Guyana Times Daily - October 6, 2015

Tuesday, ocTober 6, 2015 | guyanaTimesgy.com

Govt withholds assets; stymies Opposition’s work

...Granger’s Opposition office should be audited – PPP

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has accused the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government of what it said were “double standards” in its move towards transparency and accountability as far as State assets were concerned.

The PPP made the statement in light of the Government’s inability to hand over State assets to furnish the Office of the Opposition Leader, which has stymied the work of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

The situation seems to be getting out of control, the PPP/C said, as the Party has already identified its office and has been awaiting the furnishings to get on with its work.

David Granger on Hadfield Street, but was informed by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon that Government was not ready to allow this.

“This is a serious constitutional issue. We have our building; we are ready to move. And that is why we say that there are threats to the parliamentary democracy of our country. We make no bones about it. The threat is not only in the parliamentary committee, it now comes into the realm of what is constitutionally required implementation,” Teixeira said.

Among the assets still to be handed over to the Opposition, Teixeira related, are 13 laptops.

modated and there were provisions in the law, which allowed for its full functioning.

Limited

According to her, the budget for the Office as it stands now is very limited and will be unable to provide any additional burden by way of purchasing the same assets again.

“The budget for the Office of the Opposition Leader was less than $15 million. I was advised by Parliament Office that there is $10 million left. From $10 million, one pays for the rent, one pays for the staff and electricity, so that the number of staff is also stipulated.”

Party members on Monday said Government has not been able to hand over the furnishings it utilised while it was in the Opposition, so that the now Opposition could move ahead with its work.

PPP/Civic Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, who was assigned by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo to follow up the matter, told the press that some five months af-

ter the elections and several smooth transitions, the Party could not move forward in this regard.

The PPP/C, she said, was prepared on Saturday last to begin removing the furnishing from the office, which was occupied by President

In enquiring about these, the Chief Whip said she was told that APNU could not hand over the laptops to the PPP since “personal files” were still on the computers.

Teixeira reminded that the Office of the Opposition was constitutionally accom-

She said former President Jagdeo has already indicated that he would not be accepting the salary of the Leader of the Opposition and so the only money the Office of the Opposition has was that $10 million that has been budgeted.

Asked if the Party would prefer receiving new items in lieu of what were currently with Government, Teixeira said taxpayers monies were given to the “Leader of the Opposition Office” via the Budget. She said the Parliament Office would usually purchase these items under the capital budget.

“If you’re telling me that out of that $10 million, we make a choice. Do we buy equipment or we pay people or we do not pay the rent. My point is point of principle and financial regulation.”

Five months, she added, is too long for this transaction not to have been completed.

More than that, she stressed that Government must also be held accountable, particularly because it has been carrying out the State Asset Recovery Programme.

Teixeira lamented that if the Party did not get down to furnishing the building,

it would have to be given up. The Office is located on Church Street where the Suriname Embassy was. “ We have a contract. Within the parliamentary confines as what is stipulated as rent for the building, we don’t have an open ended arrangement, Parliament budget defines that. The building cannot be occupied unless we have the assets that were purchased for the building.

“It was entered into the assets register of the Parliament Office, marked for the Office of the Opposition and handed over to the Opposition Leader at Hadfield Street,” Teixeira said of the assets. She said the Party had been advised against fighting over those assets, but as things are, there is a budget that is limited in Parliament.

“This has never happened before; we have never experienced this before,” Teixeira continued In June, after taking up office, the present Administration set up a unit to go after missing State assets. Minister Harmon had noted that the unit would be a multi-agency one, independent and free from political intervention.

Drunken row lands construction worker in court

Magistrate Ann McLennan on Monday placed a Waterloo Street, Georgetown resident on $30,000 bail when he appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court charged with malicious wounding.

Roylin Peters also called Georgie, a construction worker of 167 Waterloo Street, denied the charge, which alleged that on September 28 at Paramakatoi Village, North Rupununi ,he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Vanieta Thomas.

According to Police Prosecutor Corporal Neville

Jeffers, on the day of the incident both parties were imbibing together at a shop when an argument ensued. This escalated into a fight and the virtual complainant made a report to the Police. She was examined by doctors and received a medical report which was submitted to Police. The defendant was arrested and charged.

The Prosecutor insisted that should the Court decide to grant bail, the 30-yearold defendant must be asked to sign a bond to keep the peace. The case will be call again on December 1 at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

PPP/Civic Chief Whip Gail Teixeira

tuesday, october 6, 2015 |

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Tuesday, October 6 – 13:00h-14:30h and Wednesday, October 7 – 14:00h-15:30h

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

Tuesday, October 6 – 11:55h-13:35h and Wednesday, October 7 – 13:05h-14:35h

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Sunny weather with intervals of heavy rain showers can be expected throughout the day, with partly cloudy conditions in the evening. Temperatures can range between 25 degrees and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East to East North-easterly between 3.29 and 4.47 metres per second.

High Tide: 11:24h and 23:51h reaching maximum heights of 2.07 metres and 2.11 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 04:41h and 17:19h reaching minimum heights of 1.06 metres and 1.19 metres.

Mega salary increases 100% salary increases for VPs, 27 Ministers confirmed ...as

Public Servants get 5% for only 1/2 year

In spite of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) protests while they were in the Opposition benches about “enormous” and “unreasonable” salaries of officials of the then Government, the coalition has now confirmed that it is giving members in its Administration massive salary increases over those of the former PPP Administration.

The Official Gazette, published on September 25, 2015, stated that Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo will be benefiting from a whopping $20,580,000 per annum, while the other Vice Presidents will each receive $11,135,064.

Under the APNU/AFC Government, a Cabinet Minister will be given a hefty sum of $10,439,124 – annually – more than $300,000 over previous Ministers and a Junior Minister or a Minister within a Ministry will be paid $8,346,492 per annum.

The Attorney General will receive the same amount of money that the Chancellor does and the Speaker of the National Assembly is slated to benefit from $10, 439,124 every year (the same salary which a Cabinet Minister will be paid).

Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition will be given $10,439, 124 on an annual basis, but former President Bharrat Jagdeo has said he would not be accepting this salary.

In addition to the increased salary for Prime Minister Nagamootoo of $1.7 million monthly, an increase of over $200,000 each month, he will be drawing vacation benefits and perks totalling more than another $500,000.

Guyana Times understands that the Deputy Speaker is to get $2, 702,880 per annum, while the Chief Whip will be paid $2, 682,360 annually.

Additionally, every other member of the National Assembly is to be paid $2, 402,532 each year.

Guyana Times further understands that the three other Vice Presidents

– positions which did not exist under the PPP/C Administration – Sydney Allicock, Carl Greenidge, and Khemraj Ramjattan will earn some $1.13 million, double the $579,000 which they would have earned as Ministers. In addition, the vacations and other benefits are also $500,000.

The Cabinet Ministers, who are the 15 senior Ministers in Government, will now benefit from $1 million – an increase of over $400,000 or 74 per cent each month.

It must be noted that the 12 Ministers within the Ministries (Junior Ministers) will each earn $700,000 monthly and like their senior Ministers will be entitled to the $500,000 in benefits.

In addition to their huge salaries, all 27 Ministers will each be receiving a duty allowance, an entertainment allowance, $45,000, housing allowance; chauffeur allowance of over $100,000 and annual vacation allowance of $420,000.

It must be reminded that ironically both APNU and the AFC, prior to taking office in May 2015, had vigor-

ously spoken out against the “abuse” of taxpayers’ money to fill the pockets of “greedy” Government officials.

Carl Greenidge, the then Shadow Finance Minister, had even written a letter to the Stabroek News just before the elections, in which he complained about the “lifestyle” of PPP/C Ministers.

“PPP Ministers have always paid themselves higher salaries than existed prior to their assumption of office…By 2014, the Minister of Finance was receiving $579,951,and today the PPP Ministers’ vacation allowance at $420,000 is ten times the minimum wage.”

In August, former President Jagdeo had stated that the coalition Government had ‘duped’ the Guyanese populace when it had highlighted its proposed salary increases for public servants in the 2015 National Budget.

He said it was “nothing spectacular”, and was less in comparison to what his Party, while in power, had been offering.

Jagdeo said what bothered him significantly was the timeline for payment

given by Government. Finance Minister Winston Jordan had announced that effective July 1, 2015, all other public servants will receive a five per cent salary increase plus an additional $5000 monthly. This, according to Jordon, will allow for a greater increase in the lower income brackets. However, the previous Administration had routinely made its increases to public servants retroactive to January 1 of the given year; in effect, the five per cent increase for 2015 is actually 2.5 per cent.

In effect, the Government has once again showed its true colours as it has only given the public servants in the country an increase of a mere 2.5 per cent while it has ensured that its Ministers received MASSIVE increases and salaries each year. While public servants receive monthly allowances of meagre sums, each Minister in Government and the Prime Minister enjoy allowances totalling hundreds of thousands of dollars every month – equal to more than the combined salaries of those public servants who labour under them.

3rd Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan

2nd Vice President Carl Greenidge

Vice President Moses Nagamootoo

4th Vice President Sydney Allicock

Editor(ag): Michael Younge

Tel: 225-5128, 231-0397, 226-9921, 226-2102, 223-7230 or 223-7231. Fax: 225-5134

Mailing address: 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown

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Editorial

“Hydro” phobia?

Guyanese have always boasted about their country's "potential". One being hydroelectric power, since as a "land of many waters" much of that land were highland terrain over which water cascaded and could be harnessed to produce electricity. Conceptually, the technology was simple: the falling waters would turn the "wheels" of a generator's turbine with its "coil" around a magnet and produce electricity.

But as with most of our vaunted "potential", there has been a distinct slip between the cup and the lip. We appeared to have arrived at the beginning of a closed circle, right where we were in the 1960's when the first PPP administration spoke of developing the much smaller "potential" of Tiger Falls. At that time, the output would have taken care of Guyana's meagre demand. In the late 1970's the PNC plunged a windfall bonanza from a spike in sugar price in a desperate effort to construct a 3000MW plant in the Mazaruni Basin. The project collapsed and it was not until two decades later the PPP placed hydro-power on the agenda with the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Power (AFHEP) project.

Digging in their heels, APNU and AFC effectively killed the project in the National Assembly when they raised objections to the price tag; to "debt" (even though nonexistent) and then an IDB's "due diligence" report. Fast forward to the elections when the explicit coalition promised in their Manifesto, a Hydro Plant at Tiger Falls to support the needs of Reg 10 - in conjunction with the Brazilian proposal to develop a 4000MW project in the Cuyuni Basin.

Last Friday however, President Granger however, rang the the death knell of AFHEP while not even mentioning the other two hydro proposals they had made. On AFHEP, the Presidnt was less than forthcoming. Falling back on his party's initial demand for the IDB's report, President Granger was rather equivocating after a meeting with the President of the IDB Moreno, during his visit to the US for the UN General Assembly.

He refused to discuss what exactly the IDB's due diligence had recommended and segued from the bald claim that AFHEP "as conceived was not viable" to his assertion that his administration would not proceed with that project. The question is what exactly had the IDB recommended? Do they have another model that might be "viable"? If for instance, the IDB believes that the overall cost is too high, with its experience with other projects of this type did they suggest another financing model? The IDB is holding US$80 million from the Norway Fund that is committed to AFHEP: they were putting up some US$200M, did they suggest other financing agents apart from China?

Did they recommend that they would be open to supporting discussions with Norway to transfer the $80M to another hydro-project since Guyana had already provided the services (sequestration of carbon) and to return the money as Norway has requested would be immoral, if not illegal? In the report, the President admitted that he did not raise any of the other options of Hydro Power, even Tumatumari or Moco Moco, much less these issues.

The APNU/AFC in their public pronouncements have emphasised their "commitment" to "going green" but if they continue to neglect the need to leave a smaller carbon footprint by utilising the hydropower option available to Guyana, domestic and foreign observers may conclude that they are cynically referring to the APNU campaign colour.

It may be that the coalition partners are depending on the Brazilians to come good on their suggestion mentioned above that they be involved in developing the mega plant in the Mazuruni-Cuyuni Basin. A year ago, Sam Hinds warned about the dangers of this dependence for others to deliver strategic assets. The present political and economic turmoil in Brazil today, should be a caution to a government that appears to have developed "hydro phobia".

Non-ABC diplomats believe election was rigged

Dear Editor,

This is in regards to Ralph Ramkarran’s column on “How the PPP lost the West ... "ascribing it to, “leadership arrogance”. Several diplomats who I spoke with recently were puzzled with the behaviour of elements in the PPP leadership with regards to its attitude towards the diplomats of the ABC (America, Britain, Canada) countries before the election campaign. The diplomats of the non-ABC countries believe the animosity between the PPP and the ABC countries contributed significantly to the party’s defeat as Ramkarran hinted in his column.

But the non-ABC diplomats were also of the view that the May 11 General Election was rigged to remove the incumbent PPP/C from office (because of its attitude towards the ABCs). The non-ABC diplomats feel the Ambassadors of the US, UK and Canada, perhaps with the blessings of the Government of their home countries condoned, if not also facilitated, the rigging. They claim that the US Charge (acting Ambassador), wanted the PPP out of office; undemocratic means were used to achieve the goal perhaps at the instruction and connivance of his Government.

The non-ABC diplomats feel the American Charge convinced and led the representatives of the other two developed countries (Britain and Canada) to topple the PPP/c from office through “rigging” that they are convinced took place through sophisticated means. The Ambassadors of the BC countries simply went along with the US goal of removing the PPP/C from office. The non-ABC diplomats say the head of the Embassies of the three ABC countries colluded and worked in cahoots to find (creative) ways to produce the desired result (an opposition victory). They

claim bribery and coercion were used at the right steps in the electoral process to produce the desired result. They feel without the rigging, the PPP/c would have won a majority of seats.

Asked why they or their Embassies (Representatives) or the governments of their countries did not condemn the foreign or American or ABC involvement in influencing the electoral process or the rigged outcome of the elections, the non-ABC diplomats said their countries strictly adhere to a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of another country. They did not want to violate internationally accepted diplomatic norms, customs and practices by getting involved in or making comments about Guyana’s elections which is an internal matter of a sovereign nation.

They note that a country’s election is a delicate and sovereign matter and another country should not interfere in or manipulate the electoral process to produce a desired result. They say it is a violation of the Vienna Convention. They claim elections in Guyana since the restoration of democracy in 1992 has not been rigged. Thus, there is no need for foreign intervention (as say in 1992 prior to which elections were rigged by the PNC) although they support foreign observer missions to oversee a fair process. They believe that Guyana would be the only country where foreign governments facilitated the rigging of an election to remove the incumbent from office.

Asked why they felt the election was rigged or what evidence exists to substantiate their claims of rigging, they pointed to fake Statements of Polls (SOPs) and the refusal of Gecom to recount the ballots, arguing that these were enough evidence to support the theory

of rigging. They also point to the US Charge’s unwillingness, backed by the reps of UK and Canada, to support a PPP/C request for a recount of ballots even after fake SOPs were uncovered. They said if the ABC countries and Gecom officials had nothing to hide “why they oppose a recount of ballots”. They also point to a statement made by Gecom Chair, Dr Steve Surujbally, that a recount would be undertaken in one region and quickly reversed course changing his mind after the Ambassadors of the ABC countries opposed the recount. They say the ABC Ambassadors were dictating the course of action of Gecom officials.

They also point to former President Jimmy Carter’s sudden departure of Guyana on the eve of the election.

The diplomats believe that Carter got “wind of the plan to rig the election”, or perhaps was informed about it by Embassy officials, and he decided he did not want to be a part of the “monkey business” (as the diplomats describe the rigging) to condone it. The diplomats said Carter felt it necessary to fly off so he could not be accused of giving his blessing to a rigged election. It was noted that while Carter complained of being unwell and flew off in a private jet, he went straight to work when he landed in Atlanta.

The diplomats are of the view that a foreign government and or its Embassy that represents it in another country does not endorse candidates or parties in foreign elections and as such should not have influenced the outcome of the election in Guyana as it did last May. The Embassies of the ABC countries should have encouraged and facilitated a free and fair election, not its outcome.

The non-ABC diplomats feel what took place in Guyana’s election by the

ABC diplomats was clear interference in the internal political affairs of a sovereign nation. That was “unacceptable”, say the nonABC diplomats. They were stunned by the behaviour of the US Charge Bryan Hunt in particular, noting it was a deliberate intervention in the conduct of the election of another sovereign nation especially when he instructed Gecom Chair to declare the results even when ballots were not certified and the outcome not clear. One nonABC diplomat in particular said: “It was astounding and disgraceful that Gecom officials allowed this to happen undermining the body’s independence. They (some Gecom officials) seem to lack self-respect. Their behaviour was reprehensible. They should resign to save face”.

The non-ABC diplomats feel, at a minimum, Gecom should have ordered a recount and it should have been supported by the ABC countries.

