30th Nov 2013

APNU calls for national solid waste management plan P3

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 1968 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Hydromet Office, City Council failed us! – Dr Luncheon See story on page 2

Importer could lose $23M in chicken, cheese due to blackout

PRICE

$60 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Church P12 of the Nazarene exposes false bishop Dochfour residents P12 bemoan poor roads, drainage amid rainy season Some P13 abused girls to be housed at Mahaica Children’s Home Warapoka P13 woman dies after giving birth

See story on page 7

Importer Ishmain Janmahamad points to some of the spoilt chicken and cheese resulting from the five-day blackout in his area

Businessman found dead in Anna Regina See story on page 2

Ministry P17 undertaking major drainage works in city

2 news

saturDay, november 30, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

Hydromet Office, City Council failed us!

– Dr Luncheon

Businessman found dead in T Anna Regina T

he business community on the Essequibo Coast on Friday morning was greeted with the shocking news of the death of young businessman Timor Gossai, 30, of Parika, East Bank Essequibo.

He was discovered around 05:00h in a pool of blood in front of the home he was staying in Anna Regina.

According to reports, Gossai was seen consuming alcohol on Thursday evening and may have come out to get some breeze, and while sitting on the veranda, he may have fallen to his death.

The front door of the upper flat of his house was open. At the time of his death, the village was experiencing a power outage and it was raining heavily.

The discovery was made by a few vendors who turned up early at the Anna Regina Market. They saw the businessman lying motionless, and upon checking, they saw blood oozing from his mouth.

The police were summoned to the scene and Gossai’s body was removed and taken to the Suddie Public Hospital, where he was certified as dead. There

Dead: Timor Gossai

were no marks of violence on his body.

According to information received, the businessman was living with his family at Parika but went to the Essequibo Coast on Thursday to check on the progress of the construction of a building his family is building there.

Gossai, a father of two, was described a very friendly and industrious individual.

His body is at the Suddie Funeral Home. Police have launched an investigation into the matter.

he Hydromet Office has failed Guyana, head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon said as he alluded to the widespread flooding on Wednesday linked to torrential rains.

While admitting that floods may always be an issue of concern, Dr Luncheon told the press on Friday that residents in high risk townships and communities like Georgetown were ill-prepared because they were not warned of the intense rainfall.

He said the Hydromet Office has failed Guyana in this regard since warnings were not provided in a timely manner.

The Agriculture Ministry had indicated that the rainfall on Tuesday, November 26 was the most intense over a six-hour period, from 02:00h to 08:00h, in Georgetown.

Rainfall was measured at 128.9mm (5.1 inches), the highest recorded in the city since 1892; however, this

Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon

data was made public hours after the rain had eased.

The head of the Presidential Secretariat also cast blame at the feet of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), stating that the council led by Mayor Hamilton Green was also ill-prepared. “They also failed us, irate ratepayers, residents of the capital city should let the City Council

report on their preparedness for this short rainy season 2013,” he posited.

Prior to the rainy season, Dr Luncheon said the City Council should have ensured the drainage networks, pumps and kokers in the city were in order.

To avert another occurrence, he said major emphasis should be placed on the mechanical drainage system, increasing its capacity. This system should be supported by installation of additional pumps at pivotal locations.

According to Dr Luncheon, another set of mobile pumps is expected in the country by mid-December.

Earlier in the year, A Partnership for National Unit (APNU) members of Parliament moved a motion to restore Georgetown through a widespread cleanup campaign. The motion was unanimously passed in the National Assembly in March.

Since then, it has been stalled at the level of a parliamentary

special select committee.

However, Dr Luncheon said the time to act is now, as he advocated for a collective approach. “Let us implement this parliamentary resolution, let us work together in putting in place a robust system… let’s work on a robust enough system… as I said, a repetition of this scale could be avoided,” he posited.

Dr Luncheon is not the only person seeking a collective approach to mitigate flooding in Guyana; Opposition Leader David Granger on Thursday encouraged the administration to establish a ministerial taskforce, comprising the agriculture, natural resources and environment, health, housing and water, human services, local government and public works ministries to better coordinate a national response and avert a humanitarian catastrophe during the impending rainy season.

APNU said it was willing to assist in meeting the needs of the Guyanese populace.

Fishermen fake pirate attack

P

olice have arrested one of three fishermen who faked a robbery on their vessel with the intention of selling several pieces of equipment they stole from it.

According to a police release, on November 23, ranks at the Charity Police Station received a report from the

captain and two other members of a fishing crew that they had been attacked and robbed by three armed men on November 22, while fishing in the vicinity of the mouth of the Pomeroon River.

The fishermen reported that three men armed with a handgun and two cutlasses had approached their boat

in another vessel, held them up and took away a lighting plant and their 40 horsepower outboard motor engine and escaped.

However, investigations by the police revealed that the report was false and that the crew members had hidden the articles with the intention of selling them and

had reported the robbery to cover their actions.

The outboard engine was recovered on Thursday among some bushes in the vicinity of the mouth of the Pomeroon River. One of the men has been arrested so far and is in police custody assisting with the investigations.

News

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Saturday, November 30 from14:30h to 16:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on Saturday, November 30 from 14:20h to 15:50h.

WEATHER TODAY Countrywide: Thundery showers are expected to prevail during the day and into the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations.

Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 27 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East north-easterly between 1.66 and 2.22 metres per second.

High Tide: 02:06h and 14:25h reaching maximum heights of 2.48 metres and 2.64 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 07:56h and 20:27h reaching minimum heights of 0.71 metre and 0.54 metre respectively.

wednesday, november 27, 2013

LOTTERY NUMBERS D

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FREE TICKET FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2013

Daily Millions

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DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

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saturday, november 30, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

APNU calls for national solid waste management plan

T

he A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is calling for the government to implement a Solid Waste Management Plan to effectively deal with the gigantic garbage problem plaguing the entire nation, but especially the country’s capital city.

The call was made

by APNU’s leader David Granger on Friday at the party’s weekly press conference. The opposition leader pointed out that the government should display leadership and move to address the garbage situation, which is affecting the country’s development.

“Guyana has a gigantic garbage problem. Every part of the country, not only Georgetown, is affected by the garbage crisis. Knolls of rubbish have disfigured the urban and rural landscape. Builders waste, carrion, damaged vehicles, and discarded tyres encumber roadsides and sidewalks,” he said.

Granger suggested that a national approach needs to be adopted and proposed a national solid waste management plan, which will outline targets to reduce, reuse, and recycle solid waste.

“The plan must mandate the selective sorting of reusable waste ‘at source’ in households and business places… must make use of the large quantity of vegetable waste generated every day by municipal markets, farms, restaurants, schools, and the hospitality industry in towns and neighbourhoods,” he stat-

APNU leader David Granger

ed.

The opposition leader urged collaborations among the government, municipal authorities, corporations, and citizens in order to tame the giant garbage monster.

Politicised problem Granger explained that whenever he advocates for a particular measure, despite the government not indicating that it has paid heed to these recommendations, he usually receives reports that action has been taken by the government to address issues. He remains positive that it will again take action, stating “the government pretends not to hear but quietly they go about implementing government policies which the APNU has been calling for”.

He went on to say that the government has been politicising the garbage situation, since a few days ago it indirectly cast blame

on the APNU for the garbage pile-up. “We see a desire to politicise the problem of Georgetown to make it look as though APNU is at fault… Georgetown has serious problems, because the boundaries of Georgetown were expanded, but the resources to run those extended boundaries were never provided to the city and the city has been prevented from raising money independently,” he said.

The opposition leader highlighted that one of the major problems the city is facing is its lack of funds, since its budget cannot fulfil its responsibilities. He added that another problem the City Hall is faced with is the lack of cooperation and conflict between the acting town clerk and the mayor.

Georgetown restoration APNU has previously tabled a motion for the restoration of Georgetown to the National Assembly and it was passed unanimously; however, the coalition leader pointed out that maybe the PPP/C administration needed some sort of an incentive to move forward with the legislation.

The grouping’s shadow infrastructure and development minister, Joseph Harmon, said the motion was one of the initiatives the APNU has taken to curb this issue. He

explained that four subcommittees were subsequently established to deal with the garbage in Georgetown.

He pointed out that he had meetings with all of the managers in the City Council’s solid waste management system and basically looked at ways to deal with solid waste management, more so now that the rainy season has begun. The pile-up of garbage has contributed greatly to the clogging up of drainage systems. He disclosed that the managers have expressed their concern over the situation and anxiety to get work done to rid the country’s capital city of its disposal woes.

“I am convinced that they have the capacity to do the work, but it is the will of the government to give them the resources to do the work,” said the parliamentarian.

Harmon further stated that currently the Mayor and City Council did not have any vehicles since the two compactor trucks, which were donated to them, are not working. On this note, the APNU member called on corporate Guyana to assist City Hall since the workers are prepared to work.

The parliamentarian suggested that there be a general clean-up in the city after which garbage should be collected twice weekly.

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guyanatimesgy.com

Saturday, november 30, 2013

Views Editor: Nigel Williams 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

Typhoon Haiyan

T

he world, including us here in Guyana, has witnessed on television the massive trail of destruction caused by Typhoon Haiyan which ripped across the central Philippines on November 8. Almost 9.8 million people are now believed to have been affected. Of that number, the Philippines government and the United Nations (UN) estimate that approximately 660,000 people have been forced from their homes.

The number of casualties continues to increase daily with officials in Leyte Province reporting that as many as 10,000 people may have died in Tacloban City alone. In Tacloban City, Typhoon Haiyan sent a surge of sea water through low-lying neighbourhoods, which reached the second floor of some buildings.

Presently, there is need for much financial and other resources to help the people of that country get back to their normal lives. As expected, the Guyana government has responded by making a financial contribution of US$50,000 to assist in the international response. We hope that in addition to the government’s assistance, the private sector and even nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) here will join together to provide some assistance to the people of that country, as they seek to recover and rebuild.

Guyana’s contribution will go to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which launched an appeal for US$348 million for relief efforts.

OCHA is currently headed by UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Baroness Valerie Amos, and is focusing its efforts on providing food, clean water and shelter, as well as prioritising the needs of women and girls, who remain vulnerable as a result of the disaster.

The Washington, DC-based alliance organisation InterAction reports that there are areas where 80-90 per cent of homes have been destroyed, so it is crucial to find inhabitants shelter.

NGO groups are also working with the authorities there to reestablish lines of communication, restore electricity, and clear roads to allow relief aid to get to the most isolated regions.

However, while all of these short term measures are crucial for persons’ lives to return to normalcy, it is necessary that the government of the Philippines and the international relief organisations along with the NGOs involved in the recovery efforts, look seriously at long-term measures to make the country more resilient to natural disasters.

As pointed out by Lori Bertman, Chairman of the Centre for Disaster Philanthropy, while media, funders, and emergency responders spend a short amount of time dealing with immediate needs, this does not create the infrastructure to mitigate future risk, and leaves long-term needs such as resettlement, mental and public health, as well as fiscal viability unfunded and unattended.

Additionally, grass-roots humanitarian organisations that provide year-round support to sustain local communities’ ongoing needs and enable them to recover do exist. However, to sustain year-round recovery and capacity-building, these organisations require year-round funding.

Of note is that the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Philippines has been rising every year since 1998, and in 2011, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported that the Philippines boasted the 45th-largest economy in the world.

In this regard, Bertman notes that in order to continue this upward economic trajectory, the Philippines must continue to build stronger communities. He rightfully suggests that “this recovery process affords the possibility of building back stronger and improving infrastructure so that communities are better prepared in the face of future catastrophes. This includes more viable evacuation and resettlement planning and investing in solid, long-term rebuilding.”

Further, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Philippines has faced devastating storms three years in a row, and it is located in the aptly named Pacific “Ring of Fire”, named for its prevalence of volcanoes and earthquakes. The country experiences an average of 19 typhoons each year, so it is almost inevitable that it will again face compound disasters.

This justifies the need for more long term planning.

In memory of all the men and women who served valiantly in British Guiana and Guyana’s military. A nation says thank you. Chief-ofStaff of the disciplined forces, Brigadier Mark Phillips pays homage as a wreath is laid in their honour on Friday at Camp Ayanganna (Carl Croker photo)

The bunch of mavericks Dear Editor, Sasenarine Singh, Emile Mervin, Dr Asquith Rose and Harish Singh have many commonalities. They all reside in the United States of America. They inundate the letter columns of our newspapers with writings. From the length and frequency of these writings, they do not appear to be gainfully employed. They are all critics of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration.

These gentlemen have intentionally chosen to migrate from Guyana to the first-world, presumably to eke out a better existence.

It does not appear that they are successful. One would expect that they would try to improve their lot where they are.

However, that is not the case. From the comfort of their first-world home,

they bombard us in Guyana with their views, as they relentlessly attempt to shape public opinion and influence governance in Guyana.

Their adopted home must have thousands of newspapers.

What happens in the political arena in the U.S. will have a greater impact on their lives than what happens in Guyana. Why they do not write about American politics in the U.S. newspapers is mind-boggling. They prefer to pollute us with their toxic rave and ranting.

I appeal to readers to ignore them.

They do not appear to be either credible or stable. After writing for years, jointly, with Sasenarine Singh, in support of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Dr Asquith Rose, suddenly, one day jumped ship and is now a baptised supporter of

A Partnership For National Unity (APNU).

His ex-sidekick, Sasenarine Singh, was a die-hard PPP/C member. He must be the only person on planet Earth who has ever applied in writing for a ministerial appointment. He applied to President Bharrat Jagdeo for the position of finance minister when Sasenarine Kowlessar demitted office. Perhaps he felt that one Sasenarine should replace another.

When Dr Ashni Singh was chosen instead, all hell broke loose. Jagdeo and the PPP/C suddenly became devils. To think that he is even a match, intellectual and otherwise, for Dr Singh, vividly illustrates his mental state.

Corruption is Sasenarine Singh’s favourite topic upon which he writes. Perhaps he thinks that readers have a

short memory. I recall a few years ago, a businessman was on television complaining that while Sasenarine Singh was employed at the National Flour Mills, he reportedly extracted money from the businessman and in return guaranteed the businessman a regular supply of flour.

In fact the businessman alleged that he purchased a car for this very Sasenarine Singh in what was reportedly a corrupt scheme of extortion. When these disclosures were made, Sasenarine Singh threatened to file legal proceedings. We never heard of any proceedings filed.

These guys are a bunch of mavericks. The quicker people ignore them, the better for everyone.

Yours faithfully, Reeaz Holladar

The consequences of drug trafficking Dear Editor, In many countries, crimes which involve the importing, exporting, sale or possession of any kind of narcotics often constitute serious capital offences. Those found guilty can face extreme consequences including the death penalty.

In Florida, the Tampa Bay Florida Federal jury

found two Guyanese guilty of trafficking narcotics.

Come February 20, 2014, they are expected to be sentenced to life imprisonment.

Florida is a well known dream destination for many Guyanese, but many fail to realise how stringent their laws are. They have zero tolerance for those who break

the law.

Just recently, the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) intercepted a Rigina, which was Guyanaregistered. Some 101.02 kilograms of cannabis, 20.6 kilograms of cocaine and one UZI sub-machine gun and ammunition were found on board. The evidence was subsequently seized upon

discovery.

Shortly after, a converted fishing trawler, carrying more than 200 kilograms of cocaine, was hauled in by authorities in Ghana. I anxiously await the consequences that those accused of drug trafficking will have to face.

Yours truly, Akesh Ramjattan

guyanatimesgy.com

Saturday, november 30, 2013

5

You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

improvements for Georgetown Unlicensed driving More Public Hospital contributes to fatal accidents

Dear Editor, Just recently, a 26-yearold man lost his life after the vehicle he was driving met with an accident. As an unlicensed driver, the young man was still summoned by his father to pick him up. I must opine how irresponsible it was of both parties to take such risks.

In addition to driving being a serious responsibility, driving some vehicles actually call for some amount of experience. Upon receiving their driver’s licence, many individuals, still inexperienced, often proceed to be-

come involved in offering public transportation services such as taxi and minibus ply.

When inexperienced drivers take this approach, they not only jeopardise their own lives, but also the commuters who put their lives in the driver’s hands.

This particular misfortune reveals that accidents are not necessarily caused by road conditions, but by the bad decisions that drivers make. This young man was fully aware that he was inexperienced and not legally licensed, yet he proceeded

to get behind the wheel.

Additionally, it was evident that he was speeding, and given the fact that he was hurled from his vehicle quite some feet from the accident, it is almost unlikely that he was wearing his seatbelt.

I strongly recommend that when potential drivers undertake their driving package, that some amount of emphasis be placed on behaviour and proper judgment.

Sincerely, Denny Samuels

There is no link between corporal punishment and criminality

Dear Editor, The Youth Coalition for Transformation (YCT) is disputing that corporal punishment in schools is perpetuating itself into violence in today’s society. Additionally, they are opining that corporal punishment is as equivalent to the tactics used by the Guyana Police Force to control people.

In a recent presentation, YCT explained that the beating of children at home and in schools has resulted in many becoming cultured to the use of violence as a way of being powerful.

They proceeded to state that corporal punishment is

part of a general cycle of violence, and it is a medium of conflict resolution used by the police and many others to achieve power and domination.

