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Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School excels at CSEC P13 examinations Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 2952

guyana-times.com

Friday, August 19, 2016

PRICE

Pharmagate

Cabinet Sub-Committee finds $12.5M rental too high – source

Page 3

… says re-negotiate ‘drugs bond deal’ or terminate contract

Police records 100% increase in traffic offences – Ramjattan NEW GPC awards top NGSA students

Murder suspect of 14-year-old caught in barrel

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE: After several months

Region P9 5 holds undisrupted statutory meeting Youth are still awaiting APNU/AFC promised P11 change – TUF leader

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Page 12

Inadequate P10 venues prevent opening of passport offices in Berbice, Essequibo – Felix

December P6 deadline set for Education CoI – PS

The awardees pose with their bursary certificates while being flanked by NEW GPC employees and invitees

Sacking of hundreds of Linden CIIP workers

Linden municipality made decision to terminate contracts – Town Clerk Page 11

Massive Malaria outbreak in Region 7 – PHM Page 9

2 charged P10 with murder of Triumph teen

2 NEWS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Policewoman charged for stealing Samsung Galaxy

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policewoman on Thursday appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to a charge of theft.

Yonnette Jupiter, 35, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated

that on Friday, August 12, 2016, at the Commissioner of Police’s Office, Eve Leary, Georgetown, she stole one Samsung Galaxy S4 valued $129,000, one 32 gigabyte memory card and a GTT Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card valued $3000, property of

Royston McPherson.

The unrepresented defendant told the court that she has a small daughter hence she is pleading for bail.

She was placed on $75,000 bail and will have to return to Court on August 19.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

Pharmagate

Cabinet Sub-Committee finds $12.5M rental too high – Source

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, August 19 – 05:00h-06:30h and Saturday, August 20 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, August 19 – 17:00h-18:30h and Saturday, August 20 – 05:30h-7:00h.

… says re-negotiate ‘drugs bond deal’ or terminate contract

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FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times - 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Light rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day, while clear skies can be expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 31 degrees Celsius. .

Winds: Easterly to East North-easterly between 1.78 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 05:03h and 17:25 reaching a maximum height of 2.28 metres and 2.79 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 10:59h and 23:17h reaching minimum heights of 0.40 metres and 0.41 metres respectively.

he lease entered between the Ministry of Public Health and Linden Holding Inc for the storage of drugs and medical supplies “should be revised and strengthened” and further, Government should seek to renegotiate rental for a lesser sum, since a similar facility could be obtained at a lower rate.

These are the potent findings of the Cabinet SubCommittee set up by Head of State David Granger to investigate the deal that had been entered with Linden Holding Inc—majority owned by Larry Singh, a known coalition financier.

Cabinet Report

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Guyana Times has managed to garner more in depth information – from a reliable source – of the Confidential Cabinet Report that was handed to President David Granger last week, for his Executive action.

In the report, the Cabinet Sub-Committee found that—contrary to earlier pronouncements by government spokespersons—the value of the lease with Linden Holding Inc should be reassessed, as it is likely that a similar facility could be obtained at a lower rate.

The Cabinet SubCommittee, which was chaired by Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman has also recommended that should Linden Holding Inc refuse to renegotiate a lower rate for its 29 Sussex Street, Albouystown, facility, then the lease arrangement should be terminated and Government should build its own storage facility, the source outlined.

According to the reliable source, the SubCommittee recommended to the President that should Singh’s Linden Holding Inc refuse to renegotiate a cheaper rate with Government, that the company be given one year’s

Public Health PS, Trevor Thomas

notice within which time government would seek to build its own bond.

In addition to the promised public apology that was announced as part of the recommendations, the source outlined, that the Cabinet Sub-Committee recommended that government release all relevant documents, including the correspondences it would have received from the NEW GPC. The Cabinet SubCommittee team, Guyana times was informed, included Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Minister of State Joseph Harmon— both Attorneys—had found too, that in their “considered opinion”, while the lease agreement with Linden Holding Inc is not altogether unfavourable to government, this should be revised to take into account matters related to ‘insurance and maintenance’ of the facility.

Minister Norton’s role

There has been public outcry for the President to sanction Minister of Public Health Dr George Norton but the report, the source highlighted, found that Dr Norton as “Minister of Health was acting in accordance with a Cabinet directive, when he tasked the Ministry’s staff to find and secure a suitable bond in the earliest possible time.”

As it relates to the mis-

leading statements Dr Norton would have made in the National Assembly when the matter was first raised on August 8, 2016, the Cabinet Sub-Committee found that the minister might have himself been misled by the ministry officials assisting him at the time.

It was during the consideration of advances made from the Contingencies Fund, when the matter was first disclosed to the public.

At the time, Minister Dr Norton was being grilled over a $25 million provision which was found to be a Security Deposit paid to Linden Holding Inc. Dr Norton at the time told the National Assembly that the building was in fact already being used by the Ministry of Public Health to store its drugs and medical supplies.

This publication was told that under examination by the Cabinet SubCommittee, Minister Norton said his statement was based on the reliance of the information provided to him by the ministry officials “to the effect that the bond was ready and in use.”

Dr Norton has since reportedly accepted that this statement was erroneous.

Another of the erroneous statements made by Dr Norton was that NEW GPC was being paid in excess of $19 million monthly.

Dr Norton reportedly told the Cabinet Sub Committee that he was under the mistaken belief that payment had been effected as he is not involved in the financial business of the ministry.

Unnecessary lease?

Among the terms of reference handed to the Sub Committee in effecting its investigation into the entire fiasco was to determine whether Dr Norton caused the Government to enter an unnecessary lease agreement.

According to this news-

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton

papers source, the Cabinet Sub-Committee in its findings have since documented that at the July 12, 2016 meeting of the Cabinet Council of Ministers, Chaired by the President, “a Cabinet Memo was brought to the Cabinet for approval to be given for the leasing of a building at Lot 29 Sussex Street, Albouystown.”

Cabinet gave its No Objection for the lease of the facility and among the considerations was the fact that though the arrangement with the Ministry of Public Health and NEW GPC was deemed “rent free,” it did not escape the attention of Cabinet that “NEW GPC was also the primary single source supplier of drugs and pharmaceuticals to the Government of Guyana and there was a ‘comfortable convenience’ in providing warehouse space for the drugs and pharmaceuticals that were being supplied.”

Procurement changes

The Ministry of Public Health in 2016 instituted a new procurement model that sought to put in place regular public tendering as against what obtained in the form of pre-qualification—a status that was secured by NEW GPC. The aim of the change of the procurement tactics on the part of the Government was to remove NEW GPC as the main supplier of drugs and pharmaceuticals.

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707

Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

CSEC Mathematics results

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he Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results are out and noteworthy there were outstanding performances this year. There is no doubt that we need to celebrate our outstanding performers.

These students evidently had to have spent countless hours studying and preparing for these examinations. However, while we celebrate the top performers, the overall results show unquestionably that with the lack of meaningful performances in Mathematics – more so with the decline of pass rates in the subject area this year – there needs to be strategic planning by the Education Ministry for there to be improved performances at these examinations. The Education Ministry on Wednesday announced that there was a decline this year in Mathematics, with a pass rate of 38.37 per cent when compared to the pass rate of 45.07 per cent recorded in 2015.

Overall, there was an increase in the number of candidates who wrote the CSEC examination in 2016. The Education Ministry reported that a total of 12,809 candidates wrote the examination, of which 35 per cent wrote the exams privately. Laudably, Grade One to Three passes in English Language (A) recorded a significant improvement of over 10 per cent from last year’s performance. In 2016 there was a pass rate of 59.3 per cent in English A as compared to 49.36 per cent in 2015. The Ministry also reported that the overall pass rate in the general and technical proficiencies for Grades One to Three this year was 63.39 per cent compared to 62.72 per cent in 2015. A total of 35 subjects were written by Guyanese candidates and an analysis of the results indicated exceptional performances in 15 subjects, where the Grades One to Three passes exceeded 75 per cent, while satisfactory performances were recorded in the other 18 subjects with Grades One to Three passes exceeding 50 per cent. But again this year, the science subjects recorded disproportional performances. While there was significant improvement in Biology and Physics, Integrated Science declined and unsatisfactory performances were recorded in Chemistry.

The 2016 results come at a time when there is a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Education Ministry.

As alluded by Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Education Ministry, Delma Nedd, the Ministry is yet to launch a pilot project, which was generated under former Minister Priya Manickchand in 2014, specifically targeting Mathematics in secondary schools. As a matter of fact, the plan was expected to monitor performances of students from the entrance of secondary school, right through to CSEC. According to the PS, the Ministry is awaiting the CoI report before proceeding and that this project may be launched “sometime” next year.

The question is whether the Education Ministry is serious about this announcement. A number of CoI’s have been conducted since this new Administration took office and the public is yet to see any significant result or actions from those inquiries. So in the meantime, is the Education Ministry willing to accept underperformance by our students until the “CoI” report is out? Nedd herself at the announcement of the CSEC results admitted that the Education Ministry is not satisfied with the performance in Mathematics. Instead of waiting for the CoI report, the Ministry should examine that pilot project to determine its effectiveness and strategies to address the Mathematics curriculum.

As a collective institution, the Ministry has to also examine the various pedagogical approaches in order to support the improvement of the entire education sector and more specifically, the performance of students in Mathematics.

The need for a qualified cadre of Mathematics teachers has been highlighted in the CSEC results over the years. Focus should be placed on how to improve our teachers’ skills and give them the necessary tools they need to improve those skills. The preparation for these examinations does not commence at secondary school level but rather from the beginning of a student’s educational life.

From L-R: Aditya Persaud, Godfrey Naughton, Kirk Jardine, Shazeeda Wong, President David Granger, Herandai Khemraj, Evan Radhay Persaud and Roy Mookram at the Ministry of the Presidency. The members of the Indian Action Committee (IAC) on Thursday called on the Head of State to inform him of a project that they are currently working on to augment the Government’s efforts towards fostering social cohesion. The Committee is currently working on a stage production called “I AM US”, which is slated for the National Cultural Centre (NCC) in the first week of October. Naughton explained that the play, which will also be taken to other regions across Guyana, seeks to address age-old issues that prevent Guyanese from different ethnic groups from fully understanding and trusting each other. The play which will be free of cost received the blessings of the President who assured support to any group intent on fostering social cohesion and national unity

King making a mess in the city

Dear Editor, One of the more popular fables one read as a child was that of ‘King Midas’ the king who had a touch of Gold whereby everything he touched turned to gold. In Georgetown we have our own ‘King’ but he is quite the opposite, whereby everything he touches turns to mess.

The itinerant and pavement vendors were doing quite well, selling their products when King came along and touched them; they are now in a jumbled mess at the corners of Hadfield and Lombard Streets.

The barbers, tattoo art-

ists, cosmetologists, and hairdressers were doing quite well, providing their services on America Street and elsewhere, King came along and touched them and now they turn out to be one big public health mess on the Merriman Mall under some flimsy tents, without the requisite hygienic standards.

Motorists were doing quite well in the city finding suitable parking wherever they wanted, along came King who decided to make a mess of the parking, by illegally contracting a company that will place financial hardship on vehicle owners.

Municipal workers were accustomed to receiving their salaries on time and their deductions for GRA and NIS paid over in timely manner, then King came along and made a mess of this with workers now waiting for weeks to be paid and months to have these statutory deductions paid over.

Store owners and other business persons had a welloiled arrangement where the items they shipped in by container, would be towed to their bonds or stores where they would offload and the empty container returned to the shipyard, then came

King and started to charge them $25,000 a piece and then blocking the containers from leaving the wharves, making a mess of the entire importation process.

