Guyana Times Daily - December 28, 2014

SunDAY, December 28, 2014

Guyana seeks rice market in Belize

By IndrawattIe natram

The Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) is hoping to secure markets in Belize to facilitate the exportation of rice and paddy from farmers and millers here.

The Board’s General Manager Jagnarine Singh said the entity is eyeing lucrative markets as part of its marketing strategy and wider efforts to alleviate the problems that are facing the local rice industry and millers.

Singh was at the time speaking during several public meetings held with farmers at various locations on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

He admitted that the major problems in the industry are mar-

keting and ensuring timely payment for shipments of the commodity by millers.

Singh also said that although Venezuela and Panama are Guyana’s largest markets for rice, Belize is worth a try and the Board will try to assist.

“Belize wants rice, marketing is an issue and the Board has no control over this… we will try to help. We will try to send 2-3 containers and see what happens,” he reasoned.

Singh told Essequibo farmers that export stands today at 490,000 tonnes with further shipments to be made in the next week before the end of the year.

He nonetheless said, “We are confident of reaching a historic milestone of 500,000 tonnes export

for 2014.” Singh wasted no time in advising farmers that Guyana’s market for rice has been expanded to several countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America and West Africa.

He said while advances were given to millers by the Government of Guyana to pay outstanding monies owed to farmers, the Board is tasked with the responsibility to see the shipment of rice leave Guyana

“We gave millers money as advances just to assist farmers, the rice didn’t even leave Guyana as yet but we assisted.”

The manager also mentioned that the Agriculture Ministry through the major rice stakeholders also brought in urea at a cheaper cost for farmers.

Meanwhile, Rice Producers Association (RPA) General Secretary Dharamkumar Seeraj also told farmers at the said meetings that Government is doing everything in its capacity to ensure they receive their outstanding payments.

Seeraj said Government has released an additional of $1.5 billion to clear outstanding payments owed to rice farmers.

The Government has also disbursed some $600 million from the PetroCaribe account, giving a total of $2.1 billion to assist millers in paying farmers.

In Essequibo, hundreds of farmers were paid money owed to them by three millers on Christmas Eve Day.

Teenager dies after Pomeroon boat collision

The community of Ever Sham Grant, Lower Pomeroon, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) is now mourning the death of 18-yearold Stephen Welcome, who died on Christmas evening.

Welcome, who was a miner, died following a boat collision in the Pomeroon River. The accident has left several other persons injured and traumatised.

The incident occurred around 18:30h. Welcome’s mother reportedly received a call from a resident informing her about the incident.

The mother said she was shocked as well as terrified over the tragic and sudden death of her son.

“He left telling me he was going to return but never did,” the tearful mother said.

According to information reaching Guyana Times , the teenager carried his girlfriend home and upon returning to his Pomeroon home, the boat he was in which had

Steven Welcome

Police officers, collided with another.

The boat was a normal passenger boat, and according to information received, it was going in the opposite direction when it collided.

Police were in the Pomeroon area to investigate a story concerning a toddler when they collision occurred.

The teenager sustained serious injuries about the body and was immediately rushed to the Charity Oscar Joseph Hospital where he succumbed.

The boat was recovered as Police continue their investigation.

Mechanic remanded for illegal firearm, ammo possession

Desmond Richard, 24, of Lot 50 Middle Street, McDoom, Georgetown was remanded for the alleged possession of an illegal firearm and ammo.

The mechanic made his first appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Ann McLennan.

It was alleged that on December 16 at McDoom, Georgetown, he had in his possession eight 9mm ammunition when he was not a licensed firearm holder

at the time.

It was further alleged that on the same day, he had one 9mm pistol in his possession while not being a licensed firearm holder.

The man pleaded not guilty to both of the offences laid against him. There were no facts read in relation to this case nor did the prosecution object to bail.

Richard was remanded to prison and is expected to return on January 12 for reports and fixtures.

GRDB General Manager Jagnarine Singh

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Sunday, December 21 from 14:30h-16:00h and Monday, December 22 – 05:00h -06:30h

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Sunday, December 21 from 15:50h-17:20h and Monday, December 22 –16:35h-18:05h

FERRY SCHEDULE

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Parika Departure - 16:00h and 04:00h

Supenaam Departure - 16:00h and 04:00h

Monday, December 22, 2014

Parika Departure - 16:00h and 04:00h

Supenaam Departure - 16:00h and 04:00h

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected in the morning with heavy to light showers in the afternoon. Thundery showers are expected to return in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly between zero and 5.36 metres per second.

High Tide: 03:47h and 16:01h reaching maximum heights of 2.59 metres and 2.76 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 09:34h and 22:03h reaching minimum heights of 0.62 metre and 0.43 metre respectively.

Oil prices plunge to 5-year low on world market ― yet gas prices unchanged locally

By: Jomo Paul

Over the last month, the price for crude oil on the international market has seen continuous decreases, hitting a fiveyear low of US$54.73 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Before the steady decline commenced in June, the price for oil was steady at the US$115-$120 range which means that the price for oil has plunged more than 50 per cent in recent months.

The effects of this price drop are yet to benefit local consumers as supplier like the Guyana Oil Company (GUYOIL), Shell and Rubis are yet to decrease their prices for fuel.

In the US, gasoline prices at the pumps have plummeted in the last year by onethird and in New York hover around US$2.50 per gallon.

In Guyana, prices have been stuck at around GY$1000 which is equivalent to US$5, double the New York prices.

In New York, the per capita income is at least ten times that of Guyanese, resulting in much greater pressure on the average Guyanese.

It is presumed that if the price of gasoline were to fall on the market, even the buses might have lowered their fares, resulting in another boost for commuters.

For 2014 alone, global oil prices have dropped a whopping 45 per cent-50 per cent, which would make for the highest annual decline since 2008. Oil is down over 20 percent since the start of December.

According to online reports, the sharp decline in the price for the precious commodity is primarily due to a current oversupply on the market. This was propelled

by the massive increase in the US shale-oil production, Libya’s quick return to oil production, Iraq’s steady supply of oil for the market, and the refusal to lower production by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), led by Saudi Arabia.

Currently, cheap fuel is still believed to be providing an overall boost to the US economy, as consumers can spend less on gasoline and more on shopping and services. Their shale-oil producers may face ruin, if the overproduction continues and prices fall below the US$50 rate.

For Guyana, the future is seemingly still in the dark, since these oil changes have not taken effect here.

The blame for this does not rest solely on the bulk supplier as it is known that the retail price is also based on the amount of tax levied on the imported fuel.

Despite the fall in the world price for oil, in November, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, in a no-

tice to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), said that under the Financial Administration and Audit Act, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved increases of the excise tax on gasoline from 20 percent to 40 percent. Diesel was also raised significantly from 15 percent to 35 percent.

The increases took effect from November 5 and will remain in force until further notice. But the Finance Ministry in a release subsequently said that there is a long-standing and well-functioning mechanism under which the price of fuel is regulated.

“The ad valorem tax rate on fuel products is adjusted downwards when the world market price for fuel moves upwards and, vice versa; it adjusts upwards when the world market price for fuel moves downwards,” the Ministry sought to explain.

This mechanism has been instituted to safeguard consumers, cushioning them from spikes in the world mar-

ket price. Additionally it protects local consumers from exorbitant price fluctuations when the world market price reflects high volatility.

“The price consumers pay at the pump for gasoline and diesel has remained stable over recent years because this Administration has made appropriate interventions by adjusting the excise tax rate.

"The ability of the Government of Guyana to stabilize the cost of diesel and gasoline has also ensured that the cost of production of goods and services that require fuel inputs does not adversely affect consumers,” the release added.

Even in the face of the increased Government tax on gasoline, there is enough margin in the new prices for suppliers such as GUYOIL to the tune of G$300 per gallon that could have been passed on to the long suffering Guyanese consumer.

Fears have been expressed that “price gouging” is being practiced.

Oil prices in Guyana have remained relatively unchanged, while the price has plunged on the international market

Sunday Editor: Michael Younge

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

Low oil prices

As we approach the end of 2014, the year’s most significant economic development - the fall in the price of crude oil from US$114 per barrel to below US$60 as of yesterday - needs some explication.

Guyana, after all, is totally dependent on petroleum for the generation of electricity and it is our largest consumer of foreign currency, since we have to import ALL of our supply. What is going on and what does this almost 50 per cent drop in oil prices mean for us?

First of all, vehicle owners - one of the largest group of consumers of refined petroleum - should be wondering why they are not enjoying the precipitous fall in gas prices as in other countries. It would appear that the taxes on this key import have been increased so that the savings have not ended up into the pockets of the consumer but in the Consolidated Funds.

This must be part of the reason why GRA collections are ahead of last year’s. GPL must be enjoying a rate respite from its always precarious cash-flow problems, so maybe we can expect less blackouts. One would have thought also that with fuel being their largest variable cost, the airlines should have been passing on the massive savings - rather than imposing charges for the second piece of luggage as Caribbean Airlines just did.

It is possible that the savings from the collapse in the price of crude oil have not been passed on because it is considered a temporary blip. But is this, in fact, the prognosis? As with all commodities, the price of oil is tied to the vagaries of supply and demand, which in turn generates speculative activities in one direction or the other.

In the case of oil, being the literal life-blood of modern manufacturing and other economic activities, its strategic importance introduces strong political elements into the equation.

In the supply-demand equation, the effects of “fracking” in producing the shale oil boom in the US has been the game changer. Fracking is a relatively new technology for oil production - adopted from natural gas production in which a mixture of water, sand and chemicals is injected into shale formations to release the petroleum.

The cost of drilling these horizontal wells for shale oil is very low - on the average some US$1.5 million eachcompared to the tens of millions for off shore rigs. In the US more that 20,000 wells have been drilled in the last five years, pushing US oil production from around five million barrels per day to more than nine million barrels at this time.

While the US is still a net importer of oil, the shale production created a surplus of 4 million barrels daily - if production from other suppliers were kept constant. And this is exactly what OPEC, led by the largest supplier Saudi Arabia (10 million barrels daily) did.

Asserting that it needed to maintain “market share”, the Saudis have in effect flooded the market with oil, especially in a period of declining demand because of the global slowdown and successes in creating alternate sources of energy.

There are geo-political concerns raised that the US is unable to pressure their Saudi allies. While large oil producers on America’s bad books, such as Russia, Venezuela and Iran will be hurt, the US shale oil producers will be hurt even more. The latter’s marginal production cost of US48 dollars per barrel might become a ceiling. Guyana should be concerned about at least two consequences of possible short to medium term low oil prices.

Venezuela is on the ropes right now and even though President Maduro has reiterated assurances that the PetroCaribe facility for supplying half of our oil at de facto concessionary rates will continue, we must re-examine the regime.

Secondly, some of the savings from low oil prices should be passed on to consumers.

Guyanese willing to engage in suicide prevention, but hesitant to intervene in domestic violence

Dear Editor,

A recent poll, commissioned by The Caribbean Voice, found that almost everyone interviewed knew of someone who had committed or attempted suicide. Also, almost everyone said they believe suicide can be prevented with timely intervention.

However, they feel not enough (resources committed) is being done by the Government (Ministry of Health) to address suicide.

Asked if they think suicide can be prevented, 92 per cent said yes, 3 per cent said no, and 5 per cent had no response.

Asked if they would be willing to try to prevent someone from committing suicide if they know the person is thinking of doing so, 96 per cent said yes, with no one saying no, and 4 per cent not offering a response.

According to Norkah Carter, head of The Caribbean Voice’s technical team, what could or would they (people) be willing to do to help their community? And/Or would they join an organization to help their community with respect to suicide prevention?

Norkah added that if almost everyone knows/knew someone who has committed suicide, and would intervene why does “the suicide rate continue to rise... something is wrong”.

And she asked whether the participants are unable to provide effective

interventions or they just don’t know what to do. She also speculated that perhaps people are waiting for the Government to solve this problem because they feel so helpless that they stop believing they are capable of doing something effective.

The poll also found that almost everyone interviewed was aware of at least one person who had suffered or was suffering from domestic abuse.

When asked if they would intervene to stop domestic abuse if they see it occurring, respondents were divided with 66 per cent saying no – because it’s not their business, 19 per cent saying yes and 15 per cent not sure, but may intervene depending on the situation.

Most people said they don’t wish to get involved in husband-wife quarrels, pointing out that the intermediary agent usually ends up being the enemy, especially if/after the partners resolve their differences.

This perspective is an old one that still seems to hold a lot of currency both in Guyana and the Diaspora.

Guyana is ranked first in suicides per capita worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Guyana suffers 44.2 suicides per 100,000 persons per year. In effect there are about 333 suicides per year in a population of about three quarters of a million per-

sons. At a globally estimated 25 attempts per suicide, Guyana would have over 6,660 attempted suicides a year. Also suicide is the leading cause of death among young people ages 1524 and the third leading cause of death among persons ages 25-44, while in the 15-19 age group, it is the leading cause of death among females and the second leading cause of death among males.

Suicide is usually triggered by copycatting, a practice referred to as the Werther Effect; alcoholism; abusive and dysfunctional relationships; lack of empathetic communication; and teenage affairs and pregnancy.

In fact, Guyana has the second highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the Caribbean with an estimated 97 teenage girls between the ages of 15-19 out of 1,000 becoming pregnant each year.

Also, the average Guyanese drinker consumes 13.7 liters of pure alcohol each year with 6.1 per cent of the population considered heavy drinkers (2010 figures).

With respect to domestic violence, of the more than 60 per cent of women who were involved in a relationship or union, 27.7 per cent reported physical abuse, 26.3 percent had experienced verbal abuse and 12.7 percent experienced sexual violence (media re-

ports, year not given).

All women who are victims of domestic violence are at risk of being murdered by their abusers. Last year, there were 29 domestic violence-related murders, with 21 of the victims being women and girls. Six of the victims were children, with the youngest being eight months old and the oldest 15.

In addition, two 17-yearold girls were among the victims. And, in a number of cases, the perpetrators of these murders ended up committing suicide. In fact, the nexus between suicide and domestic violence is significant.

Also, one out of every four women who are the victims of domestic violence, attempt suicide.

The poll randomly interviewed 410 respondents, to yield a demographically representative sample (44 per cent Indians, 30 per cent Africans, 16 per cent Mixed, 9 per cent Amerindians, and 1 per cent other races) of the population.

The poll was conducted in face-to-face interviews and was coordinated by New York-based pollster Dr Vishnu Bisram. The results of the poll were analyzed at a 95 per cent significance level with a statistical sampling error of plus or minus four percentage points.

Bibi Ahamad Managing Director The

Caribbean Voice

The refreshing waters of Tipuru Falls: a manmade waterfall in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni)

Another glimpse at Sonny Ramphal’s “Glimpses”

A review by FrAnk birbAlsingh, ProFessor emeritus oF english; toronto university, CAnAdA

Sir Shridath S Ramphal Glimpses of a Global Life, Toronto, Dundurn, and London, Hansib, 2014, pp 624

Well over half of Glimpses of a Global Life, a memoir by Sir Shridath Surendranath (Sonny) Ramphal, is devoted to one part of his career as Secretary General of the Commonwealth, the centrepiece of his so-called global life in international diplomacy, which lasted from 1975 to 1990.

Not that Sir Shridath remained idle outside of his Commonwealth period. Far from it. Since his birth in Guyana in 1928, Sir Shridath seems to follow in the ambitious footsteps of his father – JI Ramphal – who began as a school teacher, and after studying law and joining the civil service, became Labour Commissioner – the first local-born person to hold the post in Guyana (then British Guiana).

Sir Shridath also qualified as a lawyer and served as Crown Counsel in Guyana where, in 1953, after only four months in power, the newly-elected People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government, led by Dr Cheddi Jagan, was dissolved by the British Governor. Later, Sir Shridath took a keen interest in plans to establish the Federation of the West Indies, and was shattered when the Federation, formed in 1958, collapsed in 1962. With evident pique, he is convinced, then and now: “that enlightened leadership from British Guiana would have saved federalism”.

His public career begins, in earnest, in 1964, after the victory of the People’s National Congress

(PNC) led by Forbes Burnham, in coalition with the capitalist United Front, (UF) led by Portuguese businessman Peter D’Aguiar. Sir Shridath does not disguise gloating over Burnham’s victory:

The mood in the country, and indeed in the Caribbean, was one of hope that BG’s worst problems were ended and that the country could return to a constructive role within the region as an independent state.

The implication of boundless relief is unmistakable, suggesting that some unnamed (or unnameable) event or individual which had, till then, denied BG a constructive political role, at last, had been removed. But the device used to achieve removal is not mentioned – Proportional Representation – a new electoral procedure first introduced in Guyana, in the 1964 election. Proportional Representation was implemented by British colonial rulers only because of pressure from the US Government

which, for their own Cold War reasons, feared creation of another Communist Government, like Cuba, in the Caribbean, this time, under Cheddi Jagan.