I will personally continue to commend the amicable effort that the police are taking to curb criminal activities in Guyana. Many citizens blame the police for the increase in crime, stating that they are incompetent and useless. However, when they intensify their efforts to address issues, they are still critiqued by those same individuals.

Additionally, it is wrong to make a comparison be-

tween corporal punishment and criminality. People who fall prey to a criminal lifestyle often have common traits including lack of education, irresponsible lifestyles, come from broken homes and who generally try to find an easy way out of life.

As good Samaritans, we need to express apathy to these individuals and we should also seek to help steer them in the right direction. Guyana has many opportunities, but it is our responsibility to take that first step to living a good life.

Sincerely, Clinton Reid

Dear Editor, “Emergency medicine is a specialty that cheats death.”

This was a statement uttered by the Chairman of the Vanderbilt Emergency Centre in Tennessee at a recent function held in Guyana. A team of specialists, inclusive of himself, are responsible for the implementation of an Accident and Emergency Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

After committing to a series of ongoing studies, both in Guyana and the United States of America, Dr Zulfikar Bux is the current Head of the Accident and Emergency Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital and is a specialist in the area of emergency medicine.

His exposure included training from senior health professionals and specialists of the Vanderbilt Emergency Centre in Tennessee, U.S.A. He is currently the only qualified individual in Guyana in the field of emergency medicine.

It is pertinent for Guyana to ensure the availability of adequate emergency response when needed. We must encompass the facilities and expertise that are needed to cater to accident and emergency patients.

The overall aim of this new initiative is to ensure the stabilising of patients and ensuring as much as possible, that their lives are preserved.

Additionally, it aims to en-

sure that injured persons are properly taken care of as they are fast-tracked from an accident scene to the accident and emergency room.

It has become quite evi-

dent that medical care development in Guyana is surely progressing forward.

Yours truly, Caslyn Joseph

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saturday, November 30, 2013

Page

Foundation

By Matt Rodda

Bathing Bathing after a water-related emergency should only be done with clean, safe water. Listen to local authorities for further instructions.

Sometimes water that is not safe to drink can be used for bathing.

ily:

Dental hygiene Brushing your teeth after a water-related emergency should only be done with clean, safe water. Listen to local authorities to find out if tap water is safe to use.

* Avoid exposure to flood waters if you have an open wound. * Cover open wounds with a waterproof bandage. * Keep open wounds as clean as possible by washing well with soap and clean water. * If a wound develops redness, swelling, or drainage, seek immediate medical attention. When providing first aid for a wound, clean hands can help prevent infection.

Wound infections * Open wounds and rashes exposed to flood waters can become infected. To protect yourself and your fam-

Immunisations Outbreaks of communicable diseases after floods are unusual. However, the rates of diseases that were

Disease and transmission

guyanatimesgy.com

Microbial agent

present before a flood may increase because of decreased sanitation or overcrowding among displaced persons. Increases in infectious diseases that were not present in the community before the flood are not usually a problem. If you receive a puncture wound or a wound contaminated with faeces, soil, or saliva, have a doctor or health department determine whether a tetanus booster is necessary based on individual records.

Specific recommendations for vaccinations should be made on a case-by-case basis, or as determined by local and state health departments. (emergency.cdc.gov and wikipedia.org)

Sources of agent in water supply

General symptoms

Botulism

Clostridium botulinum

Bacteria can enter an open wound from contaminated water sources. Can enter the gastrointestinal tract by consuming contaminated drinking water or food

Dry mouth, blurred and/or double vision, difficulty swallowing, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, slurred speech, vomiting and sometimes diarrhoea. Death is usually caused by respiratory failure.

Leptospirosis

Caused by bacterium of genus Leptospira

Water contaminated by animal urine carrying the bacteria

Begins with flu-like symptoms then resolves. The second phase then occurs involving meningitis, liver damage (causes jaundice), and renal failure

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A virus (HAV)

Can manifest itself in water (and food)

Symptoms are only acute (no chronic stage to the virus) and include fatigue, fever, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, weight loss, itching, jaundice and depression.

Typhoid fever

Salmonella typhi

Ingestion of water Characterised by sustained fever up contaminated with faeces to 40°C (104°F), profuse sweating, of an infected person diarrhoea may occur. Symptoms progress to delirium and the spleen and liver enlarge if untreated. In this case it can last up to four weeks and cause death. Some people with typhoid fever develop a rash called “rose spots” which are small red spots on the abdomen and chest.

S

ome people read textbooks in the bath when revising for exams while others plaster their homes with note lets covered in facts. There are certainly many ways to review work, but there is no magic formula guaranteeing exam success. Experts agree that only hard work, planning and starting early, will maximise most people’s chances.

There are a few wily short cuts that can make a big difference – but the exact approach can only be determined by the person who is going to have to sit the GCSE, A-level or other exam.

The first and most basic point is to make a solid revision plan, says Dr Val Brooks, a specialist in educational assessment from Warwick University’s Institute of Education.

“Research on undergraduates shows that those who have a working style based on breaking down tasks into small, manageable parts end up with better degrees,” she says.

Revision should never simply be seen as soaking up knowledge. Pupils should try to get involved in what they are studying – preferably by trying to marshal the topics they are revising.

Parents should not stop their children from revising with a friend, if they are explaining concepts to one another, she says. This can be one of the best ways to understand a complicated subject. Writing out

all you really need to know

plans for exam answers and doing timed exam questions are also important.

Anyone who is going to sit an exam needs to have as good a knowledge as possible of the marking scheme, according to Dr Brooks. Teachers should pass on to pupils details of specimen material from exam boards. These model answers help to show exactly what the difference is between an A star and a C grade, and show students just how much work they need to do.

It is generally better to have a series of intensive study periods followed by a short break. The length of time individuals can concentrate for varies, but Dr Brooks believes a 40-minute session followed by a 10-minute break and another session is a good way to start.

Writing down key points can help to build up a sort of index in a student’s memory that can un-

lock more detail once they have written down a few key words.

Dr Rosemary Stevenson, a researcher in learning at Durham University’s psychology department, says: “People who say they can’t revise are talking themselves out of it. Motivation is at the root of learning.

That is why some people find it easier to learn than others, although how we learn is a very complicated subject.”

Some students, for example, like to use colourcoded charts, while others favour writing out notes.

There is a lot of research on different learning styles, but no clear view about which technique is best.

Colour coding, for example, may help students to learn facts, but it won’t help their understanding – which is the key to doing well.

Being organised is one of the most important skills any student can have. It is also the best defence against a panic attack during an exam.

If you start to panic, the best thing is to control your breathing by taking slow, deep breaths. After that, you should move on to another question before coming back to the difficult section later.

George Turnbull, spokesman for the Associated Examining Board and author of the booklet How to do Better at Exams, advises students to be realistic and to start revising soon. “For most students, the hardest thing is getting started. It’s best to do about 10 minutes a night and build up to doing more revision later,” he says.

If parents try to intervene too strongly, they may end up turning revision into a battleground.

The best way for mothers and fathers to help is by being supportive. During the final few hours before an exam, they should do everything to help students to feel relaxed.

There is a huge range of guides to help students study for exams – in book form and on the television, and increasingly through multimedia. In addition, students are helping one another. (independent.co.uk)

news

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saturday, november 30, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Rainfall to average between Importer could lose $23M in 25 to 50mm in coming chicken, cheese due to blackout week – Dr Ramsammy A

A

griculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy said that Guyana is now in the end of year rainy season; a little earlier than normal, and that slight to moderate showers are expected in the coming week.

The minister reported that the outlook for the next week looks promising, according to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release.

“Unless things change, what we are seeing right now in our immediate future is that clouds coming our way do no not have the kind of moisture to give us the intensity that we experienced on Wednesday (November 27).”

Rainfall over the next week is expected to average between 25 to 50 mm over a 24-hour period, particularly in Regions Two, Three and Four. Currently, the highest level of water, from the November 27 rainfall, remains on the ground in Region Four, the hardest hit region. For this reason, Minister Ramsammy pointed out that 25mm of rain could still result in flooding in the city, since the grounds are saturated and the levels of water in the canals are high.

There is also the issue of the Lamaha pump and the pump at the Guyana Forestry Commission, Kingston still being down.

Minister Ramsammy is optimistic that they will be operational by next week as officials from the National

Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) are providing assistance to the Georgetown Municipality in this regard.

In the meantime, Minister Ramsammy reported that the Community Drainage and Irrigation Programme (CDIP) workers are working with city officials and the Public Works Ministry to ensure that certain clogged drains are cleared.

The NDIA was also on Friday engaged in moving two excavators from Hope Relief Channel to Georgetown.

Minister Ramsammy explained that the Public Works Ministry requested this assistance, to give support to the municipality of Georgetown in cleaning some of the primary canals. The NDIA is providing assistance as well, to various regional democratic

councils (RDCs) and neighbourhood democratic council (NDCs) across the country.

“With improving weather conditions, we are predicting for the moment, we will continue the work we are doing, to ensure all our pumps, all our drainage structures and so are in place,” Minister Ramsammy said.

Heavy rainfall flooded Region Four and parts of Regions Two and Three after a high pressure system over Bermuda forced the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ICTZ) to shift from its last position, to about six degrees north of the equator, bringing it directly over Guyana’s Coast on Wednesday, November 27 at around 02:00h.

What persisted was six hours of intense rainfall with Georgetown being the most affected. The recording at the Botanical Gardens of 128.9mm or 5.1 inches rainfall, has been the highest recorded in the city since 1892.

Minister Ramsammy noted that businesses that constructed over manholes that helped with the cleaning of the primary drains around the city can take some blame in the runningoff of the water from the land, since they have been for years, preventing them from being cleaned.

“People need to know when you construct concrete things over the drains with manholes, it becomes your responsibility to clean them,” he pointed out.

Chinese national shot during robbery

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Chinese national attached to the Jailing Forestry Industry company at Courida Park, East Coast Demerara was on Friday morning shot in his back by two suspected bandits during a robbery.

Gao Yun Xu was admitted to the Dr Balwant Singh Hospital where his condition is listed as stable.

Police in a release stated

that they are investigating the shooting incident which they suspect might have been a failed armed robbery.

Information reaching Guyana Times revealed that Gao was in his office when the two men entered under the pretext of conducting business. Upon seeing the Chinese national, they reportedly pulled out a gun and demanded that he hand over

all the cash from a drawer.

From reports received, the man put up a fight resulting in him being shot once to his back. After the shooting, the men escaped with an undisclosed sum of money on a motorcycle. Gao subsequently managed to contact his colleagues who in turn contacted the police.

The area was searched, but no one was apprehended.

Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara businessman is furious and frustrated since he may lose more than $23,626,749 (US$115,000) in spoilt chicken and cheese owing to a blown fuse caused by a defective transformer.

It has almost been one week since Paradise Food Products storage bond located in Sixth Street, Cummings Lodge, has been without electricity. Proprietor Ishmain Janmahamad said he has 700 40-lb cases of imported chicken and approximately 800 cases of imported cheese, which he may soon have to dispose of as a result of a fuse that blew on Monday.

The businessman noted that when he contacted Guyana Power and Light Inc, the electricity company gave him a reference number and told him he would be contacted. However, five days have passed and no one from GPL has turned up to fix the blown fuse.

“On Monday, I heard two

Paradise Food Products Proprietor Ishmain Janmahamad

sounds; at first, I thought they were gunshots but then realised it was the transformer, I called Guyana Power and Light immediately, they said they coming and five days pass so far and they ain’t reach yet, ” Janmahamad said.

Unhappy customers

In addition, the man noted that thus far he has thrown out more than 50 cases of cheese and chicken.

Janmahamad added that

the cheese is growing fungus, and customers are returning the chicken claiming that it was too slimy, forcing him to reimburse them.

Janmahamad said he has another container of chicken sitting on the wharf, but he was sceptical about paying so much money to clear it and he was unsure if GPL will have the problem fixed soon or he will need to keep spending $300,000 to $800,000 of his own money on continuous repairs. He noted that the festive season is one of the most fruitful times of the year, and people place their orders months before for the holidays.

Owing to the power outage, he is having a difficult time supplying his customers’ orders with fresh stock.

The distressed and unhappy man is pleading with GPL to fix the blown fuse to prevent any more damage.

Guyana Times tried to make contact with GPL for a comment on the issue, but was unsuccessful.

Grant titles to Wismar residents now! – AFC urges

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he Alliance For Change (AFC) is calling on the government through the Housing Ministry, to immediately issue titles to the residents of Block 22, Wismar, Linden.

The community of Block 22 has been in existence for more than 27 years and despite repeated appeals to the government, the residents have not being issued with titles. According to the AFC, it met with residents of the community on November 17.

At the meeting, the residents outlined the many attempts they have made to secure titles for the plots they occupy, the party said.

The residents need the titles so they can use them as collateral when applying for

mortgages and other loans at commercial banks. In a region known for high levels of unemployment, the residents are finding it very difficult to secure loans to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions or complete construction of their houses.

At the meeting, the residents also complained of the poor state of the roads at Block 22. It is shameful that after more than 27 years, the community still has earthen paths in some sections that are referred to as roads, the AFC noted.

This is in a region that supplies sand for road construction all across Guyana. In other sections, the streets are just sand paths which have been cleared, but no ac-

tual road construction was done. Women with heavy bags, pregnant women, and mothers just out of hospital after delivering their babies all are forced to walk to their homes, because the cars would get stuck if drivers attempted to drive through the heavy sand.

It is clear that successive governments have failed the people of Block 22, the party said. How is it possible that titles are being handed out for housing communities that have been developed after Block 22, but Block 22 residents cannot have their titles? The release from the part continued, “Is this a case of victimisation or is this penalisation because of geography and politics?”

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saturday, november 30, 2013| guyanatimesGY.com

Trans Pacific launches “0-20 per cent down” promotion

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ore Guyanese now have the chance to own vehicles as Trans Pacific Motor Spares and Auto Sales launches a new and exciting promotion on Friday at its Sheriff Street location.

Customers can literally drive away with a brand new car from any of the seven Trans Pacific locations, paying down between 0 and 20 per cent on the price of the vehicle in the unbeatable promotion.

The promotion will last for one week and it is expected that Guyanese will take full advantage of the deal. At the Sheriff Street location on Friday morning, Sales Manager Annirude Jagernauth explained that the process is simple, noting that all customers have to do is produce proof of address, any form of identification, TIN number, two references and the down payment.

He added that this was a way to give back to valuable customers. Trans Pacific Motor Spares and Auto Sales stocks a wide range of vehicles including Toyota Fielder, Allion, Premio, and Carina 212.

Financing available

The manager also said that financing is available from various banks, includ-

He also highlighted that the company has been making vehicle ownership more affordable and encouraged all to take advantage of the offers that are available. The company has planned a road show for December, but owing to the hustle and bustle during this season, it will be hosted in January 2014.

“At Trans Pacific you don’t have to deposit any money and wait on your vehicle that is en route from Japan… you come, bring your money and see the car that you desire and drive off with it…,” Ramsaywack added.

Lowest down payment

Lochand Persaud, the first customer to purchase a vehicle during the promotion, receives his hamper from a sales representative of Trans Pacific after purchasing his vehicle

ing Republic, Scotia and Citizens Bank. He noted that Trans Pacific also provides financing for customers who wish to deal with them directly.

Customers will have 36 months to complete payment for their vehicle with a very flexible interest rate.

“No other dealer in the country can do this… We have had a number of promotions and it has been received overwhelming support from the public; hence we feel it

necessary to give back to our customers,” Jagernauth added.

Chief Executive Officer Haripersaud Ramsaywack revealed that this promotion will be done countrywide. He reminded the public that there are seven locations, with a branch in Lethem, Bartica, Essequibo, on Sheriff Street, on Robb Street; its main branch at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara; and two locations in Berbice.

He reiterated that the company’s foremost interest is making its customers satisfied and pleased and it provides the lowest down payment.

Lochand Persaud, the first customer to purchase a car on the first day of the deal, said: “I am very pleased… I have been trying to get a car for the longest while, but everybody gave me a hard time… I come today, give them my money and I collected my car, simple as that.”

He encouraged the public to visit the Trans Pacific Motor Spares and Auto Sales showroom and drive away with the car of their dreams.

Duo remanded for receiving stolen car

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duo was on Friday remanded to prison after they were charged with receiving stolen prop-

erty when they appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Standing before

Magistrate Judy Latchman, was 19-year-old Randy Garret of 2098 Nutmeg Street, Festival City,

Georgetown and Bryan Jones, 21, of 14 C New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara, were not required to plead to the indictable charge which read that between November 15 and 27 at South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, they received one Toyota Primo valued $3.3 million, property of Robina Khan, knowing it to be stolen or falsely obtained.

According to the facts, Jones received one of two cars which were stolen from an auto dealership and stripped and sold the parts to Adrian DeSuza. Based on information, they were later arrested and charged.

Attorney Paul Fung-AFat made an appearance on behalf of both accused and told the court that neither of them had any knowledge of the motor vehicle being stolen property.

He said that Garret has no prior run-ins with the law, but Jones is on bail for a matter with Malcolm Pandey.

Attorney Fung-A-Fat also stated that Jones gave a statement to the police saying that Devon Seors gave him the vehicle and the police are currently looking for him.

Prosecutor Vishnu Hunt objected to bail citing the quantum and penalty of the charge along with the fact that the alleged offence was executed while the second defendant is on bail for another offence.