Many Guyanese I spoke with believe that had the Embassies or governments of the influential BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and Venezuela had countered the ABC intervention in the conduct of the election and demanded a free and fair election, rigging would have been avoided. They also believe that had the non-ABC countries jointly issued a statement calling for a recount of ballots, it would have been done. Because they chose to be silent and to pursue a course of non-interference in accordance with diplomatic norms, the Embassies of the ABC countries dictated the outcome of the election in Guyana.

The PPP should take heed of Ramkarran’s analysis and mend relations with the Western powers.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Children playing on the newly constructed play area that was erected on the Merriman's Mall as part of the Restoration Georgetown Project

Cuba and Guyana

remember their victims of the Barbados crime, terrorist act still unpunished

Dear Editor,

The “Day of the victims of state terrorism” is commemorated in Cuba on October 6th. The bombing perpetrated to Flight 455 of Cubana de Aviación airline that had taken off from Barbados Seawell Airport, bound for Havana occurred on that day in 1976.

The aircraft exploded in the air as a consequence of the explosives placed therein by mercenaries Freddy Lugo and Hernán Ricardo, on the instructions of the experienced terrorists Orlando Bosch and Luis Posada Carriles. The authors and sponsors of the scourge of international terrorism have a debt to history and peace.

The 73 people aboard the aircraft were killed (48 passengers and 25 crew members), 57 Cubans, 11 Guyanese and 5 North Koreans. The dead included the 24 members of the Cuban national junior fencing team, who returned to Cuba after winning all the gold medals in the Central American and Caribbean Championship; several of them did not reach even 20 years of age.

The 11 Guyanese passengers were

medical students only 18 and 19 years of age, plus the young wife of a diplomat of this sister nation.

In Georgetown, Guyana, starting point of the flight sabotaged, a monument was erected to remember the victims of this terrorist attack and on the Embassy of Cuba in Guyana a plaque was erected to their memory.

At the funeral for the victims, Commander in Chief Fidel Castro expressed:

We cannot say that the pain is shared. The pain is multiplied. Millions of Cubans mourn today with the loved ones of the victims of the abominable crime; and when an energetic and virile people cries, injustice trembles!

The Cuban Government and people reaffirm their decision to condemn and to confront terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, particularly the state terrorism, wherever it occurs and whatever the reasons given by the authors might be.

Julio César González Marchante Cuban Ambassador to Guyana

14 ways to jumpstart the Guyanese economy

Dear editor,

Below are 14 ways that can be used to jumpstart Guyana’s economy.

1. Reduce GPL electricity rates by another 10%.

2. Pay all GoG bills promptly. Have GoG and all agencies/Government companies pay all bills due within three business days. Government should determine monthly, any payables that are older than two weeks and ensure it is paid, including companies such as GuySuCo, GWI, GPL.

3. Reduce tax on fuel used for transportation and force all public transportation providers to reduce fares. GoG to conduct microeconomic analysis on cost of transportation to determine level of reduction; separate costs into fuel cost, fuel tax, maintenance, labour and other operating costs, capital costs, other taxes, profit. Contract buses and other forms of competition to bring costs of transportation down and serve as a check against the private sector.

4. Have Go-Invest complete Investment Agreements (IA) in seven days and publish a list of any IA pending more than one month.

5. Go-Invest and all GoG agencies to fast-track any business proposal with employment and investment potential. Employ field investment officers (hire over 100 more persons) to visit

all employers and investors with a view of removing bottlenecks to investment and employment. Field investment officers should be facilitators seeking to understand problems and helping to solve these.

6. Remove all interest and penalties on tax defaulters (small and medium size businesses) and give amnesty to anyone breaching environmental, labour, and other health and safety laws, to allow them time to fix, without penalty.

7. Focus on large and small infrastructure projects to provide large injections to spend into the economy; reconsider the specialty hospital which is already funded, Amaila; fast-track the airport and dredging of the Demerara Harbour.

8. Call in all foreign and local investors and ask if they are spending as much as possible and what GoG can do to encourage expenditure.

10. Roll back the 02.00h curfew; or at least extend the curfew to 04.00h for Wednesday to Saturday inclusive; more income and jobs will be generated; more tourists will visit to enjoy Guyana.

11. Engage the Opposition; have the Economic Services Committee and Natural Resources Committee start work and work closely with

Questions for Hons Harmon and Ramjattan

Dear Editor, I crave your indulgence in granting me space in your letters column to direct three questions to the following honourable gentlemen of the 11th Parliament, the Hon Minister of the Presidency Joseph Harmon and the Hon Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan.

It is highly commendable for the state of Guyana to grant amnesty for illegal firearms to be turned in, however my first question is: Will the amnesty also apply to the 150 AK 47s, that was stated on record to have been supplied to one Corbin of the PNC

now APNU along with others that are still outstanding from the GDF inventory that was disclosed by the GDF’s competent authority at the Dr Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry, since a replica of the AK 47 is not shown among the other replicas shown in the media under the amnesty?

My second question: Can you Hon gentlemen honestly in the interest of transparency and accountability by Government, inform this Nation by way of photos, names, crimes and sentences handed down to the 60 convicts pardoned by the state in view of the current criminal activities being

perpetrated on hard working Guyanese on a daily basis, by placing in the media the information of their convections similar to how the media published the photos, names and personal information of the female Bartica workers, to their humiliation and embarrassment, by Minister Simona Broomes for alleged trafficking?

My third question: Were there any female prisoners eligible to be pardoned? If not, this then is gender discrimination of the worst kind. Over to you, Red Thread!

Concerned citizen

Honest contractors feeling the squeeze

Dear Editor,

the Opposition to look at expanding the housing sector and other sectors of the economy.

12. Shift the Government focus from attacking businesses and people and focus on providing a helping hand for the economy. Make the economy the number 1 objective with President Granger and his entire Cabinet focusing on what can be done to expand the economy and leading the PR battle in this direction. All Ministers must focus on expanding the economy

13. Have bilateral engagements with China and other major partners about investing in Guyana.

14. Engage banks, the private sector, civil society and the Diaspora on what can be done to jump start the economy including restructuring and assisting the rice farmers in trouble from lower prices. Focus on boosting confidence and making Government a strong supporter for economic growth.

15. Promote home development by recognising best residential home per block; encourage repainting, planting, cleaning, etc. Provide grants for owners/occupiers to fix up their homes and offices to make it more presentable.

Your sincerely, Economist

In response to my letter which appeared in Guyana Times on September 29 regarding cost overruns at the Kato Primary School (KPS) being constructed in the Potaro-Siparuni Region, Lindon Stephney, apparent Minister of State Joseph Harmon’s spokesman, was of the opinion that these were not due “to poor design but poor management of the greedy and corrupt”. I wish to state I never sought to challenge Minister Harmon’s statement with respect to problems associated with construction costs for KPS but disagreed with his claims which it seemed were devoid of facts and were based on false notions for contact costs increasing.

It is evident from his missive that Mr Stephney lacks knowledge of the engineering profession as well as with contracting and the bidding process. Before a contractor is allowed to bid for a project he must be pre-qualified. Unfortunately this needed requirement is not applied in Guyana and therefore anyone could be a contractor.

The KPS project comprising the plans, specifications, Bill of Quantities and other tender documents were put out for bid and the lowest bidder (not the lowest evaluated bidder) was awarded the contract based on the total costs for the listed items which appeared in the Bill of Quantities.

During construction the contractor probably noticed discrepancies in the Bill of Quantities and concluded that changes were needed to the plans and/ or specifications for project completion. These had to be checked by the Supervising

Consultant (SC), and if they had any merit they would have been submitted for review and approval by the Government Officer responsible for this Project. If approved, change orders would have been authorised and their costs negotiated among the Government, SC and the contractor. Therefore the Government was fully aware of all variations for KPS and had given approval for their costs. This had nothing to do with low bidding or corrupt practices as claimed.

Minister Harmon if he is the competent authority should have authorized an audit to determine the cost and time overruns for this project and the reasons thereof, as is usually the case with most large projects, as well as to ascertain if there was culpability and to avoid recurrence of mistakes. Contrary to Mr Stephney’s claim that cost overruns may well have been due to poor project design as well as ill prepared specifications, Bill of Quantities, and tender documents. It also may have been due to the Government’s request for design changes to the project during construction. An audit would have revealed the causes.

If shoddy works are found the contractor has to rectify them at his expense. However, if there was collusion and shoddy works were covered up then Minister Harmon knows what has to be done, and he should act accordingly.

A large segment of the budget for the Ministry of Education is allocated for constructing and maintaining schools and other educational institutions and facilities. It is evident the existing

organisation responsible for these works lacks competency. Hence the need to reorganize the Ministry to include a School Construction Division directly responsible to the Minister and staffed with qualified personnel to provide architectural and engineering services to design and build educational facilities for Guyana to generally accepted standards.

Mr Stephney is probably aware that similar problems had faced New York City some 25 years ago and a School Construction Authority was established under its Board of Education. The change has been extraordinary for the learning environment.

Mr Stephney acknowledges that there has been a change in Government and something needs to be done urgently “to root out bad contractors and so-called supervising consultants”. He has however failed to notice that the APNU/AFC now in their sixth month of governance have recently extended the contract and is paying a further $4.2M to one of the so-called supervising consultant for KPS, a Project with many shortcomings which he has failed to identify, and is so critical about.

Finally, the Government should seriously consider pre-qualifying contractors and incorporate performance bonds in its contracts. This will eliminate politically-connected inexperienced contractors, and enable the Government to recover costs from those who have performed poorly despite their experience.

Yours faithfully Charles Sohan

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

Page Foundation

By James Lehman, msW

Give your child a choice

I recommend that parents give children some choices around their responsibilities when possible. So if there’s an issue around doing chores or homework, for example, a good way to avoid a power struggle is to offer some options. During summer, you might say, “You can start your chores

The key to increasing your child’s autonomy wisely (and the 4 little questions you should always ask)

Remember, with every increase in autonomy for your child, there should be an increase in responsibility and accountability. For instance, let’s say your child wants to stay up till nine o’clock at night instead of eight o’clock. You decide that staying up an hour later isn’t going to interfere with your child’s need for sleep and that he’s old enough to handle the later bedtime. So you both reach a compromise of 8:30 pm to see how that goes.

Most parents will think the case is closed at this point –but if you leave it there, I don’t believe you’ve done enough to teach your child how to solve problems. You need to make clear to your child how you expect increased responsibility with increased autonomy. So I think the end of any conversation that centres on a change or an increase in power has to include these four questions:

How will we know it’s working?

We’ll know staying up later is working if you still get up on time in the morning.

How do we know it’s not working?

If you have a hard time getting up on time and don’t have energy during the day.

What will we do if it’s not working?

We’ll go back to the old time, 8:00 pm.

What will we do if it is working?

We’ll continue with this new bedtime.

Those four questions are really important, because what they say is, “If you want to stay up later, how will we know that it’s okay? Because you’ll still meet your responsibilities.” What’s the accountability piece? “What are we going to do if it’s not working? We’re going to return to the earlier time.”

when you get home from day camp or other activities, or you can wait till I get home. You can text message all you want between 3:30 and 5:30 and then do them when I get home. Or you can do them between 3:30 and 5:30 and then text message during your free time at night. So decide when you would rather be text messaging, talking on the cell phone, or going on the computer: between 7:00 and 8:30 pm or

want to instant message? Now or later?” you’re establishing a structure and giving them some appropriate power. This teaches your child good problem-solving skills, because he’s looking at his choices and picking the best one. In my opinion, that skill is the most important thing a child can learn as he develops; there is nothing more positively empowering than learning problem-solving skills.

“We’re going back to bedtime at eight o’clock and then in 30 days, let’s sit down and talk about it again. Meanwhile in those 30 days, get your rest, practise what you need to do and then we’ll take another shot at it.”

That’s how negotiations are supposed to go. They are carried out through the use of proposals, compromises and ways of measuring outcomes to make sure everyone is doing what they

the right values. So remember, even though it’s quite possibly the most difficult balance we have to maintain as a parent, we don’t want power struggles to go away. We don’t want limits and limit testing to go away. Rather, it’s the way children push that’s important.

Think of it this way: If children don’t get engaged in power struggles with their

between 3:30 and 5:00 pm. Those are your choices.”

That’s when you put the responsibility on your child to make choices about how they’re going to spend their time. I think you have to learn how to present these things in a way which makes it your child’s responsibility to complete his tasks. When the choice is, “When do you

By the way, if it’s not working, parents should not give a consequence. Just say, “It’s not working because you’ve had a hard time getting up. No hard feelings. We’ll try it again in 30 days.” The chance to increase autonomy doesn’t stop forever for your child, so he or she is still able to earn more independence later. You can say,

agreed to do. Understand that all these gradual gains in power for your child are really rungs on a ladder that leads to independent functioning, or adulthood. And what you want your child to know at the top of the ladder is how to solve social problems and functional problems, how to get along with other people and how to live

parents, they won’t learn how to advocate for themselves later in life. So what we want to focus on are the techniques they should use. And the appropriate techniques are ways to say, “Mom, I don’t like this, can we talk about it?” Or “Dad, I don’t think you understand what I mean, can we talk about it?”

Obviously, the expectation is for parents to be willing to sit down with their children and talk about it. Nothing ensures a power struggle like your child’s belief that he can’t talk to you reasonably about something. I think when times are good, it’s important for parents to sit down with children and say, “When you don’t agree with me, this is how we should handle it.” Invite them to talk to you about it. At the end of that conversation remember to say, “Whatever decision is reached, it’s going to have to be acceptable. I’m not going to keep arguing with you. I’m just going to walk away.” This is a good way for you to establish the ground rules around challenges to your authority, and to make sure that those challenges are appropriate. Plainly and simply, if your child doesn’t push boundaries or tests limits, they won’t be adept at living in the adult world. They won’t develop the problem solving skills of negotiation, compromise and sacrifice in a way that empowers them and prepares them to solve real life problems. And I believe that’s one of our main goals as parents – to empower our children appropriately so they’re able to navigate independently in the adult world.

(Excerpt from empoweringparents.com)

Guyana /Venezuela controversy

– juridical process can settle controversy US supports 1899 Arbitral Award

By Alexis Rodney

The United States of America has clarified its position on the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, noting that the situation still warrants a peaceful resolution through diplomatic means.

The border controversy between the two neighbouring territories was on top of the agenda when new United States Ambassador Perry Holloway met with Journalists on Monday at the US Embassy, Georgetown Questioned on the US’s position on the controversy, which has been drawing international interest, Holloway said his country’s stance remained that the two countries must maintain peace and remain consistent with the adherence to international law.

The land boundary between Guyana and Venezuela was decided by arbitration in 1899. Venezuela, however, has been fighting, yet failing to prove that that award was, as it claimed, null and void.

Holloway said all parties needed to respect the 1899 ruling until the appropriate body decides otherwise. He warned, however, that in the interim, it was important that both parties refrain from anything that would cause things to spiral out of control.

On Sunday, former Speaker

of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran had criticised the US position on the GuyanaVenezuela border controversy as “wholly inadequate and inexplicable”. Ramkarran singled out the US for not explicitly confirming Guyana’s borders from 1899 to the present.

According to Ramkarran, the confirmation of such by the US, based on historical facts, would be “fair and just”.

On Monday, in offering clarity on the issue, the US Ambassador reaffirmed the need to respect the 1899 ruling, adding that “an active position of the United States is first, we encourage both sides to try to address the boundary dispute through diplomatic means and not do anything that

will raise the concerns of one side or the other,” he said.

He reminded that the US was now only concerned about the “peaceful resolution, continued dialogue and respect for international law”.

With respect to tangible support for Guyana, the newly-appointed Ambassador said, “As far as do we intervene or support, each situation is different and the circumstances that would bring about the situation is different and so everything is being resolved on a case-by-case basis.”

The aggression by Venezuela became more potent in May of this year when US oil and gas exploration company ExxonMobil, declared that it had discovered oil in Guyana’s waters.

The company was carrying out exploratory work in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana. Asked if the US would not be more interested in the issue because of the involvement of one of its companies in the fiasco, Holloway said the US has a policy that all companies must adhere to the law of the country in which they operate.

“We support our companies, but we do expect our US companies to comply with international law and norms. So whether it is a US company or a Chinese company, I don’t think that would dramatically change our view on the issue going on,” Holloway told the media.

Just last week, at the 70th United Nations General Assembly in New York, President David Granger called for the controversy to be taken to the International Court of Justice, expressing confidence that the UN’s involvement would bring a favourable resolution to the issue, since the recurring ‘Good Officer’s process which existed for some 23 years, has yielded very little success in this regard.

He said that Guyana for 50 years has been prevented from fully exploiting its rich natural resources as Venezuela has been threatening and deterring investors and frustrating the country’s economic development.

The President also urged the UN to fully represent the interests of small States, whom he

said were continuously intimidated by larger States.

He said the Charter of the United Nations enjoined the responsibility to “bring about, by peaceful means and in conformity, the settlement of international dispute”. According to him, this responsibility is essential to the existence and survival of small States that are threatened by powerful states. Small States, he said, risk being subjugated unless the international community can demonstrate the capability and commitment to provide an effective deterrent against domination by larger, stronger states.

His call had come some two days after he along with Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and had discussions on the issue.