Sir Shridath regards Cheddi Jagan, Premier from 1957 to 1964, as a stumbling block to Guyana’s progress, but he does not mention Dr Jagan’s name because it is part of a calculated combination of evasion, ingratiation and manipulation, basic principles of his strategy to achieve fame as an international diplomat. The combination is seen at work earlier when he claims that lack of “enlightened leadership” prevented British Guiana from saving the Caribbean Federation without acknowledging Dr Jagan as British Guiana’s elected Government leader before 1964.

In addition, page 101 of Glimpses carries a Daily Chronicle cartoon with Ramphal standing close to Burnham, and offering to help him carry his heavy bags of burden as the newly-elected Premier, while Burnham replies “Thanks”. Ramphal and Burnham are standing on a road clearly labelled “Road to Progress”. Thus, clever and cunning as Sir Shridath may be, his own words give away his unstated preference for Burnham over Jagan. Similarly, a seemingly uncontrollable orgy of self-quotation, sometimes pages long, helps to blow Glimpses up to over six hundred pages in length, and betrays the author’s hidden motive of cynical self-admiration.

As hinted earlier, Sir Shridath’s concerns over Caricom and Caribbean integration are mere skirmishes compared to larger, international conflicts in the second half of the twentieth century,

Montrose man critical after being stabbed

by devinA sAmAroo

Clinton Babooram, 20, of 185 Montrose, East Coast Demerara is now battling for his life at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) following a vicious attack allegedly over a girl in the neighbourhood.

On Friday, around 1900h, Babooram was stabbed once to his abdomen by his attacker who allegedly accused him of having an affair with his friend’s girlfriend.

The young man is now admitted at the GPHC and needs six pints of blood for a slight chance at survival. Clinton underwent a fivehour surgery where he reportedly lost most of his blood.

According to the young man’s mother Camala

Babooram, the doctors told them that the probability of him surviving is little to none.

While the family remains at a loss for a motive behind the attack, information reaching this publication revealed that Babooram was stabbed following his involvement in an alleged romantic relationship with a girl in the neighbourhood.

he… this boy just come up with the knife and said, ‘Ok Clinton, you next’,” the mother said.

Furthermore, the woman noted that her oldest son was also involved in an issue with the suspect, who is known for frequently causing trouble with the villagers.

“Jango had problem with my bigger son earlier… we

However, his mother has denied such allegations.

“My son never fight over no girl. They had no problem. No problem. He was just standing there and he come and stab he… he was standing out there talking with a friend and then this boy named Jango come and stab

went in court but he come and beg so we seh ok.”

She explained that Jango had approached her son and hit him in the head with a bottle for no reason.

Meanwhile, the Police have since launched a manhunt for the suspect who has gone into hiding.

for example, the North/South economic challenge of growing disparity between rich and poor nations, and the possibility of nuclear holocaust, as a result of differences in political ideology between capitalist, Western nations led by the US, and the communist dogma of Eastern European nations in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) led by Russia.

This world stage is where Sir Shridath may be seen at his best, organising conference after conference enough to make himself look more like a prestidigitator than a diplomat. It is what US President Reagan perceives when he agrees that although the Cancun Conference, for instance, was constructive and positive: “too much time has been wasted on words and conferences. We need to turn our attention to practical issues”.

Sir Shridath does achieve more practical results on African issues, for example, on action against Ian Smith’s Unilateral Declaration

of Independence in Southern Rhodesia, leading to emergence of the independent nation of Zimbabwe and, most importantly, on Commonwealth negotiations that promote an end to apartheid, and the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela in South Africa.

But Sir Shridath’s doings, closer to home, are another story. In Glimpses, he detects a connection between his own achievements from the advent of Burnham’s rule in 1964 to shortly after he becomes Secretary General: “I had, by 1974, come to the notice of the international community... A substantial element of the good opinion was a reflection of the standing of Guyana itself... I earned respect from Guyana’s principled position... Guyana was recognised as being progressive but not extremist, non-Aligned in a principled way.”

If anyone is surprised by these principles during a period of rigged elections, murders, (including the death of Walter Rodney, and 918 deaths in Jonestown,) blackouts, food shortages, massive emigration and much else, they surely will not be surprised by the last page of the last chapter of Glimpses which carries a photo of the author and Nelson Mandela in fraternal embrace. For Sir Shridath who once lived temporarily in Marlborough House, and never ceased to glory in its royal connections, a photo of two such utterly contrasting men together (can anyone imagine Sir Shridath in jail for even one day?) is the final flourish of a master manipulator. It will delight his Burnhamite bedfellows no end –for all the wrong reasons. (From IndoCaribbean World)

Sir Shridath Ramphal

Professor Frank Birbalsingh

Clinton’s mother Camala Babooram holding up a towel with the blood stains

Clinton Babooram

Page Foundation

BAnu Dev

eing the dedicated true believers we are, my family and I saw “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” at its first showing at the Princess Theatre. For the first time ever, after seeing a movie, I felt dazed, like I was floating in a dreamlike-state.

And let me tell you, I have seen a LOT of movies!! I had so many emotions that I couldn’t process. My feelings ran from euphoria to anguish and everything along that spectrum. I don’t think I’ve ever been as moved by characters as I was in this movie.

I hadn’t read Tolkien’s novel, The Hobbit. And that’s unusual for me.

Usually I read the books and then I look at the movies. I’d read the Lord of the Rings trilogy when I was much younger and then saw

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

(This article may contain spoilers about the Hobbit movies [of course, I’ll try not to spoil anything, but I can never be quite certain]. So if you haven’t seen it [you should see it ASAP] you should probably stop reading now and continue on with your life.)

“Go back to your armchair, Master Baggins. And your books. Plant your tree. If everybody valued home like you did, the world would be a merry place” – Thorin Oakenshield.

the movies. And I loved the movies, but the books just weren’t my cup of tea.

I can appreciate Tolkien’s writing and his incredible world-building skills, but, I’ll tell you – it was a struggle to get through (more like plough through) his books. I think I just lost patience with the pages and pages of songs. So I decided not to read the Hobbit. And when I heard about the movies coming out, I stood by my decision to not read the Hobbit, I decided to trust Peter Jackson and accept his pronouncement on the Hobbit as “canon”.

But of course, both books and movies have their pros and cons. With books you get so many details, especially with a writer like the Oxford Don, Tolkien, steeped as he was with Anglo-Saxon history.

In movies, those details flit past you so quickly with the faster pace telling the narrative visually, that the experience is more impres-

sionistic.

Reading is a bit more of an immersive experience: imagining what the characters look like and sound like, and reading about this world almost exactly as the author intended. That doesn’t mean movies aren’t immersive in their own, but it’s more of the world the director creates.

And nowadays with their action and 3D and beautiful landscapes (CGI or otherwise); they really transport you into the new world.

Additionally there’s the musical score – one of my absolute favorite facets of movies. The musical score of a movie can sometimes make or break a movie for me. And for the Hobbit movies, the musical scoring was one of the best I’ve ever heard.

I realised that the dazed feeling I had after seeing the last Hobbit movie was the same feeling I usually get after finishing a really, really good book. When reading, I usually get complete-

ly sucked into the world I’m reading about, I get so caught up with the characters that it takes me a while to get readjusted to the real world. I feel like I’ve known the characters my whole life and I care about them like I would a real person.

I don’t normally get that feeling with movies or TV show – yeah, I care about the characters (sometimes too much), but I’ve never had that complete immersive experience. When I walked out from this movie, I felt dazed, like I was just in Middle-Earth and I had this acute sense of loss, like I’d just left several good friends behind.

This movie really showed me that movies can get you to care about characters as much as books can.

(As a side note, I think I did a good job of leaving out spoilers about the movie. So I strongly recommend going to see this final installment of the Hobbit trilogy.)

And happy (early) New Year!

The brainy benefits of bedtime stories

BY PATTI JONES

Bedtime stories have long been known to foster parent-child bonds and prepare children for sleep. But lately researchers have attached other powers to this night time routine. They say that while you and your little one are sailing with Max to the land of the Wild Things or sampling green eggs with Sam, you’re actually boosting your child’s brain development.

“Neural research shows that when parents and caregivers interact verbally with children – which includes reading to them –kids learn a great deal more than we ever thought possible,” says G Reid Lyon, PhD, chief of the child development and behaviour branch of the National Institute of

verbal-processing areas. But after the researchers spent one to two hours a day for eight weeks reading to the poor readers and performing other literacy exercises with them, their brain activity had changed to look like that of the good readers.

Here’s how the rewiring works: When you read Margaret Wise Brown’s classic bedtime story Goodnight Moon to your baby, exaggerating the ‘oo’ sound in moon and drawing out the word hush, you’re stimulating connections in the part of her brain that handles language sounds (the auditory cortex). In English, there are 44 of these sounds, called phonemes, ranging from ‘ee’ to ‘ss’. The more frequently a baby hears these sounds, the faster she becomes at processing them. Then, when she’s a toddler

Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in Bethesda, Maryland. These gains range from improved logic skills to lower stress levels. But perhaps the most profound benefit discovered in recent years is the way bedtime stories can rewire children’s brains to quicken their mastery of language.

“There’s a clear indication of a neurological difference between kids who have been regularly read to and kids who have not,” Dr Lyon says. The good news is that these discrepancies don’t have to be permanent. In NICHD studies under way at Yale University in New Haven, CT, and the University of Texas in Austin, researchers have found that electronic images of the brains of children considered poor readers show little activity in the

trying to learn language, she’ll more easily be able to hear the difference between, say, the words tall and doll. As a grade-schooler learning to read, she’ll be more adept at sounding out unfamiliar words on the page.

“To break down unknown words into pieces, you have to first know the pieces,” Dr. Lyon explains. “When kids hear the word cat, for example, they usually hear it folded up as one sound (cat) instead of three (c-a-t),” he says. “But when asked to say cat without the c, thus deleting the cuh sound to make at, they’ll more easily understand that words are made up of individual sounds.” Reading rhyming books to kids is one way to help them practice this skill.

(Parents.com)

TO BE CONTINUED

Guyana to host first African Business Expo in 2015

– to focus on pushing newer forms of entrepreneurship

B y M ichael y ounge

Guyana is expected to host its first African Business Exposition in the New Year which is aimed at promoting newer forms of entrepreneurship among Afro-Guyanese through more aggressive and modern forms of marketing and promotion.

Co-founder of the African Business Council Dr Eric Phillips said that the move to execute the Exposition is long overdue and a step in the right direction, given the problems and limitations that are facing Afro-Guyanese in their pursuit to overcome historical developments that resulted in other ethnic groups dominating various aspects and forms of businesses in Guyana.

Speaking during an exclusive interview on Saturday with the Guyana Times, Dr Phillips disclosed that the Exposition is scheduled for August 2015 and will be held as part of activities to commemorate Marcus Garvey’s birth anniversary.

He advised that it is also being held to mark the establishment and 100th anniversary of Garvey’s United Negro Investment Association (UNIA) which played a significant role in the promotion and establishment of networks of African businesses in the developing and developed world.

Dr Phillips related that the Exposition will be executed by an entity set up by the Council called the African Business Exposition Council. This entity would be headed by Ras Leon Saul who would serve as its President.

Phillips, who is an Executive Member of the African Cultural and Development Association of Guyana (ACDA), said while there are many traditional and new African businesses in existence in the country, they are not recognised or promoted in a manner which would lead to expansion, sustained profitability, and continuity.

He said that the time has come for there to be a change in this development, as Afro-Guyanese now more than ever needed to benefit from newer forms of networking and training in modern entrepreneurship to survive in the local, regional, and international spheres.

He advised that attempts would be made to secure the participation of more than 100 local busi-

nesses that were owned by Afro-Guyanese who were based at home and in the Diaspora.

Dr Phillips said that coming of the national discussions on Reparations was the urgent need for these businesses to become more visible and modernized. As such a series of workshops targeting young Afro-Guyanese and existing entrepreneurs would be undertaken focusing on modern business financing, branding, access to marketing tools and sustainable business management practices.

He said that the Exposition would see the launch of 10 new AfroGuyanese businesses as well as the rebranding of others, but not before pointing out that the pioneers of various areas of business will also be honoured.

The 2015 African Business Exposition is also geared toward refocusing Afro-Guyanese youth on the importance of entrepreneurship to their socioeconomic development and sustained independence.

To this end, focus will be placed on rejuvenating the village economy and the promotion of manufacturing and value added businesses in the country.

Dr Phillips did not mix nor mince words during the interview and took every opportunity available to criticize the state of entrepreneurship in the country.

For him, development was slow and appeared to be favouring particular ethnic groups. But he argued that he was not blaming anyone in Government or elsewhere for the lack of significant progress because many of the problems faced now are as a result of a pre-Independence system that benefited various social and ethnic class -

4 dead in separate road accidents

es.

This system, he argued when questioned, dated back to the 1938 era when the Portuguese, Chinese, Europeans and Indians dominated various forms of business.

Questioned further, Dr Phillips insisted that there were facts to support his position before he quickly said that there was a need to rebuild and improve the levels of innovation that exist within our business sector. He said that innovation was an important ingredient in driving the success of any entrepreneurial project or venture.

He said that the local business community was still lacking innovation “because everybody was doing the same thing and there were no economies of scale”.

Another problem, he asserted that had put Africans at a disadvantage and Guyanese in general is the very poor performance of students in the areas of Mathematics and Science.

He said that there is an urgent need for the local education system to address the implementation of a modern and successful curriculum aimed at promoting business and entrepreneurship in a serious way.

Dr Phillips was also concerned about the competitiveness of local companies and the need for the private sector as a collective to push the overall success of various entrepreneurship ventures.

Guyana has very few international companies… companies are still new and young…no competitive business sectors…energy costs…do not succeed.

He said that the Business Council would be working to form partnerships with other groups in Guyana who are supportive of its mandate.

Asked about the Council joining the formally established private sector architecture here, Dr Phillips said that steps are already being made in this respect, as more AfricanGuyanese needed to have a greater say. The Exposition would see the creation of a Business Directory for Afro-Guyanese.

Dr Phillips did admit that the Council is still working to achieve its balance and all operational issues would be worked out by February 2015 as far as its complete establishment and operationalisation are concerned.

cumbed.

Mohabir was struck down by a speeding Toyota Spacio around 14:00h by an alleged drunken driver as she was making her way home from a nearby shop.

The impact pitched Mohabir some distance away from the scene where observers believe she died immediately.

Mendonca, a security guard was struck by a car sometime around 14:30h as he was crossing the road.

Even as the year is coming to an end, road accidents seem to be increasingly fatal with four more persons meeting their demise in separate road accidents during the course of last week.

Khemawattie Mohabir, a 27-year-old mother of two of Lot 70 Vriesland, West Bank Demerara, Region Three (West DemeraraEssequibo Islands) and Veith Mendonca, a father of four from Fyrish, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), succumbed on Wednesday.

On Christmas Day, Davendra Jaipaul, 19, of Perth, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Reena Singh, 26, of Cornelia Ida, Region Three suc-

Jaipaul was riding his bicycle along the Exmouth Public Road when he was hit by a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction.

Meanwhile, Singh was a passenger in the backseat of a car when the driver lost control of his steering and smashed into the veranda of a house at Adventure, Essequibo Coast. Singh subsequently collapsed.

Over 100 deaths

The Guyana Police Force had recently disclosed that at the end of October, an alarming 33 per cent increase in road accidents and fatalities have been recorded, therefore, thus far for the year, Guyana has expe-

rienced over 100 deaths as a result of road accidents.

While not as alarming as last year’s figures which saw a total of 79 accidents with 85 deaths, the number of fatal accidents alone in Guyana, a country with a population of approximately 799,613, it is extremely worrying, considering that numerous persons die from other means such as murder, suicide and natural causes, among others.

Moreover, speeding and drunk driving had been identified as obvious elements in most fatal road accidents. It was also identified that most careless drivers are between the ages of 20 and 35.

Teenager’s body found on Adelphi Public Road

Ateenager was on Saturday found dead along the Adelphi Public Road, Canje Berbice with blood oozing from left side temple and face.

The body of Tayana Ragubir, 14 of Lot 32 Reliance, East Canje, Berbice was found by persons traversing the area

who immediately contacted the police. Upon arrival at the scene, a source told the Guyana Times that the police cordoned off the area and started to question people in the area.

The teenager also called ‘Tia’ was reportedly last seen with Reaz and Sarfraz Husain at about 1:00h leaving a party.

The two young men were detained by the Police as they continue their investigations.

Investigators suspect that the teenager might have been stuck to the head with a heavy object and thrown out of a moving vehicle.

ACDA Executive Director, Dr Eric Phillips

Reena Singh

Khemwattie Mohabir

Cellphone Technician granted reduced bail for fraud charges

ACellphone Technician was on placed on $60,000 bail after denying two separate charges of fraudulent conversion.