The matter stands adjourned to December 5 for report.

Eyew tness The scourge... ...of self hate ne of the illnesses of third world societies is the presence of what VS Naipaul called “Mimic Men” and Franz Fanon – a bit more pointedly – of some having “Black Skins (with) White Masks”. Like abused children, they become adults who inflict that same abuse on others.

One good example of the species, Shaun Samaroo, was given a column over in the Stabber News, after he didn’t have the cojones to keep his newspaper from the clutches of an illiterate backtracker.

Anyhow, the fella pontificates weekly on what Guyanese must do to move forward – which is, in his book, is to mimic the ‘White Man’ or put on his mask. He, it goes without saying, leads by example.

In his latest admonition, he says all we have to do is: “repeat ad infinitum certain messages until we get it, constantly reasserting certain values until these become ingrained habit that make up our national attitude, our social psyche”. Like “get real”??

This is the typical nonsense the fella preaches – as if values can be formed by words without actions!

Hey...every fat person knows he’s fat because he eats too much...the solution is not to just repeat that he must eat less...he does that every damn day. The solution is to put that into action.

The wanker then cites Naipaul to say that people in the developing world “dwell in a state of unawareness of the self, an unconsciousness, a refusal to contemplate the pain and social trauma of daily living, and underlines our attitude as a nation”. As opposed to the developed world, where everyone is walking around in a constant heightened state of reflexivity?

What a load of crap. In every society, it’s the middle and upper classes that have the time “to contemplate the pain and social trauma of daily living”.

The ordinary folks just come home from the factories and fields and drop into a stupor until they have to repeat the whole thing the next day. It’s people like the Stabber’s Wanker who seem to have all the time in the world and spend it spinning airy fairy nonsense. But then he confines change to the realm of ideas and not action, doesn’t he? Take for instance his whining about no one making waves about the man who was caught on tape shooting another person, and yet got off, scotch free.

Did it occur to the Wanker that he could’ve gotten the ball rolling? Even the thought?

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...exemplified Anyhow, we won’t waste much more time with his confused abstract babbling...but rather with the concrete evidence of his self hate that causes his rejection of his heritage and abject imitation of the White Man. The fella wants to cite some role models of his ideal Guyanese (with “values”) and picks Dr Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham. Jagan, he says: “did not allow his Indian estate roots to smash his self-dignity”. !!!!

Ignoring his faux pas on “self dignity”, which is redundant since “dignity” is inherent to the “self”, can you imagine anyone in the 21st century mouthing this slander about “Indian estate roots”. Wasn’t it those same “roots” that had the community break into every avenue of national endeavour within two decades of the end of indentureship? The self hater should read Clem Seecharran’s “Tiger in the Stars”.

And on Burnham, the Wanker actually feels that it was a sign of refinement and accomplishment for Odo “to ride on horseback as the massas had done”!!!!!

He should’ve been at Hope Estate when Burnham humiliated civil servants, who had to dig drains and weed grass while Burnham smoked his cigar on horseback. ...of lepto Back in the great flood of 2005, Guyanese learnt a new word: lepto. Caused by the urine of infected animals – mainly rats – it spread through the water that was all around for extended periods. Thought it might’ve spurred Hamilton Green to clean the drains.

Wasted thought.

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saturday, november 30, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

$11M nursery school commissioned at Glasgow Simply the Truth GPL and the dark (part one)

By Professor Daizal Samad

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The newly-commissioned Glasgow Nursery School

new $11 million nursery school was on Thursday commissioned at Glasgow, adding another feature to the rapidly developing housing scheme.

The school which was commissioned by Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud has the capacity to house some 45 learners.

Minister Persaud hailed the occasion as historic, as he praised the role of all those who played a part in the realisation of the project.

He said education is the vehicle out of poverty.

“Education is one of the variables, one of the mechanisms that we as humans use to chase ignorance out of our bosoms and to replace it with information and knowledge that can serve us as humans to exist in today’s world.”

The minister pointed out that even though teachers have a role to play in the development of children, the ultimate responsibility lies with parents.

“Too often we find that parents only visit the school to drop off and pick up their children or if they are called

to the school because of a problem with a particular child.”

Region Six Chairman David Armogan said the project is an indication of the government’s commitment to provide education for all.

“We recognised that the Edinburgh community and the Glasgow community were growing, if you look around today, most of the house lots have been occupied. We see the need to ensure that a school is built here in a hurry to make sure that out little children do not have to go a far way to get into a nursery school.”

Used material

The new school was built with materials from an abandoned school building at Mara, situated 22 miles away, with some funding from the Education Ministry and the Region Six administration.

That school was abandoned because most of the residents of that farming community had migrated to the urban centres of the region and the few students, who remained, were attend-

ing the Scapemode Primary School, which is two miles away for the Mara Primary.

“Sometimes you have to make some tough decisions which might not please everybody but today, I think that there is a consensus that the school is rightly placed.”

One parent Ginelle Da Silva said with the new school now at Glasgow, she will now be able to save money previously used for transportation expenses.

“Now, I don’t have to go to New Amsterdam to carry my child to school… it uses to cost me $3000 a week to take him to school and now I don’t have to spend a cent on transportation to get him to school.”

Another parent, Winston Bruce, was also high in praise of the project. “It is very comfortable for us now; because normally my wife used to have to take him till to Edinburgh which is about three quarter mile from here and now it is just about two minutes.”

He is now urging the authorities to build a primary school in the community.

s a boy of 15, I lived in Williamsburg, Corentyne, my father having moved house from Rose Hall Town.

Williamsburg is a bridge away from Rose Hall. Our source of electricity was from a Lister generator owned by Sigismond Lewis. It was spot on — on at 18:00h, off at 06:00h. Many people in the area depended on Lewis for electricity. He never failed.

He was also a gentleman, and his wife was a kind person.

His daughters were lovely, and his son Brudsy was a source of endless energy. For a modest fee, we had electricity from Lewis. His kind neighbourliness was free. With lights, my father could correct papers or read, and my siblings could study or pretend to study.

Then came the Guyana Electricity Corporation (GEC), and the woes began. Now we have Guyana Power and Light (GPL), and our woes continue.

The difference is that we are now in the 21st century, a time when we should take dependable electricity for granted. Not so, not here in Guyana!

But let us put this in some kind of context. I lived in New Brunswick (North East Canada) for more than a decade. We never had a blackout. Not even when the temperature dropped to minus 60 (with wind chill). Of course, to compare Guyana with any part of Canada is somewhat unfair, so let us move on.

I moved to Southeast Asia, mostly Malaysia. In five years, we suffered ONE blackout. A severe typhoon hit. We were without power for three long hours. Just once for three hours.

I moved again to Morocco in Africa. We lived in the city of Ifrane, one and a half miles above sea level. It snowed

Professor Daizal Samad

furiously in winter, though the temperature seldom went below minus five degrees. In my six years there, not one blackout. Not one, way up there in the Middle Atlas Mountains.

After six years, like a rolling stone or nomad, I moved again.

This time to the Sultanate of Oman as senior advisor for higher education to the Sultanate. In my three years there in the Middle East, not one blackout. In the desert.

In that aridity, a mere drizzle creates “wadis” or rivers where roads run. Cars and buses could be swept away. But no blackout.

No blackouts in dozens of other countries where I spent shorter periods. Jordan, Botswana, Swaziland, Vietnam, Laos, India, China, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Dubai, to mention just a few.

Eventually, I returned home to Guyana. Full circle. To GPL. And I cannot count the number of blackouts in just two weeks.

In Region Six, it is very bad. In Region Five, it is worse. Why so many blackouts? I really do not know. No one knows for sure.

There are no explanations.

Certainly, no apologies. I know that we pay for darkness. In this country, we take blackouts for granted.

The reasons for these outages may vary. Some

speeding car or minibus slams into a pole, or some pole rots and collapses. Why is there no monitoring of the condition of poles? We know that poles do not rot overnight. Or maybe it could be too much sunshine or too much rain. Or there is some maintenance work being done or maybe something blew up because there was no maintenance work done.

We all know of the damage done to equipment caused by on-again/off-again electricity or by voltage fluctuations. I have a room that I call the GPL graveyard. It is filled with dead fans, dead television sets, dead microwaves, dead irons, and so on. Fridges go bad, as do fans, microwaves, air-conditioning units, pumps and clothes irons, etc. These appliances are expensive. Some people save for years to buy these pieces of equipment – only to lose them in minutes.

So people save again to repair the damage, if the damage could be repaired.

Food goes bad, and food is expensive. The frustration grows.

Businesses have equipment blown up. Prices go up as a consequence. Things become more expensive. Or businesses close their doors. Everyone loses. In this way, the economic engine of a nation falters.

Another day, more frustrations.

As I write this, we are enduring another blackout.

This one was from 09:30h to 18:30h. More than that endured in 30 years in twice as many countries. But I have a small generator, so I am one of those fortunate ones. I have to buy the petrol and oil, however.

Meanwhile, I await my bill from GPL for as much darkness as I have light.

Next article: “The darkness drops again: The mind gets messed up (GPL part two).

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, november 30, 2013

News

Moves afoot to improve image of teaching profession

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he Education Ministry, in a bid to improve the image of teachers, is moving to enhance professional standards of the profession.

In this regard, the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) on Friday held a seminar titled “The role of professional standards in the education system”, in the college’s auditorium, focused on facilitating extensive discussion on the broader concept of professional standards as well as the contextual framework within which such standards have been devised for the education system According to a release, this seminar follows the ministry’s efforts at developing a draft of standards for teacher education, to further professionalise teaching and teachers in Guyana.

Addressing the seminar attended by senior Education Ministry policymakers, Education Minister Priya Manickchand underscored the importance of professionalising the teaching profession.

“This move to professionalise the teaching profession, and to make standards and rules to guide us, should not be seen as limiting. In fact, this should be seen as the most liberating thing we

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

can do, because, now we will have standards to which we should aim, rules by which we can work, and guidelines as to what we should become as teachers,” she said.

The minister encouraged the policymakers gathered to ensure that they continue to work unremittingly to ensure that they complete Guyana’s Standards for Teacher Education, and move it from its draft stage with alacrity.

No delay

“We must get on with the business of standardising, professionalising and making rules for this profession as a whole. Any delay will be detrimental and would only serve to stagnate the entire

process. In moving forward, we must do so with all stakeholders on board.”

Leading the presentations at the seminar was Caricom Human Resource Development, Programme Management head, Dr Morella Joseph, who presented on the topic “Assessing teacher development: Development and implementation of professional standards”.

Dr Joseph addressed the issue of establishing professional standards from a regional perspective. She spoke to a number of issues regarding the establishment and implementation of teaching standards in the regional education system, as well as the need for Guyana to align its teacher education standards with that of the region as Caricom seeks to harmonise teaching standards throughout member states in the region.

Other presentations

Also making presentations were University of Guyana, head of Graduate Studies, Dr Leyland Thompson, who presented on the “Academic justification for professional standards” and Guyana Teachers Union President Colin Bynoe, who dealt with “The relevance

of professional standards to Guyana’s education system”.

“The reasoning behind the establishment of professional standards in the education system is to establish the framework that will ensure teachers are adequately equipped to produce the highest quality of education in Guyana. It also provides a general description of the main dimensions of the roles of teaching and supporting learning within the education environment. Moreover, it is being written from the perspective of the practitioner, outlining a national framework for comprehensively recognising and benchmarking teaching and learning support roles within the education system in Guyana,” the ministry said.

The further professionalisation of teaching and teachers in Guyana is intended to raise the status of the profession, enabling teachers to demonstrate appropriate levels of professional knowledge, professional practise and professional engagement.

Stakeholders expressed deep satisfaction with the opportunity to participate in the discussion and committed themselves to ensuring that the process is successfully completed.

News does travel fast and every ting does come to light

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ews does travel fast. When people know some ting, dem does tell dem friends and dem family. Then dem does tell dem neighbour. Then de neighbour does tell dem own friends and family. And de story does continue like that. De whole world does end up knowin.

That is why de good book seh whah ever is done in de dark does come out in de light.

That is how people end up knowing that dem boys is not boys. It only tek one of dem boys to talk bout whah dem does do when all dem boys together. It turn out now that every body know that dem boys does only play boys and dress like boys. Old people call it “mouth open, story jump out”. Deep down in dem heart and soul, dem wish dem was some body else, and wish dem had some ting else, and wish fuh nuff of some ting.

That is why de group wid dem boys who seh dem is boys gettin bigger and bigger. De Mook and de headitor is just two of of dem. It got two Rams in Ram Bow and Lalloo Ram; two Rums in Rum Jhaat and Rum Karran; three Greens in Green Ham, Green Jah and Green Bridge; and so on, too many to name all. It also gotta group in New York. So dem boys really expandin wid a “s” in front of de “expandin”. But every ting bout dem boys come to light, just like every ting else.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling…friend tell friend…mattie tell mattie!

And Mook Lall does pick pumpkins at night. But it come to light. Mook Lall promise to pay dem reporters to seh that dem ain’t friken he kill dem. It come to light. De Mook ain’t pay dem yet, but he promise dem wuk. It come to light.

De Mook run from de country as soon a man get he dead pun Main Street. It come to light. But up to now, is only de police mouth stitch up.

Mechanic remanded for receiving stolen goods

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n Friday, a mechanic appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where he was charged with receiving stolen property.

Adrian DeSuza, 40, of 35 Campbell Avenue, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that between November 15 and 27 at Campbell Avenue, he received a Toyota Primo engine, a transmission and a computer box, valued $1,200,000.

According to the facts, the complainant is an auto sales dealer at Lusignan, on the East Coast of Demerara and has several motor vehicles in

her showroom. On November 15, two identifiable male individuals of African descent entered the showroom and posed as potential customers.

They then tied up the sales representatives and stole the two cars. One of the vehicles was found abandoned on the Railway Embankment and the other was stripped.

DeSuza was represented by Attorney Jerome Khan who told the court that because of the business his client conducts; various persons bring vehicular parts to him. Khan said that the police came to DeSuza and told him that they were looking for some parts. He then took them to his garage where they

were located.

In an application for bail for his client, attorney Khan told the court that DeSuza is just a mechanic and if a person brings a part to have their vehicle fixed , it is not up to him to know whether the part was illegally obtained or not.

Khan also said that his client is not a flight risk and that he gave a statement to the police.

Prosecutor Vishnu Hunt objected to bail. He stated that the charge is still indictable and if granted his pretrial liberty, DeSuza may not return to court and the prosecution will be unable to move forward with the trial.

The matter was adjourned to December 5.

11 News

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, NOVEMBER 30, 2013

Guyana to host CXC governance Berbice sex worker “choked” to death – autopsy meetings, awards ceremony

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uyana will be hosting the annual governance meetings of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and an awards ceremony for the regional top performers.

Several events are scheduled to be held during the period December 2 to 6 at which time the awardees and other officials will be in the country.

The meeting of the School Examinations Committee (SEC) will be held on December 5 and the 45th meeting of council, CXC’s highest decisionmaking body, will be held on December 6.

Among the major agenda items for discussion at the council meeting are the report on the administration of the 2013 examinations, the registrar’s report to council, the 2014 budget, and CXC Strategic Plan and Priorities 2014-2020.

The presentation ceremony for the most outstanding candidates in the May/June 2013 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) will be

held at 19:00h on December 5, at the National Cultural Centre.

During the ceremony, which also marks the official opening of the council meeting, awards will be presented to 18 students from across the region, 10 for outstanding performance at CAPE and eight for outstanding performance at CSEC. The awardees come from Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

President Donald Ramotar will deliver the feature address at the ceremony and declare the council meeting open.

CXC Chairman, Professor E Nigel Harris; CXC Registrar, Dr Didacus Jules; and CSEC Most Outstanding Overall 2013 candidate Yogeeta Persaud of Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School will also address the ceremony.

Professor Harris, who is also vice chancellor of the University of the West Indies, will present scholarship letters to the eight CSEC awardees from UWI. The awardees will be able to take up the scholarships after completion of CAPE or

an associate degree.

During the ceremony, Caribbean Regional Director for Pearson Education Sheena Daley will present the first Pearson CAPE Humanities Award to Tasanique Henry of Hampton High School, Jamaica.

The regional top awardees, and a CXC delegation will pay courtesy calls on President Ramotar, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Education Minister Priya Manickchand and Opposition Leader, Brigadier (retired) David Granger.

The awardees will also have the opportunity to interact with students from schools in Guyana and visit places of interest including Kaieteur Falls, Baganara Resort, Fort Island and Parika.

The council comprises representatives of 16 participating countries, the University of the West Indies, the University of Guyana and the teaching profession. The council deals with finance and administrative issues, while the SEC deals with technical and examination issues.

Caricom after-school programme workshop opens in Anguilla

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he first of a series of workshops in preparation for the implementation of the pilot project for the Caricom community (Caricom) After School Activity Programme (ASAP) began on Monday in Anguilla.

The workshop, which is being implemented by the Caribbean Sport and Development Agency, was attended by 21 persons consisting of teachers, coaches, sport administrators and students from across Anguilla.

The ASAP is a collaboration between the Caricom Secretariat, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) sub-regional cooperation programme, and is being managed by the sport and development sub-programme of the secretariat.