President Granger said Guyana resisted Venezuela’s acts of aggression in defiance of the Charter of the United Nations, which prescribes the peaceful settlement of disputes and prescribes the use of armed force. He maintained that Guyana’s border with Venezuela was settled 116 years ago, a fact that the whole world, except the Bolivarian Republic, accepts.

However, President Maduro in his address to the UN denied engaging in acts of aggression towards Guyana as the controversy continues.

US Ambassador Perry Holloway

tuesday, october 6, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

Woman takes rap on narcotics charge, male partner gets bail

A42-year-old woman was on Monday sentenced to three years imprisonment after she claimed ownership of narcotics found on her and a male companion.

Roxanne Smith, of Lot 229 Smithfield, West Coast Berbice, and Samuel Browne, 40, of Lot 105 Mahdia Extension, Linden, both appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan in Court Two of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Smith pleaded guilty while

Browne pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on October 3 at Cameroon Junction, Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), they were both found in possession of 499 grams of cannabis sativa for the purpose of trafficking.

According to Police Prosecutor, Corporal Neville Jeffers, on the day in question, Police, acting on information received, went to an apartment building in Mahdia, where they found both Smith and Browne in an apartment. The apartment was searched and a multi-coloured backpack was found hanging on the wall of the room which contained a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems. It was later tested and identified as cannabis sativa. According to the prosecution, both parties were told of the offence and Smith in her caution statement admitted ownership of the illegal substance.

During the court proceedings, Smith admitted that the drugs belonged to her, saying that Browne had no knowledge that she had the drugs.

“He was just caught in the room with it. It’s mine, I won’t pin it on

him,” she told the court. Smith admitted that she sold cannabis to assist her brother, who is ill, adding that it was her first time before the court. She begged the court for leniency. The Magistrate subsequently sentenced Smith to three years in prison with a $748,500 fine. Browne was released on $100,000 bail and will make his next court appearance at the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court on October 20.

Sailor accused of severing girlfriend’s arm – remanded to prison

Ayoung sailor was on Monday remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged for attempted murder.

Eyew tness Silence ...

...on border

Ralph Ramkarran reminded the new US Ambassador about their role on the border controversy, which Venezuela’s been hanging over our heads like the sword of that Damocles Greek fella. And we know what’s happening to Greece! Ramkarran being Ramkarran, played it safe. He gave a good historical account of the US fin de siècle role back in 1899, when that country was still feeling it’s oats against its old colonial master Britain.

Taking the burdens of its Monroe Doctrine seriously (ironically patterned on Britain’s earlier “white man’s burden” that forced it to intervene in countries all over the world to right wrongs!) the US made sure that justice was given to Venezuela against big, bad Britain. And justice Venezuela got. Since the Cuyuni was, and is, a tributary of the Essequibo, older maps had shown its entire basin belonging to British Guiana. Much of it was transferred to Venezuela.

But Ramkarran did show conclusively that the US then wasn’t just a disinterested bystander back in 1899. On the US’ role in 1962, however, Ramkarran is quite coy. He claims that country was “silent” then and: “If geopolitical considerations were responsible for the silence of the US in the past, that period is over.” But was the US really “silent” in the 1960s when Venezuela precipitated the controversy at the UN? Ramkarran ignores all the evidence in the declassified files of the US State Department and is silent. Since Ramkarran isn’t a country, presumably the consideration for his silence isn’t “geopolitical”. No prizes for guessing what the “consideration” is!!

Anyhow evidently goaded (prompted?) by Ramkarran’s call, the US responded immediately via its new Ambassador: “We call on all parties to continue to respect the 1899 arbitral ruling and boundary unless or until a competent legal body decides otherwise or both parties agree on something else.” Now is this the kick in the groin for Venezuela Ramkarran was telegraphing?

According to reports, the 23-year-old man and the Virtual Complainant were romantically involved and on the day of the incident, he reportedly saw her with

Abdool Samaroo, of Enterprise, Leguan, Essequibo Islands, was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which stated that on October 1 with the intent to commit murder, he wounded Tashnee Mohabir.

another young man and became jealous. The court heard that the defendant subsequently confronted Mohabir and an argument ensued. During the argument, Samaroo allegedly chopped the VC’s hand off with a cutlass. He will return to court on October 27.

Murder suspect jailed on drug and firearm charges

A37-year-old miner, who is the main suspect in two murder cases, was on Monday sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by Magistrate Ann McLennan, after he pleaded guilty to trafficking in narcotics and possession of firearm and ammunition charges.

Mark Atkinson, called “Bungo” of Red Hill, North West District, Region One (Barima-Waini), who appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, pleaded guilty to the charges. It is alleged that on September 30 at Mowasi Landing, Mahdia, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni), he had in his possession 340 grams of cannabis sativa for the purpose of trafficking. He also admitted that on the same day he had a .38 Titan Tiger special revolver with six matching rounds of ammunition.

Atkinson was also charged for the murders of Devon Anderson and Daniel Lima Lira. It is alleged that on June 3, 2014, at Black Water Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), he mur-

dered Anderson and on August 12 at Burning Square, Konawaruk, Region Eight, he murdered Lira. Additionally, he was charged for robbery under arms. On that charge, it is alleged that on September 17, at Burning Square, Konawaruk, while being armed with a gun, he robbed Sean Sampson of four ounces of raw gold valued $800,000, property of Linden Garcia.

Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones informed the court that Police Officers stationed at the Mahdia Police Station, acting on information received, went to an abandoned building at Mowasi Landing where they saw the defendant with a backpack.

According to the Prosecutor, the ranks approached the defendant and conducted a search of the backpack and discovered the .38 revolver along with the six matching rounds of ammunition. Further checks, he said, revealed plastic bags containing the cannabis.

When asked about the narcotic, the defendant told the Magistrate

that he suffered from asthma and boiled the drug to use for medicinal purposes. With respect to the possession of firearm charge, he told the court that he obtained the weapon and ammunition from the deceased Brazilian, Daniel Lima Lira, whom he claimed attempted to shoot him. He said during the incident he overpowered Lira, who he shot in selfdefence.

“I had to do wuh I had to do,” the defendant told the court. He was sentenced to two years and a fine of $10,000 for the possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition and three years and a fine of $510,000 for the narcotics charges. The sentences will run concurrently.

The defendant was remanded on the robbery and murder charges and was scheduled to appear at the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court on October 20.

This newspaper was told that Atkinson was also expected to be charged for the murder of Jossmar Perriera Silva, who was shot dead at Mowasi Backdam on September 5.

Bit of a letdown, don’t you think? This Eyewitness was kinda hoping that at the end of the statement, the Ambassador would’ve added some kind of “or else!!” In diplomatic language, of course, but still an “or else!” Even Maduro’s been expecting this...and said so in so many words. Now while in the anarchic arena of international relations you have to keep the other side guessing, you also can’t disappoint your allies too much - especially when they’ve gone so far out on a limb for you.

Now that our Caricom brothers are starting to practice fence straddling on the border controversy, the US has to come down a tad more firmly. Or else!?

...on Oct 5th

Emancipation Day was an inaugural event in the history of Guyana since it presaged the entry of all the other groups that now make up this wonderful rainbow nation. It should be and is celebrated by all. Analogously, in your Eyewitness’ humble opinion, October 5th is a historical day in our national experience: it signalled the return of democracy in this country. And should be celebrated by every Government following the PPP/C Government, since without October 5th, 1992, we would still be living in a dictatorship. Democracy Day!!!

Can you imagine us without free and fair elections? Moses Nagamootoo wouldn’t have the Cummingsburg Accord crafted so that he could share in all the powers of the Presidency. Khemraj Ramjattan would never have been allowed to have all the power to close bars at 2 am in the morning or have the guns that Amerindians hunt for a subsistence life, turned in.

This Eyewitness is very miffed that the Government allowed Democracy Day to pass without spending even a paltry $100M on a big bash!

..on Nagamootoo’s trip

Your Eyewitness was able to confirm that after spending a couple of days in New Jersey, Nagamootoo proceeded to Texas and then on to Toronto.

After praising it so many times, he couldn’t bear that Oct 5th was going to be dissed. No hypocrite this!!

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

Roxanne Smith was sentenced to three years in prison for narcotics trafficking

Samuel Browne was released on $100,000 bail, while his female companion was imprisoned

Burnham’s son-in-law appointed new CEO of GWI

Former Health Minister and a son-in-law of the late President Forbes Burnham, Dr Richard Van West-Charles has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI).

He will replace former Water and Housing and Education Minister Shaik Baksh who was sent on accumulated leave after the new A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government took office.

On Monday, GWI in a statement said that a new CEO and new Board of Directors have been appointed for the agency. It stated that Dr Van WestCharles will be focusing on the accessibility and quality

of water as well as GWI’s financial viability.

Dr Van West-Charles served as Health Minister under the Burnham Government until his father-in-law died in 1985.

The newly-appointed CEO is a doctor of medicine with a Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan and also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from McMaster University, Ontario, Canada.

Addressing the GWI corporate management team on Friday last, the new CEO stated that access to safe, potable water was a priority on his list of areas for attention.

“Without a healthy society we cannot achieve the Guyana we are hoping to build,” he stated, adding that “paramount to maintaining good public health is access to safe water. Hence, this area along with water quality and GWI’s financial viability are key issues I will be addressing immediately”.

Meanwhile, Nigel Hinds was appointed Chairman of the GWI Board. He possesses experience in Guyana’s financial sector as the founder and Chief Executive of Nigel Hinds Financial Services.

The other appointed members of the Board of Directors are Charles Ceres; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communities, Emil McGarrell; David

Dewar; Christina Bissessar; Savitri Singh Sharma; Ryan Belgrave; Samantha Fedee and Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green.

In 2009, Dr Van WestCharles challenged for the leadership of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), claiming that the party’s support base was “totally demoralised, cut off, disenchanted and couldn’t care less about the current PNC leadership”. At the time, former Opposition Leader Robert Corbin was heading the party. Van West-Charles’s supporters had accused Corbin’s faction, including General Secretary Oscar Clarke and stalwart Aubrey Norton, of underhand tactics to block their foray among party members and groups.

Duo remanded on robbery charges

Two men were on Monday remanded to prison by Magistrate Ann McLennan when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with three counts of robbery under arms and one count of possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition.

Jermaine Bailey, 21, of 45 Norton Street, Georgetown and Adam McDonald, 26, of Lot 348 South Amelia’s Ward, Linden both denied the charges read to them. The first charge stated that on October 2 at Parade Street, Kingston, Georgetown while being armed with gun in the company of others they robbed Derrick Quaicoe of an iPhone 5S valued at $100,000, an iPhone 4S valued at $75,000 and an Alcatel one touch valued at $25,000. The items totalling $200,000 belonged to the Virtual Complainant (VC), Quaicoe. They were also slapped with another charge which stated that on the same day, they robbed John Compin of $60,000 along with five Samsung Galaxy S4s valued $400,000, four Samsung Galaxy S3s valued $180,000, an iPhone 4S valued $100,000, among other high end cellular phones all to a total value of $1,330,000 property of Paul Wong.

The men denied the third charge which stated that on September 30 at Kitty, while in the company of others

and armed with guns they robbed Ameena Abdullah of $150,000 and US$3,000, all to a value of $750,000.

Bailey was charged by himself for an additional robbery under arms offence. He denied the charge which alleged that on September 30 at Kitty, while in the company of others and armed with guns he robbed Anand Persaud of $2300. He also pleaded not guilty to a charge which stated that on October 2 at Seawall Road, Kingston, he disguised a car to imitate PHH 6562.

In addition, Mc Donald also denied charges which alleged that he was found in possession of one .9mm semiautomatic gun and two matching rounds.

Police Prosecutor Corporal Deniro Jones objected to bail, citing the gravity of the offences, and highlighting that firearms were used in committing the offences. He also told the court it is the prosecution’s belief that once granted bail the duo will not return for a trial.

Attorney Peter Hugh made objections to this statement, saying that his client, Bailey, did not participate in any of the robberies. The attorney said there is no evidence linking Bailey to the crimes. On that note, he made an application for bail, positing that his client is not a flight risk.

The prosecutor in re-

sponding to the bail application told the court the prosecution is in possession of evidence linking the defendant to the offences.

The second defendant McDonald, unrepresented by counsel, told the court he was at the seawall with the other accused when the Police approached them and questioned them about several robberies. He claimed they showed him several firearms and insisted they were the ones they threw away at the seawall after using them in robberies.

After reviewing the facts of the charges, the Magistrate remanded both men to prison. The case will resume on October 25.

According to reports, Police observed a car crashing into the seawall on the northern side of Police Headquarters. Soon after the car hit the wall, the two defendants reportedly exited and were seen fleeing. Police immediately went in pursuit and were able to arrest them.

Moments after the arrest, the Police receive reports of a robbery committed on Elite Mobile Phone Store located in Parade Street, Kingston. The description of the men as well as the getaway car that was given to the Police matched the suspects and the damaged car that was abandoned by the suspects.

tuesday, october 6, 2015 |

Veteran educator passes on

Former Director of the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) and Arrow of Achievement recipient, Samuel Small has passed away at the age of 90.

Reports indicate that Small died overseas, but his body is expected to be returned to Guyana for burial.

Beginning his teaching career at the age of 18 after successfully completing the Pupil Teacher’s Appointment Examination, Small’s first appointment was at the Victoria Roman Catholic School, where he earned a salary of $10 per month.

He was a teacher educator from 1959 to 1975, beginning as an Assistant

Master, at the Government Training College for Teachers, and then made his way to the position of Deputy Principal of the Cyril Potter College of Education before retiring in December 1975 to assume

the position of Coordinator of the Department of Extra Mural Studies in 1976.

Small later served as the Director of the IDCE, the extramural arm of the University of Guyana until 2006 when he retired. Over the years, Small received many accolades, and was noted to be always humble and thankful that his contributions to society have been recognised. He was also widely regarded as a major developer and advocate of adult education in Guyana and the Caribbean.

In 1986, he was presented with the Golden Arrowhead of Achievement by the late President Hugh Desmond Hoyte for his service to the nation.

Samuel Small

GWI CEO, Dr Richard Van West-Charles

GWI Director Nigel Hinds

Teenager alleges rape at GPHC

– hospital launches probe

In light of recent reports that a teenager was sexually molested while a patient of the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), officials have confirmed the medical facility has launched an investigation into the accusation.

A senior staffer of the facility, when contacted on Monday told this newspaper the matter was brought to the attention of Chief Executive Officer, Allan Johnson, and an investigation has been launched.

The official said senior officials at the hospital will over the next few days address critical security issues to determine where a breach occurred. If anyone is found culpable of neglecting their post, serious disciplinary actions will be taken, the official said.

“At no point in time was the guard on duty supposed to let in anyone in the building after visiting hours… visiting hours would have long passed”,

the official stated.

However, Guyana Times understands the male who was accused of committing the act was arrested by Police and is assisting with investigations.

He reportedly told investigators that he went to the medical facility on Saturday evening and would have solicited permission from a guard on duty to allow him to see the teenager.

He claimed the teenager is well known to him but denied raping her.

Investigators have however noted the inconsistencies in the statement given by both the alleged victim and the alleged perpetrator. Nevertheless, the Police continue to investigate.

It was reported the teenager was heard screaming around midnight on Saturday. When the nurses on duty rushed to her bed, she claimed she was fondled by an adult male who had visited her.

Granger receiving poor economic advice – Ramotar

Former President Donald Ramotar has said that President David Granger might be receiving poor economic counsel from his advisers, since Guyana’s economy had been performing well up until May of this year.

Ramotar was responding to questions by journalists about President Granger’s recent pronouncement that the economy had been ‘anaemic’ since 2014.

“I would say that the president probably has been badly advised about the situation in the country,” Ramotar told reporters at Freedom House on Monday

Ramotar boasted about the economic strides made

over the years under the PPP/C Administration, adding that for nine consecutive years Guyana had seen continuous growth at a time when the global economy was experiencing massive downturn.

According to the PPP, even the World Bank in

its report has shown that Guyana has been following Peru as the second country of positive growth. The Party also pointed out that despite external uncertainties Guyana was not showing any signs of ‘anaemia’ as President Granger is now claiming.

“I would say also that the government should, instead of thinking in a discriminatory way, help the rice industry. All of these areas are areas that can stimulate the growth of the economy,” Ramotar said.

Responding to the media last Friday, President David Granger said his Government had inherited an ‘anaemic’ economy from the PPP/C.

According to the Head of State, the commodities depended on most have been underperforming and that underperformance was noted since 2014. He said his Administration took over some troubled companies.

DEA office for Guyana by January

United States (US)

Ambassador Perry Holloway on Monday announced that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Office in Guyana will have a per-

manent fixture with the appointment of functioning head by January 15 of next year.

The DEA, which is supporting the work already being done by domestic law enforcement entities in the area of countering the trafficking of narcotics will have a new head by January of next year.

Holloway made the disclosure when he met with journalists on Monday.

“There has already been someone selected to be the head of the office, I can’t share the name at this time, but I hope to see him on January 15 and his team around the same

time,” said Holloway.

