Guyana Times Daily - June 11, 2015

thursday, june 11, 2015 |

Venezuela maritime decree Guyana tells UN time for judicial settlement

B y V ahnu M anikchand

As tension continues to build between neighbouring countries; Guyana and Venezuela, as a result of the latter’s recent unilateral decision to extend its claims on the former’s Continental Shelf, Guyana is seeking to resolve the century-old dispute with a judicial settlement.

Last month, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro issued a decree, claiming most of Guyana’s territorial water in the Atlantic Ocean off of the Essequibo Coast. Addressing the National Assembly on the issue during the opening of the 11th Parliament on Wednesday, Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl

Greenidge said notwithstanding the fact that an international boundary settlement already exists in the form of the Arbitral Award of 1899, a juridical settlement in respect of Venezuela’s contention that this award is null and void appears to be the best if not the only way now open to Guyana. Greenidge said the Guyana government has already approached the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon to go the route of a legal settlement because the United Nations Good Office Process has “unhappily, it has signally failed to resolve the issue.” Several other diplomats had suggested this option to the previous administration, which was under consideration.

Greenidge told the House that for the past 49 years, Guyana has been living under Venezuela’s illegal claims. He added that in order to ensure that the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are not compromised; a definite solution has to be found that will put Venezuela’s contention of nullity to rest.

The Vice President outlined that the Good Offices Process adopted under the Geneva Agreement of 1966, which has been in place as a means of peaceful settlements between the two countries, has failed to resolve the territorial issue and with this new decree, the contentious gap between the neigboouring countries has widened. As such, Greenidge

opined that the only way forward may be through a judicial settlement.

Nevertheless, the Foreign Affairs Minister expressed the Government’s willingness to continue discussions with the Venezuelan authority as it relates to bilateral relations and pursuing a peaceful settlement within the framework of the Geneva Agreement.

Baseless decree

On the other hand, Greenidge went on to blast the neighbouring country, stating that the Presidential decree issued last month is a baseless and shameless attempt to deny Guyana of its legitimate right to pursue existing developmental initiatives. This latest action by Venezuela, to extend its claim over Guyana’s territorial waters, comes in the face of President Nicolás Maduro’s anger over oil exploration and concessions granted by Guyana to United States’ company, ExxonMobil, to explore some 23,000 square kilometers of the Stabroek Block.

The Foreign Affairs Minister pointed out that this new claim by the Venezuelan Government not only hinders Guyana’s pending and future initiatives but it also goes against previous mutual agreements between the two countries.

“Contrary to the Venezuelan Government’s public statements, the Decree cannot be considered an act of sovereignty where it applies to territory that does not belong to Venezuela. It flies in the face of all norms and principles of international law and it negates the very commitments assented to by Venezuela in numerous international and regional fora regarding the peaceful settlement of disputes. Guyana therefore condemns this decree in the strongest possible terms,” he posited.

Furthermore, Greenidge went on to highlight the many instances where Venezuela continues to impede on Guyana’s maritime sovereignty and hindering development. He referred to Venezuela’s intervention in the implementation of the hydroelectric project in the Upper Mazaruni area and

more recently in 2013, when a Venezuelan naval vessel seized a seismic vessel conducting surveys in Guyana’s maritime space with the approval of Guyana. “This action created a climate of uncertainly among potential investors in Guyana’s maritime space… In fact, reasonable observer could have possibly anticipated that Venezuela could ever regard the position where the Deep Water Champion is located as even remotely fallen within areas claimed by Venezuela. Clearly, as was revealed at the end of February, we all underestimated Venezuela’s appetite for territory,” the Minister remarked.

He underscored that this appetite can be reflected in the Decree itself. The Maduro decree, which was issued exactly one week following the discovery of oil in Guyana’s waters, covers the location where the drilling exercise is being conducted by ExxonMobil. The Venezuelan Government has contended that it has done nothing wrong and that Guyana provoked their actions by allowing the US company to drill in contentious territory. However, the Foreign Affairs Minister maintained that the neighbouring country deliberately took a unilateral decision, while noting that efforts to get Venezuela to discuss the maritime delimitation have been futile over the years.

Greenidge made reference to September 2011, when former Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodridgues-Birkett and her Venezuelan counterpart agreed “…that the delimitation of the maritime boundaries between their two States remains an outstanding issue and agreed that such delimitation will require negotiations”. He declared that no such negotiations were ever held, despite Guyana’s best efforts to convene a meeting. Meanwhile, the Vice President posited that with the support of the international community, Caribbean Member States and those from Commonwealth among others, Guyana will continue to take the necessary actions to ensure its sovereignty and territorial integrity remains intact and is free from acts of economic aggression.

Vice President and Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge

thursday, june 11, 2015 |

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Thursday, June 11 – 13:00h-14:30h and Friday, June 12 – 14:00h-15:30h

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Thursday, June 11 – 12:00h-13:30h and Friday, June 12 – 13:05h-14:35h

FERRY SCHEDULE

Ferries will be departing the Parika and Supenaam departure times –05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily.

WEATHER TODAY

Thunderstorms can be expected in the morning, with heavy rain showers dominating throughout the afternoon. Thundery showers are expected in the evening over coastal regions and near inland locations. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.47 metres per second.

High Tide: 12:08h reaching a maximum height of 2.37 metres.

Low Tide: 05:37h and 18:05h reaching minimum heights of 0.83 metre and 0.82 metre respectively.

Granger promises social cohesion, economic growth

... to pass controversial bills

By Gomatie GanGadin

Amid the deepening rift between the Government and the People’ Progressive Party Civic over allegations of elections rigging, President David Granger opened the 11th Parliament on Wednesday and once again extended the invitation of inclusionary governance to the opposition stating that it is time for the hostility to cease and for the good of the country to be put first and foremost.

This was even as he signalled his intentions to ensure that a slew of ‘controversial’ bills such as the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of the Terrorism Bill (AML/CFT), the President’s Benefits and other Amenities Bill and the Constitutional Reform Amendment Bill are passed in this session of the Parliament. While in opposition, Granger’s party had stymied the passage of some of the said bills.

On Wednesday, President Granger reiterated his call for the PPP/C to take up its seats in the National Assembly and to represent the 49 per cent of the population which voted for them. “The election campaign is over. The ballots have been cast, the tallies have been taken, results have been declared a new administration has been installed.

Let us put the hostility of the hustings behind us. Let us eschew the rancour of the campaign and the rhetoric of rivalry.

Let us look to the future with hope, determined to do only what is best for the Guyanese people now and for generations to come,” he said. “Let us reinforce the foundation of our nation by working together for the common good.

We are now the National Assembly, not a political party rally. We shall in pursuit of the common good, build bridges across chasms and in doing so; we are again extending an invitation to the People’s Progressive Party to join the APNU/AFC in this honourable house to serve the people. This is the time for collaboration and not confrontation”, President Granger said.

The PPP/C boycotted the opening of Parliament and instead staged a peaceful picket exercise outside the Guyana Elections Commission’s Headquarters in Kingston. The party is also yet to submit its list of candidates for Parliament. “Those who have been elected have work to do.

You have a responsibility to represent the people; you have an obligation to speak for them. You have

a duty to serve their interests. They have placed their trust in us; that is why we are here… this is the place, the halls of the National Assembly, where we will conduct all of the great debates,” the President told the House.

Bills to return

Meanwhile, President Granger touted the introduction of several bills which will be placed on the table to be debated and passed. Among these are the Constitutional Amendment Bill to amend the Constitution of Guyana; the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly Bill, to introduce an independent office outside of Parliament for the Clerk; the Fiscal Management and Accountability Amendment Bill; the much controversial Former Presidents Benefits and other Amenities Bill to cap benefits; Constitutional Office Bill to review the salaries and responsibilities of Constitutional office holders, the Telecommunications Bill; the Public Utilities Commission Amendment Bill to encourage more investors, better service and quality; the Broadcasting Amendment Bill and the Local Government Amendment Bill to cater for the hosting of local government elections.

In addition, the President announced that there were several other social and economic developmental policies which he wanted to see implemented. “Your Government will adhere to an empowerment policy that regularly renews local democracy by ensuring that local government elections are held – as is stipulated in our Constitution.

We shall fortify grassroots democracy by ensuring that local residents are allowed to play a greater role in managing their towns and villages. We shall, introduce legislation to upgrade the four hinterland regional administrative centres –Bartica, Mahdia, Mabaruma and Lethem – to township status with their own Mayors and Town Councils,”

he promised.

He noted that his Government will introduce measures to promote social cohesion while promising that there will be no increases in income taxes this year but moderate increases to public servants and pensioners can be expected.

The President promised Guyanese that he will reassert the integrity and independence of the National Assembly, even as he will work to ensure that it is granted administrative autonomy, institutional autonomy, political autonomy and financial autonomy. “We have seen how a subservient National Assembly could become a bane rather than a boon to democracy,” he posited.

Spike in crime

Speaking on the recent spike in crime and criminal activities, the President assured that he will ensure that the Police Force is equipped to deal with the prevailing situations and to ensure that it is vastly reduced. “We shall reduce everyday crimes – including banditry, murder, piracy, fatalities on the roads and interpersonal violence that are scaring foreign investors, driving away the educated élite, stifling the manufacturing sector, strangling local enterprise, scuttling

the economy, undermining economic growth and impeding social development,” the President stated.

President Granger also touched on the ongoing controversy with Venezuela, noting that he will not allow that country to ride roughshod over Guyana.

“We aim at playing a leading role in regional affairs, using our presence on the South American Continent and our membership of the Caribbean Community, the Organisation of American States, Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) to re-engage our neighbours and resolve the major regional security and economic challenges…

We believe that our four neighbouring Republics together have much to contribute to the security of national borders, to the stability of this continent, to the success of the Union of South American Nations and to the happiness of our peoples.

We will seek effective international collaboration to sustain economic growth and preserve international peace.”

President David Granger addressing the members of the 11th Parliament

Editor: Nigel Williams

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Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

Danger signs

The Guyanese electorate can learn a lot from the works of the famous Athenian Playwright Aristophanes and US President Abraham Lincoln if they are desirous of understanding the posture of the APNU+AFC coalition government and how it is handling matters with respect to the Cummingsburg Accord.

This Accord is the “holy grail” and the “bedrock” of their partnership. It is the one agreement that is holding them together. But a closer look at two random statements made by Aristophanes and Lincoln would explain the post-elections posture adopted by the two key partners.

Aristophanes, in his piece of literature titled “The Knights” had argued that “to win people, always cook them something savory that pleases them”. Tell them what they want to hear in order to buy over their loyalty.

Former President Lincoln is quoted as saying that “nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power”.

Both statements are relevant if Guyanese are to make much of some dangerous developments as of late within the coalition, which are being downplayed in an attempt to fool the electorate.

There has been glaring breaches of the accord by President David Granger who vowed to be a righteous leader and a man that the AFC and by extension its supporters can trust to keep his word.

Mr Granger breached the provision within the Accord, which says that he will delegate the responsibility of chairing cabinet meetings to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, which has not happened.

The President has also reneged on his commitment to split his cabinet by giving the AFC 40 per cent of the ministerial posting, while the remaining 60 per cent would be occupied by APNU. This was not done, but Mr Granger has now cleverly argued that all of his ministers will not attend Cabinet.

Additionally, the President will need to explain why does the AFC only have 11 MPs in Parliament, when the Cummingsburg Accord guarantees the party 12 seats.

There also appears to be a breach of the Accord which empowers Nagamootoo to make suggestions for the restructuring of ministries and other organisational changes. It would appear that the President himself in his deliberate judgment proposed and enforced those changes.

Granger must also explain the breach in appointments of Vice Presidents. The Accord states that “in the construct of a new government the APNU will be allocated one Vice President and AFC two Vice Presidents” but Mr Granger has appointed one more to the APNU in the person of Sydney Allicock.

Those violations aside, the President’s appointment of both government ministers and legislators for his party is tantamount to disrespect and disregard for those who voted for him.

Surely, he cannot forget that it is the youths who pushed his “It is time” campaign message, yet no one under the age of 30 became part of the new dispensation. Those appointments also make women almost invisible within Mr Granger’s cabinet.

There also appears to be no consultations with the smaller political parties that campaigned under Mr Granger’s APNU banner such as the WPA on some of the commitments that have been made by the President.

Ad hoc changes and monies were spent on May 26 and even before without consultations from the public or civil society.

The Prime Minister appears to be moving towards making changes that would see him comfortable in office and at his private and official home, while revealing unnecessary and below-the-belt details about the way in which a humble and simple former President and Prime Minister worked and lived.

Aristophanes was right: Maybe the AFC will regret in later days being lowered in the coalition because of the pleasantries it offered.

Maybe, Lincoln was right: Granger’s new found power will test his character and the credibility of his word in time to come. But for now, the dangerous signs are sending strong messages as to what Guyanese can expect.

Appointment of Technocrat Ministers Scott, Allicock and Felix not in keeping with Constitution

Dear Editor,

According to the press reports of June 9, the following three APNU+AFC coalition nominees are listed as Technocratic Ministers-To-Be of the coalition.

These three individuals – Mr Keith Scott, Mr Sydney Allicock and Mr Winston Felix – are all on the lists of candidates for Members of Parliament submit-

ted to Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) by the Representative of the APNU+AFC Coalition lists.

The PPP/C contends that articles 103 (3) and 105 of the Constitution and laws pronouncing on the eligibility of appointment of Technocratic Ministers do not confer Technocratic status on these three Ministers already sworn in by President David

Granger as Ministers.

Allicock is listed on the APNU+AFC Geographic List of Candidates for Region Nine at number one; however, the APNU+AFC coalition did not win the geographic seat for that Region.

Mr Felix and Mr Scott are listed on the APNU+AFC National Top Up list of Candidates at numbers 24 and 46 respectively.

These views of the PPP/C have been shared with the Parliament Office. The PPP/C is urging that the Constitution and relevant laws be respected and calls on the Clerk of the National Assembly not to administer the Oath as Member of Parliament to these three persons.

PPP/C, Freedom House

The people’s govt will eventually emerge

Dear Editor,

This present government of David Granger will not last. I say this on the basis of all the illegalities surrounding their supposed win. Up until now there is no verifiable proof of their accession to office.

GECOM cannot account for them winning at the polls because there was no recount to ascertain this. They compounded their illegalities by swearing in a government which does not reflect the wishes of the people.

How a government was formed is baffling to all of us, and how they got there is still a mystery to all. On that basis I give them for the most part of three years to hang on to power before we get a recount or a new mandate by way of fresh elections.

This is how the story

will unfold. There will be a court case, brought by the PPP/C contesting the results of this farce of an election. That case would see arguments going back and forth dragging on for almost a year.

You must realize that these things take time. Bear in mind that the reason for the delay is that the justice system would be hard pressed whether to make an independent and impartial decision to grant the PPP/C’s request or be pressured by the government to say no.

The High Court judges would have a “sword of Damocles” hanging over their heads whether to make the right decision or not.

However, the fact still remains, whether they grant the decision to recount the ballots or not, the PPP/C can take the

matter to another level, that is, take their petition to the Caribbean Court of Justice CCJ.

When and if it reaches that stage a recount of the ballots can convene.

By this time, years would have passed and the key players in the rigging apparatus would have resigned and taken up residence in that developed country that facilitated this mess.

To carry out the decision of the court would then be at the behest of the government, either to carry out the court’s wishes for a recount or call another election. The government will opt for the second.

Now here’s the catch, there could be dilly dallying to see if another puppet GECOM can carry out the nefarious activities. But trying out that option

will get them into great difficulty, because the world would be watching, and there can be no more delay. When it would have spilled on to the world stage, the PPP/C would have had the option of appealing to the international community to impose sanctions on the illegal government. There should be no holding back.

I predict some three years of waiting to get this nonsense over and done with before a restoration of the democratic process of fair and clean voting. It would be worth the waitwe can wait - we did it 23 years ago and we will do it again.

Finally, a government of the people and for the people would have been restored.

Neil Adams

Beach goers, in Atlantic City, New Jersey circa 1905, in swimming attire where people had to be covered and wear navy

Dear Editor,

Change for some, crossroads for others GECOM arithmetic?