One of the significant grounds upon which the project is being implemented is the recommendation

of the Caricom Commission on Youth Development (CCYD) to invest more in after-school activities and increase use of school facilities to provide organised extracurricular, recreational and sport activities for youth in the community.

This recommendation is among a slew of other proposals enclosed in the CCYD’s report titled, “Eye on the Future, Investing in Youth now for Tomorrow’s Community”, presented to Caricom heads of government after regionwide investigation of the challenges and opportunities for the youth in the Caricom Single Market and Economy.

The project was also framed under the Youth Innovation Project of the UNDP which seeks to address human development through linking environmental, economic, and social inputs to boost youth potential. It got underway at the conference centre of the James Ronald Webster Park, with an

opening ceremony chaired

by Sport Director Rollins Richardson and addressed

by Social Services Ministry Permanent Secretary, Anguilla Chanelle PettyBarret.

The permanent secretary, in her address, emphasised the significance of the programme and underscored the value of the ASAP. She said it added a new and welcomed dimension to the ministry’s plans to develop strategies to address the challenges of youth and promote their development.

According to Caricom Secretariat, Deputy Programme Manager for Sport John Campbell, the ASAP seeks to provide structured sport programmes for youth in schools, particularly those outside of the elite sport realm and is designed to promote positive social and lifeskills among youth. Other preparation workshops are planned for Grenada and Saint Lucia with the actual implementation of ASAP slated for January 2014.

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s investigations continue into the murder of Nandkumar Poonwassie, also called “Darshanie”, who was found dead on Tuesday at Port Mourant, Corentyne Berbice; B Division Commander Brian Joseph on Friday revealed that the police are hunting for a suspect.

The commander added that based on reports and information received, the police have launched a manhunt for the man who is suspected to be from the same village. “We know who the person is, but we have to find him…”

A post-mortem examination performed on the body on the man by Dr Nehaul Singh on Friday at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary proved that Poonwassie was strangled to death.

When Guyana Times contacted “Dato”, an aunt of the dead man, she explained that the post-mortem was witnessed by the dead man’s brother and cousin. She added that after the post- mortem was completed, they telephoned to say that he was “choke” and “dem beat am to he head”.

The woman went on to say that all arrangements are in place for the funeral

Dead: Nandkumar Poonwassie

on Sunday. She added that the police are still working on leads and they are hopeful that the person who committed the act will be prosecuted.

The battered body of a male sex worker was on Tuesday morning discovered on a street in the vicinity of the Day Clean Bar, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice, hours after he left a party at a friend’s house.

Poonwassie at the time of his discovery was clad in a plaid short pants and a white T-shirt, bracing a metal pipe on the roadside.

A piece of wood with blood stains suspected to be the murder weapon was retrieved from the scene and lodged at the Whim Police Station as evidence.

According to information received, the man, along with friends, went to a party in the area, but he left in the company of a male about 20:30h, claiming that he was heading home. Poonwassie, who used to reside at Tain, Port Mourant, was not drunk, according to reports.

His cousin with whom he shares his grandparents’ home did not see him at home after 22:00h and attempted to telephone him, but the call was disconnected.

Several other attempts to make contact with Poonwassie proved futile.

However, passersby reportedly discovered the man’s body in a pool of blood and immediately contacted his relatives and the police. The man is survived by his father and four siblings.

Earlier in the year, Wesley Holder, 19, called “Oraysha” or “Tiffany” of 65 Cross Street, Werk-en-Rust was found dead in the compound of St Phillips Green, High Street, Georgetown.

According to a police statement, the man’s body was found around 08:25 hours with a gash to the back of the neck, one to his throat and cuts to his wrists.

Several persons were arrested, but no one was charged.

“Big Foot” wanted by police

Dead hotel owner: Joseph Alexander Jagdeo

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he Guyana Police Force has issued a wanted bulletin for Brian Leitch, also called “Big Foot” of Lot 2118 Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara for questioning in relation to the murder of hotel owner, Joseph Alexander Jagdeo.

Jagdeo, 62, was found in his hotel with his hands

tied and mouth gagged, two days after he went missing.

According to police, “Big Foot”, 29, is medium built.

Jagdeo was the owner of the South Central Hotel and Bar, located at Lot 218 South Road, Georgetown.

He was discovered during a search by a live-in handyman early Thursday morning under a bed in Room 10 of the hotel. Apart from his mouth being gagged and hands tied, his body also bore other marks of violence.

There was a pool of blood on the bed in the room.

His reputed wife, Fazia Hack, was distraught upon receiving the devastating news. Hack and Jagdeo did not live together, but she cooked for him.

She last saw him a few days before he reportedly went missing. Jagdeo was described as a friendly person who was always willing to help those in need.

Wanted murder suspect: Brian “Big Foot” Leitch

He had been running the business, which he inherited from his father, for more than 20 years.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Brian Leitch called “Big Foot” is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-6411, 225-8196, 2267065, 227-1149, 225-6941, 911 or the nearest police station.

All information will be treated with due confidentiality.

12 news

saturday, november 30, 2013 | guyanatimeSGY.com

Dochfour residents bemoan poor Church of the Nazarene exposes false bishop roads, drainage amid rainy season

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This is the access road Dochfour residents have to use

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esidents of Dochfour are calling on the authorities to address the condition of the roads and drainage system in their community in light of the heavy downpour.

On Wednesday, the entire Georgetown and several communities along the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara were completely flooded after hours of heavy rains earlier that morning.

The flooding caused the Education Ministry to cancel classes at some public schools in affected areas.

Blocked drains

At Dochfour, a small community at Anns Grove, East Coast Demerara, residents were affected by the floods as several drains and roads were blocked due to poor drainage.

When Guyana Times visited the area on Thursday, the road leading to Dochfour was about 50 per cent complete; the other half resi-

dents described as a “washed out dam”.

The incomplete road has been in its current state for some time, much to the dismay of residents.

“If people get sick, here they can’t get no taxi to come because nobody ain’t want come in here,” they cried.

They also noted that as a result of the construction of the Hope Canal, the contractors built a mud wall, blocking the main drain in the community.

According to the residents, the contractor did promise to build a tunnel to allow the smooth drainage of water; however, nothing has been done so far.

One resident, who requested anonymity because of the nature of his job, explained that he had spoken to the project manager about the drainage problem, but he was directed to the relevant authority.

The man disclosed that workers from a construction

Water in a resident’s house a day after the heavy rainfall

firm had dug up a brick road in the community, and after several months of doing nothing, they removed their equipment.

Deaf ears

This is the second time in the current rainy season the community has been flooded, and residents say though they have raised the matter with regional officials, their complaints have fallen on deaf ears.

Another resident, Paul (only name given) said due to the heavy rainfall on Wednesday morning, his yard was under water and so was the bottom flat of his house.

When this newspaper visited his home, the lower flat was flooded. Paul also lamented the deplorable condition of the road.

He said there was a brick road before some workers went and dug it up, leaving it in a muddy state when it rains.

The angry resident also confirmed that after several months of idleness, the contractors appeared and removed their equipment.

“They come and do sheer nonsense and look at the condition of the road we have to use...

“What I am saying is that if they knew they couldn’t finish the job, why start it in the first place because we had a reasonable road before,” the man said.

“The people from at the back here have to use this road to get out to go to work and even the children have to walk in mud and water to go to school.”

Guyana Times was told that residents from the neighbouring village, Hope New Scheme, also use the road as it costs them less and is safe for the children.

There is a dam built across the river that runs straight into Hope Canal, and this is used by residents to get into Dochfour.

NY Guyanese oppose closing of Richmond Hill HS annex

BY VISHNU BISRAM

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uyanese-American parents and students in the greater Richmond Hill community of Queens are opposing the New York City Department of Education (DoE) plan to close an annex for incoming freshmen (students) of the Richmond Hill High School.

The school is located at 114 Street and the annex is located several blocks away at 117 Street. The school is overcrowded, resulting in the DoE using the annex for the first year entering freshman class. However, the city is proposing to use the annex for a new high school and to house the freshman class in trailers at the 114 St location, beginning next September.

Angry parents and students, several Guyanese among them, showed up at a public hearing to voice their opposition to the plan. The students noted that the annex serves as a transitional location for freshmen to adjust from middle school to high school. It also increases morale and school spirit, they said. The students say

the closure of the annex will hurt them and they feel they need the annex because it helps students develop.

The parents say the planned closure of the school sends the wrong message to the students at Richmond Hill and to the community. Parents say the annex boosts morale and school spirit, and believe that if another school were put in its place, it would suffer from the same issues as Richmond Hill.

Last year, the city attempted to close the school, along with another high school, John Adams, in Richmond Hill because of poor grades and overcrowding and to re-open them under new names.

Restraining order

But the teachers union and parents went to court and got a restraining order allowing the school to remain open, but under a new administration headed by Guyanese-American principal Ganace. The previous principal, a Jamaican, who was appointed in 2012, was removed this past summer and replaced by a Guyanese.

Parents complain about the frequent change in principals – three in two years. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) treasurer complained that something is always being taken from the students, making them feel like they are not worthy.

Guyanese parents say the plan makes no sense because it takes the annex from Richmond Hill High School and opens up another school that starts at Ninth Grade, which is the same thing as having the annex serving Richmond Hill High. It is replacing one Ninth Grade with another Ninth Grade. They feel the annex will be overpopulated like Richmond Hill and conditions may be worse.

PTA President Vishnu Mahadeo is an outspoken critic of the plan and he rallied with parents against it.

Right focus

He said the DoE should focus on making Richmond Hill High a better school rather than put more students in the school. He points out that the school is nearly twice its capacity and cannot take any more

students.

Mahadeo said that the DoE has not listened to the school’s request. He, along with the school, plans on bringing the issue to the attention of the new mayor.

“They do not have the authority because the new mayor never gave it to them, and they have to listen to the wave of the new authority,” he said. “Now it is his turn to fight for our interest.”

Although the action was non-binding, Community Board 9 also voted against the proposal at its November meeting last week, with only one member abstaining from the vote.

Another Guyanese, who is a representative of District 27 Community Education Council, Mike Duvale, also opposes the closure of the annex to Richmond Hill High. A decision on the plan is expected later this week.

Parents hope that the fight will end once Mayorelect Bill de Blasio, a staunch critic of Mayor Bloomberg’s education policies, takes office on January 1.

hurch of the Nazarene, District Superintendent, Dr Reverend Alphonso Porter has dismissed claims by a man purporting to be a bishop, and being associated with the church as false.

According to a release, several television newscasts reported on November 28 that a city businessman alleged that a man claiming to be a “Bishop Jules”, within the Church of the Nazarene, presented a manager’s cheque in an attempt to purchase items from his store.

However, upon checking with the bank to verify the authenticity of the cheque, the businessman discovered that the account did not exist; neither did the bank issue such a cheque.

Dr Porter said the persona “Bishop Jules” is not associated with the Church of the Nazarene in any capacity whether as a bishop or leader or member, and is, therefore, not authorised to transact any business on behalf of the church.

“All pastors within the Church of the Nazarene are documented in the church’s records and are duly recognised in their capacities of service after receiving the requisite pastoral creden-

tials. These credentials are recognised in the order of licensed minister, pastor, deacon and reverend, and never as bishop, as in the case of the individual pretending to be such. Evidently, that person is unaware of the nomenclature relating to the church’s clergy,” Dr Porter said.

He said the structure of the Church of the Nazarene in Guyana promotes and facilitates a robust framework for all of its financial activities which are firmly rooted in legal accounting and auditing practices and guided by the international by-laws of the church.

“The Church of the Nazarene, in the circumstances, expresses its displeasure over the current issue and calls for a thorough investigation by the relevant authorities. The church will not condone the illegal use of its name by any entity or individual for the soliciting of money or services or for any other activities contrary to its operations,” Reverend Porter said.

He reaffirmed the church’s commitment to its mandate in making Christlike disciples in the nation through messages of love, compassion, peace and hope in Christ Jesus.

IOM concerned about backtrackers following Haitians’ drowning

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he International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said the death of 30 Haitian migrants at sea earlier this week off the coast of The Bahamas has triggered renewed concerns about the plight of irregular migrants risking their lives around the world in unseaworthy boats and other life-threatening transport in search of better lives.

“The deaths at sea of these migrants in the Caribbean, and others in the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, as well as in the deserts of Mexico and the Sahara, are a wake-up call for the international community to act,” said IOM Director General William Lacy Swing in a statement issued on Friday.

“We must take urgent measures to ensure that these tragedies become a thing of the past,” he added. The Geneva-based IOM said it was calling on “all actors” to address the situation of migrants attempting life-threatening journeys.

They include refugees and asylum seekers, people seeking employment and people who may be particularly vulnerable, including victims of trafficking and unaccompanied minors.

“The priority is to save

lives. National authorities must ensure that any people travelling in unsafe conditions are rescued and receive adequate humanitarian assistance, and that traffickers taking advantage of desperate individuals are prosecuted,” Swing said.

“Based on our understanding of mobility, and our hands-on experience in places of origin, transit and destination, IOM is convinced that the international community needs to develop a more comprehensive approach to protect migrants and uphold human dignity. Governments should recognise that migrants arriving by sea and land are not criminals,” Swing added.

Earlier this week, The Bahamas government said it plans to hold talks with the Michel Martelly administration in Haiti in order to discourage migrant smuggling. The statement comes as the U.S. Coast Guard assisted Bahamian authorities on Wednesday in the search of Haitian migrants whose 40-foot wooden sailboat ran aground and capsized off Exuma islands in The Bahamas.

The Coast Guard said at least 30 migrants were dead and 110 rescued from the mishap. (CMC)

news

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saturday, NOVEMBER 30, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Some abused girls to be housed 29 Region Seven youths at Mahaica Children’s Home graduate from BIT programme

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The Mahaica Children’s Home

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percentage of the abused teenage girls in Guyana will be housed at the recently commissioned multimillion Mahaica Children’s Home, head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon said on Friday.

The state-of-the-art facility will provide residential accommodation to a population of approximately 80 girls.

Dr Luncheon said abused girls from other facilities will also be transferred to the Mahaica Children’s Home.

“The girls are to become voluntary wards of the state, they will be voluntary wards of the state and they will so remain, until age 18,” Dr Luncheon noted.

He added: “They will be

provided with the full range of services enjoyed by other children at their ages.”

Also staying at the spanking new children’s home will be toddlers between the ages of three and four, but this will be done on a temporary basis, as the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) solicits foster homes for them.

Dr Luncheon also used the opportunity to express gratitude to Digicel Guyana for demonstrating its corporate responsibility. Earlier this month, Digicel handed over the facility to the Human Services and Social Security Ministry.

The 9700-square foot building was designed by Marcel Gaskin and Asso-

ciates Limited. It consists of dormitories for both boys and girls, quarters for the house mother and washroom facilities situated on the upper flat, while a laundry room, study room, recreational room, infirmary, kitchen, nursery, dining room, office and caretaker’s quarters are situated on the lower flat.

The Mahaica Children’s Home was opened in 1982 to shelter children who were abused, victims of teenage pregnancy and others who were abandoned. In 1992, it was relocated to its current site, and to date, it maintains its objective. It is the home to 54 children and six babies who were rescued from areas in Georgetown, Berbice and interior locations.

Warapoka woman dies after giving birth

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39-year-old mother of Warapoka, Region One died after giving birth at home, the Health Ministry said on Friday.

The woman, who was advised to deliver her baby at the Kwebanna Health Centre, but instead delivered at her home, died after excessive bleeding, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Shamdeo Persaud reportedly told the Government Information Agency.

He said the woman was dead by the time she arrived at the Kwebanna Health Centre.

The Health Ministry has ordered a post-mortem and investigation into the death.

The CMO also reported that on November 23, another death occurred at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The mother, who was a 43-year-old known hypertensive patient, collapsed in the labour room and died shortly after. She had an aor-

tic aneurysm that ruptured.

Investigations are ongoing and necessary actions are to be implemented, he stated.

15 maternal deaths Thus far for 2013, 15 maternal deaths were reported, nine of which were due directly to pregnancy complications. Two are yet to be classified, while four are related to other causes – two caused by the contraction of malaria during pregnancy and two due to high blood pressure not related to pregnancy. The deaths, which occurred due to direct pregnancy-related causes, are: from post-partum haemorrhaging, pregnancy-induced hypertension; and from septicaemia (infection). The mothers were above 40 years (three), above 30 years (four) and one, 18 years old.

Dr Persaud observed that the majority of cases of maternal death now occur with

older women when previously it used to be younger women.

Giving a regional breakdown, the CMO said there were five deaths in Region Four; three in Region One; one each in Regions Three, Five, Six, and Seven and Eight; and two from Region Two. Ten of the deaths occurred at the Georgetown Public Hospital, six of which were cases referred from other regions. One death each occurred at the New Amsterdam, Suddie, Dr Balwant Singh and Diamond hospitals, and one occurred at home.

He said the Health Ministry remains consistent in its monitoring of the fifth goal of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals to reduce maternal deaths, and is working on ensuring that all maternal deaths are reported, investigated, and appropriate actions are implemented to prevent recurrence.

fter successfully completing training in several areas under the National Training Project for Youth Empowerment, which is under the purview of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), 29 persons from several Region Seven villages on Wednesday received their certificates.

The trainees were exposed to eight occupational areas including health care, welding and fabrication and block making.

At the graduation ceremony held in Bartica, BIT Project Coordinator Coreen Conelly stated that she was privileged and satisfied with the strides made by the 29 persons.

