth of a second. Britain’s Adam Gemili, 19, dipped home in fifth, clocking 20.08. “The 100m is for the fans, and for the show as the fastest man in the world, but for me it means more to come here and defend my 200 title,” Bolt said. “When I entered the straight, I felt tired, my legs felt a little heavy. And my coach told me not to push too hard if it was possible, so I backed off a little.” Gemili, who has made exceptional progress since taking up the sport a year and a half ago, did not look overawed in his first major championship final as a senior. “What an experience this whole championships has been for me,” he told BBC
Sport. “There are no words to describe how I’m feeling. I knew I would be in the mix if I executed my race. I didn’t execute it as well as I could have, but I still have a lot of people to thank. I’m very lucky and I’m really happy.” The Blackheath and Bromley athlete qualified second-fastest for the final after lowering his personal best in the semi-finals to 19.98, becoming only the second Briton to dip under 20 seconds. Gemili was smiling broadly at the start line and the teenager, with Bolt on his inside, came out of the bend strongly and finished four hundredths of a second outside the top three. Neither Gemili nor the other finalists could end Bolt’s reign. The defending champion, who has now completed his second Olympic and world sprint double, led coming into the bend and from then on overpowered them. As the finishing line neared, the six-time Olympic champion eased off and had time to look over his shoulder to check his team-mate Weir had grabbed second. Bolt’s winning time was nearly five tenths slower than his personal best, the
world record time of 19.19 he set in Berlin, and the slowest of his gold-medal wins over the distance. But with Tyson Gay absent through suspension and his compatriot Yohan Blake injured, Bolt did not have to produce a vintage display to secure the result the vociferous sell-out crowd in the Luzhniki Stadium expected. By the time the world record holder celebrates his 27th birthday on Wednesday, he could see his name alongside Americans Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson and Allyson Felix as the most decorated gold medallist in the championships’ history. The speed of Bolt’s progress to the top of that list of high achievers depends on Sunday’s 4x100m sprint relay final. Should the Jamaicans repeat their gold medalwinning exploits of London 2012, the man from Kingston will on Sunday evening be the owner of eight gold World Championship medals, equalling the American trio’s record of eight. With two silvers also in his collection, it would be Bolt’s 10th medal in all, bringing him level with Lewis and Felix. (BBC Sport)
Villa stun Arsenal at the Emirates
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hristian Benteke scored twice and Antonio Luna added a third as Aston Villa came from behind to stun Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on the opening day. Olivier Giroud opened the scoring, but Benteke headed an equaliser after Wojciech Szczesny saved his penalty. Benteke controversially put Villa ahead from the spot after a foul by Laurent Koscielny, who was later shown a second yellow card for a mistimed challenge. New signing Luna raced clear to seal Arsenal’s woe with a low strike. The full-time whistle was greeted with resounding boos from the home crowd, although the arena was near-empty by that point. Arsenal’s only summer signing to date is the free transfer of 20-year-old French striker Yaya Sanogo
from Auxerre, and supporters were repeatedly chanting for their club to spend some money. Arsene Wenger has 16 days to bolster the squad, but his immediate priority will be Wednesday’s Champions League play-off first leg at Fenerbahce. It was Arsenal’s first home defeat on the season’s opening day in 20 years and only Villa’s third victory in 28 trips to the Gunners. It was a indication of Arsenal’s lack of transfer activity that their starting line-up was identical to the side which finished the final match of last season away to Newcastle. In contrast to Wenger, Paul Lambert has recruited six new faces in the off-season and, although only Luna and Leandro Bacuna featured on this occasion, there was certainly a sense of freshness about their play. Arguably Lambert’s best
piece of business has been convincing Benteke to withdraw his transfer request and sign a new contract, with the Belgian’s importance illustrated one again. Arsenal dominated the early stages and it told when Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky combined to release Alex OxladeChamberlain on the left. He clipped in a low cross that Giroud converted with a first-time finish. But the Gunners rarely looked like extending the advantage. Benteke scored or created 49% of Villa’s league goals last season and he got off the mark for this campaign with a close-range header after Szczesny stopped his penalty with a diving save. The Pole had conceded the spot-kick by upending Gabriel Agbonlahor, who surged through Arsenal’s defence. (BBC Sport)