Dear Editor,

At a news conference following the May 11 elections, the GECOM representative Keith Lowenfield said that he is doing the ‘arithmetic’ of the votes.

Since this is a clear case of adding the numbers of each of the 2299 SOPs (Statement of Polls) I could not understand what was the difficulty? As a primary school student I would have accomplished this in less than two hours.

However, I predicted that something was not right when I observed the facial expressions on the GECOM representatives, especially that of the GECOM CEO. I shivered at the thought that a rigging was in the making as occurred in 1968, 1973, 1978, 1980 and 1985.

From a clear case of addition, GECOM instituted subtraction whereby votes were subtracted from one party and added to another. For instance, on a single SOP, if A received 20 votes and B 30

votes, GECOM would switch the numbers so that A received 30 and B 20. This reverse was done on questionable SOPs and that is why GECOM refused to present to the media and people all the SOPs and the scrutiny of the 22 ballot boxes.

GECOM with the aid of outside forces had this operation all set. Since AFC failed to deliver the promised 11 per cent of votes, GECOM had to find a way. And that is where the subtraction and addition of votes occurred.

In this operation, it was also decided that the PNC/ AFC would receive a oneseat majority as existed in the last Parliament.

So, the subtraction and addition became difficult. I now ask the general public to think of all the errors that could have been made in Low-N-field’s simple addition and subtraction arithmetic.

We can all agree that Guyana is going through major changes, a dream for some and a nightmare for others. Regardless of which side of the fence you are on, it is certain that things will never be the same again.

And in this critical time we have to decide how we will take our country forward. The main political parties will play the most critical role in this new journey. They will determine the faith of the average Guyanese and their choices in this important period will decide whether we suffer or prosper.

I have come to understand fully that politics in Guyana are not comprised of saints; instead it is dirty games played by Machiavellian players determined to win at all costs and the only losers are the poor and average Joe.

So it is in our interest to participate and take action when necessary. We have to embrace the positives and fearlessly stand up to protect our rights and our place in our country.

New govt has been engaged in inconsistent, ugly dismissals

Dear Editor,

The APNU/AFC government wasted no time dismissing Guyanese from their jobs, in spite of the fact that unemployment is sky high and job mobility is virtually nonexistent, particularly for professionals.

This situation has hurt Guyanese and signaled a callous tone. Understandably, government wants to insert its own candidates in certain jobs, but it must balance its actions, so as to benefit all, not just its inner circle.

Even though, Guyanese have been groaning in response to this harsh situation, government has been pressing ahead. It has claimed that it has unearthed and axed 20 employees who were secret workers. Government wasted no time to justify dismissing them and it failed to realize the obvious moral dilemma embedded in this situation. We all know these workers were forced under dire circumstances to engage in such employment because job opportunities are scarce.

What are these people supposed to do? They need to make a living. Given this situation, it is morally wrong to fire them. Instead, government needs to reach out to these folks; irrespective of who they are and render help.

Our leaders should

be considerate like US President Ronald Reagan who gave outright amnesty to millions of people who had illegally crossed the American borders in search of a better life.

It was a moral dilemma presented to President Reagan and he took the humane approach. Further, a grip on the understanding of the Heinz dilemma will help us understand this moral situation, we are faced with.

We need leaders with minds like President Reagan who have shown respect for humanity, to lead our country.

Government wasted no time touting that it will engage professionals from the diaspora. How can this be when government is axing existing employees, so it can bring on board its own, leaving many in utter misery?

Who would want to work under a climate of uncertainty, particularly when they can be easily dismissed and marginalized?

Dismissing these employees, creates fear, disunity, low self-worth, low self-esteem, sadness, distress, despair, depression, anxiety, panic, insecurity, hunger, crime and turmoil.

Further, it deepens the brain drain, and pushing the country deeper into poverty, while forcing many in search of basic food. Government needs to understand that its

I am prepared to accept that the elections are a product of our own doing and it is the environment we create for ourselves, by not doing enough to be active citizens taking part in our public policies.

We leave it to our government officials to call the shots, which allowed the system to be subjected to chiefs and kings.

Sadly this is a learned behavior of our public servants and we should not expect to see anything too different now, unless we continue to be vigilant in all public policy decisions and make sure our voices are heard.

As it relates to the PPP/C, we have to quickly understand that the crossroads have been handed to us and when these situations comes around, the only sure way to move forward is to asses our weaknesses and turn them into strengths and in doing so, changes will be inevitable.

The PPP/C’s image must be rebuilt from scratch; in this case, perception is reality and we played a role in creating that perception, by

not fully understanding that we were the incumbent and the odds were against us from day one.

APNU did not claim victory because they are the greatest thing ever happened to Guyana; instead they won because people simply like to see change after a given period of time. And we failed to reinvent ourselves prior to the elections.

The obvious is that a “vice” has grown over the 23 years the PPP/C was in power, either by perception or deliberate actions that made nearly half of our country to feel oppressed or deprived of opportunities for a “good life”.

Whether real or perceived, the burden was upon us to look and listen to this dynamic and take action to address that “vice” that grew into what we see now.

We developed tunnel vision and became too defensive instead of understanding that criticism is and supposed to be our best friend in good governance. As a matter of fact the opposition would have provided better insights through

their objections, if we were able to effectively use those objections and turn them into positives.

Instead we surround ourselves with too many “yes men” who simply say yes to anything suggested. This removed independent critical thinkers from government process.

The PPP/C now has the burden to prove to Guyana in the next five years, that we are the party of Dr Cheddi Jagan, who was the first to incorporate a government that was reflective of all races and his policies, was designed to develop the whole country.

Of course this is my personal opinion, and this is not an attack on my party but a chance for our supporters to see another perspective to this situation and for them to be a part of the rebuilding of our party.

We have to learn how to accept ideas and criticism from everyone and anyone in order to formulate a strategy to make us stronger for the future.

Malcolm Watkins

Russia will host 2018 FIFA World Cup

Dear Editor,

people cannot self-actualize under these conditions, and thus cannot be productive members of society.

It is crystal clear that this government has done more harm than good, when it dismissed so many Guyanese, and leaving them high and dry.

This government has also been engaged in inconsistent and ugly patterns of dismissals, indicating that it is on a witch hunt. A glaring case that comes to mind is the disrespectful removal of Ms Carol Sooba.

I am now convinced more than ever that Guyana has no place for women and it is a situation that has injected fear into so many. It is to be remembered that the country is swamped with situations that are responsible for creating fear.

It is not fear mongering, but is the actual fear that is largely responsible for derailing unity and this was echoed at the polls.

Government needs to know that it is inhumane to deprive anyone and to this end, it needs to halt dismissing Guyanese and improvise mechanisms, reintegrating all of the unemployed into the work force without being marginalized or else it stands to be branded, as an uncaring and an authoritarian leader.

Annie Baliram

A number of reprints from US and British press claiming that Russia’s World Cup 2018 application could be reconsidered was published in local newspapers.

On June 8, the FIFA Committee announced it has no legal grounds to remove Russia for the World Cup 2018: “Russia was awarded the 2018 FIFA World Cup by democratic vote of the Executive Committee, based on expert opinions and avail-

able facts, FIFA has no legal grounds to take away the hosting of the FIFA World Cup from Russia and Qatar.”

The bidding processes for the 2018 World Cup final was not subject to any charges announced by some western media.

Italian Prime Minister M Renzi said on June 10 that he is looking forward to attend the 2018 Football World Cup in Russia with the Italian team, implicitly ruling out Italy’s involvement in any move to

boycott the event over the corruption scandals which have shaken the global football body FIFA.

The FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke who is visiting Samara, one of the host cities for the World Championship, has confirmed that Russia will host 2018 FIFA World Cup, preparations are under way and according to schedule.

Aleksei Illuview Press Attaché Russian Embassy

Page Foundation

Meditation is a practice which helps an individual to train the mind or induce a mode of consciousness for the mind to acknowledge its content without being identified.

Meditation does not include physical workout in fact it is designed to promote relaxation which helps to build internal energy or life force. . Meditation is often used to clear the mind and ease many health concerns, such as high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety. It may be done by sitting, or in an active way—for instance, Buddhist monks involve awareness in their day-today activities as a form of mind-training. Prayer beads or other ritual objects are commonly used during meditation in order to keep track of or remind the practitioner about some aspect of the training.

A lot of people in today’s world think that meditation only has mental benefits but that’s not true. Apart of mental benefits, meditation also has numerous physical benefits. Physical benefits do not only mean being fit, in fact with meditation the physiology undergo a change which simply means that each cell in the body is filled with energy.

Benefits of Meditation

* On a Physical level the benefits of meditation are as follows:

* Lowers high blood

International Day for Yoga, June 21...

Yoga sensation for the nation: Meditation

Submitted by the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh-Guyana (Hindus for Selfless Service)

* Creativity increases

pressure

* Lowers the levels of blood lactate, reducing anxiety attacks

* Decreases any tensionrelated pain, such as, tension headaches, ulcers, insomnia, muscle and joint problems

* Increases serotonin production that improves mood and behavior

* Improves the immune system

* Increases the energy level, as you gain an inner source of energy

Mental Benefits on meditation are:

* Anxiety decreases

* Emotional stability improves

* Happiness increases

* Intuition develops

* Gain clarity and peace of mind

* Problems become smaller

* Meditation sharpens the mind by gaining focus and expands through relaxation

* A sharp mind without expansion causes tension, anger and frustration

* An expanded consciousness without sharpness can lead to lack of action/progress

* The balance of a sharp mind and an expanded consciousness brings perfection

Apart from physical and

mental benefits, meditation also has a lot benefits that can improve the mind of a person. These benefits are as follow:

1. Emotional Steadiness and harmony- it helps to clean and nourish you from with and clams you whenever you are overwhelmed, unstable or emotional shut down.

2. Create Harmonywhen you meditate, you are in the space of calmness and joy which you emit or release into

the environment, bringing happiness and harmony to the people around you.

3. Personal Transformation- Meditation brings out the true personal transformation which simply means that as you learn more about yourself, you will naturally start to discover more about yourself.

Types of meditation

There are lots of different types of meditation, but these different methods all lead to the same place, the stillness that holds the infinity and vastness of all Creative Energy in the uni-

from a trauma. This meditation technique utilize a verbal script that is read out by someone other than the meditator. During this practice the meditator is brought into a relaxation state when one create images that are been suggested by the person reading the script.

2. Chakra Meditation

This type of meditation is a concentrative meditation which is a fundamental of kundalini yoga. Kundalini yoga is a divine cosmic energy in the body. It is symbolized as a sleeping serpent, coiled up at the base of the spine. This energy is

verse which we tap into when we quiet the chatter of the mind.

1. Guided Imagery Meditation

This type of meditation take you on a journey through you own inner self. Guided Imagery does not only relieve stress but it is also used for pain management and has been very beneficial for cancer patient or anyone recovering

awakened, and then it flows up the spine to the brain through Sushumna Nadi, a channel through which the nervous energy passes, energizing the various chakras on the way. Chakras are subtle energy centers moving around the body. Chakra meditation involves imagining the colors and location of the different chakras and repeating mantras for cleansing and balancing each one.

PPP/C boycotts Parliament, pickets GECOM

With hundreds of Guyanese gathered in front of Parliament Buildings to witness the historical opening of the 11th Parliament, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) took to the streets in front the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), as they continued their protests for a complete recount of the ballots of the 2015 General and Regional Elections.

Even though it appears as if all the odds are stacked against them, the PPP/C remains determined in its cause to stand up for its rights, as it once again staged a peaceful picketing exercise.

General Secretary of the PPP/C Clement Rohee explained to Guyana Times

why the party saw it fit to stage the protest rather than participating in the Parliament.

“Well this is continuation of our campaign for a GECOM recount of the votes and part of our campaign for Surujbally to resign as GECOM Chairman.

It doesn’t matter to us whether Parliament is sitting at this time, what is important to us is that we are focusing on our goals and at this point in time, GECOM and these demands are our priority, not Parliament,” he said.

Still not giving a definite answer as to when it will be participating in Parliament, Rohee repeated that the PPP/C will participate in its own time.

“It depends on a number of factors and how we evaluate the political situation in respects to the future perspectives and the future of the country,” he noted.

As it relates to the selection of Members of Parliament (MPs), Rohee

of an unfair election process is true.

On GECOM’s part, the body appears unwilling to grant the recount.

As a result of this conflict, notably even though a new Government is sworn in and a new Parliament is convened, the PPP/C is going forth to file an election petition in the courts to challenge the final election result.

Rohee explained that now the election results are gazetted, the party is now in a better position to move ahead with the petition.

According to the laws of Guyana, a political party has within 30 days from the gazetting of the results to file the petition.

The 2015 election results were gazetted on June 6.

With the clock ticking, Rohee said the party has already gathered a signif-

icant amount of data and evidence to include in the petition and it is still in the process of gathering more information to ensure they bring a stronger case.

maintained that consultations are still ongoing.

Meanwhile, as the PPP/C support base conducted their exercise free from Police hindrance, passersby rudely hurled sly remarks in their directions in an attempt to discourage the supporters from representing exercising their democratic right by publicly and peacefully displaying their dissatisfaction with the turn of events within the country.

The PPP/C is grounded in its belief that the 2015 General and Regional Elections of May 11 were massively rigged and that the results were significantly manipulated to favour the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.

Since going public with these claims, the PPP/C has been calling on GECOM for a total recount of the votes, insisting that the simple recount would prove that their argument

PPP/C supporters protest in front of GECOM

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee

Former Education Minister Priya Manickchand

PPP/C supporters came out in their numbers to call for a recount of the May 11 Elections

More PPP/C supporters protesting infront of GECOM's office on Wednesday

PPP/C Candidate

Charles Ramson Jr

DPP orders inquest into Manu Durant killing

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, on Wednesday recommended that an inquest be conducted into the shooting incident that led to the death of Manu Durant two Thursdays ago outside Baroombar on North Road, Georgetown.

This recommendation was as a result of insufficient evident against the Jamaican National, 39-year-old Donald Anthony Malcolm, who had confessed to shooting to death of the popular promoter. As such, the accused was released from Police custody and will be informed as to the date of the commencement of the inquest. Once the inquest is held, the findings will determine whether or not Malcolm will be held criminally liable. At the time of his apprehension, Malcolm claimed that he acted in self defence on the morning the man was shot and killed.

A senior rank told the Guyana Times that upon his arrest, while he confessed to the murder, he also said that he was protecting himself since it was Durant who pulled the trigger first. He reportedly stated that after Durant discharge the first round, he pulled aside, hence the bullet passed him.

As Durant attempted to pull the trigger for the second time, Malcolm

claimed that he whipped out his firearm and discharged a round, hitting the popular promoter to his chest.

The source further stated that after the shooting incident, Malcolm fled the scene but leant that Durant died a few hours later.

It was out of fear that he embarked on a journey into the interior. He reportedly contemplated to surrender many times, but he reconsidered. However, Malcolm was arrested on Saturday last

at Eteringbang, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) as he was about to flee the country.

He is being represented by Latchmi Rahamat and Peter Hugh.

It was reported that the shooter is a security guard attached to the nightclub.

In addition, it is also believed that when Durant and his friends arrived at the nightclub, the facility was closed, but the now dead man demanded that the security guard give them access. This resulted in an argument.

It was during the argument that Durant pulled out his gun and discharged a round in the direction of the guard. He missed, and the guard retaliated by firing a few rounds at Durant, with one hitting him to his chest.

Durant was a promoter who brought in several regional artistes to perform at shows in Buxton and other villages along the East Coast of Demerara. Back in 2008, Police had issued a wanted bulletin for Durant for the alleged kidnapping of Buxton teen Tenisha Morgan, who was at the time the girlfriend of Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins. It is believed that it was the abduction of the teen that triggered Rawlins’s rage causing the Lusignan and Bartica massacres.

Grove man arrested for murder of Parfaite Harmonie taxi driver

The main suspect in the shooting to death of 26-year-old Dennis Narine of Parfaite Harmonie was apprehended on Wednesday in the vicinity of the dead man’s home. Narine was gunned down through a window of his home during an alleged attempted robbery on May 31.