“I am proud to be here in Bartica to join with you graduands and the others gathered here today, to celebrate the successful completion of your stint,” Conelly added.

She lauded the youth empowerment initiative, which is continuing to better the

lives of so many young people in Guyana. Conelly noted that the board is contemplating tailoring its occupational programmes, based on the economic activities within the regions in which the training is offered.

Training for operators in the area of heavy-duty machinery is being considered for Region Seven, as well as other mining areas, under the BIT initiative.

Member of the BIT, Jairam Petam commended the batch for successfully completing the programme.

Petam believes the standard of training has improved drastically, and called for the involvement of the private sector.

Region Seven Chairman, Gordon Bradford also expressed satisfaction, noting that the 29 persons are now fully equipped with the necessary skills to contribute to the rapidly growing economic activities in the region.

“Today I must say I am hap-

py to be associated with this initiative and I just want to congratulate you the youths for completing this programme.”

The NTPYE is a demonstration of government’s dedication to bettering the lives of Guyanese. For 2013, a total of 2292 youths will benefit from training in over 50 different trades/ technical and vocational skills. Some of these include engineering, electrical, building construction, health services, home economics, information technology and forestry.

Overall, a total of 12,697 youths benefited from training under the programme since its inception in 2005.

The programme aims to provide technical and vocational training to out-of-school youths across the country and is implemented by BIT. It offers six months of free training for persons aged 1620 years, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

School janitors to be paid minimum wage

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alaries for janitors operating in schools across Guyana will be brought on par with the National Minimum Wage following the discovery of several discrepancies within the system, head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon said on Friday.

Speaking at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President, Dr Luncheon said several areas that complicated the implementation of the minimum wage order were discovered when janitors in the education system were placed under the microscope.

According to Dr Luncheon, payments to janitors in schools in Guyana vary from location to location. “So they are sweepers and cleaners doing the same jobs being paid differently, in different locations.” They are not only paid below the minimum wage, but receive their money late.

To address the situation, Dr Luncheon said emphasis is being placed on equity.

“Cabinet concluded there will be an equitable distribution of services across the schools in the administrative regions, equitable distribution of services − secondary, primary and nursery in

the 11 school districts,” he explained.

Additionally, they will receive retroactive payments from July 1. The national minimum wage has been set at $35,000 per month. The minimum wage covers the monthly, weekly and hourly payment of workers. The minimum wage for weekly paid workers has been set at $8000, while $200 has been set for hourly workers.

Earlier in the year, the Alliance For Change (AFC) called on government to increase the salary of school cleaners to a minimum of $40,000 per month.

14

saturday, november 30, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Regional

Haitian president extends olive Trinidad: Schoolgirl sexually assaulted branch to Dominican Republic before death – pathologist

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aiti’s President Michel Martelly said his country will not sever trading ties with The Dominican Republic in light of the chaos created by the September 23 constitutional court ruling, which renders stateless over 200,000 Dominicans of Haitian descent.

Caribbean News Now put the question to Martelly at a news conference held following a special Caribbean Community (Caricom) Bureau meeting in Port of Spain on Tuesday, chaired

by Trinidad and Tobago’s prime minister and current Caricom chair Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister

Haitian President Michel Martelly

Ralph Gonsalves and Caricom Secretary General

Irwin LaRocque were also part of the bureau meeting.

“Never! We are called to share this island and we both want the relations to be good; that’s why we prioritise dialogue,” Martelly emphasised.

Haiti’s trade with The Dominican Republic is worth almost two billion dollars annually. Severing such ties would be a tremendous loss to The Dominican Republic.

Martelly, along with the other heads of Caricom, continues to hold out an olive branch in one hand while applying pressure with the other. Haiti’s insistence, though, is to take the lead in defending people’s rights, explained Martelly. (Excerpt from

Caribbean News Now)

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six-year-old schoolgirl, whose body was found in a barrel at her home on Thursday, had been sexually assaulted while unconscious and dying, according to the results of an autopsy done on Friday.

Pathologist Dr Valery Alexndradrov said that a blunt force trauma was the cause of the death of Keyana Cumberbatch whose body was found stuffed in a barrel in a bedroom at her home.

“She sustained massive cranial cerebral trauma, which means there was trauma to the skull and the brain and the trauma to the skull was so extensive that all the (wounds) were open,” he said, adding that before

Keyana Cumberbatch

the autopsy, X-rays were done, and there were no previous fractures.

The pathologist also told reporters that there was no immediate evidence of previ-

ous sexual abuse. However, this would be investigated further using microscopic examination.

He said he could not give an approximate time of death. Residents became angry and called for justice as the body was being removed from the apartment at Maloney, east of here.

Police said the smell of decomposing flesh alerted the school girl’s mother, Simone Williams, 27, to the terrible possibility that her eldest daughter’s body may have been inside the apartment since Monday when she was reported missing while returning from the St Barbara’s Shouter Baptist Primary School, where she was a second-year pupil.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Argentine police raid brothels Brazilian National Force sent to land dispute region

The Terena ethnic group has been protesting against the farmers for years. An indigenous man was killed in clashes in May

A Activists in Argentina have demanded more action against traffickers (file picture)

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aids on brothels in and around the Argentine capital Buenos Aires have rescued almost 100 women forced into prostitution, police say.

The women had been trafficked and were mostly from Paraguay or Peru, according to city officials.

They say 57 raids took place over the past two weeks, leading to the arrests of 25 people.

The trafficking of young women has become a major concern in Argentina in recent years.

Thirty bars which had been seeking to “cheat the authorities and operate as brothels” had had their licences revoked, said deputy head of the city administration, Maria Eugenia Vidal.

Fake documentation and drugs were also seized during the raids, according to Justice Minister Guillermo Montenegro.

“This doesn’t only have to do with one crime, it’s several crimes,” he told reporters.

He also said some officials were themselves being investigated, without giving

further details.

The investigation was triggered by a complaint by a neighbour at one of the locations in the Constitucion area of Buenos Aires.

The site’s phone lines were then tapped, which led to the uncovering of a larger network, according to Argentina’s La Nacion newspaper.

In 2008, Argentina passed legislation that for the first time made human trafficking a crime.

Thousands of victims have since been rescued. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

Many Jamaicans use ganja as medicine

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ore than one-third of Jamaicans who use ganja as medicine informed their doctors about the practice, and half of the times the doctor approved the continued use of the drug for treatment.

This was disclosed on Thursday by pollster Don Anderson, as he highlighted the findings of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) survey carried out by his Market Research Services Limited and commissioned by local scientist, Professor

Henry Lowe’s Biotech R&D Institute and Pelican Publishers.

“This is an important piece of finding,” Anderson told the audience at the briefing held at Lowe’s Eden Gardens Wellness Resort and Spa on Lady Musgrave Road in Kingston.

“There is use of marijuana for treatment of medical condition. One in every three persons who use ganja for some medical condition tell it to their doctor and, probably, in 50 per cent of those cases the

doctor approved the treatment,” he stated.

Anderson said that 85 per cent of the persons interviewed in his islandwide poll believed “strongly” that medicinal products extracted from ganja should be made commercially available.

“We are talking about the wide range of products that have been identified should be made available commercially, not just for home use. It should be commercially available,” he said. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

taskforce of the Brazilian National Force is to be deployed in areas disputed by Indians and farmers in the western state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The federal force is due to arrive in the region just ahead of an auction to raise funds for the farmers’ private security personnel.

An indigenous man was killed in the area in clashes with the police in May. A 2010 court ruling granted the Terena ethnic group exclusive rights over the land, but land owners dispute it. They accuse the Indians of invading their farms in Sidrolandia (1200km west of Rio de

Janeiro) and say they have to defend themselves.

The “Resistance Auction” on December 7 aims to raise funds for hiring private security guards and is expected to sell at least 1000 cattle and tonnes of grain.

“Up until now, they invaded and we retreated.

If they invade other land, there will be a gun fight, and nobody knows what the consequences might be,” state farmers’ association Accrisul President Francisco Maia told the BBC’s Joao Fellet, in Brasilia.

The land owners want the government to come up with an alternative plan to solve the land dispute which already led to violence in May and June. (Excerpt from BBC News)

TT: Clico clients get opening to sue state

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igh Court Judge Ronnie Boodoosingh on Friday struck down the Central Bank (Amendment) Act, declaring that the legislation, which is a major plank in the government’s bailout of CL Financial, “breaches the separation of powers under the constitution and is therefore unconstitutional and void”.

The act prevents any creditor, shareholder, depositor, policyholder or any other person from bringing legal action against a financial institution that has been taken

over by the Central Bank.

The case was brought

by Stone Street Capital, the private company of former CL Financial executive Andre Monteil, who wanted to pursue legal action against Clico Investment Bank (CIB), the CL Financial subsidiary now in liquidation that he once chaired. Monteil applied in March 2012 for leave to begin an action against Clico Investment Bank to protect some 5,708,893 Flavorite shares that the bank was holding as collateral for a

loan to Monteil.

The Central Bank (Amendment) Act had been passed by parliament by a special majority in September 2011 because it was inconsistent with the fundamental rights clauses of the TT constitution. The government introduced the legislation in 2011 to prevent lawsuits being brought against Clico, CIB, British American or CMMB, which were part of the CL Financial empire, which collapsed in January 2009. (Excerpt from Trinidad

Guardian)

Thousands march on U.S. embassy in Haiti

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housands demonstrated on Friday in the Haitian capital Portau-Prince to denounce the Obama administration’s support for Haiti’s government and leader they want ousted from power for lack of results in the Caribbean country where most people live on less than two U.S. dollars per day.

Protesters, mostly from former president JeanBertrand Aristide’s Lavalas

Family party, marched several miles from the downtown area towards the U.S. embassy in the Tabarre district, but were blocked by riot police from taking the route that gives access to the embassy, where they had planned to hold a protest.

The angry demonstrators chanted slogans hostile to the U.S. ambassador to Haiti, Pamela White, and to President Michel Martelly,

whom they accused of mismanagement.

“We are in our country and we have a right to demonstrate wherever we please, including in front of the U.S. embassy,” one of the organisers, legislator Levaillant Louis-Jeune, told HCNN. “Now the police have become a political tool in the hands of government authorities and the U.S. embassy,” he said. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

15 Around the world

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, november 30, 2013

Ukraine protests China jets scrambled in air zone New in EU deal row

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hina says it scrambled fighter jets to monitor U.S. and Japanese planes as they flew in its newly declared air defence zone in the East China Sea on Friday.

The zone covers territory claimed by China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.

China said last week that all aircraft crossing through the zone must file flight plans and identify themselves or face “defensive emergency measures”.

The U.S., Japan and South Korea say they have since defied the ruling and flown military aircraft in the area.

China says it has a right to carry out defence and surveillance activities in the zone

The Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ)

covers a vast area of the East China Sea, including a

group of islands claimed by Japan, China and Taiwan.

South Korea claims a submerged rock, known as Ieodo, also within the zone.

The establishment of the ADIZ has caused widespread anger, with the U.S. State Department calling it “an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the East China Sea” which will “raise regional tensions and increase the risk of miscalculation, confrontation and accidents”.

On Thursday, China had announced it was deploying warplanes in the area for surveillance and defence.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Egyptians on streets to defy new protest law

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undreds of protesters have taken to the streets in cities across Egypt and clashes erupted when police tried to break up some of the demonstrations, days after a hotly-disputed protest law was adopted.

At least 86 people were arrested across the country on Friday, according to the Interior Ministry, which added that clashes raged in several areas.

Protesters in the city of Giza threw Molotov cocktails at one police station where clashes raged for hours, the Interior Ministry told Al Jazeera.

Violence between police and protesters also broke out in the country’s second largest city, Alexandria, after Muslim prayers, with security forces firing tear gas to disperse hundreds of people.

The Mediterranean city has been tense since a court handed down heavy sentences of 11 years in prison to 21

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housands of people have staged fresh protests in Ukraine’s capital, Kiev, at President Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal to sign a European Union (EU) association agreement.

Some 10,000 demonstrators in Independence Square carried Ukrainian and EU flags late on Friday and chanted “Ukraine is Europe”.

Yanukovych, who attended an EU summit in Lithuania on Friday cited pressure from Russia for his decision.

A smaller rally in Kiev voiced support for the president’s decision.

EU leaders meeting in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, warned on Friday they would not tolerate Russian interference in the bloc’s relations with former Soviet republics.

“The times of limited sovereignty are over in Europe,” said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso after a summit in Lithuania, at which provisional accords were reached with Georgia and Moldova.

Last week, Yanukovych announced he was suspending preparations for signing an association agreement in Vilnius, which would have opened borders to goods and set the stage for travel restrictions to be eased.

He argued Ukraine could not afford to sacrifice trade with Russia, which opposed the deal. He also described an EU offer to lend Ukraine 610 million euros (£510 million; US$828 million) as inadequate and said it would need at least 20 billion euros a year to upgrade its economy to “European standards”. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Policeman arrested in alleged cannibal case

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Since he was toppled in July, Mohamed Morsi’s supporters have been staging near-daily protests

female supporters of the deposed president Mohamed Morsi, many of them juveniles, for holding a peaceful protest.

The Office of the President on Friday, howev-

er, said the women and girls would be granted a full pardon by the interim president once their cases had gone through the appeal and cessation courts.

They have been held for

weeks after being arrested during a protest demanding the reinstatement of Morsi, who was ousted by the military on July 3. The youngest girl is 15-years-old. (Excerpt

from Al Jazeera)

Police helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub

A

police helicopter has crashed into the roof of a pub in the Scottish city of Glasgow, causing multiple injuries, lawmakers and witnesses said.

Firefighters, paramedics and police rushed to the Clutha pub on Friday after the accident, which happened while the pub was full of revellers celebrating the start of the St Andrew’s Day weekend.

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond said that people should prepare for the likelihood of fatalities.

“Given an incident of this scale, we must all prepare ourselves for the likelihood of fatalities,” Salmond said, adding that a full rescue operation was under way.

Jim Murphy, a Labour party member of parliament and opposition spokesman for international development, told the BBC he was driving through the area “just a few seconds after what seems like a helicopter has crashed into a pub”.

Murphy said he had seen “multiple injuries”.

“It’s a well established Glasgow pub. It’s a horrible horrible scene, but well done to the folk who were here.

Everyone formed a chain of people

olice in Dresden, Germany, say they have arrested a 55-year-old police officer on suspicion of murdering and butchering a man he met on a cannibalism website.

The two men met on Zambian Meat, an Internet chat forum where people discuss their sexual and cannibalistic fantasies. Text messages and online chats revealed that the 59-yearold victim from Hanover asked to be killed, police said.

Dresden Police Chief Dieter Kroll said at a news conference: “The victim had been fantasising about being killed and eaten since his youth.”

Marko Laske, a police spokesman, said: “Our in-

Protests as France debates prostitution bill

F

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond said that people should prepare for the likelihood of fatalities, given the scale of the incident

from inside the pub to outside, and the fire brigade and everyone were here very quickly.”

Several pictures on social networks showed what appeared to be the wreck-

age of a dark-coloured helicopter with yellow police markings.

Part of the helicopter had apparently crashed through the roof of the onestorey pub. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

vestigations have just begun, and we cannot confirm rumours yet that the suspect has eaten parts of the victim or that it was a sexually motivated act.” There is no evidence that the suspect ate body parts, and he denied doing so, Laske said.

The arrested man works for Saxony’s State Office of Criminal Investigation in the forensics department.

He was known as an “inconspicuous and normal colleague”, police said.

Police did not name the suspect. German media are identifying him as “Detlev G.” After having been in contact for months through chat, e-mail, telephone and text, the men agreed to meet on November 4. (Excerpt from CNN)

rance’s National Assembly began Friday to debate a bill that would lift a ban on soliciting and transfer responsibility to prostitutes’ clients on November 29, sparking what French newspapers have dubbed the “oldest debate in the world”.

The multi-partisan proposed legislation would introduce a 1500 euro fine for paying for sex and a parliamentary majority will likely adopt it in the coming week.

“Without the client, there is no prostitution ring, there is no... trafficking of human beings. That’s the fight we’re waging,” said lawmaker Guy Geoffroy, one of the opposition conservative deputies who backs the draft law.

The government argues that some 90 per cent of

France’s estimated 20,000 to 40,000 prostitutes are foreign victims of Nigerian, Chinese and Romanian human trafficking networks.

The proposed legislation includes support measures, such as benefits and relaxed immigration procedures for prostitutes willing to leave the profession.

Some conservative members of parliament have vowed to oppose the bill, and their supporters took to the streets of Paris to march near the National Assembly on Friday.

The Union of Sex Workers (STRASS) has also called for a protest against the reform, while feminist and prostitutes support groups will take part in a counter-demonstration. (Excerpt from France24)

16

saturday, november 30, 2013

guyanatimesgy.com

Africa

Caribbean

Mailpac opens up virtual retail Ethiopia working on new US$100B energy strategy store in Jamaica

M

ailpac Services, the largest online shopping company in Jamaica, launched a virtual retail store on Friday, open to the general public. The online platform, DealBug, allows consumers to identify a product on the Internet, request and receive a guaranteed landed price (inclusive of shipping and duties), and pay one price for the item locally, and the item is then delivered to the

customer at their home or office within a few days, said Mailpac in a press release.