Leroy Barker, 32, of 74 Castello Housing Scheme, Georgetown appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It was alleged that between April 1 and April 30 at Commerce Street, Georgetown, being solely entrusted by Alisha Freeman with one Samsung Galaxy and five cellphone valued $135,000 to repair; Barker

fraudulently converted same to his own use and benefit.

It is also alleged that between April 12 and April 30 at the same location, being solely entrusted by Deon Glasgow with one 4S cellular phone ($149,000) and two BlackBerry Torch phones ($300,000), in order to repair one and replace the two, Barker also fraudulently converted same to his own use and benefit.

Barker, who appeared unrepresented, pleaded not guilty to both charges when they were read to him and defended himself. He noted

that Glasgow instructed him to sell the three phones so that he could buy another.

However, Prosecutor Deniro Jones did not object to bail but asked for the sum to be substantial. Jones added that Barker admitted to the Police that he converted the items to his own use and benefit.

After listening to the submissions, Barker was placed on $150,000 bail. However, the accused pleaded with the court for a reduction, and it was reduced to $60,000. The matter stands adjourned to January 9 before Magistrate Fabayo Azore.

Unemployed man accused of robbery under arms

A24-year-old unemployed man found himself in hot water when he appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer five counts of robbery under arms.

Delon Henry was not required to plea to the indictable charges which occurred on December 17 at Agricola, Greater Georgetown.

The first charge alleged that on the abovementioned date, being together with others, and armed with a gun, he robbed Linden Parks of a quantity of items which amounted to a sum of $20,500.

The second charge alleged that on the said day, being with others, he robbed Kenny Khan of a gold chain and two BlackBerry cellphones totalling some $115,000.

The third allegation read that on the same day, being in the company of others and armed with a gun, he robbed Webster DeYong of a cellphone valued $13,000 and $7000 cash.

His fourth charge alleged that on the aforementioned date, being together with others and armed with a gun, he robbed James Gonzales of $15,000.

And finally, Henry being in the company of oth-

ers and armed with a gun, he robbed Terrence DeFreitas of $20,000 cash and an Alcatel Cell phone valued $20,000.

Police Prosecutor Dinero Jones objected to bail, citing the nature and gravity of the charge, the penalty that the charge attracts, the fact that personal violence was used and that the defendant was identified by eyewitnesses.

Although the charges were indictable ones, the prosecution objections were upheld and Henry was remanded to prison.

On January 7, Henry will make his second court appearance, this time before Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Miner fatally stabbed during row

AWest Berbice man is now dead after he was fatally stabbed during an altercation with another man at Konawaruk, Potaro, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni)

Dead is 26-year-old Jevon Fraser, a miner of Golden Fleece, Region Five (MahaicaBerbice). According to information received, Fraser was involved in an altercation with another man on Wednesday during which he was stabbed about the body.

The incident took place on Wednesday last about 23:45h. The other person also sustained injuries. Both men were transferred and admitted at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where Fraser succumbed to his injuries about 01:03h on Saturday morning.

The 26-year-old has a son but used to live alone since most of his immediate family members reside in St Nevis.

A distant relative told Guyana Times that the young man had left to go work in the interior a while ago. She described him as a quite person who is not usually violent.

Duo on malicious wounding charges granted $40,000 bail each

Twenty-year-old Oran Samuels and Godfrey Edwards were each granted bail in the sum of $40,000 each prison after being arraigned on wounding charges on Wednesday afternoon at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine -Beharry.

It was alleged that on December 21 at Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice), they unlawfully and maliciously wounded Clive Hamilton.

The men pleaded not guilty to the offence after the charge was read by Police Prosecutor, Inspector Michael Grant.

There were no objections to bail and the men were granted $40,000 bail each. The matter was transferred to the Kwakwani Magistrate’s Court for January 16, 2015. Hamilton, 50, was also charged for unlawfully assaulting Edwards, using threatening behaviour and unlawfully assaulting Samuels. He pleaded not guilty to the offences and was granted self bail.

This matter will also be heard on the same day.

Eyew tness Silencing...

...the truth

This Eyewitness had rather hoped there would’ve been some sort of respect for Christmas shown by the politicians on Christmas Day. Like showing some respect for the truth. But just as it’s in the nature of scorpions to sting - even if it means plunging them to their death - it’s clear that the Opposition are so consumed with power that they hold nothing sacred in their quest to get their grubby hands on it.

APNU has a weekly free column in the Muckraker and last week they published it on Christmas Day. As has become the default setting of the motley crew subsumed under that moniker, the piece is intended to hide the sins of the PNC - which for all intents and purposes is coterminous with APNU. The column is more noteworthy for what it elides and hides than for what it says. And in this it exemplifies that technique for deception in narratives called “silencing”.

Seemingly innocuously, the piece begins by claiming, “Guyana was born a broken nation”. Let us examine that claim. Was the nation “broken” just like that?? What does an objective look at the historical record tell us? And let’s not forget that David Granger, leader of the PNC and APNU, was trained as a historian - at the people of Guyana’s expense.

First and foremost, Dr Cheddi Jagan, the Leader of the Independence Movement - even though a Marxist - painstakingly cobbled together a party - the PPP - that was led by all the individuals drawn from all the significant groups in Guyana.

For African Guyanese, even though Ashton Chase - a local leader from the trade union communitywas already in the Executive as the Chairman, he was asked to step aside for Forbes Burnham, the Guyana Scholar who would be returning as a lawyer later in the year.

Jagan, the leader from the Indian community, had been in the Legislature since 1947 and had attracted and recruited a wide cross section of new nationalistic leaders. However he was never accepted by Burnham from the moment the latter stepped foot in Guyana. He was to openly challenge Jagan three times unsuccessfully for the leadership - and finally when the British threw out Jagan by suspending the Constitution, Burnham split the party by going along with the British’s scheme. As Jagan was to ruefully admit a year later in his written address to the PPP Congress (he was under British house arrest, while Burnham was free), “Burnham took the African Guyanese with him”.

And this was the reason why Guyana at Independence was a “broken nation”. Let us “call a spade a spade” and the truth might finally set us free.

...African roots

One of the saddest features of Caribbean life in general and Guyanese life in particular is the silencing of the original culture of the peoples of African origin. And the silencing is often by those same peoples of African origins - who’ve been so brainwashed, they go along with the lies that have been pushed into their heads. Bob Marley, a prophet of African Emancipation, if ever there was one, had advised, “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery”.

Marley was a Rastafarian...that incredible group of human beings who - on their own - have done more than any other group in the world to create a world view and a set of practices that do not make them by definition, second class. To understand the effects of the brainwashing one only has to contrast the celebrations of Christmas as opposed to that of Kwanzaa in Guyana.

The seven principles that Kwanzaa promotes are: Unity (Umoja); Self-determination (Kujichagulia); Collective Work and Responsibility (Ujima); Cooperative Economics (Ujamaa); Purpose (Nia); Creativity (Kuumba); and Faith (Imani).

What better than these to emancipate minds?? Why silence them?

...Fidel’s contributions

In 1953, Fidel Castro concluded a four-hour speech defending the rebellion against the Batista dictatorship, by declaring, “History will absolve me!!” Why silence this absolution today??

Dead: Jevon Fraser

Patentia man killed in stabbing incident

By Bhisham mohammEd

Afather of four was stabbed at least four times by a relative during an argument at Patentia, Region Thee (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) on Boxing Night.

Sunil 'Naresh' Ramsundar, 39, of Patentia Sideline Dam, West Bank Demerara met his demise after he attempted to inquire about an incident involving his sister Saitree Bacchus and his cousin.

His inquiry led to an argument. During the argument, his cousin’s boyfriend, Nyron, a US deportee reportedly whipped out a knife and dealt the man several stabs to the body.

He fell to the ground and was picked up by another sister Ramdai Ramsundar, who took him to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

At the scene on Saturday morning, Ramdai related that she was at home on Friday evening when she received a telephone call from a relative informing her that her niece was assaulting one of her sisters.

On her way to the house where her sister was assaulted, Ramdai saw her sibling walking towards her (Ramdai) home in tears.

As she inquired, the sister related what had occurred to her. Her brother, she noted appeared from nowhere and assisted her sister to her (Ramdai) house and promised to enquire what had taken place.

On his way home, he reportedly stopped at his aunt’s house to investigate the incident and a heated argument started. The woman went on to say that she later received another call, this time to tell her that her brother and the suspect were arguing.

As she hurried back to

Upgraded Lethem road brings relief to commuters

B y E rica W illiams

Residents of Lethem and its environs have expressed satisfaction with the quality of works recently completed on the Linden-Lethem road.

Speaking with this newspaper, resident Derrick Mentis said, “My family travelled the road recently and they said it is much smoother”. However, Mentis said while he pleased with the present condition of the road, he has little hope it will re-

the scene, a woman on the roadway informed her that she needed to get a car to take her bother to the hospital since he was stabbed.

She later found him bracing to a fence with blood oozing from several parts of his body, including his neck, chest, back and hand. Ramdai said she took a car and rushed her brother to the hospital, but as they arrived at the West Demerara Regional Hospital, doctors informed her that he did not make it.

Bacchus, the sister who was assaulted, had marks on her face.

The woman said she could not recall anything except her making jokes with her niece and the suspect. Bacchus said she later leant her brother was stabbed to death.

She explained that they were all in the house when they started to make jokes, but suddenly her niece’s boyfriend got annoyed and started to hit her.

The niece in return accused her of setting “strive” and started to strike her and soon after, the boyfriend joined in. At that time, she went “blank”.

Upon regaining consciousness, she heard of the stabbing and with tears in her eyes, she said she did not get to see her brother one last time.

Sitting at her parents’ home, Bacchus recalled that her brother returned from the interior on Monday last to spend Christmas with his family. Ramsundar and his reputed wife separated some eight years ago, but he always took care of his children. He leaves to mourn his four children, parents and siblings. His body is at the Ezekiel Funeral Home and is awaiting a postmortem examination.

The suspect and his girlfriend were arrested moments after the incident and are at the Wales Police Station. Charges are expected to be laid shortly.

He explained that it has been challenging working on the Linden-Lethem road. “We have been working at it and we have had problems with the rain, but it has pulled through,” he said.

Nevertheless, minibus driver Jules Fredericks, who drives the LindenLethem route, said it is a welcome change.

“It is a relief and more rest time for us drivers,” Fredericks said as he explained that prior to repairs being carried out on the road, it took drivers

main the way it is.

He explained that although the road was recently completed, he expects it to be damaged and “head all the way back to square one” upon the onset of the rainy season, which is expected in another few months.

Public Works Minister Robeson Benn said the Government through the Hinterland Roads Programme has been working on various roads in the hinterland areas of the country.

almost 18 hours to travel the journey. But now, Fredericks disclosed that travel time has been cut by almost half.

At present, bus drivers take approximately ten hours to journey from Georgetown to Lethem via Linden.

“At first from the Number 58 Mile Gas Station, which is between Linden and Mabura, it used to take five hours; now it takes about an hour and 45 minutes,” he explained.

He added that as a re-

sult of the road improvement, bus service companies which work the route are able to take more persons in a shorter period of time to Lethem.

“The transportation market is also more competitive as a result of the improvement,” Fredericks said.

Despite all the positives that were said about the road, Head of the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce

Daniel Gadjie said the road has improved, but it is not precisely the way it should be.

However, more than two dozen concrete culverts will be constructed along the roadway, while bushes were cleared away by the Public Works Ministry recently. As previously reported, Engineer overseeing the project Naeem Mohamed said works have begun from 84 Miles to 276 Miles.

It was further reported that from Linden to Omai Turn-Off (0 to 65 Miles), construction firm, Metallica, will grade and compact deteriorated sections with later-

Gadjie was of the opinion that the road would never truly be up to par unless it is asphalted. “It is better than two months ago, but not the way one would want it to be,” he pointed out.

“This is dry season and it is usually good during dry season. The problem comes during the rainy season. During the rainy season, you can do the road today and a week from now, you want to know if it’s the same road.”

ite. Likewise, Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL) will maintain from Omai Turn-Off to Siparuni (65 Miles to 84 Miles).

Other companies such as Mekdeci Machinery and Construction, JR Ranch Company and V Dalip Enterprise have also been working on the road. Over the years, rainfall has continually threatened the Linden-Lethem road and at certain times the road was even closed to traffic.

The present state of the newly rehabilitated Linden-Lethem road What commuters faced while traversing the roadway prior to recent work carried out by the Public Works Ministry

From left: Sunil 'Naresh' Ramsundar, his eldest son, and his reputed wife in happier times

Ramsammy clears air on Surendra pumps

– contract terminated, but all pumps delivered

By Vanhnu Manickchand

Agriculture Minster Dr Leslie Ramsammy has cleared the air on the controversial US$4 million contract with Indian firm Surendra Engineering.

The company was contracted to supply 14 flood relief pumps.

Dr Ramsammy explained that Government had terminated the contract over two months ago. However all 14 pumps were delivered.

According to the Minister, Government only paid for what was supplied.

He disclosed that 10 pumps have already been installed and are operational while four others are awaiting the construction of stations.

The Minister noted that construction works and installation of the pumps were not part of the contract. This was the task of the Government.

In addition, part of the contract had stated that Surendra Engineer was suppose to provide technical support and training for local engineers however the Agriculture Minister pointed out that there was no need for such services.

He stated that no money was paid for the service. Last week at a press conference, Dr Ramsammy during the period 2012 to 2015 there are 39 new pumps to be installed at exiting pump stations that were redone; at exiting pump

stations where more capacity were added, and at entirely new pump stations.

He said of the 39 pumps, 14 were supplied by the Indian firm. They are installed at pump stations in Albion; Bengal, Corentyne; Black Bush Polder; Canal No 1; Crabwood Creek; Eversham and Gangaram, Corentyne; Lima, Essequibo; Number 19 and Number 43, both in Berbice.

The other locations for the Surendra pumps are: Paradise/Enterprise; Pine Ground, Mahaicony; Rose Hall; and Windsor Forest. Of the 14 pumps supplied by the India-based company, six are mobile.

The Minister revealed that the ones at Rose Hall and Pine Ground are mobile pumps and are being used as a fix-sight pump. The pump at Lima is also mobile but will be replaced with a bigger pump when the new pump station is built.

Government had signed the $820 million contract with Surendra Engineering back in 2012 for the supply of 14 drainage pumps; six mobile and eight fixed site. The contract was only for the company to acquire the pumps from other businesses and not to build them.

Surendra Engineering Company Limited had several other contracts with the Government of Guyana including the construction of the Specialty Hospital however that contract was yanked from the Indian firm in September after there were allegations of fraud and financial irregularities.

Following this, the other contacts that the company had were terminated including the one for the supply of the pumps.

As part of the contract, engineers from Guyana were sent to India to inspect the setting up of the drainage pumps that were being acquired for

local use.

The Agriculture Ministry had stated that combined with the assets of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), the new pumps would boast the capacity of almost 100 pumps, inclusive of both fixed and mobile.

Last week Minister Ramsammy had disclosed that this year recorded a 16 per cent expansion of the country’s pump drainage capacity and had attributed this to the fact that new pumps are being installed at exiting stations while others at newly built pump stations. .

The Minister noted that some 1650 cu.ft/sec of pump drainage capacity was added during the course of this year. (cu.ft/sec is used to measure how many gallons of water that can be pumped out per minute or hour).

He further pointed out that with this increase, Guyana now has a total pumping capacity for drainage of 10,163 cu.ft/sec, which represents the ability to pump some 40 million gallons of water per day.

“That’s an enormous amount of water that we drained, it represents the largest increase in pumping capacity in any single year,” he stated.

4-day holiday

Satiricus is tired but happy. And why not? He appreciated his relatives from New York. And their monthly “frecks”? He appreciated that even more! But it had gotten a bit much when they kept on boasting about their four-day weekends. Jeez!!! What luck!

Imagine their Government set their holidays such as Thanksgiving on Thursdays - and then folks get the Fridays off. With the Saturdays and Sundays, what an opportunity to have a good old SPORT!!

Satiricus wasn’t sure the founders of the US had thought they were advancing the fine (or gross, depending on your point of view) art of “sporting”, Guyanese style, when they decided on the Thursday holiday rule. Those fellas weren’t called “Puritans” for nothing.

But then they hadn’t counted on so many Guyanese landing not at Plymouth Rock but at Richmond Hill. After every four-day holiday, the cops of that precinct demanded battle pay from the City. How many drunks could you haul off to the clinker?? It does get tiring.

But anyway, here it was. By a strange alignment of the stars, Christmas had fallen on Thursday, Boxing Day on Friday! Like an idiot Satiricus’ Editor had thought he would show up on Saturday!!! What a dope!!

Even if he wanted to, how could Satiricus, who couldn’t even open his eyes on Saturday, hold a pen?? Yes sir!! Satiricus was tired but happy! Satiricus had a four-day weekend. He didn’t have to appear at work on Monday “stale booze”.

His relatives had sent an even bigger freck as usual - and while Satiricus was grateful and all - he couldn’t resist gloating when they’d called to wish him a “Merry Christmas”.