After the arrest, Ravindra Ramdat also called “Rickey”, 20 of Grove Village, East Bank Demerara, was positively identified as the murder suspect by the dead man’s spouse.

According to information received, the Police received information that a suspicious car was seen driving around in circles in close proximity of the dead man’s home.

They then promptly responded and were able to arrest the driver.

Upon his arrest, Narine’s wife was summoned and, based on a confrontation that occurred between the two, she positively identified him. Ramdat will make his first court appearance at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court today, where he will be charged with murder.

The father of three, of Lot 587 Parfaite Harmonie Housing Scheme, was shot once to the chest by the lone gunman. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

It was reported that at about 23:00h, the now dead man was at home with his wife and children when he

Dennis Narine

heard someone removing a louver pane from the window. He raised an alarm and the perpetrator ran away, thus Narine went back to sleep without contacting the Police.

About 1:30h, the man was again awakened by the sound of crashing louver panes, hence he reportedly collected a cutlass and rushed towards the window.

It was then that the suspected bandit pushed the gun through the window and discharged two rounds, hitting him to the left side of his chest. The bullet exited his back.

From all indications, the weapon used was a .38 revolver, since no spent shells were retrieved at the scene.

The man was placed in his taxi and was driven to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, but died on his way. He leaves to mourn his wife, three children, and siblings.

Eyew tness

Excusing the inexcusable...

H...in creeping authoritarianism

enry Jeffrey’s been around the block - and then some - on governance issues. Both theoretically and practically...at school in England and in various and sundry Ministries here.

But we do believe his early exposure abroad has perchance overly influenced him. Reviewing the new Minister of Public Security’s blatant interference in the OPERATIONS of the Police Force - not once, but twice - he attempts to excuse this away. With perhaps the slightest brush on the knuckles of the Minister with a feather.

Now the law in Guyana is very clear: the governmental civilian bosses of the Police Force are absolutely FORBIDDEN from getting involved with OPERATIONAL matters. There are no ifs, ands or buts about the matter.

But Jeffrey puts on his theoretical cap and spends 90 per cent of his article to argue that this rule should be modified. And how does he go about this retrograde move? By first of all claiming that this demarcation of spheres was created by Max Weber, the German sociologist, back in the 19th century to suggest that it is now passé.

To buttress his weak case, he cites a British and Canadian civil servant who seem to support him, but omits that those countries haven’t changed anything! (A New Zealand citation is irrelevant to Jeffrey’s thesis.)

But Weber and the two civil servants were all talking about civilian authority and the BUREAUCRACY - not coercive arms of the state like the Police. We would like Jeffrey to show us where in the world someone justified civilians getting involved with the OPERATIONS of these latter state institutions.

Excepting Hitler, of course. He personally got involved with the operations of the German war machine. And look where that got Germany!

But so much for theory. What’s our real-life experience with Jeffrey’s proposal? Well, right off the bat we had the Police in Guyana being formed to protect the sugar interests. And for instance, whenever workers struck for the wages or better working conditions - forget the governorthe Estate Manager could order them to shoot!

And we all know what happened during the 60s riots and the subsequent regime.

And it’s for this reason that all Guyanese are scared - and should be scared - about civilian authority being exercised over the police. Unlike Canada and Britain, we don’t have their long years of “professionalisation” - neither of the police force nor of the civilian overlords. But after his long justification of Ramjattan’s overreach, even Jeffrey had to conclude: “We have not yet arrived at a proper cultural understanding of this subtle context of law and permissiveness.”

So why the long detour?

...in auditing

OK. The new APNU/AFC government thinks there was financial hanky pinky at several state institutions during the PPPC’s turn at the helm.

One of the main reasons they believe this, is because several inveterate critics - such as Christopher Ram for over a decade and more recently Anand Goolsarran waged a bitter war against the government for “corruption”.

Both these fellas were given columns in the press - and huge coverage for whatever criticism or invective they wished to hurl at the PPPC about their claims financial of skullduggery.

Now the new government wants these same two critics - wearing their hats as “auditors” - to now conduct audits of the same entities they hounded over the years.

What’s going on here? Where’s the notion of due process and fair play...not to mention natural justice. Heck!! Forget about natural justice...What about “conflict of interest” and “interested parties” in the Code of Conduct for Accountants and Auditors?

So these fellas are to be prosecutors, judge, jury and executioners all rolled in one? Oh judgement...thou art fled to brutish beasts!

...in government appointments

Another day...another trashing of the Constitution. The government’s allowed four “Technocras” Ministers... but they can’t be on their lists according to Articles 103 and105. Yet three were sworn in yesterday - Felix, Allicock and Scott.

Whither Guyana?

Manu Durant

thursday, june 11, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ram, Goolsarran present “clear” conflict of interest

… Govt urged to look externally for auditors

An accredited accountant is urging the David Granger-led administration to engage one or more international accounting firms to conduct the forensic audits it is undertaking at several state agencies, arguing that some of the local firms identified present a clear case of conflict of interest and could destroy the credibility of the work they are being contracted to do.

The accountant, who asked not be named, is also contending that a forensic audit is usually underpinned by legislative provisions, which are nonexistent at the moment, and also called for greater transparency in the awarding of the contracts, citing that no tender was advertised for the auditing services but firms were just handpicked for the job.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan, speaking to media operatives on Monday at the Parliament Building, related that his Ministry has contracted private independent firms such as Ram and McRae, Hinds and Associates, former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran, among others, to begin the audits into the operations and transactions of 30 plus agencies.

Both Christopher Ram and Goolsarran were staunch critics of the previous administration and had publicly commented before

on the financial statuses of a number of the agencies being audited.

According to Minister Jordan, in an effort to ensure transparency and accountability, the audits are being done by a wide field of persons, and not confined to one firm or individual.

The Finance Ministry had expected to commence financial audits of at least four agencies on Monday, three of which are the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, the Guyana Gold Board and National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited.

While Minister Jordan could not say whether audits had indeed begun in all of the mentioned agencies, he indicated that Goolsarran, who is tasked with the audits for those agencies, had iterated to him his intentions of beginning as soon as Monday and was positive that those

Police Constable remanded for AK-47 find

APolice Constable was on Wednesday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on charges of unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition.

Orin Samuels, of 44 CC Eccles, East Bank Demerara, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The first charge read that on Friday, June 5, he was found to be in possession of 27 live rounds of 7.62 X 39 mm ammunition without being the holder of a firearm licence.

The second charge read that on the said occasion, he was also found to be in possession of an AK47 without being the holder of a firearm licence.

According to Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru, the defendant had been placed under surveillance based on information received, and on the day in

question, a motor car that the defendant was an occupant of was stopped at a road block.

The occupants were asked to disembark with their belongings. The defendant exited with a bag and a search was carried out on the occupants and their belongings.

During a search of the defendant’s bag, the firearm and ammunition were retrieved and the defendant was arrested.

An investigation was then carried out and the defendant charged. It was also stated that the firearm did not belong to the Guyana Police Force.

The Prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds that there were no special reasons put forward. Bail was refused by the Magistrate, and the matter was transferred to the Mahaica Magistrate’s Court for June 16.

had gone through.

The audit will target those agencies which, under the previous administration, were allowed to remain as offline accounts and did not follow the correct procedure of having their revenues placed in the Consolidated Fund, Jordan stated.

However, in invited comment to Guyana Times, the accountant said that it is not the forensic accountants who determine fraud but instead the court. This means that it is necessary that there already exists a legislative framework to interpret the findings of the auditor and then later aid in the application of the law; otherwise a forensic audit will not have the intended consequences.

Public critics

To this end the accountant said both Goolsarran and Ram are public critics of the past People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration and supporters of the current A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government. The accountant noted that Goolsarran also worked under the People’s National Congress administration as the Auditor General.

“Given their ties to this administration and obvious animosity towards the PPP/C, this is a clear case of lack of independence and conflict of interest. Goolsarran and Ram, who are members of the ACCA (Association of Chartered

Certified Accountants), should be reminded of that body’s code of ethics which mandate Integrity, Objectivity, Professional Competence and Due Care, Confidentiality and Professional Behaviour. Both gentlemen should therefore do the honourable thing and distance themselves from this engagement,” the accountant urged.

He added that it is standard practice for the Office of the Auditor General to subcontract local firms to carry out periodic audits of various state entities on their behalf. This practice, in itself, renders any firm which has previously been engaged as auditor for a particular agency as ineligible to undertake a forensic audit on the same agency.

On the issue of the lack of legislation, the accountant said there does not exist the necessary legislative framework to aid the forensic auditor. “This will result in a

waste of tax payer resources as this will not result in any prosecution if there are any findings. If they were to put legislation in place to deal with this, this will take up the Parliament’s time and money with the Government’s own agenda, resulting in the Parliament being in the same position that the APNU/AFC coalition were accusing the PPP/C administration of,” the accountant reasoned.

On the matter of transparency, the accountant said none of these exercises were awarded through the Guyana National Tender and Procurement Board and the costs attached to these audits have not been publicly announced.

“This is in contradiction to the Public Procurement Act which aids transparent and open allocation of public goods/services. There should be an evaluation of the basis on which these contracts were awarded which should be public knowledge. The award of these contracts is therefore illegal by law,” the accountant argued.

He said too that Ram has been vocal in calling for the Auditor General, Deodat

Sharma, to be a member of a professional accounting body and to be a practicing accountant. “By his standard, Goolsarran, who is not a practicing accountant, does not qualify,” the accountant noted. To this end the accountant said in the interest of transparency, and given Guyana’s small society where everyone knows everyone, it prudent to recruit an international firm having evaluated the cost factor and lack of legislative support.

“The international firm will bring more experience in dealing with such audits and offer the objectivity criteria lacking by the hire of Goolsarran and Ram.” Besides, the accountant said, the sloth in Guyana’s court system will no doubt lead to a ballooning of auditing and legal fees, and pointed out that professional estimations for the forensic audit of the Guyana Revenue Authority alone would run into hundreds of millions based on the size of the entity, unless the auditor is witch-hunting or cherry-picking.

Christopher Ram

Anand Goolsarran

Pregnant woman dies at GPHC

The administration of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is once again in for criticism following the death of a young pregnant woman who passed on Wednesday evening due to pregnancy complications. Carol Bollers was admitted to the medical facility on Monday June 8, but took her last breath in the wee hours of June 10.

According to a release from the medical institution, the now dead woman was less than five months

pregnant. She was admitted after visiting the Accident and Emergency Unit complaining of abdominal pains. Upon inspection, it was discovered that that Bollers was suffering from ruptured membranes.

As a result, she was admitted and treated, but her condition worsened. Despite attempts by the doctors to save her life, she passed. A post-mortem examination is expected to be performed on the woman to determine the exact cause of death. The

hospital extends it sincere condolences to the bereaved family.

In 2014, the Georgetown Public Hospital had a total of 11 maternal deaths. Five of these deaths were women referred from other health institutions. However, the hospital’s maternity ward admitted 9735 patients for 2014. Pregnant women are sometimes admitted to the hospital for observation though they may not necessarily be near delivery time, GPHC has stated.

Meanwhile, the medical institution said that a total of 6085 babies were successfully delivered at the institution in 2014, 1332 of which were born to teenage mothers. In total, the hospital did 6179 deliveries; however, 94 of those deliveries were stillbirths.

The GPHC iterated its commitment to the public and looks forward to providing more quality service to patients who visit the medical facility or its health centre across the country.

Reputed wife, 2 others held for murder of Hamson’s owner

As investigations continue into the murder of Hamson’s General Store owner Farouk Ghanie, 56, the Police on Wednesday arrested the wife of the dead man along with other men.

A Police source told the Guyana Times that robbery was ruled out, since the man’s personal belongings were intact, and that the murder might have stemmed from an old grievance. Based on this, the Police further conduct in-

vestigations and found several leads and evidence that now implicates the man’s reputed wife. The source could not divulge additional information about the three suspects, but disclosed that the three people are now deemed as prime suspects.

The Hamson’s General Store owner was found dead at his Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara (EBD) home with at two stab wounds to his chest on Wednesday, April 16, 2014. Ghanie, of Lot 97 Collingwood Avenue,

Nandy Park, EBD, was found by his girlfriend Vanessa (only name given) who went to check on him after several calls to his phone went unanswered. The man, who lived alone, was found lying on his back and might have been dead for more than 12 hours.

The businessman was last seen dropping off a worker in Georgetown before heading home. Neighbours claimed that they did not see any strange movements or heard any unusual sound, except that the man’s house was in darkness on Wednesday night. At that time, they thought that Ghanie was out of the country.

Upon the discovery on Thursday morning, the neighbours were terrified and called for Police patrols in the area. His brother, Fizal Hamid explained that he received a call from the man’s girlfriend with the news. He concluded that the murderer had to be someone who was familiar with the man’s premises and dogs. Hamid also stated that his now dead brother did not have any enemies and was not sure who would want to kill him in such a brutal manner.

Several persons were questioned but were subsequently released. Police are continuing their investigations.

Improving on Cheddi

Satiricus was so proud of the Naga Man to show the nation what a classy guy he was. Before he had become Prime Minister, some folks used to make fun of him because he showed “tough love” to his grandkids. If his President could boast about six lashes on the posterior never hurt anybody, what was objectionabłe about screaming “shut yuh so-and-so mouth” to grandkids?

But now he was elevated to the second highest office in the land, here was his chance to really show what a mensch he was. “And boy did he show them!” thought Satiricus.

When the reporter asked he hadn’t moved into the PM’s office, Naga Man, eyebrows arched upwards as he pointed out, “The office don’t even have curtains much less a desk!!”

“But your predecessor worked from a boardroom with a large table he used to spread his papers on,” said the reporter. Naga Man contemptuously educated the reporter, “Desk is to work on and table is to eat and drink from! And when I sit down at that big table I will want to eat and drink.”

“And the old PM liked to have the windows open without curtains so he could enjoy the breeze in the old colonial structure,” continued the reporter.

Naga Man curtly replied, “I does only work in airconditioned offices with heavy curtains to keep out the sun and wind.” But what really showed Satiricus that Naga Man had class was when he complained he couldn’t even move in the PM’s residence to live because “there were two rats in the oven”.

Now Satiricus thought folks were unfair to Naga Man, in saying he was insulting the old PM’s wife for not keep a clean kitchen. But a classy guy like Naga Man would NEVER do that!!

What he did was put those uppity Trinis in their place by calling the MANICOU - which had been prepared for some a visiting delegation from Trinidad - “rats”!!

“That’ll show them, now that we have oil!” gloated Satiricus.

And as the clincher for staying at his own home (to which the road has been resurfaced) Naga Man pointed out that there was plastic stapled onto the ceiling of the PM’s residence to keep it from leaking. “But Jagan, your idol, used to keep buckets on the floor to collect the water!” replied the reporter.

“According to the dialectics, Comrade, dis time na Lang time, and dis time na Jagan time!” concluded the Naga Man.

Sand Hills resident placed on bail for 2 counts of fraud

Aman was on Wednesday placed on $150,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after he appeared before her to face two charges of fraud.

Quinton Green, a 45-year-old resident of Sand Hills, Linden-Soesdyke Highway, pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that between May 1 and May 31, with the intent to defraud, he obtained $300,000 from Ramlall Sanchari by pretending to be in the position to obtain a firearm licence for him, knowing the same to be false. The defendant also pleaded not guilty to a

charge which read that on Friday May 5, with the intent defraud, he obtained $2000 from Clive Lee using the same pretence. The defendant’s attorney, Bernard Da Silva informed the court that his client has no antecedents and made an application for reasonable bail. Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru made no objections to bail.

The Magistrate granted the defendant bail in the sum of $100,000 on the first charge, and $50,000 on the second. The matter was then transferred to Court Two for July 1, when it will be heard before Magistrate Ann Mc’Lennan.