“With the largest inventory of goods at the lowest prices, the Internet is the world’s greatest retail store. That said, the need for an international credit card and the complexity of the customs process makes it a bit frustrating for some to shop online,” said Shannon McClure, Mailpac’s marketing officer.

“DealBug revolutionises online shopping for those consumers by providing the same transparency of a traditional retail store with one local price for any product online,” she explained.

DealBug has been available to existing Mailpac members for the last 10 months.

However, the launch of the platform on Friday opened it to the broader consumer public. (Jamaica Observer)

North America

A

s part of the plans to become a regional energy exporter, Ethiopia on Tuesday said it is working on a new power strategy to boost electricity production.

Prominent Ethiopian and foreign experts began consulting on ways to implement Addis Ababa’s 25-year power master plan. Head of the state utility, Ethiopian Electric and Power Corporation (EEPCo), Mihret Debeb, told reporters that the new power policy will

enable Ethiopia to generate 37,000 mega watts (MW) of electrical energy by 2037.

Ethiopia’s current power production stands at around 2300 MW. However, experts say the stated amount of power is not enough to produce the increased demand in the countries industrial sector and taking into account the country’s fast economic growth.

Under the country’s 2010 launched five-year growth and transformation plan, Ethiopia

has plans to increase its power generation to 10,000 MW and to sustain its economic growth at 11-15 per cent per year until 2015.

Experts told Sudan Tribune that under the new plan Ethiopia will eventually be able to export over 4000 megawatts of hydro-power to some nine countries in the East African region. This could eventually be extended to North and South African nations. (BBC News)

Nasdaq ends brief post-holiday Asia India’s economy grows faster session at 13-year high than expected

T

he Dow and the S&P 500 dipped in thin holiday trading on Friday, but technology stocks helped lift the Nasdaq to a 13-year high. The Nasdaq got a boost from the technology sector, with Apple up 1.9 per cent at US$556.07, Microsoft Corp up 1.4 per cent at US$38.13 and Amazon Inc up 1.8 per cent at US$393.62.

“It’s almost as if people are rotating into the bigger blue-chip names, especially the technology big caps. We

wouldn’t be shocked at all to see the small and mid-cap names lag a little bit,” said Ryan Detrick, senior technical strategist with Schaeffer’s Investment Research, in Cincinnati.

But with both the S&P and Dow on an eight-week winning streak, investors may be cautious in adding new positions. “We expect, and we recommend to our clients, that if they have exceeded their strategic allocation to equities, to take profit at these levels,”

said Paul Mangus, head of equity research and strategy for Wells Fargo Private Bank, in Charlotte, NC. Volume was light, with slightly over two billion shares traded on all U.S. platforms, according to BATS exchange data, as many U.S. investors remained out following the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday. The U.S. stock market ended its regular session three hours early at 13:00h. (Reuters)

Europe

I

ndia’s economic growth rate picked up strongly in the second quarter, according to official figures. The economy expanded at an annual rate of 4.8 per cent in the July-September period, up from 4.4 per cent in the previous quarter. The acceleration was faster than analysts had been expecting.

Asia’s third-largest economy has been weighed down by various factors, such as high inflation, a weak currency

and a drop in foreign investment. This is the fourth quarter in a row that India’s annual growth rate has been below the five per cent mark, and the previous quarter’s rate of 4.4 per cent was the lowest for four years.

Earlier this year, the Indian prime minister’s economic advisory council lowered the growth outlook for the current financial year. It now expects the economy to expand by 5.3 per cent this

year, down from its earlier projection of 6.4 per cent.

India’s economy has been hurt by a range of factors in recent months, including a slowdown in key sectors such as mining and manufacturing.

Slowing growth, coupled with a recovery in developed markets, such as the U.S., has made India a less attractive option for foreign investors.

(BBC News)

Middle East

London leads 11 per cent jump in Masdar JV plans MidEast’s bankers earning one million euros

M

ore than 3500 bankers in Europe earned one million euros (US$1.4 million) or more last year after a big jump across the continent and in Britain, which had 12 times as many high earners as any other country.

Figures from the bloc’s banking regulator on Friday showed that London-based bankers would have easily

bust the European Union bonus cap rule coming into effect next year. Bonuses for the highest earners were almost four times fixed pay.

The scale of bankers’ bonuses remains a hot topic among politicians and the public. Many blame high pay for the risk-taking that led to the 2008/09 financial crisis and a series of mis-selling and misconduct scandals.

The European Union is trying to curb excessive pay and has said that from 2014 bonuses for “risk-taking” staff cannot exceed annual salary, or twice that if shareholders give their approval.

The latest data from the European Banking Authority (EBA) shows that 3529 bankers in the EU earned at least one million euros in 2012, up 11 per cent in 2011. (Reuters)

Market statistics Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Cambio Rates

Fixed as at July 24, 2013 Calculated at 94% purity

Bank of Guyana Cur

Buying

Selling

GBP

$335.52

$340.03

CAN

$194.08

$196.31

USD

$205.49

$207.93

U.S.

$1335.00

Cambio

$202.67

Gross

$254,331

Net

$236,527

Selling

$262,426

Indicators as on November 29, 2013 Live Spot Gold

USD Per Once

Bid/Ask

$1252.00

$1253.00

Low/High

$1249.90

$1256.10

Change

+7.00

+0.56

USD GBP EUR

AM

PM

1245.25 763.07 915.29

1253.00 767.25 921.05

AM

PM

Nov 28

USD GBP EUR

1241.75 760.46 913.12

Last: 16086.41

Price Silver

Platinum

London Gold Fix

Nov 29

Indicators Crude Oil

1245.50 761.59 915.54 Changes: -10.92

US$ per barrel $111.31

USD per Ounce

$20.03 $1358.00

Change %

+0.39 Change %

+0.27 +2.00

first wind power project

A

company part owned

by Abu Dhabi’s green energy firm Masdar, has signed a financing agreement to build the Middle East’s first wind power project.

Jordan Wind Project Company, in which Masdar holds a 31 per cent interest, said the project will be located in Jordan.

The 117MW Tafila Wind Farm will increase the country’s total power capacity by three per cent and will cost about US$290 million to

build, a statement said.

JWPC, which is a co-development between InfraMed, Masdar and EP Global Energy, will start power delivery in 2014, building up to full commercial operations in 2015.

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar, said: “Jordan is one of the Middle East’s most promising clean energy markets and this project is another milestone in the region’s energy evolution.

“Jordan is a prime example of where the cost of renewa-

ble energy is lower than conventional sources of power generation. This project is a natural step toward Jordan’s energy and economic security.

“Today, countries in the region are increasingly integrating wind and solar power as commercially viable solutions to address long-term energy security. Just like the rest of the world, the Middle East is faced with meeting rising energy demand, while also reducing its carbon footprint.”

(Arabianbusiness)

Investors' guide

Risks of alternative staffing

A

lternative staffing does not come without it’s downfalls for both employers and employees as for both parties the security of a long term hiring relationship is missing. * In a market upswing the labour market can become tight and finding qualified alternative staffing can become difficult. This can leave a company unable to find the resources they need to meet their commitments

or objectives. * Turnover can be higher with alternative staffing, companies are not incredibly loyal to these individuals and the individuals are the same. If a better offer comes up for a temporary staff they can disappear quickly and the company is stuck having to look for new staff with short notice.

Risks for employees

* Employees have very

little job security in alternative staffing solutions and can quickly find themselves looking for new work. In a market downturn when the labour pool is plentiful it can be difficult to replace a lost job. * Employees have to cover things like medical insurance themselves in many alternative staffing situations; as such they can find their overall costs increasing significantly. (Business Dictionary) TO BE CONTINUED

Business concept – Black Friday

Open: 16108.25

High:16174.51

% Change: -0.07 Low: 16074.14

% YTD: 22.76

52Wk Hi: 15721.00

52 Wk Lo: 12471.49

The day after Thanksgiving Day that signals the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

Retailers kick off the season by offering deep discounts on products for those shoppers lucky enough to obtain the limited supply. Brick and mortar stores traditionally open much earlier than normal business hours, including a few at 00:00h (midnight).

news

17

saturday, november 30, 2013 | guyanatimesGY.com

Over 450 East Coast residents Ministry undertaking major benefit from OLPF drainage works in city

Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill handing over a laptop to a beneficiary of the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme at Tipperary Hall in Buxton

D

espite the heavy rainfall on Wednesday, residents of Buxton and surrounding communities gathered in large numbers at the Tipperary Hall, in Buxton to receive their laptops as the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme continued distribution in Region Four.

More than 450 beneficiaries from Vigilance, Friendship, Buxton, Annandale and Courbane

Park received their laptops.

Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill, who was present at the exercise, highlighted that this initiative is for Guyanese and that the programme is designed in such a way that “it is non-discriminatory, everybody that qualifies will benefit… this is for every person who qualifies and that is the nature of the PPP/C government.”

A five-day training ses-

T

Workers cleaning a canal in the Sussex Street, Charlestown area

Proud beneficiaries displaying their new laptops

sion is also being offered to the recipients to ensure they are able to use the device.

Beneficiaries of this initiative expressed their gratitude to the government for this programme. One recipient, May Glenn said that this initiative is a very good one; and it will prove very beneficial to the children, who are tomorrow’s future.

Evelyn Adams said she was happy that the government was giving out laptops, as it will aid her grandchildren in their school work.

The current exercise is a continuation of the distribution that commenced in May, and primarily targets Region Four. This initiative is focused on the distribution of 6000 laptops to recipients of the East Coast, East Bank and Georgetown areas.

The OLPF programme was originally launched in 2011, to equip 90,000 families with laptops and to expand the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT).

The programme was pioneered by former President Bharrat Jagdeo, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

he Public Works Ministry on Friday embarked on a major exercise designed to alleviate drainage problems in Georgetown, especially in the Lodge, Charlestown, Wortmanville, Albouystown and Queenstown areas.

The clean-up entailed the clearing of blocked drains, and removal of vegetation

Botanical Gardens, measured 128.9mm or 5.1 inches, the highest in the city since 1892.

Public Works Minister Robeson Benn, who was on site at Sussex Street during the exercise, said the ministry has four emergency teams working in particular areas of South Georgetown.

“It’s an additional ef-

Queenstown and Lodge, and it was anticipated that more pumps would be installed, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

Minister Benn added that the ministry will be obtaining two long reach excavators to assist in alleviating the drainage problems in the city, and will engaging persons to remove im-

Workers in Albouystown, another area which is being cleaned

and garbage from the heavily-blocked drainage canals.

This move comes in the wake of the heavy downpour on November 27 that caused flooding in parts of the city, East Coast Demerara and in Regions Two and Three.

Rainfall, recorded at the

fort, because we have so much of vegetation and garbage all over the city… barring not much more rain, we anticipate that we will get those areas drained out in three days’ time,” he disclosed. He said the ministry has installed pumps in

pediments, especially scrap iron that cause obstruction to clearing of the drains.

This, Minister Benn said, complements what the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry is doing to address the issue of solid waste in the city.

Road safety month culminates with school rally

Some of the students who participated in the Guyana National Road Safety Council’s School Road Safety rally at the Guyana National Stadium on Friday

T

he Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) in collaboration with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the home affairs and public works ministries held a school road safety rally on Friday at the Guyana National Stadium, to

culminate National Road Safety Month which was held under the theme “Alcohol, speed and inattentiveness cause accidents; drive wisely and save lives”.

The event saw students from various regions participating.

Despite the numerous activi-

ties which were held to encourage road users to adhere to the rules of the road, this month’s road fatalities were very alarming with 13 deaths compared to eight last year during the same period.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, expressed dissatisfaction over the number of fatalities which caused the demise of those persons. With a population of approximately 770,000, he said that Guyana cannot afford to lose any of its citizens.

“Our country is still a young country…we need all our people to be present, and to be well, and to take part in building our country…when we lose one, we lose a lot, and particularly if we are to lose any of our young people and our young children,” the prime minister reiterated.

He added that it is important that the country’s children are educated about the rules and regulations of the road in order for them to be safe so as to make

a meaningful contribution to Guyana’s economy.

Prime Minister Hinds pointed out that taking precaution on the roadways can reduce the amount of money spent to replace vehicles and traffic lights which can be utilised for other things, and stressed that, “we want to see Guyana becoming a country where the accident rate is much lower than it is today”.

GPF Traffic officer, Superintendent Kevin Adonis told the participants that road safety is everyone’s business and at the same time it begins at home.

Previously, the traffic department designated a week to raise road users’ awareness of the rules and regulations of the road. However, Adonis said that with the increase in traffic lawlessness and influx of vehicles into the country, the department decided to designate the entire month for this purpose.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds addressing students at the Guyana National Road Safety Council’s School Road Safety rally at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence

18

guyanatimesgy.com

sATURday, November 30, 2013

thursDAY, march 11, 2010 | guyanatimesGY.com

archie

By Bernice Bede Osol

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19) Set your standards and stick to your principles. Your integrity will separate you from any competition you face, allowing you clear passage to the destination you choose. Romance is highlighted.

dilbert

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19) Get along, no matter how difficult it might be.

Arguments will drain you of the energy you’ll need to reflect and make alternate plans when things veer off course.

Calvin and Hobbes

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Look into small business ventures or an investment that shows potential. Contracts may not be straightforward, but your negotiating skills will help you find creative solutions that include the perks you want.

Peanuts

SUDOKU

CANCER (June 21July 22) Make plans, step into the spotlight, do your own thing and reap the rewards. Follow your heart and lay groundwork to secure your home and business future.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22) Think about what you want and revamp your plans for the future to better suit your needs. Don’t discuss what you are doing until you are ready to take action.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) Put more into your home, family and personal property. Enjoying the company of someone you love or who shares similar interests will lead to future plans.

ARIES

LIBRA

(March 21-April 19)

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Staying on top of what needs to be finished will be difficult but a necessity. Don’t let restlessness cause you to make a move without sufficient thought.

Avoid overindulgence.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Speak up and offer suggestions. Whether you are dealing with friends, family or peers, you will capture the attention required to put your plans in motion and receive the benefits you desire.

You may want to help the world, but keep in mind that charity begins at home. Focus on the people you care about most as well as making home improvements.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22) Show how much you care. Pay more attention to someone you love or make a donation to a cause you feel passionate about helping, and you will achieve personal success and happiness.

Friday's solution GEMINI (May 21June 20) Take care of your interests first. You must not allow anyone to sidetrack you, especially if money is involved. You’ll end up being taken advantage of if you are too complacent.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21) You will learn the hard way if you let anger take over. Don’t complain or waste time arguing a moot point. Concentrate on what is working. Live in the moment.

news 19

YELLOW PAGES

Planning key in driving development agenda

saturDay, november 30, 2013

dentistry Dentures provided in 72 hours from as low as $4500. Contact Dr B Stuart, 209B Charlotte St, Lacytown. Tel: 225-5034

EDUCATION SAT/AP/CXC/IGCSE English classes, personalized tutoring. Phone: 6124821 after 4pm, 274-0437 after 7pm.

flowers Available: Fresh long-stemmed roses, fresh dried and silk floral arrangements, gift items, bridal boutiques and wreaths. Nesha’s Flowerland. 78 Church Street (opposite St George’s Cathedral). Tel: 227-3553/225-3315

FOR SALE 1 stall stabroek market phone: 718757-8031, 658-0145 Mecury in large quantities, 99.9999% purity in grey flask.

Phone: 219-4535 60FT Antenna (Mass) for Radio, TV, Cellular, with cables, brackets, sky light $500,000 227-3939, 621-4000 73” 3D TV Mitsubishi Like new $450,000 227-3939, 621-4000 DIESEL Generator silent 28 kva SDMO John Deere engine, missing Fuel Pump, Panel, Avr MAKE OFFER 227-3939, 621-4000 CLARKE forklifts 2000, 3000, 4000 Lb, lifting capacity MAKE AN OFFER TEL: 227-3939, 621-4000 Generac Generator 15 kva, portable, $500,000 cash or credit available Tel: 227-3939, 621-4000 Diesel Generator, 3 cylinder Lister pitter (England) key start, 15 kva, $650,000 cash or credit Tel: 2273939, 621-4000 Chicken Hatchery (Robbins), 28,000 eggs capacity fully ready, $ 5.5 million or CREDIT available TEL: 2273939 621-4000

GOLDSMITH R.Sookraj & Gift Shop for the best in hand made jewellery ,(made to order) Phone: 612-2125/223-6156

health Are you suffering from abnormal behaviors, addictions, stresses, or psychosomatic sickness? Feeling suicidal, low self-esteem, loneliness, unloved, anger, conflicts and relationship problems? For appointments call 592621-0552. 12:00pm -6:00pm, Email: healthworldhc@gmail.com

immigration Immigration & Visa Services We handle all Canadian, USA and UK immigration and visa matters. Self sponsorships, holiday/ visitor’s visas, work permits, students visas, family, class, immigration forms, embassy enquiries, appeals for refused cases, US green card lottery, business class waivers, pardons, etc.

Get your visa approved. High success rate. Balwant Persaud & Associates.

Certified Immigration Consultants, 68 Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown (Between Cummings & Lights Sts) Tel: 225-1540, 622-8308, 655-3105.

Email: balwantpersaud@yahoo.ca

KEY CUTTing Professional Key Shop, 125 Carmichael Street, Georgetown.