The Merriman Mall was a nice open space in the city that commemorated a former Mayor. Once again King made a mess of this, cluttering this area with wholesaler booths, roadside barbershops, etc.

I just hope that King stops touching things in our capital.

Regards, Sean Moniz

Kudos to our AG for resumed HWLS assistance Dear Editor, As a working class law student who has just completed three years at the University of Guyana, Law Department, I cannot allow the recent achievement of Minister of Legal Affairs/ Attorney General Basil Williams to go unheralded.

I refer to his recent successful parliamentary motion which resulted in the allocation of $17.9 million (approximately) to assist us who are at or proceeding to the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS), St Augustine Campus, University of the West

Indies (UWI). It is a tremendously challenging prospect for more ‘ordinary’ working– class students who must pay the full cost of tuition at Hugh Wooding in Trinidad and Tobago, for apart from the steep fees per year there is also the costs associated with boarding and lodging and other associated expenses.

The past administration had ceased assisting Guyanese law students bound for Trinidad with any portion of their overall economic costs. So kudos to

our Attorney-General and the Granger administration for their kind gesture of resumed assistance. Perhaps it is not merely resumed “kindness” but an acute appreciation that the national development about to unfold in Guyana will attract the services of varied legal practitioners who will be necessary to give guidance over a wide array of disciplines.

The assistance is therefore an investment in the future, in terms of the legal expertise to be necessary within the context and framework of our national socio-eco-

nomic thrust.

So, even as I, at my own personal level, have to pursue even additional support, I thank on my own behalf and I daresay all my colleagues/students will concur – Attorney General Basil Williams for his thoughtful, constructive initiative.

As one of the 25 students about to proceed to Hugh Wooding within weeks, I cannot afford to let him and Guyana down.

Yours sincerely, Loretta Noel Final Year Student-atLaw (2016)

There is massive redundancy at City Hall Dear Editor, One of the main reasons that City Hall is always broke for years now is because it took on an ill-advised and expensive option of contracting out most of its services to private individuals and companies instead of doing the jobs themselves as they did in the past.

The Council now has garbage collection, weeding, road sweeping, the provision and maintenance of public conveniences, provision of guard services, the cleaning

of canals and drains, repairs and maintenance of roads etc done by private contractors whilst the Council employees provided these services themselves in the past at a much cheaper rate.

But much worse than that, is the fact that they still maintain the same staff strength as they had when they provided the services of approximately eight hundred employees. This means there is massive redundancy and duplication at City Hall.

How could they justify in

this modern digital age, after farming out most of their services to private companies maintaining such a huge employee count and a massive payroll amount each month?

They need to make a choice, and that is either maintain the private contractors at a prohibitive cost and get rid of half of their employees, or get rid of the contractors, save hundreds of millions of dollars each month, and have the employees recommence doing the work themselves.

It is not rocket science nor is it reinventing the wheel, the council used to do it in the past when Georgetown was a Garden City and the pride of the Caribbean; they could do it again. It is just that the “Big Wigs” would not get any kickbacks from the contractors.

Just imagine, we currently owe the two garbage contractors a whopping quarter of a billion dollars!

Yours sincerely, James McOnnell

guyana-times.com

FRIDAY AUGUST 19, 2016

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate, Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Current AG briefed of all issues and pending court matters

Dear Editor, The public must, by now, be accustomed to the curious and uncanny habit of Attorney General Basil Williams, to blame the “previous Administration” or the “former AG”, or both, whenever he finds himself in a conundrum, on any given issue.

His alleged recent “discovery”, that DIPCON Engineering Company obtained judgment against the State in excess of $300 mil-

lion since November 2015, is just but one example of a long line of such matters. He claims that he learnt of the matter only recently, and characteristically, blames me for his ignorance of its prior existence. I left that office in May 2015. That judgment was granted over six months after I demitted office. Yet, oddly, I am blamed.

Attorney Mortimer Codette, through the letter columns of Guyana Times, has requested that I shed some

What will happen to Troy Doris after Rio? Dear Editor, Qualifying for a final of any kind at the Olympic level to my mind is a great accomplishment. Many will not agree with me because they will say a medal is of more importance, but at the end of the day, I stand with the International Olympic Committee’s motto which partially says that one’s participation is as important as being a medal winner.

Troy Doris, a United States of America-based Guyanese triple jumper should be commended for his representation on behalf of Guyana for placing and being the world’s 7th best currently. However, what will happen to troy Doris af-

ter Rio? Is there now collaboration with the Troy Doris’ USA camp and the Ministry of Education which overlooks sports in Guyana along with the Sports Commission and the Guyana Olympic Association as he prepares for Tokyo 2020 and possibly London 2017 for the World Championships?

Not so certain if the triple jump is kept at the world championships. On the other hand, I appreciate the representation of the entire Guyana contingent at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Yours faithfully, T Pemberton

light on this matter.

For the record, though not obliged to, on May 20, 2015, I briefed my successor on every major issue at the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Legal Affairs Ministry, including pending court matters. More specifically, I informed him that two external Counsels were retained to act in four or five cases that were pending in the court system. I named the lawyers and the cases. The DIPCON matter was one of those cases.

Moreover, the AG Chambers has a fully staffed Registry which has a full inventory and adequate record of every case involv-

ing the Attorney General’s Chambers pending in the court system. If any case is being conducted by external Counsel, sufficient particulars in relation thereto, are recorded in the Registry.

The Registry falls under the supervision of the Solicitor General.

It cannot be the fault of the “previous Administration” or the “former AG” if the incumbent fails to familiarise himself with his office, duties and functions. I babysit none.

I hope that I have finally put these issues to rest.

Yours faithfully, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP

6 NEWS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Police records 100% increase in traffic offences – Ramjattan – as GNRSC launches Road Safety Magazine

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A section of the attendees at the magazine’s launch

s the Police record a 100 per cent increase in road accidents, the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) has launched its inaugural Road Safety Magazine.This forms part of the body’s effort to reduce the scourge of road fatalities. Under the theme, “Be Wise, Stay

Alive, Stop Speeding, Don’t Drink and Drive”, the GNRSC’s Road Safety Magazine has the objective of educate children and adults on the proper use of the road.

The magazine includes information on road signs, speed limits, traffic laws and a summary of accidents

for the past 15 years which revealed that between 2000 and 2015, 2332 persons died as a result of accidents. Coordinator of the GNRSC, Ramona Doorgen noted that the rising number of road accidents has pushed the organisation to continue to implement education campaigns used to

send road safety messages across the country.

Doorgen also pointed out that these accidents can have a devastating impact on victims and their families. Traffic Officer of Guyana Police Force, Deon Moore echoed similar sentiments, noting that his department recognises the

Berbice Expo opens today P

resident David Granger is expected to declare open the twelfth annual Berbice Expo and Trade Fair at the Albion Sports Complex this evening. The Expo will go until Monday.

This year, the event is being held under the theme ‘Promoting Entrepreneurship for a Diversified Economy’ and is a collaborative effort between the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce and the Business Ministry.

Coordinator of the event, Tajpaul Adjodhea, says more

than one hundred exhibitors will be on show. “I am very pleased that we have about 25 first-time craft exhibitors,” Adjodhea said, noting that there are a variety of exhibitors and the main auditorium is fully booked.

“They range from banking, insurance, and Government agencies. We have [National Insurance Scheme] NIS, [Guyana Revenue Authority] GRA, the Guyana Tourism Authority; the Ministry of Agriculture is here in a big way. We have a number of craft producers on display this year.”

Meanwhile, two private security services have been booked to provide security inside the arena. The Guyana Police Force will also be on hand to provide security; both at the exposition and in the vicinity of the Albion Spots Complex.

Nightly there will be a live band and cultural performances. According to Adjodhea, when the first Berbice Expo was held 11 years ago, the entrance fee was $500 for adults and $300 for children and that has not changed.

Tickets for the event

are currently available at Imran and Sons, Poonai’s Pharmacy, and Imran and Daughters in Rose Hall; Shell Service Station and A Ally and Sons in New Amsterdam and Dhanan’s Gas Station DeEdward, West Coast Berbice.

Gates will be opened from 15:00h daily and are scheduled to close at 23:30h nightly.

Among the sponsors for the Expo are Digicel, the Business Ministry, ANSA McAL Trading, Comfort Sleep and Republic Bank.

(Andrew Carmichael)

importance of road safety.

“Every time there is an accident, especially where someone dies, it is hard to say [to relatives] that a member of their family has passed due to an accident… “we recognise the importance of road safety and we have been working very hard to ensure that drivers desist from those practices,” Moore noted.

Meanwhile, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan described the statistics on road fatalities as horrifying, noting that at the 31st week of 2016, there were 1096 traffic offences made out against speeding, alcohol use and inattentiveness, compared to 516 cases for the same period last year. Ramjattan says that more has to be done to reduce speeding and alcohol use. The sta-

tistics point to a 100 per cent increase from specified period of 2015 to 2016 comparatively.

“I just can’t understand what breeze in blowing over this country to make us so irresponsible, not loving life and at governmental level, the destruction and death that is caused by the non-adherence to the various regulations is massive,” the Public Security Minister noted.

He further expressed that the loss of life takes a toll on society and many families end up not being well taken care of as well as a loss of property.

Ramjattan urged readers of the magazine to pay attention to all articles in the document. The Minister pledged more allocations for the Guyana National Road Safety Council.

December deadline set for Education CoI – PS

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he ongoing Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Public Education Sector will be wrapped up by December 2016, according to Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Delma Nedd.

The CoI is mandated to investigate and hold hearings across the country on the state of the sector, and provide a report outlining recommendations for the enhancement of public education delivery.

Nedd made this disclosure on Wednesday during a press conference to announce Guyana’s performance in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

“The ministry has commenced its Commission of Inquiry so that is ongoing and is expected to conclude in December this year.

The inquiry is strategically aligned to have consultations with parents, stakeholders, guardians, the private sector and so on. We are asking everyone to come on board and give your feedback as to how we can improve our students’ performance across the country,” she stated.

The second round of consultations of the inquiry is ongoing with a session held on Friday and another set for Tuesday.

In this round, the commissioners are targeting stakeholders such as religious leaders, teachers, administrative staff and students of the Cyril Potter College of Education, the University of Guyana, and the Guyana Teachers’ Union.

Education Ministry PS Delma Nedd

Religious communities desirous of making an input can do so at next week’s session to be held at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) building, Kingston, Georgetown.

Some of the organisations engaging the CoI are the Guyana Society of Jesus, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, and the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana.

In addition, the CoI will hear from the Private Sector Commission today (August 19); UG and CPCE on September 20, and the GTU on September 22.

Meanwhile, the third and final round of consultation will see the CoI travelling to various regions to get the feedback from residents about their perception of the state of the education system as well as recommendations for its enhancement.

These series of engagements will commence in September and stretch into November.

Recommendations from the consultation will be used to develop administrative policies and legislations to govern the education sector.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

GAWU calling on Social Murder suspect of 14-yearProtection Ministry old caught in barrel to resolve stalemate

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he Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) is calling on the Social Protection Ministry to resolve the stalemate between the Union and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) over La Bonne Intention (LBI) workers being deployed.

GAWU stated that if the Corporation and the Union have reached an impasse in the discussion of the LBI workers being relocated to the Enmore Estate, then the Social Protection Ministry should intervene to resolve the issue.

Union General Secretary Seepaul Narine in a statement said that among the matters the Union wants to resolve is the one surrounding the Corporation’s decision to transfer the cane harvesters to Enmore Estate, adding that the Union’s delegation needs assurance that the workers would not be transferred.