Vanessa (only name given), the reputed wife of the dead businessman

Farouk Ghanie

Agricola man charged with Grove robbery

Twenty-two-year-old Curtis Vasconcellos, of First Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara, who was shot twice on Saturday during a robbery at Grove, EBD was charged by the Police and will make his first court appearance today.

The man who claimed that he knew nothing of the planned robbery was charged with the attempted murder of Neezam Khan and robbery under arms. This is according to Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum on Wednesday.

Blanhum stated that after Vasconcellos was discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital, he was placed in an identification parade where one of the witnesses positively identified him.

Curtis Vasconcellos

Two other accomplices are still at large. On Saturday about 14:30h, businessman Neezam Khan, of Lot 72 Grove, East Bank Demerara, was standing with others in front of a snackette in the village when two armed men

attacked him and demanded that he hand over a chain and the rings he was wearing.

He put up a fight and was shot to his arm after which the now dead teenager relieved him of the jewellery. As they were about to jump on their motorcycles, Khan managed to whip out his licensed firearm and discharged a few rounds in the direction of the men, hitting Michael Grant and Vasconcellos.

Grant was pronounced dead on arrival at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, while Vasconcellos was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

After the robbery, the young man remained a patient under guard at the Hospital. During interrogation, he told investigators

that he was asked to accompany a few of his friends to Grove after Grant claimed that he was going to uplift “something”.

The young man reportedly told Police that his friend got off the bike and headed over the road from where he parked. As he was about to join them, he saw Grant and another man in a scuffle which was followed by a single gunshot. It was then he realised that he was actually part of a robbery.

Soon after, he saw Grant falling to the ground and he made an about turn and headed to his motorcycle.

As he was about to leave the scene, he felt a numbness to his neck and arm and blood started to trickle down. He continued to ride but eventually fell off the motorcycle.

Alleged rapist gets bail

A42-year-old man was granted bail in the amount of $400,000 on Wednesday morning when he appeared before Magistrate Zamina Ali at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on a rape charge. The charges against the accused detailed that he sexually penetrated a 12-year-old girl around August, 2014, while in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

The accused is a resident of Patterson, Sophia, where he lives with his mother. His attorney, N Bristol, stated that he has three children of his own and has never been

convicted of an offence.

Guyana Times was made to understand that the accused visited the Virtual Complainant’s (VC) home when she was by herself. They talked for awhile then the accused told the 12-yearold child he loved her, kissing her on her lips as he did so.

Reports stated that the accused removed the girl’s clothing sometime after, and had sexual intercourse with her on a chair in the hall of her home. The suspect continuously visited the VC’s home during the month of August and had sexual in-

tercourse with her.

This came to a stop when the VC’s mother noticed the defendant’s number in her daughter’s cellular phone and questioned her about it. The VC revealed to her mother the relationship she had grown to have with the accused. Upon hearing this, her mother reported the matter to the Turkeyen Police Station and had the accused arrested.

Nevertheless, he was released on station bail and made an appearance at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. He pleaded not guilty to the

Case dismissed against man accused of reckless driving

– after defence discredits prosecution's main witness

The case against a man accused of dangerous driving was dismissed on Wednesday after the Magistrate ruled in favour of the defence’s no-case submission at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court after it had proved that the prosecution’s main witness could not be trusted.

Persaud expressed puzzlement that the investigating officer had not charged both drivers on the night of the incident.

He put to the officer that he had received money that night and that is why he had decided the guilt of the defendant, “playing the role of both judge and jury”.

charge against him and his attorney made an application for bail.

However, Police Prosecutor Inspector John Singh objected to this. He stated that the offence the accused is charged with has become quite prevalent, is quite serious and does not deserve bail.

Nevertheless, Magistrate Ali overruled this and granted the bail

Defence Attorney Yoganand Persaud crossexamined the witness, the investigating officer, and proved that he was not a credible witness as documents showed he had lied about the time the accident took place as well as the injuries of the defendant, Jagdes Harilall ,31, of 302 South East Cummings Lodge.

It was revealed that the officer was instructed to investigate the accident that occurred on December 28, 2014 on Ogle’s Public Road in which Harilall in his vehicle collided with the car of a Virtual Complainant (VC), who was absent in court and whose name was not disclosed.

Defence Attorney

The investigating officer told the court that he had indeed decided on the night that the defendant was guilty, but did not receive any payment from the VC.

In the first hearing of the case, the VC had stated that he had spent $780,000 to repair the damage to his car and he was asking for that much in compensation.

The prosecution, however, was intent on going ahead with the case on the premise the defendant posed a danger to the public.

After the defence’s nocase submission, the prosecution was given a chance to rectify the damage to its case, but declined, conceding to the defence’s request for a dismissal.

Scenes from the opening of the 11th Parliament

First-time Member of Parliament Noel Holder, who is Guyana’s new Agriculture Minister

Former Speaker of the National Assembly and now Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan stops to smile for the camera

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

President David Granger and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo share a handshake moments before entering the chambers for the first sitting of the National Assembly

The grand ceremonial march in the compound of Parliament Building at the opening of the 11th Parliament

President Granger greets Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud while other Joint Services heads look on

Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh engages Bank of Guyana Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga and other colleagues in light conversation The new A Partnership for National

of the National Assembly

Former MP’s store burglarised again

Thieves have struck again at former People’s National Congress (PNC) parliamentarian Dave Danny’s Robb Street store.

This is the fourth time in three years thieves have broken into the store, removing goods and cash. The incident occurred sometime between 18:00h on Tuesday and the wee hours of Wednesday. The thieves

gained entry by breaking the store’s wall that faces a side alley.

When Danny opened his door for business around 09:30h on Wednesday, he realised that the store had been burgled and the robbers had stolen numerous items, including beauty products, clothing, costume jewellery, and fans as well as cash.

Danny is frustrated by

the constant costly attacks on his business.

The businessman recalled that only on September 16, 2013, he encountered a similar sight. The only difference was that the thieves had emptied his store that time.

He added that there were several other breakins that caused him to solid-cast the wall which they had broken to gain entry.

Parliament Square now open to public

Parliament Square, the beautiful garden located at the corner of High Street and Brickdam, was officially declared open to the general public by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan to coincide with the opening of Guyana’s 11th Parliament on Wednesday.

At the simple opening, tents and chairs were made available for the use of the public and large television monitors were set up so that they would view the ceremonial opening of the 11th Parliament.

Overwhelmed with excitement, Guyanese turned out in their numbers to finally set foot on the lawns of the lovely little park.

It will now be available for use by the public on a regular basis and will be used as an assembly ground when there are sittings of the National Assembly.

The park initiative was initially conceptualised

and realised by the Central Housing and Planning Authority of the Housing Ministry; however, Bulkan said he will be seeking Cabinet’s approval to have its responsibility handed over to the Georgetown Municipality.

The Minister noted that Parliament will be representing the citizens of the country and therefore, the citizens should be allowed within adequate proximity of the proceedings.

“Our Members of Parliament (MPs) are sent there by the people, and they are sent there to represent the interest of the people, so it was a sad and unfortunate reflection that in the 10th Parliament, the area around Parliament Building was actually cordoned off and a sort of sanitary environment was created during Sittings of the National Assembly.

It was anomalous and an anathema, given the fact that the Members of

Parliament who are there conducting the people’s business, that the people were actually kept away from proximity of Parliament Building,” Bulkan said.

He noted that with the opening of this park, Guyanese can now take pride and ownership of the activities that are being conducted during the National Assembly.

“In fact, our Constitution says that sovereignty belongs to the people, who exercise it via the elected representatives, and the democratic organs created by and under the Constitution and, of course, Parliament is the supreme organ of democratic power, so we do not believe that the public should be kept away during sittings of the National Assembly,” he said.

The park project reportedly cost some $37 million and was aimed at enhancing downtown Georgetown.

Education Ministry to probe beating of female Rupununi students

The Education Ministry is conducting an investigation into an incident in which at least two students, one from the Awarewanau Primary School and the other from Lethem, in Deep South Rupununi were given humiliating corporal punishment in the presence of the other students.

From a video clip that was first posted on Facebook several months

ago and recently re-posted, it appears that the two female students were partially stripped and whipped, while being restrained, as other students looked on.

According to the post, the girls, who are 13 and 15 years old, were beaten with “broad cow skin belt and hospitalised” subsequently.

According to Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, “in collabo -

ration with the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Social Protection, [we] are investigating the matter, and will take appropriate action”.

The video, which actually surfaced several months ago, was reported to the Education Ministry.

A full report on the incident will be made public once completed, according to the Education Minister.

(See related letter on Page 18)

thursday, june 11, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ex-cop shot several times

Aformer Police Officer is now in critical condition after being shot several times outside his business place in Rose Hall Town, Berbice on Wednesday night.

Ravi Outar, 38, of Second Street, Rose Hall Town, was shot about five times when a lone gunman opened fire on him at approximately 20:30h, as he was sitting in front of his bar, Outar’s Pool Hall and Bar.

According to the man’s wife, who was in a state of shock, moments before the shooting she had left her husband to go inside the shop to retrieve something and suddenly she heard about five gunshots.

She said she hid and af -

ter the gunshots stopped, she ran to see what had happened and saw her husband on the ground bleeding.

She related that she noticed a man walking out of the street and he swiftly got into a waiting car that drove off towards the public road.

The father of four was quickly picked up and rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital where his condition is listed as critical.

The Police arrived a short time later at the crime scene and were seen combing the area. The investigation continues.

As news spread of the shooting in the small town of Rose Hall, many persons turned up to get a glimpse of the scene.

NGSA results out today

After some two months since some 15,000 plus students wrote the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examination at schools across the country, and the anticipation of those student as well as their parents will soon end as the Education Ministry is scheduled to release the results today.

The announcement is expected to be made by newly appointed Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine. As customary over the past few years, the announcement should be aired live on the National Communications Network television and radio stations, and will simultaneously be streamed on the Ministry’s website at www. education.gov.gy.

In a statement two weeks ago, the Education Ministry disclosed that all systems are in place to guarantee the release of the NGSA results on today’s date. The statement further detailed that the marking of all the papers has been completed and, at the time, the examination scripts were being processed countrywide.

Approximately 15,200 stu-

dents across Guyana wrote the NGSA examination on April 1 and 2, which is a placement examination offered at the end of the primary school cycle to determine which secondary school students will be placed into. During the two-day examination period, the students were assessed in four subject areas: English Language, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. On the first day, English Language and Science were written, while student wrote Mathematics and Social Studies on the second day.

Each subject had two papers. Paper Two was the first paper written and consisted of essay-type questions while Paper One consisted of multiple choice questions.

However, prior to this, the students had to write the National Grades Two and Four Assessments, back in 2011 and 2013 respectively. The marks from all three assessments will be added up to determine the overall performance of each student.

In 2014, some 15,500 students wrote the NGSA examination. Their overall performances were calculated by adding five per cent of

each candidate’s Grade Two scores in Mathematics and English, and 10 per cent of the Grade Four score in the same subjects.

This was then added to a further 85 per cent of each candidate’s score in those subjects at the Grade Six Assessment.

The highest possible standardised scores obtainable in each subject were Mathematics – 136, English – 132, Social Studies – 137, and Science – 135, with 540 being the highest possible overall score.

The NGSA 2014 top student was Jorrel De Santos of the New Guyana School, who scored 533 marks. Aliah Mohamed of School of the Nations came in second with 531 marks, while Westfield Prep student Ravi Singh scored 530 marks. Meanwhile, the Education Ministry has been proud of the fact that Guyana has attained universal primary education, a Millennium Development Goal. “This means that all Guyanese boys and girls of primary school age can access primary education,” the Ministry had stated.

Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan interacting with the public at the opening of Parliament Square

Ravi Outar

Regional

Publishers of Cayman Islands newspaper flee country

The publishers of Cayman Islands’ sole daily newspaper have reportedly fled the country because they were afraid for their safety, after Premier Alden McLaughlin described an editorial in the publication as treasonous.

While the Cayman Compass continues to publish, David and Vicki Legge are now in the United States. They flew out of the country on Saturday, a day

after the Governor of the Cayman Islands provided them with Police protection from the previous night.

Last Wednesday, the Cayman Compass published an editorial entitled “Corruption: An insidious, creeping crime” which referred to the FIFA scandal and acts of corruption in the territory. It said corruption was “commonplace” in the Cayman Islands. Caymanian Jeffrey Web,

FIFA’s Vice-President, is among the 14 people charged in connection with corruption at football’s world governing body.

McLaughlin responded to the editorial during a meeting of the Legislative Assembly’s Finance Committee last Friday, saying it was not only “reckless”, but “must be interpreted as a treasonous attack on the Cayman Islands and on all the people of Cayman”.

The Premier said the editorial was “a direct attack on everyone who lives here, works here, invests here, has a business here, who serves on public boards, the public sector, financial services, tourism, and it is a full frontal assault on the many businesses which pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Cayman Compass every year in advertising fees”.

In an interview with the New York Times on Monday, Legge said, “We believed he created such an atmosphere that we needed protection.”

(Excerpt from Caribbean 360)

Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean to reinforce convergences

Starting on Monday, Brussels is hosting a new meeting between leaders from Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean, a positive sign of the shared will to bolster bridges and consolidate ties that have profound roots in our past and significant possibilities for the future.

Currently, the European Union has trade agreements with 26 Latin American and Caribbean countries, which makes it the partner with the biggest set of trade agreements in the region, followed by the United States (US), which has free trade agreements with 11 countries.

In parallel, Latin American and Caribbean participation in the bloc’s foreign trade is still very modest, both in goods and services: in 2013 the region was the destination for 6.6 per cent of goods exports from the European Union to the rest of the world and the origin of just 5.7 per cent of its imports. What is more, the region’s exports to the bloc continue to be concentrated in commodities and derivatives that have low technological content.

The dialogue of policies between the most representative institutions from Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean will ad-

dress a rich agenda of bi-regional and global matters. This will be an opportunity to underline the importance of cooperation between the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), marked by the complexity and speed of ongoing technological, economic, social, environmental and cultural changes.

The CELAC stated that they are confident this dialogue will spur initiatives oriented towards citizens, designed to foster innovation for sustainable growth, ensure a quality education for all, guarantee safety and combat climate change. (Excerpt from Caribbean 360)

New pest hurting agriculture production in Dominica

Anew species of scale insects is causing extensive damage in the south of Dominica, affecting from fruit trees to herbs and vegetation.

Agriculture Minister Johnson Drigo, other Ministry Officials and Petter Saint Jean, Parliamentary Representative for Laplaine, which has been most affected, saw the extent of the problem firsthand and assured that efforts were being made to find a solution.

Saint Jean warned that the situation could affect the economic development of the community, and the country, if not contained. He therefore called on residents to work together with the Ministry.

“I have seen between March and May of this year, the kind of

impact that the scale insect has had on production in the Balisier area. I am in the middle of the infested zone and I have been monitoring it on a daily basis for the past three months because I felt I had a responsibility to liaise with the authorities to find a solution to the problem,” Saint Jean said.

Head of Plant Protection and Quarantine Unit Ryan Anselm explained that the scale insects multiply quickly, lay a lot of eggs and feed on the sap from leaves. When the insects cover the leaves, the plants cannot photosynthesise, and they dry and die. Spray trials have already been conducted with bay leaf oil and olive oil, among others, with the former proving to be the most effective in killing the pest. (Excerpt from Caribbean 360)

Brazilian family in European court plea

The family of a Brazilian man shot dead in London by Police, who thought he was a suicide bomber, have taken their legal battle to the European Court of Human Rights. Jean Charles de Menezes was shot at Stockwell Tube station after being mistaken for a terror suspect.

His family is challenging a decision not to prosecute anyone for murder over the electrician’s July 2005 death. Lawyers are putting the family’s case against the United Kingdom before the judges.

They argue the assessment used by prosecutors in deciding no-one should be charged is incompatible with Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which covers the right to life.

They claim the test applied by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), that there should be sufficient evidence for a “realistic prospect” of conviction, is too high a threshold.

The CPS ruled out prosecuting officers in 2006, but they did charge the Met Police with breaching health and safety laws, leading to a £175,000 fine. An inquest jury later returned an open verdict after being told by the coroner that they could not conclude that de Menezes had been unlawfully killed.