After months of anticipation late last year, the US DEA was able to finally set up an office in Guyana to work along with local agencies in tackling the scourge of drug trafficking.

The local office is receiving support from the DEA office in Trinidad and Tobago, which is the regional office responsible for the southern part of the Caribbean.

Holloway said that although he has been here for just a few days, he is aware the US has been working with the previous Administration on anticorruption efforts.

In a previous interview with Guyana Times Charge D Affairs Bryan Hunt had said that there was a regular stream of DEA agents coming to Guyana through the Embassy to provide technical support.

He had said too that since its establishment here, there has been a significant increase in the number of narcotic interceptions

There were a number of calls for the establishment of a local DEA office in Guyana to assist with drug trafficking since Guyana is considered a transshipment point.

Family Court rules being finalised

The long-awaited Family Court seems closer to being operationalised.

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams on Monday said he had spoken to the Chancellor who was in the “process of fine-tuning the rules”. The AG added that two Judges have been selected and there was a need for the establishment of a registry. Furthermore, he posited that whenever the rules are presented to him, his Office will be ready for the necessary implementation.

The Attorney General, who was meeting with the new Head of Delegation of the European Union to Guyana Ambassador, Jernej Videticon, is of the view that there should be a Hague conference on family law and private

international aspects for ‘cross border’ countries like Guyana.

In addition, the AG posited that Guyana would be required to sign onto the Hague Convention which deals with issues of maintenance of children, adoption and abduction of children.

It has been almost five years since the Family Court building was completed and handed over to Government. Works were ongoing for about seven years to have the Family Court established.

The facility will be handling cases of custody, maintenance, neglect of children, domestic violence and juvenile matters. The upper flat of the building will accommodate the courtrooms, the Judges’ chambers, and a children waiting facility, while the lower flat

will be the Family Court’s Registry.

In 2010, then Human Services Minister Priya Manickchand said the establishment of such a court was prompted by observations that Guyanese family units are affected by societal demoralisation. It is expected that the services of the Family Court would be mostly sought by the Human Services and Social Security Ministry, through the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA).

The court was established to address problems arising from the dysfunction of the family unit, and to give special attention to child rights issues. It will handle issues such as divorce, division of property, domestic matters, adoption, guardianship, and custody.

Former President Donald Ramotar

President David Granger

NA fire leaves five homeless

Amid-morning blaze has left five persons homeless as fire raged through a two-storey home in New Amsterdam, Berbice.

Investigators are yet to determine the cause of the blaze which engulfed the Smithfield house belonging to Elaine Gray on Sunday.

A distraught Gray told Guyana Times that the only thing on her mind was rebuilding her home.

US recommits to assist security sector

The security sector in Guyana is expected to be bolstered with the recommitment of continued assistance made by representatives of the United States of America when they paid a courtesy call on Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan on Monday.

During this visit, the newly accredited US Ambassador to Guyana Perry Holloway, who was accompanied by Charge d’ Affaires Bryan Hunt discussed the continued training opportunities for Guyana’s law enforcement officers.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

Guyana Times understands that Minister Ramjattan requested that

the training being offered to Guyanese lawmen/women include anti-money laundering, asset recovery, and prevention of bribery and corruption.

As such, the US indicated its willingness to assist with public awareness initiatives in the country regarding the diverse methods used by sophisticated “white collar criminals.” It was also stated that the US Government is willing to provide continued assistance to Guyana in the area of prisons management, specifically on the rehabilitation and reintegration of young offenders.

According to reports, the fire started about 10:00h and quickly engulfed the building. “I hear people shouting for fire and by the time I go and see or try fuh do anything, the whole upstairs is sheer fire,” one resident said.

the current dry spell.

The New Amsterdam Fire Department responded and was able to contain the blaze, preventing it from spreading to nearby houses. The fire-fighters were also successful in preventing the lower flat from being consumed by flames despite having difficulty accessing a water source. Water was attained from a nearby drain which was low as a result of

Despite the efforts of the fire-fighters, furniture and other valuables in the lower flat were destroyed by the muddy water used to put out the fire. Residents of the community applauded the New Amsterdam Fire Station for its prompt and efficient response.

Acting Officer-in-Charge of the Fire Department in New Amsterdam, Kalamadeen Edoo said the origin of the fire was currently unknown and it was being investigated.

EU supports Govt on judicial reform ...AG calls for part-time Judges to reduce backlog

Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Basil Williams have indicated that the delegation from the European Union will be forging a partnership with the Government of Guyana to initiate a reform of the Laws of Guyana and the judicial system.

The AG met with the Head of Delegation of European Union to Guyana Ambassador Jernej Videticon on Monday. During the meeting it was posited that the partnership will see reform of the Laws of Guyana, address the backlog of cases in the court system and also address the issue of access to justice.

Speaking with the media, the Attorney General disclosed that a proposal was made to use the constitutional provision to appoint part-time judges to address the issue of the backlog of cases.

“If we have four judges working for a period of six months it would be beneficial in addressing the backlog,” the AG said. The Minister further said that with respect to criminal cases, voice recording is needed in the criminal assizes, since it is very important, as it would speed up trials.

In addition, the AG spoke of the new Civil Procedure Rules, which has been in the implementing stage for some time now but is yet to be fully operational. The new rules will simplify the litigation process and are a

Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Basil Williams

major step towards reducing the number of cases which go to court, as well as curbing long delays in the hearing of civil litigation cases.

Another strategy the Attorney General said that is being used to address the backlog of cases is that of paper committals. “They started well, but a number of Magistrates have not been implementing paper committals, as they will speed up Preliminary Inquiries” he said.

A much needed reform of the Laws of Guyana is set to take place, the Minister disclosed, and added that a permanent law reform commission will be established to update laws.

Ambassador Videticon noted his satisfaction with the reform process, adding that the reform of laws will be addressing various hu-

man rights issues, including the death penalty. He further stated that the Attorney General will be invited to a conference in November to address the issue of abolishing the death penalty.

The Minister in response underscored the Government’s position to the death penalty, since according to him this is an issue of conscience, same as that of corporal punishment and same-sex marriage. The Minister pointed out that the proposals put forward will be provided for in the 2016 Budget which is scheduled to be presented in January.

Abolition of the death penalty is a controversial subject. The United Nations (UN) says the world must abolish the death penalty and the trend in the last 30 years has been towards abolition of the death penalty.

Guyana has over 30 persons on death row. In 2012, five people were sentenced to death. But while we have not abolished the death sentence and persons could still be sentenced to death in Guyana, persons are not being executed. Even though Caricom countries still retain the death sentence, only Barbados, Guyana and Trinidad have utilised death sentences in recent years, the last being in 2012. But there have been no executions for some time in Caricom. (akeemg@guyantimesgy.com)

Man on bail for stealing from employer

Aman was on Monday placed on $15,000 bail by Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s court accused of stealing from his employer.

Carl Major, a construction worker of 15 Durban Backlands, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that

on October 2 at Durban Backlands, he stole two welding plants valued at $64,000 and a quantity of welding cables valued at $160,000, totalling $224,000, property of the Virtual Complainant (VC), H Hughe.

According to the facts presented by Police Prosecutor Corporal Neville Jeffers, on the day

in question, the VC secured the articles at the worksite and the next morning he discovered them missing. The articles were recovered and the Prosecutor made no objections to bail. Bail was granted in the sum of $15,000 and the matter was adjourned to October 26.

The burning building

tuesday, october 6, 2015 | guyanatimesgy.com

First Lady honours veteran educators – in observance of World Teachers’ Day

First Lady Sandra Granger along with the Luminous Women’s Group on Monday collaborated with philanthropist Stanley Ming to host a group for retired head teachers as Guyana joins the rest of the world in observance of World Teachers’ Day.

The group, which includes 24 veteran educators and six members of the Luminous Women’s Group, were taken on a fun day trip to a resort at Parika, which is one of Ming’s recent establishments.

Gloria Croft, a retired head teacher and member of the Women’s Group expressed appreciation to the First Lady’s Office and her corporate partner for putting forward such a thoughtful gesture for the group of retirees, who have given decades of dedicated service

to educating Guyana’s children.

Croft is urging young teachers who are currently in the education system to become more committed. She said while the Union advocates passionately for the welfare and rights of teachers, those rights come with responsibilities, which should be taken seriously:

“Teachers must also be more receptive to advice and training workshops that are facilitated by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry must establish a more stringent system to monitor the effectiveness of those in-service workshops.”

Ingrid Fung, another veteran educator who has been in the education system since 1969, is encouraging teachers to give their best to their charges. She said, “years from now when you see them again as doc-

tors and lawyers and other successful individuals, you will realise the importance of your job.”

The Luminous Women Group was established in March. One of its members, Hazel Moses-Waldrond said they have been collaborating closely with the Office of the First Lady, since they share the same vision in relation to care and protection for the elderly, and support for single parents, out of school youths and other vulnerable groups.

October 5 was designated by the United Nations as “World Teachers’ Day” in recognition of the vital role teachers play in providing quality education and moulding the future of nations. This year, World Teachers’ Day is being observed under the theme, “Empowering teachers, building sustainable societies”

PPP/C reflects on progress recorded

– celebrates October 5, 1992 elections

Kristen MacKlingaM

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has organised a number of activities nation-wide to celebrate its “October 5, 1992” commemoration celebrations.

That date saw the party being elected to office with Dr Cheddi Jagan as President and the PPP/C continuously had emerged as victors in every election held until this year when a new Government came into power.

Regardless, celebrations will still be held to mark that date and among the activities the PPP/C has scheduled this year there will be three Symposia in the counties of Demerara, Berbice and Essequibo.

Guyana Times understands the Symposium in Demerara will be held at Red House, Kingston, on Wednesday October 7, at 16:30s.

Meanwhile the other activities slated include sport competitions, panel discussions, family fun-days, cultural activities, lectures and outreaches in all of the 10 Administrative Regions.

Twenty-three years ago, the PPP/C was elected to office under the elections campaign slogan “Time for Change, Time to Rebuild”.

General Secretary of the Party Clement Rohee on Monday during the PPP/C’s weekly media briefing stated that on October 5, 1992 it was a “momentous occasion” that raised the hopes and expectations of all Guyanese.

“Those 23 years were the longest the PPP/C ever was in office; at every single election since 1992, up to May 11, 2015, when it was once again, as was the case in 1964, cheated out of office, the PPP/C continuously and convincingly won each election, the challenges it faced notwithstanding.

It is to be recalled that in 1953 having won the election in that year, the PPP was in office for a mere 133 days following the suspension of the Constitution by the British Government which led to the Party’s removal from office. Later in 1957, following the victory at the elections held in that year the PPP remained in office up to 1964 when it was cheated out of office due to a combination of Anglo/ American and local conspiracies and a change in the electoral system from first past the post to proportional representation,” Rohee stated.

He told Guyana Times that during those seven years his Party accomplished many of its progressive social and economic programmes such as education reform, revamping the

agricultural sector, industrialisation, an advanced health sector, the establishment of the University of Guyana, the Bank of Guyana, the Guyana School of Agriculture and more.

He noted the PPP has always held that, so long as free and fair elections are held in Guyana, the Party will emerge victorious.

“This strongly held conviction was no mere statement punctuated with high sounding words or a political assertion of our belief in the doctrine of divine providence. This conviction was in effect an ode to the working people of Guyana in whom the PPP had deep and abiding faith, respect and trust while the electorate in a spirit of reciprocity and generosity at every election, would demonstrate their confidence and support by voting for the PPP so that they can enjoy a life full of happiness and prosperity…At every twist and turn while the PPP was in office, political subterfuge, economic sabotage, social upheaval and unrest, demagoguery, parliamentary malpractices and injudicial decisions were the order of the day,” the Party’s General Secretary said.

He emphasised that these difficulties notwithstanding, the PPP persevered, while at the same time offering political solutions to the political, economic and social crisis affecting the country.

However, all of these were either rejected or undermined as a result of lack of political will and the lust for power by the People’s National Congress (PNC), presently clothed in the garb of the APNU, Rohee posited.

“This is precisely the backdrop in which the PPP/C came to power in 1992 on October 5, after 28 years in the political opposition which at that time was characterised by rigged

elections, corruption in high places, racial and political discrimination, victimisation, intimidation, harassment and physical elimination of political opponents.

The PPP/C’s victory at the polls in 1992 saw the dawn of a new era demonstrated in a complete break with the dark and ominous past of the Burnham/Hoyte administration in which many of those who now walk the corridors of power were, and still are associated.

Parliamentary democracy was given a shot in the arm, a fresh breeze began blowing through the hallowed chambers of the judiciary and the magistracy and the Executive became increasingly accountable to the people and the international community through elections, the national level and Covenants, treaties, protocols, conventions and agreements signed by the Government and State under the PPP/C at the international level,” the General Secretary of the Party told media operatives.

He maintained that for 23 years the PPP/C “laboured in the vineyards” at the National and Regional levels implementing people-centred policies and programmes whose fulfilment resulted in raising the living standards of the Guyanese working people, opening up opportunities for the private sector, expanding and facilitating the growth and development of the national economy and constantly re-inventing, reshaping and refashioning governance structures in Guyana. According to the PPP/C the architecture of the security sector was further bolstered with significant reforms at all government agencies and departments in the security sector supported by the donor community and the national treasury.

The group of veteran educators who enjoyed a day of relaxation and fun in recognition of World Teachers’ Day, before they journeyed to Parika

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee

Cuban Airline bombing Guyana remembers lost lives

Today marks 34 years since the bombing of a Cuban airliner in which 11 Guyanese were killed, six of whom were scholars who were on their way to pursue studies in Cuba.

Cubana de Aviación Flight 455 was a Cuban flight from Barbados to Jamaica that was brought down on October 6, 1976 by a terrorist bomb attack, kill-

ing all 73 people on board the Douglas DC-8 aircraft.

Two time bombs were used, which contained explosives that have been variously described as dynamite or C-4.

Eleven minutes after takeoff from Barbados?’ Seawell Airport (now Grantley Adams International Airport) and at an altitude of 18,000 feet, two bombs exploded on board. One was located in the aircraft’s rear lavatory, and another in the midsection of the passenger cabin. The former ultimately destroyed the aircraft’s control cables, while the latter blasted a hole in the aircraft and started a fire.

The plane went into a rapid descent, while the pilots tried unsuccessfully to return the plane to Seawell Airport. The captain, Wilfredo Pérez Pérez, radioed to the control tower: “We have an explosion aboard – we are descending immediately! ... We have fire

on board! We are requesting immediate landing! We have a total emergency!”

Realising a successful landing was no longer possible, it appears that the Pilot turned the craft away from

Appreciation for teachers should go beyond just one day – Roopnaraine

As World Teachers Day was observed on Monday, Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine stated that teaching was rightly deemed one of the world’s noble professions and one of the most selfless jobs, and the nation’s teachers deserve more than what could be possibly given to them.

In a statement on Monday, Dr Roopnaraine said that “a teacher is the one professional I can think of whose work involves routinely preparing other people for opportunities that they themselves very often never get to take advantage of”.

The Education Minister recognised that no effort towards a better education system, and a better society, can be effective without teachers.

He noted that as a model for policy, Guyana needed to look no further than the United Nations Global Thematic Consultation on Education in the Post2015 Development Agenda, which outlines good conditions of employment; good conditions in the work environment; high-quality preand in-service training for teachers; effective management as necessary measures to furthering teacher enhancement and hence educational development.

He posited that these four simple areas of consideration were enough to build a solid blueprint on and were entirely in keeping with what the Education Ministry aspired to as it sought fundamental reform of the education system in

Guyana.

Roopnaraine shared that he has committed to, and has begun, consultation and cooperation with all relevant stakeholders in this regard, including the Guyana Teachers Union, the Teaching Service Commission, Ministry staff, individual teachers, and members of various Parent-

Teachers Associations in their communities across the country.

“This is just the beginning of what will be eventually a far more structured approach to feedback and requisite action on teachers’ concerns,” he added.

The Education Minister reiterated that teachers and their welfare were important, and every international framework for development within which the Ministry operated, underscores these fundamental facts as central to human and social development, “whether it is Caricom, UNASUR, CARIFORUM or

UNESCO”. He added that the Ministry was ready to do its part.

Roopnaraine also stated that as persons show appreciation for teachers with ceremonies and speeches on the day set aside for them to be honoured, for the rest of the year, “we must strive as a Government to show our appreciation in less ostentatious but more tangible ways.”

In his remarks for the occasion, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Olato Sam posited that it was vital that teachers were recognised as agents of nationbuilding, emphasising his views that teachers were “born to make a difference”.

This year, World Teachers’ Day was observed under the theme “Empowering Teachers, Building Sustainable Societies”.

Sam emphasised that teachers must be appreciated for the roles they play in moulding the nation. “We have an ideal opportunity to collectively address the standing of our teachers in Guyana. I have consistently posited that our teachers are to be recognised as the agents of nation-building that they are. They too, at all levels, must internalise the deep significance they hold in the national developmental agenda. Every teacher across this country should have an appreciation of the vision for our country and a clear sense of how their daily undertakings factor into the national developmental thrust,” the CEO stated.

the beach and towards the Caribbean Sea off Porters, St James, saving the lives of many tourists. This occurred about eight kilometres short of the airport.