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avid Moyes made a winning Premier League start as Manchester United manager with the champions cruising to a comfortable opening day victory at Swansea City on Saturday. Moyes has been handed the task of defending United’s title following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement after 26 years at the end of last season - and this was business as usual with Robin van Persie the inspiration once more. Unsettled Wayne Rooney made a 30-minute appearance as a substitute and was greeted warmly by United’s travelling support despite his unrest at Old Trafford. Swansea’s early good work was undone as Van Persie and Danny Welbeck struck twice inside two minutes just after the half-hour and United were never again under serious threat. Van Persie capped an increasingly impressive United performance with a magnificent rising strike 18 minutes from time after he was played in by Rooney before Swansea’s
record £12m signing Wifried Bony, on as a half-time substitute, made an impact with a late goal but it was not enough to disrupt United’s path to victory. Indeed there was still time for United to add a fourth in injury time as Welbeck showed great imagination and technique to lift a brilliant chip over Swansea keeper Michel Vorm. It represented the perfect start for Moyes, who has publicly complained about United’s tough opening hand of fixtures. Here, in driving rain and wind, they made light of this task at The Liberty Stadium despite some anxious moments. United’s fans showed their appreciation and support for their new Scottish manager throughout as he settles to the job of succeeding Ferguson, no doubt helped by this result. The schedule does not get any easier with Chelsea starting United’s Old Trafford season before a visit to Liverpool but this was the perfect confidence builder. Rooney, subdued in
United’s pre-match warm up, watched from the sidelines as Swansea made a combative start, with new signing Jose Canas booked in the opening moments and on the receiving end himself as Antonio Valencia picked up a yellow card. United keeper David de Gea almost saw a clearance charged in by Michu as he was left in trouble by a backpass from Phil Jones, who had a shot turned over by Vorm. Ryan Giggs may now have a place on United’s coaching staff but Moyes clearly feels he still has a major role on the pitch and he could have given United the lead on two occasions. He broke clear but some of the old pace has inevitably gone and he was caught, then screwed a shot across the face of goal after Vorm turned away Welbeck’s shot. Michu had the ball in the net for Swansea after De Gea pushed out Wayne Routledge’s shot but the linesman’s flag had already been raised. (BBC Sport)
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august 18, 2013
guyanatimesGY.com
off to early lead on first Guyana cop overall squash Police day of Boyce and Jefford Classic title at Caribbean c/ships By Treiston Joseph
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Action on the last day of the competition at Georgetown Club squash courts
T
he Digicel Senior Caribbean Squash Championships concluded yesterday with Guyana winning the overall title while Barbados won the veterans’ title at the Georgetown Club squash courts. Guyana also copped the men’s and women’s team title. In the final set of men’s team matches Guyana beat Jamaica 4-1, Cayman Islands, who placed second in the men’s race, defeated Barbados 4-1 and Trinidad and Tobago got the better of OECS 3-2. For Guyana Jamaal Callender defeated Julian Morrison 11-8,11-9,11-7, Jason Ray Khalil defeated Bruce Levy 11-5,11-5,119, Sunil Seth lost to Chris Binnie 11-9,6-11,1-11,611, Alex Arjoon beat Dane Schwier 3-11,11-7,11-5,116 and Richard Chin beat Bruce Burrowes 11-3,119,9-11,11-2. In the Cayman Islands/ Barbados matchup Julian Jervis beat Zaki Williams 11-1,11-4,11-7, Daniel Murphy lost to Stewart St John 11-8,6-11,7-11,118,10-12, Mark Chaloner beat Gavin Cumberbatch 113,11-4,11-4, Gabby Rabess beat Rhett Cumberbatch
6-11,11-9,11-8,9-11,12-10 and Cameron Stafford beat Shawn Simpson 11-6,116,11-5. Paul De Verteuil of TT beat Jason Doyle 11-9, 5-11,11-7,11-5, his compatriot Chase Mc Quan beat Deion Anselm 11-8,11-4,119, and Kale Wilson beat Jules Snagg 11-5,11-8,115. Mandela Patrick lost to OECS’s Kevin Bailey 3-11,11-5,11-7,7-11,6-11 while Don Lee went down to Kevin Hannaway 5-11,911,8-11. On the distaff side, Guyana played Barbados and defeated them 4-1. Guyanese Ashley De Groot was the only casualty when she lost to Nadia Mc Carthy 4-11,11-9,11-8,3-11,7-11. However, Keisha Jeffrey beat Amanda Haywood 11-5,11-6,11-8, Nicolette Fernandes beat Karen Meakins 11-5,11-2,117, Mary Fung-A-Fat beat Gylla Mckenzie 11-7,116,11-7 and Ashley Khalil beat Alex Jordon 11-8,113,11-6. In the veterans’ game played on Saturday Ayoni Bradshaw of Barbados defeated Janet Sairsingh of the Cayman Islands 115,11-6,2-11,11-9. OECS also beat T&T
3-2 in the men’s veteran category. OECS Winston Findley lost to Richard Hart 9-11, 8-11,411 while his countryman James Bentick rebounded to beat Peter Pirtheesingh 11-6,11-4,11-1. Keith Boyea lost by walkover to John Holley, Sherian Slater won by walkover and Monique Lovell won by walkover.