Hugh Southey QC, representing the family, told the court he would argue that previous investigations into

the death did not satisfy the requirements of Article 2. “If the public don’t believe that officers may be held to account, the order of the law is called into question.” De Menezes was shot amid an operation to hunt down the men responsible for the failed suicide bombings of July 21, 2005 in London, attacks that came after the deaths of 52 people in four similar explosions two weeks earlier. (Excerpt from BBC News)

25 UWI students can’t graduate after exam scripts stolen

About 25 students who were enrolled in the undergraduate programme GOVT 3020 Power and Politics in Latin America will be unable to graduate from the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, later this year because their exam scripts were stolen from a lecturer’s vehicle last month. This was, on Tuesday, disclosed to the T&T Guardian by President of the UWI Student Guild, Makesi Peters.

Peters said he raised concerns over the incident with the Board of Undergraduate Studies and the campus’ administrative staff. He said about 50 students were af-

fected overall, inclusive of final year and continuing students.

It is alleged that the vehicle belonging to UWI lecturer Kristy Smith was broken into and several items stolen, including the examination scripts completed by students.

A senior UWI official, who wished not to be identified, spoke of serious concerns, including where Smith’s vehicle was parked when it was broken into.

“We are hearing two alleged versions of where the vehicle was parked, which was either outside a restaurant in St Clair and the other version was allegedly on the

way to a hospital,” the UWI official said.

The T&T Guardian was told that the Campus Committee on Examinations allegedly held a meeting to discuss the situation. Three options were presented. First, they can either complete a substitute examination. The second option entails students writing the next scheduled examination in the course, and the third is that, in the event candidates were unable to accede to the first option or sit the summer examination, they would be allowed to write the examination in the 2015/2016 Semester II Examination Sitting. (Excerpt from the the T&T Guardian)

Security guard critically injured in Bahamas shooting

Aschool in The Bahamas was placed on lock-down yesterday after a gunman wearing a school uniform opened fire on a security guard. No students were injured, but the guard at L W Young Junior High School in New Providence has been hospitalised and is in a critical condition.

Police say the male security guard was on duty around 12:30h when a white Honda vehicle pulled up to the school gate. A male clad in a school uniform and armed with a handgun exited the vehicle and walked up to the security booth where he fired several shots at the security officer, hitting him in the thigh and chest before speeding off in the vehicle. The security officer was rushed to hospital in a private vehicle.

In a statement issued shortly after the shooting, Education Director

The L W Young Junior High School, where the shooting took place

Lionel Sands said the school was quickly placed on lock-down as senior education officials and Police began investigations, and the gunman did not have access to the campus.

“The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology wishes to remind parents, students and the community that student safety is always a top priority and during today’s unfortunate incident no students were harmed,” he said.

Police are continuing investigations but have indicated they do not yet have a motive for the shooting and cannot confirm that the assailant was a student even though he wore the uniform of another school.

(Caribbean 360)

David and Vicki Legge

Jean Charles de Menezes

Pakistan's “shameful” hanging condemned

Pakistan has executed a man who was 15 when he was sentenced to death for murder and who, rights groups say, was tortured into confessing.

Aftab Bahadur was hanged in Lahore’s jail early on Wednesday morning.

Bahadur, a Christian, had been convicted of a double murder in the city in 1992. Campaigners called his execution “shameful”. The death sentence could

be passed on 15-year-olds at the time, although the minimum age was raised to 18 in 2000.

“This is a truly shameful day for Pakistan’s justice system. Aftab was subjected to almost every injustice conceivable,” said Maya Foa, Director from international human rights group Reprieve. “To the last, Pakistan refused even to grant his lawyers the few days needed to present ev-

idence which would have proved his innocence. This is a travesty of justice, and tragedy for all those who knew Aftab,” she added.

Reprieve said Bahadur had been convicted on the basis of testimony from two eyewitnesses. They both later retracted their statements, saying they were made under torture.

The hanging comes a day after the execution of a Pakistani man convicted of manslaughter was postponed at the last moment.

It was the fourth time Shafqat Hussain, who was found guilty of kidnapping and killing a child in 2004, had been given a stay of execution. His lawyers say he was 14 when he was charged, and was tortured into making a confession.

The authorities however say he was 23 when he committed the crime. The execution was halted after Pakistan’s Supreme Court agreed to consider an appeal.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

China approves US$19.3B of airport, rail projects

China’s top economic planner said it had given the green light to over US$19.34 billion worth of airport and railway projects, the latest slew of infrastructure approvals as Beijing looks to avert a sharp slowdown in the economy.

China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said on its website on Wednesday that it had approved seven projects, including the US2.3 billion expansion

of an airport on the holiday island of Hainan and a US$111 million airport in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang.

Two of the seven approvals were for railway projects, among them a track connecting Hefei, the capital of Anhui province, to the eastern coastal city of Hangzhou. Four of the projects were given the green light in April and May with the rest approved last week, according to the NDRC.

China’s economy grew at

its weakest pace in six years in the first quarter, expanding 7 per cent, weighed down by a cooling housing market, slowing local investment and weak domestic and foreign demand.

Economists at China’s central bank on Tuesday shaved their forecast for China’s economic growth to 7 per cent for 2015, from 7.1 per cent previously. In midMay, China approved close to US$4 billion of railway subway projects. (Reuters)

Malaysia Airlines to become new company

Malaysian Airlines will become an “entirely new company”, its new boss, Chief Executive Officer Christoph Mueller, has said. “We will leave the old Malaysian airlines behind,” he told the BBC. He insisted that the transition would be “an orderly process”.

Mueller, who took the helm in May, said earlier this month that the airline was “technically bankrupt”, and announced a restructuring plan involving 6000 job cuts. He said the airline expected no further bad news “particularly for our new employees”.

Instead, Mueller said improving its technology, renegotiating contracts with its suppliers and generally becoming more efficient would help the airline to cut costs further. He stated that frequent flyer miles, as well as any tickets sold by the old Malaysian Airlines, will be honoured by the new company.

The airline was already struggling against strong regional competition and had made a loss for several years, before it was struck by two separate disasters in quick succession. In March last year, Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared with 239 passengers and crew aboard. The plane is still missing. Four months later, flight MH17

Chief Executive Officer Christoph Mueller

was shot down by a suspected ground-to-air missile while in Ukrainian airspace, with the loss of 298 passengers and crew.

Mueller admitted it was “difficult to predict” how fast its brand would recover from the disasters, but said the rebranded firm would take on the compensation obligations of the old company. Malaysia Airlines plans to announce details on the rebranding in September. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Around the World

Pope creates child abuse tribunal

Pope Francis has approved the creation of a tribunal to hear cases of Bishops accused of covering up child abuse by paedophile Priests.

The unprecedented move followed a recommendation from the Pope’s newly created panel on clerical sex abuse. The tribunal will have the power to punish Bishops who failed to protect young victims.

Survivors’ groups have long called for the Vatican to do more to make Bishops accountable for abuse on their watch. Last year, the United Nations strongly criticised the Church for failing to stamp out abuse and for allowing cover-ups.

A statement from the

Vatican said the department would come under the auspices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Its aim would be “to judge Bishops with regard to crimes of the abuse of office when connected to the abuse of minors”, the statement added.

Father Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman, said Bishops could also be judged if they had failed to prevent abuse from taking place. Initially the complaints would be investigated by one of three Vatican departments, depending on whose jurisdiction the Bishops were under. They would then be judged by the doctrinal department.

Gabrielle Shaw, Chief

Executive of the United Kingdom’s National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), said the move was good news for victims. “We would welcome anything which looks closely at clerical abuse and shows more openness from the Church,” she added. NAPAC’s founder Peter Saunders is part of the Vatican advisory commission which recommended the step. The panel was set up by Pope Francis in 2013 to help Dioceses improve abuse prevention measures and support victims. It is made up of 17 clerics and lay people from around the world. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Africa creates biggest trade zone

Africa’s largest free trade zone is to be created, covering 26 countries in an area from Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt in the north.

The deal, signed in Egypt, is intended to ease the movement of goods across member countries which represent more than half the continent’s gross domestic product.

Since the end of colonial rule, Governments have been discussing ways to boost intra-African trade. However, the poor state of roads, railways and airlines have made it difficult.

Three existing trade

blocs - the Southern African Development Community (SADC); the East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) - are to be united into a single new zone. The pact, known as the The Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), will then be officially unveiled at the upcoming summit of the African Union this weekend in South Africa.

BBC Africa Business Report’s Lerato Mbele says the idea behind it is to remove trade barriers on most goods, making them cheaper, and stimulating

US$1 trillion worth of economic activity across the region of more than 600 million people. However, concluding the deal in Egypt will merely be the first step and it will need to be approved by each country’s Parliament before the wheels are set in motion, she says. It is hoped that this will happen by 2017. Analysts says countries within a free trade zone agree to reduce or do away with certain trade barriers within that area, but still pursue their own trade policies when it comes to outside countries. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Delhi “fake degree” Minister resigns

AMinister in the Local Government in India’s capital, Delhi, has resigned after being arrested amid allegations that his law degree was fake. Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar, who is from the Aam Admi Party (AAP), is accused of forgery and cheating.

Tomar has dismissed the claims as “baseless”. The AAP, which was elected in Delhi on a pledge to fight corruption, says the arrest is politically-motivated.

Tomar, who held a num-

ber of portfolios in the Delhi Government, including justice, reportedly sent his resignation letter late on Tuesday night, after he was remanded into custody.

“Mr Tomar put in his papers a while back. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has accepted the resignation,” the agency quoted Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as saying. “We shall forward it to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung..,” he added.

In his resignation letter, Tomar said he did not want

the image of the AAP or the Government to be tarnished.

Tomar had submitted documents showing that he held a law degree when he previously ran for office.The Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University in Bihar state has previously said that it has no record of the Law Minister receiving his degree.

Tomar responded that the university had not denied that he was a student and that “there are so many students they could have forgotten”. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Aftab Bahadur had been on death row since 1992

Pope Francis

Scotland sworn in as new Speaker

…PPP/C to pick Deputy

By Gomatie GanGadin

Former diplomat and scholar Dr Barton Scotland was on Wednesday sworn in as the country’s 8th Speaker of Parliament when the 11th Parliament was convened by President David Granger, ending weeks of speculation and negotiation between the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) parties.

The Deputy Speaker will go to the opposition, PPP/C when it enters Parliament.

This is the first time that a member from the civil society has been elected to preside over the 65-seat National Assembly.

According to the Cummingsburg Accord, which was signed between the two parties on February

Speaker expressed. In expressing congratulations to the Speaker, Leader of the House and Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, told him that he will now be relied upon to provide guidance to the National Assembly. “We will rely on your guidance,

eas of Natural Resources and Investment Law, Negotiations and International Law. He holds a Master of Law degree and a Doctorate in International Law. In the meantime, it is unclear when the Deputy Speaker will be elected since the

14 of this year, the Speaker must be drawn from the civil society.

Leading up to the convening of Parliament, Scotland, along with Attorneys-at-law Roysdale Forde and Stephen Fraser, were touted for the position. However, Scotland was unanimously decided upon by the coalition after intense discussions.

Though members of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) were absent from the first sitting of the 11th Parliament, the Deputy Speaker position has been given to them. As such, Scotland indicated that the election will not take place until the PPP/C takes up their seats in the National Assembly.

Scotland, who was nominated by the Government’s Chief Whip, Amna Ally, and seconded by the AFC’s Catherine Hughes, was the lone nominee for the position of Speaker.

In accepting the position, Scotland thanked the House for the opportunity to serve in this capacity, noting that they must all work together for the good of the country.

“By electing me Speaker of this National Assembly, you have presented me with an opportunity to join with you.

I invite you to let us work together to that end, and may our efforts be crowned with success,” the new

your great sense of impartiality and your scholarship to take this House through what troubled waters. We are here as honourable members of the House to assist you as much as we possibly could. On behalf of the Government of Guyana and all of us in the Government benches, congratulations on your post,” Nagamootoo shared.

Scotland held various diplomatic posts and once headed the Department of International Economic Cooperation under the late President Desmond Hoyte. He served as an advisor to the Foreign Affairs Ministry in 2012 and was part of the team that accompanied then Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn RodriguesBirkett in April of that year, when she made an oral presentation in support of Guyana’s submission for an extended continental shelf to the commission on the “Limits of the Continental Shelf” at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York. Scotland is also an acknowledged expert on the Law of the Sea. Scotland also served as a Commissioner on the Caricom Competition Commission, which was launched in 2008, and later became its Chairman. Scotland worked in private practice in the ar-

Dr Vindhya Persaud, PPP/C agree e-mail “inappropriate forum”

...Rohee

says party members can “agree to disagree”

In wake of criticism from one of its members, Dr Vindhya Persaud about it not entering Parliament the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) said party members can agree to disagree.

In an email addressed to several of her colleagues, Dr Persaud strongly expressed her disagreement with the Party’s plan to protest whilst the 11th Parliament was being convened.

The former Member of Parliament (MP) and current Head of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, which represents a major part of the PPP/C’s constituency, argued that previous protest actions organised by the Party gained minimal support from the public and the PPP/C’s support base.

She added that the protests are not yielding the desired results.

Dr Persaud, in the email, claimed that she advised the Party against the picketing exercise and urged them to participate in the opening of the Parliament. “I would like to advice for the picketing exercise planned for June 10. My response comes against a backdrop of recent happenings…I strongly urge, as I did previously at our meeting, that we go to Parliament and represent our support base as a formidable opposition,” an excerpt from the email read.

PPP/C has indicated that it will only go to Parliament when it pleases them. As of now, however, the Party says it has no intention of doing so. Parliament will resume on June 25, 2015 at 14:00h.

Rohee, when questioned by media operatives about the Party’s position on the former MP’s stance, disclosed that the Party had a discussion with Dr Persaud and they have settled the

matter, reaching an agreement where it was agreed that party members can disagree on certain issues.

“We conveyed to her our dissatisfaction with the forum she chose to express her views and not with the content…she conceded that the forum was not an appropriate one, but she held on to the fact that she was convinced of what she said was a conviction…so I told her that, we have an agreement...where we can agree to disagree,” Rohee explained.

But Dr Persaud, in a subsequent interview with this publication disclosed that the email was not meant for the public domain and appeared unsure of how the email was leaked. Nonetheless, in the letter, Dr Persaud mentioned a number of issues she believed contributed to the party’s failure at the May 11 polls.

When questioned about the contents of the email, Dr Persaud insisted that the letter was not meant

for the public and therefore she will not be making any public pronouncement on the matter. “I would just like to say that that email was meant for the internal party…it was meant for the internal party and I am not commenting on anything else,” she maintained. Clinton Urling, another PPP/C member, had several issues with the functioning of the Party. Urling, who recently joined the PPP/C, declared that the Party will be better off without the involvement of former President and Executive Member Bharrat Jagdeo. In response to his statements, Rohee had also indicated that the forum used to express those views were inappropriate.

Rohee reiterated that if any PPP/C member has an issue with the Party, there is an established system in which they can voice their concerns internally, rather than doing the unprofessional thing by going public with their opinions.

4 teens allegedly raped in Parfaite Harmonie

The Police are presently investigating at least four instances where underage girls of Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara claimed that they were sexually molested.

A senior Police rank told the Guyana Times that case files have been prepared and have been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

In one of the cases, the Guyana Times understands that a 15-year-old girl claimed that she was collected by a silver grey Carina 212 motor car with no registration plates driven by a man who was wearing a mask.

She also told Police ranks that at the time she boarded the vehicle, two other women were in the back passenger’s seat, but they requested to be put off in the La Grange, Middle Road West Bank Demerara.

When questioned about

the location where she was taken and raped, she was unable to provide the information.

She also claimed that she was picked up in front of her school moments after lessons had finished, noting that no one saw her entering the car. After she was raped, she claimed that the driver dropped her off at a location and she had to walk home. She cannot identify the driver of the car.

A relative of the teen told the Guyana Times that the L’Aventure Secondary School student was taken to a road leading to Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo where the driver committed the act.