All 68 passengers and five crew aboard the plane died: the passengers comprised 57 Cubans, 11 Guyanese, and 5 North Koreans. Among the dead were all 24 members of the 1975 national Cuban fencing team that had just won all the gold medals in the Central American and Caribbean Championships; many were

teenagers. Several officials of the Cuban Government were also aboard the plane: Manuel Permuy Hernández, Director of the National Institute of Sports (INDER); Jorge de la Nuez Suárez, Secretary for the shrimp fleet; Alfonso González, National Commissioner of firearm sports; and Domingo Chacón Coello, an agent from the Interior Ministry.

The 11 Guyanese passengers included five travelling to Cuba to study medicine, and the wife of a Guyanese diplomat. The five

Koreans were Government officials and a cameraman. It was established that the bomb was planted in the airline by two Venezuelan mercenaries during a journey from Trinidad to Barbados.

In commemoration of this day, Cuban Ambassador Julio César González Marchante, stated that the Cuban Government and people reaffirmed their decision to condemn and to confront terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, particularly State terrorism, wherever it occurs and whatever the reasons given by the authors might be, and highlighted that a monument was erected to commemorate this terrorist attack. At the Embassy of Cuba in Guyana, a plaque was erected in the memory of those who died.

In October 2006, then President Donald Ramotar and Cuban Chargé d’ Affaires and Economic and Cultural Affairs Officer Praxedes Nordet unveiled a monument, in honour of all 73 victims in the compound of the University of Guyana. Today a commemoration service will be held at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus. President David Granger is expected to deliver the feature address.

A monument was erected in the compound of the University of Guyana, in memory of all 73 victims

Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine

Cuban Ambassador Julio César González Marchante

We have no information about gangs in Agricola/Warlock – Crime Chief

As Police continue their investigation into the murder of Dexter Griffith, 37, who was recently gunned down in Warlock, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, they are yet to establish whether or not his death was as a result of “gang war” between two villages.

The issue of gang wars came into the limelight after a brother of the dead man called on members of two gangs to bridge their differences, claiming that blood will continue to be shed if

the fighting did not stop.

While he did not make reference to any one, he was keen on maintaining peace.

However, Crime Chief

Wendell Blanhum told Guyana Times that investigators were grilling the three men who had been arrested in a house at Second Street, Agricola, Greater Georgetown, but did not believe that they were a part of any gang, noting that the word itself has several connotative meanings.

He added that the main focus was to determine if Dellon Henry also called “Nasty Man” indeed committed the murder and the possible motive for doing so.

“He has not confessed to the murder… we are questioning the three and will continue to do so”, he stated. Up to late Monday evening, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) ranks were with the men. Blanhum

noted that the Police have not received information about any “gangs” operating in Agricola or Warlock.

Nevertheless, he praised his ranks for yet another successful operation. The Crime Chief stated that the Police would continue to protect and serve the citizenry.

Henry was on Sunday morning arrested in Agricola, with an unlicensed .38 revolver with six matching rounds and two.32 rounds.

Henry, who was arraigned with murder at the age of 15, is the prime suspect in the execution of Griffith on Thursday evening.

At the time of Henry’s arrest, Christopher Fernandes, 19, and John Mc Rae, 18, both of Supply, East Bank Demerara, were also taken into custody. It is not clear if the two teenagers were a part of the operation led by Nasty Man.

The men were arrested when the cops swooped down on the house at Second Street, Agricola after gathering intelligence. Also found in the house were a bulletproof vest, one boxer, one knife, deodorant, a small amount of cannabis, one cigarette lighter and several other items.

T&T presents Budget

All eyes were on the House of Representatives Monday when Finance Minister Colm Imbert presented the 2016 Budget. While this budget will be the first presented by the new People’s National Movement (PNM) Government of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, the majority of the contents of the 2016 fiscal package is based on work done by the former People’s Partnership (PP) administration, which was in office until the September 7 General Election.

In an interview on

September 14, Imbert said, “This budget was more or less done by the preceding Government.” He explained, “We will not have a lot of time to make any fundamental or drastic changes to the skeleton budget that has already been prepared unless I discover that it does not make any sense.” Should such a situation occur, Imbert said, “Then I will have to do major surgery on it.” Following his appointment as Finance Minister on September 11, Imbert originally said Budget Day was tentatively set for September 28 (last Monday). However, a

subsequent release from his Ministry said Budget Day would be today.

To date, Imbert has been tight-lipped about the contents of the Budget. Asked whether the upcoming budget would have any goodies for the citizens, Imbert said, “You will have observed in our manifesto, we had about 12 to 14 items, that we said we would do within the first 12 months.

That would have included the increase in the personal allowance, the reduction in VAT (Value Added Tax) and things like that.” (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Hope fading for survivors in Guatemala landslide

Hopes are fading in Guatemala of finding more survivors following a landslide that has killed at least 131 people and left 300 missing.

Rescuers have dug for days in the village of Cambray near the capital, but say some of the homes they have reached are filled with water.

Tonnes of rain-sodden soil slid off a mountain on Thursday, burying houses.

Bulldozers were used to speed up the work, but no survivor had been found

over the weekend.

Rescuer reported that the smell of rotting bodies was spreading across the mound of earth that had buried the village.

About 30 people have been rescued. Burials began to take place of those brought out of the disaster zone over the weekend.

Alejandro Maldonado, the head of the Guatemalan disaster agency, told the BBC the communities had been told the area was high risk and should have been removed by the local

authorities,

“We have here a very steep hillside of over 35 per cent inclination which is very high risk for the community and should have been avoided.”

“Other factors are the river that runs at the base is eroding the support for the hill, it is very sandy material and we also have several illegal sewage discharges which weakened further the hillside causing collapse.”

(Excerpt from BBC News)

“Nasty Man” was identified as the main suspect in the execution-style killing of Griffith. Griffith, of Back Circle, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was reportedly shot about nine times by a lone gunman who confronted him while he was hanging out with friends in an alleyway, a short distance away from his home. The gunman was reportedly transported to the area on a motorcycle.

According to reports reaching Guyana Times, after the 37-year-old man was shot, he attempted to escape the gunman, but collapsed in a drain located a short distance from the scene. As he was lying on the ground, the gunman reportedly walked up to him and pulled the trigger a few more times hitting him in the back. One day after the shooting incident, the alleged transporter who took the shooter to the scene was arrested and questioned.

Missing ship confirmed to have sunk off Bahamas with crew

The lost cargo ship

El Faro sank in Bahamian waters after sailing into the path of Hurricane Joaquin, according to the US Coast Guard.

The 224-metre (735foot) vessel and its crew of 33 have been missing since issuing a distress call on Thursday.

The coast guard says an “unidentifiable body” has been found but a search remains underway.

On Sunday, search planes found debris including life jackets, containers and oil in the water.

It was this find that led rescuers to the conclusion that the ship had sunk.

Along with the body, an empty, heavily damaged life boat has also been found.

“We are still looking for survivors or any signs of life,” US Coast Guard Capt Mark Fedor said, but adding

the crew faced “challenging conditions to survive”.

The Coast Guard says it has searched 70,000 sq nautical miles attempting to find the crew of 28 Americans and five Poles.

The ship, which was travelling from Florida to Puerto Rico, was taking on water before it sank according to the distress call. Its owners, Tote Maritime, say the ship lost power after its engines broke down.

Tote Maritime, said two vessels it dispatched to the scene had found a container “which appears to be from the El Faro”.

The company has also defended its decision to allow the ship to sail so close to a hurricane.

In a statement, it said the crew were “equipped to handle situations such as changing weather.” (Excerpt from BBC News)

Mexican Judge frees four suspects in Army killings

AMexican Judge has ruled there was insufficient evidence to try four of seven soldiers charged with killing 22 suspects after they surrendered.

But the officer and three soldiers will still face lesser charges.

The Army had said the suspects were members of a drug gang and died in a gun battle near the village of San Pedro Limon in Mexico state in 2014.

The Judge ruled there was evidence to continue the trials of three soldiers who allegedly carried out the killings.

The four soldiers against whom the main charges were dropped will also face military charges connected to violating the rules of engagement and so will remain in prison for the time being.

The Government human rights commission said that the bodies of 15 of the 22 people who died in the con-

frontation with the Army had shown signs that they were apparently shot after they surrendered.

Several of the victims had defensive wounds, suggesting they were shot while unarmed.

Witnesses in the case said they had been threatened and tortured to try to get them to change their versions and seven state Police Officers were accused by the authorities of torturing three witnesses. (BBC News)

Jamaica: Pension crisis looming – Private Sector rep

While being careful not to classify Jamaica’s pension system as one in crisis, Dennis Chung says that it definitely has its challenges, which, if not addressed properly by the Government, could have a devastating impact on the country in the future.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer, Chung, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), said that there are two challenges which now face the Government in its efforts to reform pension arrangements.

He identifies public sector pension reform as the first challenge. “Pension liabilities [are] not accrued from being set aside, [but are] paid from the Consolidated Fund,” Chung said. Instead he said that Government’s treatment of public sector pension should be similar to that of private where it is “must be put aside – allocated as a recurring expenditure separate

from the Consolidated Fund”.

Secondly, he noted that the current pension model, which is mainly managed by the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), is unsustainable. In his presentation on Tuesday at the eighth Prime Asset Management/PSOJ Pension Forum, Chung described the NIS as “woefully inadequate”, and said that it “means private pension (com-

pany-sponsored and personal pension schemes) and savings/investments will have to fill the gap” in post-retirement life.

“The Government pension fund must ensure that it continues proper governance practice and ensure maximum return to taxpayers who have no choice but to contribute,” he said.(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

(From left) Rezworth Burchenson, managing director of Prime Asset Management; Kelly Peters, CEO and managing partner of BEWorks Inc; and Denis Chung, CEO of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, during the Prime Asset Management’s 8th annual pensions seminar

Murder suspect, Dellon Henry also called “Nasty Man”

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum

Around the world

Syrian conflict: Turkey summons Russian envoy over airspace breach

Turkey has again summoned the Russian Ambassador after a second violation of its airspace by a Russian warplane operating in Syria in two days.

It did the same after the first violation on Saturday, after which two Turkish F-16 jets were scrambled.

Turkey said the second violation occurred on Sunday.

Nato has urged Russia to end air strikes “on the Syrian Opposition and civilians”. Russia says it is targeting Islamic State and other Islamists.

Russia said Saturday’s violation was for just a few seconds and due to poor weather. It has not officially reacted to Sunday’s incident.

Saturday’s interception took place near Yayladagi in the southern Hatay region, Turkey says.

A statement by Nato’s 28 members, which include Turkey, warned of “the ex-

treme danger of such irresponsible behaviour” and urged Russia “to cease and desist”.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said Turkey would have been within its rights to shoot the jets down.

The Turkish Armed Forces are clearly instruct-

Libya’s elected Parliament extends mandate, complicating peace talks

Libya’s elected Parliament voted on Monday to extend its mandate, due to expire on October 20, in a move likely to complicate United Nations attempts to end a crisis between the country’s two rival Governments.

Four years after the uprising that toppled veteran ruler Muammar Gaddafi, the oil-producing North African State is caught in conflict between its recognised Government, with an elected Parliament, and a rival self-declared administration. The two are backed by competing armed factions.

The UN has been negotiating a peace agreement to form a unity Government. It had been pushing hard for a deal before the Parliament’s mandate ended on October

20 to prevent the country falling deeper into chaos.

House of Representatives spokesman Faraj Hashem said the elected Parliament had voted to extend its mandate until it could hand over power to a new elected body.

He told reporters the Parliament, known as the HOR, was still supporting the UN-backed negotiating process and its delegates were in meetings with the UN envoy in the Moroccan city of Skhirat on Monday.

“The HOR has amended the constitutional declaration to extend its mandate to avoid a vacuum in the country,” lawmaker Tarek Juroushi told Reuters.

There was no official reaction from the rival parliament, known as the GNC, and government. (Excerpt from Reuters)

ed,” Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told Turkish TV. “Even if it is a flying bird, it will be intercepted.”

But he played down the possibility of a “TurkeyRussia crisis”, saying that channels between the two countries remained open.

United Nations spokes-

man Stephane Dujarric expressed concern at the dangers of having “a lot of different countries and different coalitions” carrying out air campaigns in Syria, saying the situation was “fraught with danger”. He urged a renewed focus on a political situation to the conflict. (Excerpt

Israeli Army shoots dead Palestinian child in West Bank

The Israeli Army has shot dead a 13-yearold Palestinian during clashes at a refugee camp near Bethlehem, Police and emergency services said.

Abdel Rahman Abdullah was struck in the chest by Israeli fire at the Aida refugee camp on Monday, the sources said.

He is the second Palestinian teenager killed by Israeli soldiers in just over 24 hours as clashes have spread across the territory.

On Sunday night, Hutheifa Suleiman, an 18-year-old Palestinian, was fatally shot by Israeli forces during clashes in the West Bank city of Tulkarm.

Ayed Abu Qtaish, the Palestine Director for Defence for Children

International, told Al Jazeera that Israeli soldiers had killed Palestinian children before and acted with impunity because they had been given a “green light” by seniors.

“They (Israeli Army) want to suppress any action by Palestinians that resists Israeli policies, especially settlement expansion, and the building of the wall,” Qtaish said.

“Any protest by the Palestinians will be treated in a tough way...the latest Israeli policies on how to deal with protests gives a green light to Israeli soldiers to kill Palestinians, including children.”

Clashes have spread after two recent attacks killed four Israelis and wounded a two-year-old child. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

American Airlines Pilot dies on overnight flight

APilot on an overnight flight from Phoenix to Boston had a medical emergency and died, the airline has confirmed.

The American Airlines flight landed safely when the co-pilot took over the controls and diverted the plane to Syracuse, New York.

The airline is “incredibly saddened” and focusing on the Pilot’s family and colleagues, a spokeswoman said.

Flight 550 left Phoenix before midnight on Sunday and landed on Monday morning.

The Pilot appeared ill during the flight, prompting the diversion, said Michelle Mohr, the spokeswoman.

A new crew was sent to Syracuse to fly the passengers to Boston, where they arrived on Monday early afternoon.

There was never a question about whether the flight would be able to land safely, said Mohr.

“We’re certainly well qualified to handle situations like these,” she said. “That’s why you’ve got more than one pilot in a cockpit.” (BBC News)

Afghans requested air strike that hit MSF clinic – General

Afghan forces called in the air strike that hit a Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) clinic in Kunduz, killing 22 people, a US General says.

General John Campbell admitted that no US forces had been under fire at the time, reversing an earlier statement.

MSF says Afghan attempts to justify the strike amount to “an admission of a war crime”.

Afghan forces backed by the United Stated have retaken much of Kunduz, which was overrun by the Taliban last week.

Twelve MSF staff members and 10 patients were killed when the hospital

was hit on Saturday by a US airstrike. MSF says it was a lifeline for thousands in the city and in northern Afghanistan.

“We have now learned that on October 3, Afghan forces advised that they were taking fire from enemy positions and asked for air support from US air forces,” said General Campbell, the top commander of the US-led Nato coalition in Afghanistan.

“An air strike was then called to eliminate the Taliban threat and several civilians were accidentally struck.” He expressed his “deepest condolences” over the civilian deaths. (Excerpt from BBC News)

US, 11 Pacific Rim countries ink landmark trade deal

The United States and 11 other Pacific Rim countries have agreed to an ambitious trade pact that cuts trade barriers, sets labour and environmental standards and protects multinational corporations’ intellectual property.

The agreement on the Trans Pacific Partnership was reached on Monday after marathon negotiating sessions in the US city of Atlanta through the weekend.

“We think it helps define the rules of the road for the Asia-Pacific region,” US Trade Representative Michael Froman said. The TPP is designed to encourage trade be-

tween the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

Together they account for 40 per cent of the world trade. The deal still has to be approved by the US

Congress, where opposition is widespread. President Barack Obama has to wait 90 days after agreement before signing the pact, and only then will Congress begin to debate it.

Given the political sensitivity of the deal, supporters of the agreement may push to hold the vote as far ahead of next year’s elections as possible.

Congress can only give the deal an up-or-down vote; it can’t amend the agreement.

Many of the tariff reduc-

tions and other changes will be phased in over several years, so benefits to the US economy could take time to materialise.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday welcomed the TPP deal, saying it would benefit both Japan and the Asia-Pacific region.

“It is a major outcome not just for Japan but also for the future of the AsiaPacific,” Abe told reporters shortly after the deal, the largest regional trade deal in history, was clinched. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

The Russian defence ministry published footage of its strikes on Monday, including sites being hit by bombs (top left)

The US has been engaged in extensive talks with 11 countries of the Asia-Pacific region to cement the deal [Reuters]

tuesday, october 6, 2015| guyanatimesgy.com

Hydromet celebrates 50th anniversary with Open Day – launches flag

The Hydrometeorological Service of Guyana on Monday celebrated its 50th anniversary, with an Open Day and tour of its facility and the launch of its own flag. The event took place at the National Weather Watch Centre, Hyde Park, Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

Addressing the Open Day, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder told those gathered that the Hydrometeorological Service monitored and assessed Guyana’s weather and water resources, as it was the official provider of weather, water and climate information and related products and services for Guyana and the country’s international stakeholders.