Final team results: Men’s Winner Guyana Second Cayman Islands Third Jamaica Fourth Trinidad & Tobago Fifth Barbados Sixth OECS Women’s Team Winner Guyana Second Barbados Third Jamaica Veterans Winner Barbados Second Guyana Third OECS Fourth Trinidad & Tobago Overall Team Winner Guyana Second Barbados Third Jamaica Fourth trinidad & Tobago Fifth OECS Sixth Cayman Islands The championship was powered by Powerade and Smalta.
Solozano hammers century as T&T win
B
asseterre, ST KITTS - Jeremy Solonzano powered his way to an unbeaten century as Trinidad and Tobago demolished ICC Americas by 167 runs to keep title hopes alive in round five of the Regional under 19 50 overs tournament on Friday. Solonzano took the bowling apart and was unbeaten on 139, hitting ten fours and seven sixes, as T and T amassed 269 for five in 50 overs at Molineaux. Brandon Ramdial added 47 while Camillo Carimbocas chipped in with 20 to further consolidate T&T’s total. ICC Americas were unable to build partnerships and maintain a competitive run rate in pursuit of a mammoth total. Jesse Bootan, Justin
Joseph and Bryan Charles shared seven wickets among them to cripple ICC Americas response as they were bowled out for 102 runs in 37.4 overs. Bootan picked up three for 22, Charles two for 17 while Joseph had two for 16. At Conaree, Tristan Coleman missed a century by four runs but setup a convincing 80 run win for Jamaica over Guyana. Colemon struck an unbeaten 96, facing 95 balls and hitting six fours and four sixes, as Jamaica piled up 234 for six in 50 overs. Jamaica’s innings was also built on contributions of 47 and 36 from Fabian Allen and Brandon King. Guyana’s main wicket taker was Romario Shepherd two for 36. Shimron Hetmyer and
Tagenarine Chanderpaul provided some spark to the Guyana’s efforts to reach the target. Hetmyer top scored with 46 and Chanderpaul 29 but with no other offerings of significance Guyana were all out for 154 in 48 overs. Fabian Allen three for 18 and Ramaal Lewis three for 31 were the main destroyers. Over at Verchilds, Barbados brushed aside Leeward Islands by four wickets. Tristan Hanley top scored with 33 as the Leeward were bowled out for 137 in 46.4 overs. Barbados reached their target losing six wickets thanks to a top score of 35 from Dario Boyce-Malcolm and 32 from Jafari Toppin.
(CMC/WICB)
espite a rain-infected and soggy track, the Boyce and Jefford Track and Field Classic got off to an exciting start as the defending champions Police Sports Club emerged as the early leaders of the fourth edition of the event on Saturday at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary. Police go into today’s final day on 105 points while Running Brave Athletics Club is second on 87 points. Christianburg Wismar Secondary out of Linden ended on 47 points for third while the Guyana Defence Force Sports Club (GDF) was fourth with 35 points. Police’s Tracy Moses won the women’s long jump with her final jump of 5.09m. Cindy Fraser finished second with a jump of 4.93m to ensure a police one-two punch. Natrena Hooper was third for the RBAC with a jump of 4.85m. Guyana’s local distance queen Alika Morgan outpaced Grenadian Kenisha
Stephan James eases off the acceleration to easily to his heat in the men’s 200 metres
Pascal to win the women’s 3000m in a time of 11:25.30s. Pascal was second in a time of 11:27.10s while RBAC’s Jevina Straker was third with a time of 11:41.60s. Guyana’s Cleveland ‘Little Kenyan’ Forde of GDF ran away with the men’s 5000m to easily win the event in a time of 16:58.30s while Police’s Nathaniel Giddings finished in second with a time
of 17:03.70s to outrun his club mate Dennis Horatio, who finished third with a time of 17:29.60s. The men’s long jump was won by Troy Williams from the Police Sports Club with a leap of 6.41m as Upper Demerara Winston Caesar took second with 6.39m. Maurice Gibson of RBAC was third with a jump of 6.15m. turn to page 20
All set for Guyana Cup horse race meet
Irshad Mohamed
W
ith just a week to go ahead of the biggest horse racing event on local shores, the Guyana Cup organisers are fine-tuning preparations for what is anticipated to be a keenly contested meet at the Port Mourant Turf Club (PMTC). Set for August 25, the event, which is a collaborative effort of the PMTC and Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, will have more than $30,000,000 dollars in cash and prizes up for grabs. Irshad Mohamed, a member of the organising team, told this publication on Saturday that all systems are in place for the seventh annual event, which is the highlight of the local horse race calendar. He informed this news outfit that the track at Port Mourant is in great condition and a number of horses based in that area of the country have been using the facility to practice for the highly-anticipated activity. Close to 100 of the country’s top horses are expected to participate in the nine-
Some of the trophies that will be up for grabs at the seventh annual Guyana Cup 2013
race card. This publication also understands that dozens of jockeys from Canada, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the U.S.A. and Barbados are expected to compete with their local counterparts when action gallops off at noon. The feature race is for horses classified B and Lower with a staggering $7,000,000 prize package with $3,500,000 and the Guyana Cup trophy for the winner over 1700m. The main supporting race is a 1600m event for three-year-old horses born and bred in Guyana and the West Indies. A trophy and $2,500,000 will be a stake during this race. The two-year-old 1000m event for West Indies bred horses carries a top prize of $1,500,000 and trophy, while the E Class and Lower 1400m event has a winning take of $1,000,000 and trophy.