“You mean they didn’t give you Christmas off?? Man, Ah really sorry,” he said to his brother as he smirked.

“And you all really don’t get Boxing Day off?? That is terrible, bro!! Ah doan know what ah gon do with all dem days!! Maybe you could give me some advice??” Satiricus’ brother told him, “Haul yuh ass!!” Seems that even in the States, Rum Jhaat’s favourite term of endearment had become popular.

Satiricus is heading to the back street bar with Cappo and the boys once again. This time he was putting on his dancing shoes. If GrainJa at the age of 79 could make a fool of himself and dance Gangnam Style, why couldn’t he??

It was a four-day holiday, no??

Mon Repos businessman shot in foiled robbery

Satran Sukhdeo, 41, of 337 Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara is now in critical condition at the Woodlands Hospital after he was shot to his left leg by two masked gunmen about 04:45h on Saturday morning.

Information reaching this publication revealed that Sukhdeo and his two

sons were about to leave home for the Meadow Bank Wharf when they were confronted by the two gunmen, who emerged from the side of their house and opened fire indiscriminately.

The man’s two sons managed to flee the scene, but he was shot. Reports indicated that the masked men subsequently left the scene after

realising that their efforts to rob the family were thwarted.

Even though the entire ordeal was caught on surveillance camera, sources indicated that the footage is not clear enough to identify the men who were wearing masks. The Police are continuing their investigations.

One of Satran Sukhdeo’s vehicles with the bullet holes from the shooting

Agriculture Minster Dr Leslie Ramsammy explained that Government had terminated the contract over two months ago with Indian firm Surendra Engineering. However all pumps were delivered

7 homeless after 2-bedroom house goes up in flames

Seven persons are now homeless after their Lot 72, Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown home went up in flames in a mid-afternoon fire on Saturday. The fire began sometime around 15:30h.

According to information reaching Guyana Times, the fire was reportedly started by a four-year-old child who was playing with matches in one of the two rooms in the one-storey wooden home.

At the time of the fire, the toddler’s 91-year-old grandmother Enid Duesbury, his mother and three siblings, ages three, seven and 10 were at home.

After the fire was noticed, the occupants of the house rushed outside to safety and were assisted by neighbours. They did not get a chance to save any of their belongings.

When Guyana Times arrived at the scene, the elderly woman was crying out in pain. She had burns and bruises on her leg and hands and other parts of her body.

The woman, along with the children’s mother was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) in an ambulance.

Neighbours and resi-

dents in the area flocked the street to watch as firefighters work aggressively to put out the blaze from the house which is situated at the back of two houses, directly located on Sixth Street, Alberttown.

Before the arrival of the fire tenders, neighbours began soaking their homes to stop the fire from spreading.

One man told this newspaper that he was at a shop nearby when he saw smoke emanating from the house, but by the time he got there, the house was already engulfed in flames.

Meanwhile, Edwin Oudkerk, the father of the four-year-old was not at home when the fire started. He related that when he got

there, the entire house was already engulfed in flames.

“Everything for me gone up in the air deh. All what I get right now is wah I get on,” the man lamented.

Oudkerk explained what he was told about the incident.

“They said that meh mother and them lil children been in one room and the other boy slip out and go in the other bedroom. Like he light a match and it get catch on the mattress,” he said.

The distraught man lamented his losses and the fact that his family is now homeless.

Oudkerk stressed that he never encouraged his children to play with fire or allow them to have inflammable items in their possession.

However, he pointed out that he might have left the matches within hand reach after cooking earlier that day.

“I cook today (Saturday) and I don’t know if I accidently left the matches on the dresser and the little guy go pick up the matches and go play with the matches,” he said.

Fire officials have launched an investigation into the incident.

Diamond man dies after crashing into bridge

A24-year-old man is now dead after he reportedly lost control of his motor car and crashed into a bridge on Friday night.

The dead man has been identified as Richard Giddings of 16th Avenue, Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara. Based on information disclosed by the Police, the accident occurred at about 19:45h at Belle Vue, West Bank Demerara.

The Police stated in a press release that the young man was driving along the Belle Vue Public Road when he reportedly lost control of his motor car and crashed into a nearby bridge. He was removed from the wreckage by public spirited persons who rushed him to the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

Giddings was pronounced dead on arrival at the medical institution.

The young man was an em-

ployee at Prittipaul Singh’s Investment and was a former student of the Government Technical Institute (GTI).

Speaking to Guyana Times, the young man’s brother Raymond related that Richard had visited them at their Good Intent, West Bank Demerara home and had left to visit an aunt at Belle Vue.

The distraught brother said that was the last time

Balwant Singh Hospital welcomes Christmas Day babies

Two lucky women had the opportunity to welcome new members into their families on Christmas Day.

Stephan Piggot of Ituni Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and Shellon Aaron of Track ‘A’ Coldingen, East Coast Demerara are the welcoming mothers.

Recounting the events that led to the birth of her first born child, Aaron said she recollects the last two minutes before baby Emmanuel Aaron was born as being mixed with excitement and physical pain. Nevertheless, her maternal labour period was categorised as a normal.

Following a short contraction period, baby Aaron was born at 00:59h and weighed 3.1 kilograms at home. The 26 year old mother and her baby were discharged on the same day which allowed the family to celebrate the arrival of the baby boy at home.

Aaron who appeared exhausted but yet elated told Guyana Times yesterday morning, that she is very happy and thankful to have had such an auspicious gift on Christmas Day.

“It was my first experience, indeed it was challenging and I was very scared. In the be-

ginning, I just wanted to get it over with, but afterwards when I realised that I would be getting a Christmas baby, I decided to take it slow and easy” the mother related.

She expressed gratitude to her family members with special thanks to her mother, aunt and God.

Though due until January 7 2015, Piggot got a Christmas present as well. Having travelled from the Hinterland Region, Piggot travelled to Georgetown to receive proper care for herself and her unborn child, she gave birth to a 4.1kg baby boy, Krishmar Lewis James at 16:35h.

During a telephone interview with this publication, Piggot said “I am very happy because I was not expecting to deliver him so early at all, and on Christmas Day too, I couldn’t ask for a better gift”.

She noted that it has been 17 years since she gave birth to her last child. “It really is blessing since I had no idea that my delivery would have been so smooth and easy.”

The two mothers lauded the staffer at the hospital for well rendered services.

he saw the young man before receiving the dreadful call about the accident. Raymond explained that his brother was driving a sport model Suzuki van and must have lost control when he reached a slope at the culvert located on the bridge.

He added that after losing control of the vehicle, the car began to spin before crashing into the culvert and coming to a halt. The 24-your-old died on impact after reportedly sustaining massive head injuries and several broken bones in his chest.

The young man was described as a friendly person who was popular along the East Bank of Demerara, particularly because of his secondary job as a mechanic.

Giddings’ body is at the Ezekiel Funeral Parlour awaiting a post-mortem examination. Investigations into the accident are ongoing, Police said.

Shellon Aaron and her Christmas gift, Emmanuel Aaron, at their residence

Stephan Piggot holding her bundle of joy, Krishmar Lewis James, at the Balwant Singh Hospital

Dead: Richard Giddings

The destroyed two-bedroom wooden house

Enid Duesbury, 91, crying out in pain

NIS giving workers headache

– retirees say not receiving benefits

By Tajeram mohaBir

Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne)

Chairman David Armogan has expressed discontent at the manner the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) is handling records of contributors, contending that it is giving headache to practically every category of workers.

Many workers, particularly those on the sugar es-

lowing his last visit about three months ago, he approached Region Chairman Armogan who intervened in the matter, and he was able to get his money.

The problems faced by Ramcharran and are currently facing Lakesh and Pooran Persaud are not limited to sugar workers, but also other categories of employees.

“So we have lots of cases still within the sugar and outside of the sugar industry

tates throughout the country who have retired, have over the years complained bitterly of not receiving a pension even though they have worked for more than 15 years, and would have surpassed the mandatory 755 contributions.

Lakesh Persaud, a retired sugar work from Port Mourant, Region Six on Friday told Guyana Times that even though he had worked with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) for more than 15 years, the NIS branch in New Amsterdam told him that they have no file on him.

This, he said happened, even though he produced a pay slip.

Pooran Persaud of Albion also had a sad story to tell. “NIS de tell me that I only made 273 contribution, but I wok with GuySuCo from 1976 till 2008. I ain’t getting me right money… I went to the region an is the same thing,” he related.

Edward Ramcharran of East Canje said he tried for years and only got his pension after perseverance.

Ramcharran, who claimed that he has over 16 years of service as a cane harvester, said he went to the NIS headquarters in Georgetown more than 10 times to try to get his papers in order to get his pension, but to no avail.

He pointed out that fol-

where people are still dissatisfied with their dealings with the NIS and the way NIS operates. And so Government is still trying to make inputs from time to time to ensure some of these problems are solved, but as I said, NIS continues to give headache, not only for this region but generally and not only for sugar workers, but for all categories of workers,” Armogan said.

He related that when he assumed Chairmanship of the region following the 2011 Regional and General Elections, given the frequent complaints, he was forced to set up a desk at his office to handle matters relating to NIS, the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) and other services.

“Some people don’t seem to be getting assistance from the desk I have set up and they come to me directly. And then I intervene with NIS on their behalf. Some get through, some don’t get through, but it is not for lack of representation. Every single person that comes here with an NIS problem we intervene at the highest level, but not every time we get through,” the Regional Chairman said.

In October, NIS came under criticism from various sections of the media in wake of reports that only 6100, out of 27,000 employers, are paying contributions to the Scheme

on behalf of their employees.

NIS Chairman and Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon had said the problem is not unique to the insurance scheme, pointing out that similar entities across the world are often faced with such challenges.

“The scheme has put in place the right array of skills, devices and mechanisms for feedback and response,” he had said, adding that “management, the Board, and the staff can provide 150 per cent of the effort, but it is not a oneway street. Although much is done by the Scheme, its management, Director and staff, so much more depends on others, including employers and employees.”

NIS has its main office in Georgetown and 13 branches at strategic locations across the country, providing social security to more than 45,000 pensioners.

For employed persons, it is estimated that the number registered is more than 650,000, with the active being 117,000.

With respect to the selfemployed, more than 29,000 persons have so far been registered, but just 8500 are active and remitting contributions to the Scheme.

According to Armogan, though NIS has moved to have its record keeping system computerised, some errors still occur.

He pointed out that the clerks entering the data on contributors would at times making mistakes and it would take time to fix. On this note, he criticised the general operations of the Scheme.

“And one of the difficulties too is that NIS seems to be so centralised and when you go to one of these offices, everything has to be found out from Georgetown and then it takes a lot of time for information to flow back. I think that they should try to decentralise this kind of information flow so that you can pick up your information from these outlying offices.”

Armogan noted that even for a little claim, Georgetown has to make the decision and if there is an error, it takes months to fix given the back and forth to have it corrected.

“I don’t know who will change this system, but unfortunately, this is what we have to live with,” he said.

Queenstown woman dies at 102

EYounge’s Take

The new year

The new year 2015 brings with it many challenges but it also presents equal opportunities for Guyana to grow and to continue along the path of positive socio-economic growth and development.

The Guyanese dream Citizens here can ill-afford not setting higher goals and clearer objectives that would result in their individual and collective standard of living improving significantly. This is very important if any citizen is serious about living the Guyanese dream.

This dream is simple and basic. It entails the acquisition of private property such as a house, land, car and the economic ability to live comfortably via legitimate means. The dream also has as its foundation the expectation that life in Guyana will be spent experiencing ethnic, social and political stability.

Resolving differences

That aside, the new year presents Guyanese with the unique opportunity of strengthening their democratic resolve by working collectively to find solutions to the many problems which are still plaguing the overall development of our country.

The year offers a chance at reversing the impact of the politics of revenge, conflict, confrontation and grandstanding on our country’s fragile political landscape. It gives Guyanese another 12-month period to understand, promote and practice politics of development, consensus, nation-building and compromise.

This will not be an easy task in the new year given the fact that President Donald Ramotar has been forced to call early elections as a result of the Opposition’s actions and non-cooperation.

But whatever happens, life must continue in Guyana.

It is very likely that the Opposition parties will not accept the results of the elections in the new year especially if the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is reelected to office with an outright majority, which is likely to be the case.

If such a situation arises, then the onus will be on Guyanese to remain focused, vigilant, and vocal through the civil society movement here. They must resist the temptations of becoming entangled in the ethnic, social, and political wars that will in the end divide a people who are united.

Rejuvenation

Additionally, the new year must be used to find new methodologies that can propel the rebirth of dying sectors and industries in Guyana. It must be used to propel the rejuvenation of the bauxite, sugar and traditional mineral industries which have been hit by continuous challenges over the last few years.

A dedicated effort must be made by all concerned to fast track and commission the many stalled or rejected developmental projects that could lead to the transformation of our economy.

Government and other concerned stakeholders must seek out new and innovative avenues of moving these projects to the point of completion with little resistance from the opportunistic political players in our society.

Focus must be placed on strengthening the State and Government bureaucracy to deliver more reliable services to the Guyanese public via the many Ministries, State agencies and autonomous bodies created by the Constitution.

2015 should also be a hallmark

year for promoting the growth of the Private Sector and there must be haste in building more PublicPrivate Partnerships (PPPs) aimed at modernizing various sectors and industries which are still operating as if the world was still in the Stone Age

Next year, there must be no delay in achieving and implementing tax reforms aimed at attracting more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), as well off setting some of the hardships faced by local businesses that have complained ad nausea about being burned by unfair and unnecessary taxes.

Similarly, the time has come for a re-examining of the family structure within the world and the region.

The number of broken homes and the pressure on some men still to provide even when they are trying but cannot do much.

The feminisation of soft or light hearted men and the continuation of an education system that does not support some males.

The notion that equality must be demanded through feminist ideology as opposed to simply granted. And the notion that men must be masculine and women must be feminine to fit into society and the need for the gender inequality. All these must be addressed in the new year.

llen Radha Ramnarine, also known as “Aunty Radha”, of Queenstown Village, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) passed away on December 27 in Georgia, USA at the age of 102 from natural causes. She was known as the oldest woman in the largest slaved-purchase village on the Essequibo Coast. Ramnarine was born on January 11, 1913 in the village of Johanna Cecilia on the Essequibo Coast. She migrated to Canada in 1979 at the age of 35 then later moved to the US to live with her grandson Ajodhia Singh.

Ramnarine was described by relatives as a loving mother, grandmother and sister and a true role model to society, even though she resided overseas.

They noted that she would frequently call home to make sure everything is well with her family and the community.

Ramnarine will be deeply missed by the entire community of Queenstown and close relatives.

The funeral will be conducted on Monday in Georgia.

The National Insurance Scheme on Brickdam

Ellen Radha Ramnarine

Regional

Kidnapped Mexican Priest found shot dead in Guerrero state

APriest who was kidnapped in Mexico’s South-western state of Guerrero on Monday has been found shot dead, officials say.

The body of Father Gregorio Lopez was discovered near the city of Ciudad Altamirano. A group of priests later rallied in the city to condemn the murder.

Father Lopez was seized by gunmen from Ciudad Altamirano’s seminary, where he taught. The motive for the killing remains unclear. A friend of the Priest told local media that Father Lopez was kidnapped after he accused drug gang Guerreros Unidos of the abduction and alleged murder of 43 students in September.

He is the third Priest to be killed this year in Guerrero state, which has been at the centre of drugrelated violence in Mexico.

Last month, forensic experts identified the body of a Ugandan Catholic Priest among the remains found in a mass grave. Father John

Ssenyondo had been missing since being kidnapped in April.

The grave was located by Federal Police looking for the missing students.

On Friday, demonstrators in several Mexican cities commemorated the disappearance of the students on September 26 – exactly three months ago.

Police in the town of Iguala allegedly detained them following a clash that left six people dead. Authorities say the Police turned the students over to members of a drug gang who killed them and burned their bodies.

So far, the authorities have only identified the remains of one of the students.

(BBC News)

Cops in Jamaica bring joy to Tivoli Gardens seniors

Rose Newman watched with concern on Tuesday as a Police team approached her gate in the community of Tivoli Gardens, West Kingston –an area notorious for violent stand-offs between the Police and residents.

“A wonder a what she do now,” one resident wondered aloud as Senior Superintendent Steve McGregor opened the metal

gate to the home of Newman, who lives alone.

However, the concerns soon turned to joy on the realisation that the Police’s sole purpose there was to spread Christmas cheer.

“Hello, how are you?

We are here to bring some Christmas cheer and to present you with a little token to show you how much we care,” said McGregor. This elicited a broad

smile from Newman, who was among approximately 300 middle-aged and senior residents who received bags of goodies from the Police as they toured the Kingston Western Division.

Another beneficiary, 75-year-old Hyacinth Rankine, was delighted at the gesture.

“I really appreciate what the Police have done for me; it really makes me feel hap-

py and I wish them all the best for Christmas,” she said.