Phone: 225-3923, mobile: 6213249. We cut any type of key, service and repair all types of locks. Get your extra key today.

lAND FOR SALE Promising gold and diamond mining land for sale in different areas.

Phone: 699-3992.

LOST One Dog which answers to the name Zion. Colour Cream/White/ Brown about 1 foot tall. Last seen on Wednesday, November 13, between Success & LBI, ECD. If seen please call on numbers 619-8086, 699-7077, 220-3183.

MEDITATION Learn transcendental meditation and reduce stress & anxiety, develop full brain potential, increase creativity and intelligence, concentration, focus and memory, be healthier & happier, increase energy vitality and longetivity, enjoy more success in life, improve relationships and develop higher states of consciousness, a technique that works for everyone, for next introductory lecture. Contact Ashoke phone 233-6921, 6093701, email: kashokejp_68@yahoo.com or Sherlock phone 2252243, 614-9726 optician

Da Silva’s Optical. For Your Eyes Only, Look Better See Better. Phillip A Da Silva OD, Shannon L Da Silva OD, Natalie Da Silva OD. 248 South Road, Bourda. Phone: 227-3529, Linden: 444-6376, Corriverton: 339-3536, Meten-Meer-Zorg: 275-0322, Grand Cayman Islands: (345) 943-1515 for the perfect trendy touch.

property for sale PRIME COMMERICAL PROPERTY, AT BUSY JUNCTION CUMMINGS AND MIDDLE STREETS IN ALBERTOWN, 3 LOTS WITH BUSINESS, (NUT CENTRE) PRICE NEG. TEL 621-4000, 227-3939

powerful protection. Private and confidential. Phone: 674-2112.

Cleansing of spiritual problems of all kinds. Powerful Ifá protection against evil. Get help to overcome problems with love, relationship, legal, sexual, pregnancy, business, sickness, jobs, enemies, work, money. Call 10am - 4pm. Tel: 592690-1824. Email: anew-life@live. com Dutch Spiritual work. Unite lovers, get rid of evil, enhance prosperity, good luck baths and charm bowu guards, etc. Phone: 220-0708, 612-6417, 687-5653

TO let

Small business space suitable for technician shop, taxi base, etc.

Phone: 691-7164, 231- 2619.

Business place for rent , Plantain Walk ,Vreed –en Hoop.

Phone:649-0707.

House at Lamaha Gardens. Hot & cold water, AC, etc. Phone: 2194535.

Two modern apartments at Campbellville, hot & cold water, etc Phone: 219-4535 One house located in Lamaha Gardens, hot and cold water. Call 219-4535 EXECUTIVE TWO STOREY BUILDING 3 BEDROOMS WITH ALL MODERN CONVENIENCES FURNISHED/ UNFURNISHED, MEADOW BROOK GARDENS, MR NARAINE. PHONE: 696-8230 Two-bedroom self contained apt.

Caneville, Grove. PHONE: 669-1954 Two modern apartments at Campbellville, hot & cold water etc.

Call: 219-4535 Recently constructed bond with house and office space on the same lot, centrally located in Broad Street, ideal for business or manufacturing.

Phone: 623-0425, 609-2876

1 flat concrete house at Parfaite Harmonie. Phone: 643-4740 Lot 48 Light Street, Alberttown.

Contact Ram on 619-4483, 6017883 or 227-1454, 226-6325.

1 property at reasonable price, located in Bareroot, East Coast Demerara. Phone: 612-6417.

One two storey house at lot 93 Atlantic Gardens, ECD; upperflat-3 bedrooms, kitchen and bath; lower flat-2 bedrooms, kitchen and bath.

Call 592-619-4483, 592-656-7471

Dutch healing and upliftment, for clearing of land, dredging and ground work (strictly interior operation). Phone: 662-1247.

spirituality Suriname astrology palmist and Djuka healer. The most powerful spiritualist in the world. Are you suffering from the following problems? (any religions) love, marriage, family, health, business, husband and wife relationships, property, court, children, promotion, visa, pregnancy, education, depression, job, sexual, jealousy, enemy, money, drinking, also you can have all evil forces destroyed such as black magic, witchcraft, voodoo, obeyah, etc, and gives

LEROY TRIDENT car 250 CC, 4 doors, power window, $495,000 cash or credit TEL 227-3939, 621-4000 HILUX SURF 4 DOORS, minor parts needed, sold as is $750,000 TEL: 227-3939, 621-4000 Nissan Maxima, fully powered needs repairs sold as is $300,000 cash 227-3939, 621-4000 Stretch limousine, Lincoln Town car, fully powered $6.5 million or credit available Tel 227-3939, 621-4000 Mitsubishi 3000 GT sports car, fully powered, $1.7 cash or credit available TEL: 227-3939, 621-4000 Toyota Hilux extra cab, pick up $3.m.

Phone: 264-2682.

Titan (hardly driven) $3.5M neg.

Phone: 691-9984 JUST ARRIVED: TOP QUALITY RECONDITIONED VEHICLES; TOYOTA PREMIO; TOYOTA ALLION; TOYOTA COROLLA AXIO; TOYOTA NOAH; SUZUKI SWIFT; MERCEDES BENZ C200 COMPRESSOR; BMW 318i; COROLLA AE100 WAGON; HONDA CRV; LAND CRUISER (FULLY LOADED); MAZDA PROCEED; TOYOTA HILUX 4WD EXTRA CAB PICKUPS - 3RZ, 5L, SOLID DIFFERENTIAL; MITSUBISHI CANTER TRUCKS 3, 3.5 TONS OPEN TRAY; 2 TONS 4WD; 3 TON DUMP TRUCK; NISSAN ATLAS 2-TON TRUCK.PREORDER YOUR UNITS EARLY AND GET THE BEST PRICES. FULL AFTER SALES SERVICE AND FINANCING AVAILABLE. DEO MARAJ AUTO SALES, 2 CHIMNEY ROAD, CHATEAU MARGOT, ECD. 624-0762, 220-5177. A NAME AND A SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST.

Toyota Hilux 172 diesel extra-cab pick-up, 4x4 manual (5-speed transmission) a/c, p/s p/w p/l, winch, off road front bumper, KC lights, side baranka bars, bush-ready, Old Man Emu, rear leaf springs, lifted Old Man Emu shocks, snorkel, bed liner.

Phone: 623-0425, 609-2876

Gas station land. Size: over one acre Phone Ms Liverpool on 625-7582, 681-9293.

services

Trike Can-Am style motorcycle, 200cc new, unregistered $450,000 neg or credit TEL 227-3939, 6214000

One 450 Honda ATV. Phone: 6263817

EXECUTIVE TWO STOREY BUILDING 3 BEDROOMS WITH ALL MODERN CONVIENCES, MEADOW BROOK GARDENS, MR NARAINE. PHONE: 696-8230

1 three-building centrally located downtown in Thomas Street, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, recently renovated, fully air conditioned, ideal for office with spaces for boardroom, or any other business. Immediate possession. Phone: 609-2876.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

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ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena

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atin American and Caribbean ministers and heads of planning highlighted the renaissance of development planning and its importance as a tool for driving forward a new culture of integration and the development agenda.

The Regional Council for Planning was held following the 13th Conference of Ministers and Heads of Planning of Latin America and the Caribbean, which was held on November 21 and 22 in Brasilia, organised by the Brazilian government and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

At the end of the 14th meeting of the Regional Council for Planning of ECLAC’s Latin American and Caribbean Institute for Economic and Social Planning (ILPES), participants stressed the relevance of coordination, evaluation, and forward planning for driving structural change with equality.

Participants also called for the promotion of integration through the strengthening of the regional perspective in development planning and investment in physical and productive infrastructure. In the resolutions from the meeting, ministers and heads of planning asked ILPES to promote applied research, technical cooperation, and training in topics relating to the regional dimension of development, public and private investment, infrastructure, and the

role of the state.

Medium-term strategy

They also noted the medium-term strategy for ILPES’ cooperation with countries, which has three basic components. The first one is the creation of a knowledge centre on planning for development and the second one is the incorporation of the regional perspective on the planning for development and governance for strengthening regional cooperation and integration.

The third component is the development of human and institutional capacities to strengthen the states in the field of public administration and planning. Furthermore, the Regional Council for Planning emphasised that the regular system of governmental contributions is crucial for the institutional continuity of ILPES, and recommended the creation of a working group to analyse the institute’s financing system and to propose measures for the purposes of modernisation. The proposals will be submitted to member countries for consideration at the next meeting of the presiding officers of the council which will be held in Guatemala City, in the first semester of 2014.

Lastly, delegates agreed to hold the 14th Conference of Ministers and Heads of Planning of Latin America and the Caribbean and the 15th meeting of the Regional Council for Planning in Quito on November 23 and 24, 2015.

Cabinet approves several contracts

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abinet has given its noobjection for the hiring of a consultant to the tune of US$325,000 to conduct biodiversity and ecosystem assessment in Regions Nine and 10. This assessment forms part of the Guyana/ Brazil expansion programme for the Linden-Lethem thoroughfare, Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon announced.

Another major project placed on the table when Cabinet convened on Tuesday was education in nature. A consultant will be contracted for the development of an evaluation instrument to assess the staff at the Cyril Potter College of Education

and the University of Guyana School of Education and Humanities. This instrument will be developed at the cost of US$210,000.

In the area of public works, Cabinet granted its no-objection for rehabilitation and construction of miscellaneous roads in Regions Three and Four to the tune of $32.4 million. In the area of security, $43.6 million has been allotted for phase two of the New Amsterdam Central Police Station, while the Human Services and Social Security Ministry’s office building situated at East and Lamaha streets will be rehabilitated using some $19.1 million.

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Saturday, november 30, 2013

Guinness in the Streets- Georgetown leg...

Convincing wins for California Square, Albouystown B

By Avenash Ramzan

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alifornia Square and Albouystown B recorded commanding 4-0 victories on Thursday evening when action in the Georgetown leg of the sixth annual Guinness in the Streets football competition continued at the National Cultural Centre tarmac.

Another eight games were contested on night two of the competition with North East La Penitence, Alexander Village, Back Circle, West Front Road, East Front Road and Queen Street- Tiger Bay also in winner’s row.

With the wins, the eight teams have joined Laing

Avenue, South Sophia, Berlin Massive, Broad Street B, Norton Street-West 2, East La Penitence, Globe Yard and Hope Street-Tiger Bay 1 as the unbeaten teams to date in the competition.

In game two on Thursday evening, California Square outplayed Kingston 4-0 with Mark Canterbury and Alan Spencer netting a double each. Canterbury scored in the eighth and 19th minutes, while Spencer was on target in the 25th and 27th minutes.

Roy Casou was the top player for Albouystown B, who defeated Tucville 4-0.

Casou notched up a double in the 27th and 28th minutes, after Melvon Ross (fourth)

and Marlon Nedd (17th) had given Albouystown B an early 2-0 advantage.

In the opening game of the night, North East La Penitence edged Festival City 2-1 with Bevon Moseley and Calvin Moore scoring in the 16th and 22nd minutes respectively, while Daniel Favourite accounted for Festival City’s consolation in the 17th minute.

Alexander Village ran away with a 3-1 win over Durban Street, with Dwayne Layne (14th), Leon Yaw (19th) and Shem Porter (27th) on target for the victors and Christopher Galloway scoring the opening goal of the game in the ninth minute for

Durban Street.

Former champions Back Circle edged North Sophia 3-2 on penalties after they played to a two-all stalemate. Wayne Wilson (14th) and Leon Murray (25th) scored for Back Circle, while Stayon Frank (fifth) and Keaven Frank (27th) netted for North Sophia.

Michael Oie (13th), Michael Pedro (14th) and Randolph Wagner (28th) accounted for West Front Road’s goals in their 3-2 triumph over Cross Street- Tiger Bay. Sherwin Dover and Shalomo Hunte got on the score sheet for Cross Street- Tiger Bay in the 25th and 27th minutes respectively.

East Front Road won 3-1 on penalties against Island All Stars after a goalless draw, while Queen Street- Tiger Bay defeated Albouystown A 2-0.

Deon Alfred and Leon Fredericks were the scorers for Queen Street- Tiger Bay in the 23rd and 30th minutes respectively.

Meanwhile, another eight games will be contested on Tuesday evening at the National Cultural Centre tarmac.

The competition has attracted 32 teams battling in eight groups of four. During the group phase, the teams will compete in a round-robin format with the top two

advancing to the round of 16, followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. The champion team will receive $500,000, while the runner-up will collect $300,000, third $200,000 and fourth $100,000. All the other teams will receive participation stipends of no less than $10,000.

Zone competitions will be held in Berbice, East Coast, West Demerara, Linden and Bartica in the coming months with the top two teams advancing to the national playoff. The winner of the national playoff will earn the right to represent Guyana at the Caribbean Street Challenge in July 2014.

Ajmal, Afridi to play South Africa domestic T20

I

n yet another strengthening of the ties between South Africa and

Pakistan, Saeed Ajmal has signed with Titans and Shahid Afridi with Knights

for the upcoming domestic 20-overs competition.

ESPNcricnfo understands

Sohail Tanvir will be part of the Lions squad as well, while two other players are in nego-

Saeed Ajmal will turn out for Titans, Sohail Tanvir is likely to play for Lions and Shahid Afridi is with Knights

tiation to confirm deals.

The signings are believed to be part of the growing friendship between the two countries, which have always enjoyed good relations but are seeking to further develop that bond. Pakistan agreed to tour South Africa at short notice after a curtailed India visit left Cape Town without an ODI all summer and venues such as Bloemfontein and East London with no international cricket at all. Two of the five matches Pakistan agreed to play were hosted at Newlands to make up for India’s absence, although CSA did not make up the money lost.

When Pakistan’s visit was announced, CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat indicated the relationship between the two countries would expand to give Pakistan’s players, who do not participate in the IPL, an opportunity to play in the 20-overs competition.

That mutually beneficial idea appears to have been actioned already, with the possibility of five Pakistan players participating in South Africa this summer.

“Pakistan players are finding opportunities to earn their money in leagues abroad vastly reduced due to politics and other outside influences, and therefore this opportunity to play in South Africa is greatly appreciated by the players,” Ummran Khan, the

players’ agent said.

While Ajmal and Afridi will be new to the South African domestic scene, Tanvir has already spent two seasons with Lions. In addition to providing international experience, he has been credited with mentoring their younger crop of quicks, which includes Chris Morris and Hardus Viljoen. Tanvir also played for Lions during this year’s Champions League T20.

Should all five Pakistan signings materialise, that will take the total number of foreign players in the 20-overs competition to eight. West Indies’ Sunil Narine has been contracted to Dolphins, while his international team-mate Chris Gayle is due to join England’s Graham Onions at Dolphins. Although Gayle is currently out of action with a hamstring tear, the Durbanbased team expects him to be fit for the tournament.

The domestic 20-overs competition will be played from January 5, when it will open with a triple-header at Newlands as part of the festival of cricket that has been organised to replace the New Year’s Test. It will run until February 9. Pakistan’s players who feature for the national team will not be available for the full window, because it clashes with their series against Sri Lanka which is on till January 20.

(Cricinfo)

Saturday, november 30, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

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and Crawford returned as Cricket volleyball action GCU&SA president set for Albion on Sunday

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Members of the GCU&SA executive. Standing from right are Zaheer Mohamed, Javed Persaud, Nolan Hawke, Heuvel Cunha, Ryan Banwari and Montgomery Chester. Sitting from left are Eddie Nicholls, Arleigh Rutherford, Shannon Crawford and Nigel Duguid

S

hannon Crawford was unanimously retained as president of the Georgetown Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association (GCU&SA) when the body held its Annual General Meeting on Thursday evening at the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union in Quamina Street.

International televi-

sion umpire Nigel Duguid returned unopposed as the Vice-president, while Arleigh Rutherford, who was also unchallenged, will serve as Secretary for another term. Former international umpire Eddie Nicholls and Montgomery Chester were retained as Treasurer and Assistant Secretary Treasurer respec-

tively. Zaheer Mohamed was elected as the Public Relations Officer (PRO), while the committee members are Heuvel Cunha, Ryan Banwari, Javed Persaud and Nolan Hawke.

Speaking after the elections, Crawford thanked the members for electing him once again and urged the young umpires to continue

training for their remaining exams.

PRO Mohamed urged his fellow executive members to work collectively towards the development of the game and to maintain a high level of umpiring.

Ronald Williams performed the duties of Returning Officer and was ably assisted by Malcolm Peters.

he annual Balram Shane cricket match and volleyball tournament to raise funds for community development in Berbice will take place on Sunday at the Albion Community Centre ground.

According to organiser Deonarine Balram, a number of second division clubs and other organisations will benefit from proceeds of the game.

The 14th annual Balram Shane memorial fund raising 50-over cricket match between rivals Albion and Port Mourant and the third annual volleyball competition are fixed for the Albion ground and the adjoining hard court respectively.

Port Mourant and Albion will continue their rivalry which has existed for decades, while the best volleyball teams in Berbice will be spiking it out for top honours.

The cricket match will start at 09:30 hours and the winning team will receive the Balram Shane memorial trophy and cash incentives, while the runner-up will also be rewarded. A number of individual awards will also be up for grabs, including the Man-of-the-Match,

best bowler and best batsman among others, all compliments of the sponsor and his family. The boys from Albion are the defending champions.