Other races carded for the day include the F Class, G3 and Lower, H and Lower, I and Lower, an event for winner of the JKL events and another three-year-old event for Guyana bred horses. Apart from the rivalry among the horses and jockeys, the organisers have put together an entertainment package catering for both adults and children. Musical entertainment will be provided by the Slingerz, while there will be several giveaways for patrons. Meanwhile, interested horse owners, stables and jockeys have a few days more to register for the event. They can do so by contacting Chandu Ramkissoon (624-9063 or 232-0633), Kris Jagdeo (624-6123 or 3220369), Rajendra (618-7278), Ramnauth (337-5311), Romel Jagroop (624-1798) or Campton Sancho (6900569).
guyanatimesGY.com
august 18, 2013
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Greaves tops Malta Supreme feature race – season continues today with RBC seawall bandstand event By Avenash Ramzan
Banks DIH Brand Manager for Non-Alcoholic Malts, Clayton McKenzie (left), national coach Hassan Mohamed (second left) and Banks DIH Outdoor Events Manager, Mortimer Stewart (fifth from left) pose with the outstanding performers of Saturday’s event (Photos: Avenash Ramzan)
Alanzo Greaves raises his hands in triumph as he crosses the finish line ahead of Godfrey Pollydore
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oraima Bikers Club cyclist Alanzo Greaves continued his dominant form in 2013, outsprinting his competitors to win the feature 35-lap School Boys and Invitational race of the annual Malta Supreme 11race programme at the inner circuit of the National Park. The gruelling event attracted 28 starters, but only five managed to complete as the others were either lapped or pulled out during a heavy downpour midway through the race. With five laps to go, Greaves held a sizeable lead over the chasing pack comprising of Godfrey Pollydore, Paul DeNobrega and Raynauth Jeffrey with Hamzah Eastman bringing up the rear. However, the pack connected with Greaves with the two laps to go, significantly decreasing their pace as they waited on each other to initiate the sprint. Approximately 300m to the finish line, Greaves made the first jump, but the others were not far behind, as a heated finish was in the making. Coming around the final curve with the finish line in sight, Greaves increased his speed, again pulling away from the trio. That would be the decisive move, as he crossed the finish line ahead of Pollydore in a time of one hour, 16 minutes, 55.44 seconds (01:16:55.4s). It was Greaves’ 14th win on the local circuit for 2013 and his 18th overall for the year. He also gained victories while competing in the USA during a one-month stint earlier this year. DeNobrega came in third ahead of Jeffrey, while Eastman occupied fifth position. Greaves claimed four of the eight prime prizes on offer, with Pollydore taking two and DeNobrega
and Jeffrey settling for one each. Other winners on the day included Jamal John (BMX Open and 12-14 Boys and Girls), Rawle Small (BMX 12-14), Rashidi Ceres (BMX 9-12), Sherwin Sampson (BMX 6-9), Junior Niles (Veterans Under-50), Lancelot Rose (Veterans Over-50), Maurice Fagundes (Veterans Over60), Hamzah Eastman (Juveniles) and Stephano Husbands (Mountain Bikes). At the presentation ceremony which followed, national coach and organiser of the event, Hassan Mohamed, thanked Banks DIH Limited, the bottler and distributor of Malta Supreme, for investing in cycling. He noted that the company has been a very supportive of cycling during the past few years, adding that it is corporate sponsorship such as these that keep the sport alive. Banks DIH Brand Manager for Non-Alcoholic Malts, Clayton McKenzie, and Outdoor Events Manager, Mortimer Stewart, were both present to witness the event and expressed their company’s pleasure at being part of cycling. Apart from assisting in the presentation of trophies to the top performers, they also distributed Malta Supreme exercise books to all the cyclists. Seawall bandstand race Meanwhile, the riders will be at each other again today when the Roraima Bikers Club stages the firstever Bryden and Fernandes 10-race event around the seawall bandstand in Kingston, Georgetown. When action pedals off at 10:00 hours, leading cyclists from across the country will compete in the feature race, the Bryden and
Fernandes Classic, which will go for 30-laps, and carries a top prize of $10,000. The top six finishers will receive cash incentives, ac-
cording to Allen. Other races carded for the day include the 1214 Juveniles (three laps), Junior/Category Four (five
laps), Category 1-3 (five laps), Veterans Over-50 (five laps), Veterans Under-50 (five laps), Team Time Trial (four laps), Win and Out
(eight laps), Mountain Bike Open (five laps) and Female Open (five laps). The top three finishers in these races will collect cash awards.
Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business
August 18, 2013
guyanatimesgy.com
Nail-biting win! TOP SCORES
T&T Red Steel 105-4 beat St Lucia Zouks 99-5 by six wickets; Jamaica Tallawahs 114-4 beat Barbados Tridents 113-4 by six wickets
Amazon Warriors beat Hawksbills by five wickets, put them out of competition
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Mohammad Hafeez dispatches one of his sixes
uyana Amazon Warriors were in another edge-of-yourseat encounter in the inaugural Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament. This time they won by five wickets, moved to the top of the points’ table and ended the campaign of the Antigua Hawksbills, who were hoping for a win to keep their hopes alive in the competition. This was not to be. Mohammad Hafeez ensured this. Needing to defend 16 runs in the last over, Devon Thomas started well, resulting in the run out of Ramnaresh Sarwan. His
next delivery was dispatched for six by Sunil Narine before Hafeez took over. He flicked Thomas over square leg for six to level the score before smashing the final delivery for four to seal the victory. Guyana ended on 1705, chasing 167 for victory. Hafeez ended on an even 50 from 23 balls, which included two fours and four sixes. Earlier, Lendl Simmons (23) and Martin Guptill (19) got the innings going with a 58-run first wicket stance, which resulted in a steady progression from Trevon Griffith (15), playing in his first game of the tournament, and James Franklin (25); Christopher Barnwell also chipped in with an invaluable 16, in partnership with the Pakistani. Meanwhile, when
Antigua Hawksbills batted Kieran Powell and Marlon Samuels were the main scorers with 47 and 43 respectively. Thomas contrib-
uted 30 and Ben Rohrer was unbeaten on 25. Krishmar Santokie was the Warriors’ best bowler with 3-19 from his four overs.
SCOREBOARD
Antigua Hawksbills innings J Charles† c Permaul b Santokie 8 K Powell b Santokie 47 M Samuels* c Franklin b Barnwell 43 D Thomas obstructing the field 30 B Rohrer not out 25 K Roach c Franklin b Santokie 0 S Cotterrell run out (Simmons/ Santokie) 0 Extras: (b8, lb1, w3, nb1) 13 Total: (6 wkts, 20 overs) 166 Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-97, 3-114, 4-162, 5-163, 6-166 Bowling: K Santokie 4-0-193, Mohammad Hafeez 4-026-0, C Barnwell 4-0-48-1, S Narine 4-0-13-0, V Permaul 3-039-0, J Franklin 1-0-12-0
Guyana Amazon Warriors innings L Simmons c Cotterrell b Tonge 23 M Guptill retired hurt 19 T Griffith c Rohrer b Tonge 15 J Franklin run out (Ponting) 25 Mohammad Hafeez not out 50 C Barnwell c Roach b Tonge 16 R Sarwan* run out (Peters/Thomas) 4 S Narine not out 7 Extras: (lb1, w10) 11 Total: (5 wkts, 20 overs) 170 Did not bat: V Permaul, K Santokie, D Ramdin† Fall of wickets: 1-58, 2-58, 3-106, 4-140, 5-152 Bowling: K Roach 4-0-33-0, G Tonge 4-0-24-3, S Cotterrell 4-025-0, M Samuels 4-0-22-0, R Cornwall 2-0-26-0, O Peters 1-020-0, D Thomas 1-0-19-0
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