Joan King and Fredericka DaCosta shared similar sentiments. “It really makes me feel proud to see the work that the Police continue to do in the area,” said King.

“It’s good to know that someone really remembers me,” added DaCosta as she accepted her gift.

Antigua Govt aims to improve efficiency with launch of Web portal

The Government of Antigua and Barbuda will launch a new Web portal in 2015, which is geared towards improving its efficiency.

Telecoms Minister Melford Nicholas, said individuals will be able handle many of their transactions with Government, online.

“We will be in a position as well to receive payments for services such as renewal of passports and a renewal of driver’s licenses,” Nicholas said.

Antigua’s Broadcasting and Telecommunications Minister Melford Nicholas

“There are plans as well in the Inland Revenue Department to be able to do tax filing online and cer-

tainly it could extend, based on the pace at which we are able to develop that project, to corporations being able to submit their statutory deductions online to both the Social Security and Medical Benefits, and Education Levy as well.”

He said residents would also have the option to report busted pipes and other eyesores to facilitate Government’s response.

“The portal will be developed and designed in such a way that whether it is a water-main’s problem, it is a hole in the road or it is something having to do with an

animal and that type of response, we should be able to feed that into the requisite administrative authority, whether it is the Ministry of Health, sanitation or it is the (Antigua) Public Utilities Authority or the Public Works Department,” he said.

Nicholas said the first phase of the project is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2015. The Telecommunications Minister said his ministry will also explore ways to help the Police department with record keeping. (Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

Martinique conference addresses challenges of access to records, public data in Caribbean

Access to archives and open data were the leitmotiv of the tenth quadrennial conference of Caribbean archives organised from December 2 to 5 in Martinique by CARBICA, the association that brings together archivists from the English-, French- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean in close partnership with the departmental archives of Martinique.

In the presence of more than 100 professionals from the Caribbean and local executives from Martinique and Guadeloupe, the issues of personal data protection,

open government, the difficulties posed by the application of overlapping or deficient laws, the teaching of concrete examples from the Caribbean and the world over were exposed and debated by presenters from the fields of archiving, information and communication technology (ITC), public administration and university research. No fewer than 15 countries and territories were represented during the public conference on December 2, and during the training workshops, which continued from December 3 to 5 at the Departmental Archives of

Martinique.

How to foster the growth of a “knowledge-based economy” while respecting the evolving framework, in Europe as well as the countries of the Caribbean, respect for private life and the right to information?

The public debate opened by this conference in Martinique, as well as the tools proposed during these training sessions, henceforth allow archivists to fully embrace the role they must play in access to information.

The interactive workshops, in French and English, facilitated by Trudy

Peterson, specialist in questions of access and human rights (United States); Bruno Ricard, “Mr Open Data” of the inter-ministerial service of the archives of France (France), Avril Belfon (Trinidad and Tobago), Sharon Alexander-Gooding and Cherri-Ann Beckles (Barbados) who explored the legal framework in the English-speaking islands of the Caribbean and their impact on the archives, allowed participants to better position themselves with regards to problem-solving (identification of risks and possible recourse).

Venezuela’s Maduro posts Foreign Minister Ramirez to UN

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced that he was moving Foreign Minister Rafael Ramirez to serve as his United Nations envoy.

The move, which sees former Communications Minister Delcy Rodriguez appointed new chief diplomat, was announced on the eve of Venezuela joining the UN Security Council on January 1 as a temporary member on a rotating basis, representing Latin America.

Maduro said that in his new post, Ramirez will have “the greatest responsibility of defending world peace.”

“From any post, I will fight with honesty and firmness

in defence of our country,” Ramirez said on Twitter after his appointment. Ramirez, a 51-yearold engineer by training, had only served as Foreign Minister since September 3. He had previously headed the Oil Ministry since 2002 and was President of the state oil company PDVSA from 2004 through this year. In November, Ramirez unsuccessfully sought a cut of two million barrels of oil in an OPEC meeting to stop a big drop in the price of oil, which accounts for 96 per cent of the income of Venezuela, which holds the world’s largest reserves of crude. (Yahoo! News)

Serious crime in Trinidad and Tobago cut by half in five years

Trinidad’s National Security Minister Gary Griffith came out in full support of the protective services, as he announced that Trinidad and Tobago’s serious crime rate had been cut by half since 2009.

The Minister stated that in the coming year the focus of the nation’s security forces is to dismantle illegal gangs, remove illegal guns already in the country and prevent more from coming in.

“The success is there so let’s continue to support and let’s not criticise for the sake of criticising,” said Griffith.

The Minister was flanked by Deputy Commissioner of Police (ACP) Glenn Hackett, whom he mistakenly referred to as ACP (Peter) Reyes – the senior Police Officer in the news for an incident involving a cellular phone on a Caribbean Airlines flight from Trinidad to Tobago last week – during a brief interview at Inter Agency Task Force headquarters.

Griffith quickly corrected himself, stating that it was a name he had on his

mind, especially when DCP Hackett experienced difficulty switching off his ringing Blackberry cell phone on Tuesday morning.

“I am here to give solidarity to our troops, whereas the majority of our country are at home with loved ones, obviously there will be a need for certain agencies to be there to protect ourselves and families and citizens of our country and I think it’s something that ought to be recognised, that the hard work and dedication of our law enforcement agencies 24/7,” said Griffith.

“This year, thanks to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force... has proven to be the lowest number of serious crimes in this country in 31 years,” he added.

“They (the protective services) broke the record last year and then this year there were 12,000 serious crimes compared to 2009 where we had 22,000 serious crimes, so when you do the maths it is that every single hour there was one less serious crime committed in comparison to 2009.

(Jamaica Observer)

The motive for the killing of Father Gregorio Lopez remains unclear

National Security Minister Gary Griffith

North Korea blames US for Internet outages, calls Obama "monkey"

North Korea called US President Barack Obama a "monkey" and blamed Washington on Saturday for Internet outages it has experienced during a confrontation with the United States over the hacking of the film studio Sony Pictures.

The National Defence Commission, the North's ruling body chaired by state leader Kim Jong Un, said Obama was responsible for Sony's belated decision to release the action comedy "The Interview", which depicts a plot to assassinate Kim.

"Obama always goes reckless in words and deeds like a monkey in a tropical forest," an unnamed spokesman for the Commission said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency, using a term seemingly designed to cause racial offence that North Korea has resorted to previously.

ruptions this week, including a complete outage of nearly nine hours, before links were largely restored on Tuesday.

But its Internet and 3G mobile networks were paralysed again on Saturday evening, China's official Xinhua news agency reported, and the North Korean Government blamed the United States for systemic instability in the country's networks.

Around the world

Huge funeral for shot New York Policeman Rafael Ramos

Tens of thousands of people are attending the funeral in New York of Rafael Ramos, one of the two Policemen shot dead a week ago.

Vice-President Joe Biden praised the "finest Police department in the world" at the service, attended by Police forces from across the US and Canada.

Ramos and Wenjian Liu were shot after weeks of anti-police protests. Police at the funeral again snubbed New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who had appeared to back some of the protests.

Sony cancelled the release of the film when large cinema chains refused to screen it following threats of violence from hackers, but then put it out on limited release after Obama said Sony was caving in to North Korean pressure.

Obama promised retaliation against North Korea, but did not specify what form it would take. North Korea's main Internet sites suffered intermittent dis-

In Hawaii, where Obama is vacationing, a White House official said the Administration had no immediate comment on the latest North Korean statement blaming the United States for the Internet outages and insulting the President.

Dyn Research, a US firm that monitors telecommunications infrastructure, said on Saturday that North Korea's Internet access had been restored after a national outage that lasted more than five hours.

Jim Cowie, Dyn's chief scientist, said it was a "sharp" outage that appeared to immediately sever access across the nation, and the restoration also appeared to be equally fast.

"It could have been something as routine as maintenance or it could have been a continuation of the things we saw in the past week, which looked more like attacks," Cowie said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

John Paul II gunman lays flowers at Vatican tomb

The Turkish gunman who shot and wounded John Paul II in 1981 laid white flowers Saturday on the saint's tomb in St Peter's Basilica, Vatican officials said.

The surprise visit by Mehmet Ali Agca, believed to be his first time in the Vatican since the assassination attempt, lasted a few minutes, a Vatican spokesman, Reverend Ciro Benedettini, said. As with other flowers left by visitors to the tomb, the blossoms were later removed by basilica workers.

Benedettini said there are no legal matters pending against Agca in the Vatican and he was free to visit.

Ice

Agca's trip came on the 31st anniversary of his meeting with the Pope.

John Paul, who forgave his attacker, visited Agca in a Rome prison on December 27, 1983, and later intervened to gain Agca's release in 2000. Agca was extradited to Turkey for the 1979 killing of a Turkish journalist and he completed a 10year sentence there in 2010.

When Agca was apprehended after shooting the pontiff in St Peter's Square during a public audience, the Turk said he acted alone. Later he suggested Bulgaria and the Soviet secret services masterminded the attack on the Polish-born pontiff, whose

championing of the Polish Solidarity labour movement alarmed Moscow.

Twice, Italian juries acquitted three Bulgarians and three Turks of alleged roles in the shooting. Agca has often given contradictory accounts and has claimed to be a Messiah.

Italian TV ran a brief video of the tomb visit, apparently filmed by an Italian journalist accompanying Agca in the basilica.

The Turk is heard to mumble, "A thousand thanks, saint," and "Long live Jesus Christ."

He also said: "Today I have come because on December 27, 1983, I met the Pope." (Yahoo! News)

warnings issued amid subzero temperatures for UK

Drivers are facing treacherous conditions on icy roads, as temperatures look set to fall below freezing in many parts of the UK.

The Met Office issued warnings of ice across the UK and snow in some areas.

Widespread icy patches will form on untreated surfaces, especially where snow has fallen, the Met Office said, warning drivers to take extra care.

BBC forecaster Sarah Keith-Lucas said it could be

the coldest night so far this winter. Temperatures could plunge to as low as -10C in rural Scotland, she said.

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings – meaning "be aware" – for ice in all areas, and snow in eastern England from Lincolnshire northwards.

It follows wintry showers across Northern Ireland, Wales and eastern England earlier, with the town of Leek in Staffordshire recording the day's heaviest snowfall of 12cm (4.7 inches).

Meanwhile, hundreds of homes remain without power in parts of England, including nearly 500 in the East Midlands and nearly 300 in Devon.

A cold weather alert for parts of England has been issued, with the Met Office saying there was a 90 per cent chance that severe weather until 12:00 GMT on Wednesday could "increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services". (Excerpt from

Funeral details for Officer Liu have yet to be announced. Officials say it will be held when relatives arrive from China. Telling the mourners Officer Ramos had been a "hero", Police Commissioner Bill Bratton announced he had promoted both officers posthumously to Detective First Grade.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also paid tribute to the dead officer as well as to the New York Police Department (NYPD).

"I believe that this great Police Force of this incredibly diverse city can and will show the nation how to bridge any divide,"

Vice-President Biden told the congregation at the Christ Tabernacle Church in Queens. "You've done it before and you will do it again." Officer Ramos, 40, had been studying to become a Police chaplain and was described as "a man of great faith" by a pastor who knew him. Commissioner Bratton, his voice choking with emotion, said: "Rafael Ramos was assassinated because he represented all of us." (Excerpt from BBC News)

Malaysian Govt under fire for flood response

Rescue teams struggled on Saturday to reach inundated areas of North-East Malaysia as victims accused the Government of being slow to provide assistance after the country’s worst flooding in decades.

Malaysians have vented their anger at the Prime Minister Najib Razak, after the release of photos which went viral on social media showing him playing golf with the US President, Barack Obama, during the storms.

The number of people forced to flee their homes climbed past 120,000 with weather forecasters warning of no respite for the Northeastern states of Kelantan,

Terengganu and Pahang.

The under-fire Najib was expected to arrive in Kelantan on Saturday to lead the national flood response after cutting short his holiday in Hawaii, his aide Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad said.

The Government has allocated about US$14 million to manage relief centres.

The deputy Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, admitted rescuers were facing challenges with power outages and roads being washed away by the floods.

“I admit the situation is challenging to the rescue workers and we are trying our best to make sure that the food arrives to the victims depending on the flood

situation,” he was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper.

Military helicopters and trucks were seen in Kota Bharu area, which is near the border with southern Thailand, but rescue efforts were being hampered by fast rising waters and strong currents while roads to hard-hit areas were impassable.

“The severity and scale of the floods had taken the authorities completely by surprise as it was worse than anticipated, overwhelming all disaster management plans and preparations,” Lim Kit Siang, veteran Opposition MP with the Democratic Action party said in a statement on Saturday. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Syria ready to attend Moscow peace talks

Syria said on Saturday it is willing to participate in “preliminary consultations” in Moscow aimed at restarting peace talks next year to end its civil war.

But members of the Western-backed Syrian Opposition dismissed the Russian plan on Saturday, saying there was “no initiative.”

Syrian state television quoted a source at the Foreign Ministry saying “Syria is ready to participate in preliminary consultations in Moscow in order to meet the aspirations of Syrians to find a way out of crisis.”

Moscow, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has pushed to restart talks that collapsed in Geneva in February.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said this month that he wanted

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

Syrian Opposition groups to agree among themselves on a common approach before setting up direct talks with the Damascus Government.

But Lavrov did not specify which Opposition groups should take part. Some Opposition groups are tolerated by Damascus but shunned by the Opposition

in exile.

Hadi al-Bahra, head of the Turkey-based Opposition National Coalition, met with Arab League Chief Nabil Elaraby in Cairo on Saturday and told a news conference that “there is no initiative as rumoured”.

“Russia does not have a clear initiative, and what is called for by Russia is just a meeting and dialogue in Moscow, with no specific paper or initiative,” he was quoted by Egyptian state news agency MENA as saying.

Russia has long backed Assad, including with arms supplies for Syria, but he has become a more important ally for Moscow since the 2011 Arab Spring protests toppled several autocrats in the Middle East, some of whom had close ties with Moscow. (Excerpt from France24)

US President Barack Obama

Police saluted the hearse

Drunk, speeding drivers creating havoc on roadways

...several killed during holidays

a result of vehicular accident; the total to date stands at 139.

Over the past two days, several persons lost their lives as a result of the actions of drunk and speeding drivers.

On Christmas day, 19-year-old Davendra Jaipaul called “Davin”, of Perth, Essequibo Coast, was riding his bicycle along the Exmouth Public Road when he was struck by a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction.

BY JOMO PAUL

Vehicular accidents in Guyana continue to be of major concern to drivers, passengers, pedestrians and society as a whole, given the fact that 2014 shows a record number of accidents and deaths.

The concern is justifiable given the fact that not only have millions been incurred in losses, but most importantly, there is wanton loss of life on Guyana’s roadways.

It would appear that law enforcement has been weak and many of the drivers are young, inexperienced and often under the influence.

According to statistics from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), for the first 10 months of 2014, there have been 110 deaths on Guyana’s roadways.

This hangs slightly below the country’s murder rate for the same period which was recorded at 119. Those deaths were as a result of 104 traffic accidents.

In November and up to this weekend, the gruesome numbers of deaths have continued to rise as

Also on Christmas day, Reena Singh, age 26, died during the early hours of the morning when the driver of the car she was travelling in suddenly lost control of the vehicle and smashed into a house.

Singh, of Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara, was reportedly killed on the spot.

The same day, Khemawattie Mohabir, 27, of Vriesland, West Bank Demerara, was struck by an alleged drunken driver a short distance from her home while returning from the market.

From the Police report, it should be noted that statistics show pedestrians have been the main road users affected with 57 losing their lives at the end of November 2014. In addition, 24 motorcyclists, 18 pedal cyclists, 13 drivers, 17 persons travelling in motor vehicles and one person being towed on a bicycle also lost their lives.

Record number of deaths

conditions that are of equal importance have contributed to the wanton loss of life of the roadways.

These factors include, but are not limited to, driving under the influence of alcohol, untrained or illtrained drivers, poor road conditions, the increase in the number of vehicles on the roads and poor supervision of young drivers –especially by parents.

In Guyana, it is common knowledge that persons can attain a driver licence simply by paying money to corrupt officials.

also puts at risk the life of the very person who attempted to outsmart the law.

DUI, a major concern

Driving under the influence is one of the major concerns within society, simply because too often, persons go out to party or imbibe alcohol, then proceed to get behind the wheel of their vehicles while being under the influence of alcohol.

which have resulted in accidents. This is not limited to potholes but also poor lighting conditions.

A number of accident survivors over the years have complained that the accident could have been avoided had there been proper lighting or proper roads; both of which are issues that need to get the urgent attention of Government.

Prosecutions

Meanwhile, reports indicate that traffic enforcement by the Police has resulted in a total of 58,654 cases being made against delinquent motorists and drivers at the end of October 2014. It should be noted that from this total, 16,126 were for speeding. The Police did not indicate how many of those persons were successfully prosecuted.