According to organiser Deonarine Balram, the day’s activities are being hosted in memory of his father, who was a former cricket and sport enthusiast.

He stated that apart from cricket, it is their way of giving back to the community from which they garner their support in a tangible way.

Proceeds from the game will be divided equally and distributed to the two teams to assist them with cricket development programmes.

Meanwhile, the volleyball competition will begin at 10:00 hours. Most of the top volleyball teams in Berbice, including Guysuco Training Centre/ Port Mourant (GTC/PM), which is expected to field more than one outfit, Port Mourant Jaguars, Albion Community Centre, Falcons of East Canje, Rollers of New Amsterdam and Three-Door Strikers of West Berbice are expected to participate. The players from GTC/PM 1 are the defending champions.

Rugby League World Cup...

Australia and New Zealand ready for final C oach Stephen Kearney believes New Zealand can pull off another surprise result against Australia in the World Cup final at Old Trafford today.

The Kiwis shocked the Kangaroos, who have lifted the trophy nine times, with a 34-20 win in Brisbane in 2008.

Kearney said: “We start as underdogs, but the lads are confident that, if they can bring their best performance, we give ourselves a great opportunity.”

New Zealand’s Roger TuivasaSheck and Australia’s Billy Slater will both start.

Winger Tuivasa-Sheck, who scored two tries in the Kiwis’ 2018 semi-final win over England, has been passed fit after a lowerleg injury, while Slater has been named at full-back but is still recovering from a knee injury aggravated against USA. Both sides boast 100% records heading into the encounter but Australia have not conceded a try since Josh Charnley’s effort in their first pool match against England on the opening day.

Aussie winger Jarryd Hayne is the competition’s top try scorer with nine, closely followed by Tuivasa-Sheck with eight.

But it is recently named Rugby League International Federation player of the year Sonny Bill Williams who has attracted the most interest in the tournament so far.

The Kiwi - with a tournament high 17 offloads - has the chance of becoming the first player to win the

World Cup in both rugby league and rugby union after triumphing with the All Blacks in 2011.

“I’d give every award back in a heartbeat just to get across the line this weekend,” said Williams.

Positive

Australia coach Tim Sheens

feels Williams’ presence is positive for the coverage of the sport.

“It’s good for our game and for our code around the world because he’s known over here and I think he’s well known as a rugby player in France too,” said Sheens.

“I love the game as a game and love to see it played around the

world and well respected so players like that are great to have around.”

Australia playmaker Johnathan Thurston goes into the match needing just six points to break fellow countryman Mick Cronin’s 31-year record of 309 international points.

“It’s going to be a memory the boys are never going to forget,” he said. “It’s giving me goose bumps just thinking about it.”

Organisers for the competition announced on Friday that the Old Trafford clash was a sell-out.

It means the game will be the best attended international rugby league match of all time and both New Zealand and Australia will play in front of their biggest-ever crowds.

Kiwi captain Simon Mannering, who played in the final in 2008, is hoping to receive the backing of the crowd in Manchester.

“We haven’t had a lot of support from the English throughout the tournament but that’s understandable given the teams we’ve been playing,” he said.

“It’s the first time for a lot of the guys and it’s a pretty cool ground.

It will probably be the only chance a lot of us get to play here.” (BBC Sport)

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Saturday, november 30, 2013

DMW International Indoor Hockey Festival...

Hikers make spectacular rebound to draw against YMCA – double wins for GCC

Alan Fernandes blasted in a helmet-trick for GCC vets

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he second night of the Diamond Mineral Water (DMW) International Indoor Hockey Festival saw its first taste of international flare as the YMCA Men from Barbados, Fatima of Trinidad and Tobago and the Trinidad Police Force all made their debuts on Thursday evening at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue.

The YMCA produced the surprise performance of the night, drawing their Men’s division clash with defending champions Hikers 6-6

after blowing a 5-1 half-time lead. Barbados superstar Rohan “Teno” Thomas was off the mark in the second minute of the match using his blistering pace to overlap up the right side and slam his shot home for YMCA. Thomas would add a second two minutes later and although Hikers striker Robert France pulled his team back within one in the seventh minute, Thomas completed his hat-trick five minutes later to give YMCA a 3-1 lead. The Hikers produced moments of brilliance, but outstanding goalkeeping from Azad DeAbreu for the YMCA kept them scoreless for the rest of the half. YMCA would put the game seemingly beyond the Hikers by half-time as Sean Harewood and Ryan Cowie drilled in one apiece before the break.

The Hikers in typical manner held their nerve in the second half and did not disappoint their fans.

Young Aroydy Branford led the charge with a double strike, while Devin Munroe, Jamarj Assanah and captain France, with his second of the match, each marked their names on the score sheet. Tony Cole managed to score the lone goal for

YMCA in the second half leaving the final score at 6-6.

GCC dominant

In the other Men’s match of the evening, GCC put on a clinical display of hockey by demolishing Old Fort 7-1.

Led by an inspiring burst of play by striker Leonard George, which included a delicate reverse stick deflection, the Bourda boys took control from the outset.

Midfield playmaker Kevin Spencer was first to score for GCC in the fifth minute, but Old Fort managed to keep the game scoreless for the ensuing 10 minutes until substitute George, upon entering the game, immediately made his presence felt with two goals in quick succession to give GCC the 3-0 lead. Mark Sargeant managed to take the halftime score to 4-0 with an accurate finish in the final minute of the first half.

Although Old Fort’s inspirational leader, Aderemi “Dove” Simon was able to score a single for Old Fort in the second half, three more goals from Stuart Gonsalves, Spencer and Sargeant closed out the match for GCC at 7-1.

The GCC vets looked unstoppable as they chalked

Rohan Thomas of YMCA (red and blue uniform) and Hikers’ Jamarj Assanah challenging for possession

up their second easy victory of the competition with a 6-2 defeat of Trinidad’s Fatima. The tireless Alan Fernandes proved too much for the Fatima defence as the midfielder tallied a helmet-trick (four goals) for the match which was accompanied by singles from Philip Fernandes and Damon Woodroffe. Nicholas Wren put in a spirited perfor-

mance for Fatima, but his two goals fell shy of the requirement, leaving GCC the runaway victors at 6-2.

The Trinidad Police suffered some flight complications and paid a heavy price for having to field a diminished side against the Hickers in the other Carib vets division clash.

The Hickers ended with a resounding 13-0 victory, with

a five-goal haul from striker George Melville, a hattrick from Amanda Garnett, a double from Devin Munroe and singles from Robert Fernandes, James Mentore and Brian Asregado.

Matches will continue at the same venue until Sunday when the category finals will be contested from 17:00 hours. Admission is free to all games.

GHRA meeting shifted to RSTC Albion crowned Elizabeth Styles U-19 champs T he Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA) general members meeting will now be held at the Rising Sun Turf Club (RSTC) instead of the Bush Lot United Turf Club.

The meeting will be held on Sunday, beginning at 10:30 hours.

A number of topics are set to be discussed, including racing meets for the rest of the year, reviewing race meets that were completed, registration and affiliation of the various clubs, classifi-

Cecil Kennard

cation and reclassification of horse, jockeys, trainers and horse owners association and payments.

Issues affecting horse owners and the present position with the horse racing legislation will also come up for discussion.

President of the body, retired Chancellor Justice Cecil Kennard, will chair the meeting, which is expected to be attended by representatives of all the horse racing clubs in Guyana, the major stables and horse owners.

Braithwaite leads GNRA shoot

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eigning Caribbean fullbore shooting champion, Lennox Braithwaite, took his winning ways to the shorter ranges and holds the lead in the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA) Handgun section end-of-year championships after the first round of competition at the TSU ranges at Eve Leary.

The fullbore marksman, who finished fourth in the just concluded national senior rifle shooting championships, recorded 293 points in the .22 Precision Pistol event last weekend and goes into the second stage with a sixpoint advantage over experi-

Lennox Braithwaite

enced hand gunner, Hemant Narine, who recorded 287 points in a fiercely fought

first round of competition.

Female shooter Vidushi Persaud held on to third position with 277 points.

The shooters will now focus their attention on the Practical Pistol Shoot at the Timehri ranges on Sunday, starting at 09:00 hours.

The third and final leg is set for December 7 with the Action Pistol event at the TSU ranges at Eve Leary.

The presentation of prizes for the handgun and fullbore championships will be presented during the GNRA annual presentation ceremony to be held during December at a date and venue to be confirmed.

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he lads from Albion Community Centre are the Berbice Under-19 cricket champions. They got the rights to that title after defeating Young Warriors recently in the final of the inaugural Elizabeth Styles Under-19, 50-over cricket competition the Cumberland Ground in East Canje.

Batting first, Albion, led by a patient 64 from former Berbice Under-19 allrounder Verapen Permaul, reached 183 all out in 45 overs. Berbice Under-17 batsman Balchand Baldeo chipped in with 39.

In reply, Young Warriors were bundled out for just 70 in 29 overs to lose by 113 runs. Bowling for Albion, West Indies Under-19 leftarm spinner Gudakesh Motie took 3-12 from seven overs, leg-spinner Avinash Wajib bagged 3-15 from seven overs, off-spinner David Latchaya 2-4 from three overs and Baldeo 2-14 from four overs.

Permaul was later adjudged Man-of-the-Match.

Former Guyana Cricket Board executive Bissoondyal Singh, speaking at the pres-

Verapen Permaul

Gudakesh Motie

entation ceremony, said he was very pleased with the manner in which the competition was run by the Berbice Cricket Board.

Singh represented the sponsor Elizabeth Styles, a US-based cosmetics company.

He added that the work of the BCB must be admired, after learning that several semi-finals and other finals were being played simultaneously across the county. Singh said other cricket boards in Guyana and the Caribbean should take a page out of the book of the BCB.

He mentioned that Elizabeth Styles was so impressed with the competition that “they have already committed to renewing sponsorship for the Under-19 competition, and another competition next year.”

Singh said the BCB will also receive assistance from him next year, as he committed to funding a comprehensive coaching programme.

First Vice-president of the BCB, Anil Beharry, thanked Singh and Elizabeth Styles for their faith in Berbice cricket.

(Andrew Carmichael)

Saturday, november 30, 2013

guyanatimesGY.com

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Boxers ink contracts for historic “Linden Showdown” A

ll doubts have been removed and it’s now official. Professional boxers appearing on the Guyana Boxing Board of Control’s (GBBC) ProAm boxing card slated for Boxing Day (December 26), on Friday inked their contracts at the office of Abdool and Abdool Insurance Company in Georgetown.

The card will be staged at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground in the Mining Town of Linden for the first time, featuring four professional and a similar number of amateur fights.

Those boxers who have affixed their respective signatures to the contract documents at Friday’s signing ceremony were Derick Richmond, James Walcott, Cassius Matthews, Kishan Simon, Kelsie George, Romeo Norville, Shondell Parks and Shelly Gibson.

Richmond will don gloves against Walcott in the main encounter, a 12-rounder for the vacant Super Middlewight title of Guyana; Matthews will be coming up against Simon in a sixround Junior Welterweight contest; George will bat-

Professional boxers appearing on the Guyana Boxing Board of Control’s (GBBC) ProAm boxing card slated for Boxing Day sign their respective contracts on Friday

tle with Norville in a fourround Super Middleweight fight and Parks and Gibson will match gloves in their four-round Heavyweight showdown.

Apart from the four professional fights, there will

Raffik & Sons second division 20/20 cricket…

Courtland All Stars humble Albion in final

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ourtland All Stars have emerged as the 2013 Raffik and Sons Construction Services second division 20/20 cricket champions in the Lower/ Central Corentyne area.

In the final played at the Chesney ground, they outplayed a youthful Albion Community Centre team by eight wickets with nine overs to spare.

Albion Community Centre, winning the toss and taking first strike, made 94-6 from the allotted overs with Berbice Under-17 cricketer Ritesh Umrou making 20 not out.

Bowling for Courtland, Keon Sinclair ended with 2-31 from four overs, Troy Mathieson 1-4 from four overs, and Michael Cummings 1-5 from four overs.

When Courtland All Stars replied, their openersformer Berbice pacer Eon Gibson and Troy Mathiesonhit off-spinner Balchan Baldeo for 13 runs in the first over, setting the stage for an onslaught. Baldeo however, had Mathieson caught for 11 in his sec-

ond over 18-1 in 2.2 overs.

Cummings joined Gibson and the mayhem resumed with the pair putting on 51 in 7.2 overs. Cummings was dismissed for 21 (2x6s, 1x4).

Sinclair joined Gibson at 69-2 in 9.4 overs and it took just eight more deliveries to take Courtland All Stars home at 98-2 in 11 overs with Gibson 34 not out and Sinclair 11.

Gibson was adjudged Man-of-the-Match, while Courtlaand All Stars received the winner’s trophy and $20 000, while Albion Community Centre uplifted $10,000. Meanwhile, Fyrish emerged in the third position in the competition after they defeated Port Mourant by 50 runs in the third place playoff.

Fyrish, sent in to take first strike, made 165-5 in their 20 overs with Monilall Shivdyal 40, Yudindra Chainaen 20 and Javed Mohamed 20. Port Mourant replied with 115 all out in 19.4 overs with Rudrunauth Lauchman scoring 23.

Bowling for Fyrish, Monilall Shivdyal took 3-22 and Hassan Hussain 2-26.

also be four amateur bouts on the card, but to date the names of the boxers have not been released. All the amateur fighters will be from Linden.

Meanwhile, speaking at Friday’s signing ceremony, promoter Omo To La Goulding said the card is being held in an effort to create opportunities for young boxers and also the promotion of the sport here.

Further, he said that once next month card is a success, promoters are willing to host a card every quarterly.

Admission to the venue is $1,000, while lucky patrons will be able to win attractive door prizes. Up for grabs will be a cellular phone, Ipad and two cash prizes valued $10,000 each.

The card is been held in collaboration with Nations Promotions.

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

saturday, november 30, 2013

TOP SCORES

CRICKET: NEW ZEALAND XI 227-8 DECLARED AND 168-3 DECLARED VERSUS WEST INDIANS XI 230-6 DECLARED AND 121-3; RESULT: MATCH DRAWN

DMW International Indoor Hockey Festival...

Hikers make spectacular rebound to draw against YMCA See story on page

22

GCC goalkeeper Eric Hing making a brilliant save against the run of Old Fort’s Aderemi Simon

Hikers’ striker Aroydy Branford on the attack against YMCA

New Zealand XI v West Indians, Lincoln…

Chanderpaul, Rutherford hit fifties in drawn game

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amish Rutherford and Shivnarine Chanderpaul shone with fifties in a drawn threeday tour match between New Zealand XI and West Indians in Lincoln. The tourists took a lead of three runs in the first innings, and were set a target of 166 on the last day, but their innings ended on 121-2 with a fifty from Chadwick Walton after the two teams decided to end the match mutually.

None of the New Zealand batsmen, barring Rutherford, could convert starts into big scores after they opted to bat.

Rutherford scored 61 but the team was in trouble at 1296 after Tom Latham and Brendon McCullum were dismissed in twenties. However,

Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Chadwick Walton

Mark Craig (24), Todd Astle (30) and Anurag Verma (31*) stretched the score as the hosts declared on 227-8.

Kirk Edwards fell cheaply in the West Indians’ response, in which they were helped by New Zealand batsmen Jeet

Raval and Aaron Redmond, who played for the tourists in the absence of their full squad. Chanderpaul, however, scored 89 to lead them to 230. Off-spinner Craig struck with four wickets in his 20 overs.

New Zealand put on a strong opening stand of 142 in the second innings as Peter Fulton (53) and Rutherford (72) retired out after their fifties. They declared on 168-3, soon after Brendon McCullum was dismissed for 10, with a lead of 165. The West Indians’ reply was led by a fifty from Walton and they were on track to chase 166, but the match was drawn before tea when they were 45 away from the target. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

New Zealand XI 1st innings 227-8 declared West Indians 1st innings 230-6 declared New Zealand XI 2nd innings PG Fulton retired out 53 HD Rutherford retired out 72 BB McCullum* c O’Donnell b Tugaga 10 TWM Latham not out 9 DC de Boorder† not out 6 Extras (b-4, lb-4, w-5, nb-5) 18 Total (3 wickets dec; 36 overs) 168 Fall of wickets: 1-142 (Rutherford, 25.6 ov), 2-142 (Fulton, 26.1 ov), 3-156 (McCullum, 31.5 ov) Bowling: ST Gabriel 9-0-430 (2-nb), SS Cottrell 7-0-44-

0 (1-nb), MJ Tugaga 10-4-271, SR Wells 6-0-29-0 (2-nb, 1-w), TG Johnston 4-0-17-0 West Indians 2nd innings (target: 166 runs) KA Edwards* c Latham b Craig 25 CAK Walton† not out 61 S Chanderpaul c Mathieson b Craig 12 RR O’Donnell not out 16 Extras (lb-4, w-1, nb-2) 7 Total (2 wickets; 31 overs) 121 Fall of wickets: 1-60 (Edwards, 11.3 ov), 2-78 (Chanderpaul, 17.5 ov) Bowling: A Verma 3-0-21-0 (2nb, 1-w), AW Mathieson 7-1-240, MD Craig 13-1-38-2, JD Baker 4-1-14-0, TD Astle 4-1-20-0

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