“Notwithstanding that undertaking and to the Union’s surprise the Corporation on July 26, 2016, informed the Union that it has decided to transfer the LBI field workers. Narine noted that the Union’s delegation at that meeting did not consent to the transfer. Subsequently, he stated that there was another engagement between

the Union’s delegation and the Corporation on August 3, 2016 and no agreement was reached.

He argued that it is therefore inconceivable for GuySuCo to say that the East Demerara Estate is one estate, so the disturbance allowance would not be applicable. “However, if it is that the Corporation and the Union have reached an impasse in the discussions, then the matter should have been referred to the Ministry of Social Protection for conciliation,” he posited.

He questioned the transfer of the LBI workers given that LBI cultivation is not closed.

“Indeed it should be borne in mind also that canecutters are piece-rated. At LBI whenever they are required to undertake – tasks other than their substantive tasks – their earnings are pegged at $3000 per worker, which is higher than the $2700 paid at Enmore Estate. There are other dissimilar conditions of work between the two estates,” he said, pointing out that the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act (TESPA) prohibits the Corporation from transferring the workers concerned under less favourable conditions. “Furthermore, the transfer is not proper since the workers are not

redundant in keeping with Section 12 of TESPA”.

He further stated that the Corporation insisting that it received no letter from the Union to discuss several issues which the Union saw fit to raise is erroneous.

“The Corporation’s representative is obviously unacquainted with the facts. We cannot believe at this time, the Corporation seeks to be purposely misleading. The fact is that there are over 12 letters to GuySuCo for which not even an acknowledgement was received,” Narine noted.

He stated that the Corporation’s actions strongly emphasise the Union’s view that GuySuCo is not seeking to encourage an atmosphere of dialogue and cooperation.

“The GAWU remains desirous of a fruitful working relationship premised on mutual respect in the interest of the industry and its thousands of workers,” he said, adding that “indeed GAWU and the thousands of sugar workers as stakeholders want to ensure workers’ jobs are secured. That is why the workers are opposed to the closure of Wales Estate and any other estate.

It is GuySuCo over the past months especially since last October which is refusing to engage the Union on many major issues”.

Cabinet Sub-Committee...

NEW GPC responded by requesting payment for the use of its facility and that it had in fact already waived two month’s rent—January and February—and was only requesting rental fees for March to July.

Dr Norton subsequently made a petition to Cabinet and advised that, the use of the warehouse space from NEW GPC was undesirable for two reasons, namely that in an open bidding process, maintaining warehouse space at NEW GPC Inc could lead to allegations of conflict of interest levelled by other suppliers and

that the sum requested by NEW GPC was excessive.

NEW GPC had in fact submitted an invoice to the Government of Guyana that works out to $237 per square foot for the use of its state-of-the-art storage bond, while the ministry subsequently opted to pay in excess of $1200 per square foot to Linden Holding Inc. The Sub-Committee in its report, the source said, has suggested that Cabinet approved the leasing of the Sussex Street property, based on Minister Norton’s representation, and taking

FROM PAGE 3

into account the essential and perishable nature of the products being stocked, that the need for a replacement warehouse was urgent.

According to the reliable source, it was the Permanent Secretary Trevor Thomas and staff of the Ministry of Public Health that commenced a search for alternative space suitable for the storage of pharmaceuticals or could be easily converted for that purpose, after which the bond at Sussex Street was secured at a monthly rental of $12.5 million.

Suspect Alvin “Satan” Reid

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nvestigators made a breakthrough in the murder case of Malika Hamilton, 14, after they arrested the prime suspect.

Alvin Reid called “Satan” was wanted for questioning but managed to evade the Police for the past week.

According to Police, “Ranks of the Guyana Police Force in the early hours of (Thursday) morning have apprehended the prime suspect in relation to the alleged murder of Malika Hamilton… The suspect, who managed to elude the Police in the past, was found hiding in a barrel in the Ann’s Grove cemetery,” the Police said.

Two days ago, Reid appeared on a local television station and denied having anything to do with the teenager’s murder. “Me aint kill nobody,” he declared, while adding “the ‘mount of allegations they get at the station for me, I had to move.”

The man further claimed that he saw the young woman on the night she went missing but at the time, there was no news of her disappearance.

“She cross the canal in a boat with us and after then, she left and say she going by she grandmother in Hope and me never see she back… when I heard about this girl is when they find she dead but I spoke to the mother ‘cause the mother ask me if I see Malika and I said yes, I see Malika. Malika cross in a boat with we and say she going by she grandmother and me never see she back,” the suspect disclosed during the interview on Tuesday.

The body of the young girl was found in a canal at Hope, East Coast Demerara, on August 9. The post-mortem revealed that she was strangled and sustained blunt trauma to the head.

It is believed that the teenager might have been strangled and struck to the head before she was thrown into the canal. Due to the fact that the post-mortem listed the cause of death as drowning, it is believed that the teenager was alive when

Murdered: Malika Hamilton

she was thrown overboard.

The young girl was last seen the night before in the company of two boys who told her family that they dropped her off at a canal in the village, claiming that she wanted to visit her grandmother.

However, the young woman never made it to her grandmother’s house.

8 NEWS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

IN THE COURTS

Police recruit fined for stealing cellphone

A

young Police recruit was on Thursday fined $50,000 by City Magistrate Fabayo Azore for theft of a cellular phone.

Nicholas Harvey, 21, of 3072 section A, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on Sunday, August 14, 2016, at Felix Austin Police Training College, he stole 1 Blu cellular phone valued $27,000, property of Durant Lafleur.

Nicholas Harvey

Police Prosecutor Stephen Telford told the court that Harvey only joined the college two weeks ago and on the day in question the virtual complainant (VC), Lafleur, left his cellphone on a table charging and went to the washroom. Upon returning the VC noticed the phone was missing. The defendant was contacted and admitted to stealing the phone.

The unrepresented recruit told the court that

he never had any previous brushes with the law and as such he was begging for leniency.

Magistrate Azore told the defendant recruit that he cannot want to be an enforcer of the law when he himself is breaking the law.

The Magistrate said she did not sentence the young man because he was remorseful. However, should he fail to pay the fine, he will be imprisoned for three months.

Teenage robbery accused remanded

A

teenager was on Thursday remanded to prisons by City Magistrate Leron Daly after being slapped with two charges, robbery under arms, and damage to property.

Joshua Austin, 17, of Lodge Housing Scheme, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge that stated on July 16, 2016, while in the company of others and

armed with an offensive weapon, a knife, he robbed Nigel Clarke of one BlackBerry cellular phone valued $45,000 and $6000 in cash.

The second charge read that on the same day, at East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he unlawfully damaged the windscreen of car PPP 3771, valued $70,000.

Police Prosecutor Kevin London did not provide any

details of the offences, but objected to bail on the grounds the defendant has another pending matter of a similar nature in another court.

The unrepresented Austin was remanded to prisons until September 12 when he will make his next court appearance.

Just over a month, the teenager appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann

McLennan on a charge of robbery which stated that on June 6, 2016 at Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, being armed with a knife he robbed Julius Patterson of one cosmetic silver ring, US$1500, CAD$50, £20, 40€ and G$2000.

That matter is said to be still pending at the Providence Magistrate's Court, East Bank Demerara.

Eyew tness

High flyers...

I

...in high school

t's that time of the year again: our front pages are chock full of pictures of our high flyers from 5th and Sixth Forms of our secondary schools generally kids from 16 to 18. And they deserve the accolades - imagine the effort to get 19 Grade Ones at CSEC or 6 Grade Ones at CAPE. Amazing!

But your Eyewitness has to also point out to the rest of us a couple of implications from our celebrations.

That if 50 years after Independence we're still stuck at High School achievements doesn't say much for our educational system, does it? This attention to High School grades came about when High Schools were the best we could aim for - they were so few of them.

A decade after the abolition of slavery, the government launched Queen’s College to give the scions of the upper class - generally kids of officialdom and the local professional (mostly Coloured) class, a British High School education. Only from that perch some could go on to University in Britain. Burnham was the top performer in 1942 at A-Levels (our CAPE today) and won a scholarship to London University to study for Law as a "Guyana Scholar".

Because he was "African" and not Coloured or White, his feat generated a tremendous wave of pride among ordinary Africans - more than a hundred years after "Emancipation". And gave him the platform he was to ride to success in politics. Your Eyewitness is concerned that a further 70-odd years down the road from Mr Burnham's achievement, we're still stuck at the same spot. Maybe even retrogressive, since success at "O" Levels, the equivalent to CSEC, didn't earn anyone any national kudos then.

Your humble Eyewitness thinks we have to raise our sights, don't you agree, dear readers? And so we arrive at our tertiary educational institution we created to make us independent - the University of Guyana. How come we don't hear about their graduates? It was established in 1963 - before independence. So where is it 53 years later? All we hear about is how decrepit and rundown it is - and that's just the physical infrastructure! We also hear that 85 per cent of its graduates move on to greener pastures in the "developed" world.

We can only retain them if we make our local pastures a bit greener for University Graduates. Well, maybe better days are around the corner - the oil corner that'll need all kinds of trained personnel with University training.

We just have to make sure the revenues that'll start flowing five years from now doesn't flow into some politicians' pockets!

...in oil and water

Some folks have their undies all in a knot because Van West Charles, head of GWI, just got a licence to import and export oil from Guyana. Why the fuss?

They don't believe oil and water can mix??!! Well just try an emulsifier and they'll mix just fine, thank you.

In this specific case money was obviously used as the emulsifying agent!

A couple of years ago, a Chinese company had its comparable license yanked and ex-PM Sam Hinds had to plead their case in the press. To no effect of course - all sorts of prerequisites weren't in place - storage tanks, etc etc. Now, never mind Van West doesn't even have the experience much less the equipment.

He's Guyanese, nuh?

That he's also Burnham's son-in-law has nothing to do with it. And his position as head of GWI has no relevance. Any Guyanese could've applied - and received the license even though there's no bond.

But he can always rent one from Larry Singh, nuh?

...in beauty

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Miss Universe Jamaica was just stripped - of her crown, that is. Seems she was naive enough to believe she'd receive all the prizes the promoters advertised and sued when she was stiffed.

What'd they teach them in Jamaican schools?

Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

NEWS

9

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Massive Malaria outbreak in Region 7 – PHM ... caused by illegal Venezuelan mining

By Jeanna Pearson

C

hoked by their massive economic crisis, many Venezuelan workers are flocking to Cuidad in Region 7 (CuyuniMazaruni) to illegally mine for gold and their heavy presence is contributing to the outbreak of Malaria.

Hundreds of Guyanese and Venezuelans are falling sick with malaria in a village called Cuidad, near the Venezuelan border. And according to Public Health Minister Dr George Norton, while they do not know the exact figures, the numbers are rising.

Reports of the outbreak have even reached the international media, with the New York Times saying that there are no medications in the Region to help all the sick people. According to the New York Times: “There were no lights because the government had cut power to save electricity. There were no medicines because the Health Ministry had not delivered any. Health workers administered blood tests with their bare hands because they were out of gloves.”

Venezuela was the first country in the world that was certified by the World

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton

Health Organization for the eradication of malaria, however, the economic crisis has turned the tables around.

Because of poor and insanitary living conditions, many Venezuelans were contracting malaria in Venezuela and inadvertently spreading it in Guyana by illegally mining in Region 7.

Norton stated that the outbreak has hit two Amerindian Carib Settlements in Region Seven. “The Venezuelans are coming in and are carrying out large-scale mining in that region,” he said. He highlighted that a medical team, comprising of himself, the Vector Control Unit, and the Regional Health Officers will be deployed to

the Region.