“Hydromet Office provides the weather information, through the operation of 14 Automatic Weather Stations, seven Meteorological Observatories/Synoptic Stations, 60 Water Level Stations and 148 Rainfall Stations,” the Government Information Agency (GINA) quoted him as saying.

Minister Holder stressed that it was important to understand the science of the atmosphere; dynamics of water, surface and groundwater; sea level; climate and its impacts on proposed development, including road building, as Hydrometeorological data is important in engineering designs when constructing sea defences, conservancies, bridges and roads, etc.

“The service is also the focal point for the Climate and Environmental Protocol, namely the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer,” he further stated.

With regard to the Hydromet’s contribution to the aviation sector,

the Minister explained that this was critical, since without meteorological information, at the international airports, no aircraft can touch down nor take off.

Speaking on the issue of data collection and its effective use, Minister Holder pointed out that this was critical to the functioning of the Hydromet services, as Guyana was a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, and, therefore, the country contributed and received information allowing for the safe ‘landing and take-off’ of airplanes.

“The service demands can be very essential to those who use the data, information and other products locally and internationally. There are currently the constant training and upgrading of staff skills to meet these demands, while contributing to the common good; training is offered at several levels, from post-secondary to Doctorate for those who are willing to make use of the opportunities,” Minister Holder explained, as he encouraged persons to take an interest in the field of Hydrometeorology.

Meanwhile, following the official opening, Minister Holder hoisted the Hydromet Flag, a symbol of the Hydromet ideals, depicting what it is and where it wants to be. It represents a renewal with relevant issues and priorities as it identifies the mission, which is to observe, archive and understand Guyana’s weather and climate and to provide meteorological, hydrological and oceanographic services in support of Guyana’s national needs and international obligations.

The theme for the anniversary observance is “Committed to Advancing Hydrometeorology for a Sustainable Future”.

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

A recipe for hijacking Guyana’s Democracy

October 5 is an important day. In 1992, on this day democracy was restored and Guyana made tremendous strides in the two decades since. But on this day, we see dark clouds overhanging our democracy which has been hijacked by the same stakeholders who did so after 1964. Then it was a collaborating elections commission, international stakeholders and the People’s National Congress (which today is the APNU+AFC). Today, democracy has been again hijacked and the assault on Guyana’s democracy this time was consummated on May 11, 2015.

I have written and spoken extensively about the conspiracy to rig Guyana’s elections in May 2015. In my mind and in the minds of the majority of Guyanese people, APNU+AFC in collaboration with GECOM and international partners stole our elections. I cannot state it more clearly that GECOM was engaged in stealing the elections in May 2015.

But the stealing was not just an opportunistic event in May 2015. It was a conspiracy that took a lengthy time. An inconvenient truth is that the task of stealing the elections was infinitely more difficult if there was not a willing participant in the experienced Chief Elections Officer. It was important to have either a willing participant as the Chief Elections Officer or a relatively inexperienced one who could easily be overwhelmed.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy

One element of the conspiracy to rig Guyana’s elections and in the process hijack Guyana’s democracy, therefore, was the firing of the then very experienced and fiercely independent Chief Elections Officer in 2013. Soon after the 2011 General Elections, a concerted effort was implemented to fire Mr Gocool Boodhoo, the then Chief Elections Officer and the pathway to rigged elections was then firmly laid out. This was an important part of the conspiracy. The Chairman of GECOM sided with the three Opposition members of the Commission at the time and terminated the contract of Mr Boodhoo. Firing Mr Boodhoo was an imperative in the plan to rig the elections since without the firing of Mr Boodhoo, taking control of the election machinery would have been a very difficult task. Many of us were convinced at that stage that the conspiracy to rig the elections had matured and that the conspirators had scored an enormous victory. They had overcome an important and necessary hurdle.

But, there was another important hurdle that was important – suffocate the information technology function of GECOM. In the preparation for modern elections, the use of information technology is critical. In all previous elections, the IT function was a collaborative effort by GECOM, the political parties and international stakeholders. In the past, we have had support from international consultants who were able to monitor and evaluate the use of IT by GECOM and ensure efficacy, fairness and transparency. An independent monitor was an absolute need since IT could be a determinant in ensuring either a fair elections or accommodate any effort to rig the elections.

In the building up towards the May 2015 elections, the IT consultant from Brussels who was assigned to monitor the functioning of the IT Department of GECOM was brutally terminated. The Chairman said that he was incompetent and was engaged in certain unacceptable extra-curricular activities, unrelated to his duties at GECOM. No evidence was provided and this position was never filled. The PPP objected in vain because the Chairman and others were bent on disallowing independent inside tracking to stop any improper action in the IT department. Another hurdle in achieving regime change was removed.

Why was it important to weaken the IT function of GECOM? Was it so important to ensure no independent monitor of the IT function of GECOM? Clearly, an unholy intent was in place and it was important that no independent force was able to point it out to all stakeholders. It was important to hide the wickedness that was afoot and the Brussels-based consultant was an inconvenient imposition on the Chairman and the GECOM machinery which was being positioned to steal the elections. He had to go and this became a desperate plan headed by GECOM’s Chairman himself.

We saw another element in the plan when Election Day staff was hired without the PPP being informed of who these persons were and without any notice. Many persons that the same Commission had problems with in previous elections and the Chairman had vowed would never ever be employed again by GECOM were suddenly hired in a non-transparent process.

The procedure of hiring these staff changed without notice. The PPP could not object to any of these people because we had no idea who were the persons hired until Election Day. The Chairman refused to give us details, even though we insisted that this was a necessary part of the transparent procedure that characterised all previous elections since 1992. This critical hurdle concretized a now fully equipped conspiracy to achieve regime change.

But not all of the components of the DUMP PPP CONSPIRACY were fully the responsibility of GECOM. Another major component of a well-oiled machinery to rig Guyana’s 2015 elections was the USAID funded political interference. The USAID Lead Programme was designed to ensure that APNU+AFC had another arm to carry out their campaign of disinformation. The US Government funded a programme that had as its sole purpose to get young people to be anti-PPP. It targeted young Guyanese professionals and students and regime change was an important objective. The hiring of Mr Bradbury was a deliberate effort to pick a hatchet man who was strongly anti-PPP.

The diplomatic representatives of the ABC countries which played such a crucial role in dumping Cheddi Jagan and the PPP before Independence were not going to be bystanders in the conspiracy for regime change either. The constant chatter from the country representatives from the ABC countries was a well-orchestrated plan to create a milieu of anti-PPP sensitivity.

It was designed to provide a feeling in the public that the obnoxious misrepresentations and outright lies that the Opposition was pronouncing on corruption and development had the imprimatur of the ABC countries. Clearly, the ABC countries wanted the Guyanese people to feel that the ABC countries were anti-PPP. Ralph Ramkarran admitted that the ABC countries for the third time in Guyana’s history deliberately took an anti-PPP stance. By now few people can doubt that the ABC countries were complicit in a wicked plot of regime change in Guyana.

None of these countries today have said anything about the clear ethnic discrimination that we see so boldly and shamelessly being carried out in Guyana. None of them today see it as their responsibility to speak out about the blatant disregard for tender and procurement rules and transparency and the heavy-handed disregard of parliamentary rules. They have become silent and they now invoke the principle of non-interference in the affairs of a sovereign nation.

But GECOM’s role in the stealing of Guyana’s election was also important on Election Day and the subsequent events. During the actual elections, we saw anomalies that would never have been tolerated in any of the ABC countries. For example, in any close elections in any of the ABC countries, there would be automatic recounts. Consider that in Region Eight where the PPP/C won the regional elections by more than 100 votes, GECOM determined that APNU+AFC won the parliamentary seat by a single vote. This would have been an automatic recount in any of the ABC countries. In spite of our request for a recount, GECOM affirmed the refusal of the Returning Officer for Region Eight to allow a recount.

Recounts are important procedural elements in any well-run elections. In the 2015 elections, there were major restrictions and an aggressive non-tolerance for recount requests. We had genuine cases for recounts, but in all instances our efforts for recounts were discouraged and robustly rejected. Our country is small and each electoral station is small. If there is nothing to hide, recounts can be accomplished in a matter of hours. There is no reason for recount requests to be denied since they will never ever be able to delay election results.

The case of the fake Statements of Poll is damning evidence for conspiracy and rigging. The Chairman himself had to admit these fake SOPs existed. The Chief Elections Officer expressed his fear and discomfort to the Commission. Yet he and the Chairman went headlong into dismissing the fake SOPs. What else was fake? It is not enough to now tell us these fake SOPs did exist, but were not used. We want to see them. We want to know how many. We want to ensure they were not used. If they were not used, what are you afraid of? Why are you so dead set against a forensic audit of the elections, particularly in an environment where this Government has utilised forensic audits as an indispensable component of good governance?

Why was it necessary for the GECOM Commissioners to meet to declare the elections results without the benefit of the box-by-box results? GECOM Commissioners were asked to declare the results based on trust and on the basis of summary results. This was never done before. Why was this important step to have GECOM Commissioners declare the results of the elections after examining the box-by-box results presented to the Commission by the Chief Elections Officer changed this time? The box-by-box results were only released several weeks after the new Government took office. This meant they had enough time to cover their tracks.

The PPP elections petition will reveal the extent of the rigging. Now, as the former AG has elaborated, they are trying to argue against the petition moving forward. If there is nothing to fear why are they afraid for the courts to hear the petition? Indeed, it is shocking that in a country where forensic audit is the buzz word and the cornerstone of good governance, the Government and GECOM are fighting tooth and nail to avoid any kind of examination of any part or the whole election process. The trail in the stealing of Guyana’s elections and overthrowing a government is long, complicated, but quite glaring. Any examination of the trail will expose GECOM and will expose the ABC countries, neither of which can escape culpability. The ABC countries were complicit in the conspiracy to sabotage Guyana’s democracy; they were an indispensable component of the conspiracy. Ralph Ramkarran did not explicitly charge them with being conspirators in the stealing of the elections, but he conceded the fact that the ABC countries had become disenchanted with the PPP. We may not be able to stop APNU+AFC from being in Government for five years, but time will reveal the cheating and the culprits responsible.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder just after hoisting the Hydromet Flag at the National Weather Watch Centre, Timehri

Nobel Prize awarded for anti-malaria, roundworm drug discoveries

The Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine has been split two ways for groundbreaking work on parasitic diseases.

William C Campbell and Satoshi ?mura found a new way of tackling infections caused by roundworm parasites.

Youyou Tu shares the prize for her discovery of a therapy against malaria.

The Nobel committee said the work had changed the lives of hundreds of millions of people affected by these diseases.

The mosquito-borne disease malaria kills more than 450,000 people each year around the world, with billions more at risk of catching the infection.

Parasitic worms affect a third of the world’s population and cause a number of illnesses, including river blindness and lymphatic filariasis.

Deadly parasites

After decades of limited progress, the discovery of the two new drugs – ivermectin for river blindness and lymphatic filariasis, and artemisinin for malaria – was a game-changer.

Efforts to eradicate malaria had been failing – older drugs were losing their

with two men who found a treatment for another parasite – roundworm.

Their research led to the development of a drug called ivermectin, which is so successful that roundworm diseases are on the verge of eradication.

Satoshi ?mura, a Japanese microbiologist, focused on studying microbes in soil samples. He selected a number of promising candidates that he

potency – and the disease was on the rise.

Prof Youyou Tu, who in the 1960s had recently graduated from the Pharmacy Department at Beijing Medical University, looked to traditional herbal medicine to find a potential therapy.

She took an extract from the plant called Artemisia annua , or sweet wormwood, and began testing it on malaria parasites.

The component, later called artemisinin, was highly effective at killing them.

Today, the drug is used around the world in combination with other malaria medicines. In Africa alone, this is saving more than 100,000 lives every year.

Tu is the 13th woman to win this Nobel Prize.

She shares the award

come a drug known as ivermectin which is now used to treat river blindness and lymphatic filariasis.

River blindness is an eye and skin disease that ultimately leads to blindness. Lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, causes painful swelling of the limbs. Both affect people living in some of the poorest countries in the world.

Dr Colin Sutherland, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said it was immensely gratifying that the achievements in tackling these important diseases had been recognised.

“It’s come out of the blue but we are very excited that the committee recognised the importance of parasitic diseases.”

The Nobel committee said: “The two discoveries have provided human-

thought might work as a weapon against diseases.

Irish-born William C Campbell, an expert in parasite biology working in the US, then explored these further and found one was remarkably efficient against parasites.

The active ingredient, avermectin, went on to be-

kind with powerful new means to combat these debilitating diseases that affect hundreds of millions of people annually.

“The consequences in terms of improved human health and reduced suffering are immeasurable.’’

tuesday,

Man on $25,000 bail for assaulting Police officer

Aman was on Monday placed on $25,000 bail by Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court charged with assaulting a Police officer and possession of narcotics.

Steven Martindale, 29, a miner of Bartica, pleaded not guilty to the charges which stated that on October 2 at Platinum Gas Station, First Avenue, Bartica, he was found in possession of two

“The PPP/C stands proud of its record in Government, notwithstanding the bleatings of the doomsayers, a hostile media, the brutal vengeance visited upon thousands of workers, and others by a vicious and vengeful group of witchhunters and hatchet men and women acting on behalf of the APNU/AFC Coalition Administration coupled with the revival of discriminatory practices both racial and political levels. Of recent vintage is the return to the past practice of vote rigging and manipulation. In this regard the PPP/C is of the strong view that, as it was 1992, the time has come for a fresh set of reforms at GECOM which the Party has already made public its intention to pursue at the domestic and international levels,” Rohee declared.

According to the PPP/C, having returned to where the it was prior to October 5, 1992, albeit “under qualitatively new conditions”, internally and externally the PPP/C is resolved to wage a ‘relentless and deter-

grams of cannabis sativa. He also denied the charge which read that on the same occasion he unlawfully assaulted Police Constable Thomson who was attempting to arrest him.

Police Prosecutor Corporal Neville Jeffers made no objections to bail being granted. The defendant was released on $25,000 bail and the matter was transferred to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court for October 15.

mined struggle’ against all malpractices by the “de facto APNU/AFC Granger-led Coalition Administration” in and out of Parliament.

The media was told that in this regard the Party is proposing that the popular slogan should be “No more than five years for the APNU/AFC at Shiv Chanderpaul Drive”.

“Thereafter, armed with a successful petition and with angry rice farmers, sugar workers and the many disaffected, disillusioned and disappointed Guyanese working people behind and in front of us and who would have already discarded the empty promise of a “Good Life” the PPP/C will once again return to office placing Guyana once again on its rightful path to economic and social development with a human face and a foreign policy characterised by good neighbourliness, peace and international cooperation with all countries of the world in pursuance of a New Global Human Order,” Rohee added. (kristenm@ guyanatimesgy.com)

Diaspora announces major plans for Guyana’s 50th Independence celebrations

Guyana’s Consulate General in New York City, Brentnold Evans and the 50th Independence Anniversary Celebration Committee in New York have announced elaborate plans to celebrate Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary in New York City from June 4 to 12, 2016.

The Committee’s Communications Director Nevlon Duguid disclosed on Monday that the bipartisan, broad-based Committee comprises 112 members from the New York metropolitan area, Atlanta, North Carolina and Florida. He said the Committee is divided into 12 sub-committees for efficacy.

Officers of the Committee include Rickford Burke –Chairman; Lourdeth Ferguson Secretary; Geraldine JosephWatson - Assistant Secretary; Aquafie Munroe Treasurer;

Ewart Marshall - Assistant Treasurer; Rennie Parris - Recording Secretary and Jacqueline Smartt – Assistant Recording Secretary. General Counsel and Counsel to the Committee are Attorneys Rovin Rozario and Edward MeertinsGeorge, respectively.

Duguid said a State Dinner and Awards Ceremony and a grand finale “Mashramanistyled, Guyanese-American Unity Parade and Rally” will culminate the week-long celebration. He estimated an attendance of over 25,000 nationals at the Unity Parade.

The Director also added that the commemoration will be officially launched in November 2015 with the kick-off of “an amazing and a robust eightmonth public relations and social media campaign to keep the Diaspora informed and to solicit unprecedented participation.” He promised a spectacu-

lar celebration of every aspect of Guyana’s rich history and culture of which every Guyanese will be ecstatic and proud.

The celebration will feature a collection of commemorative events, coordinated by the corresponding sub-committee chairs, including an Interfaith Prayer Service on June 4, a symposium on the History & Development of Guyana on June 5; “Guyana Gives Back” –A Day of Volunteerism throughout New York City on June 6; ”Invest Guyana” Business and Investment Conference on June 7, in Manhattan; a Guyana Flag Raising Ceremony on June 9 in East Orange, New Jersey; a Unity Concert and Cultural Extravaganza on June 10 in Brooklyn, and many more.