He said that from information gathered, the teenager told her family that the man was about 40-year-old and was sporting a bald head.

The relative further stated that after the act was committed, the teenager was kicked out of the car

and walked for about 30 minutes until she reached home. The relative is holding out that the same person who raped his cousin is on a rampage and might be connected to a few other incidents in the area.

In another matter, Guyana Times understands that three girls accompanied a young man to swim in the backdam aback Parfaite Harmonie during which one of them reportedly had sexual intercourse with the man.

Illegal

Later, she was seen behaving in a strange manner and was questioned by her family, but initially refused to say anything. When she was taken to a doctor and examined, she told her relatives that she was raped. The young man was taken into custody and was questioned during which he reportedly told the investigators that the sex was consensual.

The Police iterated

that once a girl is below the age of 16, according to the Sexual Offences Act of 2010, she cannot give consent to have sex; hence the possibility exists that the young man will be charged. According to the Act, a sexual offence is any sexual violation on an individual that includes rape, and any other form of sexual assault, such as touching or causing the complainant to touch a third party in a sexual way.

The Act says sexual offences will be treated seriously and every effort will be made to bring those guilty to justice.

The Sexual Offences Act was enacted, placing special emphasis on women and children, who are most vulnerable, and are usually the most likely victims of sexual abuse. With this legislation, all offences that are in violation of the law are clearly spelt out, as well as the penalties for such crimes.

The first sitting of the 11th Parliament was half full

Newly elected Speaker of the National Assembly Barton Scotland

Clement Rohee Dr Vindhya Persaud

PPP/C says Constitution violated, as Govt appoints 3 Technocratic Ministers

By Vahnu Manikchand

President David Granger has appointed three technocratic Ministers as catered for in the Constitution, but the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) said that those selected are ineligible and violated the supreme law of the land.

Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs said that the Party has misinterpreted the law and based on his advice the President’s appointments are well within the Constitution.

On Wednesday, all the A Partnership for National

Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Members of Parliament were sworn in by newly-elected Speaker, Dr

Barton Scotland. The three technocrat Ministers are: Sydney Allicock, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs; Winston Felix, Minister of Citizenship and Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Keith Scott. These three Ministers will have no voting rights as technocratic Ministers, as only the allotted 33 can vote in the National Assembly. A total of four technocrats can be appointed by the President to represent his Government.

However, the PPP/C has deemed the appointments of the technocratic Ministers a violation of the Constitution. In a statement

Triumph man charged for raping 14-year-old

Aresident of Triumph, East Coast Demerara appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday after he was charged for raping a 14-year-old young lady.

The 31-year-old accused was read the charge against him on Wednesday morning by Magistrate Zamina Ali. The charge alleges that, on February 20, he sexually penetrated a 14-year-old young lady at his Triumph residence.

Guyana Times understands that the Virtual Complainant (VC) and the defendant are known to each other as they live in the same neighbourhood and have been family friends for

quite some time. It was reported that the young lady in question would normally be over at the defendant’s mother’s house. Apparently the VC and the accused were in a relationship unknown to the parents of either individual.

On February 20 the VC supposedly left her home to go to the school, but instead she caught a taxi and went to the home of the accused, as they had made plans to meet for her birthday. When she arrived at the man’s home, they subsequently had sexual intercourse. The VC’s mother found out and had reported the man to the Police. The matter was investigated and he was sub-

sequently arrested and charged.

The defendant’s attorney, Abiola Wong-Inniss, made an application for bail for her client, stating his address and age, the fact that he has a child and is a bioengineer, and has been cooperating with the Police. However, Police Prosecutor Inspector John Singh objected to bail based on the seriousness and prevalence of the offence. He also stated that he was out of sorts that the accused was not quite far from the address of the VC.

Nevertheless, Magistrate Ali allowed bail in the sum of $400,000 for the accused, ordering him to return to court on June 25.

Man gets 3 years for narcotics trafficking

AWest Coast of Demerara man was, on Wednesday, sentenced to three years in prison by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on a narcotics trafficking charge.

Telbert Devonshire and his 69-year-old mother, Minelva Devonshire of lot 13 Hibiscus Housing Scheme, Blankenburg, West Coast Demerara, were both required to plead to the charge which read that, on Tuesday, June 9, they were found to be in possession of 115 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. Telbert Devonshire pleaded guilty to the charge, while his mother pleaded not guilty. Additionally, the man pleaded guilty to a charge which stated that on the same occasion he was found in possession of an additional 524

grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

According to the facts presented by Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru, on the day in question at around 15:30h, acting on information received, ranks of the narcotics branch went to the defendant’s home to conduct a search. Upon seeing the ranks enter his premises, Devonshire jumped out of a window and ran into the backyard, where he jumped over the back fence and threw a black plastic bag into a nearby trench.

The Police gave a chase and apprehended the man. They also retrieved the bag, in which the narcotics were found. Upon further checks to the house, ranks saw that the man’s mother placed another black plastic bag under

a mattress in the room that he jumped out from. Checks to the bag revealed 101 small Ziploc bags containing the narcotics. The defendants were then arrested and informed of the charge.

The prosecutor stated that they will not be presenting evidence against the elderly woman in light of the confession gained from her son. The man’s defence, Charles Ramson Jr, informed the court that the man has no previous convictions nor does he have any pending matters before the court.

After reviewing the facts the Magistrate fined the man $30,000 and sentenced him to three years in prison on each charge, with the sentences running concurrently. The case against the elderly mother was dismissed.

Man found dead in South Rupununi

The Police at Aishalton are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of an elderly man whose body was found in close proximity of his residence at Marawnow, South Rupununi on Wednesday.

on Wednesday, prior to the swearing in of the Members of Parliament, the PPP/C pointed out that the three Ministers are on the coalition’s Lists of Candidates for Members of Parliament that were submitted to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) by the Representative of the APNU+AFC lists.

“The PPP contends that Articles 103 (3) and 105 of the Constitution and laws pronouncing on the eligibility of appointment of Technocratic Ministers do not confer technocratic status on these three (3) Ministers already sworn in by President David Granger as Ministers,” the Opposition highlighted in its statement.

Article 103 of the Constitution states: “Subject

to the provisions of Article 101 (1), Vice Presidents and other Ministers shall be appointed by the President from among persons who are elected members of the National Assembly or are qualified to be elected as such members”.

While Article 105 states: “A Minister who was not an elected member of the Assembly at the time of his appointment shall (unless he becomes such a member) be a member of the Assembly by virtue of holding the office of Minister, but shall not vote in the Assembly.”

According to the Party, Allicock is listed first on the APNU+AFC Geographic List of Candidates for Region Nine and the APNU+AFC Coalition did not win the geographic seat for that region. Furthermore, PPP/C

pointed out that Felix and Scott are listed on the APNU+AFC National Top Up List of Candidates at number 24 and 46 respectively. The Opposition party noted that its position was shared with the Parliament Office, urging it to respect the Constitution and relevant laws. In addition, PPP/C requested the Clerk of the National Assembly not to administer the Oath as Member of Parliament to the three Ministers.

However, Clerk Isaacs told the Guyana Times that the PPP/C’s position and interpretation of the law is incorrect. The Clerk said he was informed of the PPP/C’s position and immediately consulted with the former Clerk of the National Assembly, Frank Narine, and also referred to the Constitution. Based on that, Isaacs explained that those persons on the lists that are not extracted by GECOM to be Members of Parliament can be appointed technocratic Ministers.

“The PPP/C is wrong. I consulted with my predecessor and he, as well as others, confirmed my position. As long as persons are not declared on the GECOM’s list, then they can be appointed Technocrat Ministers. So in my view, he (Rohee) was wrong, so I proceeded with the swearingin,” he related to this newspaper.

Granger announces moderate salary, pension increases

Despite promising public servants a 13 per cent salary hike and the elderly massive increases in their pensions, the new Government is now indicating that there will only be “moderate” increases in the coming months.

This announcement was made by President David Granger, during his remarks at the convening of the 11th Parliament on Wednesday. According to Granger, there will be no increases on income tax for this financial year, but the Government will be looking to make “moderate increases” to the salaries of public servants and the allowance given to pensioners.

security personnel and civil servants on the traditional payroll”.

According to a report by the Government Information Agency, Finance Minister Winston Jordan said as it relates to salary increases for public servants, Government would be “the first to admit that salaries are not where” they should be, but noted, “you have to have a plan about taking them where you want to be, it cannot be a one-shot thing”.

The Minister said that salaries should be a part of the compensation package, and that increases must also be premised on productivity increases otherwise “you are just going to a circle which is the easiest part, but then you thus encourage inflation, which will have an impact on competitiveness and an overall impact on the country”.

According to information received, the discovery was made about 08:00h by passersby who contacted the Police.

A Police rank at Aishalton Outpost stated that after an

The dead man was identified as Nash John, 60, of Marawnow, South Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper TakatuUpper Essequibo).

inspection, no marks of violence were found on the man’s body that would suggest foul play.

John’s body was taken to the Lethem Hospital Mortuary to await a post-mortem examination. The Police are awaiting the report as investigations continue.

Only last week, Government expressed caution in offering the 13 per cent pay increase for public servants, saying that any increase would have to be tied to productivity to stave off inflation. However, it had sought to assure that the $2000 increase in Old Age Pension is almost certain and can be achieved in the 100-day plan the coalition had unveiled during the election campaign. The plan promised “significant pay increases for Government workers including: nurses, teachers in primary, secondary and tertiary education,

He said that a salary increase was one of the issues on the Government’s front burner, but one that will be done in a sustainable manner. “I could give you 10 per cent today and by year-end, you probably give me back 11 per cent in taxes or more, so it has to be in a menu of measures that we have to look at to lift public servants who have stagnated over the years,” he said.

In the lead-up to the May 11, 2015 elections, then Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh had warned that some of the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) promises were unrealistic, and had described them as “empty”. “This is nothing short of a blatant attempt to bribe voters and is a gross insult to the Guyanese people,” Dr Singh had said. What is worse, Dr Singh highlighted, is that the members of the APNU+AFC bloc have become notorious for inconsistency, offering a different set of “goodies” every time they speak. However, Minister Jordan has assured that the pension boost that the APNU+AFC Government pledged during the election campaign as part of its 100day plan will be delivered. The Government’s pledge was that pensioners will get $1968.25 or a 15 per cent hike in their pension, which currently stands at $13,125 per month. “We are going to make certain the pensioner gets at least what was in the 100-day agreement and I think it was $15,000. We are going to ensure that pensioners can get at least that,” the Finance Minister said.

Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs

Technocrat Minister Sydney Allicock

Cummingsburg Accord violated; AFC shortchanged

Dear Editor,

This letter was sent to the other media and as expected was not published – that is democracy. The Alliance for Change has been shortchanged in government appointments that should have resulted from the Cummingsburg Accord between the PNC (APNU) and AFC.

The accord called for a 60-40 per cent distribution of Cabinet (Ministers or Ministries), Members of Parliament, all appointments, and consultation on governance.

In addition, under the Accord, the Prime Minister (AFC) will chair the Cabinet, run the affairs of Parliament, and be in charge of domestic affairs, while the President (PNC/APNU) will be in charge of defense and international affairs.

The Accord also stated that the two parties would have to agree on all appointments, policies, creation of Ministries or departments and virtually every act of government.

In short, there would be power sharing between the two parties and the President and PM would collaborate. It does not seem that the agreement is being honored and the fault may lie more with AFC rather than PNC because the former is not demanding its fair (agreed upon) share of the pie. It is an understatement to say that the accord is being violated as the Ministries have been rearranged or realigned and renamed without the input of the AFC. In addition, as the public learns, appointments have been made without the knowledge and or consultation of the AFC.

The AFC controlled Ministries are mere “shells” without significant power, which have been taken away from them and placed elsewhere under APNU controlled Ministries. In addition, almost every AFC controlled Ministry is being shadowed by a Junior Minister.

The Prime Minister’s Office and Home Affairs have been emaciated and are virtually powerless. Contrary to the Accord, the President chaired the very first Cabinet meeting, setting a bad precedent when the PM should have chaired the meeting.

In addition, the AFC does not seem to have 40 per cent in the number of appointments made so far as the below numbers suggest. There has been no public complaint from AFC though there are quiet internal grumbling among party officials, members and supporters.

But they don’t want to rock the boat – the same excuse the UF had given when its agreement with PNC was violated in 1966.

Under the Cummingsburg Accord, for parliamenta-

ry representation, the AFC should have obtained a minimum 13 seats (40 per cent) and APNU 20 (60 per cent). But AFC has been shortchanged with only 11 appointments or 33 percent.

The PNC had committed to a minimum 12. The AFC went into the election with seven MPs. Under the Accord, the AFC was promised a minimum of 12 MPs or 40 per cent (13 MPs), whichever was greater if it delivered the votes to enable APNU to win.

There has been no complaint from supporters or financiers who enabled the coalition to win. It is noted that Veerasammy Rammayah has been denied a seat when he was in the forefront on the Corentyne campaigning house to house to win over votes for the coalition.

He has been rewarded with removal from Parliament – way to go for this grass roots advocate!

Berbicians warned what would happen to him after the coalition wins. Their warning has come to pass.

Under the Accord, the number of Cabinet Ministers and Junior Ministers from the AFC should be 11. The party got only nine or 33 per cent - an egregious violation. The Accord has been violated within a week of government formation – an outcome analysts had predicted would inevitably happen.

Clearly, the AFC has been shortchanged on all fronts. The AFC leadership has lost its voice. Raphael Trottman, in response to a reporter’s question, said the AFC got its “fair share” of Ministries - no

it did not.

But he did not comment on the number of MPs or Junior Ministers. Khemraj Ramjattan said he did not object to the President chairing the first cabinet meeting because he wanted to hear from the President about matters of governance.

Ramjattan did not complain about the AFC being shortchanged in ministerial appointments and parliamentary representation. Nagamootoo said it is okay for the President to chair the Cabinet.

Is this what the AFC supporters voted for? The country waits to see who will chair the next Cabinet meeting and who will run the parliament. The nation also awaits the trend in the number and percentage of appointments of boards, CEOs, and diplomats.

In the interest of fair play and in furtherance of our democratic experiment with pre-election coalition, it’s time for every stage in the process of presidential selection and appointments be conducted in collaboration with the AFC leadership.

Will there be amends to correct the composition of MPs and Ministers? Who will complain about the violations in the Accord?

Where are the voice s of reason and moral forces now?

Where are the businessmen who bankrolled the AFC and the APNU? There has been a resonance of silence from them – no condemnation, no complaint.

Vishnu Bisram

Disturbing video of 2 female students being beaten

Dear Editor,

The village elder of Deep South Rupununi has sent me a video of what is beyond corporal punishment. In this video I saw a horrific scene of two teachers from Awarewanau Primary School beating two young female students with a home made long cow skin whip, half naked, in the full view of all the school children and some villagers.

In the video, I can also see the female teacher (name given) undressing these two students for the beating while the male teacher (name given) was using all his strength to whip these girls on the buttocks with their bare underwear on.

These students were females ages 15 and 13 years old (names given). The teachers were assisted by two male adults from the village to hold them down across a desk for the brutal beating, which left both of these students hospitalized for weeks with pains and marks of violence on their skins.

The two students were beaten for two reasons which had nothing to do with the school, according to the village elder who recorded the beating. One ran away from her home to go partying during the weekend, and the other left for school, but went to a friend’s home, resulting in her being late.

That’s the only reason

they were beaten in such brutal manner. This beating took place in Feburary 2015, and the matter was reported to the school welfare officers and the Police at Lethem.

After they received the complaints from the elder, two welfare officers and a Policeman visited the children at their home and took statements. They were taken for medical treatment and issued with medical certificates.

The two teachers were arrested and charged with actual bodily harm after the file went to the Director of Public Prosecutions ( DPP).

This matter was dismissed by a magistrate at Lethem for unknown reasons although these children were issued with medical certificates and marks of violence were found on their skins.

The villagers of Deep South Rupununi are very angry with the magistrate’s decision, claiming that he had his own reasons for throwing out the case.