“We plan on addressing the issue and making certain that there are medication on the ground and medical personnel is there,” he added.

When questioned on how the ministry found out about the outbreak, Norton indicated that it was the news story in the New York Times. He stated that the community is a scattered Carib village and communication is difficult because they are isolated: “We promise to rectify the situation as fast as possible.”

At present, reported cases of malaria in Guyana are somewhere near 8000.

Reported cases are constantly fluctuating but cases of underreporting may seem to be higher, with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reporting that there were nearly 45 per cent underreported cases in 2013 and 2014, nationally.

PAHO had stated in a report which compiled 50 years of health in Guyana, that the country’s tropical climate, high rainfall, and marshy conditions cause malaria to consistently pose a threat to the population.

The report indicated that from the thousands of re-

ported cases at the beginning of the National Malaria Eradication Programme in 1959, only 72 cases were reported in 1974.

In 1991, there were 41,000 cases reported; the numbers increased to a little more than 84,000 in 1995.

Thereafter, annual cases were consistently around 30,000 up to 2004. But suddenly there was a drop between 2007 and 2009, where reported cases were at their lowest.

There have been increases annually afterward.

Panning increases malaria.

Malaria transmission has always been tied to movement of persons from the coast travelling to the hinterland regions to engage in economic activity associated with the extractive industries of gold, diamond and lumber.

PAHO had indicated that whenever there is an increase in the price of gold on the world market, there is a concomitant increase in the number of malaria cases, as a greater number of Coastlanders travel to the malaria endemic regions for the purpose of mining, thereby a greater number of the population is exposed to malaria.

After several months

Region 5 holds uninterrupted statutory meeting

T

he Regional Democrat Council (RDC) of Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) on Thursday held its first uninterrupted statutory meeting for 2016 after several months of disruptions.

The meeting was well attended and received full participation from both sides, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC).

During the meeting, several recommendations were made which if implemented could see improvements in many communities.

The RDC is recommending that Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) spend their subvention wisely and that they seek technical assistance from the Regional Administration to carry out their mandate.

Following Thursday's meeting, the Regional Administration is to pursue the possibility of having refresher programmes for property evaluators so they can once again evaluate properties in the region, allowing NDCs to be able to collect property tax which reflects the value of the property on the land.

In January this year the coalition APNU/AFC began to disrupt the statutory meetings, demanding

that Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal apologise to President David Granger for not attending a function in the region earlier in the month, at which Granger was the guest of honour.

None of the statutory meetings thereafter were possible as the coalition councillors disrupted all of them insisting that Ramphal makes an apology.

However delivering an Emancipation address in the region on August 1, President Granger called on the RDC councillors to work together for the betterment of the region. Afterwards both parties symbolically reconciled with an embrace.

Following Thursday’s (August 19) meeting, Ramphal told Guyana Times that he is happy the council can move forward so that the people of Region Five can benefit from the services that the RDC offers.

Meanwhile, coalition Councillor Abel Seetaram said he is happy to see that representatives of both parties want to see the region move forward: “I am very appreciative as a councillor that after the impasse we had that we can come together now and move the Region forward, so I am very happy about that.” (Andrew

Carmichael)

10

guyana-times.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016

News

Inadequate venues prevents opening of passport offices in Berbice, Essequibo – Felix

G

overnment will soon move to expand the passport service to Berbice and Essequibo, as soon at the issue of venues

could be sorted out.

Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix told Guyana Times on Thursday that the unavailability of venues is

the only reason why offices in Berbice and Essequibo could not be opened on the same day as Linden.

“The others have not

been opened because of venue problems, either [the] venue[s] have not been available or like in the case of new Amsterdam the venue

is available but we have to do some work on [it]and that is the reason why all was not opened together”, Felix told Guyana Times.

On Tuesday, Government opened a passport office in the mining town of Linden.

Persons applying for services such as the renewal of passports, or the replacement of lost, damaged or filled passports will be able to make their applications on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and will be able to uplift them the following week Thursday.

However, persons applying for passports for the first time will still need to visit the Immigration Office in Georgetown to access the equipment required to generate first-time machine-readable passports.

Since the current location in Linden is a temporary one, the move to have first-time passport applicants acquire this service would not be pos-

sible until the ministry acquires permanent premises, the minister said.

Efforts are ongoing to obtain a permanent location.

Minister Felix said that as the roll-out of these services continues countrywide the ministry is working with the E-Government Agency to provide other services such as online passport and visa applications. This however will take some time due to the need for capacity development with regards to connectivity in far outlying areas.

The decentralising of passport application services will be expanded to other areas including: Mabaruma, Barima-Waini Region, Anna Regina, PomeroonSupenaam Region, and Corriverton, Bartica, Cuyuni–Mazaruni Region, Mahdia, Potaro-Siparuni Region and Lethem, Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo Region.

2 charged with murder of Triumph teen

L

ess than a week after young Devanand Sanichar, 13, was beaten to death, two men will be making a court appearance today after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) advised that they be charged with the capital offence.

The police had initially arrested three persons; however, Crime Chief (Ag) Hugh Jessemy told Guyana Times on Thursday that detectives had approached the DPP and were advised to institute charges against two suspects.

“So two persons will be going to court for the boy’s murder,” he stated.

The two accused have been identified as Kevin Sahai, 20, and Raymond Wong, 27, both of the Triumph, East Coast Demerara.

Sanichar of Lot 83-84 Plantain Walk West Half, Beterverwagting, ECD, was at a wedding with his family a few houses from his home when the incident occurred sometime around 23:30h on Sunday.

It was reported that the teenager got into a fight with a group of men over a young lady and left the wedding house. He later returned with a cutlass when another argument ensued, during which one of the men relived him of the weapon and dealt him a chop to the head.

Sanichar reportedly fell and was severely beaten with pieces of wood by several persons.

The post-mortem examination on Sanichar’s body will be conducted today.

On Monday, when this newspaper visited the home of the dead youth, his distraught mother Sukhdai Sanichar related that the prime suspect (Kevin) was a

Dead: Devanand Sanichar

friend of her now dead son.

“He come and call for meh son on Sunday…he did drunk, drunk…so I tell he that meh son wasn’t at home. We went at the wedding house and the same boy come to meh son and tell he to reach he outside,” the mother stated.

She noted that her son left the wedding house and after a short while, she recalled her brother-in-law waving to her from the gate and she suspected something was amiss. The woman said as she reached the gate, she was told that her son was lying on the roadway in a pool of blood.

In tears, Sanichar recounted that she ran to the area where her son was lying and attempted to hold him but was told that he was dead and she could not touch the body. “He had a chop pon he head and like a nail mark to he neck… blood went all ova,” she recalled.

However, the family later received information that another friend of the now deadboy was among the gang that beat and killed him.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016

guyana-times.com

11

News

Sacking of hundreds of Linden CIIP workers Youth are still waiting for APNU/AFC promised Linden municipality made decision to terminate contracts – Town Clerk change – TUF leader

L

eader of the The United Force (TUF) Marissa Nadir said the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) administration has so far failed the electorate, particularly youths, whose vote in the last General and Regional Elections were driven by a hope for change.

In an interview with Guyana Times on Thursday, Nadir, an attorney said the loud talk of providing job opportunities were simply used to attract the attention and interest of the masses, since up until now, there is no clear view of the promised jobs for young people.

She said the TUF which has been off the political grid following the May 11, 2015 General and Regional Elections, has been very active at the grassroots level, listening and offering counsel to those she said are the “frustrated”.

“Having had the political exposure that I have had from a young age, I believe and I still believe that there were many persons who played on young people’s thirst and quest for change”, Nadir told Guyana Times.

She said while the party would admit that the country has progressed from the situation of the 1980s and early 1990s, it has found that young persons, although they are educated and are professionals, still cannot find jobs. This she said casts them into a state of depression.

“They are very frustrated and many persons fell into a trap of wanting a change, they were promised a change and they were

made to them by the current administration.

UG Loans

TUF leader Marissa Nadir

promised betterment and now they are saying that they were better off in the previous regime. Many persons are now saying that we don’t care, we are not going to vote in the next election because both of them are the same and at the end of the day we still have to work, still have to find jobs , still have to figure out how we are going to survive”, the party leader told Guyana Times.

She said all this was garnered from the party’s oneon-one connection with communities.

“I can tell you, again, because of our interaction, our people are getting very frustrated and are getting in a state of depression and from that, you get a lot of other social ills”, she posited.

Reflecting on the National Elections, Nadir recalled that she was the youngest and only female candidate at the forefront of the polls. She said that the persons who really held the deciding votes were basically the youths of Guyana, but yet there is no fulfilment to the promises

She also zoned in on the issue of loans repayment at the University of Guyana, noting that the absence of jobs should be considered before government even move in this direction.

“It’s not like we don’t want to pay, we do want to pay, but where are we going to get the jobs from and even when we get the jobs we have to help out at home, or help my younger brother or sister has to go to school”, Nadir said, speaking on behalf of students

Reversal of promises

Meanwhile, speaking about government’s performance so far, Nadir said her party is still waiting to see the 100 days plan implemented.

“We are seeing things that were promised being done in the reverse, like the increase of certain taxes, and it is more difficult for some businesses to get taken off and we get an entire Ministry of Business up and running. We see a waste of public funds”.

According to her, it is time for government to stop focusing on an agenda of what seems to be a “witch-hunt” with the establishment of several inquiries into agencies, and begin taking care of the country.

“Our economy is suffering and our people are suffering and that is of utmost importance. They have over a year, suck it up and move on.

We need to move on as a nation and the economic development of the Country”, she said.

By Utamu Belle

T

he decision to terminate approximately 271 workers in Linden under the Community Infrastructure Improvement Project (CIIP) was made through the councillors within the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC), Town Clerk Jonellor Bowen stated.

Following the issuing of termination letters recently to facilitate a better paying "superior contract", Regional Chairman Renis Morian had asked for those letters to be rescinded, noting that it created uneasiness among the workers who were not properly consulted on the move.

According to Morian, he had received information that this would be done. However, Bowen stated that prior to reading it in the news, she was unaware that Regional Chairman Renis Morian had asked for those letters to be rescinded and to date she has not been informed to do so.

She noted that once decisions are made within the Council, there are procedures and legal indications attached.

"I did not receive any instructions on that matter, because of course if we are going to do something like that there must be straight instructions", Bowen stated.

Bowen added that decision-making is a procedure and according to law, if the Council makes a decision, then it can only be looked at again after six months and would have to have the vote of two thirds of the councillors, if there is a desire to change that decision. She said pri-

or to the decision, she would have received correspondence at the level of the Ministry of Communities, based on discussions with the permanent secretary, where it was noted that the 271 employees under the CIIP programme would be allowed to work up to July 31, 2016.

She said the correspondence added that a maximum of 250 workers must be employed no later than August 1, 2016 and will work for eight hours per day, 4 days per week, 16 days per month, which would also include an increase in payment from $12,500 to $25,000 per month.

"With this being said...

Council decided that they would terminate all the contracts and then they would rehire 250...the Town Clerk would have done as mandated to have termination letters done", she said, noting that the ministry is working with an approved budget for 250 persons.

As of Wednesday, August 17, 2016, Bowen said of 156 CIIP workers on the Wismar shore, 131 would have signed and uplifted their termination letters. Of 115 workers on the Mackenzie shore, 94 would have signed and uplifted same.

"The Council, they made the decision to terminate the 271 workers because the figure that we are working with, based on advice from the ministry, is 250. So at a statutory meeting, that decision was made. I was mandated, based on the law to carry out that mandate, and that I did.

I did the termination letters, in fact I called them (CIIP

workers) to meetings, both Wismar and Mackenzie, separately, and spoke to them indicating this is what it is and I would have presented the letter and read it out and I said this is what it means.