Duguid also revealed that the committee will be selling commemorative memorabilia and souvenirs, but emphasised the Committee will be the sole merchandiser of such collectables.

He also highlighted the special importance of young people

in the celebration. “Our youth are playing a significant role in planning the celebration. They have a role in propelling Guyana to new heights of development. This is why most of the officers as well as most chairs and co-chairs of the events are young people. “It is laudable that they have stepped forward to help lead this massive effort,” he stressed.

Noting the Diaspora will be kept fully apprised, involved and engaged in the commemorative activities and events, the committee’s communications director said the committee will continually reach out to every Guyanese organisation, religious congregation, societies and every Guyanese community in the US.

President Brigadier David Granger and other officials of the Government of Guyana have been invited to the New York festivities.

Youyou Tu is the 13th woman to win this Nobel Prize

Dr Campbell now works at Drew University in the US

Satoshi ?mura has discovered more than 470 compounds during his career as a scientist

Guyana’s Consulate General in New York City, Brentnold Evans

SUDOKU

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

(May 21June 20)

CANCER

Your charisma and ability to put others at ease will result in greater popularity. Host an informal gathering that will allow you to show off your best stuff.

Let others speak their mind in order to discover valuable information. Sit back and observe. If you try to control the conversation, you will learn very little.

Your friends and family want the best for you. Ask for help if you need it, and make use of any connections or contacts that others can offer you when seeking new opportunities.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Be the catalyst that puts everything in motion. Stay informed and involved, and keep networking whenever possible. You will miss out if you sit back and procrastinate.

Romance should be scheduled. Plan a special get-together or getaway with someone you love. If you are single, now is your chance to meet someone who can change your life.

Something is happening behind the scenes that will affect your reputation. Make discreet inquiries in order to get the lowdown and avoid unwanted surprises or lastminute changes.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Don’t count on others to do the work for you. Initiate plans, make decisions and become a leader. It’s your sharp intellect and remarkable instincts that will carry you forward.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Expect to face resistance if you are outspoken. You will get a fresh perspective from an unlikely source. Listen and learn about what others are up to before you voice your opinions.

CAPRICORN (June 21July 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

In order to spice things up, you should add some excitement to your routine. You can connect with inspirational and compatible people through travel or by enrolling for a course, conference or activity.

(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Don’t get mired down with financial or legal documents. If you are having trouble concentrating, take a break. A fresh start and open mind will help you clear up unfinished business.

AQUARIUS

PISCES

(Feb. 20March 20)

Step outside your comfort zone. Love and romance are highlighted, and an encounter with someone unconventional will make a difference to the way you live your life.

If you feel unfulfilled or unappreciated in the workplace, make a change. Furthering your education and boosting your qualifications will lead to a new start. Go after your dream job.

GEMINI

Peanuts

Calvin and hobbes

dilbert arChie

UG

Technology on a roll with 3 straight wins

By TreisTon Joseph

The Faculty of Technology is looking strong in their title defence of the ongoing University of Guyana (UG) Inter-faculty basketball tournament that continued on Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The defending champs had another strong showing, this time against UG’s Tain Campus with a 60-42 win, as well as against Social Sciences with a 43-21 win.

Yoel Meusa continued to be a scoring force in the tournament dropping 29 points after scoring 32 on the opening day of tournament on Saturday. Kitfai Sue had 15 points as well for Technology, while the biggest scoring threat from the Tain Campus was Rayel Franklin with 16 points.

In the game with Social Sciences, Meusa was once again Technology’s go to scorer as he dropped 14

points, while Sue helped out with 11 points for the third straight win for the defending champs.

UG’s Staff topped Health Sciences 45-38 in a close affair, running away with the game comfortably in the end.

Ewart Smith once again dominated the paint with 18 points, while Akil Lewis played the supporting role yet again with 12 points as the two have become the scoring threats for the Staff team.

TGH Pacesetters’ stalwart, Naylon Loncke had 15 points for Health Sciences in the loss while Kirk Moses had 12 points.

Meanwhile, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry topped UG’s Staff with a 53-41 win to be the leading team in Group B.

Former President’s College standout Nyamebekyere Bacchus had a game-leading 15 points with Shurland Gillis assist-

ing with 13 points, while Lewis and Smith changed roles as Lewis ended with 14 points and Smith 13.

Social Sciences were able to come out with a 67-44 win over Natural Sciences as Marvin Durant, Geoffrey LaRose and Cosmo Evans has 12 points each to lead Social Sciences. Dwayne McKinnon had a game-high 27 points in a losing effort.

After the two rounds of competition, Technology leads Group A followed by Social Sciences, Berbice Tain Campus and Natural Sciences, while in Group B, Agriculture and Forestry lead the way followed by UG Staff, Health Sciences and School of Earth and Environmental Science (SEES)

The tournament will continue on October 17 with the knockout stage, while October 18 will be the final of the tournament. (josepht@guyanatimesgy.com)

TBy Akeem Greene

The Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) defeated St Stanislaus College by eight wickets on Sunday at the DCC Ground, Queenstown.

Batting first, the school boys made 153 all out from 27.3 overs with only Ifran Ally who made a sparkling 70 inclusive of eight fours and one six.

Lydon Lyht 4-40 was the

chief wrecker with the ball as DCC leaked 27 in extras.

When the Queenstown side took strike at the crease, National Under-17 player

Raymond Perez continued his good form, making 50 not out (8x4s). This is Perez’s second consecutive fifty and the right-hand opening batsman again looked compact at the crease.

National Under-15 player

Sunil Singh made a strokefilled 47 inclusive of 10 fours

he National Sport Commission (NSC) through Director of Sport, Christopher Jones has once again provided its support towards the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB).

The NSC recently donated a quantity of balls which will be used for the BCB organised four-team roundrobin tournament for teams in the Berbice River area.

The Board, in an effort to continue the spread of the game across the length and breadth of Berbice, has initiated a joint venture to run a round-robin cricket competition for teams in the Berbice River.

At a simple, but significant ceremony at the Commission’s office, Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, Jones handed over the balls to Anil Beharry, President of the BCB.

The Director of Sports said that the Government’s top priority is to serve the people of Guyana, and sports are one of the vehicles it planned to use.

Jones said that he was

always pleased when persons and organisations have serious interest in the development of people through sports. In those cases, he will surely make a contribution.

In reply, Beharry thanked Jones for his quick and positive response, and promised that the balls will be used for the intended purpose. He added that the Board was willing to work with decent individuals and organisations to further develop the game in the Ancient County. Beharry promised that the competition will be launched soon in Berbice, and will commence immediately after.

Croft calls for return of captain’s vote for selector’s panel

ormer West Indies fast bowler Collin Croft has called for the re-instatement of the captain’s vote as a part of the West Indies team selection process.

In the recent uproar that led to the suspension of Windies head coach Phil Simmons, it was revealed that newly appointed cap-

tain Jason Holder had sided with Simmons and Convenor of Selectors Clive Lloyd regarding the re-instatement of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard.

With the captain, however, no longer having a vote in the current set-up the end result was a 3-2 decision that kept the both players out of the One Day

after a quickfire 34 from Jamal Hinckson (3x4s, 3x6s) helped DCC reach 154-2 in 16 overs.

In the other game being played at Eve Leary, Police whipped Sophia by 245 runs. Batting first, Police made 361 all out form 39.4 overs with Rockey Hutson leading the way with 60 (9x4s,1x6) as well as Vishal Jaigobin 51 (8x4s,2x6s).

Michael Sultan made a useful 44 (3x4s, 3x6s).

Bowling for Sophia, Satish Jaikaran’s 3-28 from 6 overs were the stand out figures. Sophia in response with the bat folded to 116 all out in 18 overs with S Stevens top scoring with 19. Former National senior team pacer Troy Benn led the destruction of the Sophia side taking 6-23 from 7 overs. Joshua Paul took 3-28 from 6 overs as the lawmen made light work of the Sophia side. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy.com)

International team. It wasn’t always the case that the leader of the team did not get an input on who was selected, and it is a situation that Croft believes needs revisiting.

“Why in present West Indies cricket, are none of our teams’ captains allowed votes in selecting players that they will lead, as was present in the past, while coaches do have that luxury? Croft asked in a column published by the T&T Guardian.

Ewart Smith collects a rebound during Sunday’s action (Carl Crocker photo)

Director of Sports, Christopher Jones (right) hands over a box of ball to BCB Presdient, Anil Beharry representative

Raymond Perez

Collin Croft

All-round SA seal series after crowd interruption

AMorkel celebrated a return to the South African side in his 50th T20I, after an absence of 18 months with a career-best haul of 3 for 12 and a starring role in a series win. South Africa sealed the series with a game to spare with one of their most commanding performances in this format.

They dismissed India for their second-lowest T20 total, much to the chagrin of the Cuttack crowd, who interrupted play twice during South Africa’s chase by throwing bottles onto the outfield, and they did it on a surface snaked with cracks.

The Cuttack pitch was not what would be a considered a South African seamer’s playground. It had the appearance of a frozen-over surface struck by something sharp, causing rivers of fissures, and Faf du Plessis chose to make first use of it because of high humidity which he thought would bring dew later on.

The expected dampness did not arrive and neither did India’s batsmen. They succumbed to several soft dismissals and showed none of the temperament required to score runs on the surface and South Africa took full advantage. That India’s top-

SCOREBOARD

India innings (20 overs maximum)

RG Sharma run out (Miller) 22

S Dhawan lbw b Morris 11

V Kohli run out

(Morris/†de Villiers) 1

SK Raina c Amla b Imran Tahir 22

AT Rayudu b Rabada 0

MS Dhoni*† c †de Villiers

b Morkel 5

AR Patel c du Plessis b Morkel 9

Harbhajan Singh b Imran Tahir 0

R Ashwin b Morris 11

B Kumar b Morkel 0

MM Sharma not out 0

Extras: (lb 1, w 9, nb 1) 11

Total: (all out; 17.2 overs) 92

Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-30, 3-43, 4-45, 5-67, 6-69, 7-69, 8-85, 9-85, 10-92

Bowling: KJ Abbott 3-0-21-0, Imran Tahir 4-0-24-2, K Rabada

4-0-18-1, CH Morris 2.2-0-16-2,

JA Morkel 4-0-12-3.

South Africa innings (target: 93 runs from 20 overs) AB de Villiers† b Ashwin 19

HM Amla c RG Sharma

b Ashwin 2

F du Plessis* c MM Sharma b Ashwin 16

JP Duminy not out 30

F Behardien lbw b Patel 11

DA Miller not out 10

Extras: (lb 3, w 5) 8

Total: (4 wickets; 17.1 overs) 96

Did not bat: JA Morkel, CH Morris, K Rabada, KJ Abbott, Imran Tahir

Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-38, 3-49, 4-76

Bowling: B Kumar 2-0-13-0, R Ashwin 4-0-24-3, Harbhajan Singh 4-0-20-0, MM Sharma 1-0-7-0, SK Raina 3.1-0-120, AR Patel 3-0-17-1.

scorers managed just 22 each and the rest of the line-up could only collectively muster 37 speaks about the lack of application by the Indian batsmen.

Unsure of conditions, South Africa tried something different when Imran Tahir opened the bowling with Kyle Abbott but it was only when Kagiso Rabada took over that South Africa announced themselves.

Rabada banged the ball in hard, but not short, to see if he could extract any bounce and cause the batsmen any discomfort. He managed both and showed the rest of the pack attack what length to employ. South Africa had to shift out of their comfort zone, forget the short ball and pitch it up and they did. Chris Morris had Shikhar Dhawan trapped lbw by a full, straight ball as he tried to whip it away.

Dhawan’s early departure would not have been a cause for too much concern but Virat Kohli’s run-out two balls later would have. Morris was involved again, as he collected the ball at deep midwicket, and sent it in before Kohli was able to complete the second run, which Rohit Sharma seemed to want.

Rohit was made to realise early that this innings would demand more of him than the one he played on Friday in Dharamsala. (Cricinfo)

Bilal Asif 5-for gives Pakistan series

Pakistan cruised to a 2-1 series victory over Zimbabwe with a seven-wicket win in the third ODI at Harare Sports Club. Offspinning allrounder Bilal Asif was the chief architect in the demolition of Zimbabwe’s batting line-up by Pakistan’s spinners, taking 5 for 25 as the hosts were bowled out for just 161. Bilal’s wickets prompted an extraordinary collapse with Zimbabwe losing 10 for 72 to ruin what had been a solid start from their openers. The only downside for Pakistan is that they remain in ninth place in the ICC ODI rankings as a result of the loss on Saturday.

Operating from the City End of the ground, Bilal bowled his ten overs on the trot after being brought on in the 13th over by standin captain Sarfraz Ahmed - regular leader Azhar Ali sitting this match out with an infected foot. Openers Chamu Chibhabha and Richmond Mutumbami initially seemed to play the offspinner without much alarm, but when Chibhabha popped a simple return catch to the bowler, Zimbabwe’s spectacular implosion was set in motion.

Sean Williams shuffled down the track to loft Bilal to wide long-on, but then seemed in two minds as he lunged forward at a flighted delivery and ended up chipping another tame catch to the bowler. Bilal took his second in the over by bowling a noncommittal Elton

Chigumbura via the inside edge, and from then on Zimbabwe offered virtually nothing in the way of resistance.

Sikandar Raza shuffled right across to the off side as he set himself to sweep, but exposed his stumps in the process and was bowled. When Tino Mutombodzi backed away and missed a cut off when the ball kept a touch low, Bilal had his fifth and Zimbabwe were 127 for 6 in the 31st over. There had been a completely different complexion to their innings in the midst of Chibhabha and Mutumbami’s opening

stand. Chibhabha played with characteristic conviction off the front foot and took much of the early strike. He was into the 20s before Mutumbami had even faced his third delivery, and looked set for a 15th ODI fifty before falling to Bilal. His wicket broke an 89run opening stand, and he was soon followed back to the pavilion by Brian Chari, who was lbw to Imad Wasim playing back when he should have been forward. Darting the ball in from round the wicket, Imad helped himself to two more wickets and in total Zimbabwe lost 9 for 65 to 18.5 overs of spin. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

Zimbabwe innings (50 overs maximum)

CJ Chibhabha c & b Bilal Asif 48

R Mutumbami† c †Sarfraz

Ahmed b Mohammad Irfan 67

BB Chari lbw b Imad Wasim 4

SC Williams c & b Bilal Asif 5

E Chigumbura* b Bilal Asif 0

Sikandar Raza b Bilal Asif 2

CT Mutombodzi b Bilal Asif 4

MN Waller c Mohammad

Hafeez b Imad Wasim 8

LM Jongwe not out 16

T Panyangara lbw b Imad Wasim 0

J Nyumbu c Mohammad Rizwan b Shoaib Malik 4

Extras: (w 3) 3

Total:(all out; 38.5 overs) 161

Fall of wickets: 1-89, 2-100, 3-111, 4-111, 5-121, 6-127, 7-133, 8-144, 9-144

Bowling: Mohammad Irfan

8-0-43-1, Aamer Yamin 6-0-290, Wahab Riaz 6-0-24-0, Imad

Wasim 8-1-36-3, Bilal Asif 10-125-5, Shoaib Malik 0.5-0-4-1. Pakistan innings (target: 162 runs from 50 overs)

Ahmed Shehzad st †Chari b Williams 32 Bilal Asif c Mutombodzi b Nyumbu 38 Mohammad Hafeez c †Chari b Panyangara 13 Asad Shafiq not out 38 Shoaib Malik not out 34

Extras: (lb 2, w 5) 7

Total: (3 wickets; 34 overs) 162 Did not bat: Sarfraz Ahmed*†, Mohammad Rizwan, Imad Wasim, Aamer Yamin, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan Fall of wickets: 1-58, 2-74, 3-104 Bowling: T Panyangara 7-022-1, LM Jongwe 7-0-42-0, SC Williams 10-1-29-1, J Nyumbu 4-0-33-1, CT Mutombodzi 3-0-21-0, MN Waller 2-011-0, Sikandar Raza 1-0-20.

Banned athlete Mullings attacks JAAA

Former Jamaica representative Steve Mullings has launched a scathing attack on officials of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association via internet fundraising website GoFundMe.com.

Mullings a former athlete was banned from the sport for life after failing a second drugs test for a banned substance in 2011. The 100m sprinter’s sample, it was reported, tested positive for Furosemide, a masking agent, after previously testing positive for Testosterone in 2004.

The website document published under the sprinter’s name two days ago, not

only accuses the country of abandoning him, but maintains that both failed test were part of an elaborate conspiracy involving several JAAA officials and some athletes.

The animosity the sprinter claims resulted from his decision to attend college instead of opting to become sign a professional contract. The contract, Mullings claims, would have earned the officials money had he signed.

Among the former sprinter’s claims are that following a failed test in 2004 he was not given a fair trial despite presenting evidence that should have counted to-

wards his exoneration, included subsequent tests that proved his body was clean of

the substance.

Mullings was later told, he says, that his test was

switched for a more noted Jamaican sprinter.