The villagers feel that justice wasn’t done in this matter and are calling on the Minister of Education and the Attorney General to look into this matter urgently.

These two teachers, they say, should be dismissed from the profession or should not be teaching at this school any longer, since they are known for

doing such beatings to other students at this school over time.

These two female students were stripped and beaten in front the entire school population and villagers, which added further trauma and embarrassment to them, something which is unacceptable in modern day society.

The villagers and parents are asking for something to be done urgently, since officers in the education fraternity are sweeping this beating under the carpet from the public domain.

This is beyond cruelity. The 13-year-old girl was crying out loud in pains, while she was being whipped by the strong male teacher with all his strength. She seems to be a thin and frail little girl, who cannot take that kind of whipping from a cow skin whip. She received more lashes than the 15-year-old.

I cried for those girls when I saw this video. How can these two teachers, who are the custodians of people’s children, can be so inhuman and cruel?

I think the Police should recharge these teachers along with the two men who were holding down those students and the matter should be tried before another magistrate.

Mohamed Khan

Disappointed with non-release of contractors’ payments from

Dear Editor,

First let me congratulate the David Granger led administration on its May 11 victory. I must commend this new administration on the tasks that they have undertaken thus far and I would like to congratulate them on their success and wish them the same for all future projects.

However, I must state my disappointment in one area and that is in relation to the Ministry of Finance regarding the releasing of funds to pay persons that were awarded contracts under the People Progressive Party/Civic.

I know that investigations will be or maybe have started into some contracts, but at the same time there are contracts that were done legitimately since not all persons issued with contracts were friends of that party, but

the Ministry of Finance

rather they were issued contracts based on their experience, etc.

I’m therefore appealing to the Finance Minister Mr Winston Jordan to look into these contracts for which payments have been held up for since May. These contractors have employees who have families to provide for, whether it’s a wife and kids or single parents providing for their children.

The agencies or entities that work is being provided to keep advising you that they are awaiting release of funds from the Ministry of Finance, but as an employer and contractor it’s very frustrating since you have to buy materials to do the job.

And you don’t have enough money to do so. Plus employees vent their anger when the month is coming to an end, and they

are told they will only get part salary.

Mind you part salaries are paid out of the employers pocket, and also that is how materials are bought so as to keep the work flowing.

This new administration has its work cut out, I agree, but at the same time you cannot pursue one area like conducting forensic audits, etc, whilst another area is being neglected.

Apart from the payments not being available, I would also like to point out that certain staff at the Ministry of Finance within the Finance Division are very laid back since they take their own precious time to send through vouchers when they are prepared.

This has been the trend for a long time and if this issue is not addressed I’m

afraid persons like myself, who would have voted for change, will have a change of heart come the next election. Once again I’m appealing to the Ministry of Finance to sort out, this issue since this new government has made a commitment to the people of this country to improve their lives. But with this trend that’s happening, people will be out of jobs if there is no money to pay them on time after they would have worked very hard to earn that money.

Concerned, frustrated employer

I knew World Cup axe was coming – Bravo

West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo has revealed that his exclusion from the squad for the World Cup did not come as a surprise, and he and Kieron Pollard were expecting the axe - which he called a “big joke” - from the West Indies Cricket Board selection panel, headed by Clive Lloyd. He also said the team management was prepared to lose the World Cup before it started and instead build for the next tournament.

In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Bravo said the pair “laughed” when Lloyd sat down the pair in Cape Town in January to explain the reasons he felt they were not fit to be part of the World Cup squad. “We actually laughed when he said it to us. To be honest, we knew it was coming. We know the type of people in charge of our cricket are actually mature enough to make sensible decisions and the right decisions for the benefit of cricket,” Bravo said. “If we

had got selected we actually would have been surprised. We expected it. There was nothing that shocked us.

“The explanation that they gave us was too many all-rounders or they want to try young players, whatever the case might be… Kieron Pollard is 27, I am 31. Also as far as our form was concerned, as I said, the last 12 months I had been West Indies’ best player. So to be left out with those explanations, obviously, all we could have done is laugh. It was a big joke.”

Bravo has endured a tough time in the last eight months since he led West Indies’ player boycott on their India tour, during which the team abandoned the series mid-way over a contracts dispute involving the WICB and the players. Subsequently, Bravo was axed as ODI captain and dropped from the World Cup squad despite being one of the top performers in the team in the preceding 12 months before the selection.

In January, he announced his Test retirement at the age of 31 years old.

Citing West Indies’ poor performance at the World Cup as a shame, Bravo said that the management

Golden Jaguars, St Vincent draw 2-2

Guyana’s Golden Jaguars, playing in their first Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier, drew 2-2 with St Vincent and the Grenadines at the Arnos Vale Playfield in Kingstown, thanks to goals from Daniel Wilson and Brandon Beresford on either side of the half.

Beresford put the Golden Jaguars in the lead in the 26th minute when the young talented midfield player easily put a well placed shot past St Vincent’s custodi-

an Winslow McDowall. The Jaguars pressed forward, hunting another goal, but luck wasn’t on their side as they closed the half holding a 1-0 lead.

However, the home side would equalise through their dapper forward Cornelius Stewart, who is well known to Guyana’s head coach Jamaal Shabazz, given the fact that the Vincentian had played with Caledonia AIA in the TT Pro-League.

The 25-year-old Stewart had troubled Guyana’s de-

fence several times in the first half and finally got past Akel Clarke in the 51st minute to draw St Vincent and the Grenadines level.

Both sides were guilty of not capitalising on their chances on goal, but Guyana, in the 75th minute through Wilson, got the icebreaker.

Wilson, who plays locally with Alpha United latched on to ‘through ball’ and the 21-year-old forward calmly patted his effort past an outstretched McDowall.

With victory in sight, the Golden Jaguars were cautious in their play, but the defence caved after pressure from the ‘Vincy Heat’ and second half substitute Tevin Slater equalise just before the end of regulation and full time as his side had to settle for a draw.

The result means that the Golden Jaguars, in their return leg on Sunday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, will only need a goalless or 1-1 result to advance to the next round of qualifiers, thanks to their two crucial ‘away’ goals.

had gone into the tournament prepared to lose, even as a more senior group had worked for the tournament for three years.

“Another World Cup come, finish. They (were)

happy with their decision. They were prepared not to win this World Cup,” he said. “It is a shame that before the World Cup even started, they were already prepared to lose and look

forward to building for the next World Cup, whereas in the last three years we were building for this World Cup. But it is all water under the bridge now. I am not someone to hold on to anything.” The all-rounder finished as the highest wicket-taker in IPL 2015, but said that the performance was not meant to prove a point and he still considers himself “one of the better all-rounders in the region.” Bravo welcomed West Indies head coach Phil Simmons’ move to keep the Test team’s doors open for IPL returnees, including Pollard, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons and Andre Russell. Bravo said that he was not currently open to the idea of returning to Test cricket.

“No. There is a lot more that needs to be changed in order for me to even think of coming back into Test cricket. At the moment I am happy with my decision and I don’t see it changing anytime soon unless something drastic changes.” (Cricinfo)

Mayweather is highest paid man in sport - Forbes

Boxer Floyd Mayweather was the world’s highest-paid sportsman of the past 12 months, according to figures from business magazine Forbes.

The annual sporting richlist showed Mayweatherwho also topped last year’s list - earned US$300m (£196m).

Most of that came from his ‘super-fight’ with Manny Pacquiao, whose $160m (£103m) takings made him the second-highest earner. Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo was third with $79.6m (£51m).

His Barcelona rival Lionel Messi is fourth on the list, while golfer Tiger Woods remains in the top 10 thanks to his $50m (£32m) worth of endorsements after poor form and injury saw him earn just $600,000 (£387,000) in winnings.

The figures include salaries, bonuses, prize money and appearance fees, plus estimates of endorsement income for the past 12 months.

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy appears at 12 on the list with his two majors wins in the last 12 months bringing in $48.3m (£31m) on top of his sponsorship earnings.

Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton is 15th with $39m (£25m) - although he recently signed a lucrative new contract that could push him up the list next year.

Wales and Real Madrid player Gareth Bale is the highest-placed British footballer on the list, with his $25.5m (£16m) earnings putting him at 18.

Other notable entries include England football captain Wayne Rooney, 34th, with $26.9m (£17m), and Scottish tennis player Andy Murray at 64th with $22.3m (£14m). (BBC Sport)

Brandon Beresford Daniel Wilson

Floyd Mayweather was the world’s highest-paid sportsman of the past 12 months

Dwayne Bravo on the World Cup squad: “If we had got selected we actually would have been surprised. We expected it. There was nothing that shocked us.”

Bishoo key as West Indies look to draw level

After three days of Test cricket, this series is half over. Australia retained the Frank Worrell Trophy in Dominica, where the highlight was an unbeaten hundred on debut from Adam Voges. Their fielding was sharp and their bowling solid, but it was still far from their most clinical performance. The reliance on the lower order to bail them out of a batting slump was again notable, as has often been the case over the past few years, and a little more steel from the West Indian batsmen could have made a real contest of it. Again Australia will be without opener Chris Rogers, who is still feeling the effects of concussion after being struck on the helmet during training ahead of the first Test.

The best West Indies can now hope for is to level the series 1-1, but that would require their first victory against Australia in a Test for 12 years. The second-innings 70 scored by debutant Shane

Dowrich was encouraging for West Indies, as was the sixwicket haul from Devendra Bishoo, but overall it was an inconsistent and dissatisfying performance. They were sloppy in the field and the shot selection of several batsmen frustrated the coach Phil Simmons. Now they move on to Sabina Park in Jamaica, where spin has been an effective weapon in first-class cricket this year and they will hope Bishoo again troubles the Australians.

In the spotlight

It is common to see Steven Smith dance down the pitch to spinners, but very rare to see him deceived in doing so. When Devendra Bishoo turned one past Smith’s bat in the first innings in Roseau, it was just the second time in a 125-innings first-class career that Smith had been out stumped. Equally impressive was Bishoo’s legbreak that clipped the top of Brad Haddin’s off stump. They were the two highlights of

West Indies lost the first

James stars as Cavaliers lead NBA finals

LeBron James’s 40 points saw Cleveland Cavaliers beat Golden State 96-91 to go 2-1 up in the NBA play-off finals.

Former Miami Heat small forward James also contributed 12 rebounds and eight assists in game three of seven, with Matthew Dellavedova adding 20 points.

The 30-year-old, playing in his fifth successive finals series, has scored 123 points in the three games.

The Cavs survived a fourth-quarter fightback though, with Stephen Curry landing 27 points for the visitors.

Trailing 92-83 with 51 seconds remaining, Curry hit two three-pointers to help the Warriors move to

within three points, but a pair of James free throws put the game out of reach.

before switching back to Oakland on Sunday for game five. (BBC

Lionel Messi faces tax fraud trial after appeal rejected again

Argentina and Barcelona star Lionel Messi has moved a step closer to being tried for tax evasion after a Spanish high court rejected his latest appeal.

Messi and his father Jorge are both accused of defrauding the authorities of more than €4m (£3.1m; $5m).

The court ruled that Messi should not be granted impunity for not knowing what was happening with his finances.

The pair, who deny the charges, are alleged to have withheld the money between 2007 and 2009.

The income related to

Messi’s image rights, including contracts with Banco Sabadell, Danone, Adidas, Pepsi-Cola, Procter and Gamble, and the Kuwait Food Company.

The footballer and his father are suspected of avoiding paying Spanish tax by using companies in Belize and Uruguay to sell the rights to use Messi’s image.

The high court in Barcelona said on Wednesday that a decision over whether or not the accused was aware of the fraud scheme should be left for the court hearing.

Messi’s defence argued that the player had “never devoted a minute of his life to reading, studying or analysing” the contracts, El Pais newspaper reports.

It follows a similar ruling from a Spanish judge in October last year, when an appeal by the prosecutor to

Bishoo’s 6 for 80, and given Australia’s susceptibility to quality spin, he will again be a key man in Jamaica. “He’s getting back to where he was when he became ICC Young Player of the Year,” coach Phil Simmons said of Bishoo, who in April returned to Test cricket after a three-year absence.

Team news

quash the charges against the star striker was thrown out. They had recommended charges be dropped on the grounds that Messi’s father was responsible for his finances.

Messi and his father made a voluntary €5m “corrective payment”, equal to the alleged unpaid tax plus interest, in August 2013.

Messi joined Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2000, and made his first-team debut three years later.

He soon became one of the most influential players at the Catalan team, winning Europe’s most prestigious club competition - the Champions League - four times.

The four-time World Player of the Year is now considered by many experts to be one of football’s best ever players. (BBC Sport)

A second Test without Chris Rogers will lead to a second opening chance for Shaun Marsh, who would otherwise have expected to bat at No.5 in this series. But the success of Adam Voges on debut might also mean Marsh is also playing for his place in the side come the first Ashes Test next month, for it is hard to see Rogers being left out in the familiar English conditions. Marsh’s best scores during the home Test summer were 99 and 73 and although he has been a useful contributor, he may need a big score to encourage the selectors to stick with him. Kemar Roach, Rajindra Chandrika and Veerasammy Permaul are the three men in the squad who missed out in the first Test. Despite losing in three days, West Indies might retain the same XI. West Indies (possible) 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Shai Hope, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Shane Dowrich, 5 Marlon Samuels, 6 Jermaine Blackwood, 7 Denesh Ramdin (capt & wk), 8 Jason Holder, 9 Jerome Taylor, 10 Devendra Bishoo, 11 Shannon Gabriel With Rogers still unavailable, Australia are unlikely to make any changes unless the pitch looks like a raging turner.

Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Shaun Marsh, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 Adam Voges, 6 Shane Watson, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood (Cricinfo)

Brazil legend Zico wants FiFa Presidency

Brazil legend Zico intends to stand for the presidency of FIFA after admitting the corruption crisis in the sport’s governing body has saddened him.

The 52-year-old, whose full name is Arthur Antunes Coimbra, said it was his “duty” to stand.

Current president Sepp Blatter announced he would stand down just four days after being re-elected last month.

It came after twin corruption probes into FIFA were launched by United States and Swiss authorities.

Speaking at a crowded press conference at a football skills centre he runs in Rio de Janerio, Zico said: “It’s sad for our sport to see what is happening in football today - the corruption... and the hard work of many other good people wasted - and I see it as my duty to use my experience and knowledge to try and stand for the presidency.”

Blatter has said he would step down once a successor is chosen - likely to be in December.

US officials have indicted 14 FIFA officials and associates on bribery and racketeering charges, with seven of those arrested just two days before FIFA members re-elected Blatter.

Swiss prosecutors are also investigating how FIFA awarded the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.

Zico is regarded one of the greatest players in Brazil’s history and appeared at three World Cup finals with the national side, in 1978, 1982 and 1986.

Domestically he won 12 titles with Flamengo before embarking on a coaching career that included spells with Japan, CSKA Moscow in Russia and Turkish side Fenerbahce. (BBC Sport)

Although he has played and managed in countries around the world, Zico has little experience in football administration at any senior level.

Test inside three days, and Devendra Bishoo was among the few bright spots

The sides play one more game at the Quickens Loan Arena in Cleveland to-

night,

Sport)

Zico: “It’s sad for our sport to see what is happening in football today”

LeBron James has now scored 123 points in three games

Messi and his father paid €5m back to the Spanish tax authorities two years ago

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21 sports

Bangladesh v India, only Test, Fatullah, 1st day…

Dhawan’s comeback 150 lights up rainy day

He could have been carrying drinks had KL Rahul not fallen ill or if India had taken the expected option of opening with Cheteshwar Pujara once they decided to play five bowlers. He could have been out for one on a quicker pitch, he should have been snapped for 73, but Shikhar Dhawan was destined to score a third Test century, against an insipid attack missing both strategy and execution.

The ad campaign of “they are not kids anymore” will draw jokes about Bangladesh’s wicketless performance on the first day, but no Test century can be written off; and Dhawan’s came at a crucial juncture in his career, in a comeback Test, and its pace helped India make up time in a Test played on a slow pitch and during the monsoon. Only 56 overs were possible, but Dhawan’s unbeaten 150 off 158 meant India got a score that teams at times take on a full day’s play. The established opener, M Vijay, put his head down, determined to not throw away his wicket against innocuous bowling, complementing Dhawan with a more sedate 89 off 178.