With the number of vehicles imported into the country exceeding 10,000 annually and the number of miles of roads remaining constant, it is clear that an accident rate of catastrophic proportion is in the making unless the problem is dealt with in a holistic fashion.

Veith Stephen Mendonca met his demise on Christmas Eve day after being struck by a vehicle while crossing a road in Corentyne, Berbice Mendonca was rushed to hospital but died while receiving treatment.

Statistics show that from January 2010 to mid November 2014, Guyana has recorded a total of 574 road deaths, which is an all time high for Guyana in any five year span. According to online reports, 209 of those persons killed were pedestrians, 97 were motorcyclists and 85 were pedal cyclists.

While speeding continues to be a major contributing factor to fatal accidents, several other

This system is primarily used by persons who simply want to beat the system or by those who have failed to pass their driver’s tests, but are determined to drive vehicles nevertheless.

In effect, what this does is place unqualified and dangerous drivers on the roadways who may not be fully cognisant of all of the traffic rules and/or mastered the skill of being a safe driver.

Not only does this endanger the lives of other drivers and the simple man on the street, but it

More recently though, a much more frightening phenomenon has emerged – something known as “high” driving. This refers to a person under the influence of psychoactive drugs.

Psychoactive drugs include tobacco, cannabis, amphetamines, ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin.

These drugs alter one’s perception of reality, consciousness, mood, and thoughts, and surprisingly, some of these drugs are readily available on the local market while others require a few easily attainable ingredients to create a potent cocktail.

Also important is the poor infrastructure on some parts of the highways

Lindener’s body found in bushes

The body of pensioner Kingsley Joseph, of Wisroc Housing Scheme, Linden was found around 06:00h on Saturday 27 in some bushes in the vicinity of his home.

The 66-year-old man who lived alone was found with suspected marks of violence about his body.

Police have since launched investigations into the matter.

Laparkan gives back to GTPAK customers

BY: Sedhee RAMnAUth

Laparkan Trading Company recently held the drawing for its GTPAK WIN A TV competition where several GTPAK customers were rewarded for using the shipping service.

Laparkan took this opportunity to give back to their valued customers through this promotion. In order for customers to enter the promotion, they had to shop and ship using Laparkan GTPAK service from October 1 through December 19 which would secure them an automatic entry. The first prize was a Smart TV, followed by a surround system as second prize, and a hamper of

goodies as third prize.

Laparkan’s Sales and Marketing Manager, Yonette Jeffers, noted that Laparkan has been in existence for more that 32 years and has always been serving to give back to the customers.

Jeffers encouraged persons to continue shipping at Laparkan since one can never tell when will be their lucky strike and a chance to win a prize at their up-coming promotions for the New Year 2015.

"Let “Laparkan be your preferred shipper,” she urged.

In a virtual and random drawing from the Laparkan branch located in Miami, capturing the food hamper prize was Ayaknand Changa of

Lot 3, Unity Parika, East Bank Essequibo, while the surround sound system went to Elon Leach of Lot 56, Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, Berbice. Winning the 50-inch Smart TV was Justin Singh of Lot 96, Section M, Campbellville, Georgetown. Singh said “this came as a shock to me, like honestly; I had no idea that I would be spending my Christmas with a television this huge.” He noted that he has been partners with Laparkan for many years and that they are practically family.

He added that his business, MDT, also shares a strong bond with the company and hopes that this partnership continues well into the future.

Justin Singh (right) and a Laparkan employee Davina Singh pose with the first prize

The passenger of this car was killed after a drag racing session on the Rupert Craig Highway on November 9

Veith Stephen Mendonca, killed while crossing the road in Fryish

16-year-old Yonette Branche, killed when the car driven by her father slammed into a parked canter on Christmas Eve

Nabaclis residents enjoy traditional Boxing Day event

...meals, gifts provided

The males of Nabaclis East Coast Demerara held their Annual Cookout on Boxing Day in a quest to brighten up the Christmases of the less-fortunate.

The tradition which started 15 years ago by six men, sparked from a simple kind-hearted observation.

Clint Jacob, one of the founders of the traditional event explained the idea behind the initiative, “not every house has Christmas so when more food is required to be taken home or otherwise, it is given!”

Jacob was referring to meals prepared by himself along with Mijjie Jacob, Shine eye, Far East, Door, Lambert and Terry Bob who are they additional founders of the humanitarian event.

Fifteen years ago, the men observed that while some persons are fortunate to have a splendid and happy Christmas, others may not be financially capable of securing meals that traditionally go with the season.

Hence, the idea to place a box in the middle of the Nabaclis Public road collecting donations to be pledged toward the worthy cause was born.

This box is placed in the center of the Railway Embankment road of the small and quite village and as people traverse the roadway, they drop varying amounts of monies into the box.

“The box is placed on the road so that persons passing by can drop whatever fine change they can. This goes towards the preparation of meals,” Floyd Adams, a young man who has grown up witnessing the event said.

Men who are a part of the cookout gather close by as they encourage people on the go to participate in the event.

Adams, a 25-year-old man who lives in the neighbouring village of Golden Grove expressed satisfaction in the vast amount of thought that has been put

into the preparation of the meals.

Seemingly pleased, Adams said no one is left out. He explained that meals are prepared for the meat eaters as well as the vegetarians.

This is largely because of the diversity of the village population. There are varying races and cultures residing in the village, namely Rastafarians, Muslims and Christians among others.

Adams said he has grown up witnessing the event and is accustomed to “liming with the men of the Cookout on Boxing day.”

Local artistes

Mijjie, a popular entertainment host in the village, came in high praises as the main supporter and backbone of the initiative. Adams explained that it was Mjjie’s persistence that allowed the growth of the event.

As events promoter, Mijjie has managed to encourage local artistes to perform at the annual cookout. This has been a major

boost for the longevity of the event, Adams speculated.

Natural Black, a local reggae singer, is among the artistes that have made appearances at Nabaclis on Boxing Day.

Giving back

Purely the thought and initiative of Clint Jacobs, former Nabaclis residents who reside abroad now send gifts to be shared to the less fortunate children in the village at Christmastime.

“These gifts are great for the children of under privileged homes since it gives them something to look forward to during the holidays and helps to make the initiative an even more substantive one,” Jacob said.

Unconsciously, the men of Nabaclis have continued what is generally known as the true nature of Boxing Day.

They have managed to put smiles on the faces of under privileged children while at the same time, bringing villagers closer together.

Humanitarian Mission of New Jersey reaches out to needy

The Humanitarian Mission of New Jersey

Arya Samaj Inc (HM of NJASM) gave birth to its humanitarian mission in 2005.

It began by reaching out to the poor and needy in Guyana, and it is now extending its charitable arm to senior citizen homes, shelters and the homeless right in New Jersey and Tri-State Area.

President of the organization, Pandit Suresh Sugrim in a press statement, said, “That feeling of helping the people who are truly in need is something that we enjoy in life.”

On December 20, the HM of NJASM hosted a massive coat dive in New Jersey.

“Our goal for this winter season is to provide persons in need with warm clothing and to give them comfort.

"Many adults and children across the country struggle during the winter months because they are unable to afford cold-weather attire due to poverty,” Pandit Sugrim said.

“With so many people struggling financially because of the recession, losing their jobs, homes and family, your coats and clothing donations matter this year more than ever.

"Thank you for sharing with those who are less fortunate than us."

Pandit Sugrim had made a public appeal through social media, primarily Facebook, and in the mandirs, asking GuyaneseAmericans and other denominations to donate their

used clothing.

“As a result, over the past few weeks, we collected a huge amount of win-

said. With the cooperation of numerous families and different organizations, the

hard for us to get donations to help the residents who live there. I wish we could get a lot of help from differ-

1 dead, 3 injured in WCB accident

A mother of two was killed in an early morning accident on Saturday at Tempe Village, West Coast Berbice after the driver of the vehicle lost control and crashed into a utility pole.

The dead woman was identified as Cindy Singh, 24, of Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara while her boyfriend, Ryan Richards, 19; Tricia Ross and Ryan Hookumchand were all injured.

Singh reportedly suffered a broken neck while Richards sustained a broken leg, but Ross remains critical at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Hookumchand received lacerations to his body and is reportedly out of danger.

Information reaching the Guyana Times indicated that the four people left Diamond on Boxing Day to visit family members on the Corentyne and it was while they were on their way back they met in the accident.

After the accident, the four people were rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital where Singh was pronounced dead on arrival while the others were transferred to GPHC.

The children father of the dead woman, Orin (only name givn) told Guyana Times that the woman left her mother’s home with Richards and another relative for the Corentyne where they attended a party.

From information he received, stated that Singh was the front seat passenger of the car when Richards lost control. Upon impact, Singh was reportedly flung towards to windscreen. It is also be-

Station where we handed out coats, pants, sweaters, shirts, comforters, scarves, hats and gloves.

Despite the bitter and freezing cold weather, words could not express the gratitude and appreciation that the homeless had at that

ter clothing including coats, hats, scarves, gloves, jackets, hats and socks donated by our donors to be distributed to the homeless people in various shelters and Newark Penn Station,” he

HM of NJASM headed out to shelters where about dozens of coats, pants and sweaters were handed out.

One of the facility managers for the Homeless Shelters stated, “It’s very

ent organizations and now I have – from this organization here – thank you very much!”

This was after forming smiles on many lonely and cold faces at Newark Penn

lieved that they went to the horse race at Port Mourant, Berbice and might have been under the influence of alcohol when the accident occurred. Richards might have also been speeding.

At the Georgetown Public Hospital on Saturday morning, family members of the dead woman were inconsolable. Her mother who takes care of her two daughters, ages seven and four recalled her daughter leaving home in good spirit and from her attitude, she was happy.

The teenager, relatives explained has little experience in driving and also claimed that he is a heavy drinker. The two have been together for several months.

Meanwhile, hospital officials confirmed that Ross remains in a critical state in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the GPHC. She is reportedly slipping in an out of consciousness.

Singh leaves to mourn her parents, two daughters and one brother. Her body is at the Lyken’s Funeral Home awaiting a post mortem examination. Richards has been arrested and is assisting with investigations.

ing this brutal winter season.

According to Pandit Sugrim, it was heartbreaking to see that many of these people had no families, no homes and nothing to eat, and some of them are in this situation due to the loss of jobs.

“We left Newark Penn Station with no coats and sweaters, for all were given out to the homeless who need it the most during this time of the year,” Pandit Sugrim said.

“We ran out of winter clothing and still they were coming. One homeless man did not leave because he was desperate, and at that moment the group had to go to the store to purchase two pairs of pants just to make him comfortable and for him to be feel loved,” the release said.

moment.

As soon as the word had got out that there were coats being given out, many of them lined up hoping that they will receive a piece of clothing to keep warm dur-

The HM of NJASM thanked the entire community for participating through their donation of used winter clothing and for reaching out to those in need. "You truly made a difference," the release said.

Dead: Cindy Singh

Volunteers of the HM of NJASM Lakshmee Kirkland, Ornis Sugrim, Reshma Vincent, Brianna Lutawan and Neela Mahabir

Some of the homeless people who benefitted from the hand out of winter clothing

Masqueraders brighten Christmas Day on Essequibo Coast

he sounds of live-

Tly drumming and scary faces mounted on top of tractors and trailors brought Christmas Day alive in the quiet of Essequibo Coast.

The masqueraders paraded along the roadway and streets, dancing to lively music blaring from heavily set music systems, set the pace for Christmas Day celebrations on the Essequibo Coast.

Although there were few masqueraders roaming the street this year, the contin-

gent on Christmas Day was very large, captivating and entertaining passers by.

The day broke with many charitable organisations such as the Lions Club, the Affiance Sports Club, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Alfro Alphonso Group of Companies, and other private entities distributing gifts to the less fortunate throughout the Coast.

Children's faces were beaming with delight as Santa visited them.

Thousands of children were

given gifts through the patronage of various charitable organisations.

Christmas Day was well spent with families visiting each other exchanging goodies, black cake and sumptuous food. The atmosphere on the Coast was on that was filled with joy, sharing, togetherness and unity.

In the evening, families were seen taking long drives to the town of Anna Regina following the masquerade bands.

Christmas was well spent in the Cinderella County.

Elderly man missing for 18 days

Seventy-eight-year-old

Alfred Lawrence of Timehri Public Road, East Bank Demerara, has been missing since December 15. The senior citizen was last seen wearing an orange jersey and a long green pants.

The Lawrence family last

saw Alfred around 04:10h on December 15, after a dispute occurred between the man and his wife. The man’s daughter-in-law, Ruth Lawrence made the report to this newscast on Saturday afternoon.

She narrated that this is the second time Alfred had gone missing, but on the first occasion, he returned home by dusk.

Ruth said that the man’s wife (no name given) told the family “… next time you move out you wouldn’t see him back till he’s dead”.

Enquiring about this statement, Ruth had nothing to say.

When asked whether the family heard any word from the neighborhood, Ruth explained that some boys followed the man who caught

a bus at the bus stop and stopped at the La Penitence market, before making his way to a sawmill.

Guyana Times asked Ruth about the authenticity of the reports given to the family by the boys. Ruth noted that during the Alfred’s younger days, he was employed at a sawmill, so “probably” it is true.

However the family does not know the name of the sawmill in which he was employed or the one in which he allegedly stopped at.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Alfred Lawrence is asked to kindly make contact with the Timehri Police Station on telephone number 261-2222, or his children on telephone numbers 261-4248, 2612092, 649-1702 or 615-3607.

Help and Shelter hits financial straits

While it continues to execute its remit in society, Help and Shelter is presently in dire need of financial assistance if it hopes to carry out its work in an effective manner.

This is according to Gaitrie Shivsankar, Secretary at Help and Shelter, who told Guyana Times that Help and Shelter is in dire need of funds if the charitable organisation is to continue its work in helping persons who have been abused.

Help and Shelter’s mission is to work towards the elimination of violence in all its forms by helping to create a society where attitudes geared towards violence and practices of violence have been transformed.

The organisation currently sees to the needs of over 8000 persons – mostly women – who have been in less than desirable relationships.

The organisation provides counselling, court support should the need arise, shelter and also ensures the public is adequately educated and sensitised on the issues of abuse and domestic violence.

Shivsankar said the organisation gets funding mostly from donor agencies but such funding has been limited of recent.

Josephine Whitehead, Vice Chairwoman of the organisation, spoke to Guyana Times recently on this issue.

She said the funding for a majority of the donor agencies has been cut and this has affected the effective running of the organisation, due to its dependence on such agencies.

Presently, the budgetary allocations that these agencies are in a position to give “does not allot for recurrent expenses”, Whitehead stated.

“Donors don’t like recurrent expenses,” she stated, but the fact is that “we have recurrent expenses.”

Whitehead emphatically informed that Help and Shelter cannot run “unless it has electricity, unless it has telephones, unless it has working alarm systems and security guards”.

These are needed to ensure those that are under the charge of the organisation are safe and well taken care of.

Shivsankar informed this publication that Government offers a yearly subvention to Help and Shelter. However, Shivsankar noted that this is not enough.

Shivsankar admits that the board that manages Help and Shelter is quite worried as a lot of persons depend on the organisation and the physical, mental and social services it provides to victims of all forms of abuse.

She also indicated that the organisation stands the chance of losing its staff if this famine of funds continues.

RNCF lends assistance to family in need

The Radio Needy Children's Fund (RNCF) recently came to the assistance of Lakemattie Ramjit, a young mother of four, whose family has been struck by a series of tragedies.

In a release, the RNCF noted that over a two week period, Ramjit lost her grandmother, her uncle was killed, her husband was charged and remanded to prison for the murder, and her newborn son died. Ramjit's husband, a fishmonger, was the sole breadwinner for the family.

“Her dilemma was recently published in the media and caught the attention of Chairperson of the RNCF Molly Hassan,” the release said.

Hassan said she was deeply concerned about the welfare of the young woman and her children.

As such, in an effort to spread some cheer and guarantee a good Christmas for the family, Hassan and a team from the RNCF visit-

the visit

ed their Rosignol, West Coast Berbice residence on December 24, where a cheque for $25,000 was presented to Ramjit's mother, Prattiebha Ramjit.

The elder Ramjit, who is assisting to care for the four children and five others for an ill relative, was also presented with several food hampers. Additionally, each of the nine children received

Christmas presents.

The woman expressed gratitude to the RNCF for its support during this difficult time.

Hassan in turn pledged the organisation's continued assistance to the family.

She said the RNCF will be providing a monthly care package to ensure that the family has basic necessities.

Alfred Lawrence

RNCF Chairperson Molly Hassan interacting with the family during

Josephine Whitehead, Vice Chairwoman of Help and Shelter

A masquerade band on a street on the Essequibo Coast

nder the Georgetown aspect of the Clean-up My Country Programme, allocation was made available for the Clean-up of Bourda Cemetery, Georgetown.