Some persons would have signed and uplifted their letters, some would not have signed", Bowen claimed.

Asked whether the rehiring process would facilitate former workers Bowen said she believes that no worker should be left out and such matters can be worked out.

She noted however that disagreements were raised by the workers at the meeting, where she explained that it was not her decision but the ministry had given advice on the matter and the council had made a decision regarding same.

The Town Clerk stated that the issue was discussed at the time with Acting Mayor Rawle Friday since Mayor Carwyn Holland was out of office. The rehiring process was expected to be completed on August 12, however, Bowen said she was advised by Friday to put the process on hold.

Bowen added that it was agreed by the CIIP workers and their constituency representatives that the rehiring and working processes henceforth would be a collaborative effort. She said this involves on-the-job decision making and recommendations, "...so that it would not be or seem unfair, we're consulting with everyone...these things were discussed...consultation is important especially on matters like these" she declared.

12 NEWS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

NEW GPC awards top NGSA students

Some of the top performers at the award

T

he NEW GPC INC on Thursday rewarded six of its employees’ children for their outstanding performances at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). The company’s annual bursary award offers six students a cash prize of $25,000 each, every year, for the five years that they would spend in Secondary School. In addition to $50,000 each, for two years, if they pursue the Sixth Form examinations.

Michael Stephens, a representative of the Guyana

A NEW GPC staff (left) awards top performer Kristen Bhola (right) for her excellent performance at the 2016 NGSA

Labour Union lauded the corporation for giving back to its workers, stating that it is a good thing when a corporation invests in its employees. He also congratulated the children for their excellent performances at the examination.

Meanwhile, Head of the Quality Assurance Department for NEW GPC Aruna Budram stated that she was not surprised to see the employees’ children receiving awards for their performances at the NGSA since they (employees) were hard working people.

She urged the children to sacrifice their time for an education and be assured that they have a company that is willing to invest and support them in their academic endeavours. She also encouraged them to develop their strengths and select their career paths.

Top performer Kristen Bhola thanked the company for acknowledging their success, as she and the other children vowed to do their best in the next five years. Bhola secured grades to attend the St Rose’s High school.

Group comparison and politics

P

reparing to return to Guyana in the late 1980s, I literally stumbled over a text that was most seminal to my later interventions here: Donald Horowitz' "Ethnic Groups in Conflict". Long before then, I'd rejected the prevalent reductionist Marxism of the major local theorists and was looking around for some explanation that had a better Ravi Dev fit for our political realities. Horowitz' voluminous work comprehensively did that then and still does that today.

Ethnic politics, he proposed, begins with the various ethnic groups in plural societies comparing themselves to each other. Inextricably linked to the comparison process is an evaluative component. The psychologist Leon Festinger had postulated a “Social Comparison Process” as a human drive in individuals, to evaluate our abilities by comparing them with the abilities of others. When discrepancies are manifested by performance, efforts are made to reduce discrepancies by either improving performance or by controlling the superior performance of a competitor.

In these states we find that between groups the process of comparison is a constant and ever-present reality.

This becomes a source of conflict as the comparisons are inevitably evaluated from the standpoint of the “inalienable right of equality” or from whatever standard each group decides is “just” - not just in reference to power. This is not to imply that questions of power differentials are obviated: the “worth” of a group is itself indicia of the group’s position on the power spectrum. Much of the heat in ethnic interactions is generated from questions of selfworth, which is inextricably tied up with group worth as was mentioned before.

In Guyana this comparison between the ethnic groups started from the founding of the colony in the 17th century.

The Europeans evaluated themselves as infinitely superior culturally to the Amerindians and later to the African slaves they brought to work on the plantations. In fact there were serious debates amongst Europeans as to whether the Africans could be said to have possessed any culture or even "souls": the conclusion by the white masters was that they did not and this conclusion, of course justified slavery, during which “culture” could be imparted and souls saved.

From the period of “seasoning” of the slaves as they were brought from Africa, to the end of their lives, the denigration of the native African culture was never to let up. Most of the slaves and moreso the Mulatto, accepted the idea of the superiority of European culture and all worked valiantly to master its forms, if not necessarily its substance. The conquest of the minds of the slave was an economically conscious enterprise since the hegemonised slave was more pliant and in fact begged for and treasured his mental chains.

This hegemonising process accelerated after the abolition of slavery in 1834 when schools were opened to “educate the Africans” and churches expanded their reach in tandem with the schools they ran. The Mulattos were mostly illegitimate offsprings of white males and African slave women and were treated favourably by their fathers and given their freedom. They were a schizophrenic group, defined as “Mixed”, rebuffed by white society but holding themselves above the Africans. They kept themselves aloof from Africans up to the anti-colonial struggles of the 1960s.

Through education and occupation some full-blooded Africans were allowed to join their ranks. The Mulattos generally despised the black blood in themselves and made sure Africans knew it. The hybrid culture formed, where everything was evaluated with the white and his culture deemed to be the standard, was dubbed “Creole Culture”.

Thus when the other groups were introduced into the colony to replace the slaves, they were quickly evaluated by the latter through the values they had inculcated from the Europeans. The Portuguese and Chinese were derided mercilessly but as soon as they reached the towns, towards which they gravitated after their indenture, they quickly joined the rush to acculturate according to the standards of the White/Creole society. Even though the Portuguese kept their Roman Catholic practices, in all other ways they fitted in, as did the Chinese, who became staunch Protestants.

(To be continued)

13 Anna Regina Multilateral excels at CSEC examinations NEWS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

– aspiring civil engineer tops county, Pomeroon girl shines By: Indrawattie Natram

T

he Anna Regina M u l t i l a t e r a l Secondary School (ARMS) in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) has excelled at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, making it to the leading secondary school within the region.

Copping top spot for the school and the region, with 15 Grade One’s, is Keval Lall, 17, of Anna Regina Village. Lall was elated throughout his interview with Guyana Times and related that he is aspiring to become a civil engineer.

Lall, who is the son of the owner of the popular “Lall’s General Store” in Region Two, said that he could not have done it without the overwhelming support of his mother, uncles and siblings.

He accredited his success to extra studies and lessons he took leading up to examinations.

Lall is the third child of his parents and described his siblings as his role model.

He intends to further his career at Nations University.

His advice to those sitting CSEC next year is to study, listen and understand what is going on within the classroom. He also used the opportunity to extend gratitude towards his teachers at ARMS. Lall’s mother Nalene Lall attested that her son was always a well-grounded child and said she is proud of his successes. She explained that she knew he would have done well at examinations but didn’t expect him to top the county. The mother thanked the teachers for their contributions towards her son’s success.

Pomeroon girl shines Ateisha Brandt, 17, of Friendship, Lower Pomeroon River, Region Two, has defined the true meaning of determination, sacrifice and courage when she received her CSEC results. Brandt attained 14 Grade Ones and 2 Grade

Ateisha Brandt

Keval Lall

Bibi Aseeya Mohamed

Two’s, gaining the second position in the Region. She wrote 17 subjects at one sitting.

She explained that the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) is yet to release the grade for Office Administration, the only grade that she has outstanding.

Brandt who hails from the Pomeroon River travels daily to Anna Regina to attain a secondary education.

She said although it was a tedious and expensive process, she is glad she did well.

During an interview with this publication, Ateisha attested that it was the blessings of the Almighty that stood beside her throughout her five years of studies at secondary school.

Explaining her challenges, she related that her study time was limited, since most of her time was taken up in travelling.

“I usually start travels from 7:30 in the morning and rush for school, my nights were long, trying to finish my studies and assignments; unlike those who live on the Coast I had to hustle” Brandt related.

When asked why she did not utilise the school’s dormitory, the ardent Brandt said that she wanted to study in a more focused and conducive environment, close to her parents. She stressed that the dormitory would not afford her the

opportunity to do the things she wanted to do.

She further related that she also needed resources such as books, internet and other necessities and the dormitory was not providing such.

Brandt said she is aspiring to become a physiologist, but explained that for her to pursue an education at a tertiary institution would be very expensive for her parents. She is therefore hoping that she would acquire a scholarship soon since she would love to continue her studies.

“I really hope my wishes could be granted in attaining a scholarship, attaining a proper education from Pomeroon is a huge barrier that requires determination and a lot of money, I really need a scholarship” Brandt related.

Brandt was the top student for the National Grade Six examinations in Region Two. She credits her success to the support of her parents and teachers.

When asked what was the most challenging of her studies, Brandt said it was getting to school, in addition to not having adequate internet access. She however said distance in attaining an education was not a barrier for her as she was determined to make the necessary sacrifices.

Her favourite quote is, “achieving success does not

require great might but a determined mind makes you achieve” the science stream student related. She advises students to continue to study nightly and to believe in God for their every suc-

cess.

“I always tell myself I would stand to the end until I achieve my secondary education, I never give up, I prioritise my needs and wants and I made it happen, I am proud and I know my parents are too” the aspiring physiologist said.

Brandt is the 3rd of four children. Her favourite subject is physics and her desire is to continue to study so that she can eventually assist persons living in the Pomeroon areas.

Her parents Samantha and Mark Brandt also extended congratulations to their daughter for completing her Secondary education.

Meanwhile, copping the third position was Bibi Aseeya Mohamed who attained 12 Grade Ones.

Guyana Times visited the home of Mohamed but was

informed she is in Costa Rica on a scholarship.

Her parents extended best wishes to her and said that their daughter wrote 20 subjects at the examinations and that Aseeya is aspiring to be a lawyer.

In 2014 her sister, Areefa Mohamed topped ARMS as the best student.

Headmaster of ARMS Lalljeet Rooplall extended congratulations to all those students from the school who excelled at the examinations. He also thanked the teachers for their dedication and extended efforts.

Rooplall said that ARMS over the years have done well at the CSEC examinations with students topping the country. He said hopefully next year the school will make it in the top 10 for the country.

14

guyana-times.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016

News

Bosai employees protest 4.5% wages and salaries increase

By Utamu Belle

S

everal employees of the Linden-based bauxite mining com-

pany, Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Incorporated (BMGGI), took to the streets on Thursday to protest the across-the-board increase.

The dissatisfaction they noted, came after learning that the company, which is engaged in negotiations is currently only at a 4.5 per

BMGGI employees protesting

cent increase, while the employees are presently aiming for a nine per cent increase.

The employees are also seeking increased and improved benefits such as additional vacation time for those who have been working for a number of years and improved taxes. Holding placards bearing slogans such as '9 per cent and more', '40 hours tax ease' and 'Our tax is too hot', the employees of both the plant and mines departments stood outside the north gate of the company to vent their frustration.

Highlighting the main reasons for the protest, an employee who spoke to this newspaper on condition of anonymity, stated that the workers are dissatisfied with the pace of the negotiations, while noting that in some instances the company stretches the time of the negotiations to the end of the year, and they are left with no other choice but to accept whatever is eventually offered.

"Since the 1st of April, that is when the negotiations was supposed to start and up to this point they are only at 4.5 per cent increase on wages and salaries and the union is saying that is not enough for the time that the negotiations has been ongoing", the employee said.

The protestors added that the company has been granting increases of seven per cent and lower over the past five years. They stated too that due to the fact that the general manager of the company is scheduled to go on vacation shortly and they may have to wait a month to hear something tangible regarding negotiations, is also cause for concern.

The workers are represented by the National Association of Agricultural Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) union.

Consultation

Following the protest, the employees met with

BMGGI Personnel Officer Trudell Marks as well as the general manager and other top ranking officials, however, speaking to the media afterwards, an employee noted that no compromises nor promises had been made at the meeting, which was also attended by an official of NAACIE. Coming out of the meeting the employee said, was that BMGGI had promised to meet with representatives of the union for discussions.