India’s intent will take

all the headlines: they picked five bowlers, including three quickest bowlers in their squad, and sat out the least aggressive of their batting contenders, Pujara. The story of the day, though, will be Bangladesh’s rather strange selection and bowling plans thereafter.

Not only did they select Mohammad Shahid to play his third Test, they selected him as the only specialist quick ahead of the promising duo of Rubel Hossain and Taskin Ahmed on an overcast day and with cloud cover expected throughout the Test. It seemed they had put all their eggs in the toss basket packing their side with batting and spin, and losing out on helpful conditions with the new ball on the first morning. It all went wrong for them from the moment Kohli won the toss.

India’s luck didn’t end at the toss. There was no bounce in the pitch, which should have got them Vijay’s wicket in the second over and which also cost them Dhawan’s scalp in the third. Soumya Sarkar, already developing a cult following as the little Ganguly with his classy off-side shots and military medium bowling, thought he had Vijay trapped right in front with

a short-of-a-length delivery, but seemingly umpire Kumar Dharmasena thought it would have sailed over the stumps. On a pitch with good bounce it would well have, but this was a slow and low track, evident in how Dhawan’s regulation edge off the only fast bowler fell short of slip in the next over. India could well have been 1 for 2 then, but Bangladesh gave up the ghost after that.

The consequence was a mammoth opening stand, which made this combination the fifth-most prolific among Indian openers, and the only one other than Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir to have posted two double-century stands. (Cricinfo)

“Child protection” in focus at...from back page

“Coaches play a crucial role in the development of sport, and in the lives of children that they coach. Good coaches ensure that young people in sport have positive experiences and are therefore more likely to continue pursuance of their sport, and achieve their true potential,” Harry commented. He added, “Coaches at all levels must display a high degree of honesty, integrity and competence. The need for coaches to understand and act on their responsibilities is of critical importance to sport, as it is the need to protect the key concept of participation for fun and enjoyment, as well as achievement.” The activity, which is being hosted at the National Racquet Centre on Woolford Avenue, will conclude on Friday.

eduCatIon

Shikhar Dhawan made hay while the sun shone, cruising to a third Test ton

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2015…

Ticket prices out for Guyana leg

Ticket prices for the Guyana leg of matches in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) have been finalised, with the local CPL OPCO Guyana Inc. office on Middle Street, Georgetown, set to go into operation on Monday.

Tickets for the Red and Green Stands are pitted at G$4,000 or US$20 each, while entry to the Orange

Stand is G$3,000 or US$15. Tickets for the Grass Mound cost G$2,000 or US$10.

According to release from CPL OPCO Guyana Inc., “Patrons wishing to purchase tickets will be allowed ten (10) tickets per person for each game, and where possible they may be allowed to purchase tickets with the seats of their choice in their preferred Stand, de-

pending on availability.”

The release added, “This year the organisers have put in place many security features to prevent counterfeiting and unlike the other venues, tickets for the Guyana National Stadium are numbered to match the seat number, which will eliminate the possibility of overcrowding. Patrons are asked to make early purchases so as to avoid the rush as we get close to match days.”

The National Stadium at Providence will host four games in July with the Guyana Amazon Warriors involved in all the matches, against 2013 champions Jamaica Tallawahs on the 15th at 18:00h, St Lucia Zouks on the 17th at 20:00h, defending champions Barbados Tridents on the 18th at 16:00h and Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel on the 21st at 18:00h.

The Hero CPL will run from June 20 to July 26 with six franchises battling for supremacy. Further information on tickets for the Guyana leg can be obtained by calling the CPL OPCO Guyana Inc. office on 2231437.

GBTI Open serves off on Friday

Guyana’s premiere competitive tennis event, the GBTI Open, is set to serve off at on Friday at the GBTI Recreational Club, Kaieteur Street, Bel Air Park, at 17:00h.

In its sixth consecutive year since its re-establishment in 2010, the event is the Guyana Tennis Association’s (GTA) highest valued activity with the largest number of entrants and spectators.

The categories featured are Men’s Open Singles and Doubles, Ladies Open Singles and Doubles, Men’s Over-35 Singles and Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Junior Boys and Girls Open Singles and the Novice Medley Singles and Doubles categories.

Benn is WI Player-of-the-Year

– Singh and Hetmyer among awardees from Guyana

Sulieman Benn was named West Indies’ Player-of-the-Year for the 2013-14 season in WICB’s annual awards function in Kingston on Tuesday. Benn picked up 28 wickets in five Tests at an average of 25.03 between October 2013 and September 2014 - the period of consideration for these awards.

Kraigg Brathwaite was awarded the Test Player-ofthe-Year, while Test captain Denesh Ramdin was named ODI Player-of-the-Year.

Brathwaite scored 593 runs in the five Tests that were played during this period at an average of 74.12, which included a 129 against New Zealand and a double-century against Bangladesh.

Ramdin produced impressive numbers in ODIs, scoring 445 runs in 11 games at an average of 63.57, including two centuries and a halfcentury, with a career-best 169 against Bangladesh.

Jermaine Blackwood, who scored 63 on his Test debut in 2014 against New Zealand, and a hundred and fifty against England recent-

ly, was named Emerging Player-of-the-Year and Stafanie Taylor was awarded the Women’s Player-ofthe-Year.

Samuel Badree was named T20I Player-of-theYear for his 19 wickets in 12 matches during this period, with an average of 12.36 and economy of five runs per over.

Meanwhile, Guyana claimed three awards with the national Under-19 team winning the Regional Under-19 Team-of-theYear, Shimron Hetmyer Under-19 Player-of-theYear and former Guyana Cricket Board President Chetram Singh the WICB Lifetime Achievement Award.

The format for all categories, except the Novice categories, is the best-of-three sets. The Novice categories will play one set. Matches will be played from 17:00h every weekday of the competition and from 09:00h on weekends.

GBTI’s Marketing Assistant Jasmaine Payne hosted the President of the GTA, Grace McCalman and Vice-president, Ramesh Seebarran at a recent meeting to discuss the tournament and to hand over the sponsorship cheque. At the meeting, GBTI reflected on the fact that tennis remains their sport of choice and hopes that the partnership with the GTA can be further strengthened for the development of the sport locally.

The Men’s Open Draw

will be favourable to fourtime Men’s Open champion Anthony Downes, who has recently returned to Guyana to play in the tournament, especially since number two seed Gavin Lewis has migrated to pursue a tennis scholarship. However, the keenest competition is expected in the Men’s Over-35 categories.

The Tournament Coordinators, Shelly Daly and Leyland Leacock, have distributed entrance forms to tennis clubs. The coordinators can be reached at 642-5672 and 660-4011 respectively. The due date for submission is June 15. Members of the public are invited to the facility during each day of the tournament to witness Guyana’s finest tennis players on show.

gaBF names 16man delegation for cB c championships

The Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) has named a 16-man delegation for the 2015 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Men’s Championships, starting next week in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

The squad to be captained by Akeem Kanhai includes Dave Causway, Travis Burnett, Shelroy Thomas, Jermaine Slater, Ryan Gullen, Jason Squires, Keron McKenzie, Gordon James, Rudy James, Chris Williams and Ryan Stephney.

The travelling officials are Head Coach Darcel Harris, Assistant Coach Marlon Rodrigues, Manager Troy Greene and Assistant Manager Junior Hercules.

Training sessions for the players continue at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall

twice daily from 08:00h and 20:00h, with the final practice session set for Friday. The team will depart Guyana on Saturday, and will play Antigua and Barbuda on Monday. The other teams in Guyana’s group are Bahamas, Bermuda and Suriname.

In preparation for the championships, Guyana hosted Bermuda in an Invitational Series in March, which Guyana won 3-0. In early May, the Guyanese lost a Challenge Series in Suriname with the host nation winning 2-1. Guyana is seeking to improve on the fifth place achievement at the 2014 CBC Championships, where the Guyanese finished ahead of Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

GBTI’s Marketing Assistant Jasmaine Payne (left) presents the sponsorship cheque to President of the GTA Grace McCalman while Vice-president Ramesh Seebarran looks on

Tickets for the Guyana leg of Hero CPL will go on sale from Monday

Shelroy Thomas

Akeem Kanhai

Kraigg Brathwaite (left) was named Test Player-of-the-Year

Former GCB President Chetram Singh

Digicel schools football to kick off next Wednesday

Excitement is abound in secondary schools across the country with the highly anticipated fifth annual Digicel Schools football tournament set for a grand kick-off next Wednesday.

At the official launch of the competition on Wednesday in the auditorium of the Beterverwagting Secondary School, East Coast Demerara, it was announced that more than 160 learning institutions drawn

from the 10 administrative regions will compete in a knockout format.

According to the format this year, Georgetown will be divided into three zones, namely East Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara and Georgetown. Georgetown will further be broken down into two zones, North and South.

It therefore means 12 ‘regional’ champions will battle for the national title, with the grand final

billed for August 12 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. The lads from Christianburg/Wismar Secondary are the defending champs after securing the trophy for the last three years in succession.

Several top officials of the various stakeholder bodies attended the launch, and they included Digicel’s Chief Executive Officer Kevin Kelly, Director of Sport Christopher Jones, Chairman of the Guyana

DDL onboard for World Cup qualifier

Corporate giant Demerara

Distillers Limited on Wednesday confirmed its support for this Sunday’s Football World Cup qualifier between Guyana’s Golden Jaguars and St Vincent and the Grenadines at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The partnership was sealed at a brief press conference at the Guyana Football Federation’s office in Campbellville, where DDL’s Brand Manager Larry Wills highlighted that the alliance was forged through the company’s global brands, Pepsi and Gatorade.

“We are quite excited by the prospects for our Golden Jaguars and we are prepared to support them all the way,” Wills said.

DDL has been rehydrating the players with Diamond Mineral Water and Gatorade, and according to Wills, the company is staying true to the Gatorade promise of “Win from within.”

He added, “DDL has always been supportive of sports in Guyana, and football is no different. We have been a part of football for a long time and we’re proud to have played a part in their last qualifying bid, which saw them making it to the group stages. We believe it is our responsibility as a corporate citizen to again give them as much support as is needed.”

Wills also used the opportunity to encourage Guyanese to flock the National Stadium on Sunday, in support of the Golden Jaguars.

“We know that the Golden Jaguars have it in them to go a far way and we will continue to help them “Win from within.” We are giving a commitment that our sponsorship is not just for one match, but we are behind them fully for the long run. And we hope that it is a long, long run,” Wills envisaged.

He further stated, “We take this opportunity to en-

courage each player to execute great sportsmanship and be competitive in this and every qualifier match going forward. We look forward to the exciting times ahead.”

Assistant General Secretary of the GFF, Diedre Davis, lauded DDL for coming onboard in support of the Golden Jaguars’ quest to qualify for the World Cup Finals for the first time.

“On behalf of the administration and the technical team at the Guyana Football Federation and the Normalisation Committee, we wish to express sincere thanks to DDL. I think it is absolutely instrumental what DDL is coming on to do. This is not a first for DDL in sponsorship of football, but we’d like to see them more involved,” Davis said.

Also in attendance at Wednesday briefing was GFF’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Rawle Toney. Sunday’s game will kick off at 19:00h.

Guyana Amazon Warriors commence training today

Football Federation’s Normalisation Committee Clinton Urling.

Jones said the new administration recognises the input made by Digicel through the event, and encourages participants to take full advantage, declaring that the telecommunication provider should be commended for its efforts in staging such a grand tournament.

Jones further congratulated the company on the tournament while pledging government support of the championship in the future.

Kelly pointed out that the company is fully committed to Guyana and giving back to the country, noting that the main purpose of the tournament is to develop the sports locally.

The pre-tournament training camp of the Guyana Amazon Warriors for the 2015 Hero Caribbean Premier League will commence today and run until June 16 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise, coached this year by the former outstanding Guyana and West Indies all-rounder Carl Hooper, will undergo an intense training programme, including two practice games against a select Guyana XI on June 15 and 16 at the National Stadium.

Players confirmed to attend the training camp are Sunil Narine, Christopher Barnwell, Lendl Simmons, Shivnarine Chanderpaul,

Brad Hodge, Ronsford Beaton, Trevon Griffith, Assad Fudadin and Paul Wintz.

The camp will also include the four Guyana Under-19 players Shimrom Hetmeyer, Keemo Paul, Akshaya Persaud and Sherfane Rutherford, as well as ICC Americas Under-23 player Satsimranjit Dhindsa of Canada.

Players who are on West Indies duty- Denesh Ramdin, Devendra Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaulas well as international players Thisara Perera and Lasith Malinga will join the team in Barbados for the opening game of the tournament- Guyana Amazon Warriors versus Barbados Tridents- on June 20.

Assistant General Secretary of the GFF Diedre Davis (centre) addresses the media on Wednesday in the presence of DDL’s Brand Manager Larry Wills (left) and GFF’s Director of Marketing and Communications Rawle Toney

Representatives of the participating regions pose with the trophies up for grabs (Paul Vanvield photo)

Shimron Hetmyer

Bollywood is here!

– megastar Shah Rukh Khan buys stake in T&T Red Steel

Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan has purchased the Trinidad & Tobago franchise in the Caribbean Premier League, the Times of India reported on Wednesday.

Shah Rukh, co-owner of the Kolkata

Knight Riders in the IPL, joins Hollywood stars Mark Wahlberg and Gerard Butler in the CPL owners’ club.

“The passion for franchise cricket in the Caribbean is evident with the success of CPL and we hope to bring all the best practices of KKR to the T&T franchise,” he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Shah Rukh, who is the first IPL owner to own a team in an overseas league, says it is just a step in their global expansion vision.

“This is in line with our vision to expand globally. We are thrilled to become part of the cricketing tradition of Trinidad & Tobago,” he said.

The T&T Red Steel unit boasts a galaxy of known names who ply, or have plied, their trade in the IPL. Dwayne Bravo, Samuel Badree, Johan Botha are among them. Another major name joining the T&T Red Steel this year is former South Africa and KKR all-rounder Jacques Kallis. After announcing his retirement, Kallis is now the mentor of the Shah Rukh’s IPL franchise. (indianexpress)

“Child protection” in focus at Coaches Education Programme

The Guyana Cricket Board and the West Indies Cricket Board in collaboration with Scotiabank on Wednesday began a three-day Coaches Education Programme, with specific emphasis on Child Protection.

The event has attracted participation from potential coaches, who will be edified on several modules, including Child Protection. Head of the Physical Education department at the Education Ministry, Nicholas Fraser, in addressing the participants and media operatives, lauded the stakeholders for bringing the issue into focus.

“The Child Protection aspect is vital to ensuring that we have positive experiences, and we guarantee more positive experiences from the students in the

playfield…so that is something that the West Indies Cricket Board also has seen and we’re fully supportive of. I note a stakeholder approach to the Kiddy cricket programme, which is another positive, and maybe through the stakeholder approach we could start a national discussion now on how it is we can get cricket more formally introduced in schools,” Fraser noted.

Marketing Manager of Scotiabank, Jennifer Cipriani, said the company was happy to be part of a forum where cricket was being used to address the critical issue of Child Protection. She mentioned that Scotiabank has been doing its part to deal with the issue across the country.

“We believe that our children are really and truly en-

titled to a future where they can realise their full potential, and because of this, about seven years ago we launched our global Bright Future Programme where essentially it’s a corporate giving programme where we give funding, as well as employees volunteer hours towards initiatives that benefit mostly children in the areas of health, education, social wellbeing and sports,” she highlighted. Administrator of the National Sports Commission, Gervy Harry, was on hand to represent Director of Sport Christopher Jones, who was otherwise engaged. Harry, in delivering remarks on behalf of Jones, had a few words of advice for the coaches.

Shah Rukh Khan’s IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders is hugely popular across the globe

The participants share a moment with representatives of the various stakeholder bodies on Wednesday in the auditorium of the National Racquet Centre