The athlete, who claims he has never taken performance enhancing substances, alleges an even more elaborate cover-up in 2011 when he tested positive for the masking agent. Mullings again claiming to have been retested without showing evidence of the substance in his system but also adds that claims were made that he would never make a team under the tenure of the same officials.

Mullings claims the positive tests have ruined not only his career, but his life, as he is unable to get employment.

“I have lost everything; I am broke and unable to find employment because of the stigma attached to my name,” Mullings’ document read.

“I struggle to buy food, pay rent and support my family,” he added.

“I am not looking to run again. All I want to do is clear my name so I can earn a living to take care of my wife and son.”

Mullings went on to appeal to WADA, the IAAF the JAAA and Jamaican Government to assist in taking another look at his case. The former athlete has raised $US300 so far. (Digicel Sportsmax)

lbie

Steve Mullings

South Africa celebrate Shikhar Dhawan’s run out (Associated Press photo)

The Pakistan players with the trophy (AFP photo)

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IAAF will do everything to protect clean athletes – Coe

Athletics has been at the forefront in the fight against doping and its world governing body will do everything to protect the clean athletes, president Sebastian Coe said on Monday.

The twice Olympic 1,500 metres champion was elected in August to head the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) which has been accused of going soft on doping after thousands of blood test data were leaked to media.

Coe said athletics has been “at the vanguard” in the fight against doping and promised to rid the sport of the menace.

“It’s not uniquely a track and field problem,” Coe told reporters after meeting with the south Asian athletics officials in the Indian capital.

“Every sport in the world has global issues. We have them but we also resolve them.

“It is our responsibility to make sure that our systems are clear and concise and the protocols are uniform across the globe,” he said.

“We must encourage the clean athletes to believe that we are always going to be in their corner.

“The reason that you have testing systems is actually to protect the clean ath-

letes. It’s not just simply to remove those who cheat,” he said.

The Briton said IAAF tested 19,000 athletes since 2003-04, more than any other sport, and felt there was a perception issue.

“(Sprinter) Usain Bolt is the most tested athlete, male or female, in any sport on the planet. Reality and perception often get badly tangled,” he said.

“We take this very very seriously and we need to make sure that the public believe what they watch in a stadium is legitimate.”

Coe hailed six-times Olympic champion Bolt but said athletics would not collapse when the charismatic Jamaican hangs up his spikes, most likely after the 2017 world championships.

“Not since Muhammad

Ali do I think any competitor in any sport has captured the imagination in the way Usain Bolt has. We’ve been very fortunate,” said Coe.

“(But) our sport will not come to an end when Usain Bolt retires.

“I am a boxing fan and I remember the kind of conversation boxing was having in the 1960s and 70s -- what when Muhammad Ali retires. Well, Floyd Mayweather comes along, Marvin Hagler comes along, Tommy Hearns comes along, Sugar Ray Leonard comes along.

“Every record that Usain Bolt set as a youngster in school has now been broken by Jamaican athletes which tells you there is in the pipeline a great deal of talent coming through the Jamaican track and field system.” (Reuters)

Chelsea manager charged with misconduct

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association for remarks he made about match officials following his side’s 3-1 home loss to Southampton on Saturday.

The FA alleges his comments “imply bias on the part of a match official”.

Mourinho felt referee Robert Madley denied Chelsea a penalty on Saturday, adding officials were “afraid” to award his side spot-kicks.

The 52-year-old has until 18:00 BST on 8 October to respond to the charge.

Defeat by Southampton means Chelsea have lost four of their opening eight league games this season, leaving them 10 points behind leaders Manchester City and four points above the relegation zone.

Speaking after Saturday’s game, Mourinho said the Blues were “al-

“The great irony here is that present chief WI selector Clive Lloyd, while leading an acclaimed cricket team, thankfully including yours truly, demanded that vote: “I am given this task of leading WI teams. Therefore I must

ways punished” by officials because “there is always a question mark” from the media.

He added: “The penalty in this game is more than crucial because my team, at the moment, the first negative thing that happens... they collapse.

“After that the team lost even more confidence. Mentally, psychologically, the team is unbelievably down.

“If the Football Association wants to punish me they can. They don’t punish other managers.” Mourinho was charged hours after Chelsea said the Portuguese retained their “full support” after back-toback defeats.

have my vote as to whom I trust to be out there with me.

Ultimately, I am responsible for producing good performances from those players on the field.

“As Jose has said himself, results have not been good enough and the team’s performances must improve,” read the club’s statement. “However, we believe that we have the right manager to turn this season around and that he has the squad with which to do it.” (BBC Sport)

from page 19

“WI selectors do have their rightful place, especially tasked with scouting for potential newbies, then objectively colluding with captains and coaches to get special blends to represent well enough to win regularly. But selectors could never replace captains!” (Digicel Sportsmax)

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Sebastian Coe

Jose Mourinho

Stag Elite League…

Alpha top table after win

– Buxton defeat Monedderlust in bottom-of-the-table clash

By TreisTon Joseph

Curtains came down on round four of the Stag Elite League when action continued with two decisive victories on Sunday evening at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground.

Alpha United were able to grab their second win of the League with a 2-0 win against Fruta Conquerors, thus allowing the team known as the Hammer to take the top position in the league standings.

Meanwhile, Buxton United won their first game in the League with a 1-nil win against Monedderlust in a clash of the League’s bottom teams.

Alpha United took advantage of the inexperience of a young Fruta Conquerors side that has shown flashes of brilliance in the opening weeks of the League.

Conquerors who made their share of attacking moves in the first half fell victim to defensive mistakes on a couple of occasions, paying the price in the 44th minute with an on target strike from Delon Lanferman that struck the back of the net to bring the first half to a close.

Alpha continued to prove that they were the better side in the second half with accurate passes and a few runs down both flanks that resulted in no goals.

Nevertheless, the for-

ward attacking by Alpha took its toll on a tiring Conquerors defence that allowed Lanferman to double in the 68th minute.

While Conquerors had a few chances, wayward finishing that has plagued the League during all the rounds continued to be the order of the day.

The second game of the evening was simply a fast paced game with Buxton needling Monedderlust.

Both teams came out running with the aim of scoring and there was no lack of action during the encounter, but with both teams unable to keep possession of the ball for too long, the first half finished in a nil-all stalemate.

In the second half, two sides continued to show their lack of finishing ability

as well as strategic offensive attacks.

However, Eson Hamer was able to rock the net for Buxton in the 82nd minute to basically win the game with his late strike.

After four rounds of competition, Alpha United hold a light edge at the top of the table due to a one goal difference against Pele FC with whom they are tied on eight points.

Conquerors come in third on seven points while selfproclaimed winners of the League, Slingerz FC are on six points to round out the top four teams in the League thus far.

Action in the League will continue later this week at grounds around Guyana. (josepht@guyanatimesgy. com)

National School Championships…

North Georgetown starts quest to 3rd straight title today

By TreisTon Joseph

The defending champions of the National School Championships, North Georgetown (District 11) will begin their process of identifying their best team for the 2015 edition of the event when they begin their InterSchools Championships today at various venues.

After a rained out event last year, North Georgetown have won the last two Championships, the last being in 2013.

With school sports once again the attraction of the next coming months, Team Manager of North Georgetown, Mariska Williams identified the area she believes needed the most work in order to keep the championship in District 11.

“Basically what we need to do is strengthen the teachers; we have been lacking in that championships and that to me will be the big area this year for us,” Williams

told Guyana Times Sport

Further, Williams is confident about North Georgetown’s overall chances when the School National Championships rolls around in November.

“We will definitely retain the swimming championships; we should have a good cycling team, but I’m not too sure with some of the new cyclists coming into the zone at the moment,” Williams highlighted.

Nevertheless, the in-

Players’ commitment key criteria for selection, says Griffith

– dates confirmed for practice games

By raJiv BisnauTh

Chairman of the National Selectors and former Guyana fast bowler Rayon Griffith outlined that while the selection panel will be looking at a number of factors before the final Guyana Jaguars squad is selected, “players’ commitment” will be the key criteria for selection.

According to Griffith, the squad for the first round of the second edition of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional Cricket League Regional Four-day franchise tournament, which commences on November 6, will be selected after the two four-day practice games.

The first practice game is confirmed for October 12-15 at the Georgetown Cricket Club, while Game Two is scheduled for October 2629 at a venue to be decided.

those contracted players, other players who have reached the selector’s criteria are also eligible for selection under the ‘Pay for Play’ criteria.

noted that batsmen Leon Johnson and Shivnarine Chanderpaul are part of the Jaguars’ set-up, but were not considered for contracts since both batsmen have WICB retainer contracts. The players awarded Academy Contracts from Cricket Guy Inc for the year 2015-2016 are: Gudakesh Motie, Anthony Adams, Raun Johnson, Keemo Paul, Raj Nannan, Steven Sankar, Robin Bacchus, Kemol Savory, Kevon Boodie, Dexter Solomon, Steven Jacobs, Tevin Imlach and Akshaya Persaud.

flux of talent into the track team has Williams feeling very optimistic, since winning at least two of the four championships at the event is almost a guarantee to finish in top echelon of zones at Guyana’s premier junior championships.

“I don’t know much about the field aspect, but we do have a lot of top track stars coming into the zone as well as returning which will make it hard for some of the other zones… that should really boost our track team compared to last year,” Williams noted.

Meanwhile, today’s activities will involve the swimming inter-schools championships for North Georgetown at the Colgrain Swimming Pool, while cycling action will pedal off in the National Park as well.

Wednesday will see the beginning of field event action at the Guyana’s Teacher’s Union (GTU) for Zone One and Two in North Georgetown. Action on all days is set to start at 10:00h.

“Commitment is the top priority for us. We (selectors) are also looking at attitude, fitness and of course performance,” Griffith added.

Under the new franchise system, each of the six franchises is allowed to have 15 contracted players.

However, apart from

The Guyana Jaguars contracted players for the 2015-2016 season are: Christopher Barnwell, Anthony Bramble, Paul Wintz, Raymon Reifer, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Shimron Hetymer, Ronsford Beaton, Keon Joseph, Assad Fudadin, Rajendra Chandrika, Vishual Singh, Javon Searles and Kandasammy Surujnarine.

Further, it must be

Further, as intense training continues on Monday at the Georgetown Cricket Club, Head Coach Esaun Crandon has expressed satisfaction at the attitude of the players.

In fact, Crandon said the attitude has been positive from players. Further, the 33-year-old Crandon, who took 98 wickets in his 38 First-Class matches, said he was impressed with his squad’s fitness level and was pleased with the general condition of the players.

The Guyana Jaguars are defending champions of the PCL Four-day competition. (rajivb@guyanatimesgy. com)

BCB saddened by the passing of Camacho

The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) deeply regrets the passing of former Guyana and West Indies batsman Steve Camacho, who died last Friday in Antigua.

In a release from the executives of the Board, they expressed their deepest sympathies to the family members and friends of the late cricket stalwart.

His death is a great loss to cricket in the Caribbean, the release stated.

Further, the release added that Camacho was a perfect example of a good human being on and off the field.

The right-handed batsman played 11 Tests, with his highest score being 87. For Guyana, he scored seven centuries and 24 half-centuries.

His humility earned him great respect

Delon Lanferman of Alpha United (right) and Eson Hamer of Buxton United were the two scorers on Sunday evening

Mariska Williams

Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chairman of the National Selectors Rayon Griffith in discussion during Monday’s fielding session

Esaun Crandon

and admiration as a West Indies Cricket selector and administrator. Steve Camacho served as the CEO of the West Indies Board for 18 years. May his soul rest in peace, the release concluded.

Steve Camacho

Kristen Odle aiming for success at NG’s inter-schools Swimming Championships

By Akeem Greene

North Georgetown’s

ace swimmer Kristen Odle is hoping for a sea of fruitful results at the North Georgetown Inter-Schools Swimming Championships set for today at the Colgrain Swimming Pool on Camp Street.

Odle, who is only 15 years of age and has been swimming competitively for about 10 years, dominated her events in the open category at last year’s National School Championship. She is confident she can deliver come the first set of qualifiers for ‘Nationals’ today.

The St Stanislaus College student, who is currently in fifth form and preparing to write the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations next year, mentioned that owing to her commitments at school, it has been difficult to uphold her usual training regime.

However, Odle was adamant that she was still working on keeping a high fitness level despite the lack of training time. She said “balancing swimming and school is a bit difficult, but I’m still trying to do what I can to stay fit”.

Kristen Odle

Odle, who has not represented Guyana as yet at a regional or international swim meet, has personal best times of 37.06s in the 50 metres freestyle; 53.93s in the 50 metres breast stroke and 47.88s in the 50 metres backstroke.

These personal best performances were all achieved at last year’s National

Guyana Golf Open 2015…

School Championships.

What was most astonishing is that Odle was only 14 years old and swam in the open category, winning all of her races against older and more seasoned campaigners. Certainly with experience on her side, Odle will be expecting to better these performances. The young swimmer underscored the

Persaud ready to defend title

By rAjiv BisnAuth

When

Avinash

Persaud recaptured the Guyana Golf Open male title last year, he did so with immense authority.

However, sometimes, expectations can create all sorts of problems, even for the top-ranked player.

Persaud knows this from experience, but he has vowed to retain the title when the two-day tournament tees off at the Lusignan Golf Course on October 31.

Persaud won his fifth Guyana Golf Open title last year, when he made the game look easy with sizzling shot selection as well as intense concentration. He chalked up a gross of 144 to lead all golfers.

However, he acknowledged that the tournament is Guyana’s premier event on the local golf calendar, and as such, he anticipates a competitive tournament.

“It is the premier event locally and every golfer is itching to have a go at it. However, while I anticipate a competitive tournament, I am confident of retaining

the title,” Persaud said during an exclusive interview.

He remains optimistic, saying he is well prepared for any challenges. “I fit and ready to go,” he said.

Asked to comment on the Club’s decision to introduce a Senior Flight for the tournament this year, the defending champion said “definitely it will make the tournament more competitive”.

Apart from the usual categories: First Flight (0-9 handicap); Second Flight

(10-18); Third Flight (19-28) and Ladies Flight, the Club, for the first time in its history, has introduced a Senior Flight.

Like the previous years, the overall champion in the Men’s division will be judged by the player with the Best Gross, while on the distaff side, the winner will come from the person with the Best Net.

On the distaff side, Joann Deo created one of the biggest upsets when she defeated Christine Sukhram as the top female golfer. Deo made an array of focused shots to register a Net of 141 for the big win.

Shanella Webster finished second with Net 146, as 2013 champion Sukhram fell all the way to third with Net 149.

Meanwhile, registration for the two-day event is in full swing, and interested golfers can confirm their participation by registering via the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) email address, lusignangolfclub@hotmail.com or by making contact with the LGC on telephone number 222-5660. (rajivb@guyanatimesgy.com)

benefit of having the 50 metres pool at Liliendaal as it exposes her to the international standard of swimming and allows for better preparation.

The Dorado Speed Club swimmer, who is coached by Shyka Gonsalves, will be entering her second year at the Championships and will be hoping to help her district to victory in the swimming events.

The young swimming prodigy is also looking to forward her studies in the areas of law or journalism. When quizzed about whether a string of exceptional swimming performances can attract attention for a scholarship, she posited that it would require extremely hard work as it regards her training since there is a great level of competition in the sport.

With Odle aiming to replicate her brilliant feats at this year’s edition of “Nationals”, her first major test will be at the North Georgetown Inter schools swimming competition which is being held today at the Colgrain Swimming Pool.

This event is being used to select the district’s team for the upcoming National Schools Swimming Championships slated to be held in November. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy. com)

D'Andrade finishes 2nd in RBC/TTRRC 5K after brief rest

The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) in conjunction with the Trinidad and Tobago Road Runners Club (TTRRC) held its annual ‘Race for Hope’ five and 15 kilometres road race on Sunday where Trinidad-based Guyanese Lionel D’Andrade returned to action.

After a brief rest period, the tall lanky athlete was able to place second in the event with a time of 16mins 19s. Trinidadian Matthew Hagley was first in 15:55s, while Trinidadian Iley Bruce was third in 17:35s. In the 15K stretch, Kenyan Kenneth Rotich stopped the clock in 48:10s followed by Guyana’s own Kelvin Johnson in 52:08s and Trinidadian Curtis Cox in third with a time of 53:03s.

D’Andrade says, “I felt

good, even in the morning humidity. I was resting up briefly, so it felt good being back on the course. I am preparing for the UWI Spec Half Marathon scheduled for this October 25th; so I’ll be picking up some momentum for that with the Air Bon Sonics and the St Mary’s 5ks carded for this weekend and then the Palo Seco Credit Union 5K the following weekend; just before the UWI Half Marathon,” D’Andrade explained.

The ‘Race for Hope’ had 700 participants who all ran in support of celebrating the progress of children in treatment and recovery for cancer in Trinidad & Tobago, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica and the Bahamas who have received funding for their treatment since 2009. (josepht@guyanatimesgy.com)

Avinash Persaud

Lionel D’Andrade

Head coach, Esaun Crandon making a point during Monday’s fielding session