During a recent meeting held by Local Government and Regional Development Minister Norman Whittaker and representatives of the Georgetown Municipality, including acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba, the topic of the clean-up of Bourda Cemetery (which the Council is directly responsible for) was raised.

During that discussion, Minister Whittaker extended further assistance to the Council by making provisions for the clean-up of the cemetery under the Georgetown aspect of the Clean-up My Country Programme.

Rayad Emrit hoping for Super50 change

Trinidad and Tobago have not won any silverware since their 2013 triumph in the final edition of the Regional Twenty20.

Since then, it has been a case of near-misses as T&T came close to the four-day crown in 2014 as they finished runners-up to Barbados by a couple of points. T&T also fell short in the 2014 Super50, losing to the Bajans by 17 runs in a thrilling final at a packed Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain in February.

After a sub-par performance in the new Professional Cricket League four-day competition, the T&T Red Force will now turn their attention back to the limited overs format.

Under the leadership of Dwayne Bravo and with ar-

sults we wanted in the four games we had so far, but the Super50 is different and we are focused on that now. It is a limited overs competition and it is the shorter format that the Trinidad and Tobago team seems more comfortable with,” said Emrit who was part of the T&T team under the leadership Daren Ganga in 2008 when they defeated Barbados to clinch the title.

T&T also won the 50 over again in 2009, defeating Guyana in the final in Guyana just a couple of weeks after their magical run in the inaugural Champions League T20 in India where they finished runners up to New South Wales Blues.

Since then, T&T have won a hat-trick of Caribbean T20 titles but could not match that success in the 50-

bowling chart in the 2014 competition with ten wickets, while Ravi Rampaul and Sunil Narine were also in the top five.

However both Emrit and Rampaul were left out of the West Indies preliminary squad while opening batsman Evin Lewis and legspinner Imran Khan were both included.

“The guys are preparing well and there are a lot of senior guys back in the team preparing for this tournament and if they are available obviously they will be into the team. The likes of (Kevon) Cooper, Narine, Rampaul, Shannon (Gabriel) should be back and (Samuel) Badree is in the squad as well. Hopefully these guys will be fit and they can bring some of their experience to the team,” said the T&T

guably the best limited overs side in the region which included Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Bravo, Kevon Cooper and Lendl Simmons, T&T were favorites to lift the 2014 Super50 on home soil.

They have another chance at glory at home and skipper Rayad Emrit does not want it to slip away again.

In fact Emrit wants to start 2015 with a bang by winning the Super50 but he knows that will be easier said than done, especially after his team’s batting failures in their four PCL fourday matches so far.

Emrit even noted that switching to the 50-over format might be a lot easier for his players who already seem to be in one-day mode.

“In the four-day tournament, we did not have the re-

over or four-day versions of the game.

“We had probably our best team in the Regional Super50 this year (2014) and we fell short because of our batting again. We keep saying the same thing over and over but hopefully we can get the batting right this time,” said Emrit.

“Our batters need to put runs on the board in the competition. We come to trials and we score a lot of runs because we are accustomed to the bowlers but we need to go out there on the regional scene and put runs on the board,” he added.

The T&T skipper also noted that the local players named in the West Indies preliminary World Cup squad will have extra motivation to do well in 2015.

Emrit himself topped the

skipper.

“I would like to get more wickets again next year. I got the most wickets this year and it is a bit disheartening not to be there but that is water under the bridge now. I have to do what I have to do now. I have a team to lead and hopefully I can do the job with the bat and the ball as well.

“There will always be fingers pointing when the teams does not do well but I just have to concentrate what I can do for the team and what I can bring to the team. My experience is going to count as well as the other guys and as long I do my job, get the guys motivated enough to go out there and perform, I think we are going to do well,” he added. (Trinidad Express)

Karunaratne maiden ton revives SL

Aduck in the first innings. His team following on amid consistent movement for the seamers. The deficit was humongous and the pressure applied made it seem larger. These were the conditions Dimuth Karunaratne beat to register his maiden Test ton.

Karunaratne's patience and a steadfast knowledge of his off stump frustrated New Zealand's seamers and their slip cordon. The odd ball fizzed past his outside edge, as was bound to happen considering the quality of bowling he was facing, but his ability to shrug that off and get back into his bubble was striking. He made 28 off 88 in the morning and 39 off 102 in the afternoon to finish 116 off 299 and ensure Sri Lanka recovered from a poor start.

The ball was 35 overs old at the start of the third day. It wouldn't swing as readily anymore. Sri Lanka's opening partnership was nearing their

Test record when following-on. You could almost imagine Tim Southee and Trent Boult having a smirk at each other and saying, 'challenge accepted.'

Kaushal Silva was nipped out with the sixth ball of the day, Kumar Sangakkara's contribution in the match was limited to 7 - his last single-figure aggregate in a Test was in December 2011.

The first eight overs of the day provided a measly 14 runs and knocked two vital wickets off Sri Lanka. A scrambled-seam delivery from Southee enticed the outside edge from Silva's defensive push, while Boult showed his ability to work a batsman out when he consumed Sangakkara on the drive again.

Sangakkara did not want to repeat his first-innings dismissal, when he had nicked to slip. He waited for the straighter ball to get off the mark, but was beaten by two terrific deliveries in between. Boult realised the length had to

SCOREBOARD

be even fuller and closer to off stump. The drive came again, the edge was taken again, and Boult claimed bragging rights over a batsman who had made at least fifty in each of his last nine Tests.

Run-scoring became secondary - they made 47 in 30 overs in the first session - and the only thing that mattered for Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne was reaching lunch with their wickets intact.

BB McCullum (1-0-3-0)

Sri Lanka were 209 behind with eight wickets left and Karunaratne was the set batsman, having reached his fifth Test fifty. He knew it was his responsibility to mitigate the early damage. He was happiest on the back foot, but with time at the crease he began leaning forward. He did not, however, let the bat stray too far from his body. Out came punches down the ground and flicks through square leg as Karunaratne performed the job of tiring the bowlers and giving Sri Lanka's batting some structure. He added 87 runs for the third wicket with an equally adamant Lahiru Thirimanne, who was coming off a poor stretch of form and batting in Mahela Jayawardene's position. The second new ball broke their union, but Karunaratne remained solid and the captain Angelo Mathews exhibited his relief at being only three down with a brisk 12 off 20 before the umpires called tea.

Rayad Emrit

Dimuth Karunaratne was in the middle of his longest Test innings

Ajmal not ready yet for retest of bowling action NBA Roundup… Pelicans down spurs

With the deadline for countries to name their World Cup squads approaching, the official testing of Saeed Ajmal's bowling action has been postponed again as he needs further remedial work.

The PCB said Ajmal will continue to work with former Pakistan offspinner Saqlain Mushtaq in Lahore, while Mohammad Hafeez will have his action unofficially tested in Chennai next week. The final 15-man squads for the World Cup have to be announced by January 7.

"The PCB committee discussed the future course of action to be adopted with regard to Ajmal and Hafeez and agreed that in the case of Ajmal, further remedial work should continue in collaboration with Saqlain and a bio-mechanist in Lahore," the PCB said. "The group was informed that significant progress had been made by Ajmal who is now working on completing his mileage with the remodelled action which shall soon be accomplished.

"It was noted that Saqlain and Mushtaq

Ahmed (Pakistan spin bowling coach) have both worked with Hafeez and his action should now be unofficially tested in Chennai next week."

Ajmal was banned from bowling in international cricket in September due to an illegal action. An unofficial test at the Loughborough University found Ajmal's action for his stock delivery, the offspinner, as well his faster balls to be legal. His action for the doosra, though, was still not below the permissible 15-degree limit.

Ajmal had initially been set for an official test before the ICC on December 8, but it was postponed by the PCB. The board's illegal bowling committee was keen that Ajmal play some competitive cricket first to get used to his remodelled action. Ajmal played a couple of one-dayers this month for Pakistan A against Kenya in Lahore.

Hafeez's action was found to be illegal earlier this month. He played as a specialist batsman in the ODI series against New Zealand in the UAE. (Cricinfo)

from back page

West Indies dismiss du Plessis on rain-hit day

Faf du Plessis, on 99 overnight, reached his century off the first ball of the day with a clip to the long leg boundary and fell next ball, nicking a Jerome Taylor outswinger to the keeper. It was pitched on the perfect length, freezing du Plessis' feet and causing his hands to follow the ball, and the Snickometer revealed that it had kissed his outside edge, after umpire Paul Reiffel initially ruled it not out.

Taylor and Jason Holder continued to move the ball around, and opened up both Amla and de Villiers, finding their leading edges as they looked to play across the line. Both batsmen were just finding their feet when it began drizzling again, and de Villiers unfurled a couple of gorgeous drives off Holder,

one through extra cover and one down the ground. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

South Africa 1st innings D Elgar c †Ramdin b Peters 121

AN Petersen c Johnson b Gabriel 17

F du Plessis c †Ramdin b Taylor 103

HM Amla* not out 23

AB de Villiers†not out 9 Extras: (lb 4, w 5, nb 7) 16

Total: (3 wickets; 4 overs) 289

To bat: S van Zyl, T Bavuma, VD Philander, DW Steyn, M Morkel, Imran Tahir Fall of wickets: 1-47 (Petersen, 11.5 ov), 2-226 (Elgar, 74.1 ov), 3-274 (du Plessis, 88.2 ov) Bowling: JE Taylor 22-4-741, KK Peters 15-6-44-1, JO Holder 16-5-34-0, ST Gabriel 15-0-52-1, SJ Benn 25-3-810, MN Samuels 1-1-0-0

Anthony Davis had 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 blocks, leading the Pelicans to a 97-90 victory over the slumping San Antonio Spurs on Friday night in New Orleans.

The Pelicans earned consecutive wins over the Spurs for the first time in team history. They also won, 100-99, in San Antonio on Nov. 8.

Ryan Anderson scored 22 points for New Orleans, and Jrue Holiday added 15 points and seven assists.

San Antonio has dropped six of seven. The Spurs were coming off a 114-106 loss to Oklahoma City on Christmas.

Tim Duncan had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, and Cory Joseph also scored 20 points.

Cavaliers 98, Magic 89 — LeBron James had 29 points and eight assists as Cleveland rallied to beat host Orlando.

Kevin Love scored 22 points and reserve Dion Waiters added 17 for Cleveland, which bounced back from a 101-91 loss at Miami on Christmas.

Tristan Thompson grabbed 13 rebounds.

The Cavaliers played without Kyrie Irving, who was sidelined with a bruised knee.

Tobias Harris led Orlando with 16 points. Nik Vucevic had 12 points, 7 assists, and 8 rebounds.

Thunder 98, Hornets 75 — Russell Westbrook scored 29 points to lead Oklahoma City over visiting Charlotte, snapping the Hornets’ season-high fourgame win streak.

The Thunder played their fifth straight game without MVP Kevin Durant, who has a sprained ankle.

Westbrook, coming off of a 34-point effort in Thursday’s win at San Antonio, started the game shooting 7 of 9. He finished

with his 11th straight game of 25 points or more.

Bucks 107, Hawks 77 — Reserve forward Jared Dudley made all 10 shots, including four 3-pointers, and scored a season-high 24 points to lead Milwaukee over host Atlanta.

Brandon Knight added 16 points for Milwaukee, which snapped Atlanta’s five-game winning streak.

The Hawks had won 14

in his Rockets debut, and Houston won in Memphis in overtime to take over the top spot in the Southwest Division.

Dwight Howard had only 6 points, but connected on all four of his free throws in overtime. He grabbed 11 rebounds.

Marc Gasol led Memphis with 29 points, while Beno Udrih contributed 17.

Nuggets 106,

Detroit on opening night. Thaddeus Young led Minnesota with 23 points. Rookie guard Andrew Wiggins had 22 points for the Timberwolves, who have lost seven straight and 13 of 14.

Suns 115, Kings 106 — Marcus Morris had 20 points and nine rebounds as visiting Phoenix outlasted shorthanded Sacramento for its fifth straight win.

of 15, but were routed in front of a rare sellout crowd at home, where they entered with a 13-2 record that was the best in the Eastern Conference. Paul Millsap led the Hawks with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Mavericks 102, Lakers 98 — Rajon Rondo scored a season-high 21 points and added 8 rebounds and 7 assists as host Dallas recorded its franchise-best fifth straight win against Los Angeles.

Rockets 117, Grizzlies 111 — James Harden had 32 points and 10 assists, Josh Smith scored 21 points

Timberwolves 102 —

Kenneth Faried had a career-high 25 rebounds to go along with 26 points for host Denver.

Wilson Chandler scored 21 points for the Nuggets, who had lost two in a row.

Ty Lawson finished with 16 points and 11 assists.

Faried tied the NBA’s highest rebounding total this season. Mavericks center Tyson Chandler also had 25 rebounds in a 109-102 victory over the New York Knicks on Nov. 26.

It was Faried’s best game since he had 22 points and 17 rebounds in a victory over

Trail Blazers 114, 76ers 93 — Damian Lillard had 28 points and nine assists for host Portland’s seventh win in eight games.

Pistons 119, Pacers 109 — Greg Monroe had 19 points and 15 rebounds, Andre Drummond scored 20 points, and Detroit ended a four-game skid with a victory over visiting Indiana. Brandon Jennings scored 14 and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 15 for the Pistons. Roy Hibbert paced Indiana with 19 points. (Boston Globe)

milan sign torres on permanent deal

Chelsea and Spain striker Fernando Torres will join AC Milan on a permanent basis on 5 January.

Torres, 30, moved to the Serie A club on a two-year loan deal in August and will now make his move permanent.

BBC Sport understands he will be loaned out to former club Atletico Madrid next month, with Italy winger Alessio Cerci, 27, arriving from the Spanish side.

Torres joined Chelsea from Liverpool for a then British record transfer fee of £50m in January 2011.

The striker helped win the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup while at Chelsea.

In a statement, Chelsea thanked the 2010 World Cup winner for “his service during the past four seasons” and wished him “the very best for the future”. (BBC Sport)

Saeed Ajmal will continue to work on his action with Saqlain Mushtaq in Lahore © ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Pelicans forward Anthony Davis drove around Spurs forward Tiago Splitter

Fernando Torres

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T&T Cricket Board set to expand in 2015

Every effort will be made in the New Year to increase the human resources and manpower into making the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) a more efficient unit.

This was revealed by Chief Executive Officer of the TTCB, Suruj Ragoonath at an intimate luncheon hosted for employees of the national cricket organisation at their headquarters at Balmain, Couva, on Christmas Eve.

Ragoonath, who opened the batting for the West Indies and TT, said that currently there are 21 staff at the National Cricket Centre but that by February, this number is expected to increase by at least ten persons in other areas of the board’s operations.

Ragoonath said the TTCB is moving in a positive direction and despite operating at a smaller loss than in previous years, it is an organisation in transition and its employees must be prepared to embrace and adapt to change.

“It is a change from a purely voluntary national association to one that is professional in outlook and execution. We have to expect growing pains that come with making the cricket board the best run national sports organisation in the country,” said Ragoonath.

He said that everyone in the TTCB’s employ must be ready to put their shoulders to the wheel and work together as a team in the new year to raise the bar and establish new standards which can redound to the benefit of local and regional cricket.

Ragoonath also told the staff and invited guests that over the year, the TTCB had to say goodbye to senior administrative assistant Allyson Ali; manager of

the North Zone office Ronald Cape; and NCC security officer Vivian Calliste whom he all praised for their long and dedicated service to cricket.

The board CEO said he was confident that the TTCB will continue to make great strides into the New Year as he appealed to all to maintain their commitment to service and openness that has been the hallmark of their operations over the years.

Also making brief remarks was Dudnath Ramkessoon, Chief Operations Manager of the TTCB, who said it was indeed a joy to work with the group of people which currently comprised the organisation’s staff.

Ramkessoon, a former West Indies Youth team and TT captain and star batsman, said there must be no reason for major differences as they prepare for what will be one of their busiest years in local cricket.

“We must have a unity of purpose as we prepare for 2015 when the National Cricket Centre will be transformed into a bee-hive of activity with the recent installation of floodlights.

“We will have increased bookings for the venue and management of the fa-

cility will move into another gear with the West Indies Under-19 team having a live-in camp at the Sir Frank Worrell Development Centre in early January,” said Ramkessoon.

He said the pitches have been relaid at the NCC which will make for more competitive matches and the hosts must be seen as accommodating the cricketers, patrons and guests using the facility.

Ramkessoon told the staff they must be prepared for challenges in 2015 and to be mindful that the public will assess the success or failure of the TTCB by the results they show at the end of the day.

Also present at the luncheon were board officials Arjoon Ramlal, general secretary; Baldath Mahabir, executive member and TT representative on the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB); national senior team coach Gus Logie and his assistants Kelvin Williams and David Williams; TT senior team manager Manohar Ramsaran; and Ian Ramlal, president of the Primary Schools Cricket League, and an executive member of the TTCB.

Crystal Palace sack manager after Southampton defeat

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eil Warnock has become the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season after being dismissed by Crystal Palace.