The employees noted that they will continue protest until they are advised on future plans by the union.

Only last year the employees had protested under similar circumstances as it relates to across-the-board increases, and had managed to secure a 6.5 per cent increase.

Similarly in 2013, following protests by employees, BMGGI and the NAACIE had agreed on a seven per cent across-the-board increase.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016

guyana-times.com

15

News

Tied 2015 Election seats controversy

Door is open to PPP – Amna Ally I

n light of accusations by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) that Social Cohesion Minister Amna Ally is not engaging them in discussions over the six tied Local Government Elections seats, the Minister said that the PPP/C never knocked on the door of dialogue, but stressed that this door is open.

Ally made these comments at a People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) press conference on Wednesday, where she related that she gave to the Opposition, Government’s proposals to sort out the contested areas but stressed that the PPP/C never accepted those proposals.

“Through Ms Teixeira, the Leader of the Opposition did make an intervention that we need to talk about the areas in question, we gave them our proposals [but] they did not accept the proposals,” she noted.

The Social Cohesion Minister posited that she is still awaiting a response from the Parliamentary Opposition.

“After many months passed after the convening of Local Government Elections, I was [again] approached by Teixeira [and] for whatever reason, they approached us to have talks...I asked Ms Teixeira to let the opposition leader or the PPP to docu-

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan

Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira

Social Cohesion Minister Amna Ally

ment what they would like to discuss, what are their proposals so that we at our level could discuss the matter,” the minister noted.

When questioned by the media over a supposed lack of engagement with the opposition, the minister posited that these claims are “inaccurate”, noting that the door is open to the PPP/C. “I have reached out to the PPP on many occasions, particularly from my ministry but there has been no positive response, they have not knocked at the door.”

The areas where the two political parties tied were Gibralter-Fyrish Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Industry-

Plaisance NDC, Malgre ToutMeer Zorgen; WoodlandsBel Air; Woodlands-Farm and the Municipality of Mabaruma.

In April, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had moved to the High Court to block the selection of a Mayor and five chairmen for several NDCs after they were tied with the A Partnership of National Unity/Alliance for Change councillors following the 2016 elections.

PPP’s Commissioners on the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) had accused Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan of selecting the representatives outside the remit of the country’s laws governing the selection

of Mayors and NDC chairmen.

The Order or Rule Nisi of Certiorari which had been granted by Justice Diana

Insanally quelled Minister Bulkan’s selections on the grounds that it was contrary to and in violation of Municipal and District Councils Act Chapter 28:01 and the Local Government Act Chapter 28:02.

The Judge had pointed out that the decision, “is in excess of and without jurisdiction, made in bad faith, is unreasonable, arbitrary, capricious, based upon irrelevant and in proper considerations, mala fide, malicious, vindictive, unlawful, ultra vires, null, void and of no legal effect.”

Guyana Times had reported that Justice Insanally ordered that the councillors selected by the minister be restrained from acting as or performing the functions of chairmen, vice chairmen

and mayor of their respective NDCs and the municipality.

The court also overturned the decision of the NDC’s in electing vice chairmen and of the town councils in selecting any or all committees, citing the above-mentioned grounds. The Judge had further ordered that the overseers of the NDCs and the acting Town Clerk of Mabaruma appoint a day for the election of chairmen and mayors from among such candidates by the voters whose names appear on the Register of Voters for the local authority area of the respective NDCs and municipality.

To date, the matter is still in court.

The 2016 Local Government Elections were held in March.

16 NEWS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Guyana participates in 1st Global Oil Spill Response workshop

A

five-member Guyanese delegation is participating in the first Global Workshop on Oil Spill Response Planning, taking place in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America.

The workshop was built on dialogues from the October 2015 International Regulators

Forum in Washington, DC, and is being hosted by the Energy Governance and Capacity Initiative (EGCI), a US Department of Sate-led interagency effort that provides a range of technical and capacity building support to the governments of select countries to help them institute the capacity to man-

age their oil and gas sector resources responsibly.

The team comprises persons from the Ministry of Natural Resources, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, and Ministry of Public Infrastructure Maritime Administration Department

(MARAD).

Officials say the workshop is both valuable and timely, since it will assist Guyana in gaining the expertise needed in advancing efforts to develop a robust framework for its emerging oil and gas sector.

Guyana’s participation in the global workshop will allow the country the opportunity to

tap into the US Government’s considerable expertise and capabilities in oil spill response planning in order to provide assistance that is tailored to the specific needs of Guyana.

The team will discuss commonalities and differences in disaster preparedness, oil spill response planning and environmental monitor-

ing, assessment and reporting, especially as it affects offshore production and spillage among the United States and the participating EGCI countries.

Participants will also be able to network and explore opportunities for long-term working relationships with sector experts.

guyana-times.com

Name: Ashley John Age: 24 Height: 5 feet, 7 inches Weight: 122lbs Occupation: News Anchor/ Freelance TV Producer Education: Mae’s Secondary School – (2008) Nation’s Sixth Form College – (2010) University for the Creative Arts (UK) – (2014) Talent/skills: Singing, creative script writing, broadcast media background Interesting facts: Ashley was one exam away from a Black belt in Karate. She played the piano and took ballet. She loves babies and enjoys a good workout. She was a finalist in the GTT Jingle and Song Competition and more interestingly, she co-hosted with the very entertaining Joel Gansham.

She studied Broadcast Media in the United Kingston for three years and was homesick for most of it.

Community service: Volunteer with GIVE Foundation Guyana.

Academic honours/leadership positions: BA (Hons) Broadcast Media Goal/ambition: To be a successful television producer who can capture the true identity of Guyanese people and show it to the world.

Previous pageant experience: None.

What countries have you travelled to? For her tertiary studies, she travelled and lived in Kent, United Kingdom. For recreation, she travelled to Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica and The Dominican Republic in the last few years. As a toddler, she travelled to Kenya.

What primary message or concern would you advocate as MISS Universe Guyana 2016?

“I would advocate for promoting positive body image in young girls as negative body image leads to depression, domestic and verbal abuse, suicide, etc, which have all plagued our society”.

Why should you be Miss Universe Guyana 2016?

“I should be Miss Universe Guyana 2016 because I would have an entire year to promote a platform which is close to my heart under the prestigious Miss Universe Guyana franchise and thereafter, I will continue to advocate.

I also not only get to cross it off my bucket list but I get to network and get empowered with so many other women along the way, and that in itself, helps with my personal development in more ways than you could think of”.

Name: Soyini Fraser Age: 26 Height: 5 feet, 9 inches Weight: 140lbs Occupation: Public Relations and Human Resources Officer at Hits and Jams Entertainment Education: West Ruimveldt Primary School, Queen’s College, Life Christian University Talent/skills: Contemporary dance and drama.

Interesting facts: She has a top 10 travel bucket list and she has already touched the shores of 2 countries on that list; Prague, Czech Republic and Bangkok, Thailand – both while competing in international pageants (Miss Princess of the World 2011 and Miss Grand International 2015, respectively.) Just 8 more countries to go…

Academic honours/ leader-

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016

ship positions: NIL. Academic/community/ professional associations or clubs: The Keem Foundation – Outreach Coordinator.

Community service experience: Outreach Coordinator for the Keem Foundation and voluntary blood donor at the National Blood Transfusion Service, Public Health Ministry.

Goal/ambition: Christian Child Psychologist and a Life Coach for young women and children.

Previous pageant experience: The majority of pageants I have competed in have followed the basic pageant format with the main four segments; intelligence, swimsuit, evening gown and final answer.

Some were better organised than others but they all taught me valuable lessons and helped me develop a different area of my life. The pageants I have competed in are as follows: Miss Earth Guyana 2010 Queen Miss Earth 2010 - No placement Miss World Guyana 2011 1st runner up Miss Princess of the World 2011 - top 9 Miss United Nations 2012 Queen Miss Jamzone Guyana 2014 - Queen Miss Jamzone

International 2014 - Queen Miss Universe Guyana 2014 - 1st runner up Miss Grand International 2015 - No placement What countries have you travelled to? Suriname, Barbados, United States of America, Trinidad and Tobago, Vietnam, Czech Republic, United Kingdom and Thailand.

What primary message or concern would you advocate as Miss Universe Guyana 2016?

“My primary concern as Miss Universe Guyana 2016 would be the “Plight of the Elderly” as they have given the best years of their lives to the development of the family unit, community and the country, yet this group of special persons in their latter years are often times left to fend for themselves and are treated in some cases as non-existent”.

Why should you be Miss Universe Guyana 2016?

“I believe I should be Miss Universe Guyana 2016 as I have been competing in pageants for the last five years and during this time I have not only done local pageants but have represented Guyana in several international pageants throughout the world from which I have gained a wealth of experience. I intend on using this experience to help secure recognition for Guyana at the upcoming Miss Universe pageant”.

18

guyana-times.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016

I

n the recently concluded Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s National Drama Festival, Tacius Golding High School received seven national awards for its theatrical presentation, “Blood”.

The awards are Best Open Class Play, Best Experimental Drama, Best Open Class Actress, Best Open Class Director, Best Overall Ensemble,

Best Overall Director, and Best Overall Dramatic Production.

On this backdrop, Director and Writer, Webster Mcdonald said it is his intention to disseminate the message highlighted in “Blood” across the island

T

and the Region if possible.

“Blood” tells the story of a girl who was sexually abused by her adopted father. The lead character goes through a phase of low self esteem, isolation and myriad suicidal attempts.

The concept of revival and the power of God are rivet-

he National School of Theatre Arts and Drama (NSTAD) which was established in 2013 and is housed at the National Cultural Centre, allows persons to gain knowledge and training in theatre arts, drama and refined acting.

It is important to note that it is no walk in the park. The Diploma and Certificate courses run for one year on a part-time basis, and offers in the first semester subjects in stage craft; sound, lights and set design.

Business management, called ‘enterprise and entrepreneurship’; front of house management; properties and stage management; as well we acting and voice, and history of theatre complete the programme.

Several persons who registered for the NSTAD programme thought they were in for ‘a good time’, performing on stage. They never envisaged the volume of work and time that they had to commit, and sacrifices they’d have to make just to complete the first semester, much less the second. NSTAD is a tertiary institution with a work load equivalent to that of some programmes offered at the University of Guyana.

To close each semester, the school is obligated to pres-

ed in the conclusion of the piece, where she receives some semblance of hope.

Essentially, blood seeks to create hope and tenacity for those who have been abused sexually or emotionally.

“The second play explores issues relating to relationships. From time to time, marriages are terminated because of the lack of effective and consistent communication and these result in segregation, internal and external conflicts.”

“Blood”, accompanied with music and dance, intricately created a blend of Jamaican culture It will be staged at the LICHAS Theatre, in Linden on Saturday, August 20, at 19:00h.

O

ne week ago, Allison Hinds was the main act of the Xtra Beer “Soca on Water” boat cruise and it was well attended by fans of the artiste. This time around; the Obama Family, in collaboration with Westsiderz Entertainment, will host a similar event titled “Banks Summer Cruise”.

The event is billed for Sunday, August 28 and will leave the Parika Stelling,

Ease Bank Essequibo (EBE), at 10:00h and will travel to Bartica and return to Parika later in the evening. This is expected to be a cruise with a difference, with some of the best deejays and music systems onboard.

The music will be booming through the speakers of Good Life Sound and the popular 71 Sound System, with versatile Deejay Stephan.

Tickets for the cruise cost $2000 in advance and

are available at Westsiderz Entertainment Centre, Vreed-en-Hoop junction, West Bank Demerara (WBD); Bow’s Beer Garden, Goed Intent, WBD; Massive Audio, Parika, EBE; Avon DVD Club, Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara; and Joseph Record Bar, Regent and King Streets, Georgetown.

Patrons can enjoy all Banks DIH products at special prices onboard the MV Malali.

ent for public viewing, a stage production that involves utilisation of the disciplines practiced and learnt over the six-month period. These practical tests are simply called “performance”.

Come this Saturday evening, August 20, the graduating students of 2016 will present “Performance 6 – Retribution”, at the National Cultural Centre, commencing at 20:00h.

The students will be performing an adapted play from the medieval era by Subraj

Singh (a former student), along with three other plays that they wrote.

Additional areas of study in the second semester such as music, dance, movement, directing, playwriting, film and voicing for animation will be demonstrated. Marketing of “Performance 6”, inclusive of advertising material production, a great life skill, is also a part of their responsibility.

NSTAD offers an educative and

rewarding experience for those serious about acting and theatre and willing to put in the time and work. Interested persons can enroll for the new academic year 2016-2017 in September 2016.

Guyana is going places in theatre! Be there to share in this experience. Encourage the young thespians to reach their full potential as rounded individuals, as they move the entire country into the 21st century with their epic final offering “Performance 6 – Retribution”.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016

guyana-times.com

T

his uprising dancehall and reggae artiste is not falling short of his quest for stardom in the Guyanese music industry.

Hailing from the town of Linden, Davy Marley grew up and was inspired by a family filled with musicians.

Born Davlon Marley Richmond, he perused his passion for the art form in his teens and got his first major break two years ago when he set foot in Code Red Records which currently works with several recognised Guyanese artistes, both locally and interna-

tionally.

As persistence and dest i ny would have it, D a v y Marley soon b e - came a househ o l d name in the talent rich town. He perf o r m e d at the Linden town and soon after got signed to Divine

T

Corin Gibson

he Sonia Noel Foundation for Creative Arts in collaboration with Guyana Fashion Week will be hosting a charity fashion event titled “Style Mission” on Sunday, September 11, 2016 at the Pegasus Hotel.

This event is planned

Entertainment’s Code Red Records label.

“Davy Marley and his music is an artistic reflection of life, it is like a mirror. What is being portrayed in my society and my experiences I release those energies through music,” the musician related.

Only recently, his music video “Whine for me” was released under great concern of content, due to its suggestive sexual connotations and major setbacks.

The song was composed off of GT Youths Situwaytion Riddim and was infused with mild reggae a n d

dancehall which is sure to have its listeners bobbing or dancing.

Since its release, the song “Whine For Me” has received increased air play in Guyana, the Caribbean and the USA. The video since its release, has garnered a complied viewership of over 30,000 views in 24 hours.

As Marley continues on his journey, along with management, he intends on presenting to Guyana a new flavour to dancehall music, with much more to come.

19

T

he highly anticipated Westside Auto Expo 5 which was billed for the Leonora Stadium on July 2, is taking shape and should be in top gear come August 27, in the parking lot of the Leonora Synthetic Track, West Coast Demerara.

With additional time to prepare for the event, it is expected to be one of the Guyana's biggest car and bike show and vehicle sound off to be held on the West

Vehicle; Best Rims; Biggest Vehicle Group; Bus with the Most Girls; Cleanest Hire Car and the Cleanest Working Bus. Music for the event will be provided Climax TRS and Deejay Golden Chyld.

Admission to the event remains at $1000 in advance

side. The vehicles will compete for Graphic, Airbrush, Best Rims, Lights also the Biggest Vehicle Sound Off. The Avengers, Red Jet, Dark Siderz, Wreaker, Star Cars, TRex, Xclusive and Massive are among the showstoppers and would have already confirmed their participate in the event.

However, for the first time, the competition will see vehicles being judged in over 35 categories, including Best Graphics; Best Lights; Best Interior; Best Theme; Best Antique; Best

Air Brush; Best Motor Bike; Best Technician; Cleanest Engine; Cleanest Vehicle; Best Looking Sound; Lowest

and $1500 at the gate, while vehicle passes will be available for $1500.

Davy Marley

to raise funds for popular Actor/Comedian Henry Rodney for medical treatment and Corin Gibson, former lead hairstylist and make-up artist for GFW, in order to replace her leg with a prosthetic one.

Only recently, several organisations and close friends of the ailing actor have raised a sum of money to aid with his current medical condition.

Henry, who has visited nine doctors and has done both a CT scan and an MRI, is still unsure of what exactly is his ailment.

However, additional money is needed to offset his medical expenses and Guyana Fashion Designer, Sonia Noel is now doing her part.

The funding event is expected to be one with a difference, with several of Noel’s fashionable pieces on display and possibly up for auction on the

Henry Rodney

day of the event. Tickets cost $4000 and $2500 and are available at Nigel's Supermarket and Pegasus Hotel. The event will commence at 16:00h and is supported by Icon Media, Connections Travel Service and the Pegasus Hotel.

D

eliaha Wright was on Sunday evening crowed Miss Emancipation 2016, when the pageant was held at the National Cultural Centre.

Coming in as first runnerup was Jasmine Adam while Gabriella Chapman was adjudged the second runner-up and Shellone Messiah the third runner-up.

The pageant was keenly contested by seven delegates in the introduction, business wear, evening gown and intelligence segments.

20

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016

Bolt storms to 200m gold

I

n eight Olympic finals, Usain Bolt is yet to taste defeat. The Jamaican’s victory in the 200m on Thursday never looked in doubt.

The majestic Usain Bolt once again broke new ground at Rio 2016 by storming to a third successive Olympic 200 metre title and the eighth gold medal of his illustrious career.

Bolt made history last weekend when he be-

came the first man to win the 100m on three occasions, a time of 9.81 seconds enough to get the better of nearest rivals Justin Gatlin and Andre De Grasse.

A red-hot favourite over the longer distance, the Jamaican superstar did not disappoint on Thursday as he triumphed comfortably in 19.78secs to maintain his perfect record in Olympic finals and stay on course for a remarkable ‘triple-triple’.

De Grasse (20.02) and Christophe Lemaitre (20.12) took silver and bronze respectively, the latter recording the same time as Great Britain’s Adam Gemili, but Thursday’s main event at the Olympic Stadium was all about one man.

Victory as part of his

Muhammad of US wins women’s 400m hurdles

country’s sprint relay team on Friday would see Bolt complete a clean sweep of golds in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m, as he did at Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

(SportsMax)

D

alilah Muhammad of the United States led from start to finish to take the gold medal on Thursday in the women’s Olympic 400 metres hurdles.

Denmark’s Sara Slott Petersen won the silver medal ahead of Ashley Spencer of the United States, with world champion Zuzana Hejnova of the Czech Republic managing only fourth.

With steady rain pouring down at the Olympic stadium, Muhammad shot out of the

blocks, r o s e quickest at the first hurdle and never looked like being overtaken.

S h e clocked 53.13 sec- onds to win by a margin of 0.42. (Reuters)

Neymar? Brazil must stop us – Hrubesch

B

razil need to be wary of Germany’s attackers, not the other way around, according to Horst Hrubesch.

Germany coach Horst Hrubesch has no interest in talking about Neymar, warning Brazil they needed to stop his team in the men’s football final at the Rio Olympics.

Hrubesch’s men have scored 21 goals on their way to Saturday’s decider, with Serge Gnabry and Nils Petersen netting six apiece.

Asked how he would contain Neymar and Brazil’s attack, former forward Hrubesch said the hosts had worries of their own.

“We will play against Brazil, not Neymar,” he told a news conference on Thursday.

“Our forwards have

Horst Hrubesch

scored 21 goals so it is a case of how Brazil will stop us.”

Hrubesch played down suggestions Brazil would be looking for revenge following a 7-1 loss to Germany in the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup. Despite taking on Neymar and Co, Hrubesch also insisted his team would stick to their style, saying:

“We are not going to change anything.

“We are a team that is good going forward and we are going to play exactly the same way.”

As for the pressure of playing against Brazil – hungry for a first ever Olympics football gold – at the Maracana, Hrubesch said: “What could be a greater experience for a young player than to be here at the Maracana for the final of an Olympic Games, playing in front of nearly 80,000 people?

“We have experienced players who will help them.

“It will be a great experience for them. By getting to the final we have been successful already, now we will try to win the game. But we are happy to be here, whether we win or not.” (SportsMax)

Grenada to name new stadium after Kirani James

K

irani James, the 23-year-old quarter-miler, who won the Olympic title in 2012, was second at the Olympic Games in Rio to South Africa’s Wayde can Niekerk, who set a new world record enroute to the gold medal.

The medals are the only medals ever won at the Olympic Games by that Spice Island.

In recognition of James’ significant accomplish, Grenada’s government on Tuesday announced that it had begun the process of naming the stadium after its biggest track star.

The stadium was built at a reported cost of US$40 million by the Chinese government.

“I think it is most fitting to say that based on the most recent performance

Kirani James

of Kirani James and recognition of the people’s desire, I think the time has come for us to give serious consideration,” said Health Minister Nikolas Steele in the Grenadian Cabinet.

“I know that my colleague minister in sports has started the process to

name our athletic stadium after Kirani James.”

The 8000-seater stadium has already been used to host the Carifta Games and the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 football tournament since it was declared opened in January. (SportsMax)

YELLOW PAGES FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 | WWW.GUYANA-TIMES.COM

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WICB Regional U-19

21

SPORTS

Rutherford’s all round brilliance spearheads Guyana – Windwards win again

G

uyana Under-19 team moved closer to the finals after defeating Jamaica by 32 runs on Thursday, as action ended in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional U-19 tournament in St Vincent. The reigning champions were spearheaded by all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford’s brilliance.

Rutherford made 34 at the top of Guyana’s innings then returned with the ball to capture five wickets to lead his team closer to Sunday’s finals. Guyana made 190 all out in 50 overs after choosing to bat first. Ronaldo Ali Mohamed (42 from 37 balls) and Rutherford were the principal scorers while Looknauth Chinkoo (24) and Joshua Persaud (27), who batted down the order for the first time in this year’s tournament, chipped in with scores in the twenties.

At one stage, Guyana was wobbling at 89-5 before Persaud and Mohamed 58 runs for the six innings to lead their team’s recovery. Left arm spinner Jeavor Royal, who was Guyana’s nemesis in their threeday match last month ended with tidy figures of 2-21 from 10 economical overs.

However, it was Tyrone Daley, who was Jamaica’s leading bowler with 3-20 as Michael Frew contributed with 2-44.

Ronaldo Ali Mohamed

Sherfane Rutherford

In reply, Jamaica was rattled out for 159 in 47.4 overs with Jordane Hill (40) and Daley (24) being the only batsmen to past 20.

Rutherford was destructive with 5-17 while Keemo Paul and Kheshram Seyhodam were once again effective with the ball, claiming two wickets each.

Guyana has now won four of its five matches and will close off the final round today against Barbados.

Front runners Windward Islands thumped Leeward Islands by eight wickets after the latter was routed for 54 runs. Jonathan Taylor and Rasheed Fredericks were the main wreckers, with three scalps each as West Indies U-19 player Ryan John assisted with two wickets. Only fourth round centurion Tyrone Williams (17) and Camron

Pennyfeather (14) made it to double figures.

Windwards raced to the target in 6.2 two overs, with two wickets down. Anil Matthew hit a cameo of 39 from 20 deliveries while Pennyfeather grabbed two wickets.