The 66-year-old joined the Eagles for a second time in August 2014, following the departure of Tony Pulis. However Palace's 3-1 defeat at home against Southampton on Boxing Day left them in the relegation zone.

Assistant manager Keith Millen will be in charge for the trip to Queens Park Rangers on Sunday.

It is understood that Palace are looking to appoint permanent successor as soon as possible.

A club statement read: "The club would like to put on record its thanks to Neil for all his hard work and

energy over the past four months."

Crystal Palace's decision to appoint Neil Warnock was always laced with risk - a manager arguably out of his time in Premier League terms and favouring an abrasive style best suited to the rigours of the Championship. And so it has proved, making his sacking an in-

evitability if Palace wanted to avoid the sort of relegation threat Tony Pulis saved them from so brilliantly last season.

How Palace chairman Steve Parish must wish he could have come to some sort of agreement to keep Pulis - and how he must wish he could lure him back now. Sadly for Palace, this seems a non-starter." (BBC Sport)

Suruj Ragoonath

Neil Warnock

Parika Salem wins Supreme Petroleum, Big Yard Auto Sale T20

Parika Salem were crowned champions of the Supreme Petroleum/Big Yard Auto Sale T20 tournament after defeating Supreme Petroleum SC by five runs in the final played recently on the East Bank of Essequibo.

Host Parika Salem managed 100-9 off their allotted 20 overs after they were inserted by on a difficult pitch.

Daniram Lallaram and Brian Hubbert were the only batsmen that showed fight with 15 and 14 not out respectively.

Left arm spinner Imran Khan captured 2-6, Safraz Ali 2-9 and Sheldon Alexander 2-17.

In reply, Supreme Petroleum were reduced to 25-4, but Khan and Alexander stabilised the chase with a fifth wicket stand for 44 before Alexander was dismissed for 23.

After Khan followed shortly for 25, the rest of the

batting offered little resistance as Supreme Petroleum ended on 95-5 in 20 overs.

Jason Heyliger grabbed 3-15 and Trevor Benn 2-23.

Meanwhile, Parika Salem thumped Hyde Park by eight wickets in their semi final encounter played earlier at the said venue.

Hyde Park managed 75-6 after the game was reduced

to 12 overs due to rain. Travis Drakes scored 27 and Mahendra Nandkishore 17; Hemchand Persaud claimed 3-16 and Edwin Burnette 2-9.

Parika Salem replied with 77-2 in 8.3 overs. Kevon Boodie stroked 44 and Kemol Savory 19 not out.

Supreme Petroleum beat Tuschen A by four wick-

ets in the other semi final. The host took first strike and scored 107 all out in 19.2 overs. Aftab Khan made 20 and Azar Safie 18. Alexander snared 3-17, Michael Goberdhan 2-4 and Javed Shafeek 2-27.

Supreme Petroleum responded with 109-6 in 17.4 overs. Keemo Paul slammed 46; Safie took 2-36.

Heyliger was given the man-of-the-match in the final award; Hemchand Persaud received the best bowler prize, Paul the most outstanding batsman and most valuable player accolades, while Kemol Savory pocketed $20,000 for scoring the lone century in the tournament.

Both finalists collected trophies. Speaking at the presentation ceremony chairman of the East Bank Essequibo Cricket Committee, Alvin Johnson thanked the sponsors and congratulated the winners.

Kholi, Rahane drive India's fight

On Christmas Eve, it was pointed out in a local newspaper that for all Steven Smith's recent achievements he had yet to conquer the MCG. Not once had he passed 50 in a Test match at Australian cricket's colosseum.

On a day of blue skies, a raucous crowd of 51,566, and some dreadful Indian fielding and bowling, Smith put that particular matter to rest. His 192 was a masterpiece of light and shade, determination and dominance, pace and patience. Smith was happy to play a minor role in no fewer than three significant partnerships on the second day, but in showing when to stick and when to twist he guided his side to 530.

Having hoped to be chasing somewhere in the region of 300 when Australia's fifth wicket fell at 216 on Boxing Day Afternoon, India were bereft of ideas against Smith, and were fortunate to reach stumps as tidily placed as 1 for 108. Shikhar Dhawan was winkled out by Ryan Harris, and Cheteshwar Pujara survived only through an untidy miss by Brad Haddin from the accuracy of Josh Hazlewood.

M Vijay at least maintained his command of India's top order, passing 50 for the fourth time in five innings and weathering some searing overs late in the day from Mitchell Johnson, who charged in with the crowd baying expectantly behind him. They had been roused to life early by Haddin's free-spirited start alongside Smith.

Stands of 110 with Haddin and 50 with

Johnson set the scene for a rollicking union of 106 between Smith and Ryan Harris, who posted his highest Test score. In the end only the lure of a doublecentury before tea tripped up Smith, bowled when attempting to ramp Umesh Yadav to fine leg with last man Josh Hazlewood looking on.

All India's bowlers conceded centuries of their own, and none could find a way past Smith, who is finding exceptionally rare territory with his current glut of runs. Chris Rogers had ranked him alongside AB de Villiers on the first evening, and said it was "scary" how good Smith may yet become. In front of an appreciative MCG crowd, Smith scared the living daylights out of MS Dhoni.

This was his third hun-

dred in as many matches, making him the first Australian to pass three figures in each of his first two Tests as captain. Smith and Haddin looked assured as stumps neared on the first evening, and they resumed as though the interval had been only a few minutes rather than a night's sleep.

Haddin was untroubled by India's short-ball fixation, playing one neat hook shot and another more outlandish overhead, crosscourt forehand. This convinced Shami to revert to over the wicket, but when he did Haddin delivered the shot of the morning: an iron-wristed punch through point for which there was no need to run.

A brace of boundaries in the following over from Ishant Sharma took Haddin to 50 - his first in

Chelsea captain as good as ever – Jose Mourinho

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says 34-yearold John Terry is playing as well as when he led the Blues to the Premier League title almost 10 years ago.

"He's full of confidence. I see my John of 2004, 05, 06. I don't see any difference," Mourinho said.

"I only see a difference when his twins are on the training ground. They were born in that period and now they are running and kicking balls."

Terry scored in a 2-0 win

Friday's strike was the Chelsea captain's second goal in as many games.

Along with Diego Costa's strike, it helped the Blues maintain a three-point advantage over Manchester City, who completed a 3-1 win away to West Brom.

Faced with a tight turnaround before their Sunday trip to fourth-placed Southampton, Mourinho's side opted to train immediately after their win over West Ham, rather than go through a double session on Saturday.

over West Ham as his side stayed clear at the top.

The central defender was Blues captain during Mourinho's first spell as manager, helping them to the Premier League title in 2005 with the fewest goals conceded in the competition's history.

Terry then led Mourinho's side to a title defence the following season and an FA Cup triumph in 2007.

precisely 50, and there was time for Harris to deliver one boundary of his own and Smith to pass 500 runs for the series before lunch arrived.

"I had two training sessions for tomorrow, but they were crying so much in the dressing room I decided to make a change," Mourinho said. "They are training now."

After Sunday's meeting with Saints, Chelsea travel to Tottenham on New Year's Day and host Watford in the FA Cup third round on 4 January. (BBC Sport)

Harris and Smith set a cracking pace in the afternoon, the No. 9 batsman briefly putting his captain in the shade with a series of hefty blows that reaped the majority of a hundred stand. A towering six over midwicket took Harris to his Test best, but next ball he was lbw to Ashwin just as spectators began thinking of a Harris hundred. (Cricinfo)

15 innings and a reassuring sight for the Australian selectors.

Smith had announced his intent for the morning by gliding Shami through cover for three in the day's second over, and a flurry of boundaries through cover, point and midwicket took him to the cusp of another century. Shami was obliging with a leg-stump offering that Smith flicked fine of long leg, and he cast his eyes on Phillip Hughes and the heavens upon notching his first Test hundred at the MCG.

Haddin did not last much longer, snicking Shami behind while trying to leave one alone, but Johnson showed plenty of verve and power in a racy 28. A dance down the wicket to R Ashwin had Johnson stumped after a stand of

Australia 1st innings

CJL Rogers c †Dhoni b Mohammed Shami 57

DA Warner c Dhawan b Yadav 0

SR Watson lbw b Ashwin 52

SPD Smith* b Yadav 192

SE Marsh c †Dhoni b Mohammed Shami 32

JA Burns c †Dhoni b Yadav 13

BJ Haddin† c †Dhoni b Mohammed Shami 55

MG Johnson st †Dhoni b Ashwin 28 RJ Harris lbw b Ashwin 74 NM Lyon b Mohammed Shami 11

JR Hazlewood not out 0

Extras (b 1, lb 9, w 1, nb 5) 16

Total (all out; 142.3 overs) 530 (3.71 runs per over)

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Warner, 1.6 ov), 2-115 (Rogers, 36.2 ov), 3-115 (Watson, 37.2 ov), 4-184 (Marsh, 60.6 ov), 5-216 (Burns, 70.5 ov), 6-326 (Haddin, 100.6 ov), 7-376 (Johnson, 111.4 ov), 8-482 (Harris, 135.4 ov), 9-530 (Lyon, 141.6 ov),

10-530 (Smith, 142.3 ov)

Bowling: I Sharma (32-7-104-0); UT Yadav (32.3-3-130-30); Mohammed Shami (29-4138-4); R Ashwin (44-9-1343); M Vijay (5-0-14-0) India 1st innings

M Vijay c Marsh b Watson 68 S Dhawan c Smith b Harris 28

CA Pujara c †Haddin b Harris 25 V Kohli not out 89 AM Rahane not out 92

Extras 0

Total (3 wickets; 87.2 overs)

302 (3.45 runs per over)

To bat: KL Rahul, MS Dhoni*†, R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, I Sharma, UT Yadav Fall of wickets: 1-55 (Dhawan, 14.2 ov), 2-108 (Pujara, 37.2 ov), 3-147 (Vijay, 49.5 ov)

Bowling: MG Johnson (20-578-0) RJ Harris (18.2-5-54-2) JR Hazlewood (17-5-52-0); SR Watson (11-2-441); NM Lyon (19-3-63-0); SPD Smith (2-0-11-0)

Kemol Savory

Trevor Benn

Brad Haddin and Steven Smith added 110 runs in partnership © Getty Images

John Terry

Slingerz FC crowned...

The home side for their showing received the second place accolade and $500,000. In the individual section, Millington was adjudged to be the event's most valuable player while Joao Filho of Slingerz was selected as the event's best custodian.

Eariler, Millington silenced the home crowd in the third minute, lashing his first time right footed effort into the lower left corner.

Lanferman would fashion Den Amstel's first attempt on target in the 17th minute, rifling a powerful 26 yard freekick from the centre of the field, narrowly over the crossbar.

The home crowd would begin to make their presence felt in the 28th minute as Hilliman headed a right sided corner kick just over the crossbar from within the right side of the area.

Buoyed by their rapid support, Den Amstel would net the equaliser 11 minutes later through another sublime Hilliman.

Lurking within the right side of the box, the stoutly built Hilliman would direct his headed attempt from a right sided cornerkick down the centre of the goal, to send the home crowd into wild celebrations on the field. With both sides unable to fashion any clear cut chances in the robust second period, Joseph almost stole the win for the Vergenoegen unit as he was denied by the woodwork in the 104th minute of extra time.

Receiving the ball 23 yards from the centre of the field, the combative midfielder would unleash a powerful effort that cannoned off the left upright, much to the relief of the Den Amstel faithful as the fixture meandered to its eventual exciting conclusion.

In the third place playoff, Pouderoyen FC downed Uitvlugt Warriors by a 3-1 margin. Keon Duke opened the scoring for Uitvlugt Warriors in the third minute through a penalty conversion following an infringement within the area.

However Pouderoyen would level the score line in the 18th minute as Marvin Frank netted, finishing his effort to the back of the net from within the area, after latching onto a through pass.

Lloyd Prince would then push Pouderoyen ahead in the 43rd minute, placing his effort to the lower right hand corner from within the left side of the penalty area.

The victory would then be sealed in the 72nd minute as Prince netted his second of the evening, slotting home unchallenged in the centre of the six yard area, after rounding the onrushing keeper following a forward pass.

With the win, Pouderoyen walked away with $300,000 and the respective accolade while Uitvlugt received $200,000 and the fourth place trophy.

Ajmal withdraws from World Cup

Saeed Ajmal has ruled himself out of the World Cup because he needs more time to remodel his bowling action.

The off-spinner was suspended from international cricket after his action was ruled illegal in tests in September.

The PCB had asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) earlier this month to reassess Ajmal's action but have decided to delay it after tests revealed he still needs remodelling.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shaharyar Khan said: "Ajmal withdrew himself.

"We didn't want to take a risk with Ajmal's career because latest reports suggested his elbow extension was not still within the 15 de-

grees allowed by the ICC despite all the remedial work on his action.

"We were aware that if he took the official ICC test in a bid to make the World Cup squad and failed it he could be suspended from playing for one to two years and that would mean the end of his career."

Under the ICC rules, bowlers are allowed to flex their elbow by 15 degrees but Ajmal's tests revealed his elbow flexed by 43 degrees.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Hafeez, who was suspended earlier this month over his bowling action, will have an unofficial test in India.

The World Cup in Australia and New Zealand starts on February 14th. (Sky Sports)

Saeed Ajmal

The scorers for Pouderoyen in the third place play-off

Slingerz FC crowned champions

Slingerz FC were crowned the inaugural Vitamalt /Aqua Mist sponsored WDFA knockout champions after they defeated Den Amstel 4-1 on penalty kicks on Friday at the Den Amstel Community ground.

Both teams ended 1-1 at normal time.

Slingerz Captain Tichard Joseph led by front in the penalty shoot-out, scoring straight away into the left hand corner.

Den Amstel levelled the shoot-out as custodian Ryan Hunt sent his opposite number the wrong way with a clinical strike into the lower corner.

Defender Colin Nelson would then push the Vergenoegen giants back into the lead, netting his side's second attempt.

The Slingerz fans would then be given a bigger reason to celebrate as Travis Hilliman failed to hit the target in Den Amstel's second attempt from the distance.

Joshua Browne would then put further daylight between the hated rivals, finishing his right footed attempt clinically to the lower left side.

It would then go from bad to worse for the home side in the third round as forward Delon Lanferman thumped his right footed strike wide of the left post.

Merely needing to score to seal the inaugural title, dapper forward Devon Millington would not disappoint as he rifled his effort past Hunt to commence the festivities. With the win, Slingerz walked away with the championship trophy and $1,000,000.

turn to page 23

BCB Annual General Meeting today

By Rajiv Bisnauth

The most eagerly anticipated Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) annual general meeting comes off today amidst tremendous interest over the election of a president.

Against the background of intense lobbying over the past five weeks, incumbent first Vice President of the BCB, Anil Beharry is facing a challenge from President of the Port Mourant Cricket Club (PMCC), Vicram Suebarran, in a contest that many observers are predicting an easy walkover for Beharry.

Both Beharry, a manager at the New Building Society, and

Suebarran, a businessman, are confident of securing the majority of the 40 votes during the ballot at the board’s Charlotte Street, Head Office from 10:00 hrs.

Leading up to today’s poll, Beharry had already won the support from at least two of the three associations and 12 affiliated clubs with the BCB.

Also former West Indies middle-order batsman, Basil Butcher believes Beharry is the better of the two candidates, despite been critical of both.

According to those in support of Beharry, Berbice is a County of cricket enthusiasts whose cricketers have distinguished themselves with excellent performances at the

local, regional and international levels.

It is the belief that Berbice cricket will benefit from Beharry’s talent, passion and considerable experience as an administrator of the game.

Beharry, the experienced cricket administrator explained that he finally deciding to run for the post following public call from several persons in the cricket fraternity.

Suebarran, on the other hand, asserted he decided to run for president to “propose new guidelines which will ultimately bring back life to Berbice cricket.”

According to the BCB’s constitution, the three associations: West Berbice, Berbice River and Upper Corentyne are entitled to four votes each, while the 14 clubs affiliated with the BCB are entitled to two votes each.

Those clubs entitled to voting rights are: Kidonan, Whim, Port Mourant, Rose Hall Town Youth and Sport Club, Albion, Chesney, Rose Hall Community Centre, Young Warriors, Bermine, Police, Mental, Mount Sinai, and Blairmont.

Incumbent President Keith Foster cannot seek re-election since his two-year three term period expires at the end of the year.

West Indies dismiss du Plessis on rain-hit day

du Plessis reached his century off the first ball of the morning, and was out next ball © AFP

Rain ensured only six overs were possible on day two, and West Indies managed to pick up their third wicket in that time. The start was delayed by two hours, and the drizzle sent the players back indoors half an hour into the morning session.

The weather remained grim over the next few hours, and the umpires officially called off play at 5.05pm. South Africa will begin the third day on 289 for 3, with Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers at the crease.

Anil Beharry

Keith Foster

Faf

Slingerz FC celebrate their championship win