In the other game, Barbados crushed ICC Americas by seven wickets to stake a claim for an exciting final round clash against Guyana. Batting first ICC Americas made 203 all out in 50 overs, with Akashdepp Gill making 85 as Chemar Holder claimed three victims.

In response the winners were led by a 113 run unbroken fourth wicket partnership which saw Leniko Holder and Yvant Grant ending on 69 and 50 respectively. Sahil Patel got two wickets for ICC Americas.

4-member tennis team departs for ITF Tournament

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four-member tennis squad will leave Guyana today to take part in the International Tennis Federation Under-12 Junior Development Tournament starting in Curacao from August 22-26.

The squad consists of two males and two females.

The event is ITF’s signature annual tournament for identification of emerging talent in the Region.

The players were selected based on their domestic performance; the two girls selected based on all year round performance locally and overseas, while the two boys were selected based on all year round performance – selection of five boys playoffs round robin Vadeanand Resaul, Wayne Baker, Adesh Khayyam,

Nigel Lowe, Anish Sharma.

The Guyana Tennis Association received financial support from the ITF to ensure they prepare and field participants at the event. Guyana is always eager to participate, but is yet to host the tournament.

However, the local Tennis Association hopes to be able to host the tournament in the near future The players concluded training on Thursday at the National Racquet Centre.

The two-week long training camp enabled two sessions per day from 07:00h to 08:30h in the morning follow by an afternoon session from 14:30h to 15:30h.

They are expected to participate in both the single and doubles tournament while on tour as they aim to

medal at the event.

According to national coach Leyland Leacock, who is set to travel with the team, it’s a privilege to represent your country and he believes the players will perform to the best and learn from the event to help them in their growth for future tournament.

The senior national player said the players are responding well during training as he seeks to strengthen their mental approach as well as all other facets of their games including how to assess their opponents during games.

The national team reads Girls – Sarah Klautky, 12, and Sekai Akilah Jones, 11; and the Boys – Vadeanand Resaul, 11, and Adesh Khayyam, 11.

22

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016

Seagram’s Royal Stag Cup Test Series

West Indies lose two before rain washes out 68 overs I

ndia’s hopes of retaining the No. 1 Test ranking going into the home season suffered a setback as only 22 overs were possible on the first day in wet Port of Spain. Forecast for the second day wasn’t great either, and the facilities at the ground came under scrutiny too. The first day’s play began half an hour late despite no rain since the evening before the Test, and it was called off as early as 2pm.

There is no super sopper at Queen’s Park Oval.

Any team will be a tad disappointed with losing two wickets in the first session after choosing to bat on a slow track, but such has been the state of the West Indies batting that they might take this, with the rain being the bonus. Only once in the series have they lost their third wicket after reaching three figures.

Kraigg Brathwaite, who has

Darren Bravo is cleaned up by R Ashwin ©Associated Press

shown the willingness to buckle down, did that job, but he will be disappointed they lost two wickets especially after he and Leon Johnson had seen off the first spells of the opening bowlers.

West Indies will be all the more disappointed because the pitch was really

slow after having spent a lot of time under covers because of rain leading up to the Test. It had left the outfield wet enough to delay the start of the Test by half an hour. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who had cracked open the last Test for India, wasted little time, though, in creating opportunities. In his

first four overs, he hit the outside edge of Brathwaite’s bat four times: twice the ball fell short, once it travelled in the gap in the slip cordon, and once Virat Kohli dropped it at second slip, seeming to suggest he expected third slip KL Rahul to go for it.

That wasn’t the first disfavour he had done his bowlers: he had decided to play just the four bowlers so that both Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma could be included. Also he dropped Shikhar Dhawan for M Vijay after an uncertain batting line-up had been reduced to 126 for 5 in the previous Test.

After seeing off Bhuvneshwar and Mohammed Shami for a partnership of 31 runs, Johnson fell to the first ball bowled by Ishant Sharma.

This was his second straight dismissal to short leg, and

again straight off the bat.

Ishant got it just high enough into the ribs, but Johnson could have left it alone.

The second wicket didn’t take so many co-operation from the batsman. After Darren Bravo had picked R Ashwin for a two and a four at his home ground, the next ball was just a bit shorter, creating the distance between the pitch of the ball and the bat. Then it had enough time to turn from middle and leg and past the outside edge to hit the top of off stump. That in the first session of a Test is excellent for a spinner.

Brathwaite, though, remained solid and in partnership with Marlon Samuels took West Indies to within 15 minutes of lunch when rain brought them early relief. As it turned out steady rain for the next hour or so was all it took for the day’s

play to be called off. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD West Indies 1st innings K Brathwaite not out32 L Johnson c RG Sharma b I Sharma 9 D Bravo b Ashwin 10 M Samuels not out 4 Extras (lb 6, nb 1) 7 Total(2 wickets; 22 overs)62 To bat: J Blackwood, RL Chase, SO Dowrich†, JO Holder*, D Bishoo, ML Cummins, ST Gabriel Fall of wickets 1-31 (Johnson, 11.1 ov), 2-48 (Bravo, 14.4 ov) Bowling: B Kumar 6-1-13-0,Mohammed Shami 6-2-14-0, I Sharma 5-37-1, R Ashwin 5-1-22-1 India team: M Vijay, KL Rahul, V Kohli*, AM Rahane, RG Sharma, R Ashwin, WP Saha†, CA Pujara, B Kumar, Mohammed Shami, I Sharma

A Ally and Sons Senior Basketball Championship

Walkover gives Smythfield Rockers first win

A

failure by Fyrish Black Sharks to take the field at the scheduled start, gave Smythfield Rockers their first win in the A. Ally and Sons Senior Basketball Championship on Sunday.

The championship which is sanctioned by the Berbice Amateur Basketball Association (BABA) was held at the Vryman’s Erven Court, and the walkover result meant Rockers secured three

points.

According to the organizers, the event will be played on a round-robin basis and features six teams from BABA. Upon the completion of the group stage, the top

two teams from each zone will progress to the elimination round.

The other compet-

ing teams are Ithaca Hardliners, New Amsterdam Warriors, Rose Hall Town Jammers and the Guyana Human Development Centre (GHDC).

Group-A will comprise of Smithfield Rockers, Black Sharks and Ithaca Hardliners while groupB will consist of Rose Hall Town Jammers, GHDC and New Amsterdam Warriors.

Trophies and Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams while the Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy will also be up for grabs.

Action in the event will resume Sunday at the Tain Basketball Court from 16:00hrs, with Rose Hall Town Jammers locking horns with GHDC. Matches in the tournament are being held every Sunday.

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016

23

GCB launches Jaguars Franchise League – transparency, uncertainties and longevity some worrying factors

By Delvon McEwan

T

he Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) on Thursday replaced the lonstanding senior intercounty tournament with a league dubbed the Jaguars Franchise League. The announcement was made at the launch of the League at the GCB’S boardroom.

Eight teams – Upper Corentyne (Nigg to Skeldon), Lower Corentyne (Albion to New Amsterdam), West Berbice, East Coast Demerara, Georgetown, East Bank/Upper Demerara, West Demerara and Essequibo – will contest the league for top honours, starting on August 26.

According to Secretary of the GCB, Anand Sanasie, the decision to replace the intercounty competition with the League is because the latter was not good enough for any format of cricket, so the board made some geographical changes.

Prior to the League, the intercounty tournament originated with three teams namely Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo before expanding to four teams with the inclusion of the President’s XI. However, according to Raj Singh, the historical three-team intercounty system only exposed about 40 players and was largely proven to be not the very best of systems, since many players in the stronger counties fell by the wayside. Subsequently, “Our administrators then experimented with a fourth team (President XI) structure, which was also proven to be moderately successful but that too did not solve our problem with the standard and competitiveness of our first class cricket and the exposure of just about 50 players,” detailed Singh.

He further informed that the GCB is now confident that the structure has now evolved naturally into this new eight teams franchise system. This system has been carefully designed to reinvigorate all aspects of, firstly, senior cricket in Guyana and then youth and female cricket.

According to a GCB’s press release, “Presently, there are 33 cricketers under contract with WICB and CGI and we have allocated these players between these eight teams in as fair and transparent a manner so that these teams could have been as equitable and competitive as possible. The remainder of the teams would be made up from other players drawn largely from those eight geographic areas. This new franchise system would have more than 100 quality players vying for places in the national teams in the various formats. Each team would have its own appointed coach and manager.”

It continued “We are in an advanced stage of planning and rolling out of this exciting phase of our crick-

Christopher Barnwell

Davendra Bishoo

Shimron Hetmyer

Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Steven Jacobs

et development programme.

Several franchise holders are at various stages of negotiations with GCB and this is absolutely the last opportunity for any entity to come on board and take ownership in the team of their choice preferably in the geographical area of their business enterprise. This franchise system is aimed at allowing interested parties to invest in the development of the team of their choice and have a greater stake in the actual composition, planning and development of their respective teams.

This is a glorious opportunity for everyone to take ownership of their teams and its officials. We strongly feel that this new structure will bring more spectator interest to the game of cricket in Guyana.”

In addition it stated, “The local leagues will be streamlined to feed into the WICB regional franchise system (Professional Cricket League PCL and Super 50) for all formats, including the CPL T20 and is the perfect opportunity for more of our local players to get more involved in the game locally to showcase their talent at a higher competitive level. “ However, subsequent to the launch several questions were raised by the media concerning the criteria used to select the players, the readiness of the GCB to host such event, how visiting teams will be treated and the life span of the tournament among others.

In relation to the answers that were provided, it seems as though transparency in team selection remains questionable, unpreparedness by the Board to host a professional league and uncertainties on the way forward.

Each franchise is expected to have their own base, ground facility for practice, training and games along with their own set of officials. There will be contracts to be signed between the franchise owners and GCB clearly outlining each party’s duties and responsibilities with the local Boards lending support and technical personnel in the general administrative plans of the franchise.

The contracted players and the management officials have been allocated as follow: Upper Corentyne:

Devendra Bishoo, Anthony Bramble, Assad Fudadin, Clinton Pestano, Coach – Winston Smith, Manager/ Assistant Coach – Delbert Hicks.

Lower Corentyne: Veerasammy Permaul, Surujnarine Kandasammy, Raun Johnson, Coach – Julian Moore, Manager/ Assistant Coach – Andre Percival.

West Berbice: Keon

Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Shimron Hetmyer, Coach – Adrian Amsterdam, Manager/ Assistant Coach – David Black.

East Coast Demerara: Rajendra Chandrika, Paul Wintz, Steven Sankar, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Coach – Esuan Crandon, Manager/ Assistant Coach – Jitlal Jowharilall.

Georgetown: Leon Joseph, Christopher

Barnwell, Robin Bacchus, Dexter Solomon, Coach – Colin Stuart, Manager/ Assistant Coach – Garvin Nedd.

East Bank/Upper Demerara: Vishaul Singh, Trevon Griffith, Steven Jacobs, Sherfane Rutherford, Tevin Imlach, Coach – Clive Grimmond, Manager/Assistant Coach – Rohan Sarjoo.

West Demerara:

Raymon Reifer, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Akshaya Persaud, Romario Shepherd, Kemol Savory, Coach – Rayon Griffith, Manager/Assistant Coach – Dhanpaul.

Essequibo: Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ronsford Beaton, Keemo Paul, Kevon Boodie, Anthony Adams, Coach – Michael Franco, Manager/ Assistant Coach – Forbes Daniels.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

Seagram’s Royal Stag Cup Test Series

West Indies lose two before rain washes Bolt storms out 68 to 200m gold overs GCB launches Jaguars Franchise League Pg 22

Pg 20

– transparency, uncertainties and longevity some worrying factors Pg 23

GCB executives sitting while academy players and coaches stand for a photo at Thursday’s launch

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